Chief Tomat Elementary Community Connection 

February 14, 2025

Important Upcoming Dates at Chief Tomat - see below for more details

• Every Wednesday is pizza day - orders need to be in by the Monday of that week by noon

• Fri. Feb. 14 - Professional Development Day (no school for students)

• Mon. Feb. 17 - Family Day - Schools Closed

• Fri. Feb. 21 - Hot Dog Day; orders due by Mon. Feb. 17 at 8:00

• Wed. Feb. 27 - Pink Shirt Day

• Tues. March 11  - PAC Meeting 6:00

• Thurs. March 12 - Learning Updates Go Home

• Mon. March 17 - Fri. March 27 - Spring Break

CTE Learning Priority:

All students will see themselves as writers and grow in their ability to communicate clearly

Our students are growing as writers in many ways! 

This week Ms. Knox's grade 1/2 class wrote about their love monsters, using adjectives to add extra details.  

Mrs. Delorme's Kindergarten class build stories through Story Workshop before drawing and writing their story.

CTE PAC Meeting - The next PAC meeting is Tuesday, March 11th at 6:00 in the library. 

We'd love to see you there!! 

All parents and caregivers are welcome to attend!!

Student Learning Survey 2024/2025

The Provincial Student Learning Survey is unique in its scope, size and usefulness to schools. It gathers information from parents/guardians/caregivers, teachers, and students on topics related to school environment, safety, and achievement. The information is used for planning in individual schools and provides a district and provincial perspective.

Early in 2025 the Student Learning Survey will be administered to students in grade 4, their parents/guardians/caregivers, and all school staff. We encourage parents/guardians/caregivers to participate in this survey, as the results are important in identifying and celebrating current strengths, as well as determining where the school needs to focus improvement. The surveys contain standard questions for the Province – in addition, questions from the school and/or district that focus on local conditions or issues may be included.

The survey can be completed electronically and can be accessed on the Internet at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/support/student-learning-survey. Any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection can be used, and access to the e-survey is simple and secure. The survey can be accessed through the link and by clicking on Take the Survey. On the login page, click on the Parents icon, and then select the school district and school name where your child attends school. Provincial, District and School Reports for previous years can be viewed at the same site under the Results section.

The e-survey site will be open until May 2, 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact the school.

The Central Okanagan Public Schools’ Financial Hardship Clause

Within Board Policy Regulation 425R – Student Fees (www.sd23.bc.ca), the Board of Education has indicated “that a student will not be excluded from any educational program due to financial hardship”. This clause in the Regulations provides for the private and confidential consideration of financial circumstances of individual students and families, while preserving the dignity of families which may be unable to pay. Please contact the school Principal if you are facing a financial hardship that may restrict the ability of your child to access a school program.

The Central Okanagan Public Schools’ Appeal Process

Policy 460 – Appeals states that “A student or a parent of a student who is entitled to an educational program in the Central Okanagan Public Schools may appeal a decision of an employee of the Board of Education which significantly affects the education, health, or safety of the student”. For a complete description of the Appeals Policy along with the recommended steps to follow in attempting to solve a problem, please refer to Policy 460 – Appeals that can be accessed from the Policies link under the Board of Education heading on the Central Okanagan Public Schools homepage at www.sd23.bc.ca.

Accident Insurance

Central Okanagan Public Schools does not insure expenses for student injuries that occur on school grounds or during school activities. Parents and guardians can voluntarily purchase private accident insurance. The Kids Plus Accident Insurance Program that was previously offered to our students was discontinued in 2019. The IA Financial Group now offers the Family Accident Reimbursement Plan (FARP) which is a voluntary plan that provides coverage for students and their families against accidental injury, unexpected medical expenses, and critical illness. To apply for the Family Accident Reimbursement Plan or to find out more, click HERE.

Parent Advisory Council (PAC) - Get Involved with the CTE Community!

PAC is the acronym for the Parents' Advisory Council. Each parent/caregiver at Chief Tomat Elementary is a member of the CTE PAC. The PAC offers a great way for parents/caregivers to be involved with the school, their children, and the student body. The PAC helps the school with a variety of activities, volunteer opportunities and input.

There are a number of ways to connect with the PAC  - including their Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/chieftomatelementarypac/ 

We encourage everyone to attend monthly meetings to get up to date information on what is happening around the school and give input on how PAC funds are spent. Please check the school website and Weekly Community Connections Newsletters for meeting dates and times.