Chief Tomat Elementary Community Connection

Oct. 25, 2026

Important Upcoming Dates at Chief Tomat

Mon. Oct. 26 - Picture Retake Day
Tues. Oct. 27 - PAC Meeting at 6:30
Tues. Oct.28 / Wed. Oct. 28 - Little Riders Learn to Snowboard (K - gr. 3/4); Thank you PAC!!
Fri. Oct. 30 - Halloween Costume parade - 10:35 - 11:10 in the gym
Mon. Nov. 2 - Fri. Nov. 6 - Voices in Grade 5
Mon. Nov. 2 - Fri. Nov. 13 - Alien Inline Skating (except Nov. 7 -11)
Tues. Nov. 10 - Remembrance Day Assembly
Wed. Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day - Schools closed
Mon. Nov. 16 - Fri. Nov.20 - Scholastic Book Fair
Thurs. Dec. 10 - Winter Concert
Fri. Dec. 11 - Learning Updates go home

Hallowe'en Fun!!

As we celebrate and enjoy the fun of dressing up, we encourage families to help children choose costumes that are respectful and inclusive of all cultures and backgrounds. Cultures are not costumes, and it is important that we avoid stereotypes or cultural appropriation, such as wearing another culture’s ceremonial or sacred clothing as a costume.

Please ensure that your child’s costume does not imitate or misrepresent another person’s cultural, racial, or religious identity or traditions. By making thoughtful choices, we can help create a welcoming, inclusive environment where everyone feels respected, valued, and a sense of belonging.

Masks, blood, gore, weapons, full face covering or anything too scary or violent in nature are not permitted as they don't promote a safe and caring learning environment.

Our Purdy’s Chocolates fundraiser is back!

Place your order by November 9th:
https://fundraising.purdys.com/fundraising/campaign/000029597

Thank you for supporting CTE PAC and our school community!

Highlights from this week at Chief Tomat

Learning on the Land: Ms. Onespot's class was learning on, and from the land, this week. Over the year, many classes will go to the forested area behind the school where they will learn by observing, listening, reflecting and connecting to the land.
Players from the Kelowna Rockets hockey team visited our school. Students were excited to play floor hockey and meet these young, local hockey stars.
Writing is a priority at CTE. We believe that all students are writers! Kindergarten students in Ms. Robertson's class were praciticing their letters in shaving cream. Learning is fun, and sometimes messy!
Our Earth Ambassadors had their first meeting this week and made their badges. These students will be teachers and leaders in their class as we take care of the land, and will be taking the lead in their classrooms for composting and recycling. We look forward to their ideas on other ways we can take care of the land.
Thank you to the PAC for another awesome school event - the Halloween Boo Bash Family Dance.

The Importance of Play

The Importance of Play Children learn so much through play — especially the kind of play that is open-ended, outdoors, hands-on, and child-led. One idea explored in The Anxious Generation is that today’s children often have fewer opportunities for independent play and face-to-face connection, while spending more time online. Play helps children build confidence, creativity, social skills, and resilience. It also supports important developmental skills such as coordination, fine motor development, problem-solving, and independence. Through play, children learn important social skills such as sharing, negotiating, reading body language, and working through disagreements. This month, consider trying: • Encouraging outdoor play whenever possible • Allowing children time for unstructured activities • Making space for screen-free family time • Supporting opportunities for children to solve small problems independently Simple experiences like riding bikes, building forts, playing games, or exploring outdoors help children develop important life skills while supporting emotional well-being.

CARE: Climate Action Ripple Effect – Community Mentors Needed

Do you care about kids, climate, and your community? We need you! CARE (Climate Action Ripple Effect) is seeking passionate community mentors to work alongside and support small teams of middle and secondary students as they design real world solutions to local climate challenges.

No matter your skills, background, or area of interest, we can match you with a CARE student team in your community. Your guidance can help empower young innovators, strengthen community connections, and make a meaningful difference. By becoming a CARE mentor, you will help advance all three priorities of our new District Strategic Plan by supporting student learning and agency, strengthening family and community connections, and contributing to a sustainable future for all learners.

Join us in helping students turn their ideas into action and create positive change in our communities.For more information, visit Climate Action Ripple Effect or see the attached poster.

West Kelowna Fire Rescue is pleased to share a fire prevention contest being offered by the Fire Prevention Officers’ Association of BC (FPOABC) for students in Kindergarten through Grade 7.

Students are invited to complete a short online Home Safety Checklist and quiz designed to encourage conversations about fire safety at home. Topics include smoke alarms, home fire escape plans, and safe charging of lithium-ion batteries (this years fire prevention week theme).

Students who complete the contest entry section will be entered for a chance to win one of two Nintendo Switch™ 2 consoles.

Contest dates: September 29 – November 1, 2026
Draw date: November 15, 2026

The quiz can be completed here:

https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/M1gjqvQ8eR

We would appreciate your help sharing this opportunity with students and families through your school newsletters, classroom communications, or other appropriate channels.

Thank you for helping us promote fire safety in our community!

You are on the PAC!!

If you are a parent or caregiver for a Chief Tomat student, you are on the Parent Advisory Council (PAC). This means that you are invited to attend all PAC meetings to get information and to vote on important decisions that affect our school. We hope to see you at our next PAC meeting on Oct. 27 at 6:30 in the library. Agenda to be sent by email.

To stay up to date with PAC, please visit:

chieftomatelementarypac Official: Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Hot Lunch

If you are interested in purchasing hot lunch, please see the email sent from CTE.

School Fees

School Fees can now be paid on School Cash Online. You can access the link to pay on our website, where you will find other information as well. School fees cover the cost of all school and (most) art supplies. The district can get what your child needs at a much lower cost than if you had to purchase them your selves. This fee actually saves you money.

Picture Day - Fri. Oct. 2

Students will be having their individual photos taken on Friday, Oct. 2nd. Retakes have been scheduled for Monday, October 26th.

Looking for Crossing Guard Volunteers!

Keeping our students and families safe is our top priority. Every morning, we have many students who could use help safely crossing East Boundary to get to school. If you have some time from 8:15-8:30 to be one of our volunteer crossing guards, please contact Mrs. Adamson at jennifer.adamson@sd23.bc.ca or chat with her outside!

Volunteers

Parents, caregivers and families are always welcome at CTE. Many have expressed interest in volunteering at our school. All volunteers must have a criminal record check completed through our school district. The process is free and criminal record check forms are available at the school office. A successful criminal record check is valid for four years. Please note that criminal record checks that are offered for a fee on various websites are not accepted by the school district, and neither are criminal record checks done for other organizations. If you have had a previous criminal record check and want to see if it is still valid, or have any questions, you are encouraged to contact the school office.

School Speed Zone

A reminder that school zones are in effect from 7:30-5:00 every school day. Keep our families and children safe by ensuring that you are driving 30km/hr or slower along the road. In our driveway leading to the school, the speed limit is 8 km/hr.

Reporting Student Attendance

If your child is sick, will be absent from school, needs to leave early or will be late, please let the school know through SchoolMessenger! There is information here about how to sign up for school messenger so that your can report an absence. There is an App for your phone or you can go online to the Online Parent Portal at go.schoolmessenger.ca Thank you!

Central Okanagan Public Schools
Updated Restrictions for Cell Phones and Personal Digital Devices.

For the district's restriction for cell phone and personal digital devices, please click here or see the school code of conduct on the website. We ask that students leave their cell phones/electronic devices at home. If they are at school, they are to be kept in their backpack or safely at the office. Please contact Mrs. Adamson at jennifer.adamson@sd23.bc.ca if you have any questions.

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.

Sanctuary Schools

The Central Okanagan School District's Sanctuary Schools Policy : Board Policy 421 – Sanctuary Schools upholds the Board's commitment to providing educational opportunities for all students who are ordinarily residents in the Central Okanagan, including those with precarious immigration status or no immigration status. Student registrations that pertain to Policy 421 – Sanctuary Schools will be processed through the Welcome Centre.

Please Be Nut Aware

A reminder to all of our CTE Community that we are an All-Nut Aware School. As we have students and staff with life threatening allergies to nut products, we ask that families are extremely vigilant in ensuring that nuts or food containing nut products are not sent to school. Thank you for being proactive in your decision on what your child can bring to school.

Biking to School

If your child rides to school on a bike, scooter, or skateboard, please have a conversation with them about traffic safety. Thank you for reminding them to walk (not ride) their bikes, scooters, or skateboards on school district property and for walking up and down the hill until they reach the road. While travelling to and from school, students must wear a helmet. Bikes should be secured with a good lock in our bike racks located at front of school. Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe.

Indoor Shoes

Thank you for sending your child to school with a pair of indoor running shoes. By changing into their indoor shoes as they enter their classroom, students can help ensure the cleanliness and safety of our school building. These shoes need to be ones that your child can independently put on and take off.

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.

Chief Tomat Elementary is fundraising with Mabel’s Labels! If you’re not familiar with Mabel’s Labels, they are personalized, durable, waterproof labels. They are great for everything from shoes, clothing tags, water bottles and backpacks. You can
customize them with your name and a design, and they are dishwasher, laundry and microwave safe. Added bonus: 20% of all sales are returned to CTE and go toward activities, events, and gear for your child!

Mabel’s Labels also offers clothing stamps, silicone bands for water bottles and medical alert labels. This is a great way to ensure your items don’t end up in the lost & found or mixed up. To reduce the spread of germs, we highly recommend labelling but they are also useful for everyday life.

To support our school, click here and select Chief Tomat Elementary. You can pick out whatever labels or product you want, and it will ship for free directly to your house!

Savings Tip: If you haven’t already joined, sign up to Mabel’s Labels mailing list and receive 20% off you next order. Unsubscribe at any time!

Thank you for supporting Chief Tomat Elementary!
Chief Tomat Elementary PAC & Students

*Please remember to enter Chief Tomat Elementary as the organization you are supporting so that we can earn money for our students.

Community Events and Flyers

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