Coyote Connections

École George Elliot Secondary School Family Newsletter

May 22, 2026

View our school calendar at https://ges.sd23.bc.ca/calendar-main

This week at GESS: May 25 - 29

May 25 - Monday/lundi
D/C

May 26 - Tuesday/mardi
B/A

May 27 - Wed/mercredi
D/C

Learning Lounge: ALL SUBJECT academic peer support @ lunch in room 136

May 28 - Thursday/jeudi
B/A

May 29 - Friday/vendredi
D/C

Pizza Friday $2/slice🍕

Coming Soon!/à venir

June 3
- Indigenous Grad @ 5:30pm-8:30pm
June 5
- Wellness Clinic in the am (last one of the year)
- ICBC Presentations in the theatre
(Grade 11's: 9:05-10:05 am)
(Grade 12's: 10:35-11:35am)
June 5 - 15
- Academy Balances Due - school cash online
June 8 - 19
- Lit and Numeracy Assessment catch-up
June 9
- Year-end Band Concert @ 7-9pm
June 10
- Year-end Commercial Music Concert @ 7-9pm
June 11
- Grad Rehearsals - gym 10:30am / 12:30pm
June 12
- Grad Convocations Ceremonies @
4:30pm / 7:30pm
June 13
- Prom - group photo in foyer - 4:30pm sharp

Students Visit KF Aerospace

Today, Ms. Ruzicka's Careers class enjoyed an engaging field trip to KF Aerospace, where they explored real aircraft and learned about the aviation industry. A guided tour of the hangars gave students a behind-the-scenes look at how planes are inspected and maintained. They also heard from industry professionals about their careers. The visit introduced students to a wide range of aviation jobs, including aircraft maintenance engineers, pilots, and avionics technicians. This exciting experience helped spark interest in future careers and highlighted the importance of STEM skills in aviation.

Academy Classes 2026-27

*Acoustic Guitar Making / *Hockey / *Firefighting / *Soccer

May 15 - Deposit fees overdue
June 5 - 16 - Balance fees due

Please pay on school cash online through this link

Congratulations to all of our Grade 12 students on successfully completing their Capstone projects!

Students did an incredible job showcasing their passions, talents, and future goals through a wide variety of meaningful and innovative projects.

This year’s projects included:

Creating care packages for people experiencing homelessness
Composing an original piano piece and launching a YouTube channel to document the learning process
Designing and programming a video game
Building a computer from scratch
Constructing a minibike and rebuilding a car
Organizing and leading a youth volleyball camp
Starting a car detailing business
Composing original music and presenting
Creating a peer tutoring space where older students can support younger students academically
Organizing a musical (Auditions, licensing, costumes, rehearsals, make up, ticket sales etc. All aspects of producing)
Organizing a community CPR training event
Amazing sculptures and paintings that have been sold to community members

These projects reflect the creativity, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit of our graduates. We are proud of the hard work each student invested in bringing their ideas to life and wish them continued success in their future endeavors.

Getting Ready to Welcome Our New Students from HMS!

Grade 8 students from the Waterfall Community at HMS recently visited a Chemistry 11 class at GESS for a hands-on science learning experience and an opportunity to connect with GESS student mentors. Throughout the visit, students explored chemistry while building relationships and learning more about the transition to secondary school. It was incredible to see curiosity, collaboration, and mentorship in action as students learned alongside one another and strengthened connections within our Lake Country school community.

Route 32 Update from BC Transit

The District of Lake Country and BC Transit are pleased to announce an adjustment to Route 32 service, effective Monday, May 11.

Starting next week, two buses will depart George Elliot Secondary after school each day. An additional bus will leave at 3:30 p.m. and complete the full Route 32, followed by the existing Route 32 departure at 3:36 p.m.

This additional service will help increase after-school capacity for students travelling on Route 32 and support more students getting home right after the bell, Monday through Friday. The added service will remain in place until the end of the school year.

We would appreciate your assistance in sharing this update with students, staff, and parents/guardians through the school’s communication channels.

For full route and stop information, please visit the BC Transit website here:
https://www.bctransit.com/kelowna/schedules-and-maps/route-overview/?route=32

Wellness Clinic at GESS

If your child has any questions or wants to discuss immunizations with a nurse we will be at the school June 5 from 9-11:45am in room 116 for the last clinic of this school year. Please stop by!

If you have any questions please contact the Lake Country Health Unit at 250-980-6111.

Thank you again for your continued support.

Lake Country Public Health

GRAD ANNOUNCEMENTS

LAKE COUNTRY BOTTLE DEPOT FUNDRAISER:

Have refundables? Donate them to the ‘GESS GRAD’ account at the Lake Country Bottle Depot. There’s no need to sort them! Proceeds go towards prom for this year’s grad class.

IMPORTANT - GRAD FORMS REMINDER:

There are a number of important and time-sensitive forms grads must fill out. Visit the ‘CLP GRAD 2026’ Google Classroom to find forms pertaining to the following:

Grad Write-Up
Dietary Restrictions Form (for Prom)
“Most likely to...” Form

Grads are encouraged to complete these forms ASAP. If there are any questions, please connect with Ms. Johnson in rm. 301, or via email.

Please visit the grad website for more details on grad events and general grad information.

We are looking for families to host international high school students from around the world.

Next round of placements begins September 2026. Homestay compensation will be $1200/month/student starting in 2026-2027.

Apply now to join our team as a host family for international students experiencing Canada.

Click here to learn more & apply

Join our Circle of Caregivers

Support children, youth and families in your community by becoming a caregiver!

We are committed to supporting the wellbeing of children and youth in British Columbia and promoting their right to live in safe, healthy and nurturing families, where they are strongly connected to their communities and culture.

When a child or youth is unable to live at home, they need a safe, emotionally supportive place to live until they can safely return home. Caregivers can support families by caring for children and youth on a temporary basis, while helping them to keep connected to their families, communities and culture. There are many types of caregiving that make up B.C.’s network of care. Family and community members provide kinship care, individuals or families foster children and youth in their homes and individuals working for community social service agencies provide care for children and youth with complex needs in a specialized environment. These diﬀerent caregivers each play a vital role in caring for vulnerable children and youth in our communities.

Click this link for more information.

Grade 9 & 11 Students Can Earn $30 in Gift Cards Through Research Study

In our April 17 Coyote Connection newsletter, we shared some exciting news about the new outdoor learning space being built behind our school. As part of this project, Grade 9 and Grade 11 students have an opportunity to take part in a research study led in partnership with the University of Victoria and the BC Parks Foundation.

The study is looking at how having access to nature on school grounds can support student and staff well‑being, learning, and overall connection to the environment. The research team is interested in learning how this new space makes a difference for our school community over time.

In the next few days, parents and guardians of Grade 9 and 11 GESS students will receive an email asking for consent for their child to take part in an optional online survey. Students who participate can earn up to $30 per year in gift cards, including options like Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and more.

Please keep an eye on your inbox for the consent email, and thank you for supporting this exciting opportunity!

Paying School Fees Made Easy with School Cash Online

We use School Cash Online to make paying school fees quick and easy for families. It’s a safe, simple way to take care of payments without having to send cash or cheques to school.

With School Cash Online, you can:

Pay for school fees, field trips, athletics, and Grad fees
Get email reminders so you don’t miss a deadline
Pay anytime, anywhere
Keep track of all your payments in one spot

To get started, head to schoolcashonline.com, create an account, and select our school to connect your child(ren). If you already have an account, follow the link to logon.

If you need help setting things up or have questions, feel free to contact the school office. We’re here to help.

Moving?

As we begin planning for the upcoming school year, we ask families to please let the school office know if you anticipate moving or if your child will not be returning to our school next year. Having this information helps us with class organization and staffing and supports a smooth start for everyone in September.

Thank you very much for taking a moment to share your plans with us. We truly appreciate your help.

If you have any updates to share, please contact the school office at 250‑870‑5102 or email ges@sd23.bc.ca.

Financial Assistant for Athletes Through KidSport BC

Did you know that KidSport BC helps kids and youth play organized sports when cost might otherwise be a barrier? Through this program, families can get help with registration fees, so every child has the chance to join in, have fun, and enjoy the benefits of being active.

Sports are a great way for kids to build confidence, make friends, and stay healthy—and no child should miss out because of finances. If your family could use a little extra support, or if you know someone who might, we encourage you to check out this great program.

Learn more or apply anytime at www.kidsportcanada.ca/british-columbia.

Page updated

Report abuse