Students taking the bus MUST register and can only take the bus they are assigned to. Please read all information on the district website here. We encourage all families to make sure FES students have their bus pass when leaving home. If a bus pass is lost or damaged, there is a $10 replacement fee. All information is on the link above. Thank you for helping us keep the kids safe while on our busses. 

Afternoon busses will leave the schools at 2:29pm.  We ask that families picking up their kids after school not come in the bus area. Busses will be running the first day of school with a departure at 10:50 am. New bus passes will be handed out this week.

For the safety of everyone, our exterior doors are locked during instructional time (time in which children are in class) except for the main door by the office.  All parents and visitors must enter through the front door and sign in upon entering the building.  This allows us to account for everyone in the event of a fire alarm and to ensure we are aware of who is entering our building.

Please do not just walk to your child’s classroom as it is a safety concern for us and disruptive to the learning of students. To minimize instructional disruptions, your child will be called up during breaks to retrieve messages, lunches, homework, etc. All other exterior doors remain locked during instructional hours. Appointments are appreciated. 

At FES, we have a “Safe Arrival Program” using the School Messenger system. Please download the School Messenger App for Apple or Android phones/tablets. If you need assistance to do this, please contact us.  This new tool makes it faster and easier to report absences, and lets parents choose how to receive communications from schools. It also ensures we detect if a student does not arrive at school.  If you do not report your child’s absence this system will phone you to remind you to do so. 

Crossing Guard & Lunch Hour Supervisor

We are looking for a crossing guard before and after school as well as lunch hour supervisors. These are paid positions. If this fits your schedule, please reach out. 

Crossing guard is 8:00am to 8:30am and 2:00pm to 2:30pm

Lunch hour is 11:40am to 12:40pm

Please email mpage@sd20.bc.ca for more information.

We kindly remind all parents and guardians to communicate this requirement to their children, emphasizing the importance of wearing indoor shoes. By adhering to this policy, we not only contribute to the longevity of our gymnasium floor but also foster a clean and well-maintained environment throughout our school. It is our aim to treat our educational facilities with the same care and respect that we extend to our own homes.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. We greatly appreciate your dedication to the upkeep of our school facilities and the overall well-being of our students. 

If families need help with the purchase of shoes, please contact the principal, Mr. Page. 

Please do not bring indoor shoes until we gain gym access. We will hopefully have gym access end of September or into October. 

The phone at the school for students to use if kids have staff permission to call home. We will not be allowing students to use the phone to make play dates or other pieces that should be prearranged. Please talk to your children about this. 

Students need a phone slip provided by their teacher to use the phone at the office.

At FES we encourage toys or equipment from home to stay at home. We have had some toys damaged or gone missing. If these are used for sensory, these need to be used in the classroom and the teacher will co-create specific needs for certain FES students.

Each class has outdoor equipment that we want students to use. This was provided by PAC! This helps us when equipment goes missing or gets wrecked, it is school equipment and not someone's personal item.

MySchoolBucks will be used for parents/guardians to give consent for all school activities, field trips, permission forms and process fee payments.

Get Started Today 

1. Download the app (Canadian app) or visit www.myschoolbucks.ca. 

2. Create your free account using the same email address that you have registered with the school. 

3. Add you student(s) using their school name/student ID. 

4. Checkout using your credit/debit card. 

If you need help with your registration, you can contact MSB directly by logging into your account to start a chat conversation or call (855) 832- 5226. For all other fees or school program questions please email fruitvale@sd20.bc.ca. 

Teacher's will be in contact with parents regarding division specific activities. 

E-NEWSLETTER 

To help us conserve paper, families will access our monthly newsletters through our school website. We are also experimenting with a video version of the newsletter to highlight the key information for parents this year.  A reminder e-mail will be sent out each month once they are posted on our school’s website. 

At Fruitvale Elementary, we believe that no student will be denied access to programs, services, or educational opportunities provided by the school because of financial need. Parents, caregivers, or families needing school related financial aid (school/district fees, field trips, school supplies, etc.) are asked to contact the principal of the school to discuss the circumstances and make arrangements so that ALL students have equal access to all the educational opportunities offered. 

MEALS PROGRAM 

Fruitvale Elementary School will continue to provide nutritious bag lunches for students in need through the School Meals Program. 

Parents who wish their child to take part in this program can pick up an application form at the office. 

Our school's statistics show the majority of students in our school are currently reading 1-2 times per week on their own time.  It is our goal to work with our community to increase the frequency with which our students read.  We are looking for volunteers to come read to kids in our school to help us meet our goal! This would be a weekly commitment but times and days are flexible. We aim to set this up into chunks around 3-4 months at a time. Please email the principal, Mike Page (mpage@sd20.bc.ca) to set up a time and day that works for you. Also, a criminal record check is needed. Please use the Parent Code as it is free of charge.

Criminal Record Check

Also, families wishing to learn more about how to read with their children can check out this link where Mrs. Melenka models some key reading strategies to try at home!

WATCH THIS VIDEO HERE

If you are new to our school or any of your child’s medical information has changed, please notify the office and your child’s teacher (inform them of any special instructions re: puffers, EpiPens, etc.) that they may need to know in case of an emergency. It is also important that any puffers, EpiPens, etc. needed are clearly labeled and left at school in case of an emergency. Staff are not allowed to administer medication of any kind without the proper District forms filled out and signed by a physician.  

If your child requires an epi-pen or inhaler, please ensure that you deliver a spare inhaler to school to keep on site.

For the safety of all students, District protocol requires all students to go straight home after school.  Staying and playing on our fields (as much as we would love to see that) is not permitted. 

As well, please ensure your child knows “the plan” for what to do/where to go/who is picking them up after school (going with a friend, taking the bus, etc.) – a note in their agenda is helpful. 

All play dates should be arranged prior to coming to school or after your child has arrived home. The school phone is to be used for emergency purposes only, not to confirm social arrangements.  Please review these procedures with your child. 

*If there are unexpected changes to your child’s afterschool pickup/bus arrangements, etc., please contact the office directly (emails directly to staff are sometimes not read in time).

At FES we encourage students to be active and ride their bikes and scooters to school. Once at school, the scooters and bikes need to be walked to the bike racks at the front entrance and by the stairs down below. Bikes and scooters cannot be ridden on school property. They must be walked or pushed off premises before riding. This will help to keep all kids at FES safe.  Parents can also help with this by modelling these rules as well if they are biking to school too!

Changes to B.C. Fire Code now mean microwaves are no longer available for use in classrooms. Students are encouraged to bring recyclable containers for lunch as recycling collection for our district has changed and students will now be asked to take their non paper recycling home. 

We are also a nut aware school. Please avoid bringing nuts as we have a number of students who are allergic. Regular handwashing is encouraged in the classrooms. 

While ‘treats’ are nice, it is important to send healthy foods and drinks to school on a regular basis (including special events like birthdays, class parties, etc.). Thank you for your cooperation with this.