Dear parents of Grade Five students-

The one thing that defines middle years learners is that they are in transition: from childhood to the teen years, from a child’s body and mindset to that of an adolescent one, from straightforward friendships to more complex ones, from an elementary school to a middle school, and from middle school to high school.  Because of the many transitions that our learners go through, we put significant structures in place by which we can offer effective support as our students go through these transitions.  

The Grade Five students will have opportunities to feel more comfortable about coming to the middle school.  For instance, the SIMS administrators’ visits to the elementary schools, and the SIMS school visit.  

We also feel that it’s important for the Grade Fives to get a taste of our school before September.  This year we will be hosting students from all of the elementary schools and Saltspring Centre School together in a full day of activities on May 17.  We are calling the day, “Bridging Day” as we are hoping to bridge the distance between elementary school and middle school for the students.

We will mix the students from the various schools into small groups so that they get a chance to meet each other.  They will be engaged in rotating ‘exploratory’ activities together.  Grade Six and Eight‘ambassadors’ will be the student leaders as each group moves from one activity to another.  We will also have a few more fun whole-group activities that they will be involved in.  It should be a fun, informative and comforting day.

Our hope is that the Grade Five students will feel more comfortable about joining us next September from seeing our school and interacting with our students and staff before that time.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the events. ktaylor@sd64.bc.ca or 250-537-1159

Keiko Taylor

Principal