This successful gift card program is a great way for us to raise money for our school. Each time you buy a card a percentage of the value is donated to the school. There is a long list of shops, restaurants and services for you to choose from. The money raised is used to support field trips, organize events and support the needs of the school to enhance our children's learning environment.
 
Forms and more information on purchasing gifts cards is going home on November 5th. You can also find them below. Forms are due back by November 16th.  This is a great way to support your school by buying cards to places where you regularly shop or by getting some of your Christmas shopping done.  
 
Any questions or for more information please contact Stephanie Kulferst at kulferst@gmail.com

​At our last PAC meeting we asked parents where PAC efforts should be focused and how fundraising dollars should be spent. This feedback will help make sure that parents priorities are represented as we plan PAC events and activities and determine where to allocate funds for the rest of the school year and beyond. 

The main themes that emerged are that parents value community building opportunities, desire more outreach to parents, and would like to advocate for arts, music and library programs. Other priorities include teacher support and student extra curricular education.

Parents would like to see money fundraised go towards enhanced learning opportunities for students such as guest speakers, special activities and educational field trips. There was also a strong desire to devote funds towards physical education programs for all ages as well as towards music, arts/culture and life skills programming. Upgrading technology and supporting the library were also highlighted. 

Over the coming months, your PAC executives will keep these priorities in mind when we recommend items to fund and finalize our fundraising plans. Our goal is to ensure that as much as possible our efforts and funds benefit the entire school. You can help us by passing along suggestions for possible speakers, extra curricular opportunities or special activities that you are aware of, as well as any additional input. If anyone would like to lead a parent speakers committee, to find speakers and collaborate with other groups to share resources, that would also be very helpful.

We will also be looking for volunteers to help with new events that we are planning to bring our community together. Look for details about an upcoming movie night and pancake breakfast in the weekly newsletter.

Thanks for helping to make our school and community so amazing !

Andrew and Cara
PAC Co-chairs

Parent Advocacy Network of Vancouver (parentadvocacynetwork@gmail.com)
We are a group of parents representing schools across Vancouver, who share a deep commitment to public education and are extremely concerned for its future. Continued cutbacks threaten to cripple an already beleaguered system and the recent recommendations in the Special Adviser's report to close schools and curtail space allotments for children would have devastating impact - all in the name of efficiency. 
​
We see an urgent need for schools to connect with one another through advocacy groups to share information and support one another in standing up for public education as a fundamental human right and foundational priority in a democratic society and speak out collectively and therefore powerfully, against cutbacks and policies that are dismantling it. 

We are creating a grassroots communication network accessible by web (in progress), Google Group (in progress) and face-to-face monthly meetings to support individuals or groups in each school that are already engaged in advocacy and we welcome other schools to designate a representative through PAC to join us. 
 
Together we can share research and information about public education and current policies that impact Vancouver schools as well as upcoming advocacy initiatives happening in Vancouver. In this way we see ourselves as supporting and empowering existing groups such as FACE, PENS, DPAC, and BCCPAC in the work they are doing.  

Cheers
Andrea Sinclair
Dickens PAC Chair
for PAN team

​As Chair of Friends of the School Library (FOSL) I would like to extend an invitation to you to attend our evening celebrating National School Library Day.  
 
Liz Schulze from Cinematique will be will be speaking to us about:
 
Understanding How Media Manipulates Kids:
Critical Thinking in the School Library
Attached, please find an invitation to our event on October 28th in the Eric Hamber Library from 7 - 9 pm.
I am also asking for your assistance in getting this information out to parents and staff in your school.  If you are able to print and post the attached invitation, I would be very grateful.  Please let me know if I can be of any assistance in any way.
I hope to see you at our event!  Thank you to all T/Ls for all that you are doing, and thank you in advance for your help in getting this information to others at your school (especially during this very busy time of year!)
 
Warmly,
Carrie Bercic
FOSL Chair

Saturday October 17th and Saturday November 7th 
to collect all Thanksgiving and Halloween party drink containers.
More details to follow, please spread the word. 

If you can help or have any questions, email Caroline at caroline150877@gmail.com

All the details about our recycling fundraising efforts can be found here.

October 13–November 13
Starting right after Thanksgiving

Start collecting your refundable drink containers (no dairy, soy or almond milk cartons please!) and don't forget to ask your extended family, friends and neighbours to keep theirs too.

Our goal is to collect an EXTRA 10,000 pieces of recycling, so please bring in all your bottles and cans and drop them off in the recycling room, close to the gym inside the school.