Dear Learners and Families of Division 1,

I have had such a fantastic two weeks getting to know all of you! The excitement and enthusiasm you have displayed towards being an upper intermediate and the new opportunities you get to explore this year has been very heartwarming to watch. I am looking forward to a great year ahead. 

To the parents and guardians, while we may not have been able to connect in person or virtually just yet, I am looking forward to speaking with you during our Welcoming Conversations which will take place towards the beginning of October (more information will be emailed out from the office in the coming weeks). If you have not done so already, please fill in our Grade 6/7 welcome survey as this helps me to determine the different supports, activities and focuses for our year together:  Parent / Guardian Survey

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions. The best way to reach me is via email at danielle.ramen@burnabyschools.ca

Dear Grade 7 Families,

We would like to begin by sincerely thanking you for your continued support and cooperation, especially with our recent Dragon Boat field trip—it was a great success thanks to you!

Viking for a Day: 

Students will be heading to Burnaby North to participate in the “Viking for a Day” program. This event is designed to give students a better understanding of high school life, provide their schedules, and introduce them to peer mentors. A notice with more details will be sent home soon.

Grade 7 students will take on a leadership role in organizing and running Sports Day activities for the school.

Cultus Lake Field Trip 

To celebrate the end of the school year, students will enjoy a fun-filled day at Cultus Lake Waterpark. More details will be shared in an upcoming notice.

Band Performance: 

Students who have participated in band this year will give our school a short performance so that we can share in all that they have accomplished and learned!

Dinner & Dance: 

A formal invitation for this special evening has been emailed out. We look forward to a memorable night with our students!

Leaving Ceremony:

We will gather in the gym to honor our students as they transition from elementary to high school. The ceremony will include speeches from our Valedictorians and the presentation of Grade 7 awards. Families of our graduates will be in attendance, and due to the expected turnout of 57 families, seating will be limited. Please try and limit family members to 2 representatives per student. We appreciate your understanding.

We are so proud of our students and look forward to celebrating these exciting milestones with all of you. Thank you again for your ongoing support throughout this year!

Warm regards,

Danielle and Kim

Our Grade 7s have created tie-dye T-shirts using colours that represent their House Teams (Quantum, Fidus, Persevero, Empathia, Integretas). We will be wearing these shirts to Camp Timberline, and for a few other Grade 7 events this year. A special thank-you to Ms. W for customizing our shirts! 

Instructions for first rinse + wash: 

Optional: put on gloves before beginning. 

1. Over a sink, carefully open the bag with the shirt inside. Carefully remove all rubber bands (either pull them off or cut them). 
2. Rinse your shirt in the sink under warm water. Keep rinsing several times, until the water runs clear. 
3. You can now hand wash the shirt, or use a washing machine. Use a small amount of laundry detergent, and wash on a gentle cycle (cool water). 
4. Make sure to wash the shirt separately (by itself) the first time, or it will stain other clothing! 
5. Now, you can hang the shirt to air dry, or dry it on low heat by itself. 
6. Make sure to wear your t-shirt on April 10th for our Grade 7 Camp trip!

Hello, Grade 7s!

As we gear up to begin our Battle of the Books unit, here are a few reminders:

-you will receive your team, your first book, and a ‘make a question’ sheet tomorrow

-we will send you home with 1 book over Spring Break to begin reading… please take good care of your book!

-you can also rent books from a public library, or listen to an audiobook version. You should NOT need to go buy your own copies! Link here: https://burnaby.bibliocommons.com/user/login?destination=%2Fuser_dashboard

I’ve linked a list of the books (including a short summary) here:

BOTB 2025

We are so lucky to have Ms. Badley joining our class for the next couple of months as a student teacher in our room. Below is a little bit about her along with a couple pictures of her adorable dogs :)! Welcome to Lochdale, Ms. B!

“Dear Families of Grade 7 Students in Divisions 1 and 2.
My name is Sarah Badley and I will be a student teacher in your child’s
classroom this year. As a student teacher, I am currently completing the
hands-on portion of my certification by teaching lessons, supporting students,
and assisting with classroom activities. I am excited to be working with your
children and am looking forward to getting to know everyone.
A little bit about me, I completed a Bachelor of General Studies in Education with
minors in Curriculum/Instruction and Social Justice. While completing my degree
I worked teaching a variety of community fine arts programs. I also coordinated a
BC Provincial Support Group for people with alopecia through CANAAF. Having
personally been impacted by this auto-immune disorder, I’ve gained a deep
understanding of empathy, resilience, and self-acceptance, which I can use to
help support students in building their self-confidence and overcoming
challenges. When I am not in the classroom you might find me with my two
adorable dogs, playing piano, or baking.
I am passionate about fostering safe spaces and creating an inclusive learning
environment where all students feel valued, respected, and empowered to share their voices and ideas. My goal as a teacher is to help students develop a
life-long curiosity and love for learning. I am driven by the opportunity to make a
positive impact on student’s lives and support them as they grow both inside and
outside of the classroom. I value each student’s diverse experiences and I
believe they play a big part in enriching the classroom, ultimately helping us learnfrom one another.I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the classroom and Lochdale
community. I am excited to learn more about what makes Lochdale such a great
place for learning and hope to make a positive impact on the community during
my time here! I am eager to connect with the students of Divisions 1 and 2 over
the next few months. I am looking forward to learning together.
Kind regards,

Sarah Badley

Hello to our Grade 7s and our learning community!

As part of our ongoing discussions around digital citizenship, we welcomed a special guest from the Safer Spaces program to present on keeping our information (and ourselves) protected when going online. During the presentation, we learned about how to stay safe and identify the possible signs of exploitation when engaging with apps and social media.

• Signs of possible exploitation, scams, or fraud online
• Sextortion
• Image sharing and cyberbullying
• Red flags and warning signs
• Digital citizenship, footprint, and permanency
• Privacy and security settings on apps, social media, and gaming platforms
• Tips for staying safe online
• Local community resources
• How to seek help if you or someone you know is in trouble

Some resources that are available to seek support or to report possible exploitation include:

cybertip.ca

needhelpnow.ca

Kids Help Phone: 1.800.668.6868

Children of the Street Text Line: 604.866.6779

Hey Grade 7s!

If you are interested in entering the Canadian art challenge, please see the info linked ! Looking forward to chatting with all of you who are interested on Monday, February 10th at recess. Think of the theme that resonates with you the most :).

Canadian Art Challenge website: https://www.aci-iac.ca/education/art-challenge/

Themes: https://www.aci-iac.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ACI-Education-Challenge_2025-Inspiration-Booklet-EN.pdf

Submission Date: March 21st, 2025

Past Winners: https://www.aci-iac.ca/online-exhibitions/the-2023-canadian-art-inspiration-student-challenge/

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are excited to introduce a new way for you to stay connected with your child’s learning journey! Our class is now using digital learning portfolios, which you can access through Microsoft Teams. This tool allows you to view your child’s work, track their progress, and celebrate their achievements all in one place. You can access this portfolio by having your child log in and take you through their digital folders.

What is a Digital Learning Portfolio?
A digital learning portfolio is a collection of your child’s assignments, projects, and reflections that show their growth over time. It offers a window into their learning, including what they are proud of and areas where they are working to improve.

How Does It Work?
Your child will upload their work to Microsoft Teams.  You’ll see completed assignments, teacher feedback, and even multimedia projects like videos or presentations. This platform keeps everything organized and easily accessible from any device.

To Log In:

Have your child access Microsoft 365 through the Lochdale Homepage. Then have them access our MS Teams page. Their portfolio is located under the “Class Notebook” section.

More Log In Support: https://learning.burnabyschools.ca/using-teams/

Benefits of Viewing Your Child’s Work

• Stay Engaged: You’ll have regular insight into what your child is learning in class.
• Track Progress: Watch as they develop skills and grow in confidence throughout the year.
• Encourage Conversations: Use the portfolio to start discussions at home about what they are working on, what they enjoy, and how you can support their learning.
• Celebrate Achievements: Celebrate your child’s accomplishments and encourage them when they are facing challenges.

We believe that involving families in this way enhances the learning experience and strengthens the home-school connection. If you have any questions about how to access the portfolio or navigate Microsoft Teams, please feel free to reach out. We’re happy to help!

Thank you for your continued support!

Dear Families of Division 1 Students,

• Samples of students’ work to showcase their understanding and application of concepts
• Student-teacher conferences to provide personalized feedback and goal-setting
• Use of ministry and district standards to ensure that learning outcomes align with performance expectations
• Criteria developed with students, encouraging them to take ownership of their learning process
• Student self-evaluation, where students will reflect on their progress and identify areas for growth

• Promoting curiosity and encouraging thoughtful questioning
• Developing students’ metacognitive skills, or their ability to reflect on their own learning
• Integrating First Peoples’ principles of learning into our lessons
• Meaningfully incorporating technology to enhance learning and communication
• Building self-awareness and strategies for navigating challenging situations
• Promoting cultural respect and understanding in our diverse classroom community

Hello everyone, 

We are so excited because a few days ago, the salmon finally hatched! Surprisingly, 5 people got the date correct. We are having a lot of fun watching them and caring for them. Our next step is to go on a field trip to drop them off. 

The grade 7s have been learning the anatomy of salmon through dissecting an ocean adult salmon. Two weeks ago, Ms. Ramen and Ms. Nicholson dissected one to show us a demonstration of how to do it, and the next day, we were split into house teams and were able to have a once-in-a lifetime learning experience. Everyone did a significant job while removing the intestines and especially with taking out the swim bladder. As we have all compared what the size, texture, and shape of a salmon organ looks like to a human organ, it was interesting to see them in person instead of in a picture. A fact about salmon is that they are anadromous, which means they start their lives in freshwater, migrate to the ocean where they grow, and then they return to their birth streams where they spawn and die.  

We all learned a lot about chum salmon that day and we hope we all turn into salmon experts soon! 

-News Crew