RCMP Information Bulletin: Bear Spray and Derivatives 

We want to ensure students and families understand safety and security guidelines regarding personal protection pesticides like bear spray and are familiar with Policy 315: Weapons. 

Bear spray is for use in wilderness situations in which an individual is likely to encounter a bear. Bringing bear spray or derivatives to school is a safety risk for students and staff. Items like bear spray, pepper spray, and similar products are not permitted on or near school property or during school sponsored functions and activities. 

We're sharing this Information Bulletin from the Chilliwack RCMP to remind youth within the school district of the potential consequences for possessing, and/or concealing, bear spray and other personal protection pesticides. 

Thank you for helping us ensure a safe learning environment for our students. 

Chilliwack Family Resource Fair

The City of Chilliwack, Chilliwack Youth Health Centre, Chilliwack Healthier Community and Chilliwack School District are hosting a free resource fair on Wednesday, October 15th from 5:00 - 8:00pm. 

The event will take place at the Neighbourhood Learning Centre at Chilliwack Secondary School. 

Visit resource booths, learn about local services, and attend short, family-focused sessions on topics including mental wellness, connect parenting, supporting youth impacted by substance use, helping children with challenging behaviours, navigating grief and loss, and supporting school attendance. 

Childcare and light snacks will be available. 

See flyer for details and registration. 

Supporting a Healthy Back to School

As set out in the Chilliwack School District's 2025 - 2029 strategic plan, the district is committed to caring for ourselves, each other, the community and the land through our well-being goal. To support this goal, we share resources from Fraser Health that promote the well-being of all learners including their physical, emotional, and mental health. Please see the letter below from Dr. Lindsay Bowthorpe, Medical Health Officer - Medical Director for Fraser Health. 

Dear valued School Partners, 

We look forward to supporting the health and well-being of your school communities during the 2025/2026 school year. Below you will find important information about public health services available for students, families and staff for the upcoming school year. Please share this information with your administrative and staff teams for their own awareness, use and distribution to families. 

School Health Resources 

• Our Healthy Back-to-School Guide has information on back-to-school anxiety, nutrition, safe travel to and from school, sleep and immunizations. 

• Our School Health web resource has answers to the most frequently asked health related questions from parents, teachers and school administrators. 

• Our Healthy Schools Communications Toolkit has monthly messaging on key health topics for parents/caregivers and students. Schools are encouraged to share these messages in school newsletters and on social media channels. 

Measles 

An important preventable illness to be aware of right now is measles, which has been increasing globally, including here in Canada. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose and red, inflamed eyes, followed by a rash. The rash usually starts on the face and neck and spreads to the chest, arms and legs. 

Measles Vaccination 

Immunization is the best way to prevent measles infection. It is important to ensure that children and caregivers (if born in or after 1970) have received at least two doses of a measles-containing vaccine. Find out how to check immunization records here. 

Measles-containing vaccines are available at many pharmacy locations, physician offices and at all public health units. 

If children have symptoms of measles, it is recommended that they stay home. If they do need to see a health care provider, it is important, to prevent spread, that they call ahead and wear a mask. 

Immunizations 

All routine school-aged immunizations are free in British Columbia. It is important that all students stay up to date with their immunizations. 

For Kindergarten - Grade 5: 

• Check your child’s immunization record: Log in to Health Gateway at HealthGateway.gov.bc.ca to see what’s on file. 

• Get immunized: If your child is missing any vaccine, book an appointment with public health or check with your local pharmacist, family doctor, or nurse practitioner. 

• Report your immunizations: If vaccines your child has received aren’t on their public health record, get a copy from your provider and upload it at fraserhealth.ca/immunizationform. Records can be submitted in any language. 

• Learn more at fraserhealth.ca/immunize. 

For Grades 6 -12, school-based immunization clinics: 

• Fraser Health is offering routine immunizations at schools to students in grade 6 and 9 and catching up students in grade 6 to 12 on any vaccines they may be missing. 

• New this year: Families can check their child’s immunization records and provide consent for school immunizations online at immunizationconsent.gov.bc.ca/s/. 

   o Look at “immunization forecast” to see if your child needs any vaccines. 

   o Fill out the form to complete consent online. 

   o You can fill out consent now or any time before the school clinic. 

   o Paper consent is also available and will be sent home with your child. 

Childhood Health Screening Dental: 

• Every three years, a province-wide kindergarten dental survey takes place in all schools. The survey helps us monitor trends in early childhood dental health and evaluate the effectiveness of dental programs. Information about cavity rates in the Fraser Health region can be found here: Fraserhealth.ca/DentalHealth. 

• Based on these results, in 2025/2026, dental screenings will be offered by Public Health in schools where there were a high number of students identified with dental health issues. A separate letter with more information and further instructions will be sent to schools who fall into this category. 

Vision: 

• Children should have a yearly eye exam with an optometrist to help detect issues early and provide treatments. 

• Vision issues may impact learning in kindergarten and subsequent school years. Public Health does not currently provide vision screening in schools. All parents and caregivers are encouraged to book an eye exam for their child at their local optometrist (eye doctor). 

• In B.C., basic eye exams are free up to the age of 18, although some optometrists may charge an additional fee per visit. The Healthy Kids Program may be able to support eligible low-income families with financial assistance for prescription glasses. 

• To find an optometrist in your area, contact the BC Doctors of Optometry. 

• For more information, visit fraserhealth.ca/ChildHealthScreenings. 

Hearing: 

• Good hearing is essential for speech and language development and plays an important part in a child’s social and emotional growth. 

• Public Health’s community audiologists provide hearing services for children from birth to 19 years of age. For children who have hearing concerns, referrals can be made by a parent/guardian or by a health or education professional to the local public health audiology clinic using the Audiology Clinic Referral form. 

• For more information about hearing visit: fraserhealth.ca/HearingServices. Your continued support in keeping our children and communities healthy is much appreciated. If you or your staff have questions about the information in this letter, please contact your local public health unit.

Back to School Letter 2025-26

Welcome Letter from the Superintendent

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers, 

Welcome back to a new school year. I sincerely hope that you had an amazing summer with loved ones and friends and that you had many opportunities to connect with nature and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. The summer season serves as a reminder of the deep gratitude we share for living in such a beautiful province and country that we are privileged to call home.

While many staff and students have been enjoying a wonderful summer break, our facilities staff members have been busy preparing our schools and facilities and looking after various summer projects for the new school year. The Sardis Secondary School Expansion and the New Rosedale East Side Elementary School Capital Projects are progressing well and are scheduled to be completed for the start of the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years respectively. These capital projects are a remarkable feat, and we thank our Facilities Staff sincerely for their dedication, commitment, and service to our families.

Key Ministry of Education and Child Care Updates:
As part of the ministry mandate to ensure that BC’s early interventions for children struggling with literacy are the most effective in North America, this fall, school districts will begin implementing mandatory screening in kindergarten. In Chilliwack, this practice is already in place, and we will continue to build on this important work.

Curriculum Updates for 2025/26 School Year:

Holocaust education has been added to the Social Studies 10 curriculum - September 2025.

Mandatory in PHE10: CPR and AED learning before graduation starting in the 2025/26 school year.

Effective July 1, 2025, amendments to the Support Services for Schools Ministerial Order require Boards of Education to publish a district policy/procedure for unexpected health emergencies and to ensure Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and naloxone kits are accessible and maintained—secondary schools by Dec 31, 2025; elementary/middle schools by Sept 8, 2026. Chilliwack already has AEDs at all sites and an Opioid Poisoning Response AP; an AED-use Administrative Procedure will be published by November 2025.

Last year, we completed a comprehensive refresh of our 2021–2025 Strategic Plan, resulting in a newly revised 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, which the Board of Education unanimously approved in June 2025. The plan is anchored in four priorities: Student Success, Human Flourishing, Truth and Reconciliation, and Accountability—advanced through focused goals in Literacy, Numeracy, Well-Being, and Transitions, and guided by our values of Kindness, Collaboration, Inclusion, Equity, and Innovation.

Also during the 2024-25 school year, District staff initiated preliminary conversations on enrolment and facilities across the district. This early engagement will inform a formal Board consultation in 2025–26, preparing for the opening of the new east-side elementary in 2027 and responding to continued growth on the south side of the highway.

Parent/Guardian home-to-school communication is pivotal to supporting your students’ success. For guidelines on the most effective process for resolving any concerns parents/guardians may have regarding their child’s program or other concerns that may arise during the school year please refer to our website: Parents/Communication Home and School.  When we work together as partners, we can collectively create a safe, inclusive learning environment where your student(s) can thrive.

Finally, every organization operates on three levels: what we do, how we do it, and why we do it. While most organizations can explain the ‘what’ and the ‘how,’ far fewer can clearly express the ‘why.’ In the Chilliwack School District, the Board of Education has defined our ‘why’ as follows: “We believe every learner deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported. We are committed to building an education community rooted in equity, kindness, and belonging—one that empowers students to grow, achieve, and participate meaningfully in society.” As we look to the year ahead, this commitment guides our actions and informs our decisions as we walk alongside every student in their educational journey.

We look forward to welcoming students back to school on September 2, and we hope you have a great school year. Please take care and enjoy the long weekend.

Sincerely,

Rohan Arul-pragasam, Superintendent of Schools

Gradual Entry for Kindergarten Students

As the new school year begins, Kindergarten students will experience Gradual Entry. Gradual Entry sets up our youngest students for success for the rest of their school years. Creating a positive beginning is important for each child.

How it Works

In September, Kindergarten teachers will welcome children in small groups. During the first two weeks, Kindergarten students will attend school for short periods. This helps to ensure a smooth and successful transition into school.

This gradual start allows children to connect with their teacher, become familiar with the school environment, and learn routines at an age-appropriate pace. Teachers and school staff often use these first two weeks of kindergarten to get to know students in order to make thoughtful, balanced class placements

Eight days for gradual entry is typical across the district. School times will vary from school to school. 

Help Prepare Your Child for Kindergarten:

Listen and talk to your child about what Kindergarten will be like.

Express excitement and enthusiasm so that your child will look forward to kindergarten.

Arrange for your child to spend independent time with relatives or family friends. This often helps children develop a growing sense of independence. It gives them the opportunity to communicate their needs with other adults. It also gives parents a window into how their child reacts to being without them!

Thank You, Parents!

Gradual entry may be a challenge for some families. We’re grateful to parents, guardians, and caregivers for taking the time to support this important transition.

Contact your child's school directly to learn more about the Gradual Entry process for your school. 

Learn more: 

Welcome to Kindergarten

When I Go to Kindergarten

Master of Education Leadership and Mentorship Cohort Program

The Chilliwack School District is collaborating with University of the Fraser Valley's School of Education to offer a unique Master of Education in Leadership and Mentorship cohort program for teachers who wish to develop their leadership and mentorship knowledge in K-12 language and literacy education.

All BC certified teachers with a passion for language and literacy education are encouraged to consider this graduate program. This pilot MEd program will start in July 2026; registration opens in October 2025. 

The Chilliwack School District is hosting two information sessions at the school district office this fall. 

Upcoming Information Sessions: 

School district office at 8430 Cessna Drive, Chilliwack, B.C.

Register for Tuesday, Sept. 9 from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm (CANCELLED)
Register for Tuesday, Oct. 7 from 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm 

At the session, you'll: 
• learn about the design of this unique MEd program.
• explore the benefits of a local, in-person MEd program.
• understand UFV's graduate admissions process.
• have the opportunity to ask your questions about the program.