Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!

We are thrilled to have you and your children as part of our McKinney community. As we embark on this new school year, we want to express our sincere gratitude for your continued trust and partnership in nurturing the educational growth and development of your children. At James McKinney Elementary School, we are committed to fostering a supportive and enriching environment where every student can thrive. This year promises to be filled with exciting opportunities, engaging learning experiences, and a sense of community that makes McKinney Elementary truly special. We look forward to working closely with you to make this school year a memorable and successful one for your child. Together, we can achieve great things.

I also want to extend a very warm welcome to all our new and returning staff. A list of our school staff can be found here:

https://mckinney.sd38.bc.ca/our-staff

Meet the Staff Night

We welcome all families to come meet their child’s teacher on Thursday, September 21st. More information and details to come.

Parent Advisory Council - PAC

All parents are automatically members of our Parent Advisory Committee. We encourage you  to attend and hear about all the wonderful things that the PAC does to support student learning at McKinney. Our first PAC Meeting is Monday, September 11th at 7 pm in the library.

RAM - Richmond Association of Montessori (Parents)

The Richmond Association of Montessori Parents will meet on October 3rd at 7 pm via Zoom. More information as well as the link to the meeting will be sent to parents of Montessori students closer to the date of the meeting.

Electronic Communication from the School 

Most of our communication from the office will continue to be electronic in the form of emails, and updates to our school website. This year the school will also have the ability to send text messages. Please make sure that we have your most up-to-date email address and cell number at the school office to ensure that you are receiving all the information. Please feel free to call us at the office if you have questions or concerns about this at 604-668-6133. 

Medical Alerts

We are currently updating our student medical alert list and necessary documentation. If your child has an allergy or medical condition, please return the medical form provided to you. If you did not receive a form, please call the school office, and let us know so we can get it to you as soon as possible. 

September startup notices  

We will send these home this coming week. This is a package of notices and permission forms regarding school supplies, walking field trips and your child’s verification form. Please complete these latest by September 29th and return to your child’s classroom teacher.  

Student Accident Insurance 

As in previous years, families can choose to purchase an optional student accident insurance plan for their children through the “InsureMyKids®” program, underwritten by Old Republic Insurance Company of Canada. The “InsureMyKids®” accident insurance program offers protection against the potentially high costs of any injury resulting from unexpected accidents and is especially valuable for families who:   

• do not have medical or dental plans,   
• have limited plans, as it may help supplement health and dental benefits, or   
• have active children who enjoy sports and outdoor activities.   

The insurance agreement will be between the family and Old Republic Canada and will be effective on the date the enrollment application and payment are received by the insurance carrier. To purchase a student accident insurance plan, families can visit http://www.insuremykids.com, or speak with an Old Republic Canada customer service representative at 1-800-463-5437.  

Upcoming Important Dates

All important dates will be listed on our school website calendar. The Calendar can be found here:

https://mckinney.sd38.bc.ca/node/5

As we embark on this new school year together, our dedicated team is here to support you and your child every step of the way. We are excited to witness the growth, accomplishments, and milestones your children will achieve in the coming months. Thank you for being an essential part of the McKinney Elementary community. Here's to a successful and fulfilling 2023-2024 school year!

Gordon and Monika