🔖 Bookmark this news! Surrey Libraries has picked the winners of the 2025 Youth Writing Contest! 📚 Students from eight #SurreyBC and #WhiteRockBC secondary schools and SAIL are among this year’s winners in the short story, poetry, comics and random categories! 🤓 Congrats to all our finalists!

🧏‍♀️ For International Day of Persons with Disabilities, the district is reflecting on the ongoing progress of its 3-year Accessibility Plan and looking ahead to next steps. 🧑‍🦽‍➡️ The district continues to analyze and implement accessibility improvements to reduce barriers in our schools. 📄 Learn more:

❤️ Today is #GivingTuesday and we're recognizing the ways our generous community partners support students! 🫶 Donations support numerous student needs, including food, clothing, supplies, playgrounds, technology, programs, field trips and more! 👇 Learn how your donation can make a difference!

❓ Did you know Peace Arch Elementary just turned SIXTY?! 😄 🥳 Last week, the #WhiteRockBC school celebrated six decades with music, dancing and trivia! 🤔 Trustees, assistant superintendents, teachers and principals were tested in the school's biggest pop quiz! 🎉 Congrats on 60 wonderful years!

📢 With temperatures getting low and winter around the corner, we want to remind families, students and staff about how we make decisions to cancel classes, delay school openings or alter bus service due to weather. 🌨️ Click below to learn more: sd36.ca/weather #SurreyBC #SurreySchools #WhiteRockBC

🎷 It’s showtime! 23 ensembles put on a spectacle of sound at last week’s Concert Band Revue, highlighting the best in secondary music! 🥁 1,100+ students from 16 schools performed at the Bell Performing Arts Centre, showing off their incredible musical abilities! 🎶 Read about the revue below!

🌱 The Semiahmoo First Nation and Xw’epiteng Elementary recently held a cedar tree planting ceremony to symbolize the ongoing work between the two in the school’s land-based journey. 🌲 🖱️ Read more about the deeply meaningful ceremony: #WhiteRockBC #SurreyBC #SD36learn #SurreySchools

Today is the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a campaign to end violence based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The district is joining others in support, and the Ministry has resources to help educators build a culture of consent in their schools. Read more:

🎉 Yesterday, the Surrey Board of Education had the honour of celebrating one of the district's most important milestones – the annual Retirement Dinner! 🤝 Trustees had the pleasure of thanking each retiree personally and sharing a small token of our appreciation. 🥳 Congrats on this new chapter!

Did you know November is Hindu Heritage Month? At North Ridge Elementary, students learned the basics of the Hindi alphabet, practiced simple characters and compared English and Hindi sounds. The lessons helped students explore connections between the languages. #SurreyBC #SurreySchools

Big congrats to our Surrey Schools community honoured at the @surreynowleader.bsky.social 2025 Community Leaders Awards! 👏 Coach of the Year: Mike McKay 🍎 Teacher of the Year: Vicki McKay (HM): Jonathan Ross 💫 Youth Volunteer: Djaurv Hipol 🏗️ Community Builder: Dacious Richardson #SurreyBC

🤧 Respiratory season is here & @fraserhealth.ca is sharing info on how to care for children with coughs, colds, fevers & flus. 🥼 From when to see a doctor, to when it may be worth a trip to the hospital, see below for more: www.surreyschools.ca/sick-kid-and... #SurreyBC #SurreySchools #WhiteRockBC

🏆 Six students from L.A. Matheson, Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth secondary schools are winners in this year’s Dhahan Youth Awards! ✍️ The annual youth writing contest showcases the literary talents of Grade 11-12 students through creative writing in Punjabi. 🎉 Congratulations! Read more:

🎤✨Over 175 students gathered for our largest-ever Student Voice Forum! They shared what they love about their school communities, offered improvement ideas and explored their ideal school. 💬 A big thank you to every student who showed up, spoke up and helped shape the conversation! #SurreySchools

🏀 A recent NBA camp gave students a chance to play with the pros and learn valuable skills for on and off the court! ⛹️‍♀️ 30 lucky students participated in drills with NBA greats while also learning lessons on self-confidence, leadership and acceptance. 👏 Thank you for supporting our students!

Students at Sunnyside Elementary met with Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke and Board Chair Gary Tymoschuk to learn about local government, decision making and community leadership. Thanks to Mayor Locke and the Sunnyside team for supporting this learning opportunity! #SurreyBC #SurreySchools

🤝The Surrey Board of Education met local MLAs to discuss student & family priorities: funding 🎯, classrooms 🏫, capital projects 🛠️, inclusive ed 💬, mental health 🧠 & collaboration 🤝. Thanks to our MLA partners for the thoughtful dialogue. #BCed #StudentsFirst #BCpoli #SurreyBC #SurreySchools

For the coming year, the Surrey Board of Education has re-elected Chair @tymoschukg.bsky.social and elected Trustee @garrythind.bsky.social as the new vice-chair. Tymoschuk has served as board chair since 2024 while Thind succeeds Terry Allen, who served from 2024-25 and 2017-22. Read more below:

Feeling sniffly? 🤧 Small habits can make a big difference. Keep germs from spreading by: ✅Coughing or sneezing into a tissue or your elbow ✅ Throwing out tissues right away ✅ Washing your hands right after

The next public Surrey Board of Education meeting takes place tonight at 7 p.m. at the District Education Centre (14033 92 Ave). All are welcome to attend and the livestream will appear on the page at 7pm with a recording posted later. Agenda & info: surreyschools.ca/page/622/boa...

✨Three new AI platforms have been approved for student use to enhance learning in classrooms! 🪄 MagicSchool, SchoolAI and TeachAid join our list of approved programs, with access granted by teachers for students with parent consent. 🖱️ Read how Surrey Schools is leading the learning on AI!

In honour of Remembrance Day, our schools hosted assemblies, built displays and shared unique initiatives to recognize Canada's veterans. At École Salish Secondary, a new poetry contest inspired meaningful reflections on our history for Remembrance Day. To our veterans, we will always remember.

Tomorrow is National Indigenous Veterans Day, honouring the contributions of 7,000+ Indigenous soldiers in Canada’s war efforts Paula James shares the stories of her cousins, both from the Katzie First Nation, who served in Canada’s military. To all Indigenous veterans, thank you for your service.

🍁 A Fleetwood Park teacher is headed to Ottawa to receive the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence! 🍎 Derek Fournier is known for engaging classes in global citizenship, community involvement, racial equity, positive leadership and digital literacy. 👏 Congratulations, Derek!

Winter wellness starts here. By taking simple steps now, you can get a head start on winter health and safety. From getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19, practicing healthy habits, knowing the best care option or learning how to stay safe in cold and wet weather, we have you covered.

🫶 November is Adoption & Permanency Awareness Month, a chance to celebrate adoptive families and highlight the needs of children without permanent homes 🏡 Surrey Schools recognizes the many families who have embraced adoption and welcomed youth with open arms 💕Thank you for your kindness and care!

🎃 It's Halloween! And as kids trick-or-treat, Surrey Schools is taking measures to deter vandalism at schools The district is asking families to report any acts of vandalism they come across. Call 9-1-1 for obvious, active vandalism or 604-599-0502 for non-emergencies. Let's keep our schools safe!

🎼 Can you hear the music? Lena Shaw Elementary has a whole host of new instruments thanks to a generous grant from MusiCounts! 🎧 The school recently received $18,000 for culturally relevant and tech-forward instruments, funding new marimbas and beat-making equipment! 👏 Thank you MusiCounts!

🧑‍🦱 Next Wednesday is Take Our Kids to Work Day, and we’re excited for 5,000+ students to take part in their first job shadows! 👩‍💼 The district has a variety of departments – including Facilities, IT, HR, Research and more – highlighting the many career paths available at Surrey Schools 🖱️ Learn more!

🎙️ A new podcast by district staff is connecting teachers with education experts from around the globe! 💬 From professors to prime ministers, Leading Voices in Education hosts in-depth and insightful conversations on childhood development, Indigenous relations, compassion and more! 🖱️ Learn more!

🎃 Halloween is around the corner! And Surrey Schools is reminding everyone to be safe and respectful while celebrating the scariest night of the year. 🧛 The district has a number of tips for safe trick-or-treating and respectful costumes to ensure a happy Halloween for all! 😄 Read more below!

👏 Happy Diwali! Schools across #SurreyBC and #WhiteRockBC are joining in to celebrate India’s biggest and brightest holiday! 🪔 Diwali is recognized by Sikhs, Hindus, Jains and some Buddhists, with diyas symbolizing the victory of light over darkness! 😄 See what Woodland Park is doing to celebrate!

🤩 WOW! The generosity of numerous donors led to thousands of donations to prepare students for the 2025-26 school year! 🎒 Surrey Schools received nearly 2,000 backpacks and $90K+ in supplies for students, distributed to almost every school in the district! 👏 THANK YOU to all of our amazing donors!

🎇 With Diwali and Halloween around the corner, #SurreySchools is sharing some fireworks safety reminders for safe celebrations! 🙅 Setting off fireworks on school grounds is prohibited, and #SurreyBC police and bylaw officers will be patrolling to ensure public safety. 👇 Read more and stay safe!

In a recent first, K-12 enrolment saw a slight drop of 1.12% for the 2025-26 school year. The unusual decline is attributed to moving trends and short-term changes in immigration policies that are also impacting neighbouring districts, with growth expected to return in the long run. Read more:

😄 New BAA courses are coming to Surrey Schools! 📻💵 In the 2026-27 school year, senior secondary students will be able to take Financial Literacy 12 and RF Communications 11, two newly approved BAA courses designed by district secondary teachers and helping teachers! 🖱️ Read more about both courses!

🌞 Summer may be over but we’re still fondly remembering another great season of Summer Learning! ✍️ This year saw nearly 15,000 students enroll in dozens of courses, including language classes, P.E., trades, sciences and more! 👇 Read all about Summer Learning below!

🫨 All #SurreyBC and #WhiteRockBC schools! Get ready for the Great B.C. ShakeOut! 🌎 Next Thursday, students and staff across the district will Drop, Cover and Hold On in the annual earthquake drill alongside nearly 500,000 British Columbians! 👇 Learn more about earthquake safety and preparedness!

🧠 For Mental Illness Awareness Week and World Mental Health Day, the district is sharing numerous resources for all to support their mental health and well-being. 🫂 The district and the province have many guides, contacts, videos and tools available for those needing support. 🖱️ Click for more:

Students at North Ridge Elementary spent time this week learning about Navratri, a Hindu festival filled with music, dance and vibrant traditions 🌸✨ Through colouring activities and classroom learning, students explored the meaning and customs of this important cultural celebration.

🍎 Sunday is World Teachers’ Day, honouring the valuable work teachers do year-round to support our students! 👩‍🏫 This year, we highlight the collaborative nature of educators and the teamwork that makes our 130 schools run smoothly each and every day! 👏 A huge THANK YOU to all of our teaching staff!

For the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, #SurreySchools is recognizing the district's continued efforts to pursue Indigenous equity, including the naming of Theresa Clarke Elementary and Snokomish Elementary, the latest of six schools to bear Indigenous names since 2014. Read more:

Many Surrey students face barriers that affect learning, from meals to supplies, clothing, transportation and tech. Thanks to donors like the Wubs Family Foundation, a $1M investment over 4 years will help remove these barriers. Bright Futures helps every child thrive. #SurreyBC #WhiteRock

#SurreyBC, #WhiteRockBC and other communities are hosting free events for the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation Join us at Holland Park, walk in solidarity in White Rock and enjoy performances in Maple Ridge, all while learning about Canada’s rich Indigenous history We hope to see you there!

🤝 Safe Schools is sharing important info on Code of Conduct, PSST resources and programs that help keep students safe. 📄 The Code of Conduct is designed to foster respectful environments for people of all walks of life, while PSST and various programs further enhance student safety. 🖱️ Learn more:

🚀 From school to work, we are preparing students for a future where AI will be part of everyday life. Since last year, we've hosted info sessions and made videos and resources to help students explore AI while prioritizing safety and privacy. Watch below! Questions? Email [email protected]

Surrey Schools is reporting a $33M surplus that will allow us to replenish our rainy-day fund and better support students and operations. This includes $12M in reserves that will strengthen our ability to respond to any unforeseen events or challenges. Feedback? Email [email protected]

👶 Parents of newborns age 2-4 months! Your baby may be a perfect “tiny teacher” for our Roots of Empathy program! 🌳 Roots of Empathy sees K-7 students learn care, kindness and helpfulness by interacting with infants as they grow over the school year. 👩‍🍼 Learn more about this exciting opportunity!

Curious how AI is used in Surrey classrooms? 🤔 See one teacher in action and learn how we prioritize safety & privacy 🔒💻 via @ctvnewsvancouver.bsky.social Learn more at: surreyschoolsone.ca/ai Questions or feedback? Email us at [email protected] #SurreyBC #WhiteRockBC #SurreySchools

🗣️ LAM student Alisha Sharma is this year’s Voice of the Future Award winner for her disability advocacy! 💁‍♀️ A founding sponsor of LAM’s disability student union, Alisha has shared her experience with visual impairment in an effort to speak up for those with disabilities. 🏆 Congratulations, Alisha!