School Newsletters

ERASE Information for Caregivers: Caregiver resources can be found at: erase for Adults - Province of British Columbia. ERASE posters are in classrooms and posted around the school.

Please bookmark and check out these FREE sessions/information from ERASE:

1. Establishing Safe, Caring & Respectful Digital Communities, FREE Upcoming Remote Sessions – Next session is November 25, 2026 at 6:30pm.
2. Establishing Family Practices for Safeguarding Against Cyberbullying and Sextortion, FREE Upcoming Remote Sessions – Next session is October 13, 2026 at 6:30pm.
3. Raising Digitally Responsible Youth: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers, FREE Digital Download  (this guide will be continually updated by Safer Schools Together)

Closed Campus – Columneetza is a closed campus. If students need to leave the school, they must sign out at the office with the school secretary so that the school knows where they are or be on an approved list (parent permission) for the day or year.  We have lunch food available daily, a healthy vending machine that accepts debit and drinks sold at the Falcon’s Nest.  Clubs are beginning at lunch time as well. Reminder: There is no supervision once students leave school grounds. We have firm expectations that if parents agree their youth can be in the community they are upholding the Code of Conduct and displaying community citizenship.     

School Messenger: Columneetza uses School Messenger automatic callout module.  The program is linked to MyEd BC and sends out emails, phone calls and messages to parents whose children did not go to class for that morning or afternoon (unexcused absence). Parents can respond in kind to the message indicating that the child is away.  The

system also allows parents to indicate that their child will be away for the day by calling 1 (833) 582-6944, using the phone app, website login or calling the school.  https://go.schoolmessenger.com

ADHD for Parents and Caregivers: Webinar Series - BC Children’s Hospital ADHD Clinic and the Kelty Centre hosted a learning event designed to support parents of children with ADHD, covering topics like ADHD basics, self-regulation, behaviour at school, and medication. If you missed it, the speaker sessions available now: ADHD for Parents and Caregivers: Webinar Series | Kelty Mental Health

The Truth about SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder - Between colder, wetter weather and less light – keeping your own and your family’s well-being top of mind can take a little extra effort. Check out this article from Kelty Mental Health a few tips you can put in place to make the chilly season a bit easier.

Suicide Crisis Helpline: 988 Call or text for a safe place to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. 

BC Lung Foundation: Tobacco, Vaping & Cannabis resources. Click HERE to learn more.

Food Available at School:

Breakfast for Learning – breakfast food is available 5 days a week from 8:10-8:40am. 

Lunch Schedule:  

Monday – wrap/sandwiches, $2.00/half

Tuesday - PB & J, fruit, yogurt, granola bars, hard boiled eggs

Wednesday - pizza, $2.00/slice

Thursday - PB & J, fruit, yogurt, granola bars, hard boiled eggs

Friday – wraps/sandwiches, $2/half

Financial assistance for lunches is available.  Students or parents can ask any staff member or the office how to access support.  Every day of the week, additional snack food will be available in the Cultural Room (Room 144) for students to access if needed.

Free e-library for Columneetza students: Students can access this e-library from school or home, on their computer, Apple/Android phone, or tablet.  There are hundreds of audiobooks, fiction & non-fiction books, and magazines.  Just download the free Sora app, find our library (British Columbia Interior/North K-12 Shared Digital Collection), select “Columneetza”, and sign in using your school username and password.  If you can’t find the audiobooks/books you were hoping for, just drop by the Columneetza library – we may be able to add them to the collection. Please call the Teacher-Librarian Ms. Vachon at 250-392-4158 if you have any questions.

Bus Passes:  Just a reminder that students who are registered bus riders should have their bus passes with them when they ride. If your child loses or damages their bus pass, replacement cards can be purchased from the office for a replacement fee of $10.

Wear Seasonal Clothing – Be Prepared! Students and caregivers:  as the cooler and sometimes wetter weather begins to make an appearance, we are asking for students to ensure they are wearing weather appropriate clothing to school so that they can be outside during classes and scheduled breaks. We want to get outside for learning! It is also important students using the gymnasium and weight room have a pair of clean, indoor shoes at school.  If you need help with purchasing winter clothing for your child(ren), please contact the school.

Please DONATE! Shoe Lending Shelf:  We are actively seeking donations of good quality used or new shoes in all adult sizes, men’s or women’s, to have students borrow from our lending shelf in the gym. For several reasons students sometimes don’t have a pair of indoor CLEAN shoes to participate. This helps! We sanitize them just like the bowling alley. Please bring donations to the office or directly to the gym.

Parent Advisory Council: Thank you to the parents that attended the last meeting. The meetings are usually held on the third Monday of each Month starting at 5:30pm in the Library.  NEXT MEETING:  PAC Budget Meeting - October 26th @ Columneetza Campus Library – 5:30pm. Come choose how the PAC will spend money this year!

Code of Conduct: Our School Code of Conduct is a living document that we continually amend and adapt to ensure our school is safe and student expectations are clear.  We encourage feedback from parents to ensure our Code of Conduct is clear and helps guide student behaviour. Please become familiar with our Code of Conduct and contact school administration with any questions or comments. You can find our COC on the website: Columneetza-Code of Conduct.

Steps to Resolve Concerns: If you have concerns with a situation at the school there are steps to follow to ensure your concern is dealt with efficiently and properly.  Please refer to Steps to Resolve Concerns for more information. 

ERASE = Expect Respect & A Safe Education: Students can report a problem or find help; parents can explore resources and access training, and school staff can find resources for their classrooms and the school.  ERASE posters are in classrooms and posted around the school.

Columneetza School Website: Home - Columneetza Junior Secondary

Facebook Page: “Columneetza Junior Secondary School”

Please follow us on Facebook for celebrations of learning, student of the week, and reminders.

Columneetza Junior Secondary newsletters are available to stay up to date on important school information: 

• Back to School Information

Useful Link

• Student of the Week