<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The 2026-2027 school year calendar has been approved by the Board of Education and is now available for families to view and download. The calendar provides a full overview of the upcoming school year, including start and end dates, statutory holidays, non-instructional days, and school breaks.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The calendar can be accessed through the District’s website: </span><a href="https://www.sd83.bc.ca/documents/921adfa0-748d-4776-b72c-222bfb371a9d/SD83-2026-2027-School-Calendar.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2026-2027-Calendar.pdf</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The 2025-26 school year calendar is also available on the District's website: </span><a href="https://sd83.cmdesign.imagineeverything.com/documents/a2bb1ca8-9534-5841-8708-748fa43e6ca5/Final-SD83-2025-2026-Calendar.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2025-2026-Calendar.pdf</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="https://sd83.cmdesign.imagineeverything.com/documents/a8a92ed3-ae23-5893-9dac-eb5db5f6ca62/2025-2026-School-District-Calendar-for-website-Oct-2025.pdf" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">2025-2026-Calendar-Details.pdf</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/0f524121-b88a-4c64-96d7-77876e69850e" alt="SD83 2026 2027 School Calendar" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Schools across the District are once again preparing to celebrate Earth Day by taking part in the annual </span><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Trees for Hope</em></i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> initiative, a hands-on environmental learning opportunity that connects students with nature and stewardship.</span></p></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><figure><img src="/images/a743c214-120a-4e90-8f86-d00fa62ebfdc" alt="Trees for Hope-K Fulton" width="292" height="389" style="width:292px;height:389px;display:inline-block;float:left"><figcaption>Environmental Advisory Working Group Member and Retired Principal, Kim Fulton</figcaption></figure><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Approximately 1,800 seedlings are being distributed to participating schools, ensuring classrooms receive their trees ahead of Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Each seedling represents an opportunity for students to learn about ecosystems, climate action, and the importance of caring for the environment, while actively contributing to a greener future.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Trees for Hope initiative continues to grow thanks to the commitment of school staff, champions, and classroom teachers who make environmental education meaningful and hands-on for students of all ages. Classroom planting activities often extend learning beyond science, supporting cross-curricular connections in Indigenous learning, numeracy, literacy, and social responsibility.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you to all the schools and staff leads who are supporting this important annual initiative. A special thank you to Kim Fulton for assisting with the coordination of Trees for Hope. Everyone’s participation helps foster environmental awareness, responsibility, and hope—one tree at a time.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This initiative supports the </span><a href="https://www.sd83.bc.ca/documents/2a8a7cb4-f047-5441-9003-bbf9148bd9cb/2023-2028-Strategic-Plan-Revised-Sept-2424.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">District's Strategic Plan</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> by fostering environmental stewardship, experiential learning, and meaningful connections to the world beyond the classroom.</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mindful Moments: Nature, Movement, and Connection</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The nature movement, a concept encompassing various initiatives and beliefs, focuses on restoring and deepening human connections with the natural world. This movement emphasizes the importance of nature for both individual well-being and societal health, recognizing that our relationship with nature significantly impacts our mental and physical health, as well as our environmental stewardship.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To download the PDF, click the following link: </span><ie-document data-lexical-document-id="e6167b5d-7ed6-49a0-8415-11a2945312e0"></ie-document></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To access the art projects and stories, click the following links: </span></p><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><a href="https://artfulparent.com/nature-art-for-kids/" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">22 Nature Art Ideas for Kids</span></a></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><a href="https://www.doinggoodtogether.org/bhf-book-lists/picture-books-for-nature-lovers" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Explore the Outdoors: 32 Favorite Children's Books About Nature | Best Outdoor Picture Books — Doing Good Together™</span></a></li></ul><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/39f1670b-1d8b-44ff-a005-89151431b058" alt="Mindful Moments April 2026" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>