Several nights are planned in Surrey this month and next for newcomer students and families to become embedded in the school system in Surrey and White Rock.
“The premise behind this is to involve, engage and empower newcomers,” Raj Puri, district principal of settlement services with the Welcome Centre, said in a release. “By running these nights, we’re building the capacity within the newcomer community to engage with life in school.”
Newcomer Networking Nights will be held for six weeks, with the first held Sept. 12 at Guildford Park Secondary. The nights are a chance for all newcomer students and their families to get together, connect and ask questions of district representatives for any concerns they might have.
To be held at multiple secondary schools in the Surrey school district in different regions, each session will be much the same so families and students can choose the one closest to their home to attend.
All those in attendance will get a chance to learn about the school district and the different supports and resources offered to students and families. The returning event saw 1,000 participants last year.
“One of the key things we talk about is the roles of parents and how important it is for us to involve them in their child’s education,” said Welcome Centre manager Parampal Sharma. “We know that supporting strong and healthy growth is really a collaborative effort, and we want parents to feel that they have the information, resources and knowledge they need to make informed decisions related to their child’s education and development.”
There are five remaining sessions planned to be held on Thursday evenings at different secondary schools from 5:30 p.m. to about 8 p.m., beginning with registration, then presentations and a Q&A session to cap the Newcomer Nights.
Next week on Sept. 19, the session will be held at Kwantlen Park Secondary, followed by Enver Creek on Sept. 26, Princess Maragaret on Oct. 3, Fraser Heights on Oct. 10 and Grandview Heights on Oct. 17.
Any newcomer parents or guardians who have children attending early learning programs or elementary or secondary schools in the district are welcome to attend any one of the sessions.
