Weekly Communicator
Head of School Message
With the return to school just around the corner, we wanted to share with you an important change regarding the first day of school for Grades 1 to 9. In order to introduce students to the new school routine, we are implementing a staggered entry schedule as follows: 

  • Tues Sept 8: Students with last names "A-Lewis" ONLY (8:30-11:30 am)
  • Wed Sept 9: Students with last names "Li-Zacharias ONLY" (8:30-11:30 am)
  • Thurs Sept 10: will resume as normal (full day, all students)
  • Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten families will be contacted by their teachers regarding the schedule and protocols for their first days at GCA.

Staggered entry will allow our students to become familiar with the new health and safety rules in smaller groups. It will also help parents get used to the new drop-off/pick-up procedures with fewer cars in the parking lots at one time. Please see more information on the new PikMyKid pick-up system below.

There will be more information on the first day of school coming soon.

Students are required to wear Official Uniform for the first day of school. However, going forward, we will not be requiring Official Uniform to be worn on the first day of each school week. Instead, with a few exceptions, that will be optional for students through the 2020-21 school year. Casual uniforms, however, will continue to be required on a daily basis.

I have received a few questions from families who have members categorized as high-risk when it comes to COVID-19. We are asking families who have immuno-compromised children (or parents), or have grandparents living with them to please reach out to me at [email protected] so we can discuss how we can support your children's learning needs for the school year. 

Thank you for your flexibility as we continue to focus and plan for the safety of your children while at school. We look forward to welcoming you all back in September.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Stanford Hielema
Head of School
Upcoming Dates & Important Info
  • Tues Sept 8: Students in Grades 1-9 with last names "A-Lewis" ONLY (8:30-11:30 am)
  • Wed Sept 9: Students in Grades 1-9 with last names "Li-Zacharias ONLY" (8:30-11:30 am)
  • Thurs Sept 10 will resume as normal (full day, all students)
  • Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten families will be contacted by their teachers regarding the schedule and protocols for their first days at GCA.
  • We are currently looking to hire two temporary Full Time Custodians, along with some other positions. Please visit our Careers page for details.
Elementary Updates
  • School Supplies for 2020/21 - The School Start School Supply lists for next year for Grade 1-5 are online. School Start is still accepting online orders for school supplies - order before Mon Aug 24 in order to ensure enough time for delivery before school begins.
Junior High Updates
  • School Supplies for 2020/21 - The School Start School Supply lists for next year for Grades 6-9, as well as the Art Option Supply Lists, are online. School Start is still accepting online orders for school supplies - order before Mon Aug 24 in order to ensure enough time for delivery before school begins.
  • Our Davison Apple Orchard Fundraiser is on! Purchase a box of delicious BC apples (Honeycrisp, Royal Gala, Ambrosia or Okanagan blend) and support the Grade 7-9 students as they fundraise for their future Camp Homewood and Mission trips. View here for full details and the order form. Apples arrive on October 2.
GCA Community News
Traffic Flow in the Parking Lots
There have been some important changes made to both the Elementary and Jr High parking lots to ease traffic congestion, improve traffic flow and work alongside our new PikMyKid program. Please watch the video above to familiarize yourself with the new traffic pattern. Photos and flow diagrams are available for you to view here. Thank you for taking the time to review the new patterns.
PikMyKid App to Manage Pick Up
We are excited to introduce ‘PikMyKid’, a school safety app to allow parents or guardians to check students out of school from the comfort of their own vehicles.

This app is an easy and efficient way to manage pick-up from school, used by hundreds of schools across North America and around the world. With its use, we expect to eliminate crowds gathering in and around the school during this busy time of the day.  

After school, parents will digitally announce when they’ve entered the car line, or found a parking spot. Students will then be dismissed by their teacher. The school and the parents will be confident that each student is where they’re supposed to be and will know who has picked them up.

We will share details on how to use PikMyKid next week. In the meantime, we encourage you to download the free PikMyKid app from iTunes or Google Play and follow the registration process. Then you’ll be ready to customize the app to your pick up locations, to designate people who can pick up your child, and even schedule carpool pick-ups!
Virtual Q & A
Save the date: we will be holding a Virtual Q & A on the evening of August 31 where we will review the safety protocols we have in place, and answer any questions you may have about re-entry and the school year. We welcome your questions in advance - please share them here.
We will continue to keep you up-to-date over the next couple of weeks. Enjoy your weekend!

Blessings,
The GCA Team