Mark your calendars – Terry Fox Run will be on Friday, September 23.
Family BBQ June 22nd 5pm
The Ridgeway PAC would like to invite all current families and new families in 2023 to a FREE end of school year BBQ at the school. Come and reconnect with the school community.
Multicultural & Book Fair
Come celebrate on Thursday April 21st 6:00-7.30pm Host a table Decorate a tri-fold (send request to president@ridgewaypac.org) Share food samples Dress in clothing that represents your background Complete a passport to enter a drawing! or Volunteer to help coordinate! The event features: Country or regional displays created by individual or groups of families / students (we will help coordinate) …
Vancouver Sun: Reconciliation is child’s play in North Vancouver with Indigenous-focused playground
Vancouver Sun article:
“When the concrete is poured this week to create the footings of a teepee in a new playground at Ridgeway Elementary School in North Vancouver, the foundation will secure more than just a physical structure.
Brad Baker, principal of the North Vancouver School District Indigenous Education Program, said the Indigenous-focused playground will support the three pathways of Indigenous education in the school district: students, educators and community members.
Most important among them, of course, is the children.
“The entry to learning is play, and for us as Indigenous people, that also means learning from the land,” said Baker. “This is a permanent example of play and learning from the land.”
Arieanna Schweber, 39, mom to two kids at Ridgeway elementary, led a $200,000 community fundraising drive to finance the project. From the beginning, the idea for a new playground was inseparable from the community’s commitment to honour the history and culture of the Skwxwú7mesh and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.”
New Natural Playground Coming to Ridgeway Elementary in North Vancouver
Press Release
New Natural Playground Coming to Ridgeway Elementary in North Vancouver
Community Supported Playground Breaks Ground March 13
North Vancouver, B.C., March 5, 2021 – On March 13, 2021, Ridgeway Parent Advisory Council (PAC) and North Vancouver School District #44 will break ground on a custom natural playground at Ridgeway Elementary. “We are very excited to see these play areas come to life,” notes Arieanna Schweber, who led the project on behalf of Ridgeway PAC, “This project is the result of three years of work, collaboration, fundraising, and the amazing support of our community.”
The idea for new play spaces began in 2018 in response to growth in the student population and community around Ridgeway Elementary. Spread across two zones on the property, the new play spaces offer new opportunities for imaginative open-ended play for the school’s 610 K-7 students. Dean Yeo, Ridgeway Elementary Principal, notes “This project will create excitement for students and staff about outside learning and playing, not only during the times of this pandemic, but for years to come.”
The new playground pays respect to the natural environment, featuring five custom-designed natural log and rope play pieces designed by Projects in Place Society, a full design-to-build non-profit society helping build stronger communities through sustainable design. The play pieces were designed based upon ideas generated from Ridgeway staff, family surveys, student brainstorming events, and environmental impact assessments. The playground has been designed to be inclusive, featuring accessible recycled tire surfacing, supported by a grant from the Tire Stewardship BC (TSBC), as well as inclusive sensory musical flowers.
“Every child deserves a great place to learn and play,” said City of North Vancouver Mayor Linda Buchanan. “Outdoor spaces such as our park and playgrounds are crucial in supporting the well-being of children. The City is proud to contribute to this new natural play space and appreciates the PAC’s and School Board’s investment in this inclusive and accessible playground.”
Ridgeway PAC raised almost $200,000 towards the project, with additional in-kind donations of design services, labour, equipment and materials raising the value of the project to nearly $400,000.
The new play spaces are the result of a “by the community, for the community” approach to development. The playground is made possible thanks to the generous in-kind labour and equipment support of Houston Landscapes, Gauthier & Associates Landscape Architects, and Natural Impressions Outdoor Play, as well as materials donated by Veratec, Specimen Trees Wholesale Nurseries Ltd., Emterra, and J K Truck & Crane.
“At Houston Landscapes, we believe in giving back to the communities in which we live and work,” notes Jeremy Miller of Houston Landscapes, “We have been seeking out a project where our equipment, our connections to suppliers, but most importantly, our skillset could be put to use to help grow our communities and are very excited to work with the North Vancouver School District, Projects in Place, and Ridgeway PAC to bring this project to fruition.”
This project gratefully acknowledges the support of the City of North Vancouver through their Community Grant program and Living City Grant, as well as grants received from the Can.Aid.Ian Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation, and generous partner support from Anthem Properties, Cascadia Green Development, Morrison on the Park by CREO Developments, Wasserman, and Whole Foods Market. Thanks also goes to the many Friends of Ridgeway PAC who participated in fundraisers or who donated generously toward this project
The press kit and photos are available for download at https://ridgewaypac.org/play-space-project/
Arieanna Schweber
Ridgeway PAC
604-782-2417
arieanna@schweber.ca
Lisa Dalla Vecchia
Communications Manager
North Vancouver School District
778-835-4940
ldallavecchia@sd44.ca
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Purdys Chocolate Easter Fundraiser
Hip hop hurray! We are offer the opportunity to do some ‘sweet’ shopping done, just in time for Easter! Grab your chocolates, candies and sweet treats through Purdys:
Orders Due: March 12
Order Pick-Up: March 30, 3:15pm-3:45pm outside the gym doors*
Order HERE.
Parent Insights
Have your say on the direction of the PAC, what we concentrate our efforts on, issues you would like us to address and other insights.
Join the next PAC meeting Tuesday, Nov 23rd 2021.
If you have any topics that you would like to discuss at the next PAC meeting or if you have concerns in general, please submit them by clicking below.
Gift Card Fundraiser
Help raise money for Ridgeway PAC by buying gift cards for everyday purchases or holiday gifts from some of Canada’s largest retailers. We offer these gift cards to you at face-value, and for each gift card bought Ridgeway PAC earns rebates ranging from 2% – 10% of the purchase price of the cards. For more information click here, or view the [revised] Parent Order Form and List of Retailers. We also hope that you will approach your employer with this fundraiser using our Letter to Employers (or consider buying gift cards from Ridgeway PAC for your business’s employee recognition program, customer thank you(s), or in-lieu of a Holiday Gala).
Fall Food Fundraiser
Let us help you simplify your grocery shopping with 3 great food fundraisers delivered right here to Ridgeway!
- Moja Coffee – 400g bags of whole bean coffee freshly roasted in North Vancouver. Many varieties to choose from!
- Two Rivers Meats– Local, ethically-raised frozen meat boxes of ground beef, chicken, bacon, steak, or the “essentials” box.
- Samosas, Teas, Meals & Sauces – frozen samosas, cordon blues, chicken strips, butterfly shrimp, mussels plus some great pantry staples including butter chicken sauce, rice, chutney, and chai masala
Up to 30% of your order comes right back to Ridgeway PAC! Come to our upcoming PAC meeting on October 19th to see how we’re trying to put this money right back into the school.
Please follow each link above for the different food orders. Although hosted separately, you can pick up each food item at the same time / day!
Deadline: October 30th
Order Pick-Up: Nov 13th from 3:30 – 4:30pm by the gym doors (outside)
Pick Up Details:
Please note, due to COVID-19, we need to wait for the school to empty before hosting pick-up. Please enter the pick-up line from 9th Avenue (following the spaced cones) and exit along the marked path by the gym.
Please wear a mask for pick up! Thank you!
Ridgeway Parent Advisory Council 