My name is Britt Walton and I feel very honored and excited to be the Principal of Bramblewood Elementary School. It is with enthusiasm that I come to such a wonderful community where all children are engaged in learning through genuine curiosity, creativity and critical thinking. Whether you are a student, parent, staff, support staff or a visitor to Bramblewood, our aim is to work collaboratively together and support each other in cultivating an appetite for life-long learning.
Action Plans for Learning provide a framework for reporting student learning and school goals that are most relevant to our school community. This year, Bramblewood's Action Plan for Learning (APL) focuses on social emotional learning (SEL). SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions[1]. Research shows that SEL competencies have a positive effect on self-regulating behaviors including prosocial behavior/healthy relationships, perception of classrooms and school climate as well as, academic performance. Bramblewood teachers work hard to create an engaging learning experience for your children. If you have any questions or concerns, you are encouraged to contact your child's teacher.
Nature also plays a vital role in your child's learning. The benefits of nature are restorative in that it has shown to encourage self- discipline, restore attention and reduce stress. Here at Bramblewood, we value such a connection to the outdoors. We therefore have “WEST COAST RECESS AND LUNCH". Students go outside for ALL recesses and lunch hours unless the weather is extremely stormy or it is deemed to be unsafe. Please help your child in facing the elements, in particular, our wet west coast weather, by ensuring they come to school dressed appropriately, equipped with umbrellas, raincoats and boots.
Finally, our school mission states “the community of Bramblewood builds on the strengths of all students, helping them to develop socially, intellectually and physically to become responsible members of society. We believe education is the shared responsibility of the home, school and community". Effective communication is integral to building positive and lasting relationships between the community and our school. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly by email at bwalton@sd43.bc.ca should you have any school related questions, concerns, suggestions or opinions.
I look forward to a wonderful school year ahead.
Britt Walton
Principal
[1] CASEL.org
