A Family of Communities

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">HMS is a "Nut Aware" School. A number of individuals at our school have life-threatening allergies to nuts, kiwi and shellfish.&nbsp; Please help us keep everyone safe by avoiding bringing these items to school or being very mindful about their consumption and cleanup.&nbsp; Thank you for your understanding and keeping everyone safe!&nbsp;</span></p><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">How to recognize anaphylaxis</span></h3><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Life-threatening allergies are called anaphylaxis. To help protect our friends who have life-threatening allergies, it's important to be able to identify the signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis. Follow the link below from Food Allergy Canada to learn more.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><a href="/documents/d3025811-28b9-4af1-a876-f31cc65f3a4e/Signs-and-symptoms-of-anaphylaxis-resources.pdf" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Signs and Symptoms of Anaphylaxis</span></a></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">HMS welcomes you all to the 2025-26 school year! We've included the 2025–26 HMS Student &amp; Family Information Guide to support you and your child throughout the upcoming school year. Inside, you'll find helpful details about:</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; the first day of school</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; the August 29</span><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>th</span></sup><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> Grenda Greeting Day for our Grade 6 and new Gr 7 and 8 students</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; how to stay connected</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; and a lot more!</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span><ie-document data-lexical-document-id="51862456-4e1f-4164-83a6-6de7e611d6c8"></ie-document></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A special note about the HMS PAC (Parent Advisory Council). The HMS PAC works together to support our students, teachers, and school community through events, fundraising, and parent engagement. The first PAC meeting of the year will be our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 23. At this meeting, the positions of President, Vice President, and Secretary will all be open for nominations. The PAC encourages all parents and guardians to join, get involved, and help shape another great year at HMS!</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">All the best,</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Rob Aviani, Principal</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><a href="mailto:rob.aviani@sd23.bc.ca" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">rob.aviani@sd23.bc.ca</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Tonia MacGregor, Vice Principal</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><a href="mailto:tonia.macgregor@sd23.bc.ca" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">tonia.macgregor@sd23.bc.ca</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As we head into summer, we wanted to make families aware of some important changes to rules surrounding E-Bikes and E-Scooters in Central Okanagan Schools. We recognize that some families may be considering purchasing some sort of electronic transportation for their children as a means for them to travel to-and-from school in fall. Before doing so, please read the information about provincial regulations regarding e-bikes and e-scooters below.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p><h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Provincial Laws on E-Bikes and E-Scooters</span></h3><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to British Columbia's Motor Assisted Cycle (E-Bike) Regulation, there are specific age limits and safety requirements for operating e-bikes and e-scooters on public roads. Here are the key points:</span></p><ul class="editor-list-ul"><li value="1" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Standard E-Bikes: Riders must be at least 16 years old.</span></li><li value="2" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Light E-Bikes: Riders must be at least 14 years old.</span></li><li value="3" class="editor-listitem"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">E-Scooters: Riders must be at least 16 years old.</span></li></ul><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Given these regulations, E-bikes and E-scooters will not be permitted for students at HMS in September. We encourage all students who want to ride to school to use traditional bicycles, scooters, or other non-motorized forms of transportation to ensure compliance with provincial laws and to promote safety. Always wear a helmet when you ride.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/cycling/electric-kick-scooter-rules" class="editor-link"><u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold editor-text-underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">BC Provincial E-Scooter Regulations</strong></b></u></a></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><a href="https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/cycling/cycling-regulations-restrictions-rules/e-bikes" class="editor-link"><u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold editor-text-underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">BC Provincial E-Bike Regulations</strong></b></u></a></p>