CHRISTMAS CONCERT, REPORT CARDS, & MORE

Term One report cards are published online this week and can be viewed on the Parent Portal by Friday at 4 p.m. Students have been working hard on reading skills, writing strategies, math vocabulary, and leadership this fall. Way to go, kids!

We have two Christmas Concerts this year and many details will be coming home to parents and caregivers in the next couple of weeks. Here is some key information to help you in planning for the evening:

WHAT: A.L. Horton School Christmas Concerts

WHERE: A.L. Horton School gymnasium

WHO/WHEN: Concert #1 -Student surnames A-L. Doors open at 4:45 PM. Show at 5 PM

                    Concert #2 -Student surnames M-Z. Doors open 6 PM. Show at 6:15 PM

Note: If families have different surnames, the family will choose which concert to attend and can let teachers know. 

Details:

• Grade 5 & 6 students are acting in the concert. The committee will clarify with parents/caregivers the correct showtime based on acting and surname so these students can shine!
• Maps for entering the school, getting students to homerooms prior to the concert, and leaving the school (so we avoid entering and exiting logjams) will be coming soon.
• Dress for the concert is “everyday” or “nice” clothes, as each student and family chooses. If there are simple props or coloured clothing that will make a grade’s performance more fun, teachers will advise families. We do not wish to create any added stress about fancy clothing or “must haves” at this time of year. The holidays are a time to slow down and savour.

Stay tuned for more information about “A Bugz Christmas”!

SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING ONLINE - NOVEMBER 28 AT 6:30 PM

The November 28 School Council meeting with be virtual. Please see the Google Meet link to tune in in the emailed newsletter sent home on November 24.

Featured this month will be First Nations, Metis, and Inuit division lead Leah Atcheynum. Leah will be sharing with parents and caregivers insights into the culture and traditions of the First Peoples which is a preview of what students and staff at the school will be learning this year. Join us!

Also up for grabs are three positions on the fundraising society: President, Vice President, and Treasurer. Bring a friend online and volunteer to help organize fundraisers for the school this year. 

Thank you to the many parents and extended family members who helped sort and hand out the delayed pizzas earlier this month. Future fundraisers are on hold pending volunteers taking positions on the fundraising society board. 

MENTAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING

Please see this link for information about ongoing programming in Vegreville schools by the Mental Health Capacity Building Coaches. Read on to find out more about their classroom teachings and the important work they do with small groups of kids.

HOT LUNCHES FOR DECEMBER - ORDER BY DECEMBER 2

Parents and caregivers can now order lunches for students online for Chinese food on December 9 and Dairy Queen on December 16. Hot dog days will continue to be on Wednesdays. Thank you to our dedicated volunteers who cook for us each week!

EIPS 2023-24 DIVISION CALENDAR: NOW AVAILABLE

The official 2023-24 EIPS calendar is now available. The calendar includes important dates during the 2023-24 school year, such as school-closure days, breaks, the first and last day of classes, professional learning days, early dismissal days, plus more.

Highlights from the 2023-24 EIPS calendar include:

First day of school – Aug. 31, 2023

November break – November 6-10

Christmas break – December 25 to January 5

Teachers’ Convention – February 8-9

Spring break – March 25-29

Last day of classes – June 26, 2024

To view the 2023-24 calendar, visit www.eips.ca .

WHERE TO FIND THE INFORMATION YOU NEED

Elk Island Public Schools and A.L. Horton School use a handful of key systems to share information with students and families. Depending on the information you’re looking for, it’s important to know where to look.

PowerSchool is the primary student information system within the Division. There is an associated app, but the functionality is limited, and families don’t need to download it. From the PowerSchool Parent Portal, you can:

• Access student grades and report cards;
• Review student absences;
• Pay school and transportation fees; and
• Submit official updates to student or family information.

The PowerSchool Student Portal provides similar access to grades and absence information for students directly.

Brightspace provides more of a day-to-day look at what's happening with your child’s learning communicated directly from your child’s teacher. From Brightspace Parent & Guardian, you can see your child’s:

• classroom activity feed,
• grade items and grade feedback from instructors,
• upcoming assignments,
• portfolio evidence and
• quizzes

depending on which of the program functions are specifically used by your child’s teacher.

Brightspace for Students is where teachers share updates, calendar reminders and learning materials with students. Compatible with Google, it also allows students to submit assignments, complete quizzes, and see grades and teacher feedback. The Pulse app for students is associated with Brightspace for Students.

SchoolMessenger is the system the Division and schools use to send email and phone communication to families. The contact information in SchoolMessenger is populated from PowerSchool. Through SchoolMessenger, families can:

• receive general, emergency and attendance messages by phone, email or both; and
• manage their subscription preferences for these types of messages.

The easiest way to stay connected is to download the SchoolMessenger app. Get the latest updates direct to your mobile device and enable push notifications to never miss a message. Families can also check back on past messages—for up to 30 days—directly in the app rather than searching to find an old message buried in your inbox.

If you have trouble accessing any of these systems or have questions about them, contact the school.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

With the winter season almost here, we want to remind families to dress children appropriately for the weather when getting ready for school or the bus. The weather often changes unexpectedly throughout the day, so please select suitable outerwear and ensure your child is prepared for changing conditions.

If inclement weather conditions occur, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) advises families of any bus cancellations using various communications tools—automated-telephone messages, alerts posted on www.eips.ca and school websites, Twitter, Facebook, local radio stations, and notification through both the Bus Status and the Ride 360 apps. Morning bus cancellations are posted on www.eips.ca by 6:30 a.m.

Decisions regarding bus cancellations are guided by EIPS administrative procedures that state, “school bus service may be suspended…when there is a forecast or current temperature of -40 C, including wind chill factor, in one or more regions.” Other reasons for suspending or delaying school bus services include adverse weather and poor road conditions. When school bus services are suspended, schools remain open to students. EIPS believes families have the right and responsibility to make choices for their children based on their beliefs and perceptions of safety during times of inclement weather.

For more information, contact EIPS Student Transportation at 780-417-8151.

NEW REPORT CARDS

To best communicate student learning, some changes have been made to report cards, including a slight redesign. This November, parents and guardians will continue to access report cards through PowerSchool—simply log in to your account and click on the “Report Card” button in the left hand sidebar.

Similar to the previous report card, students will still be assessed on a Learner Attributes Scale and Achievement Scale. Some categories have been modified to align with the new curriculum.

IMPORTANT DATES

November 25 - Jersey Day for school spirit & Subway Lunch

November 28 - School Council meeting 6:30 PM online

December 5 - Student Voice gathering in Sherwood Park

December 6 - Telus World of Science field trip for Grade 5

December 7  - Early dismissal at 1:55 PM for staff meeting

December 9 - Chins Hot Lunch

December 14 - Christmas Concerts = 5 PM for A-L & 6:15 PM for M-Z families

December 16  - Dairy Queen Hot Lunch

December 19 - Saint Nicholas Day (Ukraine)

Keri Busenius      &        Rita Lal

Principal                        Assistant Principal

Connecting to foster the minds and hearts of leaders.