Fundraising, Join Your Child for Lunch, Mental Health Week, and More!

We had great fun with Disney Spirit Day this past Friday. This week is Education Week - “Learning is a Journey” - and Mental Health week. Watch our daily announcements on Youtube to see what students are learning from Miss Kastyn and teachers about mental health. 

On Wednesday, May 4, students can have Hats On for Mental Health and/or they can have fun with “May the 4th be with you” and Star Wars Day!

Students have been doing lots of reading and writing in all subjects and have been sharing their thinking in the math classroom. Check out our social media accounts to see new photos from classes each week. 

Thank you to the Friends of A.L. Horton Fundraising Society for May’s Build a Playground fundraiser. Participation, prize, and recognition of donors information came home on Friday with pledge forms. Please send pledge forms and “blocks” back to school as they are completed and we’ll get them posted in the school and shared on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts. 

• Did you know that our three playground structures are slated to be removed in July 2023? That’s just over one year away!
• One playground costs approximately $250 000 to replace, and we have three of them that need replacing! (All of them were built around 2000.)
• The Friends of A.L. Horton Fundraising Society is led by 5-6 parent volunteers who have planned the following fundraisers this year: Ice Melt sales, a silent auction on Facebook, the March Readathon, and May’s Build a Playground fundraiser.
• The group has approached the Town of Vegreville and many local businesses for support and donations. 
• The goal for fundraising this year was to raise $125 000 by September 2022 to apply for matching grants. We are not quite a quarter of the way there yet.
• The group has been given a casino date in Camrose in September and needs about 10-20 volunteers for the two nights. Volunteering at casinos can raise $8000 - $25000 for a school playground!
• The Friends of A.L. Horton Fundraising Society meets again on May 30 in the school library, following the School Council meeting at 6:30 PM. We hope you can join us and help us build climbing structures, bridges, slides, and more for our children in Summer 2023!

VESNA - UKRAINIAN CULTURAL EVENING 

We look forward to seeing students and families on the evening of May 11 for Vesna! So far, requests for 200 tickets have come in. All are welcome! 

Volunteers will be getting tickets out to students and their families this week. We will draw names for 10 RESERVED front row tickets on Thursday, May 5!

• Doors open at 5:30 PM so parents can look over silent auction items. Proceeds will go to support newcomers from Ukraine and humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian Bilingual students will share various poems, songs, and movement performances beginning at 6 PM.
• Following the formal program, there will be coffee, juice, and sweets while those in attendance visit and make final bids on silent auction items. Those with successful bids will be contacted May 12.
• Families who wish to contribute to a gift recognizing the retirements of Panni Hyshka (Grade 1/2 Ukrainian) and/or Mrs. Menzak (librarian for many years), please contact the school office. Erin G. is happy to hear your gift ideas. You can email her at e.may.81@hotmail.com and she will share your ideas with the parent committee. 
• Thank you to our planning committee of 11 parents of children in the Ukrainian Program!

Didn’t get your ticket yet? Please call the office at 780-632-3113. Tickets are $2 and can be purchased online via the Parent Portal or we can accept cash at the office. Please RSVP this week so we can ensure there is seating for everyone in attendance. 

*Students in the Ukrainian Language Program K-6 do not require a ticket. 

FIELD TRIPS MAY and JUNE

Upcoming field trips include the Telus World of Science, the dental office, the Fort Saskatchewan Precinct Tour, and Fort Edmonton!

• Check the school website calendar and the list below for the latest information. 
• Parents are reminded to log into the Parent Portal website regularly to pay field trips fees in advance. Thank you to parents and caregivers who are able to volunteer to supervise students during off site activities. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR HOT DOG WEDNESDAYS

Do you have 2-3 hours on Wednesdays to help out with preparing hot dogs and condiments for classes? Our students and parents appreciate Hot Dog Days. It’s a surprisingly yummy smell in the school halls and who doesn’t love not having to make children a full lunch one day a week?

• If you can help out with hot dogs - and perhaps bring a friend with you - please call Mrs. Bay in the school office at 780-632-3113 for more information about this volunteer opportunity. The students thank you! 

SAFETY AT SCHOOL - REMINDERS

Student, staff, and visitor safety is paramount at our school and at each site within Elk Island Public Schools. Do you know the following safety information about our school?

• The bus lane out front is busy as is the street. 
• Students are proud to be entrusted to patrol the designated crosswalk as AMA Safety Patrollers. 
• There are three crosswalks on 48 Avenue north of the school and a crosswalk across 50a Street.
• Adults are reminded to NOT WALK IN BETWEEN THE BUSES. This is a danger zone and all students have been trained not to do this because they cannot be seen by the driver. Younger students will dart in between buses and into the busy street without thinking if adults model this.
• Parents and grandparents are reminded to NOT CALL OR BECKON children to run across the busy street in front of the school. Vehicles may not see a child in time to stop. Please have your child USE THE CROSSWALK or CROSS WITH HELP FROM AMA SAFETY PATROLLERS.
• Did you know that approaching children or staff on the playground is trespassing during school hours?
• Unknown adults in the play area or by entrance doors can be suspicious or frightening.
• Always visit the school office when you arrive on site. Office staff will ensure classes you are volunteering with are aware of your arrival.
• All visitors to the school must enter the school via the front doors. 
• Ring the doorbell if staff are not there to greet you and we will buzz you in. 
• Report to the school office so we can enter you into the visitor log. 
• We keep a record of visitors on site in case of emergencies. 
• Children are not permitted to open an entrance door to anyone during the school day.
• There are six play zones on the school playground, supervised by 6-7 staff members in bright vests at lunch recess. There are often other staff members on the playground as well, but these individuals are paying close attention to students with complex needs. 
• There are six entrance doors for morning arrival, supervised by six staff members from 8:15 - 8:25 AM. Doors are unlocked for arrival from 8:15 - 8:30 AM. School administration also supervises the bus lane and sweeps the back playground area from 8:15 - 8:30 AM and 2:55 - 3:05 PM.
• Students are asked to leave the playground and school grounds afterschool and go home to check in with adults. After checking in at home, students are welcome to return to the playground to play. Please remember that there is no supervision prior to 8:15 AM nor after 3:05 PM. 

JOIN YOUR CHILD FOR LUNCH DAY - MAY 25

If parents or caregivers would like to join a child at school for lunch, our first Family Lunch Day is on Wednesday, May 25! This opportunity to meet other children in the class and enjoy a meal together has been popular in the past, and might look a bit different after the two-year-long hiatus. Here is the information you’ll want to know.

• Please plan to arrive via the front doors between 12 and 12:15 PM.
• Check in at the office to let us know you’ve arrived and we’ll help you find your way if you haven’t been to your child’s classroom yet this year. 
• You are welcome to bring lunch for yourself, for you and your child, and/or order hot dogs for lunch that day. 
• All students who order hot dog lunch must pick up their lunch in their own classroom.
• Parents and caregivers can meet at the classroom and head outdoors to eat after checking in with the teacher. Older children are asked to meet parents at the youngest child’s classroom and then head outside to eat. 
• If the weather isn’t warm or dry enough for eating outdoors, the teacher will have a chair set up for you in your child’s classroom. 
• Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate siblings in other classrooms. Parents will need to select ONE child to eat with in case the weather is poor. 
• Note that lunch recess is from 11:52-12:22 PM. Please do not approach staff or children on the playground. We will be expecting you indoors at the office and then to be waiting outside the classroom. 
• When the entry bell rings at 12:20 PM, teachers meet children at the doors and walk students to class to ensure everyone returns from recess safely.

• Sign up to join your child for lunch on May 25 using this online form. Key information is available on the form, including times, check in information, selection of a child’s classroom in which to eat, the option to eat outdoors, and ordering a hot dog for yourself that day. 
• Parents who have not signed up for the lunch day may be delayed signing in at the office and may not have seating available if teachers did not have notice.
• Sign up to join your child soon so we can fast-track you to lunch and ensure we “save you a seat”!

FEES and NOTICES

Some questions have come in regarding school fees, field trip fees, and overdue library notices. Here’s the summary of key information.

• School Fees are due and payable on the Parent Portal site. If you are having trouble accessing the website, please contact the school office for assistance.
• Field trip fees may not be refundable in some circumstances, but if a child is ill and cannot participate in a field trip, most if not all of the fee will be refunded. 
• Bussing costs have increased due to the cost of gas. Bus costs are calculated based on the number of students enrolled in a grade. 
• Some field trip sites have a group fee for entry, and this fee is divided among the number of students enrolled in a grade. 
• Overdue notices help adults know when a book or library item has not been returned on time. These are printed and sent home with students every week or two, especially as we move into the last weeks of school. 
• We love our library and want to maintain a high quality collection of fiction and nonfiction materials. We rely on the respect and responsibility of students to keep the library materials in good condition and have items returned on time so other students can access them.

BUS DRIVER APPRECIATION DAY - MAY 2

Join us on May 2 as we recognize and thank our school bus operators for keeping the safety of our students their first priority. We encourage you, and your children, to take a moment to say thanks to our bus operators—who go above and beyond to provide safe and timely transportation to our students.

MENTAL HEALTH WEEK - MAY 2-8

Mental Health Week takes place May 2-8. To mark the week, our school has a series of activities and lessons planned for students, all centred on Mental Health Week’s theme, “This is Empathy”—particularly fitting, especially this year. Empathy helps connect us, feel less isolated, and shows us how we can help others. 

Collectively, students will learn when we do something good for others, we lift both their spirits and our own. In addition to school activities, students and staff can also share messages about empathy and kindness on various social media platforms using the hashtag #GetReal.

For more information: 

Mental Health Week Mental health and well-being

Supports and resources available through EIPS 

Alberta Health Services: Help in Tough Times

EDUCATION WEEK

Education Week takes place May 2-6. The theme of Education Week continues to be “Learning is a Journey”, highlighting the progression and growth of students over time and the multiple facets of an educational experience—including core subjects, fine arts, school teams, citizenship education, extracurricular activities and more.

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION - FOR 2022/2023

Planning to use Student Transportation in the 2022-23 school year? If so, make sure your child is registered so Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) can plan routes and send your child a bus pass before the first day of school.

All students who indicated needing transportation services through the returning student registration process are now registered. Families registered will received tentative route schedules and invoices by the end of the month—fees are due June 30, 2022.

For those students who didn’t indicate needing transportation service through the pre-enrolment process and want to now register, simply contact EIPS Student Transportation at 780-417-8151 or email st@eips.ca .

For more information about EIPS Student Transportation visit www.eips.ca/transportation .

NOTE: Families can pay fees online using the PowerSchool Parent Portal. To pay in-person contact Student Transportation to make an appointment.

OPPORTUNITIES

SUMMER OUT OF SCHOOL CARE AT A.L. HORTON

Are you needing childcare this July and August from 7:15 AM to 5:15 PM? The popular Out of School Program, run by Miss Jenny and her team, will be operating out of the west wing of the school again this summer. 

• Children visit many sites throughout the community over the summer months, including the spray park, community library, playgrounds, and businesses. The staff and students are a busy crew!
• There is a per hour fee. Some families may qualify for subsidies.
• Please call the school office or see Miss Jenny for more information. 

Registrations are due June 1, 2022. A minimum number of children will be required to operate this program. 

KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION NIGHT 

Do you have a child registered in Kindergarten next year? If so, make sure to attend our upcoming Kindergarten Information Night on May 17. You’ll get to:

• tour the school
• meet the teachers
• gain insight on play-based learning
• see what a typical day looks like

Doors open at 5:15 PM and the presentation begins at 5:30 PM in the school library. 

Families of children who are not yet registered are asked to call the school office to confirm their attendance on May 17. 

CAREGIVER SESSIONS

Alberta Health Services, in collaboration with The Mental Health Foundation, offers free online programming for parents and caregivers of children and youth. Sessions are offered through Zoom. Topics include structure and routines, building resiliency, mental health, anxiety, mindfulness, understanding depression, technology, body image, sleep and more. The list of May 2022 sessions is now available.

UPCOMING EVENTS

May 2 - 13 - Book Sale for students in the school library (4 books for $1 and get an additional book free!)

May 4 - Early dismissal 1:55 PM; Staff Meeting day

May 4 - Hot Dog lunch day

May 4 - Star Wars Spirit Day and Hats On for Mental Health Day

May 5 - Grade 1 Arbor Day presentation

May 5 - Grade 5 classes to Fort Heritage Precinct in Fort Saskatchewan

May 6 - No School; Professional Learning Day for Staff

May 11 - “Vesna” Ukrainian Cultural Evening - 5:30 doors open; program begins at 6 PM

May 11 - Hot Dog lunch day 

May 11 - Grade One virtual Zoo field trip

May 13 - Chins Hot Lunch Day

May 17 - Kindergarten Information Night 5:30 PM

May 17 - Grade 3 and LINKS field trip to Telus World of Science

May 18 - Grade 6 English Language Arts Achievement Test - Part A

May 18 - Hot Dog lunch day

May 20 - School Closure Day

May 23 - No School; Victoria Day

May 25 - Lunch with Parents/Guardians - outdoors or indoors

May 25 -  Hot Dog lunch day (parents can order on the Parent Portal, too)

May 26 - Grade 6 field trip to Telus World of Science

May 27 - Boston Pizza Hot Lunch Day

May 27 - Grade 4 field trip to Fort Edmonton

May 30 - School Council and Friends Fundraising meetings 6:30 PM

Your journey begins here!

Keri Busenius & Rita Lal

Principal  &  Assistant Principal