Haultain Newsletter September 2009

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HAULTAIN MEMORIAL SCHOOL NEWSLETTER 605 Queensland Dr. S.E. Calgary, AB T2J 4S8 Phone: 777-6860 Fax: 777-6863 www.cbe.ab.ca/b362

Trevor Barkley - [email protected] Principal

September 2

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PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE August? Really? Wow! Despite the early start and being pulled away from the revelry of a spectacular summer, I came into the building refreshed and amazed at the energy bubbling within the walls. Staff was eagerly preparing for a new group of learners, Mr. Rochon had polished the school to a remarkable gleam, our "tunnel" had been transformed into a beautiful pillar and landscape scene, and two schools were keenly preparing to begin a great school year together. Once again, we would like to extend a warm and affectionate welcome to all of our returning Haultain families. We hope you too enjoyed an exciting, restful summer with your loved ones, filled with memories and adventures. We would also like to extend a special welcome to families new to our school. We are truly excited about the possibilities that this new school year brings. The month of June flew by with remarkable speed, a touch of grace, and a flurry of activity. The end of year gatherings such as our Talent Show, Year 6 Farewell, and our Activity Day left me with an amazing sense of pride. Your children accomplished remarkable things during the past school year, and I am sure they enjoyed summer displaying outstanding character, tremendous citizenship, and amazing academic progress. These achievements are a product of a solid partnership between home and school. Thank you for your ongoing support of Haultain Memorial. As you may know, our Haultain population has decreased as our students from McKenzie Towne will be moving to their new school in the months ahead. Prior to that move, the two schools will operate cooperatively and in many instances, as

one school, within the walls of Haultain Memorial. While HMS will be full of students, our local population currently sits near 125 students. Our class configuration and staff assignment are as follows: Mrs. Dobson Ms. Lougheed Mrs. Brewis Mrs. Chipman Mrs. Brosh/Mrs. Kerr Ms. Summers Mrs. Kerr-Hall Ms. Gannon Mrs. Brosh

AM Kindergarten Grade one/two Grade two/three Grade three Grade four/five Grade five/six Resource teacher Early literacy Music

Administrative Assistant School Assistant Facility Operator Educational Assistants

Mrs. Kipp Ms. Adams Mr. Rochon Ms. Urvald Mrs. Kraus Ms. Hynes Mrs. Binks Mrs. Nichols Mrs. Cote

Library Assistant Lunchroom Supervisors

As we have mentioned in previous messages, any final adjustments to staffing may be made in September as we finalize enrolment. Please be sure to read this newsletter carefully as it is full of important dates and information. Our school agenda also plays an essential role in communication and also includes information concerning student expectations, general school information, and elements of our work with the Virtues Program. Please take time to review the student/parent handbook information located in the first section of your child's agenda. Welcome back and get ready for a great year ahead!

2009-2010 SCHOOL HOURS

ICE CREAM SOCIAL

Grade 1 – 6 Mon – Thursday

Once again we'd like to invite all of our families to the Parent Association “Back to School Ice Cream Social.” This event will be held on Thursday, September 10 at 6:30 – 7:30 pm on the playground or in the gym, depending on the weather. It is a great opportunity for parents/guardians to meet your child’s friends and teachers in a relaxed atmosphere. We do ask parents to accompany all children during this event. Further, if you can help out, we require 8 volunteers to help set up or serve ice cream. If you can volunteer that evening please contact Monika at 282-2668. See you all there!!!

8:20 – 10:25 10:25 – 10:40 10:40 – 11:50 11:50 – 12:45 12:45 – 2:51

Friday recess lunch

8:20 – 10:25 10:20 – 10:40 10:40 – 11:50 11:50 – 12:45 12:45 – 2:25

Kindergarten AM 8:20 – 10:57 M-F EXTENDED LUNCH DATES FOR GRADES 1 THROUGH 6

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

To accommodate times for Profession Learning Community (PLC) work, we have extended the lunch hour of 18 school days. Each "extended lunch" will occur on a Thursday to maintain consistency. This time will be used to allow teachers to meet in flexible groupings and collaboratively plan, assess, and develop learning activities. This will also allow teachers to discuss what is happening in other classes to help maintain consistent levels of expectation in regards to student achievement. When possible, we will tie these days to "special" lunch events for students.

The first session of Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held in the evening on Thursday, September 17 and in the morning of Friday, September 18, 2009. These meetings are an important component of our reporting process. This first session is designed as an opportunity for parent/guardians to highlight information about their child and to meet their teacher. Telephone bookings for appointments will take place starting at 9:00 AM on Monday, September 14 by calling the school office at 403777-6860. NOTICES

Lunch period 11:50 - 1:14 - 18 days (Thursdays, outlined below) Sept. 10, 2009 Sept. 24, 2009 Oct. 8, 2009 Oct. 22, 2009 Nov. 5, 2009 Nov. 19, 2009 Dec. 10, 2009 Jan. 14, 2010 Jan. 28, 2010

All notices that are to be filled out and returned to Haultain Memorial will be sent home on YELLOW paper. All notices that are to be filled out and returned to McKenzie Towne will be sent home on BLUE paper.

Feb. 18, 2010 Mar. 4, 2010 Mar. 18, 2010 Apr. 15, 2010 Apr. 29, 2010 May 6, 2010 May 20, 2010 Jun. 3, 2010 Jun. 17, 2010

ATTACHMENTS Attached to this newsletter you will find various forms that are to be completed and returned to the school as soon as possible. We appreciate the time it takes to keep this pertinent information up to date on a yearly basis. For parents/guardians who are wishing to volunteer, each classroom, has a room parent, you may expect this person to contact you.

ORGANIZATIONAL DAY Our first Staff Development/Organizational Day will be held on Monday, September 28, 2009. We have set aside this day should we require any reorganisation due to increased numbers in our classrooms. This will also afford us organisational planning time for the upcoming year.

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School Fee Agreement Emergency Fan Out Information Consent to Post or Publish Student Information and Work Volunteer Forms Severe Allergy Form

LUNCHROOM REGISTRATION FOR 09-10

MESSAGE FROM COUNCIL – 2009/2010 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration for Lunchroom Supervision began in June and many students have already registered. We offer a user pay self sufficient program with all participants paying for the service. The registration form is to be completed and returned to the school by September 2, 2009 in order for your child to participate in the lunchroom supervision in a full time or drop-in basis. Payment should be made payable to “Haultain Memorial School" for $270.00 per child for the school year or in two $135.00 instalments. This total includes an activity fee of $10.00. Drop-in service will be unchanged at a fee of $5.00 per day.

Welcome back everyone! I hope you had a great summer. This school year will see the beginning of a new decade, and some big changes at the school. I’m looking forward to working with the parents and the Council on the challenges we will undoubtedly face. A few quick points: - Please keep reading the blog and your email updates for all the information we have. - The volunteer forms are changed a bit this year to help with organization – please sign up for what you can; we are nothing without your help. - First Council/Association (AGM) meeting will be Wed. Sept. 9 in the Haultain library. - This is an election year for many positions on the Council so our first meeting will be very important for our future. If you are interested in joining the Council as an executive member and have any questions, please let me know. - The email list is very large now and growing. Everyone is welcome to continue receiving the updates but if you want off the list – send me an email.

SUPERVISION INFORMATION The staff provides playground supervision at the following times throughout the school day: Morning Recess Afternoon

8:05 – 8:20 am 10:25 - 10:40 am 12:30 –12:45 pm.

There is no supervision provided after school. In order to provide maximum safety for students, we ask that they go home directly after school to check in with an adult. Children who wish to return to the playground should be supervised.

Shane Campsall – Chair [email protected]

TERRY FOX RUN

DROPPING OFF STUDENTS

Each year students at Haultain Memorial and throughout the world will have an opportunity to participate in the Terry Fox Run. As part of this celebration, students, staff, and families will be participating in our Terry Fox Run on Friday, September 25th in the afternoon. We will venture to the beautiful Fish Creek Provincial Park to help raise money for this worthy cause. Each year this event demonstrates the generosity and determination of all who participate and serves to honour the efforts of an outstanding Canadian role model. Please join us if you are able. This annual event continues to bring our neighbourhood together for a common purpose. Watch for more information to follow.

Please do not use the school parking to drop off or pick up students. This creates a safety concern as staff may be arriving and leaving the school. Students are taught not to cross the parking lot. Please help us by dropping children off in front of the school or in the community center lot. SCHOOL AGENDAS Each student in grades 1 – 6 receives a complementary copy of a student agenda thanks to the fund raising endeavours of the Parent Association. Students in kindergarten receive a separate edition. Please be sure to read and review this updated Student Handbook with your child as it includes pertinent information about school expectations and key information about the operation of the school.

SCHOOL PHOTOS Individual student photos will be taken on Thursday, October 8th in the morning at the school. 3

VIRTUES PROGRAM

HAULTAIN IS ALLERGY AWARE

The Virtues Program continues to help focus on being positive members of our family, school and community as well as appropriate behaviour expectations and responsibility for learning. Our virtue in focus for September will be Caring. Caring also ties in with our Three Pillars of Care. Watch for individual virtues to be posted on our school sign, and check our website for more information.

Back to school time is full of reminders to parents. A very serious and potentially life-threatening reminder involves sending snacks to school with your child. As you know, many students have a variety of food allergies that can have serious health implications. Nuts and products containing nuts, such as peanut butter, can be lifethreatening to students with peanut allergies. As a result, most schools in the CBE ask parents to send snacks and lunches that are "Peanut Free." We ask that parents refrain from sending any snack and lunches that contain peanuts as we do have children with nut allergies.

THREE PILLARS OF CARE Our school uses the "Three Pillars of Care" to guide our interactions. Everyone is encouraged to care for themselves, care for others, and care for this place.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure that the school has accurate up to date information regarding your child. If any information changes during the year (work phone numbers, contact people, etc) please notify the office immediately. We appreciate your effort in helping us keep your child safe.

PHONE CALLS TO THE OFFICE We ask that you do not phone the school to speak to your child or to have messages relayed to your child in the classroom unless it is an emergency. Please make lunch and after school arrangements with your child before they leave in the morning. These calls are very disruptive to the office and the classroom.

ABORIGINAL LEARNER DATA Within the Alberta Education framework, funding is available for students with aboriginal ancestry (First Nations, Inuit, Métis). If your child meets these requirements, please contact our school office. Thank you.

SCHOOL PATROLS Welcome to the new and returning students who have volunteered their time to be School Patrols for this school year. We anticipate that patrols will be assisting students cross at the crosswalk beginning early-September. In the interim, please remind your child to pause, point and proceed in order to cross the street carefully.

SCHOOL NEWSLETTER ON SCHOOL’S WEB PAGE Each month, the school's newsletter can be accessed on the school’s web page http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b362 or at www.cbe.ab.ca/b362. Simply click on the “School News” button. A copy of the monthly calendar will be sent home each month with your child.

The school patrols will be operating at the crosswalk of Queensland Drive and the Shopping Centre during the following times:

8:05 - 8:20 AM 11:50 - 12:00 PM 12:30 - 12:45 PM 2:51 - 3:01 PM *2:25 - 2:35 PM Fridays

If you have no access to the internet please contact Mrs. Kipp at 777-6860 and a paper copy will be send home with your child. The school newsletter will continue to be one of the main means of communication with parents/guardians. CLICK HERE to have the HMS newsletter sent directly to your mailbox. 4

annually for all children who are taking any form of medicine at school. They are especially important for those children with Severe Allergies who keep an Epipen at school.

NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR PHYSICAL EDUCATION We are pleased to announce that we have received the Canadian Association of Physical Health, Education, Recreation and Dance DIAMOND level award for physical education. Congratulations are extended to all students and staff for achieving the DIAMOND level for the third year in a row. This recognition is based on the following criteria: broad-based, in-class instruction, five physical education periods per week, an intramural program, alternate programs; swimming, in-line skating, dance instruction and events like the Terry Fox Run and Activity Day. The school’s commitment to physical education helps students grow and become stronger in both mind and spirit.

Parents of these children should contact the office immediately to have a form sent home if we didn’t send one home in the School Opening Package. Please make your child’s teacher aware of any such allergies or medical concerns immediately. IRREGULAR DISMISSAL When children are picked up during the school day for appointments, we ask that the parent/guardian come into the office to sign the child out of the school. Students will be dismissed from their classrooms and will meet their parent in the office. In the event that someone other than the parent is picking up the student, the school is to be notified in advance. We hope these procedures will ensure student safety and security.

REMINDERS

AGM School Council Meeting Wednesday, September 9, 2009 6:30 PM in the library

PARKING AND BUS ZONES

Parent/Guardians are Welcome If you are driving your child to or from school we ask that you use the Community Centre parking lot. The children have been asked to walk around the staff parking lot as opposed to through it. Please do not stand in the school parking lot to wait for your child as this does create a safety concern. Many parents wait on the grass by the playground to meet their children. If you are dropping or picking up children from the front of the school, you are asked to cross at the corner with our patrols, or park on the school side of Queensland Drive SE. Thanks to everyone who has also left room for our busses. With four this year, our bus zone has expanded considerably. Finally, a reminder to all drivers, the speed limit is 30km an hour in our playground zone. Thank you.

Please mark this on your calendar.

POLICE SECURITY CLEARANCE Police Security Clearance Forms, once successfully completed, are valid for 5 years and transferable from CBE school to CBE school. Some new parents may have not yet filled in these forms. It would be essential that you do so if you intend to volunteer in any capacity at anytime during the school year. These forms are available in the main office. Two pieces of government ID must be photocopied by school personnel before the form can be submitted on your behalf. Hence, coming into the main office in person is a necessary part of the procedure. Forms take approximately 2 weeks to process.

DOGS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY Just a reminder that dogs are NOT PERMITTED on school property. City of Calgary bylaw 23M89 forbids dogs from entering school grounds. While many dogs are extremely friendly, and kept by responsible owners, we need to ensure this bylaw is upheld. In interest of student safety and school yard cleanliness, please refrain from bringing dogs onto school grounds. Thank you for your cooperation.

ADMINISTERING MEDICINE One of the forms not necessarily included in every child’s School Opening Package but available in the office is a Request for Assistance to Administer Medication Form. This is required to be filled out 5

An Exciting New Year! On August 27, 2009, I am honoured to begin my term as the new Chief Superintendent of the Calgary Board of Education (CBE). In serving the CBE’s Board of Trustees, I feel fortunate to be supported by the strong personnel found throughout this organization. Each department and school is staffed with employees dedicated to the academic, social and emotional development of our youth.

New teachers, new books, new friends; it’s back to school time. Whether you are one of our many returning families or a family new to the Calgary Board of Education, we want take this opportunity to welcome you to the 2009-10 school year. Like many of you, we have been anticipating the return to school and are excited that the new school year is now upon us. The start of a school year is a new beginning; it is a time for us to reflect on last year’s accomplishments and set our goals for the coming year.

The beginning of a new school year is an ideal time for reflection and future planning. In reflecting on the past, I am privileged to continue the dynamic work initiated by my predecessors. Over the past number of years, the leadership skills offered by all levels of personnel within the CBE have provided our students with opportunities to develop the necessary skills for effective functioning in life, work and future learning. In looking towards the future I am excited to explore new opportunities and initiatives in support of student learning. Many of the exciting plans for improving student learning outcomes can be found within the Calgary Board of Education’s Three Year Education Plan 2009-2012, accessible on our website at: http://www.cbe.ab.ca/aboutus/documents/3yrplan2 009-12.pdf

August 27 is an important day. It is the first day of school for most of our students. It is also the first day on the job for our new Chief Superintendent, Naomi Johnson. Following the announcement of Dr. Brendan Croskery’s retirement last year, the Board of Trustees began its search for a particular type of leader. The Board wanted a leader who would build on the amazing work of the people in our school system and lead the system into even greater attainment. The Board is pleased to have found this leader in its midst. Ms. Johnson has been a well respected member of the CBE for almost thirty years and is deeply committed to the CBE and its people. Most importantly, she has a profound and deep dedication to each and every one of our students.

I am confident that with the guidance from our Board of Trustees, the hard work of our dedicated employees and the support of our committed parents, we can work together to provide the best possible learning environment for our students.

We look forward to this new school year with excitement and anticipation as we, along with our Chief, teachers, support staff, administration, and parents work together to make 2009/10 another successful school year.

Naomi Johnson Chief Superintendent of Schools Calgary Board of Education

Board of Trustees

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september 2009 Sun

6

Mon

7

Tue

Wed 3

4

5

8

9

10

11

12

17

18

19

4:00 – 8:00 PM Parent/Teacher Conferences

No Classes 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Parent/Teacher Conferences

24

25

Modified lunch 11:50 - 1:14

1:00 PM Terry Fox Run

Modified lunch 11:50 - 1:14

15

16

9:00 AM Phone in for Parent/Teacher Conferences

20

27

21

28

Sat

2

6:30 School Council AGM meeting 14

Fri

1

Labour Day - No Classes

13

Thu

22

29

23

Ice Cream Social 6:30 - 7:30

26

30

Organizational Day No classes

For our newsletter please see our website at: www.cbe.ab.ca/b362 If you require a paper copy please contact the school at 777-6860.

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