All items are important – please read thoroughly
Notes of Thanks
- To all the wonderful parents who volunteered this week to support our Book Fair, it was a great success because of you.
- Karen Clarke for taking on the parent volunteer signup for the Book Fair
- To families who donated to EvenStart Hamper and WR Families
- To families who attended our Winter Concert
- Mme Jess for organizing and Mme Briard, Mme Kim and Mme Eeles thank you for dedicating hours of practice for our students via Dance club, Music and PE
- To all parents who came out on-line to School Council this week
- To all families for donating and dropping off used items for our Holiday Market this week
Holiday Kids Market – Dec 17, 2024
We are excited to announce the William Reid second annual Holiday Kids Market is back! On December 17th, students will visit a market in the gym and “shop” for holiday gifts for their loved ones. This will be similar to a garage sale, where gently used items are donated by you, our school community. Each child will be asked to bring a list of people they will be shopping for, and loonies to “buy” the gifts ($1 per gift is suggested, but optional - proceeds to the Calgary Food Bank). We would like to avoid students “shopping for themselves” as this is a market to promote giving and empathy. Once students have chosen their gifts, our busy parent volunteer elves will wrap each item so children can bring them home the same day.
Starting Dec 2 until Dec 16, students are asked to bring in previously enjoyed “treasures” from home that you would like to rehome or regift.
We are looking for
- Clothing: Coats, toques, mitts, scarves, and more.
- Holiday Décor and Home Decor
- Toys & Games: Bring joy to children with toys, puzzles, and games.
- Books
- Household Items
- Anything else you think would be a great gift this holiday season
In the past successful items were some previously enjoyed books, puzzles, games, knick-knacks, jewelry, art, etc., for Dads, Moms, caregivers, sisters and brothers (not for pets). No large items that are hard to wrap or bring home by the student, and no stuffies. We would also love donations of gift bags, tissue paper and wrapping paper! Thank you for your generosity!
To make this special event a success, we need your help - come in and enjoy the holiday fun! Sign up to volunteer here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EAEAB2AABFBC52-53578736-holiday
Community Involvement Led by Grade 2 – Extending the invitation to everyone
Grade 2 students want to make toys or gift donations to the Alberta Children’s Hospital in order to hopefully brighten the children’s days during the Holidays. If you want to join us and participate, please read the following:
- Toy and Gift Wish List: (new, not wrapped and unopened package)
- Due date: December 18 at 2:55 pm in Room 6 (Mme Losier’s classroom) You can bring the gifts sooner in the classroom.
- Please note: William Reid typically does not fund raise outside of Oktoberfest and our Casino. This initiative is student-led by our grade 2 class and completely optional for others to join. All proceeds go to the Alberta Children’s Hospital as gifts for the children there.
Thank you for your consideration.
Staffing Updates
We are pleased to welcome back Mme Coralie from her maternity leave. She will be returning after the winter break on January 6 2025.
We would like to thank Mme Tetyana for all of her great work with this grade 1 class.
Also, Mme Lytwyn in grade 2, will be starting her maternity leave in February 2025, and we are pleased to announce that Mme Tetyana will take Mme Lytwyn’s class for the remainder of the year.
Book Club Grade 2 and 3 – January
Every Thursday in January, from January 9-30 Mme Sabrina and Mme Lytwyn are excited to host a Book Club for all interested students in grades 2 & 3.
The club will take place in Mme Lytwyn's class, room 5, from 11:55 - 12:25, after the students have eaten. Each week the club will feature French and English books from different series and authors. Mme Sabrina and Mme Lytwyn will pre-select the books for the students to read and explore each week. We look forward to diving into our love of reading in the new year!
Grade 3 Classes visiting TELUS Spark Science Center Tuesday, January 7, 2025
This field trip is an incredible opportunity for our students to explore and learn through hands-on experiences that align with our curriculum.
During our visit, the students will participate in two engaging programs:
- Tales Beneath Your Feet: (Earth Sciences)
The incredible geological history of Alberta includes ice, rivers, mountains, deserts and the wild and weird animals that inhabited it! Students will interact with fossils and various materials to create a story of changing landscapes through time, building their own model landscapes and interpreting the history they represent. - Lab Matters: (Matter and Scientific Method)
Students transform into chemists and materials scientists, exploring the properties of matter in a real-life lab setting! Gaining valuable skills in lab safety, research and recording hypotheses and observations. Note: close-toed shoes and the ability to pull hair back are key!
Winter Carnaval February 2025
...is just around the corner and we are in need of volunteers to help with the castle building, sugar shack and the sports day between February 3rd and 7th, 2025. If you have not yet applied for your police clearance (PIC), consider doing this over the winter break. Once you get your clearance, it will remain active for your entire time here at William Reid.
Another great activity over the break would be to get a head start on the blocks for the ice castle. You make these by spraying the inside of 2 L cardboard milk containers with PAM spray before filling them with coloured water. We cannot use any ice blocks that come in plastic containers as they are too difficult and awkward to cut.
DO NOT put toys, glitter, food, beads, etc. in the blocks; we want to protect our environment and the animals in our school yard. We cannot wait to see you all at the Carnaval d’hiver!
Yearbook
Order the gift of precious memories this holiday season! Place your order for the William Reid 2024-25 yearbook now!
Yearbooks capture the memories of events throughout the school year and are a great keepsake to remember students’ time at William Reid. The yearbook committee is hard at work creating this year’s memory book, which will be sent home in June.
The cost is $22 which is paid online directly through the Lifetouch yearbook pay website.
Order your 2024-25 yearbook here: WR Yearbook Orders 2024-25
Yearbook ID: 14464825
Inform | Kindergarten Registration 2025-26
Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year will begin on Monday Jan. 13, 2025. Children can be registered for kindergarten if they turn five years old on or before Dec. 31 of the school year they will be in kindergarten. For example, when registering for the 2025-26 school year, the child must turn five on or before Dec. 31, 2025. Parents can find information on kindergarten registration on the public CBE website.
Traffic Reminders
Neighbors have noticed cars driving too quickly past their residences on 36th Avenue between 7:50 – 8:10AM Mon – Friday's. Please reduce your speeds as this is a neighborhood with children attending other schools and crossing 36th Ave hill and many people are out walking their dogs at this time. With the ice and snow please slow down. Also, please avoid J walking across 36th Avenue as it is dark and icy. Let children out on the curb side of the streets so they are not opening their doors onto cars driving by. We all want to have a safe holiday.
Dress Themes
Mon Dec 16: Ugly Christmas/Holiday sweater day
Tues Dec 17: Formal day
Wed Dec 18: Christmas/Holiday accessory day (Santa hat, reindeer horns, bows etc.)
Thurs Dec 19: PJ day
Fri Dec 20: Candy Cane day (dress in the colours/stripes like a candy cane)
Upcoming Events
Dec 16-20 Theme Dress Days
Dec 17 Holiday Market
Dec 18 Healthy Hunger (Coco Brooks)
Dec 23–Jan 3 Winter Break
Jan 9 Open House Kindergarten - Grade 4 and new registration
Jan 22 Healthy Hunger (Subway)
Jan 31 Non-Instruction day – no school
Feb 3 - 7 Carnaval (Jeudi FolkloFolie)
Feb 13 -14 Teacher Staff Convention – no school
Feb 17 Family Day – No school
Feb 28 Non-Instructional Day – No school
Apr 8 Field Trip - Heritage Park Grade 2
May 16 Non-Instructional Day – No school
Important Links
- Mabel’s Labels
- Donations
- Bottle Drive: Manchester Bottle Depot – 410 – 38aAve SE – Donate your bottles here for William Reid School
If you have any questions, please call the school at 403-777- 6940 or email us at williamreid@cbe.ab.ca.
Hand to heart,
Mme Christine Stiles and Mme Sheri Bullough
William Reid School