Nov 9 – 13 Fall Break
Nov 14 PicNic in the Gym for respectful Lunchers
Nov 18 Grade 4 at Telus Spark
Nov 18 Earth Rangers Performance – value respect of nature and respect for animals
Nov 19 – 20 LaCrosse – Respect for Sport
Nov 20 Fun Lunch & Vacation Day - Dress up as if you were on vacation
Nov 20 – 21 Casino Fundraiser at Pure Casino
Nov 22 Last day of Jacket Racket
Nov 28 Regular classes Grade 1-4 / No school Kindergarten
Nov 28 Parent-Teacher Conferences
Nov 29 Parent-Teacher Conferences
Dec 10 School Council
Dec 12 Winter Celebration / Concert
Dec 23–Jan 3 Winter Break
Jan 9 Open House Kindergarten - Grade 4 and new registration
Jan 31 PD day – no school
Feb 13 -14 Teacher Staff Convention – no school
Feb 28 Non-Instruction Day – no school
May 16 Non-Instruction Day – no school
November marks Hindu Heritage Month, a month-long celebration recognizing the important contributions that Hindu Canadians have made to Canada’s social, economic, political, and cultural fabric.
Veterans Week and National Indigenous Veterans Day are opportunities to honor our veterans’ efforts and sacrifices and those who continue to serve. Remembrance Day marks the final day of Veterans’ Week and recalls the
end of the First World War in 1918. The week and last week ended with lots of fun and celebration! Students and staff took advantage of dressing up in all kinds of creative costumes for Halloween. We also want to thank our Grade 4’s and Mme Ferguson who organized
an exciting Halloween Parade so students could share their costumes with each other! This week we attended our Remembrance Day Assembly that was hosted by our Grade 4’s. Thank you for sharing your poems and songs with us on November 6 and for your kind and respectful citizenship. We have also continued our Family Groupings initiative for the year. This is an opportunity for students and staff to mingle across grade teams to build stronger connections and a greater sense of belonging throughout our school community. These activities take place on Fridays for 30 minutes, providing an opportunity for students to bring a variety of experiences, sharing and lively conversation back to their classrooms!
Notes of Thanks
A huge thank you to our School Council for supporting us in bringing Think Fast / Pense Vite Residency to our school to help all students in a fun real way to use their French over the last few weeks.
Thank you to all parents and guardians who attended School Council. This is a great way for you to engage in your child's learning at school and for you to give the administration feedback. Thank you to Mme Ferguson for setting up the Pumpkin Parade last week
Thank you to Mme Briard and Mme Ferguson for leading our Remembrance Day Assembly on November 6 and to all the Grade 4
students who stepped forward to speak at the assembly and thank you to our Grade 4 parents who attended this assembly.
Thank you parent volunteers who helped with the picture retakes.
November 8 Maatoomsii’Pookaiks Day (No School for Students)
This day of professional learning began in October 2021 and is designed for all staff to develop and apply foundational knowledge of Indigenous Education in the CBE, regardless of role. We are committed to acknowledging and responding to the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission's 94 Calls to Action. On Sept. 1, 2022, Piikani Elder Leonard Bastien gifted our day of learning with the Blackfoot name Maatoomsii'Pookaiks (MAAH-DOOM-SEE-BOO-GAAKS), which translates to putting children first. Maatoomsii'Pookaiks 2024 take place on Friday, November 8 and will focus exclusively on the Mind Domain | To Know
Winter Gear
Should your child require any winter gear, such as snow pants, jackets, or boots to keep them toasty and warm during the winter months, please email Assistant Principal Sheri Bullough at sbbullough@cbe.ab.ca and she would be happy to help your child find cozy gear for playing in the snow this winter.
Parent Engagement Form
Parents and guardians are our partners in the learning community. They are an integral partner in children’s learning. We recognize the importance of parent engagement in understanding current global trends, government requirements and System processes that impact a child’s day-to-day school experience. As discussed at the last School Council meeting, we would like to offer families an opportunity to
engage with us on assessment practices, on topics that are of interest and to be given the opportunity to ask the questions that help bring parents alongside educators in their child’s learning journey.
To help us understand how to best organize these engagement opportunities, we would like your input. Thank you for completing this Parent Engagement Form at your earliest convenience.
National Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week
On November 18-22, the Calgary Board of Education recognizes National Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week. During this week and throughout the school year, CBE staff and students collaborate to learn about, promote and implement bullying prevention strategies in an effort to maintain school spaces that are safe, inclusive and where students feel as though they belong. Together, staff, students, parents,
caregivers and the community all have a role to play in ensuring our schools are safe.
Digital Citizenship Plan
Digital citizenship is about using technology and participating in digital environments. It is key to helping students learn to use available technology responsibly in the classroom and beyond. Our school has a Digital Citizenship Plan that is updated annually, addressing how we work to build a community where we live and work together as digital citizens. For more information, see our website.
Jacket Racket
Each year William Reid school participates in Jacket Racket, a volunteer organization that collects, sorts and distributes gently used, clean, winter jackets, snow pants, hats and mittens to Calgary children through the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District. From October 18 until November 22, a box will be set up inside the School across from the office for collection. We are asking parents and students to donate gently used, warm winter jackets, snow pants, hats and mittens (no boots), in all sizes (from small sizes for young kids in Kindergarten to large sizes for teens in Grade 12). We encourage you to generously support this worthy project. Last year, Jacket Racket distributed close to 2000 coats to needing families! Please visit http://www.jacketracketcalgary.com for further details or if you have any questions.
School Bus Evacuation Drills Underway
School Bus evacuation drills have begun and will be held at schools throughout the rest of the calendar year. These important safety practices happen twice a year, with a second set scheduled between February-April. During these drills, students will practice key steps for a smooth evacuation, including exiting through the back door and gathering at a designated muster point. Service providers will reach out with drill dates, aiming to provide at least a week’s notice, though scheduling changes may occasionally shorten this timeframe.
Upcoming Events
Grade 4 Field Trip to Telus Spark – November 18 To enhance the grade 4 Science unit on Energy. Our classes will be participating in the Magnet Marvels program, where they will have the opportunity to analyze interactions between the magnetic poles of magnets through a series of investigation stations. As teachers, a field trip is one of the best tools that we can use to provide every student with real-world experiences. Whether that's a trip to the local fire department, park, the library, a museum, a theater, a community garden or a coffee shop, each experience that a student participates in contributes to their understanding of the world. When students leave the classroom, they see the connections between what is happening at school and in the ‘real-world’. They begin to see that what they learn within the walls of
the classroom can help them solve the problems they see in the world around them and can have a direct impact on who they become as people. Here at William Reid we are trying to make real life connections between the classroom and the real world. Parents and guardians please ask your child about energy and magnets and what they learned from the hands-on practice, expert guidance and the exhibits from this trip.
Elev8 Lacrosse is coming to our school - Nov 19 – 20
We have been given the opportunity to have Elev8 Lacrosse come to William Reid School for all students for 2 days in November. The ELEV8 Classroom Lacrosse® program introduces the sport of lacrosse and educates students on the origin and indigenous roots of the
sport in Canada and North America. The student-centered program ensures that students are actively involved. ELEV8® Professional coaches and National Lacrosse League players lead and instruct the customizable ELEV8 Classroom Lacrosse® program. Beyond the basics of lacrosse, students will learn important values like teamwork and integrity while building on physical skills
fundamental to any sport. This month we are focusing on respect and we will ensure respect will be part of this residency. ELEV8® Lacrosse is fully equipped to provide the necessary lacrosse equipment (real lacrosse sticks, soft balls) to single classes and instruct in our indoor gym.
Special Lunch
Our Special Lunch for
November is Wednesday November 20. Please order here at least one week in advance for students in Grade 1 – 4.
Magic of Christmas
Magic of Christmas referrals are now open. If you feel your family would benefit from the support of a referral to this program, please contact Sheri Bullough at sbbullough@cbe.ab.ca to discuss.
Winter Celebration – Save the Date December 12 2024
William Reid School is excited to welcome families to our annual Winter Celebration performances on Thursday December 12, 2024. The Winter Celebration will feature performances from all classes from Kindergarten to Grade 4. This will be an evening performance will take place from 6:30pm-7:30pm. Doors will open for guests 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. More information to come as we
get closer to the date.
Important Links
Mabel’s Labels
https://mabelslabels.ca/en_CA/c/?type=fundraiser&b=4006&cur_website=base
Donations
https://educationmatters.akaraisin.com/ui/looniesforliteracy2023/g/38346
Bottle Drive
Manchester
Bottle Depot – 410 – 38aAve SE – Donate your bottles here for William Reid School
Enjoy the weather and the Fall Break!
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