Dear Parents,
We apologize for the length of this email but we have many things share with you this week.
Principal’s Report to Elboya School Council February 19, 2014- Ms. Davis
Since January 6th, 2014, we have had a significant number of staff changes at Elboya School, as many as I might do at the end of the year. As teachers are beginning to prepare IPPs and report cards, I want to assure students and parents that student marks and assessment information is being held at the school. Report cards for students will reflect work with both the previous and the new teacher. Teachers who have left the school have made themselves available for consultation about marks, IPPs and comments as necessary.
Contact information for staff is available at http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b627/contact.htm
I have been working to have the teachers connected with the technology of the Calgary Board of Education. At this point, we are still waiting for Mme. Bohemier to be attached to CBE networks. Everything that can be done has been done. There will also be some disruptions in D2L as the D2Ls are directly connected to specific teachers. New teachers have to create their own. If parents need assistance in contacting a staff member, please call the Main Office. Mr. Siakaluk will be assisting with D2L, marks and reporting.
Staffing January-February 2014
We welcome back Mme. G. Boutcheva who has completed her Master’s Degree at the University of Calgary in the teaching of Second Languages.
Mrs. Mang has a baby boy and both are well. Ms. A. Grandan is the new Grade 2 teacher. She has substitute taught at Elboya since the fall and already knows the Grade 2 students. Ms. Grandan is a graduate of the University of Lethbridge with a B.A. with Distinction and a B.Ed. with Great Distinction.
Mme. Humenjuk is currently on leave. Mme. M.-D. Gagne who has been teaching at Elboya School since June 2013 has moved to fill her position. Mme. Gage continues to teach Art. Mme Gagne has a BA in French and a B. Ed in Teaching from the University of Calgary.
Mme. Haggar is now on leave. Mme. L. Hamtaee is the new teacher. Mme. Hamtaee has a B. Ed. in Secondary French and a M.A. in French Literature from the University of British Columbia.
Mr. Paul Genge has been appointed as a specialist in Assessment for the Calgary Board of Assessment. He has been a teacher at Elboya School for 18 years and we wish him well in his new position. Mme. S. Bohemier has assumed his position. She has a B.K.(ineseology) with distinction from the University of Manitoba and a B.Ed. with distinction from the College Universitaire de Saint-Boniface. Mme. Bohemier taught for three years in Winnipeg before moving to Calgary last year.
Ms. Jones has moved to a secretarial position in the Main Office and Mrs. D. El-Beheiry has joined Elboya School as the Library Assistant. She is a graduate of the Library Technician program at SAIT.
I anticipate that there will be one more change. Mme. Matheusik will be going on leave in mid-March. Her replacement is scheduled to be Ms. M. Simpson who has substitute taught at Elboya School and who has previously worked with Mr. James. She has a B.Ed. and a B. K., both from the University of Calgary.
Coming Soon
March 2014 Synervoice—an automated calling system that will send a phone message about attendance and any other urgent messages.
April 2014 The Elboya Learning Commons is where students and parents will go to find all school information on one site. We are going to begin with homework and test dates for students. In September 2014, we will be expanding to include a calendar for 2014-15, highlights of student work and other key information.
2014-15 School Year
On Monday, February 17th,2014 students in Kindergarten through Grade 8 (except those in Grade 4 and Grade 6E) received a Plans for 2014-15 form. We request that this be returned no later than Monday, February 24th, 2014. We have already asked for information from students and parents in grade 4 and 6E. This is a key piece of information for next year and is used to plan classes and both maintain and hire staff. Another key piece of information will be the result of the Community Engagement with William Reid School that is coming before Spring Break. Once that decision is made, we will be in a position to make decisions about Elboya’s Waiting List which has 50 out of area students who are interested in attending Elboya School.
For your information we currently have:
Kindergarten registrations—18
Grade 5 Intensive French—18
Grade 7 Late Immersion—Accepted 17 students Pending 3
I anticipate that there will be more registrations before the end of June 2014. I strongly encourage any students and parents who are interested to register or apply for the programs as soon as possible.
Parents are encouraged to register new students as soon as possible. Reminder: new child care is available in September through Klub Care. Child care options may be seen on the school website:
Update regarding Fieldtrip for next year’s Grade 9 students
For the past eight months, I have been working on a fieldtrip to France in 2014-15. Unfortunately today I received word that this fieldtrip is not possible. We will plan a fieldtrip to Quebec which will most likely occur in late October or early November 2014. I have informed the Grade 8 students about this today. It is disappointing.
Assessment and Reporting 2014-15
As parents are aware, there has been a great deal of information about assessment and reporting this year. The Calgary Board of Education has just published their guidelines for and examples of assessment and reporting. I strongly urge parents to read this information. The guidelines are found at:
At Elboya School, some things will change and some will remain the same:
Provincial Achievement Tests will be given in Grades 6 and 9 in both 2014 and 2015. A reminder that Grade 3 PATs ceased as of June 2013.
Report Cards will be issued twice a year in January 2015 and June 2015.
Report Cards will use the same stems (descriptors under each subject) as found in this year’s report cards.
Kindergarten through grade 6 students will be marked on the 5 point scale that is currently in use in K-Grade 5.
Students in grades 7-9 will be given A, B, C, or D assessments on report cards.
There will be comments on the report cards though the specific format has not been settled.
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences or Interviews will continue to be held 3 times a year: September for Kindergarten through Grade 6
October/November for Grades 7-9
January—Interviews for Kindergarten through Grade 9
March— Interviews for Kindergarten through Grade 9
Information about Student Progress
Parents will continue to have access to student marks on Home Logic.
Marks will be for both formative (assessment for learning which tests a student’s understanding, but is not for marks) and summative (assessment of learning e.g. unit tests or final examinations).
On Home Logic, a parent will see a variety of methods of reporting marks: percentages, marks out of a total, etc.
New Education Act
In December 2012, the Alberta Government passed a new Education Act which comes into force on September 1, 2015. Information about the new act may be found at:
The new Education Act is based on Inspiring Education, a document prepared after consultation with Albertans. In the new act, the goal is for students to be Engaged Thinkers and Ethical Citizens with an Entrepreneurial Spirit. The Fact Card and FAQs at the bottom of the above page are helpful in understanding the coming changes. The Ministerial Order 001/2013 provides some basic guidelines for upcoming changes. Major changes should be expected by students, parents and teachers. Guidelines or Curriculum Prototypying is beginning to be developed now for the 2015 school year. These will be collaborative developments between teachers, schools and school boards. The Calgary Board of Education is a key mover in these developments for grades 4-12.
Traffic Safety
Student safety continues to be a concern at the school in the morning at 8:40-8:55 and in the afternoon from 3:25 to 3:40. To improve safety for our students, I have:
--reviewed staff parking and moved staff into the parking lot and off the street,
--met with the City of Calgary Traffic Division to have signage improved around the school. This includes:
No U turn signs,
Cross walks along 6th Street at 48th and 47th,
Pick Up/Drop Off areas increased along front of the school and put along the north side of the school
--talked to and met with Calgary Board of Education officials about the situation
--talked to Calgary Police Service representatives about obtaining police interventions.
--requested Traffic Safety, CPS again to come to Elboya to enforce
The bottom line is that a few people are endangering their and other children by jaywalking, dropping children off or picking them up in the middle of the street, walking children through the staff parking lot, parking in alleys or driveways and other such activities that create an unsafe situation for everyone.
Please make the safety of children the priority
Activities in the last month
There have been many activities over the past month:
Artist in Residence—Hip Hop Dance was highly popular with all students. Kindergarten through Grade 5 had two evening presentations of their dances which were enjoyed by everyone.
Les Bucherons made two presentations to students, one in English and the other in French about the history of Canada.
Carnaval with the Sugar Shack and other activities gave students an insight into French food and culture.
The Hansel and Gretel Opera was a new experience for Kindergarten through grade 5 students. We appreciated the excellent work of the Calgary Opera Company in presenting an old story in a new medium.
Elboya School’s Annual Open House was very successful and well attended.
Basketball is almost over with playoffs next week. Many thanks to the players and coaches who competed and represented the school. We wish them luck next week.
Grade 9 students met with Mr. Kufeldt, Guidance Counsellor from Western Canada High School this week. Note, registration forms must be signed by parents before they are returned.
The Elementary Family Dance for Kindergarten through Grade 5 was very well attended and a lot of fun.
Band students have been to both the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University to participate in the Alberta International Band Festival. The Concert Band won gold –Alberta International Band Festival!
Art Club for Grade 5 and 6 students began this past week.
Art and Science Clubs for Grades 1-4 happen every week.
Intramurals for Grades 1-9 are ongoing. Floor Hockey is now finished for Grades 5-9.
Upcoming
The Shave your Lid for a Kid Assembly is Friday, February 21st. More information about the fundraising activity .
Intramural Badminton for Grades 6-9 begins March 3, 2014.
Much Music Dance for Grades 6-9 on February 27, 2014 6:30-9:00 p.m. Students who wish to invite a guest, must fill out a Guest Form and have it into the Main Office on the morning of February 24, 2014.
Drama students are also hard at work preparing for the Elboya Spring Production on March 10, 11, 12, 2014.
In conclusion, it’s easy to see that the beginning of 2014 has been fast, furious and fun. On behalf of the staff, I would like to thank parents for their support and help.
L. Davis, Principal
Other information- There may be some duplication here:
Western Canada High School Registration- Mr. Siakaluk
Grade 9 students received registration information for Western Canada High School on February 18. They were asked complete a form and return it to Elboya School before March 4. Please take the time to review the course booklet with the students to choose the best courses for them. Students will complete the actual registration forms on March 4. Any questions can be directed to Mr. Siakaluk, Assistant Principal.
Henry Wisewood High School Registration
Mr. Siakaluk will be sharing registration information soon with those Grade 9 students attending Henry Wisewood High School next Fall.
Spring Production and Talent Show-Mrs. Nelner
Yes folks, Spring is just around the corner and so is our Spring Production. Rehearsals for "Being Bianca: The Incomplete Guide" are going extremely well and our talent acts are pretty much in place! Mark your calendars for Monday, March 10th and Tuesday, March 11th for a 7pm performance. Tickets will be available at the door!! Come support the arts at Elboya School!
Further to this, we are on the hunt for adult sized costumes of the following kind: a lion, a pig, a rabbit and a sheep If you have a line on any of these, we would really appreciate your help. All costumes would be returned. If you can help us with this, please get in touch with Mrs. Nelner at the school ext. 2013 or amnelner@cbe.ab.ca
Bake Sale
On Monday, February 24th and Tuesday, February 25th, the Grade 6E girls are hosting a bake sale in the Fishbowl and lunchtime. Proceeds will go to the Mustard Seed and Inn from the Cold.
Much Music Video Dance Junior High- Mme. Matheusik
Get your dancing shoes on Grades 6 to 9 because the Much Music Video Dance is coming to Elboya School! The dance will be held on Thursday, February 27th from 6:30-9 in the Main Gym. Tickets are $10 per student and are available for sale at lunchtime and they will also be available for purchase at the door. Snacks will be available for purchase during at the dance at the Falcon’s Nest. Guest forms are due in the Main Office no later than Monday, February 24th.
Input for the New Chief Superintendent
Parents and teachers are invited to take a survey to give their input into the search for a new superintendent. It takes about 5-7 minutes to complete. To take the survey, please click on the link below:
Canadian Parents for French Information evening
The CPF hosts “How do I support my child in French Immersion when I don’t speak French?” information evening on Thursday, February 27th from 7-8:30 P.M. at King George School. Please see last week’s Parent email attachment for more information.
Upcoming dates
February 24 6E Bake Sale
February 25 Grade 7 Field Trip to TELUS Spark Science Centre-Mme. Facchina
6E Bake Sale at noon
Girls Basketball Semi-finals @ Vincent Massey
February 26 Kindergarten and Grade 1 Field Trip to TELUS Spark Science Centre- Mrs. Rutland
Boys Basketball Semi-finals @ Bishop Pinkham
February 27 Junior High Dance 6:30-9 in the Main Gym
CPF Information Meeting @King George School 7-8:30
February 28 Basketball Finals @ Ernest Manning High School TBA
Have a wonderful weekend.
