Dec 18 Weekly email to Parents

Dear Parents,

 

Today we finished up school for 2014 with a variety of activities. Besides regular classes, the Grade 8 and 9 Band under Mr. Irwin's direction offered a holiday themed music concert to students in Kindergarten through Grade 4. Drama students presented skits to classes. Homeroom classes decorated their doors on the theme of holidays in countries around the world. Students created some beautiful doors and the photos will be up on the website soon. The winners were: Rm 4 Mr. Leblanc, Rm 12 Ms. Lewis, and Rm 27 Ms. Gagne. Congratulations!

Many thanks to the Grade 7-9 homeroom class of Ms. Sawchuk, the grade 5-6 homeroom class of Mr. Hadder and the Grade 1 class of Ms. MacGillivray who coordinated all student activities in of December. When the Food Bank representatives delivered our 16 boxes, they thought that number ambitious for a school of our size. It's a compliment to students, parents and staff that we filled all of the boxes and one more besides.  Students also raised about $751.86  for the Food Bank through the Candy gram project.

This past Monday, a set of parents and Elboya staff had a heart-stopping couple of hours when a student was missing. Fortunately everything turned out well. However, in the process of finding the child, seven staff members were involved in interviewing staff and students, systematically searching the school, the grounds, several local parks, Britannia shopping centre, local fast food outlets and Chinook Mall as well as in locating information and pictures of the child. We also notify the Area IV office of the Calgary Board of Education and in where advisable, contact the police. Our actions in these cases are governed by the Calgary Board of Education Missing Child protocol.

Every morning and afternoon, we review attendance and check the location of each of our 612 students. Thankfully the vast majority are in class learning.  If a student is not in school and we have not received a phone call, parents are contacted to confirm that the child is in their care. This can be a very time-consuming process, but an extremely important one in ascertaining the safety of every child.

With this recent experience in mind, we ask your cooperation in letting us know by phone by 8:30 a.m. at the very latest if your child will not be in school.  Students who are late must sign in. If students are leaving during the school day, parents are asked to send an explanatory note that the student can show to his/her teacher and the Main Office.

I wish our society provided a completely safe environment for children. It does not. Fortunately Elboya is in a very safe neighborhood, but even so we need to be vigilant to ensure that students are safe at school.

Finally, on behalf of the staff, I would like to thank parents who provided a delicious luncheon and box of cookies to all of Elboya's 44 staff members.  We wish each student and their family a happy enjoyable break.  We will meet students again on Tuesday, January 6, 2014.

 

 

Ms. L. Davis

Principal

 

 

Important Dates

 

Monday, January 5, 2015                    NO SCHOOL

 

Tuesday, January 6, 2015                  First day back to School

                                                                                Band Parent Council

January 6 – 14, 2015                          Artist in Residence K - 5

 

Wednesday, January 7, 2015             Last day to hand in IB Application

 

Monday, January 12, 2015                 Kindergarten Registration begins

 

Wednesday January 21, 2015            School Council Meeting

 

Friday January 23, 2015                      Report cards sent home

 

Thursday January 29, 2015                 Early dismissal 1:30 pm,

  Parent/Teacher Interviews 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

 

Friday January 30, 2015                      Non Instructional Day

                                                             Parent/Teacher Interviews    9:00 pm – 1:00 pm   

 

Thursday February 5, 2015                Open House 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Interested Students and Families

                                                            Kindergarten, Grade 4 Intensive French,

Grade 5 Continuing French, Grade 7 Late Immersion  

 

 

Foodbank Donation

 

Thank you to all parents, students and staff for their generous donation to the Food Bank.  We had 17 large boxes overflowing with food products. 

 

Drama

 

Both Drama grade 9 classes finished off their Children's Theatre Unit by the students performing for the Kindergarten to grade six classes. The one class did various student written or scripted work such as The Grinch That Stole Christmas. The students watching the show had great fun as they laughed and enjoyed the fantastic characters the older students performed. The other class did the performance of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the audience loved the story, the wonderful characters and the singing!

 

Artist in Residence

 

Elboya School is excited to welcome back Soundkreations Inc. to lead our students in an exploration into the world of hip hop dance.  Their enthusiastic and professional instructors worked with our Grade 6-9 students in December and the students had an amazing time dancing.  Our Kindergarten-Grade 5 students will partake in hip hop dance January 6-14th.  We would like to acknowledge the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and our Elboya Parent Council for making this Artist in Residence experience possible for our students. 

 

Painting 

 

Elboya is getting a new makeover. The office, staffroom, cafeteria, gyms and hallways are receiving a paint job starting the end of January.

 

Absences and Homework

 

Just a reminder to parents that homework is not provided to students who are absent due to illness or vacations. Parents and students are encouraged to check the blog, d2l and HomeLogic to see missed work. Students will be expected to make up for missed work upon their return to school.

 

Change in Elboya School Patrol location

 

As of February 2, 2015 the Elboya School Patrol Crossing will be moving to the front of the school on corner of 6th Street and 47th Avenue.  There will be an L shaped crossing at those points. Cross walks have been painted at those intersections. Parents and anyone else driving students to school need to be aware of the change. 

 

PLEASE EXERCISE INCREASED CAUTION AND COMPLIANCE WITH TRAFFIC RULES TO PROTECT CHILDREN.

 

There will no longer be a School Patrol at 5th street and 49th Avenue.

 

   

International Baccalaureate Program

Applications are due to the Main Office of Elboya School no later than Wednesday, January 7th, 2015. Before the Winter Break, students need to ask 1 of their Grade 9 teachers for a recommendation. Grade 9 staff will coordinate the rest of the recommendations. Information about IB including the application form is located at: http://www.cbe.ab.ca/programs/program-options/academic-enrichment/Pages/International-Baccalaureate-Programme-(IB).aspx

 

Woodworking Request to Parents

A special request from M. DeNault and the Wood Working students:  Anyone that has old mustard bottles (the spiral twist cap type) could you send them to school cleaned.  We are always looking for new/replacement glue bottles and this work great.   Many thanks!  M. DeNault

 

Free Library Cards Coming Soon to all CBE students

The Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Public Library have teamed up to get free library cards into the hands of all CBE students. Enough cards for every student will be shipped to all CBE schools in the new year. All cards are expected to be delivered to each student by February 2015. Cards can be activated online, by mobile devices or at your local community library. More details to come in January.

Wishing you all a joyous Holiday Season!

Cheryl Carbol

Administrative Secretary, Elboya School

Calgary Board of Education | www.cbe.ab.ca

t | 403-777-7760 | ext 0

f | 403-777-7769