June 12, 2015
Dear Parents,
Over the couple of weeks I have met with students and asked two questions:
What did you like at school this year?
What suggestions would you like to offer for next year?
Students were eager to respond. A few of their likes are Intramurals, Math, Sports day, Art, Pizza lunch, Terry Fox, options, homerooms in charge of monthly events, school dances, Patrols, Artist in Residence, recorders in music, and fieldtrips to the zoo, Ralph Klein Park, Science Centre, skiing at COP, etc.
Some of their suggestions were: harder Math, more multiplication, singing more songs, starting school earlier, a bigger gym, working with buddies more, Foods/Cooking as an option, banning hand sanitizers inside classrooms, accessing the vending machine in grades 5 and 6, bringing back % grades, a guidance counsellor, changing homeroom, more fieldtrips and much more.
At Elboya School Council, we also discussed the same questions. Parents liked the 3 classes in charge of monthly events, weekly email, Pi day, the new pizza lunch format, VLC blogs, Googledocs collaboration between teachers and students, Intramurals, First Aid included with EOE, etc. Parental suggestions included limiting the number of sports teams a student could participate in, more lunchtime clubs, junior achievement, etc.
I will be continuing conversations over the next week with students. It is interesting sometimes to see the alignment between what students or teachers or administrators would like to do.
As I’ve shared with students and Elboya School Council, it is important for all of us to remember that the school does not operate in a vacuum. Alberta Education, the Calgary Board of Education, Alberta Health. This includes the Elboya School Community--staff, students and parents. While I can suggest, for example, that we would like to build a new gym—and I have several times to a number of people, it does not mean we will get it. I would love to have a Foods/Cooking Option for students and in order to do so, I need to find a teacher and create a facility within the school.
Staff have also been discussing next year and their suggestions. I will be continuing our conversations next week. When our conversations are over, we will look at everything as a staff to see what is possible to change.
I would like to invite all parents to respond to this email and to these questions:
What did you like at school this year?
What suggestions would you like to offer?
School is a cooperative venture between students, parents and school staff. At this stressful end of the year, I would request that we all work together. At school, we see this stress emerge with some small student conflicts. There are three concerns:
1. Recently there have been a couple of incidents when parents have treated the Main Office staff inappropriately. If parents have a concern I request that they speak with either Mr. Siakaluk or myself.
2. The Weekly emails keep parents informed. It would be appreciated if parents would refer to them before calling the school.
Everyday we receive several calls about information that was shared on the weekly email. Some bluntly say, "I delete those."
It is rare at Elboya for calls to go to voice mail. The staff answer the phone because I feel it is important that parents are able to reach us during school hours. We appreciate your consideration in return by consulting the weekly email before calling the Main Office.
3. Please send a note with children if they have to leave school early. This way the child can meet the parent in the Main Office and leave quickly with minimum disruption to everyone.
Our Main Office staff work very hard. They are cordial and polite to everyone and are especially kind to students. They deserve to be treated with courtesy too.
I would like to express my thanks to the many, many parents who are considerate and pleasant to the Main Office staff.
Finally, I would like to thank the many parents who have volunteered on our many fieldtrips over the past month or so. All of us at Elboya appreciate your help. Without you the fieldtrips would not have happened.
L. Davis, Principal
Transportation & Noon Supervision
Parents please access My CBE Account for online registration for the bus and Grade 1-6 lunch at school. Further information on how to access My CBE Account may be found at Elboya School’s website http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b627/
Parents need their child’s CBE student number which can be found on a child’s report card.
Bus/Transportation registrations must be submitted by June 25, 2015.
Bus route planning starts June 26 and finishes on August 6. Requests are filled on a first come, first serve basis. No payment is required until September 2015.
Weather and Dress
With the weather changing, we request that parents send a jacket or coat with each student. Many children did not have one in the cold, rainy weather today. Thank you.
Learning Commons
Please return books, etc. by Monday, June 15, 2015. Payment is required for damaged or lost LLC books and magazines. Parents, your help is greatly appreciated in ensuring the return of all LLC resources. On Tuesday June 16 - students will be informed if they still have books other materials signed out.
PAT Exams
Grade 6 exams are from June 16 – 22 and Grade 9 exams are from June 22 – 26. Students need to be at school promptly at 8:50 a.m.
Grade 8 students have 1 period final exams during class. These are 1/day beginning on June 17. Specific details are on our website.
Please remember that only Grade 9 students who have signed permission from parents are dismissed at 11:00 on exam days. All other grades have regular classes and remain at the school until 3:30 for regular instruction.
Elboya School is going trashless
As of Monday June 22nd we will no longer be recycling cans and bottles. We will be requesting students to take garbage from their lunch’s home. We strongly encourage parents to invest in being environmentally aware.
Lost & Found
Please check the Lost & Found for missing items. The last opportunity to claim items is before 1:30 p.m. on June 26th.
Report Cards
Report Cards are distributed in Homeroom on Friday June 26th at 1:25 p.m.
Regretfully we cannot distribute report cards prior to that time.
If a student will not be in the school at that time, there are two options:
1—Drop off a self-addressed, stamped envelope at the school’s Main Office. Please include all student’s names on the envelope.
2—Pick up the report card in September.
While we would like the option of emailing report cards to parents, the computer program used by CBE does not have that option and we do not have the staff to email report cards individually to parents.
Thank you for your understanding.
Award Ceremonies
Parents are welcome to attend. Dates and times are listed below.
Important Dates:
June 16 – 22 Grade 6 PAT Exams
June 18 Alberta Health will be in to complete vaccinations
June 22 – 26 Grade 9 PAT Exams
June 25 Awards Grades 5/6 –@ 2:30
June 26 Awards Grade 7 - @ 9:00
June 26 Awards Grade 8 –@ 10:30
June 26 Awards Grade 9 –
