Welcome back to our Hub students who have chosen to return to in person learning at Dr. J.K. Mulloy - we look forward to new friendships that will be made at all grade levels. We will be providing 2 new reusable masks for students returning from the Hub their first day back. We recommend putting your child's name/Rm# on their masks. Although we are providing 2 masks, we know that students require more for multiple reasons - please ensure masks fit your child's face as we are seeing many masks that are too big and therefore not as effective. Please double check with your child and tighten any loose masks. We also suggest that you send 5 additional labeled masks in a Ziploc bag should their mask become soiled or lost. Additionally, teachers will be reviewing our Covid safety protocols for the benefit of all of our students, including the returning Hub students.
For any HUB students returning and planning on using the bus, please register for transportation, and if you have questions please call the office. Your child may not ride the bus until their transportation registration has been processed, and although this usually takes only 2 weeks it can take up to 6 weeks. For safety reasons, the bus driver cannot refuse children in the morning at their stop, but we are not able to allow any students who are not registered for the bus to board after school due to COVID restrictions. If you are driving your child, please follow all traffic laws and parking bylaws within the school zone, as we want to ensure everyone's safety.
Our LOTTERY for the 2021/22 school year (for students who do not currently attend but want to attend Dr. J.K. Mulloy School next year) will be held on February 10, 2021, and is supervised by a member of our School Council. All applications must be received by noon on February 9, to be included in the lottery. Any registration packages received after 12:00pm on February 9th will be added to the end of our call back list following the lottery.
As we approach the latter half of the school year, students in grade 4 have begun to think about the transition to grade 5. All grade 4 students are automatically reassigned and registered to Colonel Macloed. If you would like your child to attend a different school for grade 5, then please follow the transfer process outlined on the CBE website https://cbe.ab.ca/registration/registration/Pages/transferring-between-cbe-schools.aspx as soon as possible.
Report cards will be available for viewing on February 4, 2021. This is one of the ways the school informs parents about their child's progress and achievement. We know it's important for parents to understand how their children are doing in school. Students receive a report card mid-way through the school year and at the end of the school year. A student's report card corresponds to ongoing assessment done by his/her teachers. Assessing a student's progress is one of the most important ways teachers support the continued learning of their students. First term Report Cards will be ready to be viewed on your PowerSchool account on Thursday February 4, 2021. It is recommended that you print a copy of the report card at home as it does get removed from your child's account and may not be accessible for parents after that time.
Our school has been selected by Alberta Education to participate in an international reading assessment program. PIRLS (Progress in International Literacy Study) is an educational assessment project sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). PIRLS is investigating Grade 4 students' achievement in reading literacy in over 60 educational systems around the world. It is designed to measure and interpret differences in the education systems of different countries in order to help improve the teaching and learning of reading worldwide. The assessment takes place every five years. Participation in PIRLS 2021 is particularly important this year as it offers Alberta a unique opportunity to assess the impact of COVID-19 on students' learning outcomes in early grades and compare it to other Canadian provinces and international participants. More information will follow closer to the actual assessment date.
This year with sudden shifts to online learning during this pandemic, the Calgary Public Library has launched a new pilot service called Borrow-A-Computer. This program pilot lets any valid Library card holder request a Chrome Book to use at home. Members can request a computer through the online catalogue and will receive the item through a holds process. Each device can be borrowed for up to eight weeks.
Visit calgarylibrary.ca/borrow-a-computer to learn more.
As Valentine's Day approaches, we would like to provide some updates for our families. At Dr. J.K. Mulloy, we celebrate Valentine's Day as an opportunity to practice the virtues of friendship, kindness, caring, and generosity. We know students enjoy showing appreciation for their friends, and being appreciated in return. We plan to celebrate Valentines Day on Wednesday, February 10th. Unfortunately, with Covid restrictions this year, we will NOT be exchanging valentine's cards (or any other gifts) at school this year. Please do not plan on sending valentines (commercial or homemade) to school with your child this year. We know that exchanging valentines is important to students, and so teachers will plan different activities for that day to make it special for our students. It is also going to be Red, White, and Pink spirit day on Wednesday, February 10th. Students may choose to wear 'home clothes' that day in the colours of red, white, or pink, or they may wear their uniform if preferred. Please watch your email for any updates closer to February 10th. If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher or the office.
Sincerely,
Anne Markovich
