Hello all,
We hope you are doing well and enjoying the sunshine when
you can. We are including a number of updates
below. Some of which are new and others
a reminder.
Staffing updates
We want to say thank you to Ms. Betty Pond for all the work
she did with the music program. Her passion for music was evident
everyday. Betty was covering a leave for
Mrs. Louis AuYeung. Mrs. AuYeung is now back at Hillhurst and we want to
welcome her back to the team. We also
want to congratulate Mrs. Josephine Cesario, our outstanding admin secretary,
for becoming a permanent member of the Hillhurst staff. Josie has been on a temporary contract, but
has now been given the position permanently. Finally, my title of Acting
Principal has been changed to Principal.
I am very excited to join the Hillhurst community on a permanent basis
and I very much look forward to our continued work together.
Budget
The CBE has released information about the budget for
2020-2021 and related information about school fees. Important information for
parents can be found on the CBE
web site.
An announcement regarding transportation for the 2020- 21
school year was also recently shared. You can find details here: Transportation
Fees for 2020-21. Gate families; please click the separate link within the
original e-mail with instructions on how to register for transportation. Please do this by June 14th. If you have any questions, please phone the
school office.
Parent Engagement
Parents are invited to engage in our planning process
through a survey that will be sent out in the coming week. Please watch for an
invitation to provide input into planning decisions. Further engagement will
occur at our next school council meeting set for June 10th and
6:30pm.
When Will We See You Again?
The staff at Hillhurst School have been missing our students
and their families. We collectively put together, under the direction of Mrs.
Klassen, a video to show our faces and our support to everyone who is part of
our learning community. You can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV7oPLgiMNg&t=1s Additionally,
staff often decorate the sidewalk in front of the school with chalk
messages. We are missing you all and
cannot wait to get back to a normal routine.
We are making plans for the beginning of the 2020-21 school
year, however, the re-opening of schools is based on recommendations of the
government. Re-entry plans have not been finalized. We will
communicate any and all information as soon as we have been provided with
details.
Technical Support
for Parents
Technical support is now available for students and parents.
https://www.cbe.ab.ca/support/Pages/Google-Apps-Gmail.aspx
Ongoing Learning Update
Your child’s teacher is your first point of contact for all
questions. Information, tasks and
learning continue to be shared via Google Classroom, and Google Meet sessions continue
to be scheduled throughout the week for student learning and to ensure student
connection. Staff are committed to
meeting the needs of all students. Should you need help with anything, please
contact your child’s teacher. School
administration is also here to help.
Supports
This continues to be
a stressful time for everyone, and we want to remind you that we are here to
help. Additionally, here are some
resources for you or anyone who may need support. https://cbe.ab.ca/about-us/school-culture-and-environment/health-and-wellness-in-school/Pages/Positive-Mental-Health.aspx
School Access
We are aware that arrangements will need to be made for
students to retrieve any remaining items from the school. We will put a plan in
place for students to retrieve their items before the end of June. A plan will
be communicated classroom by classroom and follow social distancing protocols.
In the meantime, all student belongings are secure. Should you urgently need an
item, please call or e-mail the office and we can make a plan to help.
Planning for 2020-21
All CBE schools are in the process of organizing for the
next school year. This involves school budgets, staffing and class
configuration, transportation and timetabling, and other organizational
considerations. We will share information about this work through these weekly
updates.
Thank you for your continued support.
Wishing you all the best,
Chris Giffen, Principal
