​School Update 
To the students and families of MRS,  
As our school is moving towards its 4th round of iLab challenges, we would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Hildebrand for the hands-on learning challenges she is providing for all students at Maple Ridge. These challenges have allowed our students to engage in learning that fosters critical thinking skills and problem-solving based on science and technology perspectives.  
In addition to this, we are excited to announce that the iLab will be opening for teachers to use with their classroom. Recognizing the importance of safety protocols, we have established a set of guidelines that ensure all classes will have access to a sanitized and safe environment. 
Kind regards, 
David Laidlaw and Sandy McNeil 
Upcoming Important Dates 
February 16 - 24 
Acts of Kindness (Pillars of Care) 
 
February 24  
Pink Shirt Day  
 
February 25  
School Council Meeting 6:30pm (virtual)  
 
PTA Meeting 7:30pm (virtual)  
 
March 11, 12 
Parent/Teacher Conferences  
 
March 26  
Last Day of Classes/ Spring Break Begins  
 
Communication with MRS  
There are times when changes may occur with a family’s daily schedule, whether it be an absence or a change in the end of day routine; we want to streamline our communication to make it easier for parents and to ensure that valuable information is shared with the right people at the right time.  
Absences:  
There are two options:  
Call Maple Ridge School (403) 777-6280 and press 1 for the absent line to communicate if your child will be absent. 
 
E-mail mapleridge@cbe.ab.ca and cc your child’s teacher 
 
Early/different pick-up:  
The day of 
Call Maple Ridge School (403) 777-6280 and press “0” to speak with someone directly about the change 
 
At least a day notice 
Call Maple Ridge School (403) 777-6280 and press “0” to speak with someone directly about the change, or 
 
E-mail mapleridge@cbe.ab.ca and cc your child’s teacher 
 
Safety Plan  
We also want to remind our families how important it is that our students know what to do in unexpected situations. We encourage families to have conversations around different emergent scenarios that could occur and to make a plan that allows our students to understand what they are to do in different situations. 
Thank you for helping us to make sure our lines of communication are effective.  
Acts of Kindness Week  
In a world where you can be anything, be kind! In recognition of National Kindness Day (February 17th) and Pink Shirt Day (February 24th) the students and staff at Maple Ridge have been exploring and acknowledging acts of kindness in 3 important categories.  
Being kind to ourselves  
 
Being kind to others  
 
Being kind to this place  
 
To recognize and celebrate these important acts, we have set up 3 containers in our entryway that we have been filling up this week. When someone sees an act of kindness throughout the day, we add a pompom. It has been inspiring to hear different ways in which we can be kind to ourselves (especially during challenging times), others, and this place (our physical school and the environment). We will continue these acts of kindness next week, concluding with a school wide virtual assembly on February 24th. A simple act of kindness creates an endless ripple!  
Mars Rover Landing  
Perseverance- what a great name for NASA's rover that is embarking on an ultimate STEAM challenge on Mars! Students watched the live stream with anticipation and cheered as we heard confirmation that it landed safely. As we observed the challenging work of many scientists, we grew an appreciation for the time and planning involved. Students also noticed there were many great connections to make to our daily learning such as making mistakes, learning from them, and persevering. We are looking forward to learning more about the data that Perseverance will collect on its mission! 
Below are a couple of links that might be of interest. The news report nicely captures the emotions of yesterday and has information on the whole mission. The photobooth could also be fun for our families to play with. 
News report (first image taken on Mars and summary of the mission)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuITORqYgoE  
 
Photobooth- https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/participate/photo-booth/