Maple Ridge Weekly Update | Sept 18
School Update
To the students and families of MRS,
We have just finished our first full week of school and it is clear relationships are building, routines have been established and students are asking questions, making hypotheses, investigating phenomena and flexing their observation skills. Why is the water in the Ocean salty? How long can we make a paper chain and what is the best approach? I wonder what would happen to earth if earth did not have a moon?
This week has also seen some students feeling unwell at school which has resulted in some phone calls home. We want to send out a huge thank you for your support as we take direction from AHS. We recognize it is not easy on many of our families when a student is sent home. We appreciate your on-going support as we continue to work to keep the students safe, happy and healthy.
With gratitude,
David Laidlaw and Sandy McNeil
Upcoming Important Dates
September 24, 25 School Conferences
September 30 Orange Shirt Day
Sept 28 – Oct 2 Terry Fox Week
October 9 Non-Instructional Day (No Classes for Students)
October 12 Thanksgiving Day (No Classes for Students)
Parent / Teacher Conferences
Online registration for meeting times will be available through your MyCBE/PowerSchool account starting today at 5pm. We will be using Microsoft Teams as our meeting platform.
You will not need to sign into an account to access this meeting. When you click on the link that is provided by the classroom teacher, you will be prompted to “Download the Microsoft Teams App" or “Continue using the Browser". Click “Continue Using the Browser" and then continue as a guest. You will then be prompted to enter your name. Please include your child's name too.
If you have difficulty joining the meeting, please call the school at 403-777-6280.
Thursday, September 24th (3:30pm – 7:30pm)
Friday, September 25th (8:00am – 12:00pm)
Terry Fox Run
We are excited to be recognizing the 40th Anniversary of Terry's start of the Marathon of Hope. Today we are in a year that is challenging us more than we could have anticipated so we need to think outside of the box and make the best of our 2020 participation. On the week of Sept 28th to Oct 2nd, students at Maple Ridge will explore a way to carry on Terry's dream in a way that respects our current COVID protocols. More information to come next week.
Orange Shirt Day
Orange Shirt Day (OSD) is an annual event that began in 2013 when Residential School survivor Phyllis Webstad shared how her orange shirt was taken away on her first day at Residential School. Phyllis' story provides an opportunity to reflect on history, discuss stories of survival, & share ways Canadians can work together for Truth & Reconciliation. Students at Maple Ridge are encouraged to wear an orange shirt on September 30th.
Bus Communication
If your child rides the bus, we kindly remind you to let the office know when you plan on picking them up (403-777-6280). This communication ensures that we know that all students are safe and accounted for at the end of the day.
Science Alternative Fee / Field Study Fees
We are currently having conversations with our Education Director and with RT Alderman to ensure that the Science Alternative Fee / Field Study Fee are reflective of our current environment. More information will be provided when it is available.
We will also continue with a Lunchroom Incidental Fee of $10 in grades 1-4. This fee helps us provide extra lunchroom materials such as outdoor play equipment and indoor activities for students on blue days. Just recently we were able to use these funds to ensure the outdoor lines were repainted over the summer.
Teacher Blogs
In previous years, teachers updated a blog on a regular basis with an emphasis on in-class learning that allowed for conversation and dialogue at home. As we may need to navigate between scenarios this year, teachers will be focusing on creating online Google Classrooms to support the learning that is going on in the class. More information to follow.
Lost and Found
The Lost and Found is going virtual! To do our best to reconnect lost personal items with the rightful owners we will be posting a link to our Lost and Found. f you see an item that belongs to your child please encourage them to pick it up. If this does not work, please email the school at mapleridge@cbe.ab.ca with the subject Lost and Found. Once we hear from you, the item will be delivered to your child's classroom. The best way to avoid this is to make sure you label all your child's belongings. Click here to view the Lost and Found.
