Jan 26
Congratulations on an Amazing First Semester!


It has been an amazing first semester and I am delighted to have the opportunity to take a moment and celebrate all of our successes. I could not be more proud of the hard work and dedication that each and every one of you has put into the past few months. From the academic achievements of our students to the fine arts and athletic accomplishments, the entire community should be proud of the progress that has been made at David Thompson School.

You have worked hard to achieve your academic goals and have demonstrated knowledge and skills that have set you up for success in the future. I am impressed by the commitment you have made to continue learning and growing, despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.

The performance of our volleyball, cross country and soccer teams, along with outstanding performances by our band students and students involved in our production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this semester demonstrate the drive and commitment of our school to excel in all areas. I know that the second semester will bring more success, and I am eager to see what our students will accomplish.

I am confident that our students will continue to demonstrate the same dedication and enthusiasm that has been shown in the first semester. I want to thank each and every one of you for your contributions to our school. From the teachers and staff that work hard to create engaging and meaningful learning experiences, to the students that challenge themselves to do better and work harder, our school has been lifted beyond measure by your commitment and dedication.

I am looking forward to the second semester and all the wonderful experiences that it will bring. I have no doubt that the hard work and dedication of our students and staff will continue to propel us forward in all aspects of our school life. Let's make the most of the remaining days of the year and celebrate our successes in the new year!

Mr. Keuben​


Sep 02
Welcome Back!


What an incredible start to the school year!  The positive energy was tangible throughout the building over the first two days of school.  I would like to take this opportunity to thank teachers for their diligent planning to help returning and new students feel welcomed and excited about the school year.


We were also excited to meet a number of new families during our orientation presentation Thursday morning.  For those who could not attend, we have uploaded our presentation to our website in the Back to School section.  Also, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email.  


In our school assembly, students were excited to learn about the wide array of clubs, sports teams, and field trips that are being offered this year.  Also, with the relaxation of health measures, we will see the return of major excursions, including: Bamfield, Eastern Canada, Camp Chief Hector, overnight band camps, and exciting new Outdoor Education trips.  We will communicate further information as soon as possible. 


We want to ensure you are kept up to date on what's happening at David Thompson. We will be sending out the Weekly Informer email every Friday to keep you up to date. Teachers will also be posting regularly on D2L (or Google Classroom for grade 5). We encourage you to review this information with your child regularly as this is an excellent way to engage with your child about what they are learning.


We look forward to an amazing year working together!


Chris Keuben

Principal

Pronouns: he, him, his

École David Thompson School

9320 Arbour Crescent SE, Calgary, AB T2J 0X8

Calgary Board of Education | cbe.ab.ca

t | 403-777-7470 | ext 2123

​ 






Jun 27
Year-End Message and Summer Suggestions


Dear David Thompson families,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our staff in creating a welcoming, inclusive, safe and caring environment through these challenging times.  Thank you to all of our teachers for your hard work and perseverance in designing engaging and meaningful tasks.  Also, thank you to those teachers who also volunteered to coach teams, run clubs, organize fundraisers and theme days, plan field trips, and most importantly take time to listen to, laugh with, and encourage everyone in our learning community.  In addition, thank you to our support staff who have continued to be so instrumental in the day-to-day operation of the school.

I would be remiss not to express my sincere thanks to parents.  Your flexibility, understanding, and support for your children and our school is truly appreciated.  Teachers have valued your focus on supporting your children and for your words of encouragement and kindness during these uncertain times.

Lastly, I want to thank all of our students.  You are the reason we come to school every day.  Your enthusiasm and energy feeds our soul.  Without you, teaching would simply be a job.  Thank you for giving our work purpose and meaning.  We are immensely proud of your accomplishments and your resilience.  We look forward to seeing you continue to grow in the years to come. 

 

Summer Learning

​With the arrival of summer, you undoubtedly find yourselves drawn toward the outdoors, more time with family and friends, a slower pace, as well as hobbies or plans that may have been set aside over the course of the school year. 

Families may also be looking for ideas to reinforce mathematical thinking, read and writing, and wellness.  If so, here are some ideas:

Math

  • Talk about the likelihood of events.  For example, the likelihood of rain, a team making the playoffs, etc.
  • Work on puzzles or play cards or board games that involve mathematical thinking
  • Make your mathematical thinking visible to your children.  For example, how you estimate the supplies you need for a home project, estimating time to travel somewhere, estimating the price after a discount or with taxes, or your budget for groceries or a trip.
  • Look for shapes and patterns in real life.

 Reading

  • Have lots of reading materials available around your house. 
  • Model lifelong reading by setting aside time each day to read at home and talk about it
  • Read the same book as your child and discuss it
  • Rent or buy audio books to listen to when driving in the car with your children
  • Take your child to the public library, visit their website, and go to a bookstore to find materials that reflects your child's passions or interests.  Try not to object to their choice, even if it is a teen pop star biography.
  • Language is all around us; when you are out with your children, talk about what you notice.  This might be a great pun, literary allusion, metaphor, or interesting word. 
  • Find time every day to have a conversation with your child.  Not only does it build self-esteem and improve social skills and connections, but it can also help them become better communicators and improve their vocabulary, which is key in improving reading comprehension, writing and speaking skills.
  • French immersion students need exposure to a lot of different books, but more importantly, they need to be offered highly interesting texts that make reading fun!  Use this link to some recommendations for middle school French Immersion students.  I encourage you to do a Google search alongside your children to find books just right for them.  Many websites allow you to “look inside," which allows kids to check the level of French and gauge how interesting it is to them.

Wellness is also an important part for families to consider.  Here are a few ideas:

  • Go for a nature walk or take part in other physical activities
  • Start a project as a family
  • Rediscover old family recipes or find new ones you can do together
  • Get away from screens, particularly social media
  • Plan staycations as a family that incorporate everyone's interests
  • Create a jar of fun things that require little organization and pick one each day to do as a family
  • Explore mindfulness or meditation techniques
  • Reconnect with friends and family you haven't seen in person in a way that respects local health guidelines and bylaws
  • Take up journaling
  • Celebrate small successes
  • Reach out to professionals if someone is finding it hard to cope. 

As we look ahead to next year, we are hopeful for normal to return.  We are currently planning for the return of clubs, sports teams, intramurals, concerts, plays and regular complementary courses; however, we will be prepared if adjustments need to be made.  Be sure to continue to visit our website and the CBE corporate website for the latest announcements regarding back to school plans.

I hope all of you have a wonderful summer break surrounded by friends and family.  Take care of yourself and each other, and we will see you in the fall!

Chris Keuben

Principal

École David Thompson School

 


Sep 01
Welcome to the 2021-2022 School Year

Dear David Thompson families,

 

It was so wonderful to see students returning to school, reconnecting with friends and sharing stories of their summer adventures.  In visiting classrooms today, Isabelle Korpela and I were so happy to see students enthusiastic, positive and ready for the school year.   Today, students spent the morning in homeroom classes to help students to settle in and build a sense of community.  In the afternoon, we followed a mini timetable to meet their teachers and familiarize them with their schedule for tomorrow. 

 

Just as a quick note, we would like to remind parents who are dropping off and picking up students between 7:40 and 8:00am, and 2:30 and 2:45pm,  to please use 5th Street at the east end of our school yard. We are trying to minimize traffic and crowding of students at our entrances by only allowing our school buses access Arbour Crescent. 

 

We are continuing to provide healthy lunch items for students. We would like to thank Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids for their ongoing support.  We are looking to restart our breakfast program.  Mme. Khoo and Mrs. Strickland have generously volunteered to run this program, which provides breakfast items for students at no charge.  We are currently looking for donations of shelf stable products.  Items in need include: instant oatmeal, granola bars, whole grain cereal, spreads (cheese spread, jam, Wow butter), and perishable items like milk, fruit and yogurt.  Items can be dropped off in the office.  Thanks in advance for your support.

 

While we have been focussing a great deal on the physical health of students in our messaging to families, I do want to assure you that the mental health of our students continues to be a top priority.  In addition to community building activities in homerooms, we have scheduled an activity day and assembly for Friday to further enhance our sense of belonging to David Thompson School, strengthen our collective identity and make a commitment to embracing diversity.  After all, it takes all stripes to be a tiger!

 

I would like to end by thanking all our staff for their hard work and commitment in making the first day such a success, and thanking our families for helping their children to prepare for the start of the school year.  ​


Jun 14
Summer Message

 

Dear David Thompson families,

With the arrival of summer, you undoubtedly find yourselves drawn toward the outdoors, more time with family and friends, a slower pace, as well as hobbies or plans may have been set aside over the course of the school year. 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our teachers and support staff for their hard work in a challenging year.  Despite COVID-19 restrictions, class quarantines, and shifting from online to in-person learning, our staff maintained a positive attitude and strong work ethic in supporting students in their learning, addressing mental wellness, and maintaining a caring and welcoming school community for everyone.  Currently, teachers are involved in transition meetings to ensure we hit the ground running in the fall.

In light of the pandemic and the subsequent interruption to classes over the past 15 months, it is even more important to consider ways of embedding math and literacy at home.  Here are a few simple ways of doing this:

Math

  • Talk about the likelihood of events.  For example, the likelihood of rain, a team making the playoffs, etc.
  • Work on puzzles or play cards or board games that involve mathematical thinking
  • Make your mathematical thinking visible to your children.  For example, how you estimate the supplies you need for a home project, estimating time to travel somewhere, estimating the price after a discount or with taxes, or your budget for groceries or a trip.
  • Look for shapes and patterns in real life.

 

Reading

  • Have lots of reading materials available around your house. 
  • Model lifelong reading by setting aside time each day to read at home and talk about it
  • Read the same book as your child and discuss it
  • Rent or buy audio books to listen to when driving in the car with your children
  • Take your child to the public library, visit their website, and go to a bookstore to find materials that reflects your child's passions or interests.  Try not to object to their choice, even if it is a teen pop star biography.
  • Language is all around us; when you are out with your children, talk about what you notice.  This might be a great pun, literary allusion, metaphor, or interesting word. 
  • Find time every day to have a conversation with your child.  Not only does it build self-esteem and improve social skills and connections, but it can also help them become better communicators and improve their vocabulary, which is key in improving reading comprehension, writing and speaking skills.

Wellness is also an important part for families to consider.  Here are a few ideas:

  • Go for a nature walk or take part in other physical activities
  • Start a project as a family
  • Rediscover old family recipes or find new ones you can do together
  • Get away from screens, particularly social media
  • Plan staycations as a family that incorporate everyone's interests
  • Create a jar of fun things that require little organization and pick one each day to do as a family
  • Explore mindfulness or meditation techniques
  • Reconnect with friends and family you haven't seen in person in a way that respects local health guidelines and bylaws
  • Take up journaling
  • Celebrate small successes
  • Reach out to professionals if someone is finding it hard to cope. 

As we look ahead to next year, we are hopeful for normal to return.  We are currently planning for the return of clubs, sports teams, intramurals, concerts, plays and regular complementary courses; however, we will be prepared if adjustments need to be made.  Be sure to continue to visit our website and the CBE corporate website for the latest announcements regarding back to school plans.

I hope all of you have a wonderful summer break surrounded by friends and family.  Take care of yourself and each other, and we will see you in the fall!


Chris Keuben

Principal

École David Thompson School

Calgary Board of Education | cbe.ab.ca

t | 403-777-7470 | ext 2123

​ 



Sep 04
Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year

​Dear David Thompson School Families, 

I am looking forward to welcoming our school community to the 2020-21 school year. I want to assure you we are doing everything possible to ensure the health and safety of all our community members. As you are aware on July 21, Education Minister Adriana LaGrange announced that all schools across the province will return to classes under Scenario 1 – inschool classes resume (near normal with health measures). In response, plans are well underway in our school to welcome our community of students as we adhere to current health guidelines. CBE’s Scenario 1 Information can be found on our website and outlines the measures we are taking to provide for the health and safety of our students. Please refer to this document for detailed information on health measures, physical set-up of schools, cleaning of schools, daily operation of schools and transportation. The actions described in the document follow the guidelines provided by Alberta Education’s K-12 School Re-entry COVID-19 information: Guidance for schools reentry Scenario 1. We continue to refine information in our re-entry planning based on provincial and CBE guidance. Please visit our school website https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/davidthompson/Pages/default.aspx for information on the actions and processes that are being applied to the specific context of our school. Sincerely, Chris Keuben Principal – David Thompson School

Apr 06
Online Learning Update

Dear David Thompson families,

Thank you for your patience as we have worked through some necessary planning in preparation for resuming structured learning opportunities for your child(ren). I understand there has been plenty of uncertainty about what learning is going to look like moving forward. I can assure you that we are going to work on key learning outcomes at-home within the parameters established by the province and CBE.
 
For students in grades 5 and 6, education content will continue to focus on language/literacy and mathematics/numeracy outcomes, and there will be opportunity to incorporate science and social studies outcomes through cross-curricular learning.  Teachers will assign an average of five hours of work per student per week.  Education content for students in grades 7 to 9 will average 10 hours of work per week that focuses on core mathematics, language/literacy, science and social studies curriculum outcomes.  Teachers will work with their students and parents on the delivery of these materials.
 
Course content will be delivered primarily through D2L and Google applications; however alternate means of accessing learning materials will also be provided as needed.  Starting tomorrow, teachers will be contacting families to inquire about student access to technology and internet services and also to determine who may need these alternate means of delivery.  Also, in order to ensure consistency, weekly blogs will continue to be updated and sent out in the Friday message, and grades will continue to be posted in PowerSchool.
This week, teachers will focus on connecting with families, providing review materials through D2L shells, Google applications or via email.  Through our Friday message, we will send out updated blogs that will describe that work students will be doing next week, along with a schedule of virtual meeting times using Google Meet.  This application will allow students to video conference with teachers to ask questions and get feedback.  The application also allows students to connect to the virtual meeting space by telephone.  In addition, teachers will be available by email to answer your questions. See the attached letter regarding the use of Google Meet and Google Classroom.
 
 
This is an unprecedented time for all of us.  As we adjust to our new reality, we know our work will evolve as we gain a greater understanding of individual situations and use of online platforms. We also know we won’t get it perfect right out of the gates, but we are committed to continued improvement in providing meaningful educational programming to our students within the current context. 
 
We would like to thank you in advance for your ongoing understanding.  Stay safe and take care of each other.
 
Sincerely,
 
Chris Keuben
Aug 23
Welcome

On behalf of all of the staff at David Thompson School, it is my pleasure to welcome you to 2019-2020 school year.  For those of you whose children have attended our school last year, we are so glad to have you returning. In addition, for those of you whose children are joining us this year, we are pleased to have you as a part of our school community.

The beginning of a new school year provides us with the opportunity to reconnect with students, families and colleagues, as well as share stories of a summer well spent.  It also provides us with an opportunity to reflect on past successes, set new and ambitious goals, and build new relationships. 

Back to school information is currently located in the featured stories on our homepage, or by clicking here.  I also encourage you to explore our website, which provides extensive information about our school.

 Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns or comments. I look forward to working with all members of our community this upcoming school year!

 Warm regards,

 Chris Keuben

Principal, David Thompson School​

Oct 16
Welcome

 

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year!   I look forward to continuing to work with our students, teachers, and parents/guardians to develop a school community that is warm, caring, safe and respectful.   Our staff would like each student to have a strong sense of belonging in our community of learners and to be really proud to be a David Thompson Tiger!   Our teachers are committed to supporting our students to reach their potential and to build the skills and knowledge that will help them to be successful in the future.   

 

I encourage you to explore the various tabs in our new website.   It’s a great way to find out what events are going on at this school, what our expectations are of students, how to contact teachers, or to get updates from our  School Council.

 

If you have any questions, our main office will be happy to assist you.

 

Best regards,

Rolf Haensel

Principal​ 

Mar 28
Welcome!

Welcome to our new website. To find details on important events, click on "Calendar" at the top of the page. To find School Council information, click on "Get Involved" then "School Council​." To order fun lunches, click on "Teaching & Learning" then "Parent Resources."

If you are looking for other content, try entering the key words in the search bar in the top right.  It will help you locate the link more easily.​

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Are you graduating this year or leaving the CBE? Don’t forget to save any important files or emails, as you will lose access to all CBE tools, including Gmail, after June 30. Accounts cannot be accessed after you leave the CBE. https://t.co/l9TC7koZv7 #WeAreCBE https://t.co/ap1BA5mxlE

RT @Indigenous_cbe: Exploring career paths for Indigenous women in trades - Samantha and @JackJamesHS - you are amazing🏠💟! #WeAreCBE https://t.co/NtVOYtfEim

ONE WEEK LEFT – Families must register by June 11 If you’re considering using transportation, registration must be submitted by the deadline to be included in next year’s bus routes planning. This will ensure your child can access the bus without delay in September. #WeAreCBE https://t.co/qJrDQkWYKQ

RT @Indigenous_cbe: Kicking off June celebrations by honouring our CBE Indigenous student high school graduates 🎓 We are so proud of your accomplishments 🌟 #WeAreCBE https://t.co/PPKRzlB3Gx

CBE students came away with a number of wins and demonstrated exceptional talent and skills as they competed in Skills Canada Alberta in Edmonton and the 2023 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) in Winnipeg. https://t.co/7Rigvcqpv6 #WeAreCBE https://t.co/GkTJe0yV9C