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Dear Dr. J.K Mulloy Families,
November is already upon us, and it has been an eventful time filled with incredible learning experiences for our students. From the exciting Elev8 lacrosse program and the heartwarming Terry Fox Run to the important National Day for Truth and Reconciliation gathering and our choir's moving performance at the Field of Crosses, our students have been actively engaged in diverse and meaningful activities. As we move further into this month, there are more significant events to look forward to. On November 8th, we will have our Grade 1 students' Remembrance Day Ceremony, offering an opportunity for our young learners to understand and reflect on the importance of this day.
Following the ceremony, students will begin their well-deserved Fall Break on November 9th and return on November 15th, rejuvenated and ready to continue their educational journey. On November 16th, both our School Council and the Dr. J.K. Mulloy School Enhancement Society will convene. These meetings can be attended in person or online, ensuring that all voices in our school community can be heard.
Additionally, we have School Learning Conferences scheduled for November 23rd from 4:30 PM to 8 PM and November 24th from 8:30 AM to 2 PM. These conferences are an excellent opportunity for you to connect with our teachers, discuss your child's progress, and support their ongoing growth and development.
We are committed to celebrating the diversity of all our students and fostering a sense of belonging for all. We recognize that many of our students will be celebrating Diwali over the Fall Break, and in addition to this, November 15th is "Rock your Moccasins" Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the pride and joy of wearing moccasins and acknowledging Indigenous cultures. We believe that all our students should take pride in their heritage. In addition, Student Advisory and parent feedback has indicated a desire for more opportunities for non-uniform days. In response, we will be having a “Be You” non-uniform day on November 15th, students can wear festive Diwali clothing, cultural or traditional attire, moccasins, their TLC uniform, or dress casually. It's a day to embrace and celebrate "Being You." Stay tuned for more upcoming “Be You” Days.
Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to continuing to provide a nurturing and inclusive environment for all our students.
Gavin Schumm (He/ Him) Principal, Dr. J.K. Mulloy School ![]()
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Oki, Tansi, Bonjour, and Hello to our wonderful school community, It's incredible how quickly September has passed by, filled with numerous enriching events and opportunities for our students and families here at Dr. J.K. Mulloy School. From our National Day for Truth and Reconciliation assembly to the Terry Fox Run, Open House Meet the Teacher, and all the engaging classroom activities, we've been busy fostering a strong sense of community and excellence in learning. As we transition into the autumn season, I wanted to share some important reminders and exciting upcoming events with you. 1. Dressing for Calgary Weather: As the weather changes, please ensure your children are dressed appropriately for all that Calgary's climate may bring. Layers, warm jackets, and suitable footwear will help them stay comfortable as we transition into cooler temperatures. Your attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. 2. Safety First: The safety of our students is our utmost priority. Please be mindful when dropping off or picking up your children at school. Always watch for children using the crosswalks and avoid engaging in illegal U-turns or parking in unauthorized areas. Your cooperation helps maintain a safe environment for everyone. 3. Upcoming October Highlights: We have a fantastic month ahead, filled with exciting learning events and opportunities to continue building our school's sense of community. Here are some highlights for October: Elev8 Lacrosse for Grade 3 and Grade 4: We're excited to introduce lacrosse to our students, offering them a chance to explore a new sport. Student Advisory Committee: Our first Student Advisory Committee meeting is on the horizon, giving our students a platform to voice their ideas and concerns. School Council and School Enhancement Society Meetings: Join us on October 12th at 6:30 pm, either online or in person, for our School Council and School Enhancement Society meetings. Your involvement and input are valued. Fun Lunch and Popcorn Days: Our first Fun Lunch and Popcorn Days are just around the corner, adding some extra fun to our school days. Alberta Musical Theatre: We have an exciting opportunity for students to explore the world of musical theatre. Stay tuned for details!
For more specific details on these events and other important information, please visit our School Website. We look forward to your continued support and involvement in our vibrant school community. Together, we can make Dr. J.K. Mulloy School an even more amazing place for our students to achieve personal excellence and develop as a learning community. Thank you for entrusting us with your children's education and well-being. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Wishing you a fantastic October filled with learning, joy, and community! Principal Dr. J.K. Mulloy School
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| Greetings to all students and families of Dr. J.K. Mulloy School, As we embark on a new school year, I want to take a moment to express my profound gratitude for the incredible support and dedication we received from last year's Acting Principal, Terrie Lay, and Acting Assistant Principal, Clara Devos. Their tireless efforts and commitment to this school community have laid a strong foundation for the year ahead. I would also like to extend my appreciation to Ms. Holly Van Oosten, Administrative Assistant, for her invaluable contributions and unwavering support as we prepared for the upcoming academic year. As we move forward, I am excited to introduce our new Assistant Principal, Kaley Hunt, and our new Administrative Assistant, Rebecca Conrad. Both Kaley and Rebecca have seamlessly integrated into our school community, and we have been absolutely thrilled with the warm welcome they have received. Our collective goal remains unwavering: to strive for excellence in education and provide the best possible learning environment for our students. We are committed to fostering a culture of growth, inclusion, and achievement, and we are genuinely excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
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| “As the sun rises on the morning of the summer solstice, let's look to the east and feel gratitude for all the gifts that summer will bring. It's a time filled with possibilities and new beginnings." - Elder Saa'kokoto Dear Parents,
As this school year ends, we would like to express our gratitude for a joyful and enriching year full of learning and fun and for the trust you placed in us every day to care for and educate your children. It has been a privilege to partner with you in helping students explore, learn and grow every day. Friday, June 30th is the last day of school before re-opening in August. If you need to speak with teachers or anyone at the school or come by for forgotten items, the office and teachers will be available on Friday, June 30th between 9:00am and 12:00pm. The office will then be closed for the summer and will re-open on Monday, August 28th.
Friday, June 30th – Office hours: 9:00am – 12:00pm Monday, August 28th – Office re-opens (Hours: 8:30-4:00) Thursday, August 31st – First day with students; kindergarten staggered entry
June 30th is also the last day for both of us at Dr. J.K. Mulloy before moving on to new adventures. Ms. Devos is moving on to Belfast School and Ms. Lay is moving to Roland Michener School. We both thank you for all that you have done to make our time at Dr. J.K. Mulloy incredibly meaningful and for your support and encouragement over the years. We feel blessed to be part of a special school community and we will not forget you or our time here, and we know you will make our new Principal, Mr. Gavin Schumm, and our new Assistant Principal, Ms. Kaley Hunt feel just as welcome as you have made us feel over the years. We feel confident leaving our school in such capable and caring hands. We would also like to wish our grade four students all the best of luck as they move on into grade five at their new schools. We are incredibly proud of them, and how much they have grown. We know other staff, students and families will also be moving on next year, and we wish each of you the best – we will miss you!
As Elder Saa'kokoto says, this is a time to express our gratitude for what summer brings, and for new opportunities. We are incredibly grateful for each of you and our time at Dr. J.K. Mulloy and excited about all the new opportunities this next year will bring.
All the Best, Terrie & Clara
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Looking Ahead It is that time of year where we are eagerly anticipating many fun and exciting events for the last few weeks of the school year and also looking ahead to the next school year. Information about transportation registration for next year is available on the CBE transportation website, and the deadline for inclusion for first day of school service is Sunday, June 11th. It is extremely important to register for bussing so that the transportation department can consider your address as they create bussing routes and stops for next year. If you miss this deadline, it is important that you pre-register as soon as possible, as it can take up to 6 weeks to process your transportation registration. It is also essential that your correct address is in our system in case of emergency. If you have moved over the course of the year, or know you will be moving before the start of the school year, please contact us in the office to ensure we have your current and correct address on file. We are making plans for staffing and class lists for next year and although we would love for all of our students to be staying with us next year, we know sometimes children will be changing schools due to a variety of reasons. If you know your child will be attending another school next year, due to a move, or any other reason, please let the office know ASAP. This will ensure we have the transfer process completed, so student records are ready to go to their new school by the end of June or as soon as possible. If you have applied for registration at a private or charter school but will not know if you have been accepted until closer to September that would also be helpful information as we plan ahead for next year. If you are planning an extended holiday over the summer, and are not sure your child will be back on August 31st, for the first day of school, please call the office as soon as possible so we are aware of your plans. Students who do not return to school during the month of September will lose their place in the TLC program and will be registered to return to their designated community school. Grade 4 students are automatically enrolled at Colonel Macleod School unless you have moved out of area. There is no action required for parents. If you have other plans for your child for next year (i.e. returning to designated community school), please let us or Colonel Macleod know. This is also the time of year that we are creating class lists and student placements for next year. We appreciate the trust that parents place in us to choose the class and teacher that will best support their child's learning needs. We consider the needs of all of our students when we create class lists and we consider many factors when doing so. We strive for a balance of students in each class and try to place students with classmates that will help them learn. We know that there may be times where parents have a specific wish for a learning environment for their child. Classroom requests must be based on student learning need(s), rather than a preference to be with a certain teacher or student(s). We do not accept requests regarding specific teachers or students, but we do welcome requests that outline the teaching and learning needs that best support your child. If parents have requests for classroom placements for next year, please email them directly to Terrie Lay at tdlay@cbe.ab.ca by June 30th. Only requests provided to me in an email will be considered. Please know that we do our best to honor parent requests when possible, but cannot guarantee that we can accommodate all requests. As we complete our last few weeks of this year, we continue to have high expectations for students, while building in opportunities to fun and engaging learning opportunities, especially outdoors when the weather cooperates. Teachers are taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather to learn on and from the land surrounding our school, as a part of our commitment to truth and reconciliation through education. Please ensure students come to school dressed for the weather and prepared to go outside in all types of weather. As you know, we will be welcoming Mr. Gavin Schumm as the new principal at Dr. J.K. Mulloy as of August 27, 2023. We will also be welcoming a new Assistant Principal before the start of the new year. I will be working closely with Mr. Schumm to share this information with him and working to ensure a smooth leadership transition. Until that time, please email me with any questions, concerns, or requests you may have. Thank you, Terrie Lay
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| "Spring revitalizes the spirit within us.” Blackfoot Elder Casey Eagle Speaker
March 20th was Spring Equinox and although the weather still feels wintery, we can be confident that new growth is starting under all of the snow and ice, and we will soon be seeing evidence of the first plants and flowers of spring. As you know, our school’s Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation is centered on learning on, about and from the land. While our students and teachers enjoy learning from the land in all seasons, there is something special about the new growth and the hope of spring. You can expect your children to spend more time in learning spaces outdoors, such as our outdoor classroom, Nosehill Park, and Nosehill Spring Park. Please ensure that your child comes to school prepared for the weather; you might want to consider putting an extra pair of socks in students’ backpacks in case their feet get wet in the melting snow.
The CBE is committed to addressing and improving student well-being, and as such has released the Student Wellbeing Framework. This framework presents a systemic approach to increasing and improving student well-being. This work has already begun at Dr. J.K. Mulloy as a part of our school development plan target on student wellness. As a staff we are committed to engaging and improving our work in supporting student and staff wellness and wellbeing. If you have any questions about our work or this new framework, please speak with your child’s teacher, or contact Ms. Devos or Ms. Lay in the office.
Staffing Updates: We are happy to share with you that Mrs. Janna Roji and Ms. Stephanie Gauthier have returned back to teach the second term of the school year. Mrs. Roji has returned to kindergarten and Ms. Gauthier to second grade. Both are experienced teachers and are thrilled to be returning to teaching for the rest of the school year. We are also excited to welcome Ms. Simran Sekhon as the newest member of our Kindergarten team and she will remain in the classroom until the end of June. We also welcome Ms. Elsayed and Ms. Akhter to our lunchroom team, and Mrs. Wong to our ELL team. We are fortunate to have so many staff who truly love and care for your children, and who are committed to their learning and safety.
Volunteers: please consider becoming a registered volunteer at our school! Volunteers are essential to go on field trips and to support students in the school. In order to be a volunteer, you need to have your CBE police clearance. All you need to do to start this process is come to the office in person with two pieces of government ID (one piece of ID must have a photo.) Volunteer clearance is good for five years, and is transferrable to other CBE schools. This is a great time of year to initiate your volunteer clearance as there is a very quick turnaround time. We love and appreciate our volunteers – thank you to all parents and grandparents who are already are current volunteers at Dr. J.K. Mulloy. We will be having an appreciation tea for our registered volunteers in June – stay tuned for more information to come.
Student Learning Conferences were held on March 9th and March 10th. These conferences are an opportunity to speak about your child’s progress, and we thank all parents who attended these meetings. If you were unable to attend, you are encouraged to email or call your child’s teacher about how they are doing. Please note that you do not have to wait for student learning conferences or report cards to inquire about your child and their learning. We encourage parents to contact your child’s teacher or the office if you ever have questions or concerns. Parents are our partners in student learning and we appreciate opportunities to connect. Our Scholastic Book Fair during conferences was a huge success! We raised approximately $3000 for our school library! These funds go to replacing old library books and adding new titles to our collection. Thank you to everyone who helped make this a successful fundraiser!
We held our Annual General School Council meeting on Thursday, February 2nd at 6:30pm. We would like to thank the new members of the Council for stepping into their new roles. If you are interested we still have many roles that need to be filled. Due to the Student Learning Conferences falling on the second Thursday of March our next School Council Meeting Thursday, April 6th, 2023. Everyone is welcome and we hope to see you there.
Our school LOTTERY for the 2023/24 school year was held on Wednesday, February 15th, 2023 and was witnessed by a member of our School Council. All “Expression of Interest” forms were received by noon on February 14th, 2023, to be included in the lottery. Any registration packages received after 12:00pm on February 14th were & will continue to be added to the end of our call back list following the lottery. We are grateful so many families are interested in making Dr. J.K. Mulloy their home school.
All grade 4 students are automatically reassigned and registered to Colonel Macleod. 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. If you have any questions please contact the office at 403-777-6640. As we are starting to make plans for next year we would appreciate if you know your child will be attending another school next year, due to a move or any other reason you will let the office know ASAP. This will ensure we have the transfer process done so student records are ready to go at the end of June to their new school. If you are one of our families considering travel out of the country for extended periods of time, please be sure to let the office know in advance of your trip. If your extended absence coincides with the start of the school year, this can have an unexpected impact on your child's school placement. If a student does not arrive to school before September 30th, due to a family holiday, the student may be withdrawn from Dr. J.K. Mulloy School, and your family will be redirected to your designated school, and you will be able to reapply to the TLC Program at Dr. J.K. Mulloy the following year. We know that many families book travel plans well in advance of their departure date, so we like to let families know this early on in the school year. While it is recognized that enrichment activities or travel present unique learning opportunities for students, excessive or frequent absences can create gaps in student learning and social development. Consequently, it becomes the parent's responsibility to ensure their child is meeting learning expectations during extended absences; the school is unable to provide learning support (i.e. extra homework) while students are away on a family holiday.
Mornings and afternoons at Dr. J.K. Mulloy can be busy as parents drop off and pick up their children. Parents of children in grades 1-4 are encouraged to use the ‘drop and go’ zone just above the playground in the mornings. There is no parking in this area, but there are supervisors there to welcome your child to school. Thank you to all parents who are diligent about modeling safe behaviour for their children. PLEASE take an extra 1-2 minutes to ensure you cross at the crosswalks. We want to be good models for our students, and help them to understand that it is always better to take an extra minute or two to prioritize safety over convenience.
The last day before Spring Break is Friday, March 24th, and classes will resume on Monday, April 3rd, 2023! We hope you all enjoy a well-deserved break and look forward to seeing your children in April.
As always, we welcome parent input and feedback. If you every have questions, comments or feedback, please email us or call the office.
Terrie Lay, Acting Principal
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| December 1, 2022
Thank you to all of our families for doing what you can to help keep everyone safe & healthy, as our absenteeism seems to be trending downward and that is great news! We were disappointed to have to postpone our APEGA Science Night, and move our Student Learning Conferences online to TEAMS, but we are doing everything we can to keep everyone healthy and reduce the spread of illness in our school. Due to our “Outbreak Status” as declared by AHS, we are reminding parents to please keep your child at home if they are feeling sick, wait until symptoms have resolved, they have not had a fever for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication and they feel well enough to resume normal activities before returning to school. We hope that we will have the Outbreak lifted in time for our Grade 3 & 4 music concert, but at this point we will have to wait and see. We would like to get things back to normal as soon as possible to help our young students experience more enhancement activities that they may have been missing due to COVID protocols dating back to March of 2020. We have some interesting assemblies & presentations booked this year, and we are all really looking forward to them. Student learning conferences were very well attended last Thursday and Friday and I would like to remind all parents that you do not ever have to wait for student learning conferences if you or your child have any concerns! Parents, teachers & students are a team and we can best support students when we are all working together. Student safety is a priority here at Dr. J.K. Mulloy School. I would like to remind all parents that the drop off and pick up of students is prohibited in the school parking lot. Please park on the street, and be sure to remember not to block our neighbour’s driveways, alleys, bus zones or fire hydrants. Please choose to prioritize safety over convenience, and do not cross the street between school buses as this models unsafe behaviour for our young students. In addition, we would like to ask all school bus users to please leave enough space for our school buses to safely pull in and out of the bus stop in your community. This will speed up the drop off and pick up and when the bus can pull right next to the curb it creates a safer environment for all involved. If parents are parked in the bus zone, and the bus can’t safely pull in, the bus is forced to stop out in the traffic lanes which creates many additional safety hazards. I just wanted to remind you that our next School Council Meeting is on December 1, at 6:30pm online as a TEAMS meeting. All parents of Dr. J.K. Mulloy students are automatically members of the School Council and School Enhancement Society. Please come and learn more about the learning that is happening at our school, meet some other parents and get answers to any questions that you may have. Each month a few teachers share a little bit of their students’ learning and highlight some interesting things their grade team has been involved in. This year, at each meeting we will be having a draw for a new piece of uniform clothing, so be sure to join us Dec. 1 at 6:30 for your chance to win! We hope to see you then! Sincerely, Anne Markovich Principal Dr. J.K. Mulloy
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| We are happy to see that our students are coming to school dressed for the ever changing weather in Calgary! Just a reminder that students will go outside every day unless the temperature drops to below -20 degrees Celsius! We know that the weather can be unpredictable, so please take a look at the forecast and dress your child in layers so they will be able to take off or put on a layer if need be. Here are some suggestions from the CBE website for families to help ensure that students are prepared for all weather conditions. Children will find it easier to walk through the ice and snow when their school books and lunches are carried in a back pack. Children should not be left unattended at bus stops for any period of time, under any circumstances. Families should ensure that they have back-up care arrangements if transportation is delayed. Children should have a warm place to stay before and after school (i.e. with a neighbour or a nearby relative).
During the winter, roads may also be congested and slippery resulting in possible traffic and bus delays. Unusually cold or stormy weather can result in buses being delayed. Unexpected mechanical problems with the bus may also occur more frequently at this time of year. Children should be dressed appropriately for the colder weather as buses may become cold quickly if the bus is not running. We know the bus driver shortage this school year has had a negative impact on many families. We anticipate the shortage will continue throughout the school year. While we are working with our transportation providers for solutions, the snow and colder weather will make getting to and from school more challenging. CBE Transportation does not adjust routes or bus stops due to weather conditions. There are a variety of ways transportation providers provide real time route information for families. Southland Transportation uses MyBusStop App and My School Bus Monitor for messages on delays, we recommend that all families with students riding the bus set up an account for the MyBusStop App. Now is the time to make sure that your MyCBE account is updated & working correctly, as this is where you will sign up for services like transportation or lunch supervision, pay fees & view your child’s report card. Parents are also required to update their demographics annually, even if there are no changes to information. You will continue to get reminders from our downtown office to complete these forms until they are completed and submitted. Thank you in advance for attending to this if you have not already! The next School Council meeting will be held this Thursday (tomorrow) at 6:30 pm, in the Learning Commons at the school. School Councils provide a means for members of the school community to consult with and provide advice to the principal and the school board. School councils were legislated in 1995 under Alberta's Education Act and are mandatory for all schools in the public education system, including charter schools. All parents who have children currently attending Dr. J.K. Mulloy are automatically members of our School Council, but we know that it can be difficult for some parents to attend an optional meeting in the evenings, especially because we do not provide childcare and typically children have trouble sitting quietly through such a long meeting after attending school all day. We would like to host at least one meeting here at the school so that parents can come and meet other parents who make time to attend & help make important decisions about how fund raising dollars are spent, as well as learning more about what is happening here at school. It is a great way to feel more connected to your child’s school. The two consecutive meetings (School Council & Program Enhancement Society) typically run about 2 hours total, and to encourage parents to attend, we will be holding a draw for a NEW uniform piece at each meeting this year. Our school Remembrance Day assembly will be held on Thursday, November 10 from 10:45-11:30 a.m. Grade 1 classes will be presenting at the assembly. Due to capacity constraints in the gym, we are only able to invite families of grade 1 children to this assembly. All students must wear their formal uniforms on this day. The ONLY exception will be that students who are in sparks/brownies/guides or beavers/cubs/scouts may wear that uniform instead. Poppies will be distributed to students before the assembly and donations to the Poppy Fund will be accepted from November 7 – November 10. Veterans Food Bank non-perishable food donations will be accepted from November 1 – November 10. Thank you to all of our families for taking good care of our veterans! With inflation rates so high right now, we know that many families are having to be careful with their money, so we really appreciate all of the kindness that our families are showing as our Veteran’s Food Bank boxes are filling up! We are also looking forward to our upcoming In Person Student Learning Conferences November 24 & 25. Conference booking will open at 8 am on November 19. Please make time to log into your child’s MyCBE account before conferences to check for recent assessments published by your child’s teacher in English Language Arts and Math. You will have an opportunity to discuss these assessments at your child’s Student Learning Conference. To access your MyCBE account please watch this step by step tutorial here. Even if you book your Student Learning Conference for Friday, you are welcome to bring your family to school on Thursday evening from 6 to 8pm to participate in our Science Night! We are so fortunate to have been selected to host The APEGA Science Night by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta! A Science Night is an evening of fun, hands-on activities and demonstrations! These events are put together to enhance science concepts being learned by students in Grades 1 through 6, but are also a source of fun and interest to adults! We hope to see you then!
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We are so happy to see our students back at school after summer break. Our staff are working with our young students and giving lots of reminders of expectations around how we play and interact when in a larger group, as many students may have spent the past few years or so with only small family groups or cohorts. Our students seem very happy to see their old friends and make new friends too! If you ever have concerns about your child and how they are interacting with others while here at school, don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher to discuss your concerns, as we know that all of our students will require different levels of support getting back in the swing of things.
Uniforms are an important part of the TLC program. We know that parents may be experiencing some difficulty accessing uniform pieces in person at McCarthy Uniform store, and to date we have been understanding when students are missing an item. We have noticed lately an increase in students wearing items that are not a part of our uniform, such as solid blue tunics, leggings, sweat pants or polo shirts without a crest. Knowing that parents have made a choice to send their children to a TLC school with a uniform, we want to ensure that we are aligning with TLC expectations, and so we will be tightening up this process and will be sending home uniform notices this year. Just a reminder that on formal days students are required to wear a plain, white, long, or short sleeve collared dress shirt under their plaid tunic or tucked into their blue dress pants. Students must also be wearing a crested green cardigan and any hair elastics or hair bands must be white, green, navy, TLC plaid or black. Socks must be navy blue. Also uniform shoes must be all black including any trim or stitching. Although Monday is a formal uniform day for all students, Tuesdays are formal days for our Tuesday/Thursday kindergarten students only. If you have any questions or concerns about uniform requirements, please contact the office. Thank you to all parents who attended our September parent conferences. I would like to acknowledge how frustrating it must have been when trying to book your child's appointment time for Meet the Teacher. On behalf of all our staff, I would like to send my appreciation to all families who were so patient and flexible when facing the technology glitches that they may have encountered when the CBE conference manager application was not working properly. Due to the flexibility and resourcefulness of our families, we were able to meet with most families despite these difficulties. We were happy to see most of our families over the 2 days, but if you were unable to attend, please contact your child's teacher to arrange a meeting to share information about your child. September is a busy time! This month our students participated in the Terry Fox walk/run and we know that our students will continue to learn about the virtues that Terry exemplified while running across Canada to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. On September 29, all staff and students are encouraged to wear an orange shirt to participate in Orange Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day is an opportunity for all people to come together in the spirit of reconciliation. Orange Shirt day began in 2013 when residential school survivor, Phyllis Webstad, shared how her orange shirt was taken away on her first day at a residential school. Since Orange Shirt Day is a non-school day, our school will be holding events on Sept. 29. You can show your support for promoting reconciliation in welcoming, caring, respectful, safe, and inclusive school communities by wearing an orange shirt with uniform bottoms that day. Be sure to monitor the calendar on our school website regularly, so you are aware of all the events like these, that will be happening throughout the year at our school. As the cooler weather arrives in Calgary, please remember that students go outside at lunch and recess unless the temperature hits -20C, so they will need appropriate clothing. Weather in Calgary can be unpredictable, so please check the forecast and ensure that your child is prepared for a sudden change in temperature. This clothing needs to be labelled so that, if lost, we can help the students to find it again. If they do misplace an item, it helps to have them look as soon as possible, so please remind them to look the next day, perhaps in a note to the teacher.
A special thanks to all parents who drive our students to school and are remembering that we need to model for them the virtues that we discuss in school. We need to show respect to our neighbours and our peace officers by abiding by the bylaws that prohibit blocking alleyways or parking in front of driveways and to model safe driving practices by avoiding reversing and U turns where children are crossing the road. We have had some concerns from our neighbours to the north and south of the school that their driveways are being blocked during drop off and pick up times. Please note that for student safety, the City of Calgary will be increasing enforcement in school zones. They will be using photo enforcement with regards to traffic bylaws in and around school zones. If you would like to drop your students off, please do so past the designated bus zone (and driveway) just above the creative playground. Signs are posted in this area – please note that this is a 'drop and go' zone and parking will not be permitted here. If you have a Kindergarten student, you must remain with them until their teacher greets them at their door. There is plenty of room to park on Hunterslea Crescent where there is a long stretch of sidewalk on the school side of the road. This will help minimize the disruption to our neighbours. Please also note that the gravel driveway by our outdoor classroom is a no parking zone. It is necessary to keep this area open and accessible for emergency vehicles. We held our first fire drill in September and our students and staff responded favourably! We will practice our lock down procedures when our students are more familiar with emergency drills and the layout of the school. We plan these drills with the Calgary Police Service leading and monitoring the drill. Student safety is a top priority and when we practice regularly, students become familiar with these routines. We are going to be hosting our first school council meeting in person at the school library on Thursday October 6 @ 6:30 pm. Going forward our School council meetings will take place the first Thursday of the month unless otherwise specified. As you are a parent at this school, you are automatically a member of school council and we encourage you to join us and learn more about what is happening at the school. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns! Anne Markovich Principal
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Happy March Everyone! As you are aware, Alberta entered Step 2 on March 1 (today). The following changes came into effect at that time: · Any remaining school requirements removed (for example: Kindergarten to grade 6 cohorting). - Youth screening activities for entertainment and sport activities removed.
- Capacity on all large venues and entertainment venues lifted.
- Restrictions lifted on interactive activities, table limits, liquor sales and closing times for bars, restaurants and other food serving businesses.
- Indoor and outdoor social gathering limits lifted, including for all wedding and funeral events.
- Mandatory work-from-home requirements lifted.
- Provincial mask mandate lifted except:
- on municipal and intra-provincial public transit for Albertans 13 and older
- at AHS-operated and contracted facilities, and all continuing care settings
With regards to schools, - Masking is optional for students and staff - Students and adults must continue to follow Alberta Isolation and Quarantine requirements if testing positive for Covid 19 on PCR or Rapid Antigen Test - Students are asked to stay home if they are sick - Cohorting is no longer an expectation – students do not have designated play areas at recess and can play where they would like to play (supervision continues) - Sanitizing at entry ways not required - Students continue to be encouraged to wash their hands often especially before eating as a part of regular hygiene routines - Parents and visitors may come into the school (must continue to check in at the office) In order to align with the recent lifting of provincial COVID restrictions in schools, parents will now have the option of attending a Student Learning Conference online OR in person next week. For both types of conferences: Please proceed with using our online booking request form. When you book a conference on this page, you will automatically receive a Microsoft TEAMS link for an online conference. If you prefer an in-person conference instead, please book in the same way, and also contact the office to inform us that you will attend your child’s conference in person, so we know to expect you at school at your designated time. We are working with our CBE team to ensure that we are rolling out any changes to our COVID protocols in a thoughtful manner. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or the main office and we will do our best to respond. Report cards were available for viewing on February 1, 2022 on your PowerSchool account. Students receive a report card mid-way through the school year and at the end of the school year in June. We know it's important for parents to understand how their children are doing in school. This is one of the ways the school informs parents about their child's progress and achievement. A student's report card corresponds to ongoing assessment done by his or her teacher. Assessing a student's progress is one of the most important ways teachers support the continued learning of their students. 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. If you haven’t already seen it, I strongly encourage you to view your child’s report card before attending Student Learning Conferences this month. We are also starting to make plans for staffing for next year and although we would love for all of our students to be staying with us next year, we know sometimes children will be changing schools for a variety of reasons. If you know your child will be attending another school next year, due to a move or any other reason, we would really appreciate it if you could let the office know by June 1st. This will ensure we have the transfer process done so student records are ready to go at the end of June to their new school. If you find out after this date, that is fine too…just give us a call in the office and let us know. 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 Macleod School. 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 CBE transfer process as soon as possible. Our LOTTERY for the 2022/23 school year (for students who do not currently attend but want to attend Dr. J.K. Mulloy School next year) was held on February 16, 2022, and was witnessed by a member of our School Council. All “Expression of Interest” forms had to be received by noon on February 15, to be included in the lottery. Any registration packages received after 12:00pm on February 15th were & will continue to be added to the end of our call back list following the lottery. As we are currently over capacity, no grade 1 to 4 spots were vacant to be filled during our lottery this year. We know we have a lot of disappointed parents out there, and we want to assure everyone that we will continue to use our callback list to fill any new vacancies up until September 8, 2022 at which time our call back list will be dissolved. There is a strong positive correlation between regular attendance and a student's success in school. Regular attendance at school maximizes student learning and success, as well as teaching children how to be part of a community and that school is a priority for your family. While it is recognized that enrichment activities or travel present unique learning opportunities for students, excessive or frequent absences can create gaps in student learning and social development. Consequently, it becomes the parent's responsibility to ensure their child is meeting learning expectations during extended absences; the school is unable to provide learning support (ie extra homework) while students are away on a family holiday. If you are one of our families considering travel out of the country to visit friends or relatives for extended periods of time, please be sure to let the office know in advance of your trip. We will write a letter to document the absence in the student's file, and will update their attendance record. These absences are recorded as “unexcused" in the student's attendance record. Should your extended absence coincide with the start of the school year, this can have an unexpected impact on your child's school placement. If a student does not arrive to school in September due to a family holiday, and will be returning at some point after September 30, 2022, the student may be withdrawn from Dr. J.K. Mulloy School. Your family will be redirected to your designated school. You will be able to reapply to the TLC Program at Dr. J.K. Mulloy the following year. We know that many families book travel plans well in advance of their departure date, so we like to let families know this early on in the school year. We know that our parents value our school uniform as an important part of the TLC program. We appreciate your commitment to ensuring your child arrives at school daily in the appropriate uniform. If you are not sure of the expectations, please refer to the TLC Uniform Requirements TLC Uniform Requirements We know that this has been a tough couple of years on some families financially, and if you need help to meet the uniform requirements, please contact the office to make an appointment with Ms. Lay or myself (Ms. Markovich) and we will see what we can do to help you out. The last day before Spring Break is Friday March 18, and classes will resume on Tuesday March 28, 2022! We hope you all enjoy a well-deserved break to spend some quality time with your families. This is an excellent time to have your children bring their indoor shoes (dress &/or gym) home to ensure that they still fit, as we know children typically have growth spurts throughout the school year and often need a new pair of shoes for their growing feet. For Parents/Legal Guardians of Grade 4 students, by now you will have received a letter from Alberta Education regarding the Alberta Education Assurance (AEA) survey (which replaced the former Accountability Pillar Survey). Your letter contains a Random Access Code (RAC) for completing the survey online and instructions for accessing the survey in other languages. Completing the survey online is the quickest way for Alberta Education to receive a completed response. Families can still choose to complete the survey on paper by requesting a copy from the System Assurance Branch directly (see contact information in your letter), or by contacting your principal. This past 2 years have been unusual, as COVID-19 has brought new challenges, that is why it is more important than ever to hear from parents / legal guardians. Your voice will help shape the future of education in Alberta. Please complete the survey by April 23, 2022, and if you have any questions, please contact me. Just a reminder that our School Council meeting will be moved to Thursday March 17 at 6:30pm, as Student Learning Conferences fall on the second Thursday of this month. Hope to see you there! We will continue to meet via TEAMs this month, and will let you know if we plan to move the meetings back to in-person. Sincerely, Anne Markovich Principal Dr. J.K. Mulloy School
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