| As the first term draws to a close, it is a time to reflect on our success and accomplishments these past three months as we look forward to December days.
September 19 marked the day for our annual Terry Fox Run that is intended to raise awareness and funds in support of cancer research. Through the generosity of the community the school raised just over $ 2,000. As always, MTS families, showed their care and kindness for others in supporting this cause. An added bonus in meeting our goal was that Mr. Van Sluys sported a “tutu". This year, in solidarity with Mr. V. students and staff were invited to don a tutu for the day and join in the fun. The fall term marked the completion of our in-school artistic/physical residencies with Three Left Feet Dance Company (K-2) and Alien In-Line Skating (3&4). We thank parents who through their fund-raising organization and support provide our students with the opportunity to extend their learning through these unique experiences. It was energizing to have parents in the school to enjoy watching their child’s accomplishment and performance and to support in the skating program. The grade 4 students once again presented a memorable Remembrance Day assembly that was filled with music, and the representation of story, history and events through poetry and video. Students in the school had the opportunity to attend the assembly in the gym. Student art related to Remembrance Day once again beautifully decorated the walls of the school. Parent- teacher conferences in November provided the opportunity to discuss student learning and achievement, celebrate student success and set goals for the future. Students will receive their first of two report cards on January 30, 2024 and the second report card at the end of June. The report cards will ba accessible online to parents through their CBE accounts. Our Scholastic Book Fair during the week of parent conferences in November was highly successful. We do not have a final figure for net sales but based on the active purchasing of items by students and parents we expect that the event will raise significant funds to support the development of our library collection. We thank parents for their generosity in supporting their children as readers and for the support of the book fair at the school which provides for the enrichment of the school library. Thanks to our Library Assistant, Mrs. McLean for her organization and to the parents who volunteered to help at the book fair. Our Learning Commons continues to be a beautiful, well-resourced, and favourite learning space for students and teachers in our school.
Do You Have A Green Thumb? As mentioned above our Learning Commons is a serene and bright area of our school that is further enriched and made healthy through the many plants that are part of the Living Wall and other beautiful plants that thrive in the bright natural light that shines through every day in the space. We are in need of some support from a parent(s) who might be interested in helping us maintain the greenery. This support would require watering the plants on a weekly basis and planting, repotting, weeding and trimming the plants. If there are individuals who could commit an hour a week (based on your availability) to help “keep us green” it would be much appreciated. Please contact Tara Robinson in the office if you can help us with this at the school.
Parking A reminder that the staff parking lot is off limits for parking and for student pick up and drop off during school days and evenings when school functions such as Parent Teacher Conferences take place. Many of our staff have different start and end times throughout the day and as a result, we have vehicles, including large garbage/recycling trucks, constantly coming and going which creates an unsafe environment for students in the parking lot. Thank you for placing the safety of all students over your convenience. School Development Planning Each year, our school prepares a development plan with input from teachers, school staff, students and parents. We review many sources of data, including report cards, provincial achievement test results and school surveys. Based on this information, we create our plan identifying targeted areas for growth. Our school development plan is not meant to represent all of the work that takes place in our school, but rather it focuses on specific areas for improvement. Our school also prepares a results plan, which looks at our previous school year. It shows our students' achievement and progress in meeting the goals and outcomes as set out by the CBE and Alberta Education, outlines some of the highlights of our school development plan and gives an overview of our school. These documents are available on our school website.
Grade One Winter and Christmas Celebration This year our grade one students will be providing a celebration of song and poetry of the season on Thursday, December 14 at 8:15 am and 1:15pm. Please note these concerts will take place during the day- there will not be an evening performance. Family members may choose to attend either the morning or afternoon celebration. The concerts will take place in the west open area of the school. We thank Mrs. Allford who has been filling in for Ms. Morgan, our Music Specialist who has been on medical leave. Mrs. Allford has been working with our grade one teachers to prepare the students for the performance. We anticipate that on Ms. Morgan’s return we will be offering spring concerts at the other grade levels, and the continuation of lunch time Musical club activities.
McKenzie Towne School Supports the Magic of Christmas Every year, MTS supports a charity of choice to demonstrate the characteristics of citizenship. This holiday season, we are asking MTS students and community to once again support The Magic of Christmas. This charity loads up magically transformed Calgary Transit buses that look like Reindeer Buses on Christmas Eve with gifts and volunteers dressed as Santa and his elves. These Reindeer buses deliver the Christmas spirit to homes and families that need it most. In previous years our school community has demonstrated their generous nature by filling box after box of new toys, and personal and household items in order to spread some magic during the holiday season. Please watch for a School Messenger notice in December that will provide further details of how families can support this charity through school donations.
On behalf of the staff here at MTS I would like to extend to all our families the very best wishes for a peaceful, restful, and healthy winter break. The last day of classes is Friday, December 22. We will see you back on Monday, January 8, 2024.
Dr. Lorraine Slater, Principal
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| It is not a surprise that the arrival of November brought with it colder temperatures, snow on the ground, and an increase in colds and flu-related illnesses. Please monitor your child’s health closely to determine if he/she needs to be at home. Unfortunately these respiratory viruses spread very quickly and we want to do everything possible to keep everyone healthy and at school. Please remember to call the school if your child is going to be absent and provide the reason for their absence. All schools monitor the absentee rate on a daily basis and report to AHS when required to do so with high absenteeism. Lates We have had an increased number of late arrivals in the mornings. When students are late, it disrupts their class and the learning that is underway. Coming late to school is also a difficult transition for the late student- it can be stressful for them. When students arrive late at the front door, in the office, we do our best to greet students with a smile, a welcome slip, and an adult to walk them to class when we have administration available. In the event that your child needs to arrive late to school, we would ask that only the student enters the building. Adults do not need to come into the office to check their child in. This is especially important first thing in the morning when there is a high volume of traffic in the office. For your convenience, we have relaxed/soft entry every morning at 7:50 am. We recommend trying to arrive anytime between 7:50 - 8:00am so that your child has time to settle in class before starting their day of learning. Grade team teachers will always be at designated grade entry/exit doors at this time to welcome students into the school. Thursday, Nov. 8, 10:30 am- MTS Remembrance Day Assembly On Wednesday, Nov. 8, all CBE schools will hold Remembrance Day assemblies in their buildings to honour our many military men and women and recognize the sacrifices made by Canadians in armed conflicts. Our grade four students have been working hard to prepare the assembly for the school. Parents are invited to join us at the school, in the gym at 10:30 to join the ceremony. Conferences We look forward to our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences and we encourage all families to book an appointment to visit your child(ren)’s teachers. We plan to host in-person meetings on Thursday evening (November 23) from 4pm – 8pm and on Friday (November 24) from 8am-12pm. Bookings will open on Saturday, November 18 at 8:00 AM through your MyCBE account. Please note that this is your opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping as the school will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair during conference times. Fall Break This is a 3-day week for students, with Fall Break starting on Thursday, November 9th and carrying through the beginning of next week. Students will be back at school on Wednesday, November 15. Looking forward to seeing you in the school over the next 2 months! Sincerely, Dr. Lorraine Slater
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Our first few weeks of school have been quite exciting as we welcomed 566 students to the school community. During the first month of school the goal has been for teachers and students to get to know each other. At all grade levels, teachers focused on learning activities that were intended to build student self - awareness and understanding of others as a way to build classroom communities that foster a sense of belonging for every child. Thank you for joining us at our first “official” parent conferences when teachers were so pleased to connect and meet with you and to mutually share information about your child. Please know that teachers are available to communicate with you through phone, email or to meet with you if needed at a prearranged meeting any time throughout the year. Hope Springs Eternal This ancient proverb describes how the feeling of hopefulness endlessly renews itself. Hope is goal-directed thinking. Hoping that things will be better drives us to take action to make that happen- and taking action leads to results. The theme of hope has guided our school opening activities, including our Terry Fox Run, and our assembly and week long classroom-based learning commemorating Orange Shirt Day through the CBE National Truth and Reconciliation Week from Sept. 25 to 28. Students spent time reflecting on the meaning of Orange Shirt Day during the week and classroom discussions focused on how hope gives rise to actions that lead to change and improvement. This grade 3 student shows understanding that reconciliation involves hope for the future:
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Students were inspired by the book I Hope, by Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith. Mrs. Crosby read the book to the students at our Orange Shirt Day assembly. Later, in class students talked about their hopes for MTS. Students brainstormed many different words that encapsulate their hopes, and added their personal hope as heart-shaped leaves to our school Tree of Hope in our front foyer (see image on website). Students were so proud to see their word on a heart on display at the front of the school for everyone to admire and to feel a part of in terms of their individual contribution. Our discussions about Terry Fox and our run at school also included the theme of Hope and students were reminded that Terry’s run in 1980 was called the Marathon of Hope. Students spent time learning about Terry and also connected his Marathon of Hope to determination, actions, goal-setting and perseverance that are required for the realization of our hopes. Students also linked these understandings to personal goal setting for the Run and for their learning goals in the coming year.
Three Left Feet Dance Residency Students in K-2 have been enjoying their dance residency with Three Left Feet professional dance company. TLF offers an engaging and socially encouraged method of developing a student's Physical Literacy, Mindfulness and appreciation for the creative process through the exploration of Dance and Movement. TLF are in-school dance residency program specialists who create a safe environment for students to take risks and succeed. Students will celebrate their learning with parents at sharing assemblies on October 5 and 6: Thursday October 5 - 12:15pm - 1:00pm - All afternoon kindergarten classes
- Mrs. Carter - Grade 1
- Mrs. Sharma/Penford - Grade 2
Friday October 6 - 8:20am - 9:05am - Mrs Fell and Mrs. Rupert's morning kindergarten class
- Mrs. Burch - Grade 1
- Mrs. Webber - Grade 1
- Mrs. Pynn - Grade 2
Friday October 6 - 9:30am - 10:15am - Mrs. Watson's morning kindergarten class
- Mrs. Janisse - Grade 1
- Mrs. Larmer - Grade 1
- Mrs. Holt - Grade 2
- Mr. Klasen - Grade 2
Thank you to parents at MTS for their financial support of this amazing opportunity for our students. Through your dedicated fund-raising efforts, we are able to provide these curricular related exceptional experiences to our students. At the end of October, grades 3 and 4 students will have the opportunity to participate in an inline skating residency program with Alien In-Line Skating.
Dogs on School Grounds We would like to thank our dog owners who are walking their dogs to school on a leash and saying their goodbyes from the sidewalk or school ground boundaries. It is sometimes hard to understand that our beloved companions could be intimidating to anyone, but children who are not familiar with pets, often are fearful. As well, city bylaws exist that do not allow dogs on school grounds. Thank you so much for your cooperation.
Looking Forward The month of October will hold many exciting events and learning opportunities. I encourage you to keep up to date with events at the school by checking our website and teacher blogs and through updates provided via School Messenger. I look forward to continuing to get to know our students and parents over the year.
Dr. Lorraine Slater
Principal
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| I hope that your family has enjoyed a relaxing summer. The break is also very important to school staff. Teaching is a demanding profession that requires energy, commitment, and dedication in serving the needs of students within our schools. Our staff came back together in our pre-school planning days with a renewed energy and passion for the work that we do every day. We have a few changes to our School Staff this year. We welcome several new teachers to our school: Along with our amazing Support Staff, including Educational Assistants, Lunch Supervisors, Library Assistant and Facility Operator/Cleaner led by our Administrative Assistant, Tara Robinson, I feel privileged to work with a team of such exceptional talent. We are a staff of over 50 in total and I honour and respect each and every individual and the perspectives, wisdom, and skill they bring as we work together to serve McKenzie Towne School. A special acknowledgement goes to Mrs. Crosby, Assistant Principal, Ms. Blake, Learning Leader/Resource and Mrs. Penner, Learning Leader/Grade 3 teacher who work collaboratively with me as our MTS administrative team. We have almost 564 students this year at MTS! Final enrolment numbers will be submitted to the CBE at the end of September when we will update you again on numbers. I look forward to continuing to get to know our students and parents over the year. I am committed to excellence in student learning, teaching and leadership and to working collaboratively with staff, parents and students to ensure the best possible education for our children at McKenzie Towne School. Feel free to contact me at lcslater@cbe.ab.ca
Soft Entry The soft entry that was put in place during the pandemic has proved to be a very successful and efficient start of the day for students and teachers. We will continue the soft entry this year. Doors are opened at 7:50 and locked at 8:00. During this 10 minute interval, students will be greeted at their entrance door by a teacher in the grade team who will supervise student entry. Please note that there is no teacher supervision on the playground during this entry time. Students are expected to directly enter the school during this 10 minute time interval and go to their classrooms where their teachers will meet them. The bell will ring outside at 8:00. If your child arrives at school past that time, please have them enter through the front door. We are trying very hard to keep everyone safe. Please make an effort to arrive on time to avoid large numbers entering through the front door in the morning. Use of the front door is only for students who arrive at school after the bell. A reminder that the Hug 'n Go zone is a drop off area for parents and not a parking zone. Please obey the signage at the zone to facilitate all parents who want to use the zone to drop off their children. A reminder that there is no stopping in the bus zone in front of the school. The zone is monitored by the Calgary Police who will be issuing tickets for violation within the zone. The staff parking is for the use of staff only. Students should not be dropped off in the parking lot as it is unsafe.
Dismissal It is also very important to have a designated meeting spot for 2:36 pick up times Monday – Thursday and 12:00 on Fridays. All students in grades 1-4 will be dismissed from their exit doors and are to go immediately to the meeting spots that they have identified with their families. Please ensure you have not chosen a meeting place in the school parking lot. Kindergarten is the only age group where teachers will wait for a parent to arrive before dismissing students. All students have been taught in class, that if they get to their meeting spot and there is no one there to pick them up, after waiting a few minutes, they are to come to the office through the front entrance of the school for help. Please note that parents are requested to remain in the outer foyer of the office NOT to enter the front office to drop off items or pick up with their child. The staff will ensure that your child enters/exits safely and is taken to his/her classroom.
Communication Methods Open, continuous communication is of utmost importance throughout the school year. Classroom teachers will use the following methods to communicate learning updates: Communication from the school will include: Email, phone calls School Messenger as a reminder of special events and upcoming important dates In person meetings, previously arranged and scheduled with administration
Over the last several weeks there has been considerable information that has been provided to parents both through the CBE and MTS website as well as through School Messenger. The information can be overwhelming to process. If you require clarification, please do not hesitate to call the school and speak to the office staff regarding questions that you may have related to operations within the school. Please address concerns you may have about your child and his/her learning to their classroom teacher through email of phone call. When additional support is required in a situation the administration will be involved. This school year brings new beginnings in many ways as we move forward with hope and optimism. We appreciate your positive comments and feedback as well as your suggestions and questions for improvement.
Dr. Lorraine Slater
Principal
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| As the 2022-23 school year draws to a close, I would like to provide you with a few messages and words of appreciation for all you do to support McKenzie Towne School. This school year has felt much more normal. As Covid restrictions were lifted, events in the school have brought the community together again. Seeing parents as volunteers in the school and on field trips, attending celebrations, and helping with special events such as Sports Day have been heart-warming and have filled the school with joy. Thank you to all parents.
Our staff would like to thank School Council for the delicious lunch provided to us on Friday, June 23. It will be a busy final week at school. The last day of school for students is Thursday, June 29! Please note the following: Grade 3 Ukrainian FundraiserOn June 22, in conjunction with their study of global citizenship and their Social Studies curriculum this year, the grade 3’s sponsored an Art and Lemonade Sale to raise money for charity. MTS students brought in their toonies to purchase yellow and blueberry lemonade, cards, bookmarks, sunflowers and necklaces created by our grade 3 students. The items for sale were representative of Ukrainian culture and honouring of and welcoming to the Ukrainian families in our school who have fled the war in Ukraine. Many students brought in money that they had saved themselves and generously donated to the cause through the purchase of the symbolic artefacts and yummy lemonade that was provided. I am thrilled to say that just over $2,000 was raised through the sale. The proceeds will be donated to the Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth, an organization that supports immigrant and refugee youth and their families with knowledge and information about Canadian culture and school system. The Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth works in partnership with the CBE and Calgary Catholic School Distract and has provided programs and education services to our Ukrainian students here at McKenzie Towne as well.
Report CardsYour child's report card will be available to view, download and/or print starting from June 28, 2023 to July 28, 2023 (8 a.m.). Parents / Legal Guardians can sign into MyCBE to view student information, including report cards, comments from teachers, assignments and grades, and attendance information
Lost and FoundThe Lost & Found collection is currently all organized and laid out at the front entrance of the school. Classes will be visiting to identify personal items over the next week and parents and invited to stop by and look as well. As we begin preparing to close up the school for the summer months, any items that have not been claimed by the end of the day on Thursday, June 29 will be donated to charity.
Appeals DayAppeals day is Friday, June 30 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. It is a non-instructional day for students. Teachers will be at the school form 8:00 am-1:00 pm. This is your opportunity to contact your child's teacher by email or phone to ask them any questions you might have about the report card. The school office will be open from 8:00 – 1:00 pm on June 30 and then will be closed for the summer.
Class ListsBecause changes occur over the course of the summer, class lists will not be available until the first day of school, August 31, 2023. You can expect to receive an email from your child’s teacher for next year on August 28, 2023. The email will identify who your child’s teacher will be for the coming year and provide information on opening day procedures.
Staffing UpdateThe end of the year always brings changes with staff who are moving to different school settings and adventures. We say a fond farewell to Ms. Young, Ms. Greenberg, and Mrs. Girard who have been at MTS for a number of years and have contributed greatly to building a culture of excellence at MTS. Special congratulations go to Mrs. Girard as she moves into retirement. As well, we say goodbye and thank you to Ms. Massey, Ms. Penfold, Mrs. Wenc, Ms. Kroeker and Ms. MacFarlane, who all served on temporary contracts at the school. We are pleased to welcome new teachers to our school including Ms. Emma Vinkle, Mrs. Katie Rupert, Ms. Kerry Pynn and Ms. Brenda Bossenberry.
EES (Enhanced Educational Support Program)MTS is pleased to inform parents that we will be seeing the establishment of a third EES class at McKenzie Towne School. As well, we look forward to the development of a state-of-the art sensory space in a classroom in the west portables alongside the EES classes. The space will serve as a calming and regulation area for students in the EES and regular program when they require time and an area to regulate and reset their social/ emotional state. Thank you to the MTS Parent Association for recognizing and financially supporting the development of the sensory room for our students.
Finally, on behalf of the staff at MTS, I would like to wish all of you, parents and students, a safe, happy and relaxing summer. We look forward to our return to school on August 31, 2023. Dr. Lorraine Slater
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| It is hard to believe that we are into the home stretch of the school year with a “count down” in weeks rather than months! I am pleased to be back at school after having been on medical leave related to surgery. The end of the year home stretch is both an exciting and important time of the school year as it is filled with many important school events and organizational planning issues related to next year. I would like to thank Mrs. Edie Reichardt, who served as Acting Principal in my absence. She worked closely with Mrs. Crosby, our Assistant Principal to keep thing running smoothly at the school. As we work through the rest of this school year, we have also begun the planning for 2023 - 24. Our planning includes amongst other things, resource allocation, staffing, and class organization for next year. Please know that as a staff of teachers and administrators, we engage in a very thorough process in assigning students to classes that involves a multiplicity of variables. Our dedication and thoughtfulness will again be brought to the assignment of students to classes over the next two months as we plan for the new school year. We cannot honour parental requests for specific teachers, but please know that you may contact administration (not teachers) if there are issues/concerns that you would like us to consider in the organization of classes related specifically to your child. Families or individual children who will not be returning to MTS for the 2023-2024 school year are requested to let the school know as soon as possible Since class lists change over the summer, we will not be releasing the class organization until the return to school when you will receive an introductory email from your child’s teacher for the 2023-24 school year. The months of May and June include many special events, field trips and celebrations. Please check teacher blogs and School Messenger notices for detailed information on school and class events For our Grade 4 students and students in Grade 3 whose families have chosen for them to attend McKenzie Highlands, it is a time to say farewell to the school they know and love as they move on to new adventures in learning. Taking their place will be a new crop of kindergarten students who will be starting school. Our commitment at MTS is to provide the best possible learning experience for young learners so that they remain engaged and motivated through their school days. The last day of the school term is Thursday, June 29. June 30 is Appeals day, a non-instructional day for students. Staff will be at the school from 8am – 1:00pm on June 30 before the start of the summer break. I would like to thank all parents who support MTS in so many ways. We appreciate that in working together we have built and continue to sustain a strong and vibrant learning environment at McKenzie Towne School. Dr. Lorraine Slater
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| The month of March brings to an end the winter term at school. The promise of spring is not far behind. It has been a busy two months at MTS. Highlights include report cards for students in grades 1-4, Kindness month during February including Pink Shirt Day and the grade 3 celebration of learning for parents that focussed on Kindness and anti-bullying. Students always look forward to the gymnastics unit in PE which takes place for 3 weeks in March. Parent Conferences March is a short month with spring break scheduled for March 27-31 and parent conferences on March 9 and 10. We would like to invite all parents to join us for upcoming conferences. Parents are asked to book an individual 15 minute time with the teacher through their CBE account. Conference booking is available as of Saturday, March 4 at 8 am. Conferences will take place in person at the school. Thursday, March 9 (Grades 1-4 conferences: 4:00pm – 8:00pm) (Kindergarten conferences: 8:00 am - 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm- 8:00 pm) · Regular day of instruction for 1-4 students, no school for Kindergarten Friday, March 10 (8:00am – 12:00pm) · No School for Students Please call the school if you require help or support with booking your conference. The conference is the opportunity for parents to meet with their child’s teacher in conversation about their child’s learning. Teachers will have samples of student work to share with parents in speaking about student learning and assessment. Staffing Update I want to provide an update on staffing. I will be on a medical leave related to surgery beginning on March 3. During my absence, Mrs. Edie Reichardt will be Acting Principal at the school. Mrs. Reichardt is a recently retired principal in the CBE. Some of you may remember Mrs. Reichardt from when she was Assistant Principal at MTS a number of years ago. Mrs. Reichardt is very familiar with MTS and many of the staff and students at the school. She is very excited to be reuniting with our school community and will work closely with Mrs. Crosby while I am away. Traffic and Safety We would like to thank our dog owners who are walking their dogs to school on a leash and saying their goodbyes from the sidewalk or school ground boundaries. We truly appreciate everyone’s effort in this regard. There have been ongoing concerns expressed over our parking lot and student drop-off and pick-up times. We are asking for your help in making MTS a safe place for our students to attend. We continue to experience difficulty with the parking situations around the school. The signage is very clear where parking is permitted and is placed in a manner to allow all our children to walk to school in a safe environment. Our Bus Zone is designed to allow the buses an easy/safe approach and departure from the front of the school. Our staff parking lot is at its maximum capacity and having parents drop students off in the parking lot is against school board regulations. This is due to the fact it creates a very unsafe situation for our children walking to school who use the sidewalk that crosses over the entrance to the lot. The staff parking lot is for staff only. Parents should not be entering or parking in the staff parking lot. Calgary Parking Authority continues to be contacted by a number of our neighbours who have had their driveways and garage doors blocked by parents/guardians of students attending our school. We strive to do our best to be good neighbours and as parents/guardians of students at MTS, you are all representatives of our school community. Unfortunately, the actions of a few can reflect on the whole, and we were saddened to hear about the lack of courtesy being offered to our neighbours and to each other regarding these safety issues. Everyone contributes to creating a safe and respectful community in McKenzie Towne in which to live, play, work and attend school. Parent Surveys There are two surveys that we ask parents to complete- one is for all parents and the other the provincial School Assurance Survey is for grade 4 parents. 1) School Planning Survey 2023 Learn and Share | School Planning We know we make better decisions to support student learning when we build understanding and work together. Therefore we are asking you to share your perspectives about our school development plan, school budget and school fees. · The survey is open from February 23, 2023 to March 16th, 2023, and you will find the link to the survey on our school website. 2) Alberta Education Assurance (AEA) Survey Parents of students in grade 4 should have received an AEA survey in the mail that can be completed online with the random access code mailed to you. Children in grade 4 will also be completing a student version of the survey here at the school during our regular instructional hours. All surveys are anonymous and the results will be shared next fall at our School Council meeting and on the school's website. The last day of school before spring break is March 24th. Students return to school on Monday, April 3. Please take time to relax and rejuvenate over the break. Sincerely, Dr. Lorraine Slater, Principal
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| Looking back to December, we are thankful for the memorable events that brought joy and belonging to all of us at MTS.
We would like to thank everyone who joined us for our grade 1 & 2 Winter Concert. The students presented at their usual high level of performance. We were pleased to see everyone have a chance to connect with their fellow community members. After the concerts it was wonderful to see parents, students and staff lingering, chatting and socializing in the open area of the school as they met their children at their classrooms. After a successful event such as this there are many people to thank. Thank you again to Ms. Morgan, our music teacher, and all the staff here at MTS for all the work that went into getting ready for the big event. We had many parents volunteer to decorate, set up and take down, which was very much appreciated.
Our charitable drive supporting the Magic of Christmas was an amazing success. Our goal was to “Light the World with Kindness” and we DID by filling six boxes of toys, household and personal items for families in need. It was heart-warming to watch the children bring their donations to the front foyer as they lit up each donation with a light bulb that was suspended to form strings of lights surrounding the donated items. Thank you MTS community for once again supporting this worthwhile charity. The students had ownership for the charitable project in a way that was meaningful for them and contributed to their sense of compassion, kindness and empathy for those less fortunate
Our annual Christmas story has become a tradition at our school. Every year, I have the opportunity to read a story over the intercom while the story is projected in each classroom on the Smartboard. As well, every year a student(s) participates in the reading with me. Thank you to Ashwin, grade 4, and Savannah, grade 3 for being my co-readers this year. We read the story The Christmas Boot with all students (in their PJ’s) listening in their classrooms, while snacking on oranges and mini-candy canes provided by School Council. My student readers were awesome and read with confidence and expression. I know that their classmates were proud to have them read the story with me, as was I.
On December 22, the last day before winter break, our staff was treated to a luncheon provided by School Council. On behalf of all staff (lunchroom supervisors, educational assistants, facility operators, teacher and administration) I want to thank all parents for your kindness and particularly to the executive members of the School Council who organized the feast for staff.
Looking forward to a busy January as we get back into the swing of things!
Sound Kreations Dance Company After successfully completing the dance residency with morning kindergarten and grades 3 & 4 at the end of November, Sound Kreations returns the week of January 9 to work with grades 1 & 2 and afternoon kindergarten classes. A sharing celebration will take place on Friday morning, at 11:00am, January 13. Parents are welcome to attend.
Staffing Update- Learning Disruption Support
CBE received funds from the provincial government to provide additional support for students identified as at risk based on Alberta Education Literacy assessment data gathered in the spring of 2022 (students currently in grades 2, 3 and 4). These funds will be utilized for learning intervention commencing Jan. 9, 2023 and ending March 24, 2023. McKenzie Towne School received a part time teacher allocation to support this learning intervention. We are pleased to announce that we have hired Breanna Massey to fill this position. Ms. Massey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English (Honours), from Mount Royal University and a Bachelor of Education form University of Lethbridge. She has experience teaching K- grade 12, and is also fluent in French. Obviously, literacy and language are a passion and area of expertise for Ms.Massey. We are thrilled to have her involved in the literacy intervention support. Parents will be informed if their child will be receiving this additional support for the 3 month time period.
Report Cards will be available on MyCBE during the week of January 30. Report cards are for Grades 1-4 and EES (no kindergarten report cards this term). Please follow up with your child’s teacher should you have questions.
Kindergarten Registration Kindergarten registration for the 2023-24 school year begins on Jan. 16, 2023. Please go to the CBE Registration page to register for kindergarten no earlier than Jan 16, 2023. Registrations are to be completed online. Kindergarten at MTS is a half-day program. At the time of registration, you will be asked to indicate a preference for a morning or afternoon class. Your preference will be considered when we assign students to a class in our spring organization and staffing process. Every attempt will be made to honor parent requests while recognizing the organizational needs of the school. All registrations received by March 20 will be considered equally – registrations are not numbered or ordered in terms of registration date.
Finally, I would like to stress once again the importance of your child’s regular attendance at school and arrival on time. Please continue to call the school if your child will be absent and provide reason for the absence, examples- illness, appointment, travel out of country. This information is documented at the school for each student in terms of attendance and late arrival. With the return to school in the new year our hope is that everyone will remain healthy and care for each other as we continue the learning journey in our positive and inspiring school environment.
Dr. Lorraine Slater, Principal
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| Dear Parents and Guardians, As the first term draws to a close, it is a time to reflect on our success and accomplishments these past three months as we look forward to December days. September 21 marked the day for our annual Terry Fox Run that is intended to raise awareness and funds in support of cancer research. Through the generosity of the community the school raised almost $ 2,000. As always, MTS families, showed their care and kindness for others in supporting this cause. An added bonus in meeting our goal was that Mr. Van Sluys sported a “tutu". This year, in solidarity with Mr. V. students were invited to don a tutu for the day and join in the fun. The fall term marked the completion of our in-school artistic/physical residency with Sound Kreations for morning Kindergarten, grades 3 and 4 and EES students. Grades 1 and 2 and afternoon Kindergarten will experience the residency when Sound Kreations returns to work with them the week of January 9-13. We thank parents who through their fund-raising organization and support provide our students with the opportunity to extend their learning through these unique experiences. It was energizing to have parents in the school to enjoy watching their child’s accomplishment and performance. The grade 4 students once again presented a memorable Remembrance Day assembly that was filled with music, and the representation of story, history and events through acting and video. All students in the school had the opportunity to participate in the assembly in the gym. Student art related to Remembrance Day once again beautifully decorated the walls of the school.
Parent- teacher conferences in November, once again held online due to outbreak status in the school at the time, provided the opportunity to discuss student learning and achievement, celebrate student success and set goals for the future. Students will receive their first of two report cards on January 31, 2023 and the second report card at the end of June. Our Scholastic Book Fair during the week of parent conferences in November was highly successful. Net sales of $ 8,430 resulted in a credit of $5,058 for the purchase of new books for the library. We thank parents for their generosity in supporting their children as readers and for the support of the book fair at the school which provides for the development and enrichment of the school library collection. We missed seeing parents in the school for the fair but students proved to be savvy consumers, armed with their wish list and the responsibility to purchase with the funds that parents entrusted them to bring to purchase their “picks." Thanks to our Library Assistant, Mrs. McLean for her organization. Each year, our school prepares a development plan with input from teachers, school staff, students and parents. We review many sources of data, including report cards, provincial achievement test results and school surveys. Based on this information, we create our plan identifying targeted areas for growth. Our school development plan is not meant to represent all of the work that takes place in our school, but rather it focuses on specific areas for improvement. Our school also prepares a results plan, which looks at our previous school year. It shows our students' achievement and progress in meeting the goals and outcomes as set out by the CBE and Alberta Education, outlines some of the highlights of our school development plan and gives an overview of our school. These documents are available on our school website. We look forward to many exciting events over the next several weeks. Previous School Messages and teacher blogs have advised you of these events which are also updated and posted on our school website. On behalf of the staff here at MTS I would like to extend to all our families the very best wishes for a peaceful, restful, and healthy winter break. The last day of classes is Thursday, December 22. We will see you back on Monday, January 9, 2023. Sincerely, Dr. Lorraine Slater
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| It is not a surprise that the arrival of November brought with it colder temperatures, snow on the ground, and an increase in colds and flu-related illnesses. Please monitor your child’s health closely to determine if he/she needs to be at home. Unfortunately these respiratory viruses spread very quickly and we want to do everything possible to keep everyone healthy and at school. Please remember to call the school if your child is going to be absent and provide the reason for their absence. All schools monitor the absentee rate on a daily basis and report to AHS when required to do so with high absenteeism. Lates We have had an increased number of late arrivals in the mornings. When students are late, it disrupts their class and the learning that is underway. Coming late to school is also a difficult transition for the late student- it can be stressful for them. When students arrive late at the front door, in the office, we do our best to greet students with a smile, a welcome slip, and an adult to walk them to class when we have administration available. In the event that your child needs to arrive late to school, we would ask that only the student enters the building. Adults do not need to come into the office to check their child in. This is especially important first thing in the morning when there is a high volume of traffic in the office. For your convenience, we have relaxed/soft entry every morning at 7:50 am. We recommend trying to arrive anytime between 7:50 - 8:00am so that your child has time to settle in class before starting their day of learning. Grade team teachers will always be at designated grade entry/exit doors at this time to welcome students into the school. Thursday, Nov. 10, 10:30 am- MTS Remembrance Day Assembly On Thursday, Nov. 10, all CBE schools will hold Remembrance Day assemblies in their buildings to honour our many military men and women and recognize the sacrifices made by Canadians in armed conflicts. Our grade four students have been working hard to prepare the assembly for the school. Parents are invited to join us at the school, in the gym, to join the ceremony. Friday, Nov. 11 – Remembrance Day All CBE schools and offices will be closed on Friday in commemoration of Remembrance Day. Flags will also be lowered to half-mast. Conferences We look forward to our upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences and we encourage all families to book an appointment to visit your child(ren)’s teachers. We plan to host in-person meetings on Thursday evening (November 24) from 4pm – 8pm and on Friday (November 25) from 8am-12pm. Bookings will open on Saturday, November 19 at 8:00 AM through your MyCBE account. Please note that this is your opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping as the school will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair during conference times. Sound Kreations Dance Residency November 28 to December 2 students in morning kindergarten and grades 3 and 4 will have the opportunity to increase their physical literacy through dance. Sound Kreations, a local dance company, will be coming to MTS to provide dance instruction. We have chosen the Mumbai Moves dance program enabling cross curricular connections to the grade 3 social studies program of study. As well, Alberta’s new Physical Education and Wellness curriculum states that physical literacy supports wellbeing across a lifespan, and dance is a great way to develop physical literacy. Parents will be invited to a dance performance on the morning of Friday, December 2. Please stay tuned for more information about the performance. Please note that afternoon kindergarten students and students in grades 1 and 2, will be completing their dance residency with Sound Kreations from January 9-13, 2023. We extend our thank you to all parents, who, through your fund-raising initiatives and support, enable the school to provide our students with these curriculum-related, exceptional experiences. Christmas Concerts- December 14, Grades 1 and 2 We are thrilled to be able to have students share their talent through a return to our annual Christmas celebration concerts. We will follow the pattern established several years ago with grades 1 and 2 offering the Christmas concerts, and grades 3 &4 providing a musical performance in the spring. The grade 1 concert will take place at 5:30 on Wednesday, December 14, followed by the grade 2 concert at 6:30. Parents can attend the concert that is applicable to their child’s grade. Organizing the concerts in this way has been highly supported by our parent community as the reduced number of students performing at one time has created more space and ease of seating and increased visibility for the performance in the gym. More information regarding the concerts will follow in December. If you are a grade 1 or 2 parent- save the date and time! Finally, a thank you is in order for all of our incredible parent volunteers who have supported us in the school this fall. We have had many parent volunteers so far this year. Some of these include: · Walks in the neighbourhood with many classrooms · Helping during our picture taking day · Attending school council meetings and taking on executive positions · Supporting Fun lunches and snacks · Attending field trips · Volunteering in our classrooms and learning commons Looking forward to seeing you in the school over the next two months. Stay healthy, happy and warm! Sincerely, Dr. Lorraine Slater
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Dr. Lorraine Slater
I am committed to working collaboratively with staff, parents and students in order to ensure the best possible education for our children.
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LCSlater@cbe.ab.ca
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