| 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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| Students and staff are settling nicely into the routines and rhythm of the new school year. Our first few weeks of school have been quite exciting as we welcomed 550 students to the school community. Teachers have been busy building connections to the land and community as we begin our journey together into a new school year. We are excited to see our learners moving towards a year of normalcy and joy in a way that they have not experienced since before the pandemic. 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.
At our System Meeting for Administrators on September 14, our Chief Superintendent, Christopher Usih, focused on the importance to students in having a sense of belonging at school. He shared the research that has shown that academic outcomes correlate strongly with students’ self-reported level of school belonging. Belonging is a central tenet of inclusionary education and, as a school community, developing a sense of belonging is explicit within our wellness goal in our School Development Plan. I am pleased to report that the results of our spring 2022 Alberta Education Assurance Survey indicate that 100 % of the 82 grade 4 students who responded to the survey indicated that “they feel welcome at school” and 95% reported that “they feel like they belong.” The results of the 2022 survey speak to the focus of the developmental work over the years at MTS that continues in importance as our population grows, changes, and evolves.
Staffing Update The staffing process continues into the fall as we have both said goodbye and welcomed new staff to MTS. We have been pleased to welcome Mrs. Herta Siarkiewicz to our school as we were able to add an additional grade 3 class due to an increase in enrolment. Thank you to the parents who agreed to have their children move to the new class, which has reduced the class size numbers in grade 3. We bid farewell to Mrs. Liz Hrycan, teacher in the EES program, and have welcomed Mrs. Swapna Bhagat Luthra to the EES team. Mrs. Luthra brings a strong background in Special Education to the students in the program. We were very sad to say farewell to Mrs. Jennifer Croteau who has been at the school for 6 years as Lead in the lunchroom program. We wish Mrs. Croteau well in her new adventures and know that she will be successful in her new job. She will be missed by students and staff.
Terry Fox Run 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. The children were delighted to see that having surpassed our fund-raising goal, Mr. Van Sluys, our 6 ft. 4 inch P.E. teacher carried out his promise to wear a tutu for a full day at school. He demonstrated that he is a great sport as he had students chuckling and giggling at him all day! This year, in solidarity with Mr. V. students were invited to don a tutu for the day and join in the fun.
Orange Shirt Day Students spent time reflecting on the meaning of Orange Shirt Day during the week of September 26-30. They learned a Land Acknowledgement with actions as well as a song “The Children’s Blessing” which the entire school community sang at our Orange Shirt Day assembly on Thursday, September 29. Teachers accessed the school’s collection of Indigenous picture books to serve as a springboard for conversation and learning activities. For example, the grade one classes read the picture book called “My Suitcase: Nii Sookayis” by author Christina Fox (iitsisaanoowa). Students were very interested to learn a few Blackfoot words from the story. The main character in the story tells about her time at a school far away from her traditions and family. Students talked about how this would feel. They made a list of things they could do to make others feel like they matter. They created mini orange shirts on orange paper and wrote a way that would show others they matter at our school. Other age-appropriate activities related to Indigenous ways of knowing and cultural significance took place in all classrooms The week culminated with the whole school assembly where students heard a story about the history of Orange Shirt Day. Back in their classrooms, they talked about words that describe how they feel at MTS. All students joined in a feather project in which each child created a unique feather with a word to show how they feel at MTS. The feathers are proudly displayed in our front hallway for everyone to admire and to feel a part of in terms of their individual contribution. Responding to the prompt, I FEEL…at MTS, some of the words that students inscribed on their feather included: strong, welcome, grateful, happy, calm, brave, visible, proud, safe, loved, positive, curious, respected, joyful, brave, protected, special.
Toys at School- No! We would like to remind parents that it is not advisable for children to bring toys to school. Toys are a diversion from the focus on learning at school, and can become an issue/conflict if they are lost or taken by another child. We encourage our students to be active during their recess and lunch breaks and to engage with the physical activity resources that are available at the school such as basketballs and soccer balls, Please note that trading cards such as POKEMON are not allowed at the school, outside at recess or lunch, or on the bus.
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 with 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. My greatest joy is to be able to be back in classrooms working with students and teachers.
Dr. Lorraine Slater, Principal
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| We were thrilled to see our students again in school. Thank you for your patience and support throughout our entry planning and messaging to you. We had a smooth and calm return to school. Our school is spotless and sparkling after undergoing a thorough cleaning this summer under the direction of our new facility operator, May Reynaldo. We are fortunate to work in a building that provides such a bright and healthy environment and that maintains its sense of being new and fresh after 12 years. We have some new faces on staff and have welcomed the EES Program (Enhanced Educational Support) to our school with teachers, Veronika Havkin and Elizabeth Hrycan. We all look forward to getting to know the students in the EES classes and supporting them to feel a part of MTS. We also are very pleased to have Mrs. Kerry Fell join us, teaching Kindergarten. She brings a wealth of early grade teaching experience to MTS. As well, we welcome Mrs. Kayla Watson back to MTS after supporting MTS students last year on two temporary assignments in grades 1 and 2. Mrs. Watson will join the Kindergarten team fulltime this year. Our teaching teams have a “new look” as teachers at the school have changed grades and moved to new classrooms as we have reconfigured our grades 1 and 2 in the east wing and grades 3 and 4 in the west wing. Kindergarten now occupies the east portables and the EES the west portables. Mrs. Sonja Girard, grade 4 teacher, is on medical leave and we are pleased to have Ms. Stephanny Penfold back at MTS on a temporary contract teaching Mrs. Girard’s class. Although we do not have a definite return to work date for Mrs. Girard, we anticipate that she will be off for most of the first term. We welcome Mrs. Kruger back to the school this year teaching grade 2. After being on an extended medical leave last year, she has returned to school transitioning back with a modified work schedule. Joining Mrs. Kruger, and holding major responsibilities for the class while Mrs. Kruger is on a modified time schedule is Mrs. Coleen Wenc who is a familiar face at MTS. As a very experienced teacher, Mrs. Wenc has always been part of the MTS team in various grades and roles. Please check the MTS website for a complete list of staff members for the 2022-23 school year along with their assignments.
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.
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. · Classroom Blogs – (classroom teachers will provide blog posts every Friday beginning September 9) · Email · Phone Calls · In person school meetings at arranged times Communication from the school will include:
· School Website – will highlight events occurring at the school · Administration Monthly Message on website · Email, phone calls · School Messenger · 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. Thank you for holding fast in your support of our school community through the challenging times of the past 2 years. 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. Wishing all of us a healthy and happy month of September! Dr. Lorraine Slater
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| As the 2021-22 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. The last few months of this school year have 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 days such as our recent Sports Day have been heart-warming and have filled the school with joy. Thank you to all parents. Our staff would like to thank Parent Council for the delicious lunch provided to us on Friday, June 17. Please note the following: Families may view report cards beginning June 28, through MyCBE. The school will not be printing report cards, but families can print through the website. Appeals day is Wednesday, June 29 from 9:00 am - 1:00pm. This is your opportunity to contact your child's teacher by email to ask them any questions you have about the report card. The school office will be open from 9:00 – 1:00pm on June 30. Because changes occur over the course of the summer, class lists will not be available until the first day of school, September 1, 2022. The end of the year always brings changes with staff who are moving to different school settings. We say a fond farewell to Ms. Hamilton, Ms. Shillington, and Ms. Cotton who have been at MTS for a number of years and have contributed greatly to building a culture of excellence at MTS. As well, we say goodbye and thank you to Ms. Watson, Ms. Cooper, Mr. Kurtz, Ms. Wuetherick, Ms. Poon, and Ms. Alle who all served on temporary contracts at the school. Several support staff are also leaving the school including Ms. Angela Paravicini, lunchroom supervisor, and our facility operations staff- Ximena Gavilanes, Famela Lacao, and Jenaliza Ablas. We are pleased to inform parents that Ms. Jenhene Morgan will remain on staff next year. We also welcome teacher, Mrs. Kerri Fell to our school. - EES (Enhanced Educational Support Program)
MTS is pleased to welcome the establishment of the EES program classes at our school. The classes are moving from Douglasdale School and will be supported by teachers Ms. Veronika Havkin and Mrs. Elizabeth Hrycan. 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 September 1, 2022. Dr. Lorraine Slater
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| Returning from spring break with the easing of Covid restrictions, the month of April has been joyous for us at McKenzie Towne as we have been able to resume many of the activities such as field trips, volunteers in the school, fun lunches, merging of cohorts, and SINGING that bring us together as a community.
As we prepare for the 2022-23 school year, we are in the throes of planning and staffing processes for next year. Every year brings changes in staffing as we add new staff members and say goodbye to others whose career choices take them in different directions. Staffing continues through the month of June. I hope to be able to announce the 2022-23 staff to you in a short final newsletter that will go home with report cards on the last day of school, Tuesday, June 28th at regular dismissal time. During the next two months teachers and administration will come together multiple times to organize and plan class lists for next year. Please note that this is a collaborative, intentional process and many factors are considered in planning classes for next year including such factors as: children with special learning needs and/or social/emotional concerns, English Language Learners, gender, student needs in terms of their working relationships with peers as well as their individual strengths, and consideration of possible classroom dynamics. Parents who have particular information that they feel may support the classroom planning process may contact me in writing with that information which will be considered in the process. Requests for particular teachers by parents is not part of this process given the multiple factors listed above. Class placements will reflect our sincere effort to create balanced classrooms where each child is valued, challenged and successful.
As in previous years School Council has made a huge difference in the learning opportunities that have been offered to our students throughout this school year. In addition to the events that have been planned and hosted by School Council such as special lunches, and the upcoming grade 4 farewell celebration, fund- raising efforts planned by School Council and supported by the parent community have been invaluable to our students. We thank you for your support of the fundraising initiatives which have enabled us to provide enhanced learning experiences for our students this year including Three left Feet dance residency for K-2 and Alien Inline Skating for grades 3&4, busing for grade field trips, and support of the cost of busing for grade 4 swimming. These curricular-related, but “extra” learning programs would not be possible within the provincial funding framework that exists for schools- so once again we thank you for supporting these worthwhile and memorable experiences. Over the years MTS parents have supported the establishment of resources for our Music, PE, literacy, library, and academic areas enabling us to offer programs that are well-established and provide extensive learning opportunities for our students in both core academic and specialization areas. Looking forward to May and June...
The months of May and June are significant in terms of special events, field trips and celebrations in the school. For our grade 4 students it will be the time to say farewell to the school they know and love as they move on to new schools and adventures in learning. As well, some families of grade 3 students have chosen to send their children to McKenzie Highlands School for grade 4. McKenzie Towne School will continue to provide grade 4 classes. All grade 3&4 students will have the opportunity to visit McKenzie Highlands School on May10 through a field trip organized and hosted by McKenzie Highlands School.
Kindergarten Orientation for Next Year Students
We will be hosting a Welcome to Kindergarten Orientation on May 26 (6:00-7:00 pm) for next year's Kindergarten students. We are very excited to welcome the newest group of MTS learners. This orientation will be in person at the school. Parents and future Kindergarten students are welcome to attend to learn about the Kindergarten, see the classrooms spaces, and to answer all the questions that new parents might have. We look forward to welcoming our newest and youngest learners in September!
Other special events scheduled for May and June include:
- Online Book Fair- May 13-20
- Grade 3 Assembly – May 27, 8:30 am (open area west side of school)
- Field trips – grades 1,3 and 4 ( check website and teacher blogs for dates and details)
- Kindergarten farewell assemblies – June 22 and 23 @ 2:00pm (open area east side of school)
- Grade 4 farewell assembly – June 24. 10:30 – 12:00 (gym)
- Sports/Fun Day – June 27
Finally, I would like to extend a thank you to MTS families who supported the recent collection of household and personal items in support of Ukraine. Our heart goes out to the people of Ukraine and once again MTS families have shown their care and generosity. We thank Jennifer Dobson, parent, for organizing this collection that has been delivered to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church/Cultural Centre in Calgary for distribution.
I hope to see you at the school over the next two months!
Sincerely, 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 few months at MTS. The pandemic has presented additional challenges in terms of student and staff absences due to illness. January was a particularly difficult month with staff members needing to be home to recover and /or isolate due to the virus. As a result the CBE, and McKenzie Towne School struggled on some days to cover staff absence. Your child may have had several different substitute teachers as we maintained in school learning, often through redeployment of staff and internal administrative coverage of classes. As the case count has decreased, and restrictions have eased, we breathe a sigh of relief, as we are filled with the hope that we can once again “do things the way we have always done them” at home, school, and the world.
Staffing Update I want to provide an update on staffing. I would like to thank Mr. Bruce Johnston who was Acting Principal for a couple of weeks in February when I was away from the school. Thanks also to our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Crosby and Learning Leader, Ms. Blake who supported in administrative responsibilities. We have welcomed back Mrs. Burch to the school as she has partnered with Mrs. Watson in the grade one class for the past month in transitioning back to full time teaching responsibilities. Thank you to Mrs. Watson who has done amazing work with the grade one class since the start of the school year in Mrs. Burch’s absence. The students have enjoyed having two teachers for the past month and will be sad to say goodbye to Mrs. Watson while coming to know and welcome Mrs. Burch. Ms. Cotton continues on medical leave and Mrs. Rachel Wuetherick has capably assumed responsibility for her Kindergarten and Music teaching assignment. Also, we welcome Ms. Morgan to the school, covering for Mrs. Kruger who is on medical leave. We are pleased to have Mrs. Penner in the literacy and math support role while Ms. Cooper continues her responsibilities with the grade 3 class as we await further notice about this funding initiative from the Alberta government.
Parent Conferences March is a short month with parent conferences on March 10 and 11. We would like to invite all parents to join us for upcoming virtual conferences. Parents are asked to book an individual 15 minute conference time with the teacher through their CBE account. Thursday, March 10 (Grades 1-4 conferences: 4:00pm – 8:00pm) (Kindergarten conferences: 8:00 am - 12:00pm and 4:00pm- 8:00pm) · Regular day of instruction for 1-4 students, no school for Kindergarten Friday, March 11 (8:00am – 1:00pm) · No School for Students Online registration for meeting times is available through MyCBE/PowerSchool as of Saturday, March 5 at 8am. To join the online conference, open the conference confirmation email or the calendar invitation. Scroll to the connection link and click the link Join Microsoft Teams Meeting. If the conference confirmation email has been misplaced, parents can obtain all conference details by logging into School Conferences via their MyCBE/PowerSchool account. 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.
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. Please read the reminders from The Parking Authority to familiarize yourself with the City of Calgary Parking Bylaws. · Avoid double parking · Watch for signs indicating ‘No Stopping’ and ‘No Parking’ zones · Leave 5 metres (16 feet) between your car and any crosswalk markings. This will ensure children are visible when they enter the crosswalk. · School bus zones must be kept clear so children can step off the bus and onto a curb instead of exiting into a busy street. · Parking too close to stop signs, yield signs or intersections makes it difficult to see children in the area and obstructs the view of other motorists. A distance of 5 metres is required. · Blocking entrances to garages or driveways angers neighbours. Stay back at least 1.5 metres (5 feet). All parking infractions in school zones are subject to a minimum $50 fine. Please park responsibly and help make streets safe for our children.
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 2022 Learn and Share | School Planning We know we make better decisions to support student learning when we build understanding and work together. That’s why we are asking you to share your perspectives about our school development plan, school budget and school fees. · The survey is open from February 28th, 2022 to March 16th, 2022. Please visit: https://mckenzietowne.cbedialogue.com/en/projects/school-planning-survey-2022/engagements/mckenzie-towne-school-planning-survey-2022-elementary to complete the survey. 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 18th. Students return to school on Monday, March 28th. Please take time to relax and rejuvenate over the break.
Sincerely, Dr. Lorraine Slater, Principal
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(Hidden) About this blog
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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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