| It is January 10. Yesterday, we welcomed the smiling faces of our students back to school following the Winter Break. Stories of fun activities and exciting times with family and friends could be heard in many classrooms. It is now time to get back to the business of learning. In order to support our School Development Plan goal of improving student writing, “Writing Day” is again being used as a strategy. Each month, all students in the school produce a piece of writing that is then assessed using a grade-specific rubric that reflects learning outcomes from the New Curriculum (Kindergarten – Grade 3) or Program of Studies (Grades 4-6). As we move through the remainder of the school year, I look forward to seeing how this strategy supports writing improvement. Thank you to all who made our Cookie Dough fundraiser a success! The wrap up assembly was buzzing with energy and the school-wide pizza party was enjoyed by all. The funds raised will support and enrich student opportunities at school. These funds represent only a portion of funds raised by our School Council that benefit the school and its students. If you are interested in becoming involved in Council, the next meeting is Thursday, 19 January 2023, at 6:30pm. We meet face-to-face at the school. Please join us! On 30 January 2023, report cards will be available for online viewing. Parent Conferences will follow shortly on 02 February 2023 and 03 February 2023. More details will be sent out shortly. As this is Calgary, there is no predicting the weather. When I moved to this city in 1979, the first thing I was told was “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes”. Please ensure that your child is dressed for the weather – as unpredictable as that is. Unless it is -20 (with wind chill) or colder, students will go outside for recess, fresh air and play! As always, thank you for your ongoing support of your child, our staff and our school. Together we are a great team!
|
| If snow and very cold temperatures define December, then December is now here! It is hard to believe how fast the school year is going. In three short weeks, Winter Break will begin. It is an opportunity to relax and recharge the batteries for the remainder of the school year. It is a great time to gather and read as a family, have conversations and just to hang out with friends and family. Congratulations! As a school community, we filled six large boxes with non-perishable items to be donated to the Veterans Association Food Bank. This was an amazing effort – well done! Congratulations to the Grade 4 classes led by Mr Hall, Ms Hart and Ms Lang. They organized and presented an amazing Remembrance Day ceremony for the school. It was meaningful and reflected the significance of the day. Everyday, I am astounded by the amazing things accomplished at Riverbend School. Thank you students, staff and community who make this school a great place! As Canadians, we would like to assume that this season of the year is a happy and joyful time for all. Sadly, this is far from the truth. Many families struggle throughout the year and the Christmas season is no different. It is a time for those who can to share with those who need our support. Citizenship is a significant focus of the Calgary Board of Education and kindness is an important focus of Riverbend School. Supporting others is a way in which citizenship and kindness are demonstrated. No matter what you can do to help others at this time of year, please do so. Big or small, any support will make someone else’s life better. Please remind your child/children that, perhaps more than any time of the year, it is the time to remember to be kind to everyone around you. Even a kind word goes a long way! Have a safe and wonderful December!
|
| November has arrived! The weather is changing and the days are getting shorter. Although we have experienced our first snow fall, November is usually the indicator of more snow to come. It is a reminder of the need to dress for the weather and ensuring that we wear the right footwear for conditions. Winter time also brings the need for more caution. As drivers, we need to be aware that kids in snowsuits and hoods often do not have the full range or vision and may not be paying attention to the traffic. Children are often unaware that it takes cars and trucks longer to stop during icy conditions. Safety is our first focus at Riverbend School. Last week I was able to experience a true Riverbend School event – the School Council Halloween Dance. It was very well attended and many of the parents arrived well costumed for the occasion. It was an evening filled with noise, excitement and fun! It is a pleasure to walk through and spend time in all the classrooms in the school. It is awesome to witness students actively engaged in learning and focussed on the task at hand. Students are excited to share what they are learning and proud to show what they have produced – whether art, writing or a mathematical challenge! Every year time seems to fly by faster and faster. As a school, we have survived Halloween and move forward into Remembrance Day – a time of year that holds much significance for me. As a veteran and a Canadian, I am aware of the significant sacrifices made by Canadians for Canada and the World throughout our nation’s history. It is not a pleasant story but it is part of our national identity. During November, take time to remember. Take time to visit the many sites in Calgary that honour the sacrifice of Canadians – statues, memorials and cenotaphs. Take time. For The Fallen They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
~ Laurence Binyon
|
| It is hard to believe that October is upon us! The month of September went by so quickly. Routines were rapidly established and students quickly engaged in learning activities. Riverbend School is full speed ahead! Due to numbers, the Grade 4 class was split into two. We welcomed Sarah Lang who will teach our new Grade 4 class. As a result, John Hall will be teaching the wellness portion of the new Physical Education and Wellness curriculum to all students Grades 1 through 6. Part of his focus will be to integrate the Holistic Lifelong Learning Framework into the Wellness curriculum. We successfully completed the Terry Fox Run on Friday, 16 September 2022, with all students and staff participating. Thanks to our generous community, $1060 was raised and will be sent to the Terry Fox Foundation. Well done Riverbend! The Riverbend School Council held its first meeting of the year on Wednesday, 21 September 2022. It was a great opportunity to gather and develop plans, to not only support the school but also to provide opportunities for the wider community to connect with the school. The next meeting is Wednesday, 19 October 2022, at the school and all parents/guardians are welcome to attend. Thank you to all of you who attended our first set of Parent Conferences on 22 and 23 September 2022. This was my first opportunity to meet all of you and it was clear how much each of you supports your children and the school community. That support is what makes Riverbend School so amazing. The month of September ended with the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. During the last week of the month, students learned about what this day represents and why it is important. “On Sept. 30, Canada will mark its second National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time to commemorate children who died while being forced to attend church-run and government-funded residential schools, those who survived and made it home, their families and communities still affected by the lasting trauma” (CBC Radio). Riverbend School marked this day by holding Orange Shirt Day on Thursday, 29 September 2022 as there were no classes on 30 September 2022. Time does fly when we are busy and having fun! Thank you to all the students, staff, parent and guardians who make Riverbend School at truly wonderful place to learn! |
| The 2022-2023 school year has begun at Riverbend School! For the past three days, teachers and staff have prepared their classrooms and the school to welcome back our students. It is an exciting time – to see all that Riverbend School can be as a small school community. Although many staff have moved to other opportunities with the opening of the new schools serving the community of Mahogany, the majority of staff for 2022-2023 are not new to Riverbend School. For students and community, this means familiar faces welcoming them back for another school year. The safety and well-being of our students is a priority. We work with our parents and community to ensure that students are safe coming to and returning from school, safe in school and at all activities that are organized by the school. We ask parents to be part of ensuring student safety by communicating to the school if there are issues or concerns so that they may be addressed. We also ask that parents be aware of the risks associated with students and cars in the school area. Please do not use the parking lots to drop off students. Be aware that excited students forget traffic rules and this demands extra awareness on the part of drivers. Safety at school is everyone’s priority! Communication is essential in supporting education. Please feel free to contact teachers when you have questions, join your child at Student Led Conferences, join School Council or become involved in whatever way works best for you. Learning is best accomplished when we all work together! Students are core to a school’s purpose. Encourage your child to be an active learner, to ask questions, to challenge not just accept new knowledge, to be a leader in their own education. Learning is not a spectator sport! I am excited for the school year to come - to watch the teaching and learning that occurs in each and every classroom and teaching space, to watch students work together and support each other, to see the smiles of success and celebrations of achievement reflect the excellence of the school. I am proud to be part of such a wonderful school community! Mike Black
Principal
|
| All the latest events at Riverbend School can be found under the News Centre link at the top of this page. |
| I hope this 'Round Up' finds you excited for the end of the school year and the summer activities you
have planned with your families!
As Principal, it has been an honor to serve the Riverbend School community
this past year. I have come to learn that at Riverbend there is truth in the saying, ‘It Takes a Village
to Raise a Child’. Each day is an opportunity to witness parents involved in their children’s learning
alongside teachers who are dedicated to their progress and improvement.
I am excited about the future
and look forward to many years of great learning.
Congratulations to all of our students for completing another significant year in their educational journey!
To our grade sixes, enjoy your junior high school years; you are ready! We welcome the many new kindergarten
students and families and all new students to Riverbend for next year.
Thank you to our School Council who met on a regular basis each month and for their strong support of
our school, as it is very much appreciated. Many learning resources and events would not be possible
without the dedicated commitments of this small but strong group of parents.
Thanks to the staff of Riverbend School who have made this a great year of learning through their hard
work and dedication to our students. As I think back over the year, I am amazed by all the events that
staff and students were involved in, we are indeed a very busy place!
At the end of the year we have to say ‘Farewell for Now Friend’ to several staff members. Farewell to
Ms. Cayla Medhurst, Ms. Chelsea Ray, Mrs. Lindsay Tingley and Ms. Cassandra Lapthorne – all of us
wish you the very best in the future.
For the 2017 – 2018 School Year, Riverbend School welcomes back Mrs. Laura Smith, Mrs. Charlotte
Wallewein and Mrs. Jennifer Moradi – who are returning from maternity leaves. We also welcome Ms.
Lindsey Bourgeois who will be job sharing in a classroom with Mrs. Wallewein and welcome to Mrs.
Bernice Gibb who will be joining Riverbend staff as Physical Education teacher.
Have a great summer with your families!
|
| The students did an amazing job of organizing themselves with the staff to create a beautiful red and white picture of our human Canadian Flag! The photos are available and should you have any questions regarding the 8x10 photo please contact the office at Riverbend School. |
| Summer and sun fun have arrived! While we enjoy the heat, it brings back mosquitoes, wasps and sunburns. At Riverbend School, we like to emphasize to our students the importance of applying sun screen and wearing hats while outdoors to help prevent sunstroke and keep them weather safe! Also a friendly to reminder that children are not to share sunscreen or bug spray as other children may have allergies to certain product brands. Thank you so much and enjoy the sun! |
Follow javascript: SP.SOD.executeFunc('followingcommon.js', 'FollowDoc', function() { FollowDoc('{ListId}', {ItemId}); }); 0x0 0x0 ContentType 0x01 1100 Compliance Details javascript:if (typeof CalloutManager !== 'undefined' && Boolean(CalloutManager) && Boolean(CalloutManager.closeAll)) CalloutManager.closeAll(); commonShowModalDialog('{SiteUrl}'+
'/_layouts/15/itemexpiration.aspx'
+'?ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}', 'center:1;dialogHeight:500px;dialogWidth:500px;resizable:yes;status:no;location:no;menubar:no;help:no', function GotoPageAfterClose(pageid){if(pageid == 'hold') {STSNavigate(unescape(decodeURI('{SiteUrl}'))+
'/_layouts/15/hold.aspx'
+'?ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}'); return false;} if(pageid == 'audit') {STSNavigate(unescape(decodeURI('{SiteUrl}'))+
'/_layouts/15/Reporting.aspx'
+'?Category=Auditing&backtype=item&ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}'); return false;} if(pageid == 'config') {STSNavigate(unescape(decodeURI('{SiteUrl}'))+
'/_layouts/15/expirationconfig.aspx'
+'?ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}'); return false;}}, null); 0x0 0x1 ContentType 0x01 898
|
(Hidden) About this blog
|
|
Welcome to SharePoint Blogs. Use this space to provide a brief message about this blog or blog authors. To edit this content, select "Edit Page" from the "Site Actions" menu.
|
Follow javascript: SP.SOD.executeFunc('followingcommon.js', 'FollowDoc', function() { FollowDoc('{ListId}', {ItemId}); }); 0x0 0x0 ContentType 0x01 1100 Compliance Details javascript:if (typeof CalloutManager !== 'undefined' && Boolean(CalloutManager) && Boolean(CalloutManager.closeAll)) CalloutManager.closeAll(); commonShowModalDialog('{SiteUrl}'+
'/_layouts/15/itemexpiration.aspx'
+'?ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}', 'center:1;dialogHeight:500px;dialogWidth:500px;resizable:yes;status:no;location:no;menubar:no;help:no', function GotoPageAfterClose(pageid){if(pageid == 'hold') {STSNavigate(unescape(decodeURI('{SiteUrl}'))+
'/_layouts/15/hold.aspx'
+'?ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}'); return false;} if(pageid == 'audit') {STSNavigate(unescape(decodeURI('{SiteUrl}'))+
'/_layouts/15/Reporting.aspx'
+'?Category=Auditing&backtype=item&ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}'); return false;} if(pageid == 'config') {STSNavigate(unescape(decodeURI('{SiteUrl}'))+
'/_layouts/15/expirationconfig.aspx'
+'?ID={ItemId}&List={ListId}'); return false;}}, null); 0x0 0x1 ContentType 0x01 898
|
