Admin Message
Dear Altadore Families,
This week we have been working on our School Declaration Package. This is all of the documentation we complete regarding what days students will be in school next year, school hours, and determining many of the important dates for things like conferences etc. We wanted to share a few changes we are planning for next year.
Changes to dismissal times: A few years ago, at the beginning of the pandemic, there was a change in how schools were asked to account for transitional minutes, to ensure that the time students were moving from the classroom to the gym, was not included as instructional time. The ways schools accounted for this time varied dramatically. This year the CBE standardized the process. As Altadore had many more transitional minutes than most schools, for the 2024-2025 school year we will be dismissing students five minutes earlier at the end of the day. It also means there will be a 50 minute lunch break.This means that beginning in August, students will be dismissed at 3:15 Monday to Thursday, and at 12:10 on Fridays.
Afternoon recess for Grades 1-3: Our division one teachers have been finding that students have more difficulty focussing and engaging in their work in the afternoons compared to the morning, and have requested that we move their recess break to the afternoon. Other schools have found this to be very successful so we have decided to give it a try. Our thinking is that students will continue to have a short nutrition break in the morning where they can eat a snack while listening to a story or engaging in some other academic task. Then in the afternoon, they would have the chance to go outside. We will monitor how effective this change is throughout the fall, and make adjustments if necessary.
As always, if you have any questions or we can help in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to us!
Sincerely,
Kelly Christopher, Principal
kdchristophe@cbe.ab.ca
Karlee Zelmer, Assistant Principal
kmzelmer@cbe.ab.ca
School Council Annual General Meeting (June 12, 6:30PM)
Come out this Wednesday to find out what’s happening at Altadore School!
The Altadore Elementary School Parents' Association and School Council Annual General Meeting will be held on June 12, 6:30pm at Altadore School. All parents and guardians are welcome and encouraged to attend. It's a great way to build a connection to the school, meet other parents, and to learn more about what is happening at the school. You will also be able to meet our new principal, Iikiinayooka!
Babysitting for school aged children will be provided in a nearby classroom to help encourage more people to attend. We would really love to see you there!
School Council Meeting Agenda
- Presentation of the School Council Annual Report to be submitted to the CBE
- Recognition of 2023-2024 School Council Volunteers
- Confirmation of 2024-2025 School Council Volunteers
Parents' Association Meeting Agenda
- Resignation of Executive members not returning.
- Election of new Executive. Nominees are:
Kristi McAllister - Secretary
Brian Brix - Treasurer
Amy Close - Fundraising Chair
TBC - Vice President - Returning Executive are:
Julia Hikita - President
Michelle Jung - Casino Chair - Approval of budget for 2024-2025 school year
Join us as we review our budget, and see where all of your fundraiser dollars are spent in the school!
The meeting minutes from our last meeting are available for review HERE!
We hope to see you this Wednesday!
Swimming
Two days of swimming lessons for our students in Kindergarten to Grade 2 were cancelled this week due to the emergency water main break in Calgary. We have tentatively rebooked these lessons for June 24 and 25. Hopefully everything will be resolved by then!
We also want to remind you that although students are having lessons to improve their swimming skills. There will be no report card at the end as students are not assessed according to any swimming program levels.
National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration - June 21
National Indigenous Peoples Day is June 21. We will be recognizing, celebrating, and honouring Indigenous heritage, culture and ways of being.
At 9:00, weather permitting there will be dancing, drumming and singing. The Tootoosis family, including some of our former students, who run the Four Winds Indigenous Showcase and Market will be returning to dance. Randy Turning Robe Jr. will also be drumming for us this year. Mrs. Brown-Wolfe is working with students on some songs and we plan to end with a round dance.
Family and friends are all welcome to come and join the celebration, as long as we are able to be outside. If there is inclement weather and we need to move to the gym, we will only be able to accommodate students and staff.
Summer Splash - June 24, 5pm-7pm
Get ready… The Summer Splash is a student favourite event of the year! It is a fun casual event and it makes a great kickoff to summer! Come join the fun with your picnic blanket and lawn chairs. Bring your own picnic, get something from the food trucks and/or visit the designated “wet zone” for those who would like to take part in a water fight! There will also be a “dry zone” for those who would like to picnic and visit without getting wet. Come meet some new families and celebrate the end of the school year!
Sports Day (June 26)
Sports Day is coming up and we need LOTS of volunteers to make it run!!!
On June 26, students spend the day with their friends, exploring numerous stations set up around the school grounds with games and sports (past stations have included tag, gaga pit games, or obstacle courses). The program is organized by Sportball coaches, but requires parent volunteers to oversee each station. The Sportball coaches are onsite to teach you what to do at your station, so you don’t have to be proficient in athletics to take part and make this a fun day for all of the students. Please review the available slots and sign up for a morning shift, afternoon shift, or both! Just click HERE!
Please note that you must have a valid CBE police check to volunteer.
Altadore Garden
Students had a fun week in the garden, taking advantage of the nice weather! The students not only learned about lots of different bugs and insects that live in the gardens at Altadore School and how they work to make a strong environment for our gardens, but also they went on a bug hunt to find some of these friends!
Ask your child which bugs or insects they got to meet in person this week, and if they know which ones help pollinate the garden! 🐝🐞🐛
Altadore Gear
Stock up for the summer and celebrate Altadore with custom tees starting at $15!
Check out the site HERE!
(Please note that this is not a fundraiser, but a fun way for everyone to feel a part of the Altadore community. The school does not profit from the purchase of these items.)
Notes of Thanks
Thank you to the following individuals for their recent contributions to our school…
Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped the grades K-2 get to the Glenmore Pool for swimming lessons for the first part of the week, and to those who still helped out after lessons were cancelled, to join some classes on a fun community walk.
Questions?
Looking for school information you can’t find here? Please contact:
Kelly Christopher, Principal (kdchristophe@cbe.ab.ca)
Karlee Zelmer, Assistant Principal (kmzelmer@cbe.ab.ca)
Julia Hikita, Altadore School Council Chair (altadoreparentcouncil@gmail.com)
Important Dates
June 11 Evergreen Theatre Performance
June 12 School Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 6:30
June 19 Grade 6 Social PAT
June 20 Grade 6 Science PAT
June 21 National Indigenous People’s Day Celebration 9:00
June 24 Summer Splash 5:00 - 7:00 PM
June 25 Grade 6 Farewell 11:00 AM
June 26 Sports Day
June 27 Last Day of School 12:15 dismissal