Oki Hello Ataldore Families 

We can hardly believe it’s the last week of school! Please take a moment to review the weekly updates for year-end activities and events. 

I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to every student, parent, family member, and teacher who has welcomed me into the Altadore School community. This year has been one of learning and growth, as I’ve come to better understand how we can work together toward our shared goal of student academic excellence. 

My learning journey and the building of new relationships will continue into the 2025–26 school year. With hand to heart, I offer my gratitude for a truly wonderful year. 

Take care, 

National Indigenous Peoples’ Day (NIPD) 

National Indigenous Peoples’ Day was celebrated on Thursday, June 19. The day was filled with tipi construction, drumming and dance demonstrations, storytelling, and a delicious feast featuring frybread provided by Russ Baker Catering. 

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the CBE Indigenous Education Team for providing the tipi and to Shane Cunningham and Shane Spriggs for leading the tipi construction. Our Grade 5 and 6 students, along with parent volunteers, took on leadership roles and showed a strong eagerness to learn more about the construction process. They were AWESOME! Every class had the opportunity to observe the tipi being built at various stages and to explore its interior.

Shane Cunningham also shared traditional stories throughout the day, including the Blackfoot story Napi and the Mice and the Cree story Why the Moose’s Coat is Loosest. Ask your child(ren) if they can retell the stories—Shane is a gifted storyteller who brings stories to life with energy and flair. Thank you, Shane—you’re the BEST! 

As a school, we gathered in a circle to witness the talent of Blackfoot drummers and traditional Indigenous dancers. We were honoured to be joined by the 2025 Calgary Stampede Princess, Breanna Correia, and the First Nation Princess, Otsskiokitskakiakii (Blue Offering Woman) Pacey Strangling Wolf. Both shared inspiring words of encouragement and gratitude in recognition of this important day. 

In recognition of National Indigenous People Day, and in alignment with the CBE Education Plan, Altadore School acknowledges and supports the Truth and Reconcilation Commissions of Canada’s (TRC) Calls to Action, and makes the following commitment to action for the 2025-26 school year: Work with and learn about and engage in Indigenous arts, singing, dancing, and cultural practices in culturally relevant and meaningful ways. 

Parent Survey 

Your voice is important at Altadore School, and we value your input. One way we gather your feedback is through our annual parent survey. 

Attached, you will find a short survey focused on your child’s learning experience at school. It also includes questions about your experience with School Council, the allocation of School Council resources, and your connection with Altadore School administration. 

The survey will remain open until the end of the day on June 27, 2025. Access survey here.

We encourage you to take a few moments to complete it—your insights help guide our planning and strengthen our school community.

Thank you for your time and continued support. 

Report Cards  

Families can view, download or print online report cards for kindergarten to Grade 12 students starting Wednesday, June 25 until July 25, 2025 through MyCBE. Within MyCBE, families can also view student information, comments from your child’s teacher, assignments and grades and attendance information. Don’t forget to print them if you want a copy for future reference. 

Summer Splash - Summer Send Off - Monday, June 23, 5 pm-7 pm 

We hope the Summer Splash will go ahead as planned on Monday, June 23. However, the weekend rain forecast is concerning. If the event needs to be cancelled due to playground conditions, a message will be sent out on Monday morning. 

We’re excited to share that the James family will be participating in the

Student-Teacher Challenge during this year’s Summer Splash! Our teachers are looking forward to the friendly competition. While I won’t be able to participate personally, I’ll be there cheering both teams on with enthusiasm. 

If you have any questions regarding my participation, please don’t hesitate to contact me at the school.

📅 Monday, June 23 – Summer Splash

Summer Splash will take place from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. This fun, casual event is a great way to kick off the summer! 

• There will be a “wet zone” for water gun fights and a “dry zone” for families who prefer to picnic and visit without getting wet.
• Food trucks will be available, or families are welcome to bring their own picnics. Please Be Aware that line-ups can get long.
• We are also in need of Volunteers for this event. Please sign up to volunteer here: signupgenius.com
• We hope to see all our families there for an evening of summer fun! 

📅 Grade 6 Farewell - Tuesday, June 24 at 11:00

We will be holding our Grade 6 Farewell ceremony at 11:00 AM for Grade 6 students, their families, and siblings. 

Grade 6 parents: Please RSVP and submit a baby photo of your child using the link below:

Submit a Photo 

📅 Sports Day - Wednesday, June 25 – 12:30 - 3:15 pm 

Sports Day will run from 12:30 PM to 3:15 PM. Students will enjoy a variety of fun activity stations, including Gaga Ball, tag games, putting skills, soccer skills, and more! 

• Morning kindergarten students are welcome to attend with a parent or caregiver.
• Sportball coaches will be on-site to lead the games and assist volunteers.
• Parent Volunteers Needed! If you’re available to help, please sign up here:signupgenius.com

📅 Last Day of School and Talent Show - Thursday, June 26

The final day of school is a half-day with early dismissal at 12:10 PM. 

We’ll celebrate the end of the year with a Farewell Assembly and Talent Show for students. Our Grade 6 students will be recognized with a special final clap-out by the entire student body as they exit the building one last time. 

Thank you for your continued support. We’re looking forward to ending the year on a high note with our amazing school community!

Last Day of School/Clap Out - June 26  

Please note that Thursday, June 27, is the last day of school for students. This will be an early dismissal day for students, with dismissal at 12:15 p.m. We will be having our annual Grade 6 Clap-out at the end of the day. All students will line in the halls for our Grade 6 students as they exit out the Grade ⅓ doors that day.

Please join us for this annual tradition. 

Staff Changes 

We would like to share that Jill Wrightson, Kindergarten Teacher, will be retiring at the end of this school year. While we are sad to see her go, we are incredibly grateful for the many contributions Jill has made to Altadore School and the Calgary Board of Education (CBE). 

Over the years, Jill has mentored countless students, supported families with care, and led meaningful initiatives. Her commitment to student excellence has left a lasting impact on our school community. 

Please join us in expressing our heartfelt thanks to Jill and in wishing them all the best in this next chapter. Their presence will be missed, but their legacy will remain. 

Lost and Found 

Lost and found will be on display in the main hallway until Wednesday, June 25th. All classes will have an opportunity to look through the items. Anything not picked up by Wednesday afternoon will be donated to a local charity. 

Owls Nest Garden Update    

For our last week of garden lessons we learned about microorganisms in our soil. Students were given a choice of how to celebrate the summer, either by using magnifying glasses to explore the garden or drawing their favourite memories with chalk!

School Council Volunteer Opportunities                                            

Come one, come all!!!

We are still in need of a few more volunteers for School Council next year. No experience is required, just a desire to make Altadore School the best it can be!

If you are interested please reach out to altadoreparentcouncil@gmail.com.

The following volunteer opportunities are still available:

Garden Committee Chair

Role Description: Collaborate with an existing chair to lead garden maintenance, programming, and special events.

Time commitment: 8-10 hr/month March-September 

The HOOT Committee Chair

Role Description: The Hoot Chair leads the organizing committee for our wildly fun bi-annual parent social night and FUNdraiser The Hoot. The next Hoot is planned for November 2025.

Time Commitment: 10-12 hours/month Sept-Nov 2026 

HOOT Committee Volunteer Roles

The HOOT is back in Fall 2025! We are also seeking enthusiastic, friendly, and dependable volunteers to help make this year’s HOOT a memorable event!

We are currently recruiting the following HOOT Committee volunteer roles:

• Silent Auction, Raffle & Sponsorship Co-Coordinator
• Volunteer Coordinator
• Communications Coordinator 

Email altadoreparentcouncil@gmail.com for more information or to volunteer.

Bell Time Change (2025-26 School Year)     

In response to Alberta Education’s School Transportation Amendment Regulation, CBE is expanding yellow school bus service and adjusting walk zones starting on September 1, 2025. As bell times are closely linked to transportation schedules, these changes will affect many schools, including Altadore School. The new bell times for next year will be 8:42 AM to 3:15 PM, with early dismissal on Fridays ending at 12:45 PM. 

Aligning bell times across schools improves transportation efficiency, allowing each bus to run multiple routes. This helps create a reliable system, ensuring students arrive at school safely, on time, and ready to learn. For more information: Transportation Service and Bell Time Changes for the 2025-26 School Year 

Altadore Gear

Altadore School collaborates with Summarized Design to offer Altadore Gear in various sizes for purchase throughout the year. This is a fun initiative that many of our families enjoy. Please note that this is not a fundraiser, and Altadore School does not benefit financially from the purchase of Altadore gear. You can order online here, and your purchase will arrive at the school in approximately one week. 

Notes of Thanks                                                                        

Thank you to the following individuals for their recent contributions to our school…

• Thank you to our wonderful Principal, Vice Principal, Educators and all the other amazing staff and volunteers who poured into our students and school over the past year! We appreciate you!
• Thank you to all the volunteers that helped with making National Indigenous People’s Day a memorable event! 

Looking for school information you can’t find here? Please contact:

Iikiinayookaa M. Yellow Horn, Principal (mfyellowhorn@cbe.ab.ca)

Karlee Zelmer, Assistant Principal (kmzelmer@cbe.ab.ca)

Julia Hikita, Altadore School Council Chair (altadoreparentcouncil@gmail.com