Dear Banff Trail School Families,
In the four weeks remaining until Winter Break, teachers continue to work with students on a very broad range of topics and subject areas, much of which is relatively new content for not only students, but also our teachers. Over the past 2 years, new curricula include K-6 Math, K-6 English Language Arts and Literature, K-6 Physical Education and Wellness, K-3 French Immersion Language Arts and Literature, and K-3 Science. Though it may not seem evident by considering the subject area title of Physical Education and Wellness, within that curriculum can be found some foundational exploration of financial literacy. In Canada, November is also recognized as Financial Literacy Month, so this could be a good time to consider how one might work towards setting your children up for future financial success, as an extension to what teachers explore with their students.
As an avid consumer of literature and other media relating to financial literacy, I can say confidently that there is a vast amount of information available to support children in learning about the financial aspect of our world. Discussions with elementary-aged children could probably include some current financial events like inflation and 'shrinkflation', while also looking at more simple concepts such as classifying wants vs needs (including living within your means), gaining a better understanding of the value of money (how much does XXXX cost?), and discussing the proportion of income that goes to expenses, savings, and charity. You can also look at the importance of other entrepreneurial habits, such as using handshakes, looking people in the eyes when speaking with them or listening to them (active listening skills), completing commitments on time and with quality, etc. Discussing the various employment opportunities that exist in society could also spark early curiosity and a broadened perspective and appreciation for our community's functioning (older students could even look at the detailed information about various careers found on Alberta's ALIS website. Other possibilities could be to have students help determine how best to spend a certain amount of money on groceries or gifts with you, compare the price of the same (or similar) items at various retailers online, looking closely at our Canadian currency, or watching various YouTube videos. Where you start matters much less than simply starting this financial journey, and seeing where the conversation or experience takes you with your child. There are many alluring advertisements and 'pulls' at our money, and we certainly want our children to learn to be critically aware of earning and spending habits, and to become discerning with their money. Know as well that there are many books available for adults to borrow and read at the Calgary Public Library that speak to raising financially literate children; a simple search will reveal many options from which to choose.
For your consideration:
Lost and Found: We have asked teachers to take their students to visit our Lost and Found some time in the next week or so; it has become overgrown! Please do make a note to visit it when attending the Learning Conferences. All remaining items will be donated to charity on December 15th.
Spirit/Theme Day: A reminder that our next theme day will be Sports Team/Club Day on November 30th; share your love for your sport by donning your attire from your sports team or club, or from a sports team that you love…
Residencies: We are currently solidifying some residency learning experiences for the current school year; thank you to the many ways that donations and volunteering have combined to provide for these opportunities at no cost to our families. We have booked a 2-week Lacrosse residency, a 2-week Dance residency, we will continue to invite Anita Crowshoe to work with staff and students, we have Folklofolie coming for our Carnaval festival, and we have another learning opportunity that we are hoping to finalize soon.
Upcoming Dates:
Thursday, November 23: Evening Learning Conferences
Friday, November 24: Learning Conferences all day (no school for students)
Wednesday, November 29: School Council
Thursday, November 30: School Council hosting a School Dance
Friday, December 8: Non-instructional day; no school for students
Friday, December 22: Last Day of Classes before Winter Break
Saturday, December 23 to Sunday, January 7th, inclusive: School Closed
Monday, January 8th: School Resumes
Have a wonderful weekend; I hope that the learning conferences prove to be an excellent opportunity to nurture a positive home-school relationship, and to learn more about your child's progress.
Sincerely,
Ryan Turner
Principal, Banff Trail School