Dear Banff Trail School Families,

With only one week until summer break, I felt it was important to offer some thank yous to our many volunteers.  We are very fortunate to have a large number of families who are able to support our students’ school experience through volunteering in various capacities; we welcome all families to continue to register for volunteering, which you can initiate via your MyCBE Account (Online Forms and School Registration tab).  This way, you can be prepared for any emergent volunteering needs that may arise for your child’s class.  Volunteer clearances are valid for five years, and carries over to other CBE locations.

How have our volunteers helped out around the school?  Whether solicited by our School Council, classroom teachers or the office, support for our school is abundant, admirable, noted, and appreciated.  Here is just a sample of some of the ways our families have volunteered their time in support of our school:

·         Reading at the school with students in French and English

·         Organizing our home reading program for students

·         Support for a wide range of offsite field trips (such as our skating experience at Triwood Arena and various site visits in and around Calgary)

·         Parent-led presentations in-class (Such as former Olympians sharing about their experiences, university professors sharing their expertise, etc.)

·         Bike to school initiative

·         Casino volunteering

·         Support with various residencies

·         School Dance

·         School fundraisers including helping with plant pickup, organizing our annual Art Cards, and much more

·         Providing food for potlucks for teachers on Learning Conference evenings

·         Helping with making props for our grade 4/5 Musical, and supporting students in rehearsing at home

·         Book Fairs

·         Welcome back and year-end events

·         Veteran’s food bank donations and support

·         Affixing Virtue Leaves to our display

·         Class community walks

·         Helping with our Carnaval

·         Tending the school grounds/naturalization space

…and much, much more.  Your efforts are highly impactful on the positive learning environment that we strive to create here at Banff Trail School; without your ongoing support, most of these initiatives would not be possible.  Thank you for your commitment to sustaining a joyful learning environment for all students and families.

For your consideration:

Fall Entry: A reminder that the first day of school for the 2026-27 school year is Monday, August 31, 2026.  The office will be open to assist with any questions as of Wednesday, August 26^th (note that email and voicemail is not monitored over the summer).  If you have any child attending Banff Trail School next year, you should expect to hear from your child’s new Teacher by 5:00pm on Thursday, August 27^th; if you haven’t heard from anyone by Friday, August 28^th, please connect with our office.

Elementary School Track & Field Event: This year, we had many students who performed outstandingly at the May 30^th Elementary School Track & Field event at Foothills Track.  Congratulations to our Banff Trail students—Orion L.-T., Finley M., Max M., Daniel X., Teagan M., Xavier M., Miles M., Miles D., Arya P. , Ryan F., and Jason S.—for representing our school so well.  While we celebrate the ribbons earned, we are equally excited about their willingness to step outside their comfort zones, challenge themselves, and participate in the various track and field events.

Book Fair: A big thank you to our Grade 5 Students and Teachers for coordinating our recent Used Book Sale, and to the many families who donated their lightly-used books.  We were overjoyed to offer some excellent books to new homes, for some summer reading.  Grade 5 Students collected over $600, much of which will be donated to three charities chosen by the classes: Medecins Sans Frontieres, Fresh Start Recovery, and the World Wildlife Federation.

Class Size Reduction Grant: Our school has been allocated one additional teaching position for the 2026–27 school year through the Government of Alberta’s Class Size Reduction Grant. This grant funds teaching positions that support improved learning conditions in kindergarten to Grade 9 classrooms. We remain committed to supporting strong learning environments for all students and using our resources thoughtfully and strategically.

Upcoming Dates:

·         Tuesday, June 23: Sports Day

·         Wednesday, June 24: Grade 5 Farewell

·         Thursday, June 25: Last Day of School for Kindergarten

·         Thursday, June 25: Report Cards Visible in your MyCBE Account

·         Thursday, June 25: Alternate Day (if needed due to weather) for Grade 5 Farewell and/or Sports Day

·         Friday, June 26: Last day of school for grade 1-5 students, 12:00pm

·         Monday, June 29: Appeals Day (am)—No school for students

·         Tuesday, June 30: Organizational Day—No school for students

·         Wednesday, August 26: School office re-opens

·         Monday, August 31: School resumes for all students K-5

I hope you have some fun activities planned as a family this summer; thank you for another wonderful year working together to provide the best educational opportunity we can for your family.  If you are moving on from Banff Trail, best of luck with your family’s ongoing learning journey, and if you are staying, we all look forward to seeing you again in the fall.  I plan to remain at Banff Trail School again for the 2026-27 school year; have an amazing summer full of quality time together.

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School