Dear Banff Trail School Families,

In my last message, I discussed how opportunities for family activities change, and likely broaden, with the coming of spring.  An important extension to this discussion is the safety of your child when out in the community.  Within the Physical Education and Wellness Curriculum, a couple organizing ideas focus upon the health and safety of students (whose specific themes vary based on grade-level, of course).  In spending more time outdoors, this would also be a good time to have discussions with your child about their safety, as independence also begins to grow. 

Have you had discussions with your child about what they should do if ever they are lost, or become separated from you?  Of course, if you notice that your child is missing after an initial search of the area, you should call the police (there is no minimum period of time required before reporting to police).  Responding to ‘getting lost’ can certainly vary based on where you are (such as in a forest vs in a mall vs in the Saddledome), but sporadic conversations with your child throughout the spring and summer can lead to an understanding of how to respond (as well as being proactive in not becoming lost).  What you should ultimately aim for is similar to what teachers try to do in classrooms, in that we are teaching skills and procedures with an aim to be able to transfer this knowledge to other ‘similar but not identical’ situations.  So, if a child knows what to do when they are lost in the Saddledome, could they use this knowledge to help them if they were lost at the convention centre, an outdoor street festival, the Jack Singer Concert hall, or the mall?  Here is a simple article to get you thinking about what can be done to help prepare your child for such instances (such as knowing your phone number and full name).  Other ideas that I have come across include the suggestion of seeking out employees/people who are ‘on the job’ (who usually wear name tags, such as a Starbucks employee, or worker at the Saddledome), or if you are in a provincial park, hugging a tree/staying put (if in a safe place) and calling out for help.  Simply asking your child, “What would you do if you became lost ‘here’” can start a good conversation about what to do, or not do, in various situations. 

This would also be a good time to have discussions around strangers, and what to do if approached by one.  I realize that this can be a complex issue (Is it someone approaching you because you are crying, versus someone who approaches you while you are clearly not in distress, versus a parent introducing their child to someone, for some examples), but I’d always suggest starting these conversations early, to at least equip them some wisdom if they are in these situations.  With safety being the top priority in our schools and I would also argue in all of our homes, we want this to be a learned skill for children to be able to apply throughout their lives in a wide range of situations.

For your consideration:

School Zone Safety Tips: Please see the informational sheet from the Calgary Police Service about safety in School Zones.  This includes avoiding making u-turns, not blocking bus zones, using crosswalks, and more.

Grade 4/5 Musical:  A big thank you to Mr. Jones, Mme. Heather and Mme. Wensley for the immense amount of time and dedication put towards hosting this year’s Musical, Finding Nemo Junior.  The feedback from both the students and their families was incredibly positive; it has been such a great tradition over the past many years for our oldest students!

Support Staff Appreciation Week: This past week was “Support Staff Appreciation Week”.  A big thank you to our wonderful, caring Support Staff, which include our office staff, lunch supervisors, facility operators and library assistant.  Without them, we would not be able to provide anywhere near the care and safe space we have at Banff Trail School.  We are inspired by the dedication you show towards setting our students up for success.

Next Spirit Day:  A reminder that next week on Tuesday, April 30^th, we have our Spirit/Theme Day. In keeping with the improving weather, a reminder that the time is C'est le temps du printemps / It's Time for Spring!  We encourage students and staff to welcome the new season by accessorizing or dressing like, or for, 'Spring’.  Be as creative with this as you like! 

Upcoming Residency:  Thanks to funds from our Parent Society, we are thrilled to be offering, free of charge, the upcoming Sound Kreations residency, which begins on May 6^th.  We encourage all students to dress for movement on those days in particular.  There will be performances for any available parents during the day on Thursday, May 16^th (details and timing still to be determined, after consulting with the Sound Kreations instructors).

Upcoming Dates:

April 30: Theme Day (Spring Theme)

May 6-16: Sound Kreations Dance Residency

May 8: Hats on For Mental Health Day

May 9: New Kindergarten/Grade 1 Orientation (evening, for families new to Banff Trail School only)

May 17: Non-Instructional Day (no school for students)

May20: School Closed for Victoria Day

Have a wonderful weekend,

Ryan Turner