Dear Banff Trail School Families,
February will be a month that comes and goes very quickly. Not only is it a short month, but also one in which we have grade 3-5 clubs that have begun, skating for K-5 at Triwood Arena, and next week’s Carnaval celebrations. A reminder that next week is also Teachers’ Convention, attached to the Family Day weekend.
Carnaval is celebrated yearly in Quebec, with associated winter celebrations dating back to 1894. In many ways, what the Calgary Stampede is to Calgary, is what The Carnaval is to Quebec City: it is the city’s signature event, bringing together locals in the celebration while welcoming many from afar to join in the fun. Bonhomme Carnaval is the central figure of the celebration, along with all varieties of music, canoe races, ice climbing, winter biking, traditional dance, ice sculptures, theatre experiences and a wide range of demonstrations and displays. I even noticed that Calgary sent a delegation to this year’s Carnaval, where they are serving up a free Calgary Pancake Breakfast!
There are other high-profile celebrations that highlight French-Canadian culture; for example, I grew up celebrating the yearly Festival du Voyageur in Winnipeg, which begins on February 17th this year, and is also a well-known, engaging Francophone event. You can check out some free Festival du Voyageur activities, songs and games here (including this fun What Type of Voyageur Are You? Quiz, and/or a simple arcade game).
While we will be leading some cultural learning at school during Banff Trail’s Carnaval celebrations, I encourage you to also explore some of the above links/resources at home; they are important connections to not only Francophone culture, but also represent a piece of the puzzle of our nation’s history. You can also connect such celebrations and traditions to those of your own family, exploring similarities (such as a love for certain foods, song, dance, traditions) along with what makes each culture unique.
We are all looking forward to a fun Carnaval week; thank you very much to our Banff Trail Carnaval Committee (Mme Elizabeth, Mme Roe, Mme Jessica, Mme Vicky, Mme Sophie, Mme Stafford) for all their coordinating, scheduling, and dedication to create some joyous learning experiences for our students.
For your consideration:
Winter Indigenous Newsletter: The CBE Indigenous Team creates a quarterly Indigenous-focused newsletter; the latest “Winter Edition” can be found here. This edition also links to previous issues that were released. In this issue, you can find topics such as highlighted podcasts, some upcoming Calgary events, recipes and stories, among other news items.
Carnaval: Students are invited to wear Carnaval-themed clothing such as: plaid shirts, toques, moccasins or slippers, arrowed sashes or scarves tied around waists from February 13-15th.
Next Theme Day: Our next theme day will recognize Pink Shirt Day, which is on Wednesday, February 22. Bullying and cyberbullying jeopardize learning and can severely impact a child's mental, emotional, and physical health. Pink Shirt Day is celebrated annually in February where staff and students have the opportunity to highlight the ongoing work of bullying prevention and may choose to wear a pink-coloured shirt to stand-up against bullying.
Upcoming Dates:
February 13-15: Carnaval celebrations
February 16, 17: Teachers’ Convention; school closed
February 20: Family Day; school closed
Wednesday February 22: Pink Shirt Day
Wednesday February 22: School Council Meeting
Have a wonderful weekend,
Ryan Turner
Principal, Banff Trail School