​​Dear Banff Trail School Families,

As we enter a new initiative in the provision of a 'fall break' for students in the CBE, I thought you may be interested in some reflections about this time. 

Firstly, I'd like to share how days in the instructional calendar are allocated in any particular year.  Each spring, Principals are given the parameters around school planning for the subsequent year, some of which includes a list of specific non-instructional days, which are standardized across the CBE.  So, in this 2023-24 instance, Principals were informed that all schools are to be closed for students from Thursday, November 9^th through Tuesday, November 14^th, inclusive.  But how is it that these days away from school can be allocated this particular year, but perhaps not so in past or future years?  Though I am not involved in the inner workings of this type of central CBE planning that is disseminated to Principals, I do see a few factors that likely allowed for this type of break in this particular year.  Alberta Education mandates that schools and school divisions provide a certain number of instructional days and instructional hours (in CBE's case for grades 1 to 5, a minimum of 950 instructional hours, over the course of a standard 181 instructional days).  During this particular school year, we had:

• Begun the school year with students one day 'earlier' than recent years, on August 31.
• Remembrance Day falling on a Saturday (creating an extra day's 'space' that could be allocated).
• Another extra 'day' to allocate, since 2024 is a leap year.
• Attached a system-wide Indigenous Education professional development day to this fall break (November 9^th).

This alone seems to allow for the creation of the time and space for 3 days in which the school is closed, plus a PD day allocated to this stretch of days.  It is also responsive to what the CBE heard during a fall 2022 engagement process, and other feedback received, including around well-being.

Not to be lost in discussing the minutiae of the above is the importance of Remembrance Day itself.  Many of us have friends and/or family who are current or past members of our Armed Forces, and can begin to appreciate the challenging work that is done to protect our way of life.  I encourage all families to find ways to model the importance of honouring the sacrifices and heroism involved in those who serve in our Armed Forces.  Though there are many, many resources available online for a wide range of ages, consider the Canadian Government's Veterans Affairs 'Remembrance' website for some excellent information and videos.  Of note, the People and Stories section offer some compelling videos and text about the broad range of people who have served our great country.  Consider as well the National Defence video gallery, where you can find videos such as this one that speaks to our military's role for a Kindergarten to grade 2 audience, or this one for a grade 3 to 6 audience (these videos are also available in French).  Another 5-minute video reflecting upon Canada's military history, suitable for all ages, can be found here.  Again, there are many resources you can access, as we are lucky to live in a time with incredible access to information, but please do find some time to learn more and reflect as a family over the next few days.

For your consideration:

Monthly Character Teaching: Each month or two, we take some time to explore an aspect of positive character; in November, we will look at 'courage' (what it is, what it might look like, how we might show it, where we have witnessed it, etc).  Our staff has chosen, as an accompanying “Virtue Book of the Month", the French version of A Poppy is to Remember, by Heather Patterson (in French: Un coquelicot pour se souvenir).  Consider having a discussion with the family around both the simple and larger moments that you have all witnessed where caring has played a central role!

Upcoming Learning Conferences: A reminder that scheduled learning conferences will be held on Thursday, November 23 between 3:00pm and 7:00pm, and then on Friday, November 24 between 8:00am and 1:00pm.  As in past instances, conferences are to be booked via the MyCBE/PowerSchool portal.  Conference time slots are scheduled to become available for booking as of 4:00pm on Friday, November 17^th.

Next Spirit/Theme Day: 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…

Upcoming Dates:

Thursday, November 9 to Tuesday, November 14, inclusive: No school for students

Saturday, November 11: Remembrance Day

Thursday, November 23: Evening Learning Conferences

Friday, November 24: Learning Conferences all day (no school for students)

Thursday, November 30: School Council hosting a School Dance

 

Wishing everyone a relaxing few days with the family,

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

With the changing weather, it seems like an appropriate time to speak to modeling good safety behaviours for our school population.  Cold, snow and ice can all play a part in creating hazards for our students.

Firstly, know that near the bottom of our school website, there is a weather widget indicated as, “Current Calgary Weather".  The CBE has aligned this reporting to be the weather station nearest each school, so this temperature reading varies from school to school.  When the Wind Chill temperature is indicated as -20 C or colder, it is recommended that students remain indoors.  We check this temperature frequently during the day to make decisions around whether we go outside or not.  Note that field trips may or may not also be cancelled due to weather, depending on the severity, amount of outside time, etc.

Second, we are often scanning our schoolyard to ensure that it is safe for students.  For example, all kinds of objects or articles can be found in the field or around the school each morning.  If ever you come across anything that does not look like it belongs there, please let an outdoor supervisor know, so that they can call our Facility Operator to dispose of it.  Other times, we are looking at safety in our schoolyard by seeing if all areas frequented by students are not overly slick.  For example, this past Monday, we experienced freezing rain, and teachers noticed that this made the playground structure very slippery.  As such, we closed the structure for the day.  Other examples include coming across wasp nest to report for addressing, looking at erosion damage that could become hazards, come across broken structures or equipment, and more.

Finally, the mornings and dismissal time can be very congested with traffic around our school, if only for a few minutes.  This alone can be dangerous for our students, but is compounded when you add in hazardous road conditions and increasingly dark mornings.  Staff work very hard at modeling appropriate behaviour for all students in our care; students are always watching and learning from adults and peers!  Though the vast majority of families are excellent models of good crosswalk usage (ie not jaywalking or darting out from between parked cars), we will always strive for 100% success and compliance.  We would much rather have students need to check in at the office late, than dart out across the roads in the winter driving conditions (or even in the warmer months, to be fair) to get to their class line on time.  Please also continue to obey all traffic signs and rules around the school, for the safety of all.

Thank you everyone for watching out for our school community.

For your consideration:

Theme Day: A reminder that on October 31^st, we invite students to dress up in either Hallowe'en costumes or black and orange, if they would like to do so.  Hand-held 'accessories' and full face masks will need to stay at home.  Students should come to school fully outfitted, if you would like them to participate in this day; teachers and staff will not be able to help with applying makeup, putting on/taking off outfits, etc. 

Upcoming Dates:

Tuesday, October 31^st: Theme Day: Orange, Black, Hallowe'en costumes

November 8: Last day before student fall break

November 9-14, inclusive: No school for students

November 11: Remembrance Day

November 15: Students return to school

November 23, 24^th: Learning Conferences (details and signup to come)

 

Have a wonderful weekend,

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

​

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

The first month of school marks the time where students are learning new routines, adapting to new teachers and expectations, and developing new relationships with both peers and adults (a lot of 'new'!).  Everyone from our office staff to Lunch Supervisors to our teachers carefully consider and plan for how to best care for our students, while aiming to set them up for success in their many future years of education.

As we move into October, teachers are now beginning to establish baseline data about their students, which can inform what students still need to learn (in comparison to the curricular expectations for the year) and what they have already mastered.  Teachers are also reflecting upon what types of professional development would serve them best, as we are very fortunate to have a keen group of teachers who are always looking for ways to improve teaching efficacy and learning opportunities.  This year, we are planning to look closely at the oral component of language acquisition, to empower our students to become better communicators.  Details about how we will be enacting this plan are still in draft form, and I encourage you to continue to read these messages and/or attend our School Council evenings if you would like to learn more about our plans for constant improvement.  We are very proud of the excellent achievement of the students at Banff Trail School, but we are also always looking for ways to improve our work!

In consideration of constant improvement, teachers and I have received some queries over the years about how one might support their child with language acquisition, especially when over 90% of parents in Immersion schools do not speak the targeted language.  Consider the following resources, which may be of interest to you:

• Literature Review on the Impact of Second-Language Learning: A four-page summary that lists and examines the many positive personal, societal, intercultural and economic impacts of learning a new language.
• Yes, You Can Help! Information and Inspiration for Parents of French Immersion Students : A document from the Alberta Government with extensive yet approachable information about many facets of learning in a French Immersion environment.  Very accessible, and many simple, excellent suggestions about what you can do at home to help with language acquisition.
• Rainbow Schools Toolbox for parents of students in French Immersion and Core French: Another great guide that offers some foundational French information, such as key vocabulary, pronunciation, grammatical differences from English, some excellent website resources to consider, and more.  You can flip to any page to quickly learn something new about the language, and then start a discussion with your child about it!

I hope that you can find something in the above resources to support your child in their French Immersion schooling; having said this, your child's teacher is also an excellent resource if you are looking for other ways to support their learning at home…

For your consideration:

Volunteer Reading Program: We are happy to announce that our Volunteer Reading Program will be happening again this year. We are looking for volunteers to read at all grade levels, either in French or in English. If you are interested, please follow this link to register. There will be a training session on Friday, October 27th (8:30 to 9:15) for all volunteers. If you have any questions about this, please contact Mme Sophie at soducharme@cbe.ab.ca.

Cyber Security Awareness Month: October is recognized as Cyber Security Awareness Month; as students begin to dabble with technology and the online world, it is important to equip them with the tools needed to safely navigate this space.  Though many online resources exist, the government of Canada's getcybersafe.ca website has some excellent resources to consider, for everything from gaming systems tips to social media usage.  Two 4-minute videos also worth considering that come from another source recommended by the CBE are this video about email and phishing, and this video about social engineering. 

Child and Youth Well-Being: A Webinar Series for Parents and Guardians:  The Calgary Board of Education invites all parents and guardians to join us in an online series focusing on child and youth well-being. These sessions will be hosted in partnership with experts from Alberta Health Services and will explore topics such as vaping, brain development, mental health, and sexual health. Click here to learn more. CBE educators believe that parents and guardians can inspire their kids to make healthy lifestyle choices and increase protective factors – in order to do so, they need the right tools and information. Well-being is a precondition for learning. As our understanding of student well-being continues to evolve, it is important for those that support children and youth to stay up to date on the same information so everyone can support student success.  The intention of the series is to advance student well-being by raising family and caregiver's understanding of a variety of health-related topics.

Spirit Day: Thank you to everyone who participated in September's important theme day: Orange Shirt Day.  Our next Spirit Day will be on October 31^st; we invite all students to either wear a costume (no hand-held accessories/weapons, or costumes with 'gore' please), or wear black/orange on that day.  Looking forward to it!

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, October 9: Thanksgiving Day, School Closed

Wednesday, October 11: Photo Retakes Day

Friday, October 20: Non-Instructional Day—No school for students

Tuesday, October 31: Spirit Day-Costumes, Orange and Black, Halloween Day

 

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all; have a great long weekend.

 

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

​

​

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

In my last message, I discussed the importance of initiating connections with your child’s teacher, to set everyone up for a successful year of learning.  Previously, I have also spoken to the importance of continuing the learning at home in whatever way you can (such as in critically examining advertising, demonstrating curiosity about our city, examining how our city roads are organized, etc.).  This year, our Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation includes a closer examination of the stories and changes in nature that come with the solstices and equinoxes, that represent the introduction of new seasons.  Tomorrow, Saturday, September 23rd, is the fall equinox, which can lend itself to many discussions around the home.  For example: What are some changes in the animals of our city/province/country/world that happen as autumn sets in?  What changes happen in temperature?  Which outdoor activities end, and which begin, at this time of year?  What are the French words for some of these sports or activities? Do we have any celebrations in our home during the fall season (birthdays, religious events, family traditions, etc.)?  We are all very busy, but modeling a sense of curiosity, wonder, and conversation with your children will go a long way in nurturing a lifetime of happiness and success.  Connected to the theme of ongoing learning, consider this article that I came across over the summer, entitled, How to learn something new every day.

A reminder that all CBE schools are closed on Friday, September 29th, in recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (which actually falls on September 30th), which also aligns with Orange Shirt Day. I would encourage you to read Phyllis Webstad’s account, which includes a snapshot of her past and the origin story of Orange Shirt Day. Of special note, some of her heritage is also French.

For Your Consideration:

Virtue Leaf Winners: Congratulations to our first 2 winners in our Virtue Leaf draw—Jabari and Huttyn!  It was great to see so many great deeds being done for others around our school, with over 100 names in our first draw.  Thank you to all students for all the kindness shown around our school, both seen and unseen.

Terry Fox Run: In my last message, I indicated that our Terry Fox Run was to take place on September 26th.  However, we were contacted by the Terry Fox Foundation, who, on short notice, were able to offer us a French-language school presentation on Monday, September 18th, and we decided to take them up on this offer.  As such, we held our run immediately following this presentation, on Monday, September 18th.  Thank you to the many families who donated to this cause; I will announce totals once they are tallied, but they are impressive again this year.

Spirit Day: A reminder that our first Theme/Spirit Day of the year will be on Thursday, September 28th, where we encourage students to wear orange in recognition of the upcoming weekend’s Orange Shirt Day.

Upcoming Dates:

Wednesday, September 27: School Council Meeting

Thursday, September 28: Spirit Day: Orange Shirt Day

Friday September 29: School Closed in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day

Thursday, October 5: World Teachers’ Day

Monday October 9: School Closed for Thanksgiving Day

 

Have a wonderful weekend with the family,

 

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

​

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

I hope that school start-up has been successful for your child; it has been great to see students and families return to the building.  I feel very fortunate to have the families we have at our school, and love to see the vibrancy in the morning and after-school in the field behind the school, as we all get to know each other a bit better. 

These connections are also very important between you and your child's teacher.  Our upcoming Learning Conferences will serve as an excellent opportunity to initiate this collaboration, where we encourage you to share about your child's gifts and struggles within the learning community.  As the year progresses, I encourage you to regularly chat with your child about their experiences at the school.  Your child's teacher will be there to work with you and your child through any issues that may arise.  Please also let the teacher know when something goes especially well; they spend many, many hours planning for quality learning experiences!

For your consideration:

Caution-It's Wasp Season: Fall often marks a significant increase in the number of wasp stings.  We have found a couple wasp nests on our school grounds, which we have marked off with caution tape and pylons.  If ever you notice what seems to be a nesting area for wasps, please let us know, so that we can indicate this for others, and call the appropriate CBE Grounds crew to address the issue.  They often seem to set up around crevices found in some of the small boulders scattered around our grounds.

​Toys and Treasures: A reminder that toys, valuables and anything that your child treasures should remain at home, and not come to school.  We want to be proactive in avoiding student disappointment; in the past year, we have had too many treasures lost, broken or spoiled.  Thank you!

Conferences: Learning Conferences will take place on the evening of Thursday, September 21^st, and the morning of Friday, September 22^nd.  These will be in-person conferences; the purpose is for you to engage in a one-on-one conversation about your child, offering any insights that you may have that could help set both the teacher and your child up for success in working together in the 2023-24 school year.  Details about when you can register for conferences will be shared soon.

Virtue Leaves:  We are excited to begin handing out Virtue Leaves once again!  Students receive Virtue Leaves for demonstrating positive character around our school, and can be given to students by any staff member.  Thank you to all students for their numerous positive impacts around the school thus far, and over the past couple years.

Self-Care September: Consider exploring this September calendar of self-care with your family, as we all work towards taking good care of ourselves and others.  Some excellent, simple, accessible daily suggestions for everyone.

Assemblies: Yesterday, the Admin Team hosted our first whole-school assembly of the year.  It was great to be able to come together as a learning community; we reviewed the virtues that we will explore for the year, discussed our upcoming focus of storytelling related to the changing seasons, reviewed some norms and expectations for students, and shared the virtue book for the month.  In the future, we will continue to invite parents to these short assemblies when their child's grade-level is hosting the event.  Details to come!

Drop-Off/Pick-Up/Hug and Go Zone: We encourage families to use our Drop-Off Zone in front of the main entrance to the school for pick-up and drop-off.  A reminder to pull ahead as far as possible to maintain good traffic flow. Please see this link for more information.  Thank you to all parents who are helping to sustain an efficient student drop-off area in front of our school.  A reminder that vehicles should not be left unattended in this area.  Thank you!

Crosswalks: Our grade 5 students continue to eagerly await their crosswalk training; we anticipate this training to begin in late September, and hope to have the Patrols program set up some time in October.  In the meantime, we ask you to be mindful about modelling proper crosswalk usage with your child, including looking both ways, not jaywalking, etc.  Of course, please also obey all traffic laws when driving, such as avoiding u-turns, etc.  Thank you for looking out for everyone's safety!

Calling the Office: Thank you to all families who have been diligent in calling the office to inform us about absences and/or changes in routine pickup arrangements.  This has greatly assisted us in minimizing phone calls home.  A reminder that you can let us know about any upcoming absences 24 hours per day, at 403-777-6120 ext. 1. 

7 Sacred Teachings: Our monthly virtue focus will again leverage those character traits associated with the 7 Sacred Teachings (Respect, Love, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, and Truth).  We look forward to modeling and applying these character traits throughout 2023-24!  Consider discussing where you see these traits in your daily life as a family! 

Spirit Day: Each month, we aim to have a special school spirit day, where we dress to a certain theme.  On September 28^th, we encourage everyone to wear orange, in honour of September 30^th's Orange Shirt Day (Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation—note that the school is closed on Friday, September 29^th).  We look forward to another year with both past favourite spirit days and new themes!

Upcoming Dates:

Thurs, Fri September 21, 22: Learning Conferences

Tuesday, September 26: Terry Fox Run

Thursday, September 28: Spirit Day: Orange Shirt Day

Friday September 29: School Closed in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day

Monday October 9: School Closed for Thanksgiving Day

 

Have a wonderful weekend with the family,

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

​

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

I hope that you and your family have spent a summer full of outdoor wonder, and are cherishing these final few days before sending your little one(s) off to school!  If your child is in Kindergarten (and for some in Grade 1), I can imagine that this is a bittersweet time, as you send them off on their first few steps in their more formal schooling.  Each year, I seem to repeat to colleagues, that we see many more tears from the parents than we do from the children :)

Regardless of your child's grade, if you are new to Banff Trail School, a big welcome to you.  If your child has not yet visited the school grounds, I would encourage you to do so with them in these final few days before entry, so that your child can see where they will be learning, play on the compound or on the play structure, etc.  Building some familiarity before entry can go a long way in building some level of comfort and excitement for your child.  If your child is entering Kindergarten, ensuring that they can put on/take off their shoes and coat will also set them up for early success.  I hope, and believe, that you will find our relatively small school community a caring, loving place to learn, whether in chatting with the teachers, meeting new parents, or watching your child develop new friendships.  A priority that I have in our school is doing our utmost to provide quality learning experiences in a safe and caring environment.

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By Tuesday evening, you should receive a welcome message from your child's new teacher, with some introductory information.  This would include first-day processes and entry, some class routines and expectations, and the teacher's contact information.  Very important: Please ensure that both the teacher and your child are aware of how they are getting home, both on this first day (which can be 'different', on this special first day, than what will be the norm moving forward), and for future days.  Key to a strong educational experience for your child will be good communication between the home and school throughout the entire school year.

We are all very excited to begin the learning here at Banff Trail School, and we can't wait to welcome everyone in person on Thursday, August 31^st.  School begins at 7:58am, and outdoor supervision commences at 7:43am.  Our office is open to help as of Monday, August 28^th, during our regular school hours of 7:58am to 2:30pm.  If you have moved over the summer out of our catchment, please let us know as soon as possible, so that we can adjust class lists accordingly.

A few upcoming dates:

Thursday, August 31^st: First Day of School

Friday, September 1: Reminder--early dismissal at 12:00pm.  No School for PM Kindergarten students.

Monday, September 4^th: School Closed (Labour Day)

Friday, September 9: Reminder-early dismissal at 12:00pm.  No School for AM Kindergarten students.

Tuesday, September 12^th: Photo Day

September 21, 22: School Conferences

Thursday, September 28^th: Banff Trail School's Orange Shirt Day

Friday, September 29^th: School Closed (In recognition of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation)

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

​

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

With one week remaining before the end of the 2022-23 school year, Banff Trail School staff wish you a joyous summer, full of quality family time.  The excitement students feel is palpable, and I hope you are just as excited as they are about a range of upcoming summer activities.

Over the summer, a deep cleaning of our learning space will occur through the wonderful work of our Facility Operator team.  A big thank you, in advance, is in order for them!  Please know that our office will be re-opening on Monday, August 28^th at 8:00am, and that phone lines and email will not be attended to between June 28^th and August 28^th.

If your child is returning to Banff Trail School, you can expect a 'welcome back to school' email from your child's new teacher on either August 29^th or 30^th, with introductions and details about meeting on the back field on Day 1, routines, etc.. We all look forward to starting a new year of learning and seeing students again on Thursday, August 31^st.

A reminder that report cards become visible next week on Wednesday, June 28^th, through your MyCBE/PowerSchool account.

Finally, a thank you to all students who made a concerted effort to make Banff Trail a great place to learn and grow.  One of my favourite moments each year is to capture the good character that students show around our building, in the form of a photo of our Virtue Tree.  Please see the attached picture to see the tree in full bloom, with the many, many good deeds that students from Kindergarten to Grade 5 have done to make life better for others around our school.  Very well done, students.

​

For Your Consideration:

Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation: As shared with our school community this past Wednesday, Banff Trail School's Commitment to Truth and Reconciliation will be to examine the four solstices, bringing attention to the stories and changes in nature that accompany these key moments of the year.  We intend to continue our past commitments as well, as we make use of sharing circles in classrooms and deepen our understanding of good character through the Seven Sacred Teachings (Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, and Truth).  We have begun some work with Storyteller and Piikani Nation member Anita Crowshoe, that we anticipate will continue in the new school year to support us on this journey.

Bike to School Event: Thank you to our wonderful School Council, who organized the well-attended Bike to School Event last Friday, including the afternoon festivities.  It was great to see so many students biking to school; the great weather certainly helped!  A big thank you to our Council Executive, as well as those who came out to Council meetings, volunteered in any capacity over the year, or simply donated your time or money in any way; you play a very large part in creating an amazing school learning community.

Board Game Event: Thank you to the approximately 100 people who participated in our second Board Game Event on Sunday, June 11^th.  It was great to see so many families laughing and learning through games.  A big thank you as well to the Grade 5 student volunteers who guided families in learning some games that day as well; you are well on your way to becoming strong leaders!  Congratulations as well to our draw prize winners, who have all been contacted and have received their gifts.

Book Sale: Thank you to all families who donated books to our Grade 5 Book Fair, which was created in connection with the new Grade 5 curriculum relating to personal finance.  It was a very successful initiative, where students designed a way to offer a wide range of quality books to our school families, while also raising $597 in support of a worthy cause.  Well done Grade Fives!

Upcoming Dates:

June 26^th: Sports Day

June 27^th: Grade 5 farewell

June 28^th: Report Cards become available in MyCBE/PowerSchool

June 29^th: Last day of school for students

June 30^th: Organization and Appeals Day (No school for students)

 

Wishing you a summer full of amazement,

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School

​

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

Many behind-the-scenes processes are occurring at this time of year at Banff Trail School, as we look to wrap up the 2022-23 school year and look ahead to what our findings tell us about direction for 2023-24.  Some things, including start and end times for our school bells and the number of classes in each grade-level, appear to be on track to staying the same as this year.  Other parts will likely see responsive adjustment.  For example, we look like we will have 3 teachers on maternity leave this coming year, which will certainly result in some changes to who teaches at Banff Trail School for 2023-2024.  Grade-level assignments for teachers have also not yet been fully set, and of course existing Banff Trail School teachers may also choose to apply to other opportunities that exist for teaching or leadership in the CBE. 

Another domain of change is the constant adjustment made in what teachers teach (such as in response to the rollout of new curricula), and how teachers teach (such as in response to what we are seeing as areas to further develop in teaching and learning, and new understandings from the latest research in education).  Initial data from the domains in our School Development Plan (writing, math, and well-being) seem to indicate success in our targeted areas as well, but we will continue to look more carefully at what the data tells us, to set direction for next year's learning.  We also have some teachers who will be attending summer sessions related to the new curriculum rollout, to be able to lead some of this new content in our school.

Despite the expectation of ongoing change, it is important to celebrate the many successes we have had this year at Banff Trail School.  We were able to offer a wide range of in-school experiences and off-site field trips.  We piloted a couple CBE language program initiatives with our students (such as DELF language accreditation with our grade 5 students). We served as a model environment for dozens of first-year French Immersion teachers across the CBE, who specifically visited our school to learn about optimal language teaching process.  In May, our grade 4 and 5 students completed the OurSchool survey, which asks about their schooling experience, and without exception, we exceeded the Canadian norms in every domain.  For example, 91% of students feel a high sense of belonging (Canadian norm 81%), 90% indicated having positive relationships (84% norm), 91% of students indicated feeling safe at school (versus 65% Canadian norm), and 15% indicated they feel low levels of anxiety (versus 22% Canadian norm).  I hope that you have also found that your child or children have grown socially, academically and emotionally over the past year.  I am very proud of both the teachers and the students at our school, as they both demonstrated care, determination, and resilience over the past 10 months.

For Your Consideration:

Board Game Event: A reminder that we will be hosting our 2022-23 Board Game Event this Sunday, from 12:00pm to 3:00pm.  You are welcome to come any time during this time frame, for as much time as you see fit.  The whole family is invited.  Thank you to the many grade 5 students who have spent some of their time at home learning the board games that they will host at the event.  It should be a lot of fun, and we hope to see you there!  If you are planning to attend, please consider completing this 30-second survey (if you have not already done so), to give us a sense of numbers to anticipate.

Lost and Found: As the warm weather entrenches itself more firmly, our lost and found has been growing with hoodies, hats and more.  If your child seems to be missing some clothing items, please remind them to look for that particular item in the lost and found.  Teachers will be visiting it a couple more times before the end of the year with their classes.  We will be packing up and donating any remaining items on Monday, June 26^th.

Late arrival:  We have been noticing an uptick in the number of students who are arriving late to school.  Thank you to the majority of families who are doing a great job of supporting their children in arriving at school on time and ready to learn without needing to enter the school late.  If your child walks to school, please remind them of the importance of arriving on time!

Spirit Day: Our final Spirit Day for the year will be Beach Day, taking place on Thursday, June 22^nd.  Come wearing your favourite beach attire, beach-themed clothing, hats, sunglasses, etc.!

Reading Programs: Thank you to the many volunteers who generously offered their time during the year to support our in-school reading program.  Once again, it has been a great success in helping to advance the literacy skills of many in our school.  The final day of this program will be June 16^th; we look forward to continuing it again in the new year!  Also note, related to reading at home, if you have any books borrowed from the school, such as those labelled Banff Trail School Home Reading Program or books from our library, they are now due to be returned to the school.

 

Upcoming Dates:

June 11:  Board Game Event (12:00pm – 3:00pm)

June 16: Bike to School Day

June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day, Summer Solstice

June 22: Spirit Day – Beach Day

June 28: Report Cards visible online

June 29: Final day of school for students

 

Have a wonderful weekend, and hope to see you at the Board Game Event.

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

Dear Banff Trail School Families,

On Sunday, June 11^th, between 12:00pm and 3:00pm, I will be hosting our second ever Board Game Event at Banff Trail School, for families to gather amongst each other to learn and play some board games.  This event was well-received last year, so I am looking to provide this opportunity once again. 

I hope for this event to provide a worthwhile opportunity for whomever would like to attend.  I have a group of grade five students who are eager to host and teach games for families to enjoy.  Over the course of my education and career, I have had the opportunity to both research and present information to fellow leaders and educators at various conferences about developing critical thinking skills, and the benefits of engaging with strategic board games.  They truly complement each other well; as I shared last year, board games are an excellent conduit that promote an array of critical thinking dispositions, which I could spend hours speaking to and offering curricular connections, suggestions for worthwhile games, how to promote critical thought, etc., for the full range of ages.

I am not asking any other teachers or staff to come to the event, though I have invited them to come if they are available, either on their own or with their families.  Therefore, please appreciate that supervision is very limited.  The expectation would be that students would not simply be dropped off, but rather that they engage in the joy of the games with you, and other families as well.  You are welcome to bring along anyone from your immediate family, whether they attend Banff Trail School or not.

The front doors of the school will open just before noon, and we will host families until 3:00pm.  You are welcome to stop by any time during this timeframe, for as much time as you see fit.  Tables will be set up in the gym, and possibly in the halls, to allow for the games.  All of the games have been purchased within the past 2.5 years, using some School Council funds, and some lunchroom activity fees (I'm also bringing along a few personally-owned games).  You are welcome to bring a favourite family game if you'd like, though I would encourage you to also explore some of the games we will be hosting; perhaps you will find a new family favourite!

Please note that no food nor drink will be provided, and we ask that you leave any food and/or sugary drinks at home.

Finally, in Banff Trail School's catchment, we are fortunate to once again have a Friendly Local Games Store who has generously donated some gift certificates that we will be offering as draw prizes for attendees.

To give me a sense of potential numbers, if you anticipate attending this event, please complete this 30-second survey to help with planning.

Hope to see you there!

For Your Consideration:

Volunteer Tea: We are hosting a Volunteer Tea to thank all of our amazing volunteers, on Thursday, June 1^st, from 9:30am to 10:30am. Unfortunately, we have a couple field trips that day that we were not able to adjust (a process to improve for next year), but we hope that if you are available, you will join us for this special acknowledgment.  Please RSVP to nlschafer@cbe.ab.ca  by May 25^th if you are able to be there!

Healthy Relationship with Food: AHS recently shared with us some resources relating to eating, and the promotion of a healthy relationship with food.  Good habits begin when children are young!  Consider some of AHS' resources found here, relating to speaking about eating, the connection between mental health and food, and much more.

Hot Temperatures:  A reminder that with the higher temperatures that we've seen, good skin safety habits start now!  We encourage students to come to school with sunscreen on, especially during sunny days, and to consider packing a hat and sunglasses.

Election Day:  A reminder that school is closed to students on May 29^th, 2023.  This year, our school is also a venue for local voting; it's great to see our school being leveraged for community need!  As we approach Election Day, which sets the stage for the next few years of policy and funding, I encourage everyone to critically consider the platforms of various candidates and parties, and to ask questions of the candidates about the future of education.  A high-functioning school system is a critical facet in the lives of all of our children and society.

Spirit Day:  A reminder that our next Spirit Day will take place on Wednesday, May 31^st, where we will host the “Love for Animation" theme.  Hopefully this can be another way for students to express their love for their favourite tv shows, movies, or games!

Upcoming Dates:

Monday, May 22: Victoria Day (school closed)

Monday, May 29: Non-Instructional Day (school closed for students)

Wednesday, May 31: Spirit Day—Love for Animation

Thursday, June 1: Volunteer Tea (Thank you volunteers!)

Friday, June 9: Non-Instructional Day (school closed for students)

 

Have a wonderful weekend,

 

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

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Dear Banff Trail School Families,

Banff Trail School staff continue to marvel at how quickly the year is passing.  With the beautiful weather that we have recently been experiencing, we are reminded how quickly summer will be upon us…I think (I hope?) that our -20 C days are behind us for at least another half-year. 

Over the past month or so, our school has been a very busy place—not only relating to the learning in the classrooms, but with a range of 'special' events.  Notably, our oldest students (grade 4 and 5) have had a number of experiences over this short period of time:

• TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study): Random selection had Banff Trail School chosen as a location by Alberta Education to provide data, via a test and survey, to indicate how students perform in relation to international peers.  Though individual results are not shared with us, we know that the chosen grade 4 class will have represented our community (neighbourhood/city/province/country) very well!
• Mount Royal Elementary Math Contest: Some Grade 4 and 5 students chose to participate in the annual Mount Royal Math Contest.  Traditionally, our students have done very well, and we anticipate more accolades for this year's participants in the coming months.  Thank you Mme. Stafford for once again coordinating this event.
• Seussical:  After a more muted performance last year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, Mr. Jones resurrected his ongoing, larger-scale musical production tradition. The Grade 4 and 5 students who participated in Seussical The Musical performed magnificently, and should be very proud of the growth they demonstrated in both confidence and ability over the months of preparation.  Feedback from a wide swath of audience members was 100% positive.
• DELF (Diplôme d'Études en Langue Française) Testing:  Grade 5 Banff Trail School students were randomly selected to pilot a CBE initiative, where the accreditation for student ability in French would be paid for by the CBE.  Though results are not yet known, I was told anecdotally by a few of the assessors that our students were amazing to work with, and performed extremely well. 

This is simply some of the 'extras' that our eldest students have been doing in the past while.  Having said this, other grades, and our entire school, have had many other experiences, such as presentations from Roger Dallaire (speaking to Franco-Albertan culture and history), walking visits to West Confederation Park, as well as an assembly that our Kindergarten students hosted; these young students have certainly come a long way over the past 8 months!  Teachers also had the chance to attend the 2023 Languages Symposium on the April 10^th Non-Instructional Day, learning about the latest research in language instruction; some of our teachers were even presenters at this event.  Teachers also teamed for a day of professional development with Tuscany School, where they closely examined new curricula, including changes from past years and what instruction could look like in working with the new content.  Finally, we have hosted CBE staff from various sites, to both learn from the work we do, and support the ongoing growth of staff and students.  All of this to indicate some of the vibrancy we have at our school, as we learn from one another and showcase our great work for others.  Thank you for your part in making Banff Trail School such a great place to work, learn and grow.

For Your Consideration:

Spirit Day:  Thank you to the many families who participated in this past Wednesday's Hats On! For Mental Health Spirit Day.  We continue to support student mental health in many ways, including our exploration of the 7 Sacred Teachings (Love, Respect, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Humility, Truth), our bi-weekly virtue leaf draws, our School Development Plan's well-being goal, and the day-to-day relationship-building that happens between students, staff and families.  Our next Spirit Day will take place on Wednesday, May 31^st, where we will host the “Love for Animation" theme, by popular demand.  I've been seeing a surge of Mario Brothers talk and drawings around the school, so hopefully this can be another way for students to express their love for their favourite tv shows, movies, or games!

Outdoor Lunch:  This past week has included some beautiful weather, which has allowed our Lunch Supervisors to host lunch outside for students.  Please remember to prepare your children for this time outside as you see fit, such as by applying sunscreen before coming to school, packing a hat/sunglasses, etc.

Library Book Return: In order to get ready for year-end in the library, borrowing of non-fiction by students will stop at the end of next week, on May 12, 2023.  Teachers will still be able to check out non-fiction books.  This gives Mme. Chelsey the opportunity to clean up the shelves, put the books back in order and get ready to close the library down for the summer.  Students will have until May 26, 2023 to return all non-fiction books. Fiction books can continue to be checked out until and including the week of May 29 to June 3; all library books must be returned to school by June 8.  Thank you for your collaboration in making our library run smoothly!

Welcome to Mme. Sam Mercier-Mallet to the Banff Trail School family; she will be joining us effective Monday, May 8^th working with our Grade 1 team.

Upcoming Dates:

Friday, May 5: Non-Instructional Day (school closed for students).

Thursday, May 11: K/1 Orientation (only for families who are new to Banff Trail School for 2023-24)

Wednesday, May 17: School Council

Monday, May 22: Victoria Day (school closed)

Monday, May 29: Non-Instructional Day (school closed for students)

Wednesday, May 31: Spirit Day—Love for Animation

Thursday, June 1: Volunteer Tea (Thank you volunteers!)

 

Have a wonderful weekend,

Ryan Turner

Principal, Banff Trail School​

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