Dear SS Parents and Guardians,
We have our School Council/Parent Association Casino Fundraiser coming up soon on May 7 and 8, 2025. We still need volunteers from our amazing parent community to support this event by volunteering.
The Casino Fundraiser raises approximately $65,000- $70,000, which is used to support all Keeler School students. Field Trips, arts and music residencies, and specific school programs for the next two years depend on support from these funds. The benefits this casino provides for our children are endless. Funds raised from this event every year provide educational resources which benefit each and every student at Silver Springs School.
You do not need to have any knowledge of casinos in order to participate! All training is done at the casino by gaming staff and our advisors. You will be surprised at how smoothly things run and how much fun it is for all of the volunteers as our past volunteers can attest to.
We need your help! No previous experience is required. The Casino staff will show all of us exactly what we need to do, and it is actually a ton of fun! You get to meet fellow parents and have a free night out all at the same time!
Please sign up for a volunteer shift below on the Sign-Up Genius link. Training for each of the roles is provided, and you do not need experience.
Thank you so much for supporting the learning of each and every one of our Silver Springs School students!
Educationally yours,
Derek 😊
Derek Rakowski
Principal, Silver Springs School
Please Mark Your Calendars
- Apr. 18 – Deadline to order Subway Fun Lunch
- Apr. 18 – Good Friday – School Closed
- Apr. 21 – System Professional Learning Day – No Classes for Students
- Apr. 23 – Subway Fun Lunch
- May 1 – Spring Concert at 1:30 pm
- May 7 – School Council/Parent Association Casino Fundraiser
- May 8 – School Council/Parent Association Casino Fundraiser
- May 8 – Classroom and Full School Photo Day, as well as Grade 6 Photos
- May 9 – Deadline to Order Subway Fun Lunch
- May 13 – School Council & Parent Association Meeting at 6:30 pm
- May 14 – Subway Fun Lunch
- May 16 – Professional Learning Day – No Classes for Students
- May 19 – Victoria Day – School Closed
- May 22 – Volunteer Tea to celebrate all of our amazing Volunteers!
- May 27 – Kindergarten Orientation for 2025-26
- May 28 – Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Test – English Language Arts and Literacy – Writing Part A
- May 30 – Wonder Day #4
Planning for Next Year
At our March School Council meeting, a presentation was given on the CBE’s school development planning process, the fees and budget process, and how schools are funded within our system. During the month of April, we will begin our spring staffing process. We are currently projected to have 260 students attending our school for the 2025- 26 school year. Thank you to our families for completing the online Next Year survey. This information will allow us to make a more accurate student count and will help us with our decisions for the upcoming year.
To help us get an accurate count of students returning to Silver Springs School for the 2025-26 school year, we ask that parents complete this survey for each child in your family. Accurate enrolment data is key to ensuring we can plan and staff accordingly for the next school year. We are currently projecting 260 students for the 2025-26 school year. As such, an early understanding of our enrolment numbers will be beneficial as we look at grade configurations and school organization beginning next month.
Please complete a short survey, which should only take 1-2 minutes per child.
We kindly ask that you please complete the survey before the end of the day on Sunday, April 20, 2025. Thank you so much to the 133 parents (out of 257 students) who have already done this! It is greatly appreciated!
Spring Music Concert on May 1
Hello Parents! We are very excited as we are preparing for our spring concert on May 1, 2025 at 1:30pm. We hope you all can join us! This will be a benefit concert for a special organization called “Playing for Change Foundation.” Check out their website and ask your children how this organization started and what it does! On Thursday, May 1, 2025 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm, our students will be sharing the music with the theme of “A Song for Everyone,” based on a story about music coming from a window... and as people listened, it changed how people felt and acted.
Mrs. Blenkhorne and our students have been working very hard on this! Last year, Mrs. Ryskamp did a Student Concert Attendance survey, and they indicated that only 50% of our students would be able to attend an evening concert. As this concert depends on students playing various parts and instruments for numerous musical pieces, we needed greater student attendance to make this concert a success.
That all being said, Mrs. Bajwa and Mr. Rakowski are working to get all of our “Consent for Use of Student Information” forms signed, which most families did back in September. We will be following up with the parents of the students we do not have the forms for in the next week. This will allow Mr. Rakowski to record the concert and share the video out with parents who were not able to attend the in-person concert.
Of course, parents and grandparents are more than welcome to attend in person that day, and the concert will take place in our gym!
~Mrs. Blenkhorne
Navigating Social Media and Teens | Community Education Services & Recovery Alberta Live Presentation
Understanding Social Media Use in Teens
Date: Wednesday, April 16
Time: 6 - 8 p.m.
Register using this link .
The world of social media is constantly changing, and it can be hard to keep up. This session will look at some of the most popular platforms among Canadian youth and how to protect privacy and keep everyone safe. We will also discuss the effects of social media use on teen mental health and how to promote healthy social media habits in a digital world.
Presenters include: Ashley Meagher, Certified Child & Youth Care Counsellor, Success Coach & Jo Burley BCST, NPML, Success Coach, Rockyview School Division, MHCB Stepping.
Silver Springs School Council & Parent Association Casino Fundraiser – Volunteers needed!
We still have 13 positions that we need to have filled for our Casino Fundraiser! Please sign up as soon as possible!
Our school's largest fundraiser, the casino, is just under two months away! We need a lot of volunteers for this event, and as of today, we have 25 spots left to fill - grab a friend and volunteer together to help support our school!
Casino Details
- Date: May 7 & 8 2025 at Pure Casino Calgary
- Who: Anyone over the age of 18 can volunteer!
- Where: Sign up for a volunteer shift here – all training for roles provided.
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School Council Updates
Our Next School Council & Parent Association Meeting is May 13, 2025
Our next School Council meeting is on Tuesday May 13, 2025 at 6:30 pm in the Learning Commons. I can’t wait to see you there!
Silver Springs School Council & Parent Association Casino Fundraiser – Volunteers Needed!
Our school's largest fundraiser, the casino, is under one month away! We need a lot of volunteers for this event, and as of today, we have 13 spots left to fill - grab a friend and volunteer together to help support our school!
Casino Details
- Date: May 7 & 8 2025 at Pure Casino Calgary
- Who: Anyone over the age of 18 can volunteer!
- Where: Sign up for a volunteer shift here – all training for roles provided.
Fundraising Coordinator Position Needed
We are looking for parents to join our School Council & Parent Association for the 2025/2026 school year. We are currently looking for people who would be interested in the Fundraising Coordinator position. Mentorship and transition support will be provided, and volunteering for the Council is a great way to stay involved & engaged with what the students are up to!
Silver Springs Parent Council Email Opt In
To ensure you don’t miss out on information on school fundraisers, events, and other activities, please add your email to our list.
For any questions about the above, or your School Council and Parent Association in general - please email sssparentcouncil@gmail.com
Céleste Howard and Erin Olesen (School Council Chair and Vice Chair)