Mark Your Calendars:
· May 20, 2024: Victoria Day – No school for students
· May 23, 2024: Lockdown Drill at 9:30am
· May 23, 2024: Wonder Day - PM
· May 24, 2024: Deadline to order Costa Vida fun lunch using HealthyHunger.ca
· May 26, 2024: School Council hosted online parenting information evening
· May 27, 2024: Grades 1 & 2 Room 5 Field Trip to the Zoo
· May 29, 2024: Fun Lunch – Costa Vida
· May 30, 2024: Grades 1& 2 Rooms 2 & 4 Field Trip to the Zoo
· May 31, 2024: Grade 6 Tour to FE Osbourne School
· June 7, 2024: Sports Day
· June 10 – 14 & 17 – 22, 2024: Swim Lessons
· June 26, 2024: Grade 6 Farwell and Year-End Assembly 9:15am
· June 27, 2024: Last Day of School (Early Dismissal at 12:35pm)
Dear Silver Springs School Parents and Guardians,
I hope this message finds you well and enjoying some of the few hours of forecasted sunshine this May long weekend. As we look ahead to the 28 days of school left in this school, there is still so much packed into this last month.
Sports Day is coming! Our annual Sports Day is Friday June 7th. Thanks to the enthusiastic group of volunteers from last year, School Council will once again be running games and activities for a fun day for the whole school! We need another great group to help us. Mark your calendars and come out and play! We need volunteers to help with setup Thursday, June 6th after school and to participate in Sports Day Friday morning. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E4FADAB28A0FF2-49708241-sports
If you have ideas for games and activities, we're gathering input this week before we finalize the stations. Reach out to Erin Benner at school council sssparentcouncil@gmail.com
CBE 2024-25 Calendar: The CBE has published its 2024-25 school calendar. To help with your planning for childcare and holidays, please be aware that school begins on Thursday, August 29, 2024, before the Labour Day long weekend. There is also an additional week's break in November. Once approved, we will share our school calendar that outlines conference dates, school hours, etc.
Transportation Pre-Registration for 2024-25: Bus registration for next year 2024-25 is now open. Service levels will remain the same as the current school year. The bus fee for grade 1-6 students will be $260. The bus fee for Kindergarten students (one-way) is $130. What you need to know:
· Login to your MyCBE parent account to register for the bus. Click on the link “Transportation Registration for Non-Mandated Service Proposed Fee 2024-25". Complete the form and submit.
· Families must register by Sunday, June 16 for students to be added to routes for the start of the next school year.
· You can cancel your Transportation registration with no financial impact by completing the cancellation form before September 30, 2024.
· If you think that you MIGHT use the bus but are not sure at this time, register now and you can cancel later. By registering now, they will take your address into consideration when planning routes over the summer.
· Transportation will continue to accept registrations after the deadline; however, students are added to the closest existing stop with available space. Processing times could be up to six weeks at the beginning of the school year due to volume.
· Conditional ridership forms will be available after registration closes.
· The CBE offers a school bus orientation program for first-time riders and their parents, called My 1st Ride . The program consists of a 20-minute presentation followed by a short ride on a school bus. Sessions run Saturday, May 25 and Sunday, May 68; they are free but families must register using the link above.
Class List Creation for 2024-25: In the upcoming weeks, we will begin creating our class lists for the 2024-25 school year. Some parents have already indicated a preference for a particular teacher / class configuration or to have their child with a particular friend next year. It is important to note that significant time and attention goes into the creation of class lists. As teachers and the admin team meet, we aim to balance our classes based on the learning needs of students, gender and student complexity. We ask that you trust in the process. Should you feel there is a particular situation the school is not already aware of regarding your child’s placement for next year, please contact Michelle Ryskamp via email at mcryskamp@cbe.ab.ca no later than May 24, 2024, indicating your request and reasoning. While all requests will be reviewed, please note that we may be unable to accommodate them.
2024 Yearbook Ordering Information: The Silver Springs School Parents Association is again offering a yearbook that will capture our children’s special moments from this school year. Yearbooks for the 2023/24 school year will cost $20.00 including tax, shipping, and handling. We need a minimum of 76 copies to secure our order. Place your order now at ybpay.lifetouch.ca and enter the school ID 14625124. Yearbooks will be delivered in September 2024. This ensures all events in the 2023/24 school year are captured.
School Fees: If you have not yet paid your school fees, please log into your PowerSchool parent account and pay any outstanding fees. If you need to apply for a fee waiver, you must do so before the end of the current school year. If you wait until September, it will be too late. More information about fee waivers can be found at How to Apply for a Fee Waiver .
Before and After School Care at Silver Springs School – Registration open: We are happy to announce that TOPP KIDS has been chosen as our new childcare provider located at Silver Springs School. Before Care begins at 7:00 AM. After Care is offered until 6:00 PM. They will be open for PD Days, Teachers Convention and Spring Break! Choose Part-Time, Full-Time or Drop-In Care. All families must attend Silver Springs School! Their program is not just for those who need care but for every family that wants to see their child grow outside of school during those critical hours. To register, please visit www.TOPPKIDS.com and complete their online application form. REGISTRATIONS OPEN MAY 6TH, 2024. Registrations will be first come, first served as limited spaces are available. For additional information please email registrations@toppkids.com or call us at (403) 452-8677
Dressing Appropriately for School Reminder: Students should be dressed to go outside for recess and lunch - rain or shine. Our temperature within the school can also vary, from area to area, so please remember to dress your child in layers that enable them to cool off (especially during a PE class) and warm up if they are in a classroom that is set at a cooler temperature. We also remind all students that dress and grooming at Silver Springs School should reflect that this is a place of work and learning. As such, we request that student dress respects: safety in all areas, and appropriateness for the school environment: i.e., no revealing clothing, no bare stomachs, or any items that have messages that could offend others. We thank all parents/guardians for their support with this.
Michelle Ryskamp,
Principal, Silver Springs School
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SCHOOL COUNCIL UPDATES
School Council Meeting: Thanks to everyone who was able to make it out to the meeting on Tuesday. Here is the link to the minutes: May 2024 Meeting Minutes.
Parent Information Evening – May 26 @ 6:30pm! Each year, our School Council receives a grant to provide our families with a speaker to help parents better support their children. This year, Council has voted to host an information evening with the Institute for Child Psychology. Here are the details for the evening:
Who: Tammy Schamuhn from The Institute of Child Psychology (instituteofchildpsychology.com) - you can check out her bio here: Bio & PhotoDescription: Are you wondering how to handle screen use in your home? How much screen-time should you allow every day? When should your child get a phone? What is the impact of technology on your child’s ongoing development? Are you feeling frustrated by technology overload in your home? Ready for a roadmap on how to maximize the benefits of technology while nurturing your child’s emotional, social and cognitive potential?
The use of technology in homes has increased rapidly over the past decade. Although helpful in many ways, it has also triggered many questions. In this online workshop, the impact of technology use will be explored, in addition to research-based strategies geared to help children and teens manage screen use.
This workshop will empower the adults in a child’s life to make informed, practical decisions regarding technology use at home.
When: Sunday, May 26, 2024, at 6:30pm (1 hour session)
Where: From the comfort of your own home via Zoom - Please register in advance for this meeting with this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpcOCqqT4oHNL21yVqSs0xyQ82E-kwUiMq After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Healthy Hunger: Next Fun Lunch: Costa Vida on May 29th (Order by May 24th), Last Fun Lunch: Edo on June 5th (Order by May 31st)
Parents - we need volunteers for Fun Lunch/Snack days. So far, we have very few volunteers signed up for the rest of the year. If you can help, please volunteer! Please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090E4FADAB28A0FF2-funlunch2
Thank you,
Loyce Sakuhuni and Olivia Parsons
(School Council Chair and Vice Chair)