Mark Your Calendars:
· Oct. 8, 2024: School Council Meeting at 6:30pm in the Learning Commons
· Oct. 8, 2024: School Council Fundraiser Pick-up
· Oct. 9, 2024: Fun Snack at recess - Booster Juice
· Oct. 14, 2024: No School – Thanksgiving Day
· Oct. 24, 2024: Gr 6 Vaccinations in afternoon, if consent forms signed
· Oct. 25, 2024: No School – Non-Instructional Day
· Oct. 25, 2024: Deadline to order Subway Fun Lunch – using HealthyHunger.ca
· Oct. 29, 2024: Student Photo Retakes in morning
· Oct. 30, 2024: Fun Lunch - Subway
· Oct. 31, 2024: Halloween parade and Halloween Howler (hosted by our School Council)
· Nov. 7, 2024: Remembrance Day Assembly 10:45am – families welcome
· Nov. 8, 2024: No School – Non-Instructional Day
· Nov. 9-13, 2024: Fall Break
· Nov. 19, 2024: School Council Meeting 6:30pm in the Learning Commons
Dear Silver Springs School Parents and Guardians,
Monthly Values Focused Read-Alouds: This year, we are starting a new school-wide monthly event. On the first Monday of each month, we will gather online through Google Meets to read a story together. This initiative supports both our schoolwide theme of Stewards and Storytellers, as well as helps focus well-being learning across the grades. In September, Ms. Burrows and I read the book “What If Everybody Did That?” by Ellen Javernick. This book supported our conversations and learning about respect and reviewing our three pillars of care at Silver Springs School – Taking Care of Yourself, Taking Care of Others, and Taking Care of Our Place.
On Monday, October 7, we will join together to read the story “Gratitude is My Superpower”, by Alicia Ortego. This book was written to help children feel the magic of gratitude. Although children often crave more, our job is to teach them to be grateful for what they have. This story teaches children that happiness can be found in everyday things, both small and big. We hope that through follow-up conversations, children will begin to recognize more things in their lives that they can be grateful for, learning that through gratitude we can find joy and happiness.
Halloween is just around the corner, and we know that our school community is looking forward to celebrating this holiday in creative ways. On Thursday, October 31, we would like to invite all students and staff to dress-up for the day. To ensure that all members in our school community are able to enjoy this holiday, we wanted to send a reminder to please be thoughtful in the selection of costume being worn to school.
The following two guidelines should be considered when selecting costumes that will be worn at school:
· Be kind and consider the school community: costumes that are revealing or could be offensive or perpetuate the stereotype of someone’s gender identity, culture, race, religion, age, or disability must not be worn.
· Be thoughtful and safe: costumes that depict violence, alcohol or drugs are not appropriate. Similarly, replica weapons (e.g. gun, knives, etc.) must not be brought to school.
If your child chooses to wear a costume, consider this his/her contribution to a wonderful day full of fun events that promote friendship and cooperation. As students will be wearing costumes for the entire day, please ensure that your child is able to sit comfortably in their costume, participate in gym class, and go outside for recess and lunch break. No costume - No worries! You are welcome to wear orange or black, our school apparel, or your favourite T-shirt!
Annual CBE Online Forms – NOW OVERDUE: Each year, schools have a variety of forms that parents / legal guardians are required to complete or review and update, some of which are paper and others online. In CBE, the forms that have now shifted to an online format (SchoolEngage) are:
1. Demographic Verification 2024-25: This form includes your child’s personal information as well as parent / legal guardian contact information.
2. Citizenship Information Update 2024-25: This form becomes available if you change your child’s citizenship information on the Demographic Verification form.
3. Annual Authorization 2024-25 – Combines the following forms:
a. School District Use of Personal Information - explains how CBE uses personal information in providing education services.
b. Consent for CBE Use of Student Information – provides an option to grant / not grant consent for additional use of student information by school/district and third parties.
c. Consent for Use of Student Information by News Media and Outside Groups (Third Party) - provides an option to grant / not grant consent for additional use of student information by outside groups and third parties
SchoolEngage is one of the applications found in your MyCBE account. This is the same account that you use to pay fees, view academic information, book school conferences, etc. If you do not have a MyCBE account, on the MyCBE page click on Create a MyCBE Account. For online help refer, to MyCBE - Creating an Account (includes instructions and a video). These forms are mandatory every year for Alberta Education to confirm student funding.
CBE Student Code of Conduct: Part of our opening school year requirements is to apprise families and students of the CBE Student Code of Conduct. Administrative Regulation (AR) 6005 provides in-depth information about how these matters are managed within the CBE. Additionally, Silver Springs School has established a method of supporting students to work through these situations. We hold the belief that we all make mistakes, that these mistakes do not make us bad people, and those mistakes are opportunities for learning. It is extremely important to distinguish the behaviour from the person. For more on our Code of Conduct visit our Silver Springs School Our School webpage. For more on CBE Student Discipline Administrative Regulation visit www.cbe.ab.ca
Sincerely,
Michelle Ryskamp,
Principal, Silver Springs School
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SCHOOL COUNCIL UPDATES
School Council Meeting: Please join us for our October School Council Meeting on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 6:30pm. You can join us in person in our Learning Commons or online using this link. Join the meeting here
Thanksgiving Fundraiser: Thank you for your support during our Thanksgiving fundraiser!
Order pick up has been changed to Tuesday, October 8th - someone from our fundraising team will reach out to everyone who has ordered with instructions and to facilitate pick up times.
School Council Communication: Moving forward this school year, your School Council and Parent Association are going to be sending emails and communication out to parents via their own newsletter. To ensure you don’t miss out on information on school fundraisers, events and other activities, please add you email to our list here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmgHooW3c5LPJxpfP7aFDbBVVQScFJatbHToWR7_sMH6mbnw/viewform
2023-2024 Yearbooks: There are still additional copies of the 2023-2024 yearbook available for $20 each. Please stop by the school office if you are interested in one; cash only please!
Healthy Hunger: More fun lunches and snacks have been added to the calendar for the 2024/2025 year! If you don't already have a Healthy Hunger account, you can register at https://healthyhunger.ca/parent-register. Once you log into your account, you are able to see the upcoming orders, and place and pay for orders in advance. Please log onto the Healthy Hunger website for more order information: healthyhunger.ca.
Fun lunches are a great way to help fundraise for our school and give parents a reprieve from making lunches one day a week. Our council however does not want students to be left out of this fun opportunity if families are experiencing financial constraints. Since we have generous families who make donations to our Healthy Hunger account, we are able to donate lunches if required. If you feel that your families may be in need of a donated lunch we ask you to please email Mrs. Ryskamp at mcryskamp@cbe.ab.ca two weeks prior to any upcoming fun lunch with this request and your child's order.
Coming up:
• School Council & Parent Association Meeting - 6:30pm October 8, 2024
• Halloween Howler
Thank you for your support! For any questions about the above, or your School Council and Parent Association in general - please email sssparentcouncil@gmail.com
Celeste Howard and Erin Olesen (School Council Chair and Vice Chair)