I hope everyone is doing well as we enter the holiday season and experience the onset of winter weather. What an amazing day we had with our grade 3-6 students performing their routines as part of the SoundKreations Dance Residency. It was nice to see so many families join us for this event! I want to thank Education Matters for providing us with the Kaiti Perras Love of Dance grant that gave our students access to this opportunity.

Today marks the eighth and final day of Hanukkah. It marks the day on which the great miracle of oil occurred, according to Jewish Belief. This day is of particular importance as it encapsulates all of Hanukkah. To our families celebrating, we wish you a Happy Hanukkah!

This Thursday is the Winter Solstice, the day when the sun is farthest south for us, making it the shortest day of the year. In many Indigenous cultures, the Winter Solstice is a time to honor and connect with Na’a (Mother Nature), reflecting on the cycles and patterns of nature. It's also an opportunity to express gratitude to ancestors, share stories, commemorate origins, and set intentions for the upcoming cold season.

I have a few additional items to share with you this week:

Christmas Activities

This week, we've incorporated holiday themed activities into your child's classes. Additionally, as a school, we'll come together for some festive caroling in the gym. The caroling sessions are scheduled for Wednesday (8:30-9:00 AM) and Friday (11:15-11:45 AM). If you prefer your child to participate in an alternative activity in the learning commons during caroling time, kindly inform their homeroom teacher.

Moreover, throughout the week, both myself and Ms. Austin will be visiting classes to read with students and engage in discussions about various traditions and holiday celebrations families embrace during the winter season. These conversations contribute to fostering a welcoming and caring environment, where we appreciate and understand the richness of diverse cultures and traditions.

Prayer Room

In October, as requested by students, we began providing a quiet place for any students who would like to pray during the day. Students have been using our multi-purpose room off of the Learning Commons for that purpose. However, the demand for this space has been greater than anticipated. Due to the size of the space, we cannot safely accommodate the current number of students. Next week we will be closing the prayer room as students and staff work to find another solution. In January, after the holidays, we will re-open the room with a plan to have smaller groups of students attend at a time. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

 

I hope everyone has a great weekend, and if you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our office at 403-777-6610.

Take care, 

Steve Ross

Principal, Beddington Heights School

Key Dates:

December 20 & 22            Caroling in the Gym

December 22                     Last day of school before Winter Break

January 8                           First day of school following Winter Break

January 25                         Fun Lunch | Wok Box

January 30                         Report Cards available on MyCBE Account

 

Recurring Messages

Beddington Heights Social Media Account

Beddington Heights School is on Instagram! We will be posting information related to school events along with showcasing some of the learning taking place throughout our building!

Please follow us:

@beddingtonheightsschoolcbe

The Science of Reading | CBE Digital Decodable Library

The science of reading explores how kids learn to read. Decodable books are a part of this, designed to help children by focusing on sounding out words using letter sounds. These books follow a step-by-step approach, making it easier for kids to build their reading skills. By using decodable books, parents can support their children in learning to read through a systematic and phonics-based method, setting a strong foundation for future reading success.

The CBE has developed a digital decodable library that parents can access to support home reading with students. This library will continue to be expanded and is a great resource to support early reading skills with your children that will complement what students are learning at school.

School Improvement Results Report and Development Plan | Posted Here

You can find a copy of our School Improvement Results Report and Development Plan (SDP) on our website at the link above. The SDP outlines both our progress on goals we made to improve student learning last school year, as well as outlining our plan for the current school year. As a whole school, we will be focusing on designing and assessing tasks in a way that allow students to develop and showcase a deeper depth of understanding. For any questions related to this document, please contact me at any time.

Lunchroom Fees | Questions that have arisen

We have received many questions about central fees that have been applied to student accounts, so I wanted to provide some clarification. Lunch Supervision is offered to all students in Grades 1- 6 for an annual fee. Students in these grades require direct supervision during the lunch hour, regardless of the grade configuration of the school or the mode of transportation the students use to get to and from school each day.

You can expect the following for your Lunch Supervision Fees:

• A safe and caring environment for students to eat lunch.
• Supervision for the entire lunch period, unless the student is signed out by a parent/guardian.
• Daily attendance will be taken.
• Students must remain on school grounds, unless written permission has been provided to the school by a parent/guardian.
• A dedicated space for eating.
• Only students that have registered and paid the lunch supervision fee can access the service:
  • CBE has a waiver process for families who can’t afford to pay the fees.
  • Note | Use of service indicates that the Parent/Guardian accepts the terms and the responsibility to pay the annual fee.
• Income tax receipts are issued for Lunch Supervision Fees that may be included as child care expenses for income tax purposes.
• Lunch Supervision Fees are directed to providing lunchroom supervisors.

What lunch supervision service is not:

• Access to food or snacks; students are required to bring a lunch.
• Access to hot water, microwave, dishes, utensils or other cooking facilities.

More information along with answers to frequently asked questions can be found on the CBE Lunch Supervision page