E-NEWS & Principal's Post

Thank you to CTV National News!!! We were thrilled to have CTV National News here on Monday to do a story about our song, A Single Seed. Students shared their thoughts and ideas about the project and sang the song on our patio overlooking Cascade Mountain. It was a fantastic experience and a wonderful way to wrap up this incredible project! You can see the CTV National News clip here: A Single Seed

We will be hosting our Year End Assembly on Monday at 1:15 pm. This will be a great way to wrap up our year, celebrate all the hard work of our students and staff, enjoy a few student performances, and thank our wonderful parents for volunteering to help support the learning that happened at BES this year. We hope you can join us!

We are looking forward to hosting our Grade 8 Farewell on Wednesday afternoon at 1:15 pm. This will be a memorable experience for students and families as we come together to celebrate their time at BES and help send them off to high school. We are proud of all they have done for the BES community and can’t wait to see them walk across the stage! 

As we head into our final week of the 2024-2025 school year, we have many people to thank for contributing to our success. Firstly, we would like to thank our School Council - Nikki Hardingham, Matt Kirkwood, Satu Tzotos and David Shackelton. We appreciate all your extra hours meeting and discussing school life at BES and how we can work together to continue to improve our school and provide students with memorable experiences.  We really appreciate you taking on this important role in our school. A special thank you to Lily Reid for coordinating our School Lunch program on Thursdays and to all the volunteers who come each week to help serve meals to our students - it is a very exciting day each week at BES! Another special thank you to Kristen McCutcheon for coordinating our Mountain Readers who join us weekly to read with students in our school. It is a wonderful program and one that our students look forward to each week. We would also like to thank our Lunchroom Supervisors - Ms Emi, Ms Etsuko, Ms Inee, Ms Lauren, and our Educational Assistants who also support our students each day. This is an important job to keep our students safe during their recess times and it is appreciated. And lastly, a special thank you to the parents who volunteered to help in classrooms and on field trips this year. We hope you enjoyed the experiences you had to work alongside your child and to support learning inside and outside of the classroom! We really appreciate it!

Your Voice Matters!
Canadian Rockies Public Schools is committed to creating safe, inclusive, and engaging learning environments for every student. Our new parent satisfaction survey is your opportunity to share how your child experiences school and how we can continue to grow as a division. To ensure consistent and meaningful input, please complete the survey from the perspective of your oldest child currently attending a CRPS school. The survey is short and simple, taking only a few minutes to complete. It must be accessed using the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge. All responses are confidential and anonymous. Your honest feedback will help guide improvements across our schools. The survey will remain open until June 30, 2025.
Access the survey now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2PPFGY2 
Thank you for partnering with us in your child’s learning journey.

Spotlight on Learning
Grade 1 Spotlight

Grade 1's have been enjoying new math tasks that allow all learners to develop, create and find joy in learning about the characteristics of 2D shapes. They collaborated with each other to use their "x-ray vision" to determine what mystery shapes were in the bag based on the total amount of sides in the bag. They also took their knowledge of shapes and fractions to divide cookies after reading "The Cookie Fiasco." It is so wonderful to walk around and see evidence of learning in so many ways from ALL learners!

Grade 5 Spotlight


Over the past five weeks, 5M students have engaged in meaningful, student-led inquiry through their Personal Projects. In connection with the Shared Vision of Learning, students demonstrated curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking as they explored topics they are passionate about and that make a difference in the world. Each project was grounded in real-world issues and directly connected to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Students developed deep understanding, reflected on their values, and used their voices to advocate for positive change. Through independent research, interviews, surveys, and action-based initiatives, learners exemplified student agency, built communication and presentation skills, and took ownership of their learning. Their projects reflect a commitment to global citizenship and show how young people can be powerful agents of change in their local and global communities.

Important Dates
Please click here to view the BES Community Calendar and click here for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 Learning Calendars.

Report Cards
Final Report Cards for the 2024-2025 school year will be accessible on PowerSchool Parent Portal after school on Thursday June 26. 

Lost & Found
Our Lost & Found is filling up! Please make sure to check the Lost & Found tables outside the Den/Gym. If you are looking for anything small/precious (such as jewelry, earpods, glasses, keys) please check Mrs. McKenna’s desk in the office. All items left unclaimed will be donated at the end of June.

Homestay families needed in Banff, Canmore or Exshaw for International High School students (Grade 10-12)Do you have a spare bedroom? Become a host family for our International Student Program! CRPS is in need of host families for the 2025-26 school year.  Remuneration is provided. Please follow this link to find out more!

2025-2026 School Supplies
BES and Bow Valley Basics are working together to offer you great savings and convenience for purchasing your child’s school supplies! This is an optional program designed to save parents time and money over the summer. Bulk purchasing means we get excellent discounts and these savings are passed directly onto you – this is not a fundraiser. Please click here for more information and the 2025-2026 school supplies lists. Order by JULY 31 to take advantage of the pre-order pricing. 

2025-2026 Bus Registration
For the 2025-2026 school year, students who will be taking Canadian Rockies Public School (CRPS) bus transportation must complete an online registration form. A registration form is required for each student intending to ride the school bus in the 2025-26 school year. Failure to complete the form indicates your child(ren) will not need bus service next school year. To access the 2025-2026 School bus registration form, please follow the link to sign in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account. Once signed in, you will click on School Engage to access the Bus Registration form. Please complete the registration form by June 11, 2025 in order to receive your bus pass before the start of the 2025-2026 school year. If you require further information or have any questions regarding Transportation Registration please follow the link Transportation Registration and Info or email crpstransportation@crps.ca.

Grade 8 Farewell
We are excited to invite our Grade 8 friends and families to our Grade 8 Farewell Ceremony on June 25 at 1:15 pm in the BES Gym. The event will feature an awards ceremony, the distribution of certificates, musical performances, and a special memories slideshow to celebrate our students' journey. Following the ceremony, we invite you to join us for a reception with light refreshments in the Den. We look forward to celebrating this joyful and memorable occasion with you!

2025-2026 Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration is open for children that will be turning 5 by December 31, 2025. Please register your child as soon as possible to help us with our 2025-2026 school year planning and to receive important information on the upcoming Spring Into Kindergarten visit in May. Please click here to register.

Volunteering
Banff Elementary School loves and greatly appreciates our volunteers! We require all volunteers who help in the school or on field trips to complete a Criminal Record Check through the RCMP and sign a Confidentiality Contract as per Canadian Rockies Public Schools’ Administrative Procedure 490 - School Volunteers and FOIPP. RCMP checks expire one year from the issue date. Prior to volunteering, please email your legal name to the school office at bes.info@crps.ca to request an RCMP Fee Waiver Letter and we will email you back the letter, required forms, and instructions. Often Criminal Record Checks can be completed by the RCMP within 24 hours. Please click here for more information on volunteering opportunities.

School and Family Wellness Worker
Emily Nicholson, our new School and Family Wellness Worker, is here to help support families and students with their social and emotional well-being. Please contact her at 403-762-4465 ext 6089. This is one more way Canadian Rockies School Division is here to help support not only your child, but also your family.

Before School Care
Before School Care is being offered at no cost to families in need of childcare before school to enable parents to get to work on time. It is available between 7:45 - 8:15 am. Registration is required each year - please click here to register your child. Students who arrive at 8:15 do not need to register for the Before School Care Program.

Out of School Club
The Town of Banff Out of School Club (OSC) is a licensed childcare program offering care for school aged children during the school year. With a focus on child-led play, exploration, and natural curiosity, OSC aims to connect children through indoor and outdoor programming. The OSC program hours compliment the Canadian Rockies Public School calendar - providing care during the after school hours, PD days, parent/teacher interviews, the staggered kindergarten entry and school breaks. For more details, program calendars, and information on how to register, visit www.banff.ca/kids.

Town of Banff Summer Fun Day Camp Registration
This popular summer program is not just about childcare for school-aged children, but creating experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Summer Fun runs Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. (includes lunch hour supervision)  from Wednesday, July 2 – Friday, August 22. We are open for all children going into grades 1-6. There is no programming offered on weekends and Statutory Holidays. For more details, program calendars, Specialty Camps, Youth Camps, and information on how to register, visit www.banff.ca/kids. Summer Fun registration opens to all Banff Residents on April 2 at 8:30am, and April 30 at 8:30am for Non-Residents.

Settlement Services
Settlement Services provides Permanent Residents of Canada, Live-In Caregivers and Refugees with the support they need to settle in the Bow Valley. Please click the link for the Settlement Services Newsletter. More information about Settlement Services and a calendar of events is available at: www.banff.ca/settlement or follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SSBV.CCBV/.

You can also check out our School Announcements here (this is updated frequently) for more information. Please like us on Facebook and follow BES on Instagram @banffelementaryschool for news and reminders.

Canadian Rockies Public Schools
Please follow CRPS on Facebook, Follow/Tag us on Twitter and on Instagram so you can stay up-to-date on all CRPS school related issues, updates and information. Please click here for the CRPS Board Meeting Calendar, Agendas and Highlights.