E-NEWS and Principal's Post

Terry Fox Run
We had some incredible weather for our annual Terry Fox run last week.  Our students started off with a powerful assembly to recognize the incredible work that the Terry Fox Foundation has done for cancer research and to learn more about Terry’s heroic efforts during his Marathon of Hope.  Students and staff then hit the trails along the river or ran around the elk field in our BES Terry Fox Run.  Thank you to those families who donated to the cause.  We have raised $585 online so far. There is still time to donate and hit our goal of $1000. You can donate here: BES Terry Fox Fundraising Page

National Day For Truth and Reconciliation
On September 30th, our school, along with all of Canada, recognizes the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. We will be hosting our National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Assembly on Monday September 29 at 11:30am. Parents are invited to attend. This day also includes Orange Shirt Day,  a special opportunity for all of us to learn and grow together. It's a day to reflect on our shared history, acknowledge the past, and commit to building a better future.

For our youngest students, this day is about learning how to be a good friend and neighbor to everyone. We're learning about the Indigenous peoples of Canada—the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. We wear orange shirts to show that every child is important. By being kind, listening to each other's stories, and making our school a happy and safe place, we promise to create a community where everyone belongs.

For our middle-grade students, this day is about learning some difficult truths about Canada's history. The "truth" part is about honestly learning about a sad time when Indigenous children were taken from their homes and sent to schools called residential schools. The "reconciliation" part is about healing and becoming friends again. We can help by being respectful, listening to Indigenous stories, and celebrating their amazing cultures.

For our oldest students, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a time to reflect on a challenging period in our country's history. It's an opportunity to learn about the residential school system—a government policy that separated thousands of Indigenous children from their families and cultures. Today, we honor the survivors and remember those who never returned home. The goal of reconciliation is to build a stronger, more just Canada by acknowledging the past and building relationships based on mutual respect and understanding.

As we move forward, let's remember that every one of us has a role to play in building a better future together. Thank you for your support as we learn and grow as a school community.

Provincial Assessments
Teachers in Grades 1 - 3 have begun working with students on the Alberta Provincial Literacy and Numeracy assessments. These assessments are designed to give us a clear snapshot of your child's progress in literacy and numeracy. These aren't tests for a grade; instead, they're valuable tools that help us understand your child's strengths and areas where they might need more support in reading, writing, and math. The results provide us with key information to guide our teaching and tailor our programs to best meet the individual needs of every student. They also help us monitor how well our school is doing as a whole in these foundational subjects, ensuring we're providing the best possible education for all our students.

Spotlight on Learning
Kindergarten Spotlight

Kindergarten dove into the motivational book ‘The Dot’ written by Peter H. Reynolds. It has received a lot of global attention and on September 18th International ‘Dot Day’ is celebrated. The story promotes the idea of ‘you can do it!’. A teacher encourages a young student who felt that they couldn’t draw to create an art piece from a single dot. We used ‘dots’ in a few different ways. We noticed dots in different places. We drew them in the backgrounds of our artwork. We painted and colour mixed them in a spinning machine and saw them in math, literacy,... The book ‘The Dot’ has been very inspirational. We will keep looking at dots in the days to come. Connection to Shared Vision of Learning:  foster deep understanding, through multiple perspectives and experience, communicating ideas, questions and understandings in order to transfer learning.

Grade 4 Spotlight

The Grade 4 students have kicked off the year by learning more about waste and our world. The Grade 4 classes went to the Fenland Loop with Lynx on their first Nature Explorers outing to find real-world examples of natural waste and decomposers. Students will be learning about the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling and both classes will be hosting the annual Cardboard Arcade and visiting the Francis Cooke Landfill near Exshaw and touring the recycling centre in Canmore in the coming weeks!

Important Upcoming Dates

• Sep 29 - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Assembly and Orange Shirt Day at 11:30am  (Parents are invited to attend)
• Sep 30 - National Day for Truth & Reconciliation - School Closed
• Oct 3 - Staff Professional Learning 12:05 pm dismissal for Grades 1 - 8 (no Kindergarten classes)

Caregiver Coffee Mornings
Mondays - October 6th, 20th, 27th and November 3rd - 8:25-9:15 am at Banff Elementary School (Cascade Classroom Room #157). Coffee Mornings for caregivers of children aged 5 - 13 attending Banff Elementary School. Drop in for coffee, connection, and conversation. Join the Family Connections Specialist, the School Wellness Worker, and other caregivers in a supportive, relaxed space.    

• Share experiences
• Gain practical strategies
• Feel supported in your parenting journey    

No registration needed – just come as you are!

Mountain Readers
The Mountain Reader volunteer program at Banff Elementary School started back in 2009 and continues to encourage and support student literacy while fostering community connection. Each volunteer visits a BES classroom once a week for an hour to read one-on-one or in small groups with students. The program feedback from students, teachers, and volunteers is overwhelmingly positive with many volunteers returning year after year to cheer on young readers. Please click here if you would like more information. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all the Mountain Readers who give their time to this terrific program, especially Kristen McCutcheon who has been the volunteer coordinator for the past 8 years.

We are looking for a new parent volunteer (or two) to train with the current coordinator of the Mountain Reader program over the next year and eventually take over this volunteer position. This involves monitoring the mountain reader email inbox, communicating with potential volunteers and with BES to get RCMP checks, and organizing the class schedule. When a new volunteer starts, you would also meet them at BES for a brief orientation and introduction to the teacher. If you would like more information, please contact Kristen at mountainreaders@gmail.com.

Circle of Support: Family Changes Group
Circle of Support provides free support for children and youth who are experiencing changes in their family such as divorce, separation, death, or other loss. In this group, participants will learn about feelings including grief and gain a sense of belonging through peer support. This group can be valuable even if you are not currently seeing a shift in your child’s emotions or behaviour. Circle of Support is offered in partnership with the Canadian Rockies Public Schools and the Town of Banff and Town of Canmore. For more information or to register, please email katie.barton@banff.ca

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
The Town of Banff marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. Please click here for more information on their upcoming events.

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

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 Fees
For the fourth year, the CRPS board has decided not to charge lunchroom supervision fees for the 2025-2026 school year, reflecting our division's commitment to easing family financial pressures. Complimentary course fees (Grade 7 & 8) and incidental fees will be added to your Parent Portal account as required.

School and Family Wellness Worker
Emily Nicholson, our 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.

Right From The Start
Hello BES families! I’m excited to introduce myself as the new Right from the Start (RFTS) Coordinator here at BES. My name is Michelle Masniak, and I’m thrilled to be working with all of you and your children this year. I will be visiting classrooms starting next week, supporting teachers and students as part of the Right from the Start program. If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at michelle.masniak@crps.ca. Stay tuned for regular updates and news from your child’s homeroom teacher throughout the year, where you’ll learn more about what we’re up to in RFTS!

Town of Banff Children & Youth Programs
The Out-of-School Club (OSC) is a licensed childcare program offering care for school aged children, September to June. 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 details and how to register, visit www.banff.ca/kids.

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.

Do you have a spare bedroom? Become a host family for our International Student Program! We are looking for 5 or 10 month commitments. Remuneration is provided. Follow this link to find out more!