E-NEWS and Principal's Post

School Based Professional Learning this Friday!
We are excited to be kicking off our School Based Professional Learning this Friday afternoon.  Our staff will be engaged in literacy learning where we will be looking at strategies to improve students’ vocabulary, word study and spelling skills (Structured Word Inquiry).  Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) is a way of teaching students how words work by exploring their meaning, history, and structure.

Instead of just memorizing spelling words, students become "word detectives." They learn to ask questions like:

• What does this word mean? (Its morphology - looking at prefixes, suffixes, and roots)
• Where does this word come from? (Its etymology - its history)
• How is this word built? (Its orthography - how the letters are arranged and why)

By exploring these connections, students can unlock how words are built and why they are spelled the way they are. This deeper understanding helps them become more confident readers, spellers, and writers. We will be working with Kim Tackaberry from the Alberta Professional Learning Consortium on this topic.

Allergy Safe Environment
As we kick off the school year, we want to take a moment to remind everyone about the importance of keeping our school an allergy-safe environment for all students. We have students in our school who have severe, life-threatening allergies to certain foods, including nuts and nut products. To ensure the safety and well-being of these students, we ask for your continued cooperation in being mindful of what you send to school. Please do not send in snacks or lunches that contain nuts or are made with nut products. This includes items like peanut butter sandwiches, nutella, granola bars with nuts, and certain kinds of trail mix. Your partnership in this effort is crucial. A simple act of checking the labels on food products can make a world of difference for a child who is at risk. It's a small step that shows our collective care for every member of our school community. Thank you for your understanding and for helping us make our school a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

Volunteering and Taking Pictures
We are grateful for all our volunteers who join us in the classroom or on field trips. As you know, we love to capture photos of our students learning and having fun. To make sure we're following the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act, we must ensure that we only take photos of students whose families have given us permission. For this reason, we ask that only staff members take photos during school activities. This helps us ensure everyone's privacy is protected. Thank you for your understanding and continued support!

2025-2026 Annual Demographic Update/Permissions & Consents
Thank you to those who have already completed the online 2025-2026 Annual Demographic Update. If you have not already completed the update, please log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account and click on SchoolEngage on the left side bar at the bottom. Once you have signed in to your SchoolEngage account, click on the bell at the top right hand corner. You will see the incomplete forms in blue. This is the place to give permission for walking field trips, which start immediately including the Terry Fox Run, along with permission for Grades 7 & 8 students only to leave the school grounds at lunch. Please contact the school office if you have any questions.

Spotlight on Learning
Grade 1 Spotlight
Grade one is thinking like scientists! We've started the year off with learning about the scientific method. We've asked some great questions such as melting vs dissolving and did our first experiments with hot water and candy, making hypotheses with our peers. 


Grade 5 Spotlight
Grade 5 took their learning outside last week for a first hand look at how weather and climate impact agriculture. Star 6 Ranch offered the perfect setting to put our senses to use, and feel the soil, observe the landscape, feel the sun and the air, and taste the vegetables grown in this environment. A special thanks to Star 6 Ranch for hosting us, and to Lynx for  sharing her passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge. 



Important Upcoming Dates

• Sep 19 - Terry Fox School Run - Banff Elementary School Fundraising Page: https://schools.terryfox.ca/BanffElementary
• Sep 19 - Staff Professional Learning 12:05 pm dismissal for Grades 1 - 8 (no Kindergarten classes)
• Sep 24 - School Council Meeting 3:30 pm
• Sep 29 - Orange Shirt Day
• Sep 30 - National Day for Truth & Reconciliation - School Closed

Terry Fox Run/Walk
We will be hosting our Terry Fox Run/Walk tomorrow (Friday September 19). Our assembly will be at 9:30 am in the BES gym and will then head out for our run/walk. Our students in grades 1 - 3 will do their run/walk on the Elk Field while our grades 4 - 8 classes will run along the river on the pathways. To participate off site, grades 4 - 8 students require their Annual Demographic Update to be completed, providing permission for walking field trips. Please join us for this wonderful event! We encourage everyone to donate a Toonie for Terry! You can donate here: Terry Fox School Run - Banff Elementary School Fundraising Page: https://schools.terryfox.ca/BanffElementary

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. Before School Care will commence Tuesday September 2 and registration is required each year. It is available between 7:45 - 8:15 am. Please click here to request before school care during the 2025-2026 school year. You will be contacted to confirm your registration in this program. Students who arrive at 8:15 do not need to register for the Before School Care Program. 

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!