It is certainly a busy time of the year at BES! Students have been working very hard to prepare for our Winter Concert at the Banff Centre next week. We have rehearsals on December 9 and 10 and our performances on December 11 and 12. It is going to be a wonderful event! Basketball for grade 7 and 8 boys and girls has started as well. This is always a popular sport at BES and we appreciate all the students who participate and our coaches who volunteer their time. Lastly, we will be hosting a spirit week during the last week of December before the break. Check out the daily themes below.
Thank you to all those who donated baked items to our Bake Sale for the Give What You Can, If You Can campaign. We raised approximately $1000 for our campaign through that initiative and with other monetary/gift card donations, we are at close to $1500 raised! Well done BES. We are almost at our goal of $2000. We would also like to share a huge thank you to our families who have donated food and games/toys for our Food Drive. This is another way we are giving back to our BES families that need some extra support this holiday. We will be wrapping up our holiday season events with a carolling and winter assembly on December 17th at 1:30pm. We will be including some fund little surprises for hitting our campaign fundraising goals. It is sure to be a great time!!
Mountain Readers Volunteer Program 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 7 years. We are looking for a new parent volunteer (or two) to train with the current coordinator of the Mountain Reader program 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.
Spotlight on Learning Grade 8 Spotlight Grade 8 students have recently embraced activities inspired by “Building Thinking Classrooms”, fostering collaboration, perseverance, and creativity while taking ownership of their learning. In Humanities, students worked together to brainstorm and refine “hooks” for their research essays, sharing ideas and using exemplars to inspire their writing. Adding a creative flair, students also brought their understanding of a novel to life by designing comics, showcasing their ability to think critically and express ideas visually. In STEM, students developed a deeper understanding of percents through mental math exercises, engaging in group discussions to explore strategies and build confidence through a focus on collaboration, learning from one another, and meaningful discussions that promote growth.
French as a Second Language Spotlight This week in French, each class was working on a grade specific project. Grade 4s continued to learn about les vêtements d'hiver, while Grade 5s and Grade 7s created maps of the school (with locations labeled in French). Grade 6s made Winter Greeting cards specific to their family traditions, and Grade 8s wrapped up their unit on les vêtements by designing and stocking their very own Boutique. Nous aimons l'hiver! CRPS Shared Vision of Learning This week’s highlight of the CRPS Shared Vision of Learning and how it is coming to life at BES is the following belief:
We believe in the direct relationship between professional learning, personal commitment, and instructional excellence. As members of professional learning communities and life-long learners, we:
collaborate to draw on each other’s strengths to improve our practice in ways that engage all learners intellectually, emotionally and academically.
foster personal well-being for all by nurturing positive and equitable school cultures that celebrate inclusion and diversity.
We are fortunate to have a dedicated and enthusiastic staff who engage deeply in learning together during our professional development afternoons. This year, our team has collaborated to enhance their understanding of effective literacy and numeracy block structures, developed strategies for fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills through the Building Thinking Classrooms approach, and explored tools to support literacy intervention. In addition, each staff member creates an annual Teacher Professional Growth Plan focused on their individual learning goals. Many of our educators share similar goals, which promotes a culture of collaboration and collective growth. BES is a vibrant and diverse community, welcoming students from a variety of cultural backgrounds. This rich diversity is one of our greatest strengths, creating unique and dynamic learning environments across our classrooms. Our staff are committed to understanding each student's individual strengths and areas for growth, and they prioritize supporting both academic and social-emotional development. When additional support is needed, staff work collaboratively with Administration, Learning Support, and our School and Family Wellness worker to ensure every student receives the assistance they need. This holistic, team-based approach helps nurture the whole child, fostering a sense of belonging and contributing to the positive, caring culture that defines BES.
Important Upcoming Dates
Dec 11 & 12 - 2024 Banff Schools Holiday Concert at the Banff Centre in the Jenny Belzberg Theatre 6:30 - 7:30 pm each evening - required tickets are complimentary
Dec 13 - Staff Professional Learning - 12:05 pm dismissal for Grades 1 - 8 (no Kindergarten classes)
Dec 16 - 20 - Winter Spirit Week
Dec 17 - Carolling and Winter Assembly 1:30 pm
Holiday Concert Schedule & Tickets Banff Elementary School students will be performing on specific evenings at the Holiday Concert at the Banff Centre on December 11 & 12 with the exception of the Grade 7 & 8 band students that will perform both evenings. Please click here for the schedule and ticket information. Concert Attire for each grade is as follows:
Grade 1 - Red top/Black bottoms and an optional santa hat Grade 2 - Solid coloured shirt in Red, White, Silver or Gold, or Green depending on the student’s group Grade 3 - Rock and roll themed Grade 4 - Festive or fancy holiday themed Grade 5 - Black/White with an optional santa hat Grade 6 - Festive sweaters with an optional festive accessory Grade 7 & 8 - ALL black with an optional festive accessory
Winter Spirit Week December 16 - Cozy Winter Footwear (Slippers, Socks) December 17 - Winter Wonderland (Blue, White, Sparkles) December 18 - Holiday Cheer Headwear (Antlers, Elf, Santa) December 19 - Candy Cane Lane (Red, White, Green, Patterns) December 20 - Pyjama Day
Holiday Campaigns & Support We really appreciate everyone’s generosity as we look to support BES families and members of our community through these initiatives. Our goal this year is to raise $2000 and we already raised over $1000 at the Bake Sale. Thank you to all the students and their families for contributing and purchasing baked goods. We are planning some fun activities when we hit milestone goals. It may just include a pie in the principal’s face if we hit our goal!!! You can find more information below.
“Give What You Can, If You Can” As the heart of the community, Banff Elementary School is always eager to support our families and our community. As we are aware that community supports are limited this holiday season, BES is once again working to support as many of our families as we can during the 2024 holidays. From now until December 13, we will be running our “Give What You Can, If You Can” Campaign. We are looking for the following donations which can be dropped off at the BES office.
Grocery gift cards ($25 denominations)
New, unwrapped family Board games (e.g. Uno, Snakes and Ladders, etc.)
Monetary donations (cash, cheque made out to Banff Elementary School)
Our school goal this year is to raise $2,000 for the campaign, and there will be some awesome celebrations for our students and staff along the way!
Could You Use Support this Holiday Season? If you or someone you know may benefit from additional support this holiday season, please let us know by filling out this (confidential) form by December 6.
Support is not guaranteed, and is dependent upon donations received.
Community Education Service Navigating Technology with our Youth Webinar December 10 6:00 - 7:00 pm The presentation is facilitated by a therapist from Juno House who has years of both clinical and facilitating experience. Juno House was founded in 2008 as a Centre of Excellence for adolescent girls and young women who are experiencing anxiety-based mental health issues of self-harm, obsessive compulsive disorders, depression and eating disorders. Please click here for more information and the registration link.
2024-2025 Caribou Kids Season Ski Pass Program Banff school students will enjoy free skiing again this winter. Now in its 18th year, Banff Lodging Co and Banff Mount Norquay are happy to offer the Caribou Kids Season Pass program for students enrolled at Banff schools. Please click here for more information and the online purchasing link. All payments and inquiries should be directed to Banff Mount Norquay.
Casual Lunch Supervisors Needed Are you available on a casual basis to supervise students over the lunch hour? We are in need of subs to call in the event that we are short staffed. This is a paid position and you are required to obtain a Criminal Record Check (unless we already have one on file). Please contact the office for more information.
Lost & Found The lost & found at BES is growing. Please ask your child to check for lost items or please stop by the school. All items left behind at the Winter Break will be donated.
Important Dates Please click here to view the BES Community Calendar andclick here for the 2024-2025 Learning Calendars.
December 11&12
BES Winter Concert at the Banff Centre 6:30 - 7:30 pm - click here for ticket details
December 13
Staff Professional Learning - 12:05 pm dismissal for Grades 1 - 8 (no Kindergarten classes)
December 16 - 20
Winter Spirit Week
December 17
Carolling and Winter Assembly 1:30 pm
December 18
BES Council Meeting 3:20 pm - celebrate the season with festive food and drink
December 20
Winter Break begins at 12:05 pm - BES is closed in the afternoon
December 23 - January 5
School Closure for Winter Break - Happy Holidays!
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 andFOIPP. 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 third year, the CRPS board has decided not to charge lunchroom supervision fees for the 2024-2025 school year, reflecting our division's commitment to easing family financial pressures. Complimentary (CTF) course fees for Grades 7 and 8 students have been added to your Parent Portal account and are due by October 31, 2024. You can pay school fees online and obtain a copy of your invoice through your Power School Parent Portal account. Once you sign on, under navigation, click on Student Fees. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school office.
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. Right From The Start Welcome back BES families! We are so excited to have you here! Ms. Jenniex, with Right from the Start, will start visiting all the classrooms next week. If you have any questions about Right from the Start, please feel free to reach out to megan.jenniex@crps.ca. Watch for RFTS newsletter updates from your child(ren)’s homeroom teachers throughout the year to see what is happening with RFTS!
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 3, 2024 and registration is required each year. It is available between 7:45 - 8:15 am. 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. Winter Break registration opens to all on November 15th 2024 at 8:30am.
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/.
SWIS Upcoming Events: Positive Ways to Parent Tuesdays: January 14, 21, 28, and February 4 Time: 6:00–7:00 pm (online via Zoom) Pizza will be provided. Register here
Schooling in Canada: Open Discussion and Skill Building Monday, January 20, 2025 Time: 6:00–7:30 pm (online via Zoom) Pizza will be provided. Register here
Schooling in Canada: Grade to Grade Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025 Time: 6:00–7:30 PM (online via Zoom) Pizza will be provided. Register here
You can also check out our School Announcementshere (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.
Homestay families needed in Banff, Canmore or Exshaw for international high school students (Grade 10-12) from Feb-June 2025 Do you have a spare bedroom? Become a host family for our International Student Program! Remuneration is provided. Follow this link to find out more!
