E-NEWS & Principal's Post

This week, we had the privilege of welcoming our Knowledge Keepers, Tracey and Cassandra, to our Grade 2 and 3 classes. During their visit, they shared with our students the significance of stories and storytelling in Indigenous culture. They also emphasized the importance of sharing circles, and they were deeply impressed by how respectful and engaged our students were while sitting in their own circle.

Our students took the opportunity to share a special project they had worked on, which honors our Elders and Ancestors. The project also recognizes and expresses gratitude to Philomene Stevens for the invaluable knowledge she has passed along to our students at BES and within our school division. The students’ beautiful work is now proudly displayed in the Den for all to see and appreciate.

We are incredibly grateful to have our Knowledge Keepers with us, and we cherish the wisdom and insights they continue to share.

The CRPS International Student Program is in need right now of new homestay families both for the remainder of this school year and for the next school year. If you or anyone you know may be interested in hosting we would love to hear from you!! Temporary respite options (e.g. for a weekend or a week) are also available and can help "get your feet wet" and test out whether you'd like to host longer term.

Approved Homestay families receive $1300 per month or $43 per night. Check out our Homestay Website. HOMESTAY FAQ's - take a look at this Spotlight Article posted on Rocky Mountain Outlook's Webpage! If you are interested, you can fill in this form to find out some more information.

Have you had a chance to join a School Council meeting yet this year? All parents are welcome to join us!  We will be hosting our next meeting on Wednesday February 26 at 3:20 pm in the BES Staff Room. Please join our amazing group for some conversations around things happening at BES and in our school division. You can also hear about some of the fun events that will be happening this spring! We hope to see you there!

As we head off to a break and our Family Day weekend, we want to wish everyone a very healthy and happy holiday break with family and friends. We hope you get to spend some special time with loved ones this break and we look forward to seeing you back on February 24!

Spotlight on Learning
Grade 1 (and 5) Spotlight


Grade 1 and 5 teamed up to learn coding skills with these adorable BeeBot robots. Grade 5s took the lead and taught their Grade 1 buddies to write and program simple codes and to debug issues, and then sent their BeeBots off on mini adventures.

Grade 5 Spotlight

So much amazing learning has been happening in 5M!
Students have followed the ‘Design Thinking Process’ where they identified a problem and worked collaboratively to create a solution. The process involved ‘empathising’, ‘defining’, ‘ideating’, ‘prototyping’ and ‘testing’. Students have found solutions to many problems we face inside and outside of school. In Social Studies, we have been learning about Canada’s history. Students have been exploring the different ways of life for different cultures in Canada. We went on an excursion to the Whyte Museum where we learnt all about the past and how artifacts tell a story.

Important Upcoming Dates

• Feb 16 - Lunch Program Session 2 ordering closes at 11:59 pm
• Feb 17 - 19 - School Closure for staff and students - Family Week
• Feb 20 - 21 - Teacher Convention - no classes for students
• Feb 26 - Pink Shirt Day & Assembly at 11:20am
• Feb 26 - School Council Meeting 3:20 pm BES
• Feb 26 - CRPS Board Meeting 7:00 pm Canmore Board Office

Lunch Program
Session Two of the School Council Lunch Program will run on Thursdays from February 27 - June 12 and the MunchaLunch ordering is now open. The order deadline for this entire lunch session is Sunday February 16 at 11:59 pm. Once the MunchaLunch system is closed we cannot add additional orders. This is a purely volunteer run program. Please contact Lily Reid (lilyreid@ymail.com) to volunteer or sign up using the Volunteer tab in the MunchaLunch ordering system. Please remember to send your child(ren) with additional healthy snacks, a container with a lid and cutlery. No plates or cutlery will be available. Don't delay…order today by clicking here.

School Council - February 26 3:20 pm
School Council is a liaison group between parents/guardians, teachers, administration, community and School Board to encourage communication, involvement and cooperation with the goal of maximizing individual student learning and enhancing school life. As a parent or a guardian with a child in the school, you are considered a member of School Council. We welcome all parents to join our Council meetings to learn, observe, and have a voice. School Council generally meets the third Wednesday of each month at 3:20 pm (in-person at BES and virtually). Whether you can join for one meeting, or every meeting, for 30 minutes or the full hour, your involvement is welcome. The next meeting is Wednesday February 26 3:20 pm.

Town of Banff Circle of Support
Circle of Support is a group for children that helps them to cope with life changes and losses in their life, such as separation or divorce of caregivers, family illness/injury or the loss of a loved one. The goal of the group is to assist children in expressing and understanding their feelings, accepting what has happened, normalizing grief and loss, and experiencing a sense of belonging in an accepting, non-judgmental environment. If you feel that your child(ren) could benefit from the Circle of Support group (February 26 - April 2), please click here for more information and to fill out the consent form and return it to the school office, the Community Services office at Town Hall or email it to katie.barton@banff.ca.

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.

Important Dates
Please click here to view the BES Community Calendar and click here for the 2024-2025 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 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 were 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: Grade to Grade
Date: Tuesday February 25, 2025
Time: 6:00– 7:30 pm (online via Zoom)
Pizza will be provided.
Register here

Filipino Youth (Grades 7-12) and Adult Workshops in Banff on Friday March 7
We are excited to invite Filipino youth and their families to join us for the upcoming workshops, hosted by Settlement Services in the Bow Valley. These workshops will be held entirely in Tagalog and feature engaging topics for both youth and parents.

For Filipino Youth (Grades 7-12)
Date: Friday March 7, 2025
Time: 12:00 – 3:00 pm (Half-day Friday, pick-up between 11:42 AM – 12:15 pm from different schools)
Location: Pioneer Room, Catharine Robb Whyte Building, Banff
Topics: Moving to Canada, life in Canada vs. the Philippines, skills building for success, and more!
Lunch and transportation provided.
[Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Reuni2025Youth]


For Filipino Adults
Date: Friday March 7, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 8:30 pm
Location: Pioneer Room, Catharine Robb Whyte Building, Banff
Topics: Reuniting as a family in Canada, building healthy relationships, and parenting in Canada
Dinner, childcare, and transportation provided.
[Register here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2025ReuniAdult]


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.

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!