E-NEWS & Principal's Post

On Wednesday, we celebrated Pink Shirt Day at BES. Pink Shirt Day started in 2007, when a group of teenagers organized a high school protest to show support for a student who was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. Today, Pink Shirt Day is celebrated across Canada and in many other parts of the world. The message for the day is to stand up to bullying and that it has no place in our schools. We had a number of students sharing that message through musical performances, poems and skits. It was beautiful to see so many pink shirts and students sharing the message of kindness and caring.



Welcome to our new Kindergarten families who have registered for next year! We are so excited to meet both new and returning families at our Welcome to Kindergarten parent session this week. This is a special time filled with both excitement and a few nerves, and we are here to support you every step of the way. We look forward to sharing information about our beautiful school and helping prepare our newest students for their very first big day. We can’t wait to begin this journey together!

Grade 7 or 8 Parent Volunteer Coordinator Needed
Our Student Wellness Committee is looking to organize a Grade 7 and 8 school dance in April. We are looking for a parent who would work with Administration to organize volunteer supervisors for this fun activity. If you would be interested in helping, please reach out to bes.info@crps.ca - thanks.

Spotlight on Learning
Kindergarten Spotlight


Following Valentine’s Day and with Pink Shirt Day on our minds, Kindergarten has been focused on kindness and friendship even more than usual. We delivered murals of kindness to the residents at St. Martha’s to foster our roles as community volunteers. We have been reading stories with themes of caring, understanding and belonging, and connecting them to our own experiences, such as “When We are Kind”, by Monique Gray Smith.and “The Kindest Red” by Ibtihaj Muhammad/S.K. Ali  We decorated our own pink shirts and drew some pictures of different ways to show kindness - to ourselves, to each other, and to the earth. We also connected with our Grade 7 Learning Buddies in the spirit of friendship on Pink Shirt Day, to read a story about kindness and including others, followed by some reading time with each other.

Grade 4 Spotlight


The Grade 4 students have recently been making connections in nature and the wider community to enhance their learning beyond the classroom. Lynx led the Grade 4 classes on a Nature Explorers outing to the Fenland Loop this week to help foster experiential learning opportunities focused on new science units related to ecosystems and plant and animal adaptations. The Grade 4 classes also started their cross country ski lessons at the Canmore Nordic Centre, which is a component of the BES outdoor pursuits program. These types of learning experiences and environments help to authentically engage and stretch our learners, which is a key aim of our Shared Vision of Learning.

Important Upcoming Dates

• Mar 7 - Staff Professional Learning - 12:05 pm dismissal for Grades 1 - 8 (no Kindergarten classes)
• Mar 7 - P/T/S Conference Booking System Opens 4:00 pm

BCHS and CCHS Open House Dates
Save the Date - Banff Community High School will be hosting their Open House on Monday March 24.  More information will be shared shortly.
Canmore Collegiate High School will be hosting their Open House for Grade 8 families on Tuesday March 11 from 6:00 - 8:00pm. You can find more information here: CCHS Open House

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 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:
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!