E-NEWS Spotlight on Learning

Our Kindergarten students shared thoughtful Valentine’s Day crafts with the long term residents at the Banff Mineral Springs Hospital.

Our Grade 1 students celebrated 100 days of school. They dressed-up and pretended they were 100 years old and incorporated the number 100 into their learning.

In music, students continue to learn melodies to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Students were busy this week crafting Valentine's Day cards, including our Kindy students.

Important Upcoming Dates

• February 21-25 - Family Day/School Closure/Teacher Convention - no classes for students all week
• March 4 - Professional Development, 12:02 pm dismissal for Grades 1 - 8 No Kindergarten classes

Alberta Education Assurance Survey
In the coming weeks, you may receive information from Alberta Education regarding an annual Education Survey. Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey, it helps us in our ongoing effort to plan, design and implement strategies to make our school community better. If you need the survey to be translated in another language or have any questions, please contact our principal at nadine.trottier@crps.ca.

COVID Information
We continue to follow the directives outlined in the CRPS Re-Entry Plan and by Alberta Health Services on isolation and quarantine requirements. Please ensure to complete and follow the updated COVID-19 Alberta Health Daily Checklist. As outlined in the recent CRPS letter effective Monday February 14, masks for students (K-12) are no longer required while at school. Students may choose to continue to wear masks and will be supported with that decision. Additional Rapid Tests were sent home this week and masks are available from your child’s teacher. 

To report a COVID positive case in your household over the Family Day break that could impact the school, please email the principal and assistant principal immediately:
nadine.trottier@crps.ca
jody.keon@crps.ca
When notifying the school of an absence please ensure to provide a detailed reason. If the absence is illness related, please indicate the symptoms. 

Family Week / Teacher Professional Learning
As a reminder, there is no school for students Monday February 21 to Friday February 25. Monday February 21 is Family Day, with system closures on February 22 and 23. On Thursday February 24 and 25, teachers will be participating in professional development online at the Alberta Teacher Convention. This year teachers will attend sessions on topics that include traditional knowledge keepers, differentiation in the classroom, assessment practices, and subject specific pedagogy. Keynote speakers this year at the Teacher Convention include Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe, discussing wellness, Sarah Watson and Michael Ungar discussing resilience and Lindsey Fagan and Michelle Good discussing the impact of Residential Schools.

Hot Lunch Program
School Council is thrilled to announce that our Hot Lunch Program will start again on March 17. The program will run once a week on Thursdays. Watch for more details on placing your order from March 4 - 11. This program is a fundraiser for our School Council and provides the opportunity for parents to buy nutritious and appetizing lunches for their children. This is a purely volunteer run program.  We are in need of volunteers. Please contact Susan Hughes at shughes2014@outlook.com to volunteer. We cannot run the program without the help of volunteers. 

Upcoming Online Mental Health Support for Parents
Are you trying to support your child with their mental health, but you aren’t sure what to do? Join our School and Family Wellness Worker, Ashley Butenschon, for a Question and Answer period about how to best support your school age child with their mental health.

Kindergarten - Grade 3 parents: Thursday March 3 from 6:30 p.m.- 7:30 p.m.
Grade 4 - Grade 8 parents: Thursday March 10 from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Google Meet link: https://meet.google.com/arz-qowi-tig
Please register by emailing: ashley.butenschon@crps.ca
You can email your questions ahead of time.

Town of Banff Children & Youth Programs
The Town of Banff offers a variety of programs for children and youth, including Out of School Care and Spring Break programs.
April 4-8 & 11-14 Into the Wild Nature and Forest Play Camp $42 daily *Banff Access cardholder discounts available. Spring Break Camp participants will meet in the Banff Recreation Grounds at the Rundle Cabin. Drop-off is between 12:00 – 12:30 pm. Pick up is between 5:00 – 5:45pm. This is a play-based, child-led outdoor program. All curriculum is emergent, dynamic, and driven by your child’s interests. Special attention in programming is given to the change of seasons and the unique flora and fauna of Banff National Park. This week-long camp features an Indigenous-led tour, forest bathing, shelter-building and a nature walk with a local interpretive guide! Children (K-grade 5) will also enjoy plenty of opportunities to immerse themselves in rich, sensory-based experiences in the woods, imaginative play, singing, crafts and tinkering. For more information or to register your child, please call 403 762-1251 or visit https://banff.ca/195/Children-Youth. 

2022-2023 Kindergarten Registration
Please follow this link to view important information regarding 2022-2023 Kindergarten Registration.

CRPS Public Virtual Board Meeting
Please follow the link to view the agenda for the upcoming Public School Board Meeting scheduled for February 23, 2022 at 7:00 pm.

News from the Office
School Fees
Banff Elementary School fees are available on PowerSchool Parent Portal and are now due. Debit or credit card payments can be made online through your Parent Portal. If you are unable to make full payment at this time please contact Joanne Geyer at joanne.geyer@crps.ca to make payment arrangements. Please click here for instructions on how to make a payment using PowerSchool Parent Portal.

School Events Calendar
Please click here to view the BES Community Calendar

School and Family Wellness Worker
Ashley Butenschon is here to help support families and students with their social and emotional well-being. Please contact her at 403-762-4465 ext 6089. One more way Canadian Rockies School Division is here to help support not only your child, but also your family.

Right from the Start
With Valentine’s Day and Pink Shirt Days being recognized this week, Right from the Start has been focusing on kindness and being a good friend! Students have been exploring so many ways to show kindness through our actions and words. Ask your child ways they show kindness to themselves and others! As always, BES Success Coaches can be reached by emailing Megan.Jenniex@crps.ca or Michelle.Skingle@crps.ca. You can also check out our website for resources or find us on social media.

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 February Newsletter.  More information about Settlement Services and a calendar of events is available at: www.banff.ca/settlement or follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/settlement.services.in.the.bow.valley.

You can also check out our School Announcements here (this is updated frequently) for more information - see info on a FREE Glee Club Class and The Basement schedule. Please like us on Facebook for news and reminders.

Please follow CRPS on Facebook, and Follow/Tag us on Twitter, so you can stay up-to-date on all CRPS school related issues, updates and information.