Good afternoon Balmoral families
Thank you to all of our families who braved the cold and icy roads to join us for our celebration of learning! Listening to the students play their musical pieces was a joy – it is amazing to see how far they have come in a few months. We appreciate all of the teachers’ and students’ efforts that went into making this event a success!
Lockdown Drill
On February 4, students and teachers, in partnership with Calgary Police, practiced their second lockdown procedure of the school year. If you have any questions or concerns about the lockdown, please contact administration.
February is Black History Month
During Black History Month, we honour and amplify the voices of Black Canadians while celebrating their many achievements and contributions. The efforts of Black Canadians and their communities throughout history have greatly enriched Canada’s cultural diversity, compassion and prosperity. Please see some resources below to learn more about the significance of this month and why we recognize it in Canada:
https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month/about.html
https://www.calgary.ca/events/black-history-month.html
Lottery Deadline is February 11 at NOON
New families to Balmoral School must apply for a placement through the lottery process. Families must submit an Expression of Interest online through School Engage by noon on February 11.
Please share this information with your friends and families who are interested in the TLC program. Families must reside in our designated attendance area to apply for a placement at Balmoral School. Please forward the link below to families who are interested in applying. Interested families can contact our school office with any questions.
https://www.cbe.ab.ca/registration/registration/Pages/alternative-programs.aspx
Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s day is an opportunity for students to build friendships, make connections, and work on emotional regulation skills. The Student Voice Council will be selling candygrams at lunch on Monday, February 10 for just 25 cents each! This includes a small candy and a kind note for a friend. Candygrams will be delivered on Wednesday, February 12.
Bus Updates
If your child takes the yellow school bus, please make sure you are signed up for bus delay updates. Go to the website below, create an account, and sign up for bus notifications for the specific bus letter for Balmoral School (AàJ). This will provide you with timely information about bus delays.
https://www.myschoolbusmonitor.ca/
Yearbook Cover Design Contest
Calling all artists! We invite all students to submit an entry into our yearbook cover design contest. The requirements are to use the colours BLACK, RED, and WHITE, and include a TIGER logo. Entries are due to Ms. Muckle or Ms. Vallee by March 3.
Yearbooks will cost $22 and will be sold on the Lifetouch website starting soon! These are great way to preserve memories from your child’s years at Balmoral School.
Kindness Raffle
Our Student Well-Being Action Team is responsible for February's kindness raffle. Students in all grades will have their names entered into a raffle when they have been observe performing acts of kindness. This is an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and reward the every day actions that contribute to the safe, welcoming and caring learning environment we deeply value here at Balmoral School. Prizes include coupons for the Pickle Jar, and a Balmoral hat.
Lost and Found
There are many items currently in the lost and found, including uniform pieces. Please encourage your child to check the lost and found regularly for their belongings. We will be donating unclaimed items to charity about once per month. Parents are also welcome to drop by and check the lost and found during school hours – just check in at the office first.
2024-25 CBE Student Survey
Balmoral School l will be participating in an online school perception survey for students called the CBE Student Survey. Please find the details of the survey implementation below.
Who: Students in grades 5, 6, 8 & 9
When: February 3 - 27
Where: Homerooms
About the CBE Student Survey:
- Allows students to voice their feedback on their experiences at school, the school environment and school improvement programs.
- Based on their feedback, students have the opportunity to be involved in action plans fostering increased student engagement.
- The survey should take about 60 to 80 minutes to complete.
The CBE Student Survey is an opportunity for students to:
- report on themselves, their own abilities, and their accomplishments; and
- take pride in what they have achieved.
In alignment with CBE’s Education Plan, the results are used in school and district reports to demonstrate that students are:
- at the centre of all CBE decisions;
- able to integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies they are acquiring across all academic disciplines; and
- demonstrating Citizenship, Personal Development and Character in and through learning.
If you have questions or would like to request more information about the upcoming implementation of the CBE Student Survey, please contact the school.
Cyber Awareness Presentations
As part of our Character Education program at Balmoral School, we are pleased to offer a valuable opportunity for our students. Constable Gert Villani will be visiting our school to deliver digital citizenship and cyber awareness presentations to all grade levels over the next couple of weeks. Presentation content is outlined below:
- Grades 5 and 6: Focus on topics such as the impact of social media and time spent online, posting videos and the potential consequences, recognizing scammers and hackers, identifying inappropriate content, and understanding cyberbullying.
- Grades 7, 8, and 9: Explore the realities of virtual life versus reality (including the "Insta lie"), the risks of oversharing through photo posts (including geo-tagging), apps that encourage exposure (e.g., BeReal, TikTok, Instagram), the importance of reading terms and conditions, and the dangers of sextortion.
If you have any questions regarding this presentation, please contact our Student Services Learning Leader, Ms. Vallee (jvallee@cbe.ab.ca).
Indigenous Music Residency
During the last 2 weeks of February, all students will be learning music from Walter McDonald White Bear and Samantha Whelan . They are professional musicians who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our students, and we are so excited to have them as guests in our school next week. A big thank you to our School Council for their support of this residency!
Grade 9 Vaccinations
Grade 9 students are scheduled for their standard vaccinations on February 24. Forms have been sent home for signatures – please return these forms to the homeroom teacher by February 7. As with all vaccinations, a presentation about the vaccination was given to students last week. If parents have questions regarding these, please reach out to the school office.
High School Registration and Transfer Deadlines
If your child is interested in applying to a different high school other than their designated high school, they must go through the TRANSFER process (online form). Please ensure you know about the high school programs and have a strong reason for transfer. The transfer application form deadline is March 15, 2025:
https://www.cbe.ab.ca/registration/transfers/high-school-transfers/Pages/default.aspx
The CBE high school “Get Ready” guide is linked below:
https://cbe.ab.ca/programs/high-school/Documents/Get-Ready-Get-Set-Go-For-It-Short.pdf
Students in Grade 9 will be selecting courses and filling out their forms starting next week. For questions regarding high school course selections and processes, please contact Ms. Vallee or Ms. Ontko.
The Pickle Jar Menu
Important Dates
- February 10 to 27 – Cyber Awareness Presentations
- February 10 – Candygrams on sale at lunch
- February 11 at 12pm – Lottery deadline
- February 12 – Lottery Draw date
- February 12 – Valentine’s Day – candygrams distributed
- February 13 and 14 – Teachers Convention (no school for students)
- February 17 – Family Day (no school)
- February 18 to 27 – Indigenous Music residency
- February 26 – Pink Shirt Day (anti-bullying)
If you have any questions or concerns, please call the school office.
Regards,
Balmoral Administration