Good afternoon Balmoral families
Teachers and staff have had a very smooth first week back with students! We are looking forward to a wonderful school year filled with engaging learning activities and lots of fun and laughter as well!
Please read the newsletter carefully as it contains important information about school events, reminders and deadlines that impact your child’s experience at school.
If you are missing out on emails or know other families who are not receiving our emails, please ensure that you/they SUBSCRIBE to stay informed at this link:
School Hours
Please be aware that the school doors will be open at 7:40am every day to welcome students into school. Students who arrive early can play on the playground or sit on the picnic tables until the school is open. On very cold days, we will allow students to enter early and wait in the Learning Commons until school starts.
After school from Monday-Thursday, buses usually leave around 2:40pm. All students who are getting picked up must leave the school building by 2:45pm, unless they are in a sports team or club and supervised by a teacher. Siblings of students in sports teams are NOT permitted to stay for practices. There is no after school care available for students at school.
Picture Day – Monday, September 15 (FORMAL UNIFORM REQUIRED)
Picture day is Monday, September 15! Students will receive picture proofs in the coming weeks and information about ordering. We will be taking individual and class group photos on Monday. Please ensure your child is wearing the formal uniform to school this day.
Meet the Teacher + Band Information – September 11 evening
Our Meet the Teacher evening is on Thursday, September 11 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. This is an informal evening where you can visit your child’s classes and introduce yourselves to their teachers. If you would like to have a one-on-one conversation about your child’s learning, please book this separately with the teacher.
During Meet the Teacher, we will have our Annual Band Information evening for ALL families of students who are taking band in Grade 7, and NEW families in Grades 8 and 9. Important information about our band program, band camp, renting instruments, and expectations for home practice will be provided. Please join us in the gym at 7:00pm on September 11 for this meeting. If you have any questions about the band program, please contact Ms. Fast (pafast@cbe.ab.ca).
**Grade 7 families can visit their teachers from 6:00pm-7:00pm, and then attend the Band information meeting.
Meet the Teacher: 6pm-8pm (CLASSROOMS)
Band Information for Grade 7 and NEW Grade 8/9 families: 7pm-8pm (GYM)
Online School Clothing Store Information
Similar to last year, we have partnered with SportFactor to offer Balmoral School clothing through their online website. There are adult and youth sizes available. Please use the link below to place your order:
The deadline to place your clothing order is September 19, 2025 – please get your orders in before then! It will take 4-6 weeks after this deadline for the clothing to arrive at school, and then it will be distributed to students.
Please note there are NO refunds or exchanges on clothing purchases – check the sixe chart before you order.
School Council Information
The first School Council meeting and parent society meeting will be held on Thursday, September 18 at 6:30pm. This meeting will be held IN-PERSON at Balmoral School in our Learning Commons.
Parents who expressed interest in joining our school council last year – please attend this meeting! This is where elections are held and roles for the year are determined. If there are any other parents who would also like to join council, or just come to be part of the conversation, please join us!
Casino Fundraiser
This is a very special and beneficial event that occurs every 2 years. It benefits the school but it is not associated with the CBE. The Parent Society of Balmoral School (a specifically registered group) applies for and orchestrates this event. The Parent Society is the legal name - it was applied for and is maintained by parents to ensure we could maximize our funding opportunities. We are so fortunate to have a massive fundraiser every few years.
Please help out on Monday, October 20 & Tuesday, October 21. The shifts are from 11:00am to 4:00am. Yep! Those are the actual times! There are lots of options available. 25 volunteers are needed each day to fill all the shifts. Please click on this link to pick your shift:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0449A8AA2CA5FE3-44695040-balmoral#/
Open House
Please visit the School Council table to ensure you have your Volunteer Form for this year. There are some extra requirements for certain ‘being with students’ opportunities. Please come visit our table by the office and take a form! Balmoral becomes stronger with every volunteer!
Healthy Hunger Fun Lunches
We have again partnered with Healthy Hunger to provide us with a fun lunch once a month! Please follow the link below to register your child by adding their name and corresponding grade. You will receive monthly notifications to let you know what the lunch will be. For the month of September we have chosen Subway!
September 9 – Grades 5/6
September 10 – Grades 7/8/9
The deadline is to order is always 5 days before the fun lunch date!
You must add your student to Balmoral School in the Healthy Hunger website each year to order lunches.
We appreciate the support as a portion of these sales go into future funding for our school activities. Thank you!
Volunteer Opportunity
If you are able to volunteer on the Healthy Hunger fun lunch dates, we need 2-3 parents to receive the food, sort it by homeroom, and deliver to classes.
Please use these links to sign up if you are available – a valid police clearance is required.
Grades 5/6 - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0449A8AA2CA5FE3-51830463-funlunch?useFullSite=true#/
Grades 7/8/9 - https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0449A8AA2CA5FE3-51830576-funlunch?useFullSite=true#/
Balmoral Athletics - Sports Teams Tryout Dates
The soccer, basketball, and cross-country running seasons are starting very soon! Please see below for the tryout dates and times for each team.
Tryout dates:
Soccer
Girls (Grades 6-9) – Monday, Sept. 8
Location: Back field
Time: 2:30-4:00pm
Basketball
Sr. Girls (Grade 8 and 9) – Thursday, Sept. 11
Sr. Boys (Grade 8 and 9) – Wednesday, Sept. 10
Jr. Girls (Grade 7 and 8) – Tuesday, Sept. 16
Jr. Boys (Grade 7 and 8) – Monday, Sept. 15
Location: Gym
Time: 2:30-4:00pm
Cross Country Running
Grade 6-9 boys and girls – Thursday, Sept. 12
Location: Back field
Time: 11:50-12:30pm
Students must have an Annual Authorization for Athletic Tryout Form form signed and returned to the homeroom teacher prior to joining. Students should prearrange to have a ride home at 4pm. Please contact Mr. Guenther at teguenther@cbe.ab.ca if you have any questions.
OPTIONAL – School Agenda for Purchase
This year we are selling school agendas for students who wish to purchase them. Many students are using digital tools these days to organize their schedules, homework, etc. However, for those who prefer a paper agenda, there are a limited number available in the office.
If you would like to purchase an agenda, you will need to add it as an optional fee through your MyCBE account, and then pay it online. The cost of an agenda is $10. Then the student is able to come to the office and pick up the agenda
If you have any questions about purchasing the agenda, please call the school office.
The Pickle Jar
Our school cafeteria will be opening starting on Monday, September 8. Students may purchase food Monday – Thursday during the lunch break. The cafeteria is CASH only, and most meals are $6. The menu will be sent to families each week in the newsletter and posted by the school office.
CTF Courses
All students in Grades 6-9 are in the process of choosing their CTF courses for this year. Each student will take one CTF course in Term 1 (Sept-Jan) and another CTF course in Term 2 (Feb-June). Students in Grade 5 will rotate through 4 different CTF modules throughout the year.
Each CTF course has a different occupational area of focus, such as Foods, Construction, Design Studies, or Environmental Stewardship. Each CTF course has an associated fee of MAXIMUM $20 per course. This is to pay for the additional student supplies required to complete CTF projects, such as construction materials or ingredients for cooking.
Please talk with your child over the next few days and ask them about which CTF course they are choosing. Fees will be added to your MyCBE account in the coming weeks.
School Buses
Please ensure you are signed up for the My Bus Monitor notification emails for the most up to date information. The link is below. You must enter your email address and select your child’s bus route (AM and PM) to receive email notifications about bus delays, etc.
Login: My School Bus Monitor
ALL bus route change requests must be submitted to CBE Transportation centrally. CBE Transportation is currently processing late bus registrations and changes to bus routes. If you submitted a late registration or change request, it may take up to 6 weeks for this change to take effect. We can understand this may be frustrating for some families and we are doing everything we can to expedite the process. In the meantime, students may need to be dropped off/picked up from school. You will receive notification from CBE Transportation when your changes have been made.
Contact information for CBE transportation is:
403-817-7433
Cell Phone Policy – Away for the Day
At Balmoral School, we strive to minimize distractions and personal screen time at school to focus on learning and building good relationships. Personal devices (cell phones, etc.) are NOT permitted in classrooms during instructional time. Devices must be left in lockers during classes. Students may use their personal devices during lunch when they are OUTSIDE the school building, and return them to their lockers after lunch.
If teachers find a cell phone in class, they will keep the device in a secure location until the end of the day. If this becomes a pattern, administration will contact parents to pick up the device from school, and make a plan for student success in this area.
Families who need to contact their child during the day can call the school office and leave a message. Office staff can pass on a message quickly and have a child return your call if you wish.
School Uniform Information
Balmoral students are required to wear our school uniform from Monday – Thursday each week. Friday is a casual day.
Our uniform color is NAVY BLUE, and students must be wearing a TLC logo every day. and no jeans are allowed. Indoor shoes must be BLACK and can be kept in school lockers.
McCarthy Uniform Information can be found online www.mccarthyuniforms.ca or by calling 1-800-668-8261.
Important Dates
- September 11 – Meet the Teacher evening (6pm-8pm)
- September 11 - Band Information meeting (7pm-8pm)
- September 15 – Picture Day (Formal Uniform)
- September 23 – Terry Fox Run
- September 25 – Whole school assembly + buddy class activity
- September 29 – Non-Instruction Day (no school for students)
- September 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (no school)
- October 14 – Thanksgiving Day (no school)
If you have any questions or concerns, please call the school office.
Regards,
Balmoral Administration