Blue Jay Bulletin

Dear James Mowat Elementary School Families,

It's been another wonderful week at JMW! Our school is buzzing with activity as classes begin visiting the library, student leadership gets underway, and extracurricular programs such as volleyball and handchimes prepare to start. We are also excited to invite parents into the building for our first School Council meeting on Monday at 5:00 p.m., followed by the S.A.F.E.R. Online presentation at 6:30 p.m. Please join us as we learn how to keep our children safe in online platforms like YouTube, Discord, Roblox, Snapchat, Instagram and Tiktok. Babysitting will be available.

You may have heard students discussing our recent water situation. We would like to reassure families that the water has been tested and is safe to drink. Our Facilities Department is working diligently to implement a long-term solution while minimizing disruption to learning and daily school operations. Work is scheduled to continue next weekend and again during our November Break. We appreciate your patience and understanding as these improvements are completed.

Thank you to Class 3D for their "All About Me" Sundae display!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to another great week of learning at JMW!

Ms. Krista Porter and Mrs. Lana Romanowska

14 GOA Assessments Begin (Grades 1-5)

14 Parent Council Meeting 5 p.m.

14 Parent Presentation by Saffron - S.A.F.E.R Online 6:30pm

17 Saffron Presentation on Internet Safety Grades 3-6

18 Little Elk Island Adventures (Track B Kindie)

18 Bus Evacuation Drill

21 Little Elk Island Adventures (Track A Kindie)

21-25 EIPS Truth and Reconciliation Week

23 James Mowat Terry Fox Run

25 Correction and Verification Forms due

28 James Mowat Orange Shirt Day

28 School Photos for M/TH Kindie only

29 School Photos - whole school

30 National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - school closed

October

2 Professional Learning Day - no school for students

7 Grade 6 immunizations

12 Thanksgiving Day - No school for students or staff

14 Caregiver Learning Series: ADHD 6:30 p.m.

If you haven’t yet done so, be sure to complete the Correction and Verification Form—available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal—for each child in your family by 5 p.m. on September 25. The form includes annual declarations and consent collected for all students, even if none of your contact information is changing. Additional details are available on the Division website: Correction and Verification Forms. If you have any questions or issues accessing your Parent Portal account, reach out to the school office.

Wondering when and how to pay for school fees? School fee information for the 2026-27 school year will be posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal in late September. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted. NOTE: Additional fees may be added throughout the year—for example, at the beginning of each semester, as your child takes part in various activities, or they may be adjusted by changes in selected optional courses in junior and senior high school. If you’re unable to pay your school fees, you can apply to have certain fees waived. The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2026.

For more information, visit the https://www.jamesmowat.ca/about/fees on the school website. Alternatively, contact Mrs.Jensen, Senior Administrative Assistant, at James Mowat Elementary at 780-992-1272.

We are excited to welcome Saffron Centre to present to our caregivers and families! This presentation was developed by Saffron Community Educators with collaboration with the Northern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation Unit (ICE).

This training increases parents' awareness of the current online landscape, educating participants about trends and online harms that affect children and youth. App terms and conditions, risks of oversharing through posting and streaming, the rise of artificial intelligence in online exploitation, and more will be discussed. Parents will walk away with proactive strategies to help set healthy boundaries with their children online, foster open communication, and seek help where and when they may need it.

Topics Covered: Clear vs Dark web, Online privacy, Location settings, “Sharenting,” Artificial intelligence, Livestreaming, Discord, Roblox, Chat apps/features, Child sexual Abuse/Exploitation Material, Sextortion, Online Extremism, Grooming, Luring, Exposure to sexually explicit material, Proactive steps, Setting boundaries, Resources.

Date: Monday September 14, 2026

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: James Mowat School

Babysitting will be available.

Students may bring scooters to school, but we will no longer be storing them inside the school. Scooters must be placed on the bike rack and locked, just like a bike. Before school, students should park and lock their scooter first, then join their class on the tarmac.

This year, James Mowat Elementary is excited to participate in the Terry Fox School Run on September 23, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. Terry started a marathon against cancer and together, we can finish it!

Click the link below and donate to help us reach our goal and support the fight against cancer! Donations will be accepted until September 22.

James Mowat School Donation Page

Starting on Tuesday, September 14 and continuing every Tuesday and Thursday for the remainder of the year, we are excited to offer Blue Jay Boost Day for our students either before or after first recess. A healthy snack will be provided to all students, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. This small boost makes a big difference in keeping our learners energized and ready to engage.

Children under 5 years old are exposed to more screens than ever before, including televisions, computers, gaming consoles, smartphones and tablets.

Time with different screens can add up quickly, especially when screens are used both at home and childcare or school.

Learn more here: Screen Use and Young Children

To ensure the health and safety of our students, a Medication Management form must be completed and signed by a parent/guardian before any medication can be administered at school. All medication must be provided in it's original, clearly labeled container.

If your child has a medical condition requiring an inhaler, EpiPen, or other emergency medication, please notify the school office as soon as possible. Students with severe allergies should have an up-to-date Medical Emergency Plan on file, and any prescribed EpiPens should be provided to the school and checked regularly to ensure they have not expired.

Please note that medical forms must be renewed annually and updated whenever there is a change to your child's health information.

EIPS has outlined rules about the use of personal mobile devices for each grade level in Administrative Procedure 145: Use of Personal Mobile Devices. Processes outlined within this AP are based on direction provided by the provincial government through Ministerial Order 014/2024: Standards for the Use of Personal Mobile Devices and Social Media in Schools. This includes the use of various electronic devices, including smartwatches and Meta glasses. James Mowat Elementary also has a Personal Mobile Device (PMD) Plan that provides additional details for our school.

We encourage families to review our PMD plan with their child to ensure students understand where and when they can and cannot access their personal mobile devices at school.

In 2026-27, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is piloting a new reporting scale for communicating elementary student achievement. Most recently, kindergarten to Grade 6 student achievement has been reported using a five-point scale. This year, the Division is piloting a new three-point scale for kindergarten to Grade 2 and a four-point scale for grades 3 to 6. The goals of the pilot are to provide useful, clear communication to parents and caregivers about their child’s progress, and provide a clear, consistent framework for teachers to use for assessment of student learning.

The draft achievement scales were developed based on teacher and administrator input, assessment research and reviews of best practices across Alberta, Canada and the world. However, it’s critical parents and caregivers feel confident about the reporting structure. Throughout the fall and winter, Division and school staff will share more information to introduce the new grade scales, collect initial feedback and answer questions through school council meetings, school interviews and school newsletters. The feedback collected will help EIPS revise the grading scales as needed, and opportunities for further feedback will be available later in the school year.

In 2026-27, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is piloting a new mechanism for families to have live, direct access to student assessment information for grades 1 to 6. Through the PowerTeacher Pro dashboard in the PowerSchool Parent Portal, parents and caregivers will be able to log in to see assessment information as it’s entered, rather than waiting for a report card. With this change, elementary schools will also shift to two formal report cards for grades 1 to 6 for the school year, rather than three.

Elementary schools will roll out the new approach in two groups. James Mowat Elementary is part of phase 2 and live access to student assessment information will be available starting in Semester 2.

Throughout Semester 1, you’ll continue receiving information about your child’s progress through existing methods of communication—including school interviews, which will still be conducted in the fall and spring, or individual teacher communication.

This new approach does not replace any existing methods of communicating student learning with families. Live access to student assessment information through the Parent Portal is just an additional way EIPS schools will communicate student learning for the coming year.

Throughout the fall, parents and caregivers are encouraged to log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal, to ensure the login process works smoothly and to get familiar with the platform if you haven’t used it in the past. If you have any issues logging into your account, reach out to the school office at 780-992-1272.

Learn more about the changes

James Mowat Elementary School Council is looking for enthusiastic parents and guardians to join our team for the upcoming school year. "School councils are collective associations of parents, teachers, principals, staff, students and community representatives who seek to work together to promote the well-being and effectiveness of the entire school community and thereby to enhance student learning. A school council is a means to facilitate cooperation among all the concerned participants in the local school." - School Councils Handbook, Alberta Education.

All executive positions are open, including:

• President
• Vice President
• Secretary
• Treasurer

Whether you can take on an executive role or simply attend meetings and share your voice, we would love to have you involved. School Council is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families, stay informed about school initiatives, and make a positive impact at James Mowat.

If you are interested in learning more or putting your name forward for a position, please join us at our upcoming School Council meeting on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. We welcome new members and encourage anyone interested to get involved!

Babysitting will be available!

Parenting comes with new challenges at every stage.

Join local experts for free workshops on:

• ADHD

• Autism

• Teen mental health

• Nutrition

• Online safety

• Financial literacy

• Emotional regulation

• Healthy relationships, and more.

Free workshops for parents and caregivers. Everyone is welcome.

Learn more and view the full schedule: fortsask.ca/FCSSworkshops

A night at the ballpark, two baseball movies and plenty of family fun!

Join us Saturday, September 12 at Legacy Park for a free outdoor movie night!

• Rookie of the Year | 5:30 p.m.
• A League of Their Own | 8:00 p.m.
• Activities | 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Bring the whole family, pack some snacks and grab your lawn chairs. Enjoy inflatables, face painting, raffle prizes and photo opportunities throughout the evening.

This popular event draws nearly 1,000 people, so arrive early to grab a great spot!

Support BGC Fort Saskatchewan while you're here. Pick up hot dogs, popcorn, candy and drinks, generously donated by North Central Co-op. Even better, Nutrien will match the total amount raised!

Two movies. One great night. Free family fun.

Legacy Park | 10005 102 Street

fortsask.ca/Movie