October 19 - 23, 2026

• Referendum station at SCE - see below for more details about pick-up time

• Picture retake day - see below for access to the form
• Chip Day

• Kindergarten Mother/ Child night

A friendly notice to our SCA families!

On referendum day, Monday, October 19, our gymnasium will be used as a voting location, which means parking will be limited at dismissal. If you are able, we would greatly appreciate families walking over to pick up their children at the end of the day instead of driving. Every family that can do so will help ease congestion and make dismissal run a little more smoothly for everyone!

Thank you for your flexibility, understanding, and support.

We appreciate our amazing SCA families!

Strathcona Christian Elementary Photo Retake Days are coming up on Tuesday October 20th!

If your child needs a photo retake, please complete the registration form below:

Strathcona Christian Elementary Retake Request Form

It is important that each student participating in the retake is registered using this form so they can be added to the retake list. Please complete the form by Monday October 19th so we can make sure they get their photo taken!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to hello@offspringstudios.ca, and they will be happy to help.

Tuesday, October 20th is chip day for Gr 1- 6 and KB/KD classes. If you have pre-paid for chips, your child will choose their flavor that morning. If you did not pre-pay, feel free to send in a loonie with your child that morning.

Please note - KA/KC classes will have their chip day on Thursday, October 22.

Mark your calendars! On Thursday, October 22, we’re hosting a special evening at SCA Elementary just for our Kindergarten Moms and Kinders!

Get ready for a fun-filled evening of activities, special time together, and a yummy snack. It’s a Kindergarten event you won’t want to miss!

Please note your class’s arrival time:

• KB: 6:00 p.m.

• KD: 6:15 p.m.

• KA: 6:30 p.m.

• KC: 6:45 p.m.

We can’t wait to welcome our Moms and Kinders for a wonderful evening of fun, connection, and special memories!

SCA Elementary warmly invites parents and family members who serve in uniform to join us for our Remembrance Day Chapel on Friday, November 6, at 10:45 a.m.

If you serve in the military, police, fire services, EMS, or another uniformed service, we would be honoured to have you attend in uniform as we gather to remember, reflect, and give thanks to those who have served and sacrificed for our country.

Your presence would be a meaningful way to help our students recognize and honour the courage, dedication, and service of those who protect and serve our communities.

If you are able to join us in uniform, please call the school office or connect with Pastor Driedger at darren.driedger@eips.ca.

We hope you can join us for this special occasion!

SCHOOL FEES ARE NOW ONLINE on PowerSchool Parent Portal. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted (by October 28, 2026). To access your fee information, simply log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and go to “Student Fees.” There are several payment options available to you including Visa, MasterCard or debit card—when available from your financial institution and new this year—Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payments, also known as E-Cheque. EFT payments allow you to pay directly from your bank account with no added fees, giving you added flexibility beyond credit or debit card payments.

YEARBOOKS - If you would like to order a 2026-27 yearbook please make sure to choose it from the “School Items” on your student’s individual tab in Parent Portal and add it to your cart when paying your school fees. The deadline for ordering a yearbook is March 31, 2027 and they will be delivered to the students in June 2027.

SCE CLOTHING - If you would like to order either a SCA Elementary T-shirt or hoodie (OR BOTH), please choose the item(s) from the “School Items” on Parent Portal under ‘SCE Clothing Order Form’. Please note that these items can be purchased at any time throughout the school year. All clothing items purchased through the Parent Portal account will be delivered to the student’s homeroom class.

If you choose not to pay the above fees online, please print a copy of the Account Summary from your Parent Portal account and enclose with payment made directly to the school. Payment to the school can be made by cash or a cheque payable to SCA Elementary School. All SCA Elementary students can be paid for on one cheque. Please ensure that optional items (i.e. Yearbook, T-shirt) are checked off and included in your payment.

If circumstances exist where you are unable to pay your fees, you can apply to have fees waived by submitting an Application for a Waiver of Fees. The application deadline is December 15, 2026.

For more information about school fees, waivers and payment deadlines, visit eips.ca and https://www.scaelementary.ca/about/fees. Alternatively, contact the school office at 780-449-2787.

Hello Parents and Guardians,

Your school photos are now live and ready to view and order online. Please visit our website, click ORDER PHOTOS and enter your online code (top right on your picture form). You receive free direct shipping on all orders until September 30th, after this date there is a $6.50 shipping fee.

The online code is your student's ID number. If your child misplaced their form and you don't know their student ID number, please email hello@offspringstudios.ca and we will provide you with it!

Thank you so much!

Offspring Studios Team

Please note - retakes will be taking place on October 20.

The Joy of Missing Out — JOMO

This year, our school is excited to be partnering with JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) as we explore healthy, intentional ways to navigate technology and the ever-changing digital world together.

We invite all of our SCA families to join us as we embrace the Joy of Missing Out—creating space to disconnect from screens, reconnect with one another, and be present for the things that matter most.

Please see the article below for upcoming webinar opportunities and important information to help families navigate technology in today’s world.

We hope you’ll join us on this journey as we learn, laugh, unplug, and discover the joy that can be found when we occasionally choose to miss out!

Where is your family’s attention going?

How often do you hear, "Just a second..." as your child finishes a game or checks one more notification? Technology has made it easier than ever for our attention to be pulled in many directions. And it's not just our kids. How many times have you heard yourself say, “Not right now…” when your child has asked you a question or invited you to play? Parents are navigating the same constant stream of texts, emails, notifications, and competing demands.

Research shows that our digital environments are training us to switch attention every 47 seconds! The encouraging news is that attention isn't a fixed trait, it's a skill that can be strengthened over time through repeated habits and intentional practice. Small, everyday moments of presence can help our kids learn to focus on what matters most.

Scripture reminds us that formation happens through repeated practices. "Set your minds on things above" (Colossians 3:2). Throughout His ministry, Jesus wasn't hurried by every demand placed before Him. He regularly stepped away to pray, discerned what mattered most, and lived with intention. As parents, you have the opportunity to model that same faithful attention to your kids by creating moments each day to pause, notice God's goodness, and be fully present with your family.

Inside Your Kid's Digital World: Snapchat Streaks

Snapchat Streaks reward friends for sending each other a Snap every day, creating pressure to stay constantly connected so the streak doesn't disappear—even when kids don’t feel like being online. This built-in addictive feature makes it feel difficult to put the phone down or be fully present. Through the JOMO(campus) curriculum, your children are learning how digital habits shape their attention and practical ways to recognize distractions, make intentional choices, and give more of their attention to what matters most.

JOMO Family Practice: TRY THIS TODAY

One Minute of Undivided Attention

One of the greatest gifts we can offer young people is consistency. When schools and families reinforce the same habits and values, everyday moments become powerful opportunities for formation.

Try this simple practice at home: Choose one moment each day - at dinner, before bedtime, or during the drive home from school - to put every device away for just one minute. Invite everyone to answer one simple question:

"Where did you notice God today?"

or

"Who did you give your full attention to today?"

These small moments remind us that attention is one of the greatest gifts we can offer—to God, and to one another.

Upcoming Webinars

• October 1, 2026 | How To Be A JOMO Parent – Christina Crook, JOMO founder & author of Good Burdens + Student Panel
• November 3, 2026 | First Devices – Dr. Jacqueline Nesi, Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor at Brown University
• January 2027 | Social Media, Gaming & Online Gambling – Guest Speaker (TBD)
• February 23, 2027 | AI & Emerging Technologies – Paul Matthews, author of Wise AI, Fellow at Baylor University
• April 15, 2027 (Bonus) | Summer Tech Success – Christina Crook, JOMO founder, author of Good Burdens: How to Live Joyfully in the Digital Age

Join us on October 1 as Christina Crook and a panel of students kick off the series by exploring what it means to be a JOMO Parent. Hear firsthand what teens wish their parents knew about technology!

Register for the JOMO Family Webinar Series using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZDZSG-lyQX-uOQj5WuK7xA

*You only have to register once for the whole series.

We know morning goodbyes can sometimes be a little tough (for parents and kids!), but we want to help everyone get their day started calmly and quietly.

To help our students settle into their classrooms, we ask that parents say their goodbyes at the carpet in the rotunda.

From there, students should make their way independently down the hallway to their classrooms.

Thank you for helping us create a calm and peaceful start to the school day.

We promise your little Eagles are ready to fly!

Morning Arrival

School starts at 8:37 am. Please make sure to have your child at school before that time so they have sufficient time to make it to their desk before the bell rings. School doors open at 8:15 am.

Afternoon Dismissal

School is dismissed at 3:19 pm.

Our parking lot and loop line are very busy in the afternoons. Pease plan accordingly.

Parents are NOT permitted to park in the staff parking behind the school.

No After School Supervision

After the final dismissal bell (3:24 pm) at the end of the day, children who are not bus students MUST be picked up or be on the way home within 10 minutes.

Our shuttle bus service is up and running. If you missed out on signing your child up for the service, but think it would be a good fit for your family, please call Mrs. Box at the school office.

Is your child riding the bus this year? If yes, download the My Ride, Bus Status and SchoolMessenger apps to stay in the know about your child’s bus stop location, route, pickup time and whether their bus is running on schedule.

Do you drop off and pick your child(ren) in the loop? Please watch the video below to refresh yourself on our school loop procedures.

SCA Elementary and the Division use the SchoolMessenger platform for communicating with families—through both phone and email. Be sure to add communications@eips.ca and general.sce@eips.ca to your safe sender list to avoid having important messages funneled into your junk mail folder. You can directly manage your phone and email subscription preferences through SchoolMessenger. Simply log in to your account—or create one if you don’t already have one—and select the message types you’d like to receive to each phone number and email address on file. The easiest way to stay connected is to download the SchoolMessenger app. Get the latest updates direct to your mobile device and enable push notifications to never miss a message. Families can also check back on past messages—for up to 30 days—directly in the app rather than searching to find an old message buried in your inbox. Download the SchoolMessenger app from the App Store or Google Play today.

The safety of students and staff is of paramount importance to Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS). To improve safety and security in schools, the Division has implemented a new initiative to keep student safety and learning a top priority. For some schools, this new division wide process aligns with current practice, for other schools it will be something new.

Effective for the start of the school year, all school exterior doors, including the front door, will remain locked during operation hours.

The front doors will be opened during designated supervision times:

In the morning between: 8:20 - 8:37 am

In the afternoon between: 3:05 - 3:35 pm

Students will enter and exit the school using their designated doors, and parents/caregivers will continue to meet their children outside their dismissal doors.

Students who arrive after the entry bell—as well as parents/caregivers, volunteers, school visitors and other guests—will be welcomed into the office through the front door after ringing the front doorbell/video-monitored intercom entry system. Upon arrival, all visitors must report to the school office, sign in on the tablet (new) and take a lanyard to wear.

The video-monitored intercom entry system will enable office personnel to determine who’s at the door and admit arrivals without having to leave the front desk. The video camera will display the individual’s image on a screen in the office, and once admitted, the individual will sign in at the office as they have in the past. This new procedure enables staff to know who’s in the building and helps prevent trespassers from entering the premises. Students will continue to come and go from the school at the start and end of the day and at recess and lunch as they have in the past. Parents, caregivers and volunteers are still welcome and appreciated for your visits to and involvement with the school.

We ask that families please assist school staff with reminding your children, for safety reasons, not to open any locked doors for individuals attempting to enter the school. When the doors are locked, all individuals must approach the front door and follow the new procedures.

For any food service deliveries throughout the school day, parents/caregivers or students must inform the school office staff in advance, so staff know to expect the applicable delivery at a specified time, and all deliveries will come through the main school entrance.

For extracurricular, after-hours or community use, one designated door will be unlocked for the applicable times as specified in the agreement when the space is booked.

Refer to the new Administrative Procedure 538: Building Security and Door Locking on the Division website for more information. These changes are one more step EIPS is taking to support the ongoing safety and wellbeing of everyone in Division schools. If you have any questions about the new procedure, contact the school directly at 780-449-2787.

* If entering the school, please remember to check in at the Main Office before heading to any classroom.

* Classes begin at 8:37 am. Students not in their desks at the 8:37 bell will be asked to pick up a slate slip from the office before going to class and will be marked as "late". We ask parents and students to do your best to have students arrive on time so all classes can have a strong start to the day.

* We appreciate the continued support of our parents as we continue to maintain a modest dress code standard for our students. More information for grade 4 - 6 parents can be found at the front of their child's agenda book.

Did you know you can sync the school calendar to your own calendar?

Simply visit:

https://www.scaelementary.ca/about/calendar

Click on the applicable subscription option:

-Download to iCal

-Add to Google Calendar

-Subscribe to Calendar (Outlook)

Note: Options are located above the calendar

Once you click on the desired subscription option, follow the instructions. Within seconds, your calendar will contain all SCA's important dates including holidays, school-closure days, planned activities, events and more.

SCA Elementary staff and students will be practicing emergency response procedures in the event of an emergency. We will practice emergency evacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place procedures throughout the 2026-27 school year

We are proud to be a nut aware school. Because nuts can cause severe, life threatening reactions in some of our students, we ask that you do not send food items that contain peanut butter/peanuts/all tree nuts and sesame seeds. Thank you for helping us provide a safe environment for all the students in our school community.

As per our medication policy, if your child will be requiring medication to be kept in the office for the 2026-27 school year, or if they require medication to be administered to them while at school, a Medication/Personal Care Request and Authorization form (available in the office) must be filled out. Medication must be in the original container, labeled with their name, dosage and times. If it is prescription medication, the pharmacy label must be intact and the label must have an expiry date. If the label is not legible or is missing, or if there are medications mixed in the same bottle, the medication cannot be used. Please note: We do not give out “stock” medication to students (ie. Tylenol, Advil, etc.)

Students in K-6 are required to have separate footwear for use inside of the school. Please make note of the following: 1. Shoes left at school must be kept in the student’s homeroom. 2. PLEASE LABEL Outdoor and Indoor shoes. 3. Shoes that mark or damage floors in any way are not to be worn. 4. A pair of athletic running shoes for PE are required (NOT skateboard, backless, platform or “roller” runners. Runners must be able to be tied tightly, support the foot and flex properly.) These shoes can be used as the indoor footwear

Did you know each EIPS bus is equipped with video surveillance, and many school sites have video monitoring equipment?

Video surveillance and equipment help: ensure the safety of all students, staff, drivers and property; and discourage destructive acts. As needed, EIPS school administration and Student Transportation staff review video recordings, in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. The recordings assist schools and the Division with monitoring student and driver conduct and may be used as evidence in a disciplinary matter. For more information about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, contact the EIPS FOIP Coordinator at 780-464-3477.

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.

SCA 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.

Important Information about Meta and Smart Glasses

As outlined in Ministerial Order 014/2024, the Government of Alberta has established standards for the use of personal mobile devices and social media in schools. Within Elk Island Public Schools’ Administrative Procedure 145: Use of Personal Mobile Devices further outlines acceptable and proper use of personal mobile devices by both staff and students.

Meta glasses and other smart glasses are considered personal mobile devices, and therefore their use is governed by the ministerial order and administrative procedure. While prescription glasses are and always have been permitted in schools to give students the tools they need to learn, Meta and smart glasses are not universally permitted in schools. An eyeglass prescription is not a valid medical condition to permit the use of Meta or other smart glasses. Families are encouraged to explore non-smart glasses options for their children with eyeglass prescriptions.

Did you know we have a school Facebook Group?

Find us on Facebook under:

SCA Elementary Parents

The joy of the Lord

is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10