Nov 2 - 8, 2026

www.ecoleparc.ca

Hello EPE Families,

When life gives you lemons...

Well, suffice it to say that this week started with a bit of a punch to the gut and quite a shock with the announcement of our gym closure. However, we are working closely with the district team to determine the best path forward to ensure that learning continues and that our students can remain involved in activities of all kinds.

We have already started modifying some of our existing school spaces to create an alternative gym space, and we are exploring additional options as we look ahead to the coming weeks and months. While things may look a little different, our goal remains the same: providing our students with opportunities to learn, move, participate and have fun!

Our first big pivot will be for Remembrance Day. Please see the details below regarding our November 6 assembly.

As we begin to think outside the box (or gym!), we would love some help from our community! If you are a yoga or martial arts instructor, have experience coaching a sport and would be willing to help students develop some basic skills (we're thinking ahead to spring!), or have connections with community organizations that might be open to alternative programming, please reach out to our general.epe@eips.ca email. These are just a few ideas we'd love to explore!

On another note, I am also on the lookout for a Santa! If there are any dads, grandpas or uncles out there, beard or no beard, who would be willing to help spread a little festive spirit at school, please let me know!

This Week at École Parc

Goblins, princesses and Marvel characters were out in full force on Friday! We had a great time dancing our way through the halls during our Halloween Parade. I've included a few pictures below to share some of the fun.

Our staff pumpkin decorating contest was also a hit! The winner will be announced on Monday. Stay tuned!

Well done to our two volleyball teams. We had a weekend of fun and

The Week Ahead

Parent-Teacher Interviews

Our second evening of parent-teacher interviews will take place on Tuesday from 4:00–7:00 p.m. The Book Fair will also be open during this time, so be sure to stop by!

Holiday Book Sale – Donations Welcome!

We are continuing to accept gently used books for all ages, as well as rolls of wrapping paper, for the Holiday Book Sale that Parent Council will be hosting in December. These can be dropped off anytime or when you come in for interviews.

Remembrance Day Assembly – November 6

Our Remembrance Day assembly will take place on Friday, November 6, at 10:45 a.m. at Fort Saskatchewan High School.

Students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 will have opportunities to participate in Remembrance Day activities. Our Grade 6 students will also have the opportunity to attend a ceremony hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion at the cemetery.

Families are welcome to join us for the school assembly! If you plan to attend, please park at École Parc and walk over to Fort Saskatchewan High School with us. We will be using the entrance door nearest the gym.

As guests in their space, please note that outdoor footwear will need to be removed upon arrival.

We invite all students and guests to wear red on this day as we come together to remember and honour those who have served and continue to serve our country.

Have a great week, everyone!

Mme. Taylor Cullum
Directrice/Principal

Le 26 octobre

What's happening at École Parc:

Nov 3

• Parent Teacher Interviews 4-7 pm (book fair will be running concurrently in the library)

Nov 4

• School Spirit day: Inside out/backwards day
• Early dismissal at 2:12

• Remembrance Day ceremony. Details to come.
• Grade 6 Field Trip for Remembrance Day

Nov 9 - 13

• Fall Break

Nov 16

• Hot Lunch: Canadian Brewhouse
• On Alert, Hold and Secure & Lockdown drill

Nov 17

• Metis Jigging & Spoons

Nov 18

• School Council Meeting 5:30 Virtual

Nov 19

• Metis Jigging and Spoons

Nov 23

• Monthly Assembly 9:15 am
• Smudging 1:00 pm

Nov 25

• Early dismissal 2:12

Nov 30

• Hot Lunch: Ken's Catering

Save the date- Christmas concert

We are holding December 8 for our grades 3-6 Christmas concert and December 10 for grades K-2.

We are planning an afternoon concert for 1:30 and an evening performance for 5:00pm both days.

See also our school website calendar for schoolwide and classroom information in addition to classroom newsletters.

-EIPS Calendar for 2026-27

-EIPS Kindergarten Calendars for 2026-27

Our space-themed book fair is from Audrey’s again this year. This time, there are a variety of books in French and English, pens and pencils, bookmarks and stickers as well as some young adult books for those older siblings. Unfortunately, there are no adult books this time. We will not be holding books aside as that took too long and not many people looked through the ones that were already gone. It is first come, first serve and there are several books that only have one or two copies. You are able to re-order yourself from their website if the book you wanted is no longer available. Ordering information will be posted in the library, but you can also find it on the attached flyer. The fair opens in person Thursday, October 29 at 3:12 PM. It is already open online. We accept cash and cards. There is one book with a special price of $5 that is only available at the fair for that price and is more online: Hockey Superstars 2026-2027.

Students are able to shop at the bookfair during their recess and lunch times on Monday, November 2; Tuesday, November 3; and Wednesday, November 4. The book fair will close Thursday , November 5 at 9:00 AM.

Book fair hours: Thursday, October 29: 3:12 PM – 7:00 PM

Monday, November 2: 3:12 – 4:00 PM

Tuesday, November 3: 3:!2 – 7:00 PM

Thank you so much for your support!

🐻 École Parc families and teachers—get ready to show your Grizzly pride! Our Grizz Gear online store opens November 2–15, featuring shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants and hats. Treat yourself to some school spirit or surprise your favourite Grizzly with a great Christmas gift! 🎁 Orders will arrive in December before winter break. Mark your calendars 💚

http://ecoleparc.deco-apparel.com/

With the winter season almost here, the school has a few reminders for families:

· Ensure students have clothing appropriate for expected weather conditions.

· If weather conditions are bad enough to impact student transportation, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) advises families directly, and posts updates on social media and eips.ca.

· Decisions regarding bus cancellations are guided by an EIPS administrative procedure that states, “school bus service may be suspended…when there is a forecast or current temperature of -40 C, including wind chill factor, in one or more regions.” Other reasons for suspending or delaying school bus services include adverse weather and poor road conditions.

· When school bus services are suspended, schools remain open to students.

For more information, contact EIPS Student Transportation at 780-417-8151.

This year we will be using a new platform for our parent teacher interviews called Book it. You should have received an email from our school messenger system at 9:00 am on Oct 21 with the link to sign up. Interviews will be held for grades 1 to 6 on Thursday, Oct 29 from 4- 7pm and Tuesday, Nov 3 from 4-7pm. The site to book will be open until Oct 27 at 10pm. If you need assistance, please contact Sherri at the office.

PALS and kindergarten will have their own dates. We will send out interview information for our Kindergarten families at a later date.

With the 2026-27 school year underway, live access to your child’s assessment information is now available through the “Grades and Attendance” tab in your PowerSchool Parent Portal for all Ecole Parc students. Your child's gradebook may only have a few assessments at this time, but additional assessment information will continue to be added throughout the school year. We encourage families to review the gradebook information within the Parent Portal regularly to learn more about what your child is learning this year. More information resources about this assessment information and how to access the PowerSchool Parent Portal is available on the Student Assessment page of the Division website.

If you have any questions about how your child is doing this school year, reach out directly to their teacher or make a note to discuss it at the upcoming school interviews on Oct 29 and Nov 3 If you have any issues logging into your Parent Portal account, reach out to the school office at General.EPE@eips.ca or call 780-998-3741.

The cost is $22.50. We have 3 options to choose from: grey, black and cream. The cream are silk lined. Please contact the office if you would like to purchase. No cash please. We will add the fee to your parent portal account. Once paid, we can send the toque home with your child or you can pick it up. Thank you.

A friendly reminder that doors will not open until daily until 8:20. If you are dropping off, please stay with your child until doors open. Thank you.

Are you tired of stepping on blocks in the family room or having the vacuum suck them up and break? Perhaps no one at home plays with it anymore and you are looking to free up some space? Either way, students have asked if we could have a Lego club at lunch when the weather cools. If you are prepared to donate any Lego to the school, we would be happy to put it to use. Please bring any donations to the office.

If your child loses a library or home reading book, please contact the school. If the book is not found within 30 days, the cost of the resource will be assigned to the “Fees” section of your PowerSchool account. Please note, if the book is found within 30 days, a refund will be granted. However, if the book is found after 30 days, a refund will not be granted as we will have purchased a replacement for the library’s collection.

If your child(ren) would benefit from receiving a free hot lunch, please contact Sherri via email to add them to the list and declare any allergies. Email: general.epe@eips.ca

We’re excited to share that Hot Lunch is officially up and running!

Our website has had a big refresh and is now easier than ever to navigate. You can start placing your orders here 👉 https://munchalunch.com/parc

A quick reminder: Orders are due one week before the lunch date.

Have a question or need a little help? No problem! Reach out to Jorie at epeschoolcouncil@gmail.com - happy to help! 😊

Thanks to the generosity of our school community, sometimes we are able to offer free hot lunches to students.

If your child(ren) would benefit from receiving a free hot lunch, please contact Sherri via email to add them to the list and declare any allergies. Email: general.epe@eips.ca

We are incredibly grateful for the kindness shown within our school community and hope this helps make lunch a little easier for families.

Thank you, as always, for supporting our school and our hot lunch program! ♥️

- School Council

Hot lunch Dates:

Sept 28: Panago

Oct 13: Cobs

Oct 26: Booster Juice

Nov 16: The Canadian Brewhouse

Nov 30: Ken's Catering

Dec 14: Tim Hortons

Jan 4: Panago

Jan 18: Cobs

Feb 1: Booster Juice

Feb 16: The Canadian Brewhouse

Mar 1: Ken's Catering

Mar 15: Tim Hortons

Mar 30: Panago

Apr 12: Cobs

Apr 26: Booster Juice

May 10: The Canadian Brewhouse

May 25: Kens Catering

Jun 7: Tim Hortons

Jun 21: Panago

If you are interested in joining the hot lunch team, please reach out to epeschoolcouncil@gmail.com

School fees for 2026-27 are now posted to the PowerSchool Parent Portal. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted. To help make fee payment as convenient as possible, EIPS offers several payment options, including a brand-new option 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.

When you log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal, click the “Student Fees” icon and proceed to checkout. You’ll now see EFT (E-Cheque) listed as a payment option. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to complete your payment.

To make checkout even faster, you can save EFT to your account for future use.

3. Log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account

4. Click on the “Student Fees” icon

3. Open the menu in the top-right corner

4. Select Manage Payment Methods

5. Add and save your EFT (E-Cheque) details

Once saved, you can select EFT at checkout without re-entering your information each time.

For more information, visit Ecole Parc. Alternatively, contact Sherri Prince at 780-998-3741.

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.ecoleparc.ca/about/fees on the school website. Alternatively, contact Sherri Prince at Ecole Parc at 780-998-3741.

Please click here.

If your student is absent, being picked up early or will be arriving late, we ask that you please email our attendance email at EPEAttendance@eips.ca or call the school at 780-998-3741. Teachers are busy teaching and may not receive any emails in time.

We ask that you contact us ahead of time for early pickups so that we may have your student ready on time. We understand that there may be last minute situations. Thank you.

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 throughout the year, 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. Ecole Parc is part of phase 1, and live access to student assessment information will be available starting in Semester 1. Throughout September, students will be settling into routines and begin work on their first units of study. As these first units wrap up, parents and caregivers can expect to see assessment information starting to be available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal later in October.

This new approach does not replace any existing methods of communicating student learning with families. Schools will still issue formal report cards and conduct school interviews in the fall and spring. 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 September, 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 780-998-3741.

Learn more about the changes

Did you know you can sync the school calendar to your own calendar? Simply, visit https://www.ecoleparc.ca/about/calendar click on “Subscribe to Calendar” and follow the instructions. Within seconds, your calendar will contain all Ecole Parc’s important dates including holidays, school-closures days, planned activities and events, and it will remain synced with all the latest updates throughout the school year.

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

EIPS has three administrative procedures (APs) that address the Division’s code of conduct:

· AP 311: Welcoming, Caring, Respectful and Safe Learning Environments for Students

· AP 350: Student Code of Conduct

· AP 351: Student Conduct on School Buses

The Division, and École Parc Élémentaire, are committed to ensuring all members of the school community are provided with welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments that respect diversity and foster a sense of belonging. EIPS encourages all students, staff and families to review the procedures to understand and practice the conduct expected throughout the Division.

As a reminder, EIPS has outlined rules about the use of personal mobile devices for each grade level in Administrative Procedure (AP) 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 cellphones, smartwatches and Meta glasses.

École Parc also has a Personal Mobile Device Plan that provides additional details for our school.

Families were provided with an opportunity to review these documents at the start of the school year. We encourage you to review them again with your child to ensure students understand where and when students can and cannot access their personal mobile devices at school.

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 Co-ordinator at 780-464-3477.

Alberta Health Services is hosting a series of virtual caregiver information sessions focused on ways to support students’ mental health. The sessions are free and geared toward parents, caregivers, teachers and community members who want to learn more about challenges impacting children and adolescents. This November’s sessions are focused on understanding anxiety.

Visit Caregiver Education to see the monthly caregiver sessions.

Free workshops and resources for parents and caregivers.

This series has been made possible through the generous financial support and hosting partnerships of local Parent Councils within both Elk Island Catholic Schools and Elk Island Public Schools. Together, we have developed a variety of learning opportunities for caregivers and families throughout the school year on a range of relevant topics.

Registration is now open:
Family and Community Support Services is offering many informative sessions on a variety of topics. More information is at their website FCSS Workshops or can be found at the bottom of the Gazette.

Upcoming sessions:

This fall, we are pleased to offer the following sessions:

October

October 14 | 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
ADHD
Presented by Heartland Psychology
📍 James Mowat School

October 15 | 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
S.A.F.E.R. Online
Presented by Saffron Centre
📍 Rudolph Hennig School

October 26 | 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Fueling the Transition: Nutrition for the Move to Junior High
Presented by a PCN Dietitian

BGC Fort Saskatchewan, Fort Sask Public Library, The Bridge Wellness Hub for Youth, Families First Society, Creating Hope Society and FCSS are all very excited to share our line up for November Connections Month.

Family BINGO Kick off the month with Family BINGO on November 6, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Dow Centennial Centre (DCC). Bring the whole family for an evening of fun and the chance to win some great prizes. A concession will be available on-site.

Fall Break Colouring Challenge The Fort Saskatchewan Public Library is once again hosting its large community colouring sheet throughout Fall Break. Complete your masterpiece and join the Sticker Exchange on November 13 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Fam Jam Fitness Looking for a fun and active family activity? Join Fam Jam Fitness on November 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Families will participate in interactive games and challenges that children have been enjoying in school. Registration is required: 780-992-6200 (Course Code: 19775).

Dazzling Dinner Families First Society and Creating Hope Society are offering a Dazzling Dinner for youth ages 9-12 and their caregiver. Enjoy a meal together while participating in an Indigenous teaching experience.

The Grinch Event Join BGC Fort Saskatchewan for their annual Grinch Event at the DCC on November 25 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Expect an evening filled with holiday fun and activities for the whole family.

Bring Your Buddy Movie Night The Bridge Wellness Hub is hosting a free movie night on November 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The theme, Bring Your Buddy, offers a clue about the movie selection! Registration is required through the Bridge Movie Night Registration Form.