Bison Tales
November 2 - 6
Happy Halloween from Ardrossan Elementary! 🎃👻
We have had a wonderful week of celebrations! A big thank you to our Grade 6 students for hosting the carnival and helping make it such a great experience for everyone. Our parade was another highlight, and we loved seeing all the creative costumes worn by our students and staff! 🧙♀️🦇🎃
We wish all of our families a safe and happy Halloween filled with smiles and special memories.
Looking ahead, we have another busy week planned at AEL! Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday after school, providing a great opportunity for families to connect with teachers and celebrate student learning. On Friday, November 6, from 10:30–11:30 a.m., we will hold our annual Remembrance Day Ceremony. Families are warmly invited to join us as we come together as a Bison family to honour and remember those who have served, sacrificed, and continue to serve our country.
Mrs. Candler & Mr. Michaud
Monday, November 2
- Picture Retake Day
- Grade 6 Immunizations for Missed Students
Tuesday, November 3
- Parent Teacher Conferences @ 4:00 - 7:00 pm
- Scholastic Book Fair @ 4:00 - 7:00 pm
- Early Dismissal @ 2:16 pm
- Parent Teacher Conferences @ 3:30 - 6:30 pm
- Scholastic Book Fair @ 3:30 - 6:30 pm
- Remembrance Day Ceremony @ 10:30 - 11:30 am
- Grade 6 Volleyball Tournament PM & AEPSA Concession after lunch
Monday, November 9 - Friday, November 13 - Fall Break (No School)
Wednesday, November 11 - Remembrance Day
Tuesday, November 17 - School Council & AEPSA Meeting
Wednesday, November 18 - Early out @ 2:16 pm
Wednesday, November 18 - Bison Pride: Teacher/Student Swap Day (Teachers dress as students and students dress as teachers)
Friday, November 20 - Grade 6 Field Trip to Alberta Legislature @ 9:00 am - 2:45 pm
Wednesday, November 25 - Early Dismissal @ 2:16 pm
Friday, November 27 - Grade 6s go to AJS Cafeteria
As part of our Remembrance Day Ceremony on Friday, November 6, from 10:30–11:30 a.m., we would like to honour our uniformed guests by providing reserved seating.
If you are a current or former member of the military or a uniformed service and plan to attend in uniform, please contact Mme Lisa at lisa.solamillo@eips.ca in advance so we can make the appropriate arrangements.
We will also be selecting three uniformed guests to serve as wreath bearers, alongside their accompanying students, as part of our ceremony.
We look forward to coming together as a school community to honour those who have served and continue to serve.
On the afternoon of Friday, November 6th, our Grade 6 students will be hitting the court for a fun-filled volleyball tournament! Students will be divided into teams to compete against one another, while the rest of our Bison family will have the opportunity to cheer them on!
Our amazing Parent Council will also be running a fundraising concession during the tournament. All students will have the opportunity to purchase some tasty treats while enjoying the action!
Concession Prices:
$1 – Mini bags of chips
$2 – Gatorade
$2 – Chocolate bars
Students wishing to purchase items are encouraged to bring some money that afternoon. We kindly ask that students bring a maximum of $5 each. A big thank you to our Parent Council for organizing the concession and supporting our school!
It may only be October, but preparations are already beginning for our Ardrossan Elementary Christmas Concerts!
Please mark your calendars for the following dates and times:
Grade 1 & 2 – December 8
Dress Rehearsal: 1:00 p.m.
Evening Performance: 5:45 p.m.
Grade 3 & 4 – December 8
Dress Rehearsal: 1:00 p.m.
Evening Performance: 7:00 p.m.
Kindergarten – December 9
Evening Performance: 5:45 p.m.
Please note: There will be no dress rehearsal for Kindergarten.
Grade 5 & 6 – December 9
Dress Rehearsal: 1:00 p.m.
Evening Performance: 7:00 p.m.
Grade 6 Actor Auditions
Auditions for Grade 6 students interested in acting roles in the Grade 5/6 Christmas Musical will take place October 5–8 during lunch recess in the Music Room.
We Need Your Help!
We are also looking for a few costumes and props to help bring our Grade 5/6 Christmas Musical to life. If you have any of the following items that you would be willing to lend or donate, we would greatly appreciate it. If you would like an item returned, please make sure it is clearly labelled with your name.
- 1 Puss in Boots costume
- 3 pig costumes – a decorated pink toque/hat and pink T-shirt would work
- 3 Elf on the Shelf costumes – elf names should be displayed in large letters on the shirts; paper signs are fine
- 1 frog costume – a frog hat and green T-shirt would work
- 1 wolf costume – a hat and T-shirt are fine
- 1 long string of fake ivy or other green leafy foliage
- 6 lengths of cord or rope, approximately 15 feet each
- 1 stuffed apple – no real apples, please
- 16 iPhone-sized boxes to create pretend phones – no real phones, please
- 1 child-sized tool belt
- 1 extendable selfie stick
Thank you for helping us prepare for what promises to be a fun and festive couple of days at AEL. We look forward to seeing our Bisons take the stage!
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.
Did you know you can sync the school calendar to your own calendar? Simply, visit https://www.ardrossanelementary.ca/about/calendar click on “Subscribe to Calendar” and follow the instructions. Within seconds, your calendar will contain all Ardrossan Elementary School’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.
Please review the map attached to assist with picking and dropping off. We thank you for keeping our students safe! Do not forget about our new accessible parking. Changes were made to our drive-thru pick-up lane and the drive lane to the south of the school. We added accessible parking stalls to better support families and guests who require easier access to the building.
We kindly ask that parents do not stop or park in these lanes unless your child or guest has accessibility needs. Keeping these spaces available helps ensure those who need them most are able to access the school safely and conveniently.
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.
Log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account
Click on the “Student Fees” icon
Open the menu in the top-right corner
Select Manage Payment Methods
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 the https://www.ardrossanelementary.ca/about/fees. Alternatively, contact Mrs. Marcoux-Jones at Ardrossan Elementary at 780-922-2066.
Families experiencing financial hardship may apply for a waiver of certain transportation or school fees by completing a Fee Waiver Application.
The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2026.
Do you know a staff member who has gone above and beyond? Take a moment to recognize their hard work and dedication! Submit a nomination to give them a well-deserved Bison Bravo shout-out and help us celebrate the amazing things happening in our school community!