October Newsletter

Welcome to Autumn! September sure has gone quickly with us already being a full month into the new school year. It was so nice to have so many students and families at our welcome events in Bowden, Kitscoty, Tofield and Lethbridge.

At the beginning of October, thoughts turn to colourful leaves, turkey and Thanksgiving. At this time of year, it’s easy to give thanks to God. Through all of this, we should remember the importance and intent of Thanksgiving, and give thanks to God for all the wonderful blessings, whether big or small, in our lives.

We held our Truth and Reconciliation assembly on September 29th and we had an excellent turnout for this important day. It was so nice to see so many orange shirts.

Our school will be marking this holiday by having a Thanksgiving liturgy, where we take time to thank God. You are invited to join us in giving thanks by attending our liturgy on Thursday October 10th. Simply click on this Thanksgiving Liturgy link to join.

School of Hope and Hope Homeschooling have a Parent Council that meets monthly. The role of the council is to give input and support to the school. If you are interested in finding out a little more about how our school works and you would like to give input on topics concerning our school that are discussed each month please let us know! Simply contact the office or your child’s teacher if you are interested in attending our October 6th meeting at 2:30 pm, and we will send you the Zoom link.

Work Expectations

Online learning work expectations are similar to those in brick and mortar buildings. Your teachers will be expecting work handed in each week. Not only will it help your child stay on track to finish the course on time, but teachers will be able to see if your child is understanding the concepts being taught, and will be able to help them if they need it. It is also one of the ways we monitor attendance.

Although the baseline expectation is to receive work each week, it is important to remember that one of our core values is flexibility. We realize that many circumstances and opportunities may occur in the year (ex. Seasonal farm work, family vacations, sickness, domestic changes, etc.) Our families are encouraged to contact their teacher to arrange a teacher approved alternative schedule that will allow them to meet their circumstances and still finish their course work.

Grades 1-9 and Diploma Courses

In order for teachers to get to know their students, and to be able to more accurately assess their progress, we are continuing with student cameras being on while in online lessons. Students are welcome to complete the course asynchronously if cameras cannot be turned and kept on for lessons. Teachers really want to get to know their students and we believe this is one more way for this to happen.

Questions or Concerns

As the year goes your family may have questions or concerns. We just want to review with you the proper procedure in bringing them up. If your concern is resource related, the first contact would be our office (1-888-350-4673). For most concerns, the first contact should be your child’s teacher. If the concern cannot be addressed satisfactorily at that level, the next step is to contact an administrator, either myself the principal, Scott MacDonald or Alicia Rudkowsky.

God Bless,

Scott MacDonald and Alicia Rudkowsky

“Give thanks in everything. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

A group of parents representing all grade levels that provide advice and guidance to the School of Hope's administration. Together, we ensure that students have the best educational experience, teacher interactions and learning outcomes.

If you are interested in learning more about the parent council, please contact SOH principal Scott MacDonald. He can be reached at 1-780-853-2188 Ext 3108 or email your child's teacher.

Upcoming Meeting: Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 2:30 PM

School of Hope students now have the opportunity to order school apparel directly from our Entripy Shop. Please click on the link below to enjoy browsing the wide selection of products from a variety of brands. You can customize them with the approved logo and graphics available. You can choose approved merchandise to fit your needs 24/7 with no minimum order quantities.

Grad apparel is also available.

Shop now