Win Ferguson Elementary

It's been a busy year of learning after a somewhat uncertain start last fall.

We are grateful for the late May announcement of class size funding for Alberta schools for one year. Win Ferguson Elementary has received both a complexity team and class size teachers for 2026-27 which we have invested in every classroom - kindergarten through grade six.

Read on for more details which were shared with our School Council & PTA parents and caregivers this May/June.

This final week features afternoon celebrations in the gym for the kindergarten A and B classes and the Grade 6 Farewell in the gym on Tuesday morning.

We say farewell to a number of our teachers and support staff this June as well as a warm Win welcome to new staff members joining us in August!

Many thanks to the volunteers who have joined us to help out and make all things possible:

• Linking Generations grandparents in many classes
• School Council
• PTA volunteers for milk, fundraising, hot lunch, treat sales, Family Bingo Night, Track Day treats, and much more
• Field trip volunteer group leaders
• Track Day volunteers
• Classroom parent/caregiver helpers
• Student volunteers for milk, recycling, lunch leaders, bus helpers, inclusion club, playground assistants, and more
• Staff family members who help set up/move classrooms, build furniture, prepare bulletin boards, and much more

To our students and families - thank you for contributing to and learning together within our Win Ferguson family and village this year.

Enjoy the summer and wherever your next journey takes you! 🎡 ⛺ 🌎

We say good-bye and best wishes to the following staff members:

• Mrs. Storey
• Mrs. Harkin
• Mrs. Kupchenko
• Mrs. Emsley
• Ms. Vibe
• Mrs. Burger
• Mr. Wever
• Mrs. Scott
• Mr. Staszko
• Mrs. Sheppard
• Ms. Lawrence

Aug 27: Check Parent Portal for your child's homeroom teacher

Aug 27: Meet the Staff & Supplies Drop Off from 3:00-4:00 PM 🏫

Aug 31: First Day of Classes for Grades 1-6 (and some Kinder students as per staggered start info)

Early September: ELM students visit their program classroom with families to meet the staff

Sept 2: Early dismissal day at 2:16 PM (and every Wednesday to follow is the same time)

Sept 28: School Council and PTA Annual General Meeting at 6 PM in the library learning commons - join us, everyone!

The following individuals are joining the Win Ferguson Elementary staff team in the fall:

• Mr. Kris Herbert - Assistant Principal & Connections Program Co-Teacher
• Mrs. Laura Hammond - Connections Program Teacher
• Ms. Jami Mclaren - ELM Early Childhood Educator
• Mrs. April Rauscher - ELM Educational Assistant
• Mrs. Beckah Knysh - Connections Program Educational Assistant
• Mrs. Annissa Pidhirney - Connections Program Educational Assistant
• Ms. Mackenzie Watson - Grade 3 Teacher
• Ms. Jillian Innes - Classroom Complexity Teacher
• Ms. Reese Watts - Grade 4-5 Teacher
• Ms. Marissa Willemsen - Grade 6 Teacher
• Mrs. Ally Murphy - Grade 2/3 Educational Assistant

Class Size Funding from the provincial government in late May provided an additional Kindergarten class, smaller grade one class sizes, and a third grade six teacher for Language Arts and Math.

Classroom Complexity Funding for our school will enable more small group work in grades 4 and 5 and educational assistant support in grades 2, 3, and 4.

Families registering for school in 2026-27 can do so on the EIPS registration website.

New Student Registration Information Gr 1-6

Kindergarten Student Registration Information

Pre-Kindergarten Registration - ELM Information

Registrations will be processed and families contacted in the final week of the summer. School offices open on August 24.

Questions in July and August? Contact Elk Island Public Schools for assistance.

As we wrap up an incredible year of growth, the focus shifts from the classroom to the "great outdoors" (or the living room floor!). Summer is a vital time for younger children to solidify the social and academic foundations they've built since September. Here is how families can keep the momentum going through Vitamin D and Vitamin "Discovery."

1. The Power of "Playful Literacy"

Reading shouldn't feel like a chore during the summer months. To keep K-6 students engaged, try shifting the environment:

• The Reading Fort: Help your child build a blanket fort or a "reading nook" under a tree. A change of scenery makes a book feel like an adventure.

• Audiobook Adventures: On long car rides or during quiet time, listen to audiobooks together. It builds vocabulary and listening comprehension while giving tired eyes a rest.

• Community Connections: Visit your local library’s summer reading club. Many offer prizes and themes that turn reading into a collaborative game.

2. Math in the Wild

Help your child see that math isn't just in a workbook; it’s everywhere!

• Kitchen Chemistry: Cooking or baking is a masterclass in fractions, measurement, and sequencing. Let them be the "Head Chef" in charge of the measuring cups.

• Grocery Store Scavenger Hunt: Ask younger kids to find shapes (cylinders, spheres) on shelves. Ask older kids to estimate the total cost of five items or calculate which cereal brand is the best deal per gram.

• The "Summer Collection": Encourage your child to collect rocks, shells, or leaves. Practice sorting them by size, color, or texture, and create bar graphs of the results on the sidewalk with chalk.

3. Maintaining the Routine (Loosely!)

While summer is for relaxation, children thrive on predictability. To avoid the "August Anxiety" when school returns:

• The "First Then" Strategy: Use a simple summer schedule. "First we can clean out the dishwasher, then we go to the park."

• Journaling the Journey: Give your child a notebook to use as a summer diary. Even if they just draw a picture and write one sentence about their day, they are practicing fine motor skills and narrative structure.