Colts Connection For Parents

Cross Country has been in full swing and is wrapping up in the coming weeks. Our runners have participated in the Wolf Creek Cross Country Meet, the Spartan Tough Run in New Norway, and on October 13th will be heading to Clive for the final Meet of the season. We are extremely proud of all the Cross Country team members with a special shout out to Jace Deckert who won First Place in the Grade 5 Boys category at the Spartan Tough Run. A big "thank you" goes out to Mrs. Johansen and Mrs. Topham for coaching and providing the opportunities for the runners to practice and compete.

October brings the start of the Volleyball season for Grade 5 and 6 students who want to play after school. Miss Hatala, Mrs. Doucette, and Ms. Johnson have all volunteered to coach this year. We are looking forward to a great season with a few opportunities for the players to show off their skills in some games and/or tournaments.

As a school community we raised $12 216 for the Terry Fox Foundation. The school run itself was a success with Craig Sorensen leading a warm-up and Mrs. Hagemann and Mr. Cottell being soaked with water guns and water balloons.

September 25-30 was National Truth and Reconciliation Week. Teachers engaged students in a variety of lessons and activities throughout the week in their classrooms to recognize the truths of Canada’s history and honour the survivors of Residential Schools. On September 29th, we recognized Orange Shirt Day as a school. Students were encouraged to wear orange to honour the survivors and remember those who didn’t make it home from Residential Schools.

We know traffic during pick up and drop off can get busy. When picking up and/or dropping off in front of the building, please do not drive or park in the Fire Lane inside the boulevard. We also ask that you do not pull into any of the Staff Parking lots. We have a lot of students walking through those areas and for the safety of our students ask that parents/guardians not to use those areas for pick up/drop off.

A quick note that before 8:10 a.m. and after 3:20 p.m. we do not have supervision for students. If students are on school grounds outside of 8:10 a.m. and 3:20 p.m. they are out there at their own risk.

Safer Schools Together is a fantastic resource for parents and educators and they acknowledge the challenges of modern parenting, especially with the surge in technology and social media. To assist, they're offering access to their guide, "Raising Digitally Responsible Youth." Aimed at parents and caregivers, this guide provides insights into popular social media platforms, video games, and emerging trends that children might engage with. It includes practical tips, step-by-step instructions, and definitions for widely used apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. The best part? It's complimentary, allowing school authorities to share this valuable resource within their parent community for free!

We are excited to introduce a new, optional, Birthday Book Program at Ponoka Elementary School. The Birthday Book program involves a $15 donation to enroll your child. Students who enroll in the Birthday Book Program will come into the library during the month of their birthday and select from an array of newly purchased books. The child's name is put on a bookplate sticker on the front of the book and the book is then added to our library's book collection for students to read. It is important to note that while the child will be the first to check out the book, it is not owned; it’s a donation to the library with the intention that the child’s generosity will last in the library for years to come and continue to build the inventory of books in our library.

The option to enroll your child in the Birthday Book Program will be available through the Parent Portal under Student Fees by the end of September.

This month we will be kicking off Second Step's Social Emotional Learning lessons in classrooms. The first unit, that will take us until Christmas, is all about a Growth Mindset and Goal Setting. Each week teachers will be doing a 30 minute lesson on Growth Mindsets and Goal Setting. If you would like to learn more about Second Step and see sample lessons check out their website here.

As we head into October and some may be planning/preparing their Halloween costumes. A reminder that at Ponoka Elementary School Halloween costumes are not to have masks that cover faces, there are no weapons of any sort, and we ask that no blow up/inflatable costumes are worn in school. These are necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff. We thank you for following these guidelines.

Thank you! We only have 11 of 610 students who have demographic forms left to complete. These demographic forms include consent to participate in Phys. Ed, Digital Citizenship agreement, and Freedom of Information and Protections of Privacy consent. Any students who do not have their demographic form completed will not be able to participate in Phys. Ed, have access to technology, nor can they participate in any field trip or extra-curricular activities. These forms also include up to date contact information which is imperative for student safety. If you have not yet completed your demographic form please do so as soon as possible. If you are having issues, please contact the office.

If situations change, phone numbers, contact persons, address, etc. throughout the year, please make sure to call the office and have your demographic form updated so we have the most current information at all times.

October 5th - Parent Teacher Interviews (Grade 1-6)

October 6th - PD Day - No School for Students

October 9th - Thanksgiving - School Closed

October 11th - School Council Meeting 6 p.m.

October 16 &17 - Picture Day

October 18 - Orders Due for Hot Dog Lunch

October 20 - PD Day - No School for Students

October 24 - Hot Dog Hot Lunch

October 30 - Awesome Awards Assembly

October 31 - Halloween! - Halloween Costume Parade