News From the Nest

• Monday, Sept. 21 - Picture Day
• Tuesday, Sept. 22 - Picture day for Kinder B
• Wednesday, Sept. 23 - Early Dismissal at 2:08pm
• Friday, Sept. 25 - Terry Fox Walk in the afternoon
• Friday, Sept. 25 - Correction Forms are due
• Tuesday, Sept. 29 - Hot Lunch
• Tuesday, Sept. 29 - Orange Shirt Day
• Wednesday Sept. 30 - NO SCHOOL - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Friday, Oct. 2 - NO SCHOOL - EIPS PD Day

The first week of fall is upon us, and our school is looking as beautiful as ever. The changing colours and pleasant weather seem to have brought out the best in our students this month.

Last week also marked the beginning of the Government of Alberta screening assessments. Over the next three weeks, students in Grades 1–5 will complete literacy and numeracy screeners that provide teachers with early information about their learning strengths and areas for growth.

The results will be shared with families during our first parent-teacher interviews in November. These assessments provide a snapshot of each student’s skills at this point in the school year, but they do not always tell the whole story. Waiting until November allows teachers to gather additional evidence and provide families with a more complete picture of their child’s learning.

We are also in the middle of our annual Terry Fox fundraiser. The students have raised close to $5000 already which means five teachers are getting pies in the face. Our official run will be on Friday September 25 at 2:00pm. If you can join us for the walk please feel free to come and meet your student outside.

This month, we also began working toward the goals outlined in our School Education Plan, which can be found on the homepage of our school website.

This year, our teachers are focusing on culturally responsive pedagogy. Simply put, this means creating learning environments where every student feels valued, included, and recognized as an important member of the Mills Haven learning community.

During our Early Dismissal Wednesday, teachers explored the first four steps for bringing culturally responsive practices into their classrooms. One highlight was learning how to maintain high expectations for all students while providing the encouragement and support they need to feel confident rather than overwhelmed.

I hope everyone has an amazing end to September and we will touch base again in the first week of October.

If you haven’t yet done so, be sure to complete the Correction and Verification Form—available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal—for each child in your family by 5 p.m. on September 25. The form includes annual declarations and consent collected for all students, even if none of your contact information is changing. Additional details are available on the Division website: Correction and Verification Forms. If you have any questions or issues accessing your Parent Portal account, reach out to the school office.

This year, our school is proudly taking part in the annual Terry Fox School Run to continue Terry's dream of a world without cancer.

For every $1,000 raised 1 staff member will get a pie thrown at their face!

For every donation your child receives, they will get one entry into the draw to have a chance to be a pie thrower.

Donations can be made online at https://schools.terryfox.ca/136721 or using the donation sheet that will be sent home with your child.

Deadline for donations is Friday September 25, 2026.

Let's see how many pies can be thrown this year!

The walk will be on Friday September 25. We will meet outside at 1:45 pm. and the walk will start at 2:00 pm. Parents, you are welcome to join us for the walk - please meet your child outside, you don't need to sign-in.

The MHV School Council AGM is October 13, 2026 at 6pm and you are invited to attend!

Come be in the know, find out what is happening at Mills Haven, share your ideas, have a voice and help make our school an even better place for our students. Everyone is welcome!

What happens at the AGM?

At our October 13 Annual General Meeting, parent members will elect the positions for Mills Haven School Council and the Mills Haven Student & School Enhancement Society for the 2026/27 school year. Taking on a position is a great way to get involved, and it does not have to be a huge commitment. There are lots of opportunities to share the work and help in a way that works for you.

6:00/7:00 p.m. | Mills Haven School Council

School Council is the parent voice within the school community. Alberta school councils bring parents, the principal, staff and community members together to support and enhance student learning and to provide advice and input to the principal and school division. It is separate from the incorporated fundraising society.

7:00/8:00 p.m. | Mills Haven Student & School Enhancement Society

The Enhancement Society is the separate incorporated parent organization that can fundraise and manage funds to support student opportunities, school enhancements, events and experiences. Its elected officers are governed by the Society’s own registered bylaws.

You can participate without taking a position

Please come even if you do not want to take on a position. Parents and guardians are welcome at any meeting throughout the year. Come to listen, ask questions, share an idea, volunteer for something that interests you or simply stay connected with what is happening at the school. Attending a meeting does not mean you have to take on a role.

We hope to see you there!

The Hot Lunch program is online at Healthy Hunger, and provides students a chance to order hot lunch throughout the month, with proceeds from each order going to the school for enhancements and initiatives at our school.

Please note the schedule and deadline for ordering:

• Tuesday - Grades 1-6 & Kinder KBH - Deadline to order is Thursday at 11:59 p.m.
• Thursday - Kinder KAH/KAS - Deadline to order is Saturday at 11:59 p.m

To create an account go to www.HealthyHunger.ca and click REGISTER YOUR STUDENT. After your account is created you will be able to add your student and view and order upcoming lunches.

Volunteers Needed
We’re looking for some awesome volunteers to help out with sorting and handing out lunches on Hot Lunch Days. It’s a fun way to meet other parents and see your kids during the day! You can sign up on Healthy Hunger when you place your order or email at mhvschoolcouncil@gmail.com for more information.

EIPS has outlined rules about the use of personal mobile devices for each grade level in Administrative Procedure 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 smartwatches and Meta glasses.

MHV also has a Personal Mobile Device (PMD) Plan that provides additional details for our school.

We encourage families to review our PMD plan with their child to ensure students understand where and when they can and cannot access their personal mobile devices at school.

Agendas have been handed out to all of the Grade 1-6 students. There is a $5.00 fee associated with agendas. If you wish not to purchase an agenda could you please contact Mrs. Kimble at shauna.kimble@eips.ca and she will remove the fee for you.

In 2026-27, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is piloting a new reporting scale for communicating elementary student achievement. Most recently, kindergarten to Grade 6 student achievement has been reported using a five-point scale. This year, the Division is piloting a new three-point scale for kindergarten to Grade 2 and a four-point scale for grades 3 to 6. The goals of the pilot are to provide useful, clear communication to parents and caregivers about their child’s progress, and provide a clear, consistent framework for teachers to use for assessment of student learning.

The draft achievement scales were developed based on teacher and administrator input, assessment research and reviews of best practices across Alberta, Canada and the world. However, it’s critical parents and caregivers feel confident about the reporting structure. Throughout the fall and winter, Division and school staff will share more information to introduce the new grade scales, collect initial feedback and answer questions through school council meetings, school interviews and school newsletters. The feedback collected will help EIPS revise the grading scales as needed, and opportunities for further feedback will be available later in the school year.

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 as it’s entered, 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. Mills Haven Elementary School is part of phase 2 and live access to student assessment information will be available starting in Semester 2.

Throughout Semester 1, you’ll continue receiving information about your child’s progress through existing methods of communication—including school interviews, which will still be conducted in the fall and spring, or individual teacher communication.

This new approach does not replace any existing methods of communicating student learning with families. 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 the fall, 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 780-467-5556.

Learn more about the changes

Hi MHV families! I’m Kenzie Marchant, your School-Based Social Worker, and I’m so happy to be back for another amazing year!

My role is to support the social and emotional well-being of our students and families. I provide brief, school-based support to help kiddos navigate things like big feelings, friendships, coping skills, and changes or challenges at home or school. I’m also here to help families find and connect with community resources and supports when needed.

If you would like your child to be able to meet with me individually, signed parent/guardian consent is required. Please feel free to email me at kenzie.marchant@eips.ca and I’d be happy to send you the consent form.

I’m looking forward to another great year with our MHV families!

Tawâw!

My name is Sarah Choo and I am the First Nations, Métis and Inuit lead teacher for Mills Haven this year. This year, our school is using the Cree word tawâw as a guiding principle. Tawâw broadly means welcome, there is a place for you here. I will be working to ensure that Mills Haven has a place for First Nations, Métis and Inuit ways of knowing.

This year we are excited to continue offering regular smudging opportunities for students who would like to participate. Smudging is an important cultural practice for many First Nations and Métis people. It involves the burning of sage (most often used in Division schools), sweetgrass, willow fungus and/or other plant medicines gathered from Mother Earth. Smudge involves no open flame, and the creation of minimal smoke as only small amounts of medicine are used. Smudge does have a distinct odour but dissipates in a short time. Smudging can contribute to the positive mental health of both students and staff, and increase cultural understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing. Smudging at school will always be led by a staff member who has been given the teachings around smudging from an Elder or Knowledge Keeper.

When smudging, sacred plants are burned to cleanse the body, mind and spirit of any bad feelings, negative thoughts, or negative energy. Smudging allows people to remember, to connect and to be grounded in the present. Smudging is always voluntary and there are many ways to participate - by actively smudging or by standing nearby to observe. If consent for a student to smudge is granted, there is no obligation for the student to smudge on any given day; it is purely up to participants if they wish to smudge when offered. If consent is not granted, the child will not participate in smudging.

For those who are interested in participating and have provided consent, we will have smudging available before school on Tuesdays in the gym, starting on September 22, from 8:18 am-8:30 am. Students who wish to join and who have consent to do so can enter the school anytime between 8:18 am and the first bell to smudge before starting their school day. Families and siblings are welcome to join also!

Please find the consent form here: https://permission.click/vmivn82i8zhw/ca

We hope to see you there,

Sarah Choo