The Gator Gazette

Welcome Back!

We hope you had a wonderful and restful summer! As we begin a new school year, we are delighted to welcome back our returning families and warmly welcome those joining our school community for the first time. There is something special about a fresh start, and we are excited to see our halls filled with learning, laughter, friendship, and connection once again.

Our dedicated team is looking forward to inspiring, supporting, and challenging every student in a safe, caring, and nurturing environment. Together, we will encourage each child to discover their strengths, build confidence, and grow both academically and personally.

The year ahead is filled with exciting opportunities for learning, exploration, and community building. We believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential to student success, and we are committed to fostering open communication, meaningful collaboration, and a strong sense of belonging.

If you have any questions or simply want to say hello, please don’t hesitate to reach out by email or phone. We are always happy to connect and support you.

Here’s to a wonderful school year filled with growth, discovery, and memorable moments. Welcome back—we’re so glad you’re here!

Derek Herman, Principal

Sandra Ray, Vice Principal

Looking Ahead

September

• 8th - Welcome Back hotdog lunch for students
• 9th - TA Challenge
• 10th - Get the Scoop 6-7:30pm
• 11th - Photo Day
• 11th - Healthy Hunger Lunch - Boston Pizza
• 17th - Parent Council meeting 7pm
• 17th - Healthy Hunger Lunch - Chick-fil-A
• 18th - Terry Fox Run and BBQ
• 21st - PD Day - No School
• 25th - Healthy Hunger Lunch - Edo
• 29th - Orange Shirt Day
• 30th - Truth and Reconciliation Day - No School

We have this very nice lunch bag that was left in our office. If this is your student's please let us know!

What a great way to end our first week of school! Thank you to all the Food Trucks who came out today!

Friday, September 11 is School Picture Day! Please remind your student to come to school with their smiles!

Get the Scoop! Drop in anytime from 6:00 to 7:30 on Thursday, September 10th, as we are inviting everyone to meet the staff and see the building to “Get The Scoop” on Lorne Akins Junior High, and of course get a scoop of ice cream while you are there!

We are looking for lunchtime volunteers to help with our Healthy Hunger lunches (most Friday's and the occasional Thursday). Please email la@spschools.org or call the office if you are able to assist!

Parents: If a student will arrive late, they are to sign in at the office. If we have been informed the student will be late, it will be an excused late. Without hearing from a parent, the student would be marked as unexcused and you will receive an automated call from the school informing you of this.

If a student needs to leave early, the office MUST hear from a parent/guardian. Please email or call the office and we will allow the student to sign out & meet you outside (or walk home).

If you have any questions, please ask the office.

Healthy Hunger Lunches are now available to order! Next Friday's lunch is Boston Pizza.

Use this link to place your order https://healthyhunger.ca please make sure you know your students Homeroom/TA number before setting up your account as you will need this to create your students profile.

Orders must be placed before 11:59pm the Sunday prior to the lunch on Friday's, and 11:59pm on the Saturday prior to the lunch on Thursday's.

If your child is away and has ordered hot lunch, please email or call the office by 11 am to direct your child's hot lunch. It can be given to a sibling/another student or can be picked up at the office.

• Staff Parking Lot: Restricted to staff only, except for drivers requiring the designated accessible (handicapped) spot.

• Neighborhood Driveways: Please be respectful of our neighbors—do not park in or block residential driveways.

• Bus Bays: Do not park or stop in the bus bays during active pickup and drop-off times:

  • Morning: 8:00 AM – 8:15 AM

  • Afternoon: 2:40 PM – 3:10 PM

Thank you for helping keep our students safe and traffic flowing smoothly!

Every new school year seems to bring new advancements in technology, and we must then consider the implications of this technology on student privacy and classroom operations. One of the latest technologies is smart glasses with recording/communication capabilities (for example, Meta glasses). Our school division has examined the potential impacts of these glasses on student privacy and safety and has determined that they are not appropriate in a school setting. Students wearing meta glasses in washrooms or locker rooms, for example, present a significant risk to student privacy, which is even more prevalent than with phones, as students may not even be aware that they are being recorded.

As a result, St. Albert Public Schools has made the decision that meta glasses may not be worn or used on school division property. This aligns with our board regulation F-160-BR: Use of Personal Mobile Devices and Social Media in Schools. As has been our past practice, recording, photographing or livestreaming students, staff or others without their consent and authorization is not permitted, regardless of the device. Please note that in order to protect our students' and staff's privacy, this decision applies to parents, guardians, staff and visitors when at our schools. Students who bring smart glasses to school will be required to remove them and store them securely in accordance with school expectations. Repeated or inappropriate use may result in the device being temporarily confiscated and/or parent/guardian contact, consistent with school procedures and the progressive approach outlined in F-160-BR.

Thank you for your support as we work together to ensure another safe and successful year for your children.

We now have our Athletic Calendar on our website found under the Information tab. Keep up to date for try outs and other sporting events!

https://lorneakins.spschools.org/information/athletics#grid

Get your Gator Gear and show your LA spirit! Order through this link & your items will be delivered to Lorne Akins office for you to collect!

https://lorneakinsjhschool2021.itemorder.com/sale

Email: la@spschools.org
Website: https://lorneakins.spschools.org
Location: 4 Fairview Boulevard, St. Albert, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-460-3728
Facebook: facebook.com/LorneAkinsJuniorHigh
Twitter: @lorneakins

Principal

derek.herman@spschools.org

Sandra Ray
Assistant Principal

sandra.ray@spschools.org