Dear James Mowat Elementary School Families,
As we move further into the fall season, our school continues to be filled with opportunities for students, families, and staff to connect, learn, and celebrate together.
This week, our Grade 5/6 volleyball teams enjoyed exciting games against SouthPointe School. It was wonderful to see so many parents, family members, and students in attendance, cheering on our athletes and strengthening the sense of community that school sports help foster. We are looking forward to hosting Fort Saskatchewan Elementary next Tuesday and wish our teams the very best as they compete in the tournament at Bev Facey next Saturday.
On Monday evening, we held our annual Parent Council meeting, and we were very pleased with the strong turnout. Thank you to everyone who attended and demonstrated their commitment to supporting our school community. Congratulations and thank you to our newly elected Parent Council executive: Danielle Nelson (Chair), Kimberly Nelson (Vice-Chair), and Alyss Fearon (Treasurer). We also welcome Dawn Overn as Chair of our Parent Advisory Association (Fundraising), with Alyss Fearon serving as Treasurer. We are still seeking volunteers to fill the Secretary position for both groups, as well as the Vice-Chair position for the Parent Advisory Association. We encourage anyone interested to consider joining these dedicated teams.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who participated in our Co-op Fundraiser. Together, we raised $315 toward our playground project. Gift cards will be available for pickup during Parent-Teacher Interviews. We are also excited to host a bottle drive during interviews on November 2 and 3. A collection truck will be stationed at the school to accept bottle donations, with all proceeds supporting playground replacement and repair projects. This fall, we are facing a significant repair expense, as the climbing net on our playground must be replaced at a cost of approximately $3,000 to ensure it remains safe for student use.
As part of our participation in the new Elementary Achievement Standards pilot project, we are asking families to arrive approximately 10 minutes before their Parent-Teacher Interview. During this time, parents and students will complete a short activity together designed to help build understanding of the new standards and how they support student learning. We are also pleased to welcome representatives from FCSS, who will be available to share information about programs and supports available within our community. In addition, the Scholastic Book Fair will be open throughout Parent-Teacher Interviews, providing a wonderful opportunity to promote a love of reading while supporting our school library.
Finally, we were disappointed to have to cancel our Family Dance this evening. Due to the current levels of illness in our community, Alberta Health Services advised us to avoid hosting large gatherings at this time. While we know many families were looking forward to the event, we appreciate your understanding and support. We remain hopeful that we will be able to reschedule the dance in the new year.
Thank you for your continued support of our school. Together, we are creating a caring, connected, and vibrant learning community for all students.
Ms. Krista Porter and Mrs. Lana Romanowska
