ÉRE Connection

March 2022

1. Hello ERE Families!

In the week before February Break, we saw parent volunteers involved in Hot Lunch, Valentine Cookies, Skating, 100 Day, Carnaval, reading with students, and making hot dogs for the entire school. And that was just one week of the year! Whether you are able to help out often or occasionally, your willingness to serve the community through your school is much appreciated and elevating the work done at Ecole Rocky. Once again, Thank You parent volunteers!

Now that we are back from the February Break, we set up for an important 4 week stretch that culminates with Term 2 Report Cards (Mar 17) and Parent/Teacher Interviews (Mar 23/24). A lot of new material is typically covered in Term 2 so this report is a good opportunity to reflect on how your child is progressing through the grade and where adjustments can be made for the final term.

With larger gatherings once again on the menu, we are excited to get back to planning a Centennial Event to celebrate 100 years of learning. This school has a rich history and is deeply indebted to the people that attended, volunteered and worked here over the last 100 years. Watch for a spring celebration date coming in the near future that will include an assembly, open house, entertainment and the opening of the 1989 time capsule. If you have ideas for enhancing our event, please connect with us!

We look forward to seeing your smile at the school again soon!

Tim Bowman

Principal

tim.bowman@wrsd.ca

(403) 845-3541

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2. Term 2 Report Cards & Parent Teacher Interviews

Term 2 Report Cards will be sent home March 17. (March 16 for KW).

Parent-Teacher Interviews will be offered in person, by phone, or by video conference March 23 & 24, 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm.

To book an interview time, please use our online booking form: https://www.schoolinterviews.ca/code/6dnun

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3. ERE Swag

Order Deadline: March 7

We connected with Frontline (a local clothing company) to produce some fashionable ERE sweatshirts and hoodies with branding recognizing 100 years of learning. Our first staff order arrived, and the clothing looks and feels so good that parents asked if we could open up a special order for the community and. . . We Can!

https://www.thefrontline.co/search?type=product&q=ECOLE

Enter ERE in the shipping code to receive FREE shipping.

Orders will arrive mid-April.

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4. Rainbow Trout

We are raising Rainbow Trout!

The Fish in Schools (FinS) program started at Ecole Rocky in 1999. Each year, with the assistance of Alberta Fisheries, we receive rainbow trout fish eggs that we hatch, grow to the size of your baby finger, and then release into a local lake.

Raising trout is not easy. We have to cool the water aquarium to 10 degrees Celsius, keep the fish mostly in the dark for the first few months, and carefully monitor the feeding and PH levels. All the same, we are typically successful at raising many of our fish to release.

A special thanks to Mrs. Hazelaar and our grade 3s for coordinating this project for the school.

5. 2022/23 School Registration Now Open

We are now accepting preregistration for 2022/2023 PreK and Kindergarten. Online Registration can be found on our school website: https://ecolerocky.wrsd.ca/home/news/post/new-registrations

2022/2023 Pre-K Program

For students who turn 4 in 2022.

The Pre-K program runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, 8:45 am - 12:15 pm. The program is staffed with a certificated & bilingual teacher. Program cost is $100 a month. Program subsidies are available for qualifying students. The program is capped at 18 students. (Already 82% preregistered).

2022/2023 Kindergarten

For students who turn 5 in 2022.

Our English Kindergarten program runs full day Monday/Wednesday and alternating Fridays.

Our French Immersion Kindergarten program runs full day Tuesday/Thursday and alternating Fridays and already has 16 preregistered.

Rocky Elementary Staff 1977

6. School Health

A lot has changed since we last reported on School Health!

We saw a rise in school illness through to the end of January, but the peak was lower than what we saw the end of September 2021 and we returned to historically normal numbers in early February. The first few day back from break have been low illness numbers.

As of March 1, all Covid-related restrictions related to schools have been lifted. Masks are no longer required and we can once again plan larger events. We will continue to be watchful of our school health, but we are optimistic that large scale restrictions have ended for good.

We did receive a late shipment of Covid19 rapid tests and masks from the Alberta Government. Given the lifting of restrictions, we will not mass distribute these to students, but we would be happy to provide tests and/or masks to any of our families that request.

There are still isolation requirements for those that are ill. Please refer to the Daily Screening Form that was updated February 2022. If you are unsure if your child is required to isolate, please connect with the school - we are glad to guide you through the document.

Rocky Elementary, 1966

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7. Assurance Surveys for Parents of Grade 4 & 5 Students

Each year, Alberta Education collects survey results from grade 4 & 5 students, their parents/guardians, and teachers. For the last several years, Ecole Rocky Elementary has performed very well on this survey with a rating of Excellence in: Welcoming & Safe Environment, Education Quality, Citizenship, Parental Involvement, Access to Supports, Safe & Caring, Program of Studies, and School Improvement.

Parents of grade 4 & 5 students should receive this survey and access code in the mail from Alberta Education. You can mail back the paper survey or access the online survey at: public.education.alberta.ca/APOS

Please connect with the school if you are a parent/guardian of a grade 4 or 5 student and did not receive your Access Code.

Surveys are due back to Alberta Education by March 25.

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8. School Council

Our next school council meeting will occur via video conference on Tuesday, March 8, 7:00 pm. You are invited to attend!

School Council Virtual Meeting Link: https://tinyurl.com/ERESchoolCouncil password ERE

January 2022 Meeting Minutes

March 8 Agenda

2021 - 2022 School Council & Society Executive:

Chairperson - Vanessa Lobley
Vice Chair - Shea-Lynn Wright
Treasurer - Jeanette Plante
Secretary - Heather Halladay
Hot Lunch Coordinator - Amanda Leavitt

The School Council executive can be reached via email: ereparentcouncil@gmail.com

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9. Hot Lunch

Hot Lunch is now running for March. The next order period for April is open until March 20.

to order, create an account at https://ere.hotlunches.net/
Use the access code REHL
Hot Lunches are available on Mondays and Thursdays

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10. Music Notes

Music class is more than a break from the “real learning classes” and it’s more than learning silly songs and games. Music class equips students with life skills. Here they learn cooperation, teamwork, commitment, problem solving, self-expression and creativity.

“Not only is music beneficial in and of itself, it can be used to reinforce or teach concepts and make connections among other areas of the curriculum….Music teaches body awareness and eye-hand coordination through clapping, stamping and playing an instrument….The lessons learned during music education can remain for a lifetime…Music teaches people valuable life skills. It requires commitment. It teaches cooperation, teamwork and patience….Students are free to experiment and participate in a non-judgmental environment that encourages risk-taking…such as improvisation, composition and performing solos… everyone is capable of making music… Music provides a means for self-expression, especially for those students whose first language is not English. It allows some individuals to communicate more deeply and with more emotion.”

Music aids in nurturing well-rounded individuals with skills that can be carried with them into adulthood.

Grades 3-5 students have been working well on recorders. Please encourage your child to use the musicplay website to practice at home, and bring his or her recorder to class every Thursday. At the end of March or beginning of April, students in grades 3-5 will be starting ukuleles. (The school has a class set, so you are not required to provide one.)

Keep learning, and keep making music,

Mrs. McLaughlin

For more information visit W hy Music Matters in Elementary Schools

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11. School Calendars

For those looking ahead: 2022/23 WRSD Calendar

Upcoming Dates

Mar 8 - School Council, 7:00 pm, https://tinyurl.com/ERESchoolCouncil

Mar 11 - No School for Students

Mar 17 - Term 2 Report Cards go Home

Mar 21 - Wear Unique Socks for Down Syndrome Awareness

Mar 22 - PreK/K Open House, 4-6 pm

Mar 23/24 - Spring Photos

Mar 23/24 - Parent/Teacher Interviews, 4:30 - 7:30 pm

Mar 25 - March ERE TV & Backwards Day

Mar 26-Apr 2 - Spring Break

Apt 5 - Swimming starts 1B & 2U

Apr 14 - No School for Students

Apr 15-18 - No School / Easter

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12. Planning for future school needs in Rocky Mountain House

The Wild Rose School Board has begun planning for school needs 5-10 years into the future. To inform this process, a community engagement meeting was held Feb 17. At that meeting, it was noted that a modernization will be due for both Ecole Rocky Elementary and Lochearn Elementary School in the 5-10 year range and a proposal was made that both schools be replaced by a single new elementary school build. The School Board will affirm their capital plan requests to the Alberta Government at their next meeting.

More information available on the WRSD website: Rocky Mountain House Capital Plan Proposal

13. This & That

Our February Pink Shirt Edition of ERE TV can be viewed here.
Canadian Parents for French February Newsletter
Our school donated 862 lbs of food to the The Lord's Food Bank in February!
Watch for our West Country Greenhouse field trip fundraiser coming soon! It will feature hanging baskets and a special ERE Centennial Basket!
Did you see pictures of our Carnaval in the Feb 22 edition of The Mountaineer?
We welcome Ashley Rinkel to our school. Miss Rinkel is a 4th year education student from the UofA and at Ecole Rocky for her final practicum working with Mrs. Kwantes in 5Kw.
Thank you Evergreen Co-op for the donation of $267 to our school breakfast program.
Thank you Breakfast Clubs of Canada for topping up our grant with an additional $3700!
If you are near the school this month, stop in to see the rug-hooking art in our front display featuring work from Mrs. Gillis, Mrs. Allen, and other community members.
We held a parent information night with Jo(e) Social Media. They presented on "Having conversations with your child about social media." The session was very informative. A recording is available at https://youtu.be/vrS48FlTYio.
If your child will be absent from school, please connect with our Student Attendance Line by phone 1-855-756-2797
Please use your child's agenda for writing notes to the teacher and communicating the after school plan.