Elements January Newsletter

We hope you had a joyful holiday season and are ready for an exciting start to 2026! First, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended the Christmas Concert to support our students. Your presence made the event truly special, and your generous donations to our local food bank made a meaningful difference in our community this Christmas. Thank you!

January is a wonderful time for fresh starts and new goals. In the classroom, we’ll focus on helping students set learning goals and work diligently toward achieving them. Your encouragement at home has a huge impact on students' learning, so we appreciate your partnership in keeping students motivated and engaged. Our report cards will be available to view on the Parent Portal on January 28th after 3:00 p.m.

As winter continues, please remember that students are expected to dress for the winter weather every day. Whenever possible, we will be outside for our 15 and 30-minute recesses, and students are expected to remain outdoors for the entire time. Warm coats, snow pants, hats, mittens, and boots are essential for their comfort and safety.

Finally, regular attendance is key to student success. We encourage families to prioritize being at school every day. The exception is if your child is sick; please keep them home to help prevent the spread of illness.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our school community. Here’s to a fantastic 2026 filled with learning and growth!

When leaving our school parking lot during drop-off or pick-up, please do not turn left. This is not only against traffic laws, but it also causes congestion and creates unsafe conditions for students and families. Our street is very busy at these times, so turning right helps keep traffic flowing smoothly and ensures everyone’s safety. Thank you for your cooperation!

To help students and their families make informed decisions about next school year, schools across the Division will host open houses and information sessions throughout the upcoming registration season to share information about specific courses, alternative programming and extracurricular opportunities available. Refer to the open house listing for more information or contact the school you’re interested in directly.

Is your child turning five on or before Dec. 31, 2026? If so, it’s almost time to register for kindergarten.

Kindergarten registration for the 2026-27 school year opens on February 1, 2026.

To help families prepare, Elk Island Public Schools has put together an online EIPS Kindergarten Tool Kit to make the transition as smooth as possible. The kit includes information on registration, important dates, programming options, what to expect, eligibility, how to find your designated school, transportation and more.

The Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) returning student registration process for 2026-27 takes place Feb. 9-23, 2026. Through the online form, families will confirm the school and program their child will attend next year or advise the Division if they aren’t returning. For students who want to attend a non-designated school next year, these requests must be submitted through the returning student registration process—acceptance is based on available space.

On February 9, the parent/guardian on file in PowerSchool identified as the Permission Click contact for each student will receive an email through Permission Click with a link to the form. If your family hasn’t received any Permission Click forms this school year, contact the school office so we can investigate any technical issues before registration season.

With the winter season is here, the school has a few reminders for families:

• Ensure students have clothing appropriate for expected weather conditions.
• If weather conditions are bad enough to impact student transportation, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) advises families directly, and posts updates on social media and eips.ca.
• Decisions regarding bus cancellations are guided by an EIPS administrative procedure that states, “school bus service may be suspended…when there is a forecast or current temperature of -40 C, including wind chill factor, in one or more regions.” Other reasons for suspending or delaying school bus services include adverse weather and poor road conditions.
• When school bus services are suspended, schools remain open to students.

For more information, submit a request to our online service desk.

Our Fort Saskatchewan Elementary School Council and Parent Society play a vital role in supporting our students and school community. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend meetings, whether in person at the school or virtually using a link sent out via School Messenger. Attendees can vote on key issues and help shape school policies and initiatives.

The Parent Society, our fundraising arm, helps fund important school projects and events. We encourage families to participate in fundraisers that work best for them. We are always looking for volunteers to help with school events and hot lunches. Every contribution makes a difference!

Want to get involved or learn more? Email us at fseparentsociety@gmail.com. We’d love to see new faces at our next meeting because many hands make light work!

Our next school council meeting with be on January 15, 2026 @ 6:00 pm at Fort Saskatchewan Elementary School. We hope to see you there!

School fee information for the 2025-2026 school year has been posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted and, as a result, are now overdue. To access your fee information, log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and go to “Student Fees.” Once there you can view your fees and pay them online. We can also accept cash at the school.

If circumstances exist where you’re unable to pay your fees, you can apply to have certain fees waived by applying for fee waiver, found at www.eips.ca/schools/fees/waiver-of-fees. The application deadline has been extended to February. 13, 2026.

For more information, visit Fort Saskatchewan Elementary's website. Alternatively, contact Kalli Valette, Business Secretary or Tami Richert, Principal at Fort Saskatchewan Elementary at 780-998-7771.

Elk Island Public Schools is proud to offer a variety of pre-kindergarten programming and locations across the Division. EIPS offers two different pre-kindergarten options:

*NEW* Early Learners in Motion (ELM)

ELM is a fun, inclusive pre-kindergarten program for all learners, aged four to five years old, that blends early literacy, movement, music and play-based learning. The ELM approach encourages curiosity, creativity and social-emotional growth through hands-on, joyful experiences.

Play and Learn at School (PALS)

PALS is a pre-kindergarten program for children who qualify for Program Unit Funding (PUF), such as those with communication delays, autism or social-emotional challenges. PALS pre-kindergarten offers a fun, play-based environment where kids can learn and develop skills for future success.

Interested in learning more about EIPS pre-kindergarten programs? Refer to the EIPS pre-kindergarten page.

Are you ready to submit your intake form for either ELM or PALS pre-kindergarten? Submit the 2026-27 Pre-Kindergarten Intake form, and the EIPS team will get back to you with next steps.

Under Alberta Education’s School Fee Regulation, schools must consult with parents prior to setting school fees for the upcoming school year. This will take place during our next parent council meeting on January 15, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. Administration will be sharing information about our current fee structure, posing specific questions about priorities, and asking you to provide your feedback as we plan for the next school year. While many of these activities and services enhance students’ educational experience, we want to ensure these fees aren’t cost prohibitive for families.

If you are unable to join us at the meeting, we will be sending home a survey on January 16th for families to share their feedback. Please return the surveys by January 30th.

The feedback provided will be used to help determine fees for next year, which will then be shared at the February school council meeting, posted to our website and shared via link through email.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Have you recently moved or has your contact information changed since the start of the year? Fort Saskatchewan Elementary School encourages families to review the information the Division has on file to ensure it’s up to date. Using the Student Information Update available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, families can review the current information on file for each student—including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, parent and guardian information, emergency contacts, medical details and other related information—and submit any updates needed.

Reviewing and updating the form ensures the school and Division have the most up-to-date information regarding your child. Updates completed by December 10 are especially helpful as the Division prepares for 2026-27 registration processes beginning in the new year.

NOTE: Only submit updates for the changes that have already taken place. If you’re moving later this school year, you’ll submit the necessary updates to your information through the Student Information Update after you’ve moved.

If you have questions about the form or any trouble with your Parent Portal account, contact the school office at 780-998-7771.

This year, we will be using the platform Healthy Hunger for our hot lunch program. Simply register for an account at healthyhunger.ca to register your child(ren) and place your order.

Important information:

• Cut off for orders is 7 days before lunch date.
• Full payment is required before order will be placed. If you do not make a payment, no meal will be delivered.
• We will alternate to ensure both Kinder A and Kinder B classes are included.

Should you have any questions please contact School Council directly at fseparentsociety@gmail.com.

Our next hot lunch is with Friendly Food Co on January 30.

January

• 5 - Classes Resume
• 15 - School Council and Parent Society Meeting - 6:00 pm at the school
• 22 - Pre-kindergarten Information Sessions 10:00 and 6:00
• 27 - Family Literacy Day
• 28 - Professional Learning Day - No School
• 28 - Report Cards Published to the Parent Portal

February

• 1- 2026-2027 Kindergarten and New Student (Grade 1-12) Registration Begins
• 5-6 - Teachers' Convention - No School
• 9-23 - Returning Student Registration for 2026-2027
• 16 - Family Day - No School