Dear Vincent Massey families, 

Thank you to all families who participated in our Open House last night. We hope you enjoyed this opportunity to meet teachers and see the spaces where your children learn each day. Thank you also to our band parents who supported our program through their attendance at the band meeting on Wednesday.  We are now heading into two days with no school for students. On Monday, September 29, teachers will be working on IPPs and other planning activities. On Tuesday, September 30, the school is closed for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The CBE marks this day in a number of ways and you can find information here on the main CBE website. 

We have had a number of recent concerns related to transportation. Firstly, students must use the crosswalks at 8 and 10 Avenues to cross 45 Street, not directly in front of the school. While we have some teacher supervision at the buses, we need your support in reminding students of these expectations as we do not have 'school patrols' like elementary schools. In particular, parents picking up students must actively discourage students from jaywalking, even when you are in a hurry. Secondly, students riding the buses have been reminded of the expectations for riders which support safety for all students. These are posted on the CBE website. We encourage parents of bused students to review these expectations.  

At the open house, we were pleased to share information on five proposed out-of-province learning opportunities. These field trips may be offered as an enhancement to classroom learning in various curricular areas. Fees are charged on a cost-recovery basis and, as these are enhancement trips with large costs, we are not able to offer fee exemptions or bursaries. To determine if we are moving ahead with these trips, we need interested Grade 8 and 9 parents to complete this form as soon as possible. If you have questions about the content or itinerary for each trip, please contact the teacher-in-charge for each trip: Mr. Hall for the Heritage trip, Ms. Lima for the Sailing trip, Mr. Rustemeyer for Sunshine Coast and the Yukon, and Mr. Morawski for the Whistler band trip. 

When students are back at school on Wednesday, October 1, we will be starting our basketball season. For all sports, please note that CBE middle schools have set similar expectations for games that promote safety, respect, and a positive experience for all. They include: 

·                     All visiting student spectators/athletes must be under the direct supervision of a designated adult for the duration of the games. In the spirit of building our community, Jen, Meghann and I are happy to support students who want to attend home games without parents/guardians.   

·                     There are no in and out privileges for spectators. If you leave the building, you should not re-enter. 

·                     Student cell phones must remain in bags. No photos or recordings can be made by students. This is a privacy concern for the athletes from all teams. Parents are asked to be mindful if they are taking photos or videos of their child. The privacy of other student athletes should be considered. 

·                     All spectators - students or adults - are expected to cheer and support in a positive manner.  

·                     Disrespectful behaviours will be addressed by school administration promptly and may result in spectators being directed to leave the game and the school building.  

·                     Parents/guardians who bring younger children are responsible at all times for their direct supervision. Please ensure that they are not wandering the halls and playing on phys-ed equipment in the gym/on stage 

These expectations will be reviewed with all of our students in school. Please review with your student(s) as well. We thank you in advance for your ongoing support.  

Students have also been reminded that food and drinks purchased off-campus at lunch should generally be consumed during the lunch break before returning to school. In particular, we do not allow slurpees, milkshakes, frappucinos, etc. into the school due to issues with spills and beverages being left in lockers. Similarly, students are not allowed to consume energy drinks at school, due to the negative impact on learning of very large volumes of sugar and caffeine. These policies are aligned with current research and with the CBE's commitment to provide students with the skills, opportunities and encouragement they need to adopt healthy eating patterns. 

 The Calgary Board of Education invites all parents and guardians to join a live online series on supporting child and youth well-being. The series is hosted by the Recovery Alberta Community Education Service (CES) Program in collaboration with local experts from the Calgary community. These sessions are designed to provide families with knowledge, tools, and strategies to help navigate the challenges and opportunities of raising children and teens today. Session details are available on the Child and Youth Family and Caregiver Series public facing page. 

Here are the upcoming events for the next two weeks: 

• October 1 
• • Talking Circle in Homerooms 
  • Girls Soccer @ Griffith Woods (Westside Rec) 
  • Junior Boys Basketball @ AE Cross (4:30 vs AE Cross, 5:30 vs TB Riley) 
  • School Council Annual General Meeting, 6:30pm in the learning commons 
• October 2  
• • Grade 9 Outdoor Leadership Canmore trip 
  • 4:30pm Boys Soccer @ home vs AE Cross 
  • Band clinics after school starting at 4:15 
• October 6 
• • Grade 7 Experience Metis walking field trips (continues all week) 
  • Junior Boys Basketball @ home (4:30 vs HD Cartwright, 7:30 vs Simon Fraser) 
• October 7 
• • Junior Girls Basketball @ Balmoral (5:30 vs Simon Fraser, 6:30 vs TB Riley) 
• October 8 
• • Senior Boys Basketball @ home (4:30 vs Colonel Irvine, 7:30 vs HD Cartwright) 
• October 9 
• • Senior Girls Basketball @ Simon Fraser (6:30 vs TB Riley, 7:30 vs Simon Fraser) 
  • Outdoor Leadership Skills camp #1 (Grade 8) 

All the best, 

David Pugh 

Principal