Good Afternoon CMAC Families

Teachers have been working hard to prepare report cards for their release. Having reviewed them, Mrs. Short and I are very proud of our students and the efforts they have made this term. We look forward to continuing to work with you all to support them in the coming months.

There are just two high school open houses next week. Of note, we also need more volunteers for key roles in school council, and need your help keeping student drop-off and pickup safe. For more information on each of these items, please have a look below.

Upcoming Calendar and Events

Monday January 27 – Day 4 – TLC Formal

Tuesday January 28 – Day 1 – TLC Informal

Wednesday January 29 – Day 2 – TLC Informal

Thursday January 30 – Day 3 – TLC Informal

Friday January 31 – Non-Instructional Day – No School for Students

 

Monday February 3 – Day 4 – TLC Formal

Tuesday February 4 – Day 1 – TLC Informal

Wednesday February 5 – Day 2 – TLC Informal

Thursday February 6 – Day 3 – TLC Informal

Friday February 7 – Day 4 Even – TLC Casual – Dress in house colours

Housekeeping 

  • Morning Drop Offs – If you drive your child to school, please drop them off and pick them up on the far (west) side of the street. Do not drive into the staff parking lot or park on the East (school) side of the street.
  • TLC Uniforms: If your child is in the TLC program, please support them in following uniform requirements, including wearing black shoes.

Talent Show! 

Teachers are organizing an opportunity for CMAC students to showcase their talents! Auditions will be held from January 27 to February 12 at lunch time in the bandroom (Room 11). There are three (3) audition spots available each lunch so tell your kids to hurry up and sign up. The talent show will be held Thursday March 20, during the school day.

Safe Drop-off and Pickup 

Please, parents, do not use the staff parking lot to drop off and pick up your children. We have a lot of students walking to and from busses across the drive ways in the morning and after school. Extra traffic in these areas increases the safety risk to our students.

Also, please do not park in the bus drop-off/pickup zones in front of the school. When parent vehicles block these spaces, entire busloads of 50-60 children are dropped off further away from the school. 

School Council 

Parents, we still need your help! The following positions are vacant and it is incredibly important we fill them so we can keep working to make CMAC an incredible place to learn:

  • Co-chair
  • Casino Coordinator Secretary 

You do not need any experience. If you are willing to learn, please contact me at srbecker@cbe.ab.ca It is not a significant time commitment, and can have a big impact on your child’s school! 

High School Open Houses January 2025 

This month many of the high schools will be hosting open houses for any and all students and families that are interested. Please see the list below for dates and times. North Trail has not set a date for an open house. 

Social Media Tips for Parents & Guardians

The information below has been accessed from reliable sources and provides some good advice for parents, advice I follow with my own children. 

Understand the Developmental Impact: Teens are at a stage where they’re forming their identities, making social media particularly influential. It can amplify insecurities by exposing them to unrealistic ideals or harmful trends. Encourage open discussions about how online content affects their self-esteem and teach them to critically evaluate what they see. For younger teens or pre-teens, delaying social media exposure can help build resilience and good habits before introducing these platforms. 

From: Study International & Atrium Health 

Balance Privacy and Oversight: While respecting a teen’s privacy is important, parents should maintain regular conversations about online activity. Questions like "How do you feel after using this app?" or "What do you find challenging about social media?" can open dialogue. Establishing clear expectations about device use, safety, and consequences for misuse can foster trust and mutual understanding. 

From: Scope 

Teach Intentional Usage: Help teens use social media mindfully by encouraging them to set boundaries—like limiting notifications, curating their feeds to focus on positive content, and taking breaks when needed. Research suggests that reducing screen time can lead to improved mental health and body image. 

From: Atrium Health & Scope 

Model Healthy Behaviors: Parents' online habits significantly influence their teens. Setting family-wide guidelines for tech-free times (like during meals or before bed) and reducing your own scrolling can make a big difference. 

From: Atrium Health 

Engage in Policy Awareness: Social media platforms are starting to incorporate safeguards like stricter privacy settings and age-appropriate content moderation. Staying informed about these changes and advocating for responsible design can empower families to use these tools effectively 

From: Scope 

Address Loneliness and Connection: Social media has potential benefits, like creating connections for teens who may feel isolated. Encourage teens to use these platforms to build positive networks and find communities that affirm their interests and identities, and to seek support immediately if something doesn’t feel right. Strangers are rarely a good idea when seeking connection.

From: Scope 

Thanks parents. We are still learning so much about best practice for supporting our kids in the digital age. I appreciate all of your efforts to support them in navigating this ever-changing landscape. 

Sports Teams 

Basketball has officially wrapped up for the year. Congratulations to our Junior Boys for taking first in their division! Senior Girls made it to the final, and our Senior Boys and Junior Girls had a great season. Our players, win or lose, always make me proud. They show up with dignity, demonstrate great sportsmanship, and work so hard start to finish each game.

Wrestling season is well underway, and Volleyball tryouts are done! Players at early practice times must be picked up by 4:00!!

Players at late practice must be picked up by 5:00!! 

Please review expectations for spectators at all sporting events. 

  • All students/youth in attendance at games must be accompanied by a supervising adult who can bring them home if they are unable to follow the rules. Children must not be left unsupervised while in the school.
  • If students do not have an adult to supervise them, they will be directed to leave.
  • Please do not take photos or videos of players if other youth may be in the frame. I understand the desire to capture and share your child’s experience, but it violates the privacy of the other players.
  • If you attend games at other schools, you may be directed to keep your phone in your bag at all times, and not to enter/exit the building once you have arrived. If needed, we will implement these rules here too.
  • All attendees should be positive and supportive: disrespectful behaviour to players, coaches, referees or other spectators will be addressed by admin.
  • Failure to follow rules and support a positive experience for may result in your being directed to leave, and possibly being barred from attending future events. 

We have an incredible community of students and parents, and I don’t expect any of this to be an issue. Clear expectations help set us all up for success, and keep our focus where it belongs: on our incredible student athletes. Thank you in advance for another incredible year of CMAC athletics! 

In further athletics news: 

If students want to try out for a team, they MUST first return their Annual Authorization for Athletic Tryout Form.  

If your child is playing on a sports team, or volunteering, please pick them up right at the end of their games and practices. Our teachers generously volunteer their time, and like the kids, are tired by the end of the day. If students cannot be picked up or find their way home on time, they will not be allowed to participate. 

To participate in games and practices, students must be present for the duration of the school day, as per Calgary Middle Level Schools Amateur Athletics rules. They must also represent themselves as positive members of the school community, as per the standards set by our school for students in leadership roles. 

Homework Hotel 

Tuesday and Wednesdays after school, students in grades 7-9 can stay from 2:30-4:00 to get extra help from teachers, or complete their homework. Students in Grade 6 can attend Homework Hotel at lunch on Day 3 each week. Please, if your child is staying after school, ensure they have a ride home, ready to go by 4:00 pm. 

House Teams 

Building from last year, homerooms have been split up into house teams. A huge thank you to Mrs. Fehr and Mrs. Dokimenko for the work they have put into this. 

PURPLE- 5-1, 6-3, 7-6, 8-2, 8-4, 9-3

ORANGE- 5-3, 7-2, 7-3, 8-1, 8-6, 9-4

BLUE- 6-1, 7-4, 8-5, 9-1, 9-5, LEAD

GREEN- 5-2, 6-2, 7-1, 7-5, 8-3, 9-2 

Volunteers 

We need your help! Our teachers are doing a great job organizing exciting field trip opportunities for your kids. With the new volunteer clearance process, we are running short on volunteers. Please, if you are able to volunteer, complete the new volunteer process (link below) so we can keep offering these experiences for our students. https://www.cbe.ab.ca/get-involved/volunteer/Pages/volunteer.aspx 

There is a new voucher process in place to pay for police security checks for volunteers, please connect with Karen Ondrus in the office to learn more. 

Fees

Please pay your fees! A little bit from each family really adds up, and we need that money to support your child’s education. Log in to MyCBE now and pay any outstanding fees. While you are there, please complete your student demographic form for the year. This is what allows us to quickly contact you in case of an emergency! 

For families with low incomes, the CBE provides a fee waiver program. Please see the following link for details: Fees and Waivers 

If there is a field trip or other learning opportunity with a fee, and this fee will prevent your child from participating, please connect with the principal. No child should miss a learning opportunity offered to their class due to financial reasons. 

Healthy Hunger 

Note: All orders, changes or cancellations must be completed no later than 5 days prior to the lunch date. Don’t miss those deadlines! 

January 23 - Papa Johns (order deadline - January 18)

February 6 - Opa (order deadline - February 1)

February 20 - Waffles & Chix (order deadline - February 15)

March 13 - Rocky Shawarma (order deadline March 8)

April 10 - Coco Brooks (order deadline April 5)

April 24 - Mucho Burrito (order deadline April 19)

May 8 - Mary Browns (order deadline May 3)

May 22 - Subway (order deadline May 17)

June 5 - Panago (order deadline May 31)