Good Afternoon CMAC Families
Well, that was a short week! It was great to reconnect after Fall Break, and get settled for the coming weeks. The temperature is dropping outside so please encourage your kiddos to dress warmly; jackets, toques and mitts will be important in the coming weeks. If your child does not have a jacket, we can help. Please email me at srbecker@cbe.ab.ca with your child’s gender and size. We will be putting an order in through Jacket Racket in the coming weeks because we want all of our students to be warm this winter.
Last week, as a staff, we enjoyed the 4th annual Maatoomsii’ Pookaiks (Children First) Indigenous Education Professional Learning Day. Amongst other topics, we learned the importance of names, pronounciation, and learning the languages of the lands in which we now live. Below are greetings from the peoples who have called this land home since time immemorial, I invite you to take a bit of time to learn and to practice.
Blackfoot Greeting - Oki (Oak-key)
Tsuut’ina Greeting - Dānít’ádā (Danit-adah)
Stoney Nakoda Greeting - Âba Wathtech (Amba-wastitch) Cree Greeting - Tânisi (Tawn-say)
Métis Greeting - Taanishi (Tawn-i-shi)
This week, we are beginning our search for grade representative on student council. 2 lucky students from grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 will be selected to bring voice to the needs of their grade and serve the broader school community. If your child is interested, tell them to connect with their homeroom teacher.
Upcoming Calendar and Events
Monday November 18 – Day 4 – TLC Formal
Tuesday November 19 – Day 1 – TLC Informal
Wednesday November 20 – Day 2 – TLC Informal
Thursday November 21 – Day 3 – TLC Informal
Friday November 22 – Day 1 Even – TLC Casual – Spirit Day – “Back of the Closet”
Monday November 25 – Day 4
Tuesday November 26 – Day 1
Wednesday November 27 – Day 2
Thursday November 28 – Day 3 – Parent-Teacher Conferences (PM)
Friday November 29 – No School for Students – Parent Teacher Conferences (AM)
Housekeeping
- IPP’s – If your child has an IPP, please sign it and return it to ASAP.
- Yearbooks – Links are on teacher D2L Sites. If we don’t sell enough the yearbook will be cancelled. If your child wants a yearbook, purchase NOW!
- 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.
Book Fair!
Mark your calendars! Colonel Macleod School will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair November 26 - December 3 during school and Parent-Teacher Conferences. While the fair is a fun and vibrant event, it is also a fundraiser. Proceeds from this sale go to support our Learning Commons collection. Can’t wait to see you there!
Library Books
PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR STUDENT ABOUT LIBRARY BOOKS. Students receive notices of overdue books on a weekly basis. Any books that are a month overdue (four or more weekly reminders) are considered lost, and students will be asked to pay for replacements.
Did you know students can check the status of their library account at any time? All you need is internet access. Visit the CMAC website Learning Commons page, use the Quick Link for e-Library, sign in and click on My Account. Student loans, checkout dates and due dates are all listed there for your convenience.
In addition, any books your student has from another school can be returned to Mrs. Slater in the Learning Commons. She will see that they are returned to their home location and cleared from your student’s account.
Healthy Hunger – New Dates Added!
Healthy Hunger is BACK! Healthy Hunger is a fundraising lunch program where every lunch purchased helps raise money for the school to enhance and enrich the learning environment of the students. Register your child at: www.healthyhunger.ca
Place all orders at once OR at multiple times throughout the year. Currently we have dates for September- December. More dates will be added later in the year for 2025.
Note: All orders, changes or cancellations must be completed no later than 5 days prior to the lunch date. Don’t miss those deadlines!
Nov. 4 - Coco Brooks (order deadline Oct. 30)
Nov. 21 - Subway (order deadline Nov. 16)
Dec. 5 - Taco Time (order deadline Nov. 30)
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)
Sports Teams
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:
Please have a look in your MyCBE account and pay any unpaid fees.
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. Ask they what they have learned about their teachers through our teacher trivia! And check with your child to see who won our recent Halloween Door Decorating Competition!
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.