Good Afternoon CMAC Families,
Well its official, the cool fall weather is here. Rains are falling, temperatures are dropping, and students are settling back into routines. Please remind your kids to dress for the weather, it is getting cold out in the morning!
I want to thank you all for your support as we work to set the right standards for our students this year. There have been some shifts in the rules and some changes as we work toward getting it right, and I have to say that the vast, vast majority of our students do such a great job of working with us, and adapting to the new normal. I know it takes a community to make this happen, so to all of our students, staff, families and community members, I want to say thank you!
Upcoming Calendar and Events
Monday September 16 – Day 1 – TLC Formal Uniform
Tuesday September 17 – Day 2 – TLC Informal Uniform – Toonies for Terry
Wednesday September 18 – Day 3 – TLC Informal Uniform
Thursday September 19 – Day 4 – TLC Informal Uniform
Friday September 20 – Day 2 Even – TLC Casual – Freezie Friday, bring a loonie
Monday September 23 – Day 1 – TLC Formal Uniform
Tuesday September 24 – Day 2 – TLC Informal Uniform – Toonies for Terry
Wednesday September 25 – Day 3 – TLC Informal Uniform
Thursday September 26 – Day 4 – TLC Informal Uniform
Friday September 27 – PD Day – No School for Students
Housekeeping
- Morning Drop Offs – If you drive your child to school, please drop them off on the far (west) side of the street. Do not drive into the staff parking lot, as this creates a hazard for kids getting off the bus. Also do not park on the East (school) side of the street as that interferes with bus drop off. An excellent alternate, low traffic, dropoff spot is the rec centre parking lot across the field. Just enter on 13th avenue and drive to our field and you can avoid the busyness at the front of the school.
- TLC Uniforms: If your child is in the TLC program, please support them in following uniform requirements, including wearing black shoes. TLC is a program of choice, and following uniform expecations is a part of that choice. If you are unable to replace uniform pieces for retail price, there are a lot of items available of Facebook Marketplace now. If you still require support, please don’t hesitate to contact the office.
- Cafeteria:
o Microwaves and hot water are available in the Cafeteria over the lunch period. The grade 5 & 6 students will have approximately 15 minutes in the cafeteria . This time goes quickly for the kids, please keep lunches simple.
o If you send your child with a meal that requires cutlery (fork, spoon), also send them with the required cutlery. We don’t not have cutlery to provide them with. - Messy, sticky drinks - we don’t allow messy sticky drinks in the school (think slurpees, milkshakes/icecream, open pop, ice caps, etc), or energy drinks. Please support students in bringing healthier, less messy drink choices to school.
Meet the Teacher BBQ
Yesterday, I emailed families about our upcoming Meet the Teacher BBQ, on Thursday September 26 from 6-7:45. Just a reminder, if you plan to attend please complete this form before Thursday September 19, we don’t want to send anyone home hungry! This is the first time we have tried this, I am really excited to get everyone together for a CMAC community dinner.
Homework Hotel Returns Wednesday!
Beginning this Wednesday, students will be able to stay at school, in the Library, from 2:30-4. This provides them with the opportunity to get extra help from teachers, or even just have a quiet space to work.
Please, if your child is staying, ensure they have a ride home, ready to go by 4:00 pm.
The Cougar Café Returns this Monday!
We are excited to announce the soft opening of the Cougar Café this coming Monday! The menu is on the Cafeteria & Menu page and will cover the next two weeks. A new edition of our complete menu will be out for Oct 1. As always, the Cougar Café is a pork free facility and will offer a vegetarian, Halal and non Halal option. The kitchen is set up to keep the food uncontaminated, as a vegetarian herself, Mrs. Goett can promise that it is taken very seriously.
Healthy Hunger is Back!
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!
- Sep. 26 - Via Cibo (order deadline Sep. 21)
- Oct. 10 - Mary Browns (order deadline Oct. 5 )
- Oct. 24 - Banzai (order deadline Oct. 19)
- Nov. 4 - Coco Brooks (order deadline Oct. 30)
- Nov. 21 - Subway (order deadline Nov. 16)
- Dec. 5 - Taco Time (order deadline Nov. 30)
Stayed tuned for January - June.
CMAC Swag
If you would like to buy Colonel Macleod athletic gear, the deadline for all purchases is September 26. Get in there, have a look, and get your kiddo some CMAC swag!
Student store: https://colonelmacleod-onlinestore2024.itemorder.com/shop/sale/
Toonies for Terrie
The next Two Tuesdays, we will be raising money for our upcoming Terry Fox Run through our Toonies for Terry fundraiser. Students are invited to bring a Toonie on these days. By bringing in a toonie, students will earn points for their house teams. For TLC students there is an extra incentive: bringing a toonie means they get a day off from wearing their uniform and can dress casual instead!
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 new teacher trivia!
- 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
Sports Teams
Please have a look in your MyCBEaccount 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).
Soccer and basketball tryouts have come and gone very fast!
Cross country has also started, all are welcome. Our second meet of the year will be this coming Tuesday, students are to attend a lunch time meeting that day to prepare. More to come in morning announcements, contact Mrs. Kokura for more information. rkokura@cbe.ab.ca.
If students wish to attend sporting events as a spectator, they need to come with a parent. This helps our coaches to keep their focus on the athletes who are competing. 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 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.
2025 Grade 9 Sailing Trip!
This year, grade 9 students will have the opportunity to go on a sailing Trip in British Columbia. We have done this trip for many years prior to COVID and we are excited to get the program up and running again. This optional fieldtrip provides a safe ocean going five day expedition within the protected waters of the Salish Sea (Canadian Gulf Islands) aboard certified Transport Canada sailing vessels. With all required safety equipment, certified captains, qualified crew, and use of ocean going kayaks.
While we have not been given updated costs for the 2025 year, we know that the cost for last year was approximately $2500.00 per student. This cost includes return flights to Victoria B.C., entrance to all exhibits and activities, as well as all food and accommodations. As a group we will also be offering fundraising opportunities throughout the year to lower the cost of the trip. For those who are interested, please connect with Mrs. Dokimenko ASAPjedokimenko@cbe.ab.ca.
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
For families with low incomes, the CBE provides a fee waiver program. Please see the following link for details: https://cbe.ab.ca/registration/fees-and- waivers/Pages/Waivers.aspx
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.