Good Afternoon CMAC Families,
Wow. That was incredible. When we dreamed our dream of holding a CMAC family BBQ, we couldn’t have imagined the positive response we received. With well over 1000 people in attendance, including our students, their parents, siblings, aunties, grandmas, and more, it truly was a CMAC family event. I was overjoyed to see you all talking, laughing and connecting with staff, with other families, and with your childrens’ friends. What an amazing opportunity for us all to connect, and what a great way for us all to start the year, together. Big thanks go to the amazing Mrs. Goetts (Jr and Sr), their incomparable cafeteria team (including Mrs. Slater), and all of the CMAC team members who stepped up and stepped in to make this a possibility. It takes a village, and we have an incredible village.
Yesterday, we recognized an important Canadian holiday: the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation through our annual Orange Shirt Day activities. Students engaged in learning with their classes, connected over cookies (made, again, by our incredible cafeteria team) and engaged in a community clean up as an act of reconciliation and connection to the land. As a middle school principal, getting positive calls from our neighbours is a rare and treasured thing, so a big thank you to all of our staff and students for stepping our to care for the community we teach and learn in.
I invite you to take some time with your family. Learn truth about Canada’s history and relationship with our Indigenous Peoples, including the lasting impacts or residential schools. Get involved in Orange Shirt Day events in and around Calgary this weekend. Get out and connect with the land in one of the many parks and naturals areas in and around Calgary. September 30 has been set aside as a holiday with clear intention to give us all time to learn, and take action toward our shared commitment and responsibility to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of Canada. I invite you all to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather, get out and get involved.
Upcoming Calendar and Events
Monday September 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – School is Closed
Tuesday October 1 – Day 1 – TLC Informal
Wednesday October 2 – Day 2 – TLC Informal
Thursday October 3 – Day 3 – TLC Informal
Friday October 4 – Day 3 Odd - Modified Schedule for Terry Fox Run – TLC Casual
Monday October 7 – Day 4 – TLC Formal
Tuesday October 8 – Day 1 – TLC Informal
Wednesday October 9 – Day 2 – TLC Informal
Thursday October 10 – Day 3 – TLC Informal
Friday October 11 – Day 3 Even – TLC Casual
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.
- Cafeteria:
o Microwaves and hot water are available in the Cafeteria over lunch. Grade 5 & 6 students have approximately 15 minutes in the cafeteria . This time goes quickly, 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. - Messy, sticky drinks - we don’t allow messy sticky drinks in the school (think slurpees, milkshakes/icec ream, open pop, ice caps, canned iced tea, etc), or energy drinks. Please support students in bringing healthier, less messy drink choices to school.
School Council Positions
If last night’s BBQ left you with a desire to contribute to our school, do I have an opportunity for you! We a council Secretary as soon as possible, and will need someone to start planning next year’s casino fundraiser (by far our biggest source of funding).
Responsibilities are small: one online meeting a month, approximately one hour in length. We will warmly welcome you in and help you learn your role! Email me at srbecker@cbe.ab.ca for more information, or to pledge your support!
Homework Hotel
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.
Toonies for Terrie
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 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 Included in my email).
Soccer and basketball tryouts have come and gone very fast, and Cross Country season is well underway! Teams are set, up and running, and off to a great start. I am thrilled that this year we were able to offer both junior and senior teams for boys and girls basketball. The credit goes to our generous teachers who volunteer their time to give our kiddos these amazing opportunities to shine!
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.
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.
Healthy Hunger
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!
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