Good Afternoon CMAC Families,
I am always torn at this time of year. I love summer, with its long days, warm weather, swimming, camping and time to connect with family. As we see our first fall weather in the forecast this coming Tuesday, I know I will miss all the joys of summer. However, there is joy too in a cozy sweater, a cup of pumpkin spice anything, a crackling fire, and thoughts of all the winter activities I love: skiing, hockey, snowshoeing and more. As the temperatures drop, make sure your kiddos don’t forget to dress for the weather!
Fall represents a return to routine and the rhythms of the school year, time to reconnect with our school community, and think about what the coming year might hold. I invite you to engage your kids in conversation about their hopes for the coming year so they might set out with good intention. If there is any way we, at CMAC, might support them in achieving their goals, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Upcoming Calendar and Events
Monday September 9 – Day 1 – TLC Formal Uniform - Picture Day!
Tuesday September 10 – Day 2 – TLC Informal Uniform – Toonies for Terry
Wednesday September 11 – Day 3 – TLC Informal Uniform
Thursday September 12 – Day 4 – TLC Informal Uniform
Friday September 13 – Day 2 Odd – TLC Casual – Wear your favorite jersey for house points!
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
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, drop-off 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 expectations 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
- The hot food cafeteria (Cougar Café) will re-open Monday September 16. Menus, and information to come. Please do not send students with money for the school cafeteria just yet.
- We are very pleased that The Breakfast Program has returned to CMAC this year and will start September 16 as well.
- 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, keep lunches simple.
- Please, 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/ice cream, open pop, ice caps, etc), or energy drinks. Please support students in bringing healthier, less messy drink choices to school
Picture Day!
Monday September 9 will be picture day! Make sure your kids dress their best (TLC – Formal Uniform, everybody else – class it up!). Classes will be called down by homeroom throughout the day.
Toonies for Terry
The next three 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. We already had our first opportunities to win points at the Opening Day Pep Rally. Students were so excited and had a great time. As an aside, if your child has significant struggles with high sensory environments and needs a space away from events like pep rallies, please connect with Ms. Renee reanderson@cbe.ab.ca, or send them by the office to chat.
Next chance to win house points will be next Friday – wear those jerseys!
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
Beginning of Year Assessments
In the coming weeks, we will assess students skills in reading, writing and mathematics. The purpose of these tests is to gain an understanding of where students’ skills are now, so we can support their continued growth. Please know these marks will not go on report cards and students do not need to study or prepare. This is just us, gathering information, so we can help each of our students learn.
Library Books
If your child is new to CMAC and has library books from another school, please return them to Mrs. Slater in our learning commons as soon as possible. She will see that
they are returned to their home locations and your student’s lending account is cleared of overdue items.
We should be able to begin lending books at the end of next week. If a student has a book that is more than 3 weeks overdue, we will deactivate their CBE account and they will lose access to technology while at school. We will support them in accessing it if there in an unavoidable need for particular class periods. Please support your children in keeping track of and returning their library books on time so we can maintain the excellent collection Mrs. Slater has built for the school.
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 tryouts will finish early next week, girls on Monday and boys on Tuesday after school. More information will come to students in morning announcements. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Maher kamaher@cbe.ab.ca (girls) or Mrs. Fehr cmfehr@cbe.ab.ca (boys).
Cross country has also started, all are welcome. Our first meet of the year will be this coming Wednesday. More to come in morning announcements, contact Mrs. Kokura for more information.krkokura@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
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.