Good Afternoon CMAC Families,

It was incredible seeing so many of our families out for School Conferences this week. Strong connections between school and home are such an important foundation for success and we really appreciate you making time, if you were able, to come and meet with us. If you were not able to attend, please know that we are always open to connecting with families so we can work together to support our students.

Upcoming Calendar and Events 

Monday November 27 – Day 2 – TLC Formal
Tuesday November 28 – Day 3 – TLC Informal – School Council Meeting
Wednesday November 29 – Day 4 – TLC Informal
Thursday November 30 – Day 1 – TLC Informal
Friday December 1 – Day 4 Odd – TLC Casual

Monday December 4 – Day 2 – TLC Formal – Grade 9 Vaccinations (and catch up)
Tuesday December 5 – Day 3 – TLC Informal
Wednesday December 6 – Day 4 – TLC Informal
Thursday December 7 – Day 1 – TLC Informal
Friday December 8 – Non-Instructional Day – No School for Students

Housekeeping

TLC Uniforms: If your child is in the TLC program, please remind them of the uniform requirements, including wearing black shoes. We are considering, in the future, allowing students to wear a Colonel Macleod hoody as part of their TLC uniforms, but we need everyone to do an excellent job of living up to the uniform standards first.

Cold Weather: As the weather drops, please help your children dress for the weather. This includes a warm jacket, warm hat, and gloves. Our relaxed entry begins at 7:45. Class activities, and lunch time, often find our students outside, and it is important that they are able to stay warm. Fresh air is good for us all, we just need to dress for it.

Lunch: 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.

School Council – Tuesday November 28

We look forward to seeing members of our parent/guardian community for our online School Council Meeting on Tuesday November 28. Please join us using this link. This month, Mr. Van Winkle from our Grade 6 team will provide the school update. We will be discussing use of our $500 parent engagement funds for the year, and our spring casino fundraiser, an incredibly important source of funding for the school.Microsoft Teams Meeting ID: 254 582 430 838
Passcode: EjZ9Qa

Important Holidays and Events

Our major focus for this year at Colonel Macleod is belonging. We want all students to feel that their culture and identity is represented at our school, and that they belong here. Thank you to those who have connected with us so far to share upcoming holidays and cultural events, please keep connecting and sharing with us what is important to your families.

Sports Teams

Basketball season is coming to a close. Congratulations to all of our teams for a hard- fought season. The senior boys won division finals last week, so we are on to the tournament of champions next week!!! Way to go!Wrestling season is underway! The team meets to practice Mondays and Wednesdays at 2:30 outside the aux gym.If your child is playing on a sports team, 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 they 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

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.aspxIf 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.

House Teams

To build a sense of connection to our school, we have started house teams at CMAC (think Hogwarts, but the magic is figurative rather than literal). Ask your child whether they are in Purple, Blue, Green, or Orange, and which famous Canadian they are hoping will represent their house this year! As an update, team Blue (my team) has taken an early lead with 187 points, followed by Green with 182 points, then Yellow (Mrs. Short’s team) with 154 and Purple with 152. Go Blue! Our Christmas Hamper competition starts Monday, ask your kids what its all about!