Bon Vendredi! Happy Friday!
We've wrapped up another eventful week, highlighted by Thursday’s Halloween Parade and our annual pumpkin carving contest. With a record-breaking 106 pumpkins entered this year, the selection committee faced quite the challenge in choosing a winner! Many families joined us for the parade, cheering on our students in their costumes. It was wonderful to see the school filled with such creativity and community spirit.
Throughout the week, classes embraced the Halloween season with a variety of themed activities, from pumpkin science experiments to art projects and Remembrance Day reflections.
A special highlight was our visit to the Mayfare Care Center, where students shared their Halloween costumes with the residents. Our students were warmly welcomed, and the residents' generous treat-sharing made the visit all the more memorable.
On Tuesday, Ms. Kumar led a Diwali activity, giving students a chance to learn about this beautiful festival. The activities were filled with joy, and it was a delight to watch students dancing and engaging with the traditions of Diwali.
Fall Break
Next week marks the beginning of our Fall Break, so please make note of the schedule changes. There will be no school for students on Friday, November 8, due to a Professional Development Day. Additionally, from November 11 to 13, students and staff will have time off in observance of Remembrance Day and Fall Break.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on Thursday, November 14
Attendance
Teachers open the school doors in the morning from 7:57-8:00. Once the classes have entered, the teachers need to be with students in classrooms. If you are arriving after 8:00, please proceed to the front door where your child can sign in. Parents are not permitted to walk their children to class, as it creates disruption in the learning environment. If your child requires an escort, our staff will be happy to walk your child to class.
This weekend is the time change, when we turn our clocks back one hour. This could be a good opportunity to reset routines, so that on-time entry is achieved.
Remembrance Day Assembly
On November 7, Chinook Park is hosting a Remembrance Day Assembly. We will be welcoming parents and sharing students’ work and performances. This event will begin at 10:00am. We have limited seating.
Library
The library is looking for volunteers for an hour a week to help out with shelving books and general tidying up. Times and days are flexible. A few volunteers are also needed for the Scholastic Book Fair on Nov. 28th from 4-8 and Nov. 29th from 9-noon.
Message from the CBE – Child and Youth Well-Being
The Calgary Board of Education invites all parents and guardians to join us in a pre-recorded and live online series focusing on child and youth well-being. These sessions will be hosted in partnership with experts from Alberta Health Services and Recovery Alberta and will explore topics such as Peer Pressure, Healthy Relationships, Mental Health for Highly Sensitive Teens, and navigating Parent-Teen relationships. Acting on feedback from participants who joined us during our live online sessions over the past two years, moving forward we invite all guardians and parents to listen to the pre-recorded or live sessions at their convenience.
Message from School Council
Fun Lunch
Next week, Wed Nov 6, will be our second Fun Lunch fundraising event, lunch provided by Subway. The last day to order is this Friday, November 1st, the website automatically cuts orders off at 11:59pm. We have no capacity to accept late orders.
If you would like to place an order, please register your student(s) on the Healthy Hunger website at https://healthyhunger.ca/index.php. Once you have completed your registration you will be able to view this event and the order form. Please note that the school to register for is "Chinook Park”.
The order form also provides the option of making an additional donation to the fundraiser. If you wish to do so, select “Brown Bag Donation Program” to donate in $1 increments. These specific donations are used towards purchasing every student supported by the Brown Bag Program a meal every Fun Lunch event.
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS to help these events run smoothly- to assure students receive their lunches in a timely manner. If you already have approved security clearance through our school and wish to volunteer, click the below link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4CADAF2DAAFD0-52787730-nov62024
This is only a half hour time commitment, and is a great way to help out and see your child in their school environment.
If you wish to volunteer but don't yet have security clearance, please contact our office staff at chinookpark@cbe.ab.ca. They can help with getting this process started. Depending on the backlog with the Calgary Police this can be a lengthy process, so it's best to start it sooner than later. Security Clearance allows you to volunteer with students at the school or on field trips throughout the year, and once completed it lasts for 5 years.
If you have any issues or questions, please contact Lindsay Mandry at chinookparkfunfood@gmail.com.
Thank you for supporting our school!
Courtyard Update
A big thank you to our School Council Courtyard Committee for their continued efforts to keep our outdoor space beautiful. Last year, the committee identified several trees that needed to be removed, and with the support of CBE, these were taken care of this week. Thanks to everybody’s hard work, our courtyard is looking fantastic!
Reaching out
To get in touch with your child’s classroom teacher, email is the preferred method of communication. Please refer to the updated contact list below: https://chinookpark.cbe.ab.ca/staff
Upcoming Dates
November 6 | Fun Lunch |
November 7 | Remembrance Day assembly |
November 8 | Professional Development Day – No School |
November 11-13 | Fall Break – No School |
November 28 (evening) and 29 (Morning) | Parent-Teacher Conferences |
Bien à vous,
Guillaume Comeau & Danielle Godbout
École Chinook Park School Leadership Team