September 20, 2024

September

• Sept. 23 - Kindergarten Group A: Little Elk Island Adventure

• Sept. 23 - School Wide Bus Evacuations at 2:30PM

• Sept. 24 - Picture Day: Kindergarten Group B, Grades 1-3, Connections

• Sept. 25 - Picture Day: Kindergarten Group A, Grades 4-6

• Sept. 25 - Deadline to update the PowerSchool Correction and Verification Form

• Sept. 26 – Terry Fox School Run Day – We encourage students to wear red and white.

• Sept. 27 – EIPS Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
• Sept. 27 - Kindergarten Group B: Little Elk Island Adventure
• Sept. 30 – No School - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

October

• Oct. 4 - No School - Professional Learning Day

• Oct. 5 - World Educators Day

• Oct. 7-11 - Read-In Week

• Oct. 10 - World Mental Health Day

• Oct. 14 - No School - Thanksgiving Day

• Oct. 16 - Grade 6 Immunizations

• Oct. 23 - Parent Teacher Interviews 4-7PM

• Oct. 24 - Parent Teacher Interviews 4-7PM

• Oct. 25 - Family Halloween Dance

• Oct. 31 - Happy Halloween!

Be sure to check out our school calendar.

Staff and students will be participating in the Terry Fox Run/Walk on September 26 at 2:00 p.m. We encourage students to wear red and white or Canadian attire to school that day.

On September 26, you are invited to attend our school-wide assembly at 2:00 p.m. We are accepting online donations only on behalf of the Terry Fox Foundation, if you wish to contribute visit our school's link: Woodbridge Farms Terry Fox Fundraising.

Wolverines are you ready - let’s get out and NO MATTER THE DISTANCE, NO MATTER THE JOURNEY, NO MATTER THE ODDS, NO MATTER WHAT let's help find a cure for cancer.

Thank you to the families who joined us for our September School Council meeting.

Congratulations to our school executive members who were elected to our parent group positions for the 2024-25 school year:

School Council

Marco Candia - School Council Chair

Alexia Friesen - School Council Vice Chair

Mel Fawcett - Secretary

Parent Association

Nana Thaver - President

Jess Cook - Vice President

Taryn Bryenton - Treasurer

Mel Fawcett - Secretary

Please take a moment to complete the Parent Association Engagement Survey.

A reminder that everyone is always welcome and invited to attend our School Council and Parent Association meetings. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, October 8 in the school library at 6:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Visit our school website to learn more about these important parent/caregiver advisory groups.

As we settle into the new school year, it’s a great time to revisit an essential topic: pedestrian safety. With students walking to and from school, it’s crucial to ensure they are aware of how to stay safe on the roads. Here are some key reminders:

• Cross Safely: Always use crosswalks and look both ways before crossing the street. Emphasize the importance of making eye contact with drivers.
• Stay Alert: Avoid distractions like phones or headphones while walking. Being aware of surroundings helps in recognizing potential hazards.
• Follow Signals: Teach students to obey traffic signals and pedestrian signs. Waiting for the walk signal and crossing at green lights reduces the risk of accidents.
• Be Visible: Encourage bright clothing or reflective gear, especially in low-light conditions, so drivers can see them more easily.

By reinforcing these habits, we can help keep our children safe and ensure they have a secure and enjoyable journey to school. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

According to EIPS's Administrative Procedure 145: Use of Personal Communication Devices, personal devices such as cell phones and tablets are not to be used by students during the school day or during any school sponsored activity, such as an assembly or field trip. Exceptions will be made for students with a diagnosed medical condition or an identified inclusive educational need where a specific plan will be established as a home and school team.

If a student brings a personal device to school, they are to be stored out of sight in a student's locker and not to be used while at school both in class or outside at breaks. Students are not permitted to keep personal devices on their person or in their desks during school hours. The school is not responsible for the loss or damage of personal devices. Students are not permitted to film or photograph school community members on personal devices.

As leaders of technology, our goal is to help students develop digital citizenship through the responsible use of technology. Students will have opportunities to learn about online safety and how to be productive and responsible digital citizens during health lessons.

September 30 is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with the purpose of honouring the children who never returned home as well as Survivors of residential schools. This day is an opportunity for public commemoration of these tragic events and painful history as well as an acknowledgment of the ongoing impacts of residential schools.

As September 30 is a federal statutory holiday, our school will participate in Orange Shirt Day on September 27. Students and community members are encouraged to wear an orange shirt to school on this day. If you don't own an orange shirt, you can still be part of this event by wearing an orange ribbon or another items of clothing in orange. Students will be making pins they can also wear during their library class.

What is Orange Shirt Day and why do we acknowledge it?

Orange Shirt Day is a day of remembrance and and act of reconciliation that takes place annually across Canada. This is an opportunity to commemorate the history and legacy of residential schools. It grew out of a gathering of survivors held in Williams Lake, British Columbia in 2013, where Phyllis Webstad, who attended St. Joseph Mission residential school, shared her experience of having her new orange shirt taken on her first day. If you would like to learn more about Phyllis' story, click here to watch a short video. September 30 was picked as the date because it is the time children had to leave their homes and return to the schools.

What help is available to former residential school students?

The National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available for former residential school students and includes emotional and crisis referral services. Services are available around the clock and can be accessed by calling 1-866-925-4419.

If your child requires medication (i.e., Tylenol, Advil, Benadryl, Reactine, Tums, etc.) to be administered during school hours please fill out the online Student Medication form.

Students are not permitted to administer their own medication at school. All medication should be provided in its original packaging and labelled with the student’s name. All medication will be stored in the office with administering recorded.

Please complete the Medical Emergency Plan AND the linked forms, if applicable, if your child has:

• severe asthma, anaphylaxis, type 1 diabetes, epilepsy
• any student who is diagnosed as being at risk of a medical emergency
• any student who requires the administration of specific health care procedures

Fiddle Leaf Photography is excited to offer Fine Art School Portraits for your child(ren) again this year!

Photos will take place on September 24 & 25.

Your child will be photographed during their school day according to the schedule below:

Tuesday, September 24 - Kindergarten, Grades 1, 2, 3, CSP & Connections Classes

Wednesday, September 25 - Kindergarten, Grades 4, 5, 6, & Impact Classes

**Volunteers are needed for both days. Please consider signing up here to volunteer.

Details including pricing information and a full Parent FAQ can be found on the website.

Sibling and make-up photos can be booked at the Fiddle Leaf Studio in the WBF neighbourhood (appointments are available for individual photos of any other children who do not attend the centre, as well as group photos of siblings together.) Please use the coupon code WBF2024 to clear/waive the session fee. Sibling galleries will be provided as a separate album for you to order prints and/or digital images.

The best part...this is a fundraiser for Woodbridge Farms School. 10% of total sales from all orders will be returned to your school. Win/win!

AHS Public Health Nurses will be coming to Woodbridge Elementary School on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 to provide the first set of immunizations to the Grade 6 students. For your child to be immunized in the school, a consent must be signed by a legal guardian.

For tips on preparing your child for immunizations, please refer to https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/hp/cdc/if-hp-cdc-ipsm-tips-make-imm-easier-child.pdf

If your child is not present on the round dates they may receive immunizations on other dates throughout the school year.

Any questions or concerns please call our School Nurse, Deborah at 780-342-4689.

Alberta Health Services offers free online programming for parents and caregivers of children and youth. Sessions are offered through Zoom. The list of September 2024 sessions is now available.

Did you know that you can find many FREE programs and services for families in Strathcona County?

They offer sessions for kids of all ages as well as programs for Fall Break (like a family pumpkin carve-off)! They also offer classes for parents such as No Such Thing as a Bad Kid and Emotional Coaching for parents/caregivers!

Click here to read Strathcona County's Fall Program Schedule.

Here are some valuable resources and contacts to support your children and family. If you have any questions or would like more guidance on how to support your child, please contact our school counsellor at 780-464-3330 or by email christina.ganert@eips.ca.

Alberta Health Services Child and Youth Mental Health Intake

780-342-2701 (Intake line for parents to call for their children)

This is a great starting point for accessing mental health supports for your child, especially if you are unsure where to begin or what type of support to seek out.

Child Adolescent and Family Mental Health Through CASA

CASA offers a family therapy program, as well as programming options for children and youth. You can also look at an overview of CASA programs here, as well as information about how to access CASA services here.

Anxiety Canada website

This website is a great resource for anyone struggling with anxiety symptoms. There are handouts, quick links and activities for youth and adults, including audio and video links to help guide people through various activities. A self-help section is available with a wealth of resources including articles, personal stories and information on evidence-based interventions that are helpful for anyone experiencing general anxiety.

Strathcona Family and Community Services

If you’re stressed about money, groceries, relationships, parenting, mental health custody issues or you just need to talk, call Strathcona Family and Community Services at 780-464-4044. Family and Community Services staff will support you and connect you to free resources in the County.

Services include:

• Solutions Navigation
• Counselling
• Family Resource Network (information on child and youth development, discussing challenges and individualized parenting plans, referrals to other agencies, connecting to community resources, In-home parenting support)
• Family Justice Navigator (guidance regarding parenting/custody and other family court applications and court processes)

Call-in hours:

• Monday and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Who: Boys and Girls Club: Community drop-in programs open to all children in Strathcona County.

Where: Virtual or Spruce Club BGC location - #3 Spruce Ave, Sherwood Park

When: October, 2024 to May, 2025

Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m.

Cost: All programs can be accessed for $2 per session with our punch pass system or a fee of $40 covers all sessions between October and May.

Options:

• Minecraft Monday: Drop-in to Minecraft Mondays to build, create and explore! Minecraft Mondays is a virtual program where children can explore math, engineering and problem solving skills in the world of Minecraft. Participants can log in to our BGC world every Monday evening to build, explore and complete challenges with their friends!
• Art Night: (Tuesday) Drop-in to Art Night for fun, scheduled art projects that get to come home with you! Art Night provides a space for children to expand their art skillset and try new methods and mediums. Projects are designed to support children's development as artists as well as allow creativity to flourish.
• MasterChef: (Wednesday) Drop-in to MasterChef to create a masterpiece meal! BGC's MasterChef program provides children the opportunity to develop their culinary skills while participating in a fun competition. Participants are split into 2 teams, a recipe and ingredients are provided, and then the cook-off begins! The best part is, everyone gets to eat the tasty dish they've created!
• Sports Night: (Thursday) Drop-in to Sports Night to learn new sports, partake in favourites and most of all, have fun! Participants play different sports each night with a focus on fun and skill development. Participants are exposed to new sports and can get active in a fun and casual sports environment.