NSO News & Information

Monday is Instructional day #33 of 84 or 39% through semester 2. We hope you all had a wonderful and refreshing Spring Break! We are excited to welcome students back.

As we return to school on Monday, March 31, we want to share some key dates and reminders to help everyone stay on track:

• Early Dismissal: A reminder that Wednesday, April 2, is an early dismissal day at 2:10 PM.
• Quarter 3 Diploma Exams: Diploma exams run from April 3 to April 11. Please remind students to check their schedules and prepare accordingly.
• Graduation Portraits: April 15 – Sherwood Park Outreach (SPO and April 16 – Fort Saskatchewan Outreach (FSO). More details will follow regarding booking times, please reach out to our Student Success Team.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we continue guiding students through their learning journeys. If you have any questions, please reach out.

-Principal Mr. B. Spady, Assistant Principal's Mrs. D. Bennett & Mrs. K. Porter

Please note that orders for Grad Wear hoodies ($52) and sweatshirts ($52.50) will be accepted through the PowerSchool Parent Portal until Friday April 11. You may also order Grad Wear through Entripy directly and shipping charges will be applied.

Please connect with your Graduation contact at your location to review your courses, share your plans for next school year, and pick up your Grad 2025 T-shirt!

• Sherwood Park – Sara Wood (sara.wood@eips.ca) Success Coach
• Sherwood Park – D’Anne Bennett (danne.bennett@eips.ca) Assistant Principal
• Fort Saskatchewan – Janet Clarkson (janet.clarkson@eips.ca) Success Coach
• Vegreville – Carlin Adams (carlin.adams@eips.ca) Family School Liaison Worker
• Fort Saskatchewan & Vegreville – Krista Porter (krista.porter@eips.ca) Assistant Principal

We look forward to celebrating your Graduation on Friday June 6, 2025!

Apr 2 Early dismissal 2:10 p.m.

Apr 3 Quarter 3 ELA 30-1/2 Part A Diploma

Apr 4 Quarter 3 Social 30-1/2 Part A Diploma

Apr 7 Quarter 3 Math 30-1/2 Diploma

Apr 7 World Health Day

Apr 7-11 Education Week

Apr 8 Quarter 3 ELA 30-1/2 Part B Diploma

Apr 9 Quarter 3 Social 30-1/2 Part A Diploma

Apr 9 Vimy Ridge Day

Apr 10 Quarter 3 Chemistry 30 & Biology 30 Diploma

Apr 11 Quarter 3 Physics 30 & Science 30 Diploma

Apr 15 Graduation Portraits Sherwood Park

Apr 16 Graduation Portraits Fort Saskatchewan

Apr 18 Good Friday- No School

Apr 21 Easter Monday- No School

Apr 22 Earth Day

Apr 23 Administrative Professionals’ Day

Apr 27 to May 4: National Volunteer Week

Apr 28 Federal Election (Salisbury is a polling station)

Apr 28 Strathcona County Youth Market 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Agora

Apr 29 School Advisory Council 5 p.m.

May 2 Staff Professional Learning -No School for students

May 5 National Day of Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls

May 5 Cinco de Mayo

May 7 Early dismissal 2:10 p.m.

May 10 Bear Witness Day

May 11 Mother's Day

May 15 Moose Hide Campaign Day

Drawn Together - Strathma

Local History and Heritage - Celebrate Strathcona County’s history, culture, and traditions. This could include historical landmarks, significant figures, or cultural movements that have shaped the community. Example: A mural depicting the evolution of Strathcona County, from its early days to the modern era, featuring elements like agriculture, indigenous heritage, or industrial development.

www.strathma.ca

Our last hybrid meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29 at 5 p.m.. We hope you can join us! Meeting starts at 5 p.m. at our Sherwood Park campus. Regular attendance is not required. Please check out our school calendar and NSO News & Information for scheduled School Advisory Council Meetings. Tentative agenda will be added below. Join the conversation at: https://meet.google.com/wbg-xbda-djb

What is myPass? myPass is an Alberta Education self-service website for students to:

• Register to write or rewrite diploma exams with online payment

• View and print Detailed Academic Reports (DAR)

• View progress towards a credential (diploma or certificate)

• Order additional copies of an awarded credential in English or French

• Receive notifications for important messages

View myPass Tutorial Video to better understand how you can get a myPass account set up. This account can be accessed for the rest of your life. For assitance contact Elli.hansen@eips.ca

Our Student Success team at Next Step is designed to maximize school engagement, increase academic success and enhance social, emotional and physical well-being for students.

Sherwood Park: Success Coach for grade 8-11 kevin.mackinnon@eips.ca email (Jen Martinez is away till May 30) and direct line 7804102948 (student/family strategies & community connections) & Success Coach for grade 12 & R12 Sara.Wood@eips.ca email and direct line 7804102942 (student/family strategies & community connections)

Fort Saskatchewan: Success Coach for grade 8-12 Janet.Clarkson@eips.ca email and direct line 7804103981 (student/family strategies & community connections)

Vegreville: Family School Liaison Worker Carlin.Adams@eips.ca email and direct line 7804103989 (student/family strategies & community connections)

Guidance Counselor: email Elli.Hansen@eips.ca and direct line 7804102952 (educational support and accommodations)

At Next Step, we believe that consistent engagement in learning is key to academic success. Students who do not actively participate in their course for a period of 30 days will be withdrawn from the course. Should a student wish to reengage, they will be required to meet with our Student Success team to discuss their commitment and develop a plan to ensure future success. As we say at Next Step Outreach, "small steps are still progress," and we are here to support every step of your journey. This policy ensures students remain committed to their learning, while also providing them with the necessary support to reengage effectively.

Appropriate use of personal communication devices contributes to the safety and security of students and staff, minimizes risk to personal wellbeing and disruption to instruction, and protects personal privacy and academic integrity. As such, personal devices are expected to be out of sight during instructional time.

Students may not access a PCD unless given permission by the teacher for a specific educational task or purpose. PCDs shall not be on the student unless the use is for: a diagnosed medical condition; or an identified inclusive-educational need.

From a security perspective, the most important function of an exterior door is for protection from the elements and to control entry for building security. All exterior doors will be locked, and opened only for student and visitor access during designated school entry times and special events. Students who arrive when doors are locked, as well as parents/caregivers and visitors, will be welcomed into the office after ringing the doorbell/video-monitored intercom entry system. All visitors must sign in and out of the school and follow the visitor protocol.

Next Step envisions itself as not just an educational institution, but a vibrant community of learners deeply committed to virtues that go beyond the classroom. Here's a brief overview of the core values that make up the vision:

Acceptance- We strive for a diverse and inclusive environment where every student, parent, caregiver, and staff member feels accepted, irrespective of their background, beliefs, or circumstances. We believe that learning is most effective when everyone feels like they belong.

Flexibility- Understanding that each learner is unique, we aim to offer flexible learning and a range of teaching methodologies to cater to individual needs. Whether through elective courses, extracurricular activities, or personalized learning paths, flexibility is at the heart of our educational approach.

Individualization- Building on the concept of flexibility, we focus on personalized education. Our staff are committed to identifying each student’s strengths, and areas for growth, allowing for a more tailored educational experience while maintaining a high academic standard. This individual attention ensures that every student is equipped with the tools they need to succeed both academically and personally.

Respect- In our community, respect is mutual. Staff, students, caregivers, and parents are encouraged to show respect for each other's ideas, feelings, and contributions. We believe that open dialogue, grounded in respect, fosters a rich learning environment where complex issues can be discussed and dissected.

Responsibility- While our staff are committed to providing the best educational experience possible, we also encourage students, caregivers and parents to take responsibility for their learning journey. This includes active participation in school activities, regular communication with staff, and a commitment to personal and academic growth.

For parents, caregivers, and families, becoming a part of the Next Step community means joining a network committed to these virtues. Together, we work toward providing an educational experience that values the uniqueness of each student, respects the input of each community member, and prepares learners for a future full of possibilities.

The Division, and Next Step are committed to ensuring all members of the school community are provided with welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments that respect diversity and foster a sense of belonging. EIPS encourages all students, staff and families to review the procedures to understand and practice the conduct expected throughout the Division.

Students, parents, and caregivers can access our campus locations during the following times:

Tuesday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Wednesday 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Thursday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Friday 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Email: nextstep@eips.ca
Website: eipsnextstep.ca
Phone: 7804641899
X: @eipsnextstep