A Note from Mrs. Bruinsma

Welcome to June! It's indeed a wonderful time for celebration and reflection. As the warm weather settles in, students are diligently working to wrap up the school year, eagerly anticipating a well-deserved break. We take pride in celebrating the successes of all our students, who have shown remarkable effort and dedication. Their achievements are a testament to their individual hard work paired with the encouragement and support from their families and teachers.

It's also essential to acknowledge the challenges our students have overcome. These hurdles have been opportunities for growth and learning, shaping their journey and preparing them for future endeavors. Let’s celebrate not just the milestones reached, but also the resilience and determination that have brought them here.

As we look forward to the summer, let's continue to support and inspire our students, helping them to thrive in all their future endeavors. Here’s to a bright and promising future for each and every one of them!

Monday, June 3rd

• Gr. 8 Camp Nakamun

Tuesday, June 4th

• Gr. 5-6 (56DUR) Profiles Art Studio 9:00-11:30am
• Gr. 5 (5MOR) Profiles Art Studio 12:30-2:45pm
• Gr. 8 Camp Nakamun return
• Gr. 7-9 Zones Track Meet

Wednesday, June 5th

• Early Dismissal 12:00pm
• Grade 9 Farewell at North Point Church 2:30pm

Thursday, June 6th

• Neutral Ground Event at Hillgrove 6:00-8:00pm

Friday, June 7th

• Gr. 4-6 Track Meet at Hillgrove 9:00-11:00am
• Gr. 5-6 (56DMY, 6BAU, 6SAW) Grosvenor Outdoor Pool 1:00-2:45pm

Monday, June 10th

• Pride Week: Wear Red

Tuesday, June 11th

• Pride Week: Wear Yellow or Orange
• Gr. 7 & 8 FLA Part B Exam
• Gr. 9 FLA Part B PAT
• Last day of Homework Club

Wednesday, June 12th

• Pride Week: Wear Green
• Gr. 7 & 8 ELA Part B Exam
• Gr. 9 ELA Part B PAT
• Gr. 5-9 GOALS St. Albert Public Library 9:00-11:00am

Thursday, June 13th

• Pride Week: Wear Blue or Purple
• Gr. 9 Math Part A PAT

Friday, June 14th

• Pride Week: Wear multiple colours
• Grove Hot Lunch: Lunch Lady
• Gr. 5-6 (56DUR) Grosvenor Outdoor Pool 9:00-11:30am
• Gr. 5-6 (56DMY, 5MOR) Grosvenor Outdoor Pool 1:00-2:45pm

Monday, June 17th

• Last Day of Regular Classes for Jr. High Students

Tuesday, June 18th

• Gr. 7 & 8 Math Part A & B Exams
• Gr. 9 Math Part B PAT
• Gr. 5-9 GOALS Lion's Park Picnic 9:00am- 2:30pm

Wednesday, June 19th

• Gr. 6 Social Studies PAT
• Gr. 7 & 8 Social Studies Exam
• Gr. 9 Social Studies PAT
• Gr. 5-9 GOALS Cineplex Theatre 10am-2:30pm

Thursday, June 20th

• Gr. 7 & 8 Science Exam
• Gr. 9 Science PAT
• Gr. 6 (6BAU, 6SAW) Grosvenor Outdoor Pool 9:00-11:15am
• Gr. 5-9 GOALS Bowling 11:15am-2:00pm

Friday, June 21st

• National Indigenous Peoples Day
• Whole school activities

Monday, June 24th

• Homeroom activities
• Elementary District Track Meet at Fowler
• Gr. 6 Year End WEM Waterpark 8:45am-2:45pm
• Gr. 5 (5MOR, 56DMY) Grosvenor Outdoor Pool 1:00-2:30PM

Tuesday, June 25th

• GOALS Trip to Woodlands Water Play Park 9:00am-2:30pm
• Gr. 5 & 6 Year End Assembly 10:30am/ C.A.R.E.S. Awards
• Gr. 7 Honours 12:30pm
• Gr. 8 Honours 1:30pm
• Gr. 9 Honours & Gr. 7-9 Awards Ceremony 7:00-8:30pm

Wednesday, June 26th

• Last Day of School for All Students
• Gr. 5-6 (5MOR, 56DUR) Grosvenor Outdoor Pool 9:00-11:00am
• GOALS Trip to Edmonton Valley Zoo 9:15am-1:40pm

Thursday, June 27th

• S2 Report Card Release through PowerSchool Parent Portal 3:30pm

Due to new curriculum implementation, Alberta Education has communicated that grade 6 students will not be writing the English Language Arts and Literature (ELAL) and Mathematics Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs). As our school is also piloting the new Science 6 curriculum, grade 6 students will only be writing the Social Studies 6 Provincial Achievement Test in June.

Assessment Calendar

Final exam season is upon us! Please note the June Assessment Calendar to help keep your child organized for this busy time.

What will be assessed?

• Grade 6 PAT: Social Studies from the entire year.
• Grade 7 and 8: Material from term 2 only.
• Grade 9 PAT’s: Material from the entire year.

Study Skills

Students have started to have conversations in Class Connect about study skills strategies. Each student is unique when it comes to finding a strategy that works best for them. Please see below for some strategies to support your child.

• Handouts and Textbooks: Create notes, cue cards, or visual note taking from materials in your binders, google classroom or textbooks.
• Practice Exams: Released PAT’s (Gr. 6 and 9) are available for students to use as practice. Quest A+ gives students the opportunity to practice taking these release items online. Other online resources included Edquest for Science, Khan Academy for Math, or Read Theory for students (student sign up with Google account).
• Study Guides: Many teachers have provided study guides for students, this is a great starting point.

If you have any questions or concerns about supporting your child during this time, please reach out.

-Jacqueline Brown, Learning Support Facilitator

jacqueline.brown@spschools.org

The 2024-2025 Returning Student Registration is now overdue. Please complete the registration form online through your PowerSchool Parent Portal if you have not yet done so.

Please note:

• One form for each student must be completed every school year.
• Course Selection forms and Option forms for Jr. High & High School students will not be processed until the returning student online registration has been completed.

• Please contact the office if you are moving or transferring schools.

• Do not complete a New Student form, even if you are transferring schools within St. Albert Public Schools next year. The New Student form is for families who are new to the school division.
• Click here to sign into your Parent Portal
• Click here to view Hillgrove's Grades 7-9 2024-2025 Options Booklet
• If you have any questions or need assistance with completing the registration, please contact the school at 780-459-4456 or hg@spschools.org

The 2024-2025 Supply Lists for Grades 5-9 students can be found on the school website here.

Write-On Stationery is once again offering parents the opportunity to order school supply packages for students enrolling into Grades 5 & 6. Parents can select to have orders delivered to the school for the end of August or to your home address. Deadline to order is August 1st, 2024.

To Order Online:

• Go to www.write-on.ca
• Click on ’PARENTS – Order Here’
• Type in and Select your School Name (Ecole Hillgrove School- St. Albert)
• Choose your grade(s) and select package and/or items
• Complete your order by clicking ’PLACE ORDER’
• You will receive an automatic email confirmation to confirm your order has been received
• Write-On accepts: VISA, Mastercard, and American Express

The Grades 5-9 2023-2024 school yearbook is available to order for $35.00 through your PowerSchool Parent Portal Account. Yearbooks will be delivered to the school and distributed to students in the fall.

Homework Club will be available Tuesdays from 3:00-4:00pm in the Hill Library for all students in grades 5-9. During this time students can access teacher support for their course work or utilize a quiet space to get caught up on their homework. Please reach out to Mme. Girard, megan.girard@spschools.org for any specific queries regarding Homework Club.

Last day for Homework Club is Tuesday, June 11th.

Students should be arriving to school with weather appropriate clothing as they need to be prepared to go outside for recess/lunch, physical education as well as times planned by teachers throughout the week. As the weather changes from morning to afternoon we are asking students to always come prepared with appropriate clothing regardless of the weather forecast.

All student supplies, including personal items, must be taken home by the last day of school. Please ensure your child brings a suitable bag to transport their belongings home. The school is not responsible for storing these items during the summer break. This helps us prepare the classrooms and lockers for the upcoming school year.

The 2024-2025 Bus Pass: Application and Kindergarten Bus Pass Application 2024-2025 are now available on the BusPlanner Portal. Bus routes and stop locations are set based on applications received before June 1, 2024. Please do not wait to apply.

A few factors that come into play when assigning a stop include:

1. central location in relation to students in the area (based on applications received by June 1st)
2. transit stop location
3. accessibility to neighbourhoods (new and established)
4. traffic pattern/congestion
5. direction of bus path (side of road)

Please ensure that all transportation fees are paid or a payment plan has been established with Transportation Services before submitting your application.

If you have any questions please contact Transportation Services at 780-460-3712.

June is nationally recognized as Pride month both in Canada and internationally. We at St.

Albert Public Schools are excited to be celebrating Pride Week the week of June 10th-14th. This

week is full of fun learning activities like artwork, dressing in the colours of the rainbow and

highlighting literature and history that celebrate the accomplishments of our 2SLGBTQIA+

community.

Our school division is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, supportive environment for all of

our students and staff, including those who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. We are also committed to

providing curriculum and activities that reflect our students, in a respectful and belonging

manner. During Pride Week, and throughout the year, our teachers help students understand

the unique perspective and realities of this and other communities. Topics of discussion this

week will include different types of families, overcoming histories of discrimination and

oppression, fostering positive relationships, and building welcoming, inclusive, safe and healthy

working and learning environments.

St. Albert Public Schools is excited to host a Pride Panel for student and parent allies of our 2SLGBTQIA+ school community members. The event will take place on Tuesday, June 11th at 6:30pm at a St. Albert school. This panel will consist of various members of our community who will share their narratives and answer set questions. There will also be a question and answer period that will be moderated by our division office staff. Please complete the Registration Form by Tuesday, June 4th if you would like to attend. Please contact St. Albert Public Schools Division Office with any questions 780-460-3712.

Summer School Registration Closes June 26th!

School doors will open at 8:15am. Please ensure students dress appropriately for the weather if you plan to arrive early. The first bell rings at 8:22. Registration and attendance begins promptly at 8:27. Please arrive on time.

Regular attendance at school plays a key role in student learning, achievement and social-emotional health. Should your child be absent from school, please contact the office by:

• Phoning (780)459-4456
• Submitting an online absence report here
• Emailing hillgroveattend@spschools.org

Automated phone messages will be sent out to notify families of any unexcused absences.

If your child is late or is being picked up early, please ensure they sign in or out at the office. The office must receive notice from a parent/guardian before a student can be dismissed early during school hours.

During instructional blocks and transitions between blocks, student cell phones are required to remain secured in their locker. Students may use their cell phone during their scheduled lunch break.

The school is not responsible for lost, broken or stolen cell phones.

Our school has a zero tolerance policy for being in possession or using illegal substances on or off school property during school hours or school sponsored events. As all Hillgrove students are under the age of 18, these substances include:

• drugs of any kind including alcohol or marijuana
• vaping or vape supplies
• cigarettes

At Hillgrove we pride ourselves on being an inclusive learning environment that is a welcoming space for all students, staff and families. Our individual uniqueness helps make Hillgrove the amazing school that it is.

We have non-perishable food items available for families that could benefit. If you are interested, please email jacqueline.brown@spschools.org or call Jacqueline at school, (780)459-4456 to connect.

Our student services team is made up of Mrs. Brown and Mr. Pysar. They provide learning support, social support and school counselling to students within our school. To access student services, students can swing by their space, which has an open-door policy. If the team is unavailable, students can leave their name, send an email, or ask a teacher or parent to connect with them on their behalf.

Referrals can be made to outside agencies where families and students need access to more intensive support.

Please get in touch by phone at (780)459-4456 or email; jacqueline.brown@spschools.org: justin.pysar@spschools.org

Class Connect is a homeroom-based class activity that occurs every Friday from 8:30am - 9:00am. The objective of Class Connect is to provide the homerooms with the gift of time to connect, share, and build a sense of community and belonging within our buildings. Topics that are covered during Class Connect include mental health, healthy relationships, goal setting, organization, special celebrations such as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation or celebrating Terry Fox, and whole school-wide activities. You can check out Hillgrove's Class Connect website here.

To ensure the safety of the students:

• Do not drive through the staff parking lot to drop off and pick up students during peak times (8:00am-8:30am and 2:45pm-3:15pm) unless an arrangement has been made with the school administration.
  
• Do not park in the school bus lanes during peak times (8:00am-8:30am and 2:45pm-3:15pm)
• Do not park in the school's designated accessible parking stalls unless you have a valid provincial parking placard.
• Please keep residential driveways clear in our school community. Do not park within 1.5 meters of the neighbourhood driveways or garage entrances.

2023-2024 School Fees are to be paid at school (cash or cheque- made payable to St. Albert School Division) or online through the PowerSchool Parent Portal.

The following buses park in front of the "Grove" building: 103, 105, 109, 118, 119 (shuttle bus), 128

The following buses park in front of the "Hill" building: 101, 104, 110, 124, 129, 130, 131

Going to both locations: 152, 153, 154

If you have questions regarding transportation you may contact the transportation department at transportation@spschools.org or (780)460-3712.

50 Grosvenor Boulevard, St. Albert, AB, Canada, T8N 0X6

hillgrove@spschools.org

780.459.4456

https://hillgrove.spschools.org/