NSO News & Information

Monday is Instructional day #29 of 84 or 35% through semester 2.

Hey all, as we move past the 35% mark of Semester 2, we want to express our appreciation for your partnership in supporting our students. Your involvement—whether through daily encouragement, communication with teachers, or engagement in school meetings—plays a vital role in student success.

We are currently gathering valuable insights through the EIPS and Alberta Education annual Feedback Surveys, which remain open until March 21. Your input helps shape our school’s growth and ensures we continue to meet the needs of our learners. If you haven’t already, please take a few moments to complete the survey. Your voice matters!

Additionally, our Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences are coming up on March 17 & 18. These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with teachers, discuss progress, and collaborate on strategies to support your child’s learning journey. We encourage you to attend and be part of the conversation.

As always, we appreciate your continued support and involvement. As our school motto reminds us, "Small steps are still progress," and together, we are making a difference in every student’s journey.

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

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences. These conferences are an important opportunity to discuss your child's progress and collaborate to support their learning journey. Please sign up in advance at: https://www.eipsnextstep.ca/bookings

Locations:

• Fort Saskatchewan (FSO): Monday, March 17, 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. In-person or by phone.
• Sherwood Park (SPO) & Vegreville (VGO): Tuesday, March 18, 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. In-person or by phone.
• Future Parent Teacher Student Conferences dates are April 23 (SPO/VGO) & April 24 (FSO).

We look forward to connecting with you during these conferences to celebrate progress and discuss strategies for continued success. Thank you for your partnership in education.

Your input is invaluable in shaping the future of our school and ensuring that our students receive the best possible education. Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is currently conducting its Annual Feedback Survey for Parents and Caregivers, and we encourage you to take a few moments to complete it. This survey provides you with an opportunity to share your experiences with both EIPS and Next Step, helping guide important decisions about funding, programming, and future initiatives.

As a school that values alternative and flexible education, your voice is crucial in advocating for the importance of personalized learning pathways. Your feedback directly influences decisions that impact our programming and resources, ensuring that we continue to meet the diverse needs of our students. Take the survey: EIPS Parent & Caregiver Survey

Thank you for your time and support. We appreciate your partnership in making Next Step a place where all students can thrive.

Thank you to those who were able to attend the recent Grad 2025 Parent and Student meeting. For those who were unable to attend, please see the presentation below and reach out to us with any questions.

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!

Elderbeary Day honours and celebrates the contributions of our Elders, who do so much to teach and raise our little ones. Celebrate by thanking your Elders for all that they do for you and for your community in ways that you believe best represents how much you care. Reconciliation is all of us.

Here are some ways to celebrate:

• Saying hello
• Doing yard work
• Running errands & dropping off supplies
• Making gifts
• Making your favourite food together
• Asking questions!

Mar 17 Summer School Registration OPENS

Mar 17 Parent Teacher Student Conferences (FSO) Book HERE

Mar 18 Parent Teacher Student Conferences (SPO/VGO) Book HERE

Mar 20 Elderbeary Day

Mar 21 Spring Break starts (School closed)

Mar 21 World Poetry Day

Mar 22 The King's University Spring Open House 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Mar 31 Classes resume

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

Apr 29 School Advisory Council 5 p.m.

Public Wi-Fi is everywhere—cafés, airports, hotels—but convenience comes with risks. Many public wireless networks lack proper security, making them an easy target for hackers. Cybercriminals can intercept your data, steal passwords or even install malware on your device without you realizing it.

How to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi

• Avoid accessing sensitive accounts—don’t log in to banking apps, enter passwords or send confidential emails.
• Use your phone’s hotspot instead—your mobile data is encrypted and much safer than public Wi-Fi.
• Forget the network after use—prevent automatic reconnections that could expose you to fake Wi-Fi hotspots.
• Disable file sharing and Bluetooth—minimize the risk of unauthorized access to your device.
• Stick to HTTPS websites—ensure the site encrypts your data by checking for “https://” in the URL.

Public Wi-Fi may be convenient, but it’s not always safe. Stay cautious, stay secure and take control of your online privacy!

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

Caregiver Series on Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Being:

Megan Tipler, University of Alberta PHD Student, will be joining us for 3 sessions, 5-5:45, prior to our March, April and May School Council/Parent Society meetings. Megan joins us as an opportunity for caregivers to learn more about the First People and understand what students are learning in schools for Reconciliation. Megan can answer your questions and speak to what guides Teacher Instruction as a result of the Truth and Reconciliation Commision and the 94 Calls to Action. All parents and caregivers are invited to join us!

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