Knightly News

It is that time of the year where plans for next year are being put in place. We have some changes in our school Administration, along with a retirement that we would like to share:

Congratulations to Mrs. Cherum Orr who will be our new Principal here at Clover Bar next year! She gets to simply change offices as she moves from being our Assistant Principal. She has now completed the trifecta, having started her teaching here at Clover Bar!

Congratulations to Mrs. Tara Yeo who will be back in the office as our new Assistant Principal, but this time on a continuous basis!

Mr. Shudra has accepted a position to be a Director in Supports for Students with the EIPS Central Office starting in August. He will get to come back and visit though, as part of his new role is to support new Administrators!

We would like to wish a fond farewell to Mr. Webb who is retiring after this year. Some future endeavors include playing saxophone for the Canadian Forces Band and cheering on our Oilers! We wish him the best!

The first week of June did not disappoint! Our final Pep Rally was a bubble blowing success, but it didn't end there. We had a Throwback Thursday on a Wednesday with our students competing in a game of bingo where staff photos from when they were in Jr. High were the squares!

We celebrated our Band 7 and 8 students with their year-end concert, and with some serious solos along with renditions of Crazy Train and Uptown Funk made it a night to remember!

We also watched our next year grade 9's tour our next year grade 7's around the building and help them with their locks. It was amazing to watch their leadership and empathy as they got to show off their school!

Our Sport 4 Life 9's got to go on their year end trip to Canmore that included a long hike, and an epic bike ride where students biked 100kms! It is an amazing culmination of 3 years that helps students see how far they have come and how resilient they are.

Looking ahead to those returning to CLB next year, please ensure that you have completed the 2025-26 Programming and Homeroom Request form and if you have not yet, please do so as soon as possible to help us with planning for next year. We have had 265 students/families for next year and we thank you for helping us with this planning!

Sincerely,

Matt Shudra, Principal, matt.shudra@eips.ca

Cherum Orr, Assistant Principal, cherum.orr@eips.ca

Tara Yeo, Next Year Assistant Principal, tara.yeo@eips.ca

Clover Bar Instagram: @cloverbarjh for updates and photos! 📸

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Canadian Constitution recognizes these three groups as Aboriginal peoples, also known as Indigenous peoples.

Although these groups share many similarities, they each have their own distinct heritage, language, cultural practices and spiritual beliefs.

In cooperation with Indigenous organizations, the Government of Canada chose June 21, the summer solstice, for National Aboriginal Day, now known as National Indigenous Peoples Day. For generations, many Indigenous peoples and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on or near this day due to the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.

At Clover Bar, we will have a number of fun and interactive activities for our students, including a field trip opportunity to go to the Witness Blanket Exhibit which is a very profound and powerful exhibit from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights created by master carver Carey Newman. This art installation was created to recognize the atrocities of the residential school era, honour the children and symbolize ongoing reconciliation.

Below is a picture of our Final Exam Schedule that you can also find at www.cloverbar.ca.

Now is a great time for students to start reviewing to prepare for their final exams. It is better to review a bit each week compared to trying to cram the night before or even the morning of!

Here are the procedures and expectations for students and families for the exam days:

• Final day of instruction is June 17.
• June 18 to 24, we will be offering teacher supported Review Sessions for students after our exams.
• June 20 we will be acknowledging National Indigenous People's Day. There are no exams, but we will have a variety of activities for students in addition to Review Sessions.
• If students are not staying after exams for the Review Sessions, regular attendance procedures will be in place. This means that parents and guardians will need to alert the office of their student's absence in advance via email at general.clb@eips.ca or phone at 780-467-2295.
• Students that have had a parent or guardian contact the school about leaving after the exam will be allowed to leave the exam room and exit the school after the exam is complete.
• Parents and guardians are able to alert the office to multiple excused absences at the same time and are encouraged to do so in advance if students are not staying for the Review Sessions.
• Students who do not have permission to leave will get a 10 minute break after their exam and then they will transition to their Review Sessions.
• Students will not be allowed to come to the office to call parents or guardians after exams. Students are also not allowed to use cell phones during learning time as per Administrative Procedure 145.

If you have any questions, please contact the school.

The results are now available for the 2024-25 EIPS Annual Feedback Surveys: For Parents and Caregivers and For Students conducted in March. Thank you to all families and students who took the time to share their feedback with the Division. The surveys included a series of questions related to the three priorities outlined in the EIPS Four-Year Education Plan: 2022-26 (Year 3).

· Priority 1: Promote growth and success for all students

· Priority 2: Enhance high-quality learning and working environments

· Priority 3: Enhance public education through effective engagement

The overall Division results represent close to 2,400 responses from parents and caregivers and close to 2,000 responses from grades 9 and 12 students across the Division.

The survey results for Clover Bar Junior High School have helped us identify the following areas of strength and opportunities for growth.

Areas of strength:

· Students feel safe at school but also recognize that they are held accountable for their actions.

· Communication is clear and consistent from the school.

· The expectations for students at school are consistent, leading to a fun place to be.

Opportunities for growth:

· Students said we have great staff who teach students what they need to know for school and beyond, but want lessons to be more engaging.

· Sharing activities with families that connect to student growth in numeracy and literacy.

· Connecting name of option courses and the activities in those courses in order to increase excitement and the direct connection to life outside of school.

The feedback gathered in the survey will help our school and the Division measure its progress toward meeting the priorities and goals outlined in the EIPS Four-Year Education Plan and develop strategies to better serve students and the wider community moving forward.

Annual Feedback Survey Results: Division

Annual Feedback Survey Results for Parents and Caregivers: Clover Bar JHS

Annual Feedback Survey Results for Students: Clover Bar JHS

Monday, June 9- Day 6

9:00am - Meeting with Associate Superintendent - Mr. Shudra

9:45m - CLB Admin meeting - Mr. Shudra and Mrs. Orr

Tuesday, June 10- Day 1

10:30am - CLB Finance Meeting - Mr. Shudra, Mrs. Orr and Mrs. McElheran

Wednesday, June 11 - Day 2

9:50am - 1 on 1 Front Office Meeting - Mr. Shudra and Mrs. Donaldson

10:00am - 1 on 1 Front Office Meeting - Mr. Shudra and Mrs. MacIsaac

Thursday, June 12 - Day 3

7:30am - New Principal Meeting - Mrs. Orr

7:30am - Jr. High Principal Breakfast Meeting - Mr. Shudra

8:40am - Grade 9 ELA Part B

10:30am - Leadership Evaluation Presentation with Executive Team - Mr. Shudra

1:00pm - SFS Consultant Monthly Check in and Class visits

Friday, June 13 - Day 4

8:40am - Grade 9 Math Part A

June 12: Grade 9 ELA PAT (Part B)

June 13: Grade 9 Math PAT (Part A)

June 17: Grade 7 Math Part A

June 17: Grade 8 Math Part A

June 17: Grade 9 Math PAT (Part B)

June 18: Grade 7 Social Studies Exam

June 18: Grade 8 Social Studies Exam

June 18: Grade 9 Social Studies PAT

June 19: Grade 7 Science Exam

June 19: Grade 8 Science Exam

June 19: Grade 9 Science PAT

June 19: Grade 9 Farewell Ceremony 6:00pm

June 20: Grade 9 Farewell Field Trip

June 21: National Indigenous Peoples Day

June 25: Last Day of Classes

June 26: Operational Day (School closed to students)

All exams before June 18 will be followed by regular instructional classes. This includes the ELA Part A exams for all grades, as well as the PAT's for ELA and Math Part A and B.

Exams on and after June 18 will be followed by Review sessions.

If you plan on excusing your student from review sessions after their exams, regular attendance procedures will be in place and we will need parent / guardian permission for students to leave.

We will not be allowing students to call their parents during exam and instructional time on exam days to ask if they can go home.

To send a Knightly Kudos, you can click on the image above or the link below. Thank you!

Knightly Kudos Form

Every year, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) publishes an Annual Education Results Report, which outlines the Division’s Four-Year Education Plan, growth opportunities and how it supports students in achieving the best possible outcomes. Read through this year’s EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2023-24 and discover how EIPS fosters learning environments for all students to learn, grow and thrive—and why it matters.

June Spotlight: EIPS Four-Year Education Plan: 2022-26 (Year 4), which details the Division’s priorities, goals and outcomes over a four-year period.

· Priority 1: To promote the growth and success of all students.

· Priority 2: To enhance high-quality learning and working environments.

· Priority 3: To enhance public education through effective engagement.

The plan also outlines the performance measures, key insights and strategies the Division will use to meet each priority, goal and outcome in the 2025-26 school year.

RELATED INFORMATION
Annual Education Results Report 2023-24: Overview
EIPS Four-Year Education Plan: 2022-26
EIPS Three-Year Capital Plan: 2026-29

School fees for the 2024-25 school year are posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted. Throughout the year, fees are often added to cover the costs for various activities, such as field trips, extracurricular activities, and late, damaged or lost textbooks.

To access your fee information, simply log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and go to “Student Fees.” There you can view fees and pay them online using a Mastercard or Visa credit or debit card. Make sure to monitor your child’s account on an ongoing basis.

For more information about school fees, waivers and payment deadlines, visit eips.ca/schools/fees. And, if you have questions, think there’s an error or need help creating a PowerSchool Parent Portal account, contact your child’s school directly before the summer break.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Pursuant to Board Policy 23: School Fees and Administrative Procedure 505: School and Administrative Fees, EIPS will forward any unpaid 2024-25 fee amounts to a collection agency. To prevent this from happening, remember to pay your fees before Aug. 31, 2025.

Planning to use Student Transportation in the 2025-26 school year? If so, make sure your child is registered so Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) can plan routes and send your child a bus pass before the first day of school.

All students who indicated needing transportation services through the returning student or new student registration processes are now registered. Those families have also received tentative route schedules and invoices—fees are due June 30, 2025.

For those students who did not indicate needing transportation services during the registration process and want to now register, complete a Busing Setup form through the Transportation Service Desk.

NOTE: Families can pay fees online using the PowerSchool Parent Portal. To pay in-person, visit the EIPS Student Transportation building during its office hours—Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school closure days.

When schools are closed during the summer, many EIPS staff are still hard at work. School staff create lesson plans, engage in professional development and take part in other activities to help enhance student success. Several staff will also support EIPS Summer School. Additionally, Central Services staff work through the break to prepare for the upcoming school year, from staff recruitment to school repairs and more. In mid-August, school staff return to their schools to get ready to welcome students back to class.

Through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, parents and guardians can subscribe to receive email updates from the school and about their child, as well as the frequency for receiving the updates. These PowerSchool notifications are separate from the emails you receive from the Division and your child’s school sent through SchoolMessenger.

In June, Elk Island Public Schools is updating the domain configuration where these PowerSchool emails come from to support more cost effective and efficient modernization of technology within the Division. As the updates take place, notifications may come from one or the other email address. By June 13, when the update is complete, messages from the PowerSchool Parent Portal will come from only the new email address:

• Current email sender: powerschool@eips.ca
• New email sender: DoNotReply@powerschool.mail.eips.ca

We encourage you to add this new email address to your safe-sender list to avoid missing any updates you’re subscribed to. At any time, if you’d like to update your subscription settings within PowerSchool, simply log in to the Parent Portal and click the “Email Notifications” tab in the left-hand menu.

Explore Collegiate Pathways

In 2025-26, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) will be expanding its Collegiate Pathways programming to provide more opportunities for more students across the Division. Opportunities are available for students entering or returning to Grade 12 in the fall. For students entering grades 10 or 11 next year, the available information will help with course planning throughout senior high.

Learn more about Collegiate Pathways

Planning for Grade 12

Course planning for grades 10 and 11

Do you have a youth whom you think may benefit from a summer camp opportunity like this, please contact the number located on the posters below.

Community Supports

Family and Community Service

(FCS) call-in hours 780-464-4044

Monday, Fridays: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868

The Distress Line 780-482-4357

Strathcona Food Bank - 780-449-6413