Elements' Weekly Update

Happy New Year! We hope your holiday season was filled with joy, rest, and quality time with loved ones. As we welcome 2025, we are excited to embrace all the opportunities and growth this new year brings for our students and school community.

January is a time for fresh starts, renewed energy, and setting intentions for the months ahead. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the successes of the past year while looking forward to all the possibilities that lie ahead. We are so proud of our students’ hard work and achievements so far, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll accomplish in 2025.

Mrs. Pearn and Mrs. Zapesocki

• January 15 - Parent Council/School Society Meeting, 5:30pm in the library
• January 18 - Hot Lunch Day
• January 20 - Fort Saskatchewan Indigenous Family Gathering, 6:00 - 7:30
• January 27 - Family Literacy Day
• January 29 - No School - Professional Learning Day for staff
• January 29 - Parent Teacher Interviews
• January 30 - Parent Teacher Interviews

EIPS’ Annual Education Results Report 2023-24 is now available online. The report details how EIPS is doing relative to Alberta Education’s performance measures; how it’s supporting students to achieve the best possible outcomes; and its successes, challenges and priority strategies moving forward. A brief overview of the report is also available.

If your child misses just two days a month for any reason for ten of their school years, they’ll have missed the equivalent of one entire year of school. Students who frequently miss school, even as early as kindergarten, are also more likely to have difficulty in school, at post-secondary and in their career. As every family has unique circumstances, EIPS uses a multi-tiered approach to re-engage students with chronic absenteeism. In addition, the Division promotes strategies to support and encourage regular attendance for all students. If you’re concerned about consistent student attendance for your child or youth, contact the school for support. An informative video is also available.

We are excited to share the second of 3 Family Gatherings that we host throughout the school year! We hope to see you and your family come out to enjoy the Winter Story Telling of Indigenous knowledge holder Leah Atcheynum, take part in painting story rocks of your own under the guidance of Métis artist Connie Kulhavy, enjoy hot soup, buns and treats, and connect with other families that attend one of the Fort Saskatchewan Elk Island Public Schools outside of the school day setting. We will open in circle and smudge to begin the evening in a good way.

If you are planning to attend, we kindly ask that you RSVP here to aid in the planning of the event, however, please know that the RSVP does not limit attendance if your plans change, and you are able to come after all.

A poster will be coming home with your child and I will be calling all families to personally invite you on Monday.

Thank you so much and I look forward to connecting with you and your family on Monday, January 20, from 6-7:30 pm, at Fort Saskatchewan Elementary School.

Is your child turning five on or before Dec. 31, 2025? If so, it’s almost time to register for kindergarten.

Kindergarten registration for the 2025-26 school year opens on Feb. 1, 2025. To help families prepare, Elk Island Public Schools has put together an online EIPS Kindergarten Tool kit to make the transition as smooth as possible. The kit includes information on registration, important dates, programming options, what to expect, eligibility, how to find your designated school, transportation and more.

The Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) returning student registration process for 2025-26 takes place Feb. 10-24, 2025. Through the online form, all families will confirm the school and program their child will attend next year or advise the Division if they aren’t returning. For students who want to attend a non-designated school next year, these requests must be submitted through the returning student registration process—acceptance is based on available space.

On February 10, the parent/guardian on file in PowerSchool identified as the Permission Click contact for each pre-kindergarten to Grade 11 student will receive an email through Permission Click with a link to the form. If your family hasn’t received any Permission Click forms this school year, contact the school office so we can investigate any technical issues before registration season.

Volunteers are needed for the January Bookfair on Wednesday, January 29 and Thursday, January 30.

If you are able to volunteer an hour or more of your time between 3 p.m.-7p.m., please email kimberly.zapesocki@eips.ca

Raising school-aged children can be both rewarding and challenging, especially when it comes to managing healthcare costs. We wanted to share some valuable programs from the Government of Alberta (GOA) that may help cover prescription drug costs for both youth and adults in families experiencing financial hardship.

Alberta Adult Health Benefit

The Alberta Adult Health Benefit program provides financial assistance to families facing economic challenges to help cover costs related to health services, including prescription medications, dental care, optical care, and more. Learn more and apply here: Alberta Adult Health Benefit | Alberta.ca

Alberta Child Health Benefit

The Alberta Child Health Benefit helps parents cover healthcare expenses for their children, including prescription drugs, dental and optical care, and essential medical supplies. Find out more and apply here: Alberta Child Health Benefit | Alberta.ca

What’s Covered?

To see the full list of prescription drugs covered under these programs, visit the GOA's official site here: Drug Benefit List and Review Process: Drug benefit list and drug review process | Alberta.ca

Please join us for our upcoming Parent Council/School Society Meetings. These meetings are a great opportunity to learn about what's happening in the school and support school initiatives. Meetings are held on Wednesdays at 5:30pm in the school library, a link to join virtually will be sent through School Messenger for those who would like to join online. We hope to see you there!

Upcoming meeting dates:

January 15

February 12

March 19

Under Alberta Education’s School Fee Regulation, schools must consult with parents prior to setting school fees for the upcoming school year. This will take place during our next parent council meeting on January 15, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Administration will be sharing information about our current fee structure, posing specific questions about priorities, and asking you to provide your feedback as we plan for the next school year. While many of these activities and services enhance students’ educational experience, we want to ensure these fees aren’t cost prohibitive for families.

School administration will use feedback provided to help determine fees for next year, which will then be shared at the February school council meeting, posted to our website and shared via link through email.

We hope you can join us!