The PAW Print

As we prepare to enjoy the Thanksgiving long weekend, I want to take a moment to express my deep gratitude for each of you. At SAM, we are incredibly fortunate to be part of such a caring and engaged community. Your ongoing support of our students, staff, and school initiatives helps create an environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

We would also like to invite you to a couple important events between our school and your home:

• Consider attending our next School Council meeting on Tuesday, October 15th, from 6–7 p.m., where we’ll be gathering family feedback regarding our Education Plan.
• Sign up for our Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences on October 23rd and 24th, where you can connect with your child’s teachers to discuss their progress and learning experiences.

Have a safe, restful, and joyful weekend.

Dawn & Cam

Week of Oct 14 - 18

• Monday, Oct 14 - Thanksgiving Day NO SCHOOL
• Tuesday, Oct 15 - SAM Chorus Rehearsal 8am (Music Room)
• Tuesday, Oct 15 - Panago Pizza Day (Order on Healthy Hunger)
• Tuesday, Oct 15 - SAM School Council Meeting 6-7pm (SAM Library)
• Tuesday, Oct 15 - SAM Fundraising Society 7-8pm (SAM Library)
• Friday, Oct 18 - Hot Lunch (Boston Pizza)

Week of Oct 21 - 25

• Monday, Oct 21 - School Photo Retakes
• Tuesday, Oct 22 - SAM Chorus Rehearsal 8am (Music Room)
• Wednesday, Oct 23 - Parent Teacher Student Conferences 4-8pm
• Thursday, Oct 24 - Parent Teacher Student Conferences 4-8pm
• Friday, Oct 25 - Hot Lunch (IHOP)

Parent-student-teacher conferences are an important part of the home-school connection that supports each child's learning and growth. Following the first six weeks of school, October is an opportune time to connect about how your child is settling into the learning routines of their class, and co-construct some learning goals for the next few months of school. Progress towards these goals will help to inform the progress reports in January.

Our Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences will be held on:

• Wednesday, October 23rd, from 4–8pm
• Thursday, October 24th, from 4–8pm

Families will be able to book a conference with their child's homeroom teacher on our website. Registration for interviews closes online on October 22, 2024.

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming School Council Meeting, where we will be seeking your perspectives and feedback on our school's Education Plan. During the meeting, we will facilitate small group discussions focussed to help guide SAM’s direction and priorities.

Within our current Education Plan you will notice our commitment to fostering student success through inclusive, engaging, and innovative educational practices. Our key strategies encompass our focus on equity and diversity, developing a sense of community and belonging, and supporting the well-being of all our learners.

Your insights are invaluable in helping us refine our approach and ensuring our students thrive in an environment that nurtures their academic and personal growth. We hope you will join us to share your thoughts and ideas.

Event Details:

📅 Date: Tuesday, October 15th
🕔 Time: 6-7pm
📍 Location: SAM School Library (or join us virtually @ Google Meet)

We look forward to hearing your voice as we shape the future of our school together. For a copy of our current Education Plan, please visit our website.

Thank you for considering attending this important opportunity for collaboration between school and home. If you know you’ll be able to attend, please RSVP here so we can plan accordingly; but even if you decide last-minute to attend and haven’t RSVPed, please do come. We need your voice!

Your 2024-2025 school fees have now been added to our families PowerSchool accounts. Online payment can be made through the PowerSchool Parent Portal found here: Pay SAM Fees. Please note that payments cannot be made in the Power School App. If you do not have an access ID and password for Power School, please contact the school at 780-459-4467.

• Exact cash and cheque payments are also accepted in our school office.
• Cheques should be made payable to St Albert Public Schools.

If your child normally rides the bus, but is not on a given day, please let us know by calling 780-459-4467 or sending a message to sam@spschools.org. We check the list of students as they board the bus at the end of the day, and your message helps us to ensure that when your child isn't at the bus it's because they aren't supposed to ride the bus that day.

Families of St. Albert Public Schools have the opportunity to purchase discounted tickets to an upcoming Oil Kings Game on Sunday, November 24th. For more information, please visit their website.

Everyone is welcome to a free afternoon of activities, hobbies, and polite chit chat. We provide a low-pressure environment for people to connect and just be with other members of the St. Albert community. Free event coming up at VASA on Saturday October 12th, 1-4pm.

EZ AMH Professional Practice & Education Services is proud to offer free addiction and mental health virtual programming for parents and caregivers of children and youth, as well as sessions for all adults.

In October, we are offering our four-part Lunch & Learn series on ‘Understanding Anxiety’. In these sessions, we’ll offer an introduction to anxiety, and look at ways that we can address stress and anxiety in our bodies, thoughts, and behaviours. We’ll discuss strategies for calming our bodies, settling our minds, and overcoming avoidance.

Click here for more information and to register: Understanding Anxiety