The Bears' Blog... May 11-2025

Spring has started out as a very dry season and unfortunately, we’re seeing grassfires in nearby areas. Although we haven’t had fires close to the school to date, circumstances can shift quickly and we need to be prepared to deal with the situation should it arise.

We understand parents and caregivers have concerns about students’ health and wellbeing due to the unpredictability of wildfires, and I wanted to reach out to let you know about the contingency plans we have in place.

• To keep air quality at healthy levels, air intake system is adjusted as needed to avoid bringing smoke into the building. When the air quality is poor outside, school administrators will initiate a “shelter in place” and keep students and staff indoors during the school day.

• School administrators monitor the situation through emergency alerts and information from Alberta Fire and other agencies. If we receive word the school community may be at risk due to proximity to the fire, the school will evacuate students and staff to a safe location

• Pine Street Elementary, like all EIPS schools, has a detailed evacuation plan to follow should emergency officials inform us that we must leave. If that happens, EIPS will contact you directly via both phone and email on its emergency channel.

• Staff and students will be transported via bus and taken to an emergency evacuation centre located a safe distance away, where a controlled release of students to their parents and caregivers will take place.

• IMPORTANT: If you receive notice the school is evacuating, DO NOT come to the school to try and pick up your child. During an evacuation, staff must focus on ensuring all students are accounted for and safely on buses—they cannot manage the release of students from the school at the same time. Additional traffic and people coming to the school could also jeopardize the effectiveness of the evacuation and compromise the overall safety of the school community.

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• EIPS will keep parents informed of developments as they occur, including where the emergency evacuation centre is located and what the process for controlled student release will be. As well, there will be door signage at the school to direct parents and caregivers to the location of the evacuation site.

At EIPS, the safety of students and staff is our highest priority. I’m hopeful that knowing the school has a solid plan in place in the event of an emergency situation will contribute to peace of mind for the community.

Sincerely,

Tracey Arbuthnott,
Principal

Tuesday, May 13 - Gr. 2 Ferguson to Strathcona County Museum

Wednesday, May 14 - Gr. 2 Yung to Strathcona County Museum

• Educational Assistant Appreciation Day

Thursday, May 15 - Moose Hide Campaign Day

Friday, May 16 - Gr. 3 Field trip to the Winspear 10 a.m.

Sunday, May 18 - Last day to order hot lunch for Friday, May 23

Monday, May 19 - Victoria Day (schools closed)

Wednesday, May 21 - Gr. 6 Students to Birch Bay Ranch

• Gr. 4 Students at Mayor's Run/Walk at Millenium Place

Friday, May 23 - Track & Field Day

• Hot lunch 11:32 a.m.
• Bottle Drive 3 - 6 p.m.

Tuesday, May 27 - Gr. 4 Martyniuk to the Clay Hut 11 a.m.

• School Advisory Council Meeting, AGM and Elections 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 28 - Gr. 6 English Part A P.A.T.

• Red Shirt Day

Friday, May 30 - Theme day - NEON DAY!

• Gr. 3 presentation by Saffron - Internet Safety
• Gr. 5 to Elk Island National Park
• Year-end family dance 6 p.m.

Tuesday, June 3 - Gr. 4 Vincent to Salisbury Greenhouse 8:45 a.m.

Gr. 4 Martyniuk to Salisbury Greenhouse 12:45 p.m.

Wednesday, June 4 - Early Dismissal 2:15 p.m.

Thursday, June 5 - Gr. 5 Students to Culture Camp

Friday, June 6 - Hot Lunch 11:32 a.m.

Monday, June 9 -No PALS or Kinder Quest today (Staff Planning day)
Tuesday, June 10-KB Kindergarten to Strathcona Wilderness Centre 9:15 a.m.

Wednesday, June 11 - KA Kindergarten to Strathcona Wilderness Centre 9:15 a.m.

Thursday, June 12 - Gr. 4 Students to Fort Edmonton Park

Friday, June 13 - Theme Day - Canada Day Eh?

• Grade 6 Mathematics P.A.T.

Year at a Glance Calendar

On May 14, we recognize the dedication, hard work and compassion of educational assistants in our school community and across Elk Island Public Schools. Educational assistants play an integral role in education, from one-on-one student support to larger classroom dynamics. Thank you to all our educational assistants—you make a difference in the lives of students every day, and we are so grateful to have each one of you in our school.

This Educational Assistant Appreciation Day and beyond, we encourage students, families and staff to take a moment to tell an educational assistant how they’ve impacted you and to share your appreciation with them.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have moved the School Advisory Council Meeting to Tuesday, May 27 at 6 p.m.

This is our final meeting of the year and includes elections for the school council. All parents and guardian of students at Pine Street are automatically members of this board.
We hope to see you on May 27!

Pine Street School Advisory Council is fundraising for the Fit Kids program! School Council needs to raise $7,000 annually to cover instructor times for this fun program. Parents can contribute through bottle donations, cash donations on the website through Healthy Hunger, or if you are part of a corporation that donates to registered charities or an individual that would like to donate, Elk Island Public School will provide a registered charity receipt for you for income tax purposes.

At Pine Street Elementary we strive to do our very best when it comes to meeting the needs of all our students. Our teachers spend a substantial amount of time transitioning with the previous year’s teachers as we build the class lists for the next school year. As educational professionals we match the needs of students, the dynamics of the classrooms and expertise of our teaching staff in order to build optimal learning environments for our students. Our goal is to build academically successful, socially responsible, and emotional stable classrooms that promote optimal student learning and educational success. We consider and take into account a variety of educational factors that include but are not limited to academic performance, work habits, learning styles, interpersonal/social skills and psychological development. We thank you for working with us, as our professionals with their extensive educational expertise and experience build optimal learning environments for the upcoming school year to maximize your child’s success for their future.

The results are now available for the 2024-25 EIPS Annual Feedback Survey: For Parents and Caregivers conducted in March. Thank you to all families who took the time to share their feedback with the Division. The survey 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 across the Division.

Check out Pine Street's results here

Each school has a School Education Plan on its website. Annually, these plans are updated for the next school year to reflect schools’ goals, strategies and measures—all based on priorities found in the EIPS Four-Year Education Plan. School administration update their plans after reviewing school-specific results from the EIPS Annual Feedback Survey and consulting with staff, families and school councils in April. A School Education Plan helps a school community focus on what’s most important in its own specific context from year to year. To view your child’s School Education Plan, visit your school’s website and find the relevant home page block.

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.

April Spotlight: Enhancing public education through effective engagement

· Rules of engagement: Using a collaborative approach to improve student achievement and success

· Driving change: Strengthening public education through Board advocacy

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