Westboro Weekly Newsletter

June 24: Grade 3 & 4 Swimming 8:35 a.m.

June 25: Grade 6 farewell 1:00 p.m.

June 25: Report cards go live at 3:00 p.m.

June 25: Last day of classes

June 26: Operational day

June 30: Deadline to order a yearbook

Looking ahead:

August 21: Westboro office reopens at 8:00 p.m.

August 27: Meet the Teacher 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

August 28: First day of classes

August 28: Kindergarten Staggered Start

September 1: Labour Day - No school for students or staff

September 3: Kindergarten Staggered Start

September 3: Early Dismissal - Students will be dismissed 1 hour early at 2:16 p.m.

September 4: First full day for kindergarten

September 4: First day of bussing for kindergarten

Dear Westboro Families,

As we come to the end of another school year, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support, partnership, and trust. This year has been filled with growth, learning, laughter, and meaningful connections—and we couldn’t have done it without you.

Together, we celebrated student achievements, navigated challenges with compassion, and created a learning environment where every child could feel safe, valued, and supported. From classroom milestones to school-wide events, your involvement and encouragement have made a positive lasting impact on our school community.

To the families of our Grade 6 students, we wish your children all the best as they move on to junior high. We are so proud of the confident, capable young people they’ve become and look forward to seeing the amazing things they will accomplish.

To families who are moving on from Westboro, thank you for being part of our community—we hope you carry fond memories with you. And remember, once a Westboro Warrior, always a Westboro Warrior!

As we head into summer, we encourage all students to rest, recharge, explore, and enjoy time with family and friends. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in the fall for another great year of learning and growing together.

With gratitude and warm wishes,

Shelby Labrecque Principal, Westboro Elementary School

Parents/Guardians are invited to join students and staff at Westboro Elementary at 1:00 p.m. on June 25 in the school gymnasium for our Year End Celebration and Grade 6 Farewell. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Grades 1 - 6 classes resume on Thursday, August 28, 2025.

This week of school will be a staggered start for our kindergarten classes which was previously

scheduled. If you did not receive your information, please contact the office on or after

for your start date. Full-day kindergarten classes begin on Thursday, September 4, 2025.

OFFICE

Principal: Mrs. Shelby Labrecque

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Tracey Prouse

Secretary: Mrs. Billie Jean Mepham

Secretary: Mrs. Melanie Pinto

Counsellor: Mrs. Dianna Graziano

Librarian: Mrs. Shelly White

Music Mrs. Courtney Richard

TEACHERS

Mrs. Cindy Wheeler Kindergarten

Mrs. Marina Gilmore 1G

Mrs. Ashley Beigneul/Ms. Kayla Reivonen 2BR

Mrs. Margo Komant 3K

Ms. Rhonda Lee 4Lee

Mrs. Tanya Gottstein 5G

Mrs. Erin Desautels 6D

Mrs. Amberly Witzke 6W

Ms. Shelbi White STEPS

Mrs. Andrea Perrotta PLACE

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS

Mrs. Natalie Diaz Kindergarten

Mrs. Karen Stocks STEPS

Mrs. Cheryle Kristensen STEPS

Mrs. Corinne Bennefeld STEPS

Mrs. Crystal Hebert STEPS

Mrs. Kesina Martyn STEPS

Ms. Paige Tomashewsky STEPS

Mrs. Maricel Townsend STEPS

Mrs. Wendy Bass STEPS

Mrs. Tracy Johnson STEPS

Mrs. Adrianne Gerstmar PLACE

Ms. Candace Reichl PLACE

Mrs. Michele Norton PLACE

Mrs. Jennifer Matyjanka PLACE

Ms. Valerie Groff PLACE

School supply lists are now available. You can purchase on your own using the lists below or order through Write -On Stationary which come in convenient pre-packaged school supply kits or purchase on your own.

To order through Write-On Stationary simply go online, select your school, class, complete payment and supplies will be delivered directly to the school at the end of August, or home delivery for an additional cost if selected.

www.write-on.ca

Select: Parents-Order Here

School Name: Westboro Elementary

Class/Grade: As applicable.

Order Deadline: August 1, 2025

Kindergarten School Supplies 2025-26

Grade 1 School Supplies 2025-26

Grade 2 School Supplies 2025-26

Grade 3 School Supplies 2025-26

Grade 4 School Supplies 2025-26

Grade 5 School Supplies 2025-26

Grade 6 School Supplies 2025-26

STEPS School Supplies 2025-26

As we begin preparing for the upcoming school year, it’s important for us to have the most accurate enrollment information possible. If your child will not be returning to our school in the fall, please let us know as soon as possible.

Having up-to-date enrollment numbers helps us make informed decisions about staffing, class placements, and resource planning.

Thank you for helping us plan ahead and ensure a smooth start to the new school year! If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to contact the school office.

During the summer break, Central Services will remain open to complete year-end activities and prepare for the 2025-26 school year. While schools are closed, EIPS-related questions or concerns can be directed to Central Services during the business hours on the Contact Us page of the EIPS website. NOTE: EIPS offices will close at noon on Fridays from July 4 through August 8, and will be closed completely on the following dates:

• Tuesday, July 1
• Monday, August 4
• Monday, September 1

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.

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.

Friends Club Child Care provides quality care for Kindergarten children. Our center is open for Kindergarten children in the morning from 7:00 AM to 8:40 AM and after school from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on school days. On non-school days, professional development days, fall break in November, spring break in March/April, and summer holidays, our center is open from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Our child care program includes a nutritious breakfast and afternoon snacks. We ask that you provide lunch for your children, which they will eat in the Friends Club room on non-school days.

Our aim is to provide a homelike atmosphere within a caring and stimulating environment where children can develop confidence and positive self-esteem. Programs are designed to offer each child appropriate opportunities to explore and experiment in social, physical, intellectual, creative, and emotional development.

In the Kindergarten program, children learn to recognize and write numbers and letters, and identify colors and shapes. We also have “Show and Tell” and circle time, during which we discuss the calendar, season, and weather, sing songs, and read stories.

On professional development days, we organize educational field trips to places such as TELUS World of Science, Strathcona County Library, the Fire Hall, Prairie Gardens Adventure Farms, the Royal Alberta Museum, bowling, the ZOO, snow hills, and more.

The monthly fee is $326.25 for before and after school care, and for full-day child care on non-school days (breakfast and afternoon snacks included).

Please feel free to visit Friends Club Child Care or contact Kasia if you have any questions: 780-707-4481 or e-mail kspa2006@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Kasia Spanialska, Director Friends Club Child Care

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.

Welcome to the Westboro Elementary Spiritshop-where our students, parents, and staff can buy custom spirit wear to show our pride! plus, 10% of each sale supports our organization's fundraising goals.

Pick your favourite gear, customize it with designs found on the site, and make it yours with your name!

Please visit: https://westboroelementary.entripyshops.com/

The results of the 2024-25 EIPS Annual Feedback Survey: For Parents and Caregivers are now available. In March, the Division conducted the annual survey, which helps EIPS gauge its progress toward meeting the goals and priorities outlined in its Four-Year Education Plan. Families were asked a series of questions about their experiences with EIPS and the school their child attends, the overall performance of the Division, the quality of education being provided to students and areas for improvement.

Thank you to all families who took the time to share their feedback with the Division. Overall, the survey received close to 2,400 responses from parents and caregivers across EIPS. The Division, and schools, will now review the feedback in detail and use it to develop new strategies to serve students and the wider community better.

The full results are available online:

2024-25 Parent and Caregiver Survey results: EIPS

2024-25 Parent and Caregiver Survey results: Westboro Elementary

New student registration for the 2025-26 school year is open!

For tips on filling out the form, refer to How to Register a New Student.

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 opened 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.

Additional information regarding Westboro Elementary's kindergarten program is available at www.westboroelementary.ca/about/kindergarten

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

Is there a preschooler in your life experiencing identified developmental delays or challenges with speech-language—big or small? If so, Elk Island Public School’s Play And Learn at School (PALS) program could help.

Early learning lays the foundation for success in primary grades and beyond. As such, EIPS offers the pre-kindergarten PALS program in five of its elementary school locations. Applications are now open for free speech-language assessments for those interested in registering in the PALS program this fall. The assessment helps determine if PALS is appropriate for your child.

If you know a preschooler, born in 2021 or 2022, who could benefit from pre-kindergarten programming or want to book an assessment, fill out the PALS Program Request Form or call 780-417-8219. For more information, visit eips.ca.

Kick off summer with Strathcona County's biggest celebration of the year!

This year's Canada Day celebration at Broadmoor Lake Park features indoor and outdoor activities for all ages, as well as live entertainment and interactive stage shows throughout the day.

Festival fun and activities

• Entertainment headliner: Dan Davidson on the main stage (Kinsmen Leisure Centre parking lot) at 9:45 p.m.
• Just Play area: Explore themed play zones with gardening, water fun, chalk art, science activities, a Family Foam Party, and more.
• Field activities: Enjoy Dynamo Dogsports demos, bounce through inflatables, try your luck at carnival games, hop on a wagon ride, or join a circus workshop.
• Interactive stage shows: Featuring lively performances by Beppie and CFI Celtic Rock Band.
• Local talent on stage: Celebrate our community with performances by local artists, entertainers, and demo groups.
• All-ages attractions: From face painting and caricatures to craft zones, free swims, Cameron Corporation canoe rides, and more – there's something for everyone!
• Northern Lights Fiber fireworks at 11 p.m.

Tickets and wristbands
Most activities are free; however, some require tickets or an unlimited access wristband.

Wristbands are on sale from June 1-30 for $5 at the information desk in Sherwood Park Mall (information desk), Recreation Administration Office, Ardrossan Recreation Complex, Festival Place, Glen Allan Recreation Complex, Kinsmen Leisure Centre, and Millennium Place.

Wristbands will not be sold on July 1.

Getting to the festival
Guests are encouraged to use the FREE transit express shuttle, running every 15 minutes from the Bethel Transit Terminal directly to the front of Festival Place.

Festival accessibility
Strathcona County strives to ensure our festivals and events are a safe and welcoming space for all visiting guests, volunteers and staff.

View our accessible amenities section and map on the Canada Day website to see how best to enjoy the festival in your own way, proudly supported by our event accessibility sponsor, Goodwill Industries of Alberta.

For more event information and a listing of all free and ticketed activities, visit:
https://www.strathcona.ca/.../festiv.../canada-day-festival/

Our FREE summer program schedule from the Family Resource Network (FRN) is here! Connect with other parents and caregivers, learn new skills and support your child’s healthy development.

• Drop-in parented programs for infants aged 0 to 18 months
• Drop-in parented programs for kids 0 to 6 years old
• Registered programs for kids in grades 1 to 3 and grades 4 to 6
• Registered parenting skill-building sessions for a variety of age groups
• Special events for families and children of all ages

Register for programs and learn more about Strathcona County's Family Resource Network at strathcona.ca/families.

Explore summer swimming lessons, adult wellness classes, visual arts programs and activities for children and youth.

Find the right program for you and your family and view the online guide

https://www.strathcona.ca/.../activi.../recreation-programs/

June 26 - August 24

Drop by the game table in the Strathcona County Library anytime. Roll the dice to read or listen your way to earning some treasures! Or drop by the bookmobile to spin the wheel.

Summer wrap up party is Monday, August 25.

Contact the Strathcona County Library for more details.

Designed for all ages and stages of life, the Everybody Can brochure is your one-stop shop for affordable supports and services in Strathcona County! Find support for:

• Food, clothing and housing
• Finances and employment
• Children and families
• Transportation and recreation
• Health and wellness

Download the guide and learn more at strathcona.ca/EverybodyCan

Current events, the news cycle and financial uncertainty can be stressful for you and your family. Here are some tips from Rebecca from the Family Resource Network, to help take care of yourself and your family when feeling stressed or uncertain.

Check out some more tips for supporting our children during uncertain times: https://ow.ly/Fsl450VCJRX

The Family Resource Network is here to help, call 780-416-6730 or visit Strathcona.ca/families to learn more about programs and services that support families.