Eckville Elementary News - Parents
November 2024
This is the monthly Principal's message and newsletter. It is a way to keep parents engaged and informed with what is happening at Eckville Elementary. It is sent out each month via email and is available on our website.
Principal's Message
It's so cold! And then I tell the kids - just wait until mid-January when the temperatures that we're seeing now become T-shirt weather! In all fairness, I still despise having to scrape my windshield in the morning!
Over the last month our school team have had professional development sessions led by staff from our Division Office. We learned strategies for having difficult conversations and spent time on some team wellness including a focus on psychological safety and team building.
In November we will be looking at our Professional Growth Plans and discussing resources or activities that can help us to meet our individual goals. As a new principal, I am focused on learning a seemingly endless amount of new things and I am also developing my skills as an instructional leader. I am attending Wolf Creek Public Schools cohorts for new administrators and for inclusive practices in schools.
Hot Lunches are in full swing (see below), we have No Secrets presentations coming up, a Book Fair, Parent Teacher Interviews, and our November Assembly is on Monday, November 25 in the afternoon at 1:00 PM. We hope you can make it to help us celebrate our students of the month and our academic excellence award winners!
-Mr. Jay Cottell
Growing Smiles and Purdys Winter Fundraisers
The Growing Smiles Winter Fundraiser will begin on November 4 and run through November 18 with plant order pick-up set for December 5. We are fundraising this year for a new swing set to be added to the playground as they are always in such high demand.
CLICK HERE for a downloadable order form.
We are also having a PURDYS CHOCOLATES fundraiser! My favourite!! I love the Sweet Georgia Browns... This fundraiser will begin on November 4 and run through November 17.
Pick-up date TO BE DETERMINED.
Winter Weather
The days are getting colder and students need to be prepared for outdoor recesses. Please ensure students have appropriate winter clothing. Indoor recesses will be held when the temperature outside is below -25 C.
Toys/Cards at School and on the Playground
Toys and Trading cards are NOT allowed at school or outside at recess. Students may have an item in their desk or locker if their teacher has let them know this is okay.
When we have toys outside it is inevitable that something will be lost, broken or stolen. We have a great playground with lots of equipment available and will also have a bucket of trucks and cars for the sand pit that belong to the school and will stay at the school.
Trading cards almost always create challenges as a trade is made and then someone wants to undo their trade. Please keep cards at home or bring them in for a show and share with the class and then they go back into lockers.
Students of the Month & Academic Excellence - October
Students of the Month and Academic Excellence winners all enjoy Pizza with the Principals! We had pizza together in the library at noon on Wednesday, October 30. This month we will enjoy pizza with our award winners on Tuesday, November 26.
STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Grade 1 - Ava Murto, Elia Byrne
Grade 2 - Gracie Renaud, Cole Dziadek, Lachlan Enger
Grade 3 - Lexi Salgado, Averey Pimm
Grade 4 - Marshall Emery, Axl Kropodra
Grade 5 - Oliver Marsh, Kale Philips
Grade 6 - Makayla Resta, Lacey King, Faith Blair, Ella Dziadek
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Grade 1 - Zeplyn Eliuk
Grade 2 - Kastle Dudman
Grade 3 - Maddison Resta
Grade 4 - Logan Maddox
Grade 5 - Liam Zinger
Grade 6 - Reagan Kary
- Friday, November 1 - PD Day - No School
- Sunday, November 3 - Daylight Savings Time - Clocks Fall Back One Hour
- Thursday, November 7 - Remembrance Day Assembly - 10:45am
- Friday, November 8 - In Lieu Day - No School
- Monday, November 11 - Remembrance Day - No School
- Tuesday, November 12 - Friday, November 15 - Metis Week
- Friday, November 15 - Breakfast Sandwiches for ALL!
- Wednesday, November 20 - Educational Assistants' Day
- No Secrets Parent Zoom Session - 6:00pm
- Monday, November 25 - NOVEMBER ASSEMBLY - 1:00pm
- Tuesday, November 26 - No Secrets - schedule to be shared
- November Assembly Award Winners - Pizza with the Principals Lunch
- Tuesday - Thursday November 26-28 - Book Fair - Movement Room
- Wednesday, November 27 - Parent Teacher Interviews - 4:00 - 7:00pm
- School Council Meeting - 7:00pm
- Thursday, November 28 - No Secrets - schedule to be shared
- Gr 6 CANTEEN!
- Parent Teacher Interviews - 4:00 - 7:00pm
- Friday, November 29 - PD Day - No School
School Visitors - Check In at Main Office
Just a reminder to everyone that all school visitors need to check in at the main office. When students are being picked up early, please come to the office and let us know, then we can call or walk down to the classroom. This helps limit classroom disruptions and lets us ensure we know who are always in the building as visitors, in case of an emergency.
Grade 6 Fundraisers
November 15 - Breakfast Sandwiches for ALL - requested $2 donation to support Gr 6 CAMP
November 28 - Canteen - chips, chocolate bars and pop are available
Parent Teacher Interviews - Wednesday and Thursday, November 27-28
Look for an email notification on Wednesday, November 20, to book your Parent Teacher Interviews for the following week. Interviews will be held after school between 3:30 and 7:00 PM and will be 15 minutes long.
** Please ensure you have had a look at your students' work on the Parent Portal before coming in to the interview.
HOT LUNCHES!
Hot Lunches are available to order in your Parent Portal. If you require support in accessing your
Parent Portal, please contact the school office.
DEADLINE FOR PURCHASE FOR THE MONTH - MIDNIGHT FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1
- Thursday, November 7 - HOT LUNCH - Boxcar Pizza
- Thursday, November 14 - HOT LUNCH - Hot Dogs
- Thursday, November 21 - HOT LUNCH - Taco in a Bowl
- Thursday, November 28 - HOT LUNCH - Coop Chicken Fingers and Wedges
THANK YOU TO OUR SCHOOL COUNCIL FOR COORDINATING THESE AWESOME LUNCHES!!!
Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Eckville Elementary!
Kids will have an opportunity to see the Book Fair and shop during their library classes as below:
Tuesday, November 26 - Grade 1 and 4
Wednesday, November 27 - PreK, Grade 2 and 5
Thursday, November 28 - Kindergarten, Grade 3 and 6
The Book Fair will also be open during both evenings of Parent Teacher Interviews.
News in Physical Education
Each month, Mrs. Grzech will be choosing team captains in grades 3-6. Students will be chosen for showing excellence and improvement in displaying positive attitudes, good sportsmanship and trying their best. We would like to congratulate the following students who were chosen as team captains for the month of October:
Lennyn Folvik, Nixon Kehler, Ivy Powell, Halen Mcbride, Mckayla Nelson, Jack Oja, Quynn Lawton, Faith Blaire, Axzel Oslund, Reagan Kary and Declan Bullock.
Stay tuned to see who will earn team captain roles for the month of November!
Cross Country Update
Congrats to all of our grade 6 students who participated in Cross Country running this year! We started out with 12 runners who trained hard and attended practices at the Eckville Jr./Sr. High School. 11 students ran at the Deer Valley Meadows Meet. 4 students attended the CWAJHAA (Central West Alberta Junior High Athletic Association) Cross Country Run at the Prentice Creek Equestrian Center.
Two of our runners won ribbons at that event. Reagan Kary and Kesler Heidt both placed 4th at the CWAJHAA run. We are so proud of all of the students who trained and participated in Cross Country Running this season. Way to go runners!
No Secrets and iRespect Myself
No Secrets is a peronsal safety presentation that will be delivered in Grades K-4 in late November (dates above). Grades 5-6 will have a presentation called iRespect Myself. These programs align with the new 2022 K-6 Alberta Education curriculum and connect to learning outcomes under Physical Education and Wellness.
On November 20 we will be hosting a No Secrets Parent session through ZOOM at 6:00 PM. This will be in conjunction with the High School as their classes will receive presentations as well. Connection information will be shared prior to this session.
Newsletter Information
All our EE Parent Newsletter are posted on our website under the PARENTS tab. It is emailed to you as well but might end up in your spam/junk folder. We have a new mass email program called BRIGHT ARROW. If you don't receive our newsletter, check these folders and mark us as 'not junk/spam'.
November Parent Programs - register directly
Please see below for a number of opportunities available.