Chester Ronning Chatter

Hello again, CRS School Community!

It's incredible how this school year continues to speed along and that we are already well into February! The days are getting longer and the weather has been terrific, so it certainly feels like spring is around the corner. As the weather improves, our playground and field always go through a very wet, messy phase. With this in mind, please consider putting spare clothes - especially socks, pants and undergarments - in your child's backpack while we navigate the spring thaw.

Plenty has gone on at CRS since our last newsletter. As an entire school we enjoyed Literacy/Wellness Day on January 27, where every student enjoyed stories read by community members, fun outdoor activities, a free hot lunch and a free book. Our February 3 Winter Walk Day was postponed due to cold weather but as temperatures improved, our classes have been able to get out and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air while walking around our community. We have also seen several classes extend their learning through first field trips, our Grade 4 classes have been taking swimming lessons and our Grade 4 and 5 basketball teams are in the middle of their seasons. Our schedule promises to only get busier as we continue into the second half of the school year.

Another exciting development that we are currently working on is the design of a new playground! CRS received a grant for a new playground installation along with the construction of the new school building. Now that the construction has concluded, we can finally get this project underway. A couple of years ago we build a small play structure for our younger students and the existing playground is also popular with all of our students so our plan is to provide a new installation that will challenge our Grade 3-5 students. In the coming weeks, we will be seeking feedback from our staff and students and working with Blue Imp Playground Equipment to finalize a design and have the new structure completed during the summer months.

There is one last thing I need to communicate to our school community... Our School Council needs your support! School Councils provide insight and advice for certain school decisions and also carry out a variety of fundraising campaigns and other services that help make our school a vibrant place and which add to the overall experience of the students. Of course, there are several additional parents and guardians who provide assistance with these projects but the unfortunate fact of the matter is that we currently only have five parents who regularly attend meetings and do the majority of organizing for these initiatives and we only expect two of these amazing ladies to continue on our School Council next year since their children will be graduating to new schools for next year. If you have an interest in finding out more about what is going on in your child's school, providing input into some of the decisions and directions that we take and/or helping to carry out fundraising activities that enrich our programs, please consider joining our School Council, even for the remainder of this year! Our next meeting is scheduled for 6:00 pm on Wednesday, March 15 and we would love to see some more of you there!

Yours in Education,

Reid Lansing

We are already planning for next year! Please complete this enrolment survey for your current K - Grade 4 students by Feb. 17!

https://bit.ly/3JQ26Ah

Monday and Wednesday - 8: 10 - 8:30 am - Hot breakfast

Tuesday and Thursday - 8:10 - 8:30 am - Grab and Go-style breakfast.

*Friday - no early entry - grab and go snack after the 8:35 am bell.

The grade 4 and 5 basketball teams have been working hard to develop their skills on the court and are enjoying the opportunity to get to compete against other elementary schools in Camrose. The games have been full of energy, cooperation, teamwork, and sportsmanship. It has been great to see their progress in such a short amount of time. A big thank you to the coaches for your time and effort to make this basketball league possible. We are looking forward to our last game and the mini-tournament on February 25.

We are changing the process this year. There will be parent teacher interviews on March 14 and 15 instead of Student Led Conferences.

There will be a digital sign-up link coming. Watch for it in your SchoolMessenger texts (text "YES" to the number 978-338 to receive these school reminders)

On January 27 we celebrated Literacy/Wellness day at Chester Ronning. It was a great afternoon, the students had the opportunity to participate in building a 3D or flat snowman relay, yoga, listening to community members read stories, bookmark coloring, buddy reading, and Indigenous games outside.

I would like to thank our readers from the Kodiaks: Owen Dean, Myles Gauld, Owen Lansing, and Jackson Smith. Our community members: Alex Oliver, Lucas Hill, Don Roslind, and our very own Reid Lansing. Thanks to our amazing staff for helping plan this event.

Thank you to our parent council for providing a book for every student, this really made the students' day. The student’s excitement warmed a person’s heart.

The next meeting is on March 15 at 6 pm. Please join us!

If you have not signed into PowerSchool and completed this form, please contact Mrs. MacKay at jmackay@brsd.ab.ca for your password. This form must be completed for each student as a requirement from Alberta Education. Letters and emails are coming home (if you haven't received one already).

If you need ANY help please contact the school - Mrs. MacKay - jmackay@brsd.ab.ca

Not completing this form could affect Grade 6 registration, field trips, and hot lunch for your child.

BRSD Calendar

February

16-17 - School is closed - Teachers' Convention

20 - School is closed - Family Day.

21 - School is closed - Staff Collaboration Day.

22 - Pink Shirt Day.

25 - Grade 4 and 5 Mini Basketball Tournament.

March

2 - Early Dismissal at 2:11 pm. Theme day: Crazy Hair day!

14/15 - Parent Teacher Interviews

20 - School is closed - Staff Collaboration Day.

27- 31 - School is closed.

April

7 - School is closed - Good Friday.

10 - School is closed - Easter Monday

11 - School is closed - Professional Learning day for staff.

May

4 - Early Dismissal at 2:11 pm.

Superintendent's Message to Parents for February

We are looking for a parent who could come in weekly to pick up and take our cardboard to the recycling depot. Let us know if you could help us out! jmackay@brsd.ab.ca

One of our students in 2K, Dawson, was diagnosed with Leukemia on Oct. 16th, 2020. After a long battle with cancer, he finally rang his victory bell at the Children's Stollery Hospital on Feb. 14th! When a cancer patient rings the victory bell, it means they beat cancer. Way to go Dawson! We are all so proud of how strong and resilient you have been over the last few years!

Eating one meal a day as a family can improve children's self-esteem, improve their communication skills and encourage healthy eating habits. Consider asking these Growth Mindset questions when sitting down for your daily meal.

https://cronning.brsd.ab.ca/download/409586

We have had requests to ask parents that arrive early before pick up and drop off to avoid idling their vehicles excessively.

Free community spaghetti supper every Wednesday night from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm at the Moose Hall. The community bus goes from Marler Mini Mart and makes a stop at the Moose Hall.

Mr. Lansing, Principal - rlansing@brsd.ab.ca

Mr. Pederson, Assistant Principal - npederson@brsd.ab.ca

Chester Ronning School website - cronning.brsd.ab.ca

Battle River School Division website - brsd.ab.ca