ÉRE Connection

It is good to be back!

We have a lot to look forward to in January at Ecole Rocky Elementary.

• We have a beautiful traveling art show at the school featuring indigenous artists
• Skating starts for Grade 3-5 the week of Jan 24
• We have a Virtual Reality Kit at the school until Jan 28 to explore the issues with trash
• We have 2 class sets of snowshoes that have been put into action
• The grade 3-5 choir is accepting new members
• The Leadership students will soon start a Food Bank Drive
• 65 Rainbow Trout fish eggs have just arrived and will be hatched in our library aquarium. This is our 23rd year participating in the Fish in Schools (FinS) program.

This is all in addition to the learning and growing that is happening in the classroom where the students are making strong academic progress thanks to their disciplined efforts, great family support, and exceptional staff.

Wishing you a fantastic start to 2022!

Tim Bowman

Principal

tim.bowman@wrsd.ca

(403) 845-3541

Our School Council and the Family Resource Network are pleased to present:

"Having Conversations with your Children about Social Media"

Wednesday, January 26, 6:30 pm

Presented via video conference

RSVP for the link: https://www.whitbreadphillips.com/service-page/online-parenting-and-social-media?referral=service_list_widget

Not sure how to navigate the positive and negative components of Social Media with your kids? Jo & Joe will help you start the conversation while also sharing some tips and guidelines to keep your children extra safe online.

Grade 4 & 5 students will also meet with Jo(e) Social Media the afternoon of Jan 26.

Many thanks to the Family Resource Network for their sponsorship of this presentation.

Not sure where that hoodie went?

Did your child come home with 9 fewer socks?

Can we help you find that one of a kind water bottle?

Check out the Virtual Lost & Found

If you see something that may be yours, e-mail or phone the school and we will return the item to your child.

Learning music and learning language go hand in hand.

As a child’s literacy skills develop, many auditory processes are emphasized. “With phoneme awareness, children will learn how sounds come together to form words, enabling them to make sense of the sounds that they hear. In music, this would translate to an awareness of pitches and how they form a musical line… students are able to pick out individual words that sound alike or use context to define homophones during a normal conversation. Similarly, students in a music classroom will learn to discriminate between individual pitches and sing or play in a certain key, all of which have their own set of pitches. Knowledge of speech signals, like vocal inflection, volume, and stress, is also important to gain meaning from verbal communication. Auditory signals are also significant in music. Children learn to distinguish between their singing and speaking voices, sing in high and low registers, and make music loudly and softly by listening to teacher and peer examples.”

For more information visit https://www.luther.edu/oneota-reading-journal/archive/2012/learning-literacy-through-music/

In February, students in grades 3-5 will be starting recorders. If your child does not yet have a recorder, please talk to me or Mrs. Morgan and we will get you set up with one as soon as possible.

Keep learning, and keep making music,

Mrs. McLaughlin

We are now accepting preregistration for 2022/2023 PreK and Kindergarten. Online Registration can be found on our school website: https://ecolerocky.wrsd.ca/home/news/post/new-registrations

2022/2023 Pre-K Program

For students who turn 4 in 2022.

The Pre-K program runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, 8:45 am - 12:15 pm. The program is staffed with a certificated & bilingual teacher. Program cost is $100 a month. Program subsidies are available for qualifying students. The program is capped at 18 students. (Already 50% preregistered).

2022/2023 Kindergarten

For students who turn 5 in 2022.

Our English Kindergarten program runs full day Monday/Wednesday and alternating Fridays.

Our French Immersion Kindergarten program runs full day Tuesday/Thursday and alternating Fridays.

Our school health has started well in January. The first week back saw confirmed illness of 3.6% which is historically normal. We are at 6.0% confirmed ill the first three days this week which is consistent with other jurisdictions and something to watch. Continuing to be vigilant with staying home when ill is appreciated.

The Daily Screening Form was updated January 2022 and includes some new ways to return sooner from symptoms that resolve. If you are unsure if your child is required to isolate, please connect with the school - we are glad to guide you through the document.

A rapid test kit (5 tests per box) and 20 medical grade masks (two per day) from the Alberta Government were sent home with students Jan 19. A second shipment of test kits and masks is expected in two weeks.

• Students can choose to wear these face masks or their own cloth masks
• Students in grade 4-5 are required to wear masks when not distanced from others. PreK-3 are encouraged by Alberta Health to wear masks at this time. All students are required to wear a face mask while riding a school bus.
• If you do not intend to use these provided face masks or rapid test kits, please return to the school and we will redistribute.

As of January 2022, an additional health layer requires all WRSD staff, volunteers, and contractors to be fully vaccinated for COVID19 or provide a negative rapid test from the previous 72 hours as per Admin Procedure 166A. If you are planning to be in the school and/or interacting with students, please share a QR code or negative rapid test from the previous 72 hours at the front desk.

For volunteers coming into the school or working with students, please make yourself familiar with the Vaccination Status Procedures for Substitutes, Casuals & Volunteers in WRSD.

Click here for the entire WRSD 2021-2022 Health Guidelines for Schools.

Our next school council meeting will occur via video conference on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, 12 noon. You are invited to attend! School Council Virtual Meeting Link: https://tinyurl.com/ERESchoolCouncil password ERE

December 2021 Meeting Minutes

Watch for the Valentine Cookie ordering coming soon!

2021 - 2022 School Council & Society Executive:

• Chairperson - Vanessa Lobley
• Vice Chair - Shea-Lynn Wright
• Treasurer - Jeanette Plante
• Secretary - Heather Halladay
• Hot Lunch Coordinator - Amanda Leavitt

The School Council executive can be reached via email: ereparentcouncil@gmail.com

The Canadian Parents for French AGM will be Thursday Feb 03rd, 2022 @ 7 pm.

Venue- TBA, based on expected attendance, to ensure we are in compliance with the current health regulations. We will be hosting this meeting virtually as well as in person. Please watch for an email from teachers with further details as well as a sign up form, or sign up early by emailing cpf.rmh@gmail.com or calling Corrina at 403-895-2342

Merci!

Hot Lunch is now running for Jan & Feb. The next order period for March will open mid-February.

• to order, create an account at https://ere.hotlunches.net/
• Use the access code REHL
• Hot Lunches are available on Mondays and Thursdays

• Pre K 2021/ 2022 Calendar
• French ECS Calendar 2021/ 2022
• English ECS 2021/ 2022
• 2021/ 2022 Gr.1-5 Calendar

• If you have any feedback on the 2022/23 draft calendar, please share back before Feb 7.

Jan 24 - Skating starts 3H & 3/4S

Jan 26 - Jo(e) Social Media presentation for Grade 4/5

Jan 26 - Jo(e) Social Media presentation for parents, 6:30 pm

Jan 26 - Skating starts 3/4F & 4K

Jan 26 - School Council, 12 noon

Jan 28 - Skating starts 5O & 5Kw

Jan 28 - Spirit Day: Crayon Day (Dress as one colour)

Jan 28 - ERE TV January

Jan 31 - No School for students

Feb 16 - 100 Day

Feb 18 - Pink Shirt Day

Feb 21-25 - No School for Students

• If you have any feedback on the 2022/23 draft calendar, please share back before Feb 7.
• If you are still receiving e-mails to complete the online demographic form, please reach out to the school office if you need any assistance. This form ensures we have accurate contact and medical information at the school.
• We currently have an opening in our preK 4 year old program for those interested in a February start.
• If your child will be absent from school, please connect with our Student Attendance Line by phone 1-855-756-2797
• Please use your child's agenda for writing notes to the teacher and communicating the after school plan.

• ÉRE Parent Handbook - many of the most commonly asked questions
• Newsletter Archives - September, October, November, December
• ÉRE School Website - ecolerocky.wrsd.ca
• ÉRE Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ecolerockyelementary
• ÉRE Twitter - @erepeace

Email: tim.bowman@wrsd.ca
Website: https://ecolerocky.wrsd.ca/
Location: 4703 50th Avenue, Rocky Mountain House, AB, Canada
Phone: 403-845-3541
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ecolerockyelementary/
Twitter: @EREPeace