The SAM Explorer

This month has been full of many wonderful activities for our students to connect, engage, and have fun! From Climbing Club, Running Room Indoor Games, SAM Hockey League, Winter Carnival and our Ski/Snowboard Day at Rabbit Hill, our students have been busy! In addition to these exciting activity, we are looking forward to several upcoming information evenings:

• We welcome all families and students to our upcoming Kindergarten Open House on Tuesday, January 30th from 6-7pm. The welcome session will start at 6pm in The Bear's Den (just outside our library) followed by a school scavenger hunt where you will be able to explore what SAM has to offer your child and family.
• On Monday, February 5th at 6pm, SAM School welcomes Jeff Paulus to host our Soccer Academy information session. The session is for all students and families who are interested in learning more about this exciting opportunity starting September 2024.
• On Wednesday, February 21st at 6pm, SAM School and Hillgrove school will co-host an Academic Challenge & Enrichment program information evening in the SAM Library. More information regarding our ACE program will follow in an upcoming SAM Explorer.

Things are really happening at SAM! If you have any questions about any of the upcoming information evenings, please feel free to reach out to either Cam or myself.

Have a great weekend!

Dawn & Cam

Week of January 29 - February 2

• Monday, January 29th - Semester 1 Report Cards Issued
• Tuesday, January 30th - Running Room Club (7:50am SAM Gym)
• Tuesday, January 30th - Kindergarten Open House - SAM School @ 6-7pm
• Wednesday, January 31st - NO SCHOOL - PD DAY
• Thursday, February 1st - Climbing Club (3:45pm SAM Gym)
• Friday, February 2nd - Boardwalk Hot Lunch

Week of February 5 - February 9

• Monday, February 5th - Soccer Academy Information Evening (6-7pm @ SAM School)
• Tuesday, February 6th - Running Room Club (7:50am SAM Gym)
• Wednesday, February 7th - Early Dismissal (No Kindergarten) & Cupcake Day
• Thursday, February 8th - Teachers' Convention NO SCHOOL
• Friday, February 9th - Teachers' Convention NO SCHOOL
• Saturday, February 10th - Lunar New Year

SAM School offers both full-day and half-day (am & pm) kindergarten programs. To learn more about kindergarten at SAM School, please join us on Tuesday, January 30th, from 6–7pm for our Kindergarten Open House. We will have important information to share with our families, as well as fun games and prizes for our future kindergarten students.

For more information about SAM School, please take a look at our website or school brochure. We are happy to answer any questions you have by contacting us at 780-459-4467 or emailing at at SAM School.

Secure your spot at SAM School! Kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year is now open! SAM School prioritizes kindergarten registrations for families that live within our catchment area, then welcomes other families from within St. Albert and surrounding areas based on the room and resources available. Please note that children must be 5 years old by December 31, 2024, to enroll in Kindergarten for the fall of 2024.

Click here to register at SAM School for Kindergarten 2024-2025.

SAM School is excited to announce the opening of our SAM Clothing Store! If you are interested in purchasing some school swag featuring our new SAM Bears logo, please visit our online clothing store. Order deadline is February 9th!

NOTE: The next opportunity to order SAM Clothing will not be until the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year!

SAM School is very excited to be the chosen host site of the division Soccer Academy for students in grades 4 - 6. St. Albert Public Schools has entered into a partnership with the St. Albert Soccer Association and will be offering an information evening on Monday, February 5th at 6pm at SAM School. Come learn more about our Soccer Academy and meet Jeff Paulus, Technical Director of the St. Albert Soccer Association and lead instructor of St. Albert Public School Soccer Academy.

For more information about the Soccer Academy, please click here.

When the weather conditions are cold enough, SAM students are not sent outside for recess. During those indoor recess days, we want to explore offering the opportunity for students to choose to go outside for recess and play as part of our Polar Bear Club.

If you are interested in more information or would like to sign-up your child in our Polar Bear Club, please click here: Polar Bear Club. Family interest and feedback will help us determine if this is an opportunity we will purse for our students.

Our Gr. 2/3 choir, the SAM Songsters, had their first practice this week. Over 60 students attended and sang their hearts out! If your child missed the first practice, they are still welcome to join us on Tuesday, January 30th at 12:00 pm for the next one. Rehearsals will be on Tuesdays at recess from now until mid-April. We are looking forward to a fabulous season!

Each month at our SAM Spirt Assembly we will recognize the incredible contributions of our students, staff, and volunteers who help make SAM an amazing school to come to every day. The SAM SPIRIT Award is a monthly themed award where teachers choose two students from their class to recognize for demonstrating our SAM SPIRIT qualities. This month, we recognized students who embody "lovely listening" skills. Congratulations to our SAM Spirit Award Winners!

Kindergarten

Damien Tabolotney 0DRE

Ethan Wojcichowsky ODRE

Eloise Mcguckin OBOW

Alex Halfyard OBOW

Grade 1

Charlie Upright 1ROB

Nova Smolley 1ROB

Indie Foster 1PRO

Maria Marmo1PRO

Grade 2

Rachel Watt 2SMO

Wyatt Russell2SMO

Elina McBride2RAV

Chelsea Eberle 2RAV

Grade 3

Kieran Loewen 3MIT

Khivee Bhatti 3MIT

Linda Holostenco 3MP

Sawyer Van Ruskenveld 3MP

Kayden Stad 3TAR

Tymur Sudarenko 3TAR

Grade 4

Owen Loggie 4MAR

Silas Funnell 4MAR

Elias Curial 4ROB

Julianna Borczak 4ROB

William Stratford 456FRI

Zefram Makovichuk 456FRI

Grade 5

Karamia Yee 5BEA

Alice Baril 5JUK

Kinley Dorn-Parnwell 5JUK

Naomi Skousbol 5JUK

Grade 6

Tenleigh Gillespie 6LET

Lilianna Barrett 6LET

Annabelle Skousbol 6CM

Mackenzie Campbell 6CM

Every year, Alberta Education surveys students, their parents, and all teachers on behalf of schools and school authorities to assess what is working well and where there is room for improvement. This survey asks students in grade 4 and their parents about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in school. The survey will be administered between January and March 2024. Participants will be asked questions on a variety of topics, such as welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments; student learning engagement; and parental involvement. The survey does not ask for names and cannot be used to identify individual participants.

• Parents and/or guardians of students in grade 4 will be issued a single-use Random Access Code mailed through Canada Post to complete the survey online. [Parents may not yet have received their codes, but they should be arriving shortly through Canada Post]
• Grade 4 students will complete the survey at school.

For more information regarding the Alberta Education Assurance Survey, please click here. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this survey, please contact Ms. Dawn Rothwell at dawn.rothwell@spschools.org.

Celebrate Family Day at the Winspear and learn about the extraordinary life and musical masterpieces of one of the greatest American composers of all time. Gershwin’s Magic Key is a theatrical symphony concert that will educate and entertain the whole family! George Gershwin’s most enduring pieces of music are magically woven into a dramatic story as two actors share anecdotes and observations based on true stories from the iconic composer. You'll hear I Got Rhythm, An American in Paris, Rhapsody in Blue and more! This performance is approximately 50 minutes in length and is recommended for audiences ages six and up.

Promo code: FAMILY (30% off Price Levels 1 & 2, including youth tickets)