The Bears' Blog.. January 21-2024

Friday, January 26 - Hot lunch 11:32 a.m.

• Theme Day - pajama day!
• Family movie night 6 p.m.

Monday, January 29 - Junior High Sports for Life Info session 7p.m. (Clover Bar Junior High)

Wednesday, January 31 - Professional learning day - no school for students

Thursday, February 1 - Kindergarten and new student registration opens today at 9a.m.!

• Performance at school by the Edmonton Opera 1:30 p.m.

February 5 & 6 - Parent/teacher/student conferences 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 7 - Early dismissal 2:15 p.m.

• EIPS National Ribbon Shirt/Skirt Day

Thursday, February 8 - Returning student registration opens - link will be sent through Permission Click!
February 8 & 9 - Teachers' Convention - schools closed

Hot Lunch can be ordered for January, February and March at www.healthyhunger.ca

Instructions.

Orders must be in on the Sunday before each hot lunch.

Parent/Teacher Conferences are Monday, February 5 and Tuesday, February 6, between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Kindergarten will also have extra availability during the day on Monday, February 5, between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.

There will be two separate links to book for interviews – one for kindergarten and one for grades 1 – 6.

The booking portal will open today - Sunday, January 21!

The Book Fair will also take place the evenings of February 5 & 6 from 3:30 – 6:15 p.m. in the Conference Room (FS-120) by the gymnasium. If your interview time is near the end of the night, please make sure to go to the Book Fair before your interview so that it is still open for you.

To book a conference with your child’s teacher:

1. Go to the school website, www.pinestreet.ca

2. Click Bookings in the top near the right-hand corner.

3. Under Parent Teacher Conferences February 5 & 6 click Register Now. There are two choices. You will need to select either the kindergarten or the grades 1 – 6 option.

4. Follow the steps of the booking process.

You will receive a confirmation email upon successful completion.

Click HERE for detailed instructions.

Is your child turning five on or before Dec. 31, 2024? If so, it’s almost time to register for kindergarten.

Kindergarten registration opens for the 2024-25 school year at 9 a.m. on Feb. 1, 2024. 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 Pine Street's kindergarten program is available at www.pinestreet.ca.

As part of EIPS’ ongoing commitment to maintaining a secure and effective digital learning environment for students, the Division is implementing an important update to its cybersecurity protocols Jan. 19, 2024.

Enhanced Location-based Security for Student Accounts

Starting Jan. 19, 2024, access to student user accounts—used for platforms like PowerSchool, Brightspace and Google—will be limited to within Canada's geographical boundaries. This change is an essential step in strengthening our cyber defenses and ensuring the digital safety of students.

What Does This Mean for You and Your Child?

Location-limited Access: Your child's account will be accessible only when they’re physically located in Canada. This includes all activities related to their schoolwork, such as submitting assignments, accessing study materials or sending EIPS account emails.

Seamless In-country Use: While in Canada, students will experience no change in how they access and use their accounts. The process remains as straightforward and user-friendly as always.

PowerSchool Access for Parents and Caregivers: This change will NOT impact parent and caregiver access to PowerSchool during periods of travel.

Why This Change?

The safety and privacy of students are paramount. This location-based access control is a proactive measure to prevent unauthorized access to students' accounts and protect sensitive information from potential cyber threats.

For more information, contact the school office at 780-467-2246.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. Together, we can ensure a secure and thriving digital learning environment for all students.

To know truth is to know and understand the seven sacred teachings and to remain faithful to them. It is said that in the beginning, the Grandmother Turtle was present to ensure that the laws would never be lost or forgotten To live your life based on your unique gift is to live wisely. You are not the same as your friends, you were created special. You are one of kind. Wisdom from the turtle is to watch and listen. Notice what is going on around you. By watching and listening you can learn everything you need to know. Knowledge cam be learned. Wisdom must be lived. Live and learn.

With the winter season well underway, we want to remind families to dress children appropriately for the weather when getting ready for school or the bus. The weather often changes unexpectedly throughout the day, so please select suitable outerwear and ensure your child is prepared for changing conditions.

If inclement weather conditions occur, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) will advise families of any bus cancellations or changes to school operations using various communications tools—automated-telephone messages, email, SMS, alerts posted on www.eips.ca and school websites, Twitter, Facebook, local radio stations and notification through both the Bus Status and the Ride 360 apps. Morning bus cancellations are posted on www.eips.ca by 6:30 a.m.

Decisions regarding bus cancellations or changes to school operations are guided by EIPS’ Administrative Procedure 131: Inclement Weather, which states: “school bus service may be suspended … when there is a forecast or current temperature of -40 C including wind chill, in one or more regions.” Other reasons for suspending or delaying school bus services or school-related activities include adverse weather and poor road conditions.

When school bus services are suspended, schools remain open to students. EIPS believes families have the right and responsibility to make choices for their children based on what they feel is safest during times of inclement weather.

For more information, contact EIPS Student Transportation at 780-417-8151.