The SAM Explorer

Black History Month is a wonderful opportunity for our school community to reflect on and celebrate the countless contributions that Black Canadians have made to our society. This month is not just a period of reflection; it is also a time to inspire and educate.

Black History Month allows us to acknowledge the achievements, struggles, and resilience of Black Canadians throughout history. It's a time to honor the pioneers who fought for justice and equality, ensuring a better future for all. By learning about these trailblazers, our students gain role models who exemplify courage, determination, and the power of dreams.

Moreover, this celebration is crucial for fostering diversity and inclusion within our community. It encourages dialogue and understanding among our students, helping them appreciate the rich tapestry of cultures that make up our society. This understanding is key to building empathy and respect for all, regardless of background.

This month we have been exploring the stories, arts, and achievements of Black people. Through activities, lessons, and discussions, we can all grow closer, more informed, and more appreciative of the diversity that strengthens our community.

"5 Canadian Black History Figures You Should Know About"

Viola Desmond, Elijah McCoy, Lincoln Alexander, Portia White, Herb Carnegie

*All students (even if they currently already attend SAM School) must declare the school they want to attend for the 2024/25 School Year*

As we look forward to the 2024/25 school year, we want to emphasize the importance of registering your child for school early. Early and dependable data regarding our school's enrollment for the following year helps us to better predict the amount funding SAM School will receive. This is important for every school as many of the big decisions regarding regarding school staffing, classroom size/composition, and school supports need to be made in the subsequent months. Late registrations do limit the amount of proactive planning we are able to do and can lead to unforeseen situations that result in higher class sizes and/or reduced opportunities for the school to set every student up for success next year.

Returning student registration will open on Monday, March 4th. You will receive an email from St. Albert Public Schools informing you that the Returning Student Form is available and must be completed. You will not be able to complete this process until you receive this communication from the school division on March 4th.

Parent Instructions to Complete the Returning Student Registration Form

February 26 - March 1st

• Mon, Feb 26th - SAM Songsters Workshop (9:22-10:26 in the Music Room) - grades 2 & 3

• Mon, Feb 26th - SAM Chorus Workshop (11:30-12:32 in the Music Room) - grades 4-6

• Tues, Feb 27th - NO SAM Songsters at recess

• Wed, Feb 28th - Pink Shirt Day & SAM Spirit Assembly (10am in SAM Gym)
• Thurs, Feb 29th - Running Room Indoor Games practice (7:50am - SAM Gym)
• Thurs, Feb 29th - Climbing Club (3:45pm SAM Gym)
• Fri, March 1st - Subway/Booster Juice Hot Lunch

March 4 - March 8

• Mon, March 4th - Div 2 Ski/Snowboard Day at Rabbit Hill

• Tues, March 5th - Running Room Indoor Games practice (7:50am - SAM Gym)
• Tues, March 5th - SAM Songsters (Lunch Recess in Music Room) - grades 2 & 3
• Wed, March 6th - Cupcake Day & Early Dismissal (No Kindergarten)
• Thurs, March 7th - Running Room Indoor Games practice (Qualifiers)
• Thurs, March 7th - Grade 3 Wilderness School
• Thurs, Mar 7th - SAM Chorus (Lunch Recess in Music Room) - grades 4 - 6
  
• Thurs, March 7th - Climbing Club (3:45pm SAM Gym)
• Fri, March 8th - International Women's Day
• Fri, March 8th - McDonald's Hot Lunch
• Sat, March 9th - TENTATIVE FINALS Running Room Indoor Games

We are so fortunate at SAM School to be able to offer FREE swim lessons to all of our SAM students, courtesy of our SAM Fundraising Society. Here are the upcoming dates and times of our next batch of swim lessons. As there have been a few slight adjustments along the way, please refer to the communication that your child's teacher sends home as the most up-to-date information.

Kindergarten (Bowen): April 10, April 17, April 24, May 8, May 15 (9:30-10:15am)

Kindergarten (Dreger): April 10, April 17, April 24, May 8, May 15 (10:15-11:00am)

Grade 1 Robertson: April 18, April 25, May 2, May 9, May 16 (1:45 - 2:30pm)

Grade 1 Provost: April 18, April 25, May 2, May 9, May 16 (1:00-1:45pm)

Grade 2 Smolley: April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 14 (1:00-1:45pm)

Grade 2 Raven: April 16, April 23, April 30, May 7, May 14 (1:45-2:30pm)

Grade 3 Taranko: May 27, June 3, June 10, June 17, June 24 (1:45-2:30pm)

Grade 3 Makovichuk/Parker: April 8, April 15, April 29, May 6, May 13 (1:00-1:45pm)

Grade 3 Mitchell: April 8, April 15, April 29, May 6, May 13 (1:45-2:30pm)

Grade 4 Marano: May 1, May 22, May 29, June 5, June 12 (10:15 - 11:00am)

Grade 4 Robertson: May 1, May 22, May 29, June 5, June 12 (9:30-10:15am)

Did you know that an important safety step when riding the yellow bus is to scan passes when getting on and off the bus? This lets us know exactly who is on the bus at any given time - which is critical information if something happens to the bus or if a child's whereabouts are unknown. If each child has scanned on and scanned off, we can tell when and where that child got on and off the bus.

This means that a child should have FOUR scans on days they're riding the bus. Some buses have very high scan rates. but there is room for improvement on all routes. To encourage all students to can on and off both morning and afternoon, we're launching our Scan4 contest. There will be great prizes for the top scanners on each route, as well as best overall routes. We'll surprise routes that are doing well with spot the prizes throughout the contest too!