ÉRE Connection

The October 2023 newsletter can be found at this link: https://www.smore.com/ev41s

Apologies for the confusion for anyone that was sent to this link in error.

October is one of my favourite months. The mornings are fresh and the warm sunny afternoons feel like a gift. The Thanksgiving weekend is always a great reminder to pause, reflect, and to count our blessings. (We have a lot of blessings!) And of course, Halloween, is just pure fun. . . with chocolate!

Since our last newsletter, a lot has occurred. I am awestruck by how much happens every month at this school - even through complex times. Of course, this is not the first time in our one hundred year history that the fortitude of our community has been tested:

• In 1921 - Confluence School opened with a few classrooms ready, but it would be another year before the building had all 4 classrooms completed.
• In 1924 - a measles outbreak closed the school for 2 weeks
• In 1929 - Grade 8 students held class at Veteran's Hall until an additional classroom could be added to Confluence School
• In 1930 - Class was temporarily closed because the teacher (Miss Alexander) had a "stubborn cold"
• In 1932 - A measles outbreak had the school closed so that a proper fumigation could occur.
• In 1935 & 1941 - The school opened one week later in September because of a polio outbreak.
• In 1955 - a fire caused $8000 damage, resulting in the temporary relocation of some classes to the rural schools
• In 1956 - the *new* elementary school wasn't ready for a September opening. For the first few months of the school year, some classes were bussed to Oras School.

Through all of these moments where things didn't go to plan, our community has persevered. Most importantly, the learning has continued because of the commitment and hard work of the Rocky Mountain House community. Thank you!

We continue with our new look school newsletter this month. We hope it serves as a good vehicle for celebrating the great things that happen at this school and for informing you about what can be expected in the upcoming month. Please keep reaching out to us anytime you have an idea, question, comment, update, or a need for assistance. We are better together.

Tim Bowman

Principal

tim.bowman@wrsd.ca

(403) 845-3541

You have likely received an email regarding an Online School Demographic form. We send this form out yearly to ensure we have updated contact and medical information at the school. This is, however, the first time we are issuing the form digitally.

• To access, you will need to log into your Parent Portal in PowerSchool.
• Your Username will be firstname.lastname
• Click on the Forgot password to reset your password

E-mails will continue to be sent until the form is updated.

Please call the school office (403-845-3541) with any questions or if your contact information changes later in the year.

We have two additional staff members to introduce:

• Jen Bagstad has joined our team as a daytime caretaker. Welcome Jen!
• Dallas Johnson has joined our school part time in a new role, Family Wellness Worker Assistant. Dallas will be working closely with Mrs. Cinnamon to support students in the social/emotional domain. The funding for this position is thanks to the Board of Trustees dipping into reserves to support mental health initiatives in WRSD schools.

Please reach out to the team if you have a question, concern, or idea. Our staff can be reached by phone (403) 845-3541 or e-mail: firstname.lastname@wrsd.ca

From Sept 13-Oct 1 we saw elevated absences due to illness as did many schools in Central Alberta. We are glad to report that our School Attendance has returned to a normal historical range since Oct 4. We are glad our school community is healthier once again.

Several changes have occurred in regards to Health & Safety since our last newsletter.

• All adults and Gr 4/5 students are now required to wear a face mask in the school when distancing can not be accommodated
• All students (including K-3) are required to wear a face mask while travelling on a bus
• As of October 18, Alberta Health will once again be notifying the school and close contacts of COVID exposures.
• Close contacts are not required to isolate unless symptoms are present or otherwise directed by Alberta Health.
• A class will not move to online unless there are 3 cases of COVID in a two week span. To date, we have never triggered this threshold.
• The WRSD Board of Trustees are examining vaccination requirements for staff and visitors. A preliminary meeting was held Oct 13 with no decision being reached. The board plans to discuss again in late October and early November.
• A new Daily Screening Form (September 2021) was released. It supersedes all previous screening forms. Please refer to it for symptoms that require a '10 day isolation' or 'an isolation until feeling better'.

The most important component of a safe return is stay home if you are not well.

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

Many thanks to our school community for doing the right things to keep our school safe. We have maintained a healthy bubble at school because of the vigorous work of our families. If your family is in isolation, please reach out if you require supply drop-offs.

We recognize that the response to COVID is still fluid and we expect changes to our required health layers throughout the year. As you would expect, we will be closely following any mandates asked of us by Alberta Health.

Please reach out to school administration if you have any questions about the school's health and safety response.

Our next school council meeting will occur on Thursday, October 28, 2021, 12 noon. You are invited to attend!

• School Council Virtual Meeting Link: https://tinyurl.com/ERESchoolCouncil password ERE

The School Council would like to accommodate as many families as possible with meeting times. Please complete this short survey before Oct 28 indicating your preferred meeting time:

• School Council Meeting Time Survey

Our first School Council Meeting of the year took play on Wednesday, Sept 29. We had several families in attendance and a new board was elected. We are so appreciative of the parents that are able to contribute to our school council.

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
• September 2021 Meeting Minutes

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

Hot Lunch orders for November can be made Oct 25-29.

• to order, create a new account at https://ere.hotlunches.net/ (a new account is required each year)
• Use the access code REHL
• Hot Lunches are available on Mondays and Thursdays (Kindergarten classes, please note your class only attends on one of the hot lunch days each week.)

Poinsettia Fundraiser

• This School Council fundraiser will take orders Oct 25-Nov 10. Delivery will be Nov 26.
• A paper order form accompanies this e-mail or online orders can be made at: https://eres.growingsmilesfundraising.com/home

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

Oct 29 - Halloween Dress Up / October ÉRE TV

Nov 3 - Show your 4-H Colours - students involved in 4-H are encouraged to wear green

Nov 5 - School Photo Retakes

Nov 10 - Virtual Remembrance Assembly

Nov 11 - Remembrance Day / No School

Nov 12 - No School

Nov 16 - KM & 1G Skating

Nov 18/19 - Virtual Author Visit Bethany Ellis

Nov 19 - 1/2K, 2S, 1B, 2U Skating

Nov 19 - Term 1 Report Cards sent home

Nov 22 - No students / Staff PD Day

Nov 23-26 - Book Fair

Nov 24/25 - Virtual Parent / Teacher Interviews, 4:30 -7:30 pm.

• Welcome to returning school trustee Heidi Hetherington and new school trustee Jackie Janes. We wish to thank Julie Andrew for her contribution to the board last term and wish her well in retirement.
• We are seeking 5 more volunteers for the Dovercourt Bingo on Tuesday, Oct 26, 5:15 - 9:15 pm. The school receives a donation for each shift worked. Even an half shift would be very helpful. Thank you for considering.
• Halloween dress up can be for the entire day on Oct 29. Please no scary masks or real looking weapons.
• Parent / Teacher interviews Nov 24/25 will be offered by phone or video conference. Information for booking will come out mid-November.
• With skating season approaching, we have noted a few gaps in our school supply of skates. We are seeking donations of size 10/11 figure skates & size 3-9 hockey skates.
  
• Free breakfast is served every morning in our front foyer 8:20 - 8:40 am. All students are welcome to grab a bite to eat.
• 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.
• If at all possible, when paying for items like agendas, field trips or swimming, please pay through School Cash Online located at: https://wildrose.schoolcashonline.com/ This greatly reduces the chances of lost money or discrepancies in payments made.
• ERE School Website: https://ecolerocky.wrsd.ca/ Our school website is regularly updated with important dates, school newsletters, and useful links along with information about the school.
• Social Media - The school regularly updates our Facebook and Twitter accounts with good news stories and upcoming events. Please consider giving us a follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ecolerockyelementar and Twitter: https://twitter.com/EREPeace

We revealed our Centennial Mural on October 7 via Facebook Live. It is a beautiful addition to our front foyer.

• Every student was involved in creating the mural last June with the help of professional artist Debra Bryan.
  
• Video of Creating the Mural
• The mural design was inspired by student artwork submissions. It measures 6 feet wide and 8 feet high
• Little pieces of ceramic tile were used to create the images of École Rocky, Confluence School (the original school on site), the North Saskatchewan and Clearwater Rivers, the Rocky Mountains, voyageurs, forests, helping hands, wild roses, and symbols of peace.
• Maintenance did an outstanding job building a frame for the mural and installing it in our school foyer.
• The Centennial Mosaic is given as a gift to all the past, present and future students, staff, and families of ÉRE. We hope it will serve as a touchpoint for acknowledging all of the wonderful people that have passed through these halls in the past century, and those that will continue to contribute to the success of this community.
• The big Centennial Celebration event is on hold given no public gatherings in the school. We are hopeful to host it in Spring 2022 along with the opening of the 1989 time capsule.

So much happens at this school every month thanks to the contributions of volunteers, and the hard work of students and staff. In addition to learning about the curriculum, here are some of the extras that highlight school life:

• Our Terry Fox Run took place on Sept 22. Every student honoured the dream Terry started by moving around the school field. It was great to see several families join us.
• Former student Emma Pratt presented to each class about the importance of caring for the environment. Emma started the student recycling program at ÉRE ten years ago as a grade 4 student. Well done Emma!
• Several classes participated in the federal election by casting a student vote. Students really enjoyed learning about the democratic process.
• New swings arrived and have already seen a lot of use.
• Every class participated in a maker space challenge in the library. Working as a class, the students created a cool structure out of chromebook boxes.
• Speaking of chromebooks, our school was fortunate to replace 30 expiring chrome devices in 2U and 1G with brand new devices.
• Our primary students have really enjoyed our new Centres Room. The room inspires learning through play, self-discovery, and imagination.
• On September 30, we recognized the first National Truth and Reconciliation Day by wearing Orange to say "Every Child Matters", heard stories from indigenous storyteller Mona Medin, created a bulletin board of feathers forming wings, and learned about treaties, land acknowledgements, and reconciliation in our September ERE TV.
• September Award Winners received Pizza from the Principals. (If your child was an award winner, but was absent Oct 1. . . they will have pizza delivered Nov 2.)
• Swimming started for our upper elementary classes.
• School photos were taken on Oct 14/15.
• Music classes have started to use the brand new xylophone instruments purchased by School Council.
• Student leadership students have been involved with morning announcements, ERE TV, and creating bulletin boards.
• Gr 3-5 Choir started Oct 19 with a good showing of students. The choir is preparing a song for Remembrance Day.
• Ms. Turner is running gr 3-5 intramurals at recess and the students have indicated they really enjoy the opportunity to play some organized games in the gym.
• We received a really lovely card (& donuts!) from the Rocky Alliance Church: "Rocky Elementary Teachers, Office staff, EAs and Custodians, The last two years have been full of a lot of pivoting and doing our best to adjust. As we've bounced back + forth to at-home learning and you're absences as well as all the extra processes, cleaning, work + stress that inevitably means for all of you, we just wanted to take a minute to say that we see your hard work, we appreciate you, and that we are praying for you. Thank you for investing in our kids when what we all could really use is a holiday. Thank you for being flexible and for being present. You are blessings and you are appreciated." <-- Wow!

Our school is committed to building conflict resolution skills in our students. This falls under our endeavor to be a Peaceable School that graduates Peace Scholars. A part of our work is to help students avoid 'me vs you' conflicts. By taking the attitude of you and me together, we can learn to work things out so that both us feel that we got a fair shake, and that both of us can live with how it comes out.

Of course, peacemaking requires skills that have to be practiced. Listening to others and considering the viewpoints of others requires practice. Here are a few scenarios to practice peacemaking skills:

1. Ah, a school holiday. I finally get to sleep in! Oh, no! Mom said I have to get up and clean my room right now.

• Winning Behaviors. . .

• Losing Behaviors. . .

2. Another student and I keep picking on each other making mean faces. I don't even remember what started it. My teacher looks annoyed.

• Winning Behaviors. . .

• Losing Behaviors. . .

3. It's a rainy day. I'm bored. My sister and I decide to play tag inside the house. Oops! I trop and knock over the lamp, breaking it.

• Winning Behaviors. . .

• Losing Behaviors. . .

Hello ÉRE!

This is already my third year at École Rocky Elementary, but I recognize most of that time has been spent navigating a global pandemic. As such, we perhaps haven't had the opportunity to meet as often as I would like. As such, it may be worth offering a brief introduction of how I came to work in Rocky:

I grew up on a mixed farm near the small community of Onoway (about 65 km northwest of Edmonton.) I spent a lot of my youth with farm chores, pursuing music interests (piano lessons and saxophone in the school band), spending time with my many cousins, baseball and curling, and 4-H. Looking back, I can recognize that many of the teachers I had in Onoway were quite exceptional.

After graduation, I was accepted to the University of Alberta to pursue a Bachelors of Education majoring in music. A lot of my time at University was spent playing in bands (one year I had 24hrs a week of band practice), studying, social activities, and clubs. I held several executive positions with the ag related groups including FarmHouse Fraternity, 4-H Alumni, the Rodeo Club, and Livestock Judging. I had a knack for judging livestock and won competitions across Canada representing the UofA.

My teaching career started in a K-9 school in Spruce Grove as the music specialist. A few years later, I took a position in Red Deer teaching junior high band (and other subjects) for the next 14 years. During this time, I also managed the men's soccer league, directed an adult community jazz band, volunteered with 4-H, met my wife Paula and started a family. We have two children, Melena (Grade 8) and Nash (Grade 6). Simultaneous to the arrival of children (and perhaps poor planning on my part), I enrolled in graduate work and received a Masters in School Leadership in 2010.

My first school admin posting was Assistant Principal in a gr 3-5 school in Whitecourt. I was then proud to serve as Principal of a K-6 school in Ponoka where I worked with several leaders in the town and nearby indigenous communities.

All added up, this is my 24th year working in schools and I am excited to continue working with the students, staff, and families of ÉRE. In each of the communities I have worked, I have always admired the Albertan spirit to build a better life for the children. I look forward to knowing you and your family better. Please do not hesitate to reach out if I can be of assistance.

All my best,

- Tim

• ÉRE Parent Handbook - answers to a lot of the most commonly asked questions
• ÉRE School Website - ecolerocky.wrsd.ca
• ÉRE Fall Swimming Schedule Gr 3-5
• 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