Please be aware that for reasons of privacy, no last names will appear in the document. Print copies of this document are distributed to parents regularly. 2011-2012 School Newsletter
Principal's Message - May“Every truth has four corners: As winter evaporates before our eyes, the warmth and comforting promise of spring is gifted by the rain. There are subtle hues of green in some grass areas, pussy willows are budding and in May the final two months of the school year begin. Our focus is always on learning and discovering both in and out of the school as Confucius says. May will include a flurry of excitement and activity. With so many upcoming activities, we will require many volunteers. Volunteers play an important role in the success of public education. Alex Munro continues to be an extremely fortunate school in terms of the generous amount of time that volunteers contribute. In recognition of our wonderful volunteers, I would like to make everyone aware of our Volunteer Tea in the afternoon of Thursday, May 31st from 2:15 – 3:30 p.m. Invitations will be sent home shortly and we hope that you will be able to join us on that afternoon for an expression of our thanks. A highlight in May will be the Spring Concert on Wednesday, May 2nd and will be in two parts for both the afternoon and evening performance. It promises to be an interesting concert as it is a combination of marimba madness, song and dance. Due to fire regulations and limited space in the gymnasium, there will be Division One (K,1,2,3) section from 1:30 – 2:15 pm for the afternoon performance and 6:30 – 7:15 pm for the evening performance followed by a short intermission. The Division Two (4,5,6) students will begin at 2:30 p.m. for the afternoon performance and 7:30 pm for the evening performance. For the evening performance please ensure you bring the two tickets sent home with your child if you requested them. Please note there is a limitation of two tickets per family. If you are unable to attend the evening performance, the afternoon performance on Wednesday May 2nd does not require tickets. The School (Parent) Council Meeting will be held on Monday, May 14 @ 6:30 p.m. It is a great opportunity for all parents to be involved with the school and contribute to all childrens’ education. This will be an important meeting as the annual elections will be held for council positions for next year. Also, the parents will be holding a Casino late in the 2013 school year. The funds raised at this event are always critical to the operations of a school, and the money raised affords many opportunities. However, the 2012 - 2013 school year has limited funds and therefore, fundraising becomes even more critical. If you have not yet volunteered for fundraising, please contact Moira Asaph alexm.volunteer@telus.net Also, Dr. Joy Chadwick, the new principal of the new middle school in Panorama Hills - Captain Nichola Goddard School, will be at the School Council meeting to speak to the parents on Monday May 14th. We extend a special invitation to all parents from Panorama to come and meet her. If you have questions and/or concerns about the opening of the school and/or transitioning your child to the new middle school in Panorama Hills, please try to attend. The annual Alex Munro Family Dance on Friday, May 11th is another wonderfully organized event that I encourage you and your family to attend. At previous family dances, it has been such a pleasure to witness the parents and their children dancing with teachers and staff. In anticipation of your assistance in creating a sense of belonging and generosity at Alex Munro School, we thank you. Moving further into May:
The list of Important May dates:
Afternoon Performance – Parents invited to attend – no tickets necessary. 1:30 –Div. l
Grade 3 Mr. Bell/Mrs. Jeske - Glenbow Museum Field Trip
Grade 4/5 Mrs. Gould Open Minds City Hall School
Grade 4/5 Mr. Morrison Open Minds City Hall School
Garden Club for Div.ll
Grade 3 PAT ELA Part A – 9:00 – 10:10 a.m.
Grade 6 PAT ELA Part A – 9:00 – 11 :00 a.m.
Grade 6 students to Sir John A MacDonald School 12:15 – 2:20 p.m
Our planning of the 2012 – 2013 calendar is in progress and the new calendar will be posted on our website toward the end of May to enable everyone continuous access to these important dates. Please contact the office if you require a paper copy of the schedule. We anticipate that our school hours will be changing and we will implement an early dismissal every Friday. After students are dismissed on Friday afternoons, the teachers meet in what is known as Professional Learning Communities (PLC) to develop strategies to enhance the students’ learning through current educational research related to gaps in learning identified at Alex Munro. This year we focused on mathematics and inquiry with Galileo Educational Network. Thank you to School Council Parents and the donation of funds for this opportunity. Also, on Friday afternoons we will hold staff meetings, extra-curricular meetings and subject meetings. Currently, the CBE has streamlined transportation and Alex Munro is now coordinating with Panorama Hills School. Across the Calgary Board of Education, each day that buses do not run saves $167,000.00. Thus, the 2012 -2013 calendar is on the CBE website and you will notice a total of 10 system days. Lastly, I wish to inform you that during the last week of April we received our operation budget (Resource Allocation Model or RAM) for the 2012 – 2013 school year. This tentative budget is based on our projected September enrollment and is ratified upon our September 30th student count. School principals are responsible for allocating the available funding dollars to staffing needs and operating expenses. Allocation decisions are based on CBE values and Ends Statements, the Provincial Government Class Size guidelines (K and Division l), and staff contractual obligations. As a change in the student count of two or three students has a significant impact on our final funding allocation decisions, we greatly appreciate families informing us of any anticipated moves into or out of the school district as soon as they become aware of such changes. Our tentative learning organization of the school and classes for next year is currently being decided in collaboration with teachers. Are you leaving Alex Munro School Next Year? If you know that your child will not be attending Alex Munro School next year please let the office know as soon as possible. Having a solid student count really helps us with staffing for next year. Thank you. Organizational planning for next school year has already begun. To best prepare for next school year an accurate count of our student population is important. If your child or children will not be attending Alex Munro School please return the form below Student Current Class Current grade ____________________________ __________ _____________ ____________________________ __________ _____________ These moves are confirmed ________ You may also email your responses to apking@cbe.ab.ca The purpose of the Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) is:
The confirmed PAT schedule for Grade 3 and 6 students is as follows: Grade Three ELA – Part A – Tuesday, May 15 9:00 – 10:10 a.m. Grade Six ELA – Part A – Wednesday, May 16 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Please note that Alberta Education is NOT shipping paper copies of the Parent Guides to Provincial Achievement Testing to schools. These guides are available on-line at http://education.alberta.ca/parents/resources/exams.aspx. Kindergarten Orientation Entering Kindergarten is an exciting time for both parent and child. To help with the transition into kindergarten, answer questions, and to see the classroom and new concept of stations, we will be holding a Kindergarten Orientation in the school gym on Thursday, May 3, 2012 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. The evening is intended and designed as an informational session for parents. We will have childcare for your child(ren) by our older students and an adult as it is often difficult for younger children to manage that format for the required length of time. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at (403) 777-6600. Sincerely, Lynn Sparks |
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