Hello Jennie Elliott families,     

Pink Shirt Day is always an inspiring day for students and staff as we revisit some of our common understanding and awareness about bullying prevention. On February 26th, our staff and students wore their pink shirts to celebrate the movement and inspire positive social interactions. Throughout the year, I have met with grade teams to discuss these principles with our students, focusing on a different theme each time we meet. This week, we talked about intent vs impact. Sometimes we may not intend to hurt someone, but when we realize our impact has been hurtful, what can we do to make it right again. Bullying is a relationship problem, and solving it requires a relationship solution.  

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Professional Learning Day

Today our teachers participated in the third CBE system-wide Elementary professional learning session - What Students Say About Their Learning Matters: Navigating Classroom Complexity. As we continue to build System coherence around the new curriculum implementation and guiding principles of assessment and reporting, this session emphasized the role of meaningful conversations in creating an equitable, culturally responsive learning environment that provides opportunities for all learners to demonstrate their understanding in a variety of ways. Staff explored assessment strategies focusing on observation and conversation as equally valuable means to assess student learning as products or artifacts might be.  

 

School Planning Engagement 

In response to the CUPE 40 strike action, we have made the decision to move Part 2 of our School Planning Engagement about our School Development Plan to March 7th at 1:45pm in-person in the Learning Commons. Parents have clearly expressed in the past that the engagement is better received in-person, and Friday after early dismissal is the only opportunity we have to hold meetings in-person. We welcome all those who can join us! 


Highlights from the Music Program & Ms. Ling 

 

“Experience first, then intellectualize.” 

                                      ~ Carl Orff   

The quote above summarizes succinctly what was to be known as the “Orff approach” to music education.  During the first term, Grade 1 and 2 students spent a lot of time learning songs and singing games which serve as the basis of a “shared experience.”  The second step in their learning is to draw upon this shared experience.  They ask themselves: what are some of the melodic and rhythmic patterns common to these pieces?  The third step is to “intellectualize” these experiences: they learn to read and write basic melodic and rhythmic patterns, i.e. the beginning of music literacy.  Students have also been exploring barred instruments such as the xylophones, metallophones and glockenspiels.  They learn how to hold mallets, how to produce a resonating tone, how to coordinate the two hands and how to listen to each other as they play.  This marks the beginning of ensemble playing which will be an important part of their learning in music in the years to come. 

Yesterday, Calgary Opera performed The Witty Squirrel at our school.  Students had the opportunity to enjoy an opera and a Q and A after the performance.  What a wonderful experience! 

 

 News From School Council 

A reminder that the next school council meeting is March 4, 2025 at 7pm and it will be online. Please use this link to access the meeting. The grade 4 teaching team will be presenting at the meeting as well. 

Click here to access the online meeting 


Upcoming events: 

 

News from JEPSA  


Jennie’s Night Out - Early Bird Tickets SOLD OUT!  

Our second Jennie’s Night Out Gala and Silent Auction is coming April 11, 2025 at the Earl Grey Golf Course! Ticket sales for this event are on sale now, early bird tickets are sold out. We have a limited quantity of regular priced tickets available so don’t miss out. Visit www.JennieElliott.ca for ticket purchasing or follow our council page on Facebook for up to date information. 

Classroom Basket Donations - Collecting Now 

We hope all families received the flyer below that came home in backpacks this week. Thank you to those of you who have already started sending in your donations. We are so grateful!  

We will be creating classroom themed baskets again to be a part of the online silent auction that will take place April 1 - 11, 2025. Just like last year we are asking for school participation in donating an item or two if you would like. All proceeds from this event will go to enhancing the outdoor learning spaces at Jennie for all students to enjoy. 

In case the flyer gets lost, here are the themes this year broken down by grade. 

Kinder & DHH - Baking 

Grade 1 - Outside Fun 

Grade 2 - Games Night 

Grade 3 - Arts & Crafts 

Grade 4 - Movie Night 

Grade 5 - Hockey 

Grade 6 - Relax 

Please note - when you send an item to school with your child, please send a quick email to the teacher to let them know it is on its way. Thank you so much in advance for participating in this event.  

If you are interested in donating larger items to the silent auction or getting more details about this event please email jennieelliott1962@gmail.com. 

 

Upcoming Dates     

Mar – Irish Heritage Month  

Mar 4 – School Council (online only until further notice)  

Mar 8 – International Women’s Day  

Mar 10 – 14 – Substitute Appreciation Week  

Mar 14 – Holi  

Mar 14 – Pi Day  

Mar 17 – Student-led Conferences Week (more info to come)  

Mar 17 – Book Fair begins!  

Mar 20 – Persian New Year  

Mar 20 – Spring Equinox  

March 20 – Last Day of School Before Spring Break  

Mar 21 – Down Syndrome Awareness Day  

Mar 21 – Non-instructional Day: no school   

Mar 31 – Eid-al-Fitr  

Mar 31 – Classes Resume After Spring Break  

  

Have a fantastic week everyone!