Hello Jennie Elliott families,  

We had a lovely break in our day on Thursday to hear the Kindergarten drumming performances and beautiful voices of our Div II choir. Thank you to our School Council and JEPSA fundraising that make residencies like One World Drumming possible, and to Ms. Ling for providing an opportunity for our students across grades 4, 5 and 6 to explore their lyrical selves! More information about the Division 1 choir is coming soon to Grade 1, 2 and 3 families. 


Family Groupings 

Today we started round two of Family Groupings. This means our students were mixed into a different grouping than round one and will now move to a new teacher and new activity each week for five weeks. Family groupings always take place on Fridays for 30 minutes. We will have time for three rounds this year, so our students will have met approximately 50 other students in the school that are not in their class or grade and would have had an opportunity to work with 16 different teachers by the end of the year!  

We are seeing the positive impact of these Family Groupings in our hallways, in the Learning Commons, on the playground, at assemblies and other common opportunities where our students congregate or see each other. Students are recognizing and saying hello to each other more and we’ll often hear them say things like, “Hey, I know them! They’re in my Family Grouping!” That is our goal – to build our school community’s comfort with and respect for each other through familiarity and connection. 


Report Cards 

Further to earlier communication, a reminder that report cards will be available for families to view digitally via your online MyCBE portal on January 27th. Once you are logged in to the portal, you will see “Report Card / Student Info” on the left side of the screen. Then click the “Report Card” tab across the top.  

It is important to note that Report Cards are not archived in your MyCBE account. Please download and save or print your child’s report card for later reference as they will not be visible after one month, until the June report card. 

Also of note, the Calgary Board of Education has moved towards a new structure for report card comments which has been applied across all schools. This new format will provide clarity, conciseness, and consistency for students and families when communicating and reporting assessment information. As such, you will notice that your child's comments will include Areas of Strength and Areas for Growth. Each comment will also provide the level of proficiency your child is working at in a specific outcome of the curriculum and a description of the evidence that the student demonstrated, as an example that informed the report card mark. As messaged earlier, you can also refer to your child’s PowerSchool grades for further evidence that is made visible to parents over the course of each term. 


Kindergarten Report Cards 

CBE Kindergarten teachers will also be reporting progress to parents/legal guardians via January and June report cards this year. In January, progress in English Language Arts & Literature (ELAL) and Math will be communicated to parents/legal guardians via the report card.  In June, progress in all discipline areas will be communicated. 

 

School Planning Engagement | February 4th, March 4th 

We know we make better decisions to support student learning when we build understanding and work together. On February 4th and March 4th at 6:30pm, just prior to the School Council meetings, we will be sharing information about school planning and asking you to share your perspectives.  

During these engagements, you will have the opportunity to:  

1. Learn about,  

- how the school budget provides funding to implement our school development plan. (Feb. 4th) 

- school fees and why they are necessary. (Feb. 4th)  

- how the school development plan sets the overall focus and direction for a school to improve student learning outcomes. (Mar. 4th) 

2. Participate,  

- by attending the meeting in-person to learn more about school planning and ask questions or provide feedback at the meeting.   

- by sharing your perspectives through an online survey open that will be available after the meetings.  

At the February 4th meeting we will be discussing the school budget and fees. At the March 4th meeting we will be discussing the School Development Plan. 

Watch this short video to learn about the planning work schools do to improve and support student learning. Our School Improvement Results and Development Plan as well as the Report To Parents on Fees can be viewed on our school website’s Our School page.The documents are on the right side of the page. 

This is your opportunity to provide your input and ask questions. We look forward to seeing you there! 

 

The Jennie Elliott Family Literacy Week Challenge! 

OK families, this one’s for you!  In honour of Family Literacy Week, we have prepared a challenge for all of our families to participate in.  

Family Literacy Week is an annual event that raises awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in literacy-related activities as a family. Since 1999, families, schools, libraries, and communities have come together to celebrate literacy and create lifelong learning habits. By reading, playing, writing, or even singing together, families can help children develop strong communication skills, build creativity, and form cherished memories while fostering a love of learning. 

This year’s theme, "Learn to be Green, Together," encourages families to explore literacy activities inspired by nature and sustainability. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning as a family while exploring creative ways to help the environment. To celebrate Family Literacy Week, we are offering our families to choose one of 25 fun and engaging literacy challenges designed to inspire family bonding and learning. From reading a story about nature to writing a poem or creating a recycling game, there’s something for every family to enjoy. 

After completing a challenge with your child, take a picture of your family in action and share it with us! Photos will be featured on our school bulletin board in the front foyer of the school to inspire others to embrace the joy of family literacy. You can send your photos to your child’s teacher or come to the school to add your family’s photo to the tree yourself. Let’s celebrate together by making learning fun and memorable! 

 

IMG 1171


  

Literacy Challenges 

  1. Read a book together for 20 minutes each night for a week. 
  2. Write a short story as a family, each person adding one sentence at a time. 
  3. Create a family book club and discuss a book everyone reads. 
  4. Visit the library and let each family member choose a book. 
  5. Make a family recipe together and read the recipe aloud. 
  6. Play a word-based board game like Scrabble or Boggle. 
  7. Write a letter to a family member or friend and mail it. 
  8. Practice singing the alphabet song together and identify letters around the house. 
  9. Create a scavenger hunt using written clues around the house or yard. 
  10. Keep a family journal where everyone writes something each day. 
  11. Read a poem together and talk about its meaning. 
  12. Listen to an audiobook as a family during a car ride or at home. 
  13. Label household items in different languages and learn their names. 
  14. Create a comic strip with family members as characters. 
  15. Rewrite the ending of a favorite story as a family. 
  16. Learn a new word each day and use it in a sentence together. 
  17. Act out a scene from a book or play. 
  18. Have a family debate on a fun topic and research facts to support views. 
  19. Read a simple picture book and encourage your child to describe what they see on each page. 
  20. Create a family reading nook and spend time there together. 
  21. Use magnetic letters or chalk to spell words or make sentences. 
  22. Make a family timeline and write key events. 
  23. Play "I Spy" with letters and sounds around your home or neighborhood. 
  24. Read the lyrics to a favorite song and discuss their meaning. 
  25. Create a homemade dictionary of words important to your family. 

  

Lost and Found 

A reminder to please take the opportunity to check the lost and found before January 31st during regular school hours after which we will be donating unclaimed items to support those in need. 

 

School Council News 

It has been a busy week of planning for both the School Council. We had the opportunity to share some of those plans at the Kindergarten assembly last night. Thank you to all who attended. Join us for our next school council meeting on Tuesday February 4, 2025, online or in person in the learning commons/library.  

Upcoming events: 

  • Ongoing - At home bottle collection (see details on previous weekly updates) 
  • Scholastic Book Fair - March 17 - March 21, 2025 (For more information and to have a sneak peak, visit https://bookfairs.scholastic.ca/bf/jennieelliottschool1) 
  • Spring Dance - coming this spring 

 

News from JEPSA  

Jennie’s Night Out! Looking for Donations 

Our second Jennie’s Night Out Gala and Silent Auction is coming April 11, 2025 at the Earl Grey Golf Course! We had a big planning meeting this week for this event and we wanted to express our sincere gratitude to all the parents who meet after hours and give of their extra time to assist in this and many other activities within the school. Thank you! 

Ticket sales for this event will go live in February with a limited quantity of early bird priced tickets! Stay tuned to details next week with ticket purchasing, classroom basket participation, and a sneak peek into some of the live auction items your kids will want you to bid on. 

We are actively seeking donations for our online silent auction running April 1 - April 11, 2025. This was incredibly successful last year and was made possible by a lot of our parents' support. If anyone would like to donate for the online silent auction we are gathering items now. Ideas for silent auction items include: gift cards, hotel/resort stays, sporting event tickets, concert tickets, gym and fitness passes, passes to experiences (Activate, Rec Room, Calaway Park, Calgary Zoo, Telus Spark Science Centre, etc), gift cards to local businesses, gift baskets, services (car services, massages, facials, tutoring, etc), art, camps, trips, etc.  

If you are interested in donating or getting more details about this event please email jennieelliott1962@gmail.com. 

For our first Jennie’s Night Out last year we raised just over $15,000 for math and literacy resources for the school. This year we will be raising money to enhance the outdoor learning spaces at the school, primarily focusing on our phase 2 plan of the outdoor learning space at the front of the school. A space that all of our children can enjoy year round. 


Upcoming Dates   

Jan 27 – Fun Lunch 

Jan 27 – Family Literacy Day 

Jan 27 - Report Cards viewable by parent/guardian in MyCBE 

Jan 29 – Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake) 

Jan 31 – Non-instructional Day (no school) 

Feb 1 – Black History Month begins 

Feb 4 – School Council Meeting 7pm (Kinder & DHH teams sharing)

Feb 5 – Winter Walk Day & World Read Aloud Day 

Feb 13, 14 – Teacher's Convention (no school) 

Feb 14 Valentine’s Day 

Feb 15 – National Flag of Canada Day 

Feb 17 – Family Day (no school) 

Feb 20 – Kindergarten Information Session (parents/guardians only) 

Feb 25 – Spirit Day: Pink Shirt Day 

Feb 26 – Calgary Opera school performance: The Witty Squirrel 1:30pm 

Feb 28 – Non-instructional Day (no school)