Hello Jennie Elliott Families,
Based on the feedback we’ve received from families - through surveys, School Council meetings, and informal conversations - it became clear that parents want a deeper understanding of what their children are learning at school and how they can best support them. In response, we developed a series of parent information sessions focused on topics that are timely, relevant, and aligned with current learning trends. These sessions are designed to be welcoming, informative, and interactive. Our goal is for you to leave each session with practical strategies, meaningful insights, and a stronger understanding of your child’s learning journey.
We shared the year-long schedule of these sessions in a brochure at the beginning of the year; however, we had to adjust some of the dates due to the interruption of the strike.
Prior to the strike, we held the first of our sessions, a screening of the film, Screenagers: Elementary School Aged. We will run a repeat session of this screening in April. Please see below for further information about upcoming sessions. We are in the process of scheduling the April and May sessions and will communicate that when they are confirmed.
Parent Information Session # 2 | Curriculum 101 Tues, Jan 27
On Tuesday next week, we will be hosting our next parent information session from 5:00-6:00pm in the Learning Commons at Jennie Elliott. We encourage all families to join us for this session that will provide insight, in a parent-friendly format, that highlights what your children are expected to learn, and the essential understandings of the new curriculum across all grade levels K-6.
Please RSVP here and feel free to share the link with other JES families.
Parent Information Session #3 | Assessment & Report Cards Thurs, Feb 19
On February 19th from 5:00-6:00pm we will have our third parent information session on Assessment and Report Cards. At this session we will share an overview of the CBE’s assessment standards in relation to the curriculum, including the K-6 report card. You will learn how teachers gather and use assessment information to support student learning, and how that informs your child's report card.
Please RSVP here and feel free to share the link with other JES families.
Parent Information Session #4 | Screenagers Movie: The Next Chapter Tues, Mar 10
After exploring the screen challenges in Screenagers: Elementary School Edition, we continue the conversation with Part II in the series called The Next Chapter, on March 10th from 5:00-6:00pm. This film focuses on kids’ and teens’ mental health in the digital age – addressing stress, anxiety, and emotional well-being. It offers practical tools and hopeful stories to help families support children as they grow.
Please RSVP here and feel free to share the link with other JES families.
Inuit Art Installation at Jennie Elliott School
We are excited to share that on January 27th, the City of Calgary will be installing a series of sculptures in our Learning Commons for our students to observe, reflect and learn from. The exhibit, called Tamaani | Here features work from several Inuit artists and was curated by Sophia Lebessis, Canada's first Inuk to own an Inuit art gallery. The exhibit will be housed at Jennie Elliott for 3 months. This exhibit will provide our students the opportunity to learn from Inuit voices, consider Indigenous perspectives and reflect on how the land has shaped and continues to shape who we are as humans. Students will engage in lessons connected to the Social Studies, English Language Arts and Literature, and Art curriculum.
Many thanks to Ms McCallum for arranging this beautiful exhibit and opportunity for JES! This is a unique learning experience for our students that we feel very fortunate to host. We invite parents to come take a look when you are in the building. We are looking forward to sharing the incredible things our students learn and discover throughout the duration of our time hosting Tamaani | Here!
Family Literacy Day – January 27th
Family Literacy Day is January 27th! As shared in last week’s message, this year’s national theme is, "Make mealtime family learning time", so we are encouraging all of our families to send in pictures of your family engaging in literacy with your own "ingredients". We will be putting these photos together to celebrate on our Family Literacy Day bulletin board!
Calgary Public Library Family Reading Pick | A Wrinkle in Time
The Family Reading Pick for 2026 is A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle and there is a family reading adventure at the Calgary Public Library on January 31 from 12:00-2:00pm with a live performance of the book's first chapter, space-age treats, and visits from fantastical science fiction characters. Click here to: Register for the launch event
Learn and Share | School Planning
We know we make better decisions to support student learning when we build understanding and work together. That’s why we’ll be sharing information about school planning and asking you to share your perspectives. Watch this short video to learn about the planning work schools do to improve and support student learning.
At our next School Council meeting on February 3rd at 6:30pm, we will share about how the school development plan (SDP) sets the overall focus and direction for a school to improve student learning outcomes, and what our SDP looks like for this year.
At the March School Council meeting on March 3rd at 6:30pm, we will share about how the school budget provides funding to implement our school development plan as well as school fees and why they are necessary.
There will be an opportunity to provide feedback after each session.
Upcoming Events
Click here to see the school’s website calendar
Jan 27 – Family Literacy Day
Jan 27 – Parent Info Session #2 – Curriculum 101 5:00pm
Jan 30 – Non-Instructional PD Day (no school)
Feb - Black History Month
Feb 2-11 - Dance PL3Y Residency
Feb 3 – School Council Meeting 6:30pm
Feb 3 - School Planning Engagement: School Development Plan (At School Council meeting)
Feb 5 – New Registration Information Session
Feb 5 – Winter Walk Day
Feb 5 – World Read Aloud Day
Feb 11 – JES Dance Performances
Feb 12, 13 – Teacher's Convention (no school)
Feb 14 – Valentine's Day
Feb 15 – National Flag of Canada Day
Feb 16 – Family Day (school closed)
Feb 17 – Lunar New Year
Feb 19 – Parent Info Session #3 – Assessment & Report Cards
Feb 24 – Report Cards available to parents/guardians through MyCBE PowerSchool
Feb 27 – Non-instructional PD Day (no school)
Mar 2-5 – Grade 6’s to Outdoor School
Mar 2-13 – Netball Residency
Mar 3 – School Council Meeting 6:30pm
Mar 3 – School Planning Engagement: School Budget (At School Council meeting)
Mar 10 – Parent Info Session #3 – Screenagers Movie: The Next Chapter 5:00pm