Hello Jennie Elliott Families,
Spring is a wonderful time for outdoor learning at Jennie Elliott! This week, students enjoyed a variety of off-site experiences, including guided walks in the Weaselhead with the Weaselhead Preservation Society, visits to Granary Road, and neighbourhood walks to observe the signs of spring all around us.
The weather largely cooperated, giving students plenty of opportunities to explore, learn, and enjoy the fresh air. Judging by reports from many families and staff, those extra hours outdoors may have also led to some very restful sleeps!
We are grateful to our staff, volunteers, and community partners who helped make these meaningful learning experiences possible.
You may have also noticed, our outdoor learning space has begun it's transformation! We were excited to welcome our landscapers to Jennie Elliott and hope the weather holds out so we can see the project finished before year-end.
Summer Solstice and Indigenous People’s Day
The Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, occurs on Sunday, June 21 and is a time of renewal, gratitude, and connection to the natural world. Students took time to slow down, observe nature, reflect on the changing season, and consider the significance of the Summer Solstice.
On Friday, June 19, our school community came together to recognize and celebrate both National Indigenous Peoples Day and the Summer Solstice through a day of reflection, connection, and learning. Students began the day outdoors with sit spots and sharing circles on our south field. To demonstrate their appreciation for Indigenous culture, students also participated in a school-wide Walk Along, where they viewed and celebrated Indigenous-focused learning that had taken place throughout the year across all grade levels. Classrooms created displays throughout the school and took the morning to tour the various displays while reflecting on the stories, teachings, artwork, inquiries, and experiences that have helped deepen our collective understanding of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories, cultures, and ways of knowing.
The day provided a meaningful opportunity for our school community to honour Indigenous Peoples, celebrate learning, and reflect on the important journey of reconciliation that we continue together.
Staff Updates at Jennie Elliott
Planning for the 2026-27 School Year
As shared at our School Council meetings, staffing is an evolving process that continues throughout the spring and into the summer as schools respond to enrollment projections, staffing allocations, retirements, leaves, transfers, and funding announcements.
Over the past two years, Jennie Elliott has experienced a decline in student enrollment due to changing enrollment patterns across our community, including shifts in neighbourhood demographics and families accessing a range of educational options. This has resulted in the difficult decision to surplus the equivalent of 2.5 teaching positions and additional support staff hours from our school team. These decisions were made in early spring based on the staffing allocations and projected enrollment information available at the time, in accordance with Calgary Board of Education staffing processes.
Additionally, in June, schools across the province received funding through the Government of Alberta's Class Size Reduction Grant. This grant funds teaching positions that support improved learning conditions in kindergarten to Grade 9 classrooms and is specifically intended to help reduce class sizes in core subject areas (English Language Arts/French Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies), with priority given to schools experiencing the greatest class size pressures.
We are pleased to share that Jennie Elliott School has been allocated 1 additional teaching position for the 2026–27 school year through this grant.
This decision was made using system-wide data that considers:
- the number of classes exceeding provincial class size benchmarks
- projected enrolment and class organization
- school programming and grade configuration
Our goal is to ensure students benefit from:
- increased teacher attention
- improved classroom learning environments
- greater support for diverse learning needs
While the timing of this funding followed finalized surplus decisions, we are grateful for the additional staffing support it provides as we plan for the upcoming school year.
As we head into the summer, there are a few temporary positions to confirm. We look forward to sharing our complete teaching and support staff team for the 2026–27 school year in our Back-to-School message on August 26.
We remain committed to supporting strong learning environments for all students and using our resources thoughtfully and strategically.
Moving on to New Adventures
As the school year comes to a close, we would like to recognize and celebrate our valued members of the Jennie Elliott team who will be embarking on new adventures.
Ms. Alicia Adams will be joining the staff at Glamorgan School, where she will return to her middle school roots as a Grade 7/8 teacher. Throughout her time at Jennie Elliott, Alicia has made a positive impact on students both in and beyond the classroom, including many student leadership initiatives. We are grateful for her commitment to our students and wish her every success in this exciting new chapter.
Ms. Paige McCallum will be joining the staff at Windsor Park School. Throughout her time at Jennie Elliott, Ms. McCallum has demonstrated a deep commitment to understanding and responding to the unique strengths and needs of her students while contributing meaningfully to many of our school-wide priorities and initiatives. We are grateful for the care she has brought to our school community and wish her continued success in her new role.
Ms. Victoria Bevilacqua will begin her maternity leave over the summer break. We wish Ms. Bevilacqua and her growing family health and happiness together.
Ms. Ashley Haber, one of our talented DHH teachers, will be sharing her tremendous expertise with students and staff at Emily Follensbee School. Ms. Haber has been a strong advocate for students with diverse learning and communication needs, helping to ensure that every student feels valued and supported, and she has helped strengthen our staff's understanding of inclusive practices. We are grateful for the positive impact Ms. Haber has had on our school community and wish her all the best in her new role.
Ms. Jill Riley will be concluding her temporary contract at Jennie Elliott and has accepted a new position with Earl Grey School. We are grateful for the positive impact she has made during her time with us and wish her every success in her new role.
Ms. Ashley Gordon has supported our DHH program in two separate temporary contracts this year. We have appreciated her support and care of our DHH students, while also being a positive presence in our greater Jennie Elliott School community.
Ms. Tara Minions will be retiring after an incredible 22 years as Jennie Elliott's Lead Lunch Supervisor! Ms. Minions has been a familiar and caring presence for generations of students and families. We thank her for her years of service, dedication, and commitment to our school community, and we wish her a wonderful and well-deserved retirement.
Ms. Sheila Peters will also be retiring and looks forward to spending more time with her grandchildren. We are grateful for all she has contributed to Jennie Elliott and her kind professionalism as one of our lunchroom supervisors. We wish Ms. Sheila many happy years ahead filled with family, laughter, and new adventures.
Ms. Leanne Vargo, our school secretary, will be taking on the role of School Secretary at Lester B. Pearson School. Ms. Vargo has been an integral part of our school community, supporting students, families, and staff with professionalism, kindness, and care. We thank her for everything she has done for Jennie Elliott and wish her every success in her new position.
Ms. Aimee LaPointe will be concluding her temporary contract as an Education Assistant with us and pursuing further education. We thank her for the support and enthusiasm she brought to our students and school community and wish her all the best as she continues her studies.
Please join us in thanking these outstanding staff members for their contributions to Jennie Elliott School and wishing them the very best in the journeys ahead.
School Council (JESC) and Parent Society (JEPSA) Updates
As we wrap up the school year, the JEPSA committee would like to thank all of the volunteers that helped out this year. Your time and energy to support all the children at Jennie doesn’t go unnoticed and we are so grateful. Jennie is a thriving community because of everyone who is a part of it.
We want to welcome our new incoming board members and thank those that have served these past years. Notably, Amy Olivier who has served as Casino Chair the past 6 years, whose organization of this significant fundraiser has led to the support of many important initiatives we have come to love and appreciate for our kids at Jennie Elliott. Thank you, Amy, for your time, efforts and committment to our school community.
Looking forward to next year we would like to invite ALL families at Jennie to participate in our monthly School Council meetings, regardless of whether you hold a position on the Board or not. The board positions have been filled, but we always welcome more people to attend the meetings and participate in the general discussion to help provide meaningful feedback and generate thoughtful input. These meetings are vital to the success of our school. See you in the new year, have a wonderful summer!
Fancy Fences!
We're excited to support a wonderful community initiative that will help beautify our school and neighbourhood! The Lakeview Community Association is hosting a Neighbour Day Painting Event on Saturday, June 20 (weather permitting), and Jennie Elliott families are invited to join in the fun from 10:30am to 1:00pm by painting a flower or two. We hope you'll stop by, connect with neighbours, and help add some colour to our community!
Upcoming Events
Click here to see the school’s website calendar
June 20 – World Refugee Day
June 21 – Summer Solstice, National Indigenous People’s Day
June 23 – Gr 6 Farewell
June 24 – PlayDay
June 25 – Last day of school AM Kindergarten
June 25-July 31 – Families view and download report cards from MyCBE account
June 26 – Last day of school PM Kindergarten, Gr 1-6