Hello Jennie Elliott families,  

We closed out November in a flurry of events at Jennie this week!  We have shared some of the highlights below, and important reminders. 

Book Fair   

Thank you to all of the volunteers and coordinated efforts to put together another successful Book Fair for our Jennie Elliott community! It is always a popular event that everyone looks forward to, and an excellent opportunity to put some good quality reading books in the hands of our students.  

School Conferences  

Thank you to all of the families who joined us for parent-teacher conferences this week. We truly appreciate the time you took to connect with us and partner in your child’s learning. Your insights, questions, and support make a meaningful difference, and we are grateful for the strong relationships we continue to build with our school community. 

If you did not get the opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher this week, please set up an appointment in the near future, either in–person, over the phone, or online, so we can be sure to share important information about your child’s learning progress. 

Grade 6 Coding Residency 

6B was lucky to participate in the Ready, Set, Robot Residency this week! We had scientists from Telus Spark teach us about computer science, coding and robotics. The lessons were hands-on using Turing Tumbles, Sphero Robots and Lego Spike Kits. Students learned about abstraction, algorithms, coding, debugging, the Cartesian plane and binary numbers. The week culminated with the design thinking process to create robots and share them with grade 2s. We also had a visit from Flint the robot dog!  The other grade 6 classes will experience their residency week in the new year. 

Gr 2 Scientists in School Residency 

Grade 2 had the privilege of welcoming Scientists in Schools into their classrooms this week! Scientist Pam led them through activities where students were able to test materials for absorbency using pipettes, explored different tools to connect materials (screws, pipe cleaners, elastics etc.), and used a variety of different materials to build animal bridges and enclosures. Pam shared that she was impressed with our students' creativity and scientific problem solving skills! 

Grades K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and DHH have all enjoyed their Scientists in School residency already, and grade 1’s will have their experience next week. Thank you to the fundraising efforts of our School Community for providing this awesome hands-on experience for our students that helps connect their science curriculum to life! 

Winter Traffic Safety Reminder 

With the arrival of winter weather, snow-covered roads become narrower and driving conditions become more challenging for both car and bus drivers. Buses often need extra space to maneuver safely, especially on slippery roads, so please be considerate of this when driving near or past our bus zones.  

For the safety of all, parents and guardians must adhere to traffic laws and use the designated Drop & Go areas rather than stopping in undesignated spots. This helps keep traffic flowing smoothly and reduces the risk of accidents.  Pedestrians should always cross at corners or marked crosswalks. We have noticed several near misses from jaywalking. Following these safe practices protects both students and drivers. 

By working together and being vigilant, we can ensure everyone arrives safely at school this winter. 

Attendance 

Regular school attendance builds students’ confidence as learners and strengthens their role as active, valued members of the school community. It also provides a strong foundation for academic success. 

Did you know?  

• By Grade 3, students with regular attendance are more likely to read at grade level. 
• By Grade 6, regular attendance is a predictor of high school completion. 
• By Grade 9, regular attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than test scores. 
• Students who attend daily are less likely to fall behind in school. 
• Concerns with school attendance may indicate other challenges in a student’s life. 
• Regular school attendance is an important life skill on the path to graduation and future employment.  

Parents play a pivotal role in ensuring their child attends school regularly to fully benefit from the educational opportunities provided by their school. Continued absenteeism may begin to impact learning that your child is experiencing challenges in other aspects of their life. At school, we can assist with identifying barriers and exploring strategies for attendance improvement. 

With colder weather and snow affecting travel times, allow extra time for your child to get to school safely and notify the office promptly of delays or absences by calling the Attendance Line before 9:00AM at 403-777-8350 ext. 1.

Students arriving late must check in at the office before going to class to receive a “Welcome Back” slip to take to their teacher. If a student needs to leave during the day or will not be taking the bus home, parents are asked to sign them out at the office. This helps keep daily routines smooth and ensures bus departures remain on schedule. 

School Pictures Retakes – Dec 8!  

If you would like your child to retake their photo, or they missed school photo day, please send an email to your child’s teacher to inform them that you would like your child to have their photo taken on December 8, retake day.  

School Council Update  

Gingerbread House Decorating Night  

School Council is really looking forward to celebrating this wonderful annual tradition on December 11th! Here are some key updates:  

- time slots 

• 6:00 – sold out 
• 6:55 – spaces available 
• 7:45 – spaces available 

- there is now an option to purchase gingerbread houses to take home and decorate if you aren't able to join us in the gym on December 11th.  

- Volunteers are still needed to ensure this event can happen! Please consider giving your time to help maximize the fun! Sign up here. 

- Reservation Deadline Extended through the weekend due to demand: The online order system will remain open until midnight on Sunday, November 30th. 

Several generous families in our school community have donated gingerbread houses. If your family is in need of financial assistance to attend Gingerbread Night, please fill out the request form on the Gingerbread Night page of www.jennieelliott.ca. This process is discreet and confidential. 

Next School Council Meeting 

School Council is an opportunity for all parents of the school and school staff who work together to support the school, share ideas, and help make decisions that strengthen the learning community. It’s a friendly, welcoming way for all families to stay informed, get involved, and have a voice in their child’s school experience. Our next School Council Meeting will be on December 16 at 6:30pm in the Learning Commons. We hope to see you all there!

Upcoming Events  

Click here to see the school’s website calendar 

Dec 3 – International Disabilities Day 

Dec 8 – Bhodi Day 

Dec 8 – School Photo Retake Day 

Dec 8-12 – Frisbee Residency 

Dec 10 – Human Rights Day  

Dec 11 – Gingerbread House Decorating Night 

Dec 12 – Active and Safe Workshop Student Leadership session 

Dec 14-22 Hannukah  

Dec 15 – Fun Lunch 

Dec 16 – School Council Meeting (gr 5 teaching team sharing) 

Dec 19 – Last day of classes before Winter Break 

Jan 5 – Classes resume after Winter Break