Hello Jennie Elliott families!
On Monday, our teachers engaged in a meaningful day of professional learning focused on our School Development Plan (SDP), exploring how universal, targeted, and individualized supports can strengthen oral reading fluency and student engagement.
We joined colleagues from Dr. Roberta Bondar School to learn from Anne Daniel, System Principal of Wellbeing for Learning, about the connections between our continuum of supports and the new CBE Wellbeing Framework. We also had the pleasure of working with Terra Xavier, System Literacy Specialist, who deepened our understanding of inclusive reading intervention strategies and the research that informs this important work.
Curious about what these supports look like and how they benefit your child at Jennie Elliott? We invite you to connect with your child’s teacher to ask these important questions! We believe that when families understand the why behind our instructional decisions, we can build stronger partnerships, create a shared understanding of how children learn, and work together to support each student’s growth and success. We look forward to bringing our families alongside us on our SDP journey!
Lucene Tahmazian
Principal
A Record-Breaking Evacuation Drill!
We are incredibly proud to share that we had our most successful evacuation drill ever at Jennie Elliott School! Our evacuation time was a record-breaking 4 minutes and 22 seconds, an amazing accomplishment when you consider that we safely evacuated more than 500 students and over 50 adults from our three-storey building.
This outstanding result reflects our students’ attentiveness, cooperation, and understanding of the importance of following safety procedures. We also recognize that drills can feel unsettling for some students, and we are especially proud of those who may have felt anxious but still did their best to follow instructions.
Please take a moment to share this accomplishment with your child and let them know how proud we are of their efforts.
Flexible Groupings for "Literacy Workshops"
In the coming weeks, all JES students in Grades 1–6, including our Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students, will begin participating in flexible groupings for literacy. This is now our third year of flexible groupings, and as in years past, students will be grouped based on the literacy skills they are developing, allowing us to build on their strengths and provide learning opportunities that support their next steps. As part of this approach, students may work with different teachers within their grade, or across JES, giving them access to instruction that best supports their individual literacy goals. Our goal is to support every student growing as a confident, capable reader, and writer!
What are Flexible Literacy Groupings?
This instructional approach allows us to create flexible, responsive learning groups that build on students’ strengths while supporting their individual literacy goals. Our dedicated literacy block will take place for 30 minutes each day, Monday through Thursday, as one component of our literacy programs. During this time, students may move between teachers and classrooms to participate in small groups designed around shared learning goals and opportunities for growth. This flexible approach ensures that each student receives targeted literacy instruction that builds on what they already know, develops their skills, and supports their continued growth as confident, capable readers and writers.
Why Use Flexible Groupings?
Research and classroom experience show that flexible grouping creates meaningful opportunities for student growth, confidence, and success in literacy. By working in flexible groups, students can build on their strengths, develop new skills, and learn alongside a variety of peers.
Learning That Meets Your Student Where They Are: Each learner brings unique strengths and experiences to their learning. Flexible groups allow teachers to provide instruction that builds on what your student already knows while supporting their next steps in reading and writing.
Room to Grow and Celebrate Progress: Groups are flexible and change as students learn and grow. This allows us to respond to each student's progress, celebrate successes, and provide new opportunities and challenges as their skills develop.
Learning Together and Building Confidence: Working with a variety of peers gives students opportunities to share ideas, learn from one another, and work toward common goals. These experiences help build confidence, connection, and a sense of belonging.
A Team Approach to Every Student's Growth: Our teachers work together to share observations, celebrate progress, and plan meaningful learning experiences. By collaborating and sharing strategies, we can better understand each learner’s strengths and provide support that helps every student thrive. Our teachers will work together to celebrate each student’s progress, build on their strengths, and adjust learning groups as new skills develop.
We are excited about the opportunities flexible literacy groups will provide for your learner to grow as a reader and writer! If you have any questions about what flexible literacy groups will look like for your students, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher.
Quilling Club
Please see the attached Quilling Club letter as a lunch-time opportunity for Division II students.
From Your School Council (JESC) & Parent Society Update (JEPSA)
Please click here to see up-to-date JESC and JEPSA information including meeting agendas and minutes. Our next School Council meeting will be November 10, and is open to all families to attend.
Upcoming Dates
October – German Heritage Month, Canadian Islamic History Month, Latin American Heritage Month, Women's History Month, ADHD Awareness Month
Oct 26 – Fun Lunch (Papa John's)
Oct 27 – Gr 2 to Leighton Art Centre
Oct 27 – Gr 6 Vaccines
Oct 28 – Gr 5 to Military Museum
Oct 29 – school photo day
Oct 30 - “You Do You, BOO!” Day! Halloween at JES
Oct 31 – Halloween
Nov 2 – Calgary Flames Assoc Floor Hockey residency begins