Dear WDS Families

It was another wonderful week as students were excited for Halloween, and this brought a lot of energy to the school This year we will be focusing on using consistent language throughout the school that will focus on the WDS 3 Pillars of Cares: Care for Self, Others, and for this Place. We have begun the process of discussing with students what this can look like, sound like, and feel like throughout the day. 

On Wednesday and Thursday next week, Physical Education classes will be happening outside due to the gym being set up for the Remembrance Day Assembly. Please ensure your children are dressed for the weather! We have another practice fire drill next week! 

Hindu Heritage Month - Namaste!  

November is recognized across Canada as Hindu Heritage Month, which is a time to honour the rich traditions, culture, and contributions of the Hindu community in Canada. In Alberta, it is recognized in the month of August. With close to 830,000 persons identifying as part of the Hindu community in Canada, this is a time to learn about the significant role they have had in shaping the nation's multicultural identity. This is a time to celebrate and recognize the contributions across the economy, culture, arts, politics, vitality of the Canadian Hindu community and celebrating the mosaic of cultures that enrich the nation.   

November 5 - Grade 5/6 Celebration of Learning 

This event will highlight student learning in the areas of literacy and numeracy. We invite families to join us in celebrating our students' accomplishments. The families of Ms. Swan and Ms. Dorma’s class can join us from 10:30 am to 11:30 am. The families of Mr. McGowan and Ms. Hettinga’s class can join us from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. This event will take place in your child’s classroom.  

Winter Concert: Save the Date 

This year we will have a winter concert with a theme based on the book “Twinkle, Twinkle Winter Night” by Megan Litwin. The concert will be held in the school gymnasium on December 12 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, and all students will be displaying their musical talents at this event. Please save the date in your calendar as we would like all families and their children to attend. 

Traffic Safety 

A reminder to all parents that U-turns are not permitted in school zones, and that U-turns create unsafe conditions for all students and their families. Parents are reminded that they cannot use the staff parking lot to drop off or pick up students. 

Remembrance Day  

November 11 marks an important day for us to remember and honor all of those people who have served and are currently serving in our military. WDS will honor this day by hosting a Remembrance Day Ceremony on November 7 at 9:30 am. Families are invited to attend the ceremony. Students who are in Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides, Cadets, etc are encouraged to wear their uniforms for this special assembly. 

We will be creating a video for the ceremony featuring photos of students’ relatives who have or are currently serving in the military. We are asking for families to send in photos of relatives to include in our video. When sending in photos, please include information about the individual pictured (person’s name, relation to the student, student’s name, where/when the individual served). Please email pictures and accompanying information to Mrs. Glowacki at kaglowacki@cbe.ab.ca by November 1 to be included in the slide show. 

Learning Conferences 

We have our Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences on November 28 from 3:00 pm–7:30 pm and November 29 from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. Families will sign up for a 15-minute block of time to meet with their child’s teacher and learn more about their child’s learning progress. To book a conference time go to My CBE PowerSchool Conference Booking System. This opens on Thursday, November 21 at 8:00 am. 

How to Book a School Conference 

1. Log-in to MyCBE  . If you do not have an account, follow the Create a MyCBE Account  instructions. 
2. Click on the My School Conferences icon. 
3. Click on the time slot that is available and convenient for you. Ensure pop-up windows are allowed. 
4. In the pop-up window, you will choose your child (you have the option to enter the student's name), the name of the parent / guardian is pre-filled, but can also be changed. 

Important Dates  

Have a great weekend,  

Rhonda and Keri