Vista View Principal's Message for March


Oki Vista Heights School Community, 

Spring is fast approaching, as we enter into March with longer days, including daylight savings time and the Holy Month of Ramadan. We appreciate everyone who contributed to the sales of our Friends and Family Fundraiser and look forward to another date in the spring. 

Please continue to watch our weekly Vista View to determine if we need to postpone or move events to an online platform due to the impact of the CUPE strike. 

CUPE | Impact on Schools

On Feb. 19, 2025, CUPE Local 40 served 72-hour strike notice to the CBE. This means that the union will withdraw services beginning Monday, Feb. 24, 2025. 

CBE is prioritizing in-person learning during labour action. All schools and buildings will remain open, and classes will continue. We are committed to ensuring schools remain a place where students, staff and families feel valued, supported and safe. However, a strike will have an impact on schools and operations. 

We value the contributions of all employees who support student success, and we respect the bargaining process. 

Please visit the CBE website for labour updates and information. https://www.cbe.ab.ca/news-centre/Labour-Action/Pages/default.aspx

Road Safety | Crosswalk

AMA Safety Patrollers are back at the crosswalk, ensuring student safety. However, some drivers have raised concerns about students crossing mid-block for convenience, which poses a safety risk. Please encourage your children to take the extra time to walk to the corner, where our patrollers are ready to assist them in crossing safely, and thank you parents for taking the extra time to model appropriate crossing of the street. Your support helps keep everyone safe, and our drivers truly appreciate it! 

Floors | Indoor Shoes

We encourage students to wear a pair of clean indoor shoes at school. Proper footwear helps prevent injuries during physical education and keeps our school clean. This is a great time to check if your child has outgrown their shoes and may need a larger size. We also highly recommend a second pair of appropriate outdoor footwear, as classes regularly go on community walks, and the playground can be damp. Students are naturally drawn to puddles, so proper outdoor shoes help keep them comfortable.

Ramadan | Prayer Supervision

Ramadan Mubarak! We have adjusted our supervision schedule to accommodate Thuhir prayer for students in grades 1-6. Interested students will have the opportunity to participate between 1:40-1:50 p.m. To minimize disruptions to class instruction, we ask that students complete their ablution beforehand and come prepared in their prayer clothing. Please remind your children to perform their ablution during lunch break so they are ready for prayer. Prayer mats will be provided for all students participating, but students are also welcome to bring a prayer mat from home.

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.

During this engagement, you will have the opportunity to:

1. Learn About

  • School planning, which includes the school development plan, school budget and school fees
  • How the school development plan sets the overall focus and direction for a school to improve student learning outcomes
  • How the school budget provides funding to implement our school development plan
  • School fees and why they are necessary

2. Participate

Your input is important to us, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your perspectives.

Student Learning Conferences | March 20 & 21

We will be using the Calgary Board of Education On-Line Booking System, to schedule conferences. Currently, conferences for students in grades 1-6 will be held on Thursday, March 20 and Friday, March 21. Ms. Noon has reached out to parents/guardians in kindergarten to make other arrangements for learning updates. 

To book a conference please go to your MyCBE Account. We are currently waiting communication from CBE on how to proceed with conferences due the CUPE strike.  

Book Fair | March 18-20

Vista Heights School is excited to welcome the Scholastic Book Fair back again this year! This shopping experience is always a highlight for students. During this week, students will have a chance to both window shop and bring funds to school to shop. You can anticipate flyers being sent home to support this activity. 

2024-2025 School Planning | Will you be at Vista Heights Next Year? 

Spring is when all schools receive their annual budgets and determine their staffing needs for the following school year. Student enrollment impacts:

  • The number of staff members, including teachers, educational assistants, and lunchroom supervisors
  • Grade configurations (straight grades or combined grades)
  • Class sizes and the number of classrooms we can have

As we begin planning for the 2025-2026 school year, we ask that families let the school know if they are planning on attending a different school for the upcoming school year. Yesterday, we sent home a ‘Return to School Survey’. If you didn’t receive this, please let the office and/or your teacher know your plans. 

We never want students to leave us, but we know that some of our families are moving to new communities. If this impacts you, please call our main office if you are planning to move your students next year and we can help you with the transition process to a new school. 

Thank you so much for helping us keep track of our enrollments, as it helps us with planning for next year. 

Alberta Education Assurance Survey | Parents, Students, Teachers

Parents of students in grades 4-6 will be asked to complete the Alberta Education Assurance Survey to gather parent voice to assess what is working well and where there is room for improvement. The survey random access code was emailed to eligible parents Monday, February 24, 2025, from CBE School Improvement along with the survey link. The final day to complete this survey is Friday, March 21, 2025.  Please check your email. 

Thank YOU, Council & Enhancement:

  • Three Left Feet Dance Residency (~$3200)
  • Classroom Field Trips to the Zoo & Telus Spark (~1000)
  • Swimming Lessons (~$5000)
  • Indigenous Elders & Knowledge Keepers (~$300)
  • Future field trips at no cost to parents

Upcoming Events

  • March 3-6: K-4 Swimming Lessons
  • March 3: Lockdown Practice
  • March 7: No Kindergarten
  • March 7: Flex Friday Clubs
  • March 10-13: 4-6 Swimming Lessons
  • March 10: Parent Council 
  • March 18-20: Scholastic Book Fair
  • March 20: No Kindergarten
  • March 20 -21: Parent Teacher Conferences
  • March 21: Non-Instructional Day
  • March 24 – 28: Spring Break – No School
  • March 31: Classes Resume

Dates of Significance for Truth & Reconciliation:

  • March 20: Spring Equinox
  • March 20: World Storytelling Day
  • March 22: World Water Day

Dates of Significance to Honour the Community:

  • March: Ramadan 
  • March: Irish Heritage Month
  • March 8: International Women’s Day
  • March 14: Holi
  • March 14: Pi Day
  • March 20: Persian New Year (Nowruz)
  • March 21: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 
  • March 22: Earth Hour
  • March 31: Eid al Fitr

Thank you for your continued support to support a safe, caring and welcoming school for all students and families. 

Check us out on our new Instagram page: @vista_heights_school_cbe  

Ms. Jessica

Principal, Vista Heights School