Vista View | Principal Message for May
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Good Morning Vista Heights School Community, We’re grateful for the recent rainfall that’s helped bring new life and greenery to our school community. It’s hard to believe we’ve already reached May! The next couple of months promise to be full and exciting, as we wrap up the 2024–25 school year together. Vista Heights School Logo | Help us vote! Did you know that we have been gathering feedback from staff, students and council around refreshing the school logo? We are excited to share the final logo designs with our school community! Students, staff, and families are invited to vote for their favourite design through a short survey (link below). Your feedback will help us select a refreshed logo that reflects the spirit and pride of our school. https://forms.office.com/r/i25X9rNnyb Provincial Achievement Tests | Grade 6 PATs All Grade 6 families should have received letters outlining information about the upcoming Provincial Achievement Test (PAT) and accommodations available to their child. Teachers have been working to set students up for success by ensuring they have access to the same tools and supports they use regularly in the classroom, including speech to text, breaks, additional time and multiplication tables. We are also providing practice sessions to help students become familiar with the digital platform and online accommodations that are available. As a parent, the most important thing you can do is encourage your child to feel confident and comfortable as they approach these assessments. The first P.A.T. (English Language Arts – Part A: Writing) is scheduled for May 28. Human Sexuality Education | Grades 4-6 As part of the Physical Education and Wellbeing curriculum, students in grades 4-6 can learn about human sexuality education. This is a mandatory part of the curriculum. Alberta’s Physical Education and Wellness curriculum learning outcomes are as follows:
As part of the Education Act, parents have voice in whether they want their child to participate or not. A letter outlining the program is being sent home and parents are required complete the exemption form to indicate if they do not wish their child to participate in the learning or have alternative programming during this time. This instruction is scheduled to take place from Tuesday, May 20 to Thursday, May 22, 2025. The following websites can help you talk to your child about sexuality. The information on these websites is accurate, objective and is supported by Alberta Education. https://teachingsexualhealth.ca/parents Celebration of Learning | Thursday, May 15 @ 10:15 AM We are excited to invite families to our upcoming Celebration of Learning assembly, where each class will share a highlight of their learning through a short presentation or performance. Teachers are organizing content that reflects the unique experiences and accomplishments of their students—we look forward to celebrating together as a school community! Citizenship Challenge | Kindness, Respect & Responsibility In May, we’re launching a school-wide Citizenship Challenge to recognize classes for acts of kindness, respect, and responsibility as we close out the year together. This is a meaningful opportunity for students to demonstrate character and positive citizenship across our school community. Weekly results will be shared during morning announcements, and classes will have the chance to save, spend, or share their accomplishments to earn fun prizes and experiences. School Council Fundraiser | Family Movie Night Our School Council would like to invite families to attend a movie night on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. This event starts at 6:00pm (doors open at 5:45pm). Parents or guardians are required to attend and supervise their child(ren) through the duration of this event. There will be a snack concession available and charge for entry. Please prepare to bring cash.
Indigenous Peoples Week Planning | Parent/Guardian Invitation In recognition of National Indigenous History Month and Indigenous Peoples Week in June, we are honoured to be raising a tipi at the school with the guidance of a Blackfoot Elder. The tipi will serve as a space for reflection, learning, and celebration, helping students recognize the rich history, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples. This is an important opportunity to demonstrate our pride, honour the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, and foster meaningful understanding among our students. If you are a parent or guardian who is interested in supporting the tipi raising—either through your time, knowledge, or presence—we invite you to contact the school to learn more and support our planning for this event. Your involvement is greatly valued, and this is an amazing opportunity to learn and come together as a community. 2025-2026 School Planning | Registration & Special Activities Thank you to parents who let us know if they will be returning to Vista Heights next year. We are excited for the new school year and continue to have open spots available in our full day kindergarten program. Please let neighbours residing in Vista Heights know that registration is open. We are excited to announce that we have been working hard to prepare for the 2025-2026 school year by applying for various funding supports and booking programming to enhance our curriculum delivery. We have confirmed Outdoor School for grade six students and Alien-Inline Skating in the fall, swimming lessons again in the spring and we are also working on an artist-in-residency grant with Trickster Theatre, to name a few. We are also excited to confirm government funding for our breakfast program to continue next year. This is in addition to our daily brown bag lunch program and weekly hot soup program. We are grateful for the generous support from Brown Bagging for Calgary Kids, Meals on Wheels, Breakfast Club of Canada, and SNP to ensure we offer a balanced nutritional program for students. This allows students to have healthy options during the day, for families who benefit from the support. Current Grade 4 & 5 L&L Parents/Guardians | Transportation Registration for 2025-26 Specialized Transportation registration for the 2025–2026 school year opens on May 9, 2025, for students currently in the Grades 4 & 5 L&L (Literacy & Learning) program who will be returning to Vista Heights School. The process is the same as last year and can be completed through your MyCBE account. A reminder will with more details be sent out to support families. Signage Update | Bus Parking We are working in collaboration with the City of Calgary to update signage that clearly marks the designated bus zone in front of the school. Please be mindful during drop-off and pick-up times that we have two school buses that require space to park safely along Vermillion Street. We also want to thank families for their increased efforts in using the crosswalk and supporting our AMA Safety Patrols—your care and cooperation help keep all our students safe. Thank YOU Council & Enhancement:
Upcoming Events
Dates of Significance for Truth & Reconciliation:
Dates of Significance to Honour the Community:
Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child’s education. Warm regards, Ms. Jessica Principal, Vista Heights School |
Vista View | Principal's Message for May
Posted on 2025-04-30 20:37:12.618 +0000 UTC