Mustang Memo - June 7, 2024
Despite the wind, it was a great day for track and field!
Thank you to Mr. Lobe, Ms. Kotronis and Ms. Pietsch for their incredible leadership in planning the track and field day for grades 3 to 6. It was such a great day full of athletic skill and good sportsmanship mixed in with a little healthy competition.
We want to extend a shout out to all of our parent volunteers who not only showed up, but also did some great teaching on sports skills. Our parent volunteer who ran the shotput station can really throw that shotput far! We we very impressed!
Thank you to our school council Wellness Committee for purchasing watermelon for the refreshment station and thank you to Mrs. Mackinnon for sourcing free bottled water to keep all students hydrated!
Team work certainly made the dream work!
Helene Hewitt & Jay Robertson
Principal & Assistant Principal
You belong here!
Table of Contents
Week At a Glance
Action
- DATE CHANGE - Davidson Creek School Council Annual General Meeting and Elections
- Reminder: 2023-24 school fees
- Updating Your Contact Information
Opportunity
- Counsellor's Corner
- Wish Day is Coming!
- Little Elk Island Adventure
- STEM Summer Camp
Information
- EIPS Annual Education Results Report
- Did You Know?
- Pre-kindergarten Programming at EIPS
WEEK AT A GLANCE
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ACTION
Davidson Creek School Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Elections
Due to the awesomeness of the Oilers, we pushed back our AGM to one week later than originally planned.
We are hosting our school council and fundraising society AGMs on Tuesday, June 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the library We will be holding our annual elections during these meetings.
We'd love to see you there!
REMINDER: 2023-24 school fees
School fees for the 2023-24 school year are posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted. Throughout the year, fees are often added to cover the costs for various activities, such as field trips, extracurricular activities, and late, damaged or lost textbooks.
To access your fee information, simply log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and go to “Student Fees.” There you can view fees and pay them online using a Mastercard or Visa credit or debit card. Make sure to monitor your child’s account on an ongoing basis.
For more information about school fees, waivers and payment deadlines, visit eips.ca/schools/fees. And, if you have questions, think there is an error or need help creating a PowerSchool Parent Portal account, contact your child’s school directly before the summer break.
NOTE: Pursuant to Board Policy 23: School Fees and Administrative Procedure 505: School and Administrative Fees, EIPS will forward any unpaid 2023-24 fee amounts to a collection agency. To prevent this from happening, remember to pay your fees before Aug. 31, 2024.
Updating Your Contact Information
Have you recently moved or has your contact information changed? Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) encourages families to review their information the Division has on file to ensure it’s up to date. Using the Student Information Update available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, families can review their information on file for each student—including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, parent and guardian information, emergency contacts, medical details and other related information—and submit any updates needed.
NOTE: Only submit updates for the changes that have already taken place. If you’re moving this summer, you’ll submit the necessary updates through the Student Information Update after you’ve moved at the start of next school year. The form is open—for current-year updates—until June 14 at noon. It will reopen for families at the start of next school year.
OPPORTUNITY
Counsellor's Corner
Hey Mustang Families,
This week, let's talk about considerations that parents might have about digital technology.
“Digital technology has an important role in your life. So it’s helpful to understand the good and bad ways that digital technology can affect you and your family.”
Click here for information from Alberta Health Services that will help you start a conversation about digital technology. You’ll also find tools and resources to help you learn more about using digital technology in a healthy way.
Tips to help you keep your child safe while using social media
- Set up a safety plan. This includes updating security software, using different passwords on social media accounts, teaching youth to only accept friend requests from people they know well, and checking any new sites before your child uses them.
- Block your child from being able to make purchases within applications (called in-app purchases).
- Teach your child about the possible harms of social media.
- Learn how to use the apps that they use to make sure they’re using them safely.
- Know the signs of social media becoming a problem.
How do you know if your child might have a problem with social media?
Social media becomes a problem when it harms your child’s mental or physical health, or has unwanted effects on their day-to-day life.
You may want to talk to your child about their social media use if they:
- are on social media often and get upset when they’re interrupted
- don’t want to cut back on using social media, even when they know it’s causing problems
- can’t stop thinking about social media
- feel sad, upset, or frustrated when using or after using social media
- have a hard time keeping up healthy habits, such as sleeping or eating well
- don’t take care of their day-to-day responsibilities or participate in social activities, such as doing school work or chores, going to dances, or spending time with the family pet
- have trouble talking to or being with friends, family, or others in person
- start acting different, such as lying, sneaking around, and pushing limits for online activities
- argue more than usual
Resources
Digital technology
Canadian sedentary behaviour guidelines
How much time children should spend in screen-based activities in a day? Learn how your child can be more active and get a better sleep.
Learning about supporting your teen's social life online
Learn how to support your teen to develop healthy online behaviours.
Media and your child: Making choices
Find out ways to help manage your child’s screen time.
Family media plan
Learn how to create a media plan for your family.
Internet matters
Get online safety tools and guidelines to help children stay safe online.
Protect kids online
Learn how to protect children when they’re online. You’ll also find online education and prevention information to help keep kids safe online and in everyday life.
Protecting and promoting privacy rights
Get information about youth privacy and the importance of privacy when using digital technology.
Cybercrime
Get information about crimes that can be committed online and how to prevent them from happening.
Parental control applications
Find out about parental control apps to help parents and caregivers protect children’s privacy and online safety.
Social media
Explore digital and media literacy
Get educational tools and learning modules from the Media Awareness Network to help you learn more about digital and social media.
Social networking
Learn what stories to keep, how to help manage social networking during the pandemic, and other social networking topics.
Help! Someone shared a photo of me without my consent! – Tip sheet
Get tips on what to do if you post something you regret or someone posts something about you that you didn’t want them to.
18 Social media apps and sites kids are using right now
Learn about social networking applications and sites that teens use.
Screen time and young children
Find out what Canadian pediatricians say about screen time for children under the age of 5.
Social media: What parents should know
Find out what Canadian pediatricians say about sharing information and images through social media.
Social Media Map
Get information about the many social media websites, including those related to gaming.
Gaming
Keeping games fun and friendly
Learn how to keep games fun.
Online gaming
Learn about the online games that youth play and problems with online gaming. You’ll also find guidelines for parents to help youth manage gaming at home.
Parental controls for gaming
Get tips to help parents encourage healthy online gaming.
Game age ratings
Get information to help you choose age-appropriate games for children.
Advertising and marketing guidelines – International Age Rating Coalition (IARC)
Learn about game ratings and content and how games are marketed.
Wish Day is Coming!
Our student leadership crew is back again with another great initiative! Inspired by the Disney movie, Wish, our students would like to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation.
On the following dates, leadership students will make snow cones and sell them for $1 cash only: (All profits will go to the Make a Wish Foundation)
- June 17: grades 3-6
- June 18: kindergarten to grade 2
Students are also invited to dress up as their favourite Disney character on June 17 as part of the Wish Day! Enjoy some fun and a tasty treat so that someone can get their wish!
Click here to see our student leadership flyer!
Little Elk Island Adventure: Registration
Elk Island Public Schools is once again planning to run the Little Elk Island Adventure, a fun and informative program for first-time school bus riders.
Annually, Student Transportation offers the Little Elk Island Adventure to new riders and their parents. The program’s aim: To help introduce families to busing so they feel comfortable and at ease before even starting school. Through a series of activities, riders learn about school bus safety, danger zones, tips on boarding and how to sit properly on the bus. After that, both the children and parents hop on the bus to practice what they’ve learned by venturing out on a short ride.
The Little Elk Island Adventure is for first-time school bus riders entering the 2024-25 school year. The tentative session dates and times are as follows:
Location Date Time
EIPS Central Services August 12 5 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 12 6:30 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 14 5 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 16 2 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 16 5 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 19 2 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 19 5 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 20 5 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 20 6:30 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 21 5 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 21 6:30 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 14 2 p.m.
* Special Education session for PALS and Project Unit Funding students only.
SouthPointe School August 13 5 p.m.
SouthPointe School August 13 6:30 p.m.
** SouthPointe School locations are for students attending schools in Fort Saskatchewan.
SouthPointe School August 22 5 p.m.
* Special Education session for PALS and Project Unit Funding students only.
A.L. Horton Elementary August 15 5 p.m.
*** The A.L. Horton Elementary location is for students attending schools in Vegreville and the surrounding area. This session is a combined session for regular busing students and Special Education students for PALS and Project Unit Funding students.
EIPS Central Services is located at 683 Wye Rd., Sherwood Park
SouthPointe School is located at 11 SouthPointe Blvd., Fort Saskatchewan
A.L. Horton Elementary is located at 5037 48 Ave., Vegreville
Space is limited and pre-registration is required.
More information about busing for kindergarten children is available at: eips.ca/transportation/kindergarten-busing-faq.
STEM Summer Camp: Steamoji
Looking for a new opportunity for your child this summer? Steamoji, a new STEM Maker Academy for kids has recently launched in Sherwood Park.
Click here for a flyer about their upcoming June 13 open house.
INFORMATION
EIPS Annual Education Results Report
Every year, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) publishes an Annual Education Results Report, which outlines the Division’s Four-Year Education Plan, opportunities for growth and how it’s supporting students to achieve the best possible outcomes. Read through this year’s EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2022-23 and discover how EIPS fosters learning environments for all students to learn, grow and thrive—and why it matters.
June Spotlight: EIPS Four-Year Education Plan: 2022-26 (Year 3), which details the Division’s priorities, goals and outcomes over a four-year period.
- Priority 1: To promote the growth and success of all students.
- Priority 2: To enhance high-quality learning and working environments.
- Priority 3: To enhance public education through effective engagement.
The plan also outlines the performance measures and strategies the Division will use to meet each priority, goal and outcome in the 2024-25 school year.
RELATED INFORMATION
EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2022-23
EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2022-23: Overview
EIPS Three-Year Capital Plan: 2025-28
Did you know?
EIPS is collectively committed to ensuring all members of the school community are provided with welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environments that respect diversity and foster a sense of belonging.
Specifically, the Division believes that all individuals within EIPS have the right to learn in settings that promote equality of opportunity, dignity and respect regardless of race, age, ancestry, place of origin, colour, religious beliefs, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical or mental disability, marital status, family status, socioeconomic status and sexual orientation. Learn more:
- Board Policy 19: Welcoming, Caring, Respectful and Safe Learning and Working Environments
- Administrative Procedure 170: Welcoming, Caring, Respectful and Safe Learning and Working Environments for Staff
- Administrative Procedure 311: Welcoming, Caring, Respectful and Safe Learning Environments for Students
Pre-kindergarten Programming at EIPS
Is there a preschooler in your life experiencing developmental delays or challenges with speech-language or motor-skill development—big or small? If so, Elk Island Public School’s Play And Learn at School (PALS) program could help.
Early learning lays the foundation for success in primary grades and beyond. As such, EIPS offers the pre-kindergarten PALS program in five of its elementary school locations. Applications are still open for free speech-language assessments for those interested in registering in the PALS program this fall. The assessment helps determine if PALS is appropriate for your child.
If you know a preschooler, born in 2020 or 2021, who could benefit from pre-kindergarten programming or want to book an assessment, fill out the PALS Program Request Form or call 780-417-8219. For more information, visit eips.ca.