Mustang Memo - May 15, 2024
This week we were able to meet the families of our newest members of the Mustang herd - next year's kindergarten students.
Thank you to all of the parents who joined us to learn all about what kindergarten looks like for next year. We couldn't help but feel excited about welcoming our new students!
Speaking of excitement, we had such a great time at last week's Family Dance! Thank you to our incredible student leadership club for hosting some great outdoor games and prizes throughout the event. It was great to see so many families enjoying the nice weather! Thank you to our parent fundraising group for running the concession and a huge thank you to our parent DJ, Nicole Yamniuk, who rocked the gym once more!
We hope that you are able to enjoy a some time as a family over this nice long weekend!
Helene Hewitt & Jay Robertson
Principal & Assistant Principal
You belong here!
Table of Contents
Week At a Glance
Action
- Seeking Your Input
Opportunity
- Counselor's Corner
Information
- LitBits: Invented Spelling
- Parents Make the Difference
WEEK AT A GLANCE
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ACTION
Seeking Your Input
Last week we had an great conversation with parents in our school council meeting. We are looking ahead to what areas we want to focus on as a school to continue to improve student success both academically and emotionally.
Our data suggests that we have more work to do in supporting students with their mental health as well as keeping a focus on foundational math facts and writing. These are the three areas we will focus on next year.
We would still like to know more about how parents can be involved in supporting our goals. We asked our school council the following questions:
- How can we get parent involved in writing, foundational math, and mental health initiatives?
- How can we better communicate with parents so that they are more aware of what is happening in the school?
If you'd like to answer these questions, we'd love to hear your thoughts. You can fill out this survey:
DCE School Education Plan Survey for Parents
Your feedback will help us to develop our School Education Plan for the 2023-24 school year. Thank you for being our partners in making our school the best school possible!
OPPORTUNITY
Counselor's Corner
Accessing mental health interventions poses a challenge for many families. If accessibility has been a barrier for you, you may be interested in exploring a new service being offered here in Alberta called EaseCARE.
"EaseCARE Medical is a mental health care provider focused on a holistic team approach offering access to a community of mental health experts ranging from counselors, to physicians, to psychiatrists.” EaseCARE offers the following services:
Mental Health
Easy access to care that is covered by your Alberta healthcare card. Access mental health assessments and consults with physicians to support your journey towards better mental health.
Complex Care
Psychiatrists are also available to help address more complex mental health needs. Book an assessment with one of our clinicians or obtained a referral from your family physician. Visits are covered by your Alberta healthcare card.
Counselling
Access a team of counsellors that specialize in a wide variety of mental health topics. These consults are often covered by your employee benefits or health spending accounts. Receipts provided. (Private Pay)
Click here to learn more.
Madison Bashaw & Kelley Mitchell
~ DCE school counselors
INFORMATION
LitBits - Invented Spelling
Did you know that students making up spelling using the sounds and letters they know, even when it's wrong, is an important part of learning to read and write?
This week, watch Mrs. Martin-Spady as she shares tips on supporting students with invented spelling.
Parents make the difference
Here is this week's article with helpful tips for families:
Inspire journal writing with creative ideas
This upcoming summer is a great time to begin writing in a journal. All your child needs is an empty notebook and a few fun ideas to get started.
Suggest that your child keep:
- A research log. Have your child pick a subject, such as penguins, and then research and write about it. What do penguins eat? Who are penguins’ predators? How do penguins communicate? How do penguins move from one place to another?
- A travel log. Each time you go somewhere special—whether it’s far away or close to home—your child can keep a record by taking pictures, drawing or writing notes. What did your child see? Who did your child meet? What did your child think about the place?
- An observation log. Suggest that your child observe something over a period of time, such as a summer vegetable as it grows. Or, suggest things to describe in great detail, such as bugs or animals.
Reprinted with permission from the May 2024 issue of Parents make the difference!® (Elementary School Edition) newsletter. Copyright © 2024 The Parent Institute®, a division of PaperClip Media, Inc.