Dear Lynx families/Chères familles Lynx,
February marks the recognition of Black History Month. The theme being celebrated across Canada this year is “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations."
At Vanier we will be highlighting the month in class through lessons and assignments. We are also working with students and teachers and encouraging them to share stories of the 2025 theme with the Vanier community.
I also believe that this conversation should be carried on at home and I would also like to invite our community to share their stories and narratives around this theme. If families want to share their stories on black legacy and leadership with the Vanier community please speak with your children, send them to school with these stories or contact me directly and please add to the narrative of GP Vanier.
We have sorted our lost and found recently. We have asked our students to have a look to see if anything missing is there. If parents or guardians would like to come have a look, the items are located in our front atrium.
Finally, we have a few fundraisers coming up in support of GP Vanier and our students. These are the School Casino, the Coco Brooks fundraiser and a GP Vanier bottle drive. More information on each can be found below.
Bonne fin de semaine,
Mr. Chad Edmonds – Principal Georges P Vanier School
February is Black History Month
Each February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and celebrations that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada and their communities.
The 2025 theme for Black History Month is: “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” This theme acknowledges the diversity of Black Canadians, the importance of Black leadership and the legacy being built for future generations. Black communities are diverse at many levels. Those with a long history in this country have established a legacy for the newer communities. The theme underscores that Black Canadians have a rightful place in the nation's narrative, with over 400 years of historical presence on these Indigenous lands, deserving acknowledgment and celebration. (From the Canadian Heritage website)
At Vanier we will be highlighting the month in class through lessons and assignments. We are also working with students and teachers and encouraging them to share stories of the 2025 theme with the Vanier community.
Eastern Canada Bottle Drive
From February 18 to the 21 we will be running a bottle drive to support the Eastern Canada field trip. Please bring your bottles to Vanier to support the Grade 9 Quebec trip. You can also drop off your bottles anytime at the North Hill Bottle Depot located at 336 41 Ave NE #120 and request that the money is donated to GP Vanier 2025 Trip.
Coco Brooks Fundraiser
The Parent Council at G.P. Vanier is raising funds for our students with COCO BROOKS - pizza, wings, cookies, pasta, smoothies, and more! There's even Gluten Free! Can't decide? There are gift cards available! Starting Feb 6 and running until Feb 21, your orders will be delivered to the school on March 7. Use this link and sign up as a Customer to begin your order:
Families must create an account using the code listed to order pizzas. We appreciate your support! With the funds raised, our students can do amazing things!
Yearbook Information
Families, if you are interested in ordering a yearbook, please visit the link attached: https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A09700335
Students will also have access to a flyer with a QR code that can be scanned.
- Current Price: $35
- Deadline to Order: February 28, 2025
- Students will not receive a yearbook if they do not order by this date
School Casino
Date(s): Wednesday February 12 and Thursday February 13 2025 at the Ace Airport Casino: 40 AERO CRES NE
We have a school fundraising casino coming up on February 12 and 13 (this is the days leading into teachers' convention/Family Holiday). The money raised from events like this is a huge financial support to schools like Vanier. Our last casino raised upwards of $75 000 which our parent council has used to support numerous activities and improvements around the building. These include: paid buses for each class to lower the cost of field trips, a renovated learning common, PE equipment that has led to a broader more inclusive program, learning resources to support our English and French students, a wider, more up to date, selection of books in the learning commons and much more. We are currently 5 volunteers short for the evening. If you would be interested in volunteering some time at this event there is more information below, or you can email our school council president, Farouk Gillani at faroukgillani@me.com
High School Transfers
With high school registration well under way, many students are curious about high school transfers. Please be aware that high school transfer request will be open on February 10. All information can be found on the CBE website.
GEM Program
We are excited to participate in GEM this year. Girls Excel in Math (GEM) Calgary is a Saturday enrichment program for grades 6 - 8 students who identify as girls and want to have fun exploring some interesting mathematical topics with their teacher and schoolmates!
Students will have fun exploring mathematical topics that they would not normally see in the classroom.
Winter 2025 Dates: GEM will take place at the University of Calgary from 9 am – 12 pm on the following dates:
- Saturday, Mar. 8, 2025: Mathematical Card Tricks
- Saturday, Apr. 5, 2025: Taxicab Geometry
If your child is interested, please email - Mme Shah at rashah@cbe.ab.ca
In the email, please mention the full name of your child, their grade and their homeroom teacher.
Thank you,
Mme Shah
Upcoming Sports Dates
- Monday: Boys’ volleyball at Queen Elizabeth
- Tuesday: Girls’ volleyball at Queen Elizabeth
- Wednesday: Boys’ volleyball at SJAM
- Thursday: no sports scheduled
- Friday: no sports scheduled
** please see the board outside the gym for new volleyball practice schedule **
Upcoming Dates
Feb 13 – Teacher’s Convention (no school)
Feb 14 – Teacher's Convention (no school)
Feb 17 – Family Day (schools closed)
Feb 20 – GP Vanier Late Immersion Open House (6:30-7:30 pm)
Feb 25 – School Council meeting (7 pm)
Feb 28 – Non-Instructional Day