Dear Lynx families/Chères familles Lynx

We are one week into Semester 2 already! If your child is considering a change of Option Course, please remind them that the form is due this Wednesday. It requires a conversation at home with you as their parent and your parent signature before being handed in to the office. Request forms will be considered and if there are changes, your child will be informed the following week.

The Dodgeball Tournament has been a tremendous success! The competitiveness and enthusiasm of athletes and spectators is incredible. Thank you to the teachers who are participating, and to Mme Scholz for organizing this event with her Grade 9 Farewell Committee.

Happy Lunar New Year to our many families, students and staff who are celebrating this weekend and into next week. Please see the invitation below in this update inviting our community to a celebration next weekend.

In recognition of Black History Month, over the course of February, teachers and students will be undertaking lessons and assignments that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities. Ask your child how the theme this year is being recognized and celebrated in their classes this month.

The 2024 theme for Black History Month in Canada is: “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build”. This theme celebrates the rich contributions and accomplishments, past and present, of Black people in Canada, while also aspiring to embrace new opportunities for the future. Our Diversity Club is represented by various student voices, and they have been adding to the cultural calendar in our main foyer on the upstairs floor. Ask your child to review this informative bulletin board and tell you one event from this month.

Bonne fin de semaine,

Mme Laurelle Edmiston – Acting Principal Georges P Vanier School

Our Georges P. Vanier School website has information as well.

New School Website

All CBE schools will be switching over to new websites over the next while, and BP's website will be new as of February 9. The tech team is working busily to migrate our content over. From February 14 onwards, you can find our website here: https://georgespvanier.cbe.ab.ca. All new information will be posted at the site of the new address from the 14th onwards. 

Yearbooks

Our 2023-2024 Yearbooks are now available for pre-order IN THE OFFICE. The cost of a yearbook is $30 each and will be added as a fee in PowerSchool once your child signs up in the office. This year, we are aiming for a spring delivery so students will be able to have their yearbooks signed by classmates and teachers prior to leaving for the summer!

Lunar New Year

Attached is an invitation to Chung Wah’s Lunar New Year celebration on February 17th. All of GPV’s learning community is invited to attend.

Franco Winterfest

The ACFA of Calgary is pleased to announce that we will be holding our Franco Winterfest on March 2 and 3, 2024 at La cité des rocheuses and Sainte Marguerite Bourgeoys School.

During the festival we are organizing in partnership with Le Centre de Developpement Musical a mini Galala for students 8 years and older, the goal of this mini Galala is to identify emerging artists from francophone and immersion schools and give them the opportunity to perform on stage in front of an audience.

We are fortunate to have Mr. Pierre Sabourin, a renowned author and composer, as our artistic director who will have a preparatory workshop with the selected students.

We will choose 4 students who will perform on stage each 15 min.

Here are the Conditions:

• Be 8 years old and older.
• Be fluent in French.
• Be committed to learning the chosen instrumental piece or song.
• Present an instrumental piece, a song, a dance number.
• Participate in the preparatory workshop.
• Be available for the performance date. 

Please contact Mme Laurelle Edmiston if your child is interested.

Upcoming Sports Dates

Monday, February 12 – Boys Volleyball GPV@QE
Tuesday, February 13 – Girls Volleyball GPV@QE
Wednesday, February 14 – no games scheduled
Thursday, February 15  – no sports scheduled, Teachers Convention
Friday, February 16 – no sports scheduled, Teachers Convention
Students, please continue to check the schedule outside of the gym for updates.

Upcoming Dates

Feb. 19: Family Day (no school)
Feb. 23: Healthy Hunger Mucho Burrito delivered
Feb. 27: 922 To William Aberhart High School
Feb. 27: Band Parents Association & School Council Meeting
Feb. 28: Pink Shirt Day
Mar. 6: Grade 9 French Immersion classes to Samian Concert
Mar.8: Last Day to order Healthy Hunger Mr. Pretzel: https://healthyhunger.ca/
Mar. 11 & 12: Grade 8 & 9 Band Camp
Mar. 15: Healthy Hunger Mr. Pretzel delivered
Mar. 19 & 20: Grade 7 Journey 2050
Mar. 20: French Immersion Gr.7 to 50th Anniversary Celebration of Frech Immersion in CBE
Mar. 21 & 22: Parent Teacher Conferences
Mar. 22: Non-Instruction Day (no school for students)
Mar. 25 – Apr. 1: Spring Break!