Dear Vanier Families, 

At GP Vanier, we are excited to celebrate several upcoming spirit days, including Heritage Day, Teacher and Student Swap Day, and Homeroom Colour Day. These events bring energy and joy to our school and are wonderful opportunities to celebrate what makes Vanier special. They are truly at the heart of our community, reminding us that we are one school, many communities. 

I would like to share an opportunity for youth in our community who may be looking for summer employment. The City of Calgary is hosting a Youth Hiring Fair for young people aged 15–24 on March 26, 2026, at the Big Four Building in Stampede Park. It is an excellent chance to connect with employers and explore summer job opportunities. Please see this link for more information: https://www.calgary.ca/social-services/youth/hiring-fair.html.   

Big congratulations to all our volleyball teams on their seasons.  The last of our teams was knocked out in the semi-finals last night.  Thank you to all the coaches (parents and teachers) for their guidance this season.  Also, thank you to all the families who supported their children getting to and from games, and for cheering them on. 

Badminton practices have been announced.  They will begin after spring break.  Please see below for the schedule, and students can check the PE hallway for more information.

Finally, a reminder that Parent-Teacher conferences are scheduled for next week.  There is a message below in regard to this.   For specific help on booking conferences, you can also visit this link: https://support.cbe.ab.ca/mycbe-powerschool-school-conferences  

Bon weekend, 

Mr. Chad Edmonds – Principal École Georges P Vanier School 

Parent Teacher Conferences! 

Parent Teacher Conferences are open for booking! You need to book through your MyCBE account. There are a number of conferences to choose from as we have many programs in our school. So please pay close attention when booking your conferences. 

  • Gr. 6 Conferences (In-Person/Online) – For our Gr. 6 families. Please book with your Homeroom Teacher only. They will have notes for you from other teachers if needed. 
  • Gr. 7-9 English Program (In-Person/Online) – For our Grade 7-9 English Program Families. Please book with your Grade Team. You will meet with both Core Teachers at the same time. 
  • Gr. 7-9 French Program (In-Person/Online) – For our Grade 7-9 French Families. Please book with any French Core Subject Teacher you would like individually. Mme. Finley is not available on the Thursday In-Person Sessions. She has another Conference available for booking In-Person Conferences on Wednesday March 18, 2026, instead. 
  • Gr. 7-9 P.E./Options (In-Person/Online) – For all our Gr. 7-9 Families regardless of program. These are for all Option and P.E. Teachers. 

Please make sure you read all conference information when booking your conferences. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the school at 403-777-7460. 

Gary Weimann Award 

It’s hard to believe it’s that time again but I am pleased to confirm that applications for EducationMatters Awards are now open! 

With this, students at Georges P. Vanier School can now apply for the Gary Weimann Award for Community Service. Like last year, I have put the deadline as May 30! 

As in the past, to apply, students can visit our application portal at https://applications.educationmatters.ca, register an account and look for the “Gary Weimann Award for Community Service” application. 

A Message from School Council 

Dear families, please click here for an announcement from the parent council regarding traffic safety around Vanier. 

Child Care Tax Receipts – Lunch Supervision 

Child Care Tax Receipts for CBE Lunch Supervision (January 2025–December 2025) are now available through MyCBE. 

Please download and/or print your online receipt to include with your 2025 tax return. Paper copies are no longer provided. If you do not already have a MyCBE account, please create one to access your receipt. MyCBE > Fees, Waivers & Service Registrations > Menu (three lines) > Tax Receipts 

Winston Heights Community Newsletter 

Share Your Stories – We’d Love to Hear From You 

One of the things that makes our community special is the people who live here. Their stories, talents, experiences, and moments—big or small—are what truly bring our neighbourhood to life. That’s why we’re inviting community members to contribute content for future issues of this newsletter. 

If you enjoy writing, photography, history, or simply sharing something interesting or uplifting, we’d love to consider your submission. 

What kind of content are we looking for? 
We’re interested in pieces that are informative, educational, or entertaining, and that reflect community life. Ideas include: 

  • A short story or reflection about life in the neighbourhood 
  • A local history piece or “did you know?” article 
  • A resident-written column on a hobby, skill, or passion 
  • Photos from a recent community-hosted event (with a short caption or story) 
  • A creative contribution like a poem, puzzle, cartoon, or game 
  • Letters to the editor or thoughtful opinion pieces on community topics 
  • Helpful, non-promotional how-to articles or seasonal tips 

To keep things fair and aligned with our newsletter guidelines, submissions cannot include links, self-promotion, advertising, calls to action, or content that promotes paid programs, services, businesses, or events. The focus should always be on sharing information or stories—not selling or promoting. 

Length & format guidelines: 

  • Articles should be approximately 300–600 words 
  • If you include photos, the written word count should be shorter 
  • Photos should be clear, high-quality, and relevant to the story 

Please note that the newsletter team reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity, tone, content, and length to ensure everything fits well within the publication. 

If you’ve been thinking, “I have something I could share,” this is your nudge. Whether it’s thoughtful, fun, creative, or informative—your voice matters, and your contribution helps make this newsletter a true reflection of our community. 

We look forward to reading what you send! 

— Shannon Smith, Your Newsletter Editor 

Healthy Hunger is Back! 

We’re excited to announce our upcoming Healthy Hunger lunches! 

  • April 17: Coco Brooks 

You can now place your orders online through Healthy Hunger. Please remember that orders close 5 days before each lunch date, so don’t miss out!  Orders can be placed at: https://healthyhunger.ca/  

Any lunches that are not picked up on the day will be donated. 

Thank you for supporting our school and enjoying a tasty lunch or snack at the same time! 

Vanier Community Corner 

 1. Outdoor Education Donations

Our growing Outdoor Education program is accepting donations of outdoor equipment in good repair. We are looking for:

  • Cross-country ski gear (boots, skis, poles)
  • Snowshoes
  • Daypacks
  • Multi-day backpacking backpacks
  • Hiking boots
  • Tarps
  • Sleeping pads
  • Sleeping bags

Please contact Mr. Eitzen at mdeitzen@cbe.ab.ca for more information.

2. Lightly used French books needed for the library.   

-If you have some new graphic novels or fiction books in French that are suitable for middle years students, we would be happy to accept them!  Please drop them off at the main office. 

3. Hall Pass Donations

We are looking for interesting and unique items to use as classroom hall passes. Examples include a rubber duck or a small hub cap.

We use these passes to minimize student traffic during class time, and it lets teachers quickly identify which students have permission to be in the hallway and what class they are from at a distance.  

If you have any items that fit this description, please send them to school and we will gladly put them to use. 

Upcoming Sports Dates 

  • Monday:  no sports scheduled 
  • Tuesday: no sports scheduled 
  • Wednesday: no sports scheduled 
  • Thursday: no sports scheduled 
  • Friday: no sports scheduled 

Badminton Tryout dates:

Junior Team (grade 6 & 7):

  • Grade 6: March 31 at 3:45 pm
  • Grade 7: April 1 at 3:45 pm
  • Callbacks: April 2 at 3:45 pm

Senior Team (grades 8 & 9)

  • Grade 8 & 9: March 31 at 8 am
  • Grade 8 & 9: April 1 at 8 am
  • Callbacks: TBD