Dear Vanier families
Thank you to all the families that came to the first school council meeting of the year. We had a strong turn out but we are always inviting more families to come. Our next meeting is October 28 which will also be their annual general meeting. It would be fantastic to see some new faces as well as all parents/guardians who would be interested in taking a leadership role moving forward. As our current president, Farouk Gillani, shared; the school council has raised in the neighborhood of $400 000 to support Vanier’s students and our programs. This has been vital in allowing us to build programs and create a wider learning environment at Vanier. If you would like more information about the school council, please contact me and I will put you in touch with Mr. Gillani.
Congratulations to our Cross-Country team that wrapped up their season this week. Over the course of the season, I had numerous other principals reach out and tell me how impressed they were by the size of our team and their behaviour. I think this is best summed up by an email we received from another school’s parent:
“I was at the CBE Cross-Country run this afternoon (Sept. 22), and I was so impressed with the attitude of your students.
There was a group wearing Vanier shirts, and they were cheering for EVERYBODY.
They were near the finish, and were clapping and shouting things like, "You're almost there! Keep going!" You're so close!" "Amazing job!"
You should be proud of the community you have fostered.”
It was brought to my attention by the school council, and by teachers, that it might be good to add a section to the weekly update that speaks specifically of donations for things that would assist Vanier in the running of clubs or option classes. So, for the first time, below I have added a section called “Vanier community requests” (although if you have another name, I would be happy to listen). In this section you will find any requests my staff has for materials to assist them.
In closing, just a reminder, that with Monday being a PD Day and Tuesday being National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, students will not be back at school until Wednesday, October 1st.
Bon week-end,
Mr. Chad Edmonds – Principal École Georges P Vanier School
GP Vanier Cafeteria Menu
French Classes for Adults
Hello Vanier community, I wanted to let you know that two of our staff, Ms. Rossum and Mme. Gillespie are working with Chinook Learning Services to offer French courses for adults here at Vanier. Level 1 will be starting in October and Level 2 is scheduled as part of their winter programming. For more information, please visit the link below.
School Store Items Available!
There are some items available to purchase from the school! See the items below and their prices. To get these items, the fee is available for you to add to your “Cart”. Once you pay for the items, please have your student come to the Main Office and talk to Ms. Beth and she will get the items ordered for your student.
A few things to note!
- Sales are final. We can’t take back anything that has left the office.
- If you order a T-Shirt or Shorts, when the student comes to the office, we will assist the student in selecting the size that they are comfortable with.
- You MUST pay for all items before the student can pick them up from Ms. Beth. Ms. Beth will go into the system and check for payment before giving the student their items.
- If you ordered and paid for an item, and we don’t have the correct size, the amount paid will be applied to any outstanding school fees. If there are no current outstanding school fees, either a refund can be done in the form of a cheque, or it can stay on account for future fees applied.
School Store Items Available
- Athletic Socks - $15
- Dress Socks - $15
- GPV Gym Shorts - $19
- GPV Gym T-Shirt - $16
- GPV Water Bottle - $10
We will be having an Online Store later in the year, but the date that will be available is not confirmed. In the Online Store there will be a wider variety of clothing items available for purchase. More details to come!
Orange Shirt Day & National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Event
All staff, students, families, and friends are invited to continue their learning and show their support on Tuesday, Sept. 30 from 9 - 10:30 a.m. at the Orange Shirt Day & National Day for Truth and Reconciliation event taking place at the Confluence Historic Site.
Link: Orange Shirt Day
Child and Youth Well-Being Family and Caregiver Series
The Calgary Board of Education invites all parents and guardians to join a live online series on supporting child and youth well-being. The series is hosted by the Recovery Alberta Community Education Service (CES) Program in collaboration with local experts from the Calgary community.
Please visit the CBE website with sessions designed to provide families with knowledge, tools, and strategies to help navigate the challenges and opportunities of raising children and teens today. Along with the poster, additional session details are available on the Child and Youth Family and Caregiver Series page.
Radio-Canada Workshops
Radio-Canada is excited to offer a free and enriching activity at your local library or francophone cultural centre!
We’re inviting young people to dive into a unique journalistic and educational experience, inspired by La Minute MAJ and the stories produced by RAD. This isn’t just an activity — it’s a creative and fun adventure for youth aged 9 to 17, designed to spark curiosity and build confidence. And who knows? It might even uncover some hidden talents, both in front of and behind the camera!
Click here for more information.
Vanier Community Requests
Calling All Old Jeans!
Our CTF Fashion class is starting a fun upcycling project, and we need your help! We're looking for old or torn jeans and jean jackets to turn into creative and functional denim bags. If you have any to spare, please send them in with your child next week. Thanks for supporting hands-on learning and sustainability!
Crochet Club
The crochet club does need donated yarn and crochet needles. I bought ALL the yarn that was left at Good Will. It's cheap there- 4 balls of yarn for 3. 50$. But the students are using it quickly. I had 23 participants on Tuesday.
-Thank you to the grade 6 family that donated extra crochet hooks!
Upcoming Sports Dates
It is a requirement for host schools to provide student scorekeepers for basketball games. Any students interested please see Mme. Dunn on Wednesday. There will be reminders of this meeting during morning announcements.
Monday: No School
Tuesday: No School
Wednesday: Jr. Boys Basketball at Valley Creek (5:30 pm)
Thursday: Boys Soccer vs Colonel Irvine at Vanier
Friday: no sports scheduled
Basketball Practices
Please be aware that practice times are subject to change due to game days.
Jr girls:
- Monday mornings
- Wednesday after school
Sr girls:
- Monday after school
- Wednesday mornings
Sr boys:
- Tuesday mornings
- Thursday at lunch
Jr. boys:
- Tuesday after school
- Thursday mornings
Upcoming Dates
September 29: Non-Instructional Day (no school for students)
September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (schools closed)
October 1-3: Grade 8 Outdoor Education Camping Trip
October 3: Orange Shirt Day (This is when we will recognize it at Vanier).
October 6: Field Placement One Student Teachers Arrive
October 13: Thanksgiving – (schools closed)
October 14: Wrestling Season begins
October 15: Grade 8 to Wordfest
October 17: Field Placement One Student Teachers Finish
October 17: Parent-Teacher Conferences (1:30 pm- 4:00pm in person)
October 20: Parent-Teacher Conferences (9 am – 3 pm online) - no school for students
October 23: Photo Retake Day
October 27: Final Year Student Teachers being
October 29: Aberhart Feeder Concert