Dear Lynx families/Chères familles de Lynx,

This month Canada is celebrating Latin American History Month, German Heritage Month, Womens History Month, as well as Islamic Heritage Month (which is focusing on Celebrating Muslim Women in the Arts and Sciences).

I point this out not just to recognize the different groups above, but also to illustrate why families and schools need to work in partnership when it comes to the students. While teachers here can design tasks that encourage students to connect themselves, their background and culture with the curriculum; families sharing their stories with their children is equally, if not more, important.

We have started a Vanier Diversity Club, in the hopes that students, regardless of heritage, will join and find a place to find their voice and share their story with others. With the assistance of Mme. Gillespie these voices can echo through the school, and hopefully, educate and empower others. If students are interested in joining, please see Mme. Laurelle or myself in the office, or visit Mme. Gillespie in room 14.

I hope this Thanksgiving weekend, families have a chance to sit down and share some of their family stories with each other.

Bonne long weekend,
Chad Edmonds – Principal GP Vanier

Reporting Attendance Related Information

We have received numerous emails the past few weeks around attendance notifications going home. This is due to a feature in PowerSchool that alerts parents about absences or lates. Please see below for the Attendance Reporting Procedure that we use here at Vanier:

Reporting an Absence

• Please call the school 403-777-7460 and select “1” to go to the Attendance Line. Leave a detailed message as to the reason for absence and please state the students First and Last name. Please spell your students last name so we can accurately input the absence.
• If you are unable to call the school that day, please update the school ASAP so we can have accurate attendance for your student.
• You can also email the Main Office to report your students absence on the General Email georgespvaniershool@cbe.ab.ca , Beth Gilkes (Admin Secretary) eagilkes@cbe.ab.ca , or Lori Stotz(Secretary) ljstotz@cbe.ab.ca
• It is BEST to call the Attendance Line to report an absence. The Attendance Line is always checked at least twice a day. Sending an email is not the best way as we never know if everyone is in attendance to get those emails.
• Feel free to inform teachers via email of a student’s absence so they are aware and can let you know of any work being missed. It is a student’s responsibility to complete missed work when away for any reason.

If you have informed the school of an absence but still receive a phone call/email, please check your PowerSchool Account the next day to see if the system has been updated. If it has not been updated correctly by the next day, please call the school at that point. We may enter attendance after the phone calls/emails go out to families.

Student Leaving Early

Please see the options below to sign out a student to leave early during school time.

• Call the school when you arrive to pick up your student. The office will then call the student out and can send them out to you once they sign out at the office.
• Come into the office and sign out your student
• Send your student with a note which they will show the office at the time they need to sign out
• If a student requests to leave early (sick etc.) we will contact the parent and the parent will then let us know if the student has permission to leave on their own or if they will be picked up. We need parent permission before we can let a student leave the school early.

School Photos

You can order your child’s school photos online at: https://my.lifetouch.ca/mylifetouch/#/

You will use your child’s Student ID, which is their CBE number, to order their photo. You can find this information in MyCBE on a previous year Report Card or IPP, or ask your child. You can also use the information given on the Photo Proof that you received.

Retakes will be October 26. If you want retakes, please hold on to the proofs until this day and have your child bring them to give to the photographer so they know how to improve your child’s picture. If your child was absent for the original photo day, their photo will be taken this day.

Lunch Updates

Did you know your child has access to food if they forget to bring some from home? We have emergency snacks for students in the office and lunches. Brown Bagging for Kids supplies us with lunches to give students emergency food which includes a sandwich, vegetables, fruit and a snack. We never want students to go hungry, but there are limited resources.

We have also noticed an increase in students requesting utensils; can you please remind your child to bring their own spoon or fork to eat their lunches. While we have some utensils we can give students, the cost has been increasing for these supplies.

YMCA – Mental Wellness Program

Y Mind is a FREE 7-week mental wellness program for teenagers (13-18 years old). The program aims to support and provide resources for teenagers experiencing mild to moderate levels of stress and/or anxiety. Y Mind is grounded on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness and allows participants to learn more about different ways of how to manage their stress and anxiety. This program is facilitated by trained mental health professionals and there will always be two facilitators at each session. They have seen proven results nationally of reduced stress and anxiety related symptoms, increased overall wellbeing, and an increased ability to cope with difficult emotions.

Participants will receive a workbook of all the activities done during the program, so they can review and practice at home. We do provide snacks for participants during the program and meet other individuals experiencing similar feelings. Upon completion of the program, participants would receive a Certificate of Program Completion and a free 2-month YMCA gym membership as improving one's physical wellbeing has shown that it improved mental wellbeing.

Y Mind is generously supported by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Alberta Government and allows us to offer the program at multiple locations throughout the city. The closest location to Vanier is the Rocky Ridge Y.

Individuals can learn more about our program on our website (https://www.ymcacalgary.org/y-mind-mental-wellness-program) or complete a Formstack request (https://ymcacalgary.formstack.com/forms/ymind_intake_form_ymcacalgary) to sign up for our Information and Intake Sessions. Students 14 and older can self-register for the program without parental consent as well. Interested individuals can contact our general Y Mind email if they have any questions at ymind@calgary.ymca.ca.

Sport Spectators

With this week marking the start of basketball season we wanted to share an announcement about spectators, especially those who would like to watch our Lynx play at other schools. Our division has a Spectator Rule where students from another school must be supervised by an adult if they are at your school to watch Basketball Games. Host schools can turn away student spectators from other schools if they are not supervised by an adult.

Healthy Hunger “Hot Lunch” Fundraiser

The grade 9 Eastern Canada Trip students are organizing a “hot lunch” fundraiser through Healthy Hunger. There will be multiple hot lunches throughout the year; the first of which is Subway! From Monday, September 18 – Friday October 20, pre-order your students’ Subway lunch online at Healthy Hunger. Orders will be delivered during period 7 on Friday, October 27.

Current Healthy Hunger lunches you can order:

October 27 – Subway
November 17 – Little Caesar’s (cannot be ordered yet)
December 15 – Jelly Modern Doughnuts
January 26 – Jugo Juice
February 23 – Mucho Burrito
March 15 – Mr. Pretzel’s
April 26 – Opa (cannot be ordered yet)
May 31 – Edible Arrangements
June 21 – Volio’s Confections (cannot be ordered yet)

Register Student à Georges P. Vanier à Booster Juice à Order à Pay.

Upcoming Sports Dates

Tuesday October 10– Boys soccer at FEO, Jr Girls’ Basketball at Queen Elizabeth
Wednesday October 11 – Girls’ soccer at Tom Baines, Sr. Boys’ basketball at Valley Creek
Thursday October 12 – Boys' soccer against T.B. Riley, Sr. Girls’ Basketball at HD Cartwright

Students, please continue to check the schedule outside of the gym for updates.

Upcoming Dates

Oct. 9: Thanksgiving Day (Schools are closed)
Oct. 10 & 11: Riverwatch Field Trips for grade 9 classes
Oct 12: Eastern Canada Parent interest meeting
Oct. 13: WordFest Field Trip for grade 6 classes
Oct. 20: Last Day to order Healthy Hunger-Subway
Oct. 20: Professional Development Day (No school for students)
Oct. 24: Band Feeder Concert at William Aberhart
Oct. 25: Band Parent Association & School Council AGM 7:00pm Click here to join the meeting
Oct. 25 & 26: Camp Chief Hector Parent Night for Grade 9 Parents at 5:30
Oct 25: 9-21 to visit William Aberhart High School
Oct. 26: Photo Retakes
Oct. 27: Healthy Hunger Subway Orders delivered in Period 7
Oct. 27: Halloween Dance 4:30 – 7:00 (information to be shared next week)
Oct. 30: Grade 6 Vaccinations