Dear Lynx families/Chères familles Lynx,
Welcome back to all our families after spring break. It is great to see students back in the building as we enter our final 3 months of the school year.
Badminton tryouts have been very well attended and coaches have made callback lists for students. Tryouts will continue into next week and practices will commence before the tournaments.
This week we have moved towards an “away all-day" school, and overall, the staff and I were very pleased at how the students reacted. While a few students needed to be reminded to keep their phones in their lockers, most could be seen chatting with friends, attending intramurals or clubs or playing outside. This move is a process, and we do recognize that it will take time to build a culture at the school that supports this move; this means having activities for students at lunch, students trusting that not having their phones in their pockets at all time is okay, and working with those students who have relied on their phone as a lunchtime activity.
I also want to thank the parents who have been calling the school this week letting us know that their child is going to be picked up. We, as adults, also need to model this behaviour that we want our children to emulate. I recognize there is an element of trust here and want to thank parents for working with the school to create this environment.
This environment I envision creating at Vanier does not stop at the school doors. Creating students, and a community that is supportive and welcoming of each other and recognized by those outside the school as upstanding members of society is a large goal of ours. We do work with Calgary Police, Calgary Transit, neighbourhood businesses and the community when issues arrive.
In speaking with these groups, my interactions are overwhelmingly positive and complimentary. Students should be proud to go here and be associated with Vanier. I am not saying that there are not issues that arise, but the students (and community members) affected generally work together to change behaviour and create something better than before. I want to recognize our community's understanding and support in this role; we would not be able to build this culture alone.
Finally, a big thank you to the students fundraising for the grade 9 celebration (and the teachers who agreed to be “pi(e)d”). Due to their efforts, the grade 9 celebrations costs are now below $1 per student. This is a fantastic example of what a community can do when they come together.
Bonne fin de semaine,
Mr. Chad Edmonds – Principal Georges P Vanier School
Away for the Day - Phones
We would like to remind you of our current policy regarding the use of cell phones aimed at promoting an educational environment conducive to learning and the safety of all.
We continue to be an Away for the Day school and have implemented this at lunch hour this week. It has promoted activity outdoors and in Clubs at lunch hour, in addition to conversation amongst our students. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and we appreciate your collaboration. Phones must be left in students' personal lockers upon arrival at school and until the end of classes. We do this to ensure maximal productivity and a distraction-free learning environment for our students.
If urgent communication is necessary on your part, we ask that you contact the main office. Our team will deliver the message to your child and if need be, put you in communication with them.
Camp Chief Hector for Grade 8
We are looking forward to our grade 8 Outdoor School experience at the YMCA Camp Chief Hector from May 13 – May 16. If you are a parent of a grade 8 student and would like to volunteer for this trip, please let Mr. Brown or Mr. Cheng know. Our MANDATORY Parent Information Meeting is coming up on April 30 at 5:30.
Badminton Update
Thank you to all students who came out for the tryouts for the badminton teams. We had an overwhelming response! Call Back lists and Tentative Teams were posted on the PE Bulletin Board. Practices will start next week. For morning practices, please enter through the door upstairs, the back doors to the school.
Junior Team: Monday and Thursday 3:45 – 4:45
Coaches: Mr. Brown and Ms. Suelzle
Senior Team: Tuesdays and Thursdays 7:30 doors open to start at 7:45 – 8:45
Coaches: Mr. Park and Mme Cosgrove
Grade 6 YMCA
Calgary Flames Grade 6 YMCA Membership. Every Grade 6 student in Calgary is eligible to receive a free YMCA 13-month membership to the YMCA, thanks to the generous support of the Calgary Flames Foundation. To find out more, please visit Calgary Flames Grade 6 YMCA Membership.
Precautions for the Solar Eclipse on Monday, April 8
On Monday, April 8 a partial solar eclipse will be visible in Calgary. The solar event will begin just before noon and conclude by 2:00 p.m., with the maximum coverage occurring at 12:43 p.m. We know that this provides a unique learning experience for students and staff in our schools; however, there can be serious impacts to vision as a result of viewing the eclipse in an unsafe manner.
During this partial solar eclipse on Monday, we would like to invite all students to remain at school during the lunch break. Please send a lunch with your child. If students are not participating in educational activities around the event, schools may choose to have students will be involved in supervised indoor activities.
If you decide that your child will walk home for lunch on Monday, please discuss with your child not to look at the sun to protect his/her eyes from damage by the solar eclipse.
During a solar eclipse, looking directly at the sun is dangerous. Safe viewing of the eclipse requires wearing specialized glasses or watching through a telescope or solar binoculars that have specialized lenses and should only be performed under the direction of a professional.
For more safety information can be found on the NASA website or from the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
If you have further questions, please contact the school office.
Spring has Sprung and so has Spirit Wear Store
Be sure to check out the link for Vanier's online merchandise store for all the great items available. The store will be open until May 10, 2024.
- GPV Spirit Wear Store is open for spring orders until May 10, 2024 at 11:59 PM
- Spirit Wear Store
- Orders are typically completed in 4-5 week after the store closes and delivered to the school
- All school store sales are custom made and cannot be returned
- If this order is meant as a gift please contact us and we will hold the order for parent pick up
For more information of questions regarding the online spirit wear, please contact Sherri Nickle at sanickle@cbe.ab.ca
Healthy Sexual Development | Family & Caregiver Well-Being Session
As part of a continued effort to support the well-being of students, CBE is committed to sharing valuable information about child and youth well-being with families and caregivers. This is the last (of five) sessions available for families and caregivers, this time focusing on 'healthy sexual development'.
Please feel free to join and consider sharing this information across your school community.
Date: Thursday, April 11
Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Link: Health & Wellness in School
Upcoming Sports Dates
Monday, April 8 – no games scheduled, Jr Badminton practice after school
Tuesday, April 9 – no games scheduled, Sr Badminton practice before school
Wednesday, April 10 - no games scheduled
Thursday, April 11 - no games scheduled, Sr Badminton practice before school/Jr Badminton practice after school
Friday, April 12 - no games scheduled
Upcoming Dates
Apr. 9: 623 to YouthLink
Apr. 10: 621 & 622 to YouthLink
Apr. 11: Cabane à sucre/Sugar Shack Event
Apr. 19: System Professional Day (no school for students)
Apr. 22: Grade 7 Field Trip to the Military Museum (3 classes)
Apr. 29: Grade 7 Field Trip to the Military Museum (3 classes)
Apr. 30: Vaccinations for Grade 6 students
Apr. 30: Camp Chief Hector Parent Meeting
Apr. 30: Band Parent Association & School Council Meetings