Dear Vanier Families, I was reflecting on what I was writing about in this week’s update, and one theme kept coming through, that of community and connection. Not just of connection between the immediate Vanier community but also connections between Vanier and the wider Calgary (and Canadian) communities. To start, I hope that you all had a chance to connect with your child(ren)’s teachers. Parent-teacher (and student) conferences are an important part of building relationships between our school and you. I do believe that to assist all our students reach their potential we need to work together as a collaborative team, and these conferences are a definite piece of the puzzle. Thank you to all the teachers who worked through breaks and extended their days to make as many spots as possible for parents to connect with you. I know that a few parents were unable to make Thursday or Friday meetings work with their schedule and have already planned to connect with their child(ren)’s teachers in the coming week. If you have not had a chance to meet, please reach out to the school and we can help facilitate a meeting in the coming weeks. I also want to apologize for the mix-up with some of the Friday schedules. A few families could not access the links, and for some families, the interviews said in-person instead of online Friday. Thank you to those I spoke with for their understanding and being so open to rescheduling any missed conference times. Secondly, with the onset of winter and the arrival of snow, Mr. Eitzen and the outdoor education classes were able to make their first use of the class set of cross-country skis that were bought by our parent council. This is a fantastic opportunity that was made possible by the generosity of the parent council and those who donated their time to our latest casino fundraiser.
For those families who are interested in donating finances to support Vanier, thank you to the parent who reached out to let us know that her company is matching charitable donations this “Giving Tuesday”. Education Matters (the educational charity that supports schools) has a message below for any other families that might want to investigate this opportunity. For those Vanier students who want to support our Calgary community, specifically our younger community, Heritage Park is looking for some of our older students to volunteer at their annual “Kids only Store” to assist young shoppers buy gifts for their family and keep them secret. One of our parents is helping co-ordinate this and a message from Heritage Park and a contact is listed in the messages below. Finally, an update from a previous student who is currently in the French program at William Aberhart. Anie Udofia, who ran our young doctors club last year, is a world finalist in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge. She is one of the remaining 30 candidates (worldwide) with a chance of winning ¼ of a million-dollar university scholarships as well as over $100 000 for their school. There is a message below with links to Anie’s entry. For more information or to vote you can visit: https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/ I hope as we enter this holiday season, we all have a chance to support one another, both within and outside our community. Bonne weekend, Mr. Chad Edmonds – Principal École Georges P Vanier School Georges P. Vanier School website has information as well:https://georgespvanier.cbe.ab.ca. GP Vanier Cafeteria Menu:https://gpvanier.cbe.ab.ca/cafeteria-menu GP Vanier/William Aberhart student opportunityI would like to inform you both about the Breakthrough Junior Challenge that I am competing and have been selected as one of the 30 finalists out of 5000 contestants globally. My project examined the science of lab-grown organoids—miniature, laboratory versions of human organs that are aiding in the study of diseases and the development of safer, more precise treatments. The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is an international science video competition that recognizes students who creatively explain complex scientific ideas. The winner receives a $250,000 university scholarship, their teacher mentor receives $50,000, and their school receives a $100,000 science lab grant, so it’s an incredible opportunity that benefits the entire school community. Since I’ve advanced to the Popular Vote round of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, I wanted to request your support by clicking the like button on the video links below, and also helping to share the voting links to the Vanier school community and social media platforms. Sharing it would not only help me win the grand prize, but also highlight the contributions that GP Vanier teachers have added to the work I am able to do today. Here are the links: Thank you again for all your support and I look forward to bringing this win home! Best regards, Giving Tuesday – Education Matters DonationsIf your company offers a matching gift program for employees’ charitable contributions. EducationMatters is listed as an approved charity, so if this donor gives to Vanier through us, their gift would be eligible for a company match EducationMatters does not provide any additional matching funds. You can find more information about gift matching on our website (How to Donate | EducationMatters) Heritage Park Volunteer opportunityHeritage Park is looking for volunteers to help our Kids Only store shoppers find the perfect gifts for their loved ones, all while sticking to their budget! Every year during the Once Upon a Christmas event, we transform our red barn into a magical shopping experience for children looking for the perfect gifts and stocking stuffers for Mom, Dad, and all of their loved ones. No grown ups allowed! If you enjoy working with children, sharing the magic of Christmas, and are a savvy shopper, this could be a great opportunity for you! We are looking to fill 2 Volunteer Group shifts to help out in the Kids Only Store.
Check in and lunch will be between 11:30AM and 12:45PM, then the group will head to the barn to start shopping with our guests. For more information please contact acharles@heritagepark.ca. Education Matters Resources for familiesEducationMatters is pleased to announce a fundraising partnership with Castle Rock Research, an Alberta-based leader in providing high-quality educational resources for the past 30 years. This partnership has been established to provide Calgary Board of Education students and families with access to premier learning materials at a significantly reduced cost, directly supporting our commitment to student success, and raise funds for EducationMatters. Exclusive Pricing for CBE Families: Through this agreement, the following resources will be offered at an exclusive CBE price:
Middle School Sales Window This initiative will begin with a dedicated sales window for all CBE Middle Schools, running until December 5, 2025. Yearbook informationWith the resumption of school, we have started the design and build of our school yearbook. Please stay tuned for order instructions as well as messaging from our dedicated student team of yearbook staff! Vanier Community CornerOur crochet club has been hooking students in faster than we expected! It’s sew much fun—but we’re starting to run low on wool. If you have any extra yarn at home, we’d love a thread of support. Every ball helps us keep the creativity going! Healthy Hunger is Back!We’re excited to announce our upcoming Healthy Hunger lunches!
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 Swag Available!Please visit our online store to purchase GP Vanier apparel. https://gpvanier.cbe.ab.ca/merchandise 2026 Prime Minister’s AwardsThe nomination period for the 2026 Prime Minister’s Awards is now open, and we’re looking for your help in recognizing outstanding educators who empower Canada’s youth. The Prime Minister’s Awards are a chance to celebrate educators for their leadership and exemplary education practices. Any person or group (i.e. parents, colleagues, principals, board members or students) can nominate educators in three different categories:
For more information, please click on the link in the message. Upcoming Sports Dates:Monday: no sports scheduled Tuesday: no sports scheduled Wednesday: no sports scheduled Thursday: no sports scheduled Friday: no sports scheduled Basketball coaches have connected with their teams about upcoming practices and year end celebrations. Upcoming Dates:Dec 1: Grade 6 Interviews (4:30 pm- 7:30 pm in person) Dec 3: Grade 6 vaccinations Dec 3: Grade 9 Band students to Band camp Dec 11: Student Teachers last day of semester 1 Dec 16: Grade 9 Vaccine Presentations Dec 19: Last day of classes before winter break |
Dec 1-5 | Student Opportunity - Breakthrough Junior Challenge, Giving Tuesday, Heritage Park Student Volunteers, Resources for Families, Yearbook....
Posted on 2025-11-29 02:51:17.212 +0000 UTC
Dec 1-5 | Student Opportunity - Breakthrough Junior Challenge, Giving Tuesday, Heritage Park Student Volunteers, Resources for Families, Yearbook....
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