Winter Pond School Week

As a continuation of the Fall Pond School, University School students will be engaging in Winter Pond School this week where they will be learning outside to create intentional connections between curriculum and place. Going to the pond every day creates resiliency and rigour in student learning on the land. Building an understanding of community is important in understanding and acknowledging the land that we live and play on in hopes that students will in turn protect it.

Staff have been engaging in professional development, with the support of Andrea Barnes the Education Coordinator for Alberta Parks in Kananaskis, to support our understanding of the land around us and related teaching practices.

We look forward to an incredible week of learning outside with the students. Please make sure that your child(ren) dress for the weather and are ready to spend extended amounts of time outside this week.

Métis Traditions and Culture

Grade 3 students were honoured to have Dustin Whitney, a Univeristy School parent, and his sister Anisa share their knowledge regarding Métis traditions and culture with us. The Grade 3 students learned about sweet grass, bannock, blankets (child birth, wedding, graduation), their family sash, and also some Métis symbols and language. Thank you Dustin and Anisa for sharing your knowledge with us.

We are excited in the possibility of having other families share their traditions and culture with students at University School. Please contact Mr. Lang or Ms. Bonanno if you are interested in sharing with us.

New School Website

Welcome to our new website - a faster, easier, and more dynamic way for you to keep up with everything going on at University School! We’re excited to introduce the newly crafted features we built just for you, which include:

• Modernized homepage design to provide quick access to the information you use most often
• Calendar Subscriptions - a great way to stay up-to-date with holidays, athletics, fun lunches, and more across all your devices
• A dedicated page for our school’s office hours and bell times
• Engaging school council and parent society pages, equipped with a news and event feed for real-time updates
• Faster load times and better mobile compatibility
• Simpler navigation, with Extracurricular information moved to the Culture & Environment section

We've retained your favourite elements like our school colors and logo, and consistent navigation across schools to ensure you always know your way around.

Similar to moving into any new home, there's a bit of adjustment ahead (with more improvements on the way), but we’re happy to welcome you here. Don’t forget to update your bookmarks, and enjoy your visit!

Practicum Students

When it first opened, University School was established as a demonstration school in partnership with the Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary. The intention of this partnership was to provide a setting in which pre-service teachers would be able to see how theory and practice were able to be combined to create effective approaches to teaching and learning.

University School continues this work today by hosting many teaching and educational assistant practicum students from the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University this year. It is an excellent way for our students and staff to be exposed to current teaching and learning practices and for us to give back to these future educators and educational assistants by providing mentorship. It also allows for reflection and at times challenges us to consider approaching what we are currently doing.  

Some of these practicums are for short durations and involve observations whereas others are more extensive and involve taking on a full teaching load for a short duration. All of the practicum students are aware of and follow all school protocols and are monitored and supervised by University School staff as they explore this amazing profession.

The following classrooms have practicum students this year: Ms. Gunn, Ms. Sera, Mrs. McEachern, Ms. Hancock, Mrs. Gibson, Mrs. Smith, Ms. Rowley, Ms. Roa, Ms. Kurchak, and Ms. Nouri. 

Alberta Education Assurance Survey - Grade 4 Families

Each year Alberta Education conducts a survey. The Alberta Education Assurance Survey is now open and closes March 1, 2024. Alberta Education uses the Assurance Survey as a way for school authorities to measure their success and assess their progress towards meeting their learning goals.

Parents / Legal Guardians of children in grade 4, 7 and/or 10, will receive their survey in the mail from Alberta Education. You are encouraged to complete the survey online. Students and all teachers will complete their surveys online at school.

Your voice matters. Your participation in the survey helps provide important information on the quality of education your child is receiving. Alberta Education and Calgary Board of Education thank you for returning the parent Assurance Survey promptly. If you have questions, please contact the school.

Registration for the 2024-25

Registration for all new students to University School remains open! 

Information for registering your child for kindergarten can be found on the CBE website or by accessing the following link Kindergarten - Great Learning Starts Here. Registration can be completed online through School Engage.

We are planning an open house in later spring for all families interested in attending University School for the 2024-25 school year. 

We look forward to welcoming you and your child to University School!

If your child is already a student of University School and will be returning next year then there is no need to register as you are automatically re-enrolled.

This Week

Monday, February 19

• No School - Family Day

Tuesday, February 20

• Winter Pond School begins
• U of C Practicum Students return
• Robogals workshop - Grade 4 and Grade 6

Wednesday, February 21

• Winter Pond School
• Robogals workshop - Grade 6
• MLA Dr. Luanne Metz and CBE Trustee Bolger visiting University School

Thursday, February 22

•  Winter Pond School

Friday, February 23

•  Winter Pond School

Month Ahead

Feb 26 - Photography Residency Continues

Feb 27 - Photography Residency

Feb 28 - Pink Shirt Day

Feb 28 - Whole School Assembly in the AM

Feb 28 - Evergreen Theatre Presentation - Snow White and the Seven Regions

Feb 29 - Photography Residency 

Mar 4 - 7 - Photography Residency

Mar 6 - School Council and Parent Associatoin Meeting (6:45 pm)

Mar 14 - Fun Snack - Kernels Popcorn

Mar 14 - Spring Concert - More Info to Come 

Mar 21 - No School for Kindergarten

Mar 21 - Student Learning Conferences

Mar 22 - No School - Student Learning Conferences

Mar 23 - Apr 1 - No School - Spring Break

Dates of Significance

Feb 21 - International Mother Language Day

Feb 28 - Pink Shirt Day

March - Alberta Francophonie Month

March - Irish Heritage Month

Mar 8 - International Women’s Day

Mar 10 - Ramadan Begins

Mar 11 to 15 - Substitute Teachers’ Appreciation Week

Mar 14 - Pi Day (3.14)

Mar 19 - Spring Equinox

Mar 19 - Persian New Year (Nowruz)

Mar 20 - French Language Day

Mar 20 - World Story Telling Day

Mar 21 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination