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~ École Bellevue School ~

February 2017 février

February Principal’s Message Dear Bellevue Families, Our first month of 2017 was a success! Students and staff came back to school well rested and ready to go. February is one of my favourite months because it gives us the opportunity to show each other how much we care. During our staff professional development day, we had the opportunity to explore the importance of empathy and gratitude. One of the strategies we learned was to start the day with a positive thought. At the school, we begin our day with a caring message over our announcements and this month we focused on gratitude and thankfulness. We have a wealth of clubs being offered at the school, it’s simply outstanding. We range not only from sports teams, but crochet club, lunch hour skating, recorder club, and art club just to name a few. Students can definitely find something of interest to join based on a number of various interests. It’s not only teachers who offer countless hours of volunteering but we have support staff who coach as well and parents who offer to help. Thank you so very much on behalf of our school. This month, our school will be conducting the “OurSCHOOL” survey. This is a district wide survey for grades 4-12 students, asking them various questions regarding the quality of their school and education. This will be partnered with the Accountability Survey for grade 4 students and parents that Alberta Education conducts every year. These are completed online and students have the opportunity to provide feedback. There is more information on OurSCHOOL on page 4 of our newsletter. There are so many great events coming up this month. Please consider attending our Family Dance on February 24th, submitting a recipe for our fundraising cookbook or coming to make hot chocolate for our Winter Fun Day on February 8th. These are just a few of the ways you can be involved in our school. Sincerely, Jennifer El-Khatib Principal / Directrice

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5103-50 Ave. Beaumont, Alberta T4X 1K4

Phone 780-929-8663 Fax 780-929-2168

Web Page: ebs.blackgold.ca

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

Beaumont Family of Public Schools Boundary and Grade Reconfiguration Information The Beaumont Family of Public Schools Configuration Review Committee released its transition plan to the Board of Education at the January Board Meeting. The transition plan identified how, over a three-year term, the goals of the December 14, 2016, Board of Education approved, Beaumont Family of Public Schools Boundary and Grade Configurations will be fulfilled. Details outlining the three year transition plans can be found on the Black Gold Website at http://www.blackgold.ca/, at our school website http://ebs.blackgold.ca or by clicking on the following link http://www.blackgold.ca/beaumont-family-of-public-schools-boundary-and-grade-transitions-released-to-achieve-configuration-goals/

Swimming Lessons & Rabbit Hill Snow Trip

Every grade 1, 2 and 3 student will have the opportunity to participate in swimming lessons during the months of May and June. They will consist of five 45 minute lessons. All classes will be walking to and from the pool on those days. The estimated cost will be $32/person and students will be walking to and from the pool. Forms will be sent home later this year. If you have any questions please contact Annie Savard, annie.savard@blackgold.ca.

Every grade 4, 5 & 6 student will have the

opportunity to visit Rabbit Hill Snow Resort to ski or snowboard on Wednesday, March 23, 2016. Depending on the equipment and/or lift passes the student requires, costs may range from $3.00 to $41.00. Information has been sent home. If you have any questions please contact trip coordinator, Christine Ivanc, christine.ivanc@blackgold.ca.

Positive Referrals Each morning, teachers send some students to the principal’s office. Together we celebrate their good deeds as the students strive to “Be the Best They Can Be”. Beaumont Boston Pizza donates a pizza to be shared with the lucky students whose names are drawn from all the students who received a Positive Referral during the month. Congratulations to our January winners of the draw: Craig M., Elias P., Ransher G., Kara S., Hailey S., and Sara B. Thanks to Beaumont Boston Pizza for supplying the pizza!

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École Bellevue School Mission Statement

We strive to provide the best possible education for all Bellevue students.

School Values 1. All students are capable of learning; it is our responsibility to find the most effective way to teach each student. 2. Our students’ social emotional growth is just as important as their academic development. 3. We model how to treat everyone with dignity and respect. 4. Decisions are made based on what is best for students.

École Bellevue School Focus École Bellevue School will be a safe and caring learning environment which focuses on allowing everyone to “Be the Best You Can Be”. École Bellevue School staff members will continue to provide high quality programs through excellent teaching and assessment as time and resources will allow and will strive for continued improvement in educational experiences for individual students. École Bellevue School students will be well prepared for worldwide citizenship through excellent Social Studies, Character Education/CTF, Religious Studies (where applicable), and special projects.

Merci Beaucoup! Heartfelt Thanks! Thank you to the School Council and Fundraising

Society who work diligently to plan events and support the school. Their next meeting is on Thursday, February 16th starting at 7:00 p.m. All Bellevue parents and guardians are welcome to attend.

Thank you to our teachers and support staff who volunteer their time to offer clubs and sport activities to our students.

Parking and Student Safety Please keep the safety of the children in mind

when picking up and dropping off children. Please do not use the staff parking lot for thru

traffic or parking. There are two handicapped accessible stalls reserved for those who require. Thank you for your

patience and cooperation.

From the Library

The days are slowly getting longer to remind us that spring will come again, but in the mean time, on those days when it’s too cold to spend much time outside, curl up with your

family and read a good book together! And remember, there will be another Book Fair in March so you can stock

up on reading material!

Book rule of the month: Do not draw, write, or colour in library books.

Thank you,

Mrs. Dyckerhoff

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Teacher’s Convention February 9 & 10, 2017

This year’s convention focus is:

Our teachers are looking forward to learning more about best practices, new ideas and inspiring guest speakers during the annual Teacher’s Convention. There are over 200 sessions focusing on pertinent professional growth! There is no school for students on these days.

Early Dismissal is

Wednesday, February 1st .

Students are dismissed

at 2:30 p.m. on

early dismissal days.

There are no kindergarten

classes on this day.

Counsellors Corner

Wednesday, February 22nd is Pink Shirt Day across Canada.

Bellevue students and staff can choose to wear something pink to show that we are all working

together to prevent bullying in our schools, in our communities and online. Every day is Anti-Bullying Day. Chaque jour doit être une journée contre l’intimidation.

Bullying Helpline 1-888-456-2323

There are many local opportunities and workshops that address many different areas. Please check pages 12 and 14 of this newsletter for more information.

Ecole Bellevue School will be participating in an online school survey for students called the OurSCHOOL Student Survey. The surveys will be done with students in grades 4 ,5 & 6. About the OurSCHOOL Student Survey:

● Allows students to share their feedback anonymously on their experiences at school, school environment and school improvement programs.

● Participation in the survey is voluntary, however all students are encouraged to participate.

● The time required to complete the survey may vary, but it is designed to be completed in approximately 35-40 minutes. Students will complete the survey under the direction of the school counsellor over the next few weeks.

Survey measures include such topics as behaviours and attitudes linked to student success, emotional and social well-being and physical health. For more information about the OurSCHOOL Student Survey, please visit The Learning Bar Inc.’s website: www.thelearningbar.com. If you have questions or would like to request more information about Ecole Bellevue School’s upcoming implementation of the OurSCHOOL Student Survey, please contact Karen Gifford at 780-929-8663 or karen.gifford@blackgold.ca

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Technology Reminders Parents play a crucial role in educating their children about internet safety and appropriate use of technology or social media. It is important for you as parent to be aware of your child’s digital life, and to work with him/her on setting boundaries, acting responsibly, and staying safe online. Students need to be reminded: - Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t say to someone’s face. - Create, post, and share videos, images and content responsibly. - Monitor your online reputation carefully. It is public and will follow you for life. Teachers have reviewed our Division BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policy with students. Parents are encouraged to review this with their children as well. All students must abide by the Black Gold Schools Admirable Use Agreement that was signed at the beginning of the school year. Technology use is a privilege that enables student access to information and tools that enrich learning. This may be revoked at any time.

Practice Drills at École Bellevue School

We will be practicing lockdowns and hold and secures in the classrooms this month. As part of the district crisis response plan, it is important for the students to be aware of what to do if there is a safety issue in the school or neighborhood. When we discuss this with the students, we explain it in a context as to not instill fear but to explain the procedure and what to do. (Many teachers use the example of a stray dog wandering the school and needing to be safe.) We have also practiced fire drills and as the weather warms, we will practice tornado drills.

You can click here for more information about the Black Gold School Emergency

Program. This excerpt from the book, The New Social Story Book by Carol Gray may help you and your child better understand why schools have drills.

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Music Notes In the month of January, students have learned about composer Serge Prokofiev and the instruments of the orchestra. Grade 4 students have begun playing the recorder. Grade 5 students will be starting their recorder unit shortly and should bring a recorder to school. February will bring DrumFit to the music room. There is always something exciting happening in music class! As always, we welcome musical guests. If you have an instrument that you are willing to show and/or play, please contact your child's music teacher. Sarah Reves & Christine Ivanc sarah.reves@blackgold.ca christine.ivanc@blackgold.ca

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News from the Gymnasium The basketball unit will be our focus for the remaining of the month. Emphasis will be put on learning: pivot, fake and pass, heads up - quick pass, learning the rules, and showing our skills in game situation. The Grade 5-6 Boys School Basketball Team played very well at this year District tournament at East Elementary in Leduc January 20-21. Congratulations Lions! Thanks to the coaches Mrs. Osness, Mrs. Duke, and Miss Marchand! The Grade 5-6 School Girls Basketball Team is played very well at the District tournament in Calmar, January 27-28. Well done Lions! Thanks to the coaches: Mme Savard, Mrs. Baptiste, and Mrs. Gibson. The Grade 3-4 Basketball Club will practice on the following Tuesdays: February 7, 14, 21, and 28. For February, we will continue our work in basketball and floor hockey. Also, it will be the start of our badminton unit. On Tuesday, February 21st, several division 2 students will be participating in a relay team (8 X 200m). They will represent our school at this year’s Running Room Indoor Games. This event will be at the Butterdome (Universiade Pavilion), University of Alberta. Our individual runners will compete in the 200 and 800 on Tuesday, February 28th. Good luck to all! Go Bellevue! Go Lions! Bellevue will send a team of Grade 5-6 badminton players at this year District meet at Notre Dame school in Leduc, February 24-25. Thanks to coach Mme McCallion Grade 5 students can now register for the school Badminton Club. The practices will be on the following Thursdays: February 16, 23 March 2, 9, 16 Register Here We welcome donated Canadian Tire money which can be used to purchase outdoor recess equipment. If you have some and you don’t have plans for it please send it in! Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated! Shoe tying is a great fine motor skill and it helps to keep the children’s feet, ankles and bodies safe in the school. Please check if your child needs more practice at home. It would be a great help. Serge Pelletier, Physical Education Teacher

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News From School Council – January Meeting Highlights School Board Trustee report outlined the three year reconfiguration transition plan. The anticipated opening date for Ecole Champs Vallee School is January 2018. We have been informed that the 50th avenue development was not approved for the 2017 Town Council budget. Feedback for this project from Parent Council was well received by town council. Fundraising thus far has been successful. Initiatives include: hot lunch program, movie night, raffle tickets, and poinsettia sales. The society has received approval for a casino fundraiser in 2020. Winter Fun Day is scheduled for February 8

th. School council will provide hot chocolate for all

students. Students are encouraged to bring reusable travel mugs to school that day to reduce waste. If you would like to help out with the hot chocolate distribution on this day please click here and sign up. Thanks in advance! The date of the March parent council meeting was rescheduled to March 13 to coincide with the parent teacher night in hopes that parents already at the school will attend. Draft minutes of the January meeting are posted in the main entrance of the school, and all approved minutes from prior meeting are available at the school office. The next meeting will take place on February 16 at 7:00pm in the learning commons. School Council can be contacted at ebscouncil@gmail.com.

News From Fundraising Society We have begun to plan the Bellevue Family Dance and will be sending ticket information very soon! Please save the date – Friday, February 24. The advertisement below has a link for volunteers. See the next page for information about our fundraising cookbook! Please share your favourites. To learn more about the fundraising society please visit: http://ebs.blackgold.ca/ecole-bellevue-school-fundraising-society/ Our next meeting will be on February 16

th at 8:00 pm in the Learning Commons (upstairs library). We

hope to see you there.

School Council & Fundraising Society

Parent Meeting Dates

Thursday, February 16

Monday, March 13* (School Council only)

Thursday, April 20 Thursday, May 25

All School Council

meetings are in the Learning

Commons/Library @ 7:00 p.m.

Fundraising Society

meeting immediately follows the School Council meeting. (Approximately

8:00 p.m.)

*This is a changed date March Fundraising Society date to be determined.

Details coming soon!

The Ecole Bellevue School Parent Fundraising Society Presents….

Would you like to help out?

Click here for the volunteer sign up form

Please use this link to send us your recipes which will be included in the Ecole Bellevue School Recipe Book. https://docs.google.com/a/gshare.blackgold.ca/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScq6RGbVrKXL5Ub4NX9pjVvUIFtWWS49b-Rvj4JmwyDbd1Dkw/viewform?c=0&w=1 You are under no obligation to order, but please consider submitting a recipe for others to enjoy. These collections are often treasured as they contain many tried and true family favourites! To avoid errors in the production process, please type your recipes neatly and double check for completeness and accuracy. Thank you! If you have any questions please contact ebshotlunch@gmail.com Deadline to submit your recipes is March 17th, 2017. Ordering details will be sent out in April. Thanks in advance for your contribution. The Ecole Bellevue School Parent Fundraising Society

Roman Catholic Religion Program Information Sacraments Here are some important dates for those preparing for their First Communion. First Communion Class ONE - February 21st OR February 28th Class TWO - March 21st OR March 28th Time: 6pm to 7pm (arrive at 5:50pm) Ash Wednesday The season of Lent is upon us. Wednesday, March 1st, marks the beginning of Lent-Ash Wednesday. This is a time for us to step back and look at what is most important in our Christian lives. Prayer, fasting, and generosity help us to do that. Lent is a time to renew our commitment to love God and to love our neighbour. Please join us for our Lenten service at St. Vital church on Wednesday, March 15th at 10:30 a.m. Permission forms will be sent out the second week of February. For more information, please visit the St. Vital website: http://www.saintvitalparish.com/sacraments/ Collette Jarbeau, Catholic Religion Program Coordinator collette.jarbeau@blackgold.ca

The school fees for 2016-17 were due October 3, 2016. The fees for the year are as follows:

Grades 1-6: $60.00 Kindergarten: $110.00

Prekindergarten non-funded children: $800.00

Parents can now pay all of their children’s school fees through a secure online website. https://powerschool.blackgold.ca/public/

You can pay with Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard, and Interac Online Debit.

Please contact Rita in the office if you require assistance with this.

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Wristband Challenge We are grateful to the Aquafit Centre for their donation of swim passes as prizes for the wristband challenge. January winners of the wristband challenge are Zakhary L., Kilee P., Isabelle C., Mikayla R., Carson K. & Lochlin C. Congratulations, we hope you enjoy your family pass.

February 2017 février ÉCOLE BELLEVUE SCHOOL CALENDAR

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Lunch hour skating Mondays and Fridays at lunch recess, weather and ice conditions permitting.

1

Early Dismissal 2:30 pm No kindergarten Winter Walk Day

2

3 Booster Juice (drink only) Hot Lunch

4

5 6

7 8 Winter Fun Day Bring a labeled travel mug!

9 Teacher’s

Convention No School

10 Teacher’s

Convention No School

11

12 13

14 Happy

Valentine’s Day Wear red, white or pink theme day Afternoon performance

15 16 School Council Meeting 7:00 pm Fund. Soc. Mtg 8:00 pm

17 Edo Hot Lunch 18

19 20 Family Day No School

21 22 Pink Shirt Day 23

24 Booster Juice (drink only) Hot Lunch Family Dance

25

26 27

28

Upcoming activities to keep in mind as you plan ahead… - Swimming lessons for grades 1,2,3 – May 2017 – approximate

cost $35 - Rabbit Hill Trip for Grades 4,5,6 – March 23 – Cost varies to a

maximum of $41

March 2017 mars ÉCOLE BELLEVUE SCHOOL CALENDAR

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Hot lunch ordering information will be sent home sometime this month. Please watch your email inbox.

1 Early Dismissal 2:30 pm No kindergarten

2 Nitza’s Pizza Hot Lunch

3 No School

PD Day 4

5 5 7 8 9 10Wok Box Hot Lunch

Report Cards emailed home

11

12 Book Fair this week

13 Parent Teacher Conferences School Council Mtg. 7:00

14 Parent Teacher Conferences

15

16

17 Tim Horton’s Hot

Lunch St. Patrick’s Day Wear Green Day

18

19 20 21 22 23 (DAY 5)

Grade 4,5,& 6 Rabbit Hill Trip

24 No School

PD Day

25

26 27 Spring Break No School

28 Spring Break No School

29 Spring Break No School

30 Spring Break No School

School resumes on April 3, 2017 Lunch hour skating Mondays and Fridays at lunch recess, weather and ice conditions permitting.

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Students, visitors and staff are

invited to dress casually on Fridays. This gives everyone an opportunity to

wear school t-shirts (if they have them), or other favourite

casual outfits.

Students, staff, and parents are also encouraged to

participate in our monthly theme dress-up days.

Spirit days are usually the 3rd Friday of every

month.

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Alberta Health Services – Caregiver Education Sessions – January & February 2017 These free sessions are intended to provide parents, caregivers, teachers, and community members with basic information about addiction and mental health challenges that can impact children and youth. For more information please visit: http://www.ercsd.ca/uploads/2/4/5/5/24559205/rcsd-ahs_caregiver_series_poster_jan_-_feb_2017.pdf

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Did you miss out on last year’s yearbook? There’s still time!!! We have a few extra copies of the 2015-2016 Bellevue Yearbook available for immediate purchase in the office. Log on to Powerschool https://powerschool.blackgold.ca/public/home.html and place your order or send cash or cheque for $25 to the office. They are available immediately!

2016-2017 Online order link ID Code 13114817

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http://ybpay.lifetouch.com

The 2017 – 2018 BGRD School Year Calendar can be viewed at: http://www.blackgold.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/School-Year-2017-18-APPROVED.pdf