AJS Weekly Bison Tracks
December 2, 2022
Important Dates
- November 14 - December 8 - AJS Spark Book Fair
- December 5-9 - Student Council Gingerbread House Competition
- December 6 - AJS Christmas Band Concert
- December 7, 2:16 p.m. - Early dismissal
- December 9, 11 a.m. - NAIT One-on-one Sessions
- December 12-15 - Student Council Candy Gram Sales
- December 13 - Student Council Ugly Sweater Day & Ardy Photo Booth
- December 14 - Student Council Hot Chocolate Day
- December 15 - Student Council Christmas Hat Day
- December 16 - Student Council Winter Wonderland Senior High Dance
- December 20 - Student Council PJ Day
- December 21 - January 3 - Christmas Break (School closed)
- January 4 - Classes resume
- January 4, 2:16 p.m. - Early dismissal
- January 17 @ 4:15 p.m. - AMPS Band Meeting
- January 23, 6:00 p.m. - CPF Meeting
- January 23, 6:30 p.m. - School Council Meeting
- January 30 - No School
- January 31 - Second semester begins
In the Spotlight
Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday
Giving Tuesday
Science 9 FI
Students exploring electrochemical cells for their electricity unit.
Science 10 FI
Exploring how water moves into and out of a cell by observing a purple onion in different solutions under the microscope.
Science 10 FI
STEM Camp Series
Here's what our AJS students who attended this session had to say about their experience:
"I liked being able to get hands on experience on some of the things that they do, and also being able to experience some of the problems that they might encounter." commented Mikai
Stephanie indicated "I liked doing the electric circuits and how the different rotations worked together."
"I thought the NAIT field trip excellent opportunity. I enjoyed it immensely." offered Carter
"My experience with NAIT post secondary school was very positive. I enjoyed building a functional model crane. It was interesting seeing how the different parts worked mechanically. I will definitely consider NAIT as a post secondary option for me." expressed Jaxon
It was a great opportunity for students to explore future options available to them.
Program Highlight: French Immersion
Read the full story here.
Ardrossan Drama Players
Check out the AJS Drama department website for more details and rehearsal schedules. Updates and announcements about the junior high and senior high shows will be found here.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
Fee Waiver Application Deadline
If circumstances exist where you’re unable to pay school or transportation fees, you can apply to have fees waived by submitting an Application for a Waiver of Fees. The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2022. If you’re new to the Division, the deadline is the latter of Dec. 15, 2022, or 45 days after registration.
To access your fee information, simply log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and go to “Student Fees.” There you can view your fees and pay them online using Visa or MasterCard. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted.
Don’t forget to also log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal regularly throughout the year. Fees are often added to your child’s account to cover the cost of various school activities such as field trips, class projects, extracurricular activities and more.
For more information about school fees, waivers and payment deadlines, visit www.eips.ca/schools/fees and www.ardrossan.ca/about/fees. Alternatively, contact Mrs. Chancie Cole, Business Manager at Ardrossan Junior Senior High School at 780-922-2228.
Inclement Weather
With the winter season almost here, we want to remind families to dress children appropriately for the weather when getting ready for school or the bus. The weather often changes unexpectedly throughout the day, so please select suitable outerwear and ensure your child is prepared for changing conditions.
If inclement weather conditions occur, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) advises families of any bus cancellations using various communications tools—automated-telephone messages, alerts posted on www.eips.ca and school websites, Twitter, Facebook, local radio stations, and notification through both the Bus Status and the Ride 360 apps. Morning bus cancellations are posted on www.eips.ca by 6:30 a.m.
Decisions regarding bus cancellations are guided by EIPS administrative procedures that state, “school bus service may be suspended…when there is a forecast or current temperature of -40 C, including wind chill factor, in one or more regions.” Other reasons for suspending or delaying school bus services include adverse weather and poor road conditions. When school bus services are suspended, schools remain open to students. EIPS believes families have the right and responsibility to make choices for their children based on their beliefs and perceptions of safety during times of inclement weather.
For more information, contact EIPS Student Transportation at 780-417-8151.
Christmas Break
Ardrossan Junior Senior High School will close for the Christmas break at the end of the day on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. The school will reopen on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023. During this time, if you have any school-related questions or concerns, contact Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) Central Services at 780-464-3477.
EIPS Central Services Christmas Break Hours
Open December 22 and 23; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed Dec. 26, 2022 to Jan. 2, 2023
Open January 3; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. *for location and contact information visit www.eips.ca.
From everyone at Elk Island Public Schools, we wish all of you a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year.
Student Council News
Parent Volunteers Needed
AJS Spark Book Fair
AJS will be hosting a Spark Book Fair November 24 through December 8th. Books are excess inventory from various publishers and can be discounted up to 90%! “Bargain books” may have small amounts of wear on the cover, or have a red dot at the bottom of the book. Additionally, books listed at a higher price point are not excess inventory and will arrive in perfect condition. 30% of profits will be going directly to the AJS library. All orders are shipped directly to you.
Scan the QR codes on the posters in the library or click here to view our site and make a list of books you’d like to purchase. Happy reading!”
Ardrossan Music Parents Association (AMPS)
Hello Ardrossan Band Parents!
CHRISTMAS CONCERT: It’s coming! The 2022 AJS Band Christmas Concert – December 6th.
Grade 7 – 5:30 pm
Grade 8 – 6:00 pm
Grade 9 – 6:45 pm
High School & Jazz Band – 7:30 pm
We are gladly accepting food bank donations at the door and are excited to have our Rafflebox 50/50 begin that day!!!
Did you know we have social media? Find us at “Ardrossan Music Parent Association” on Facebook and on Instagram!
Our next AMPS meeting is Tuesday, January 17th at 4:15 pm in the band room. Everyone is welcome to attend. We will be discussing upcoming band activities (Christmas concert, upcoming fundraisers, future band trips) and we would love to have band parents join us to share their ideas.
Don't forget to complete the AMPS Membership Form and either email it back to AMPSPres@gmail.com or send it to Mr. B! AMPS is a society and only 'members' can be involved.
We look forward to your support! If you have any questions, please contact Mr. B or the AMPS President (AMPSpres@gmail.com).
Yours in Music,
Lee Dempsey
AMPS President
Where to Find the Information You Need
Elk Island Public Schools and Ardrossan Jr. Sr. High use a handful of key systems to share information with students and families. Depending on the information you’re looking for, it’s important to know where to look.
PowerSchool is the primary student information system within the Division. There is an associated app, but the functionality is limited, and families don’t need to download it. From the PowerSchool Parent Portal, you can:
- Access student grades and report cards;
- Review student absences;
- Pay school and transportation fees; and
- Submit official updates to student or family information.
The PowerSchool Student Portal provides similar access to grades and absence information for students directly.
Brightspace provides more of a day-to-day look what’s happening with your child’s learning communicated directly from your child’s teacher. From Brightspace Parent & Guardian, you can see your child’s:
- classroom activity feed,
- grade items and grade feedback from instructors,
- upcoming assignments,
- portfolio evidence, and
- quizzes,
depending on which of the program functions are specifically used by your child’s teacher.
Brightspace for Students is where teachers share updates, calendar reminders and learning materials with students. Compatible with Google, it also allows students to submit assignments, complete quizzes, and see grades and teacher feedback. The Pulse app for students is associated with Brightspace for Students.
SchoolMessenger is the system the Division and schools use to send email and phone communication to families. The contact information in SchoolMessenger is populated from PowerSchool. Through SchoolMessenger, families can:
- receive general, emergency and attendance messages by phone, email or both; and
- manage their subscription preferences for these types of messages.
EIPS 2023-24 Division Calendar: Now Available!
The official 2023-24 EIPS calendar is now available.
The calendar includes important dates during the 2023-24 school year, such as school-closure days, breaks, the first and last day of classes, professional learning days, early dismissal days, plus more.
Highlights from the 2023-24 EIPS calendar include:
- first day of school – Aug. 31, 2023
- November break – November 6-10
- Christmas break – December 25 to January 5
- second semester starts – February 1
- Teachers’ Convention – February 8-9
- spring break – March 25-29
- last day of classes – June 26, 2024
To view the 2023-24 calendar, visit eips.ca.
Did you know you can sync the Division calendar to your personal calendar? You can. Simply, visit www.eips.ca/calendar and click “subscribe to calendar.” It’s that easy.
January Diploma Prep Sessions
Diploma Prep Sessions
Courses are designed for preparing students to write their Grade 12 diploma exams. The material presented in the classroom over 125 hours will be condensed and highlighted in this focused, 12-hour review course over a weekend. Courses will run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with a half hour break for lunch. Course will be offered at Salisbury Composite High School (20 Festival Way) in Sherwood Park.
- January 7 & 8 - English 30-1, 30-2 and Social Studies 30-1, 30-2
- January 14 & 15 - Mathematics 30-1, 30-2, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, and Physics 30
Registration will open on Monday, October 17. https://www.eipscontinuinged.ca/
Registration will close on January 4 for English and Social Studies sessions, and on January 11 for Math and Sciences sessions.
Student refunds will not be given after registration closes.
EIPS Career Pathways
Ingenious+ Innovation Challenge
Aimed at youth aged 14 to 18, Ingenious+ is an innovation challenge that inspires youth to innovate for good and to share their strategies to address problems at home, across Canada and around the world.
Selected at the regional and national levels, winners can receive up to $10,000 and a customized mentorship from leading Canadian innovators.
Innovation is about doing something better to make an impact. This includes improving upon a product, service, or process or creating something new that solves a problem or makes the world better. Ingenious+ supports young innovators who are developing solutions at the community level and beyond.
This year’s themes are:
- Community and Civic Engagement
- Climate Change and the Environment
- Equity and Inclusion
- Health and Well-being
- Technology and Entrepreneurship
The deadline to apply is December 9.
Cafeteria Menu
Athletic Dates
- December 1, 2 & 3 - Sr. Varsity Basketball Sturgeon Rise Up Tournament
- December 2 & 3 - Jr. Varsity Basketball Stampede Classic Tournament
- December 5 @ 5:30 p.m. - Sr. Varsity Boys Basketball Game vs. Eastglen
- December 6 @ 5:30 p.m. - Sr. Varsity Boys Basketball Game vs. Memorial
- December 9 @ 6:30 p.m. - Bison Football Banquet
- December 9 & 10 - Jr. Varsity Basketball Stettler Tournament
- December 15, 16 & 17 - Sr. Varsity Basketball Bert Church Tournament, Airdrie
Bison Swim Athlete
Metro All Star Volleyball Athlete
Metro Athletics - Athlete of the Week
Owen is a grade 12 student and has been an amazing multi sport athlete for our school for his entire time here. This year for our Sr. Men's Volleyball Team he has been an important and versatile player, preforming well as a power and libero throughout the season. He is also an excellent teammate and leader who pushes teammates to work as hard as he does. Aside from school sports he is also a great student and manages to find the time to be part of the Ardrossan Jazz band as well.
Thank you Owen for everything you give to our teams and congratulations on being selected as Athlete of the Week.
Community News
Caregiver Education Team
Alberta Health Services offers free online programming for parents and caregivers of children and youth. Sessions are offered through Zoom. Upcoming topics include understanding depression and self-injury, substance use and building executive functioning skills. The list of November 2022 sessions is now available.
Caregiver Education Sessions
Adult Education Sessions
Ardrossan Junior Senior High
Email: general.ajs@eips.ca
Website: https://www.ardrossan.ca/
Location: Ardrossan Junior Senior High School, Range Road 222, Ardrossan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-922-2228
Twitter: @ArdrossanJrSr