Dear Falcon students and families,

I hope everyone had an excellent weekend and feel ready to take on the fall weather as it seems to be slowly arriving. This past week, our students began writing some of their first summative assessments, and our athletic teams started their seasons. On September 14 our students had their first Opportunity Wednesday of the year and many took advantage of the time by signing up at the Club Fair, accessing academic coaching sessions provided by their teachers, or utilizing rewrite time.

This upcoming week sees us continuing with the clubs and teams that have started and commencing with many other clubs and organized groups such as "Model UN", "S.C.O.R.E.", and the "Robotics First Tech Challenge". We are also looking forward to inviting our parents to join our first Bev Facey School Council meeting of the year on Tuesday, September 20. Please look at the feature below for more information on how to attend.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Ken Wlos

Principal

Bev Facey's School Council meets every third Tuesday of the month from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in our school library. This Tuesday is our first meeting and as such elections for formal positions on the council will be conducted. Our council is vital to our school community, and we would love to see as many parents as possible attend. Please peruse the agenda and the minutes from last May's meeting via the PDF Links below the article.

Our last several meetings have been a hybrid model allowing our parents to attend in person or virtually, and many have let me know that this method is preferred moving forward. If you are interested in attending via Microsoft Teams the link is below.

Link to the BFCHS School Council Virtual Meeting ________________________________________________________________________________

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 218 459 608 099
Passcode: DbVAsW

Download Teams | Join on the web

Learn More | Meeting options

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This Wednesday, Sept. 21 marks our first Staff Collaboration "Opportunity Wednesday" of the 2022-2023 School year. This early dismissal will happen on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Our students will finish their day at 2:17 p.m., busses, however, will not arrive until 3:17 p.m. Students will still receive the same number of required hours of instruction as we have manipulated our lunch hour to be slightly shorter. This revised schedule was implemented last year at all grade 10 to 12 high schools within EIPS.

Opportunity Wednesdays allow numerous advantages for our students, including the following:

• Academic Coaching - students can access all of their specific class teachers to review or relearn concepts that they may have not mastered or may have missed, work on CTS projects, etc. (All teachers will host academic coaching sessions every second and fourth Wednesday of the month).
• Rewrite Opportunities - students, after demonstrating that they have grasped a concept that eluded them through a formative activity, can gain the opportunity to do a Rewrite on a summative assessment. (Administration hosts rewrites in the Computer Labs - Every Opportunity Wednesday).
• Student Peer to Peer Opportunities - students may take part in opportunities for life skills learning and peer to peer support activities, which also may provide dual credit access to Early Child Education & support courses. (Through the Facey Friends program linked to our district programs students - offered every Opportunity Wednesday).
• Staff Collaboration - Teachers will meet and collaborate around improving practice and accessing Professional Development opportunities in their departments. (Collaboration days will occur every third Wednesday of the Month).

Students riding the busses are welcome to take advantage of the opportunities above or may decide to study in the library or commons areas until the busses arrive at 3:17 p.m. T

We are looking forward to leveraging "Opportunity Wednesdays" in a variety of ways as we move forward. We feel strongly that this time will be able to not only provide a lot of support for our students academically, but also give students a chance to access some important presentations around preparing for life after High School.

Monday - Sept. 19, 2022

• Model UN - meets today in room 216 at lunch.
• Virtual Assembly Ceremony Honouring the Day of Mourning for Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II @ 11:00 a.m.
• Sr. Girls Volleyball team hosts Paul Kane for a 5:00 p.m. game. (South Gym)
• Sr. Boys Volleyball team hosts Leduc Composite for a 6:30 p.m. game.

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Tuesday - Sept. 20, 2022

• Falcons Swim Team Practice- 7:00 a.m. @ the Kinsmen pool.
• Cross-Country Running Team Practice @ 3:30 pm to 4:15 pm (meet in the main foyer)
• Jr. Girls Volleyball team hosts Harry Ainlay for a 5:00 pm game.
• Jr. Boys Volleyball team hosts Spruce Grove for a 6:30 pm game.
• School Council meeting today in the Library @ 6:00 p.m..

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Wednesday - Sept. 21, 2022 (Early Dismissal @ 2:17pm- Opportunity Wednesday)

• Opportunity Wednesday - Teacher Department Collaboration Session from 2:17 p.m. to 3:17 p.m. Bus schedule will be a regular 3:17 p.m. pickup at school. Students can access rewrites and take part in peer to peer support with "Facey Friends".
• Cyber Defense Team - meets today at noon in Rm 216.
  
• Facey's Interfaith Alliance - meets today at noon in Rm 270.
• F.O.D. (Falcons of Distinction) Squad - meets today at noon in Rm 260.
• Cross Country Team travel to- Goldbar Park @ 4:30 pm for the Goldbar Challenge (2 races - boys start and girls).
• Junior Football team play Harry Ainlay @ Clark Park - 6 pm to 8:30 pm.
• Sr. Boys Volleyball team hosts Ardrossan High for a 5:30 p.m. game. (South Gym)

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Thursday - Sept. 22, 2022

• Facey’s Gender & Sexuality Alliance (Spectrum) meets today @ lunch in room 218! All are welcome!
• Jazz Band meets for practice at noon today in the Band Room (Rm. 142)
• Robotics Club meets today at 3:20 pm in Rm 216.
• Jr. Boys Volleyball team travels to Arch Bishop O'Leary for a 5:00 pm game.

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Friday - Sept. 23, 2022

• Turtle Talk - Period three in room 281. All are welcome!
• Evacuation Drill - Block 4

• Our Volleyball teams host the Falcon Junior High Invitational Tournament.

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Saturday - Sept. 24, 2022

• Falcon Volleyball teams continue to host and work at our Falcons Jr. High Invitational Tournament.

Bev Facey Football continued this week with a tough tilt for our Senior Squad falling to Spruce Grove in a game that saw our team put up a strong fight in the second half. Our Senior team hits their Bye week, which will allow them to refocus and prepare for a strong showing next week.

Click the following link for the Sr. Schedule:

Falcons Sr. Football September Game Schedule

Click the following link for the Jr. Schedule:

Falcons Jr. Football September Game Schedule

Post Secondary Information Sessions

Our Counselling team has firmed up some Post Secondary Sessions in the next couple of weeks, and we will be promoting them via social media over the next few weeks. It's important for our students in Grade 11, and definitely in Grade 12 to attend these sessions in order to get as informed as possible about what is available to them in terms of post-secondary opportunities. Here are our current confirmed sessions:

• September 21, 2022 - Concordia College Post Secondary Presentation
  
• September 28, 2022 - UBC Post Secondary Presentation

• October 11, 2022 - U of A Post Secondary Presentation

• October 14, 2022 - N.A.I.T. Post Secondary Presentation

Our Counsellors would like to highlight the Boys and Girls club's new Teen Hub. It is behind the building where Franklin’s Inn used to be. They offer a lot of activity programs and we would like to draw your attention to some of the posters depicting them below.

As well as the programs available, they also have a Drop- In space from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. 11:00 am to 3:00 pm is a quiet time for studying.

The "Raise the Grade" program may also be another beneficial activity for our students who are looking for more supports after school.

They also have a Dungeons and Dragons club every second Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00-.

If you have a child who could benefit from these programs we encourage you to check it out.