KNIGHTLY NEWS
SEPTEMBER 2021
Clover Bar Junior High School
Welcome Back Clover Bar Knights
Welcome back to another exciting school year at Clover Bar Junior High. Our first day of school we were excited to meet all of our fabulous new Grade 7 students, many new grade 8 and 9 students and to welcome back all our students from last year! Our Grade 7 orientation went well and the students are beginning to feel right at home with their lockers, schedules and new friends.
We are also very excited that we are currently able to continue with school activities such as field trips and are hoping that this year will be a wonderful one for our Clover Bar families.
Please remember that if you ever have any questions, you can reach us in the office or through email and we will be happy to try to find answers for you.
Dates To Remember
- September 8: Early dismissal / Jersey day. Bring a donation for the food bank!
(We will mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on this day at school.)
- September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation -No School Orange Shirt Day
- October 1: Newsletter out
- October 5: World Teachers' Day
- October 6: Early dismissal / Jersey day. Bring a donation for the food bank!
- October 11: Thanksgiving Day - No school
Brightspace
Teachers and staff at Clover Bar Junior High use Brightspace to post information, assignments and announcements for students in their classes. If you are having difficulty accessing Brightspace, please use the information on the EIPS website:
Brightspace for Parents article
Here you can find a video tutorial, a parent guide document, as well as instructions on how to create your account. There are other specific resources here that could also help you.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you are having questions or difficulties and we will help you navigate these.
Powerschool Parent Log In
Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) uses PowerSchool to strengthen its communication between the school and home. Using the Parent Portal, parents and guardians can access information online regarding their child’s grades, attendance and school fees.
One of the great features of PowerSchool is parents and guardians only need to create one Parent Portal account regardless of the number of students they have within EIPS—meaning only one login to remember!
The Parent Portal also follows each student as they move within the Division so there is no need to recreate an account each year. Students who are new to the Division, regardless of grade, will receive a letter from their school outlining the information needed to link a student to an existing account and/or set up a new parent account.
For more information about the PowerSchool Parent Portal, contact us directly.
Please also visit the EIPS website for more Powerschool links and information.
Option changes
Starting Friday, September 10th and going until Tuesday, September 14th, we will be accepting requests for option changes for both semesters 1 and 2. In order to consider an option change, students must submit a written request from a parent, either a hard copy or an email stating:
I give permission to (child's name) to change their option and move from (option name).
This should be submitted or turned in to Ms. Rutledge in the office or through email at: Dawn.Rutledge@eips.ca.
Please remember that option classes are very full at this time. Option changes can only be completed if numbers allow for additional students to be added. Thank you for your understanding.
EIPS Athletics
Clover Bar Junior HIgh is please to be able to run athletics at our school right now. In order to continue to enjoy this opportunity and to continue with league games, Elk Island Public Schools has decided the following:
1. We will not run tournaments in September (this decision will be revisited at a later date).
2. All athletes and coaches are required to wear a mask when entering a school and when sitting on the bench. Players do not have to wear masks when playing.
3. In order to limit potential spread of COVID-19 during EIPS athletic events, spectators are not permitted at practices and games at this time. We ask that when dropping off or picking up student athletes outside the school, parents and guardians maintain a 2-metre distance from other families.
We continue to enjoy our athletics and thank you for respecting these guidelines put into place by Elk Island Public Schools.
Thank you also to our amazing coaches for all their hard work with these young athletes! Go Knights' Nation!
Clover Bar Junior High Website
Our school website has a host of really great information for you! Please continue to check it out!
Clover Bar Junior High
Meet the Teacher Night
This year, because of COVID-19, we have been directed to avoid having large, non-curricular gatherings in our building. As such, we will not be able to offer an in-person Meet the Teacher Night like we would have hoped, Instead, in order to help you get to know the staff at Clover Bar Junior HIgh, we are going create a short, introductory video that we will post on our school website later in September. Staff have also worked hard to try to update websites and as always, please reach out to them directly through email or a phone call with any questions or concerns.
Bus Video Monitoring
Did you know each EIPS bus is equipped with video surveillance? Video surveillance and equipment helps:
· ensure the safety of all students, drivers and property; and
· discourage destructive acts.
On a regular basis, EIPS Student Transportation reviews the video recordings, in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP Act). The recordings assist the department with monitoring student and driver conduct and may be used as evidence in a disciplinary matter.
For more information about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, contact the EIPS FOIP Co-ordinator at 780-464-3477.
Caregiver Education Session
Alberta Health Services hosts a variety of virtual caregiver information sessions throughout the year focused on ways to support students’ mental health. The sessions are free and geared toward parents, caregivers, teachers and community members who want to learn more about challenges impacting children and adolescents. Session topics include anxiety, ADHD, depression, self-harm, technology, teens and teaching leadership skills, communication, resiliency and more Visit Caregiver Education to see the monthly caregiver sessions.
Correction and Verification Forms
Update Your PowerSchool Information The "Correction and Verification Form" is now available online through your PowerSchool Parent Portal. Families can use the form to access and update their child’s information—including address, parent and guardian information, emergency contacts and any medical information. Reviewing the form and submitting updates ensures the school has the most up-to-date information regarding your child.
If you’ve recently moved, now is the time to ensure the Division has your updated address information. In particular, please also pay close attention to all phone numbers, email addresses and emergency contact information. The Division will undoubtedly continue to have important information to communicate with families throughout this school year, and we want to ensure you receive this information. If you haven't already done so, we ask all Clover Bar Junior High families to review their child’s PowerSchool information by Sept. 22, 2021.
For more information about the PowerSchool Correction and Verification Form, contact the school office at 780-467-2295
Enhancing Literacy and Numberacy
As part of Elk Island Public Schools’ (EIPS) ongoing efforts to enhance the literacy and numeracy of students in all grade levels, the Division is once again administering the Star Early Literacy/Star Reading and Math Intervention/Programming Instrument (MIPI) assessment tools in the 2021-22 school year. The tools focus on literacy and numeracy, are digitally based and offer an opportunity for students to demonstrate their learning. The goal: To provide timely information to teachers, help enhance classroom instruction and ensure student learning needs are identified.
Three times a year—in September, January/February and May/June—EIPS students in Grade 1 complete the Star Early Literacy assessment and students in grades 2-12 complete the Star Reading assessment. The assessments take approximately 20 minutes and are administered on a digital device. Also, in September, students in grades 2 through 10 will complete the MIPI assessment, which is a mathematic screening tool used to inform teachers about a student’s math skills—students enrolled in math for Semester 2 will complete the MIPI assessment in February. For students in grades 7 through 10, the MIPI takes approximately 50 minutes, and for students in grades 2 through 6 it takes approximately 20 minutes. The results offer the teacher a clearer picture of a student’s learning needs and help determine if subsequent instructional planning is required.
The scores of the assessments aren’t used toward a student’s grade, and there is no need to study ahead of time. The tools simply provide the teacher with information to better understand where each student is in terms of reading comprehension and mathematic ability. If, after analyzing the results, it’s determined a student can benefit from extra support, the teacher will contact the family to discuss possible support strategies.
For more information about the Division’s Star and MIPI assessment tools, contact EIPS Supports for Students at 780-464-3477.
School Fees
School fee information for the 2021-22 school year is expected to be posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal by late September. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted. 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 online using Visa, MasterCard or debit card—when available from your financial institution.
Don’t forget to 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 certain school activities such as field trips, class projects, athletic-team fees and more. Additionally, junior high and senior high fees can change as courses are added and deleted.
If circumstances exist where you’re unable to pay your school fees, you can apply to have fees waived by submitting an Application for a Waiver of Fees. The application deadline is Dec. 15, 2021.
For more information about school fees, waivers and payment deadlines visit eips.ca/schools/fees. Alternatively, contact Wendy Drader business manager at Clover Bar Junior High at 780-467-2295
Subscribe to the School Calendar
Sync the School Calendar to Your Calendar
Did you know you can sync the school calendar to your own calendar? You can. Simply, visit Cloverbar.ca and click on the applicable subscription option:
· Download to iCal
· Add to Google Calendar
· Subscribe to Calendar
NOTE: Options are located above the calendar.
Once you click on the desired subscription option, follow the instructions. Within seconds, your calendar will contain all Cloverbar Junior High’s important dates including holidays, school-closures days, planned activities, events and more.
