Lakeland Ridge Weekly Update!
Friday, June 18, 2021
Hello Lakeland Ridge Families,
It is hard to believe that we are entering the last week of school. We want to thank all our Lakeland Ridge families for a terrific school year. Certainly, the year was not without its challenges, but we made it through and are hopeful for a return to near normal operations next year.
Please remember to have students complete the Daily Covid-19 Questionnaire before coming to school. If students are feeling unwell, they are asked to please stay home.
Celebrating Diversity and Standing Up Against Hate
This past week EIPS celebrated Pride Week. This provided an opportunity for students and staff to celebrate diversity and inclusion and to demonstrate support for the LGBTQS+ community. Thank you to all staff and students who showed their support.
In recent weeks, there have been a number of horrific events that have taken place in Alberta and within Canada. The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation announced it located the remains of 215 children who were students at the Kamloops Indian Residential Schools. Our hearts are with the families of each child whose death at the school went unacknowledged. The loss of these young lives is a tragedy beyond words.
A couple of weeks ago a Muslim family was killed in a truck attack in London, Ontario. London police have stated that the person driving the vehicle intentionally targeted the family because of their faith. Last week in Edmonton, a lady wearing a hijab was out for a walk and was attacked and thrown to the ground and injured. There have also been several acts of vandalism in and around the Edmonton area. These incidents are very disturbing and completely unacceptable. It is important that we stand together against this hate. We are fortunate to live in Canada and I take pride in the fact that everyone one of us is different. If all of us were the same, life would be rather boring. Every single one of us has a role to play in making our world a better place. We all need to “Be kind” to one another. There are many ways each of us can make a difference. You have heard me say this before and I will say it again – our world needs more empathy, acceptance, respect and caring and we should be working to bring people together, rather than trying to divide people.
While there are terrible things that happen every day, I feel very blessed to serve as the principal of Lakeland Ridge. The reason is quite simple. Every day, I am surrounded by staff that go above and beyond to care for your children. I am surrounded by kids (both big and small) that show kindness to others and go out of their way to brighten someone’s day. They inspire all of us adults in the building. Our children are our future and when I think about all the good things that I see every day, I have hope…. hope that things will get better. This year Lakeland Ridge families, through our Cash 4 Care days, raised $2520.76 for A Safe Place, which is a women’s shelter that serves Strathcona County. This past Wednesday, I had the privilege of presenting a cheque to A Safe Place, on behalf of Lakeland Ridge School. This is just one example of some of the great things that our kids do for others in our community. As we near the end of the school year, please take some time to consider what you can do to make a difference and make the world a better place.
School Staff and Classroom Configuration for 2021-22
We are in still in the process of completing our staffing and finalizing class lists for next year. As mentioned earlier, we are not accepting class requests for next year. School administration, our counsellor and teachers work extremely hard preparing and organizing classes for next year to ensure your student’s success. Grade group teachers have been meeting as a team with teachers of the following grade to plan class lists based on their collective knowledge of the student’s needs. Prior to the start of the school year, teachers will be contacting parents to let them know which class their child will be in. We are still currently working on the junior high timetable and hope to have it ready near the end of June. Students will receive their timetables on or before the first day of school.
Upcoming Dates and Events
June 21 - Junior High Awards (Virtual during periods 3 & 4)
- National Indigenous Peoples Day - No Exams
June 22- 25 - Exam Week Schedule for Junior High Students Only
- Tuesday, June 22 – Language Arts AM / Social Prep in PM
- Wednesday, June 23 – Social AM / Science Prep in PM
- Thursday, June 24 – Science AM / Math Prep in PM
- Friday, June 25 – Math AM
June 25 - Last Instructional Day
- Report cards available online
Cash 4 Care Program
Junior High Final Exams
Lakeland Ridge will be moving forward with a final exam week for junior high students. Exam week will be from June 22-25. Students in grades 7 and 8 will be writing common exams developed by EIPS and students in grade 9 will write common exams developed by their teachers. Keep in mind that teachers have been teaching your kids all year and have numerous assessments that provide a comprehensive body of evidence of your child’s understanding of the curricular outcomes. Teachers, as always, will use their professional judgment when determining final grades. Final exams provide students with an opportunity to shine and demonstrate their understanding in their respective subjects. We want students to do their very best. Students who do not write final exams or score lower than their class, mark will not have their marks lowered. Specific information about Final Exam Week will be sent out later.
Exam Dates
· Wednesday, June 16 – Math Part A in PM
· Tuesday, June 22 – Language Arts AM
· Wednesday, June 23 – Social AM
· Thursday, June 24 – Science AM
· Friday, June 25 – Math AM
Grade 9 Farewell - Congratulations Grade 9s!
Our Grade 9 Farewell ceremony took place this morning. As communicated in earlier messages, we held 3 small ceremonies, one for each of our grade 9 classes. Students received their certificates, had pictures taken, and watched a short video/slideshow specific to their class. The ceremonies were recorded, and a link will be shared with parents early next week.
Junior High Awards
Awards will be held on Monday, June 21 during blocks 3 & 4. The awards ceremony will be done virtually where all junior high students will attend in their homerooms. Due to the nature of this ceremony and the many different locations, our students will be in, we will be unable to live stream the event for parents. Students will receive certificates for Merit, Honours, and Honours with Distinction. Certificates will be presented to students in each of the 5 core subjects who received the highest overall academic achievement as well as those students who excelled in their complementary courses.
Indigenous Peoples in Canada Giant Floor Map
Students in Kindergarten to Grade 6 learned about Indigenous languages, treaties, and residential schools this week with the EIPS Giant Floor Map. Jeremy Alberts, an EIPS Consultant, was here to guide the students in their learning. They got to explore the biggest map of Canada, play some games and learn a few Cree words.
Jr. High Textbooks
Theme Week - Grade 9's going out in Style
Lakeland Ridge 2021-25 School Education Plan
Parent Survey Results
2020-21 EIPS Parent Survey: Results now available
The 2020-21 EIPS Parent Survey results are now available. In April, the Division conducted the annual survey, which helps EIPS gauge its progress toward meeting the goals and priorities outlined in its Four-Year Education Plan. Families were asked a series of questions about their experiences with EIPS and the school their child attends, the overall performance of the Division, the quality of education being provided to students and areas for improvement.
Thank you to all families who took the time to share their feedback with the Division. Overall, the survey received 3,198 responses from parents and guardians across EIPS—up by more than 230 responses from the previous year. EIPS will now review the feedback in detail and use it to develop new strategies to serve students and the wider community better.
The full results are available online:
2020-21 Parent Survey results: EIPS
2020-21 Parent Survey results Lakeland Ridge School
Updating Your Contact Information
Have you recently moved, or has your contact information changed throughout the past year? EIPS encourages families to review the information it has on file to ensure it’s up to date. Using the Correction and Verification Form, available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, families can review the current information on file for each student—addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, parent and guardian information, emergency contacts, medical details and other related information—and submit any updates needed.
Reviewing and updating the form ensures the Division has the most up-to-date information regarding your child. Your review is especially important if there’s any communication the Division or school needs to send out over the summer months related to classes next year.
All EIPS families are asked to review their child’s Correction and Verification Form by Monday, June 14 at noon. After this time, the form will be turned off for the remainder of the school year and not available again to families until the start of the 2021-22 school year.
NOTE: Only submit updates for the changes that have already taken place. If you’re moving this summer, you’ll submit the necessary updates to your address through the Correction and Verification Form at the start of next school year after you’ve moved.
If you have questions about the form or are having trouble with your PowerSchool Parent Portal account, contact the school at Lakeland Ridge School 780-416-9018.
LINKING GENERATIONS 2021-22 PROGRAM
Linking Generations will once again be offering their intergenerational program in our school this coming fall.. In September 2021 Linking Generations will be accepting volunteer applications from all interested Junior High students in grade 7-9. Based on health restrictions In September, students may be visiting with a ‘linked’ senior via a virtual platform using Zoom or if restrictions are eased, students will visit face to face at our partnership senior facilities. Any questions concerning Linking Generations may be sent to Debbie Sinclair, Executive Director, Linking Generations at linkgendebbie@telus.net
Summer Hours at Elk Island Public Schools
Throughout the summer break, Lakeland Ridge School is closed. It reopens on August 25 at 8:30am. If you have any school-related questions or concerns while the school is closed, contact EIPS Central Services—the office is open all summer to complete year-end activities and prepare for the 2021-22 school year. Students return to school on September 1.
EIPS Central Office Summer Hours: June 28 to August 24
Open: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 780-464-3477
Address: 683 Wye Rd., Sherwood Park
Statutory Holidays
Closed July 1 Canada Day
Closed August 2 Heritage Day
NOTE: Student Transportation also remains open during the summer months—operating during the same hours as EIPS Central Services.
Little Elk Island Adventure: Registration
Elk Island Public Schools is once again planning to run the Little Elk Island Adventure, a fun and informative program for first-time school bus riders.
Annually, Student Transportation offers the Little Elk Island Adventure to new riders and their parents. The program’s aim: To help introduce families to busing so they feel comfortable and at ease before even starting school. Through a series of activities, riders learn about school bus safety, danger zones, tips on boarding and how to sit properly on the bus. After that, both the children and parents hop on the bus to practice what they’ve learned by venturing out on a short ride.
The Little Elk Island Adventure is for first-time school bus riders entering the 2021-22 school year. The tentative session dates and times are as follows:
Location Date Time
EIPS Central Services August 16 6 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 17 6 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 18 2 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 19 2:30 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 19 6 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 23 9 a.m.
EIPS Central Services August 24 6 p.m.
EIPS Central Services August 26 6 p.m.
SouthPointe School August 25 2:30 p.m.
SouthPointe School August 25 6 p.m.
Dates and times may change depending on the province’s public-health measures.
IPS Central Services is located at 683 Wye Rd., Sherwood Park
SouthPointe School is located at 11 SouthPointe Blvd., Fort Saskatchewan
Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
More information about busing for kindergarten children is available at: eips.ca/transportation/kindergarten-busing-faq.
Student Transportation: 2021-22 registration
Planning to use Student Transportation in the 2021-22 school year? If so, make sure your child is registered so Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) can plan routes and send your child a bus pass before the first day of school.
All students who indicated needing transportation services through the returning student registration process are now registered. Those families have also received tentative route schedules and invoices—fees are due June 30, 2021.
For those students who didn’t indicate needing transportation service through the returning student registration process and want to now register, simply contact EIPS Student Transportation at 780-417-8151 or email st@eips.ca.
For more information about EIPS Student Transportation visit www.eips.ca/transportation.
NOTE: Families can pay fees online using the PowerSchool Parent Portal. To pay in person contact Student Transportation to make an appointment.
Tools for School
Lakeland Ridge School has once again partnered with the United Way for the 2021-22 Tools for School campaign. Annually, Tools for School provides backpacks and school supplies to students in kindergarten through Grade 12 whose families have limited resources. If you’re a parent or know a parent who needs access to the program, contact the school directly. Staff will discretely provide the backpack to the child at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.
Alternatively, if you’d like to donate to the program, you can pick up a few extra supplies when you’re out shopping for back-to-school. Drop-off boxes are located at various businesses in the community during the summer months—including Staples and the EIPS Central Services office. All supplies donated within the community are invested back into the region.
For more information about Tools for School, contact Stephanie MacNutt at 780-416-9018 or call the EIPS Central Services at 780-464-3477.
Visitors in School
Parents are reminded that they need to make an appointment to enter the school, as non-essential visitors and contractors are not permitted in the school or workplace without an appointment. Please call or email the school ahead of time to book an appointment. Individuals should not enter an EIPS building if feeling unwell or have COVID-19 symptoms—fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, loss of smell or taste, nausea, pink-eye. Visitors must sign in at the office (after having made an appointment), practice physical distancing while here, and wear masks properly.
Attendance
K-9
If you know your child will be absent, late, or leaving early from school, please send a note in their agenda, email or phone the school explaining the reason for that day.
Student Brightspace page:
Username: Use the EIPS student email address
Password: Use the EIPS student password
If a student needs help with a password reset, contact the school for assistance.
Watch this video to learn how to navigate the Brightspace environment
Parent/Guardian Brightspace page: This is GREAT information to help your children.
https://eips.brightspace.com/d2l/local
Brightspace Parent/Guardian guide Click here
Write-On Stationary
The 2021-2022 School Supply sheets were sent home with your child. If you choose to participate and order your child’s school supplies through Write On Stationery, 10% of your total order will be returned to Lakeland Ridge School as a fundraiser.
EIPS Summer School: Registrations
Family Resources- Mental Health for Youth
Alberta COVID_19 Youth Mental Health Resource Hub. Alberta’s government partnered with the Kids Help Phone and Jack.org to create this hub where youth, educators and parents can find easy-to-access tools and supports.
Additionally, the youth-focused resources on this hub include:
· Jack Chapters – Youth-led, community-driven mental health advocacy clubs at schools or in the community.
· Jack Talks – Mental health presentations delivered to young people by young people.
· Jack Summits – Mental health conferences developed by youth, where young people within a region connect, strategize and learn from one another.
· Do Something – Tools to take small, simple steps that make a big difference to youth mental health and the mental health of others.
· Be There – Tools to support someone who may be struggling with their mental health.
Additional mental health resources available to support students, families and school staff: