NSO Weekly News
October 31-November 5, 2022
Sherwood Park - Fort Saskatchewan - Vegreville
Hey all, Happy Halloween! Monday is Instructional day 41 of 89, and we are now 46% of the way through semester 1. Reminder November 5-13 is Fall break- No School! Have a great week! Mr. Spady Principal & Mrs. Porter Assistant Principal
Next Step Virtues Feedback Required!
We would greatly appreciate if you could take a moment and complete this quick 5-question survey regarding potential Next Step virtues. Complete SURVEY
Over the past several months staff at Next Step have been collaborating to identify core virtues that best represent the education and learning that takes place at our three campuses. Through this engagement process we have narrowed down possible words and themes and require all stakeholder input. Please take a moment to complete via the link to the following questions so we can identify potential virtues we hope to represent. What do we value most?
November Parent Teacher Student Conference Bookings!
Conferences are scheduled for the following times:
Fort Saskatchewan campus Wed., Nov 16 from 5-7:30 p.m.
Sherwood Park and Vegreville campuses Thurs., Nov 17 from 5-7:30 p.m.
Families are asked to book appointments in advance. Please CLICK HERE to book your interview appointment. Or visit https://www.schoolinterviews.ca/ and use Booking Code wf2kn. We look forward to meeting with you!
School Advisory Council
Meetings are held in-person and virtually starting at 6 p.m. Regular attendance is not required. Please check out our school calendar and NSO Weekly News for scheduled School Council Meetings. Please SIGN UP to have the virtual code emailed to you.
Scheduled Meeting dates:
October 20, 2022 (Minutes attached below)
November 23, 2022
January 25, 2023
March 15, 2023
Upcoming events
November 1-3: Portage College Open House
November 2: Grade 9 Take Our Kids To Work Day
November 4: Remembrance Service
November 2-9: Diploma Exams
November 5: MacEwan University Open House
November 5-13: November Fall Break
November 11: Remembrance Day
November 12: Discover your future at Youth Day - Farmfair International
November 14-18: Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week
November 16/17: Parent Teacher Student Conferences via booking CLICK HERE
November 17: Rupertsland Get Ahead of Your Future Career Exploration
November 20: National Child Day
November 29: Strathcona County Youth Employment Fair
ApplyAlberta is an online application system that allows you to apply to one or more of Alberta’s public post-secondary institutions through a common starting point. Please contact Guidance Counsellor elli.hansen@eips.ca for assistance.
Alberta Health Services Addiction and Mental Health Newsletter
The November edition of the Alberta Health Services Addiction and Mental Health Newsletter focuses on talking to your kids about alcohol. Newsletter
Themes include:
MyPass
MyPass is an Alberta Education self-service website set up for Alberta students to:
- View diploma exam results and request rescores
- Register to write a diploma exam
- Order High School transcripts
- View progress towards a credential (diploma or certificate)
- View and print a Detailed Academic Report (DAR)
How do I register?
1. Google myPass or go to https://public.education.alberta.ca/PASI/myPass
2. To register for an account, you will need
- your Alberta Student Number (ASN) this is the longer 9-digit number
- a personal email address (do not use your school email)
- your date of birth
Check out the PDF document below with step by step instructions. Contact Guidance Counsellor elli.hansen@eips.ca for assistance!
Peer Group- Sherwood Park
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.
Student Services- Wellness
Mindfulness Activity Week 5: Set a timer for 10 minutes. Lie on your back or sit in a comfortable position. Allow your eyes to close and widen your awareness and listen to the sounds around you that come and go. Was it difficult to keep your attention on the sounds? Raye, J. A year of mindfulness.
EIPS 2023-24 Division Calendar
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.
Where to Find the Information You Need
Elk Island Public Schools and Next Step 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. From the PowerSchool Parent Portal, you can:
· Access student grades and report cards;
· Pay school and transportation fees; and
· Submit official updates to student or family information.
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.
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.
The easiest way to stay connected is to download the SchoolMessenger app. Get the latest updates direct to your mobile device and enable push notifications to never miss a message. Families can also check back on past messages—for up to 30 days—directly in the app rather than searching to find an old message buried in your inbox.
Hours of Operation
Students & families can access our campus during the following times:
Monday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.Tuesday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Wednesday 8:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Thursday 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Friday 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Next Step Outreach
Email: nextstep@eips.ca
Website: eipsnextstep.ca
Phone: 7804641899
Twitter: @eipsnextstep