Knightly News
March 17, 2024
Clover Bar Information
Hold the Date! Grade 9 Farewell!
The Clover Bar Farewell for Grade 9's is scheduled for Thursday, June 13, 2024 and the Grade 9 Farewell Field Trip will be Friday, June 14, 2024. More information to follow!
Have your say! EIPS’ 2023-24 Annual Feedback Survey Opens March 1-21
Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) wants to hear from you. Make sure to complete the 2023-24 EIPS Annual Feedback Survey: For parents and caregivers—open from March 1-21.
Every year, EIPS conducts the feedback survey to gauge its progress toward meeting the goals and priorities outlined in its Four-Year Education Plan. Families are asked a series of questions about:
· their experiences with EIPS and the specific school their child attends;
· the quality of education being provided to students;
· areas for improvement; and
· new this year, the survey includes an additional series of questions—focused on stakeholder confidence in EIPS’ priorities and strategic direction as a whole.
Collectively, the Division uses the survey feedback to help guide future planning, decision-making and strategies—all aimed at enhancing student learning and better serving the wider community.
open March 1-21
To preview the questions before completing the survey, see Question Preview - 2023-24 EIPS Annual Feedback Survey: For parents and caregivers.
NOTE: To share the experiences of more than one child, or if you have a child who attends classes at more than one EIPS school—such as Next Step and an EIPS senior high school—simply complete the survey again.
The survey is anonymous and only takes roughly 10-15 minutes to complete. EIPS will share the survey results in next year’s Annual Education Results Report 2023-24.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2022-23
EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2022-23: Overview
EIPS Four Year Education Plan: 2022-26
The background links are also provided throughout the survey, which you can use to help inform your survey answers.
Clover Bar Athletics Calendar
Our Athletics Calendar is now on our webpage and you can subscribe! This means that as our Athletics Calendar updates, it does the same in your family calendar. Click the link below to get to our calendar and subscribe!
Clover Bar Course Registration is Open!
Now that students have chosen their school for next year, we are onto our course registration process! This will be when students coming to Clover Bar for the 2024-25 school year will choose their option courses. Mrs. Orr and Mr. Shudra went around and spoke with our next year grade 8 and 9 students this week to explain the process and go over the different courses students can choose from.
We sent out the Clover Bar planning form on Thursday, March 15. This form does not need to be returned to Clover Bar as students will register for their option courses at home with their families through the Parent Portal of PowerSchool. We opened up registration on March 15 and it will close on April 1 (April Fools Day, and no, that is not a joke! 😄). You will see a link on the left side of the Parent Portal that says 'Course Registration'. If you need help with your Parent Portal PowerSchool access, please contact the school for support.
New this year, we will also be sharing a form where students will be able to request 3 friends to be in their homeroom class. Our Clover Bar staff build our homeroom classes, but this will be part of the consideration and we will do our best to accommodate at least one of the requests wherever possible. We know how important connections are for students at junior high and want to support that!
Any questions, please reach out to the school!
So Many Options! - UPDATED
We have updated our Option Course Registration Guide for the 2024-25 school year. We have added a few new potential options for next year, but that depends on student interest. We will be building out schedule around student choices for their options, so it is important to be informed.
Check out our Option Course Guide below, or check it out on our website at www.cloverbar.ca under the Quick Links.
If parents or guardians have any questions about our options, feel free to reach out to our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Orr at cherum.orr@eips.ca or our Principal, Mr. Shudra at matt.shudra@eips.ca.
Peer Tutoring Available
Is your student looking for a little extra help? Clover Bar is offering Peer Tutoring! Students can come to Mrs. Yeo's classroom every Tuesday for some extra help!
Thanks to our Grade 9 Students showing leadership skills within our school community!
Clover Bar This Week
School will be closed March 22 to April 1 for Spring Break and will re-open on Tuesday, April 2
Monday, March 18 - Day 6 - Locker Clean up!
8:00am - Virtual Meeting with SFS Director - Mr. Shudra
9:00am - CLB Admin Meeting
10:30am to 11:30am - Presentation to Grade 9 Students attending Salisbury
2:00pm to 3:00pm - Hour Zero Training - Mr. Shudra and Mrs. Orr
Tuesday, March 19 - Day 1
10:00am - CLB Finance Meeting
11:00am - Meet with Photo Company - Mr. Shudra
12:30pm to 3:30pm - Student Re-Engagement Community Conference - Mr. Shudra, Mrs. Orr, Ms. Graham
Wednesday, March 20 - Day 2 - Immunization Catch up Day
8:30am - Clover Bar ReSet Meeting
11:00am to 11:30am - Virtual Meeting about Clover Bar Program Support for 2024-25 - Mr. Shudra
1:00pm to 4:00pm - EIPS Leadership Meeting - Mr. Shudra and Mrs. Orr away
Thursday, March 21 - Day 3 - 2024-25 Fee Submission Due
12:00pm to 4:00pm - PowerScheduling Training in CLB Library - Mrs. Orr Facilitating
Friday, March 22 - Start of Spring Break! School Closed!
Parent Council Information
To send a Knightly Kudos, you can click on the image above or the link below. Thank you!
EIPS Division Information
A big THANK YOU to EIPS Volunteers
National Volunteer Week takes place April 14-20. On behalf of the Board of Trustees at Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS), I want to extend my most heartfelt thanks to all EIPS volunteers. Every time you’ve contributed, whether it was helping on a class field trip or planning a school event for families to enjoy, you were there at a moment when we needed you. Students needed you, staff needed you, the community needed you—and you answered the call. These are moments that matter and are ones that make a difference in a student’s experience at their school.
So, thank you again for being there. Without you, EIPS would not be what it is today, and schools wouldn’t be able to do all the wonderful things they do. This National Volunteer Week, I encourage everyone to celebrate the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours put into supporting student growth and achievement at schools across the Division.
Cathy Allen Chair, EIPS Board of Trustees
Did you know?
Alberta Reserves are accumulated surplus funds that may be designated to a school, department or priority. The Board of Trustees approves the transfer of funds to and from reserves and has a yearly plan on how those reserves are used—to the benefit of students. EIPS identifies high-demand areas and uses its operating reserves for initiatives like student learning, new curriculum work, consultant support, mental health initiatives, technology upgrades, public-health best practices and other one-time projects. Operating reserves are also used to furnish and equip new schools and classrooms. With its capital reserves, EIPS replaces ageing equipment, purchases technology, modernizes and expands student learning spaces, and funds emergent capital needs.
Learn more:
Watch for Thin Ice
Remember, be aware of thin ice this time of year. Depending on changing temperatures, ice can form and melt to varying degrees on outdoor bodies of water. Try to remind your child about the dangers of thin ice, obey all posted signs, take proper care and remain a safe distance from the ice.
For more information about ice safety, visit the Canadian Red Cross.
Did you know?
The colour of ice may be an indication of its strength. Clear blue ice is the strongest. White opaque is half as strong as blue ice. And, grey ice is unsafe—greyness indicates the presence of water.
EIPS Annual Education Results Report
Every year, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) publishes an Annual Education Results Report, which outlines the Division’s Four-Year Education Plan, opportunities for growth and how it’s supporting students to achieve the best possible outcomes. Read through this year’s EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2022-23 and discover how EIPS fosters learning environments for all students to learn, grow and thrive—and why it matters.
April Spotlight: enhancing public education through effective engagement
· Rules of Engagement: Using a collaborative approach to improve student achievement and success
· Driving change: Strengthening public education through Board advocacy
RELATED INFORMATION EIPS
The March edition of the Alberta Health Services Addiction and Mental Health Newsletter focuses on breathing. Newsletter
Themes include:
Community and Mental Health Supports
Caregiver Newsletter
Please click HERE for the March edition of the AHS Caregiver Education Newsletter.
Strathcona County Resources
Family Resource Network
The local Family Resource Network (FRN) is a partnership between the County's Family and Community Services, Boys and Girls Club (BGC) Strathcona County and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Strathcona County. The FRN provides programs and services for families with children and youth ages 0-18 years that focus on well-being and resiliency, including:
- Programs to support healthy child development
- Reliable parenting information
- Connection to other local resources
Connections Guide for Spring
Learn about upcoming free and low-cost programs and services for seniors, youth, families and individuals in the Family and Community Services Connections Guide! Find opportunities to connect with others, access support and resources, keep learning, and take care of ourselves and those we love.
The guide contains information about:
- Connecting with others in your community
- Inspiring community stories
- Access counselling services and supports
- Courses and workshops for parents, caregivers and their children
- Activities and supports for teens and pre-teens
- Community resources for everyone at every stage of life
- Resources for those who are new to the County, and more
Affordable Services
Strathcona County offers a number of subsidies to residents with low incomes. Residents can access certain County operated programs and services at a reduced cost or for free.
Alberta Health Services Newsletter
Health Services
EIPS has a partnership with Alberta Health Services to support students and families with coordinated health services. This includes immunizations, but also goes beyond that. Below is a resource page so that you are informed of what that partnership brings.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at general.clb@eips.ca or 780-467-2295.
Resources for Families
Community Supports
Family and Community Service
(FCS) call-in hours 780-464-4044
Monday, Fridays: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868
The Distress Line 780-482-4357
Strathcona Food Bank - 780-449-6413
IMPORTANT DATES
- March 22 to April 1: Spring Break
- May 8: CLB School Council Meeting
- June 13: Clover Bar Farewell Evening
- June 14: Grade 9 Farewell Field Trip