Weekly Update Newsletter
Friday, March 17, 2023
We also have an exciting week coming up with both our Junior and Senior Girls competing in the basketball playoffs on Monday, March 20th. Senior Girls will play FR Haythorne at 4:00PM. Junior Girls play against St. Theresa at 5:15PM. Go Wolves Go!
Upcoming Dates and Events
March
Mar. 17 - Last Day to order a yearbook
- Report Cards Published on PowerSchool at 3:00 pm
Mar. 19 - Hot Lunch Ordering Closed
Mar. 20 - Hot Lunch - Press'd
Mar. 21- Grade 6 Field Trip KLC; Bev Facey Gr. 9 Registration Info Session
Mar. 23 - Field Trip Grade 3 & 4 Kinsmen Leisure Centre
Mar. 24 - No School (Spring Break starts)
April
Apr. 3 - First Day back after Spring Break
Apr 4 - Field Trip Art 8 & 9- Art Gallery
Apr. 5 - Early Dismissal (Neon Day)
Apr. 7 - Good Friday - No School
Apr. 10 - Easter Monday - No School
Apr. 11 - School Council Meeting @ 6:30pm; PAS Meeting 7:30 pm
Apr. 14 - Field Trip Class 1-2 John Walter Museum
Apr. 16 - 22 - National Volunteer Week
Apr. 17 - Class 1-1 John Walter Museum
Apr. 20 - Field Trip Gr. 7 - Art Gallery, Field Trip Gr. 5 Modo Yoga
Apr. 21 - Field Trip Class 6-3 - Aviation Museum
Apr. 24 - Field Trip Class 6-2 - Aviation Museum; Field Trip Gr.5 TWOS
Apr. 26 - Field Trip Class 6-1 - Aviation Museum
SAVE THE DATES - Important Upcoming School Events
Wednesday, April 26 - Junior High Information Night - 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, May 3 - Kindergarten Information Night - 6:30 p.m.
Friday, June 16 - Grade 9 Farewell/Celebration
Monday, June 19 - Junior High Awards Ceremony
More information to follow soon on these upcoming school events.
March Madness Event
Complete your Parent/Guardian Information Verification Form
Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is currently reviewing and updating all parent and guardian contact information within the Division’s student information system. This one-time, full-scale review is to ensure the Division has complete and accurate data on file as Alberta Education moves to a new way of capturing information in the provincial database.
As part of the data review, EIPS requires all families to carefully review the parent and guardian information on file for each student in your family—even if you’ve recently completed a Student Correction and Verification Form. Families can quickly and easily indicate no updates are needed, if that’s the case, or provide updated contact information as needed. The form also includes a handful of new questions to help the Division understand each parent and guardian’s relationship to the student and their preferences for receiving communication from the school and Division.
To review your information, simply log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal and open the “Parent/Guardian Information Verification Form” from the left-hand menu or notification at the top of the page. Review all information carefully, provide updates where needed and submit your form by April 30. One form is required for each student currently registered at an EIPS school. Only one parent/guardian will complete the form for each student—all associated parent/guardian information for each student is available to review on the same form.
If you have any questions about your Parent/Guardian Information Verification Form, reach out to the school at 780-416-9018.
EIPS 2023 Annual Feedback Survey - Open March 1-23
Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) wants to hear from you. Make sure to complete the 2023 EIPS Annual Feedback Survey: For parents and caregivers—open from March 1-23.
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 school their child attends, the overall performance of the Division, the quality of education being provided to students and areas for improvement. The survey input helps the Division develop new strategies to better serve students and the wider community.
VISIT EIPS.CA TO TAKE THE SURVEY: March 1-23
NOTE: The survey is anonymous and only takes a few minutes to complete. If you want to share the experience of more than one child attending an EIPS school, simply complete the survey again.
Kindergarten Registration is Now Open!
Is your child turning five on or before Dec. 31, 2023? If so, it’s now time to register for kindergarten. To register, simply complete the online registration form at eips.ca/kindergarten.
To help families prepare, Elk Island Public Schools has put together an online EIPS Kindergarten Tool kit to make the transition as smooth as possible. The kit includes information on registration, important dates, programming options, what to expect, eligibility, how to find your designated school, transportation and more.
Additional information regarding Lakeland Ridge’s kindergarten program is available at https://www.lakelandridge.ca/.
Get ready for Kindergarten
Do you have a child registered in kindergarten next year? If so, make sure to attend Lakeland’s upcoming Kindergarten Information Night on May 3. You’ll get to:
· tour the school;
· meet the teachers;
· gain insight on play-based learning; and
· see what a typical day looks like.
Kindergarten Information Night 2023:
Date: May 3
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: Lakeland Ridge School
To make the transition to school as smooth as possible, Elk Island Public Schools has put together a toolkit for families. The kit includes information about registration, important dates, programming options, what to expect, eligibility, finding your designated school, transportation and more. Find it at: Welcome to EIPS Kindergarten.
Additional information about Lakeland Ridge’s kindergarten program is available on the school website.
Pre-kindergarten Programming at EIPS
Is there a preschooler in your life experiencing developmental delays or challenges with speech-language or motor-skill development—big or small? If so, Elk Island Public School’s Play And Learn at School (PALS) program could help.
Early learning lays the foundation for success in primary grades and beyond. As such, EIPS offers the pre-kindergarten PALS program in five of its elementary school locations. In fact, EIPS is now accepting applications for free speech-language assessments for those interested in registering in the PALS program this fall. The assessment helps determine if PALS is appropriate for your child.
If you know a preschooler, born in 2019 or 2020, who could benefit from pre-kindergarten programming or want to book an assessment, fill out the PALS Program Request Form or call 780-417-8219. For more information, visit eips.ca.
Summer School 2023
Registration for EIPS Summer School opens March 15, 2023. The Summer School program offers a number of senior high courses that allow students to earn credits, upgrade marks, lighten workloads for the year ahead or finish pre-requisite courses.
Registration is open to:
- current EIPS students (grades 9-12)
- students who will enter an EIPS high school for the 2023-2024 school year, as of Sept. 1, 2023.
Pre-requisite course requirement: In consultation with Alberta Education and senior administration at EIPS, if there is a pre-requisite course needed for the student’s summer class (for example, Social 20-1 to prepare for Social 30-1), that pre-requisite must have been successfully completed by June 25, 2023.
NOTE: Students are only able to register in one course for summer school as all classes run at the same time. The only exception is a student taking self-paced CALM 20, students could then register in one other course, or the classes are taught in different sessions. For example, taking CALM 20 in session 1 and Phys. Ed 10 in session 2.
A big THANK YOU to EIPS Volunteers
National Volunteer Week takes place April 16-22. On behalf of the Board of Trustees at Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS), I want to say a huge thank you to all EIPS volunteers and school families who help make the Division what it is today. Whether you volunteered for the first time this year or have committed many years to EIPS, your initiative, hard work and dedication are invaluable. You build a legacy for others to follow and a memory for students to cherish as they journey into their futures.
So, thank you again for your overflowing support. Your actions are a direct reflection of the kindness and compassion found in all the communities EIPS serves. This National Volunteer Week, I encourage everyone to celebrate the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours put into making schools across the Division places for students to learn, grow and succeed.
Trina Boymook
Chair, EIPS Board of Trustees
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 2021-22 and discover how EIPS fosters learning environments for all students to learn, grow and thrive—and why it matters.
April Spotlight: Student Growth and Success
· Early Learning: Ensuring early learners reach developmental milestones
· Culture of Literacy: Dive deep into the data and learn how students are developing strong literacy skills
· Math Matters: Enhancing reasoning, understanding and achievement through numeracy-rich classrooms
· Boosting Educational Outcomes: Discover how EIPS supports the growth and achievement of students who self-identified First Nations, Metis and Inuit
· Beyond high school: Supports and strategies that are creating real-life career pathways for learners
RELATED INFORMATION
EIPS Four-Year Education Plan: 2022-26
EIPS Three-Year Capital Plan: 2024-27
Download the SchoolMessenger App
Lakeland Ridge and the Division use the SchoolMessenger platform to communicate with families—through both phone and email. Be sure to add communications@eips.ca and amy.desaulniers@eips.ca and sherry.janke@eips.ca to your safe sender list to avoid having important messages funneled into your junk mail folder.
The easiest way to stay connected is to download the SchoolMessenger app. Get the latest updates from both the Division and your child’s school 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 their inbox. Download the SchoolMessenger app from the App Store or Google Play today.
INDIGENGOUS NEWS
Upcoming Events and Important Dates
Family Gatherings | April and June
The First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education team will be hosting family gatherings again, but we’ll be in person this year. Gatherings are a time in the evening when we can meet together to share, learn and connect. All family members are welcome and dinner will be provided at all gatherings. More details and registration will be shared with families closer to each event, but for planning purposes, the dates are as follows:
Thursday, April 20 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Art with Métis knowledge holder Connie Kuhlhavy (hosted at EIPS Central Services, Sherwood Park)
Thursday, June 8 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Land-based Learning (hosted at EIPS Central Services land-based learning space, Sherwood Park)
Cultural Programs | Late Winter and Spring
The First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education team is busy working with Elders and knowledge holders to plan a variety of cultural learning experiences for students and families. More details will be shared as plans are finalized, but know there are many exciting opportunities coming soon!
Direct Student Support
Study Help for Métis students Rupertsland Institute has secured access to Alberta ExamBank for K-12 Métis students to test their understanding through online practice. Métis students can sign up for the RECC Room to find the login for their MNA Region. Questions? Contact education@rupertsland.org.
Beautiful Michif Album
Métis singer/songwriter/actress Andrea Menard recently released her latest album, Anskoonamakew lii Shansoon, meaning Giveaway Songs. The collection of 10 songs are sung in and translated into the different languages and dialects of Michif people and are a way for Andrea to help share and preserve the Michif language. The songs can be streamed from a variety of platforms. A short video, the album and the lyric sheets are available on her website. Did you know: EIPS teacher Shelly Grauman’s daughter, Tai Amy Grauman, is a Métis playwright, and a song from one of her plays is included in the collection? Amazing talent!
At-home Supports for Métis Youth and Families
Are you a citizen of the Métis Nation of Alberta (MNA)? The MNA Children and Family Services team offers a variety of supports, programs and resources at no cost to citizens.
Winter Land Learning at Métis Crossing
Whether you and your kids are outdoor enthusiasts or like to keep busy and warm indoors, one thing is true, Metis Crossing has it all. Snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, skating rink and so much more! Enjoy our signature, locally sourced barista coffee at the Bistro in the Lodge or indulge in Métis-inspired lunches at the Cultural Gathering Centre. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 780-656-2229 or visit metiscrossing.com.
LLR Athletics!
Want to know when things are happening? We have an athletics calendar on the LLR school website. https://www.lakelandridge.ca/athletics/athletics-calendar. Please visit often as our Athletics staff will update as often as they can. Please feel free to contact Mr. Fisher (our Athletics Director) if you have any questions or require more information.
Math Homework Support for Parents and Caregivers
Looking to support your child in their math learning? The Community Adult Learning and Literacy Society (CALLS) is here to help! A CALLS instructor can walk you through kindergarten to Grade 6 math homework online so that you can feel confident in fostering your child’s math skills. Support sessions take place virtually every Wednesday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Simply call or text 780-667-8441 for a Zoom meeting link.
Caregiver Resources
- Wellness Together is free mental health and substance use support for people in Canada and Canadians abroad
- https://www.wellnesstogether.ca/en-CA
- Hope For Wellness is free mental health and substance use support available 24/7 to all Indigenous people of Canada.
- https://www.hopeforwellness.ca/
Quick Links
Attendance (Please specify if absence is due to Illness or Parent Excused)
Email: general.llr@eips.ca
Website: https://www.lakelandridge.ca/
Location: 101 Crimson Drive, Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-416-9018
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lakeland-Ridge-School-1490402014609661
Twitter: @LakelandRidge