November Updates
Check back weekly to see updates to the monthly messages.
Don't Forget: No School Tomorrow: Friday, November 29; PD day
We’re Published!
Our school learning journey on the land is now represented in the GEOEC Connections Magazine!
Embracing the Land: Edgemont School’s Professional Learning Journey
Go to page 37!
Thank you to our learning leaders, Ms. Riffel, Ms. Turner, Mrs. Zaharichuck and also Ms. Ang who had their editing eyes on the article before it was submitted. A special thank you to Ms. Katzko for facilitating the connection to GEOEC and encouraging me to write about our school approach! Looking forward to following this up with part 2 as we deepen our engagement with Land as Teacher.
Fall Learning Conferences - We want to hear from you
Parent teacher interviews are one way we share student learning with parents. Last year, we received feedback that November was too late for our first parent-teacher interviews. In response, we moved these interviews to the end of October this year. We’d love to hear your thoughts—has this change been helpful for you? Please take 2 minutes to complete this form. It would be great if you could submit your response by December 5th. CLICK HERE
Snow Piles
As you may have noticed, the snow plows have created significant snow hills on the side of the school and near the parking lot. We want to remind everyone that students are not permitted to climb or slide on these hills during school hours, as they can pose safety risks.
Please be aware that the school is not responsible for any injuries that may occur if students choose to slide or climb on these hills outside of school hours. Some students do remain on the school grounds after school rather than walking home, and we ask that you supervise your child if they are staying.
If a student is not accompanied by an adult after school hours, we will send them home for their safety.
Our number one priority is always student safety, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Edgemont Students need Healthy Digital Media Habits
Our students have also told us that, although they know they should limit their screen time, they often find it difficult to do so. Research on brain development shows that children's and adolescents' brains are especially vulnerable to digital media, as areas related to attention, impulse control, and reward-seeking are still developing. Social media and gaming platforms are designed to keep users engaged—often for extended periods—and don’t include safeguards for healthy screen choices that we’d like to see for young people.
Removing screens from bedrooms at night can help kids break away from these digital pulls and get the sleep they need for optimal learning and health. Together, we can encourage our Edgemont students to build these healthy habits and reach their full potential every day!
Logging off Helps our Students Soar to Greater Heights!
More Information: My Health Alberta
Morning Traffic on Snowy Roads
Please take extra care on snowy mornings when dropping off students. The hill into Edgemont’s parking lot has a surprisingly steep grade, making it easy to get stuck—and when vehicles lose control, it creates a real safety risk for students and staff. If your car doesn’t have good winter tires, please do not enter the parking lot or traffic circle. Do not try speeding up the hill or spinning your tires to try to get traction. Drivers are responsible for being able to stop safely while both entering (uphill) and exiting (downhill) the parking lots.
To keep things safe and smooth, please follow the staff directing traffic; our priority is student safety, and we’re focused on ensuring traffic flows as best as possible in the drop-off circle. At times, this may mean vehicles leaving the side lots will need to wait. We ask that cars do not cross in front of staff directing traffic into the top lot—it’s important for their safety. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding!
School Development Plan: The Incredible 5 Point Scale
Student Self-Regulation is an identified well-being goal for our 2024-2025 School Development Plan. One strategy we are using to support this goal is The Incredible 5-Point Scale. It is a way to help students understand abstract concepts using a concrete model. This will be a school-wide tool to help students recognize, understand and manage emotions. By using numbers from 1 to 5, the scale allows students to identify their emotional state—whether they're calm, a bit upset, or very distressed—and learn appropriate ways to respond at each level. This shared language helps our entire school community understand and support each student's needs, creating a safe, positive environment for all students.
Students will be introduced to this framework in the coming weeks. Parents may find it useful to ask their child what they've learned about the Incredible 5-point scale and to consider using the same language at home. More information will be shared at our upcoming school council meeting. We hope some of our parents will be able to join us!
November School Council Meeting
November 26th at 6:30
There will be 2 meetings - Edgemont School Council and Edgemont School Parent Association (fundraising)
Our school report will outline our 2024-2025 School Development Plan
This will be the last meeting of 2024.
Volunteering
To volunteer with the school, we require the following:
1. Current Police Check
2. Annual Volunteer Registration Form – Edgemont School Required Document
* Log onto your MyCBE account and fill out the form.
* If you are struggling with the online form, please get one from the office.
3. To be added to the school council list of volunteer opportunities, you will need to
complete the form using the following link:
Mark your Calendar:
November 29th: PD - no school
Edgemont School Volunteers
Thank you for Volunteering with Edgemont School.
In order to volunteer with the school, we require the following:
1. Current Police Check
2. Annual Volunteer Registration Form – Edgemont School Required Document
*Log onto your MyCBE account and fill out the form
*If you are struggling with the online form, please get one from the office.
To be added to the school council list of volunteer opportunities, you will need to add yourself to their list on the following link:
Quest Theatre Performance
Quest Theatre will be performing at our school Monday, November 4th! The play is Snow White, not at all connected to Evergreen Theatre's Snow White and the Seven Regions from last year😊
Promoting Quality Sleep – We need parents’ help
Students are sharing that they often feel tired and aren’t getting enough rest. In a student survey last spring, 52% reported feeling tired during the school day, and 46% said they arrive at school already feeling fatigued. This can make learning difficult and limit their resilience in handling challenges. We encourage parents to watch this brief video from AHS about healthy sleep habits for school-aged children. Simple adjustments, like removing screens from bedrooms and limiting technology use at least an hour before bedtime, can help set students up for success. Thank you for helping us support our students’ health and learning!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STLmp0q7kTU
Fall Break Reminder: There is no school for students Friday November 8th to Wednesday November 13th. School will resume on Thursday November 14th.