MPS Weekly Update | April 4, 2025
Outdoor School with Kamp Kiwanis | April 23-25, 2025
We are excited about Outdoor School coming up around the corner and are hoping for fairer weather to prevail!
For anyone who missed the first parent information meeting or would like a refresher, we will offer a second virtual meeting on Tuesday, April 8th from 5:00-6:00pm. Please mark your calendars and refer to the email sent earlier this week to the parents of students attending for the Microsoft Teams link. This is a repeat meeting and will not contain different information than the meeting held on Feb 27th. Please note, it is a mandatory requirement that at least one parent/guardian attend one of these meetings.
Information packages have been sent home and remaining fees have been uploaded to PowerSchool. Final payment and all forms are due on April 8th. Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact our front office.
Student Well-Being Action Team (SWAT) Update
Over the last couple of months, a group of grade 8 and 9 students have been working with Ms. Takla and Ms. LeBlanc to examine our school data related to well-being. The Calgary Board of Education, including Mountain Park, recognizes that students and employees thrive in a culture of well-being. This is reflected in the CBE's 3 Year Education Plan, and Mountain Park's School Development Plan. Based on the data analyzed, our SWAT team determined that the best way to increase well-being at MPS is by looking at students' sense of belonging and connection within the school.
In May, we are hoping to hold a school event titled “MPS Around the World," with a specific focus on the question; "How do our unique experiences, histories, and cultures come together to form our shared Canadian identity?" We would like to highlight, and celebrate, the various cultures that make up the community of MPS. However, we cannot do this alone! We are asking students to start the conversations at home about where their cultures, values, and beliefs come from. We understand that many of our students come from a variety of backgrounds, and we would like to honour and celebrate all of them. The majority of this work will take place during our homeroom time on Fridays with an exciting culminating event towards the end of May. Stay tuned for more details!
If you are interested in supporting this initiative...by sharing ideas/resources, volunteering, etc. we would LOVE to hear from you! Please contact Ms. LeBlanc at hlleblanc@cbe.ab.ca
Action Required | Homeroom Time
This week during homeroom time, students continued to explore the idea of Canadian Identity and how all of our unique traditions, cultures, and values, come together to make up the Canadian Mosaic. We asked students to share their backgrounds and traditions with their classes. Next week, we will continue this work and are asking that students bring in an artifact that highlights something unique about their family background or a tradition they might have. This artifact could be a wide range of things, including a photo, song, recipe, etc. We are looking forward to learning more about each of our unique Wolverine students.
Grade 9 Farewell | Save the Date!
This year's Grade 9 Farewell Event will take place on the evening of June 19th at the school. More information regarding time and cost will be shared in the near future.
Reminder | Fees
We encourage all parents and guardians to review your MyCBE PowerSchool account for outstanding fees. These are located under the Student Fees & Service Registration tab and include fieldtrips, optional course fees, noon hour activity fee and athletics.
Invite | Indigenous Education Mini Round Dance
Mark your calendars! On Thursday, April 10, the CBE Indigenous Education Team invites Grade 9 Indigenous students, their families, and their school staff to join the second annual CBE Grade 9 Transitions Mini Round Dance—an evening to honour self-identified Indigenous students who are transitioning from Grade 9 to high school.
Hosted at Ernest Manning High School, this event will include a bagged lunch feast, Indigenous artisans, special dances, an honour song, and a giveaway. All CBE students, families, and staff are welcome to attend.
MPS Learning Lounge
A reminder that in-person Learning Support Sessions continue to be available for students each morning before classes in the MPS Learning Commons as follows:
· Monday - Thursday from 8:30-9:00 AM
· Front doors will be unlocked for student entry from 8:25-8:35 AM only. Students must be here by 8:35 at the latest to make effective use of this support. Students arriving after this time will need to wait until the doors re-open at the morning bell.
· Students are welcome to attend as often as needed but must come prepared to learn with assignments, homework, test review or specific topics they require support with (ex. polynomials, persuasive essay writing, etc.).
· Students will be provided access to computers when required to utilize D2L and written assignment work only
Band
April Newsletter: Link
Band Bottle Drive: We will be doing a bottle drive on April 26th. If you are able to assist with driving or if your student can attend, please fill in the form, HERE.
Band 8/9 & Jazz Band to Elementary Feeder Schools: April 8th. Students will need to be at the school for 8:00 am and will return by lunchtime.
Jazz Band every Tuesday at lunch and every Friday morning from 8:00 am – 9:00 am. Doors will open at 8:00 am.
The Music Instrument Rental Fee is on PowerSchool and can be paid.
Fundraisers
TruEarth Laundry Strips: http://tru-earth.sjv.io/MPSMPS A true eco-friendly product. No plastic jugs, just compressed soap strips that clean your laundry, toilet bowls, laundry stains, kitchens, and dishes! This is an ongoing fundraiser.
Bottle Drive – Drop off your empties and support the band!
1) South Pointe Bottle Depot (behind The Home Depot on 130th Avenue SE) 5126 126 Ave SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 0H2 Please let them know the funds go to the Mountain Park School Band.
2) Deerfoot Bottle Depot (near Douglasdale Professional Centre) 11440 29 St SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 3V5. Please tag the bags as LG782.
We appreciate your support!
Upcoming Activities – April
April 7 – Monday
Grade 8 Badminton Tryout (both) – 8:00-9:00am
Grade 9 Badminton Tryout (both) – 4:00-5:00pm
Annie Rehearsal – 4:00-6:00pm
April 8 – Tuesday
Grade 8-9 Band & Jazz Feeder School Tour
Grade 6 Badminton Tryout (male) – 8:00-9:00am
Jazz Band @ lunch
Grade 8 Badminton Tryout (both) – 4:00-5:00pm
Dungeons and Dragons 4:00-5:00pm
Annie Rehearsal @ 4:00-6:00pm
Outdoor School Parent Meeting Virtual @ 5:00pm–6:00pm
April 9 – Wednesday
Grade 6 Badminton Tryout (female) – 8:00-9:00am
Grade 9 Badminton Tryout (both) – 4:00-5:00pm
Annie Rehearsal @ 4:00-6:00pm
April 10 – Thursday
New to MPS Open House 5:00-7:00pm
Grade 7 Badminton Tryout (male) – 8:00-9:00am
Grade 6 Badminton Tryout (both) – 4:00-5:00pm
Chess Club @ lunch in Room 113
Annie Rehearsal @ 4:00-5:30pm
April 11 - Friday
Grade 7 Badminton Final Tryout (both) – 8:00-9:00am
Jazz Band @ 8:00am
CBE Days of Significance
The CBE is committed to building a culture of appreciation and inclusion, where students and staff can see themselves valued, respected and celebrated. For more information on key dates, please visit the CBE Dates of Significance webpage.
Don’t forget to check out our MPS Calendar for key dates and upcoming events.
Angela Takla
Principal, Mountain Park School