Today, we celebrated the new school year with our annual Welcome Back BBQ, sponsored by our wonderful School Council. Again this year, we combined this event with our annual Terry Fox run. Students spent time in homeroom period reflecting on the life and legacy of this Canadian hero and making connections to their own life and our community.
Terry Fox Fundraising
As part of our efforts to collect funds in support of the Terry Fox Foundation, the leadership students have put together a raffle. Every $1 donated, students will receive a ticket to enter in a draw of their choosing. Donations can be made during the first half of lunch in the foyer, or the day of the run. Prizes include:
- Private lunch hour in the Main Gym or Learning Commons (The winners for each of these spaces will get a lunch hour for just them and their friends)
- Terry Fox T-shirt (2 available)
- Candy Basket
- Ice Cream Sundae making for you and 5 friends in the foods room
- A coupon for an indoor lunch for you and your friends.
If you would like to donate online, you can do so at the link below. Students who donate online can still receive tickets to enter the draw. Just email Ms. LeBlanc (hlleblanc@cbe.ab.ca) after the donation has been made and their tickets will be waiting for them.
Online Donation: https://schools.terryfox.ca/137304
Video Surveillance Technology | Notification
Our school has a video surveillance system to help maintain a safe and secure environment at the school for students, staff and the public, and to help address vandalism and criminal activity on school property.
The video surveillance system is installed and reviewed in accordance with Administrative Regulation 1066. Personal information is collected under the authority of the Education Act and the Protection of Privacy Act (POPA), specifically section 10(1) and the Access to Information Act (ATIA).
This technology can be placed in areas such as the school parking lot, building entrances and exits, stairwells and hallways. This information is recorded and collected to help maintain a safe and secure environment in the school and on school property. The users of this information are the principal or designate and law enforcement personnel in the case of reported incidents that would require an investigation. Only authorized persons will review video surveillance information.
Inquiries concerning the video surveillance system, or the collection and use of recorded information may be made by contacting the school office.
Junior Girls Basketball Games
Junior girls basketball has our first game on Oct. 5th at Dr. George Stanley. Our second game is on Oct. 7th at Marshal Springs school at 4:30pm.
Mountain Park School Wrestling Team Host Tournament
Wrestling season of play will be starting on October 13th and we have the amazing opportunity to host a tournament on November 5th from 4:00-9:00 pm and November 6th from 2:30 pm-9:00 pm We will need some parent volunteers to help make this event a success. Please reach out to Mrs. Gaunt via email brgaunt@cbe.ab.ca if you would be free to help either of those evenings or any portion of the time, you do not need wrestling experience to be able to help. The Wolverine Wrestling team greatly appreciates your willingness to volunteer your time.
Struggling with Attendance?
The CBE is offering a free in-person session to explore the possible reasons behind school refusal and share practical strategies for parents and caregivers to support their child in building confidence and improving attendance.
The session is being held Wednesday October 14th at 6:30-8:30pm at Sir John A. MacDonald School, Registration required. Further information and link to register here.
Community Reminder | Neighbourhood Driveways
Before and after school is always a busy time of day with buses and vehicles picking up and dropping off students. Please ensure that neighbourhood driveways near the school are kept clear at all times. A few minutes on a daily basis causes access issues and frustration for our wonderful neighbours. Parents/guardians are asked to wait in their vehicles in designated areas only and ensure they are not blocking driveways, even for brief periods of time. Thank you!
Free Online Well-Being Sessions for Families and Caregivers
Parents and guardians are invited to join a live online series focused on supporting child and youth well-being. Hosted by the Recovery Alberta Community Education Service (CES) Program in collaboration with experts from the Calgary community, these sessions are designed to equip families with the knowledge, tools, and strategies to navigate the challenges and opportunities of raising children and teens today.
MPS CLUBS
Collar and Claws Club | Come Lend a Paw!
Do you love animals? Would you like to do something awesome to help support animal rescues in the city? Please join the Collar and Claws Club starting Monday after school in room 121 until 4:45pm. There will be something for everyone! Learn about animals who need a forever home, organizing, crafting, collecting, advertising, and more. Come check it out.
SPARK Club | Small Acts - Big impact!
Do you want to turn small acts of kindness into something big? SPARK Club will start this Tuesday at lunch in room 121. We will work together to collect donations for community organizations that support people who need a helping hand. Bring your creativity, great ideas, and caring attitude to support organizations in need.
MPS Chess Club
Chess Club will be starting up Thursday, Oct. 1 at lunch in room 116. No sign up is necessary. Grade six students are welcome but must ask their Lunch Supervisors before joining Chess Club for the lunch period. Please see Mr. MacDonald for any other questions.
New Connections Lunch Club
New Connections Lunch Club is a welcoming space for students to meet new people, build friendships, and make connections while enjoying lunch together. Students are welcome to join us in room 202 during the first half of lunch.
October Dates: October 7, 14, 21, and 28.
MPS Morning Learning Lounge | Now Open
Our Learning Lounge is now open for learning support sessions, available for all students on select mornings before classes in the MPS Learning Commons. We are targeting two core subject areas each day in alignment with our School Development Plan: Mathematics and Literacy. Various subject area teachers will be present to provide an additional layer of support for those students who wish to access it as follows:
- Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:40-9:10 am .
- Front doors will be unlocked for student entry from 8:35-8:45 am only. Students must arrive by 8:45 at the latest in order 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.
Healthy Hunger
For those who are new to Healthy Hunger, it is an online platform that allows families to order hot lunches delivered to their kids at school - a fun treat for the kids & also one of Mountain Park School’s main fundraisers. The proceeds from this fundraiser help offset costs for various field trips throughout the year and provide enriching opportunities for all students at MPS. A win-win!
We will offer lunches from a variety of vendors, and families can order as many or few as they choose. It’s easy to order; just go to Healthy Hunger.
- Click on ‘Register Student’ to set up your account (or sign in if you have an account already)
- You can add and manage all of your children in the same account
- For each student, ensure you’ve selected Mountain Park School, and the correct Homeroom/Class to ensure the food finds its way to them.
- Check out the lunches that we’ve posted so far and if you are interested, you can pay online when you’re done ordering (no need to send $ to school - yay!)
- Note: the cut-off for orders is 5 days in advance. Orders for Wednesday lunches are due the preceding Friday.
- Please let us know by 11:30am if your child is away and you would like to pick up their Healthy Hunger lunch. We will have it waiting for you in the office after 12:30pm. If we don't hear from you, the lunch will be donated.
MPS School Council and Music Parents Society thank you for your support!
Attendance
If your child is going to be absent from school or picked up early, please send an email to mpsattendance@cbe.ab.ca. This ensures the teacher is aware the student is leaving early and can have them to the office without disrupting the class or having you wait.
Lates
Some parents may have noticed that we have begun sending out additional notifications at the end of the day via School Messenger from our MPS Attendance line. You will receive this notice when your child is late (unexcused) for one or more classes that day. Punctual class attendance is essential for success in school and we ask that you speak to your child about the importance of being on time to avoid missing critical classroom instruction. Thank you for your support.
Physical Education
Students will be expected to change for physical education every day. Students are encouraged to wear clothes that allow full engagement in physical activity and can include: T-shirt, shorts, sweatpants, long-sleeve T-shirt, or leggings. Should you wish, we have MPS t-shirts available for $20.00 and shorts for $30.00; you can purchase them from your child's physical education teacher with cash at this time.
Communication
Brightspace by D2L
In addition to the Weekly Update posted each week to our School Website, parents and guardians can expect to see classroom weekly updates in each class D2L ‘shell’. If you are new to D2L, this is a virtual classroom environment where teachers post weekly updates, resources and pertinent information for each class. This is particularly helpful for regular home-based review or if your child misses any of their classes. Click here for a helpful video for parents who are new to D2L.
Open communication and collaboration are key strategies to a successful partnership between school and home. Should you have any questions or concerns about your child at any point during the school year, your first point of contact should be your child’s teacher. All teacher email addresses can be found here. Alternatively, feel free to contact our front office to leave a message for the appropriate teacher.
Bikes, Scooters & Skateboards
We are happy to see so many students choosing active transportation to and from school. For everyone’s safety, students are asked to walk their bikes, scooters, and skateboards while on school grounds. The City of Calgary strongly recommends helmet use for all wheeled activities, and helmets are required by law when riding bikes and e-bikes. Some students have been reported in the community riding at excessive speeds en route to and from school. This endangers everyone. Please ensure you have a conversation with your child regarding safety and appropriate speed.
Beverages
To help keep our school clean and support healthy choices, students are encouraged to bring non-spill water bottles to school. Slurpees, iced-cap-style drinks, open pop, and energy drinks should not be brought into the building. Sealed beverages may be stored in student lockers until lunchtime or after school.
Band
- October Newsletter: Link
- Band Spirit Wear! Show off your love of band with spirit wear. You can even customize it with your instrument! Store closes October 4th.
- Cookie Dough/Perogie Fundraiser
- **NEW** This year: Spring Rolls
- Information is being sent home this week for Band students
- We will be having our blitz sale event Wednesday, Oct 7th at lunch in the band room.
- Check the newsletter for more details. To order, follow the link HERE
- Opt-In for Band Communication: Fill in here.
Ongoing Fundraisers
- TruEarth Laundry Strips: 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!
- 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.
- Deerfoot Bottle Depot (near Douglasdale Professional Centre) 11440 29 St SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 3V5. Please tag the bags as LG782.
MPS Band Parents Society appreciates your support!
Upcoming Activities
October 5 – Monday
- Junior Girls Basketball Practice @ 8:00-9:00 am
- Junior Boys Basketball Practice @ 4:00-5:00 pm
- Boy Soccer Away Game @ Prince of Peace Field in Auburn Bay @ 4:30 pm
- Junior Girls Basketball Game @ Dr. George Stanley @ 5:30 pm
- Senior Girls Basketball Game @ Dr. George Stanley @ 6:30 pm
October 6 – Tuesday
- Junior Boys Basketball Practice @ 8:00-9:00 am
- Jazz Band Rehearsal @ 12:10 pm
- Senior Girls Basketball Practice @ 4:00-5:00 pm
October 7 – Wednesday
- Grade 6 Immunizations
- Coffee House @ 12:10 pm
- Senior Boys Basketball Practice @ 4:00-5:00 pm
- Boys Soccer Game at Dr. George Stanley @ 4:30-5:30 pm
- Junior Girls Basketball Game @ Marshall Springs @ 4:30 pm
October 8 – Thursday
- Junior Girls Basketball Practice @ 8:00-9:00 am
- Senior Girls Basketball Practice @ 8:00-9:00 am
- Choir @ 12:10
- Girls Soccer Game @ McKenzie Highlands School @ 4:30-5:30
- Junior Boys Basketball Game @ McKenzie Highlands School @ 5:30 pm
- Senior Boys Basketball Game @ Mckenzie Highlands School @ 6:30 pm
October 9 – Friday
- Co-Ed Soccer Practice @ 8:00 pm
- Jazz Band Rehearsal @ 8:00-9:00 pm
- Senior Boys Basketball Practice @ 8:00-9:00 am
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 our MPS Calendar regularly for key dates and upcoming events.
Thank you for your support,
Angela Takla
Principal, Mountain Park School
Natasha Duffy
Assistant Principal, Mountain Park School