Dear Highwood Families,

Here are just a few important items and reminders for the month of April:

  • Volunteer Clearance- Sports Day
  • Help the Environment!
  • CBE’s Occupational Therapy website for Educators and Families
  • School Development Plan
  • Important April Dates

Volunteer Clearance

There are MANY fieldtrips coming up as well as a school-wide Sports Day in June and WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!  Volunteer Clearance can take weeks, so please complete this ASAP.  We recommend that all parents complete a security clearance.

All parents wishing to volunteer with in-school and off-site events MUST complete and pass a Calgary Police Services security check.  To do so, you no longer need to come to the school to get a letter to bring to the police station.  Everything is done online now!  Login to your School Engage account.  Once you’re logged in, there should be a section in green on the bottom right corner titled ‘Volunteer Forms.’  Click ‘new’ and you will now start the application process.  Note that you will be required to upload a photo of yourself (selfie) holding a government issued ID (i.e. driver’s license).  After completing the application, please remember to click ‘request clearance letter’ as that will need to be shared with the school once you’re received a letter indicating that you have passed the volunteer clearance.

Help the Environment!

We are proud that Highwood School is one of the most environmentally friendly schools in the CBE.  We compost food waste and paper towels, use GOOS paper (Good On One Side), and recycle dried up markers and paper products.  We even have solar panels to power up our school.  But we still need your help! 

  • We have quite a few students who forget to bring a fork, spoon or water bottle to school and the school provides them with plastic disposable utensils.  These single use plastics are not environmentally friendly, so we encourage you to please ensure that your child has a fork, spoon, and water bottle in their lunch bag every day. 
  • If you or your work place have any GOOS (Good On One Side) paper that can be donated to the school, we’d love to have it and use the other side that’s blank!  Please ensure that what you are donating is flat (not crinkled) and does not contain confidential information on the other side.  8.5” x 11” sized paper would be best.
  • Wednesdays during the month of April will be doing Waste Free Wednesdays.  This means we are challenging all students to have no garbage (or as little as possible) during snack and lunch.  Students are encouraged to use reusable containers and items that can be recycled or composted.

CBE’s Occupational Therapy website for Educators and Families

Does your child struggle with fine motor? Gross motor? Printing/ legibility? Self regulation? Executive functioning? Sensory processing?  CBE’s OT team has put together a great website that provides families with some great strategies, tips, and resources. 

Occupational Therapist Website 

School Development Plan

For the well-being goal of our School Development Plan, we will continue to work on Zen Zodiac strategies to help with student self-regulation and problem solving.  The last three months of school will focus on:

  • Let It Go PIG: This involves letting go of negative feelings or events and moving past them.  It also encourages students to let go of the actions and words of others that are upsetting them, as they only have control over their own actions and words.
  • Shake A Paw DOG: This means making things right with others, whether you are in the wrong or the other person is.  This involves taking responsibility for your own actions and words, providing an apology, but also accepting one.
  • Stop SNAKE: When someone does or says something to upset you, you need to use your words and say NO or ask them to STOP.  It also means that if someone says NO or STOP to you, you should reflect on what you’re doing and stop.

Important April Dates

March 23-April 1: NO SCHOOL- Spring Break

Tuesday, April 2: School resumes; CLASS PHOTO DAY for students

Wednesday, April 3: CLASS PHOTO DAY for Mon/Wed Kindergarten and Room 204 & 208 students

April 8- April 12: Scholastic Book Fair (at Highwood School Learning Commons)

Monday, April 19: NO SCHOOL- Non-Instruction Day

Tuesday, April 23: Clay for Kids (Grade 4- Ms. Leung)

Wednesday, April 24: Clay for Kids (Grade 4- Ms. McSorley)

Thursday, April 25: Clay for Kids (Grade 4- Ms. Parlee)

Monday, April 29: Spirit Day- Crazy Hair and Hat Day!  9:00am: Monthly Assembly (Hosts: Grade 1)

Sincerely,

Highwood School