Dear Mustang Families: 

This past Friday, teachers participated in marking calibration for professional learning: in small teams, they assessed the paragraph writing your children have been doing in every class.  With feedback from teachers, your child may be asked to strengthen these writing tasks as we strive for continuous improvement. Our collective goal is to improve your child’s overall literacy skills.   

How can you offer support at home?  Please encourage your child to read for at least 20 minutes a day – reading and writing go hand in hand:   

• Children who read 20 minutes a day/5 days a week are exposed to 1.8 million words in one school year. Compare this to students who read 5 minutes per day – they will be exposed to 282,000 words per school year. 
• Students who read 20 minutes per day score significantly higher on standardized tests of reading. 

If it is difficult to motivate your child to read, these are articles may be helpful for you: 

• Raise a Reader 
• Value of reading 20 minutes a day 

If your child is just learning English, it is helpful to improve their literacy skills in their first language alongside English.  Daily reading can become a life enhancing routine like brushing your teeth and having a bedtime routine.  The Calgary Public Library continues to offer many free services including the loaning of books in many different languages.  Calgary taxpayers recognize the value of having a highly literate population. 

After Thanksgiving, we will also be starting our ‘Homework Hotel’ at school during lunch in the Learning Commons.  Ms. Hopley, Ms. Howe and Ms. Hornby will open the space Tuesday – Thursday (12:45 - 1:11 pm): 

Expectations: 

• Lunch needs to be eaten before entering the space. 
• Computer games are off limits. 
• This is not ‘social time’.  If you want to hang out with friends, please select a different venue. 
• When you enter the space, please do so quietly recognizing students are using this area as a venue to learn. 
• Students must bring a learning task and be prepared to work independently or in small groups. 

Benefits:  

• Provide students with a safe space to receive academic assistance. 
• Foster positive relationships in safe and supportive environments allowing students to gain other essential lifelong skills. 
• If you need help creating a homework schedule or organizing your binder, please seek the support of the teacher supervisor. 
• Teachers at SJAM may ask that you attend ‘Homework Hotel’ for extra learning time.  We expect students to attend Homework Hotel, or parental support will be requested. 

Leadership Update: Ms. Hudson and Ms. Ralph 

Can you believe that it’s already time to start thinking about Halloween?!?  Our dance is scheduled for October 24 which is only three weeks away!  Start planning your costumes!  ‘Safety’ will continue to be a persistent theme: ‘school appropriate’ attire will be expected - masks and weapons (even pretend) are not conducive to SJAM’s welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment. More details to come. 

Athletics Update:  Mr. Jones 

Soccer: Both teams have two games each this week.  The girls Tuesday Oct 8th game is now being played on our own field as Tom Baines’ field is deemed too unsafe to play on.   We also host Wednesday and Thursday.  Best of luck Mustangs. 

Basketball:   Congrats to the Jr Boys and Girls teams for their efforts at a tournament last week.  Both teams played hard and learned a lot given it was their first competition of the year.  Both teams continue to get ready for league play this week as their regular season begins.  The Jr Girls are at Pratt on Monday and our Jr Boys host Tuesday at 6pm.   The Sr. Girls are at Arbour Lake on Wednesday and the Sr Boys at Nose Creek Thursday.  

While we would love to fill the gym with spectators, we need to keep our fan policy in mind.  Please see below.  

CBE middle schools have set similar expectations for games that promote safety, respect, and a positive experience for all. At SJAM and other schools, these expectations exist:  

• All visiting student spectators/athletes must be under the direct supervision of a designated adult for the duration of the games.  
• There are no in and out privileges for spectators. If you leave the building, you should not re-enter. 
• Student spectators without parental supervision will be directed by the hosting school administration to leave the building.  
• All spectators - students or adults - are expected to cheer and support players/coaches/referees/parents/guardians in a positive manner.  
• Disrespectful behaviors will be addressed by school administration promptly and may result in spectators being directed to leave the game and the school building.  
• Parents/guardians who bring younger children are responsible at all times for their direct supervision. Please ensure that they are not wandering the halls and playing on PE equipment in the gym/on stage. 

Community Events:  CBE Staff is not present at these activities. 

FREE Babysitting Course – spots will fill quickly!  Please email christina.buchan@calgary.ca.  Saturday October 12, 2024.  9:00 am – 5:00 pm. Thornhill Aquatic and Rec Center (6715 Center Street NW).  Lunch will be provided.  Parent/caregiver consent required. 

Cavalry Football Club Student Day:  Saturday October 12 at 5:00 pm. Details at the link. Game day ticket includes: Final Home Game; On field Player Meet & Greet after the match; Giveaways; Kids Festival Zone; 1 Free hot dog per CBE student 

Cyber Safety: Tuesday October 22 (6:00 – 7:30 pm).  Free event presented by YouthLink, brought to you by the Huntington Hills Community Wellness Series.  Thornhill Office Boardroom (6617 Center Street North) - access through the Family Day Home Agency.  Intended for youth, parents and seniors. Registration required:  christina.buchan@calgary.ca  

Planet Youth Pipe Ceremony: October 31 (9:30 – 11:30 am).  Grey Eagle Resort and Casino; hosted by Planet Youth.  Honoring our commitment to support the health and well-being of young people in our city. Community feast will follow the ceremony providing time for meeting relatives.  Free – please pre-register at this link. 

School Calendar: 

Wednesday October 9:  

• Optional Fun Lunch by School Council 
• Unique Pathways Information Night:  CBE Career and Technology Centre (5:30 – 7:30 p.m.) for the annual Unique Pathways information night – tailored for High School students but may be of interest to Grade 9 families. 

Monday October 14:  Thanksgiving Day (no school for CBE students or staff) 

Tuesday October 15:  School Council Meeting – in person (6:30 – 8:00 pm) 

Wednesday October 16:  Picture Day  

Thursday October 17:  Soup Sisters returns to SJAM offering students free and nutritious soup – our students truly appreciate this donation of hot soup 

Thursday October 24:  Halloween Dance 

Friday October 25:   Professional Learning Day for teachers (no school for CBE students) 

November 6  and 7:  Our SJAM Parent Fundraising Society needs your help with our upcoming Fundraiser:  SJAM Parent Sign Up link.  THANK YOU to the many family members that have donated their time. 

Thursday November 7:   

• Remembrance Day Assembly at the school 
• Last day of classes before the Fall Break 

Friday November 8:  Indigenous Ways of Knowing Professional Learning Day:  no school for students 

November 11 – 13:  CBE Fall Break – no school for students or staff 

Thursday November 14:  Classes resume 

Together We Make A Difference!