Dear Mustang Families: 

Please forward this weekly message to your child's personal email! We have also started posting these messages on our website. 

Gentle reminder: Grade 9 students wanting to take Math 15 in summer school need to let their math teacher know. It is an excellent course for learners who are preparing for Math 10-C, the gateway course for Math 20-1 or 20-2 (with the intention of heading to University or College).  Your child’s SMATH teacher (Ms. Sterling (tasterling@cbe.ab.ca), Ms. Else (njelse@cbe.ab.ca), Ms. Roston (saroston@cbe.ab.ca), Mr. Le (CaLe@cbe.ab.ca)  are collecting the names of students interested in the class; parents/guardians can email teachers before May 16.  Note:  Math 15 is only available as an online course.  Full details can be found at this LINK. 

A message from the Alberta Government: 

Cellphones are an ever-present feature of our daily lives, and Alberta's classrooms are no exception. Cellphones can be used as a research and learning tool, to stay up-to-date on practice or club schedules, and to keep in touch with family in case of emergency. But cellphones can also be a distraction within an educational environment and can sometimes be used inappropriately within a classroom or school. 

In recent years, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia have all announced restrictions or bans on cellphone use in schools, with certain exceptions in place. 

Your family is invited to provide feedback: Please complete the online survey by Friday, May 3, 2024.  

As we strive to create a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe school, we recognize student leadership is fundamental in nurturing the foundation for these conditions to thrive. The majority of this week’s update highlights the many initiatives being led by your children and our future leaders in business, education, law, engineering, science, medicine, politics, athletics, the fine arts, the world, and initiatives that inspire them: 

Leadership Update

Ms. Hudson and Ms. Ralph (nahudson@cbe.ab.ca;ledawson@cbe.ab.ca) 

We can hardly believe that we are fast approaching May! With spring in the air, there is lots going on. Here are some upcoming important dates: 

  • April 22 is Earth Day. Leadership students will be teaming up with some Outdoor Ed. Classes to help with outdoor spring cleanup. Thank you for helping to care for our community and planet! 
  • April 24 is “Known Figure Day” - brought to you by the grade 7 Leadership class, dress like your favourite character, celebrity etc. As always, please remember to be respectful and culturally sensitive when selecting your outfit 
  • May 2 is our last dance of the year from 5:00-7:30. Come to school in your finest western gear and get ready to dance the night away! Tickets are $4 and will be on sale in the main foyer April 29, April 30 and May 1 at lunch and after school. Hope to see everyone out!  
  • May 3 (in lieu of Sunday, May 5) is Red Dress Day where we remember and honour missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples. Grade 7 students have been working to create a bulletin board to recognize this important day. Students are encouraged to wear red to school on Friday, May 3. 
  • May 8 is Hats on for Mental Health. Wear your favourite hat to support this great initiative  
  • May 16 is our spring pep rally. Several (great sport) teachers have volunteered to be ‘pied’ at this event to raise money for Mustard Seed. Next week, (April 23 – 25) you will see Leadership students set up in the foyer at lunch and after school raising money to donate to this amazing foundation.  

Athletics Update

Mr. Jones (sdjones@cbe.ab.ca)  

  • Badminton: regular practice schedule -  SJAM Athletic Center.  
  • Track and Field starts on Monday May 13th 
  • Fit Club:  To qualify for the Thermopylae Race (5 km mud run) at Valley Creek School in Hidden Valley, competitors must qualify to compete by attending Fit Club as much as possible. 

Mustang of the Week

We are proud to share Alicia C. (88) has been named the Mustang of the Week. Alicia volunteers her time daily to hand out food at lunchtime for ‘SJAM Eats’ in Student Services. In the classroom, Alicia supports her classmates by engaging in check ins on learning tasks while nurturing the conditions for her own success. At the end of the school day, she often also volunteers for our daily PA announcements to students. Congratulations Alicia! 

Community Events

City of Calgary: seeking youth volunteers for summer camps. This is a great activity for your children during the summer, while also providing valuable skill building opportunities for their resumes. Applications due May 6th (extended). Application:  City of Calgary New Volunteer Registration Package 2024 

FREE computer programming for your digital savvy children: Evan Li, a University of Calgary student, and founder of Futurlign, is looking for students interested in taking an 8-week Artificial Intelligence coding course (AI Course promotional literature) . By participating in this course, students will have the opportunity to explore the wonders of computer programming, develop problem-solving abilities, and unleash their creativity through hands-on coding projects. At the end, students will be fully prepared for any future studies in computer science (the class material includes many topics in the Alberta high school CompSci curriculum), and will be awarded a certificate. There will also be a networking opportunity for students to hear from software development industry experts, and a final project showcase with prizes offered. Please register your child’s interest in this google form:  https://forms.gle/SmZT8r3h6ZpF16PE9 .  Note:  this is not a CBE event.  SJAM staff will not be onsite; transportation is not provided by the school.

Upcoming SJAM Events 

Ongoing: 

  • Parent Society Fun Lunches - lunch every Wednesday; digital order needs to be in by the prior Friday. 

Monday April 22: Earth Day – Leadership and Outdoor Education students will be involved in a community clean up 

Tuesday April 23 

5:00 pm:  Grade 9 Outdoor Education Parent Meeting:  Camp Chestermere – Ms. Saker (mosaker@cbe.ab.ca) 

6:00 pm: 2024-25 Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec Trip (May 2025) Interest Meeting for future Grade 8s and 9s – Ms. Zakus (jmzakus@cbe.ab.ca) and Mr. O’Lain (a detailed message sent last week) 

Tuesday April 24: ‘Known Figure Spirit Day’ by Leadership students 

Tuesday April 30:   Grade 9 Riverwatch Science Field Trip  

Wednesday May 1: The inaugural CBE Round Dance for Grade 9 Indigenous students transitioning to high school: 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Ernest Manning High School. Personalized invitations sent. 

Thursday May 2: “Western” Spirit Day and Dance (5:30 – 7:00 pm) 

Friday May 3:   

  • Red Dress Day:  to remember missing and murdered Indigenous Women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples (MMIWG2S+) 

May 6 and 7: ‘Feeder School Band Concerts’ 

May 7 – 14: Drama Rehearsals for school play: end of the school day 

Monday May 13:  

  • Grade 9 PAT: ELA Part A (9-11 am – max time: 1 pm) 
  • Track and Field starts 

Wednesday May 15: Drama Performance: ‘15 Reasons Not To Be In A Play’ 

Thursday May 16: Last day for Grade 9 students to sign up for Math 15 through their math teacher (Ms. Sterling (tasterling@cbe.ab.ca), Ms. Else (njelse@cbe.ab.ca), Ms. Roston (saroston@cbe.ab.ca), Mr. Le (CaLe@cbe.ab.ca) 

Together we make a difference!