Dear Mustang Families: 

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

As we enter the final month of 2023-24, teachers have personally reached out to families regarding academic concerns about your children.  Research shows us that while schools lay the foundation of knowledge and skills, it is often the unwavering support from family that transforms them into meaningful academic achievement and personal growth.  The presence of positive educational role models within the family can, therefore, be a decisive factor in a student's continued academic engagement and success. Parents, Guardians and loved ones: you do make a difference!  There is still time to improve academic standing in classes.  If you are having difficulties accessing PowerSchool, please contact Ms. Reynolds in the Main Office (403-777-7670, dial 0).  PowerSchool is a pivotal tool in tracking your child’s academic progress and attendance.   Mr. Rachid, Mr. Jensen, Ms. Billeck and Ms. Hornby can also offer targeted supports, alongside your children's teachers:  https://sirjohnamacdonald.cbe.ab.ca/staff

Ms. Campbell (Librarian) would like to remind families to please return library materials by June 7th. This will allow us to do an important inventory as we prepare for the next school year. Given the City of Calgary offers free library cards, families are encouraged to consider their summer reading lists through an alternate lending space. 

We are excited to share several initiatives for the month of June 

Tuesday June 11: Ms. Bethany Balis is organizing an Indigenous Day of learning for our Grade 7 and 8 students. Elders and Knowledge Keepers will be in to offer sessions for your children, while SMATH and HUM teachers will engage students in thematic learning focusing on Indigenous Ways of Knowing. Our Grade 9 classes will have concentrated learning for PATs. A full schedule will be in next week’s weekly. 

Monday June 25: Ms. Else and the Grade 9 team are leading a field trip to where the Elbow meets the Bow (Moh-kíns-tsis) and the Zoo. This is the Grade 9 Indigenous Day of Learning. Regular classes will continue for Grade 7 and 8 students. 

Tuesday June 26: Ms. Mensah, the Diversity and Equity Committee and Leadership are organizing a ‘Culture Day’. Sign up is currently available in the front foyer for a Culture Day Fashion Show. Other events are being organized – stay tuned for specific details. 

Month of June: The Calgary Board of Education strives to ensure that all our schools are safe and caring places for all students and staff. As a public school system, we welcome and celebrate students from diverse backgrounds, perspectives and beliefs.   

At Sir John A. Macdonald School, we have honored and recognized our unique school community throughout the school year with events such as Orange Shirt Day, Black History Month, Red Dress Day, and Mental Health Awareness. June is Pride Month Internationally, a time to recognize the pursuit of equality and rights for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals. The CBE reaffirms its commitment to creating safe and caring learning and work environments for 2SLGBTQ+ students and staff. At Sir John A. Macdonald School, we will recognize this occasion by having a ‘Rainbow Day’ led by our Spectrum Club, a group of students that meets every Wednesday at Lunch with Mr. Corry in room 33. Additional support is available for students and families through the CBE’s SOGI's team. Ms. Hornby can help families access these trained professionals.

We acknowledge that each family and community have unique experiences with different recognitions and celebrations, and any commemorative activities in our schools may be perceived differently. However, classroom-based activities and lessons that promote diversity and inclusion are not subject to exemptions under the Education Act. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Hornby at mahornby@cbe.ab.ca.  

Leadership Update

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

We had the awesome opportunity to connect with elementary penpals, and we are hard at work planning for a busy month.  Dates to note: 

  • June 24 – Alex Munro fieldtrip – some of our grade 8s are off to volunteer at Alex Munro sports day.  We are always proud to mentor these awesome younger students 
  • June 25 – Culture Day – a collaboration with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.  Students are invited to wear cultural outfits 
  • June 26 – Grade 9 farewell.  We will send an ‘official’ invitation through next week’s bulletin. 

Athletics Update

Mr. Jones (sdjones@cbe.ab.ca) 

Track and Field:  

  • Please refer to our SJAM Athletic Center for updated schedules as coaches are trying to get their final measurements and times completed to finalize the team this week.   
  • Please note that practices at the back end of the season haven’t been fully determined.  Weather often impacts scheduling hence the need for some flexibility.  The calendar will be updated as needed. 

Thermopylae -- Tuesday June 4  

  • 45 students and 6 teachers will be competing in the 5km mud run obstacle course at Valley Creek School.   
  • Parents/Guardians are welcome to come and cheer on the Mustangs athletes young AND old.   
  • Race Map and obstacles:  
  • https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lf31R0n_J1jTNqhW8dpN7P2f1_GBMgzjHR6MvjAFVYE/edit?usp=sharing 
  • Reminders:  
  • No access to Valley Creek school for changing or washroom  
  • There is MUD on the course; garbage bags can be useful for muddy clothes  
  • Each school must have your own volunteers 
  • There is a water bottle station for hold bottles and hoping to have snacks 

Mustang of the Week

We are excited to share Mr. Huong L. (78) is our Mustang of the Week. Huong demonstrates impressive leadership skills offering support for his learning, alongside his classmates. He strengthens school culture by being positive in class and helpful, and welcoming new people into the classroom. In Leadership, Ms. Hudson and Ms. Ralph describe Huong as a quiet leader who is always ‘respectful, willing to help out with events, conscientious, kind and positive’. Congratulations Huong! .

Upcoming SJAM Events 

Ongoing: 

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

Tuesday June 4:  Thermopylae at Valley Creek (4:00 – 7:00 pm) 

Thursday June 6:  Spring Band Concert for 2023-24 (7:00 – 8:30 pm) 

Friday June 7: Riverwatch – Grade 9 Field Trip rescheduled (let’s hope for great weather!) 

Tuesday June 11:  National Day of Truth and Reconciliation - Grade 7 and 8 – Learning from the Land - $5,000 Education Matters Grant – schedule to be released (regular bell times) 

(Note:  Grade 9s will learn from the land on Monday June 24th via another $5,000 Education Matters Grant) 

Wednesday June 12: PAT: ELA Part B (9-10:15 am, max time – 11:30 am) 

Thursday June 13:  PAT: Math Part A (9-9:30 am, max time – 10 am) 

Monday June 17:  SJAM Track and Field Meet 

Tuesday June 18:  PAT: Math Part B (9-10:20 am, max time 11:40) 

Wednesday June 19:  PAT: Social Studies (9-10:20 am, max time 11:40) 

Thursday June 20:   

  • PAT: Science (9-10:15 am, max time – 11:30 am) 
  • Soup Sisters  last one of the year! 

Friday June 21:  National Indigenous Peoples Day – community event with CNG, JDHS and SJAM at the Infinity Garden (12:45 – 3:00 pm) 

Monday June 24:  Grade 9 Field Trip – Moh-kin-stsis and the Zoo 

Tuesday June 25:   Culture Day 

Yearbook Distribution:  afternoon 

Wednesday June 26:  Grade 9 Farewell – Short Program and Grade 9 Dance 

  • Doors open at 5:45 pm; Program at 6:00 pm; Evening ends at 9:00 pm 

Thursday June 27:  Year End Assembly – students dismissed at 10:52 am 

Together we make a difference!