Dear Thorncliffe Families,
At the end of this month, January 26-29th, we are looking forward to recognizing Family Literacy Week! Planned events are inviting parents/guardians/caregivers who would like to come to their child’s class to read a favourite book, dressing up like a favourite book character on Tuesday, January 27th, and throughout the week having a whole school Battle of the Books Bracket competition. Staff and students have been invited to share a book contender to battle it out for student votes until we have a book champion!
As part of our School Development Plan, we are focusing on teaching social emotional learning skills to our students alongside the teachings of the Holistic Lifelong Learning Framework which is based on the Medicine Wheel. The social emotional learning is based on the book “SEL From the Start” by Sara E. Rimm-Kaufman. Each month, teachers read a strategy from the book alongside and create lesson plans and activities to support student understanding and practice of the skill. We started the year learning about Classroom Norms and establishing shared expectations for each room. Students created classroom norms as a classroom community, while also connecting with the Spirit domain and how their individual gifts and identities contribute to the group. So far, we have explored how Active Listening and Respectful Communication connect to the heart domain, and how Respecting Multiple Perspectives connects to the Mind Domain. Next, students will be working on skills for Managing Frustration and Anger while also connecting to the Body Domain. Through clear teaching and connection to Spirt-Heart –Body- and Mind we have seen meaningful learning connections in our school.
Next month we will be spending time exploring contemporary and historical black culture to honour Black History Month. We invite any parents that would like to contribute ideas or to share about their experiences or culture to connect with us by calling the school or emailing (Calleigh ceharder@cbe.ab.ca or Mary mahaddock@cbe.ab.ca ). Additionally next month, we will be focusing on internet safety. Youthlink Police Interpretive Centre will be providing student information sessions to our grade 4-6 students on February 3rd, and we are looking forward to hosting an online parent information session on February 19th at 6pm. A link to the parent session will be shared closer to the date.
Wishing everyone a wonderful week!
Warmly,
Calleigh and Mary
Updates
Upcoming Events and Dates of Significance
- January 22nd – Sir John Franklin Arts Centred Learning Open House
- January 26-29th Family Literacy Week
- January 27th – Dress Like your Favourite Book Character Day
- January 29th – SJAM visit to Grade 6 classes
- January 30th – No School Professional Learning Day
- February is Black History Month
- February 3rd – Internet Safety Presentation Grade 4-6
- February 5th – Little Caesar’s Fun Lunch
- February 11th – Grade 1-3 Field Trip to Studio Bell
- February 12-13th Teachers Convention (No School)
- February 16th – No School (Family Day)
- February 17-20th – Karate Phys. Ed Residence
- February 19th – Internet Safety Parent Presentation 6pm Online
- February 24th – Report Cards are visible in MyCBE account
- February 26th – KFC Healthy Hunger Fun Lunch
- February 27th – No School Professional Learning Day
Family Literacy Week
- From January 26th – 29th we will be celebrating Family Literacy Week
- On the 27th, students are invited to dress up like a favourite book character for a spirit day
- All week, parents are invited to connect with their child’s teacher to come in and be a guest reader of a favourite story
- We will have a Battle of the Books Bracket where students can vote for their favourite book to see which book ends up on top as the champion
School Council
Upcoming Meetings
The next meeting will be online February 26th at 6pm. A link will be shared closer to the date. Our Kindergarten team will be sharing about learning in their classes.
Healthy Hunger Fun Lunch
- Can be ordered online at https://healthyhunger.ca/
- February 5th Little Caesar’s
- Cut off date to order is 5 days before the date of the lunch
- To receive email notifications about upcoming lunches, you must Opt in to commercial emails from CBE. Instructions about how to do this can be found here
2026-2027 Registration
- Registration is now open for Kindergarten to Grade 6 for next year
- Alternative Program expression of interest is open from now until 12:00pm on February 10, 2026
Alternative and Jr. High Feeder School Open Houses
January 22nd – Sir John Franklin Arts-Centred Learning
February 4th – Georges P. Vanier Open House Late French Immersion
February 26th - Sir John A McDonald