We hope you enjoyed your extra hour of sleep last night!

As we all know, it was Hallowe’en last week. A reminder to please check your child’s treats before sending them to school. We saw a few nut products in the school on Friday. It’s easy to miss with the great variety of treats the students received. If you could please take a little extra time to ensure that no treat with nuts come to school we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

Last Thursday was also Diwali. We hope everyone who celebrates Diwali had a magical time and that Diwali brings happiness, prosperity, and joy to you and your family.

Photo retakes will be happening this Tuesday, November 5. If you would like your child to have a retake please let your homeroom teacher know.  

Our Remembrance Day assembly will take place on Thursday November 7 at 10:30am. All families are welcome to attend. Rooms 1 and 7 will be hosting this assembly. A reminder that this assembly is intended to be a solemn affair, we are encouraged not to clap.

This week of instruction ends on Thursday. Friday November 8 is a non-instructional day for all CBE school as adults spend time focusing on Indigenous Ways of Knowing. Schools are then closed until Thursday November 14, we look forward to welcoming everyone back after the fall break.

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend our school council meeting last week. Please mark your calendars for our next meeting night – Thursday November 21, 7pm, in the Learning Commons and on line. There will be both council and society meetings that evening.

Student Learning Conferences will be held on Thursday November 28 and Friday November 29. Please plan to join your child’s homeroom teacher for a 15 minute time block to talk about your child’s progress so far this school year. Bookings will be accessed through your MyCBE account starting at 10am on Wednesday November 20. Bookings close at 8pm on Wednesday November 27. Kindergarten times will be throughout the day on the 28 and am on the 29. There are no kindergarten classes on either day. Grades 1 – 6 times will be available Thursday after school and Friday am. We look forward to inviting everyone back into the building for conferences. Heads up, the Scholastic Book Fair will also be back at AFS that week.

Thank you again to the school council for organizing the winter clothing exchange. Does your child still need a winter coat? We will be getting some jackets at the end of November. If you would like us to get one for your child(ren) please email Mr. Littel by November 15. mnlittel@cbe.ab.ca He will need to know colour preferences and size. While we don’t have any guarantees we will be able to provide your children with the colours and size they need, we will do our best to support your family. Thank you to Jacket Racket for the invitation to benefit from their program this year.

Please take a look at some opportunities presented as part of the Child and Youth Well-Being, Family & Caregiver Fall Series resources. There are both live sessions that parents/guardians can sign up for and recorded sessions for you to access when convenient.

Did you know: Alberta Education defines chronic absenteeism as 10% absence or greater? When students miss excessive instructional days, it becomes difficult for them to understand the concepts taught.  There is a direct correlation between attendance, academic achievement, high school completion, and mental health.  Since the beginning of the school year, there have been 42 instructional days.  For the 2024-2025 school year, students who have missed more than four days of school are identified as being chronically absent for the first two months of the school year.  If there are barriers impacting your child’s attendance at school, please address your concerns with your child’s teacher, we are all here to help. Thanks to all families who have shared reasons for absences. Travelling the world, connecting with family, and taking care of our bodies when they are sick are all important. Understanding the potential impact of frequent absences is also important. Thank you to all students who are at school and engaged in learning each and every day, we are thankful for all who are a part of our school community.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Your AFS Administrative Team
Helen Sharpe and Matthew Littel
Principal and Assistant Principal