November 2016

Principal’s Message Just think, in about a month and a half we will be starting our Christmas Vacation! This is just another sign that you should be keeping up with your child’s progress either by contacting teachers, using My Pass if your child is in High School, and especially attending the Jr./Sr. High success meetings and Elementary Parent/Teacher meetings this month. Junior and Senior report cards will be out this month and Elementary report cards will be out at the beginning of December. As mentioned last month we continue our work on the ‘EYE’ of Tom Hierck’s work which helps us see the school we are and what we want to become. This in a sense is not new in that I believe every school, every person, should always search for ways to be better in all we do. This process helps us focus on specific strategies, plans and direction based on our Vision and Mantra. Our Vision states: Provost Public School is committed ensuring a respectful community of belonging that empowers responsible, lifelong learners. Our Mantra is: What’s My Paw Print? This is fundamental to everything we do at PPS. It is the ‘activator’ for why we do what we do; how we change; and is the foundation for all of our decisions. It connects us to our Vision and overarching goal, which is to increase teacher effectiveness so that our students are actively engaged in learning and helps them develop 21st century competencies. Knowledge will always be the foundation piece to all our learning. The change comes in not assessing what we have memorized, but what we are able to do with the knowledge we have learned. By increasing Teacher Effectiveness we are moving into Inquiry based learning and deeper Critical Thinking - taking knowledge, applying it to real life situations and creating new knowledge! Our Mantra is our ‘Why”. Our work is now the ‘Eye’. What do we see ourselves becoming? In five years have we achieved our vision? If so, what does that look like in terms of practices, procedures, relationships, results, learning and culture? Our questions and discussions this year will focus on:

1. What are our desired results in all areas and facets of our school? 2. What behaviors do we need to start? 3. What behaviors do we need to stop? 4. What behaviors do we need to continue?

This is not a simple checklist that with a stroke of a pen we can call it ‘Done’. These our beliefs, practices and vision. This is the ‘Eye’, and with every discussion our Mantra is driving us. These are deep meaningful and purposeful discussions and will shape who we want to become and how we see ourselves getting there. Just a couple of Calendar reminders. There is no school for students November 9/10/11, We will be holding our Remembrance Day ceremony Tuesday, November 8th, and in my very next Newsletter it will begin with, ‘Have a Merry Christmas!!’

Calendar of Events

Tuesday, Nov. 1 – School Council Meeting – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 2 & Thursday Nov. 3 – Bus Ridership for Grade K-6

Tuesday, Nov. 8 – Remembrance Day Service 10:30 a.m. in the school gym

Tuesday, Nov. 8 – Deadline for Operation Christmas Child items

Tuesday, Nov 8 – Jr./Sr. Report Cards Distributed

Wednesday, Nov. 9 – ATA Day for teachers –No school for students

Thursday, Nov. 10 – Day in Lieu – No school for staff or students

Friday, Nov. 11 – Remembrance Day – No school for staff or students

Tuesday, Nov. 15 – Picture Retake Day

Wednesday, Nov. 16 – Farm Safety for K-6

Wednesday, Nov. 16 & Thursday, Nov. 17 – Elementary Parent/Teacher interviews 4:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 17 –Jr./Sr. Student Success Meetings 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 16 & Thursday Nov. 17 – Book Fair 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov 25 – TES Team Day – No school for students

Tuesday, Dec. 6 – School Council Meeting – 7:00 p.m.

Friday, Dec 9 – Elementary Report Cards Distributed

Tuesday, Dec 20 – Christmas Concert 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 23 – Last Day before Christmas Holidays

Kindergarten to Grade 3 – Book an interview by going to our website. provost.btps.ca

Grade 4 to 6 –Come and go sessions in the gym. No appointments necessary.

All high school students are encouraged to create a “MyPass” account. In MyPass, high school students are able to access their Detailed Academic Record (DAR) and their Credential Progression (progress towards a high school diploma or whatever credential they are working toward). Visit myPass.alberta.ca to request access. If they have any questions, please contact the school at 780-753-6824.

Safety Patrol team reminds pedestrians to use the marked crosswalks and Point, Pause to Double Check, and only Proceed when it is safe! Drivers are reminded to yield to pedestrians to keep everyone safe.

Operation Christmas Child.

Please help fill the operation Christmas Child boxes and provide a Christmas present for children in need. Please send a few items or your packed boxes to the school library by November 10th. Thanks.

Fill Shoeboxes: Fill average-sized cardboard or plastic shoeboxes with small gifts, and affix a completed Boy or Girl label to each box. (Boxes and labels are also provided – ask at the library.)

Toys and other gifts: Dolls, soccer balls ( deflated with needle and pump), stuffed animals, socks, hair clips, cars, musical instruments, puzzles, jump ropes.

School supplies: pencils, pens, hard crayons, pencil crayons, pencil sharpener, small notebooks and coloring books.

Non-liquid hygiene items: toothbrushes in a case, bar soap, washcloths, combs, brush, etc.

Personal note and photo is you desire.

DO NOT INCLUDE: Food or Candy, Toothpaste, Used items, breakable items, decks of cards, items that leak, freeze, melt, scare or harm a child.

Donate: $7.00 per box online at SamaritansPurse.ca or place cash or a cheque made out to Samaritans purse in the envelope and put it in the shoebox. Tax-deductible receipts will be issued for donations of $15.00 or more. Thank you.

School Bus News

PANTHER PRIDE

Perseverance: Panthers pride themselves on finishing what they start. As a Panther, you understand that you are committed to excellence. Panthers must make informed decisions to be a team member and will work very hard to maintain that level of commitment. Respect: Panthers pride themselves on how we treat athletes, coaches, officials, equipment, and the competitive environment. Panthers are positive ambassadors for the school and work to be in good standings with their teachers and their fellow school community.

Invested: Panthers pride themselves on sharing a vision for success. Together, Panthers represent Provost Publics’ history and future in athletics.

Dedication: Panthers pride themselves as positive citizens in the school and community. As a Panther we carry an expectation to be studious and diligent, both in athletics and academics.

Enthusiasm: Panthers pride themselves on their efforts and opportunities. Panthers are enthusiastic and excited to wear blue and gold!

Panther Athletes

As Panthers, student athletes assume responsibility for: · being in good standing with their classroom teachers. · being diligent with their classes, practices and games. · respecting the learning environment: gymnasium, classroom, and school. · respecting their opposition. · building positive relationships with coaches and teammates. · demonstrating selflessness and not selfishness. · treating officials with dignity and respect. · respecting, encouraging and supporting their teammates. · working hard in practice and games. · representing themselves as positive citizens within the community and school.

Athletics Discipline Record Keeping Recently Panthers Athletics has developed and is now implementing a

communication strategy that will help to keep school administration, the athletic department, coaches, parents and players informed of student athlete concerns and their extracurricular athletics eligibility status. There are expectations for student athletes that is required in order to be eligible to participate in panther athletics. The communication will come to coaches through a shared document that allows coaches to see their roster and students within the roster whom may be at risk of modified or loss of eligibility. Parents, students and teachers will receive an email from the athletic department disclosing their status and a date for re-evaluation. Details of the incidents leading to the communication are the responsibility of teachers to report when incidents occur. The athletic department’s responsibility is to communicate to coaches and parents and students, that student choices have resulted in monitoring student expectations, and modifying their participation or removal of eligibility

Cautionary: Student has demonstrated behaviors which are concerning in either

academic or athletic environments. Communication that the student has a cautionary status has taken place between the teacher, parent, and student to redirect behaviour towards positive expectations. If there continues to be concerns and expectations are not met by re-evaluation date, the student athlete will advance to the next level of status: Probationary.

Probationary: Student has demonstrated behaviours which are concerning in either

academic or athletic environments. Communication has taken place between the administration, athletic department, teacher, parent, and student. The student athlete is now subject to a probationary period of restricted/modified athletic participation and will be re-evaluated on a specific date. The student and parent have signed a contract. If there continues to be concerns and expectations are not met by re-evaluation date, the student athlete will advance to the next level of status: Ineligibility.

Ineligibility: Student has demonstrated behaviours which are concerning in either

academic or athletic environments. Communication has taken place between the administration, athletic department, teacher, parent, and student. Given the severity of the infraction or the non-compliance to meet expectations, the student athlete is currently ineligible to participate in any Panthers athletic program and will be re-evaluated on a specific date. The student and parent have signed a contract.