Liebe Eltern, dear parents and guardians,
If you are curious who the principal at Thomas B. Riley School is, then please join us at the next BPAC meeting on Monday, April 15, 2024 at 6:30 to meet Mrs. Tiffiany Austin! She will be speaking first, so you could join us briefly and/or stay for the rest of the meeting, too.
Attendance. We have three students who still have perfect attendance this year! They are in grade 1, 2 and 5. Way to go! Overall, student attendance is much improved this year.
Stine Marie Warning, a German student teacher, started on April 2 with Mr. Benty and will be with us for 3 months.
On April 24, grade 6 students will have their second round of vaccinations! Please do not make any other doctor/dentist appointments that day.
As mentioned before, all the clothing has gone to WINS. This means, that the school does not have any ‘change of clothing’ any longer. Please, do pack an extra set of clothing into your child’s backpack if they tend to need a second set. We will make sure that your dirty/wet clothing will go home when the new set is used. Thank you!
On Monday, April 8 a partial solar eclipse will be visible in Calgary. The solar event will begin just before noon and conclude by 2:00 p.m., with the maximum coverage occurring at 12:43 p.m.
We know that this unique event provides a unique learning experience for students and staff; however, there can be serious damage to vision as a result of viewing the eclipse in an unsafe manner.
We are asking teachers to be cautious and refrain from allowing students exposure to this event. We will keep all students indoors during class time, over recess and lunch breaks, as well as away from windows to the outside between the hours of 11:50 a.m. – 1:50 p.m.
It is unsafe to look at the partial eclipse through unfiltered glasses, cameras, telescopes, binoculars or any other optical device. Curious students may not fully understand the danger of viewing the eclipse and the potential damage to their vision caused by viewing the harmful rays of the sun. Viewing a partial eclipse does not cause immediate pain which would typically cause the viewer look away. Instead, permanent eye damage is sustained without any immediate signs, until it is too late.
It's imperative that students and staff use approved solar viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers to observe the eclipse directly. The only safe way to view an eclipse is through special filters installed on telescopes, solar binoculars and also in eclipse glasses. Although the documentation on safe partial solar eclipse viewing includes pinhole cameras, please do not allow teachers to make these cameras with students and attempt to view the solar eclipse at school.
For more safety information can be found on the NASA website or from the Canadian Association of Optometrists.
Alberta Education has announced that Grade 6 English language arts and literature (ELAL) and mathematics provincial achievement tests will not be administered in the 2023-2024 school year. Alberta Education will instead offer field testing between April and June 2024. These optional field tests will be on Vretta and will help inform the development of future PATs for Grade 6 English language arts and literature and mathematics that align with new curriculum in these subjects.
It is important to note that Science 6 and Social Studies 6 PATs will still be administered using Vretta for all Grade 6 CBE students in June 2024. FLA 6 PATs will also continue to be administered for those not piloting new curriculum. All Grade 9 PATs will also continue to be administered using Vretta in May/June of 2024.Updated PAT schedules and information about field testing will be shared sometime after spring break.
Warm regards,
Meike Thomsen, Principal
Dates to Remember
April 11: Aggie Day field trip, grade 2/3
April 15: School Council, 6:30 pm
April 19: Non-Instruction Day
May 2: Grade 4 Field Trip to the Landfill
May 3: kindergarten to Fish Creek (rescheduled from cancelled due to cold weather)
May 6: School Council, 6:30pm, Grade 6 teachers present
May 7: Chantal making seed bombs with Garden Club
May 8: Class Photo Day
May 16: Grade 2/3 trip to the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller
May 17: NO SCHOOL, PD
May 20: Victoria Day, no school
May 23: Welcome to Kindergarten at 6:00pm
May 29: All grade 6 students watching the theatre production of Shrek Junior at Thomas B. Riley JH
May 30: All Grade 1 Field Trip to Butterfield Acres
May 31: ROARS Assembly
June 3: School Council, 6:30pm
June 19: Social Studies, PAT Grade 6, 9:00-10:00 AM
June 20: Science, PAT Grade 6, 9:00-10:00 am