Liebe Eltern, dear parents and guardians, 

Thank you to all the parents who joined us for the BPAC meeting on Monday evening. Both presentations are now on our school website. Feel free to look at them by using this link:

If you did attend, please click on BOTH links below, as they are giving feedback on two different things. Many thanks!

Speaking about surveys: All grade 4 parents have received mail from Alberta Education, asking them to fill out the Assurance Framework Survey. So far, only 9 out of the 54 parents have completed the survey. Please, if you child is in grade 4, please complete the survey. It would be amazing if we could get another ten parents to take the time to complete this survey (or even more!). Here is the link (you also need the use the password that was sent to you by Alberta Education. The school does NOT have access to them):

 public.education.alberta.ca/APOS 

Literacy Night is approaching fast on February 29, 2024 (6:30-7:30pm). Here is the agenda for the evening.

6:30-7:00 pm

· Chantal in gym with Div 2 classes (grades 4-6)

· Div 1 classrooms open for parents

· Story Time with Frau Thomsen in library

7:00-7:30

· Chantal in Gym with Div 1 Classes (Kindergarten to grade 3)

· Div 2 Classrooms open for parents

· Story Time with Frau Thomsen in library 

Director Howell visited Bowcroft on Monday morning and was impressed with how spacious and welcoming all our classrooms are and how each room was engaged in purposeful learning with obvious accommodations happening in all spaces for some of the students. He arrived in one of the grade 1 classes just in time for students to do the Land Acknowledgement in Sign Language (as well as Oh Canada). 

We are so grateful to Ms. Bonham’s friend who, again, has donated $5000 to Bowcroft School for psycho-educational assessments. This means that seven of our students will receive much needed assessments that will allow for special programming and as well as possible special CBE program applications like PLP, ALP, GATE, or Dr. Oakley, a two year intensive reading intervention program.

Just to give you an idea of how much work and time it takes to get into a program like Dr. Oakley: A student struggles with learning to read, the teacher will support the student in class, if more help is needed  admin gets involved, targeted literacy intervention is implemented, if not sufficient progress is made the student will be put forward to a psycho-educational assessment (typically in grade 3). Students applying for Dr. Oakley are a MINIMUM of two years behind in reading. The program starts in grade 4.  After the psycho-educational assessment, an IPP (Individual program plan) is set up. This needs to be implemented for at least one round (Sept to January). The area strategist has to perform a file review and consider the student a good fit for Dr. Oakley. Only then can the school move forward and prepare the application package. Then, the application package goes to the area office. The applications from all the 7 areas are put on a table and each area strategist presents ‘their’ applicants. Often, Dr. Oakley has 40 new spots and well over 200 applicants. It takes many years and the work of many people and much time to support, promote and guide a family through the long process of having a successful placement in a system class like Dr. Oakley, PLP, ALP, GATE etc.

Book Fair Volunteers Needed!

Please consider helping out. Duties include, helping parents and children shop for books, keeping the fair tidy and organized, and taking payment. It’s easy, it’s fun and the time always flies by!

March 20, 21 and 22

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4EA8A82BA3F94-47888656-bowcroft

Wednesday March 20 9:00am-4:00pm
Thursday March 21 9:00am-8:00pm
Friday March 22 8:00am-12:01pm 

Enjoy the long weekend! 

Warm regards,

Meike Thomsen, Principal 

Dates to Remember

February 19: No school, Family Day 

February 23: ROARS assembly (December, January, February) 

February 29: 6:30 pm literacy night  

March 4: BPAC meeting at 6:30pm 

Marvh 21: Last day of classes before spring break

March 21: Parent-Teacher Conferences 4:15 to  8:00pm 

March 22: Parent-Teacher Conferences 8:00am to 1:00pm 

March 25-April 1: Spring Break 

April 2: Classes Resume 

April 8: School Council, 6:30 pm 

April 19: No School, Non-Instruction Day

May 2: Grade 4 field trip to the LANDFILL

May 7: Chantal making seed bombs with Garden Club

May 8: Class photo day

May 15: English, Part A, PAT Grade 6

May 16: Grade 2/3 trip to the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller 

May 20: Victoria Day, no school

May 31: ROARS assembly

June 12: English Part B, PAT Grade 6

June 13: Math, Part A 9:00-9:20am, PAT Grade 6

June 14: Math, Part B, 9:00-10:00am, PAT Grade 6

June 19: Social Studies, PAT Grade 6, 9:00-10:00 AM

June 20: Science, PAT Grade 6, 9:00-10:00 am