Dear Parents & Guardians,
At this point in time, our classes at Bowcroft are as follows:
Community:
K: 22
Grade 1: 16 and 17
Grade 2: 17 and 16
Grade 3: 20 and 21
Grade 4: 18 and 19
Grade 5: 18
Grade 6: 16 and 15
German Bilingual:
K: 24
Grade 1: 19
Grade 2: 17 and 15
Grade 3: 22
Grade 4/5: 22
Grade 5/6: 25
This is a total of 359 students, 60 less than anticipated!
Staffing: In the spring, each school receives its projections of student enrollment for the fall. We staff on projections. Sadly, at this point, we do not have sufficient students to keep all our teachers. It saddens me to share that we will have to combine our grade 6 classes of 15 and 16 students to one class of 31 students. The students will continue to enjoy being taught by both their current teachers. The difference is that Ms. Tetz and Ms. Hickling will also be teaching the grade 4 class of Ms. Gartshore/Ms. Bonham (room 24). Students will start with one teacher and, after lunch, will go to the other teacher. This means that the grade 6 students may start with Ms. Tetz (math & sciences) while grade 4 students from room 24 will start with Ms. Hickling (English Language Arts and Social Studies). After lunch, the students go to the other teacher for their other subjects. Today, the teachers have shared this news with your child and your child will know what to expect on Monday. The grade 4 (Room 24) students are also meeting Ms. Tetz and Ms. Hickling today.
Whom are Ms. Gartshore and Ms. Bonham replacing, you may ask. One of our exceptional new teachers, Ms. Dana Lahti, grade 2, will be leaving Bowcroft School as soon as HR has found a new home for her. While Bowcroft and some other schools had smaller enrollment than anticipated, other schools have seen a larger-than-expected enrollment. Ms. Lahti will be able to continue on her probationary contract in a new school. For the time being, she continues to teach her grade 2 class here, which Ms. Gartshore and Ms. Bonham will take over, once she leaves. Both Ms. Gartshore as well as Ms. Bonham know the grade 2 students from room 2 very well.
Another staffing change involves the German Kindergarten as we lost another 0.5 FTE. Frau Cattanach (current kindergarten teacher) will transition out of the German kindergarten on October 3. During the next couple of weeks, Frau Neuman, who taught kindergarten last year, will be in the kindergarten class with Frau Cattanach on Wednesdays and Thursdays and Fridays. This will allow the students to get to know Frau Neuman. On October 4, Frau Neuman will take over the class.
BPAC needs your help! 13 spots still need a volunteer (so much better than the 24 spots from a week ago) ! Thank you to all the parents who have signed up to help out. We are ALMOST THERE! Without those spots being filled, BPAC could potentially loose out on $60,00 to$ 80,000!!!! Please help and sign up!
Elbow River Casino - SATURDAY October 5 & SUNDAY October 6
Volunteer SignUp
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4EA8A82BA3F94-49608923-casino
The school garden is full of healthy vegetables. Thank you to the parents who have been watering the garden all summer long.
Picture day is coming on September 16. Kindergarten students always get to go first as they are only at school in the morning! Please make sure to not miss the day!
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
Warm regards,
Meike Thomsen, Principal/Schulleiterin
Dates to Remember (new dates added):
September 16: Photo Day
Sept. 17: BPAC 6:30pm
Sept. 26: Parent-Teacher Conferences, 4:14 to 8:00pm
September 30: No School; National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Sept. 27: No school, Parent-Teacher Conferences, 8:00am to 1:00pm
October 4: Winter clothing shopping.
Oct. 5 & 6: Elbow River Casino fundraiser!
October 8: BPAC 6:30pm
Oct. 14: No School; Thanksgiving
October 17: Grade 6 Vaccinations and Family Literacy Night 6:00-7:00pm
October 25: No school; Non-Instruction Day
November 5: BPAC, 6:30 pm
November 8: No School; Non-Instruction Day
November 11-13: No School; Fall Break
November 14: Classes Resume
November 26: Family Math Night; 6:00 – 7:30 pm
November 27-29: Book Fair
November 28: Parent-Teacher Conferences, 4:15 to 8:00pm
November 29: No School; Parent-Teacher Conferences, 8:00 to 1:00pm
December 3: BPAC, 6:30pm
December 18: German Winter Celebration, 6:00-7:00 pm
December 19: Community Winter Celebration, 6:00-7:00 pm
December 20: Last Day of School
December 23-January 3: Winter Break
January 6: Classes Resume
January 7: BPAC 6:30 pm
January 31: No School, Non-Instruction Day
February 4: BPAC 6:30 pm
February 13-14: No School; Teachers Convention
February 17: No School, Family Day
February 28: No School, Non-Instruction Day
March 4: BPAC 6:30 pm