Mark Your Calendars:
· Feb. 10, 2025: School Council Meeting at 6:30pm
· Feb. 13 & 14, 2025: No School for Students - Teachers' Convention
· Feb. 17, 2025: No School for Students – Family Day
· Feb. 18 – 27, 2025: Alien In-Line Skating
· Feb. 19, 2025: Fun Snack
· Feb. 26, 2025: Pink Shirt Day
· Feb. 28, 2025: No School for Students – Non-Instructional Day
· Mar. 3, 4, & 5 2025: Grade 1 Field Trips to The Calgary Zoo
· Mar. 5, 2025: Fun Lunch
· Mar. 6, 2025: Royal Oak School - Library Night at Crowfoot Library
Dear Royal Oak School Families,
Wonder Hour #2: On Friday, February 7 we held our second of six Wonder Hours at Royal Oak School, and it was another huge success! On this day, our teachers got to share some of their interests with groups of students ranging from Kindergarten to grade 4. These included watercolour painting, puzzles & games, fan club, building challenge, scrapbooking, collage art, Lego, origami, nature club, cartooning, coding, stop-motion animation, and more. Students had the opportunity to explore some of their own interests while getting to know some new friends across the grades.
Valentine’s Day: Valentine’s Day is this coming Friday already! We would like to keep a low-key approach to this day, focusing on friendship, belonging, and kindness. On Wednesday, February 12, our teachers will find a way to make connections to curriculum and learning as it relates to each grade grouping. If students choose to bring in Valentines for others, we ask that they do so for all classmates, so as not to leave anyone out. We also ask that you do not send in any candy, food treats or gifts.
School Attendance and Late Arrivals: A friendly reminder that school starts promptly at 8:37am every morning. We understand that the traffic around the school is very busy, especially on these colder mornings, but we ask that families please plan accordingly to arrive at school on time. There is adult supervision outside from 8:22-8:37, and students may enter the school between 8:32-8:37. The doors are closed promptly at the 8:37 bell, and attendance is done by teachers right away. Students who arrive after 8:37 must enter through the office, where they are given a Welcome slip, and their entry time is recorded and subsequently entered in to PowerSchool.
Students who consistently arrive late to school miss valuable instructional time, as well as cause a disruption to the classroom learning that has already begun. We appreciate you taking this information into consideration when bringing your students to school in the morning.
Long Weekend: A reminder that students have an extra-long weekend ahead. There is no school this Wednesday and Thursday due to Teachers’ Convention, and Monday is Family Day. We hope that you enjoy this extra time with your children, playing some games, reading favourite books, snuggling on the couch, or getting outside and enjoying the fresh air.
Staffing Updates: Please join us in congratulating Mr. Jody Shpur on the announcement of his retirement from the CBE as of February 17, 2025. We wish you the best in this next journey. He is hoping to stop by the school on February 12 to visit students and say a quick farewell. Additional staffing updates will be shared at our upcoming School Council meeting.
February is Black History Month: During the month of February, Calgary Board of Education students and staff will celebrate and explore the many contributions of Black Canadians, peoples, and communities worldwide. Black History Month is an opportunity for schools to amplify and spotlight the innovative, courageous, and inspiring voices, stories, and contributions of Black Canadians and communities.
Lost and Found: Our lost and found continues to grow. If your child is missing an item of clothing, please pop into the school. We also kindly remind you to label your child’s belongings with your child’s name, so that when items go missing and are found, they are easier to return to their rightful owner.
Sincerely,
Michelle Ryskamp
Principal, Royal Oak School
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SCHOOL COUNCIL & FUNDRAISING SOCIETY NEWS – EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
· Notes of Kindness Week! This week, students wrote gratitude cards for the amazing people who make our school a great place to learn. If students would like to make additional cards at home, we encourage them to do so and bring them to the office by February 11 to be distributed.
· The January Volunteer of the Month is…Juliet N! Juliet is a compassionate parent who is involved in our ROS community and up the hill at Pratt. She has a son in Grade 2 and a daughter in Grade 6. THANK YOU Juliet for all you do to make ROS and WDP amazing schools to be a part of!
· February 10: Fundraising Society & School Council Meeting (starts at 6.30pm) in the staff room or online at this link (Join conversation).
· Click over to the School Council - Royal Oak School page to check out the minutes and future agendas (when posted).
· This will be our first meeting with Principal Michelle Ryskamp! Come meet her and learn more about what’s happening at ROS.
· Grade 4 teachers will be giving a presentation on what students are learning.
· All parents/caregivers are encouraged to attend!
Mark Your Calendars!
1. February 18: Alien Inline is back! There are OVER 100 VOLUNTEER SPOTS available for this fun filled in-school event. Runs daily until March 12. Sign up here: ROS Volunteers: 2025 Alien Inline Skating
2. February 19: Mavericks Donuts Fun Snack (11-12pm)! Parent volunteers needed to sort sweet treats into classroom bins. Sign up here: ROS Volunteers: Winter 2025 Fun Lunch & Snack.
3. Place your students order by February 14 at Healthy Hunger
4. Coming Soon! March is Literacy Month at ROS – a month dedicated to getting our students to read! The Book Drive starts March 3. Please donate any new or gently used children’s books and puzzles by bringing them to the office or sending them with your child. Stay tuned to the Royal Oak School Parents Group | Facebook and your students backpack for more information.
5. Coming Soon! March 6: Royal Oak School Library Night at Crowfoot Library (6-7.30pm).