Dear Sunnyside School Families,
I understand that some of you did not receive this message yesterday so I am resending. Please ignore if this is your second copy.
Thank you to everyone who joined our online council meeting! A presentation was shared around School Development and Budget/Fees planning. We invite all parents to review the presentation and then use the link below and respond to the survey at the end. We know we make better decisions to support student learning when we build understanding and work together.
School Planning
Sunnyside School information, and a copy of the presentation has been posted to our school website. It can also be accessed using the following link: https://sunnyside.cbe.ab.ca/school-planning-engagement
Surveys and Input
There’s an opportunity to provide your input by completing the following survey: Sunnyside School Planning Survey 2025 Survey results will be posted to the website on March 21.
Alberta Education will once again conduct its annual survey of grade 4, 7, and 10 students and their parents or guardians. Due to our size at Sunnyside School, this survey will be sent to grade 4,5 and 6 families to increase the number of responses and validity of our data. This survey will gather essential information about students’ and parents’ school experiences, helping to drive continuous improvements in our education system. This survey will remain open until March 21, 2025 and is used to inform our school planning goals.
Residency vs Field Trip
Understanding the distinction between a field trip and a residency program is essential to fully appreciate the educational experiences we offer our students. A field trip is a short-term excursion organized by teachers to external sites such as the zoo, science centers or museums. These trips aim to enhance classroom learning by providing real-world contexts and hands-on experiences.
In contrast, a residency program involves bringing professional artists, scientists, or experts into the school for an extended period, often spanning several weeks or months. This immersive approach allows students to engage deeply with the subject matter, develop specialized skills, and collaborate closely with professionals. Residencies are designed to enrich the curriculum and provide unique learning opportunities that extend beyond the traditional classroom setting.
Both field trips and residency programs are integral components of our educational offerings, each providing distinct benefits that contribute to a well-rounded and enriching learning experience for our students.
Soft Entry 8:30 – 8:40
The safety and well-being of our students is always our top priority. We understand that families have various plans for getting their children to school, whether it’s through daycare, a grandparent, or another family member or friend. We kindly remind all families of the importance of supervising your children before school. Many students arrive before soft entry begins at 8:30, and during these early moments, the school may have limited supervision available. This can sometimes lead to situations where students are unsupervised or under minimal oversight, which can increase the risk of accidents or other challenges. To ensure a safe and positive environment for everyone, we ask that families support us by ensuring their child(ren) are supervised until they have entered the school building and are under the supervision of our staff. Your cooperation in helping keep our school safe is greatly appreciated.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent, Teacher, Student conferences have moved online. Teacher-led learning conferences are often more effective than student-guided ones in an online setting, so we’ve made a school-based decision to change from student informed conferences to teacher-led. Teachers will provide essential structure and guidance to keep the conversation focused on key learning goals, allowing for more interactive engagement, targeted feedback, and sharing of areas for growth and next steps within the allotted time.
Student-Involved Conferences will take place on:
- Thursday, March 20, from 4:15 – 8:00 pm
- Friday, March 21, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Conference booking is live.
Please note that there will be no school for students on Friday, March 21, as this marks the beginning of spring break.
Enrolment - Reminder
As we plan for the upcoming school year, we are closely monitoring our enrollment numbers. If you know that your child will not be attending Sunnyside School next year, we kindly ask that you inform our office so we can update our records. While we receive projected enrollment information from the planning department each year, it is essential for us to track real-time data, as actual numbers often differ from projections. This helps us make informed decisions regarding school organization for the next academic year. Our teachers will also be collecting this data during student-led conferences.
Warm regards,
Ms. Muir
Looking Ahead
March 10-14 Substitute Appreciation Week
March 11 Annual practice lockdown #2
March 12 Queen Elizabeth High School will be hosting a session for grade 6 students attending there in grade 7
March 19 Fun lunch/Healthy Hunger
March 20, 21 Student Involved Conferences
March 21 No School for Students
March 24-28 Spring Break, School Resumes March 31
March 31 Eid