Hello Louis Families,

The changing colour of the trees and a cool chill in the morning is signaling that the first month of school is drawing to a close. The first month can feel like quite a jarring transition for many students as they are asked to pull themselves out of their lackadaisical summer daily routine and jump back into the business of learning. Although teachers may have a head start on students by getting back in the building a few days in advance, it’s an abrupt transition for them too. What I can say about September this year is that it has been successfully navigated thanks to a shared understanding of how we do school at Louis Riel by everyone in our community of learners. September was full of introductions with new staff, new students, new families, new classmates, new classrooms, new routines, new teams, new clubs, new resources, and even a new basketball court outside. Despite all of the newness, the climate of calm and collaborative culture shared by staff and students alike kept the focus on well-being for student learning, which is exactly where it ought to be.

Thank you for everything you do to support our students and staff at Louis Riel as we continue our annual cycle of learning, discovery, and growing together as a community.

Meet the Teacher Night

Thank you to all the families who came to our annual Meet the Teacher night at Louis Riel on Thursday evening. We saw many new faces as we met our “New to Louis” families in the South gym before they started their tour of classrooms and instructional spaces. As always, it is a pleasure to meet the families of the students we see every day and to find new ways to strengthen partnerships in support of student success.

Louis Riel School Council

On September 27 at 6:30 pm you are invited to attend the first meeting of the 2023-2024 school year. You will hear from school administration about updates and changes for the start of the year as well as their plans for the year ahead. Important budget discussions and votes will be held so your participation is important. Any feedback or questions for the council can be sent to info@wearelouis.ca. The zoom link for this online only meeting is here:
796 747 8647 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7967478647?pwd=R1BRZkg5WHFmL0xYQURZdjNTUEhqZz09

Diagnostic Assessments at Louis Riel

Assessing students early in the school year to determine their educational needs and to plan for instruction is a regular part of every school year. Diagnostic assessments are used to check student understanding of concepts, curriculum, and skills shortly after the start of classes. At the school level, diagnostic assessment results are used to identify and address any gaps in students' foundational understanding and application of the skills needed to demonstrate literacy and numeracy. The data collected from a variety of diagnostic assessments is analyzed by our teaching teams to inform planning for their next instructional steps but it is not considered in report cards.

Grades 7-9 Metacognition and Learning Goals

This year our Div 3 teachers are challenging students to actively engage in learning about their learning (metacognition) by having them set their own specific and measurable learning goals this year. These goals will be revisited throughout the year and updated or revised as needed to support progress towards improving learning. They can also be shared with their families to ensure their goals are supported at home as well. To begin the goal setting process, students will be completing a questionnaire that will help them identify areas of strength, conditions for success, and areas in need of attention. This opportunity to engage in reflection about their own learning will help them focus on the next step; identifying specific strategies to adopt to make progress towards the goals they have set.

Athletics

Reminder of Spectator Expectations at Louis Riel Athletics Events

Last year our division shared common expectations for spectators at athletic events. This year Louis Riel will be maintaining these spectator expectations and conditional attendance policies for spectators to support a positive and safe environment for our student athletes.

LRS Students

• LRS students will be able to view the first home game (4:30pm start) without parent/guardian supervision. Students are to remain in the main gym watching the game.
• Once the first game is complete, school administration will help all LRS students without a parent/guardian leave the building.
• LRS students will need to be directly supervised by a parent/guardian if they would like to stay and/or return at any point after the first game is complete.
• LRS students are expected to be in the main gym watching the game(s) and supporting all players/coaches/referees/parents/guardians in a positive manner. Any student who is not meeting the CBE Student Code of Conduct will be escorted out of the gym and school and may lose future viewing privileges.

Students From Other Schools

• Will, at the discretion of the Administration, be conditionally admitted into the school for the first game of the evening only.
• Must leave after the first game unless accompanied by a parent/guardian who stays for the duration of the time the student is in the building.
• Once teams from other schools have completed their games for the evening, all players must exit the building, unless accompanied by a parent/guardian who stays for the duration of the time the student is in the building.
• Student athletes who arrive before their coaches will be asked to wait in the main foyer area until their coach arrives.

All Parents and Guardians

• All parents/guardians are welcome to attend all games at LRS.
• Parents/guardians who bring family members under the age of 18 are expected to supervise their child(ren) in the main gym.
• All parents/guardians are expected to cheer/support all players/coaches/referees/parents/guardians in a positive manner.
• If parents/guardians are engaging in any inappropriate behaviour directed towards players/coaches/referees/other parents/guardians/school staff or school administration, the game will be paused and the parent/guardian will be asked to stop. If the inappropriate behaviour continues, the game will be stopped again and will not re-start until the parent/guardian leaves the gym and school property. If removed, the parent/guardian may lose future viewing privileges at LRS.

Our main goal is to maintain a safe and fun environment for students so please keep in mind:

• The players are kids.
• The coaches are volunteers.
• The referees are human.

Thank you for supporting our students and our spectator expectations

Parking and Drop-off

Thank you so much for looking out for other students and their families on the roads and in the crosswalks around the school in the morning and at the end of the day. Traffic is moving freely and safely through the playground zones and bus zones.

Scooters and Bikes at Louis Riel

We welcome our students’ use of bikes and scooters to get to and from school each day. We need to ask those students for a bit of help to ensure safety for everyone.

In order to keep everyone safe, please do not ride or scooter down busy and crowded sidewalks or on school property at the start of end of the day. Once you’re off school property you’re free to roll, ok?

Please bring a lock for your scooter or bike to school and use one of our many racks outside to secure it safely for the day. Scooters are too large to store in hallways and classrooms as they present a significant tripping hazard.

Lost and Found at Louis Riel

With just a bit less than a month of school our Lost and Found is already spilling off the coat hooks and shelves. Please remind your student(s) to walk by and locate any lost or misplaced clothing and lunch container items and take them home. If your student regularly loses items at school, please also consider sewing nametags on their clothing items.

Upcoming Survey Notice: OurSCHOOL Student Survey

Louis Riel will be participating in an online school perception survey for students called the OurSCHOOL Student Survey. This anonymous survey is completely voluntary for all CBE students.  Please find the details of the survey in the letter under Resources.

Field Experience Logistics and Forms at Louis Riel

Field experiences often include a series of forms to inform families about educational outcomes, logistics, itineraries, potential risks, and measures taken to mitigate them. These forms also include forms to allow families to acknowledge any risks, provide emergency contact information, and share important medical details about their student. Due to the challenges of form collection and the frequent need to confirm participants with transportation or service providers, all forms for a field experience must be submitted to the teacher in charge one (1) week prior to departure unless alternative arrangements have been made. Students cannot attend offsite activities without completed forms.

Volunteers Support Our Program

Volunteers are often required to meet supervision ratio requirements for off-campus field experiences. Without parent volunteers to help meet the required supervision ratio, off-campus activities and field experiences cannot proceed. Please volunteer for some off campus activities and field experiences this year to support your student and their class.

NEW! Interested in volunteering this year?

Please fill out the following form: https://cbe.ab.ca/FormsManuals/Annual-Volunteer-Registration-Form.pdf

Digital Citizenship at Louis Riel

We are an Away for the Day school. Student brains need a break from mobile devices, and they all benefit from opportunities to engage in other ways of communicating, creating and exploring. Part of our work is to promote safety, lessen cyberbullying, and to foster and sustain focus on learning. How our Away for the Day policy supports this is simple:

• Cell phones/personal electronic devices are powered off and go into lockers as you enter
• Cell phones/devices do not come out until you’re exiting after the final bell at 2:50 pm
• Cell phones may only be used for learning tasks during the school day with teacher permission

Upcoming Events

September 25 – 28 Spirit Week!
September 25 - Grade 4 Teacher’s Pet Visit
September 26-28 - Grade 8 Elbow River Field Trip
September 27 - LifeTouch School Fall Photos
September 28 - Orange Shirt Day
September 29 - No School: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Day-in-Lieu
October 2&3 – Grade 8 & 9 Outdoor Education camping and hiking trip
October 5 – Grade 9 Kayaking
October 6 – No School: System PD
October 12 – Terry Fox Day Save the Date