Important Dates 

• December 11-22 – Cash donations accepted for the Calgary Food Bank
• December 14 – Winter Concert (1:30 – all are welcome & 6:30 – immediate family) 
• December 18 – 22 -  Carols in the gym each morning; 8:30-8:45 
• December 18 – 22 – Spirit Week  (see schedule below) 
• December 18 – Community Day 
• December 22 – Last day of classes 
• January 8 – Classes resume  

 

Dear Belfast Families, 

We would like to remind all families that tomorrow is a PD day and there is no school for students. Our staff have a very busy day of learning ahead of them: we are moving our work forward on our School Development Plan (SDP) by looking at our assessment practices, we are reflecting on our Teacher Quality Standards, and we are learning about changes to our response approach and how we can better meet the needs of all students. Please note that there will not be anyone available to answer the phones tomorrow, so you can leave a message on our voicemail, or if it is urgent, email me at mllundgren@cbe.ab.ca.

 

We encourage all our families to follow our school’s Instagram account (@BelfastSchoolcbe) and visit our school website to see pictures from the week. 

  

Food Bank Cash Donations – Donate December 11-22 

 

Our school is collecting cash donations (no physical food!) for the Calgary Food Bank. Did you know that for every $1 donated, the Calgary Food Bank can get $5 worth of food due to their purchasing power, volunteer resources, and operations? Donating money is the most impactful way to help the food bank.  

Starting Monday, December 11, Leadership Club students will go class to class each morning collecting food bank cash donations. On Thursday, December 14, we will have donation boxes set up at both the 1:30 and 6:30 concerts so families are able to donate at that time as well. We will collect donations until the morning of December 22.  

 

Tell your Friends: Kindergarten Registration & Open House 

 

We will be hosting an Open House for prospective kindergarten parents on Wednesday, January 17 from 6:30-7:30. If you have a child coming into kindergarten, or know someone who does, please join us! Kindergarten registration in the CBE will open on January 15. For more information on kindergarten registration, please check out >span class="normaltextrun"> and the kindergarten information sheet herehere  

 

Polar Bear Club Beginning  

 

We are excited to launch our Polar Bear Club at lunch recess. What is Polar Bear Club? The CBE has a policy that students do not go outside if the temperature is –20 or colder (with windchill). Polar Bear Club is meant for students who are interested in going outside on days between –20 to –30 with windchill. To participate in Polar Bear Club, students must have proper winter clothing and have parent permission. Students will stay outside for part or all of the lunch recess, depending on weather. Watch your child’s backpack on Monday for the form.  

 

Volunteers Needed 

 

Our school is looking for volunteers who are able to commit to the same few hours each week. We are in need of volunteers who will work in the office regularly, helping with laminating, cutting, and organizing for teachers. If you are able to help us out, please email Clancy at cleevans@cbe.ab.ca  

 

Reminder: Next Fun Lunch:  Mucho Burrito on December 13 

 

You can order your child’s next Fun Lunch by visiting the Healthy Hunger website here.  For the last Fun Lunch we had 75 families order, which was great!   Did you know that the Parent Fundraising Society receives a a percentage back of money spent from Healthy Hunger?  Thank you to Alisha, our Fun Lunch coordinator, for organizing these special lunches each month.   If your family would like to participate, but finances are a concern, please contact Clancy at cleevans@cbe.ab.ca or call the school.  

 

Reminder: Spirit Days Coming in December! 

 

Mrs. Lundgren’s Grade 5/6 Leadership Club have come up with some awesome Spirit Days for December. Leadership students will be going to each class to explain the days, will create advertisements, and will do announcements, but we also wanted to give families a head’s up about what is coming so there is time to prepare:   

 

Monday, December 18 – Ugly sweater day/red and green day 

Tuesday, December 19 – “Anything but a Backpack” day (basically, this day means no backpacks allowed!  How will your kids transport their items to school?  A bucket?  A doll stroller?  A rolling suitcase?  Be creative!  The only rules...no theft (for example, no shopping carts from stores) and no animals (sorry – can't strap your lunch kit to the family dog) 

Wednesday, December 20 – Staff dress as students; students dress as staff (basically, kids dress as grown-ups in general and grown-ups dress as kids.  You aren’t dressing up as a specific adult...) 

Thursday, December 21 – Teacher switch day.  That morning, we are all in an assembly and teachers will draw names to see which class they will be teaching.  Will Ms. Posadas teach kinder?  Will Ms. Evans be teaching Grade 6?  Will Mr. U be the principal?  Who knows!  All we know is that our teachers (and admin) will all be switching places for the morning.  This day is also festive hat/hair/headband day.  Kindergarten students will also have pajama day today since they don’t attend on Fridays. 

Friday, December 22 – Pajama and small stuffie day   

 

Reminder: School Fees are now Posted 

 

If your child stays for lunch, the lunchroom supervision fee is a mandatory fee and is posted to your myCBE account in the late fall each year.  Please note the central fees for 2023-2024 Student Supplies fee and Lunchroom Supervision are now posted on your mycbe account. Fees are to be paid online through your mycbe account and partial payments can be made throughout the school year.   

  

The following links are to CBE’s pages to further explain Lunchroom Supervision & central fee waivers.  If you need further guidance regarding the central fee waiver process please contact Kari Forrest in the office 

 

Reminder:  The Giving Tree – Belfast Families Helping Belfast Families  

 

Each year, the Belfast School community supports some of our families at Christmas.   We are currently accepting gift cards in the office (please attach a receipt that has the activation information on it) for any store in any denomination.  On December 15, we will distribute the gift cards to families.   

If you would like your family to be considered for the Giving Tree, or would like to bring forward another family to receive the Giving Tree gift cards, please contact the school office.   All family information will be kept confidential.   

 

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have anything you would like to share.   

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Meagan Lundgren 

Principal 

Belfast School