Download the newsletter - Alexandra Middle School

Alexandra Middle School Jayhawker
Email: Alexandra@sd76.ab.ca www.alexandraschool.ca 477 Sixth St SE Medicine Hat, AB T1A 1H4 Tel: (403) 527-8571 Fax: (403) 527-0299
June 2013
Principal – Jason Peters
Vice-Principal – Troy Bartman
Vice-Principal – Richelle Thomas
Principal’s Message
Contents
Principal’s Message 1-2
MyPlace News 2
Alberta Health Services 3-6
2013-2014 Transportation 7
On-line Payments 7
Digital Citizenship 8
Med. Hat Public Library 9-11
Calendar 12
Upcoming
Events
♦ Wed. Jun. 5, Zone
Track Meet
♦ Thurs. Jun. 6,
Grade 8 Year End
Social, 7:00 p.m.
♦ Fri. Jun. 7, PLC
day, No School for
Students
♦ Thurs. Jun. 13,
Band Concert,
7:00 p.m.
Wow! As you receive this Jayhawker we are preparing for our Grade Eight
Year End Social, to be held on Thursday, June 6 th at AMS. As well, final
exams are just around the corner. Please refer to the calendar and website for
specifics on the time and days of exams. As well, the process of timetabling
for next year is well underway with some complimentary courses already
having waiting lists, so it is important for students to submit their registration
forms as soon as possible, if they haven’t done so already.
I wanted to publicly thank our AMS team for their organization and
facilitation of SHOWCASE this year. We tried a different format in which we
started at lunch with a BBQ and spent the afternoon participating in activities
as well as watching students perform. It was a beautiful spring day and just a
great time for both students and staff. It could not have happened without
every staff member pitching in. Thank you also to the approximately 50
parents, community members and board members who were able to attend.
They were able to enjoy a band performance by Mrs. Dennison and the Gr.
8’s, a Dance performance by Mrs. Bechtold and Gr. 8 Dance elective students,
and a play by Ms. Sand and Miss Thorne and their troupe of actors. The rest
of the afternoon was spent exploring the various participatory events from face
painting, water balloon/dunk tank, Destination Imagination challenges,
obstacle course, taste testing and various other events. If you weren’t able to
make it this year, hopefully you can next year.
As we approach the end of the year, I want to take the opportunity to thank a
number of community partners that came alongside this year to support our
students. We work hard to support our kids but realize we cannot do this
alone. This year we started a number of food programs to support students
and families in need. Cenovus, The Link Church, and Sobey’s teamed up to
support a Breakfast program. The Medicine Hat Food Bank, Hillcrest Church
and BMG Northern Networks contributed towards us running a lunch program
and finally The Link Church and AMS staff contributed towards monthly food
hampers for 20 of our families. What great community support! Thank you to
our partners; you can’t imagine the need and the impact you have made for
our students.
As the end of the year approaches, we need to help students focus on the time
remaining as the fourth report period counts for 20% of the year's work and
the approaching final exams count for the remaining 20% of the student’s
overall grade. Parents can assist their child to prepare for finals by working
with them to develop a routine of study and review. Have them develop a
study schedule in their agenda or on the family calendar and monitor and
support their progress.

Page 2 of 12
School News
When we consider the year like the running of a race, there are times when we hit
the wall and need to will ourselves through it. Spring in a middle school certainly
exemplifies this! However, we do want to finish well and are committed to
working on our relationships and making it better. We look forward to continue
working with our students and their families to enhance an exceptional AMS
community.
I wish everyone a relaxing summer break.
Mr. J. Peters
Principal
Thank you to all
students and families
who participated in
the program this year.
MyPlace is hosting a
FREE Grade 6-8 BBQ
on Tuesday, June 18 th
from 5:00-7:00 in Kin
Coulee
The school year is flying along quickly and this can be a stressful time for
students. There are worries about exams, next year and even summer plans. If
your student is experiencing signs of stress or anxiety, please have them contact
the MyPlace office for some support.
MyPlace is busy planning exciting summer programming and we encourage you
to get involved! Please email jasper.williams@sd76.ab.ca and she will send you
a schedule and all the information you need to participate.
Thank you to all students and families who participated in the program this year.
MyPlace is hosting a FREE Grade 6-8 BBQ on Tuesday, June 18 th from 5:00 -
7:00 in Kin Coulee to celebrate our year and introduce the Grade 6’s to the
MyPlace program. Please let Jasper know if you will be attending.
A big thank you to CENOVUS for their support of the breakfast program at
Alexandra Middle School
For further information on these activities or any other MyPlace program, please
contact Jasper at (403)527-8571 ext. # 3209.
The MyPlace program is a mental health capacity building project which is part of
an initiative intended to use a team approach in providing promotion, prevention
and early intervention of addiction and mental health services to children, youth
and their families within a school-based setting.
Please contact any of the MyPlace team if you have any questions regarding our
program.
Thanks,
Jasper, Lisa, Shonna, Robbin and Jessica!

2013-14 Transportation
School bus routes will be reviewed in July and the new maps will be available online mid-August.
Though no major changes are expected, times and stops may be adjusted. Please consult
www.totemtransportation.com for your updated route map. Alternatively you can call Totem
Transportation at 403-527-6986 for your bus route information.
ONLINE PAYMENTS NOW AVAILABLE!
For safety and efficiency reasons, we want to reduce the amount of Cash & Cheques coming into our school. School
related expenses are now online for you to make payments by credit card.
Parents please register!
Here’s how:
Step 1:
Step 2:
Step 3:
Go to this website: https://sd76.schoolcashonline.com
Register by selecting the “Get Started Now” and following the steps
After you receive the confirmation email, please select the ‘click
here’ option, sign in and add each of your children to your
household account.
Thank you parents

Digital Citizenship Corner
Raising Kids in a Digital World
I recently had a rich discussion with parents at a parent information session regarding social media, technology
and parent and child readiness. Our world is changing so fast that we as adults cannot keep up with what is
happening in the digital world. For kids, however, this is their world and they love exploring anything new in
social media and technology.
Questions asked by the parents at the information session included:
1. Is it okay if we join Facebook and “friend” our children?
2. Should we know our children’s passwords to their accounts?
3. Why are their age restrictions on social media?
4. When should the cellphones be shut off during the day?
These were some of the many questions addressed during our time together. Here are our responses:
1. Parents should absolutely join Facebook and “friend” their children. Some parents say they are too busy
to learn the new technology. While this may be true, it is very important to monitor what your children
are posting. My rule is, keep it positive, or don’t post at all.
2. Parents should know the passwords to all their children’s technology accounts, and know what accounts
they are using. Facebook is being noted as getting old. Instagram, Kik and Snapchat are the newest
social media apps.
3. Age restrictions on social media apps may appear like a disclaimer to cover the developer’s back, but
there is more to age restrictions on social media. I have seen very inappropriate language and content
that children can access on these apps, including Instagram and Facebook. Children are becoming more
exposed to foul language and porn online at a young age. Age restrictions look at maturity and parents
should take this into consideration when allowing children to sign into a social media account with a
fake age.
4. Cellphone use late in the evening can cause sleep deprivation, leading to tired students who have
problems in school. The parents I spoke with suggested that it may be a good idea for a family location
for cellphone placement in the evening. The time to put cellphones away can depend on age.
My comments and suggestions come from four years of speaking with students, teachers and parents regarding
the rapid change technology is having on our lives. My opinions are mine, but not without hours of research,
dialogue and professional development regarding Digital Citizenship. In the end, it is very important for you as
parents to communicate with your children. Don’t let technology be a barrier to the relationship with your kids.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at tim.johnson@sd76.ab.ca or call me at 403-528-6700, ext.
6988.

JUNE 2013
SUN MON TUES WED THURS FRI SAT
2 3
1
4
2
5
1
6
2
7
1 / 8
Grade 8’s visit MHHS
Grade 6’s visit AMS
Zone Track Meet
In Medicine Hat
Grade 8
Blue & Gold
YES
School PLC Day
NO SCHOOL
FOR
STUDENTS
9 10
1
11
2
12 1 13
2
14
1
15
Band Concert
7:00 p.m.
Last
Cafeteria
Service
16 17 2 18 1
20
21
22
Part 1 of Grade 8
Social Studies Final:
Performance Based
Component
LA 7 Section 1 Essay
19
Locker Clean Up
LA Essay Final
Last full day
of classes
MATH PART A
FINAL EXAM
Complementary
course marks due
Busses @
10:00 a.m.
SCIENCE
FINAL EXAM
Busses @
10:00 a.m.
23 24
25
26
27
28
29
SOCIAL
STUDIES
FINAL EXAM
Busses @
10:00 a.m.
MATH PART B
FINAL EXAM
Busses @ 10:00 a.m.
LA READING
COMPREHENSIVE
FINAL EXAM
Busses @ 10:00 a.m.
Promotional
Meetings
NO SCHOOL
FOR STUDENTS
REPORT
CARDS
ISSUED
11:00 – 12:00
NO BUSSES
30