September - Calgary Board of Education

Hidden Valley School
10959 Hidden Valley Drive NW, Calgary, AB T3A 6J2 t | 403-777-7236 f | 403-777-7237 e | hiddenvalley@cbe.ab.ca
w | cbe.ab.ca/b274
Newsletter | September, 2014
Principal’s Message
I am pleased to welcome all of you back from our summer break. I look forward to meeting the new
members of our community as well. I trust everyone had a great break especially given this summer’s
weeks of fantastic weather. September is a time, both at home and school, for getting back into
routines, making schedules and following through on goals. It is a time for children to reunite with old
friends and make new friends as they begin a new school year. All of our teachers have been very
busy during the past week, planning together and preparing to receive your children. As a staff, we
are eagerly anticipating our new school year.
This year we will have a few staff changes. Ms. Hinks, Ms. Maiani and Mrs. Van Nest will be off on
parental leaves. Soon, Mme. Melanie will join them. Mrs. Joanne Eloho will be joining our staff to
teach grade three in the regular program. Mme. Laurie Standing will join us to teach grade two
French Immersion. Mme Micheline Guillemette, who came to Hidden Valley last February will be able
to remain at our school as a French Immersion kindergarten teacher. Mme. Guillemette has taught
kindergarten previously and is looking forward to teaching this age group again. Mrs. Susanne Shaw
will be joining our staff to provide resource support for our French Immersion students. Mrs. Vonda
Jensen will continue as the educational assistant to cover Mrs. Van Ness’s parental leave. Another
change will occur in our school library/learning commons as Mrs. Alison Andruchuk has announced
her retirement.
You may recall from previous messages that our projected student population for this year was 493.
At roughly 10:30 this morning we reached that number. We have now surpassed projections. This
growth created some impact. Some class sizes have gone up slightly. To balance this out, we will put
in educational assistant support to help teachers of larger classes meet the needs of their students.
Mrs. Steele has graciously moved back into a small conference room from which she will teach music
as the music room has now become a French Immersion kindergarten room. These changes
occurred during the first three days in which teachers were back and prompted an event that
reminded me of how fortunate I am to be the principal of this school. The moment they were notified
of the moves that needed to be made to accommodate our growth, all teachers, along with our
caretaker Mr. Stake, pulled together to move furniture and technology equipment, pull tables out of
storage, set up smart boards, decorate bulletin boards and gather supplies for the new classroom.
What originally seemed like a daunting task was basically accomplished within less than an hour, and
all with good humour! I am proud to report that this same team spirit and collegiality happens behind
the scenes of the classrooms on an ongoing basis, as teachers work together to support your
children’s learning.
As parents of Hidden Valley students, you are eligible to join our School Council. Our first School
Council meeting will be held on the evening of Tuesday, September 9. I hope that many of you will
consider participating in School Council as this is a great opportunity support academic enrichment
and fine arts opportunities for our students. This meeting will begin at 7:00 pm in our school library.

Hidden Valley School | Calendar of Events
10959 Hidden Valley Dr NW, Calgary, AB T3A 6J2 t | 403-777-7236 f | 403-777-7237 e |HiddenValley@cbe.ab.ca w | cbe.ab.ca/b274
Office Hours | Monday – Thursday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm | Friday 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Principal | Deborah Fairhurst
Assitant Principal |Tara Ernst
SEPTEMBER
2014
SUNDAY
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
31 01 02 03 04 05 06
Labour Day, no school
for students
First day of school
AM Kindergarten attend
Early Dsmissal
11:28 am
07 08 09 10 11 12 13
School Council Meeting
7:00 pm
PM Kindergarten attend
Early Dismissal
11:28 am
Back to school
breakfast
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Parent Teacher
Conferences 4:30 pm to
7:30 pm
Parent Teacher
Conferences 8:00 am to
1:00 pm
No school for students
CBE non instructional
day
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
AM Kindergarten attend
Early Dsmissal
11:28 am
Terry Fox Run
10:00 am
28 29 30 01 02 03 04
No school for students
School selected non
instructionsl day
PM Kindergarten attend
Early Dismissal
11:28 am

Hidden Valley School September, 2014
Parent/Student Handbook Information
The Hidden Valley School “Parent/Student Handbook” and school calendar are published in
your child’s Student Agenda and can be referenced at any time. This reference handbook
will provide parents with information related to day-to-day routines, schedules, and school
expectations. Please review the information in the handbook early in the school year.
Individual copies of the document are provided to Kindergarten parents.
Allergy Awareness and Prevention
There are a number of children at Hidden Valley School with mild to severe allergies to
certain foods and substances. Exposure to these allergens such as peanuts can result in
severe, and possibly fatal, anaphylactic reactions. All parents are reminded not to send any
foods containing nuts or nut products for snacks. Our goal is to reduce and/or eliminate the
exposure of these particular products to our students at risk. Also, please remind your
children not to share their snacks or lunches with other children as there are other allergens
such as milk products and berries.
Students requiring the use of an epi-pen should have one in a “Fanny pouch” at all times.
Please discuss your child’s medical requirements with a member of our administration and
the child’s teacher. Parents also need to complete the medical form outlining any specific
medical conditions their child may have. This information is maintained for reference in the
event of an emergency.
Reporting Absences and Lates
Please contact the school’s Absence & Late Line at 777-7236 extension 1 to report your
child’s absence or late arrival at school. You can leave a message with your child’s name,
teacher name or room number, reason and length of absence. Messages can be recorded
at a time that is convenient for you (ie night before).
Picking up or Dropping off Students during School
Hours
Parents are reminded that they must go directly to the office to pick students up during
school hours. Parents will “sign out” their child in a record book at the office. It is helpful if
you let the teacher know via a written notice that the child will be leaving during school
hours.
Students who arrive at the school after the 8:38 and 12:23 entry times need to check in at
the main office.
Messages for students
We cannot ensure that all phone messages forwarded during school hours will reach your
child before the end of the day. As a security measure, alternate arrangements for picking
up students after school should be made with your child prior to coming to school in the
morning and parents must forward a note to the teacher explaining the alternate
arrangement, otherwise children will be placed on their regular bus. All too often children
become confused about messages and a written note helps to clarify the arrangement.
Page 2 | 8

Hidden Valley School September, 2014
School Forms and Fees
All students will receive a package of forms along with a fee agreement for school fees on
the first day.
Forms that are printed on blue paper should be filled out and returned to the school as
quickly as possible.
Please return all forms and school fees by Thursday, September 18. School fees should be
placed in an envelope or Ziploc bag to ensure the money is not separated from the form.
If you qualify for a waiver, please contact the office for waiver applications forms.
School Entry and Exit
Students should enter their designated door at the start of school in the morning and at
noon. The exception is when a child is late for school and must enter by the Main Front
doors, as the student entry doors are locked during school hours. After school, students will
exit through the designated doors in order to go home or meet with a parent or guardian.
Exceptions may apply if a student needs to pick up a younger sibling. If you plan to meet
your child after school, please discuss a suitable “Meeting Spot” (close to a school door)
with your child.
Bus Routines
All eligible bus riders in grades 1-3 can access the school bus commencing Tuesday,
September 2 nd . The Kindergarten Bus will start on Wednesday, September 3 rd .
Bus routes and schedules are available on our school website. Go to www.cbe.ab.ca/b274
Parents/Guardians are important partners in student safety and learning. The following are
some basic CBE recommendations. For further information please go to the CBE website at
www.cbe.ab.ca. Click on Parents>Transportation
Ensure your child knows how to recognize their bus stop and find their way home
safely.
Ensure that Kindergarten and Grade 1 students have their name, address, bus
number, and a parent phone contact number inside a backpack for the first weeks
of school.
Have a parent/guardian walk young children to and from the bus stop and ensure
they are picked up on time. Important: Kindergarten children are not allowed to get
off a bus without a parent/guardian to meet them at the bus stop.
Establishing emergency procedures for students, so that they know what to do if:
• The bus is late or does not arrive at their stop
• No one is home after school
As always, it will take a few weeks to set routines for students, drivers, and parents.
Students will be late getting home for the first few days until routines are established. We
will not send buses off until everyone is accounted for. If you have a concern, please
reference the information provided to you (map and schedule) when you call our carrier,
Southland Bus Service.
Calgary Board of Education News
Visit the Calgary Board of Education website at http://www.cbe.ab.ca/new/events.asp for
information on upcoming events and open houses for school programs.
Page 3 | 8

Hidden Valley School September, 2014
Scholastic Book Fair
Hidden Valley School's next Scholastic book fair will be held in conjunction with the school's
Parent Teacher Conferences on September 18 th and 19 th . Anyone interested in
volunteering to help with this valuable fundraiser can contact our library at (403) 777-7236
ext 2008. No experience necessary but a valid security clearance is required.
School Photos
Student photos will be taken at the school on Wednesday, October 8 th . This year we are
again using Lifetouch as our school photographer. Retakes will take place Thursday,
November 6 th .
Proofs will be sent home to parents with the option of purchasing pictures. If you decide to
purchase photos, please be sure to return the proof envelope by the date indicated to
ensure your order is processed in a timely fashion. Late orders must be sent directly to
Lifetouch, take an extra long time to process and require parents to pay a late processing
fee.
Class pictures will be taken in February and each student will be given one.
We are in need of a couple of parent volunteers to assist with picture day. You will be
needed for the whole day and Lifetouch will give each volunteer a coupon to use on the
picture package they select. Please contact Michelle at 777-7236 ext 0 if you are willing to
volunteer.
Home Reading Program
In addition to books from the library, students will bring home books at
their independent reading level for practise. This is another opportunity
for parents to celebrate their child’s learning and witness the new skills
they are developing at school.
We are looking for several parent volunteers to help exchange the
books on Mondays or Thursdays for a specific classroom or two. The
job usually takes less than an hour to complete. If you are willing to
help out, call the library at (403) 777-7236 ext 2008. We expect to start the home reading
program in the first week of October.
Parent / Teacher Conferences
We will be hosting parent / teacher conferences on Thursday, September 18 th from 4:30 pm
to 7:30 pm and Friday, September 19 th from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. This is an opportunity
for parents to meet teachers and discuss your child. We will be using the CBE online
booking system to schedule appointments. We encourage all parents to set aside time for a
visit.
Parking Lot
Loading and unloading of children in the parking lot is prohibited by the Calgary Board of
Education for safety reasons. We appreciate your co-operation.
Page 4 | 8

Hidden Valley School September, 2014
Parent Volunteers
Parents are welcome to volunteer at the school. To schedule a time please contact your
child’s teacher to discuss a time convenient for both of you. Many teachers have a
calendar posted where volunteers “sign up”. Also, you need to ensure you have a current
and valid “Police Information Check” prior to volunteering in the school. Only individuals
with active clearances can volunteer in classrooms and on field trips.
Volunteers sign in and out at the main office and wear a school name tag while in the
building.
Contact the school office for more information or to renew a Security Clearance.
Terry Fox Run
Hidden Valley School will be holding their annual Terry Fox Walk / Run on Friday,
September 26 th at 10:00 am. Many teachers will take the opportunity to prepare their
students by talking about this Canadian hero and increasing students’ awareness about
cancer prior to the run. It will also provide students with the opportunity to participate in a
fun physical activity while encouraging their generosity and citizenship skills by helping
others in the community.
We ask for your support towards this activity by contributing a “Toonie for Terry”. Donations
of other denominations will be accepted. Tax receipts are issued for any donation of $20 or
more. Please contact the main office to request the necessary paperwork.
The school will require some parent volunteers to assist with the run. If you are available
and willing to help, please contact Michelle at 777-7236 ext 0.
Kindergarten students that are in our afternoon program are welcome to participate in the
run. Please come to the school with an adult if you would like to join in.
Vandalism
At some point between 4:00 pm Monday, August 25 th and 9:00 am Tuesday, August 26 th
Hidden Valley School and Valley Creek School were vandalized by someone. Both schools
had several spots of graffiti on them and someone was up on the roof of Hidden Valley
School. Calgary Police Services estimate each school has suffered approximately $5000 in
damage. If you have any information about the vandalism, please contact our office at
(403) 777-7236 ext 0.
Page 5 | 8

Hidden Valley School September, 2014
Hidden Valley School Staff List
All Administrative Staff Main Office 777-7236 ext 0
Ms. Joanne Eloho Room 01 – Grade 3 English 3001
Mme Laurie Standing Room 02 – Grade 2 French 3002
Mr. Ed Claussen Room 03 – Grade 3 English 3003
Miss Jenn Phelps Room 04 – Grade 3 English 3004
Mme Celia Swiednicki Room 05 – Grade 2 French 3005
Mme Jennifer Deurbrouck- Room 06 – Grade 2 French 3006
Penney
Mrs. Shelley Steele-Gittel Conference A – Music 3237
Ms. Heather Nichol
Room 10 – Kindergarten 3010
English
Mme Jennifer Shelton Room 11 – Kindergarten 3011
French
Mme Melanie Tindall Room 12 – Grade 1 French 3012
Mme Danielle Gilbert Room 13 – Grade 1 French 3013
Mrs. Kim Maguire (AM) Room 14 – Kindergarten 3014
English
Mme Micheline Guillemette Room 07 – Kindergarten 3007
(PM)
French
Ms Shannon MacGregor Room 15 – Grade 2 English 3015
Mrs. Marilyn Franklin Room 16 – Grade 1 English 3016
Mrs. Shae Frisby Room 17 – Grade 1 English 3017
Miss Clarissa Ching Room 18 – Grade 2 English 3018
Mrs. Mila Wong Room 19 – Grade 2 English 3019
Mrs. Esther Tolooei Room 20 – Grade 1 English 3020
Mrs Ryann Lajoie Room 20 – Grade 1 English 3238
Mme Sophie Viau Room 21 – Grade 1 French 3021
Mme Miche Lyster Room 22 – Grade 3 French 3022
Mme Tanya Tran Room 23 – Grade 3 French 3023
School Council 7002
Page 6 | 8

Hidden Valley School September, 2014
Newsletter Draw
If you have read this newsletter and wish to enter our newsletter draw for a prize
for your child, then fill in this tear slip and return it to your child’s teacher no later
than Monday, September 8, 2014.
I have read the September school newsletter and I wish my child
_______________________________________________________________
In Grade _______ Room ______ to be entered in the newsletter draw.
____________________________________
Parent Signature
Comments |
We welcome your comments or questions on any school related issues.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Page 7 | 8

Healthy Children
Parent Newsletter
September 2014
Get Walking! Stay Safe!
A new school year brings opportunity for families to give up driving
and begin walking to school. Walking has so many benefits—it promotes
physical activity, prepares brains for learning, and increases children’s
familiarity with their community and neighbours. Walking with your child and
negotiating neighbourhood streets with them provides an opportunity to develop
traffic safety awareness and to practice safe pedestrian behaviours. Even
better, it’s a great way to have quality time with your child before they start their
day. Even if you live far from your school you can still give your child the
walking experience by parking five to ten minutes away from the school.
Did you know 26 judgment skills are required to cross a street safely and that
many of these skills have not fully developed in a young child For example,
they may think that a car can stop instantly or if they can see a car the driver
can see them. They are often distracted and may underestimate dangerous
situations. Most children need supervision to walk to school until they are at
least 9 years old.
Important pedestrian safety tips to model for your child are:
Cross at marked intersections or crosswalks.
Look left, look right and look left again before stepping out onto the
street.
Wait until the road is clear.
Always walk on the sidewalk.
Alberta encourages active and safe routes to school. For more information on
how you can start a program in your neighbourhood contact
info@saferoutestoschool.ca or call Toll Free:1-877-533-4098.
For more information on childhood injury prevention visit
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/injuryprevention.asp
Get Moving with the AMA Youth
Run Club! The Alberta Medical
Association (AMA) Youth Run Club
is a free, school-based running
program designed to get children
and youth active across the
province. For more information on
getting your child’s school involved,
visit: www.everactive.org/albertamedical-association-youth-run-club
Parents! You Have More Power Than You Know…Improve School
Health Today
Did you know your involvement at school can have a huge impact on the health of the entire school If you have lots of
time to commit, great! If not, take advantage of some of the simpler ways to make your child’s school a healthier place.
It’s easier than you might think!
Wave hello or have a quick, friendly morning chat with
staff.
Suggest ways to have healthy classroom
celebrations.
Walk or bike with your child to school.
Be supportive of staff wellness programs – they are
important role models!
Nominate a student or staff member for a recognition
award.
Volunteer for a school event.
Share a healthy fundraising idea with Parent Council.
Talk to your child about the qualities of a good friend
Lead by example; eat healthy meals as a family,
participate in physical activities you enjoy, and
demonstrate positive ways of handling stressful
situations.
To learn more about the role of parents in school communities, visit http://www.healthyalberta.com/644.htm.
To find an electronic copy of this newsletter, visit: www.albertahealthservices.ca/csh.asp

HIDDEN VALLEY
SCHOOL SPIRIT T-SHIRTS
2014
We are once again excited to present Hidden Valley School T-Shirts. As
a way to increase school spirit the Hidden Valley School Parent Council,
in conjunction with the Hidden Valley School Staff, are encouraging
staff and students to wear the new School Spirit T-Shirts on Fridays,
for field trips, and special assemblies or events. Parent Council is
keeping the same color as last year (Sapphire Blue) to encourage team
spirit. As promised, we are keeping the color for several years so that
if you purchase one, you can use it for a few years or pass it along
to younger children. In order to make this possible, Parent Council
is offering the 2014 t-shirts at a low price of $10 and all sizes are
available now! In addition, we are also offering adult sizes for parent
volunteers that would like to look like part of the team too!
ORDER YOURS TODAY!
Sapphire Blue T-Shirt with 3 color logo
T-Shirts will be available for direct purchase at the Open House or you can complete this order form and submit
with payment. Youth sizing samples available in the office for students to try if necessary. Order forms will
be collected throughout the year and t-shirt orders will be filled by our parent volunteers every 7-10 days.
Student’s Full Name: __________________________________________
Teacher: ____________________________________________________
Grade:_________________________ Room: ______________________
Amount $ enclosed (cash or cheque): ____________________________
Please make cheques payable to Hidden Valley School. If ordering for more than one student,
please just include one student’s name above and the entire order will be sent home with them.
Parent Contact and Phone Number (please include your name & number if you agree to have a parent volunteer
contact you with questions regarding your order):
______________________________________________________________
Short Sleeve Youth T-Shirts $10 each (includes gst)
Youth XS (2-4): ________x $10 = ___________
Youth M (10-12): ________x $10 = _________
Youth S (6-8): ________x $10 = ____________
Youth L (14-16): ________x $10 = __________
Adult Shirt: Please circle size and write-in the quantity S M L XL ________x $10 = ___________

Country Hills Library
11950 Country Village Link NE
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sundays (mid-Sept to mid-May) Noon – 5 p.m.
Programs for September 2014
Register on-line at www.calgarypubliclibrary.com or call 260-2620
“Turn your imagination into reality at the Country Hills Library”
Happy 10th Birthday, Country Hills Library!
Join us as we lead into National Library Month and celebrate
10-years at the Country Hills Library with music, stories,
entertainment and treats for the whole family!
Saturday, Sept. 27 from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
No registration required
Family Magic Show
Join TD Sparks as he entertains you with magic, balloons
and comedy. Ages 4 and up
Saturday, Sept. 27 from 11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
No registration required
Bear Gets Ready for Bed
Join us for stories, songs and rhymes with an autumn
flavour. Ages 2 to 5 with a parent/caregiver Monday, Sept.
22 from 7:00 - 7:30 p.m. Registration begins Aug. 20
*Siblings Welcome*
You may already be downloading e-books from the library using Overdrive but did
you know you can also download and read eBooks on your computer or device
using the 3M Cloud app
Calgary Public Library 3M Cloud is a newest app-based e-book lending platform.
3M Cloud library consists of popular fiction and non-fiction e-books titles. Download and enjoy eBooks from 3M Cloud quickly and easily.
Our new 3M Cloud collection is growing every day with books for adults, teens and kids.
Read on multiple devices:
3M Cloud eBooks can be read on these devices:
iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch
Android Phones and Devices
PC: Windows, Nook eReaders, and Kobo eReaders
Mac OS X
Kindle Fire and Kindle Fire HD
Nook Tablets
The 3M Cloud Library automatically syncs to all your devices that have the 3M Cloud Library App downloaded to them. You can start
reading on your iPad and continue later reading on your phone - right where you've left off!
If you need help, come see us, call us or check out our website.
You can find it under: Books & More> Featured Digital Content OR Mobile Apps > 3M Cloud.

connect | participate in your school council
A new school year provides exciting new opportunities for
both students and parents to get involved in their school
community. For parents, that might mean volunteering at
the school and getting involved in the school council.
School councils are one of the most significant ways
parents, students and community members can make a
meaningful difference in the lives of our students.
We know that parent support doesn’t happen just at the
school. Many parents help their child to be successful
through active support at home.
The school council acts as an advisory body to the school
leadership team. School councils can provide advice on
the development of many issues relevant to matters that
affect every student, including the development of the
school’s
mission, vision and philosophy,
policies,
annual education plan,
annual results report, and
budget.
School councils are provided with the school’s provincial
testing program results and other provincial measures, as
well as a reasonable interpretation of those results and
measures.
We encourage you to get involved in your school council.
It contributes to the effective communication that builds
relationships and a shared understanding of needs,
expectations and values within your school community.
The CBE also has a Council of School Councils (COSC).
Through COSC, each CBE school has a voice to speak
to the Board of Trustees and the system, not just to their
schools and principals.
the Board of Trustees and representatives from CBE
administration. Its purpose is to give CBE leaders and
parents an opportunity to work together, share
information, discuss concerns and plan for the future.
The Board values the knowledge, ideas and suggestions
school councils provide and the work they do to support
and enhance student learning.
Our students are among the most successful in the world
and that is due in part to the active involvement of
parents and community members. We want to hear from
school councils and work with them to make Calgary’s
public education system even better.
We look forward to meeting school council chairs and/or
designates at the next COSC meeting on Tuesday, Sept.
30, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the
Education Centre, 1221 – 8 th Street SW. Free parking is
available for attendees.
Board of Trustees
Visit www.cbe.ab.ca to learn more about the
Board of Trustees and upcoming public board
meetings. By ward, your trustees are:
1 & 2 | Joy Bowen-Eyre
3 & 4 | Lynn Ferguson
5 & 10 | Pamela King
6 & 7 | Trina Hurdman
8 & 9 | Judy Hehr
11 & 13 | Sheila Taylor
12 & 14 | Amber Stewart
e | BoardofTrustees@cbe.ab.ca
t | 403-817-7933
The Council of School Councils is comprised of school
council chairs (or appropriate designates), members of
School Newsletter, September 2014