Good morning Parents/Caregivers, 

In Blackfoot we say iitaamiksikinatooni as we start our day. As Orange Shirt Day concluded, I often think of the journey Indigenous families across North America have endured to where we are now. Many of the Indian Residential School survivors in Canada have been able to be recognized with a National day of recognition. My own family including my mom and aunts attended St. Mary’s Residential School on the Blood Tribe. Having heard many of the stories of survival I am reminded of how fortunate me and our children are to be part of an Indigenous focused school in Calgary Board of Education. More recently CBE created the new Education Plan and it includes Truth and Reconciliation for 2024-2027 for all CBE schools.  

On Oct 11 the first learning sprints will be completed for all grades. What this entails is a classroom teacher comparing data from June to Sept and determining learning groups in the classroom. Our school continues to work with the collaborative response model and the pyramid of interventions to move along in student interventions. Our resource team meets once a month with classroom teachers to identify key issues. The teachers also met in their PLC groups to discuss collaboration of assessment. PLC means Professional Learning Community. And the intent of this year’s work with collaboration is to ensure that teachers teaching the same grade are using the same scope and sequence, assessments, and team teaching. The PLC is also helpful for bringing together teachers to use student evidence as a focal point for conversations around assessment.  

In the next few days, an announcement will also be made for two classes being established here at PFS. I encourage you to look for that announcement in Messenger if your child is affected. 

PFS had one parent attend the Parent Advisory Meeting and I would like to invite you to attend. Dates for the Parent Advisory Meeting are as follows: 

  • Oct 23 
  • Nov 27 
  • Dec 18 
  • Jan 30 
  • Feb 27 
  • Mar 20 
  • Apr 24 
  • May 29 
  • June 12 

I hope that you can make it to one of our parent advisory meetings. Your feedback is always important to us in setting direction for school improvement initiatives.  

I wish you a good month in October here at PFS. 

Yours in Reconciliation, 

Crystal Good Rider 
Principal