Connect Charter School Principal’s Message: Dr. Phil Butterfield

As we rapidly approach the end of term 1, it is an opportune time to reflect on

the first few months of the school year and celebrate all that has happened at

Connect since August 18th.

Outdoor Education

Outdoor education was a dominant feature of the school through the latter part

of August, all of September, and well into October. The final trips of the fall

outdoor ed season were just completed last week with the grade 8/9

backpacking elective hiking into Baldy Pass for a day trip and the grade 4/5

Outdoor Education elective class spending a day in the Troll Falls area of

Kananaskis, near the Nakiska ski area. Thanks to the fundraising committee,

we were able to purchase 10 more bicycles and bring our fleet to 50 which

allows us to take two classes out at a time. The grade 6/7 Bike YYC elective

took advantage of the new bikes and some decent fall weather to enjoy a full

day ride to Fish Creek Park on Thursday Oct. 27th. I have had the pleasure of

being part of this enthusiastic group of young cyclists on several rides, and it is

very gratifying to pass other users of the pathway and hear them comment, “Oh,

those are the kids from Connect. Isn’t it wonderful to see them out on their

bikes.”

Parent Volunteers

The active, outdoor-oriented nature of Connect dictates that a lot of parent

volunteers are required in order to provide these quality educational

opportunities for our students. In some cases, last minute changes to a plan

have required us to call on our diligent volunteer coordinator to round up

available parents to support a field trip or in-school activity. Many other parents

work behind the scenes by participating on committees, focus groups, work

bees, and fund raising. As a school community, we cannot thank our volunteers

enough for their willingness to step forward as their time and resources permit.

Report Cards

The end of Term 1 is on the horizon, and report cards will be sent home on

Monday, November 21st. Parents of students who are receiving any kind of

In this issue:

• Principal’s Message

• Get Ready for the Winter

• We Day

• Helping your Kids Get Enough Sleep

• Band Workshop

Chrysanthemum is November Flower

accommodation to support their learning will be contacted by homeroom

teachers or Abby Saadeh, our Inclusive Practices Coach, to meet and discuss

goals, strategies, and measures, before report cards are distributed.

Student-Led Conferences

In response to feedback from parents, we have been exploring possible

changes to the Student-Led Conference format that will make the process more

meaningful and reflective of student learning. Input from student and parent

focus groups, as well as a staff committee, have helped tremendously in

identifying some alternative approaches to SLC’s. The staff committee will be

meeting on Friday Nov. 4th to determine what changes may be implemented for

the upcoming SLC’s on November 24th (4-8pm) and 25th (8am-1pm). The new

format will be communicated to parents within the next two weeks.

Portfolio Leaders

The leadership team at Connect is comprised of the Superintendent, Principal,

and two Assistant Principals. In addition, we have three Portfolio Leaders: Rick

Fawcett (Humanities), Kevin Sonico (Math/Science), and Outdoor Education

(John Cadman). The PL’s provide leadership and mentoring to teachers to

support inquiry-based learning within their respective disciplines.

Professional Learning

For some parents it may be a bit of a mystery as to what our staff does on those

non-instructional Fridays referred to as Professional Learning Days. On October

28th, several of our staff attended conferences or visited colleagues in other

schools to share teaching and learning strategies that will improve the quality of

instruction at Connect. The remainder of the staff participated in a mini-

conference at the school that included presentations from our Speech-Language

Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, and a Mindfulness Coach, as well as

comprehensive discussions on assessment and reporting practices,

accommodations for students with identified learning needs, and an in-service

on using Fresh Grade as a learning management system. The quality of

education students at Connect receive is directly affected by the quality of

professional learning that teachers are offered. With that in mind, we will

continue to strive for exemplary teaching and learning through ongoing,

meaningful and relevant PD activities.

Phil Butterfield, EdD

Principal

November Calendar

• Calendar is available through this link: http://connectcharter.ca/annual-calendars/#

Upcoming Events

• Remembrance Day Assembly is on Wednesday November 9th

Some Connect News …

Transportation News: Get ready for winter!

The winter months bring inevitable poor road and weather conditions that can delay Calgary traffic and our buses. Here

are a few tips to get ready:

1. Dress for the weather. All students should be on the sidewalk waiting for the bus and they should be dressed to

spend a few minutes outside. Drivers will not wait past the scheduled time for students who are waiting in vehicles since

this delays the bus and leaves other students waiting in the cold longer. Only on the few days each winter when it is

dangerously cold (not uncomfortably cold) should students remain in vehicles until the bus arrives at a stop.

2. Make sure you have registered for Southland’s delay messages. If you want to receive the delay messages as texts

or emails, you can register by going to our website www.connectcharter.ca, click on Busing and Bus Delays – the link is

at the bottom of the bus delay page. You should log into your Southland account to verify that you have registered your

current AM and PM routes.

3. Keep Southland’s number handy (403-287-1335). Southland’s messages are helpful but not entirely reliable.

Messages are sometimes posted late or not at all. If your bus is at least 10 minutes late and you need to know when it

is coming, please call Southland, and give your Connect route and stop number. Dispatch will try to talk to the driver

and find out when the bus will be at your stop. Keep in mind that Southland will be very busy on those days when traffic

is slow across the city.

4. Make a backup plan and share that with your child (ren). Make sure they know what you expect them to do if the bus

does not arrive as scheduled. Consider these questions - Do you allow them to be driven to school by another parent?

How long should they wait at the stop before returning home? Do they have a phone and know Southland’s number?

5. Connect may cancel buses. It is Connect’s policy to cancel morning buses if Southland cannot have them at the first

stop within 60 minutes of the scheduled start time. This happens when Southland knows 30 minutes ahead of the

scheduled start that they are unable to find either a bus or driver to start the route. Buses will not be cancelled if no

message can be sent before students are already waiting at stops so some buses will run with delays of more than 60

minutes.

When a bus is cancelled Southland will post the message and an email from transportationatconnect@gmail will be sent

to all families on the route. If your bus is cancelled you can choose to use a stop on another route. Use the schedules

and maps on the Connect website to find a stop that may work for you if your bus is cancelled. Southland will always

send an afternoon bus to Connect, but there may also be delays in the afternoon. Connect staff will supervise the

students until the bus comes. Email anyone on the committee at transportationatconnect@gmail.com with your route

number as the subject if you have questions.

We Day – Alberta

Connect had the great privilege of sending 23 students and 3 teachers to attend this year’s WE Day - Alberta event!

Craig and Marc Kielburger, cofounders of WE, believe that when individuals with unique gifts come together and hold a

common goal for change, WE can make our world a better place. WE Day’s powerful message tells people to live

consciously, in a way that creates purposeful change in our world. As a community who encourages extraordinary

citizenship every day at our school, this event was a great reminder that anyone can make a difference, big or small.

Ideas were shared around living WE at home and school, in the community, nationally, and globally by inspirational

leaders, musicians, students, authors, and social activists including: Margaret Trudeau, Chris Hadfield, Paula Abdul,

Rick Hansen, Brett Kissel, Classified, and more.

It was a day filled with recognition, vision, and pledge for action! Our students are encouraged to share this experience

and their key takeaways to help continue to spread the movement of WE at Connect.

Topic of the Month …

HELPING YOUR KIDS GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Research has shown that not getting enough sleep can have an impact on children’s behavior, emotional

well-being and school performance. Today’s kids are getting less sleep than children from past generations.

Certain aspects of modern life, such as heavy use of cellphones, computers, iPads and other electronic

devices, are interfering with the amount of sleep children get. Things parents can do to encourage their

children to get the sleep they need:

• Set regular bedtimes for your kids and consistent bedtime routines. This helps young children

develop a sort of rhythm for sleep and waking.

• Try to get your children off the computer (and other screens) at least an hour before bedtime.

• Computers, televisions, tablets and cellphones (and the light they emit) stimulate the brain in ways

that make it harder for kids to feel ready for sleep.

• Help your child wind down before bedtime. Do something relaxing together – read stories, listen to

quiet music or do some belly breathing (deep, slow breathing that helps to reduce anxiety and

stress).

• Encourage your child to get exercise earlier in the day. Research shows that children who are

physically active during the day fall asleep faster and get more sleep than kids who spend a lot of

time sitting.

TEENS AND SLEEP: A BIG CHALLENGE

Teenagers’ internal clocks work differently, they tend to stay up late – it is hard for them to feel sleepy at the

time when we think they should be going to bed, and then have trouble getting up in the morning. Many teens

are chronically short of sleep. This can affect their mood, school performance and more.

This is a tough one for parents. Here are a few strategies that may help:

• Have a weekday bedtime and a curfew on weekends. Of course, you can’t make kids sleep, but

having a time when they need to be in their rooms without a cellphone, computer, tablet or gaming

console, may help them wind down for sleep. A set bedtime also gives them the message that you

think sleep should be a priority.

• Don’t make sleep a battleground. Talk to your teenagers about why sleep is important, and

encourage them to get enough (without nagging). Do some research together to learn about how

sleep promotes learning and overall health.

• Have a “no cellphones in bed” policy. Studies show that teenagers send and receive text

messages at times when they should be asleep. Some are even woken up by text messages from

their friends. Make nighttime the time when everyone charges their cellphones.

• Some professionals discourage sleeping in on weekends, but teenagers do need to catch up on

their sleep, so weekend mornings are the easiest time, as long as they do not sleep in to cause

insomnia troubles on Sunday night.

INFORMATION FROM YOUR SCHOOL NURSE – EVERYMINDMATTERS.ORG

Music News …

Band Workshop and Upcoming Events, by: A. Bolen

It has been a busy month with lots of workshops and rehearsing. Students from all grades are working hard in class to prepare and understand the music and their instrument. Here is a recap of some of the events in October. Students from the grade 8&9 band travelled to Bishop Carroll High School October 5 to work with their band director Mr. Chris Herard. They also played with the high school band students. It was the first time playing together as an ensemble and we had much to learn. By the end of this workshop we had better balance and technique when playing our instruments. Our Grade 6 Fall Band Workshop was held the evening of October 26 in a packed gym. Mrs. Kwantes and Mr. Bolen led this workshop. Parents sit right beside their child during this workshop. Topics covered in class back in August right until now were discussed and demonstrated. Here is what couple of students had to say about the fall band workshop: ‘I think that over all the band workshop was good it was a good experience to be able to play with the entire band before we actually needed to perform in a concert. We showed our parents how to assemble our instruments, our proper playing position, our mouth position and a few songs. I was surprised that we sounded good it sounded way better when there were multiple instruments in the section, I was also surprised that we weren't too loud and that we have learned to control our volume a little bit better than we could in August. The thing I learned the most was how to play in larger group because we don't normally get to play with the other classes. Over all I think it was a great learning experience for everyone’.

‘Just recently our grade 7-9 Concert band and jazz band students took part in an all-day band workshop at Mount Royal University November 1. Students worked with professional musicians to improve their sound and understanding of their instrument and music. Mr. Ross McIntyer was the guest director from Lord Beaverbrook High School and worked hard on our Remembrance Day music to make our students sound our best. We also participated in master classes including Jazz Improv and Music Olympics. The marvellous facility included fabulous rehearsal halls with outstanding acoustics and wonderful staff. Thank you to all our parent volunteers for their time and help during both workshops. Sophie - grade 6’.

Upcoming Band Events Students from grade 5 drama and music classes have been rehearsing for weeks to perform "One Tin Soldier", at the Remembrance Day Assembly that will be held on Wednesday, November 9th at 10:30am. There will be a special guest performances from Juno Award nominee Al Muirhead and our grade 8&9 concert band will also be playing for this important event. On Friday, November 18 our jazz band will be performing at the Spruce Meadows Christmas Market. This is a great venue with a large stage and professional sound and lighting engineers to showcase our student talent. And lastly, our Winter Concert is Tuesday, December 6 at the Bethany Chapel at 7pm. This event will include performances from all grades including our hand bell ensembles, concert bands and jazz band and other various performing small ensembles from the school. Band students will be expected to be in full dress band uniform for this performance including black pants, socks and shoes and a white, long sleeves shirt. Many parent volunteers will be required to help with the afternoon setup and rehearsals. If you are available to help please email andrew.b@connectcharter.ca. More information will be emailed out to parents regarding the Winter Concert.

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