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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Superintendent .................... 2
Payroll .................................. 3
Transportation ...................... 3
Curriculum………………………..4
Technology ........….……… ...... 5
Around BTPS ........….……… ... 6
Around BTPS ........….……… ... 7
Continued on next page
Superintendent’s Memo
For the Week of June 15th - June 19th, 2015
COMMENTS ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER?
Please send your comments or
suggestions to [email protected]
We’d love to hear from you!
BUFFALO TRAIL PUBLIC SCHOOLS
1041 10A Street
Wainwright, AB T9W 2R4
P: 780.842.6144
F: 780.842.3255
www.btps.ca
Twitter: BTPS#28
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT...
Email: [email protected]
Answer the question on page five
and have your name
entered for a prize!
MISSION: Buffalo Trail Public Schools is committed to maximizing student learning,
in a safe and caring environment, supported by a highly effective team.
This week the BTPS Board of Trustees will celebrate the contributions of those who are retiring from BTPS. This will mark the seventh year that we have brought our retiree together to recognize their significant contributions to the work of our team. We include the recognition of teachers, support staff, central services staff, bus drivers and contrac-tors in this exciting event. We will share information from that celebration in next week’s memo. Like marathon runners, we are tired but motivated! It has been a long race to the finish of the 2014-2015 school year, but the end is in sight. While the work behind us has tak-en a great deal of our energy, the work to the finish is equally taxing. The work of the next two weeks is important as we prepare for finals and complete assessments that will inform our reporting of student learning. Thank you for your hard work!
This is the final week of discussion on the BTPS Calendar Guidelines. The current School Act sets the maximum number of teacher days at 200 per school year. The Guide to Education
requires the minimum amount of instructional time at 475 hours for ECS, 950 hours for grades 1-9 and 1000 hours for grades 10-12. Deter-mining the start date for teachers and the instructional days for stu-dents is also influenced by the Provincial Achievement Test and Diplo-ma Exam schedules. Trying to balance all of this with the demands for time to support teacher professional growth shared with us in the cal-endar guideline survey is a challenge. Over the past few years, BTPS have respected the maximum of 200 teacher days and has held to that expectation. The approved calendar for the 2015-2016 school year provides for 200 teachers days and 179 instructional days. The draft calendar for the 2016-2017 school year will see 198 teacher days and 177 instructional days. This calendar will be proposed for approval by the Board in November of 2015. Some questions have arisen in terms of the bell schedule to meet the minimum required instructional minutes. To provide for consistency year over year, the same bell schedule will be kept. We hope this provides clarity on this part of the BTPS Calendar Guidelines. The guidelines can be found here.
FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT (FROM PAGE 1)
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BTPS believes in providing all students with an inclusive learning envi-ronment. In many of our schools, I have had the pleasure of witnessing all of our student living and learning from each other as we celebrate individual differences. A social media post was shared with me last week that was very rewarding to read. The parent in this post shares her observations and appreciation of the climate that has been created at Wainwright Elementary School to celebrate inclusivity and a school community that is embracing all students! We are so fortunate to have such a highly effective team of dedicated educators who put forth amazing efforts in their classrooms and in their schools. Our students are incredible in that they seek to include and see the many positive attributes that all have to offer. Our parents recognize and model the type of caring and consideration that fosters this type of behavior. The events and the post are just one example of the great work that is be-ing done in BTPS! It is truly a privilege to be on this team!
Take care,
The winner from last’s week ??? is
Lynn Manning @ Amisk School.
Congratulations Lynn !!!
Thank you to everyone who
Participated!
Only 10 School
Days remaining this year.
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3
Are you getting married this summer? This is
just another list to add to your busy schedule.
Please remember to let you payroll department know
and we will provide you with more forms to com-
plete. If you name is changing we will change your
name in payroll along with advising ATRF/LAPP and
ASEBP.
Forms will also be provided to add your spouse to
your benefits plans. You may also want to update the
beneficiary on your ATRF and ASEBP. It is im-
portant to add your spouse within 31 days of mar-
riage otherwise he/she would be considered a late
applicant which results in reduced coverage. If your
spouse already has coverage you may want to review
the section in the ASEBP handbook about coordina-
tion of benefits.
Having A Baby
Please remember to complete forms to have your new
dependent added to your benefit coverage. You have
31 days to have the completed form in to the payroll
office otherwise the dependent is considered a late
applicant.
ARE YOU MOVING??? – Please update us if you
are moving. Please complete the address change
form located on the BTPS Staff Page under Human
Resources and forward it by fax to 780-842-3255,
mail to the address on the form or email to hrsup-
[email protected] for non-teaching staff and hrteach-
[email protected] for teaching staff.
PAYROLL
TRANSPORTATION
REMINDERS: NEW SCHOOL BUS ARRIVAL/ DEPARTURE SCHEDULES: Please review the bell time and arrival/departure times for your school. Thank you to all of those who have gotten back to me with their changes Click here for the bell times.
FIELD TRIPS: As field trip season is upon us, please make sure you are filling out the proper docu-mentation for field trips as per Adminis-trative Procedure
http://www.btps.ca/documents/general/701-4AP%20%20Student%20Transportation%20for%20Curricular%20or%20Extra-Curricular.pdf and the associ-ated appendixes. If you are using a school bus, the bus driver needs a copy of the students who will be on the bus and approval from the principal or desig-nate. This is the form they need: http://www.btps.ca/documents/general/701-4AP%20%20Exhibit%203%20Student%20Participant%20Information%20Sheet.pdf. Thank you for your cooperation.
Have a fabulous week!
Chrysti Mannix
Director of Transportation
Buffalo Trail Public Schools
(780) 806-2051 Office
CURRICULUM
June is National Aboriginal His-
tory Month in Canada. This govern-
ment website has many resources nicely
organized, along with links to Interac-
tive Learning listed at the bottom of the
page. http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/
eng/1100100013778/1100100013779
National Aboriginal Day: On June
21, 2005, Aboriginal and non -
Aboriginal people alike gather across
Canada to celebrate National Aboriginal
Day – a day set aside to honour the
cultures and contributions of the First
Nations, Inuit, and Me tis Peoples. The
festivities include everything from Me
tis fiddling and dancing to Inuit fashion
shows, as well as traditional arts and
crafts displays and numerous spiritual
ceremonies. Learn more about it at the
recommended links below:
1. http://www.edmonton.ca/ attrac-
tions_events/ sched-
ule_festivals_events/ national-
aboriginal-day.aspx
2. https://www.aadncaandc.gc.ca/
eng/1100100013248/1100100 013249
3. http://wayback.archive-
it.org/2217/20101208163335/http:/
www.abheritage.ca/eldersvoices/
voices/voices_national_aboriginal.html
Interactive resources for Aborigi-
nal heritage: This resource is full of
many discoveries - navigate your way
across Canada on a personal voyage of
discovery! Explore a vibrant heritage
spanning millennia and representing
hundreds of cultures. http://
www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/
exhibitions/tresors/ethno/
ety0000e.shtml
UPDATED – BTPS’s FNMI support
site has been updated and now has hun-
dreds of resources:
https://sites.google.com/a/btps.ca/
fnmi_support/
More info? Contact Linda Koskie
FNMI TEACHER
RESOURCES FEATURES:
4
PD Opportunities:
Upcoming Session: Oct 29, 2015 Workshop by Dr. Caroline Ramsey
Musselwhite: (LITERACY) Emergent Balanced Literacy for Upper Elementary
Through High School – Apps Included!
Agenda - https://drive.google.com/file/
d/0B2PZ7sELASOlVlh6YzJLOU4wbC1IWVZkYjRXMEwxT1NqcUlF/view?
usp=sharing
Of Interest:
Congratulations to our first set of BTPS stu-
dents to complete the Dual Credit Carpenter
Program: Starting in August 2014 with an intensive
one-week shop orientation at the Vermilion campus,
the dual-credit Carpenter Program ran the course of nine months. In its first year of
delivery at Lakeland College in partnership with Buffalo Trail Public Schools, eight stu-
dents learned about woodworking, carpentry, concrete and other topics via video confer-
encing, online work and hands-on training on campus during non-school days.
Student, Andy Flear says, “It seemed like good credits and good experience. It’s about
building skills we can use later.” For Jace Larouche (student), the extent of his previous
carpentry experience was limited to building corrals. “It’s the hands-on part that inter-
ested me the most,” he says. “You learn the proper way to machine wood for instance
and I prefer this to the classroom. I would rather learn this way and you also learn what
not to do this way, how to approach different problems and improve your skills.” In-
structor, Trevor Provick says, "These students completed essentially what a first-year
apprentice would learn in a two-month technical training period. With this program they
have a lot more face time and quite a bit more shop time. It’s been a successful year and
the response from students has been great. We had a number of them say that this pro-
gram was a big part of the reason why they graduated.” Check out more details at this
article posted on Lakeland College website: http://www.lakelandcollege.ca/academics/
online-and-blended-learning/feature-stories/dual-credit-carpentry-first-year.aspx
Visit our CTS-Lakeland partnership website for details about the DC
Carpenter and Welder programs offered next year 2015-2016, for
BTPS students https://sites.google.com/a/btps.ca/cts-courses/
carpentry-dualcr
Here's a reminder about some resources to help graduating students: Post-
secondary and Apprenticeship/Trades Requirements, here is a link to a one page sum-
mary of the entrance requirements http://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/SOURCES/PDFS/
Entrance_Requirements.pdf
Find information regarding mathematics requirements at post-secondary institutions in
Alberta at http://alis.alberta.ca/ps/tsp/ta/hsequivadm/
highschoolmathrequirements.html. (It is always prudent to check directly with the ad-
missions department of potential post-secondary institutions to affirm their current
standing on math requirements for program admission.).
And finally, schools have accounts to access resources at Career Cruising to help stu-
dents with career paths - view here: http://public.careercruising.com/us/en
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TECHNOLOGY
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What is the
minimum about
of instructional
time
for ECS?
Heather @JR Robson
Thinking about innovating with technology in your Class?
The Collaborative and Engaged Learning with Chromebooks pilot will be going into its final year for 2015-16. All BTPS teachers have the opportunity to apply for this pilot. Your class would have 1 to 1 access to Chromebooks for either the fall or winter term. Please consider carefully the learning that will take place in your classes, and what outcomes, goals, and projects you wish to have supported by these devices. There will be 3 carts reserved for Peer Instruction Coaches, 2 carts for any teacher, and 1 set of devices for Video Conferenc-ing teachers. If you need more information about the pilot, please go to this link https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gRRqIPQDRJbfpKXKAaeTQNIEbbIfd8xtTPSlhSlQaU/edit?usp=sharingor con-tact [email protected] directly. The deadline will for applications will be June 25, 2015. If enough applications are sub-mitted, shortlisted candidates will be contacted shortly after. Even if you have contacted Xay sometime during this year to indicate your interest in a pilot cart for next year, you still MUST complete this application form.
NEW this year is an Authentic learning Pilot using the Android tablet technology. Buffalo Trail Public Schools will be contin-
uing its research into the effectiveness of 1:1 personal device use in the classroom. Ideally, the cart should not be shared with different classrooms within the school. Teachers will be asked to design lessons that engage students and maximize their learning. Teachers will be asked to complete a few surveys, reflect about the process, and be filmed in an exit interview. (Feel free to discuss all the challenges and rewards that happened during the pilot.) To apply, please complete the form below and be as specific as you can about your process and design for student engage-ment and learning. For more information please click on the link: https://docs.google.com/a/btps.ca/document/d/1EKTHYq8mF6C-41Cb8spC0Qi1cca_49RIOdACxTsnU5M/edit?usp=sharing The Deadline for application is August 27, 2015.
Helpdesk
Volume is at lower levels. Please continue to contact us with your technical problems using BTPS equipment so we can de-ploy solutions faster and track problems to become more proactive. When creating a ticket separate each problem to a new ticket, this allows for easier assignment of the problem and tracking. Reminder: Do not call the main central office switch board as they are not trained to help with technology. Email us at: [email protected] tech problems [email protected] for PowerSchool PowerTeacher problems Phone 780-806-2053 Text 780-806-9228 Twitter hashtag #btps28 BTTube: Use your asset tag number on all tickets!
APPLYING FOR
EMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE BENEFITS
Click here for more
information
SUPPORT STAFF
AROUND BTPS….
6
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June 19 Dewberry
June 26 Hughenden
June 27 JR Robson
June 27 Provost
Upcoming Grads
SOAR
Spirit of
Adriana
Rajotte
Scholarship
WHS Grad
BTPS’ Own Triple Crown Winner
Paige Greig from Dewberry School won her third ASAA Provincial Gold Medal for Javelin on June 6th in Lethbridge with a throw of 40 metres. While qualifying for provincials this year she broke the NEASAA zone record. The previous two medals were won when she attended Marwayne Jubilee School. Paige also won gold at the
BTJHAA Championships in Grade 7, 8 and 9 for Marwayne Jubilee School .
WILDCAT AND PANTHER PRIDE AT ITS BEST!!!!
Submitted by: Curt Orbeck
AROUND BTPS….
7
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As you can see from the exciting photo finish above, Lauren Kroetch from Provost school finished
1st in the Provincial Track and Field finals for the 100m dash on Friday, June 5th and Nicole Torpe,
also from Provost school, finished 2nd in the 80 m hurdles. Congratulations ladies!!
Submitted by: Barry Scinski
