September 4, 2020

 

Dear grade six families, 

 

I hope that you have all enjoyed a wonderful, relaxing summer! My name is Chelsea Berrigan and I will be your child’s teacher for the 2020-21 school year. This year, I will be teaching the majority of your child’s subjects. However, your child will also have Mrs. Kingston for french and leadership, and Mr. Davis for band. 

 

Morning and After School Routines

School begins at 8:25 a.m. Students can enter the school at their assigned door any time between 8:15 a.m. and 8:25 a.m. There will be an adult present at that time to welcome students and teachers will be waiting in their classrooms. Your child’s designated doors are the west doors closest to the saucer swings. If you are planning to drop your child off in the mornings, please plan to drop off using Edward Street (the north side of the school by the basketball courts). Parents are asked to stay in their vehicles if they are dropping their child off at school. *There will be no parking in the spots in the front of the school or by the bus loop. 

 

Students that arrive late for school (after 8:25 a.m.) are asked to come to the front doors and check in at the office.

 

Students will be dismissed from their homeroom class at the end of the day by the teacher they have during their last period. Students will be dismissed out of their designated door. We ask parents who are picking up children to please plan to pick up using Edward Street (the north side of the school by the basketball courts). *There will be no parking in the spots in the front of the school or by the bus loop. 

 

Masks & Sanitizing

Please remember to send a clean disposable or reusable mask with your child each day, as well as a container, plastic bag, or paper bag to hold it. Students will be required to wear a mask when entering and exiting the school each day, as well as when in the hallways and any common areas. 2 reusable masks have been sent home with each child.

 

Students will be washing and/or sanitizing their hands numerous times throughout the day. While there will be hand sanitizer provided in all classrooms and throughout the school, you may also want to send your child with a small bottle of sanitizer to keep at his or her desk.

 

Snacks/Lunches

It is highly recommended that parents send their child to school with a full water bottle each day that can be refilled as needed throughout the day.

 

Students will be given a scheduled snack and lunch break this year. Families should send student food in clean containers with their own utensils. Students will not be allowed to share utensils, dishes, and water bottles or drink containers. Students will be expected to pack-in and pack-out all food each day. We do not have a microwave in the classroom, and there will be no microwave available for student use. Nutritional lunches that do not need to be heated are much easier to eat within our short eating period. All students will be eating lunch in their homeroom each day.

 

Student Agendas

Students have been provided with an agenda and will be given time each day to record the daily message. The agendas will be checked regularly to ensure that the messages are being recorded and to receive any parent communication or signed forms, permission slips, etc. Please check your child’s agenda regularly as this will be the main form of communication this year. Please sign the Walking Fieldtrip form on pg 14 of the agenda.

 

Other Communication

Reminders of important upcoming deadlines, assigned homework, etc. will also be communicated through class dojo – which you can sign up for by using this link: https://www.classdojo.com/invite/?c=CL82CLM. Please contact your child’s homeroom teacher if you did not receive the access code. I will only be checking my incoming classroom dojo messages after 3:30 p.m. each day, so if you need to get a message to the school prior to that, please call the office.

 

Every Sunday afternoon, one comprehensive ‘Weekly Update’ will be emailed out. This document will include updates from your child’s teachers and upcoming dates and events to be aware of. The email will also be updated with any forms, letters or other documents, as we are trying to limit paper copies being sent home.

 

Library Books

Each week students will be encouraged to select reading level appropriate material from the library to take home. The books are lent out for a two week period, and must be returned in order to take out new books. A reminder message will be written in the agenda on the day before we have library. Please help your child to remember to return their library books as often as possible in order to enable them to read a wide variety of books this year.

 

Birthdays

In our class we acknowledge each child’s birthday (unless requested otherwise) as well as those students with birthdays in July and August. Some children enjoy bringing in treats on their special day to share with the class at lunchtime. Unfortunately, students are not permitted to share treats with the class at this time.

 

Technology

In order to facilitate learning and reduce sanitation requirements between school owned device use this year, we are encouraging those students who already own a laptop or Chromebook to bring these devices to school when required and requested by their homeroom teacher. However, It is strongly recommended that cell phones & iPods be left at home during the school day. If a student chooses to bring a cell phone or iPod to school, it will either need to be kept in his/her locker or in a lock box in the classroom for the duration of the day, and the school will not be responsible for damaged, lost or stolen devices.

 

Lockers

This year, each grade six student will be provided with his/her own locker in order to store coats, backpacks, outdoor gear, etc. The students will not be provided with a lock, nor will they be permitted to bring one from home. 

 

Weekly Math Assignment

Students will be receiving a weekly math assignment which they will be given class time to complete. They will be required to submit the assignment every monday morning. This assignment will be a work in progress during the course of the week leading up to the Monday due date. Students will be provided enough time to complete this assignment during class time and will not need to work on it after school hours.  

 

Reporting Grades

All unit tests, quizzes and final projects will be sent home to communicate each student's achievement in the corresponding subject. We ask that parents review and reflect upon their achievement, and follow up by returning the assessment to the school with a signature.   

 

I am looking forward to learning and growing with your child this year, and hope that this notice answers any immediate questions you may have. You can contact myself or any of your child’s teachers through our emails or at 403-933-7359. Please feel free to call, write or stop in with any questions or comments you have.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Mrs. Chelsea Berrigan and your grade six team

 

Mrs. Leah Kingston: kingstonl@fsd38.ab.ca

 

Mr. Ryan Hayden: haydenr@fsd38.ab.ca

 

Mr. Jordan Davis:   davisj@fsd38.ab.ca