Wow! September has absolutely flown by, and what a busy and exciting month it has been! We are well into the swing of things, with students settling into their routines and most of our diagnostic assessments now complete. It has been wonderful to see students growing in confidence, building relationships, and getting comfortable with the rhythm of the school year. 

We had an especially busy end to the month, with three wonderful community events: our Sound Kreations student dance showcase, our Meet the Teacher/Learn the Student Open House, and a powerful and moving Orange Shirt Day assembly and whole-school solidarity walk. Each of these events provided opportunities for our students to learn, celebrate, connect, and build community together. A huge thank you to all of the parents who came out to support these events and, most importantly, to support our students. Your involvement truly makes a difference! 

As we kick off October, our School Council and Parent Association meeting is coming up this Monday evening. This is a great opportunity for parents and caregivers to become more involved in our school community, share ideas, and participate in conversations that help shape the student experience and learning at Alex Munro School. We are always grateful for the ideas, energy, and support that our parent community brings to our school. Details on how to attend the meeting are included below. 

Alex Munro Parent Association (AMPA) and School Council Meeting – Oct 5 
Our October parent council meeting be on Monday, October 5 at 6:30pm in the school Learning Commons. We would love to see you come out to the school and join us. However, if you are not able to join in person, you can attend virtually through TEAMS by clicking here at 6:30pm on Monday, Sept 14. 

Fun Lunch – Subway – Tuesday, Oct 6 
Our first fun lunch of the year will be Subway next Tuesday, Oct 6. We will also be having Coco Brooks on Oct 26. All orders can be made through the Healthy Hunger website by visiting https://healthyhunger.ca/index.php. After clicking on the link, you will be prompted to set up an account. If you already have an account, you will be asked to update your information and re-register your children with their current school, grade and teacher. The deadline to order Subway is tonight at 11:59pm. 

Grade 6 – Field Study Week – Healthy Living at Rocky Ridge YMCA 
The grade 6 students will be attending Calgary Campus Open Minds (Healthy Living School at the YMCA in Rocky Ridge) for a weeklong curriculum-based program that moves the classroom into the community. 

This weeklong program focuses on making healthy choices for well-being. Learning through honesty, caring, and respect contributes to a vibrant community. Activities may include visual art, climbing, dance, drama, e-sports, fitness, gymnasium sports, ice skating, outdoor walks, swimming, and yoga.  

Safety Patrols 
Our Grade 5 and 6 students started patrolling the crosswalk on 78th Ave this week.  Thank you, parents, and students for using the crosswalk when crossing the street. 

Walking Field Study Trips 
Field study trips close to our school can complement classroom learning by giving students opportunities to explore the community around their school. The process for trips within walking distance of the school is a simplified process from other field trips (this excludes swimming). As parents/legal guardians, you are not required to complete a consent form for your child to go on a class trip that is walking distance from the school. Appropriate walking distance is determined by the principal and varies depending on the age of the students. Teachers will provide at least 48 hours notice when planning a trip to a local or to walk within the community. You will be notified about these trips by your child’s homeroom teacher via email, teacher blog or letter. For more information, please follow this link. 

Garden News 
Thank you so much to everyone who came by to help the garden this summer. The water barrels are still out so that you can keep watering your favourite plants! 

October 1 - 9 > For those who adopted a plant over summer, there will be a small thank you bag at Ms. Best's desk. 

October 17 1-3pm > Fall Fertilizer Frenzy: make your own bonemeal! Bring your leftover turkey bones, coffee grounds and eggshells and see our demonstration for how to make your own home fertilizer. Learn about the plants in the garden, pull up some persistent weeds to show its full glory and get the beds ready for winter. We may wash up with homemade soap from our new garden soapwort plant! All families are welcome for this Saturday afternoon of fun. Hope to see you there! 

Volunteer Registration 
Throughout the year there will be many opportunities for volunteering.  September is a good time to get all the paperwork completed, especially for new volunteers. This includes filling out the Annual Volunteer form in School Engage, and getting a police clearance, which is valid for 5 years.  The form can also be downloaded by clicking here. Anyone who requires a police clearance can call the office at 403-777-6600 and we will be happy to help you with this process. 

Bus Attendance 
If your child rides the bus and will not be riding after school on a particular day for any reason please call the office at 403-777-6600 to let us know so that we can ensure we have an accurate bus attendance list for each day.  Letting us know helps ensure that the buses leave on time. 

Bottle Drive Fridays 
Just like last year you can donate your refundable bottles to AMPA by dropping them off at the front of the school (by the free little library) every Friday.  Our goal this year is to raise $2000 through our bottle drive Fridays. This supports events and resources that directly benefit students. 

Important Upcoming Dates: 
Oct 2 – Mon/Wed Kindergarten Class attend 
Oct 2 – Early Dismissal 1:17pm 
Oct 5 - School Council and Parent Association Meeting - 6:30pm
Oct 5 – 9 – Grade 6 - Open Minds Field Study Week at Rocky Ridge YMCA 
Oct 6 – Fun Lunch – Subway 
Oct 9 – Tue/Thurs Kindergarten Class attend 
Oct 9 – Early Dismissal 1:17pm 
Oct 12 – Thanksgiving – No School 

For additional upcoming dates please see our school calendar by clicking here