Weekly Update: January 19 to January 23
Happy Sunday, Grizzly Families!
It’s field trip season at Annie Gale. If you are paying attention to our weekly calendar at the end of these messages, you’ll see more trips this week. I cannot thank families enough for doing their part in completing forms and taking care of payment for these trips. Believe it or not, it takes dozens of hours to organize these trips, starting from the planning stages and contacting service providers, completing CBE paperwork, creating a timetable for the school to fill the spots of missing teachers, contacting and organizing volunteers, all the way to handing in paperwork at the end of the trip. I would like to remind families that the forms must be completed in ink, and that all sections must be completed for them to accepted by teachers. Go through the forms thoroughly, so that you understand the timing and plan for drop off and pick up changes, if needed. Last minute forms are not always accepted, as supervisor ratios must be met which is why we communicate early about timelines and deadlines. Learning opportunities which happen outside the school are wonderful ways to build on our curricular outcomes. School council supports these trips as well; in fact, they provide $5 per student, per trip, to lower the cost for all who attend. This benefits all our students, and we appreciate their support.
Volleyball teams have been made—we are so proud of those who had the courage to try out for the teams. One group had over 75 athletes attend the first try out. Home games start this week. Read the FYI section below for expectations related to watching games at school or at other schools.
CONNECTING HOME AND SCHOOL: Excellence
The last letter of our COURAGE model is “E”, and our students chose to use the word “Excellence” in that space when we built the model with them. Our COURAGE posters all include this quote: “It’s not about being the best, but doing our best.” This quote, also chosen by students and staff several years ago, stresses the point that excellence is different for everyone. Not all of us can be “the best”; however, we can still strive for excellence. The following information supports a growth mindset and adds to the work that we do with students at Annie Gale. The next few weeks will continue to build on this idea.
To help kids aim for excellence over perfection, build on unconditional love as the foundation, praise their effort, process, and learning from mistakes, not just results, and teach them that mistakes are growth opportunities, encouraging a balanced, grit-focused approach to life and challenges. Model a growth mindset by showing your own effort and embracing imperfection.
Focusing on Effort & Process (Not Just Results)
- Praise the "How": Instead of "Great job!" say, "I love how hard you worked on that problem!" or "You really stuck with that difficult part!".
- Break Down Goals: Teach them to focus on the next small, manageable step (progress) rather than the overwhelming final product.
- Embrace "Good Enough": Introduce concepts like the 70/30 rule – aiming for solid effort (70%) and letting go of the rest, as perfection isn't always needed.
- "Give it a Go": Encourage trying new things without the pressure of immediate mastery.
DID YOU KNOW:
NEW: This week our volleyball teams will be playing their first games. We want to remind all spectators that away games are for parents or guardians only. Students cannot go to an away game unless they are accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. Home games are open to parents and guardians only and student fans who meet the following criteria:
- perfect attendance the day of the game
- must not have been paged to class anytime the week of the game
- TLC students must have been wearing their appropriate uniform the week of the game
These basic expectations allow students the privilege of attending home games. Though CBE schools are considered public schools, sporting events are not considered public events.
NEW: Junior Police Academy is back this year. Has your child ever wondered what it's like to be a police officer? The Calgary Police Service Junior Police Academy gives youth aged 12 to 16 the opportunity to find out. Junior Police Academy runs three times a year.
The 2026 Junior Police Academy sessions are:
Sunday, April 5, to Friday, April 10, 2026
Sunday, July 12, to Friday, July 17, 2026
Sunday, Aug. 9, to Friday, Aug. 14, 2026
Find out more by visiting this website: https://www.calgary.ca/cps/youth-programs-and-resources/youth-mentorship/junior-police-academy.html
REMINDER: TLC families were sent information about the current purchasing window for TLC uniforms, which closes on January 31. Note that for those students who wear ties that McCarthy’s is once again selling adult sized ties—something our taller students have been in need of for a while.
REPEAT: Our next School Council meeting will be on Wednesday, January 21, at 6:00 p.m.
REPEAT: The next Fun Lunch is Wednesday, January 28.
CORRECTION: January 30 is our next non-instruction day. Students will not attend school that day.
WEEKLY EVENTS – JANUARY 19 TO JANUARY 23
Monday, January 19 - (TLC Students in formal uniforms)
- 2:45 – 3:45 | Senior Boys Volleyball Practice
- 3:45 – 4:45 | Junior Boys Volleyball Practice
Tuesday, January 20
- 9:30 – 2:30 | Grade 8 Zoo Field Trip (8-1, 8-2, 8-5)
- 10:15 – 11:45 | Lester B. Pearson Grade 10 Orientation @ Annie Gale
- 2:45 – 3:45 | Senior Girls Volleyball Practice
- 3:45 – 4:45 | Junior Girls Volleyball Practice
- 4:15 – 5:15 | Junior Boys Volleyball Exhibition Game @ Prairie Sky School
- 5:15 – 6:15 | Senior Boys Volleyball Exhibition Game @ Prairie Sky School
Wednesday, January 21
- 1:00 – 2:35 | James Fowler Grade 10 Orientation @ Annie Gale
- 2:45 – 3:45 | Junior AND Senior Boys Volleyball Practice
- 4:15 – 5:15 | Senior Girls Volleyball Game @ Crossing Park School
- 5:15 – 6:15 | Junior Girls Volleyball Game @ Annie Gale
- 6:00 – 7:30 | School Council Meeting (blended format—in person and online)
Thursday, January 22
- 9:30 – 2:30 | Grade 8 Zoo Field Trip (8-3, 8-4, 8-6)
- 2:45 – 3:45 | Junior Girls Volleyball Practice
- 3:45 – 4:45 | Senior Girls Volleyball Practice
Friday, January 23 – GREEN DAY
Sincerely,
Tammy Quiring
(proud) Principal