Weekly Update: May 5 to May 9

Happy Sunday, Grizzly families! 

I hope you had some time to enjoy yesterday’s beautiful weather with your family. 

This week we held our fifth fire drill of the year, and I am pleased to report that students and staff did very well.  We have been focusing on complete silence and single file lines from the sound of the bell to the return to the classroom.  These two requirements are to help us ensure that we can shout commands to staff and students, should the need arise, and to be as efficient as possible when exiting and entering the building.  Single file allows staff to have room to move around lines of students should we need to, rather than having to push through large groups.  Expectations like these also help us avoid other emergencies in the midst of an evacuation or re-entry event.   

CONNECTING HOME AND SCHOOL: We have been focusing on a series related to Growth Mindset, which we will continue this week.  A growth mindset views abilities and intelligent as things which can be developed through dedication, effort, and learning. Challenges are opportunities for growth and development, not reflections of inherent limitations.  Those with a growth mindset are motivated to overcome obstacles, see failure as learning opportunities, and they embrace learning challenges.  So where do parents and guardians fit in?  They can help foster a growth mindset.  Here are two more ideas for you to consider as you work with your child: 

#5 Write Down Ambitions, Goals, Dreams 

Ambitions, goals and dreams – every teen has them (even if they don’t admit it or perhaps even realize it). But no amount of wishing, wanting or dreaming will help them reach their goal(s) – at least without some pre-planning. 

Experts agree that even our teen’s most audacious goals have a serious shot of being attained, providing they write them down. 

According to one study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University of California, people who write their goals down are 42 percent more likely to achieve them. Plus, it can help make our kids’ ambitions, goals and dreams far more concrete and help them stay motivated and focused. 

#6 Take on Challenges 

Elbert Hubbard once said, “The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually fear you will make a mistake.” And, considering the teenage years are oftentimes when self-assurance is low, putting themselves out there and risking failure isn’t easy for most teens. 

It’s all about baby steps. It’s about shattering the negative self-talk that prevents them from taking that next step and finding the courage to take on challenges despite the fact that they might fail miserably. 

“To me, fearless is not the absence of fear. To me, fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death,” ~Taylor Swift 

Retrieved on April 19, 2025, from:  Teach Your Teen to Have a Growth Mindset: Why it Matters and Powerful Strategies that Work - Raising Teens Today 

Did you know?   

NEW:  In preparation for Red Dress Day on Monday, students watched two videos and discussed the relevance of statistics related to this day in Grizzly Den on Friday.  By the end of the lesson, students completed a paper feather with a written commitment of how to support Red Dress Day.  These paper feathers will be gathered and posted so that the commitments of the school will be public. What a great way for our students to demonstrate their CARING, which is the first component of our COURAGE model! Students are encouraged to wear red on Monday to show their support.  Ask your child about Grizzly Den that took place last Friday.  They should be able to discuss some statistics with you that might surprise you.  Let it be an opportunity to talk to your family about Red Dress Day and its importance. 

NEW: All students are encouraged to wear red on Monday to support Red Dress Day.  This means that students in the TLC may choose to wear read rather than wear their formal uniform.   

NEW:  Safety Informatiion:  All students need to enter the school from the front doors unless a staff member is opening another door for them.  This helps us keep our school safe by allowing us to be aware of who is entering the building, when they are entering, and why they are entering.  Students are not permitted to allow anyone entry into the building through any other door.  We also expect that all students let a staff member know if there is someone in the school who does not belong.  New signs on our exit doors are there as reminders for all.

NEW:  Safety Information:  Even though Annie Gale School is considered a public school, the property and building is private.  This means that during the school day, which includes afterschool and evening events, unless visitors are here for a specific event, the campus is closed.  This is true of every CBE school and for our students it means that if they have friends or former students they would like to visit with, they must do it off campus.  If they wish to visit a friend in another school after school hours, they need to ensure that they do not trespass on another school's property.  Meeting friends off campus is the best way to ensure that all our students feel safe.  If our students see someone on school property who does not belong, even if they are a former student, they need to report it to a staff member immediately.

REPEAT:  Staffing decisions for next year are based on student counts created this year.  If you are not planning on keeping your students at Annie Gale, please let us know as soon as possible.  If you know others who plan on moving to our school, ask them to reach out to us.  The more accurate our numbers are now, the better prepared we are in the fall. 

REPEAT:  May’s School Council Meeting is Wednesday, May 21, at 6 p.m.   This meeting will be held in person and online.  Look at the end of this message for more information from School Council. 

REPEAT:  June’s School Council Meeting will be in-person only because it is the Annual General Meeting of the Council.  Read the message at the end to learn about some of the roles that make up the council.  If you are interested in filling a role, let us know.  If you just want to join council as a “visitor”, you are certainly welcome!  You will be surprised at what you will learn.  Being a part of school council is informative and supports your child’s school.   

UPDATE:  We have a few more Fun Lunches before the end of the year.  Our next Fun Lunch is Thursday, May 22.  Log in to Healthyhunger.ca to participate.  These fun lunches are organized by School Council, and we appreciate their efforts! 

​​​​​​​WEEKLY EVENTS:  MAY 5 TO MAY 9 

Monday, May 5 – Red Dress Day (wear red to show support)  

  • 12:00 – 12:30 | Grade 6 Badminton Practice 
  • 2:45 – 3:45 | SWAT Meeting 
  • 2:45 – 3:45 | Grade 9 Badminton Practice 

Tuesday, May 6  

  • 8:00 – 2:30 | Grade 6 Field Trip to Telus Spark (students should wear their TLC uniforms) 
  • 8:45 – 2:30 | Grade 9 (9.1 and 9.2) Field Trip to Jumping Pound Demonstration Forest 
  • 12:00 – 12:30 | Golf Practice 
  • 2:45 – 3:45 | Grade 6 Badminton Practice 
  • 3:45 – 4:45 | Grade 8 Badminton Practice 

Wednesday, May 7 

  • 8:45 – 2:30 | Grade 9 (9.3 and 9.5) Field Trip to Jumping Pound Demonstration Forest 
  • 12:00 – 12:30 | Golf Practice 
  • 2:45 – 3:45 | Grade 8 Badminton Practice 
  • 3:45 – 4:45 | Grade 7 Badminton Practice 

Thursday, May 8 

  • 8:45 – 2:30 | Grade 9 (9.4 and 9.6) Field Trip to Jumping Pound Demonstration Forest 
  • 12:00 – 12:30 | Golf Practice 
  • 2:45 – 3:45 | Grade 9 Badminton Practice 
  • 3:00 – 6:00 | Golf Team Rounds (McCall Lake Golf Course) 
  • 3:45 – 4:45 | Grade 7 Badminton Practice 

Friday, May 9 – EVEN B Day 

Sincerely, 

Tammy Quiring 

(proud) Principal 

A MESSAGE FROM SCHOOL COUNCIL 

Hello Annie Gale Parents, 

It’s almost time when the school year is ending, and we will be having elections for the executive positions on our school council and fundraising society PESA (PARENTS ENCOURAGING SUCCESS ASSOCIATION) at our AGM (Annual General Meeting) in June. All positions are available to be filled for the 2025-2026 school year. The description of all the roles is provided below, so if this is something that interests you, please send us an email at anniegalepesa@gmail.com or ruminakhan80@yahoo.ca or come join us at our next meeting.  Please send us your request before May 21, 2025, so we can plan accordingly for multiple candidates interested in the same position.  

Chair: It is expected that the school council chairperson will be a parent of a student attending the school. The chair should be someone who can work collaboratively and understands how to organize both programs and people. The chair should actively encourage others to be engaged in meaningful ways. They will chair all meetings of the school council and coordinate with the principal to establish meeting agendas. The chair will also be the official spokesperson of the school council, ensuring regular communication with the whole school community and making sure that the operating procedures are current and followed. They must prepare an annual report that summarizes the school council’s activities for the previous school year, including a financial statement relating to money, if any, handled by the school council.  

Vice-Chair:  On some school councils, the role of chair is shared, either through the creation of co-chairing positions or through the chair’s dependence on the vice-chair to undertake part of the work. Typically, the vice-chair's duties are, in the event of resignation, incapacity or leave of absence of the chair, to fulfill the chair’s responsibilities, and in the absence of the chair, supervise the affairs and preside at meetings of the school council.  

Secretary:  The school council secretary typically acts as a recorder at each meeting and ensures that the minutes are prepared to accurately reflect the directions and decisions agreed to at the meeting.  

Treasurer:  If the school council is handling money, through fundraising activities or donations, the treasurer keeps accurate records of all financial transactions and ensures that records are available upon request of the school board or school community. 

Thank you,  

Rumina Cruz  

Chair (School Council/ PESA) 

Annie Gale School