Nellie in the Know – March 15, 2024
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day Weekend and Ramadan Kareem Friends and Family of Nellie,
What a great week at Nellie. Between the cross-country skiing, the fire fighter class visit, lacrosse and grade 8 peer to peer learning opportunities we had so much fun and learned so much. A huge thank you to Seth Van Schepen #16 of the Calgary Roughnecks for providing us with a free two day lacrosse residency!
Grade 5 and 6’s remember downhill skiing starts Monday. Dress appropriately and be ready to learn a new sport.
Cell phones at school and technology at home can be a real challenge for children. The school’s policy is that students may not use their phones during the school day; including recess and lunch time. If parents need to contact their children please call the school and we will connect you with your child. Technology can be a very useful tool but it can also be a very dangerous and a scary way for children (and adults) to manipulate, share, harass and extort each other. Children’s on-line actions must me monitored at all times. Children do not understand the dangers of using technology or the permanency of the internet. Crimes, bullying, sextortion, suicide inducement, addiction and access to pornography are happening daily with Calgary children in all grades and in all areas of the city. Your child is not immune to this. Each week we have complaints about student to student inappropriate contact on Fort Nite, Snap Chat, Messenger, Tic Toc, What’s App and a host of other social media site. Students share words and images that are inappropriate and hurtful because they do not understand the permanency of the medium and they do not get non-verbal cues to let them know they have crossed a line. Social media creates spaces where children (and adults) lose their ability to be empathetic because they lose the social cues of face to face interaction. Please know that parental controls on technology are not enough. As soon as a control comes on-line and is available the hackers (and the children) find work-arounds. We all want to trust our children, and we should, but when it comes to technology the pitfalls, traps and enticements are too difficult for our children to resist. If at all possible, please do not send your child to school with a phone and if you have to, please do not give them free access to the internet and the social media platforms out there. Thank you so much for considering this request.
We had so many excellent volunteers in the school this week. Thank you to the fun lunch crew, food fairies who donated so many snacks, thank you to our volunteer readers and folks who support students in the classroom and thank you to the dad who came and volunteer taught PE to our students. We have the best volunteers ever!!!
Have a great weekend Citizens of Nellie,
Darren Dyck, Principal
Student-Led Conferences
Student Led Conferences are now open for booking. Student-Led Conferences on Thursday from 4-7 and IPP meetings Friday from 9-1. You can book a conference with your child(s) teacher through your MYCBE Account; https://sis.cbe.ab.ca/public/home.html Friday is reserved for IPP meetings. If your child is on an IPP and you would like a time to meet with their teacher please book on the Friday. If you are having issues with booking a conference, please email Ms. Wendy for assistance.
School Engagement
Thank you for providing your input into our School Engagement Survey. 98 parents started the survey and 62 completed each question. The short and long answer responses are very helpful but we are not able to share them easily. If you would like to review the results with me please let me know. Here are the results of the survey. Calgary Board of Education: Engagement Report for Nellie School Planning Survey 2024 | Elementary (cbedialogue.com)
Check Out Our New Website
Nellie has a new website. Visit us at https://nelliemcclung.cbe.ab.ca/ for all of the latest news. One great feature of the new website is our new and improved calendar. Have a look, link to it and make sure you stay informed with all of the happenings at this great school.
PAC News
No March PAC Meeting!
Get your dancing shoes ready, as Nellie is having a family dance on Thursday, April 18th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.! All are welcome.
DJ Connor will be spinning and making sure the dance floor is rocking! Games will be played and prizes will be handed out for best costumes as well! You don't want to miss it.
All the funds raised during the dance will be used to purchase outdoor picnic tables for the school!
Scroll down to pre-order your pizza (by Monday, April 15) and pay for your admission so all you have to worry about is your snacks!!!
Pre-Order your Pizza (by Monday April 15th) and pre-pay for your admission (by Wed. April 17th)
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0844AEA72FA3F85-48063281-2024
Volunteers
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0844AEA72FA3F85-48063277-2024
Donations: To be dropped off by Tuesday April 16th
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0844AEA72FA3F85-48063359-2024
For all that they do for our kids every day, we would like to provide a warm homemade meal for our teachers for their long day on Thursday March 21, 2024.
Please consider sending in a salad, entree or dessert for the event or helping with set up or clean up for amazing staff. Please drop off dishes and items at the staff room anytime between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm am on Thursday March 21, 2024.
*Important* - Please provide ingredients with all dishes as some staff members have allergies
NEW: Unable to make or bring something, you can make a donation to help purchase a couple of extra items for the staff meals for the two days of conferences.
Link to sign up to volunteer: Nellie McClung School Events: 2024- Teacher Spring Potluck Appreciation (signupgenius.com)
News Stories
Please see the website for all of the latest stories. Our stories are filled with pictures from the week, adventures and experiences the students are participating in and all of the important happenings in and around the school. Check out the updates on our grade blogs on the website for insights and pictures from your child’s classroom. All blogs are now up to date. https://nelliemcclung.cbe.ab.ca/teacher-pages-blogs
Nellie Weekly Pics – Lots of amazing pictures this week. Click Here!!!
Follow Nellie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nelliemcclungschool/
Be friends with our PAC on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/2057242994549323