Dear DGS families
With the arrival of warmer weather, we are seeing more students enjoying the outdoors during lunch breaks. Our school field is coming to life with activity as students take advantage of the sunshine to play, socialize, and stay active. It’s wonderful to see their energy and enthusiasm! The warmer weather has also resulted in a freeze and thaw cycle, creating slippery conditions, especially in the mornings. We ask families to remind their child to watch for ice when walking outside and to be extra cautious when crossing intersections on their way to and from school.
Additionally, if you are dropping off or picking up your child, please emphasize the importance of crossing the street at designated intersections. We have seen some students running across the street—including from between buses—to get to their caregiver’s car, which is extremely dangerous. Safety is our top priority, and we appreciate your help in reinforcing these important habits.
Today, it was wonderful to see so many members of our school community wearing pink in support of Pink Shirt Day. This annual event is a powerful reminder of the importance of kindness, inclusion, and standing up against bullying. Students had an opportunity to engage in discussions, exploring related themes. These conversations help reinforce our commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for all. Throughout the day, students engaged in meaningful discussions and activities in their classrooms, exploring the impact of words and actions, and learning ways to foster a culture of respect and empathy. These conversations help reinforce our commitment to creating a safe and supportive environment for all.
As you are aware, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 40 are currently on strike. Members of CUPE include facility operators, cleaners, and other members responsible for the care and maintenance of CBE property. We are hoping for a speedy resolution and look forward to welcoming CUPE members back to DGS. For updates and information, including the impact on after-school activities, I encourage you to visit the CBE Labour Action Page. Please note that the DGS movie night, which was scheduled for March 4, has been postponed due to the strike. We will keep you informed about other DGS specific events impacted by the strike as needed.
This year marks the 60th anniversary of Canada’s flag, which was officially adopted on February 15, 1965. This milestone is especially meaningful to our school community, as our namesake, Dr. George Stanley, played a crucial role in the creation of our national flag. Dr. Stanley, a historian, educator, and former lieutenant governor of New Brunswick, designed the iconic red and white maple leaf flag that represents Canada today. His vision emphasized unity and national identity, values that continue to inspire us at Dr. George Stanley School. We will be working with students to recognize this anniversary at DGS.
As we approach the beginning of Ramadan, which starts on the evening of Friday February 28, and ends on the evening of Sunday March 30, 2025, we want to take a moment to recognize this important time for many members of our school community. Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims around the world as a time of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community. During this month, those who observe fast from dawn to sunset, breaking their fast each evening with a meal called iftar. It is also a time of generosity, self-discipline, and spiritual growth. We extend our best wishes to all families observing Ramadan. Ramadan Mubarak!
As a reminder, Friday is a non-instructional day for students. Teachers and education assistants will be engaged in professional learning connected to our school development plan.
School Development Plan and Annual Survey
Thank you to those who attended our School Council and Parent Society meetings online last night. Mr. Rushton and I shared information about our school development plan and asked for feedback regarding fees for next year. Our presentation can be accessed on our school website or by using this link. Feedback is important as we consider school planning. When students, families and staff work closely together, students achieve greater success in their learning. You are encouraged to provide feedback through our annual survey, which will remain open until March 21. The survey can be accessed using this link, or by using the QR code in the presentation. Thanks in advance for your participation!
Email Messages
Due to Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL), you need to subscribe online if you want to receive email or text messages on “commercial” school topics such as picture days, student fees, field trip costs, yearbooks, Healthy Hunger and more. If you do not subscribe, you will not receive these messages, but you will, of course, continue to receive emails on non-commercial topics such as absence and emergency notifications.
To subscribe to receive commercial messages, go to www.cbe.ab.ca/subscribe to enter your email address and click Subscribe. Use your primary email address on file at your school.
Blocked Messaging
Blocks can happen if you intentionally or accidentally tag an email as spam or junk, or sometimes when your email server senses that an email is coming from an electronic mailing system and tries to prevent spamming and block our emails. You will also be blocked from all CBE emails if you click the Unsubscribe link at the top of a CBE message in your email. To prevent blocks, it can be helpful if you add our CBE email addresses to your address book or safe senders list. This helps your email system recognize the messages as ‘safe’ and not flag them as spam. Emails to add could be our school’s email address, the teacher's email addresses and anyone else who usually sends the messages.
If you also add cbecommunications@cbe.ab.ca and transportation@cbe.ab.ca (if using CBE bus services) or studentfees@cbe.ab.ca (central fees) it will help to ensure you receive central messages.
Book Drive
We are asking that families take a look at their bookshelves and see if there is anything they are ready to part with. We will accept any kind of book (children, youth, young adult, adult, fiction, non-fiction, etc.) so long as it is intact and still readable. Ask your family members, friends, neighbours "do you have any books you have been meaning to donate, and just haven't gotten around to it?" If the answer is yes, we will take them off your hands and find them new loving homes. Any unsold books after our sale will be donated to Calgary Women in Need Society (WINS). You can send your donations to school with your children or arrange to drop them at the office from now until March 13. The sale will be held after spring break. Specific sale details are TBD.
50/50 Fundraiser
The Dr. George Stanley Fundraising Society wants to fund your Spring Break with our 50/50 CASH RAFFLE! The winner will take home 50% of the proceeds - up to $2,500.00!
100% of the profits from the raffle will fund student learning around native plants and restoring natural habitats in the flower beds in front of the school.
The current jackpot is at $1105.00. To learn more, click HERE!
Grade 7 Camp Fundraising
Grade 7 Leadership is creating some Fun Treat Fridays, the funds created from these days will go directly to the grade 7 students attending Camp Chief Hector this Spring.
Orders can be made through your Healthy Hunger account.
Upcoming Events
February 28 Non-Instructional Day (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)
March 13 Musical – The Enchanted Bookshop
March 20 Last day of classes before Spring Break
March 20 & 21 School Conferences (more information to come)
March 31 First day of classes after Spring Break
Respectfully,
Chris Keuben
Principal, Dr. George Stanley School