Dear DGS families
We are so happy to have students back in the building, filling the school with energy and excitement for a new year. During these first days, teachers have been focusing on building strong classroom communities, establishing routines, reviewing timetables, and even helping students practice their locker combinations as they settle back into school life.
I want to extend my gratitude to our teachers and support staff for the thoughtful planning and preparation that made for such a smooth and successful start to the year. Their efforts have created a positive and welcoming environment for all students.
The smoky conditions have required some adjustments to our lunch routines and planned outdoor activities. I appreciate both staff and students for their patience and flexibility in adapting to these changes.
Looking ahead, our Meet the Teacher evening is tentatively scheduled for September 18. We are excited for this opportunity to reconnect with families and will share further details with you soon.
Thank you for your continued support as we begin another great school year together. With curiosity, kindness, and resilience, our students have the opportunity to grow not only in knowledge but also in character - and together we can help them achieve their best.
Respectfully,
Chris Keuben, Principal
Staff Parking Lot
A reminder that the staff parking lot is reserved for school employees only. For safety reasons, student drop-offs and pick-ups are not permitted in this area at any time. We ask all families to use the designated drop-off and pick-up zones at the front of the school. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe and ensuring our staff can access parking needed for the school day.
Athletics
We are excited to announce that tryouts for soccer, basketball and cross country have started! To participate, students must have a completed Annual Authorization for Athletic Tryout form signed by a parent or guardian. Please ensure this form is returned to your child’s homeroom teacher. Students have also received a copy of this form to take home. We look forward to another great season of student athletic participation!
Subscribe to School Messages
To ensure you receive important emails from Dr. George Stanley School and the Calgary Board of Education, you must subscribe to the service.
If your contact information has changed, you need to update your information with your child’s school and subscribe to your new email and phone number.
If your child is new to the CBE or if you have recently changed your phone number, you should receive a text (SMS) message from 978338 asking if you would like to receive Calgary Board of Education alerts. This message is safe and sent for your protection.
Lunches
Please note that our tuck shop is not open until September 15, so we ask that all students come to school with a packed lunch. Once open, the tuck shop will sell drinks and snacks that follow Alberta’s nutritional guidelines for schools.
We will be able to offer hot water for things like noodles or soup beginning this Monday September 8. A reminder that there are no microwaves available for student use. Please keep this in mind when planning lunches.
In addition, our Healthy Hunger program will be starting shortly, providing families with the opportunity to order lunches on specific days. We encourage parents to ensure they are subscribed to receive commercial messages, so they don’t miss updates about tuck shop opening dates, Healthy Hunger ordering, and other special events.
Field Trips Within Walking Distance
The CBE values the educational benefits of field trips. Experiences close to our school help extend classroom learning and allow students to explore their community.
For local walking trips (excluding restricted activities such as swimming), caregivers will no longer need to complete a consent form. The principal will determine what constitutes an appropriate walking distance, which may vary by grade. Teachers will provide at least 48 hours’ notice before such trips by email, teacher blog, or letter.
Possible locations include:
- Cranston Escarpment Viewpoint – 2.3 km
- “The Ridge” – 1.3 km
- Century Hall – 0.5 km
- Statue Park – 0.7 km
- Bow River Pathway in Cranston – distance varies
- River Valley in Riverstone – 2.3 km
- Cranston School – 1.0 km
- Sybilla Kiddle School – 1.1 km
Common hazards that may be associated with these trips include:
- Slips, trips, or falls
- Getting separated from the group
- Street crossings
- Pre-existing medical conditions or allergies
- Exposure to infectious diseases (e.g., influenza, COVID-19, SARS, MERS)
If you have any questions regarding walking-distance field trips, please contact me or your child’s teacher.
Video Surveillance Notice
Our school has a video surveillance system to help maintain a safe and secure environment at the school for students, staff and the public, and to help address vandalism and criminal activity on school property.
The video surveillance system is installed and reviewed in accordance with Administrative Regulation 1066. Personal information is collected under the authority of the School Act and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) section 33.
This technology can be placed in areas such as the school parking lot, building entrances and exits, stairwells and hallways. This information is recorded and collected to help maintain a safe and secure environment in the school and on school property. The users of this information are the principal or designate and law enforcement personnel in the case of reported incidents that would require an investigation. Only authorized persons will review video surveillance information.
Inquiries concerning the video surveillance system, or the collection and use of recorded information may be made by contacting the school office.
Personal Mobile Devices & Social Media
Last year, CBE implemented new restrictions on personal mobile devices and social media use in schools. These changes aligned with the Ministerial Order provided by the Government of Alberta and were informed by survey feedback from families across the province.
At our school, we introduced “away for the day” guidelines for all students, which remains in effect this year. This means that personal mobile devices (such as cell phones, tablets, gaming devices, laptops, smart watches, Bluetooth headphones/speakers, or any personal device capable of internet access or communication) must be powered off or set to silent mode and stored in locker for the entire school day - including nutrition break, class changes, and lunch.
For students who require access to a personal mobile device for health and medical needs, it is advised that parents complete and submit a Student Health Plan as soon as possible or contact Brenda Wright (bvwright@cbe.ab.ca)
For students who require access to a personal mobile device to support an identified educational need, families should contact their student’s homeroom teacher to discuss this being included as an accommodation or support in the student’s individual program plan (IPP). Personal mobile device exemptions may also be approved in some cases for English as an Additional Language Learners. Once again, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.
If a student is found to be using a personal mobile device in class without permission from the teacher, the CBE will work with the student to ensure the rules are understood. We rely on good communication and other existing processes to ensure students know what is expected. When necessary, schools will use a progressive student discipline approach in working with students.
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday September 10 - Fall Picture Day
Thursday September 18 - Meet the Teacher (tentative)
Monday September 29 - Non-Instructional Day (No Classes for Students)
Tuesday September 30 - National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (School Closed)
Tuesday October 7 - School Council and Parent Society Meetings - 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Monday October 13 - Thanksgiving Day (School Closed)
Monday October 20 - Non-Instructional Day (No Classes for Students)