Happy Fall everyone

Thank you for your patience as we worked to get the school year up and running! We do indeed have amazing parents, guardians and community members who care deeply about our school community, and we are so fortunate that we have so much support from you all. Here are a few updates to share past and upcoming events with you, as well as some important information about school documents and policies.

Hidden Valley Schools Terry Fox Run was a big success despite the crazy fall weather!

Students from Valley Creek & Hidden Valley School supported each other as they ran (in the rain)  during the Terry Fox Run once again this year! We are so pleased we could make this happen again and our leadership students did an excellent job organizing the younger students and keeping everyone smiling & moving!

Valley Creek School Council Meetings

Just a reminder that we have our Valley Creek School Council Meeting on the 3rd Tuesday evening of every month at 6:30 pm. All Valley Creek Parents & Guardians are welcome, and we are so fortunate to have an amazing group that supports our school! In advance, I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU for all that our School Council does every year to support student learning at Valley Creek!

School Council Fundraisers

Our School Enhancement Society works hard to raise funds to support enhancements to student learning in the school. These opportunities will be shared with you if you have subscribed to receive commercial messages on the CBE website. If you have questions, please call the office and we can explain the difference in the messages you receive at home depending on what you have indicated you wish to receive. Some parents/guardians don't know or forget to sign up for fundraising messages, so please check your settings for school messenger if you think you are missing something.

General Information and Updates

Each year, schools have a variety of forms that parents / legal guardians are required to complete or review and update, some of which are paper and others online. In CBE, the forms in an online format (SchoolEngage) are:

  • Demographic Verification - 2024-25 – This form includes your child's personal information as well as parent / legal guardian contact information. Change of address requires proof of address in legal guardian name to be uploaded and if custody information has changed, please upload the new court document. Where two legal guardians do not live together, we must have the court custody document or a written summary if there is no document.
  • Citizenship Information Update - 2024-25 – This form becomes available if you change your child's citizenship information on the Demographic Verification form.
  • Annual Authorization - 2024-25 – Combines the following forms:

School District Use of Personal Information - explains how CBE uses personal information in providing education services.

Consent for CBE Use of Student Information – provides an option to grant / not grant consent for additional use of student information by school/district and third parties.

Consent for Use of Student Information by News Media and Outside Groups (Third Party) - provides an option to grant / not grant consent for additional use of student information by outside groups and third parties.

SchoolEngage is one of the applications found in your MyCBE account. This is the same account that you use to pay fees, view academic information, book school conferences, etc.

If you do not have a MyCBE account, on the MyCBE page click on Create a MyCBE Account. For online help refer, to MyCBE - Creating an Account (includes instructions and a video).

To complete these forms:

1 | sign in to your MyCBE account

2 | click on the SchoolEngage icon

3 | select the form

4 | complete or review and update the form

5 | click on Submit to send the form electronically to the school

6 | repeat steps 3-5 for each form

Please submit the Demographic Verification and Annual Authorization forms in SchoolEngage for your child as soon as possible, as we need to have current contact information in the case of emergency.  These forms are mandatory every year for Alberta Education to confirm student funding.  Thank you for completing them.​

The following documents can be accessed on the CBE website:

  • Information regarding signing up for messaging including text messages
  • Student Health Form (necessary if your child has a significant health concern that staff need to be aware of)
  • Student Health Plan (completed if a physical or medical condition may affect the student's attendance at school or if medication is to be taken at school) 

Volunteers

We welcome volunteers to assist with certain activities and some field trips would not be possible without the active participation of our volunteers. As a CBE volunteer, you are placed in a position of trust with students, staff or property.  All adult volunteers require a valid security clearance - no exceptions.

Volunteer Security Clearance Process – Prospective volunteers must first register as a volunteer at the school office where you are requested to volunteer. Here is the link for the process: https://www.cbe.ab.ca/get-involved/volunteer/Pages/volunteer.aspx

School administrators will verify your identity and register you in the CBE volunteer database. The school office will provide you with a letter enabling you to obtain a police information check from the Calgary Police Service (CPS). If you are unsure as to the status of your Volunteer Clearance, please email Laura at the school office. 

Personal Mobile Device

UPDATED CBE Personal Mobile Devices Policy – Cell Phones, iPads, iPods, AirPods, Headphones, smart watches (or anything that connects to the internet) etc.

CBE Personal Mobile Devices Policy

Our expectation is that all students must keep cell phones, iPods, iPads, headphones, ear buds, or airpods in their lockers from the time they arrive at school including lunch (if they stay at school for lunch) which essentially means AWAY FOR THE DAY, unless they have a documented exception form on file. To start this process the student's parents will complete a form (through the Student Heath Plan) which should include documentation from a professional stating that this student requires such an exception. The form will then be approved or denied and signed off by the principal with parametres for that student to use personal devices in class to support their learning. This form and note of exception will be included in the student's Official Student Record.

Should parents/guardians or students need to contact each other during school hours, parents will be able to phone the main office and students will need to use a classroom or the office phone.  Parents/guardians are asked to refrain from calling or texting their child during school hours. Urgent messages may be called in to the office and we will forward these on to the student or have them come down to the office if needed.

There is no requirement for students to bring their own device as they have access to school devices to support their learning. Students are responsible for their devices, and the school is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items should students wish to bring them. 

Should students be having struggles with using their personal devices appropriately, we have the following guidelines in place:

1.     Students will get a warning from their teacher and reminded of the expectations associated with Away for the Day.

2.     If the issue continues, teachers will instruct the student to bring their cell phone down to the office for the day, lock it up (the student keeps the key) and the issue will be documented for that student.

3.     If the issue continues, teachers will again instruct the students to bring their cell phone down to the office for the day and the Assistant Principal will connect with their parents to inform them of the issues and discuss next steps.

4.     If the issue continues, the student will be expected to leave the cell phone at home, or if they need it as a safety device in going to and from school, they will need to bring it to the office first thing in the morning, where it will be stored from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm, and the student may pick it up at the end of the day.

Thank you so much for your support in helping our students in learning appropriate and ethical use of their cell phones.

Upcoming Events

As per an earlier email, Valley Creek School will be participating in an online school perception survey for students called the OurSCHOOL Student Survey. This anonymous survey is completely voluntary for all CBE students. CBE’s Education Plan prioritizes student voice and well-being in our decision-making processes.  Responses from this survey are used at the system and school level to recognize and improve what is necessary for students to feel safe, welcome, and cared for when at school.

We can't wait to see you & your child at our Student Learning Conferences during the evening of October 24 (in person) or during the day October 25 (online). These conferences are booked through your myCBE account; there will be no drop-in appointments. Conference bookings will open to parents/guardians on Sunday, October 20 at 11:00 am. If you have trouble signing in to book conferences, please contact your child's teacher and we will be happy to help. A reminder email will be sent out before booking opens.

Reminders From the Office

October 14 – Happy Thanksgiving, NO SCHOOL

October 17 – Photo Retakes. We are looking for 1 or 2 parent volunteers with a valid clearance on this day, 8:00 am start. If you are able to help please email valleycreek@cbe.ab.ca Please add “retake day volunteer" to the subject line and we will get back to you. Also, please let us know the hours you would be available. Retakes may run into the afternoon, depending on number of students needing their photo taken.

Student in grades 5 and 6 that stay for lunch need to be registered for Lunchroom Supervision through your myCBE account. If your child is staying for lunch and is not registered, please do this right away.

If your child will be absent or late please call the absent line at 403-777-7995, extension 1 or email vcattendance@cbe.ab.ca Be sure to include child’s first and last name, and homeroom. If leaving a message, please spell child’s first and last name.

                                                                                                        

As always, please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your child's progress, learning needs or social-emotional wellbeing. We are here to help! 


Sincerely,

Anne Markovich

Acting Principal