Dear QES Families, 

We hope everyone enjoyed a restful break and finding opportunities to spend time with family and friends.  We were excited to get back to school this week and continue learning with the children.  Next week, on Monday April 8, there will be a solar eclipse.  During this partial solar eclipse on Monday, we would like to invite all students to remain at school during the lunch break. Please send a lunch with your child. If you decide that your child will walk home for lunch on Monday, please discuss with your child not to look at the sun to protect his/her eyes from damage by the solar eclipse.  

During a solar eclipse, looking directly at the sun is dangerous. Safe viewing of the eclipse requires wearing specialized glasses or watching through a telescope or solar binoculars that have specialized lenses and should only be performed under the direction of a professional.  

For more safety information can be found on the NASA website or from the Canadian Association of Optometrists.  

What Happened in March?

March was an exciting month filled with rich learning opportunities and evidence of growth. We were proud to participate in student led conferences alongside students and parents.  We saw our students involved in conversations about their strengths, areas of growth and goals. We’d like to thank all of our families for attending these conferences. These Student-Led Conferences promoted engagement and growth and asked students to play an active role in planning their own learning. When students share with their families what they're learning—what skills and understandings they have, what areas still challenge them, and their next steps in learning—they must understand their own learning and progress. They take pride in what they can do and take responsibility for what they need to work on. Student-led conferences build motivation, clarity, self-direction, and critical thinking in students; and they also connect families to the achievement and development of their child and the work of the school.  Thank you, again for taking the opportunity to celebrate these achievements with your child. 

School Council

We have our School Council (QESC) and Parent Society (QEEPES) to thank for funding that provides equipment and other learning enhancement materials at our school.  All are welcome to join us on April 16 at 6:30pm for the next meeting.

Open House

May 11, 2024 will be the of the Open House at Queen Elizabeth High School for our grade 6 students.  All of our grade 6 students will be moving to grade 7 next year.  If your child is designated to Queen Elizabeth High School next year, students have begun learning about the school in class.  If your child is designated to another middle or junior high school, please contact that school to ensure you receive their open house and orientation information.  If you are seeking a spot in a different middle or junior high school, outside of your designated school attendance area, please ensure you have spoken with me and that your transfer form has been delivered to the appropriate school.

School Planning  

For all grades, transition planning for next year is well underway.  We know that family circumstances can change from time to time.  If your plans change for next year, please kindly call the office or send a quick email to let us know about your registration at QES in the 2024-25 school year.

As a school, we have begun the complex planning for the 2024-25 school year including considerations of grade and class configurations.  The development of class lists is a complex process involving many factors for decision making including staff resources, space, learning needs, class complexity and strengths. As we look forward to next year, we would like to offer the opportunity to families to email educational requests for class considerations for the 2024-25 school year by May 5, 2024.   Please note, only written requests that are educational in nature will be considered in decision-making. Requests for placements with friends or specific teachers are not educational in nature.  While every request will be considered, it may not be possible to meet all requests given the small number of classes in our school. 

We look forward to continued learning in the coming months.

Sincerely, 

Lisa McConnell

Principal