Dear QES Families,

“Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” -Anthony J. D’  

First, I would like to sincerely thank all of the parents who have reached out to express support for our staff over the last few weeks.  Some of you have shown small acts of kindness, like coordinating treats to send in on World Teacher’s Day, volunteering for school events like our incredibly successful Scholastic Book Fair, and anonymously shoveling walkways.  These small acts have had a big impact.  We appreciate everything you have done.  As the holiday season draws near, we, as a school community, have continued to focus on how we can support our local community and connect with others. At QES we know that caring is an integral part of our conversations and actions. Classes work together in a variety of ways to build relationships, learn together, and model caring attitudes and actions. As a staff and parent group, we model the care, respect and belonging that we strive to develop in our students. 

This year we are looking to again focus our winter event of giving back in support of others during this season of caring. We are excited to be once again hosting our ‘Outreach Event’ where there will be a number of activities in each grade and classroom. These activities each support a local community group while also providing an opportunity to connect with others. Please go to our website to learn more about how you can support this event. An email has gone home to families outlining the activities and how families can support this by providing various donations. Should you have any questions about our Outreach Event and how you can contribute please speak with your child’s teacher, check classroom emails or contact the office directly at 403-777-6789. 

In addition to outreach actions, QES encourages families and caregivers to look into  Previous and upcoming Child & Youth Well-Being Family & Caregiver Series  to access free sessions to support understanding about health and wellbeing. 

To promote an increasing sense of belonging for all community members at QES, on November 9, 2023, staff spent our system professional development day called Maatoom’sii Pookaiks (Children First), planning with Alberta programs of study and curriculum to provide opportunities for all students to develop a knowledge and understanding of, and respect for, the histories, cultures, languages, contributions, perspectives, experiences and contemporary contexts of First Nations, Métis and Inuit people. We also acquired resources to support our QES 2023-24 Truth and Reconciliation Commitment- to access Indigenous authored resources that enhance understanding or oral traditions and their significance for Indigenous people.  Thank you to Education Matters for organizing a donation for the purchase of important resources for our library that support this work.

Winter events, and wellbeing sessions compliment our ongoing work toward our School Development Plan goals.  These goals are chosen based on data analysis and feedback from staff, parents, and students. The 2023-24 School Development Plan is published on the school website along with our annual fees report.  Past and current fees can still be paid on your MyCBE Account.

The winter break is rapidly approaching and we will soon be wrapping up 2023. My wish is that you and your family experience the warmth that this season brings. Please enjoy the upcoming winter break.

Sincerely,  

Lisa McConnell