Good morning QES Families

June is here!  Looking back at the year in June is always a pleasure; we can see so much growth in our students’ academic progress, friendships, and even how much they have grown physically.  Our students have demonstrated growth in their relationships at school and in literacy and mathematics. Thank you to the ongoing commitment of our school council to financially contribute to our program enhancement. We have purchased many resources to enhance programing, such as PE Equipment, Art supplies, robotics, etc. We have also received a generous private donation that will allow us to enhance resources for STEM learning and our Public Speaking Club.  Due to this generosity, the generosity of all our volunteers, and the dedication of our staff and students, we have fostered a thriving learning community throughout the 2024-25 school year.

We will have some exciting events coming up this month. We will have a Spirit Day on June 19 called “Jersey Day”. Students have seen posters and heard announcements about this.  We can’t wait to see the sport themed outfits!

We will have our sports day on June 20, 2025.  We look forward to it being a day to focus on healthy outdoor activity.  We are still looking for a few more volunteers: Sign up Here  Please dress for the weather.  If it is sunny, please ensure your children have sun protection and a water bottle.  If it is rainy, please ensure they are ready for wet grass and have a rain layer.  The event will also be to continue to foster continuing interest amongst our students about athletic pursuits.  Please look for further information about this event in the coming weeks.

Queen Elizabeth School Council will be hosting a Hot Dog Day Picnic after dismissal on June13 from 12:20-2:00pm. Please preorder your meal: Order Here

If you are able, they could use some volunteers to help set up, grill, gather orders, and clean up. Sign up to help here: Sign up Here

On June 25, 2025 we will be saying farewell to our Grade 6 students as they transition to grade 7 and on June 24, 2025 we will be celebrating a successful year for our Kindergarten students as they transition to full days of school next year.

Before all of the year-end wrap up events, we have weeks of hard work to do at school.  Students and staff are still engaged in rigorous learning.  Our grade 6s have upcoming Provincial Achievement Tests and other classes are continuing with field trips, writing, reading, and problem-solving up until the last day of school. 

Reminders

• Update: Our new Video Surveillance Technology cameras are up and running.  As a reminder they are there as a preventative measure and are not viewed live by any security team members.
• All library books are due by June 6, 2025
• Check your MyCBE Account for any unpaid fees

At the same time, we have been planning for next year.  We are looking forward to a variety of meaningful learning opportunities, establishing new learning goals and continuing our development together as a community.  Part of our planning is to implement the conditions for success for all students.  As learning teams consisting of teachers, administration, educational assistants, system supports and parents, we are taking into consideration each child’s personalized learning needs to develop supportive, engaging, and rigorous learning environments to support continuing success.  Planning for student success in the next school year involves many transition meetings, collaborative learning team meetings, and consultations with system strategists and other professionals.  As part of this work, we have established our learning configurations for 2024-25.  We have increased our student numbers over this school year to 430 students and we can therefore increase our teaching staff.

In 2025-26 we will have:

• Two Kindergarten classes- 1 AM and 1 PM
• Two Grade 1 classes
• Three Grade 2 classes
• Three Grade 3 classes
• Three Grade 4 classes
• Two Grade 5 classes
• Three Grade 6 classes
• a Music teacher, and
• a PE teacher

Within this configuration, we are excited about continuing with a learning environment which provides opportunities for flexible groupings as teachers work together to support all students’ needs.  There will continue to be a strong focus on early literacy and assessment and curriculum alignment.  There are many opportunities within our path forward. We are excitedly planning for learning opportunities in 2025-26. 

We are also excited to confirm Ms. Babuik and Ms. Barclay-Ward as members of our teaching staff for next year.

At this time of year the school board has staffing opportunities open up for CBE teachers providing opportunities for teachers to apply to a variety of options.  When opportunities arise, teachers take those that are most suitable to their career and personal goals. For that reason, we will be saying goodbye to a few of our staff this year who have been successful with the staffing process.  Tom Baril-Bissett is in a temporary role and the staffing process requires that probationary or continuous teachers have priority for vacancies. We wish Mr. Baril-Bissett all the best in his next steps.

Jordan Unreiner: I would like to say a huge thank you to all of the students, staff, parents and community members of Queen Elizabeth School for an amazing 8 years. Your generosity, care and compassion make Queen Elizabeth School a place where students and staff want to be! It is very difficult to say goodbye to such an amazing school and community. The decision to pursue a new teaching opportunity was not made lightly. Ultimately, the decision was made to cut down on my commute from Airdrie in order to better manage my classroom and coaching time commitments. Although I am sad to say goodbye, I am also excited for this new chapter in my teaching journey because it will give me the opportunity to work with students from grades 5 - 9. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you Queen Elizabeth School.

Kate Lawless: After five incredibly rewarding years at Queen Elizabeth School, I have made the decision to pursue a new opportunity that will continue to support my professional growth. QES has been a place of growth, connection, and community for me, and I will always be grateful to have been part of the Wolfpack.

As I look ahead, I am excited to take on a new challenge—helping to open a new Enhanced Educational Supports (EES) program at another school. This opportunity aligns closely with my passion for inclusive education and supporting complex learner profiles. While I will truly miss the students, staff, and families at QES, I leave with gratitude and look forward to carrying all that I’ve learned here into this next chapter.

Emily Wentzell: I have accepted a teaching position at a school closer to home for the 2025-2026 school year. This decision was made with my young family in mind, as the shorter commute will allow me to spend more time with my daughter during these important early years of her life.

It has been a true privilege to be part of the Q.E.S. community. I am incredibly grateful for the support, kindness, and connection I’ve experienced while working with your amazing children. While I will miss this school, I’m also looking forward to making the most of our final time together—full of fun, learning, and wonderful memories.

Thank you for the trust and partnership you've shown me throughout this year.

Nikki Balachorek: I want to share that I will be moving on from QES to pursue a new opportunity teaching Phys Ed at the K–9 level. While I’m excited for the challenges ahead, it is incredibly bittersweet to say goodbye to a community that has meant so much to me. Over the past few years, I have truly cherished every moment with our amazing students, staff, and families. I will miss the vibrant energy and warmth that make QES such a special place to teach and learn. Thank you all for your support, it has been an absolute privilege to be part of your child’s learning journey. Wishing everyone a happy, healthy summer and all the best in the years to come.

We will also be welcoming Ms. Hayley O’Dell who is coming to us with much experience from schools in the CBE.

Hayley O'Dell: I am thrilled to be joining Queen Elizabeth Elementary School next year! I have taught with the CBE for 17 years, including 7 years in several NE Calgary schools, and 10 years most recently at Edgemont School. In my free time, I enjoy reading, going for walks outside, traveling and spending time with my family. I'm very excited to be part of a new community of staff, students and parents next year. I’m looking forward to getting to know each of my students and growing together as we share new and exciting experiences and opportunities. Thank you so much for welcoming me - I can't wait to begin this journey with you next year!

Ms. Jillian Peers who is also coming with many experiences including most recently at Cappy Smart. 

Jillian Peers: As a teacher with the Calgary Board of Education for over 9 years, I am thrilled to join Queen Elizabeth School. My specialization is mathematics, but my passion is literacy. When I am not teaching, I enjoy photography, pickleball, and spending time with my family and two dogs. A belief in continuous growth and engaging in new learning experiences inspired me to take on this role. I look forward to getting to know staff, students and families in the upcoming school year.

We will continue to hire new teachers in the coming weeks and are excited for what new voices and ideas will bring to QES as they collaborate with our continuing team members.

In a moment you will also receive another email to introduce your new Principal Mr. Travis Robertson.

We wanted to ensure families understand that teachers and administration have been engaging in transition planning for months and we will continue to do so in the final weeks of school. We have selected key contacts for various activities and leadership within the school so that the transition to 2025-26 can go smoothly for everyone.

You will hear more information from your child’s teacher about their carefully selected class on August 29, 2025.  The first day of school will be September 2, 2025 and the school calendar, once finalized, will be posted on our school website.  Kindergarten staggered entry dates and times will also be posted and emailed to families.

Our next School Council and Parent Society meeting will be on September 23, 2025.  The meeting is in person at the school at 6:30pm.

We look forward to our last weeks together before the summer break.

Sincerely,

Lisa McConnell