DTS Weekly Update – March 20, 2025
DTS Message de la semaine – le 20, mars
“It takes all stripes to be a tiger.”
“Ça prend toutes les rayures pour être un tigre.”
David Thompson Newsletters are always available on our website!
Image | Book Fair Festival Du Livre
Hello Tiger Families!
As we continue our journey through this school year, we want to take a moment to thank you for your support and involvement. Whether it's through volunteering, encouraging learning at home, or simply being there when needed, you make a world of difference. Together, we are building a community where our children can grow, learn, and reach their full potential.
Thank you to all the parents who signed up to meet teachers at conferences, who attended the Engagement Meeting this week, and to those who completed the survey from home. Special thanks to those who volunteered on the many trips over the past few weeks and to our dedicated Healthy Hunger volunteers. A big thank you as well to the families who supported the Book Fair and helped their child check the Lost and Found or clean out their locker before the break.
We hope you enjoyed the four-day week and that you have a wonderful Spring Break ahead, whether you're traveling, relaxing, or just enjoying a slower pace. We look forward to seeing everyone back after the break, refreshed and ready for the exciting months ahead.
Enjoy the break, and as always, thank you for your ongoing partnership and support!
Items in this update:
- Staffing Update
- Alberta Education Assurance Survey – Deadline Extended
- Option Course Requests
- Message from Alberta Heath Services
- Important Dates
- Dates of Significance
Staffing Update
We are grateful for M. Simon Tétreault’s time with us at David Thompson School and the many ways he has contributed to our school community. His strong connections with students, engaging teaching, and dedication have made a meaningful impact. As he moves on to new opportunities outside of teaching, we wish him all the best in his next steps.
To ensure continuity in student learning, we are pleased that Mr. McCullough will continue teaching Phys Ed, and Mme Bensebti will remain in the Grade 9 Math classroom, providing familiarity and consistent support for our students. Their ongoing presence ensures stability in the learning experience.
We would like to welcome Ms. El Ouali to David Thompson! She will be covering for Mr. Haddar while he is on parental leave. While we will miss Mr. Haddar go, we are happy that he will have this time with his family. Ms. El Ouali brings valuable experience as a French elementary generalist, and we are lucky to have her join our team to continue providing excellent learning opportunities for students.
Additionally, we warmly welcome back Ms. Miller from her once-in-a-lifetime trip! On her return, we say goodbye and extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Miller for his contributions and dedication during her absence. His farewell message to students and staff is included below.
Finally, we are pleased to introduce student teacher Daniela Heger-Dorantes, who has joined our community as part of her University of Calgary practicum. She is learning alongside Mr. Beaudoin and will be with us until April 17th, gaining valuable experience while contributing to the learning of our wonderful students.
Message from Mr. Miller
I had a truly rewarding experience during my three months at David Thompson. Teaching Physical Education was a highlight, and I often found myself joining in on the games alongside the students. Outdoor Education was equally enriching, offering opportunities to learn about mapping, bear safety, avalanches, knot tying, and more. However, what I will miss most are the moments spent connecting with students—whether through shared laughter in class or brief conversations in the hallways—and getting to know their unique stories. I will be looking forward to my return to David Thompson in the future.
Daylan Miller
PE and Outdoor Ed
Alberta Education Assurance Survey – Deadline Extended
Alberta Education has extended the deadline for the Alberta Education Assurance Survey to March 28, 2025. While students and teachers will complete the survey before Spring Break, parents and guardians have extra time to share their feedback.
Your voice matters! If you haven’t had a chance to complete the survey yet, we encourage you to take this opportunity.
Option Course Requests
Thank you to the students who have completed their option course request forms! Any students who have not yet completed the form must see Ms. Evans by the end of the day on March 31st.
Forms or requests not completed by this deadline will be considered late and will receive second priority in course selection.
Message from Alberta Heath Services
DTS Families,
Given the current state of measles cases in Alberta, Alberta Health Services has released the attached letter to CBE School parents.
Please note that when AHS is notified of a measles case, part of the role of the team managing outbreaks (the AHS Provincial Public Health Support team) would be to conduct contact tracing & then notify all potential exposures. As such, your school will be informed if there has been any confirmed/suspected exposure. If there is an exposure, the AHS Provincial Public Health Support team will give you specific directions on how to notify families.
If you suspect an exposure, please contact the AHS Provincial Public Health Support team at 1-844-343-0971. Here is the Guide for Outbreak Prevention Control in Schools for your reference.
If there are any further questions or concerns, please e-mail me at steven.prosser@ahs.ca or call me at 403-944-7187. Have a lovely Spring Break!
Sincerely,
Steven James Prosser BScN CPhT CTESOL RN (He/Him)
Public Health School Nurse
Acadia Community Health Centre
132-151 86 Avenue SE, Calgary, AB. T2H 3A5
Clinic: 403-944-7200
Direct: 403-944-7187
Fax: 403-253-5129
E-Mail: steven.prosser@albertahealthservices.ca
Measles Information for Families
Important Dates
March 24-28 Spring Break
April 2-Tiger Buzz P4 and lunch
April 2-4 Band Camp
April 7 – Rouleuville Grade 7/8 Trip
April 9 – Band Parent Society Meeting 7:30-8:00
April 10 – Grade 9 to Carburn Park
April 14 – Salts Second Parent Meeting 6:30-7:30 pm
April 15 – Grade 7 to Carburn Park
April 16 – School Council Meeting
April 18 – No School – Good Friday
April 21 – System Professional Day – No School for students
April 29 – Gr 9 Outdoor Ed Climbing Trip
May 2- DTS Band Spring Concert 7:30pm
Dates of Significance
“Go Tigers!”
École David Thompson School
9320 Arbour Crescent SE, Calgary, AB T2J 0X8 Calgary Board of Education | cbe.ab.ca t | 403-777-7470