École David Thompson Weekly Update | A Community of Excellence
Weekly Update – Friday. June 5 | Message de la semaine – vendredi 5 juin
Quote: In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. — Albert Einstein
Bonjour Tiger Families!
As we head into the final stretch of the school year, we are inspired by the leadership and engagement we see in our classrooms and beyond. This week had a disappointing start when the track and field meet was cancelled due to rain, but the skies cleared just in time for our Grade 9s to head to Vertigo Theatre and for all of our students to enjoy a wonderful Sports Day together. We are grateful for the way both French Immersion and English programs continue to come together as a community.
As part of year-end preparations, PowerSchool Grades have been temporarily disabled, with online report cards available from June 25 to July 31. With final projects and exams almost underway, we encourage families to help students stay organized by reviewing materials, reinforcing study habits, completing any unfinished work, and celebrating small wins along the way. If you have questions about missing assignments, the best way to connect is by emailing your child's teacher directly.
With warmer weather here, we are taking steps to keep our learning environment safe and comfortable, including purchasing fans for increased airflow, offering cool zone breaks, monitoring temperatures, and encouraging regular hydration. Please remind your child to dress in light layers and bring a refillable water bottle each day.
Looking ahead, we are thoughtfully creating class lists for next year. If you feel a particular peer relationship supports your child's learning, please share that with us using the form linked below. While we cannot guarantee all requests, we value your input as part of our shared commitment to building balanced and caring classrooms.
Merci et bonne fin de semaine, Tigers!
Warmly,
The David Thompson School Team
Items in this update:
- Happenings
- Bus reminders
- Tours
- Band
- Grade 9 Farewell
- Upcoming treats
- Camp Bonaventure
- Future Lancer Athletes
- 2026 Healthcare Career Exploration
- Library Books Due
- French Summer Opportunity: Camping en Français 2026
- Important Dates
- Dates of Significance
Happenings
Bus reminders
Together, we can ensure that students’ trips to and from school are safe and successful. Students are reminded to be at their bus stop and ready to board at least 5 minutes before the scheduled pull-away time. At the end of the day, students may only exit at their assigned stop unless prior arrangements have been made through a bus transfer form from the office. Bus transfer requests must be completed 30 minutes before the end of the school day. Last-minute changes cannot be accommodated as these procedures are in place to support student safety.
Families are asked to please also review safe bus expectations with your child, including:
- Remaining seated at all times with knees facing forward and behind the seat in front of them
- Refraining from eating on the bus
- Keeping conversations at a respectful, conversational volume
- Musical instruments, including recorders, are permitted on the bus only if there is adequate space, and all instruments must remain in their cases at all times and stored away.
The bus change form is available here.
Tours
Tour dates for new families include every Friday in June! If your family or someone you know is interested in seeing David Thompson School please join us on Friday at 12:15. Please let us know to expect you by sending an email to davidthompson@cbe.ab.ca. We can’t wait to show you around the building and share what makes our school exceptional.
Band
Please make sure all instruments, music, or other supplies that may be at home are returned to school. Grade 7 & 8 Band students must return their band shirts. Grade 9 Band students may keep their shirt; if, however, they choose not to keep their shirt it can be returned to the school. Please let Mr. McClary know if your child would like to rent an instrument over the summer via email. The fee is $30.00. He will prepare the forms to send home with those students before the end of next week.
Grade 9 Farewell
It's time to celebrate our grade nine students, bid them farewell, and help them solidify fond memories of their time at École David Thompson School - many of our students have been together since kindergarten! To that end, we are planning a farewell ceremony to be held the morning of Thursday, June 25th from 10:30am-12:00pm.
Please note that the Farewell Ceremony on June 25th is NOT meant to be a highly formal event. Students are encouraged to wear smart, semi-formal attire (similar to a holiday or family celebration). Formal attire is not required.
Following the ceremony, the Student Farewell Committee has organized a potluck and LICS food truck for students and families to enjoy. If you would like to contribute to the potluck, please fill out what you intend to bring here: Potluck 2026
There will also be a dance and outdoor activities for Grade 9 students only. This will be from 12:30-2:00 p.m.
Upcoming treats!
Please note there are two exciting upcoming treat opportunities:
* Kona Ice on June 10th is available by cash or tap to the entire school.
* Bannock tasting on June 19th is available for purchase via Healthy Hunger for Grade 9 students only (students not in Grade 9 who order these items will receive a refund and be removed from the order.) Thank you for understanding and support as we celebrate our grade 9s.
Camp Bonaventure
Every summer, Between Friends, a Calgary-based non-profit organization that provides inclusive recreational and social programs for people with different abilities, hosts Camp Bonaventure, an outdoor summer day camp for youth ages 4–17 (June 29 - August 21, 2026) that brings together individuals of all abilities in a supportive and welcoming environment. Between Friends is currently recruiting volunteers (ages 12+) to support us this summer at Camp Bonaventure. This is a great opportunity for students to gain volunteer hours, develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills, and build meaningful connections while supporting an inclusive camp community.
For more information, please visit:
- Between Friends Website: https://betweenfriends.ab.ca/
- Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteering Opportunities
- Camp Bonaventure Volunteer Application: Volunteer Application Form
Future Lancer Athletes
Current Grade 9 students who are designated to E.P. Scarlett High School and hope to join the Lancer Football Team in Grade 10, this is for you:
June – Spring Camp
- This is optional additional training for football athletes
- June 1 – Gear Hand Out 3:30 PM
- June 4 – 4:00 – 6:00 PM
- June 5 – 2:00 – 4:00 PM
- June 8, 9, 10 – 4:00 – 6:00 PM
- August 26 – Start of the 2026 Football Season. Tryouts begin.
- Students attending Spring Camp must be designated to and attending EPS next year
- If students want to participate, families must print, sign, and return this acknowledgement of risk form (attached) to the first day of Spring Camp
- Please await communication in the summer for more information
- All updated information can be found on the school website under athletics
Football specifical questions can be directed to Coach Shane Donovan (spdonovan@cbe.ab.ca). More information about school start-up and other fall sports can be found on the EP Scarlett school website around mid-August.
2026 Healthcare Career
Registration for the 2026 Healthcare Career Exploration Days is now open. Interested students can see healthcare careers in action! Students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience exploring a variety of careers in healthcare. Participants will have the chance to try different procedures, tools, and skills while learning directly from healthcare professionals working in the field.
Each camp is unique, giving participants the opportunity to explore the many departments and roles required to keep a hospital or healthcare facility running — from skilled trades and support services to frontline clinical care and even air ambulance helicopters. The program is open to students entering Grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 who are interested in learning more about career opportunities within our health care system and the educational pathways required to get there. Once an application is submitted, participants will receive a confirmation email and additional event details.
Please note: Attendees may be exposed to real medical situations, images, smells and information that some individuals may find graphic or unsettling
- Calgary (Peter Lougheed Centre) – August 12
- Edmonton (University of Alberta Hospital) – August 26–27
To register or learn more, please visit: Healthcare Career Exploration Camp | Alberta Health Services
Library Books Due
As the school year comes to a close, we need your help getting our library shelves ready for September. Please check your home, bookshelves, and backpacks for any outstanding school library books.
- Due Date: Friday, June 5.
- Action Required: Return all books directly to the school library book return bin
- Penalty: Unreturned books will result in replacement fees.
French Summer Opportunity: Camping en Français 2026
Important Dates
Jun 08 - JERSEY DAY
-Grade 9 FLA Part B
Jun 09 - TWIN DAY
-Grade 9 ELA Part B
Jun 10 - BEACH DAY
- Kona Ice - Grade 9 only
- 5.2 Fieldtrip- Hanger Museum
- School Council In-Person 6:30-9:00pm
Jun 11 - DECADE DAY
-5.1 & 5.3 Fieldtrip- Hanger Museum
Jun 12 – BLACK OUT/WHITE OUT DAY
-Grade 6 Science PAT
Jun 15 - Grade 6 Math Part A
June 16 - Grade 9 Math PAT Part A
Jun 17 – Indigenous Peoples Day marked (activity day)
Jun 18 - Grade 6 Math PAT Part B
- Grade 7&8 FLA and ELA Finals
Jun 19 - Grade 7&8 Math Finals
- Grade 9 Math PAT Part B
- Indigenous Peoples Day marked (assembly)
Jun 22- Grade 6, Bowling
- Grade 7&8 Social Finals
- Grade 9 Social Studies PAT
- 5.1 & 5.2 in-school field trip – Ancient Civilizations
- Grade 8 Field Trip – Escape Room, PowerPlay
- Wakefield Brewsters Grade 8 Workshop 1
Jun 23 - Grade 7&8 Science Finals
- Grade 9 Science PAT
- 5.3 in school field trip – Ancient Civilizations
- Grade 6 Tennis
- Grade 7 Chinook Theatre Trip
- Grade 8 Field Trip – Escape Room, PowerPlay
- Wakefield Brewsters Grade 8 Workshop 2
Jun 24 - Gr 6 -St. Jean Baptiste Celebration- Gr. 6
- Gr 8s Escape/Activate (AM)
- Gr 8s Wakefield Brewster (PM)
- 9s Calaway Park
Jun 25- Grade 8s to Canyon Meadows (AM)
- Grade 9 Farewell Celebration
Jun 26 - Year End Celebration of Learning (9am Grade 5&6, 10am Grade 7&8)
“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