École David Thompson Weekly Update | A Community of Excellence
Weekly Update – Thursday November 27 | Message de la semaine – jeudi le 27 novembre
Quote: "Kindness is the sunshine in which virtue grows" by Robert Green Ingersoll.
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Hello David Thompson Families,
Can you believe we are coming into December? Here we are! We finally have snow, and the nights feel a little darker. This is that time of year when the light shows up in the kindness and community our students offer each other every day. This week, we saw students pause to help peers, take an extra second to knock snow off their boots instead of tracking it through the hallways, and more than one student brought a toy to contribute to the Toy Drive project from the LEAD club. Those small acts brighten our community more than the brightest winter sunrise. In both English and French spaces, students lead with empathy, learn through relationships, and build strength together reminding us that our shared values are what connect us.
As strange a season as it was, we want to thank our Basketball and Soccer teams for coming out and representing. Basketball closed the season with an in-house tournament, and soccer just finished its wrap-up party. Band, Drama, and Arts classes are busy preparing for the Dec 11 winter learning celebrations. We're excited to see it!
- 5:00 - Band Grade 7 - Main Gym
- 5:25 - Court of Betrayal (Grade 8 Drama) - Learning Commons
- 5:45 - 6:00 - Art walk in the atrium
- 6:00 - Grade 8 Band - Main Gym
- 6:30 - A Home for the Holidays (Grade 9 Drama) - Learning Commons
- 6:50 - Grade 9 Band - Main Gym
We always want to encourage conversation and learning from home. A simple way to support learning is to ask your child how they were able to shine a little light for someone this week or how they might light up the hallways next week. Another simple conversation starter is to ask your child to share a story about someone who helped them this week, or about a moment when they noticed kindness in action. These small reflections help strengthen confidence and meaningful relationships.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership. Take good care.
Warmly,
The David Thompson School Team
Items in this update:
- Happenings
- Virtual Presentation: Online Toxicity & What Parents Need to Know
- Semester One Option Fee Update
- Grade 6 Artist in Residence - A Story and Art Journey
- Grade 8 Semester 2 options change
- Phys. Ed. Clothing & Footwear
- Attendance and requesting a different bus
- E.P. Scarlett High School AP Information Session
- Important Dates
- Dates of Significance
Happenings
Virtual Presentation: Online Toxicity & What Parents Need to Know
The DTS School Council is excited to invite you to a virtual parent session with The White Hatter on Thursday, December 4th from 6:00 - 7:30 PM. This session, "Online Toxicity - Concerns That Are Need To Know," will equip you with practical strategies and current information about digital literacy and Internet safety. Thank you, DTS School Council, for supporting our community by helping families feel more confident by guiding our young people in making safe, healthy choices online.
- Date - Thursday, December 4
- Time - 6:00–7:30 p.m. (AB Time)
- Location – Virtual. Please RSVP for a link to this presentation here and we will email you a link and password to attend.
If you're unable to attend the live session, a recording will be available for 48 hours afterward, giving you flexibility to learn on your own schedule. This is a valuable opportunity to strengthen our partnership in keeping our students safe online. We hope to see you there!
Semester One Option Fee Update
We want to thank our School Council for suggesting we look into prorating fees. We’ve connected with our office team, and a plan is in place to provide a 20% credit for first semester options. You should see the credit early next week. Thank you for your thoughtfulness in helping us make school experiences more accessible for all families.
Grade 6 Artist in Residence - A Story and Art Journey
We're thrilled to announce that our Grade 6 students will have a wonderful opportunity to work with Artist in Residence Anne Cloarec throughout December. Anne is a Francophone visual artist and storyteller who will guide our students in creating, discussing, and interpreting the story “Croki” by Jacques Goldstyn. Students will be invited to create art and story related to this lovely book, culminating in a final presentation on December 17th to our Sam Livingston peers. A huge thank you to Mme Kim for organizing this incredible experience and securing a CBE Languages grant for our school to make it possible. We're excited to be embarking on this journey of story and creativity!
Grade 8 Semester 2 options change
Grade 8 options change requests for semester two are open next week. Change request forms can be obtained in the front office. They should be completed and submitted by Wednesday, December 3rd. Forms require signatures by both add and drop teachers, as well as by parents to be considered. Students with options doubled from first semester will be given priority (as indicated on the form). All students who were missing an option have already made choices for second semester.
If you are unsure of what options your student has next semester, please use the following path in PowerSchool: Schedule—>Matrix View. The Matrix will have Day A1/2 and Day B1/2, which represent Day A Semester 1 and 2 options and Day B Semester 1 and 2 options.
Phys. Ed. Clothing & Footwear
Some of our PE classes are scheduled to go outside in the coming weeks. As the weather gets colder and snowier, please ensure your child comes prepared. For outdoor Phys. Ed, students should bring proper outdoor footwear, a warm coat, hat, and gloves. For indoor Phys. Ed., for safety reasons, boots cannot be worn in the gym. Please ensure your child has indoor sneakers and comfortable, breathable clothing for movement. Thank you for helping us keep students safe, comfortable, and ready to participate!
Attendance and requesting a different bus
If students are going to be late or absent, please email davidthompson@cbe.ab.ca or phone the DTS absence line 403-777-7470 opt 1. Please complete this form and have your student return it to the office. Alternatively, you can email davidthompson@cbe.ab.ca. Please note that riders must be a current bus student and end-of-day submissions will not be permitted.
E.P. Scarlett High School AP Information Session
E.P. Scarlett High School invites all Grade 9 students and families who are interested in the Advanced Placement (AP) program to attend an information session.
To learn more about what this program has to offer, please visit: https://drepscarlett.cbe.ab.ca/advanced-placement
Date - Tuesday, December 10
Time - 5:30-6:30pm
Location - E.P. Scarlett High School
Important Dates
- Dec 4 – 6pm White Hatter Parent Presentation
- Dec 5 – White Hatter Student Presentation
- Dec 9 – Wellness Student Leadership Symposium (Mount Royal)
- Dec10 - E.P. Scarlett High School AP Information Session, 5:30-6:30pm
- Dec 11 – Winter Arts Showcase Evening – 5-7pm
- Dec 12 – Arts Wellness Activity Day
- Dec 16 – Grade 8 Snowshoe Trip
- Dec 19 – Last day of classes before winter break.
“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