École David Thompson Weekly Update | A Community of Excellence
Weekly Update – Friday, September 04, 2026| Message de la semaine –le vendredi 04 Sepember, 2026
“Learning is building the brain that you want to live in.”
« Apprendre, c’est bâtir le cerveau dans lequel vous voulez vivre. » — Dr. Michelle D. Miller
What a Great First Week Back Tiger Families!
We had a fantastic start to the school year! Our first-day scavenger hunt was a blast and then our first school-wide assembly on Friday set the tone with an inspiring performance by the talented Wakefield Brewster followed by some fun homeroom challenges. We’re also excited to see so many students getting ready to try out for cross-country and soccer, which both contributes to our community and helps them stay active.
As we settle into the school year, we encourage families to begin establishing consistent routines for study at home. Even if students don’t have formal homework yet, it’s helpful for them to set up a regular study pace and time and to engage in some form of learning each evening. Here are a few suggestions:
Daily reading and writing: Journaling, practicing spelling words, summarizing key concepts they learned in the day or even using platforms like Raz-Kids, Epic! or Duolingo for language practice.
Math Skills: Review basic facts, play math games (e.g., Prodigy or Khan Academy), or work on problem-solving tasks.
According to Calgary Board of Education (CBE) guidelines, suggested homework times are:
Grades 4–6: 20–30 minutes/day
Grades 7–9: 30–60 minutes/day
Warmly,
The David Thompson School Team
Items in this update:
- Happenings
- New rules, Bus
- School Drop-Off Reminder
- Staffing Message
- Options Change Request Forms
- Wakefield Brewster Residency
- Healthy Hunger
- Cross-Country
- Boys Soccer Schedule 2026
- School Council Meetings
- Book Fair
- Tiger-Dog! Meet the Teacher
- Orange Shirt Day – Fish Creek Provincial Park
- Important Dates
- Dates of Significance
Happenings
New rules, Bus
CBE Transportation will no longer give students permission to ride an alternate bus.
Families will be responsible for organizing transportation in these circumstances.
School Drop-Off Reminder
To help reduce congestion and keep students safe, families are asked not to drop students off directly in front of the school during, before, and after school drop-off and pick-up. Please use Atlanta Crescent, Armstrong Crescent, or 5 Street behind the school instead. We appreciate families supporting us by keeping the front of the school clear.
Staffing Message
This fall, the CBE has hired hundreds of teachers, education assistants, and other school staff to support student learning. These positions have been funded by the Government of Alberta with the intention of addressing classroom complexity and class sizes.
We are pleased to welcome TWO additional new staff to our school for the 2026-27 school year! These additional staff will help ensure students benefit from:
Increased teacher attention
Improved classroom learning environments
Greater support for diverse learning needs
Options Change Request Forms
We know that not every student received their first-choice options class this semester, and we want you to know we're working hard to find solutions where we can. Options Change Request Forms were made available on Thursday of this week at the main office, grouped by grade and homeroom.
Please note that Monday, September 7 is a holiday, so we will begin accepting completed forms on Tuesday, September 8, through Friday, September 11 at noon (half day). Forms must be resubmitted at the office with a parent/guardian signature and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once the window closes, we will do our very best to accommodate as many requests as possible, though we cannot guarantee every change can be made. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this process.
Wakefield Brewster Residency
We're excited to welcome spoken word artist and educator Wakefield Brewster to DTS for a Grade 7 residency running September 8–10 and 14–15! Wakefield is a professional poet, literacy advocate, and former Poet Laureate of Calgary who works with students to build confidence, find their voice, and explore the craft of writing through poetry and spoken word. It should be a fantastic, energizing experience for our students — we can't wait to see what they create.
Healthy Hunger
Our Healthy Hunger program is back! This parent volunteer run and student-facilitated initiative offers affordable, nutritious snacks and lunch options to help keep our Tigers fueled through the school day. Our first Healthy Hunger event of the year is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15 — watch for more details from your student's homeroom.
Cross-Country
Cross-country running is open to all students and all fitness levels — no experience necessary, and everyone is welcome to join in. Meets and practices will take place on the following days:
Practices:
Tuesday, Sept 8
Thursday, Sept 10
Tuesday, Sept 15
Thursday, Sept 17
Meets:
Thursday, Sept 10
Tuesday, Sept 15
Monday, Sept 21
Soccer Schedule 2026
Please note: the soccer schedule will be included in the next newsletter.
School Council Meetings
Welcome back to a brand-new school year! I hope you had a restful and rejuvenating summer break.
We have an exciting year ahead of us, filled with new opportunities, collaborative initiatives, and community events. Our first school council meeting is just around the corner, and I look forward to working alongside all of you to make this year memorable and impactful for our students and families.
Wed Sept 16 (virtual)
Wed Oct 14 (in person)
Wed Nov 25 (in person)
Wed Jan 20 (virtual)
Wed Mar 3 (virtual)
Wed April 14 (virtual)
Wed June 9 (in person) (including AGM)
All meetings will be held at 6:30pm
Book Fair
Our Scholastic website for the book fair that you can send out to the parents
https://bookfairs.scholastic.ca/bf/davidthompsonschool
Book fair dates Sept 21-24
Tiger-Dog! Meet the Teacher
Join us on Thursday, September 24 (5–7 pm) for our Meet the Teacher evening! We'll kick things off with a welcome assembly, followed by a chance for parents and guardians to meet their child's teachers, tour classrooms, enjoy a Tiger Dog BBQ and learn more about courses and expectations for the year ahead. We look forward to welcoming your family to DTS!
Orange Shirt Day – Fish Creek Provincial Park
On Tuesday, September 29, our DTS community will mark Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by spending a portion of the day together at Fish Creek Provincial Park. Students will take part in outdoor, land-based learning that honours residential school survivors and their families, and reflects on truth and reconciliation as a shared responsibility. More details will follow closer to the date.
Important Dates
Sept 07 - Holiday School Closed
Sept 08-10 - Wakefield Brewster
Sept 14-15 - Wakefield Brewster
Sept 15 - Picture day
Sept 18 - Terry Fox Day, assembly @9:45am
Sept 24 - Meet the Teacher Night and BBQ, 5:00-7:00pm
Sept 21-24 - Scholastic book Fair
Sept 28 - Grade 5 Bowling Trip
Sept 29 - Orange Shirt Day
Oct 08-09 - Late French Immersion Overnight Camp
Oct 14 - Picture Retakes
Oct 20-21 - Grade 9 Riverwatch
“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