Dear Arbour Lake School Families,

I hope this message finds you well. I’m pleased to share some highlights from this week with you. Our Badminton teams for Grades 6–9 were selected this week, and I want to extend heartfelt congratulations to every student‐athlete who tried out, as well as special kudos to those who earned a spot on the teams. Your hard work, musicality, and commitment were evident throughout the auditions, and we’re so proud of all of you.

Meanwhile, our Grade 7 students embarked on an educational adventure to Drumheller, where they had the chance to participate in hands‐on labs and explore the region’s remarkable geological and paleontological sites. Reports from students indicate that the trip was a great learning opportunity. Thank you to the staff and parent volunteers whose support made this experience possible.

Next Year Planning - Students not Returning to ALS:

In other news, the school budget for 2025–2026 was released this week, and we have officially moved into full preparation and planning for next year. Accurate enrollment figures drive our budgeting, hiring, and resource allocation, so if you have a student currently in Grades 6–8 who will not be returning to Arbour Lake School next fall, please let us know as soon as possible. You can use the link provided in the “Announcements” section below or email me directly.

Grade 7-9 Transit Use at Lunch:

A quick note to parents and guardians of our Grade 7–9 students: remember that we operate an open campus at lunch, and students in these grades are free to leave school grounds during the lunch period. Many choose to take Calgary Transit to Crowfoot, this is fine in itself, but we’ve received several reports from Calgary Transit regarding student behavior and conduct on buses. While Arbour Lake School is responsible for addressing conflicts and concerns between students under our care, incidents involving the public, bus drivers, or other community members fall outside our direct authority and are best handled by parents, Calgary Transit, or, in serious cases, the Calgary Police Service.

We remind our students regularly that they are ambassadors of ALS at all times, and they must take ownership of their choices off campus. In a 45-minute lunch period, students can easily walk to Crowfoot and back without relying on the bus – which is often unreliable and makes them late returning to school. If you prefer that your child remain on campus, you have the right to set that expectation, and some families have already chosen to do so. For any grave issues on transit, we are directing Calgary Transit to contact CPS and parents directly. Your ongoing partnership and support is greatly appreciated.

School Council Meeting:

Finally, a reminder to all parents that School Council meets next week on Tuesday, April 15 at 6:30PM. This is a virtual meeting and all parents are invited to attend. I do hope to see you then! The link to attend is here: Join the meeting now

Have a wonderful weekend, and please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance at nmlisi@cbe.ab.ca.

Dr. Nancy Lisi

Principal

Arbour Lake School