Dear Parents and Guardians,
I hope you are enjoying the warming weather as much as we are—the milder temperatures have finally allowed for some outdoor time at lunch which is such a welcome change!
This week was a busy four-day stretch: Tuesday, we hosted the girls’ volleyball games; on Wednesday, our Grade 7 students enjoyed an exciting trip to Fitset Ninja; and the Coyote Classic volleyball tournament kicked off yesterday, continuing through today and tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who attended the School Council meeting, which ran longer than usual due to our School Planning Engagement session—if you missed it, please review the announcements and share your feedback on our School Development Plan and next year’s fee structures. A big thank you also goes out to the students and staff who made our Wednesday evening Open House a huge success, even in the frigid temperatures, and to the families who joined us as we showcased all that ALS has to offer prospective students.
As many of you are aware, we have had several teachers on leave this year. Please see the staffing updates in announcements section of this message.
Finally, as you know, CUPE Local 40 has issued a strike notice to CBE, and their services will be withdrawn as of Monday. As noted in the communication from CBE to families earlier this week, the upcoming job action will impact our school in the following ways:
Drop-Off and Pick-Up: In the event of picketing, expect more congestion during morning drop offs and afternoon pick ups. Allow extra time. Continue to avoid parking in the bus zone and refrain from using the school parking lot to turn around or drop off/pick up (this would be helpful if parents did this year-round).
Facilities: We will be without a facility operator during the day. Please speak with your child about being extra respectful of our school building. Although evening cleaning will meet AHS standards, it will not be at the level we have come to expect under Mr. Austria’s leadership. There is nobody on-site to clean up large spills and messes so it will be very important that all students and staff are extra diligent in ensuring we keep our spaces clean.
Snow Removal: In the event of snowfall, early snow removal will not be available as usual due to the contracted service adjustments – we cannot expect contractors to be at all sites removing snow before staff and students arrive. We ask that parents, students, and visitors exercise extra caution on snowy days.
Athletics & After-School Schedule:
- The volleyball season will continue as planned. No new seasons will begin until job action is concluded.
- For any volleyball games at hosted at the school only parents/guardians are allowed as spectators. No students may attend unless they are participating.
- All volleyball practices will now end at 3:15 PM instead of 4:00 PM.
- Staff and students must vacate the building 45 minutes after the bell. Students will not be permitted to wait inside for rides as the school becomes inaccessible after 3:15 PM. This is especially important on cold days—please arrange timely pick-up.
- Similarly, drama and band rehearsals will conclude at 3:15 PM. With no one available on-site to supervise, please ensure your child is safely picked up and kept warm.
Future School Council Meetings: During this period of job action, all future School Council meetings will move to virtual platforms.
For more details on the impacts and measures being implemented during this labour action, please refer to the CBE labour action web page, as noted in Wednesday’s email from the CBE.
I do hope you have a great weekend. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at nmlisi@cbe.ab.ca.
Dr. Nancy Lisi
Principal, Arbour Lake School