Good afternoon ALS families,

I hope you are doing well and that you have had a positive week. There has been a lot happening at Arbour Lake School over the past several days. Last night, all four of our volleyball teams played, and our senior boys and senior girls both came away with wins. Congratulations to all of our athletes and coaches for their effort, teamwork, and sportsmanship.

We have also enjoyed some wonderful learning experiences beyond the classroom. Our Grade 8 students attended Theatre Calgary, and our Grade 7 Outdoor Leadership students went snowshoeing. By all accounts, students had a great time, and many of our Grade 7 students especially enjoyed an experience that was brand new for them. Opportunities like these are an important part of our work in supporting student wellbeing. We want to safely introduce students to a variety of experiences that build confidence, reinforce the message that they can try hard things, and sometimes spark interests that become lifelong activities.

Yesterday, ALS also participated in Pink Shirt Day. This day serves as an important reminder of our shared responsibility to foster kindness and care within our school community. While we know families hold a wide range of beliefs and values, kindness is something that runs through them all. The one thing we can all agree on is that intentional unkindness is not acceptable in a school setting. We work hard to ensure students understand that intentional harm, whether through words, actions, or social dynamics, will not be tolerated.

A key part of this work involves teaching students about language and helping them make sense of peer conflict. Often, the first word a student uses after a negative interaction is “bullying.” We support students in reframing and describing what they experienced more precisely. Bullying and harassment are very serious behaviours and are, in fact, uncommon. Unkindness, rudeness, and conflict, however, can occur daily when 700 plus students share space and relationships. We are also careful about labelling children. Actions can be unkind, and actions can carry traits of bullying or harassment, but we do not label individuals, especially adolescents, as “unkind” or “bullies.” One action, or even a series of actions, is not a complete picture of who a young person is or who they can become.

Attached is a chart we use when unpacking peer interactions and determining next steps, I’ve sent it previously but thought it would not hurt to send it again and remind families of this resource. I encourage you to take a look and, when needed, use it to talk through peer situations with your child. Not every negative interaction is bullying, and understanding the difference helps students build perspective, develop problem solving skills, and know when to seek adult support. As always, when concerns are brought forward, we follow up and respond appropriately.

A few reminders as we head into the weekend. Tonight is our annual Open House from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Many of our students are involved in showcasing their learning, and all families are welcome to attend if they wish. Also, please note that tomorrow is a non-instructional day. Students will not have classes while teachers engage in professional learning.

Thank you for your continued support of our school community. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, and please reach out by email if you need anything.

Sincerely,

Nancy Lisi
Principal, Arbour Lake School
nmlisi@cbe.ab.ca