Welcome back, families! We hope you enjoyed a restful and joyful holiday break filled with meaningful time with family and friends. As we return, our classrooms are once again buzzing with energy, care, and a strong focus on learning. 

This month, teachers will be gathering assessments to help inform student progress and prepare report cards. Beyond the classroom, students will continue to engage in enriching opportunities, including the start of volleyball season, ongoing rehearsals for our upcoming drama performance and Band Winter Concert on January 29th.  

We truly value and appreciate the continued support and partnership of our families. Here is a successful and rewarding few months of learning ahead! 

Inform| Grade 9 High School Transition 

Grade 9 students are designated to High School based on home addresses. Students currently registered at Simon Fraser are designated to either John G. Diefenbaker (Evanston) or Sir Winston Churchill (Brentwood/Charleswood). Information pertaining to the High School transfer process can be found on the CBE website. If you and your grade 9 student have alternate plans for grade 10, please email Principal Clark or our student services teacher, Ms. Johnson at lojohnson@cbe.ab.ca so that we can support the transition. 

High School Information Guides:  

Parents/guardians are welcome to attend High School Open Houses. Information regarding JGD or SWC Open Houses can be found below, for all other Open Houses, please visit specific school websites. 

Inform| Provincial Achievement Tests 

In May and June of this year, Grade 6 and 9 students across the province will participate in the Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) using the Digital Assessment Platform (Vretta). Grade 6 and 9 students will complete PATs in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. 

Simon Fraser School is implementing the new Grade 6 Social Studies curriculum this year. Therefore, we will not be administering the Grade 6 Social Studies PAT in 2025-26.  Grade 6 Math, English Language Arts and Literature (ELAL), Science will be administered and will reflect the new curriculum. 

Results from these tests will provide Alberta Education, school administrators, teachers, parents/guardians, students and the public with information about what students know and can do in relation to provincial standards at the end of Grade 6 and 9. 

Provincial Achievement Tests are based on what students have been learning throughout the school year, so they will be marked by teachers before they are returned to Alberta Education in June.  A Quick Facts for Parents/Guardians is available on the Provincial Achievement Tests (https://www.alberta.ca/provincial-achievement-tests) website. 

School staff share preliminary results with parents after the PAT administration.  Individual Student Profiles (ISPs) are available to schools in the fall of the following school year.  School staff then share the ISPs with parents or parents can access results directly using myPass.  A record of the ISP will be retained electronically in the student record.  This profile is prepared by Alberta Education after the marking and scoring of tests has been completed and the final scores are calculated; it will present your child’s performance on each test in relation to provincial standards.   

Parents/Guardians are invited to our October School Council Meeting to discuss the results at that time. 

If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Inform| Yearbooks ON SALE NOW! 

Website: ybpay.lifetouch.ca 

Yearbook ID CODE:14561326 

Invite| Grade 7 Late French Immersion Open House 

Georges P. Vanier is excited to share information about our Late French Immersion program.  We have scheduled Wednesday, February 4th for our open house this year.  

The presentation will be approximately 30 minutes in length; our staff will be present to allow for any questions, students and families may have.  Our experienced French Immersion teachers will be joined by our students across grade levels to share information about the program and our students will be available to provide tours.  

You are welcome to Georges P. Vanier School's Open House on Wednesday, February 4th from 6:30 - 8:00.    

The evening begins at 6:30 with a welcome and overview of Georges P. Vanier. 

Dates To Be Aware Of:

  • January 13:  
    • Grade 7 Kickstart Band Clinic  
    • Play Rehearsal 
    • Maghi 
  • January 14:  
    • Healthy Hunger - Kernels (Snack Day – Last day to order Jan 9)  
    • Orthodox New Year 
  • January 15:  
    • Play Rehearsal  
    • Lailat al-Mi’raj 
  • January 20: Play Rehearsal 
  • January 21:  
    • Healthy Hunger - Subway - Last day to order Jan 16  
    • Diefenbaker HS counsellors present to grade 9’s 
  • January 22: Play Rehearsal 
  • January 26: School Council 
  • January 27:  
    • Grade 9 SWC Tour & SWC Course selection form is live @ 4 pm 
    • Last Day of Semester 1 
    • Holocaust Remembrance Day 
  • January 28: First Day of Second Semester 
  • January 29: 
    • Healthy Hunger – Cobs Bread (Snack Day – Last day to order Jan 23) 
    • Winter Band Concert  
    • Grade 9 Vaccines 
    • National Day of Remembrance and Action against Islamophobia 
  • January 30: Non-Instructional Day - No School for Students