Dear Simon Fraser Families, 

We had a wonderful week of learning with your children. The return of warmer weather was so welcome! Please read through these important updates and information items. 

• Tues. Jan 30: Report Cards are viewable in MyCBE 
• Tues. Jan 30: Designated Grade 9s going on Sir Winston Churchill School tour 
• Wed. Jan. 31 : First day of Term  
• Wed. Jan. 31: Fun Lunch 

New Curriculum Impact on Grade 5 & 6 Report Cards 

By the end of January, your child’s report card will be available to view in your MyCBE account. The report card is one of the ways teachers communicate how your child is progressing in their learning. Teachers may also share learning progress through parent/teacher conferences, your child’s daily work and assignments, and other ongoing communication with you. 

What to Expect in Your Child’s Report Card  

CBE began implementing the new Alberta Education Curriculum:  

Fall 2022 start:   

• Mathematics (K-3)  
• English Language Arts and Literature (K-3)   
• Physical Education and Wellness (K-6)   

Fall 2023 start:   

• Mathematics (4-6)  
• English Language Arts and Literature (4-6)   
• French Language Arts and Literature (K-3)  
• Science (K-3)  

In the new curriculum, some things students learn may be new or may have previously been taught in higher grades. Students could be missing foundational pieces from previous grades, and their report card indicators might not be as high as before. This is expected when there is a new curriculum. It might take more than one school year to build these foundational skills. Even though each grade has its own curriculum, many ideas come up again each year, helping students to build on what they already know and do well.  

Teachers continue to make learning interesting and inspiring and are adapting to students' needs during this transition. As always, if you have questions about your child's learning, please reach out to their teacher.

Upcoming Surveys for Students  

Between January 31 and March 1 students at Simon Fraser will be participating in online school perception surveys. Students in grades 5, 6, 8 & 9 will be completing the CBE Student Survey, and students in grade 7 will be completing the Alberta Education Assurance Survey. Please find the details of the survey implementation below.  

About the CBE Student Survey 

• Allows students to voice their feedback on their experiences at school, the school environment and school improvement programs.   
• Based on their feedback, students have the opportunity to be involved in action plans fostering increased student engagement. 
• The survey should take about 60 to 80 minutes to complete. 

The CBE Student Survey is an opportunity for students to: 

• report on themselves, their own abilities, and their accomplishments; and 
• take pride in what they have achieved. 

In alignment with CBE’s Education Plan, the results are used in school and district reports to demonstrate that students are: 

• at the centre of all CBE decisions; 
• able to integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies they are acquiring across all academic disciplines; and  
• demonstrating Citizenship, Personal Development and Character in and through learning.  

About the Alberta Education Assurance Survey 

In the 2023-24 Alberta Education Assurance Survey, students respond to 25 questions about their experiences at school related to quality of education, teaching and learning in the areas of Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and aspects of a safe, caring and welcoming school. Questions on the survey are accompanied by a scale of responses (e.g., Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree, Very Satisfied to Very Dissatisfied, Don’t Know and N/A). Students will complete the online survey during school hours using a link provided by Alberta Education. 

If you have questions or would like to request more information about the upcoming implementation of these Student Surveys, please contact the school. 

Alberta Education Assurance Survey for Parents/Legal Guardians  

Parents/Guardians of a child in grade 7 will also receive a survey package in the mail from Alberta Education. It will include the survey link and random-access code for you to complete the survey online. This package will also have instructions for accessing the survey in other languages. Please contact the main office if you require a survey in a language other than English/French or need any support in completing this survey. Both student and parent surveys are anonymous. The results from these surveys are used at both the system and school level to make evidence-informed decisions in service of school improvement.  

Yearbook Consent 

As the year continues moving along, yearbook class under the supervision off Ms. Schultz is in  the process of gathering photos for Simon Fraser’s 2023-2024 yearbook. The Calgary Board of Education’s (CBE) document School District Use of Personal Information indicates: “The CBE is authorized and required under the provisions of the Education Act and its regulation, in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) to collect, use and disclose the personal information necessary to provide an educational program and ensure a safe and secure school environment for students. Consent is not required for these purposes.” 

The document continues, “Personal information means recorded information about an identifiable individual that may include but is not limited to: student name, age, grade, address, phone number, etc. As part of the school’s digital citizenship plan, students will be taught to limit, and consider the privacy implication of, sharing their personal information online. The following is an example of how personal information may be used by CBE.  

• Yearbooks or memory books, identification cards, library cards 

Personal information of students in the yearbook may include images of students, first and last names, and grades. Demographic information such as address, phone numbers, email addresses are NOT included in the yearbook. 

Link: School District Use of Personal Information

If you do NOT want any images or information about your child included in the Simon Fraser 2023-2024 yearbook, please sign and return the form below to the office by Feb. 2nd, 2024. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  

I do NOT want any information regarding my child i.e., name, grade and image included in the 2023-2024 Simon Fraser yearbook. 

Name of Child: _______________________________________   Grade: _________ 

Parent (Guardian) Name: _______________________________    Date:  _________ 

Parent (Guardian) Signature: ____________________________________________ 

Have a wonderful weekend with your children and enjoy the weather!

Kirsten