Dear Simon Fraser Families, 

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year at Simon Fraser School! 

The start of a new school year brings excitement, opportunity, and even unease as we all wonder what the future will bring. Whether you are a returning family with years of experience at Simon Fraser, or new to the neighbourhood, it is important you are connected with our school.

Please see important information below to assist the transition back to school. Should you have questions, please contact the main office.

Go Flames!

Inform| This Week 

School begins for students on Thursday, August 29, 2024, at 7:55 am. Grade 5, 6, 7 and new to Fraser students should enter the school through the main door. Grade 8 and 9 students through the second-floor east entrance.

Grade 5’s, and new students to Simon Fraser School must proceed directly into the gym, all others may go directly to their homeroom classes.

Homeroom teachers will contact families via email prior to the first day of school to welcome students to their class. Student schedules will be available on Wednesday August 28, 2024, on your MyCBE PowerSchool Account

Please note, we are not accepting student class/homeroom change requests. Students have been placed into classes through a thoughtful process by last year's teaching team. A survey for parent input on classroom requests was sent out in May, and the submitted parent/guardian requests were honored wherever possible.

Changes to complementary courses will be available starting on September 6^th to the 11^th as we want students to try the course before making extensive changes to scheduling.   

Update| Times & Bell Schedule 

Students may enter the school beginning at 7:40 am Monday to Friday.  

The Simon Fraser Bell Schedule can be found on our website here. 

Inform| Busing Update

Parents/guardians need to register for busing every year. Please check your child’s busing information in your MyCBE account to ensure they have a stop assigned/route. Please also talk to your children if they have siblings in the school to meet at their bus at the end of the day.

For families taking transportation, you are encouraged to check each morning to make sure your child’s bus is on time and has no delays. If you do not remember your child’s bus number, you can look on your MyCBE account for that information. 

Also, to monitor the bus please use the following: 

• If your child is assigned to a Southland bus route, please use the “My School Bus Monitor” www.myschoolbusmonitor.ca to track your child’s bus.
• If your child is assigned to a Fenton bus route, please use their app to monitor your child’s bus route. The app is called “Bus Status 4”.

Families should contact their bus provider or CBE Transportation for support and concerns. Southland can be reached at 403-726-5963 and Fenton at 403-6809394.

Please check emails regularly as any information we have will be communicated promptly.  

Reminder| Absences and Lates 

There is a strong correlation between attendance and effective education. The CBE Administrative Regulation 6020 - Attendance of Students applies to all students, and outlines the responsibilities for students, parents/guardians and school staff. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring compliance with this legal requirement and schools' responsibility for ensuring that parents are informed promptly when a student's attendance is not satisfactory. 

Reminder to call the absence line when your child is late or absent. Emailing teachers or administration may mean a delay in attendance reporting. Accurate attendance keeps children safe and effective communication between the school and families! Call 403-777-7290  

Inform| Forms

Demographic, Citizenship and Annual Authorization are found in PowerSchool in SchoolEngage. Please prioritize the review and approval of these forms. These will show up on the first day of school. If families do not approve the media release, your child’s picture will not be displayed in the yearbook.  

Other forms will come home with your child this week for review and signing. 

Request| Volunteers 

We welcome volunteers on field trips and with certain tasks at school. Certain activities or field trips would not be possible without the active participation of volunteers. As a CBE volunteer, you are placed in a position of trust with students, staff or property.  All adult volunteers require a valid security clearance - no exceptions. 

Please visit the CBE website for more information regarding the Volunteer Security/Registration process.  

Request| Supplies 

Please be aware that school supplies are not provided for students in grades 7 through 9. Please refer to the Simon Fraser recommended supply list.

Additional supplies may be needed for specific classes. Teachers will provide these lists to students at the beginning of the course.   

If students run out or lose some of their supplies, they will need to replace them. From time to time, students will be required to purchase additional supplies for projects assigned throughout the year. 

Inform| Student Code of Conduct 

Simon Fraser School strives to create a welcoming, caring, respectful and safe learning environment. CBE employs a practice of Progressive Student Discipline. This means a whole school approach that utilizes a continuum of intervention, support, and consequences to address inappropriate and unacceptable student behavior and builds upon strategies that promote positive behaviors. When a student is in repeated non-compliance with the CBE Student Code of Conduct, consequences may include suspension; the removal of a student from school, from one or more class periods, courses or education programs/activities.

Update| Personal Mobile Devices 

In accordance with Alberta Education Ministerial Order, possession and use of personal mobile devices is not permitted during instructional time.

More information to be provided later this week.

Inform| Fees and Waivers 

School fees will be charged to families starting in October. Online fee payment is the simplest and most convenient way to pay school fees. Parents can use their MyCBE account to pay fees or apply for a waiver. 

You can find more information regarding school fees and waivers on the CBE​ website.​​​​​​​ 

Important Dates 

We follow the CBE traditional calendar. The calendar follows common start and end days, non-instructional days and holidays. Our 2024-2025 school specific calendar can be found on our website.  

• August 29 First Day of School
• September 2: Labour Day (no school for students/staff)
• September 19: Meet the Teacher (6:00 - 7:30PM)
• September 27: Non-Instructional Day (no school for students)
• September 30: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (no school for students)