How is My Child Doing in School?
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our recent Student Learning Conferences. We hope these conversations provided a clear understanding of your child’s progress and some possible next steps to support their learning journey.
We heard from some families that they were unable to attend or there were no remaining spots to meet with their child’s teacher so we will look into how we can improve upon this in the future.
However, please remember that you don’t need to wait for conferences to connect with us. Ongoing communication is key, and there are several ways to stay informed:
- Reach out to your child’s teacher anytime with questions or concerns.
- Read weekly emails for classroom updates and important information.
- Check online platforms such as D2L, Google Classroom, and PowerSchool for assignments, feedback, and grades.
For additional insight into how your child is assessed and supported, we encourage you to review this resource from the CBE: How is My Child Doing in School?. It explains how teachers use a variety of evidence such as observations, conversations, and student work to understand learning and guide next steps. It also includes information about the report card indicators and what a 1,2,3 or 4 means.
Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s success.
West Ridge Dominates Smash on the Ridge E-Sports Tournament!
On Friday, West Ridge hosted its first-ever “Smash on the Ridge” E-Sports Tournament, and what an incredible event it was! Nearly 30 participants from a few schools battled it out in an intense Super Smash Bros. competition, showcasing skill, strategy, and school spirit.
After a series of thrilling matches, West Ridge players rose to the occasion, claiming 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place finishes! This outstanding performance not only secured individual victories but also crowned West Ridge as the top team in the tournament.
A special congratulations to Joshua Park, who was crowned the overall champion! He took home a commemorative plaque and earned the honour of hoisting the trophy that will go in the WRS display case.
A huge thank you to all participants for their sportsmanship and enthusiasm. Events like these remind us that competition can be both fun and community-building. We’re proud of our students for representing West Ridge with such energy and excellence!
Cold Weather
We made it through the first few days of really cold temperature, though more is anticipated next week too. Thank you for driving slowly in the slippery conditions and making sure most of our students were dressed appropriately for the weather.
As a reminder, the school does not open until 8:30am so please do your best to ensure your children do not arrive earlier unless they are in a supervised and scheduled activity at school.
To help students stay comfortable and safe, please ensure they have what they need to be outside. This resource from Ever Active Schools provides helpful tips: How to Dress When It’s Cold – Ever Active Schools
Last Week to Donate to Toy Mountain!
This is the final week for donations as West Ridge School Leadership classes continue to collect new toys in support of the Toy Mountain fundraising campaign. All contributions will go to Fear Is Not Love, a charitable organization that supports children affected by domestic violence in our city.
If you’d still like to participate, please place your donations under the tree in our front foyer. All items will be delivered before winter break to bring joy to children who need it most.
Thank you for helping us make this season brighter for families in our community!
Spirit Week
Let’s finish the year with some school spirit! Staff had a little fun this past week. Ask your children if they can name the five days of secret staff spirit week that just happened.
- Monday, Dec 15: PaJama Day - Wear your favourite or most cozy Pjs
- Tuesday, Dec 16: Twin Day - Do you have a doppelgänger?
- Wednesday, Dec 17: Dress Like a Teacher Day - Who might you be?
- Thursday, Dec 18: Jersey Day - Celebrate your favourite team!
- Friday, Dec 19: Ugly Christmas Sweater Day & Assembly
School Council Update
Healthy Hunger - Subway
Our next Healthy Hunger is on Thursday, December 18th. If you’re interested in volunteering, please sign up here.
Stay in the Loop
Quick links for fundraisers and sign-ups Skip-the-Depot
Check out the school webpage
Send us an email:
Council: wrscouncil@gmail.com
Society: infowrss@gmail.com
Thank you from WRS Students and Staff
All of the fundraising and hard work has already allowed WRS to purchase the following this year to support student learning and enhance the school.
- 173 Chromebooks
- 30 Windows Laptops
- 4 iPads
- 1 new Laptop Cart
- 73 headsets with noise-cancelling microphones
- Resurface sections of the sports cart
- Repair the outdoor basketball hoop
- Pave paths to the sports court to enhance access for some students and keep the areas clean.
- E-Sports equipment (2 Nintendo Switch, controllers, cases, and games)
- Numerous new library books and popular titles
We are in the process of ordering the rest of the items on the approved budget, including tools to support regulation, translation pens, document cameras, curricular resources, and many other items.
Lost and Found
The lost and found continues to grow with many unclaimed items, including boots, jackets, toques, and mitts. Please have your child check for any missing items as we will be cleaning up all unclaimed items this week and donating them.
Grade 9 Transitions
Over the past few weeks, we’ve received several questions about Grade 9 transition to high school, Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs), and course planning. Please know that it’s still early in the year, and much more information will be shared as it becomes available.
High School Tours
Both Bowness High School and Ernest Manning High School have scheduled student tours during the day and family tours in the evening. For details, please refer to Mr. Brophy’s email or visit their websites:
Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs)
At this time, Alberta Education has not released dates or details for the May and June PATs. As soon as this information is provided, we will share it with families. You can also visit Alberta Education’s website for updates.
Planning for Grade 10
For families who would like to start exploring Grade 10 courses, credits, and possible pathways, here are some helpful resources:
- CBE High School Information
- High School Information Guide - condensed
- Detailed High School Course & Information Guide
We will continue to provide updates and additional information for Grade 9 families as it becomes available. Thank you for your patience.
This Week
Monday, December 15
- Spirit Week - PJ Day
- Grade 8/9 In School Band Concert - 12:45pm
Tuesday, December 16
- Spirit Week - Twin Day
Wednesday, December 17
- Spirit Week - Dress Like a Teacher
Thursday, December 18
- Spirit Week - Jersey Day
- Subway - Healthy Hunger Fun Lunch
Friday, December 19
- Spirit Week - Ugly Sweater Day
- Last Day of School Before Winter Break
Month Ahead
Jan 5 - First Day Back
Jan 5 - Sr. Girls Volleyball Tryout - After School
Jan 6 - Sr. Boys Volleyball Tryout - Before School
Jan 6 - Sr. Girls Volleyball Tryout - After School
Jan 7 - Sr. Girls Volleyball Tryout (Invite Only) - Before School
Jan 7 - Sr. Boys Volleyball Tryout - After School
Jan 8 - Jr. Girls Volleyball Tryout - Before School
Jan 8 - Sr. Boys Volleyball Tryout (Invite Only) - After School
Jan 9 - Jr. Girls Volleyball Tryout - Before School
Jan 12 - Jr. Boys Volleyball Tryout - Before School
Jan 12 - Gr. 7/8 Environmental and Outdoor Education Field Trip
Jan 12 - Jr. Girls Volleyball Tryout (Invite Only) - After School
Dates of Significance
Please find the link to the CBE Dates of Significance below, which also contains additional details for each date. Please scroll down on the site to find the current date.