Good afternoon, Colonel Irvine School Community, 

下午好! 学文学校社区， 

Thank you to all students who participated in Spirit week. It was great to see students getting involved in building and fostering a positive culture for our school. Tuesday, May 5th marked Red Dress Day. According to CBC.ca, The REDress Project began more than a decade ago as an art installation by Métis artist Jaime Black. It featured a series of red dresses representing missing women who were victims of violence. Red Dress Day is now held annually to commemorate Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (from CBC).  

On Wednesday, we recognized Hats for Mental Health Day and were pleased to see so many students wearing their hats.  Thank you to all students who donated $2 to wear a hat to support the Children’s Hospital.  Mental Health Week runs from May 11-14, and we have some resources for parents, students and teachers to promote positive mental health. Please see below. We will continue to raise funds next week through the work of leadership students. 

Thank you for your continued support.  

Ms. Ko & Mr. McDonald 


Dates to Remember:  

Friday, May 15 – Non-instructional Day (no classes for students)  

Monday, May 18 – Victoria Day – No School 

Tuesday May 19 – Vaccinations, round 2 Gr. 6’s and catch up for other grades 

Tuesday, May 19 – Friday May 22 – Gr 9 Outdoor Experiential Trip 

Monday, May 25 – Grade 6 English Language Arts and Literature Part A 

Tuesday, May 26 – Grade 9 English Language Arts Part A 

(ALL PAT dates below) 

Tuesday, May 26 – School Council Meeting (In Person) 

Thursday, May 28 – Band Concert  

Friday, June 26 – Last day of school – All grades 

Monday, June 29th – Non-Instruction Day  

Tuesday, June 30th – Non-Instruction Day   

 

School Council 

 

Lunchroom 

Monday – Chicken Nuggets and Fries 

Tuesday – Ham & Hashbrown Casserole  

Wednesday – Penne Pasta w Marinara Sauce 

Thursday – Beef Tacos 

 

Athletics 

Badminton: 

Div Dates:  

Jr. Team – Monday, May 11, 4 pm – 8:30~ pm 

Int. Team – Tuesday, May 12, 4 pm – 8:30~ pm 

Sr. Team – Thursday, May 14, 4 pm – 8:30~ pm 

Parents are welcome to come and watch! 

Coaches 

Mr. Luu 

Ms. Yeo 

Ms. Vo 

Mr. Prather 

Mr. Mills 

Ms. Tan 

All Sr. Team 

- Wednesday, May 13 

 

 

Grade 9 Outdoor Education Trip - Big Chief Fundraiser 

  • Orders will be ready for pick up on Monday, May 11th after school from 3:15 – 4:00. These will be given to the students were selected as the supports.  
  • Parents: Please do not pay for the trip if you fundraised. The funds from the fundraisers will be allocated and will take effect on your student’s trip total by the end of next week.  

 

Vaccination Program 

To the Parents and/or Guardians of the Gr 6, 7, 8 & 9 student(s) who attend Colonel Irvine school.   

This is to inform you that the immunization team from Primary Care Alberta (AHS) will be at the school on May 19th, 2026, for a vaccination program.  

We will be doing the 2nd doses of the gr 6 immunizations as well as for grades who have outstanding consent forms already signed from earlier this year and/or previous years.  

Consent forms for gr 6 & 9 students went out from the school this past fall & some duplicates have been sent out recently after conversation with parents whom we have followed up with. If you still have the consent forms at home, please return them to the school as soon as able. 

We recommend the kiddos eat breakfast the day of the program and wear a short sleeve shirt to help ensure a successful and positive vaccine experience.  

Needle anxiety is extremely common, please visit tips on the Commitment to Comfort | Alberta Health Services website. 

If there are questions or concerns, please contact me directly @ 403-944-7514. 

Megan Stevens (School Nurse) 

 

Baby Photos of the Gr. 9 Students! 

As we begin preparing for graduation, please remind your child to upload a baby photo by May 18 to the PE D2L link, as these photos will be used for special grad features. Click the “Grade 9 Graduation Baby Photos” link on the announcements page and upload your photo before May 18. Be sure to include the student's full name as the photo file name.   

 

Math 15 Summer School 

Please read the details below 

  • Math 15 may be a good option for students who: 
  • Are entering Math 10C - not for students recommended for Math 15* or Math 10-3 
  • Would benefit from extra practice with math skills 
  • Are motivated to improve their math skills 
  • Can work independently in an online environment 
  • Have parent/guardian support at home 
  • Strong EAL learners – LP4 and 5 
  • Important Points about the Course: 
    • Math 15 is not a prerequisite for Math 10C. 
    • The course focuses on strengthening core algebra skills and reviewing junior high 
    • math topics (exponents, fractions, polynomials, linear patterns and equations, measurement) 
    • The goal is to fill gaps in preparation for Math 10C. 
    • Math 10C combines –1 and –2 streams. 
    • Math 15 is a 3-credit high school course and will appear on the student’s transcript. 
    • Math 15 does not teach new math concepts. Instead, it supports students who would benefit from additional practice and review before starting Math 10C 
    • Will need to complete "Essentials Course" prior to Math 15. This teaches how to navigate D2L 
    • Students will gain access to this online course on June 24 but will not have access to teachers until June 26 
    • Every student must confirm that they are able to access the Math 15 course shell (in Brightspace/D2L) by June 26 
  • This course is an asynchronous course: 
    • This means there are no mandatory online meetings/classes with the teacher 
    • Teachers will send a schedule for when they will meet and offer office hours 
    • Communication with the teacher, through the D2L shell is critical to a student’s success 
    • Need to engage daily for 2-3 hours 
  • Math 15 may not be appropriate for students who: 
    • Are significantly behind in foundational math skills 
    • Have large gaps in prerequisite knowledge 
    • Struggle with attendance or engagement 
    • Require daily teacher support 
    • Have difficulty working independently online 
    • Colonel Irvine will register students. Registration will take place from May 4th to May 8th  
  • If your child meets the criteria and you would like to register your Gr 9 student for Math 15, please email Ms. Elkhatib (naelkhatib@cbe.ab.ca) with the following information by May 1st: 
    • Name & CBE ID 
    • High school the student will attend next year 
    • Confirmation that parent contact information in PowerSchool is correct 
    • Best email address to contact the student 
    • Legal guardian email address (and second guardian if applicable) 
    • Confirmation that parents/guardians agree with the student taking Math 15 
    • Confirmation the student can access D2L/Brightspace and knows how to log in 
  • * If your student is attending John G. Diefenbaker and was recommended for Math 15, they are able to sign up for Math15 Summer School as John G. Diefenbaker will not be offering Math 15 

 

Parking  

We kindly ask parents and guardians to please refrain from parking or entering the FFCA Elementary School parking lot. Keeping this area clear helps ensure that staff are able to access the school safely and efficiently. 

We also ask families to avoid parking in the bus pick‑up and drop‑off zone at dismissal. This area, located directly in front of the school, is reserved for school buses to support safe and orderly student arrival and departure. 

We truly appreciate your understanding and cooperation and thank you for helping us maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all members of our school community. 


Provincial Achievement Tests – Updated dates  

We want to confirm that Grade 6 and 9 students will write Provincial Achievement Tests in May and June. The dates of these exams are below. Please be aware that students cannot write these exams ahead of time. We will share many more details closer to the May writing date. During these tests, no phones or wearable technology (watches, earbuds, smart glasses) are permitted in the exam rooms.  

May 25 – Grade 6 English Language Arts and Literature Part A 

May 26 – Grade 9 English Language Arts Part A 

June 4 – Grade 6 English Language Arts and Literature Part B 

June 9 – Grade 9 English Language Arts Part B 

June 11 – Grade 6 Social Studies 

June 12 – Grade 6 Science 

June 15 – Grade 6 Mathematics Part A 

June 16 – Grade 9 Mathematics Part A 

June 18 – Grade 6 Mathematics Part B 

June 19 – Grade 9 Mathematics Part B 

June 22 – Grade 9 Social Studies  

June 23 – Grade 9 Science 

Students who are new to the country this year, or whose mental health may be adversely impacted by writing the PAT’s can request an exemption to writing the PATs. Please contact Mr. Jayme McDonald @ jcmcdonald@cbe.ab.ca 

 

Attendance 

If your child is missing school, please leave a message on the attendance line prior to 9 am or email colonelirvine@cbe.ab.ca. 

 

 Mental Wellness Resources 

Eastside Community Mental Health Services  

  

The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience 

  

Single Session Therapy – South Calgary Health Center 

  • 7 days/week; counsellor available 8:00am - 11:00pm 
  • Call: (403) 943-9374 *or walk-in* - All ages 

  

CFPCN – One-Step-at-a-Time 

  • Individuals 12+/Family counselling for all ages 
  • Free, one session at a time counselling service for adults, couples and families who are going through a challenge in life and need to talk. 
  • Call: (587) 774-9736 Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri 8:30am-4:30pm 

  

  

Kindred – Rapid Access Counselling 

  

Calgary Distress Centre 

ConnecTeen 

Mental Health Help Line 

  • Free confidential 24 hour, 7 day a week, 365 days a year 
  • provides support, information and referrals to Albertans experiencing mental health concerns. 
  • Call: 1 (877) 303-2642 

Family Violence 24hr Info Line 

  • Help is confidential. Phone support is available in more than 170 languages. 
  • Call or text : 310-1818 

Abuse Help Line 

  • Callers can remain anonymous. 
  • Connect you to resources, supports, services and referrals to address your concerns. Callers can remain anonymous. 
  • Translation services are available in more than 170 languages. 
  • Call: 1-855-443-5722 

  

211 – Call connects to a live professional who can access a network of available community, social, health, and government services, programs, and supports.