Rundle Academy May Newsletter

V o l u m e 9 , I s s ue 8 May 10, 2012

ROCKIES RUMBLINGS M E S S A G E F R O M T H E P R I N C I PA L May is a demanding time of year. With the warm weather quickly approaching, it can be difficult to focus on studies; however, it is also a time when students need to be reviewing on a nightly basis, getting ready for those final examinations. There are just under 30 instructional days left, but still enough time to make a significant difference on those final marks.

“WE MOVE MOUNTAINS”

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Message from the Principal

1

Counsellor’s Notes

2

Society News Grade 9 Celebration Grade 12 Grad - All Students

3

Grade 12 Grad - All Students

4

Moves Mountains Breakfast

5

Free Information Sessions U of C - Research Study Managing Student Information Stampede Breakfast

6

Bottle Drive Bonanza P.A.R.T.Y. Program Kids for Kids Club

7

Music Notes

8

Fine Arts - Fiddler on the Roof

9

Eastern Canada Trip

10

Eastern Canada Trip Cont’d

11

In Their Own Words

12

Notes From A Student Junior High Badminton Senior High Badminton

13

Track and Field Day

14

Track and Field Day Cont’d

15

Activities for May

16

RUNDLE ACADEMY 4330 16 Street SW Calgary, AB T2T 4H9 Ph: 250-2965 / Fax: 250-2914 www.rundleacademy.ab.ca

Mr. Rogers, Ms. Caines and the Heads of Years have been busy working on student enrollment for next year. Presently, we have 30 new families joining the Academy community in the fall. Applications continue to come in. At this point, we only have selected availability for seven more new students. Our confirmed enrollment is 199 students, not including 8 new students invited to enroll but not yet confirmed. If all grades are enrolled to capacity, our enrollment will be 214 students.

We have attached the end of the year examination schedule. Please check the dates and times to ensure your child arrives on time and is adequately prepared to give their best effort.

Second Annual Moves Mountains Breakfast

The second annual “Moves Mountains” Breakfast was on Thursday, May 3rd.

Rachel Dornian, one or our graduates, gave an inspirational talk on her learning challenges and gave some sound advice to our students as they continue their education.

There are a few dates that we need to draw to your attention. Ms. Patience’s annual Spring Production (Fiddler on the Roof) will run from May 15th to May 18th.

The first Achievement Tests (Grades 6 and 9 ELA – Part A) are scheduled for May 14th and 16th, respectively. The annual Grade 9 Celebration is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5th, at the Al Azhar Temple, with dinner at 6:30 P.M. And, finally, the most significant celebration of the year, our Grade 12 Graduation will be on Friday, June 1st, at the University of Calgary Rozsa Centre beginning at 11:00 A.M.

Guest Speaker: Rachel Dornian

Board Chairman Dr. Evans and School Founder Dr. Conklin

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Volume 9, Issue 8

COUNSELLOR’S NOTES Identifying Signs of Stress in Your Children and Teens Young people, like adults, experience stress. It can come from a variety of sources including trying to do well in school, making and sustaining friendships, or managing perceived expectations from their parents, teachers, or coaches. Some stress can be positive in that it provides the energy to tackle a big test, presentation, or sports event.

Too much stress, however, can create unnecessary hardship and challenge. Adults can sometimes be unaware when their children or teens are experiencing overwhelming feelings of stress. Tuning into emotional or behavioural cues is important in identifying potential problems and working with your young person to provide guidance and support to successfully work through difficult times. Here are some tips from the American Psychological Association (APA) on ways to recognize possible signs of stress: Watch for negative changes in behaviour.

Youth of all ages, but especially younger children, may find it difficult to recognize and verbalize when they are experiencing stress. For children, stress can manifest itself through changes in behaviour. Common changes can include acting irritable or moody, withdrawing from activities that used to give them pleasure, routinely expressing worries, complaining more than usual about school, crying, displaying surprising fearful reactions, clinging to a parent or teacher, sleeping too much or too little, or eating too much or too little. With teens, while spending more time with and confiding in peers is a normal part of growing up, significantly avoiding parents, abandoning longtime friendships for a new set of peers, or expressing excessive hostility toward family members, may indicate that the teen is experiencing significant stress. While negative behaviour is not always linked to excessive stress, negative changes in behaviour are almost always a clear indication that something is wrong. Adults will want to pay attention to these behaviours and determine an appropriate response or intervention.

Understand that “feeling sick” may be caused by stress.

Stress can also appear in physical symptoms such as stomach aches and headaches.

If a child misses an excessive number of school days due to illness or complains of frequent stomach aches or headaches (when they have been given a clean bill of health

by their physician), or if these complaints increase in certain situations (e.g., before a big test) that child may be experiencing significant stress.

Listen and translate.

Because children are often not familiar with the word stress and its meaning, they may express feelings of distress through other words such as “worried,” “confused,” “annoyed,” and “angry.”

Children and teens may also express feelings of stress by saying negative things about themselves, others, or the world around them (e.g., “No one likes me,” “I’m stupid,” “Nothing is fun.”). It is important for parents to listen for these words and statements and try to figure out why your child or teen is saying them and whether they seem to indicate a source or sources of stress.

Seek support.

Parents, children, and teens do not need to tackle overwhelming stress on their own. If a parent is concerned that his or her child or teen is experiencing significant symptoms of stress on a regular basis, it can be helpful to seek support from a professional.

Please feel free to contact me at 250-2965 (Ext. 103) or caines@rundle.ab.ca if you have questions regarding how counselling services at Rundle Academy can offer support to your family.

Ms. Jana-Lynn Caines, B.Ed., M.C. Registered Provisional Psychologist School Counsellor

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Volume 9, Issue 8

SOCIETY NEWS Uniform Store Hours All Year Monday to Thursday - 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Friday - 8:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M. The store is closed daily during the noon hour from 12:00 P.M. to 1:00 P.M.

GRADE 9 CELEBRATION The Grade 9 Celebration for students in grade 9 and their families will be held on Tuesday, June 5th, at the Al Ahzar Shrine Centre. This is a beautiful location by the river in Northwest Calgary and the event is a chance for students and their families to celebrate their junior high achievements and say farewell to the last of their junior high years. The evening begins with a turkey dinner, buffet style, and is followed by a short program with brief speeches given by the administration, teachers and representatives of the grade 9 class. The evening comes to an end with a video featuring each student, and a group picture. Parents of grade 9 students, please watch for invitations to arrive in your mailbox soon, and call the office to RSVP by Wednesday, May 23, 2012. Tickets must be purchased for the grade 9 student.

G R A D E 1 2 G R A D UA T I O N All Academy Students 

All Rundle Academy students are to be in attendance at the Grade 12 Graduation Ceremony, which will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, June 1, 2012.



Students who do not normally take the school bus, will need to make arrangements to be picked up by 1:00 P.M.



Students who take public transit, will need to research other routes High school students who choose to drive themselves are welcome to do so, but if they plan on taking someone with them, a note will be required from BOTH parents (driver and passenger).



Full dress uniform (blazer) is required.





Busses will take students and teachers to the Eckhardt-Gramatte Theatre in the Rozsa Centre at the University of Calgary for the ceremony. Students will not have a lunch hour this day. The busses will leave at 10:30 A.M.

Grade 12 Students



Once the busses arrive at the Rozsa Centre, teachers will help show students to their seats.

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The ceremony should end at approximately 1:00 P.M.



For students who take the school bus, their regular busses have been directed to pick them up in front of the Rozsa Centre at that time.

Grade

12 students must be at the Rozsa Centre by 9:00 A.M. to get into their robes and do a run-through.

Grade

12 gentlemen need to wear dress pants and a collared shirt (preferably white) and tie.

Grade 12 ladies may wear an open neck or collared shirt and skirt or pants.

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G R A D E 1 2 G R A D UA T I O N - A L L All Rundle Academy students will be in attendance at the 2012 Grade 12 Graduation Ceremony, which will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, June 1, 2012. The busses that are taking the students to the Eckert-Gramatte Theatre in the Rozsa Centre at the University of Calgary for the ceremony, will be leaving the Academy at 10:30 A.M. (students will not be given time to eat lunch and should

STUDENTS

not leave campus). Once the busses arrive at the Rozsa Centre, students will be directed to the Eckert-Gramatte Theatre. Staff will be there to give directions. The students who normally take school busses will be picked up at approximately 1:00 P.M. Those students who do not normally take the school bus home will need to make arrangements to be picked up by their parents.

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Volume 9, Issue 8

M O V E S M O U N TA I N S B R E A K FA S T Rundle Academy’s Second Annual Moves Mountains Breakfast On May 3rd, Rundle Academy hosted our 2nd Annual “Moves Mountains” Breakfast to celebrate students who have demonstrated exemplary qualities in compassion, leadership, citizenship, determination, or personal integrity.

It was a lovely morning, as each teacher spoke of how their nominee has achieved their personal best in the face of obstacles. One of our Rundle Academy alumna, Rachel Dornian, offered a moving keynote address regarding her own journey in learning to advocate for her learning needs, and finding fulfillment as a budding cultural anthropologist. We look forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come, as we know that Rundle Academy is full of students who are moving their own personal mountains!

This year, we had the honour of celebrating the following students: Elementary

Junior High

Senior High

Annette Berry Jaxson Rogers Jared Fischer-Essar Elisabeth Faircloth-Nunn Brock Fisher Ian Hards Cassandra Petropoulos Nathan Retzer

Carmen Farmer Eric Hallson Margaret Smith Jessica Lorne Nicholas Block Liam Rinehart Amy Major Sarah Reeder Jaxon Gaetz Rachel Crossfield Georgia Needham Ashley Yee

Stefanie Mudry Alison McCarthy Natalie Heaton Ryan Cartmell Jason Buckley Danielle Vanderbeek Luke Empey Matt Vician Conner Rasch Amber Rose Meagan MacDonald-Jasper

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Volume 9, Issue 8

FREE INFORMATION SESSIONS

FOR

PARENTS

Family and Community Resource Centre May 16 The Joy of Sleeping: Creating optimal conditions for a well rested family (6:25 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Family Connections Huntington Hills ) May 29 Boys Too... Exploring Boys Diverse Needs and Strengths (6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Alberta Children's Hospital) June 5 Facilitating Healthy Sexual Decisions (6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Alberta Children's Hospital) Registration Required: http://fcrc.albertahealthservices.ca/ces.php

MANAGING STUDENT INFORMATION Rundle Academy launched the use of PowerSchool as a tool for managing student information. In addition to tracking student demographics, one of the functions of PowerSchool is to provide teachers with a means to communicate student performance. We are excited to announce that parents now have access to their child’s teacher Gradebook. The moment the marks are entered by a teacher, they can be viewed by the parent. A detailed breakdown of assignments and marks can be viewed by clicking on the percent average for any given course. Please have a look at your child’s grades on www.rundlesis.ca. The username and password is the same as your child uses to access the network at school or Moodle.

U O F C - P A R T I C I PA N T S

FOR

R E S E A R C H S T U DY

Help us Investigate Strengths in ADHD! The Strengths in ADHD research study is recruiting children 8-11 years of age either with or without ADHD. Our goal is to learn more about the strengths and supportive influences that can promote academic, social, and emotional success among these children. Participation involves one or two visits to the University of Calgary,

where your child will engage in activities designed to identify their strengths. Participants will receive free parking and refreshments, plus a $25 family-based gift certificate and a special toy! For more information, please contact us at (403) 210-6726 or adhdkids@ucalgary.ca, or visit our website at www.ucalgary.ca/adhdkids.

S TA M P E D E B R E A K FA S T Stampede Breakfast at Rundle Academy As you may know, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the Calgary Stampede and on Tuesday, May 22nd, Rundle Academy will host a Stampede Breakfast. The grill and tables will be set up behind the elementary building. Pancakes and sausages will be served from 12:00 noon until 1:00 p.m. Students and staff are encouraged to come dressed in their best Western Wear that day to help celebrate our heritage. What a great way to follow up a long weekend! A special thank you goes out to Kari Gordon for helping to organize this special event. So dust off your boots, put on your cowboy hats and we’ll see ya’ll down here. Yeeeehaawwww!

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Volume 9, Issue 8

BOTTLE DRIVE BONANZA In an effort to raise money for the Early Entrepreneur Project, Ms. Coleman’s junior high homeroom and Mr. Vesey’s senior high homeroom teamed up to hold a bottle drive in the Rundle Academy community. The students were given different areas of the neighbourhood surrounding the school in which to deliver flyers, providing information on The Dirty Wall Project and the details of the bottle drive. Staff members graciously brought in bottles and cans from home, and Mr. Moodie ensured that all of the recyclables from the school ended up in our hands.

A special thanks goes out to all involved including Mr. Moodie, Mrs. Smith, Emily Smith (Grade 7), Avery Rogers (Grade 7), Soren Bradley (Grade 7), Tristan Maybee (Grade 10), Sarah Rabik (Grade 11), Alexis John (Grade 11), Kayla Wartman (Grade 12), Jacob Kinzer (Grade 12).

Ms. Coleman & Mr. Vesey

On Saturday morning, April 28, 2012, the sun was shining and the students, along with volunteer drivers, cruised throughout the neighbourhood, collecting bottles and informing the community about the Early Entrepreneur project at Rundle Academy. In the end, we raised $700.18 for the Dirty Wall Project. The bottle drive was a major success!

Reflecting back on the day Kayla Wartman commented, “I felt good on the inside because I knew I was doing this for such a great cause.”

P. A . R . T. Y. P R O G R A M The beginning of May saw the Grade 9 students off to the PARTY Program at the Foothills Hospital. The PARTY program, an acronym for “Preventing Alcohol and Riskrelated Trauma in Youth”, seeks to enlighten students of the impacts that may be associated with choices they make. Students are introduced to the “Stupid Line” with a variety of presentations offering positive choices they can make so as not to cross this line. Lunch had all students

KIDS

FOR

experience what it might be like to eat with a disability and expose just how difficult life could become from one poor choice. The day ended on an emotional note when survivors spoke of their encounters when someone crossed their “Stupid Line”. These guest speakers impacted each student and reinforced the message communicated throughout the day.

KIDS CLUB

Volunteer Day This year Kids for Kids has organized a Volunteer Day for the whole school. This will be held on Friday, May 25th, during regular school hours. Students will have a chance to sign up for activities of their choosing. Transportation will be provided. Stay tuned for more details!

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MUSIC NOTES On May 24th, the Elementary students are performing “Pirates! The Musical� as part of an Early Entrepreneurs fundraiser. There will be a craft sale and silent auction beginning at 6:00 p.m. and the musical will start at 7:00 p.m. More details to come.

Many Rundle Academy students participated in Music Monday on May 7th. They went to Rundle College Primary to perform several songs and to celebrate music education. More information can be found on musicmonday.ca.

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Volume 9, Issue 8

FINE ARTS

The Rundle Academy Drama Club Proudly Presents

May 15 – 18, 2012 7:30 P.M. Rundle Academy Fine Arts Centre Tickets on Sale May 1st Adults $10 - Children/Students $5 Email patience@rundle.ab.ca to reserve your tickets.

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E A S T E R N C A N A DA T R I P The Junior High Quebec Club made it safely back home after their Eastern Canada Trip. Students travelled east from April 22nd to the 27th. Students experienced a wealth of knowledge, culture and language as they travelled along the Fleuve du St. Laurent. Students visited Quebec City, Trois Rivieres, Montreal, Ottawa and the Thousand Islands. Some highlights were the ghost tours, a traditional sugar shack, the Huron Wendake Reserve, on top of the Big O, watching the House of Commons in session and a boat tour along the US border. The kids also experienced local French culture with the help of our tour guide Kathleen Savard. We would like to thank the parents who were supportive of Rundle Academy Junior High's first travel club.

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E A S T E R N C A N A DA T R I P C O N T ’ D

Volume 9, Issue 8

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Volume 9, Issue 8

IN THEIR OWN WORDS How Our Alumni Continue to Move Mountains Alumna Lidia Jones ’11 After graduating from Rundle Academy last June, I opted to take a gap year to work and volunteer at an Indian adoption agency called “Families for Children” (FFC). Then in March I had the most incredible opportunity to travel to Southern India to work with orphaned/ abandoned children in a rural town called Podanur.

As soon as I got off the plane, I instantly knew how different things were from home. Luckily, I was meeting with a close family friend who has been working with the same organization for two years. When I arrived, I learned that I would specifically be working with both children and adults with severe Cerebral Palsy and developmental delays.

I spent the first few days getting adjusted to the climate and, more importantly, the culture. Every day the weather was over 40 degrees and, as a young woman, I was required to cover up quite a bit (long cotton pants and short sleeved tunics called Salwar Kameez ). Needless to say, it was interesting dealing with a new culture and leaving personal opinions and ideas behind. After a long sleep, I met the children. They immediately warmed up to me and had lots of fun practicing their English. They all would refer to me as “Auntie” or “Mummy”. This was weird to me at first, until I learned that it was a cultural thing and out of respect they refer to all of the volunteers this way. Meeting the children was one of the most unforgettable and heart-warming experiences I had.

Then came my first day at work where I met the “special care” children/adults. As I had never worked with kids with physical disabilities and developmental delays, I was quite nervous. When I walked in the kids were all lying on a huge mat wearing only a T-shirt and a cloth diaper. I realized quickly that the only way I would succeed in this situation was if I dove right in! So that’s just what I did: changing diapers, feeding the children meals, assisting them with drinking water and juice, actively participating with their physiotherapist during therapy, and taking them for walks. Many of the kids I was working with, apart from their disabilities, had other health issues such as seizure disorder. One would think it would be hard to communicate with the children (because a good portion of them cannot speak), but smiles and giggles were all you needed—sometimes tears!

I worked with the “Special Care” children for the first two weeks of my trip and then took on another project, which was working with the babies that had other disabilities (mostly C.P.). During this time, I was in the room specifically to work with a young girl named Malathi, a very young girl that has C.P., is profoundly deaf, blind, and was born with clubbed foot. I was there to teach her to eat and enjoy food again because of an eating disorder.

It all sounds so awful; this girl has the most amazing spirit and she was never afraid to show it.

I spent a few hours a day around the project with other kids, mostly the kindergarten classroom and with the toddlers. I was lucky that FFC is not only an orphanage, but it is also a school exclusively for the kids on the project and has a Canadian curriculum. This benefits the children because there are English classes, which they would not get at the government schools. Overall, there are about 200 to 300 kids on the project, all of which are orphaned, abandoned, or given up by their parents. I had many companions and lots of playing to do.

The children on the project are so grateful for the volunteers that come to help them and, despite their hardships, they are the happiest, well behaved, and helpful children I have ever met. My experience on the project was profoundly eye opening and very rewarding. I would definitely go back to the project again, maybe after graduating university! I also urge young adults going on a gap year to look into humanitarian work. http://www.familiesforchildren.ca/india.html

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Volume 9, Issue 8

NOTES FROM A STUDENT Prior to spring break, Stefanie, Gordon, and I were cordially invited to Theater Calgary for an exclusive tour and filming opportunity. The troupe is currently performing Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats”, which we were permitted to watch the rehearsal. Additional highlights of the trip included exploring the costume storage room, meeting with the makeup artists, and rummaging through the prop department. It was fascinating to see how much work went into each production and, while Stefanie and Gordon are natural born thespians and probably knew much of this already, I found myself enlightened and developed a new appreciation for the arts. I expect to see the pair on that exact stage a few years from now, and hope that when they’re successful actors they’ll grant me tickets to all their shows.

In early April, Joe and I were also given the opportunity to visit the Calgary Herald and meet with Editor in Chief Lorne Motley. It was a breathtaking experience and I did not manage to maintain my composure, especially when I was allowed to sit in his desk. I think the word we’re looking for is “Conniption”. I’m not sure Joe’s excitement mirrored mine, but we both found the experience incredibly educating. While meandering through the building, we visited places of interest like the archives, the sobering Michelle Lang memorial, and most notably, the company’s ancient paper press which is estimated to be older than the city itself.

JUNIOR HIGH BADMINTON Congratulations to the Junior High Badminton Program this year. The 2012 season kicked off early with a combination Badminton club/ team that competed throughout the month of March and April.

Rundle Rockies fielded one of the largest teams ever for the Junior High. The team competed at a Calgary Academy pre-season tournament with some strong placings.

Robyn Brodylo captured the grade eight girls gold and the gold for the Mixed Doubles went to Curtis Holloway and Taylor Quantz on the grade nine team.

In the CISAA Championships, we had Ross Geiger win a silver in boys’ singles and another silver in the grade eight singles from Robyn Brodylo. Grade seven mixed doubles Tal Preston and Lara Smith won a 4th and were able to compete in the Badminton Zones along with Ross Geiger.

Congratulations to all team members who trained hard and competed. We are already waiting to smash the birdie in 2013.

Coaches: Mr. van der Meer, Mr. Mellor, Ms. Scott

SENIOR HIGH BADMINTON Gold Medal Winner

Congratulations to Jason Buckley, Matt Vician, Darian Halwas and Natalie Heaton for representing the Rundle Academy Badminton Program at the senior high level. Natalie Heaton, in her first year of senior high badminton, placed 5th overall. Darian played very well and got a taste of what it will take to succeed at this level of competition. Jason Buckley won gold at the Intermediate level and went on to represent Rundle Academy at the Zone Challenge Matches. This was a first in the history of Academy Badminton.

A special thank you to Matt, who wore the badminton uniform for the last time as he will be graduating this year. We will miss his competitive spirit.

As well, the team won the CISAA banner for our division. Well done team!

Jason Buckley Grade 12

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TRACK

Volume 9, Issue 8

AND

FIELD DAY

On Friday, May 5, 2012, all of Rundle Academy participated in our annual Track and Field Day at Glenmore Athletic Park. All students and teachers were involved in this event and the day went off without a hitch. The weather was great and we started the day with an open 800m race, where students from the Elementary, Junior High and Senior High competed. The students all competed very well in this event. We then broke off into groups based on grade and spent the rest of the morning participating in other events, which included discus, shot-put, long jump, high jump and 100m sprints. At lunch time, we enjoyed a delicious hot dog lunch, prepared by Ms. Scott and Mr. Palmer, and supplied by the PAC. The food was appreciated by all staff and students. The afternoon finished with the always entertaining staff versus students 4x100m relays! Of course, the students bested the staff in both races, but everyone involved had a good strong showing. Thank you to all who helped out, and I look forward to another great Track and Field Day again next year!

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TRACK

Volume 9, Issue 8

AND

FIELD DAY CONT’D

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Volume 9, Issue 8

ACTIVITIES

FOR

MAY

May 10-12

Playground Installation (moved from previous weekend)

May 10

Elementary School Dance (1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.)

May 11

Professional Development Day (No Classes)

May 14

ELA 9 Achievement Test - Part A

May 15-18

Fiddler on the Roof Production (7:30 P.M.)

May 16

ELA 6 Achievement Test - Part A

May 21

Victoria Day (No Classes)

May 22

Stampede Breakfast (12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M.)

May 24

Elementary Early Entrepreneurs Musical/Fundraiser Sale and Silent Auction (6:00 P.M.) Pirates! The Musical (7:00 P.M.)

May 24

Junior High Track and Field

May 25

Volunteer Day, Dress Down Day

June 1

Grade 12 Graduation

June 4

PAC Meeting (7:00 P.M.)

June 5

Grade 9 Celebration Cocktails (5:30 P.M.) Dinner (6:30 P.M.)

June 7

Awards Day

June 12

ELA 30-1/30-2 Diploma – Part A

June 13

Social 30-1/30-2 Diploma – Part A

REMINDER TO ALL PARENTS Look for morning announcements posted on our Moodle link.

Our Classroom Moodle Pages and our Division Portals sites are accessible from our homepage (www.rundleacademy.ab.ca).

Parents are able to access their child’s teacher Gradebook (www.rundlesis.ca). Username and password are the same as your child uses to access the network at school or moodle.