Grade 7 Update for Nov. 17 - 21, 2025

The grade 7s continued to dive into new challenges and explore big ideas.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students calculated their ecological footprint and researched ways to interact more sustainably with the environment. We completed posters to display what we learned. Students finished the week with some review for their upcoming Interactions & Ecosystems unit exam.
• Math - Students reviewed fractions, decimals, and percents in preparation for our next unit: Chance and Uncertainty. We explored the concepts of "likely" and "unlikely" with some delicious Skittles math.
• Humanities - Students completed their "French in North America" treasure hunts and are presenting skits on Monday to share what they learned! Check out a few of their Indigenous societies flapbooks below:

Looking ahead:

• Students will write their Interactions & Ecosystems unit exam in science on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
• Please take a moment to check PowerSchool and go through assessments with your student. Information about how to check grades and attendance on PowerSchool can be found here: How to Access Power School Grades

General reminders:

• Parent-Teacher Conferences - Nov. 27-28; bookings are now open! Check out the Conference Manager tool on PowerSchool. Conferences for Gr. 7/8/9 are being held in the main gym.
• Grade 7 TA Time: Tuesdays at lunch (Rm. 25). Students who need support with their learning are welcome to visit their teachers during this time. This is a great opportunity to advocate for themselves, catch up on missed work, or receive small group support.

Grade 7 Update for Nov. 13-14, 2025

This was a super short week, but it is great to see students diving back into routines so quickly!

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students completed their water quality testing lab, exploring how physical and chemical properties of water can give us clues about if it is safe for plants and animals.
• Math - We completed our Transformations unit. Students were given time on Friday to review for their upcoming unit exam.
• Humanities - Students finished their Flapbooks on Indigenous Societies. These are now due. Next week students will be starting to learn about the (first) French in North America, working on their November current events task, and completing their School Wide Write. Tasks, exemplars and rubrics are all on D2L.

Looking ahead:

• Students will write their Transformations unit exam in math on Monday, Nov. 17.
• Please take a moment to check PowerSchool and go through assessments with your student. Information about how to check grades and attendance on PowerSchool can be found here: How to Access Power School Grades

General reminders:

• Parent-Teacher Conferences - Nov. 27-28; bookings will open Tuesday, Nov. 18 via the Conference Manager tool on PowerSchool.
• Grade 7 TA Time: Tuesdays at lunch (Rm. 25). Students who need support with their learning are welcome to visit their teachers during this time. This is a great opportunity to advocate for themselves, catch up on missed work, or receive small group support.
• Hall Passes Coming November 17: As our students continue to grow and gain independence, we’ve worked hard to provide them with trust and freedom within our school environment. However, with some students taking extended washroom breaks, leaving class without permission, or visiting other classrooms, we’ve decided to reintroduce hall passes to help build accountability and keep everyone on track.
• • How It Will Work: Starting November 17, 2025, students will be asked to carry a specific hall pass whenever they leave class for their locker, the washroom, or the Resource Room. Each washroom will have a small table where students can place their pass to maintain cleanliness.
  • Making It Fun: In true Sherwood spirit, teachers have added a touch of humour to the process—some hall passes are fun and quirky items rather than the traditional paper slips! This lighthearted twist helps keep the focus positive while ensuring we maintain clear expectations.
  • Why It Matters: The goal is not to punish students who already make responsible choices, but to support everyone in being more accountable for their time and actions. By setting clear routines, we can better address issues such as tardiness, avoidance, and classroom disruptions, while reinforcing respect and trust across our school

Grade 7 Update for Nov. 3-7, 2025

This week saw the resumption of school athletics, with basketball teams returning to their regularly scheduled practices. We came together as a school community to recognize Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students explored cycles in nature and began to understand how factors like human activities and natural disasters impact these cycles. They did some research and pre-lab questions in preparation for our upcoming environmental monitoring lab.
• Math - We continued work in our Transformations unit, exploring how rotations (turns) change figures. They also practiced combining multiple transformations to create a new image. Students wrote a quiz on Thursday - marks are posted on PowerSchool.
• Humanities - Students began to create the collaborative class timeline as they uncover the roots of Canadian history (pre-1600's - 1670). They researched three Indigenous societies and are using their research to create a "flap" book page to represent their findings. Students started to create a November current events presentation on a news article. Additionally, they practiced "reading big words" by manipulating the sounds. Tasks, exemplars and rubrics are all on D2L.

Looking ahead:

• Students will write their Transformations unit exam in math on Monday, Nov. 17.
• Please take a moment to check PowerSchool and go through assessments with your student. Information about how to check grades and attendance on PowerSchool can be found here: How to Access Power School Grades

General reminders:

• Fall Break - No school Nov. 10-12; classes resume Thursday, Nov. 13.
• Parent-Teacher Conferences - Nov. 27-28; bookings will open soon via the Conference Manager tool on PowerSchool.
• Grade 7 TA Time: Tuesdays at lunch (Rm. 25). Students who need support with their learning are welcome to visit their teachers during this time. This is a great opportunity to advocate for themselves, catch up on missed work, or receive small group support.

Grade 7 Update for Oct. 29-31, 2025

We were glad to see students back in our classrooms and learning this week. We are working to reestablish routines and to refocus on the academic year ahead.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students explored relationships between organisms, including predator-prey relationships, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
• Math - We began our next unit: Transformations. Students practiced plotting points on a Cartesian Plane and learned how translations (slides) and reflections (flips) change figures.
• Humanities - Students finished work on their personal Acknowledgements of the Land or personal letters to the land, read a short (spooky!) story, and worked on expanding their vocabulary. We will be discussing the future of our documentaries, and beginning to answer the question: "how we got here" as Canadians (Canadian history).

Looking ahead:

• Students will begin a new cycle in Learning Lab on Monday focusing on building their literacy skills.
• In math, students will write a Transformations quiz on Thursday, Nov. 6 and their Transformations unit exam will be on Friday, Nov. 14.
• Athletics will resume next week, with basketball teams returning to their regularly scheduled practices.
• Please take a moment to check PowerSchool and go through assessments with your student. It is always a great time to sit down with your student and help them organize their binder.

General reminders:

• Fall Break - Nov. 10-12; classes resume Nov. 13
• Grade 7 TA Time: Tuesdays at lunch (Rm. 25). Students who need support with their learning are welcome to visit their teachers during this time. This is a great opportunity to advocate for themselves, catch up on missed work, or receive small group support.

Grade 7 Update for Oct. 29, 2025

Dear Sherwood Families,

We are so happy to see familiar faces today, considering the circumstances.  Thank you to those families that have reached out with kind words of welcome and support.  This means the world.

I know that there are many questions about classes and extra curriculum and what these will look like moving forward.  CBE principals are scheduled to meet tomorrow and will receive more information then.  We will then pass along the same information to Sherwood families.  In the meantime, should you have any questions, please consult the CBE Labour Action Page.

As we move forward together, our focus is to reconnect, reassure and refocus on supporting learning and wellbeing for all.

A quick update for Halloween this Friday-we welcome costumes so long as the following expectations are met:

• No masks covering the face
• No weapons or toy weapons
• No mocking of other cultures
• Costumes should be in good taste

Thank you,

Brenna Fraser, Principal

Grade 7 Update for Oct. 1-3, 2025

While it was a short week, we enjoyed seeing students active and engaged in their learning.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students presented their Animal Adaptations research projects. On Friday, we examined the interactions between different types of animals and played Predator/Prey outsides.
• Math - We completed our Decimal Operations unit and wrote the unit exam on Friday.
• Humanities - Students continued to learn and and begin work on their personal Acknowledgements of the Land or personal letters to the land. Students had the opportunity to revise their September current events slides and personal narratives (own story/truth). Please check PowerSchool.

Looking ahead:

• As the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) membership recently voted to reject a tentative agreement, a full strike is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 6, 2025, unless a negotiated settlement is reached beforehand. As a result, Sherwood School will be closed to learning while teachers are on strike.
• Please take a moment to check PowerSchool and go through assessments with your student. It is always a great time to sit down with your student and help them organize their binder.

Grade 7 Update for Sept. 22-26, 2025

This week, students showed their personal commitments to Truth and Reconciliation by wearing orange shirts, listening to Indigenous knowledge keepers and learning more about Land Acknowledgements.

Please check PowerSchool to see if your student has any missing work and to check for posted grades. Information on how to check grades on PowerSchool can be found here: How to Access Power School Grades. If your child has missing work, please consider it homework, or reach out to their teacher for support by attending our weekly tutorial in room 25.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Student examined physical and behavioural adaptations through a research project.
• Math - We examined strategies for dividing with decimal numbers and how to properly apply the order of operation.
• Humanities - Students presented the first of their monthly current events projects and are building toward writing their own personal letter to the land or Land Acknowledgement.

Looking ahead:

• Students will be writing a unit test in Math on Friday, Oct. 3. This exam will cover addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with decimal numbers.
• Please to continue to ask students about their Stories of Canada Interviews and documentaries they should start filming and editing. Some of them might begin to interview their family members this weekend. Students are welcome to use school cameras or computers and film during lunch. Students need to start filming so we can begin the editing process the following week.The goal is for students to learn more about active citizenship and who we are as Canadians.
• Humanities students will be continuing to learn more about Truth and ReconciliACTION by creating personal letters to the land or personal Land Acknowledgements. We are continuing to do a mini-grammar review, and finishing up our current events and personal narratives are now homework if students need additional time (please check PowerSchool)

General reminders:

• Monday, Sept. 29 - Non-Instructional Day (no school)
• Tuesday, Sept. 30 - National Truth and Reconciliation Day (no school)
• Get you Sherwood Swag! Our online store is open until Sunday, October 5. Completed orders will be delivered to the school to pick up the week of October 27. https://sherwoodschoolstore2025.itemorder.com/shop/home/
• Respect Our School Bathrooms. We want to remind all students that our school bathrooms are shared spaces that must be treated with care and respect. Recently, we have seen an increase in vandalism, which unfortunately has resulted in the closure of several bathrooms, leaving only the washrooms in Archer Square open. These closures impact everyone in our school community. We encourage all students to take pride in our school by using the facilities responsibly and reporting any concerns to staff members. With everyone’s support, we can keep all bathrooms safe, clean, and available for use.
• Grade 7 TA Time: Tuesdays at lunch (Rm. 25). At our school, we want to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed and feel confident in their learning. One way we support this is through TA (Teacher Access) time, when students can meet with their teachers outside of regular class to ask questions, review material, or get extra help. Students who need support with their learning are welcome to visit their teachers in their classrooms during the times listed below. This is a great opportunity to advocate for themselves, catch up on missed work, or receive small group support.

Grade 7 Update for Sept. 15-19, 2025

This week, students participated in the Terry Fox Run. It was amazing to see our students coming together to continue Terry's legacy and raise funds for cancer research.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students explored biomes, as well as the connection between biotic factors.
• Math - We examined different strategies for addition, subtraction and multiplication with decimal numbers. They also applied different strategies for solving word problems.
• Humanities - After editing rough drafts, students wrote final drafts of our personal narratives (personal truth/stories)! Students also began to discover what is happening in the world with their first monthly current events task.

Looking ahead:

• Please ask students about their Stories of Canada Interviews and documentaries they should start filming and editing. Some of them might begin to interview their family members this weekend. Students are welcome to use school cameras or computers and film during lunch. Students need to start filming so we can begin the editing process the following week.The goal is for students to learn more about active citizenship and who we are as Canadians.
• Humanities students will be delving into our Truth and ReconciliACTION by creating personal letters to the land or personal Land Acknowledgements. We are continuing to do a mini-grammar review, and finishing up our current events task on Monday.
• Students will be writing a quiz in Math on Tuesday, Sept. 23. This quiz will cover addition, subtraction and multiplication with decimal numbers.
• In Science, students will be complete and present a project on animal adaptations.

General reminders:

• Picture Day - Tuesday, Sept. 23.
• Orange Shirt Day - Thursday, Sept. 25.
• Sher-Burger (Meet the Teacher) - Sept. 25 from 5 PM - 7:30 PM
• Grade 7 TA Time: Tuesdays at lunch (Rm. 25). At our school, we want to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed and feel confident in their learning. One way we support this is through TA (Teacher Access) time, when students can meet with their teachers outside of regular class to ask questions, review material, or get extra help. Students who need support with their learning are welcome to visit their teachers in their classrooms during the times listed below. This is a great opportunity to advocate for themselves, catch up on missed work, or receive small group support.

Grade 7 Update for Sept. 8-12, 2025

This has been a very busy and productive week for our Grade 7 students with their first FULL week of school! They have been delving into a wide variety of tasks as they have quickly been gaining confidence.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students learned about the scientific method. We introduced our first unit - Interactions and Ecosystems - and completed a field study at Beaver Dam Flats to examine abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors.
• Math - We examined different strategies for multiplication and division. They also learned some card games to practice these skills at home.
• Humanities - We brainstormed and wrote rough drafts of our own Truth in our Personal Narrative Assignments. Students will write their good copies next week after additional time to edit. Please ask students about their Stories of Canada Interviews and documentaries they will be filming and editing. Some of them might begin to interview their family members this weekend! The goal is for students to learn more about being active citizenship and who we are as Canadians.

Looking ahead:

• Terry Fox Run/Walk next Friday! Bring water, wear sunscreen, wear running shoes, and be ready to support for cancer awareness and research.
• Humanities students will be exploring the humongous Indigenous map of Canada in the Learning Commons! We will writing final drafts of our personal narratives, continuing to review grammar, and to answering the question: "Who Are We?" as Canadians.

General reminders:

• Grade 7 TA Time: Tuesdays at lunch. At our school, we want to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed and feel confident in their learning. One way we support this is through TA (Teacher Access) time, when students can meet with their teachers outside of regular class to ask questions, review material, or get extra help. Students who need support with their learning are welcome to visit their teachers in their classrooms during the times listed below. This is a great opportunity to advocate for themselves, catch up on missed work, or receive small group support.
• Communication: At Sherwood School, we value efficient, effective, and timely communication with all members of our community. Answers to most general questions can be found on the Sherwood School webpage. If, however, you have a specific question or concern that you require support with, please refer to this chart when determining who to connect with.

• Beginning September 1, 2025, Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act (SA 2024, c F-2.5) will be in effect. This Act requires that participation in female-only leagues, classes, or divisions be limited to athletes whose sex recorded at birth is female. The Calgary Board of Education is implementing this legislation, which involves creating policies that ensure fairness and safety in female sports. The Act and its accompanying Regulation outline rules about how sports are organized and who is eligible to participate in female-only programming. As part of this requirement, all student athletes aged 12 and older (or their parent/guardian, if the student is between 12–18 years of age) must confirm in writing that they understand and meet the eligibility requirements set out in the Act and Regulation before participating in female-only leagues, classes, or divisions. We encourage all parents and guardians to review the Act and familiarize themselves with the requirements. For questions about this legislation, please contact Tourism and Sport at SPAR@gov.ab.ca

Grade 7 Update for Sept. 2-5, 2025

We hope your child has enjoyed their first week back at school. It’s been great to see some familiar faces returning to Sherwood, as well as to meet some new ones. The past few days have been spent getting students acquainted with the school building and expectations, as well as building community within our classrooms.

Here's what we worked on this week:

• Science - Students discussed lab safety and created posters to show our understanding of the lab safety rules. If they did not complete their poster in class time, these should be completed at home over the weekend.
• Math - We reviewed place value, inequalities (greater than or less than) and rounding in preparation for our upcoming decimal operations unit. Students also explored the Kaktovik IÑUPIAK Numeral system as part of a group problem solving activity.
• Humanities - We worked on developing classroom norms to engage student voice, a writing assessment, course outline discussions and expectations, as well as how to log into D2L and CommonLit.

Looking ahead:

• Science Lab Safety contracts are due Monday. We will be conducting a lab in science next week and students will be unable to participate if they have not submitted this form signed by both the student and a parent/guardian.
• Students will be walking to the Beaver Dam Flats area on Friday as part of our Abiotic & Biotic Factors field study. Please ensure they are dressed appropriately for the weather.
• Humanities students will be starting personal narratives, reviewing grammar, and starting to answer the question: "Who Are We?" as Canadians.

General reminders:

• Students should arrive prepared for class with their binder, paper and a pencil (students who do not have a binder can reach out to their homeroom teacher). Access to lockers is limited to before school, at lunch and after school.
• Proper footwear is required for PE class (no Crocs, sandals or slippers) as this is a safety priority for your child.
• Lessons/tasks/homework/course outlines will be posted on D2L, and students are encouraged to log in to show their parents what is happening in class.
• Students have a school-issued lock and locker: no non-school locks and no switching lockers without permission.

Welcome to Grade 7 at Sherwood School

We are excited to welcome you to a brand new school year at Sherwood School! This year will be filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities, and we can’t wait to begin.

The following is some key information to help us start the year off in a good way.

First Day of School

The school year begins on Tuesday, September 2nd, and all students in Grades 4–9 are expected to attend. Supervision begins at 7:45am and school will start at 8:00am. Grade 7 students will enter through the West doors, closest to Banting and Best School.

School Supplies

Please send your child to school with the following items:

• Binder (3-5” D-ring binder recommended)
• Pencil and eraser
• Lined paper
• Scientific calculator

School Hours

• Monday–Thursday: 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM
• Friday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Doors open at 7:45 AM, and students are expected to be in class and ready to learn by the bell.

Cell Phones

In compliance with Alberta legislation, cell phones are not allowed to be used in the school between 8:00 AM and 2:30 PM. If students need to access their phone at lunch, it must be taken off school property. This helps ensure that our classrooms stay focused and distraction-free. If you need to reach your child during the day, please contact the school office.

Arrival

When students arrive at school each morning, please come in through the west doors, closest to Banting and Best. This will be the designated entry and exit point for the year. A kind reminder that if you are dropping off or picking up your child, please do not use the staff parking lot.

Safety & Footwear

For safety reasons, Crocs and slippers are not permitted during:

• Physical Education (PE)
• Construction
• Foods
• Fashion
• Outdoor Education
• Sports Performance options

Students must wear safe, closed-toe footwear in these areas to prevent accidents and injuries.

Ready to Learn

Bring your best self every day—be prepared, be respectful, and be ready to learn. We are looking forward to working with you and helping you grow this year.

We are going to have a fantastic year together, and we are excited to see all the great things you will accomplish!

Sincerely Your Grade 7 Homeroom Teachers,

Patti Bal, Sarah Eweka, Gail Hiley

Physical Education

My name is Jared Exner and I am one of the Phys Ed Teachers at Sherwood School. In addition, I will also be teaching Sports Performance, Leadership and some Health classes. This is my tenth year of teaching. I taught Gr. 5 and Phys Ed previously. I am very excited to start at Sherwood and make a positive impact on your child’s learning this year. In Phys Ed, students have the opportunity to move, exercise, develop skills, collaborate, work as a team, and develop confidence in a variety of physical activities.

My goal for students is that they try their best and come to the gym with a positive attitude. My expectations are that we respect ourselves, respect each other and respect the equipment and space that we use. Students are not required to change into a gym strip, but may do so if they choose. We do require proper footwear (no crocs, sandals or slippers) as this is a safety priority for your child. Over the course of the school year, we will participate in a variety of sports and physical activities such as cross country, soccer, football, volleyball, basketball, badminton, track and field, cooperative games, etc.

While not everyone may consider themselves an athlete or an expert in a particular sport, I always just encourage students to approach each activity with an open mind and a willingness to try. I look forward to meeting your child and assisting them in their learning journey this year.

Jared Exner