Dear Archer Families: 

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! Our office officially opens today. We hope this communication finds you healthy, safe and rested after your summer break. We look forward to meeting you if we haven't already met you in person. To those we know, welcome back. We are excited to start this school year and have our school community together again! We are a school that strives to build community, and foundational skills together. We continue to draw from these shared values as we prepare for learning this school year. 

Our school has received a new pickleball court, thanks to the hard work of our school council, some wonderful contractors, and our school caretakers. A huge shoutout to all the parents and guardians who volunteer on the School Council for working with the Alberta Government and securing this grant — it’s exciting to see our students enjoy all these new facilities. Ms. Bal and last years’ Grade 9 classes have also contributed by creating a front of the school garden with bird feeders that add a creative touch to our school spirit. Kudos to the School Council, and West Gate School’s Council for securing funding for the Garden project. A big thanks to the Calgary City Community Improvement team for enhancing the school crosswalks with traffic reminders. Additionally, we're grateful to the Milican-Ogden Community Association for supporting our safety efforts by inviting parents to use their parking lot during drop-offs and pickups and to School Council for putting up a parking lot barrier. All efforts to keep our students safe!  

We're looking forward to continuing to build meaningful connections within our learning community, supporting each unique individual learner to strengthen their foundational skills and partnering together with Archer families to reach our potential in supporting student learning at Sherwood. 

We are beginning our school year through staggered entry as a soft way to reintroduce policy and protocols to keep our school safe. Buses will be running on their regular schedule for those registered for bussing.  

Our bell times are: 

  • Monday to Thursday from 8:10 am to 2:50 pm (Grade 4-5 are dismissed at the playground at the end of the day)
  • Lunch: 11:39-12:19 (Elementary are inside for first half and outside for second)
  • Friday from 8:10 am to 12:30 pm 

First Day of Classes: 

  • Thursday, August 29 - ALL the Grade 4s, ALL the Grade 7s and ALL new-to-Sherwood students from ALL Grades are asked to attend on Thursday, August 29th for a Grade 4, Grade 7 and new student orientation. 
  • School is open for the regular time from 8:10 am-2:50 pm.
  • Students will be welcomed in the main gymnasium, where they will meet their teachers and share in some NEW-to-Sherwood school orientation activities.  
  • Friday, August 30 - ALL STUDENTS Grades 4-9 attend 8:10-12:30 pm.
  • Students will be welcomed in the main gymnasium, where they will meet their teachers and head off to their classes.
  • Please note that homeroom changes are not entertained at this time, can only be considered under extraordinary circumstances and even then, will only take place at the end of September. 

Important Start-Up Information:  

  • Please remember to send lunch, a snack and a water bottle on the first day of school.    
  • There will be numerous forms during the first week of school. Please complete these forms and return them as soon as possible.  


Communication with families will take place primarily on the website and via email. However, teachers sometimes reach out via the telephone to check in on students and establish contact. We ask that parents try to answer these calls as establishing a connection with students and their families are essential to academic success. Of course, if you are unavailable, emailing your child’s homeroom teacher with information would also be very much appreciated.   

Some questions they may ask would include:   

  • How are you and your child doing? Is there anything that you or your family needs assistance with?    
  • Does your child have access to a personal computer, laptop, iPad/tablet? Will they be bringing this technology to school? 
  • Do you or does anyone in your home have health concerns that you wish to share?   
  • What is the best phone number to call you during the day?   
  • What do you feel your child's strengths in learning and development are at this time? 
  • Do you have anything else you would like to share about your child's learning (including assessment updates or medical safety plans)?    

If you do not hear from your homeroom teacher by 4 pm on Friday, August 30th, please email your responses to me, at kmmunroe@cbe.ab.ca. I will respond to your email to let you know we have received it and will forward it to the appropriate homeroom teacher.   


Enrichment Options

For those students entering Grade 7-9 who have not yet chosen their options, please do not worry. You will be called during the first and second week to be enrolled in options. Course descriptions are linked here https://sherwood.cbe.ab.ca/complementary-subjects . Students who made requests last year but are wanting to request a change will be able to pick up an enrichment request change form at the main office. 


Farewells  

At the end of the year, it's always bitter-sweet, on one hand, sad to say goodbye and, on the other, exciting to think of new opportunities for incredible people. Over the summer Mr Ward was given the opportunity to move to a high school English teaching position, a dream of his and also a move that would be closer to home and allow him more time with his family. We thank Mr Ward sincerely for making a difference and wish him all the best in his new adventure. 

Congratulations

We also have a few more congratulations to extend, we will be welcoming Ms Bal, Ms Park and Ms Saunders who have accepted probationary positions. And we look forward to welcoming Ms Fox, Ms Hiley, Mr Laflamme and Ms Mueller and seeing them light up our hallways this September.

Invitation to Sherwood School Council Meeting

You are invited to an information meeting about Sherwood School Council. The meeting is an opportunity to learn more about the work being done at Sherwood school and the different roles available to volunteers. We encourage you to join, attend and contribute to keeping Sherwood Strong. Sherwood School Council and Parent Society meet on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:30 in the Sherwood School Learning Commons. Our school council is responsible for much of what happens around the school, and our parent/guardian volunteers are so very much appreciated. 

Please join us on September 11th at 6:30 pm in the Learning Commons for the first meeting of this school year!

 

Meet the Teacher — Save the Date!

Parents/Guardians are asked to save the date for our “Meet-the-Teacher” evening. On Thursday September 26, from 5:30-7:00 pm, we will host an open house to strengthen our home and community partnership in learning. This year the First Alliance Church is sponsoring a “BBQ Sher-burger” event for the evening. We hope to see you there! 

Finally more information including a list of back to school supplies and the bell schedule is available on the Sherwood website on our Back To School Information page (linked here).We look forward to welcoming your learner(s) back to school and working with you to support their well-being through this academic year. On behalf of all the Archer Teachers, welcome to a new year and thank you for your partnership in supporting student learning at Sherwood. 

Welcome Back To School!


Sincerely,  


Karena Munroe and the entire Sherwood staff

Go Archers! 

#SherwoodStrong #StrongerTogether #ArcherProud