23-09-12 TMC Announcements

Dear TMC Titan Students, Parents and Guardians,

I have to let you know that I am pumped for the kids to be back at TMC and it has been a wonderful return over the first 2 weeks. I have seen so many smiling faces and positive connections already, and kids that are just so glad to be getting back to some routine and structure and normalcy and getting to be around people again.

Former TMC Student Adrian Minakata

Former TMC Student and Academic All Canadian Adrian Minakata will be starting for the University of Calgary Dinos Football Team! Congratulations Adrian! Once a Titan, always a Titan!

Three Tuscany School’s Terry Fox Run on Friday September 15, 2023!

Students from Tuscany School, Eric Harvie School and TMC School will all be running the Terry Fox Run together again this year! Yay! I am so pleased we could make this happen again! More information will be coming out today!

TMC School Council Meetings

Just a reminder that we have our TMC School Council Meeting on the first Thursday evening of every month at 7:00 pm. All TMC Parents are welcome and we have an amazing groups that supports the school in about a million different ways! In advance, I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU for all our School Council does every year top support student learning at TMC! 

School Council Fundraiser – Family Fall Photos

Our school counsellor is going to have our TMC Fall Family Photo Fundraiser again this year! The dates are on September 23 and 24, 2023 in the Tuscany Coulee. Families will be photographed by Laura Lou Photography, and the sign up link is active at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A4BA9AF2DAAFC1-2023
We are also looking for a few volunteers interested in helping us run this event. Sign up for a short shift at this link. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A4BA9AF2DAAFC1-20231

Forms

Each year, schools have a variety of forms that parents / legal guardians are required to complete or review and update, some of which are paper and others online. In CBE, the forms in an online format (SchoolEngage) are:

  • Demographic Verification - 2023-24 – This form includes your child’s personal information as well as parent / legal guardian contact information.
  • Citizenship Information Update - 2023-24 – This form becomes available if you change your child’s citizenship information on the Demographic Verification form.
  • Annual Authorization - 2023-24 – Combines the following forms:
    • School District Use of Personal Information - explains how CBE uses personal information in providing education services.
    • Consent for CBE Use of Student Information – provides an option to grant / not grant consent for additional use of student information by school/district and third parties.
    • Consent for Use of Student Information by News Media and Outside Groups (Third Party) - provides an option to grant / not grant consent for additional use of student information by outside groups and third parties

SchoolEngage is one of the applications found in your MyCBE account. This is the same account that you use to pay fees, view academic information, book school conferences, etc.

If you do not have a MyCBE account, on the MyCBE page click on Create a MyCBE Account. For online help refer, to MyCBE - Creating an Account (includes instructions and a video).

To complete these forms:

1 | sign in to your MyCBE account
2 | click on the SchoolEngage icon
3 | select the form
4 | complete or review and update the form
5 | click on Submit to send the form electronically to the school
6 | repeat steps 3-5 for each form

Please submit the Demographic Verification and Annual Authorization forms in SchoolEngage for your child by Monday, September 18.  These forms are mandatory every year for Alberta Education to confirm student funding.  Thank you for completing them.

The following documents can be accessed online on the TMC Back to School Information page (link right above) on the right side under resources:

UPDATED 2023-24 School Year Calendar

Here is the link to the TMC Updated 2023-24 Calendar. It has the updated calendar with class times and entry/dismissal times. If you would like a printed copy, have your student pop by the main office! https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/TwelveMileCoulee/SiteCollectionDocuments/2023-2024-Twelve-Mile-Coulee-School-Calendar.pdf

Parent Volunteers are Absolutely AMAZING! YAAAAAAAAYYYYY!

We welcome volunteers in the classroom, on field trips and with certain tasks at school or at home. Certain activities or field trips would not be possible without the active participation of our volunteers. As a CBE volunteer, you are placed in a position of trust with students, staff or property.  All adult volunteers require a valid security clearance - no exceptions.

Volunteer Security Clearance Process – Prospective volunteers must first register as a volunteer at the school office where you plan on volunteering. School administrators will verify your identity and register you in the CBE volunteer database. The school office will provide you with a letter enabling you to obtain a police information check from the Calgary Police Service (CPS). If you are unsure as to the status of your Volunteer Clearance, please email Michelle at TwelveMileCoulee@cbe.ab.ca. 

UPDATED TMC Cell Phone Policy – Cell Phones, iPads, iPods, AirPods, Headphones, etc.

https://school.cbe.ab.ca/school/twelvemilecoulee/culture-environment/conduct/cell-phone/pages/default.aspx (Our full policy is linked here)

I have updated this policy to now include AirPods, Headphones, iPads, iPods, etc., in addition to cell phones. In the past, TMC had a Student Digital Citizenship Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) in place.  The AUP described ethical and appropriate uses of devices but was not clear as to proper management of cell phones. The use of personal digital devices (including cell phones, iPods, iPads, headphones, ear buds, or Airpods) has become an increasing concern during class time and digital devices often are serving more as a distraction to our students rather than as effective learning tools. Supporting Student Well-Being for Learning is one of TMC’s School Development Plan goals.

Our expectation is that all students must keep cell phones, iPods, iPads, headphones, ear buds, or Airpods in their lockers during class time, unless they have explicit permission from their teacher to use personal devices in class to support their learning. They may use them before classes (before 8:30 AM), during nutrition break (10:24 am to 10:36 AM) and lunch break (12:30 PM to 1:14 PM), and after school (3:10 PM). (Specific teachers may also have modified processes in their classrooms, such as the opportunity to put them in a pocket chart, etc.)

Should parents/guardians or students need to contact each other during school hours, parents will be able to phone the main office (403-817-3390 extension 0) and students will need to use a classroom or office phone.  Parents/guardians are asked to refrain from calling or texting their child during school hours. Urgent messages may be called in to the office and we will forward these on to the student or have them come down to the office if needed.

There is no requirement for students to bring their own device as they have access to school devices to support their learning (Thanks goes to our AMAZING School Council for their support in this!). Students are responsible for their devices, and the school is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items. TMC does have a filtered wireless network for students and staff to access with their devices, so students do not need a Data Plan.

Should students be having struggles with using their personal devices appropriately, we have the following guidelines in place:

  1. Students will get a warning from their teacher and reminded of the expectations for permission to use a device for educational purposes.
  2. If the issue continues, teachers will bring the student's cell phone down to the office for the day and the issue will be documented for that student.
  3. If the issue continues, teachers will bring the student's cell phone down to the office for the day and our Assistant Principal will connect with their parents to inform them of the issues and discuss next steps.
  4. If the issue continues, the student will be expected to leave the cell phone at home, or if they need it as a safety device in going to and from school, they will need to bring it to the office first thing in the morning, where it will be stored from 8:30 am to 3:10 pm, and the student may pick it up at the end of the day.

Thank you so much for your support in helping our students in learning appropriate and ethical use of their cell phones.

Twelve Mile Coulee School Hours

MONDAY TO THURSDAY

Transition to Class 8:15 am – 8:30 am
Period 1 8:30 am – 9:28 am
Period 2 9:28 am – 10:24 am
Nutrition Break 10:24 am – 10:36 am
Period 3 10:36 am – 11:34 am
Period 4 11:34 am – 12:30 pm
Lunch 12:30 pm – 1:05 pm
Transition to Class 1:05 pm – 1:10 pm
Period 5 1:10 pm – 2:10 pm
Period 6 2:10 pm – 3:10 pm

Student Dismissal on Mondays to Thursdays is at 3:10 pm.

FRIDAYS

Transition to Class 8:15 am – 8:30 am
Period 1 8:30 am – 9:09 am
Period 2 9:09 am – 9:48 am
Period 3 9:48 am – 10:25 am
Nutrition Break 10:25 am – 10:35 am
Period 4 10:35 am – 11:14 am
Period 5 11:14 am – 11:53 pm
Period 6 11:53 pm – 12:30 pm
Student Dismissal on Fridays is at 12:30 pm.

(Our School times have not changed since last year. )

Meet the Teacher Meetings and Student Learning Conferences Dates

  • September 21 – Meet the Teacher Presentations – 3 Repeated sessions at 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm, 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm, and 5:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Sessions will be presented in-person and we look forward to you joining us! (Students have a normal day of school)
  • September 22 – Teachers will have time for IPP (Individual Program Plan) development and for meetings with parents specifically regarding students working with IPPs.  (No classes for students)
  • November 23 – Student Learning Conferences will be scheduled between 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm
  • November 24 – Student Learning Conferences will be scheduled between 8:30 am and 2:30 pm
  • March 21 – Student Learning Conferences will be scheduled between 3:45 pm and 8:00 pm
  • March 22 – Student Learning Conferences will be scheduled between 8:30 am and 1:30 pm

Our plan is to have in-person Conferences.

Illness and Staying Healthy

As we do not have any health protocols from AHS this year (and I hope it will stay that way!) please have your child stay home if they are ill. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home if you are sick, and let’s take care of each other out there!

And our TMC School motto is:

Work Hard, Learn Tonnes and Be Kind! 

Educationally yours,
Mr. R