Principal Update

Sibylla Kiddle School Families,

Calgarians are likely well aware that we are being asked to reduce our water usage for the next few weeks. I'm doing a great job at not watering my front lawn or hosing off my driveway. On the other hand, three-minute showers and occasional flushing? That's asking me to dig a little deeper and be a little more resilient.

Last week, I wrote about how we learn best when learning is experienced. A challenge arises when the learning intention is something difficult – something we would rather not experience. In these situations, it usually means something unpleasant presents itself in order for learning to occur. For example, if we want to truly learn resilience, it stands to reason that we must experience some form of adversity.

So how do we teach our children to be resilient, without waiting for life to hand them a genuinely difficult moment? After all, when life is hard, most of us are not in the best mindset for learning. One idea is to introduce small, low-stakes moments of adversity in everyday life. For the spaghetti dinner tonight, perhaps only spoons are allowed. When playing a game of UNO, don't hesitate to play that "pick up 4" card. At the grocery store this week, maybe choose an ice cream flavour that isn't their favourite.

These small moments may seem trivial, but they create opportunities to talk about how we respond to situations that feel frustrating or disappointing. Starting small helps demonstrate that difficult feelings are usually temporary and that many frustrations are not insurmountable – they're simply not our first choice.

Brad Emery
Principal

Student-Led Conferences

Our Student-Led Conferences will be held on the following dates:

This is an opportunity for students to lead a discussion about how they perceive they are progressing in their learning – sharing their work and reflecting on next steps. This format empowers students to take ownership of their learning, giving them voice and self-awareness with respect to their development.

Conferences will be open-house in style, so other families may be present in the room at the same time. Teachers will be available to help guide and support conversations. If you require a formal or private conversation about your child's learning, please contact their teacher directly to arrange a more appropriate meeting time.

Due to the open-house format, you do not need to register or pre-book a conference time.

Lost and Found

Our lost and found has grown to epic proportions! When you come in for Student-Led Conferences, please have a look. After Spring Break, all unclaimed items will be packaged up and donated to a local charity.

Thank You!

We would like to extend a big thank you to all of our families who have financially supported our school – whether through direct donations, through Education Matters, or by purchasing items through parent-led fundraisers. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference, and for that we are truly grateful.

Your generosity is having a meaningful impact across the school. The next time you are in the building, take a moment to check out the new furniture in the forest – our students are loving it! Thanks to your support, other recent investments include: adding hundreds of new books to the library, refreshing our Chromebook supply, purchasing new benches for the gym, and arranging for a new outdoor scooter rack to be installed this spring.

Thank you again for your generosity. It is noticed, appreciated, and making a real difference for our students.

Upcoming Important Dates