FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT... INSIDE THIS ISSUE Superintendent ..................... 2 Learning Services .................. 3 HR/Transportation/Extras .. 6 Around BTPS ........................ 7 COMMENTS ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER? Please send your comments or suggestions to [email protected]We’d love to hear from you! BUFFALO TRAIL PUBLIC SCHOOLS 1041 10A Street Wainwright, AB T9W 2R4 P: 780.842.6144 F: 780.842.3255 E: central_of[email protected]www.btps.ca Twitter: BTPS#28 Superintendent’s Memo For the Week of April 20 th - 24 th , 2020 Email: [email protected]Queson of the week, Page 6 Win a great prize! MISSION: Buffalo Trail Public Schools is committed to maximizing student learning, in a safe and caring environment, supported by a highly effective team. WELCOME BACK! We have just gone through what is probably the most unusual Easter Break in the history of BTPS. Typically, we would be preparing our schools to receive students who have been away for a week enjoying spring weather. In our current situaon, we had a week of freezing temperatures and the return of students will not be to our schools, but to our virtual classrooms. That being said, the weather is starng to shape up and become more spring like. Alberta is working hard to flaen the curve and we are seeing some success in slowing the impact of COVID-19 in our province. The next few weeks will be even more challenging! Our commitment to the physical distancing and staying at home will be tested as the weather starts to get beer and we look for some familiarity in our day to day lives. We have seen exceponal results from the work that we have all done to this point. While we will be tempted to relax, some of the expectaons that COVID-19 has placed upon our lives, our connued vigilance will be instrumental in our long term success. As learning formally begins again, our students will be looking to us to reengage them in their learning. The curricular content is important and we need to keep our focus on what it is that we want to emphasize over the next two months. Equally important is our ability to acknowledge the emoonal challenges that accompany isolaon. Prior to the break we saw so many excellent examples of how our BTPS staff has gone above and beyond to make sure that our students know that they are genuinely missed and we know this is difficult for them. It is so important to keep these types of purposeful acons as a part of our plan to support students at home. Equally important is the need to take care of each other. The work that we do is difficult at the best of mes.
It has been made even more challenging in the current circumstance. We cannot underestimate the
emotional impact that our staff feels being isolated from their students. We need to take care of each
other. Over the coming weeks, I am asking everyone to look out for each other. Take some time to
check in with those who appear to be struggling and even those who appear to be okay. Just knowing
that someone has your back and is there if need be can make a world of difference. Take care of your-
selves, our collective success depends on your good physical and mental health! Thank you to everyone
for all that you are doing to make the best of a difficult situation.
Take care,
LEARNING SERVICES
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Reasons to check out what we currently have and reasons for sharing your novels with us !
Why pay for Novels used once or twice a year
More choices for Novel Studies
A central location accessible with weekly van runs
Your RDC located in Central
Office has many resources
available for you as teaching
staff to use!
Current FNMI Novel
Studies @ RDC
The Outside Circle
The Marrow Thieves
Indian Horse
This graphic novel is the
story of a young Cree
man, Peter Carver, and
his struggles to support
himself and his younger
brother as a gang
enforcer. Set in
Edmonton, this story
incorporates traditional
teachings and unpacks
the impact of
Colonialism in Canada.
Let’s build a great collection of Novel Studies together for all our students
to enjoy!
Please contact Tzea, [email protected] and let me know what novel studies your
school has and would like to share for the next school year.
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Google Tip:
This is a great online replacement for the classroom Smartboard.
When teachers need a whiteboard option during a Google Meet with their students they can launch Google's Jamboard app.
This Google App has an option to invite
students to interact with the Jamboard
shared by the teacher. That way,
everyone in the Google Meet can write on
the same Jamboard. Your Jamboards can
be saved as a pdf or images. Check it
out...https://jamboard.google.com
Search online for ‘How to videos’ to help learn about its use
Twig Education along with ORC are pleased to offer free access to three fantastic science learning platforms – ideal for distance learning – packed full of thousands of videos, images, activities, and quizzes.
TigTag (elem): https://www.tigtagworld.com
TigTag Jr. (jr high): https://www.tigtagjunior.com
Twig (HS): https://www.twig-world.com
RESOURCE LIST for Teachers
Due to school closures, this amazing list is a collaboration among educators and has large
numbers of software, subscriptions and resources that are being made free to teachers to aid them with distance teaching and learning. Check them out.
We hope you had a relaxing, well deserved spring break! The bus drivers and/or con-tractors are all set to continue delivering the student learning packages this week. If you haven't heard from your bus driver or contractor, please call the person on the Stu-dent Learning Distribution Bus Schedule. Your principal will have access to this Google sheet. They may be waiting to hear from the school that they have packages.
Here is a screenshot from the video of Karen Boyarchuk’s son reading to Mrs. Kissick his Grade 1 teacher at Marwayne School. Gosh, he needs a hair cut. :)
A very welcoming and caring front entrance at JR Robson!
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The staff of Dewberry School and Students Online have taken the first two weeks of distance learning to focus on connection. Here are a few examples of the amazing work that is happening:
Mrs. Nichols has embraced distance learning without batting an eye! She is using Hapara Workspaces, SeeSaw, and Google Meet to connect with her students in all sorts of science ways, while also keeping up with her Students Online work. Featured are two grade 7/8 student submissions on SeeSaw explaining how heat works in an igloo.
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Mrs. Ward, an Instruc-tional Assistant, plays a pivotal role in providing one-on-one support to our Junior and Senior High Students. To do this, she connects through Google Meet, email, and phone calls.
Mrs. Dennill, above right, previously taught Art, Music, Drama, and provided literacy and numeracy support in elementary prior to the distance learning model in Dewberry School, on top of her duties in Students Online. While she is currently focusing on SOL, she took the time to write each of her Dewberry students a personalized letter, included some fun art activities, and sent them as a special surprise in the snail mail! She plans on keeping her amazing connections with students through use of Google Meet.
Miss Peterson, left, has taken on an extra role, on top of teaching grade 1/2, to provide tier 2 intervention support in literacy and numeracy for students in grades 1-6. To do this, she uses Google Meet and a variety of individualized programs.
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Amisk A.P.P.LE. Center staff virtually met with all the students and celebrated Easter by performing a bunny hop dance.
On Thursday, April 9th, the Easter Bunny predicated
flurries for Central Office. Well, fortunately for us,
he was correct! McDonald’s Cadburyy Crème Egg
McFlurries were brought in for staff and we also had
a coloring contest as part of our staff wellness
month. Mason was our 1st place winner and
received a stuffed Easter Bunny and some
chocolates! As you can see by his poster, he is very
