No School Monday 
A reminder to families that there is no school for students on Monday. We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday!  

Picture Retakes

Retakes are on Wednesday October 21st. If your student need a picture retake please have them tell their teacher on Wednesday.

Being on Time Matters 

Arriving on time helps students begin the day feeling settled, connected, and ready to learn. We encourage students to aim to arrive at 8:40 a.m. for soft entry, giving them time to get organized and be ready when classes begin. Even arriving a couple of minutes late can mean missing important instructions, routines, or the beginning of a learning activity. Late arrivals can also interrupt the learning of classmates who are already engaged. Thank you for helping students start their day positively and ready to learn. 

Healthy Choices at Lunch 
As students gain greater independence, including the opportunity to go off campus at lunch, they are also learning to make responsible choices. We are noticing several students returning with oversized bags of chips, pop, and energy drinks. These choices can make it more difficult for students to sustain the energy, focus, and readiness needed for afternoon learning. 

We encourage families to talk with their children about choosing lunches, snacks, and drinks that help fuel their growing bodies and brains. Developing healthy eating habits during the middle school years is an important part of supporting both success at school and a healthy lifestyle beyond school.  

Jacket Racket | LAST WEEK 

If you still have gently used, clean winter clothes (boots, snow pants, coats, toques, scarves, mitts), please send them in. Our last day of collection is the 22nd.  

Athletic Updates 

It has been an exciting few weeks for Tom Baines athletics, with our soccer season wrapping up and basketball getting off to a fantastic start! 

Soccer 
Our boys soccer team earned an exciting 2–0 semi-final victory over F.E. Osborne and will now advance to the final next week against G.P. Vanier. Congratulations to the team, and good luck in the final! 

Our girls soccer team took on Branton in their semi-final on Thursday. Although they came up short in a 5–1 loss, the girls played hard and can be incredibly proud of an impressive season that saw them finish among the top four teams. Congratulations to our players and coaches on a terrific season. The future of soccer at Tom Baines looks very bright! 

Basketball 
Our senior basketball teams recently competed in the feeder tournament at Sir Winston Churchill High School. The senior boys went undefeated with three wins and captured the skills competition. They demonstrated excellent teamwork along with strong offensive and defensive play. 

The senior girls finished with two wins and one loss and won the skills competition in their first game action of the season. The team showed great teamwork and will continue building and improving throughout the season. 

Our junior girls have also started their season in impressive fashion. They opened regular-season play with two strong wins at home before competing in the Northwest Classic tournament, where they defeated both Peter Lougheed School and Twelve Mile Coulee School. They will play for first place Friday evening at Simon Fraser School. 

Our junior boys also began regular-season play with two wins before heading to a tournament at H.D. Cartwright School. After winning their opening game and narrowly falling short in their second, they will compete in the bronze medal game on Friday. 

Next week will bring plenty more action, with Tom Baines hosting home games on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Congratulations to all of our student-athletes and coaches, and good luck to our teams as their seasons continue! 

Key Dates: CBE Dates of Significance Calendar 

Recurring Messages 

Attendance 

Now that school is in full swing, we wish to highlight the importance of daily attendance for student success. Being present at school provides valuable opportunities for learning, connection and participation in the school community. Students are expected to attend regularly and punctually. When students miss 10% or more of instructional time, approximately two or more days a month, it can become challenging for students to fully participate in classroom learning and school activities.  

We recognize that various circumstances can affect a student’s attendance and we are committed to approaching these situations with understanding and support. Our school is available to collaborate with families to identify concerns, explore possible strategies, and share information about supports and resources when needed.  

If your child will not be in attendance at school, we request that you email the school at tombaines@cbe.ab.ca to report their absence. If your child is having ongoing challenges coming to school, please reach out to your child’s teacher.