Hello Tom Baines Families,
We made it to Spring Break! It is amazing to see how fast the school year is going. We are gearing up to the Spring, which is often the busiest time of the year. We have many exciting events and learning opportunities for our students. We hope you all enjoy your break and return to us well rested on April 2. Please see below for important school information.
Important Dates:
March 22–April 1 – Spring Break
April 2 – Classes resume
April 2-5 – 6-26, 6-29 and 6-41 go to Outdoor School
April 3-5 – Grade 9 Outdoor Ed Trip
April 3 – Grade 9 Quebec Parent Meeting @ 6:30
April 8-11 – 6-23 and 6-24 go to Outdoor School
April 11 – Grade 9 Disney Parent Meeting @ 6:30
April 13-19 – Grade 9 Quebec Trip
April 15-19 – Grade 9 Disney Trip
April 15 – School Council at 7:00 pm in the Learning Commons
April 19 – Professional Learning Day – No school for students
Belonging and social media – as you know, our well-being goal at Tom Baines is belonging. We want to ensure all students are safe and secure at school and we do our best to create an environment where everyone is welcome. Unfortunately, we have seen an increase in unkind comments and things being said and done between students on social media. These events almost always happen outside of school hours but often find their way into the school as students come upset or scared about what happened. It is critical that parents and adults know what is happening with their kids on social media. We may think that our kids would never behave in such a way, but it is easy for everyone to be inappropriate online. Please ensure you have rules and expectations set at home about how your children act on social media.
2024 – 2025 School Year – we will be capped again next year as our enrolment exceeds our capacity. We know there are some students who attend Baines but live out of area. Unfortunately, we can not accept out of area students. If you live out of area, please reach out to us with your updated address. We will be in contact with families who live out of area to get them registered to their correct school for the next school year. If you know that you will not be attending Tom Baines School next year, please email the office to let us know at tombaines@cbe.ab.ca.
Athletics – our volleyball season just wrapped up and all of our teams did great. Congratulations to our junior girls team who finished in second place. Badminton season starts right after the break. Stay tuned for information about tryouts and teams.
School Expectations – we often find that in middle school, as the year goes on some students start to push the boundaries with school expectations around behavior. This includes how students act and behave in their classrooms and hallways, cell phone use, appropriate language and dress and work completion. We have very high expectations here at Tom Baines and we know all students contribute to a positive community and can be successful in their learning. Please click School Expectations to review these expectations (found in the links) on our website.
Attendance – one of the most important indicators of school success is attendance. We appreciate you doing everything you can to ensure your child is on time and at school every day. Our doors open at 8:30 and students are expected to be in their seats for Period 1 at 8:45. Please report any absences or lates to our main office at tombaines@cbe.ab.ca.
We are excited to welcome back our Assistant Principal, Mrs. Bartlett on April 2. We’ve missed her and are so glad she is returning to Baines!
Thank you for all of your support. Have a great break.
Derek Siakaluk, Principal