Hello Wilma Hansen Families,
Welcome to what promises to be another great year at Wilma Hansen. We continue to improve in all areas and are looking forward to another year in our amazing school. Here are all the updates you will need to prepare for the school year ahead:
Teacher Letter of Introduction
You can expect a letter of introduction from your child’s homeroom teacher on August 27th in the late afternoon. Our full staff list can be found on our website HERE.
Teacher Assignments and Course Schedules
Please be aware that there will be no changes to homeroom or classroom / course assignments. Our teachers and admin teams have worked very diligently to create balanced class lists and were respectful of student voice. It was our intention that each student went forward with a friend / preferred classmate, and we have done our best to accommodate. Our main feeder schools (Haultain, Prince of Wales and Deer Run) assisted us in making class list combinations for our incoming grade 5,6 and 7 students.
Complementary course schedules will be handed out to students in hard copy on the first day. Comp course schedules for students in grades 8-9 are created by a program based on your student’s choices for offerings. We worked hard to ensure that students were enrolled in as many of their preferred complementary courses as possible. Students in grade 7 receive their complementary courses in rotation and attend with their homeroom class for semester 1. Grade 7 students will select their Semester 2 options in December.
First Day Meeting Spots
All teachers will be at the front of the school at 8:55 AM on August 29. There will be class list available for students to identify their homeroom teacher. Grade 5, 6 and 7 students will move into the gymnasium to start the day. Grade 8 and 9 students will proceed directly to their homeroom classroom. Parents will not be able to accompany their child inside the building.
Calendar
Our 2024-2025 Calendar is available HERE. Please note that the calendar of events on our school website is not an accurate reflection of all Wilma Hansen activities. Parents are encouraged to track messages from the school for scheduled events.
Bell Times
Bell times for 2024-2025 have not changed from last year. Times are available HERE. Doors open daily at 8:55 AM with classes starting promptly at 9:10 AM. End-day dismissal is 3:40 PM on Monday – Thursday, and 1:20 PM on Fridays.
Attendance
Student success is directly correlated to showing up. All students are expected to be at school each day and on time. Students arriving late to school or class are asked to go to the office to obtain a late slip. Attendance notices will be sent to parents daily. If you child is going to be absent, late, or needing to leave school early, parents must send an email to WilmaHansen@cbe.ab.ca. Monthly attendance reports will be sent to families of students with attendance concerns.
Student Supplies
Students in Grade 6 are provided with basic supplies, which are funded by a corresponding fee. Students in grade 7 – 9 are required to purchases their own supplies. A full list of required supplies is available HERE (scroll down to the Student Supplies section).
Lockers
All students will be assigned a locker close to their Home Room on the first day of classes and be provided with a school issue lock. In some cases, students may be asked to share a locker with a friend or trusted classmate, but most students will receive their own locker.
Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Students are encouraged to walk or ride to school whenever possible. We have plenty of bike racks. If riding to school, student must lock up their items as the school is not responsible for them. Please do not access the staff parking lot when dropping students off.
Bussing
All students who have registered for bussing should see the route information in their student’s MyCBE account. If you are eligible for bussing and have not registered, you should do so directly through MyCBE. Bus registrations are not managed at the school level and the district department requires some lead time to process these registrations. Please make alternate arrangements for transportation until you receive confirmation of registration, route information, and a start date.
Lunchtime at Wilma Hansen
Students in grades 5 and 6 are supervised at lunch, unless they go home on a daily basis. Grade 5 and 6 families must register their child for the program through their MyCBE account. Grade 7-9 students have Open Campus privileges and are therefore not specifically supervised. They can eat inside in one of our common areas but are asked to leave the building for a fresh air break midway through the lunch period. Many Grade 7-9 students will leave campus at this time, and off-campus opportunities are a privilege. All Wilma Hansen students are eligible to participate in our optional hot lunch program offered through Healthy Hunger. You will be able to order as soon as you know your child’s homeroom teacher.
Annual Student Health Plan Form
For students requiring additional medical attention, the Student Health Plan Form is HERE. Please complete and email to Wilmahansen@cbe.ab.ca or have your child bring it to the office. Further documentation is required if medication is to be kept in the office, and our staff will follow-up with parents on a case-by-case basis.
Weekly Communication
A weekly message from school administration will come to parents each Sunday and this will also be posted directly to our website. Life in a vibrant Middle School can be tough to track so it is our hope to keep all of our parents informed and prepared.
Opt In for Messaging
In order to stay connected, and in accordance with anti-spam legislation, parents will need to opt in for messaging to receive commercial information (ex. field trips) which you can do HERE. If you have any questions about this, please refer to CBE Q+A document.
School Council and Fundraising Association
We have a fun, vibrant and dedicated group of parents working on our School Council and Fundraising Association. All parents are encouraged to attend our monthly in-person meetings. Our council executive can always be reached via email at wilmachair@gmail.com.
Athletics
There have been some changes to the Middle School athletics schedule and our soccer, basketball and cross-country teams will begin immediately. All students are encouraged to participate in athletics, with our cross-country team being a “no cut team”. .
Away for the Day Cell Phone Policy
Wilma Hansen School is an Away-for-the-Day school. Students are required to keep their mobile devices in their lockers for the entirety of the school day. If you need to get an emergency message to your child during the day, please call the office and one of our staff members will relay this message to your student at a natural transition time (start or end of class). Repeated infractions may require parents to come to the school for device pick-up and a meeting with school admin. Our policy continues to evolve along with district and provincial guidelines.
Response to Vaping
Sadly, vaping continues to be an issue at Middle Schools throughout Calgary and North America. In an attempt to keep our school and students safe, Wilma Hansen School will adopt a strong response to illegal vaping activity. School admin will deal with instances of vaping in a strict and severe manner in accordance with the CBE Student Code of Conduct and Progressive Discipline Policy. As such, incidences of congregating (more than one student) in bathroom stalls will result in immediate admin intervention and consequences. Students will be advised as to the anticipated school response as well as the CBE policy on Student Searches, and parents are encouraged to review this policy as well. Instances of involvement in vaping at school will also involve the Calgary Police Service.
A Team Effort
As a staff, we know it is our responsibility to ensure each child is safe and has a successful year at school. Academics will always be our primary focus, but that responsibility extends to social and emotional wellness. Every student has a team, and that team involves the student, their social circle, their parents, family, their teachers and school staff. If you notice changes in your child, please reach out to us for support, and encourage your student to advocate for themselves as well. You can expect us to do the same.
Thank you, and I understand that is a lot of information to take in out of the gate. Our staff are returning to Wilma Hansen with excitement and a strong desire to continue to ensure Excellence for All. We hope that each Wilma Hansen student coming or returning to our school is eager to do their best and demonstrate these qualities and more.
Kind Regards,
Brent Banack
Principal