Week of January 16, 2026
Looking Back:
Literacy:
Grammar:
We spent some time learning about adverbs this week. Students watched a video that explained what adverbs are and how to identify them in a sentence. I have posted an activity in Google Classroom that includes the video link and a few games students can play to help reinforce their understanding of adverbs.
Novel Study/Reading:
We continued reading Ollie’s Odyssey this week. You may be wondering why we have spent so much time with the same book, so I wanted to explain. The book is a wonderful resource that helps reinforce many important reading strategies and supports students’ literacy learning. We read only one or two chapters each week and use the story to guide rich discussions about skills such as inferencing, making connections, visualizing, summarizing, predicting, and more.
This week our focus was on summarizing. I read a chapter aloud, and students worked together to identify the main events and organize them in the correct order. This helps students learn how to retell a story clearly, both when reading aloud with me and when sharing their reading at home.
You can support this skill at home by reading a chapter with your child and asking them to tell you the main events in order. We also practiced using sequencing words like first, next, then, after that, and finally. This is a skill we will continue to build throughout the year.
Writing:
Students listened to a story and then practiced sequencing in their writing by identifying and writing the events in the correct order. They focused on including the most important parts of the story and using sequencing words to help their writing make sense. This work connects directly to what we have been doing in reading with Ollie’s Odyssey, as students are learning that sequencing is an important skill for both understanding stories and clearly sharing their ideas in writing.
Math:
We continued working through our multiplication unit this week. Our focus was on identifying arrays, and students even went on an array hunt around the school to spot real-life examples of arrays in their environment. Students then examined a variety of arrays and practiced writing both multiplication and division number sentences that matched each array.
Through this work, we focused on understanding multiplication and division fact families and how these operations are connected. Students learned that division means sharing equally, making sure everyone receives the same amount. They also learned that sometimes when we share equally, there may be items left over. These leftovers are called remainders. This hands-on learning helped students build a stronger understanding of how multiplication and division work together.
Students spent a significant amount of time learning how to use the Blockly coding program so they felt confident coding their Dash robots as part of their Journey Through Alberta research project. This preparation allowed students to focus on their learning and problem-solving rather than just learning how the program works.
In this project, students are applying their summative learning from social studies and science throughout the year. They are using their understanding of Alberta’s regions, landmarks, landforms, and natural resources to plan a journey across the province. Students are researching, selecting important information, and then coding their Dash robot to travel between locations, stopping at key points along the way to share what they have learned.
This task brings together multiple skills, including research, planning, coding, collaboration, and communication, while also encouraging students to think critically about Alberta’s geography and how different regions are connected.
Looking Ahead:
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Late Arrivals
We have had an increased number of late arrivals in the mornings.
When students are late, it disrupts their class and the learning that is underway. Coming late to school is also a difficult transition for the late student - it can be stressful for them.
When students arrive late at the front door, in the office, we do our best to greet students with a smile and an adult to walk them to class when we have administration available. In the event that your child needs to arrive late to school, we would ask that only the student enters the building. Adults do not need to come into the office to check their child in. This is especially important first thing in the morning when there is a high volume of traffic in the office.
For your convenience, we have relaxed/soft entry every morning at 7:50 am. We recommend trying to arrive anytime between 7:50 - 8:00 am so that your child has time to settle in class before starting their day of learning. Grade team teachers will always be at designated grade entry/exit doors at this time to welcome students into the school. Please remember that there is no teacher supervision on the playground during soft entry or after school at dismissal time.
Dogs on School Property
This is a reminder that CBE Administrative Regulation AR6004 - Animals in Schools restricts animals on school property. Dogs are not permitted on school grounds except where expressly approved under AR6004 (e.g., service animals or authorized educational purposes).
Additionally, the City of Calgary Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw prohibits dogs on school property, including playgrounds and fields.
School leaders are asked to reinforce these requirements and address non-compliance promptly by:
· Communicating directly with the pet owner, or
· Calling 311 to report a bylaw infraction.
Fun Lunch
The next Fun Lunch will be held on Wednesday January 28.
Mrs. Kruger and Mrs. Siarkiewicz's classes will not take part in this Fun Lunch due to their field trip on the same day.
Fun Lunch is only for grades 1-4 and our EES students.
- Go to healthyhunger.ca
- Log into you existing account or create a new one.
- Add your child’s information in the “add child” box – name, province, city, school, grade and class.
- All Fun Lunches will then populate – select the order now button!
Please make sure to send a morning snack with your child on Fun Lunch Days. Orders must be placed by the Friday before the day.
Food Support
Did you know that the Breakfast Club of Canada has shared research demonstrating that 40% of Alberta’s children experience food insecurity? This means that 4 out of 10 children do not have access to food when they are hungry.
If your family is experiencing challenges with providing food for your children you can find help at Brown Bagging Calgary.
Complete this form for support and they can deliver lunches to McKenzie Towne School for your children. https://go.bb4ck.org/l/858913/2024-01-15/38fdbw You can also find out more information on their website https://bb4ck.org/
Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids
Upcoming Dates
January 28 Fun Lunch - Subway
January 28 Heritage Park Field Trip- Kruger/Siarkiewicz
January 29 NO SCHOOL for Kindergarten - Kindergarten Assessments
January 30 Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL
February 11 Wear Red and Hearts for Valentine's Day
February 12 & 13 Teacher Convention - NO SCHOOL
February 16 Family Day - NO SCHOOL
February 24 Grade 4 Field Trip - Be Brave Hitmen Game
February 25 Fun Lunch - Coco Brooks Pizza
February 26 PINK Shirt Day
February 27 Non-Instructional Day - NO SCHOOL
March 3 Sam Centre Field Trip - Penford/Janisse/Massey
March 4 Sam Centre Field Trip - Pynn/Thomson
March 17 Wear Green for St. Patrick's Day
March 18 Fun Lunch - Subway
March 19 & 20 Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 19 NO SCHOOL for Kindergarten
March 20 Parent/Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL
March 23-27 Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
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