Happy Sunday, Samuel W. Shaw Families
Congratulations
A HUGE congratulations to BOTH our junior volleyball teams who took home pennants at the inaugural Storm Classic Volleyball Tournament this weekend!
A nail-biting finish saw our girls’ team defeat William Pratt in a hard-fought battle to the end. Way to go, girls!! Shortly after, our boys took to the court, facing McKenzie Highlands, taking the game in straight sets. We are all incredibly proud of these athletes, not just for their performance on the court, but for their athleticism, determination, sportsmanship, and comradery. One of many highlights was seeing players and non-players alike joining on the court between matches for games, laughter, and the occasional spiked ball, while the music pumped, and everyone built a sense of community, only found at Sam Shaw school. An amazing event at an even more amazing school. GO STORM!
Indigenous Education at Samuel W. Shaw
Land acknowledgments are an act of reconciliation. With the revamping of the CBE’s Land Acknowledgment, in collaboration with Treaty 7 Elders and Knowledge Keepers, the invitation for staff and students to reflect on how and why we acknowledge the Land has been an important part of this on-going act of personal and professional reconciliation. Each week, students in Ms. Martyn’s Drama classes acknowledge the Land at the start of their announcements. As part of this work, students from other classes have been invited to share a personal Land acknowledgment to begin each announcement. We are excited and proud to see their work unfold over the next few months.
Smudge with Ms. Kerry
In an on-going effort to provide a culturally safe space for Indigenous learners, Ms. Kerry (Lax Kw’Alaams First Nation) provides Smudge for Indigenous students every Friday. We meet at 11:30. All self-identified Indigenous students are welcome to join.
No School: February 13, 14 & 17
As a reminder, we are headed into a long weekend. February 13 and 14 are professional learning days, as all CBE staff head to the Calgary City Teachers’ Convention and Staff Association Conventions. Monday, February 17 is Family Day, and there is no school on any of these days.
Spectator Expectations at Samuel W. Shaw School Sporting/Athletic Events
We welcome students and parents/guardians to attend and cheer on all of the students that play for all of the teams. We would like to remind spectators of our protocols for attending games at Samuel W. Shaw School to ensure a positive playing experience for all athletes, coaches and referees.
- Student spectators wishing to watch their peers participate in athletics at SWS are allowed to stay for the first game without parental/guardian supervision. Any games that follow, students must be accompanied by their parent/guardian, or they will be asked to leave.
- All students must stay in the gymnasiums for the duration of the games. All other areas of the school are off limits.
- If students are attending another school to watch a peer play in a sporting/athletic event, they must be accompanied by a parent for all games.
As parents/guardians and spectators, it’s important to remember that your role is to be a model, not a critic. Your behavior sets the tone for the experience of the athletes, officials, and everyone involved. Here are a few guidelines to ensure a positive environment at our school sporting events:
- Relieve pressure, don’t increase it. Our young athletes already face enough pressure from competition. Let them enjoy their experience without added stress.
- Let the athletes have their moment. The athletic experience belongs to them. Cheer for their effort but allow them to grow through their own performance.
- Respect the judgment of officials and coaches. Their decisions may not always align with your perspective, but it’s important to demonstrate respect for their role and maintain control.
- Show sportsmanship in all outcomes. Win with humility and lose with dignity. Your attitude in both moments is just as important as the final score.
Please be aware that Samuel W. Shaw School reserves the right to remove any spectator who does not uphold these expectations at our events. An administrator will be on-site for all games to assist with supervision during the games. Let’s create an environment where our student-athletes can thrive!
Thank you so much for supporting our athletes, coaches and referees throughout the athletic season.
Phys. Ed - Classroom Expectations & Lates
You may have noticed an uptick in your child being marked late this week. Here is why:
Physical education is the curriculum, which is what the children learn everyday. Gymnasiums are the classrooms in which it all takes place. To support safer classroom environment in Physical Education class, the Phys Ed teachers have implemented a new plan for all students that may impact attendance in the short term and increase the understanding of expectations in the longer term.
Upon arrival, students in Phys Ed are allowed time to ensure they are ready for physical education by changing into their gym clothes (each has a locker for this purpose). While this is a recommendation, the only requirement is proper footwear. All students must have appropriate footwear in Phys. Ed to participate in class. All students have 5 minutes after the bell to ensure they are ready and seated in their expected locations (in class groupings in a designated alphabetical line), or they will be marked “late”. With 825 students at Sam Shaw, and sometimes 5 Phys Ed classes in the gymnasium for attendance at one time, if even one or two students are running around, it creates an unsafe environment for many. Each class has been instructed and reminded of these expectations in the lead up to this week’s implementation, and already the Phys Ed team has seen a decrease in unexpected behavior in their classroom. How are lates communicated? See ‘PowerSchool Lates and Absences’ section below for more information.
MyCBE Lates and Absences
PowerSchool is an external platform the Calgary Board of Education uses to track things like attendance. Each period, teachers take attendance, and this is logged in MyCBE. When a child is marked “late” or “absent” for class in the morning, calls go out to families at noon. For lates and absences in the afternoon, calls go out at 3PM. For more timely notification, some families use the PowerSchool app and turn on notifications in the “…” or “more” section. This provides ‘live’ updates for families. When PowerSchool calls out for lates or absences, these are grouped together in the same category. While this is not ideal, especially when you are certain your child is at school and you receive a call saying they have been marked “late or absent”, it is not something individual schools can control-- they are grouped together by PowerSchool. However, with ‘live’ notifications, you have the opportunity to see your child’s attendance almost as it happens, rather than receiving a call after the fact. For clarification or questions about this process, please contact Ms. Kerry (kagreen@cbe.ab.ca)
Cold Weather
With cold temperatures continuing, we extend this offer as a reminder. If it would benefit your family to receive a coat, free of charge from the school, please connect with Student Services, and we can help.
Storm Classic Volleyball Tournament
A HUGE thanks goes out to the many staff and students who were in support to make this inaugural event go off without a hitch. An even BIGGER thanks to the many families who gave of their time to volunteer, and others still who donated items for the gift baskets, the coaches’ room, and giveaway items, inclusive of our amazing Parent Council. As a collective, we made Samuel W. Shaw school shine from the inside out. Thank you from all of us here at Sam Shaw.
Final Yearbook Sale Information
Still haven’t purchased the 2024-2025 Yearbook? Don’t worry, there is still time!
- Yearbook Purchases can be made via MyCBE until February 11, 2025.
OR
- We are trying something new! We are offering the option to purchase a yearbook through JOSTENS.COM with an extended purchase deadline of February 27, 2025. To purchase through the Jostens website, head to JOSTENS.COM/YRBK
Don’t miss out on the memories of this school year!
Did You Know? How Kids Might Be Hiding Social Media Use
As technology evolves, so do the creative ways young people manage their online presence. Many students are active on social media in ways that might not be immediately obvious to parents. Being aware of these trends can help foster open conversations about safe and responsible internet use.
Here are some common ways students might be accessing social media under the radar:
- Hidden or Disguised Apps: Some apps, like “Calculator%” or “Audio Manager,” look like ordinary tools but actually store hidden photos, videos, or messages.
- Secret or “Finsta” Accounts: Many students create secondary social media profiles with different usernames to share content with select groups, separate from their main accounts.
- Using Home Computers: While some social media platforms are designed for mobile use, students can log in through web browsers, potentially bypassing parental controls set on phones.
- Clearing History & Private Browsing: Regularly deleting browsing history or using incognito mode can make it harder to track social media activity.
- Burner Phones & Extra Devices: Some students use old phones, tablets, or prepaid devices to access social media without restrictions.
- Secret Chat Features: Apps like Snapchat and Instagram have disappearing messages, making conversations harder to monitor.
So, what can parents do? The best approach is curiosity over control—keeping open, judgment-free conversations about online habits, staying informed about digital trends, and setting clear but reasonable expectations for device use.
By working together, we can help students develop healthy and responsible digital habits while ensuring their online experiences remain positive and safe.
Cobbs Bread
Cobbs Bread Love bread? Us too! Mention Samuel W. Shaw school at the Shawnessy Cobbs and our school receives a portion of proceeds! Win, win!!
Calendar of Events
- February 11 - Deadline to order yearbooks
- February 13 & 14 - No School - Teachers’ Convention
- February 17- No School - Family Day
- February 20 - Jr. High Improv Workshop (5:30-7:30PM)
- February 21 - CBE Sings! Event at Central Memorial (choir students)
- February 25 & 26- Hip Hop Dance sessions in Phys Ed.
- February 24- 28 - Kindness Week:
- February 24- Express you Cultural Identity Day: Have something special to wear that is from your culture? Proudly express your cultural identity today, and always!
- February 25 - Orange Shirt Day: Because Every Child Matters, every day!
- February 26 - Pink Shirt Day: Take a stand against bullying and hatred. Wear pink!
- February 27 - Wear your Best & Brightest Colours Day- show allegiance for diversity!; Healthy Hunger
- February 28- Dress like a Teacher Day- show us all how it’s done!
Healthy Hunger Dates
- Feb 27 - Coco Brooks
- March 19 - Subway
With warmth,
Bobbi, Shannon, & Kerry