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Hello Rideau Families!

Classroom Complexity Team (CCT) Update

Many families may have noticed that our school appears on the public list available through Alberta Education indicating schools that were identified by the Province to receive Classroom Complexity Teams comprised of 1 Teacher and 2 Educational Assistants. It is our understanding that we will be able to plan for this support for the 2026-27 school year as well.

This week we received confirmation of funding for Rideau Park School and are in the process of identifying a teacher that can accept a full-time support position until the end of the school year, or potentially share a full-time position with another teacher. As you may be aware, staffing continues to be a challenge across the province. For now, we are happy to share that we can welcome Ms. Lindsay Ritchie to the school in a temporary full-time support position starting Wednesday, April 8 until early May. This position is focused on supporting students in our younger grades, as the provincial funding to support CCT is only available up to Grade 6.

We are working closely with our teachers within the designated grade levels to identify student support priorities for numeracy, literacy, and English as an additional language, so that we can optimize learning for the remaining months of the school year.

School Development Plan, School Budget and Fees - Feedback

During our in-person School Council meeting on February 18, attendees had the opportunity to learn more about planning at Rideau Park School. The presentation we shared and the feedback we received is available on our school website: https://rideaupark.cbe.ab.ca/school-planning-engagement

Feedback will be thoughtfully considered in making decisions about school planning. You can also access the following documents directly:

Thank you to everyone who participated in our school planning engagement. We know we make better decisions to support student learning when we build understanding and work together.

Planning for the 2026-2027 School Year

An integral part of planning is knowing how many students we can expect in our building. For that reason, we are kindly asking you to complete a brief Intent to Return survey. Our ability to confirm teaching and support staff as well as provide programming is directly related to student population numbers. Your assistance in providing accurate attendance data is critical to successful planning. Thank you to all families who have already completed this survey!

REMINDER - Planning for the 2026-2027 School Year

As shared above, student population directly impacts staffing decisions at our school, as provincial funding is directly tied to the number of students in the building. Student population is only one factor we consider when planning for a new year. We also gather data from our current staff, as decisions about school operations require input from our team. We take into account expertise within the building and professional growth plans when determining teaching assignments. Furthermore, when planning for each homeroom, careful consideration is taken around student dynamics and balancing student needs within our available resources.

Finally, we also have to thoughtfully consider scheduling within our designated bell times. Please note that bell times for all schools within the CBE are determined at the system level, based on transportation planning for yellow school buses. School buses run multiple runs per day. Rideau Park School has a later morning start and afternoon dismissal because our buses operate the last run of the morning and afternoon. We work within our designated bell times to ensure we meet provincially mandated instructional targets for each grade level.

Growing Smiles - Spring Planter Fundraiser

Let's take our minds off our second (or third?) winter and imagine the possible reality of flowers in springtime! We are selling beautiful plants to raise money for our school's programs and resources. Plants are a great way to encourage families to get out into the garden while supporting a healthy fundraiser! Place your order here. The estimated pick-up date is May 20. Thank you for your ongoing support!

April2 Spring Planter Fundraiser Goal

April2 Flowers

School Spirit - Thank You and Product Update

We are pleased to let you know that hoodies are now available at our school store! We have added green hoodies and heather grey hoodies with our traditional "R" logo, in addition to existing T-shirt offerings. We love seeing students of all ages proudly wearing their Rideau Park gear, which is produced locally right here in Calgary!

Secure online ordering and payment are available at: https://www.myschoolzone.ca/rideaupark

Please note that every shirt or hoodie purchased supports school-based fundraising, helping offset ongoing costs for learning resources and classroom supplies.

Rideau Hoodie Grey

Rideau Hoodie Green

Rideau Park Parents Association - School Council Update

Thank you to our School Council and Rideau Park Parents Association for working tirelessly to enrich the learning environment at Rideau Park School for all students. Our next School Council and RPPA meetings will take place virtually on Wednesday, April 15, 2026 at 1:45 PM. The Teams invitation link will be shared with you ahead of that meeting. We look forward to seeing you there!

Healthy Hunger

Please log in to healthyhunger.ca to place your orders. Remaining lunches include:

  • April 16 - Chachi's
  • April 30 - Opa!
  • May 14 - Little Caesar's

Parent volunteers continue to be needed to assist with the organization and distribution of student orders. Sign up to volunteer - volunteers are especially needed for April 16. We appreciate you and your support!

Key Dates

  • April 3 - Good Friday | No School
  • April 7 - Class and Team Group Photos
  • April 8-10 - Grade 7-9 Band Camp at Camp Chestermere
  • April 15 - School Council Virtual Meeting | 1:45 PM
  • April 16 - Fun Lunch - Chachi's
  • April 20 - May 1 - Latin Dance Residency
  • April 24 - PL Day - Indigenous Education | No School for Students

Sincerely,

Andrea Riquelme
Principal, Rideau Park School