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Rideau Park School

Hello Rideau Families!
Weekly Newsletter | Friday, October 23, 2026

Key Dates at a Glance

Teacher Professional Learning — October 19, 2026

On Monday, October 19, our teaching team embarked on a mini-adventure with experts from Alberta Parks. We enjoyed two sessions at Elbow Island Park (“The Wandering Island”), exploring how we can extend our interdisciplinary, land-based practices across our K–9 program.

Our facilitators brought their expertise from their usual settings at Fish Creek and Kananaskis Provincial Parks to show us possibilities within our own community.

Taking the time to learn together on and about the land helps us understand not only the scientific and environmental aspects of a place, but also the stories and histories of the people who lived and continue to reside in the area.

Through our land acknowledgements and teachings from Elders and knowledge keepers, we recognize that the Elbow River is part of the greater Mohkinstis region, the traditional Blackfoot name for Calgary. The name describes the sharp bend where the Elbow and Bow Rivers meet.

With our facilitators, we explored how to introduce students to scientific and social studies inquiries using the land, plants, and animals, alongside the contrast of the intense urban environment, as starting points for deeper study.

Halloween Week at Rideau Park School

Thank you to our Grade 7–9 leadership students for developing a week of spirited fun as we approach Halloween!

Students are invited to participate in Spirit Day activities each day next week. Here are the themes:

A special note about Halloween costumes and activities for Friday, October 30:

• Please use face paint rather than masks.
• Limit excessive gore or scary themes. Remember, we are a K–9 school.
• Leave very large accessories and pretend weapons at home.
• No inflatable or boxy costumes. Students must be able to sit and move around comfortably.

We kindly ask that students do not bring candy or food treats to school to share. As this is still an instructional day, teachers may choose to incorporate Halloween-themed activities into their learning plans.

Our K–6 students will also enjoy a performance by Quest Theatre on Friday morning at 10:45 AM. Students will be seated on the floor, so costumes must be suitable for this part of the day.

We look forward to celebrating our community spirit next week!

Calling All Pumpkin Carvers!

A much-loved Rideau Park School tradition is back: our Pumpkin Carving Competition!

Please have your child bring their carved pumpkin to school on the morning of Tuesday, October 27. Before it leaves home, write your child’s name and grade on the back in permanent marker so we know who it belongs to.

Winners will be announced at the Monster Mash Dance Party that same evening. Please remember to take your pumpkin home from the dance.

All age groups are welcome to participate in the pumpkin carving contest, but the dance is only for students in kindergarten through Grade 6.

We are excited to see what your family creates!

Warmly,
The Rideau Park Parent Council

Fall Photo Retakes — October 29

Photo retakes are scheduled for the morning of Thursday, October 29.

• If your child was absent or enrolled after September 21, when the school photos were taken, they will automatically be added to the photo retake list.
• To request a retake for your child, please email Ms. Cochrane at jacochrane@cbe.ab.ca to have them added to the list.

Winter Greenery Fundraiser

The Winter Greenery and Poinsettia School Fundraiser is back for another year!

We are pleased to partner with Growing Smiles and DeVry Greenhouse to offer a variety of winter greenery for your home and holiday decorating.

Items available to order:

• Red and white poinsettias
• Indoor tropical planter
• 24-inch holiday wreath
• Outdoor greenery arrangement
• 2-gallon festive shrub — new this year!

The fundraiser is shorter this year, so please note the following dates:

• Order deadline: Thursday, November 12, at 12:00 PM
• Order pickup: Thursday, November 26, from 1:00–4:15 PM

All profits from this fundraiser support school programming. Thank you for your support!

Place an order: Please use the ordering link provided in the original school newsletter.

Reminder: We Are a Safe, Caring, and Welcoming Community

To maintain a consistent and supportive environment that fosters high expectations for all students, it is important that families and students are familiar with key policies and procedures across the Calgary Board of Education.

Please take time to review the following resources on our school website:

• Student Code of Conduct and Progressive Discipline
• Personal Mobile Devices — Away for the Day
• Scent-Free Environment

Noon Hour Activity Fee — Grades 7–9

An annual fee of $10 has been added to students’ MyCBE fee accounts.

This general school-based fee supports a range of optional noon-hour activities. It helps cover the purchase and replenishment of items students use, including:

• Outdoor sports equipment
• Supplies for teacher-supervised clubs
• Games and puzzles in the Learning Commons

As winter weather approaches, more Grade 7–9 students spend lunch indoors. This fee helps ensure materials are available to support a positive and welcoming school climate during the lunch hour.

Last Call: Winter Concert Decoration Donations

As we prepare for our upcoming Winter Concert, we hope to create a beautiful and festive winter atmosphere for our students and families!

We are looking for donated or gently used winter-themed decorations to decorate the stage and music spaces. We are especially interested in:

• Snowmen or snowman decorations (not inflatable décor)
• Large decorative snowflakes
• White or clear twinkle/fairy lights
• Winter greenery or frosted branches
• White, silver, or winter-themed decorations
• Hanging winter-themed decorations or ornaments
• Other decorations that help create a magical winter atmosphere

We hope to keep the decorations winter-themed rather than specifically Christmas-themed, so the concert environment feels welcoming and inclusive for all students and families.

If you have decorations you would be willing to donate or lend to the school, please contact Ms. Koshynsky at KaKoshynsky@cbe.ab.ca. Donations can be sent to or dropped off at the school.

Thank you for helping us make this year’s Winter Concert a special experience for our students!

Gym Strip and Spirit Wear — Summarized Designs

All students in Grades 7–9 are required to change into a gym strip for PE classes.

Summarized Designs will continue to supply Rideau Park School spirit wear this year, including replenishments for students’ PE wardrobes. The vendor complements our fall gym-strip offering by making Rideau Park “R” logo T-shirts and other activewear available throughout the year.

Order online and pay securely:
MySchoolZone — Rideau Park School

An overview of gym-strip and spirit-wear options is available on our website:
Rideau Park School Merchandise

Rideau Park Parents Association — School Council Update

Thank you to our School Council and Rideau Park Parents Association (RPPA) for working tirelessly to enrich the learning environment at Rideau Park School for all students.

We look forward to welcoming returning and new attendees to our School Council and RPPA meetings.

2026–2027 Meeting Schedule

Thank You for a Week of Mindful Practice

Thank you to our Rideau Park School Council team for funding our mini well-being residency with Amber Pavey of Present Possibilities.

All students enjoyed sessions designed with their age and stage of life in mind. We also hosted a well-attended parent workshop on Tuesday evening, where participants explored practical, evidence-based mindfulness tools to:

• Enhance resilience and social-emotional awareness
• Address anxiety and feelings of overwhelm
• Navigate perfectionism

Learn more about Amber at Present Possibilities — About Amber Pavey.

Hot Lunch Returns for 2026–2027 — Healthy Hunger Is Back!

Would you like to support Rideau Park School and pack one less lunch every other week?

Healthy Hunger, hosted by the Rideau Park School Council and Parent Association, delivers lunches directly to classrooms every other Thursday.

The next Fun Lunch is Thursday, November 5, 2026.

A few reminders:

• Orders must be submitted by the Saturday before the lunch.
• You can order one lunch at a time or place orders for multiple dates in advance.

Visit Healthy Hunger to order your student’s lunch and support our school.

Upcoming Lunches

Volunteers Needed!

We need parent volunteers to help organize lunches and deliver them to classrooms. It is easy, anyone can help, and the time commitment is usually only 30 minutes!

Sign up to volunteer: Healthy Hunger Volunteer Sign-Up

Last Call for Volunteers: Casino Fundraiser — November 5–6

This is a critical fundraising event for Rideau Park School. It is our turn to help raise much-needed funds to enrich and enhance programming and resources for our students.

Event Details

• Location: Elbow River Casino
• Hosted by: Rideau Park Parents Association
• Dates: Thursday, November 5, and Friday, November 6, 2026

Sign up here: Casino Fundraiser Volunteer Sign-Up

No experience is needed. Everyone receives training on-site, and meals are provided. Please consider signing up to contribute to our biggest fundraiser of the year.

We Appreciate You and Your Support!

Sincerely,

Andrea Riquelme
Principal, Rideau Park School

Instagram: @principalriquelme | @cbe.rideaupark