Open House / Meet the Teacher – Wednesday, September 17
We’re looking forward to welcoming families to our Open House and Meet the Teacher event on Wednesday, September 17 from 4:00–6:00 PM. This is a chance to hear from teachers about curriculum plans, field trips, classroom routines, and what to expect this year.
Grade-level teams will present at two different times so families with children in multiple grades can attend more than one session. Division 1 (Grades K–3) will present at 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM, and Division 2 (Grades 4–6) will present at 4:30 PM and 5:30 PM. Each grade team will repeat the same presentation at both times, so families only need to attend once per grade level.
Before and after the presentations, teachers will be in their classrooms for informal visits. This is a great chance to connect, but please note it is not the time for student-specific conversations such as IPPs. Teachers will reach out separately to set up private meetings to discuss student supports in the coming weeks.
First School Council Meeting – September 17
Our first School Council meeting of the year will take place on Wednesday, September 17 at 6:00 PM, and it will follow directly after our Meet the Teacher / Open House event. Whether you're a returning member or attending for the first time, all parents, caregivers, and guardians are welcome!
School Council is a great way to stay connected with what’s happening at Capitol Hill, share ideas, and work together with staff to support our school community. At this first meeting, we’ll go over plans for the year, talk about ways to get involved, and start the conversation about how we can make this a great year for everyone.
You can find more information on the School Council page of our website. We hope you’ll stick around after the Open House and join us!
Health & Medical Forms Reminder
If your child has a severe allergy or medical condition, please complete the Student Health Emergency Response Protocol Form as soon as possible. This form must be updated each September so that staff are aware of any medical concerns and can respond appropriately.
If your child requires medication at school, you’ll also need to complete a Student Health Plan, which must be approved by the principal. Medications are stored securely in the office, and please note we can’t provide general medications (like pain relievers or allergy pills) to students at any time.
A quick reminder that we are a Nut Aware School. Some students have life-threatening allergies, so we ask families to avoid sending any food that contains nuts or nut products. Please remind your child not to share food with others.
Lockdown Practice on Monday
We will practicing our first lockdown drill of the year on Monday, at 1:00 PM, with CPS Cst. Mark Enzies and his team. We ask that community members avoid coming to the school for approximately 30 minutes around that time as the drill will be underway and we will be unable to answer doors and phones. These drills are part of our Emergency Response Plan, developed in partnership with the Calgary Police Service, to prepare for situations that might require students and staff to shelter inside the school.
Schools conduct two lockdown drills each year - one between the first day of school and December 15, and another between January 1 and June 15. Practicing these procedures ensures that students and staff know how to respond calmly and quickly if such an event were ever to occur. For more information about emergency drills at school, please refer to the SchoolMessenger that was sent out to all families earlier today.
Orange Shirt Day
Next week on Friday, September 19, we will observe and celebrate Orange Shirt Day (which officially falls on September 30th and is now recognized as National Day for Truth and Reconciliation). The day honours the lost children and survivors of residential schools, their families, and communities. Our recognition of and reflection on the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is an important part of our learning journey.
The “orange shirt” in Orange Shirt Day refers to the new shirt that Phyllis Webstad was given to her by her grandmother for her first day of school at St. Joseph’s Mission residential school in British Columbia. When Phyllis got to school, they took away her clothes, including her new orange shirt, which was never returned. In next week’s update, we will share some specific ReconciliACTIONS that Capitol Hill School staff and students took to honour this day. We invite all school community members – students, staff, and families – to wear the colour orange, next Friday.
Upcoming Dates
Sept. 15 – Lockdown Drill 1:00 PM
Sept. 17 – Meet the Teacher (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM)
Sept. 17 – School Council & CHEES (6:00 PM)
Sept. 18 – Fire Drill 11:00 AM
Sept. 19 – Orange Shirt Day
Sept. 26 – Terry Fox School Run
Sept. 29 – Non-Instructional Day – No School
Sept. 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – No School
For additional and future events, please refer to the website calendar.