Connect Charter Family Weekly Update

Welcome to Connect Charter Athletics
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General Information

Connect Charter school is a member of the CAAA (Calgary Alternative Athletic Association) that is comprised of twelve schools in Calgary, Airdrie and surrounding areas.The website for the association is http://www.caaacalgary.com/.

The team school sports that are offered at Connect Charter include: Cross Country (fall), Volleyball (fall), Basketball (fall/winter), Badminton (Spring), Track and Field (Spring), and Soccer (Spring).

There has been extensive discussion regarding the organization of the league at the start of the year. The details have recently been finalized and we are happy to share the information for the rest of the 2022-23 school year with you.

The amount of student participation and enthusiasm is outstanding. The goal of Connect Charter is to foster as much opportunity for student growth and development in sports as possible. Where possible, we offer a senior team (grade 8-9) and junior development team (grade 7-8). For each sport, there is a general meeting called for students to express their interest and tryouts are held for senior teams by designated coaches. Once teams are selected, students are invited to participate in junior development practices with the attempt of providing games for these teams.

With careful consideration, there will be an implementation of fees for players commencing for the basketball season. The fees help offset increasing and new additional costs associated with league fees, transportation, and substitute teacher time. There was considerable diligence to keep the fees as low as possible.

If fees are preventing a student from playing, we continue to support families through payment plans and access to bursaries. All inquiries regarding fee support are confidential. Please contact Laurie Kangas or Shannon Bennett for further details: (l[email protected]; [email protected])

Volleyball – $100 (typically 4 tournaments – fees commencing fall 2023)
Basketball – $100 (typically 4 tournaments -fees commencing fall/winter 2022)
Badminton – $50 (typically 2 tournaments – fees commencing spring 2023)
Track and Field – $20 (1 track and field day – fees commencing spring 2023)
*Please note that there will not be fees for cross- country and soccer is uncertain at this time.

It is important that students return their uniform when provided one. Any unreturned uniform will result in a $75.00 charge to the student account. Uniforms are to be returned to the coach at the last game.

Thank you to the cross country coaches (Mr. Bennett, Mrs. Cameron, Mrs. Van Sluys, Mrs. Waite, Ms. Resnick), and the volleyball coaches (Mr. Kutcher, Mr. Cadman and Ms. Rigel). The Cross Country and Volleyball seasons were positive with many individual and team student successes. Congratulations!

We encourage respectful communication. Please communicate directly with the coach or myself if you have questions or concerns.

UPCOMING SPORTS and DATES:

Basketball
Sr. Boys
Tryouts: Nov. 7 and 9th @ 7:30-8:30 am
Further dates will be communicated from Coach Toner.

Sr. Girls
Tryouts: Nov. 8 and 15th @ 7:30-8:30 am
Further dates will be communicated from Coach Newton.

Jr. Girls and Boys
A meeting will be called following the senior basketball ftryouts for students interested in playing Junior basketball. The Junior teams will play exhibition games and will be announced at a later date. More information will be shared in mid-November.

Badminton
The season will consist of after school practices and the tournament dates will be separated into singles on one day, doubles another and playoffs a third date.

Track and Field
The track and field date is booked for May 31st at Foothills Athletic Stadium. This date is weather dependent. More details will be sent later in the year.

Soccer
The season of play is in the spring. The league details are unknown at this time and will be communicated at a later date.

Thank you for your support of the Connect Charter Athletic program. We look forward to fostering positive relationships and experiences with the students of Connect in future athletic involvement.

Contact Bonnie Rigel, Athletic Director for more information about sports teams.

[email protected]

Clubs at Connect Charter School have begun, just in time for the winter weather. While we first encourage student to be outdoors, we also appreciate that school can be a wonderful place for students to share common interests with others.  Students are able to create a club by finding a designate teacher.  This school year, we will have 3 2-month sessions of clubs, allowing for a wide variety of opportunities for student involvement.  Check out some of student organized club options available below:

Quiet Club: Every day in the learning commons

Tech Club

Soccer Club

Gaga Ball Club

Sewing Club

Book Club

QSA (Grade 4-6) Club

QSA (Grade 7-9) Club

Run Club

Art Club

Horse Club

Cars and Cocoa Club

Rubik’s Cube Club

Handwriting Club

Minecraft Club

Floor Hockey Club

Sports Club

Drawing, Reading and Games Club

Chess Club

Making Games and Playing Games Club

Grade 5 Math Club

Music Club

Arts and Crafts Club

Note: This list may not, in fact, be all clubs offered!  All students should be able to find something that is a good match for them. 

Calling ALL chocolate-lovers!

We’re teaming up with Purdys Chocolatier to fundraise for Connect Charter School in hopes of raising $10,000!

Stock up on your favourite Purdys treats (did someone say Hedgehogs?) AND support our school at the same time—it’s the best of both worlds. So satisfy those cravings, get all your holiday gift-shopping done while supporting a great cause.

All fundraising profit raised will directly support [campaign name/cause].

Ordering is as easy as eating chocolate. Click this link https://fundraising.purdys.com/1596641-99759. You’ll need to create a profile and then click “Join Campaign”, enter campaign number – 1596641-99759, and order to your heart’s content! Already have a profile, just sign in and give our campaign number – 1596641-99759. Easiest way is to click on the header “Shop Online” and “Use Marketplace”. This allows you to see pictures of all of the yummy offers for you to order.

The order deadline is November 22, 2022, so get shopping! Pick up will be December 8th and 9th during the student-led conferences.

Once orders close, we’ll notify everyone when and where you can collect your treats. Please share with anyone you know who might be interested. It would help us so much.

Thank you EVERYONE for your support. Even if you can’t buy chocolates from us, it would mean the world if you could share this fundraiser link to everyone you know!

Happy chocolating!

Q: Any updates on changes to K-6 curriculum implementation?

A: New K-6 Physical Education and Wellness, K-3 English Language and Literature and Mathematics curriculums were provincially implemented in schools as of September 2022.

The updated draft K-6 Science, French First Language Arts and Literature, and French Immersion Language Arts and Literature curriculums are being piloted by participating school authorities in the 2022/23 school year with provincial implementation targeted for September 2023.

In addition, new grades 4-6 English Language and Literature and Mathematics curriculum were available for optional implementation this school year and are targeted for provincial implementation in September 2023.

*Note our grade 4-6 teachers are piloting the English Language Arts curriculum this year.

Q: Any update on fine arts or social (K-6) for this year?

A: We have received valuable feedback that is informing changes to K-6 Fine Arts and Social Studies curriculums—updated drafts will be made available at a later date.

Q: When will piloting for 7-12 be starting?

A: Recognizing adjustments will be made to the draft K-6 curriculum that will impact later grades, the work to draft curriculum for grades 7-10 and grades 11-12 will be sequenced accordingly. More information will be shared when plans for grades 7-10 and 11-12 curriculum development are finalized.

Our grade 8 and 9 students will be engaged with lessons that set them up for success in the future with the Connect Charter Career Month.  Students will explore careers, learn about youth employment standard, understand pay compensation and taxes, resume writing and interview practice. The culminating activity will be a Career Fair. 

Families will be receiving a package this upcoming week with information on how to participate in the Gift Card Fundraiser.  If you have any plans to purchase gift cards for friends or as corporate gifts, please consider ordering through this opportunity, which provides our school with a percentage of the proceeds from the purchase.  Thank you to our School Council team for the continued support.  

Lost and found link.