4/5M Info, Updates, News

We’ve moved! Please join us at: http://www.ashleybarrington.com/ to continue to follow the activities and adventues of Miss Barrinton’s Grade 5 class.

Update on Retrieval of Personal Belongings

Thursday, August 18th, 9-3 p.m., in the school gymnasium.

All “soft” classroom materials and personal belongings that were not cleaned/restored have been carefully itemized, bagged and moved to the gym. Each section is labelled by room number. For health and safety reasons, these bags and items may not be opened inside the school building. Please keep plastic bags sealed until you are outside. Staff will be on hand to assist you.

Thank you to everyone for attending our Community Meetings. Here are links to notes from both events.

June 27th

July 11th

Parents/guardians are invited to the next meeting, which will be on Monday, August 15 at Ecole McTavish Junior High School from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE AT www.fmpsdschools.ca and our Twitter accounts @fmpsd @DougNicholls2

1. Now that residents are starting to return to Fort McMurray, will Summer School be operating this year? No. Our schools are still in the restoration phase and some will be weeks away from being fully operational. Students are encouraged to review Alberta Distance Learning Centre course offerings. Course work could be started with ADLC quickly once all application procedures have been completed.
2. What is the status of FMPSD schools in terms of the restorations? Progress is being made and our insurance company’s restoration crew has increased its workforce up to 250 workers.
3. Is District Office operational in case I have questions? Yes. Air quality has been cleared and many staff are back in place at our Hardin Street office. The District’s temporary office in Edmonton still houses 5-6 employees. The Edmonton office will be wrapping up operations at the end of June.
4. Will the District Office be open in July and August? Yes. Office hours are now Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Beginning July 4 to August 5, 2016, office hours will be Monday – Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
5. What will happen to report cards for elementary and jr. high students? The assessments up to the end of term two (2) will be utilized. With the restoration in the buildings and the fact that many staff are still in different parts of the country, this was the practical approach to a difficult situation. All students will be promoted to the next year and we will continue to support their learning and development. While the school year ended early, the majority of the curriculum was covered and a review will be completed in the new school year.
6. What about high school report cards? High school marks have been submitted to Alberta Education. Students will be able to review their final marks effective July 14th through myPass. Some students are enrolled in courses and are attempting to raise their marks. The highest mark of the FMPSD school awarded mark or the student’s newly earned mark will be the final mark on the transcript. Some students are also choosing to write the diploma examination which will impact the final grade. Students with additional questions should contact their school principal.
7. Will the District have fewer teachers and support staff members for next year? Each year the District’s budget and staffing is based on funding from Alberta Education. We are working with Alberta Education to finalize the District’s budget for 2016-17 and the Board anticipates a response from Government in the near future. We are expecting appropriate resources from Alberta Education to deal with our community’s needs.
8. What is the update on Beacon Hill School? The plan for students and staff of Beacon Hill School is to move them to Dr. K.A. Clark Elementary School for 2016-17. The two schools will operate in one building for next year. Staff will follow the students to Dr. Clark.  Grade 7 and 8 students will be attending Composite High School as announced previously.
9. What is the latest on the District’s new school, Christina Gordon School? Will it operate? Principal Rick Thorne has been in contact with parents and staff providing the most recent information available. While the physical opening of the school will be delayed because of the evacuation, the school will operate out of Timberlea Public School to start the year. The exciting programs planned for September are moving forward for our students of our newest school. For further information, please contact richard.thorne@fmpsd.ab.ca or call 587.276.2017, or visit their website.
10. The District Welcome Back event for FMPSD staff has had a “Big Three” focus on Health Schools, Healthy Planet and High Achievement.  Will that continue this August? Yes. The date of the District Welcome Back is Thursday, September 1, 2016. Discussions are already occurring to plan for another special day for our staff.
11. Will there be meetings organized by FMPSD for families who have been affected by the fire and who have questions about next year’s school programming? Yes. Look for confirmed dates within the next seven to 10 days. The District will be holding a community meeting before the end of June and others during the summer break. For immediate responses to questions, parents should email their school principal for clarification or email teena.francis@fmpsd.ab.ca who will forward the questions to the right individual.
12. Will there be bussing next year? Yes. Sparksman Transportation has informed the District that its fleet is intact and that it will be ready to go for September. Because of the possibility of late registrations, we will be asking parents to be patient as routes are adjusted from last year.
13. Is the Board of Trustees meeting and returning to operation? Yes. The Board’s next regular meeting is being held at District Office on Hardin Street on Wednesday, June 22nd. The agenda may be found on the District’s website at www.fmpsdschools.ca. Please note that the agenda is subject to change prior to the Board of Trustees Regular Meeting.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE AT www.fmpsdschools.ca and our Twitter accounts @fmpsd @DougNicholls2

Thank you for your support of our students, staff, and parents of FMPSD.  Further Q and A’s will be provided in the future.  Please continue to check all communication accounts on a regular basis.

If you have additional questions for us, please email them to:

teena.francis@fmpsd.ab.ca

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE AT www.fmpsdschools.ca and our Twitter accounts @fmpsd @DougNicholls2

1. How will the District refund families for Summer School registration? Refunds have been issued electronically back to the credit or debit card used to pay the fees.
2. When will District facilities be reopened?
   Restoration teams are busy at work and a tremendous amount of cleaning and air quality improvement has occurred.  But most of our schools are still a few weeks away from readiness.  Some sites, including District Office, are very close to being fully open. Beacon Hill School will not be ready for September and alternative plans will be announced in the very near future.
3. Will students and staff be able to get in the buildings soon?
   As soon as it is safe to do so and as soon as the restoration equipment is not a hazard, our Operations and Maintenance Department will inform all employees.  As of June 8th, the buildings are still off limits for students and staff.
4. What if a student is registered in an approved high school locally developed courses? Will he/she still receive credits? Students displaced due to the wildfire who register in a different school may not have access to approved high school locally developed courses within Fort McMurray Public School District.  If the student was passing the locally developed course before the evacuation, the student will receive the credits.
5. What are the plans for the new Christina Gordon School?  Will it still open? The school construction has been delayed because of the evacuation. Christina Gordon will be opening in September but at a different location until construction is complete.  Christina Gordon students will attend in Timberlea Public School as a temporary measure until the new school is ready.  Students registered in the Timberlea attendance area last year and who will be attending Christina Gordon this year will have bussing provided in September.  Once Christina Gordon opens, bussing will be discontinued as our new school is a “walk to” site. For further information, please contact Rick Thorne, Principal, at richard.thorne@fmpsd.ab.ca.
6. What is happening with the Fort McMurray Christian School?  Wasn’t it supposed to move to Timberlea Public School in September 2016? The plan for the Fort McMurray Christian School was to move to Timberlea School effective September 2016 and share the building with Timberlea School.  With the delay of Christina Gordon School’s availability, the Christian School will remain at its Birchwood location for the year.  September 2017 is the new date for the Christian School to be fully operational in Timberlea School.  The board remains committed to the change.
7. Are District computer networks operational? Yes. Over 90% of the network equipment is operational. Restoration teams still need to review and access some of the equipment.
8. What state is the technology in our FMPSD school after the fire? The technology infrastructure of FMPSD has surprisingly remained quite stable. Although this will fluctuate depending on where the schools are located, we have an overall 95% working state of our network. Many schools have little to no damage related to the wildfire. For those areas with some damage, we are now in the process of restoration/replacement before Sept. 2016.
9. Technology upgrades were planned for over the summer.  Have they been delayed? Some upgrades will continue as planned but others will need to wait until Sept. 2016 due to the lack of access to the individual schools.We recognize that we will only have July to work on major projects since August will be a time of cleaning and setting up the schools for the students. This is why some projects will be moved to a September weekend schedule to ensure the work does not interfere with instruction.
10. Will my child still have great access to technology in FMPSD schools? Yes.  We have provided students with access to high quality and curriculum relevant resources for their learning in the past. This will never change.  We have already received some positive news about generous donations for our technology needs on a go-forward basis.
11. If we are buying new technology for our child for next year, are there recommendations as to what to purchase as he/she moves forward? While we believe parents know best when it comes to what to buy their children, we do highly recommend that parents consider looking towards products based upon what grade the student is entering. For early education students to Grade Three, we recommend tablet based learning products such as the iPad. For students in Grade Four to Twelve, we recommend a laptop. There are many low costing laptop options and even web based products such as a Chromebook. Chromebooks easily integrates with our Google Apps for Education learning environment, have little or no threat of viruses, and can be an affordable choice for many parents.
12. Is Grad 2016 still happening? Yes.  MacDonald Island has been booked for Saturday, August 27 for a District celebration.  Individual schools will be holding their own ceremonies either on the 26th but most likely on the 27th.  Further information will be forwarded by high school principals in the weeks ahead.
13. Are the grade seven and eights from Greely Road School, Beacon Hill, and Dr. Clark still moving to Fort McMurray Composite High School? Yes.  Some consideration was given for other options for our grade 7 and 8 students but it was felt the original plan would provide the most effective learning opportunities.  Fort McMurray Composite High School staff and administration were well along in the planning process for the change to a grade 7 through 12 program.  We are excited about the new opportunities available for the jr. high students.
14. What if I have questions that remain unanswered? Please contact your school principal directly or email your questions to teena.francis@fmpsd.ab.ca

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE AT www.fmpsdschools.ca and our Twitter accounts @fmpsd @DougNicholls2

Thank you for your support of our students, staff, and parents of FMPSD.  Further Q and A’s will be provided in the future.  Please continue to check all communication accounts on a regular basis.

If you have additional questions for us, please email them to: teena.francis@fmpsd.ab.ca

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE AT: www.fmpsdschools.ab.ca and our Twitter accounts @fmpsd @DougNicholls2

1. Is the District encouraging students to register in schools?
   If students are ready to return to school, it is advisable. Routines and structure are beneficial for students after emergencies and change. But each child is different and each family situation is unique. Many FMPSD students have already enrolled in Alberta school districts and beyond. We have been informed that many FMPSD students are being supported by the Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADLC). Re-registering remains optional for all grade levels.
2. Is it too late to register in another school?
   No. With the plan for high school students’ marks now finalized, enrollment is about learning and possibly raising a final grade. When high school students return to school next year, having a solid understanding of the previous course will set students up for success for 2016-17. Teachers will certainly work with our students to support them if they did not re-register. Students in elementary and junior high will move up a grade.
3. If students are registered at new schools, will the grades at their new school impact their overall average?
   For elementary and junior high students, our students will move to the next grade. The assessment from other schools will not impact their promotion for September. We are not anticipating a need to complete elementary reports cards upon our return.  Running junior high reports in August or September is being considered. Marks from other districts for students in junior high will not impact academic standing in FMPSD. High school students can access their marks through myPASS. Grade Twelve students will receive transcripts from Alberta Education as well. High school students will receive their FMPSD school awarded mark or another school’s mark if it is higher. High school students will not receive a mark lower than they earned before the evacuation.
4. When will the schools be inspected? Has anyone from the District been in the schools?
   Our inspection process commenced Sunday, May 15th. Fred Young, Director of Operations and Maintenance, led our team. Each public school was inspected for air quality, HVAC systems, security, technology and other possible areas that were impacted by the fire. Ali Syed, Director of Technology, inspected computer networks and all hardware on Monday, May 16th. Overall, the reports so far by both departments have been positive. But there will be a considerable amount of work needed to be done to have the schools reopen.
5. What was discussed when the four superintendents from the districts impacted by the fire had their meeting on Friday, May 13th?
   Current updates were given by each superintendent. Concerns were raised about the importance of communication between all parties. A review of overall conditions of schools in each district was given. The types of support available from Alberta Education were identified. Questions were raised about  high school non-diploma marks. Alberta Education will be hosting a weekly meeting every Thursday morning until further notice.
6. Is the school District working with other government agencies on the re-establishment of our community?
   Superintendent Doug Nicholls is scheduled for a weekly meeting with Alberta Education officials and the other three superintendents leading systems affected by the fire. Associate Superintendent Dr. Brenda Sautner continues to meet with community agencies and Alberta Health Services to ensure adequate supports and services are available to staff, students and parents upon our return. Associate Superintendent Phil Meagher serves as a council member for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. Associate Superintendent Allan Kallal is a member of the board for the Fort McMurray Airport Authority. We feel that we are well-connected with local authorities.
7. Is it still possible that the schools could open before the end of the school year?While we have not heard officially from Alberta Education, the Premier has made statements about the difficulty of opening our schools before the end of June. All staff are reminded that there is a five day notice for returning to work. Recalls for both support staff and teachers may be at different times for obvious reasons. Schools will have an important role in the re-entry of our community.
8. Will report cards be completed this year?
   Final elementary and junior high report cards will not be completed this June. All elementary and junior high students will progress to their next grade in September. Grade Twelve students’ marks will be submitted to Alberta Education for official transcripts. Results are available for high school students at myPASS on the Alberta Education website.
9. Will the new school Christina Gordon Public School be opening in the Fall?
   The site will not be ready to open because of the fire. Classes will be set up at another location and students and staff will move once Christina Gordon is completed later in the year.
10. Will Summer School for high school students run this year?
    No. Because of the fire situation, a decision has been made not to operate it this year. Students requiring course work could contact the Alberta Distance Learning Centre (ADCL) who are prepared for our students. Students could also contact the larger school districts in Edmonton and Calgary for other options.
11. Should students attend graduation ceremonies at the school where they registered after the fire?
    If the host school invites any FMPSD Grade 12 student to a graduation ceremony, we would encourage those students to participate. Some schools and some school districts have already offered  invitations.
12. What about graduation for our  students from Grade 12?
    Discussions have occurred between Doug Nicholls and George McGuigan, Superintendent of the Fort McMurray Roman Catholic Separate Schools, regarding graduation. Considering the realities of our community, a June graduation will not be possible this year. We plan to hold ceremonies sometime in the Fall when it is logical and appropriate to do so. The graduations will be in Fort McMurray.
13. What will happen to student and staff personal items?
    Our Operations and Maintenance Department will develop a plan which will be shared in the days ahead. We know many students and staff will want access as soon as possible to pick up their belongings. Security in the community is significant which will help to secure our buildings and personal items.
14. I am a high school student and left modules with my teacher that I need for credits. What will happen to those modules?
    The school District will continue to have access to student marks even into the next school year. Teachers and school administrators will need to work with students on a case-by-case basis. Students who may be impacted by this possibility should contact their school principal directly.
15. Is the Board of Trustees operating and are the members aware of our District’s situation and updates?
    Yes. The senior leadership team is in regular contact with the board. The board is holding a Committee of the Whole meeting (informational, not public) next week in Edmonton.

Thank you for your support of our students, staff, and parents of FMPSD.  Further Q and A’s will be provided in the future.  Please continue to check all communication accounts on a regular basis.

If you have additional questions for us, please email them to: teena.francis@fmpsd.ab.ca

Q&A for Students, Parents, and Staff of FMPSD (Ed. 1)

PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE DISTRICT’S WEBSITE AT www.fmpsdschools.ab.ca and our twitter accounts – @fmpsd and @DougNicholls2

1. When the schools re-open, will there be staff? Yes. Employees remain on contract and they will have a five day notice to return to work.
2. Will my children in elementary and jr. high have to repeat the year if school does not re-open in Fort McMurray before the end of June? No. We do encourage students to enroll in school if they are ready to return. If that is not possible for any reason, students will move to the next grade in September.
3. Some high school students have chosen to enroll in the nearest school to where they are staying. Other students have chosen not to enroll at this point. Is that a problem? We encourage students to register in school if possible. Further information from Alberta Education regarding high school credits is expected soon. Students in high school have been welcomed in other high schools across Alberta to complete courses.
4. Have Diploma Examinations been cancelled for Fort McMurray students? Minister David Eggen has announced today (May 9th) that Grade Twelve students are not required to write the examinations. Students will have the option of taking the school awarded mark as their final mark. Please continue to visit the district’s website and twitter accounts @fmpsd and @DougNicholls2 for further information.
5. We have been in contact with The College Board (Coordinators of the Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations). If students have enrolled at high schools already holding AP exams, can students can write AP exams there? Yes. Our students enrolled in our AP courses are already registered with The College Board. Students are encouraged to talk to the School Principal or AP Coordinator if additional courses are needed.
6. Are Provincial Achievement Tests in Grades 6 and 9 cancelled? Grade 6 and 9 Provincial Achievement Tests scheduled to start the week of May 9 have been cancelled for students affected.
7. Students in high school may be asked for a copy of their transcript if enrolling in a school outside of Alberta. How are transcripts accessed? To access transcripts, students are encouraged to register with MyPass through Alberta Education. Visit https://mypass.alberta.ca to register.
8. How do students complete courses online? Alberta Distance Learning has set up a special website for you to register. You will need on line access to complete courses from where you are. Visit: https://www.adlc.ca/fort-mcmurray-students/
9. Students have expressed concern about missing graduation ceremonies. Will there be graduation ceremonies in Fort McMurray? Superintendent Doug Nicholls has been discussing graduation ceremonies for Fort McMurray students with the Superintendent of the Fort McMurray Catholic School Board, George McGuigan (Monday, May 9th). It is expected that both districts will be planning graduation ceremonies upon the return of our students.
10. Will there still be Summer School? At this time, we continue to take registrations. We will monitor the situation and we are assuming that FMPSD will still be opening summer school in July.
11. Can I enrol my child(ren) in a school outside of Alberta? Enrolling your child(ren) in any school remains optional including outside of Alberta.
12. Are mental health supports available? Please contact Alberta Health Services or education.alberta.ca/mental-health. Contact your employee assistance program to access mental health support. Children can also call the Children’s Help Line at 1-800-668-6868 or kidshelpline.ca.
13. Where is the best place to obtain information updates? It is MANDATORY that you register with the Canadian Red Cross. This is how the Government of Alberta will be identifying affected individuals who may be eligible for relief. You may register with the Red Cross by clicking on the link below or by phone at 1-888-350-6070. REGISTER FOR RED CROSS HERE. You can follow FMPSD for updates on Twitter – @FMPSD and @DougNicholls2, Facebook – Fort McMurray Public Schools, and or on our Website – www.fmpsdschools.ca. Links to all FMPSD social media accounts are on our web page.
14. What is the best way to contact FMPSD personnel? Email is the best way to contact FMPSD staff at this time. You can find email links on the district website, choose central office and then pick the appropriate department and person. That person will either handle your query or redirect to the appropriate person.
15. How do I submit an FMPSD expense claims or invoice? Accounts Payable is in the process of being set up. It will take us longer to process payments than before. If you have a question about whether or not your invoice or expense claim has been received, email: finance@fmpsd.ab.ca
16. Can we register our children for school next year? You can continue to register on the FMPSD District website at: http://www.fmpsdschools.ca/Registration.php
17. What will be the process for school clean up? Operations & Maintenance staff are on standby to mobilize as soon as allowed to make the schools a home for students and staff again. A team is being put together to assess the condition of schools when the authorities having jurisdiction allow this to happen.
18. Are staff on standby? As active staff are on standby, they will be paid as per their current letters of hire or contracts.

Thank you for your support of our students, staff, and parents of FMPSD. Further Q and A’s will be provided in the future. Please continue to check all communication accounts on a regular basis. If you have additional questions for us, please email them to: teena.francis@fmpsd.ab.ca

Dear FMPSD Parents, Staff and Students,

Fort McMurray Public School District is experiencing something serious which has deeply affected everyone.  Let me briefly update you on what our staff have done to ensure safety of students and staff due to the forest fire crisis that enveloped the city.

School staff immediately implemented Hour Zero, our crisis management response plan that either evacuated schools or became a shelter in place.  This plan kept all our 5600 students safe until reunited with parents or family friends.  We have two students who have yet to be reunited with parents and these students remain under the care of their school principal. Once parents are able to return from the evacuation sites north of the city, our staff will make the necessary plans to be with their children.

All our students are accounted for at this time.  We are in the process of coordinating communications with all our staff who have also evacuated to the nearest safe place. Daily or regular emails and updates will be provided on our District’s Facebook, Twitter and staff emails.  Please continue to check these sites as needed.

Students and staff will react in different ways so it will be important to have support available to assist both staff and students in need.  Counselors will be in our schools to assist students when they return.  As parents/caregivers we want to help you recognize possible reactions you may observe in your child.  If you feel your child is in need of immediate assistance or is having a great deal of difficulty coping, please call the Children’s Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868. This is call is free, national, bilingual, confidential, anonymous and available 24 hours.  We also encourage you to visit  http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/wildfire.aspx for additional information for those experiencing a traumatic event.

Fort McMurray Public Schools continues to work closely with Emergency Services to cope with the devastating effects of the fire.  Please observe your child closely over the next several days and weeks to watch for signs of distress which may indicate a need for additional support and guidance.

Sincerely,

Doug Nicholls