January 2017 Newsletter

Please find attached a copy of our January 2017 newsletter . 

This issue includes information about:

• Registration
• New online courses now available
• School Review process
• Accountability Pillar Survey for Gr 10 parents and students
• Off Campus programming
• Completion dates throughout the school year and April diploma deadlines
• January Diplomas
• Important dates
• Exam protocol
• The school calendar (which differs from other schools​)
• The Blackboard timetable.

Notes from your Palliser Beyond Borders Principal

School Review at Palliser Beyond Borders and Outreaches

Several years ago Palliser Regional School Division introduced a process for reviewing its schools and since 2005-06 a review team has visited all schools in Palliser in order to assist the school’s staff and administration with school planning. Palliser Beyond Borders and its Outreaches in Calgary, Vulcan, Picture Butte and Coaldale are scheduled for a review at scheduled time between January and March. Multiple focus groups with students and parents, and teacher meetings at our sites are being planned. Parents will receive emails from our staff inviting parent participation. Surveys will be distributed to students, teacher and parents. If parents require translation help with the survey please contact Alison.Hancox@pallisersd.ab.ca so arrangements can be made. 

Parent Focus Groups: You will be able to share your views and opinions with the Superintendent and other Palliser Senior Administration.

“Calgary Parent Focus Group” session at our Calgary Outreach campus: Suite 120, 2635 37 Avenue NE, Calgary, AB, T1Y 5Z6 on Wednesday Feb 15 @ 4:30 pm- 5:30 pm. Please RSVP to attend this session by completing this form or by contacting Elvira.Pagsanghan@pallisersd.ab.ca by email or phone at 1-403-291-0584. 

“Palliser South Parent Focus Group” session at our Picture Butte campus: 334 Highway Avenue, Picture Butte, AB T0K 1V0  on Monday Feb 13 @ 12 noon.

Please RSVP to attend this session by completing this form or by contacting Lola.Mix@pallisersd.ab.ca by email or phone at 1-403-732-5810. 

Student Focus Groups: A sample group of students will attend. Parents and students will be notified of dates and times. 

For Grade 10 students and parents: If you are a Grade 10 student currently taking classes through Palliser Beyond Borders we ask that you follow the instructions into complete an Alberta Education survey. The email will be sent to you in January. Parents will receive a letter in the mail from Alberta Education the week of Jan 23, 2017 The link https://public.education.alberta.ca/APOS/  is to complete the survey by Feb 24, 2017. 

For concurrent students:

If you have completed this survey at your other Palliser School, we would like you to complete it again, this time thinking about your experiences at Palliser Beyond Borders. 

Finishing Semester 1 and Preparing for Semester 2

Students:  January 16 is the start of diplomas.

Diploma review session information is posted in your diploma course and also on our website under the Current Students tab.

Arrive 30 minutes early to the site you at which you plan to attend to get settled and to log on to a computer if you are writing part A of Social Studies or English using a word processing tool. 

If you need to reschedule please contact the admin assistant at the site you plan to write.

See these resources to help you prepare for exams and diplomas

Diploma preparation is available from www.rockthediploma.com in Calgary and Lethbridge. See the website for details.

Alberta Education Diploma Information 

If you are unable to write your diploma as planned in January please let your teacher and lola.mix@pallisersd.ab.ca know when you plan to write. You can choose to write in April if the diploma is available or again in June 2017. See the deadline dates that apply for diploma course completion. 

For all students: See the deadline tables below to help plan for successful completion of your courses. As always, please speak to your teacher or drop in to our Blackboard study hall to get help with your learning https://goo.gl/gnsmFL

Best Regards,

Alison Hancox, MET. Principal, Palliser Beyond Borders