Briar Hill Families
As the seasons shift and signs of spring surround us, our school is filled with a renewed sense of energy and growth. This time of year brings exciting opportunities for students to share their learning and talents. We look forward to welcoming families to upcoming events, including our Kindergarten and Grade 3/4 performances at the Volunteer Tea on May 6, and our Grade 1/2 Spring Concert on May 20. We are also excited for our Grade 6 Farewell on June 19, where the Grade 5/6 students will be performing as part of this special event. These moments are meaningful opportunities to come together and celebrate the vibrant spirit of our school community.
This sense of connection and growth was also reflected in our recent Children First | Maatoomsii’Pookaiks PD Day April 24. Staff spent time learning at the Tsuut’ina Nation Culture and Museum, where they engaged with a Knowledge Keeper to deepen their understanding of Tsuut’ina history, culture, and ways of knowing. Through reflection and collaboration, teachers are continuing to build their capacity to bring Indigenous perspectives and land-based learning into the classroom. This ongoing work supports our school commitment to truth and reconciliation and the creation of meaningful, inclusive learning experiences that strengthen students’ sense of belonging, understanding, and connection to the world around them.
Nathan deBoer
Principal
📝 BHS Registration
If you are part of our Briar Hill School community, we would greatly appreciate your help in sharing the word about our school. Briar Hill is a place where students are known, supported, and encouraged to grow, and many of our families first discover us through personal connections and recommendations.
Registration for Kindergarten through Grade 6 is ongoing, and we warmly welcome families from both within and outside our designated area. Please feel free to invite neighbours, friends, and families who may be exploring school options to come and learn more about Briar Hill and what makes our learning community so special.
📚2026–27 Planning
In May, we will begin the process of creating class lists for the upcoming school year. This is a highly intentional and collaborative process, where we carefully balance individual student needs with the overall learning environment to create classes where all students can be successful. Our staff invests significant time and thought to ensure each placement supports both the learner and the group as a whole.
In developing class lists, we consider a wide range of factors, including:
- Attention to the complexities of learning needs of specific students and as a group.
- Academic, social and emotional needs of students;
- Matching of teacher skill set with student need;
- Keeping students with complimentary classmates / friends;
As part of this process, we intentionally incorporate student voice. Each student identifies 2-3 positive peers/friends who they feel help them stay focused, learn, and be successful at school. At home, you may wish to have a conversation with your child about who, within their grade team, they might identify as a positive peer.
Given the complexities detailed above, it is not possible for parents to request specific teachers. We believe our personalized processes allow us to make the best decision for your child. Should you have additional information regarding your child’s learning needs that you would like us to consider when creating class lists, please email Mr. deBoer no later than May 15 at nadeboer@cbe.ab.ca detailing this information.
📅 Updated 2026–27 CBE Instructional Calendar
There is a small change to the 2026-27 CBE Instructional Calendar to support planning for the upcoming provincial referendum, as some schools may be used as polling locations. The Non-Instructional Day originally scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2026 has been moved to Monday, October 19, 2026.
Updated 2026-27 CBE Calendar [HERE]
🏫 Council Meeting
All BHS families are invited to our next Council meeting; a great chance to hear updates, share ideas, and help shape our school.
🗓 Date & Time: Thursday, May 7 at 12:15 p.m.
📍 Attend: In person or online via [Meeting Link: HERE]
Topics to be shared:
- 2025-26 School Planning Debrief [SlideshowHERE]
- 2026-27 Enrolment Update
- AGM Parent Spending Feedback
Your voice matters—see you there!
📚♻️ Used Book Sale
🫖 Volunteer Tea
✏️ Gr. 6 PATs
- Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) are assessments given to all Gr. 6 students across Alberta. They help the province understand how students are doing in key subject areas. PATs are just one snapshot of student learning & do not impact Report Card indicators.
- For PATs, all students are provided with up to double the official scheduled time allotted. We kindly ask that families avoid booking trips or appointments that would require Grade 6 students to be away from school on their scheduled PAT dates.
- During PAT exams, we turn off school bells, minimize K–5 hallway transitions, reduce interruptions, and create a quiet learning environment to support our grade 6 students to focus.
- Monday, May 25: 9 AM–11 AM Grade 6 English Language Arts and Literature Part A
- Thursday, June 4: 9 AM–10 (9am-11am) AM Grade 6 English Language Arts and Literature Part B
- Friday, June 12: 9 AM–10 AM (9am-11am) Grade 6 Science
- Monday, June 15: 9 AM–9:30 AM (9am-10am) Grade 6 Mathematics Part A
- Thursday, June 18: 9 AM–10:15 AM (9am -11:30am) Grade 6 Mathematics Part B
📅 Upcoming Important Dates (April–June)
April
- Apr 28–30 – Book Sale (Students shop Tuesday)
May
- May 6 – Volunteer Tea (8:50–9:50 a.m.)
- May 6 – Kindergarten Orientation (6:00 p.m.)
- May 7 – School Council Meeting (12:15pm)
- May 14 - Healthy Hunger (order Healthy Hunger HERE)
- May 15 - PD Day (No Students)
- May 18 - Victoria Day (No School)
- May 20 – Grade ½ Spring Concert (6:15 p.m.)
- May 28 – Pizza Lunch (Order Pizza Lunch HERE)
June