Briar Hill Families

Welcome back, Briar Hill families! I hope you all had a restful and joyful winter break, filled with time to relax, connect, and make memories. It’s wonderful to see our students returning with energy and excitement as we dive into the new year together. I’m looking forward to all the learning, growth, and fun that 2026 has in store for our school community.

With Gratitude,

Nathan deBoer

Kindergarten Registration

• Beginning Jan. 12, 2026, registration opens for kindergarten, as well as for new Grade 1–12 students, for the 2026–2027 school year.
• • Please be aware: Registration is not first-come, first-served.
  • To learn more about Registering for Kindergarten click HERE
  • Save the Date: Kindergarten Orientation for registered families will be on May 6, 6-7pm (details will be emailed to registered families)
  • Save the Date: Welcome to Kindergarten June 10. A special opportunity for our 2026–27 Kindergarten students to visit and get a glimpse of what Kindergarten will be like in the year ahead. (details will be emailed to registered families)
• Briar Hill School is excited to welcome new families into our learning community. Currently, 41% of our student population attends from outside our walk zone, reflecting the strong appeal of our school. We offer the benefit of small class sizes, a highly supportive and engaged parent community, and a close-knit school environment where students are well known and supported. If you know a family seeking a dynamic community school with strong academics and a strong sense of connection, please encourage them to contact the school office or email Nathan deBoer at NADEBOER@cbe.ab.ca to arrange a school tour.

Communication

• Please expect a weekly message from our Briar Hill Administration, myself, which will be emailed to families every Sunday and posted on the school website. I do my best to ‘bundle’ important updates into this weekly message, so I don’t overwhelm your inboxes. 
• Grade Teams will be sending home an update from the classroom every second week (Next update Jan 16)
• Student agendas are used daly with personal updates & reminders
• Briar Hill School Instagram will continue with snapshots of learning, celebrations, & updates. Please follow @BriarHillSchool

School Council Meeting

• Next Meeting: Jan 20 @ 12:15-1:00 pm
• All families are able to join in-person in the school's Learning Commons or virtually
• Virtual Link HERE

Report Cards

• K-6 Report Cards will be available to families Feb 24
• CBE report cards are issued twice each year, and the CBE has moved toward a standardized comment style to ensure consistency across the system. At Briar Hill School, we continue to operate with a transparent approach, ensuring there are no surprises regarding a student’s academic progress or achievement. Ongoing communication between teachers and families throughout the year supports this shared understanding and partnership in student learning.
• To learn more about accessing on-line Report Cards click HERE

Gr. 7 Late French Emersion

• Branton Open House for Gr.6 families considering Late French Emersion is Feb 5th 6:30-8pm
• • Please see information below
• Branton will also be presenting to our current Gr.6 students Jan 15th to supporting the transition to junior high by sharing a comprehensive understanding of who they are at Branton School and what students can expect in the Late French Immersion programs.

Important Dates  

• Jan 16 – Connect Day *Focus: Curious 
• Jan 16 – Grade Team Emails sent out
• Jan 20  - School Council Meeting (LC @ 12:15pm) 
• Jan 22 - Pizza Lunch  (order HERE)
• Jan 29 - Value Awards
• Jan 30 - PD Day (No School for Students) 
• Feb 3 - Well-Being Ambassadors Lunch Meeting 
• Feb 5 – Fun Lunch (order Healthy Hunger HERE) 
• Feb 12-13 – Teacher’s Convention (No School) 
• Feb 16 – Family Day (No School) 
• Feb 20 - Connect Day *Focus: Caring 
• Feb 24 – IPPs & Report Cards to families 
• Feb 25 – PINK Shirt Day & Assembly 
• Feb 26 – Pizza Day  (order HERE)
• Feb 26 - Value Awards
• Feb 27 – PD Day (No School for Students)