December 5
Dear West Springs Families,
It’s already that time! Beginning January 12, 2026, registration opens for kindergarten, as well as for new Grade 1 – 12 students for the 2026-2027 school year. Read more here: https://westsprings.cbe.ab.ca/news/countdown-to-kindergarten-learning-starts-here--20251128001526
It is time for us to re-engage parents about our full-day kindergarten programming at West Springs School. Once families for next year are registered and we have their email addresses, a survey will be sent to request feedback and obtain parent perspective on full day alternating days of kindergarten (what we have right now) versus daily half-day, kindergarten. Both options provide the same amount of instructional time, 475 hours over 10 months. We value parent input at West Springs School and survey responses will be considered prior to the final decision being made at the end of February 2026.
Food Bank Donations
This year West Springs School is collecting food items for the Calgary Food Bank from now until December 19, 2025.
There are collection boxes just outside the office. The Food Bank has specifically requested pasta, canned tomatoes, peanut butter, diapers, and formula as part of their Holiday Wish List.
Thank you for offering your donations!
Attendance
When calling in your child’s attendance, please be sure to email their teacher as well as the office at westsprings@cbe.ab.ca. Sometimes the teacher may be away as well and the office will not receive the message.
Parents may also call our attendance line 403-777-6244 extension 1
Yearbooks
There are a number of yearbooks available in the office for purchase from the 2024-25 School Year. First come, first served! $27 Cash
Music Notes
Hello West Springs Families,
I hope you've had a good week! Here are a few learning highlights from each grade:
Grade 2-4: Learning that songs have different sections, and that two of the most common sections are verses and choruses. Singing "Jingle Bells" with all four verses and noticing how the sections of the song alternate between verse and chorus. Listening for transitions between verse and chorus in several different songs with older grades and going through the lyrics of "Jingle Bells", and the characteristics of verses and choruses at varying levels of depth depending on the grade.
Grade 1: Learning to use our "hand staff" to help us remember the five lines and four spaces on the music staff and starting to learn to sing "Little Snowflake".
Kindergarten: Singing "Little Snowflake”, playing rhythms with rhythm sticks, and playing some games with Monday/Wednesday class.
Choir news: We'll be having a school assembly on Friday, December 19 at 9:45. The Grade 3/4 choir will be performing "Gift from the Heart", the main song we've been working on to start the assembly. Seating will be limited, but parents are welcome to come watch. I'm hoping to have another performance with the Grade 3/4 choir later in the year. I've attached the lyrics again, as several kids have asked about this.
Grade 1/2 choir will start in either January or February, and I will send home permission slips for interested students at that point.
Have a great weekend! Best, Mr. Peter Vooys
On the Horizon
- Dec 10 M/W Kinder Boston Pizza Fun Lunch
- Dec 11 Festive Sweater Spirit Day Boston Pizza Fun Lunch
- Dec 17 Red & Green Day
- Dec 18 Festive Head & Toe Day
- Dec 19 PJ & Stuffy Day
- Dec 14 - 22 Hanukkah
- Dec 20 – Jan 4 Schools closed for Winter Break
- Dec 21 Winter Solstice
- Dec 25 Christmas
- Dec 26 – Jan 1 Kwanzaa