See our Calendar for upcoming and future events.
Staffing Updates
Ms. Yousuf joined our team several weeks ago now. Ms. Yousuf has been in a variety of classrooms over the course of the month of March. Ms. Yousef will be assisting with literacy and math interventions for the next few weeks. When Ms. Augoula goes on maternity leave sometime after spring break, Ms. Yousuf will be a more permanent part of the grade 3 team. Ms. Amal Yousuf can be reached at: AmYousuf@cbe.ab.ca
Ms. Hovius will be away until after Spring Break. Ms. Pahl has been in the classroom for over a week now and will continue until Spring Break.
Ms. Shakila continues to be away. Ms. Sener, a long time staff member here at CAS has been in the classroom since January. Thank you Ms. Sener for all you have done to assist our Grade 2 team in Ms. Shakila's absence. Ms. Serine Ghalayini will be in the classroom until further notice. She can be reached at: SiGhalayini@cbe.ab.ca. Ms. Ghalayini, the newest member of our staff, will be with our team through to the end of the school year to support our learners.
Ms. Kaur will be away until after Spring Break. Ms. Schubert has been in the classroom for over a week now and will continue until Spring Break.
We are very fortunate to have a dedicated group of substitute teachers whom we can call upon when needed. Ms. Sener, Ms. Schubert, Ms. Hendricks, and most recently Ms. Pahl have been tremendous assets to our staff and students. We are grateful for their ongoing dedication, flexibility, and support.
On most days at Chris Akkerman School, we experience a shortage of approximately one to four substitute teachers. In response, our staff work collaboratively to adjust schedules, provide internal coverage, and, when necessary, reorganize classes to ensure student learning and supervision continue smoothly. This requires considerable teamwork and adaptability within the building.
During particularly demanding weeks and months such as those we have experienced this year, we are especially appreciative of the substitute teachers who consistently step in to support our school community. Their commitment makes a meaningful difference for students and staff alike.
It is important to note that substitute teacher shortages are not unique to Chris Akkerman School, nor are they specific to the CBE. This is a broader, systemic challenge within the education system. We remain committed to doing the very best we can for students and families within the circumstances we are navigating.
Please do NOT use the staff parking lot
I have repeatedly asked that families refrain from using the staff parking lots. These areas are not safe for children at any time. Children are small and can be difficult for drivers to see, creating a serious safety concern. When adults bring children into the parking lot, it can unintentionally send the message that this is a safe place to be—which it is not.
Unfortunately, this concern became a reality this past week when a parent entered the main staff parking lot and struck Ms. Shilpa’s new vehicle. Our staff reasonably expect that when they park in designated staff parking, their vehicles will be safe from damage. It is deeply disappointing that the individual involved left without reporting the incident or taking responsibility.
I am especially saddened that this happened to Ms. Shilpa, who works tirelessly in support of our families and school community.
To be very clear: all families must stay out of the staff parking lots. There is signage at the entrance indicating this area is not for parent use. It is not a drop-off zone—ever.
Finally, to the individual who damaged the vehicle: I am disappointed that this situation was not reported to the office. Demonstrating care and responsibility in moments like this matters.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping keep our community safe and respectful.
Chris Akkerman School Development Plan (SDP) and Budget Presentation
On Thursday evening, School council met and the annual SDP and Fees presentation was shared with the community. WE discussed our current SDP goal (Math) we also discussed the school budget and the fees charged to parents. We also requested feedback from parents on how the SDP information was share with parents and learn if there were better ways to share out this information. We further requested feedback from parents on school fees that parents were charged. Parents in attendance overwhelmingly indicated that they were pleased with the fieldtrips organized by teachers, the residencies organized by the school, and the fees that are charged for participation in these activities. Thank you for your feedback.
For those who missed the presentation, it is provided below. Also, the feedback QR Code is on the last slide in the presentation. We greatly appreciate your feedback as this is the accountability piece for the Ministry of Education indicating this presentation was made.
Presentation from Thursday will be shared in a separate e-mail on Monday
School Council Sponsored Psychologist Presentation
Thank you to the parents who attending the Thursday evening presentation with the psychologist. Based on feedback and observation, it sure looked like it was a tremendous benefit. The link to her presentation is below.
Link for Resources from Parent Workshop by Samira Zabian:
https://padlet.com/samirazabian1/emotion-regulation-in-children-presentation-pdi721uaom0lf40b
Healthy Hunger: FUN LUNCH
https://healthyhunger.ca/index.php
- March 16- Fun Lunch - Volunteer needed
Fun Lunch Days – A Gentle Reminder About Outside Food
Dear Families,
We are so grateful for the support you give our school community. On Fun Lunch days, we kindly ask that families do not send outside food from restaurants or vendors.
Our Fun Lunches are organized by our dedicated School Council volunteers as a fundraising effort to support programs and activities for all students. When outside lunches arrive from other vendors, it creates challenges for our office team and makes the Fun Lunch process more complicated to manage.
To help the day run smoothly for everyone, we ask that families participate in Fun Lunch through the School Council ordering system on those designated days.
If you have ideas about vendors, menu options, or the overall process, School Council would love to hear from you. They welcome more families getting involved and helping to shape future Fun Lunches.
Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and continued partnership. Together, we make these special days successful for our whole community.
Instructions for Tax Receipt
You can download tax receipts online through your MyCBE account for lunch supervision fees (child care).
If you are unable to retrieve the receipts, please contact student fees studentfees@cbe.ab.ca and make a request. Please include your student’s name, school, ID number and requesting school year.
Outstanding Fees Reminder
A Gentle reminder to families that some student fees remain outstanding. If you haven’t had a chance to submit payment yet, please do so at your earliest convenience. If you’re unsure about your balance or need assistance, please contact the school office—we’re happy to help!
Student fees can include monthly transportation, monthly lunch supervision, fieldtrip fees, recorders, etc. Thank you for ensuring this is all up to date!
Moving Next Year
This is the time of year when we begin planning for the upcoming school year. If your family is planning to move or your child will not be returning to our school for the 2026–2027 school year, please let the school office know as soon as possible. Early notice greatly supports our planning and classroom organization for next year.
All Grade 5 students will automatically be registered to attend Sir Wilfrid Laurier next year. If your child will not be attending Sir Wilfrid Laurier, we kindly ask that you inform the office of your plans as well.
Thank you for your support and cooperation as we plan for the year ahead.
Extended absences
All students must be in attendance the last week of June of this school year along with all of September of 2026 to be considered a student here at Chris Akkerman. We encourage all families to plan their family trips well into October. My best recommendation is to leave around Thanksgiving and include fall break in your plans. This will minimize disruption to your child's education and ensure they will continue to be CAS students.
Early Student Pick‑Up Reminder
If your child needs to be picked up early, please notify the office in advance. This helps us ensure your student is ready and minimizes classroom interruptions. Thank you for your cooperation!