Cougars Corner Weekly Update

January 12 – 16, 2026

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School Update:

Welcoming 2026 – Looking Ahead Together

Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope all our families enjoyed a restful and joyful Winter Break. As we begin 2026, it has been wonderful to see our school filled once again with energy, laughter, and learning.

The months ahead promise to be busy and exciting. We’ll continue to strengthen connection through our Community Activity Days, Fun Lunches, the Pulse Dance Studio residency, swimming lessons, welcoming families back into the building for events like our STEM Night Challenge and coming together as a school for meaningful experiences such as an Indigenous Drumming gathering to honour the Winter Solstice. Students will also have many opportunities to build skills, teamwork, and school spirit through intramurals, gaming club, field trips, and special events – including a Teachers vs. Students basketball game, a Grade 6 basketball tournament, and the much-anticipated Grade 6 Outdoor School overnight experience.

Most importantly, our focus remains on creating engaging, inclusive learning opportunities where students feel connected, supported, and proud of their growth. Thank you for your continued partnership and trust as we move into the second half of the school year.

We’re excited for what 2026 has in store and look forward to another great stretch of learning together!

Building Connection Through Our Values

On Friday morning, our school enjoyed our second Community Activity Day (CAD) of the year! As with our first CAD, students were regrouped across grades to engage in a variety of activities, including cooperative games and team-building challenges, creative art and design projects, STEM problem-solving tasks, robotics, movement games, and opportunities for mindfulness and reflection. The idea is to build new connections, strengthen relationships, and deepen their sense of belonging within our school community.

As part of our Community Activity Days, teachers use a shared rubric aligned with our core values of Respect, Bravery, and Honesty to track group growth and recognize students with bonus House Points when these values are demonstrated. Throughout the morning, staff observed students including others, trying new activities, staying engaged, and taking responsibility for their choices. 

Groups earned points by demonstrating:

• Respect — including others, using kind words and actions, helping one another, and taking care of shared spaces
• Bravery — trying new activities, staying engaged, encouraging peers, and not giving up
• Honesty — following expectations, staying on task, and taking responsibility for choices

It was powerful to see students of all ages supporting one another, stepping outside their comfort zones, and making thoughtful choices – all while having fun and building community. CAD continues to be an important way we bring our values to life and intentionally strengthen school-wide connection.

School-Wide Art Contest – Open to All Students

Our school is excited to launch a school-wide art contest, organized by our Grade 5 teacher Simone Bower! Students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 are invited to create an original artwork at home by choosing one theme from their grade group’s options, including imaginative, expressive, cultural, and animal-inspired themes.

Completed artworks should be clearly labelled with the student’s name, grade, house team, and homeroom teacher, and dropped off at the school office. Submissions will be proudly displayed in the library for the whole school to enjoy, and students are encouraged to look closely and appreciate the artwork (without touching).

The submission deadline is Wednesday, January 28, with judging taking place between then and February 2. Two winners will be announced on Wednesday, February 4, and all students who submit an artwork will earn 10 House Points for their team.

More details and theme choices will be shared by classroom teachers. A big thank you to Ms. Bower for organizing this creative opportunity for our school community!

Welcome Mount Royal University Teaching Candidates!

We’re excited to welcome a new group of teaching candidates from Mount Royal University who joined our school community this week! Teaching candidates bring fresh energy, new ideas, and extra caring adults for students to connect with – all of which make our classrooms even more vibrant places to learn. These candidates will be with us from January through April, working alongside our teachers and supporting student learning across the school.

We’re thrilled to welcome:

• Ms. Aiello with Ms. Harich in Kindergarten
• Ms. Jugovic with Ms. Greig in Grade 1
• Ms. Salem with Mr. Close in Grade 6
• Ms. Chap with Ms. Thistle in Grade 6
• Ms. Fisher with Mr. Sadowsky in P.E. and Ms. Auer in Grade 2/3

And the excitement doesn’t stop there! In early February, our five University of Calgary student teachers will return for the second half of their practicum, meaning even more support, more connections, and more great learning experiences for students. It’s a busy, energizing time in our building – and our students benefit every step of the way!

Thank you for the care, trust, and support you show our school!

Todd Webber

Principal, Cambrian Heights School