Welcome back to school! It is hard to believe we just came off our summer vacation. As I child I remember “time” being something that sped up in the summer and slowed down in the during the school year. Now as an adult, everything just seems to fly by! All that to say, we want all our days to count. This year at Langdon School we will be putting a spotlight on some new items. Briefly, here are some sneak peaks for you; Introduction to formalized literacy program, Mental Health Awareness, 21st Century learning events, Speakers for parents and families, and more. I encourage you to get involved and to watch our School Ed Plan for this year (located on our Published Tab under LangdonTube)
I would like to welcome Mrs. Harker-Dawes to the school. She is our new assistant principal along with Mrs. Sidorenko. She is eager to be involved in the community and to be working with Langdon School students. She will be mainly working with our elementary staff and students, so please stop by and say hello at the Pancake breakfast.
Last year I approached the school council on changing our cell phone rule in the school building. Over the past four years, we have spent time educating and helping students with the use of technology in class. Overall, we believe that the use of technology is best when it is purposeful and leads to learning at school. We have found students are doing well on the computer and tablet front. However, they are struggling with their cell phone use and the distraction that comes with it. We find that learning is routinely being interrupted with communication or interest from smartphones. You will find in the demographics package a new Cell Phone Procedure. Our goal is to allow students to connect with family and friends during their break times, but no use of cell phones in the classroom. Please be sure to talk as a family about this routine. For more information on why we have moved this way, you can read a recent article from the Calgary Herald as a starter (search for “Kids are getting too much screen – and it’s affecting their development). At the school council meeting, I will be explaining the routine more in depth and also talking about the School Ed Plan.
