Dear William Reid Families,

Overcoming obstacles has been a theme at William Reid this week. Students reflected on challenges they are working through, the people who have supported them, and how we can help one another overcome obstacles at school. This conversation was inspired by our celebration of the Paralympics and a special visit from Paralympian Keely Shaw, who generously shared her experiences competing at the 2020 and 2024 Games.

It also feels like we are overcoming another obstacle—winter! Despite this week’s return to snow, the first day of spring is just around the corner. Spring reminds us of renewal, balance, and growth. At William Reid, we see that growth every day when students and staff work together to face challenges and support one another.

At the end of this week, many members of our community will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Eid is a time of celebration, reflection, and gathering with family and community. We wish a joyful celebration to all who are observing.

Below are some informational items for your reference.

1. School Conferences | March 19 and 20

Bookings will open on Saturday, March 7, at 8:00 AM and close at 8:00 PM on March 18.

Grades 1- 4

  • Thursday, March 19 from 4:00 PM to 7:45 PM
  • Friday, March 20 from 8:30 AM to 12:45 PM

 Kindergarten

  • Thursday, March 19 from 8:00 AM to 7:45 PM
  • Friday, March 20 from 8:30 AM to 12:45 PM
  • Mme Gunn is only available Thursday morning and evening, but not during the afternoon.
  • PLEASE Note: To accommodate conferences on Thursday, March 19, there will be no kindergarten classes that day.

CBE Booking System (MyCBE)

Appointments will open on Saturday, March 7 at 8:00 AM. Please go to MyCBE and book under My Conferences. (Instructions below) 

To book, please follow these steps:

  • Log in to your MyCBE parent account.
    • Choose your child’s grade in the “Conference” drop-down menu.
    • Read the “Conference Message” in the box to determine when the classroom or where the meetings will be held.
    • Book the time with your teacher, this will be in person.

See information on our Parent-Teacher Conference page.

2. Volunteer Clearances Letters

If you have registered for a clearance letter through the Calgary Police Service (CPS), please remember to download the PDF and submit it to the school office.

Clearance letters are removed from the CPS site after a period of time, and it is your responsibility to send them to us to record the clearance in our system. This process is not automatic.

3. Scholastic Book Fair Volunteers Needed

Scholastic Book Fair will be at William Reid School April 27 - May 1

This Book Fair is run with Volunteers and help is needed to make it run smoothly.

Please sign-up below – This link is also in the William Reid Calendar. 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4FA8AE23A6FCC25-62619910-william

WRBook Fair

4. Healthy Hunger Special Lunch Volunteers

Our next Healthy Hunger fun lunch day is on March 19, 2026 – Mary Brown’s.

The Saturday prior is the last day to get your orders in! Order here: https://healthyhunger.ca/

Thank you to all the Volunteers that have signed up to help organize and distribute food!     If you’d like to volunteer for fun lunch food distribution days, sign up here:

Healthy Hunger Volunteer Sign Up 

5. Child Care Tax Receipts | Lunch Supervision

Child Care Tax Receipts for CBE Lunch Supervision (January 2025–December 2025) are now available through MyCBE

6. Student Fees | Collection

Any unpaid 2024-25 lunch supervision and transportation fees will be sent to collections in February/March 2026.  Families can avoid having their account sent to collections by:

Settling their 2024–25 central fees in full via MyCBE, or

Applying, and being approved, for a 2024–25 Central Fee Waiver. We are currently offering extensions for the 2024–25 waiver until June 30, 2026. Parents can be directed to FeeWaiver@cbe.ab.ca for more information.

Requesting a Payment Plan by contacting StudentFees@cbe.ab.ca. A payment plan requires a signed commitment to pay a minimum of $20 per month toward 2024–25 central fees.

7. William Reid 2025-2026 Yearbook 

Order your 2025-2026 Yearbook now! The yearbook is a valuable keepsake which captures memories and key moments throughout the school year. The book contains 32 color pages and features a custom cover created by one of our students – more details to come for this year’s cover contest in February! 

8. Attendance Tip of the Week

If you are looking to create a calmer, less rushed start to your child’s day, we encourage you to arrive at 7:50 a.m. Our doors open at that time to provide students with a “soft start,” allowing them to settle in, connect with peers, and begin the day feeling prepared and ready to learn. 

Ongoing Fundraising Links

We have several ongoing ways that parents can contribute to our school throughout the year.

Mabel’s Labels

Help reduce lost items by labeling student belongings.
Mabel’s Labels – William Reid Fundraiser

Financial Donations

Support school initiatives through Education Matters:
https://www.educationmatters.ca/project-matters/william-reid-school/

Bottle Drive

Manchester Bottle Depot – 410 – 38a Ave SE – Donate your bottles here for William Reid School

Please return empties to the Manchester Depot and let them know that you would like your refund to be donated to William Reid, the funds will come directly to the school. And, your visit at the Depot will be super quick, no wait time, just drop-tell-leave.

“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things but learning another way to think about things.”
— Flora Lewis