Dear William Reid families,
We are so happy to welcome our students back to school this week! After several weeks away, the building is once again filled with laughter, energy, and the joy of learning. We want to thank our families for their patience, understanding, and continued partnership during this time. Teachers are excited to reconnect with students and re-establish routines that support a strong sense of belonging, curiosity, and community.
I want to thank you as a community for your support. It was such a pleasant moment to arrive on Wednesday, having all those positive notes in chalk for our arrival. The generosity of our community with kind words and gifts humbles us and makes each one of our staff feel seen.
As we settle back in, we also take time to reflect and remember. In the coming days, our school will be observing Remembrance Day. This important occasion offers students a meaningful opportunity to learn about Canada’s history, the sacrifices made by those who served, and the importance of peace and respect in our world today. Through classroom learning and our school ceremony, we encourage students to reflect on gratitude, empathy, and ways they can contribute positively to their community. Please see the note below inviting you to send in a photo of a family member that you would like to have honoured during our ceremony.
Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our students feel safe, connected, and inspired to learn. It’s wonderful to have everyone together again.
Be safe tonight as you engage in all the excitement of Halloween activities.
Upcoming Dates and Events
Nov 7 Remembrance Day Ceremony (See #1 below)
Nov 10 -12 Fall Break – No students
Nov 17 – 21 Trickster Theatre – artists in residence
Nov 21 Oktoberfest (See #2 below)
Nov 25 Picture Retake Day
Nov 28 Non-Instructional Day - No students
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Event Details for your Information / Reminders
1. Remembrance Day Ceremony | A Call for Family Photos
As part of our Remembrance Day Ceremony, we would like to have photos of individuals who have contributed or are currently contributing to the military. If you have a photo of a family member you would like us to honor by our William Reid School community, please email me a copy of that photo to kcrushton@cbe.ab.ca by Wednesday (November 5) of next week to ensure that image is included in our presentation. Please include the following information with the photo:
- The individual's name in the photo with their rank and role. (eg. Private H. Thompson)
- The name of the student who this individual connects to in the school (eg. Kenzie Rushton)
- Their relationship to the student. (Great Uncle)
Our Remembrance Day Ceremony will be happening in the morning on Nov. 7.
2. Oktoberfest Fundraiser
Date Change – Friday November 21 at Last Best Brewing (607 11th AVE SW).
The William Reid School Fundraising Society holds a fundraiser every two years called Oktoberfest. This is a fun event consisting of: an evening out; a silent auction that is hosted online and a live auction held during the evening. In the past, this event has raised in the neighborhood of $20,000 for the school. These funds go directly to the school, and this is the only event that the Fundraising Society hosts for the year to generate funds.
3. Jacket Racket
Each year William Reid school participates in Jacket Racket, a volunteer organization that collects, sorts and distributes gently used, clean, winter jackets, snow pants, hats and mittens to Calgary children through the Calgary Board of Education and the Calgary Catholic School District.
From now until November 21, a box will be set up inside the School across from the office for collection. We are asking parents and students to donate gently used, warm winter jackets, snow pants, hats and mittens (no boots), in all sizes (from small sizes for young kids in Kindergarten to large sizes for teens in Grade 12).
We encourage you to generously support this worthy project. Last year, thanks to the collection of donations from 50 + schools and businesses, Jacket Racket was able to provide warm winter wear to over 2000 students in 100 + schools across the city.
Please visit http://www.jacketracketcalgary.com or contact Sarah Simms at sarahasimms@me.com for further details or if you have any questions.
4. Healthy Hunger Special Lunch Volunteers
We are asking for three parent volunteers each month to come and help distribute the special lunches to each classroom. Lunch time for all classes is from 11:35am to 11:55am. The time expected for parent volunteers is from 11:10am to approximately 12pm.
Please click on the Sign-Up Genius link below to view the volunteer sign up for each month.
Healthy Hunger Volunteer Sign Up
5. School Council | Next Council meeting, November 18, 2025.
Volunteer. Parent Council is responsible for organizing a number of special activities throughout the school year. Every year we have turnover on our organizing committees, which provides an opportunity for new, enthusiastic parent volunteers to lend us their talents. We have open positions including Parent Council Chair, President Parent Society, VP Parent Society, Library volunteers, Naturalization volunteers, 2026 Casino organizer
Be part of Oktoberfest Friday, November 21. More details to be shared in the coming weeks - William Reid's biennial Oktoberfest raises needed funds to support our amazing school and staff! Oktoberfest is this year's ONLY fundraising event organized by William Reid School's parents that support the school. Please visit https://oktoberfestyyc.wixsite.com/2025 for details and if you would like to join the planning committee, please email WilliamReidOktoberfest@gmail.com with the subject line "VOLUNTEER".
Without the support of parent volunteers, the events and initiatives we organize are not possible. Thank you in advance for your support.
Ongoing Fundraising Links
We have several ongoing ways that parents can contribute to our school financially throughout the year.
Financial Donations
https://www.educationmatters.ca/project-matters/william-reid-school/
Bottle Drive
Manchester Bottle Depot – 410 – 38aAve SE – Donate your bottles here for William Reid School
If you return your empty bottles to the Depot mentioned above and let them know that you would like your refund to be donated to the William Reid, the funds will come directly to the school.
Kind Regards, Kenzie Rushton
Principal | École William Reid School
“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” Flora Lewis