Dear William Reid Families,

We are so pleased to welcome everyone back to school this week! Our staff have been working diligently to prepare for the year ahead, and we are excited to have our students join us for another year of fun, learning, and growth.

As we begin the new school year, there is so much possibility and opportunity ahead. In preparing for the year, our teachers reflected on how we can strengthen our students’ understanding that true success is not simply about what we can accomplish on our own, but also about how we help others achieve what they may not be able to achieve on their own.

This idea is rooted in the philosophy of Kurt Hahn, the founder of Outward Bound, who reminded us:

“We are crew, not passengers, strengthened by acts of consequential service to others.”

This year, we look forward to continuing to build a school community where we work together, support one another, and recognize that each of us has an important role to play. We are all crew—not passengers—and together, we can accomplish far more than we could on our own. 

Upcoming Dates and Events 

August 31 - First Day back to School (Grade 1-4) - Staggard Entry for Kindergarten 

Monday, August 31, 2026 students with last names beginning with the letters A - L will attend at the following times:

• AM Classes: 8:02 AM - 10:54 AM
• PM Classes: 11:58 AM - 2:50 PM

Tuesday, September 1, 2026 students with last names beginning with the letters M - Z will attend at the following times:

• AM Classes: 8:02 AM - 10:54 AM
• PM Classes: 11:58 AM - 2:50 PM

Wednesday, September 2, 2026 ALL Kindergarten students will attend classes at regular times. 

September 4 - Courage Assembly (Special Guest – Terry Fox Foundation)

September 7 - Labour Day Holiday – no school

September 14-18 - Soccer Residency

September 15 - First School Council Meeting

September 16 - Picture Day

September 24 - Fall Fling/ Meet the Teacher - Healthy Hunger (Subway) - Parents must preorder  

September 25 - Non- Instructional Day

September 28 - Terry Fox Run

_____________________________ 

1.     Schedule/Calendar

Please remember that you can access our school calendar at any time on our website. The website will always be updated and will have the most current and reliable information.

Kindergarten parents will find this calendar helpful as their Friday schedule alternates on Fridays. Kindergarten Calendar

Time Saving Parent Hack: You can download or subscribe to the calendar by scrolling down the calendar page, and below the filters on the left side are download and subscribe buttons!

2.     Traffic Reminders- A helpful guide to support the safety of our students | Aug 31

A big thank you to our parent community in supporting the safety of our students. 

First Day request – please find parking in the community and walk over. There is no parking or drop off in the staff parking lot. 

William Reid School’s location in the community can create challenges for pick up and drop off, however safety must be paramount for our students. As we welcome back students to school, some reminders to share with anyone who is dropping off and picking up students. Your cooperation is appreciated!

• 36th Ave North Side in Front of School Doors - This section is used as a “Kiss & Ride” - For safety, please do not park or get out of your car in the area on 36^th Avenue in front of the school doors, or stop there for longer than a quick hug
• 11th Street Cul-de-Sac East of the staff parking lot - For safety, treat this cul-de-sac as a one-way during peak drop-off and pickup times. If you’re planning to drop off or pick up your kids near the playground, please enter the cul-de-sac via 10 Street SW through the back alley that runs parallel to the large field, and then exit only through the cul-de-sac (see the picture below)
• Please do not park or pull over at any time in the bus zone. (Bus Zone - 12 Street, between 36 and 34 Ave)
• Unload children on sidewalk side of the road, not on the narrow streets
• No jaywalking, use crosswalks and look both ways
• Do not drop off in staff parking lot, walk along the sidewalks
• No U turns on streets
• Please do not block the ally’s for our neighbors

3.    School Council | Sept 15

Tuesday September 15 will be our first School Council Meeting. We will be meeting in person at the school or alternatively, online.  The link, agenda and minutes will be posted on our school website under School Council.  Link is also below and is new for 2026-2027: 

• Microsoft Teams
• Join the meeting now
• Meeting ID: 290 697 515 796 6
• Passcode: My3BN9cF

We would like to share ways you can get involved this year as a William Reid School parent:

• Attend Parent Council meetings. Held the second Tuesday of every school month,  the next meeting is this Tuesday, September 15 @ 7PM. Everyone is welcome! Learn more about the meetings on the school website
• 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.
• Every year we need a new copy of your Annual Volunteer Form, please complete the attached and email to williamreid@cbe.ab.ca
•  Register to Volunteer through your MyCBE account. See Our Website Volunteer Information for instructions. You will also need this completed to start the process to get your clearance.

Without the support of parent volunteers, the events and initiatives we organize are not possible. Thank you in advance for your support. 

4.    School Picture Day | Sept 16

September 16 is Photo Day. Please add this important date to your calendar.

5.    Healthy Hunger Special Lunch Program | Sept 24

We are pleased to continue offering Healthy Hunger Special Lunches at William Reid for Grade 1-4 students and Seeds of Spice children attending the William Reid location!

Our first special lunch of the school year will be held on September 24. All orders must be placed by Saturday, September 19.

Ordering and payment are completed through the Healthy Hunger website.

How it works:

• Log in to Healthy Hunger
• Create a profile for your student(s) by selecting "Add Student" and entering their details, school name, and teacher.
• If your student(s) already have a profile, please update their classroom/teacher information for the new school year.
• Place your orders and pay online. Families may place orders for the entire school year at one time if desired.
• Orders close five days before each lunch date, so please ensure your order is submitted before the deadline.
• Healthy Hunger Website Instructions

Please note that special lunches are available only to Grade 1-4 students and Seeds of Spice children attending the William Reid location due to delivery timing requirements. Additional information can be found on the William Reid School website. 

6.     Bussing information

For those parents who are interested in monitoring the progress of the bus as it transports your child there is an app called My School Bus Monitor. Click here to find more information. 

Ongoing Fundraising Links

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

Mabel’s Labels 

Financial Donations through Education Matters

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.

Kind Regards,

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