What's New

Uniform Updates for 2010-11

Uniforms at CGS are a visible bonding of our community.  One of the benefits of being a uniform school is a counter image/expectation against the hyper-sexualized world that girls face.  Parents might be interested in reading the following articles:
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/05/03/gender-expert-leonard-sax-on-the-empty-world-of-girls-impressing-each-other-with-sex-booze-and-facebook%E2%80%94while-parents-opt-out/

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/08/10/outraged-moms-trashy-daughters/

The staff at CGS believes it is extremely important to have parent support of the uniform policy at the school.

Below is clarification of current uniform expectations:

The dress uniform (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) consists of 7 pieces: black shoes, black socks or tights with no pattern, kilts, kilt pin, white button-down collar shirt with the CGS monogram, tie, cardigan or blazer.   In warm weather the dress may be worn (white knee socks only) with the blazer or cardigan.

The transition to the new dress shirts is complete as of September 2,  2010.  All dress shirts worn on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday dress uniform days must be button down, CGS monogrammed collars that will support a tie in a fully done up position.  Dress uniform shirts must be tucked in at all times.

The casual uniform (Monday and Friday) can be a mix and match of any combination of uniform pieces.

Field trips will require full dress uniform or casual uniform pieces only.  Please check with the teacher as to which version of the uniform will be worn.  This will depend on the nature of the field trip.

The school uniform should be worn on the bus and during school hours with or without the cardigan or blazer. 

2010-11 is the last year to wear gym strip from the previous supplier (Halperns). Students will be going outside for phys ed.  If girls need something warmer to wear, they will need a CGS hoodie and sweat pants.  Outdoor jackets are not a part of the gym uniform.

Every girl should have a gym strip bag that zips up and acts as a personal locker to store gym strip and gym shoes.  Working out of this bag in the dressing room will aid in preventing the loss of uniform pieces and gym strip.  Please plan to use a zipped up bag that will make this storage easy for your child.

All uniform pieces should be clearly labeled.  Without being labelled it is not possible to identify  these pieces when they are left around the school.

Blazers at Lakeview and cardigans at Bel Aire worn on dress uniform days do not need to be worn as girls are moving about the school.  However, they will be the only uniform pieces worn as an in-school jacket at the school on dress uniform days.  It is expected that when girls are on field trips, with guest speakers, formal occasions, performances or otherwise representing the school, the blazer/BA cardigan, kilt, shirt and tie will be worn.  Ties must always be done up and shirts tucked in.

Outdoor shoes and jackets shouldt be in good taste and not offensive. They may be worn on the way to and from school and during the lunch hour. 

The policy has been refined to remove any lack of clarity in the hope that all members of the CGS community will clearly see the purpose behind the uniform policy and consistently live better with it.

Top Marks Uniform Fittings for School Start Up

Top Marks will be at the Lakeview campus to accept returns, exchanges and fit students for new uniforms on August 26 from 3:00 to 6:30, September 2, 8 and 15 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Laptop Program September 2010

All Personally Owned Laptops Due for Imaging:  Thursday September 2nd:  Listen for the Announcements at School!

Families Returning to CGS? 
Your laptop (leased and personally owned)  will be delivered in the classroom cart by Friday September 10.  Returning parents attended an orientation in September of 2009 and do not need to attend another one.  An updated slide show of information will be posted here in early September.  Parents, please watch it and ask your child's teacher or Mrs. Farrell your questions.

New Family to CGS?
There will be an important  laptop orientation that each new girl and a parent need to attend on Tuesday September 7 from 7 to 8 p.m.  The new student and one parent must attend the orientation before a laptop will be issued with access to the CGS network.  This applies to new families who are leasing laptops from CGS and families who have purchased their own laptop.  This does not apply to families who have enrolled a sibling and participated in the orientation sessions in September 2009 with another student. These families do not need to attend.

Click Here to download the FAQ in PDF format!!

Click Here to Access the FAQ on the Technology Page on this Website

Overnight Trips

At the last CGS Board meeting, various stakeholders spoke on the topic "Overnight Trips". We have posted the presentations made so that the entire CGS community has the opportunity to read the thoughts that were presented that evening.

Field Trip Presentation- School Council

Overnights and Europe Trip- On behalf of CGS teachers

Message from Caroline Parker CGS Board Response

Presenting... Girls' Learning Via Inquiry and Collaboration!

Please check all of the Inquiries posted by grade on the Research and Innovation page of this website.  You have the option to look at our work in math and science supported financially by  AISI (Alberta Initiative for School Improvement cycle 1 and 2) and some of the Inquiries undertaken by each grade level during the 2009-2010 school year which are focused on metacognition in our third AISI cycle.

CGS on iTunes University

While some video links on the CGS site currently link to a third party site where they are housed, we are excited to be one of five Canadian school districts selected to be inaugural sites contributing to iTunes University as it launches in Canada.  This will allow us to upload rich media videos and documents to share with the world.  Stay tuned...

CGS Wikis and Blogs for 2010-2011

Our teachers' grade team websites will migrate to Apple Wikis in the fall of 2010.  At this time we will also launch individual student blogs where they can showcase their work in all subject areas.  Both of these types of information hubs will be private and accessed by student logins which parents can use.
Periodically, you will be notified when student blogs will be showcased to the world.

Choosing Options for 2010-2011

Current CGS students in grade 6, 7 and 8 will be bringing home their option sign up sheets on Wednesday, June 2.  They are due back to their home room teachers on Monday, June 7.

Please make sure you use the sheet for the grade you will be in during the school year 2010-11.

Students new to CGS in next year's grade 7, 8 and 9 classes will receive these forms by email.  Please fax the Sign Up Sheet to the school: 403-217-1371  or drop it off at the Lakeview Campus by June 7.

Need another copy?:

Catalogue of Option Courses for 2010-11

Grade 7 Option Sign Up Sheet for 2010-11

Grade 8 Option Sign Up Sheet for 2010-11

Grade 9 Option Sign Up Sheet for 2010-11

Re: Calgary Herald May 25, 2010 article,  “Calgary Trustees Put All-Boys Public School on Hold"

The article attributes the following phrase to me.

Riding (sic) classrooms of boys allow girls to get a more hands-on experience with traditionally male-dominated subjects and express their opinions than they might have otherwise, said Parker.

I am appalled that my words would have been paraphrased in this fashion. I would never use the word "ridding" in this context. This has caused me considerable embarrassment and the reputation of the Calgary Girls' School, damage. The CGS Board Chair and the Superintendent of the school have received messages expressing concern (and rightly so) that boys would be referred to in this fashion.

The Calgary Girls' School prides itself in providing a context that is deeply respectful and accepting of difference and diversity, regardless of gender. The paraphrase runs counter to our philosophy and reason for being.

The city editor at the Herald  will run a correction/clarification on page A2 of the Saturday, May 30 edition.

Please know that CGS is not now or has ever been about “putting down” boys or men.

Caroline Parker

Calgary Herald: It's Easier to be Mean Online

It’s easier to be mean online, says cyber expert...

MacLean's Article By Dr. Leonard Sax: The Empty World of Girls Impressing Each Other...

http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/05/03/gender-expert-leonard-sax

Online Registration 2010-2011

CGS is excited to be rolling out the new Online Registration System! Beginning March 15th parents will be able to register their daughter(s), and pay all CGS and POOSCA fees from the convenience of your computer. Please click on the document below for further information.
Registration Information 2010-2011

New Procedures for Volunteering and Driving CGS Students

Click her to see the new procedures effective March 1, 2010.
Volunteer Driver Application forms are located under the menu About CGS and then School Council, Important Documents.

Outdoor Shoes for Spring

If you are shopping for new outdoor shoes to wear with the uniform, please make sure you check the parameters outlined in the uniform policy in the Parent section of this website.

Families of New Students Whose Sibling Currently Attends CGS

Any siblings who will be new to CGS must submit an application for CGS asap in order to insure that we have a spot for them for the 2010-2011 school year. We are in the process of interviewing and accepting new families and their students for 2010-2011 and all available spots will be allocated.

Net Cetera: Chatting with Kids About Being Online

Brochure with strategies for parents to ensure their child is safe online

CGS Digital Yearbook 2009-2010

The 2009-2010 CGS Digital Yearbook is being created by a committee of students, is free of charge to every student and will be distributed in the latter half of June 2010.This yearbook will be in a DVD movie format, enclosed in a DVD case with an autograph booklet inside the DVD case.It will feature

·Headshots of every student in their classroom group

·Field Trip and candid shots of students in their classroom group

·Teachers and Staff headshots

·Sports teams

·CGS events

·Graduation: voices of our grads and the grad video

The Trend to "Defriend" Facebook

Click to read the article about "Defriending".

Please Remember That There is a New Cellphone Policy at CGS

Policy 912
Approved: Dec. 9, 2009
Effective Date: Dec. 9, 2009
Review Date: Dec. 9, 2009

CALGARY GIRLS’ SCHOOL

POLICY: 912 CELL PHONE

Rationale

While the use of technology is pervasive, it is important that technology be used in an appropriate manner in the right environment. Cell phones do not form part of the necessary learning tools at CGS and are often disruptive to the learning environment.

Policy

All cell phones will be turned off after 8:15 a.m, and stay off for the duration of the school day while on school property or at school-sanctioned events. Cell phones will remain off during extracurricular activities. Cell phones are to be kept in the student back pack.

CGS recognizes that it is sometimes important for parents to reach students. Accordingly, if parents need to pass on messages to a student, a phone call can be made to the school office who will ensure that the student receives the message. If students need to contact their parents during the day, they are to ask their teacher for permission to use the phone in the main office.

Any violation of this policy will result in the cell phone being confiscated and held in the school office. The cell phone will only be returned to the student’s parent or legal guardian.

Fundscrip Gift Cards

What's New on the What's New Page???

All the dynamic information about CGS that changes on a daily basis can be found under the "What's New" page. Please watch here for calendar information, newsletters, announcements....

The rest of the Calgary Girls' School Website contains information that does not change on a daily basis but informs parents and the public about CGS in a variety of categories. Please explore!

Parents will also want to login to their student's grade team page on the secure CGS Web Portal to find out what information teachers are keeping you up to date on. Your student will share her username and password with you so you can login. Please check this regularly.

CGS Newsletters

Monthly newsletters are available online on the school's public website under "What's New" and then click on "Newsletters" on the left side of the screen.

Lunch Bell Program

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