Message from the Principal
R.I Baker Parents/Guardians,
I cannot believe the summer has nearly come to an end. We are a day away from students returning to classes and I can tell you that the staff at Baker are looking forward to another school year. For all returning families, we welcome you back and for all families new to the school, we are excited that you have joined our community. In the now ten years that I have been at the school, I have valued the amazing culture and supportive environment that exists both inside and outside of the classroom. Looking at 2022/2023, we anticipate another successful year and one that is defined by many opportunities to connect with each other in meaningful ways. Having said this, if you would like to attend any of our assemblies, special days or events, please feel free to contact us in the office and we can give you the details you need to attend.
Brett Clifton (VP) and I welcome you to contact us with any questions, concerns or feedback regarding the school and the education of your child. We are fortunate to have highly skilled staff at RIBMS and we are all committed to ensuring we provide the best education to all students in our school community.
Below are some important reminders and dates as we move into the school year.
***If your child will be absent this week, can you please phone this in to our admin staff. We are transitioning to a different information platform that may require some time to set up. This will include services like: Synervoice, Safe arrival and school messenger/attendance, and Parent Portal. We will provide email communication once these supports become available.
Teacher Contact
All families will be contacted by classroom teachers within this first week. We ask parents to be patient in waiting for this communication as it will inform families of all important details and information regarding your child’s homeroom/classroom expectations. Please also refer to our student handbook (found under the “Parents” tab of our school website). This handbook has important information and will answer many of the operational questions you might have.
Staggered Entry
As was mentioned in previous communication, students in Grades 5-8 will be returning through a staggered start with the grades 5-6 students starting on August 30th and only the grade 7-8 students on August 31st. The bell times remain the same for these days. All students will attend on Thursday, September 1st. Students will enter and exit the school at their designated doors During the first two mornings, teachers will be outside to welcome families and students.
As has been the case in previous years, we ask parents not to enter the school during drop-off and pick-up times unless they have prearranged a meeting with teachers. This is to avoid confusion and give students the space they need in the hallways to get settled. If you would like some time to meet with your child's teacher, or have information or concerns to share, please communicate with that teacher directly to set something up.
We want to remind all parents and visitors to the school to please use our main office entrance (on the East side) when accessing the school. The school office admin will be happy to greet you and welcome you into the building.
Bus Students, Safety and Crosswalks
A reminder to all parents that we have students arriving and departing the school on buses in our bus loop. This is for buses only and cannot be used for a pick up or drop off location. While we will be reminding students to be bus aware, we ask parents to talk to their children about being safe outside and only crossing the street at our two designated crosswalks. We also ask parents to model these safe practices when picking up and dropping off their children at the school.
Meet the Teacher Night
Please mark your calendars for Wednesday September 14th from 6:30 - 7:30 PM. We invite all RIBMS families to “Meet the Teacher” and staff at the school and have an opportunity to tour the classrooms. Parents and students will have some time with their teachers for the year. This is a great time to hear expectations, ask questions, and put some faces to names. We will hold a small assembly after in the gym to chat about some school wide information and participate in a few fun games with prizes to end the night.
Parent Council
Our first Parent Council is also our AGM meeting. The meeting will take place Tuesday September 13th starting at 6:30 PM in the R.I. Baker staff room. We meet every second month and during this time we share valuable information, brainstorm exciting ideas, and have the opportunity to ask important questions regarding your child's education. We provide snacks and refreshments at all meetings.
School Calendar and Facebook
Please refer to the school website and our Facebook page to keep updated on events and happenings at our school.
We also encourage you to follow us on Facebook for updates on what is happening in and around our school community.
Hot Lunch/Canteen Program Information - HELP WANTED!
We have a canteen that serves individual grades once a week. If it is your canteen day, you can purchase "treat" lunches that week. We always require parent help in our canteen. If you have time during the week between 11:30 and 12:00pm we would appreciate some help supporting this service. It is a great way to be a part of our school community and get to know the many kids that attend here. If you are interested in volunteering in this capacity or possibly in other ways, please contact our office and 403-345-3340.
Starting in October we will be offering hot lunch for purchase. These meals are from local restaurants and are delivered on Wednesdays. There will be monthly menus and purchase opportunities found on School Cash Online on our website. This program also requires some parent volunteers. If you are willing to help please contact our office.
School Fees
Please note that we will be working to collect ALL school fees by November 1st 2022. It is important that these fees are submitted in a timely manner as these funds help with the operations and supplies for our school. You can pay these fees on school cash or can come in and visit us in the office as soon as possible. If you have extenuating circumstances that would prevent you from paying these fees by November 1st, please contact me. I would be happy to make arrangements that accomodate your situation.
We look forward to an exciting school year, and we are eager to build a positive relationship with your child.
Mr. Prebushewski