NEW HEIGHTS NEWSLETTER
School News
Thank you PAC
On Tuesday, January 28 th , to beat the Winter blues, we had a Whole School activity: Superhero Day. For Superhero Day, students (and staff) dressed in superhero costumes and took part in an obstacle course set up in the auditorium. The biggest hit was the giant bouncy house slide brought in by our Parent Advisory Council. Thank you PAC!

Bessborough Hall Update
This is the year! In 2017 we made the offer to purchase Bessborough Hall from Clear Water Academy with the move in date of summer 2020. While much work has been done behind the scenes we are now getting traction on some of the very practical matters related to the move.

We have engaged Dialog Design, a multi-disciplinary team that includes architects, interior designers and various engineers to help us to make good decisions about utilizing our new space. They have created an up-to-date floor plan as a complete set has not been done in several years. In addition, they created a 3D As Built model that allows us to look at current space on our computers when having conversations about the existing space and the potential changes we will make.

Regarding potential changes, we have asked Dialog to determine the best space for our Life Skills room and to provide us with a concept of a potential layout. Classroom staff and therapists provided them with the specifics regarding what will best meet the needs of our students. Due to the utility hookups required we have asked them to also consider the best location for the staff room. Finally, an activity and assembly area is crucial to our programming and they will make suggestions as to a suitable location.
As we move closer to our move in date, which at this time is scheduled for early to mid-July, please watch this space for further updates.
Accountability Pillar
As an annual check-up on the education system, the Accountability Pillar provides an opportunity for Alberta Education and school authorities to ensure that we are equipping students for success.
The Accountability Pillar uses a set of 16 indicators. Data on these indicators consists of surveys of students, parents and teachers on various aspects of education quality, student outcomes such as dropout and high school completion rates, and provincial assessments of student learning.
From January to the end of February, Alberta Education will be conducting their annual Accountability Pillar Survey.
In mid-January, parents of students in grades 4 to 12 may receive a survey from Alberta Education.
In late January to early February, students in grades 4 to 12 and all teachers will be completing their surveys at school.
All surveys are anonymous and ask questions about experiences with your school. In addition to English and French, the parent survey is available in Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic, Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Urdu.
Your participation in the survey helps provide important information on the quality of education your student is receiving, so we encourage you to return your survey promptly.
Survey results will be available to school authorities in May 2020, and will be reported publicly as part of their 3-Year Education Plans and Annual Education Results Reports.

For any questions, please contact our Principal, Katie Blasetti at Katie.blasetti@newheightscalgary.com .  
Mrs Forth and Ms Minten
Mrs Carmen Forth is off on maternity leave at the end of January. We will miss her, but are excited for her to welcome a new little one to her family.  

Megan Minten will be taking on Ms Carmen’s maternity leave, and has been working with Carmen and visiting all of the classrooms throughout the month of January. Welcome Ms Minten!
PAC News
Our Skip the Depot and Mabel’s Labels Fundraisers are ongoing and we thank those that have signed up. For Skip the Depot you can set up an account at SkipTheDepot.com and your bottles (and other recyclables) are picked up right at your house! Please select and donate to “New Heights” and a portion of the bottle money collected is donated directly to us! to date, we have raised over $200!
For Mabel’s Labels - now is a great time to think about personalized labels for summer camp! Go to  mabelslabels.ca  and select “New Heights School & Learning Services.” The money raised from these two fundraisers goes toward something special for our kids... Thank you! 
Please contact  pac@newheightscalgary.com  if you have any questions.
New Heights Gala!

Join us on April 25th at the stunning venue of Hotel Arts for an evening of inspiring words from  Kodette LaBarbera  about her autism journey, delicious appetizers/food stations, silent & live auction, and live music from  The Rondel Roberts Band !

Tickets are on sale now!
See below pricing.

Early Bird Price : $50/ticket (Now - Mar 2) 
Regular Price:  $65/ticket (March 2 - April 25) 
Bulk Ticket Purchase (10+ tickets):  $40/ticket (Jan 21 - April 17)

Tech Spot
The App feature for January is SnapType . 

SnapType is an app that lets students take pictures of their homework and simply type in answers instead of having to hand-write them. You can then print, email, or share completed work. This app is an ideal solution for kids, and even adults, who struggle with their handwriting

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