FSD Community Current: October 2026
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Welcome to the FSD Community Current — your connection to recent news and stories from the Foothills School Division.
As October comes to a close, cooler weather has arrived, Fall Break is just around the corner, and there is incredible learning across Foothills School Division. Help us recognize our incredible team of staff, volunteers, and community partners by taking a moment to reflect and share a note of appreciation to someone who is making a positive difference.
This month’s Community Current includes important reminders for families, opportunities to share your voice, and stories showing how students are learning, leading, and building connections across our communities.
As always, be sure to stay informed and get all the news from FSD and your child’s school by downloading the free FSD app.
Important Dates
November 9 - 13 | Fall Break |
November 11 | Remembrance Day |
November 27 | Non-Instructional Day |
| November 14 - 22 | Métis Week The week honours the history, culture, contributions, and sacrifices of Métis people in Alberta and across Canada. Learn more |
November 16 - 27 | Learner Conferences |
December 19 – January 3 | Winter Break Schools are closed |
Subscribe to the division or school calendar and never miss an important day — the 2026–2027 Instructional Calendar, Kindergarten Calendar, and System Calendar are all posted at our website.
🔗 View the Instructional Calendar
You are a part of your child’s education
You don’t have to be in the school every day to be involved in your child’s education and school decision-making.
Simple connections benefit your child and all learners:
| Talk Ask your child about their day and a topic they are learning. |
| Stay Informed Review gradebooks on Edsembli Ask for clarity from your child’s teacher or school. | |
| Participate Accept invitations to provide your voice in surveys and discussions. Activate your School Council membership and attend monthly meetings |
| Celebrate Student Success Attend school performances. Speak positively about your child and their learning. |
Did you know? Parents and legal guardians of FSD students are members of their child’s School Council? Yes, you’re already a member! Connect with your child’s school to find upcoming meetings and see how you can be a part of decision making at the school.
Student information verification forms are now overdue
Whether you are recently registered with FSD, or are celebrating your child graduating, all families are required to complete a verification form on an annual basis. This ensures your information is up-to-date and we can swiftly contact you if there ever is an emergency.
🔗 Click here to learn how to submit your forms in Edsembli.
Literacy and Numeracy Screening Results
This fall, the Ministry of Education and Childcare directed schools to conduct literacy and numeracy screening of students in grades 1 through 5.
For those families, the results of your child’s screeners for Fall 2026 will appear as an email from FSD Assessments (assessments@fsd38.ab.ca):
- Each report is sent as separate email to the legal parent and guardian email addresses listed on a student’s file. You will receive one for numeracy, and one for literacy.
- Check your spam and junk folders
- Please reach out to your child's school if you do not receive a report by end of day November 2.
- Due to Microsoft email distribution limits, there may be a delay in receiving your child’s report. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
- For information on understanding your child’s report results, please visit our website.
- We invite families to connect with their child’s teacher to discuss learning supports.
As per the screening schedule, students in kindergarten will engage in a screener in Winter 2027.
🔗 Literacy & Numeracy Screening
Coming Soon: Share your insight regarding the role of technology in student learning
Technology is part of the world our students are growing up in, and FSD wants families to help shape the conversation about its role in student learning.
Coming soon, families will be invited to participate in FSD's Understanding the Role of Technology in Student Learning Survey.
This will be an opportunity to share your perspectives and experiences and help inform how we think about technology in student learning.
Watch for more information from FSD about how you can participate.
Remembering Together
In the days leading up to Remembrance Day, schools across Foothills School Division will take time to honour those who have and continue to serve our country, reflect on the impacts of war and conflict, and consider the importance of remembrance.
Schools will share information directly with families about their own Remembrance Day ceremonies and activities.
Please note: Fall Break takes place November 9–13, 2026, which includes Remembrance Day on November 11. Schools are closed during this time. Division offices will be closed on November 11.
Fall Break: November 9–13
A reminder to families that FSD schools will be on Fall Break from Monday, November 9 through Friday, November 13.
Classes resume following the break.
Winter Weather and Bus Safety
Winter made an early appearance in the Foothills this month, making this a good time for families to prepare for changing road and weather conditions.
Snow, low visibility, and changing road conditions can result in school bus delays. Families who use FSD Transportation should regularly check the Bus Route Status page and watch their email for route-specific information.
Safety is a shared responsibility. Here are a few tips to keep our riders safe:
- Be bright, stand in sight! Stay clear of the roadway and be sure you are visible to other drivers. Reflective accessories can boost visibility.
- Bus riders are to remain seated, and use quiet voices when travelling. This helps our drivers keep their focus on the road.
- The Cross Arm keeps riders out of the driver's blind spot. Stay behind this line to stay safe.
- Bus lanes are for buses. Additional traffic in these lanes can cause accidents or prevent buses from safely parking. Please use designated student drop off areas or use active transportation to get to and from school.
- When the stop sign is out, and the bus lights are flashing, this means that students are nearby. Never pass a bus actively picking up or dropping off riders.
Did you know FSD operates its own bus service for 3,000 students on 75 routes? That's right! Your bus drivers are a part of Team FSD, and work collaboratively with schools and families to keep students safe.
🔗 Read the Transportation Handbook for more safety information
Discover the Possibilities of French Immersion with FSD%20(1).jpg)
Did you know your family doesn't need to speak French for your child to begin French Immersion?
French Immersion is designed for students from non-French-speaking families and provides students with the opportunity to develop a proficiency in the French language throughout their Kindergarten to Grade 12 learning journey. FSD students entering Kindergarten or Grade 1 can register without previous French experience.
- Cultural Exploration and Appreciation
Bi-annual trips to Montreal in Junior High and to France in High School - French Proficiency
Students can write the DELF exam to earn an internationally-recognized diploma for French. - Resume Booster
Graduates expand life and career opportunities in Canada and across the globe. - Life-long Learning
Learning another language enhances how students engage in other subjects including English Language Arts, mathematics, social studies, and music.
FSD offers the French Immersion pathway in both Okotoks and High River:
Okotoks
| High River
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Our Flourishing Community
| A Small School with a Big HeartAt C. Ian McLaren School in Diamond Valley, belonging is at the heart of learning. Students are discovering their strengths through leadership opportunities, hands-on learning, collaborative activities, and opportunities to contribute to their school community. |
Connection, Leadership, and Service Take FlightAt Spitzee School in High River, students are learning what it means to connect, lead, and serve. The school is building student voice, family engagement, leadership, well-being, and community partnerships into everyday learning. |
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| What Becomes Possible When We Care for Public Education Together?Eighty people from across the Foothills region came together on October 15 for FSD's second Fast Forward to a Flourishing CommUNITY gathering. Parents, educators, municipalities, community organizations, businesses, public safety representatives, and others explored how communities can work together to create the conditions for young people to flourish. |
From our Board of Trustees | |
| Calling all artists!Your artwork could be featured on the 2026 FSD Board of Trustees Holiday Card! Not only will the winning design be featured on the holiday card, but the student of the winning entry will also receive an FSD prize pack!
We will accept submissions until 12:00pm (noon) on November 18, 2026 🔗 Find all the contest details and upload your child’s artwork at our website |
| Footnotes: What becomes possible when we build on our collective strengths?This fall, we've been exploring what becomes possible when we build on the strengths, experiences, and perspectives within our schools and communities. Through conversations, shared learning, and a closer look at student success, we're discovering new possibilities for strengthening the conditions where every learner can flourish. What becomes possible when we listen and learn together? At our October 15th Fast Forward to a Flourishing CommUNITY gathering, parents, educators, community organizations, municipal leaders, and other community partners came together to explore what might be possible when we share responsibility for the flourishing of our young people and communities. Listening is more than gathering input. It is about building relationships, deepening understanding, and discovering what we might accomplish together. We encourage you to explore Footnotes for November 2026, at our website. |
Board Meetings | About our Board of Trustees and Governance |
| Nominate a Flourishing Foothills Community Partner!The Foothills School Division Board of Trustees is committed to placing education at the centre of a flourishing community. Through the Flourishing Foothills Community Award, we recognize organizations, groups, and individuals in the community whose leadership, acts, or support have demonstrated a significant contribution to our purpose. How to Nominate:
🔗 View award criteria and nominate an amazing community partner at our website today! |
Resolving concerns together
All learners are to feel safe, respected, and successful in learning.
Whenever you have a question or concern about your child, start with the person closest to the situation — your child’s teacher for classroom concerns or their bus driver for questions about the bus ride.
Starting with a respectful conversation can help clarify what happened, build understanding, and identify next steps together. If a concern remains unresolved, connect with the school office or FSD Transportation for further support.
🔗 Read the concern resolution process at our website
From our community
Your Voice Matters Identifying Youth Mental Health Counselling Needs in the Foothills
The Lionheart Foundation invites you to take part in a short online survey.
If you are a youth aged 16 or older living in the Foothills region of Alberta, a parent or caregiver, or a representative of a local service organization, we want to hear from you. Your feedback will help us better understand the mental health counselling needs of local youth and young adults.
The survey asks about the types of support young people need, barriers to accessing counselling, and ways services could be more welcoming and accessible. Participation is voluntary, and the survey should take only a few minutes.
Please complete the survey today. Follow this link Lionheart Foothills Survey:
https://www.research.net/r/LionheartFoothills
Your perspective can help shape future mental health counselling supports for youth throughout the Foothills. Please share this invitation with youth aged 16 or older, parents and caregivers, and local service organizations in the Foothills who may wish to participate. Thank you for helping Lionheart Foundation better understand and respond to the mental health counselling needs of young people in our communities.
Stay Connected
Foothills School Division
129 4th Avenue SW, PO Box 5700, High River, AB T1V 1M7
403) 652-3001 | communications@fsd38.ab.ca
@foothills.school.division
foothillsschooldivision.ca
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We honour the spirit, life, and lessons this land and its ancestors teach us. We acknowledge the traditional land and territories of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai, Tsuut’ina, and Îyârhe Nakoda as well as the Foothills District and the Rocky View District within the Battle River Territory of the Otipemisiwak Métis Government of Alberta.
