Taradale Talk  

Principal Update 

December 15, 2025 

  

Dear Taradale Families: 

 
Happy December!  As we move into December, our students remain focused on learning and growing each day. This month, classrooms will continue working on key academic skills while also engaging in winter-themed activities that support creativity, collaboration, and positive classroom community. 

We enjoyed warm fall weather this year. As the weather tends to be unpredictable, please be sure your child comes to school dressed to be outside during recess and lunch recess. We will continue to go outside until it is –20 outside. 

It was wonderful to see so many families at our Student-Led Conferences at the end of November. Please continue to check your child’s Google Classroom for weekly updates. 

Taradale School had an amazing opportunity to host 8 student teachers over the past few weeks! Our student teachers have finished up their practicums and are back at University to finish up their studies. We wish them well as they continue their journey as educators. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. We appreciate all you do to help make our school a welcoming and supportive place for every child. 

Please read the important updates below

Scholastic Book Fair 

Thank you for supporting our Scholastic Book Fair during Student-Led Conferences. We are excited to share that we are able to purchase some new books for our school library

School Calendar Change 

Due to a variety of factors, we have changed the date for the Parent/Teacher Conferences in the spring. Our Parent/Teacher conferences will now be held on Thursday, April 16 in the evening from 5:00-7:00 for Grades 1-4. Kindergarten Conferences will be held on April 16 from 8:30-12:00, 1:00-3:00, and 5:00-7:00. There are no Friday Conferences.  March 20 will still be a non-instructional day for all students.  

Bussing and Parking 

Taradale School now has one school bus. The addition of our school bus has resulted in new signage along Taravista Drive and Tarawood Road. Taravista Drive (in front of the school) is now a no stopping zone (just past the bus shelter). Please do not park here! This is our bus zone and must be open at all times for our school bus. If you are parked here, we will ask you to move your vehicle so that our bus can pull up to the school safely.  

Kindergarten Registration 2026-27  

Beginning Jan. 12, 2026, registration opens for kindergarten, as well as for new Grade 1–12 students, for the 2026–2027 school year. 

Children are eligible for kindergarten in September 2026 if they turn five years old on or before Dec. 31, 2026. 

To register your child for school, you must create a SchoolEngage account. Once an account is created, you will receive confirmation and can register your child. 

Kindergarten Registration Guide 

*Taradale School is only able to accept registrations for students within our designated attendance boundaries. You can confirm that Taradale is your designated school through the Find a School Tool

Personal Mobile Devices: 

A reminder to parents that personal mobile devices (any device that can connect to the Internet) are not permitted in school. This includes cell phones, tablets, gaming devices, laptops, and SMART Watches. If a student must bring a device to school, it is expected to be off and kept in the student’s backpack (Away for the Day). If a student requires the use of a personal device for medical or learning needs, please speak to your child’s teacher and we will initiate the process of documentation that is required for this exception. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any questions. Thank you for your support! 

CBE Information Regarding Personal Mobile Devices at School 

Away for the Day 

Attendance 

Under the Education Act, it is an Alberta Education expectation that all students under the age of 16 attend school every day. This includes our half-day Fridays. Even though students are only in school for the morning; there is still important learning that is taking place. Please make it a priority to ensure your child attends all days of school.  

If your child is going to be away, please call out Attendance line 403-777-6270 option 1. 

Communication 

When you have specific questions about your child, your first point of contact is always the classroom teacher. Please email the teacher to book a time to talk. Teachers are not available to talk during school hours as they are teaching. Teachers will respond to email concerns after the school day has concluded or the next school day. 

Early Pick up 

If you are coming to the school to pick up your child early, you must come to the office.  It is helpful if you have already notified your child’s teacher that you will be picking up early. Students will not be released from their dismissal doors. Please ring the bell and let the office know you are here to pick up your child.  

Dismissal 

Students are dismissed at 2:40 pm. All students must be picked up on time at their dismissal doors. Please do not crowd the doors or wait on the stairs. We want to ensure all our students can exit the building safely to their trusted adult. 

Crosswalk Safety 

As a reminder, we have made some changes in the way we are supporting the crosswalk this year. The crosswalk supervisor will not be walking into the middle of the crosswalk to assist pedestrians. The supervisor will press the overhead crosswalk sign and identify the intention to cross with an outstretched arm. Pedestrians will then cross the road. This will avoid the constant pressing of the crosswalk sign button, and we will be crossing pedestrians in large amounts to minimize disruption to traffic. This may mean pedestrians will need to wait a few extra minutes in order to cross the road. Please be patient as we want all of our pedestrians to be safe. We know that this is a big change from what has historically been done at Taradale School. These new changes are to prioritize everyone’s safety. 

Noon Supervision 

If your child will be staying for lunch, please register through MyCBE/PowerSchool. Registration for lunchroom is on-going throughout the year. There is a fee that you will be charged for your child to attend the lunchroom program. Please ensure that you are checking under Fees in your MYCBE\PowerSchool account. 

 If your child goes home for lunch. They will be dismissed from their door. When they return, please bring them to the front door of the school, and wait with your child until they enter the building. Please bring them to the front door of the school no earlier than 12:28. 

Bridge Club 

We are excited to have Calgary Bridge Foundation for Youth to provide an After School program at Taradale School for Grades 1-4. The program still has room for this term. If you are interested in putting your child on the list.  To register, you must contact Grace Tanku at GTanku@cbfy.ca   

The school office cannot register your child for this program.  

School Counci

The Taradale School Council is looking for new members. Currently, we do not have a Chair for our School Council. We are unable to operate as a School Council without a Chair.  If you are interested in this role, please reach out to Ms. Bose to discuss.  

Instagram Accoun

We have an official Taradale School Instagram account. Please follow @TaradaleSchoolCBE for important school updates. 

Important Dates: 

December 19 – Early Dismissal 12:10-Last day of school for students 

December 20-January 4– Winter Break 

January 5– Classes resume 

 

Karen Bose and Tara Vandertoorn
Principal Assistant Principal