February 24, 2026

Welcome to the FSD Monthly Newsletter for February 2026! Check out what's inside this month:

• Enroll today for Fall 2026 Kindergarten and Junior Kindergarten
• Join the Indigenous Advisory Circle this Wednesday
• You belong at FSD. Pink Shirt Day is February 25
• The Annual Education & Childcare Assurance Survey ends March 6
• Learner Profiles for Reporting Period 1 are now on Edsembli
• Check out our Board of Trustees governance 
• Save your seat at Westmount School’s evening with Paul Davis
• Important Dates to Remember
• Board of Trustees Updates
  & More

Important Dates

February 18      Lunar New Year
                         Start of Lent
                         Start of Ramadan

February 25    Pink Shirt Day / Anti-Bullying Day

March              Francophone Heritage Month

March 4           Holi

March 16        Non-Instructional Day (Professional Learning)

March 30 to April 6   Spring Break

View Instructional Calendar

Get Ready to Learn! Fall 2026 Enrollment is Open

The time has come to get Ready to Learn! Junior Kindergarten (preschool) and Kindergarten enrollments for Fall 2026 are now open at foothillsschooldivision.ca.

Learn more about our Ready to Learn programs and schools at our website and enroll today:

• Junior Kindergarten (preschool)
• Kindergarten

You belong at FSD. Invite a friend to be a part of our flourishing learning community!

A Thoughtful Moment: The Value of Connection

Maintaining integrity, even in challenging times, is a goal worthy of pursuit as is supporting one another to bring strength, rather than division.

This ATM highlights the importance of human flourishing in education.  It emphasizes our commitment to values such as dignity, honour, and integrity, fostering an inclusive and supportive school environment.

Read A Thoughtful Moment on The Value of Connection at our website.

Indigenous Advisory Circle: February 25 Gathering

Join the FSD Indigenous Advisory Circle to advance Truth and Reconciliation within the Foothills School Division through authentic voice and action.

Indigenous Advisory Circle

ÉSFCHS | AHSFA | Learning Commons

February 25, 2026

6:00 to 7:30PM

This opportunity is open to students, educators, parents, and guardians who wish to be a positive impact in our communities. Research has shown that the most important factor to student success is parent involvement followed closely by teachers and peers.

Gathering will include:

• A brief update on Indigenous education within FSD
• Time to hear from community members
• Planning for Indigenous Graduation in partnership with the Town of Okotoks (last weekend of May)
  & snacks

Your voice and presence matter as we continue this work together.

Interested in knowing more? Contact Charity Tegler, Director of Indigenous Learning & Equity 

Learner Profiles are Posted

Your child’s learner profile is their report card. Through our system of reporting, we have 2 reporting periods (semesters), 2 Learner Conferences, and 2 Learner Profiles per student. Learner Profiles share important information about your child’s learning, including strengths and areas for growth.

Learner profiles are now available on your Edsembli Family Portal. 

• Go to: Student profile > Digital Documents > Learner Profile 2026 Reporting Period 1
• Please take a few minutes to review each child’s Learner Profile
• When you’re finished, click the “Acknowledge” button to let us know that it has been read

Need help with Edsembli or viewing the Learner Profile?Please contact your child’s school directly. 

FSD Assigned Classroom Complexity Team

The following is a joint statement by Board Chair Letendre and Superintendent Fuzessy

Foothills School Division has received one targeted Classroom Complexity Team that was appointed by the Ministry of Education and Childcare and is to be deployed into Spitzee School. It is our understanding that the Ministry reviewed the classroom data provided by each school board in the province and based on the Ministry’s criteria to determine the level of classroom complexity, each K to 6 classroom was triaged for level of need. The result is the province’s assignment of Classroom Complexity Teams for targeted supports to specific classrooms. 

Schools are dynamic spaces where everyone belongs, and Foothills School Division works hard to meet learners’ needs within our available resources while continually strengthening safe, welcoming, caring, and respectful learning environments. Over the past several years, FSD has made deliberate decisions to prioritize front-line classroom supports — including drawing down reserves to the minimum allowable level — so we could maintain staffing and put as many supports in place for students as possible. Community and staff voices consistently reinforce this priority during our annual budget consultations...  

Read the full statement at our website

Reminder: The Annual Education & Childcare Assurance Survey closes March 6

If you are a parent or guardian of a child in grade 4, 7, and/or 10, you have an incredible opportunity to provide targeted feedback that informs decision making within the Ministry of Education & Childcare, as well as within your child’s school and our school division.  The AECA survey asks questions that aim to measure a school’s achievement within the assurance domains of student growth and achievement, teaching and leading, learning supports, and governance. 

Reminder emails are sent weekly. Please check your inbox for your access code and participate today!

Need more information? We’ve pulled together an AECA resource that you can find at our website (click here to read) or download the printable version by clicking here.

2026-2027 Instructional Calendar

The 2026-2027 Instructional Calendar was approved by the Board of Trustees at the January 28, 2026, public board meeting.

Click here to view the 2026-2027 Instructional Calendar

A reminder to families: important calendar dates can also be viewed at the Division and School website calendars. See what’s coming up in just a tap on the FSD App (learn more).

To review the Calendar Consultation Report, for the engagement that ran January 15 to noon on January 22, please go to the January 29 news post at our website (click here).  

FSD Board of Trustees

The FSD Board of Trustees are dedicated to fostering open communication with parents and guardians. We are your elected representatives, ready to respond to your questions and concerns and ensure your voice is heard at the board level.

Click here to meet the Trustees

Board Meetings

All Public Board Meetings are held at Division Office unless otherwise noted. Meetings begin promptly at 1:00 pm.

2025-2026

• March 4, 2026
• March 25, 2026
• April 15, 2026
• April 29, 2026
• May 13, 2026
• May 27, 2026
• June 17, 2026

Footnotes: February & March 2026

This is a monthly newsletter connecting the governance work of the Board of Trustees to how Foothills School Division is placing students at the centre of a flourishing learning community.

February and March are a time when the Board’s work moves beyond listening toward intentional design and stewardship. 

As the Board prepares to review the Division’s 2026–2027 budget,  trustees are grounding financial decisions in community voice, assurance data, and firsthand learning from schools.

Read Footnotes at our website

Listening & Understanding: Flourishing Community Reports

Board Meetings often have delegations from a school or department within the Division to share the progress of their goals within the 2024-2029 Education Plan. A brief summary of these reports can be viewed at our website and include:

February 2026

• Meadow Ridge School

January 2026

• Turner Valley School
• Inclusive Learning, Wellness & Well-Being
• Indigenous Learning & Equity
• Employee Services
• Red Deer Lake School
• Professional Learning & Education Partner Relations
• Communications & Community Engagement

Pink Shirt Day is February 25

Pink Shirt Day is a chance for our community to stand together against bullying and celebrate kindness, respect, and inclusion. It reminds us to “never underestimate your ability to have a positive impact”.

You belong at FSD. We are committed to safe, welcoming schools where everyone feels valued. Wearing pink helps reinforce these values and sparks meaningful conversations about empathy and belonging.

Check out some positive FSD Pink Shirt Day and personal growth stories in The February 18^th edition of the Western Wheel!

Supporting Well‑Being with Time to Disconnect

At Foothills School Division, we believe that well‑being is essential for learning. Just as students need time away from schoolwork, our staff also need time to disconnect so they can be at their best for all learners.

To support healthy boundaries, school‑related communications are recommended between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m., Monday to Friday. Messages sent outside these hours are not considered urgent, and families can expect responses within 24–48 hours during the school week. Staff are also encouraged to schedule emails to arrive during regular working hours, helping to respect family time at home.

These guidelines, along with wellness supports and thoughtful meeting schedules, help promote that our teams can recharge and stay focused on providing high‑quality learning experiences.

Thank you for your understanding and partnership in supporting staff and student well‑being. To learn more, please review Administrative Procedure 414.

Online & Social Media Safety with Paul Davis

Presented by Westmount School and Westmount School Council

Date: March 20, 2026

Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Location: Westmount School - 240 Westland St, Okotoks, AB

Who is encouraged to attend: All parents and guardians in our community are welcome Caregivers, grandparents, and other family members are also encouraged to join.

Reserve your seat today!
Help us save you a seat by completing a quick registration. Click here to register for this free event.

View more information about Online & Social media Safety with Paul Davis at the Westmount School Website

Win Pizza for Your Classroom!

Make a nomination for classroom of the month

Both Sun Country and The Eagle host Classroom of the Month! Visit these two links to nominate your child’s class to receive a pizza party.

https://highriveronline.com/contests/classroom-of-the-month 

https://okotoksonline.com/contests/classroom-of-the-month 

We love to share local headlines for stories from our schools and division, as well as the stories that impact our flourishing learning community. 

February 24 – Students across Foothills to champion inclusion on Pink Shirt Day (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 23 – Complexity teams coming to schools in Okotoks & High River (WesternWheel.ca)

February 23 - Unique high-speed internet coming to rural areas of Foothills County(WesternWheel.ca)

February 20 - Christ the Redeemer, Foothills School Division, to receive classroom complexity teams (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 19 - New Foothills Junior Band brings over 50 local students together (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 19 - Minds Matter mental health game sells out for first time in Okotoks  (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 17 - Town of Okotoks to host resiliency summit this spring (WesternWheel.ca)

February 16 – Okotoks teams step up at Magrath Heartbreaker (WesternWheel.ca)

February 12 – RCMP respond to a threat at Highwood High, no danger found (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 12 – Police respond to firearms call at High River high school (WesternWheel.ca)

February 10 – Okotoks students stepping outside their comfort zones (WesternWheel.ca)

February 8 - Falcons win Redhawk Invitational Tournament championship (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 7 - Knights, Falcons, Drillers earn tournament titles (WesternWheel.ca)

February 7 - Longtime Foothills educator and coach, Dave Roberts to retire (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 6 - Residents divided over proposal to combine school and playground zones (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 6 - Striemer's Grade 5 class wins Classroom of the Month (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 3 - Alberta to release Budget 2026 on February 26  (HighRiverOnline.com)

February 2 - Mayor Thorn wants tax reform as education levy expected to rise  (WesternWheel.ca)

February 2 - Foothills Falcons just miss out o medals at Bobcat Bowl (WesternWheel.ca)

February 2 - Applications open for Teacher Advisory Council | Appel de candidatures pour le Conseil consultatif des enseignants (Alberta.ca)

February 1 - Black History Month: Statement from Premier Smith | Mois de l’histoire des Noirs : Déclaration de la première ministre Smith (Alberta.ca)

January 28 - FSD Ready to Learn nights help Foothills families prepare for school (HighRiverOnline.com)

January 27 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Premier Smith (Alberta.ca)

January 27 - Foothills School Division hosting ‘Ready to Learn’ info nights (WesternWheel.ca)

January 27 - Okotoks council honours FCHS senior girls after historic silver medal finish (HighRiverOnline.com)

January 26 - ATM: Flourishing CommUNITY Framework in the Foothills (FoothillsSchoolDivision.ca)

January 25 - Sheep River Library hosting second annual Lego competition (WesternWheel.ca)

January 21 - High River classic car club looking for junior members (WesternWheel.ca)

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