Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day

 On November 8th we honour Indigenous Veterans Day and on November 11th we honour Remembrance Day. 

This is a time of reflection and gratitude for the sacrifices made by military members and their families, past and present. 

Indigenous Veterans

First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada have a long and proud tradition of military service to our country.

To learn more, click 👇

Heritage Minutes

To watch these short and informative Canadian videos, click 👇

Remembrance Day Quiz

Take this quiz to test your knowledge by clicking 👇

Learning Commons

Come on up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our display!

Read. Learn. Grow.

I Read Canadian Day!

November 5th is I Read Canadian Day!

 I Read Canadian Day is a nationwide initiative that celebrates the richness, diversity and breadth of Canadian literature for young people. 

Come up to the Learning Commons and read a book from our display. These are just some of the Canadian authors you will find on our shelves. 

Read. Learn. Grow.

Latin American and Hispanic Heritage Month

 October in Latin American and Hispanic Heritage Month in Canada!

From the Government of Canada

October marks the celebration of Latin American Heritage Month, a month designated by the Parliament of Canada in 2018. It is an opportunity to recognize and acknowledge the significant contributions that members of the Latin American community have made to the fabric of Canada. This month allows us to celebrate our Latin American heritages. Today, we raise our voices in celebration and reflection about the impactful contributions members of the Latin American community have made and continue to make sharing their cultures, perspectives and proud traditions.

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, made the following statement:

"Today marks the start of Latin American Heritage Month—a moment to honour the rich history, celebrate both the past contributions and present achievements, and recognize the vibrant identity of Latin American communities in Canada."

Who are Latin American Canadians?

From The Canadian Encyclopedia

Latin America refers to a group of republics in Central and South America. These countries include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Puerto Rico, the French West Indies and other islands of the West Indies may also be considered part of “Latin America.” The broader use of the term can also refer to countries where Romance languages, such as Spanish and Portuguese, prevail.

Celebrating Latin American and Hispanic Heritage

From Calgary Catholic School District

Check out these four famous Latin Americans.

Happy Latin American and Hispanic Heritage Month!

Women's History Month

October is Women's History Month in Canada!

From Government of Canada: Women and Gender Equality 

October is Women’s History Month in Canada, a time to highlight the achievements of women and girls, past and present, who have shaped Canada in fields like politics, science, arts, business, and the economy.

Why October?

From Government of Canada: Women and Gender Equality 

In 1992, the Government of Canada designated October as Women’s History Month.

Women’s History Month coincides with Persons Day, the commemoration of the 1929 “Persons Case,” when the Famous Five fought to have women legally recognized as persons under the British North America Act, securing the right to sit in the Senate.

This marked the beginning of the advancement of gender equality in Canada. 

Note: Not all women were recognized as persons. Indigenous women and women of Asian heritage or descent were not included. 

Want to learn more?

From CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel) Canada

Do you recognize the Famous Five statues from downtown Calgary?

Who is Dr. Jane Goodall?

From Jane Goodall Institute

In July 1960, at the age of 26, Jane Goodall traveled from England to what is now Tanzania and ventured into the little-known world of wild chimpanzees.

Equipped with little more than a notebook, binoculars, and her fascination with wildlife, Jane Goodall braved a realm of unknowns to give the world a remarkable window into humankind’s closest living relatives. Through nearly 60 years of groundbreaking work, Dr. Goodall has not only shown us the urgent need to protect chimpanzees from extinction; she has also helped to redefine conservation to include the needs of local people and the environment. [She travelled] the world, speaking about the threats facing chimpanzees and environmental crises, urging each of us to take action on behalf of all living things and the planet we share.

From CBC Kids News

From CBC News

Want to learn more about Jane Goodall and her important work?

From Jane Goodall Institute

Inspired to help? Check out Roots & Shoots Canada!

From Jane Goodall Institute Canada

Who is Dr. Anne Innis Dagg?

From Anne Innis Dagg Foundation

In 1956, before anyone, man or woman had made such a trip, 23-year-old Canadian biologist, Anne Innis Dagg, made an unprecedented solo journey to South Africa to become the first western researcher to study giraffes in the wild. When she returned home a year later armed with ground-breaking research, the insurmountable barriers she faced as a female scientist proved much harder to overcome.

From Heritage Minutes

From The Woman Who Loves Giraffes

What to learn more about Anne Innis Dagg and her important work?

From Anne Innis Dagg Foundation

Want to learn more about Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)? 

From Women in STEM Diversity in STEM

Women in History

A Timeline

From Government of Canada

Quiz: Women in Canadian History

From The Canadian Encyclopedia

Inspiration and some content provided by Tricia MacKinnon (LCL, Lib Tech), CCSD. Thanks Tricia! 

Looking for Books to Read?

Check out the Calgary Public Library!

Website: https://www.calgarylibrary.ca/ 

Visit a branch near you!

Fish Creek Library

11161 Bonaventure Drive SE. 

Seton Library 

4995 Market St SE

Shawnessy Library

333 Shawville Boulevard SE

Quarry Park Library

108 Quarry Park Road SE

Southwood Library

924 Southland Drive SW

Read. Learn. Grow.

Information and photos from https://www.calgarylibrary.ca/ 

Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

 What is Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation?

From the Government of Canada

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 recognizes the tragic legacy of residential schools, the missing children, the families left behind and the Survivors of these institutions.

The first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was held in 2021. The day coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which was first honoured in 2013 by the founding non-profit organization, the Orange Shirt Society.

What is Orange Shirt Day?

From CBC Kids News

What is a Land Acknowledgement?

From CBC Kids News

What is Reconciliation?

From CBC Kids News

What are the 94 Calls to Action?

From CBC Kids News

What does it mean to be an ally to Indigenous Peoples?

From CBC Kids News

What is Orange Shirt Day?

From Orange Shirt Society

Want to read a book by an Indigenous author?

Come up to the Learning Commons and check out our display. These are just some of our books by Indigenous authors. 

New Art in the Learning Commons

 Fill your well with art in the Learning Commons!

As a Learning Through the Arts school, our Fill Your Well gallery space in the Learning Commons regularly features art loaned to us by Canadian artists. Make sure you pop in to see our latest exhibit!

Come up and see these fabulous pieces by Calgary-born artist Tim Huesken. 

Artist Bio

Rocketships. Robots. Skulls. Monstes. Lightning. Mad Scientists. UFOs. LEGO. BMX Bicycles. Board Games. Asteroids. Charlier Brown. Dirk the Daring. Ren & Stimpy. Laserguns. Museums. Sloths. Martians. Planets. Ice Cream. Bank Heists. Kites. Dogs. Felt Markers. Coffee. Rocks. Sugared Cereal. These are some of the many, many things that keep me inspired. 

Tim Hueksen studied drawing and sculpture at the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) where he completed his BFA in 1997. After graduation he taught Extended Studies drawing classes at ACAD as well as full time drawing classes at North Mount Pleasant Arts Centre. While some projects have occupied more of his time than others, he has been teaching workshops and short programs consistently for the last 18 years. Tim's interest in games and animation has been the foundation to why he began drawing in the first place: Monsters and Robots!

Through gig posters, digital media, video and board games, imaginative creatures and strange worlds are a common theme within his work. Tim moved from Calgary to Victoria BC in 2007 where he worked for a video game company as a character designer and animator. He currently lives in Halifax NS. 

Welcome to the Learning Commons

 It's the start of a new school year! So much to look forward to! So many books to read!

The Learning Commons will be open for students and classes to borrow books beginning on Monday, September 15th. 

Learning Commons Hours:

• Monday to Thursday
• 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Students are also welcome to visit at lunch to quickly return or borrow a book and ask for tech help. 

Things to remember when you visit the Learning Commons:

• Always say hello to Mrs. Dickson
• No food or drink (aside from water) allowed
• No water near the technology
• All books must be checked out before they leave the Learning Commons
• Use a browsing stick or shelf marker when looking for a book (no willy nilly in the Learning Commons!)
• Use the M sticker guidelines to find books appropriate for you
• Be gentle with the beanbags (no jumping, flopping, or stepping on) and put them back in the Beanbag Corral when you are finished
• Use beanbags in the large area of the Learning Commons and not in front of bookcases
• Tidy your table and push in your chair before you leave
• Be kind, gentle, and helpful

I look forward to meeting new faces and welcoming old library friends back to the Learning Commons!

Happy reading,

Mrs. Dickson

Read. Learn. Grow.

Freedom to Read Week

It's Freedom to Read week in Canada!

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees us access to diverse books.  

Yet, books are being challenged in Canada. Some of them are your favourites. 

Each of the books on our display has been banned in public libraries or school libraries in Canada or the United States at some point. Some of them are banned right now.

All students need and deserve access to all books. That's how we find connection and understanding of ourselves. It is also how we learn empathy and understanding of people who are different from us. 

Come up to the Learning Commons and check out a banned (or previously banned) book!

Read. Learn. Grow.

Pink Shirt Day

Wednesday, February 26th is Pink Shirt Day.

What is Pink Shirt Day? 

From https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/about 

“David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]…[They] took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. ‘I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,’ says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.’ So Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard from again.”       — Globe & Mail

After David and Travis’ act of kindness in 2007, CKNW was inspired to help other youth affected by bullying, with many staff members wearing pink shirts and collecting funds to support Boys and Girls Clubs. Since then, the idea has only grown each year, with worldwide support and participation. Countries across the globe are now organizing anti-bullying fundraisers of their own, including Japan, New Zealand, China, Panama, and numerous others. In fact, last year alone, people in almost 180 countries shared their support of Pink Shirt Day through social media posts and donations.

Pink Shirt Day falls on the last Wednesday of February every year; join us next Pink Shirt Day on February 26th, 2025 in our mission to create a more kind, inclusive world by raising awareness and funds for anti-bullying initiatives.

CBC Kids explains. Click 👇

Looking for more?

For videos, information, and resources, click 👇

Want to read?

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our Pink Shirt Day display!

Book Love for Valentine's Day!

On Februrary 14th we celebrate Valentine's Day in Canada.

How did this tradition begin? Click 👇

Want more information? What does Britannica Kids say? Click 👇

Come on up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our Romance section!

Happy Valentine's Day from Mrs. Dickson!