Yay! We’re heading into May!
(we're ready to leave that INSANE wind behind us...)
Before we SPRING into what’s ahead, we want to take a moment to look back and say a big THANK YOU.
Thank you and congratulations to all of our incredible Read-a-Thon readers and their generous, supportive sponsors! Your enthusiasm for reading and commitment to supporting our school made this fundraiser a wonderful success.
Together, our students read an amazing 53,928 minutes—that’s almost 900 hours of reading! What an incredible accomplishment.
A special shoutout goes to our Grade 3 classes, who led the way by reading more than 16,000 minutes on their own. Outstanding work!
We are so proud of all of our students for showing that reading can make a big impact. Thank you for helping raise funds for our school while building a love of reading.
Whoooo Hooooo! April BOOLs Dance
Our April BOOLs Dance was such a fun and memorable evening! Since we weren’t able to celebrate back in October, it was extra special to bring a little Halloween spirit into the spring—and our students absolutely loved it. Cool costumes, lots of dancing, lots of candy and lots of fun!
Thank you to all the families who came out to join the fun, and an especially huge thank you to our incredible volunteers. From decorating to organizing to helping everything run smoothly, your time and energy made the night a success. Events like this simply couldn’t happen without you!
Upcoming Events
May 5 – Parent Society & Council Meeting
School Library, 6:30 PM
Come learn more about what’s happening in the school, ask questions, and meet other families. Our school trustee, Jenny Regal, will also be joining us.
May 20 – Boston Pizza Fun Lunch CLICK HERE TO ORDER! PIZZA PIZZA!!
A lunch kids will definitely eat —be sure to get your orders in!
May 21 – Kindergarten Orientation Night
5:30 PM
We’re excited to welcome our incoming kindergarten families.
and then afterwards....
Get Involved: Society & Council
Have you ever wondered how decisions are made or how events come together at our school?
Both groups are essential to helping our school thrive—and we need new volunteers to keep them strong.
Why Get Involved?
- Around 3 hours per month (or less) for most roles
- A supportive, team-based environment
- A chance to directly impact your child’s school experience
- Opportunities to meet other families and build community
You do not need to attend every meeting or commit huge amounts of time. Many roles are light monthly commitments with occasional busier periods once or twice a year.
Open Positions & Role Breakdown
Society Roles
President
The President helps lead meetings and keeps things moving efficiently. This sounds more intimidating than it is.
Responsibilities include:
- Following the agenda during meetings
- Keeping meetings organized and on track
- Acting as a contact person for Society matters
- Helping coordinate the team
This role is ideal for someone who likes teamwork and efficient meetings!
Vice President
The Vice President is the President’s backup and support person.
Responsibilities include:
- Assisting the President as needed
- Filling in when the President is unavailable
- Helping with projects and planning
A great role if you'd like to help lead while learning the ropes.
Casino Duo (2 People)
This is a very important duo for our school.
Most of the time, this position has very little monthly work. Then, once every two years, coordinators help run our school casino fundraiser.
What it involves:
- Being the main contact for volunteers for a short stint (usually 3 days)
- Completing some paperwork
- Coordinating schedules
- Helping things run smoothly during casino days
You are not expected to figure it all out alone—we have a casino advisor who guides coordinators through every step and the rest of the society & council backing you up.
Our last casino raised nearly $90,000 for the school. Without this role filled, it would be a major financial loss to our students and programs.
Fundraising Duo (2 People)
We need creative thinkers to help lead fundraising efforts.
Responsibilities include:
- Brainstorming fresh, FUN fundraising ideas
- Helping organize community-building events
- Forming and delegating a team to plan and promote fundraisers
- Finding ways to raise funds without relying on outdated sales models
You would not be doing this alone—the whole group supports fundraising efforts.
Council Roles
Sage Hill Community Association Liaison
This role helps connect our school to Sage Hill.
Responsibilities include:
- Connecting with the community association before monthly meetings to ask for updates (email is great, or you can go in person if you're really gung-ho!)
- Sharing relevant community news with Council
This role is flexible and low commitment.
Communications Duo (2 People)
Help keep families informed and engaged.
Responsibilities include:
- Updating the outdoor school sign once or twice a month
- Sharing school and Calgary Board of Education updates with families
- Exploring effective ways to communicate with the school community, such as surveys or any other ideas you might have!
An informed school community is an active school community.
Why These Roles Matter
Without enough volunteers, we cannot run a School Society or School Council.
Without Society:
- No fundraising
- No casino revenue
- No new technology for classrooms
- Fewer furniture upgrades
- More expensive in-school residencies
- Fewer enrichment opportunities for students
Without Council:
- No parent voice in school policy discussions
- No connection to the Alberta School Councils’ Association
- Fewer opportunities to advocate for public education
- Reduced ability to represent our school community
Simply put: these groups help our school grow, improve, and stay connected.
A Final Note
We don’t need a few people doing everything—we need many people doing a little.
We're all busy parents, working, extra-curriculars, often addressing special needs, & many are now in the sandwich generation - often taking care of our parents AND our kids. Today's Council & Society needs to reflect ALL OF THIS. Join us and help our school connect with parents, support kids and teachers and thrive during these busy, often crazy-making times.
When the same small group carries all the work, people burn out and it stops being fun. With more families involved, the workload stays light, ideas stay fresh, and our school community becomes stronger.
Thank you for being such an important part of our school community. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events and continuing to build something special together!
As always, if you have any questions, send us an email hawkwoodsc@gmail.com .
Happy May,
Hawkwood School Council & Friends of Hawkwood School Society
