AHE May 2026 Newsletter
Principal’s Message
It was so nice to see families in and around the school during our early dismissal days for Student -Led Conferences. Thank You for taking the time to support your child’s learning goals. The Fable Book Fair was also very well attended~ Thank You!
As we head into a busy and exciting month filled with field trips, community sports, and Sports Day, our focus for May is on strengthening personal awareness, demonstrating respectful sportsmanship, and showing gratitude for the many opportunities and people who support our school.
Students will be encouraged to reflect on how they show up in group settings—whether representing our school on a field trip, participating in team activities, or cheering others on. This includes recognizing their emotions, managing wins and losses with grace, and treating others with kindness, fairness, and integrity.
A special emphasis this month will be on gratitude. From coaches and parent drivers to event organizers and school staff, many people contribute their time and energy to make these experiences possible. Taking time to say “thank you,” showing appreciation, and acknowledging these efforts helps strengthen our school and community connections.
This focus connects directly to BC’s Core Competencies, especially:
Personal Awareness and Responsibility: Understanding how their actions impact others, setting goals for positive participation, and demonstrating self-regulation in active and social environments.
Social Responsibility: Showing respect, inclusion, empathy, and appreciation for others’ contributions.
Communication: Using positive language to encourage others, express thanks, and contribute to a supportive team environment.
There are many activities in the month of May to engage our students and encourage participation, whether it be recess and lunch hour clubs, Sports Day, activities within the wider community or our grade 7 students heading to Sunnybrae. Throughout the month, classes will engage in discussions, reflections, and activities that reinforce what it means to be a respectful participant, a supportive teammate, and a grateful member of our school community.
Let’s work together to make May a month of awareness, responsibility, appreciation, and school pride!
CARES at AHE
Reimagining Our CARES Matrix
Over the past few weeks, classes have been collaborating with Mrs. Mair to revisit and reimagine our school’s CARES Matrix by connecting it with BC’s Core Competencies. To learn more about the Core Competencies, check out the link below:
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/competencies
Through this process, students have been engaging in meaningful conversations, demonstrating critical thinking and collaboration as they explore how the expectations they already know so well can align with the broader skills of communication, personal and social responsibility, and thinking. They are also thoughtfully considering the Indigenous perspectives and connections embedded within the Core Competencies, helping to deepen their understanding of themselves, others, and the world around them.
It has been exciting to see students take ownership of this work—sharing ideas, asking questions, and working together to shape what CARES looks like in our school community moving forward.
We can’t wait to see the final product and how it will continue to support a positive, respectful, and inclusive environment for all learners!
Sports News
ShredHERS and ShredCOED
Spring mountain biking is back! The Revelstoke Cycling Association, Stoke Youth Network, and Wandering Wheels are teaming up to offer free youth mountain bike rides for Grade 6 & 7 students this spring.
Program details:
- Every Tuesday, April 28 – June 16, 3:00–5:30 PM
- ShredHERS and ShredCOED alternate weeks
- Free for all abilities — no experience needed
- Free mountain bike rentals available for anyone without equipment
- Coaching provided throughout the program
For more information and to register visit the Revelstoke Cycling Association’s Website. We can’t wait to see your riders on the trails!
Smashball
Thank you to the RSS Volleyball course and coach, Mrs. Hoshizaki for providing the opportunity for our grade 6 and 7 students to learn and develop their volleyball skills. Students travelled to RSS for Smashball weekly throughout March and April and participated in a final tournament on April 28th. Thanks to AHE teacher sponsors, Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Cadegan. A great time was had by all.
Golf
Our grade 7 students are taking part in two golf lessons with the professionals at the Revelstoke Golf Club. Hopefully, they will enjoy this lifelong sport! Our golf club has an excellent juniors program and green fees are free for students under the age of 18 when accompanied by an adult!
Swimming
Students in grades 2 and 5 will be heading to the Revelstoke Aquatic Center for lessons in May. Each group receives three 30 minute lessons and all swimmers will enjoy an additional 30 minutes of free time. Please send your child with a swim bag that has a swimsuit, towel and goggles (if needed).
Bike Safety
We’ve noticed an increase in students using e-bikes to travel to and from school. While e-bikes can be a convenient and fun way to commute, they also come with important safety considerations—especially for elementary-aged riders. E-bikes are heavier and faster than regular bicycles, which can make them more difficult to control and stop quickly.
We ask families to carefully consider whether an e-bike is appropriate for their child’s age, experience, and ability. Students who do ride should always wear a properly fitted helmet, follow road and traffic rules, and ride at safe speeds—particularly near the school grounds where there is a high volume of pedestrians.
We also encourage parents and caregivers to review local regulations around e-bike use and to have regular conversations with their children about safe riding habits. Our shared goal is to ensure that all students arrive at school safely each day. Please reach out to Mrs. Mair if you could use some help making sure your child has the necessary safety equipment.
We are still working on planning a Bike Rodeo for students in grades 1-4 with the RCMP. We’ll share details as soon as possible. Also, stay tuned for more information about Bike to Work Week!
Thank you for your support in helping keep our community safe
Traffic Safety
We’d like to remind families who are driving to and from school to please take extra care in the front parking and drop-off area. We are seeing an increase in students riding bikes to school, and their visibility can be limited—especially during busy arrival and dismissal times.
We have also noticed a growing number of U-turns being made directly in front of the school. These sudden movements can create unsafe situations for students on bikes and on foot. We kindly ask drivers to avoid making U-turns in this area and instead use safer, designated routes to turn around.
If you are dropping your child off, please remind them to use the crosswalks when exiting your vehicle rather than crossing between parked cars. A little extra caution—slowing down, checking carefully for cyclists and pedestrians, and planning safe exits goes a long way in keeping all of our students safe. Thank you for your attention and cooperation.
Playground Changes
We’re excited to share some wonderful updates to our playground spaces! Over the past little while, several additions and refreshes have helped bring new energy and opportunities for play to our school grounds.
Our shed at the end of the driveway has received a fresh coat of paint, brightening up the space and adding a welcoming touch as you arrive. Thank you to our parent volunteers who are sharing their painting skills and their time to make this happen. Isaac Becker will be creating a mural on the shed with student help, as well as painting some fun new games on the pavement, offering fun and active options during recess and lunch. In addition, our 4-square area and basketball court are looking forward to a refresh, making them ready for many more games ahead.
Looking ahead, we are thrilled to share that a brand new set of swings is planned for installation in September! Our PAC is currently fundraising to support this project. On May 19th, they are hosting a fundraiser at The Den—if you dine out that day, a portion of the proceeds will go directly toward our new swing set. We hope you’ll consider supporting this exciting addition to our playground!
Jump Rope For Heart
Our JUMP ROPE FOR HEART is planned for May 11 at 11:00. Online fundraising is ongoing and donations can be collected using the following link:
https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/114089/donate
Sports Day
AHE’s Sports Day is planned for Friday, May 22nd, weather permitting. Intermediate field events and Primary fun events will be on Friday, May 22nd, and our Intermediate track events are scheduled to take place on the morning of Monday, May 25th. Volunteers will be needed in order to successfully run these events, and following AHE tradition, we are asking families to send one sharing plate of fruit for our athletes to snack on through the day. Please watch for volunteer notices coming home.
The District Track Meet will take place at CPE on the morning of June 2nd, and the District Field events will be on June 4th.
Kindergarten Orientation
How time flies! We are preparing to welcome our next year’s Kindergarten students! Families are preparing to attend the Kindergarten orientation session on June 11th. Current Kindergarten students will be dismissed at 11:30 on June 11th to allow teachers to orient new students and their caregivers to the classroom. Current Kindergarten students will be in class from 8:30 to 11:30, and home for the rest of the day. Please make arrangements for your child.
Grade 7 News
Grad Portraits
Melissa Sessa will be taking Grade 7 graduation photos on May 6th. Copies of photos will be sent to families in an online gallery. Thanks Mrs. Sessa!
Sunnybrae
Our Grade 7 students are eagerly anticipating their annual overnight trip to Sunnybrae—a special opportunity to connect, build leadership and teamwork skills, and enjoy time together as they approach the final weeks of their elementary school journey.
This year’s trip is scheduled for May 28–29. Students, accompanied by Ms. Gauer, Mr. Cadegan, Ms. Hall, and dedicated parent volunteers, will depart Arrow Heights on the morning of May 28 and travel to Sunnybrae Camp on Shuswap Lake. During their stay, students will take part in a wide range of activities led by camp staff, including climbing, crafts, wilderness skills, a low ropes course, horsemanship, canoeing, and archery. They will also have the opportunity to connect and participate in group activities alongside Grade 7 students from CPE and BVE.
Students will spend the night at camp and return to the school on May 29. We wish them a fantastic trip filled with fun, friendship, and memorable experiences!
Grade 7 Grad
The leaving ceremony for our grade 7 graduates is planned for June 16th at 6:00 p.m. Please save the date to join us as we bid farewell to our most senior students. It’s always fun to hear them share their fond memories of their time at A.H.E. We have not yet determined the theme for this year’s celebration, but anyone keen on helping to decorate the gym should reach out to: pmair@sd19.bc.ca
Grade 4 Power Play Fair
Congratulations to our Grade 4 class on their successful PowerPlay Craft Fair held on April 15! After spending several months learning the ins and outs of small business and developing entrepreneurial skills, the students put their learning into action. Through their hard work, they proudly donated $60 to Revelstoke Search and Rescue and Community Connections, representing 10% of their total profits from the fair.
Well done, Grade 4s—what an impressive achievement and a wonderful way to give back to the community!
Class Configurations
It’s already nearing the time of year when schools begin creating classes for the upcoming school year. Although student placements cannot be finalized until the first week of the new school year, this process allows us to plan for the best possible placements for all of our students.
The following is a list of criteria we consider when making student placements:
· the child’s physical and social maturity
· the child’s intellectual development level and age
· gender balance in each class
· the child’s relationships with other students
· parent information
· student support services and the composition of each class
Although we do not consider requests for a specific teacher, parents are welcome to provide us with information relating to the above factors. Parents/guardians requesting special consideration are to discuss their child’s educational circumstances with the Principal. Special requests should be sent via email to Mrs. Mair prior to June. 1st.
As always, we may need to adjust classes through the first week of September when we determine how many students have arrived in Revelstoke or moved away during the summer break. For this reason, we do not publish class lists prior to the first day of school. We will not accept special requests in August or September. If you have further questions regarding this topic, please contact Mrs. Mair at the school.
PAC News
Wow, can you believe it’s already May? It’s hard to believe there are only two months left in the school year!
Pac is looking for
two volunteers to help with Sports Day on May 22nd — volunteers will help run the parachute game and the fruit table. If you’re available and willing to lend a hand, please send us a quick email and we’ll provide you with more details.
Also on Sports Day, we’ll be hosting a Subway hot lunch! Keep an eye out for order forms coming home soon, and please make sure to return them by the due date so we can make sure we don’t need to say no to late orders.
Please join us in helping fundraise for a new swing set for the school. The Den at Mackenzie Village is hosting a fundraising night for the school on Tuesday May 19th. How it works is 10% of food sales from that day will be donated back to AHE. This is a great way of not cooking dinner and support the school at the same time it’s a win win. Any questions don’t hesitate to ask.
Finally, a reminder that our May PAC meeting is happening on Tuesday May 5th @ 6:30 PM at The Rockford not on Monday at AHE. We’d love to see you there and hear your thoughts. Please note that childcare will not be provided for this meeting.
Upcoming Dates
May 4 – Whole School Assembly
May 4 – Gr. 2 swim 9:00/9:30
May 4 – 6/7 Cooking Class #1
May 5 – Author visit (p.m.)
May 5 -POPS #2 for grade 1 (p.m.)
May 6 – Gr. 5 swim 9:00/9:30
May 6 – Gr. 7 photos 10:30
May 7 – Hot Lunch – Sheperd’s Pie
May 8 – Hat Day
May 11 – Jump Rope for Heart (11:00)
May 11 – Gr. 2 Swim
May 11 – 6/7 Cooking class #2
May 12 – Find Your Fit – Gr. 6 at RSS
May 13 – Gearing UP Workshops (Hall, Gardiner, Butler, Haworth)
May 13 – Gr. 5 Swim
May 15 – Professional Development Day (No School)
May 18 – Victoria Day (No School)
May 19 – Grade 7 Golf 11:15, 1:00
May 19 – 6/7 Cooking Class #3
May 19 – AHE Day at the Den
May 20 – Gr. 5 Swim
May 21 – Hot Lunch – Chicken Teriyaki Stir-Fry
May 22 – AHE Sports Day
May 25 – Gr. 2 Swim
May 25 – AHE Track Day
May 26 – Grade 7 Golf 11:15, 1:00
May 28/29 – Sunnybrae
May 29 – Primary Explorations.
