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Janus Academy
November 2014
Event Calendar
November 7
Gymnastics
Elementary School
Rooms 11 and 15
November 10
Professional
Development Day
No School
November 11
Remembrance
Day
No School
It is hard to believe that October has come to an end; it seems to
have just flown by. October was a very busy month! At the
beginning of the month our first set of student workshops were
held. These workshops allowed the staff in each classroom the
opportunity to focus on individual students and discuss progress.
Your child’s team is able to collaborate on program changes,
problem solve, and practice teaching techniques to ensure
consistency across the teaching staff. The feedback from staff is
always positive and they are grateful for this learning opportunity.
October also saw most of the staff take part in a workshop put on
by Society for the Treatment of Autism as well as some very
exciting and dramatic changes to the Jr. Sr. High School space.
Please note that the second set of Parent Teacher interviews will
be held in November and the interview time request form is
attached.
Yours in Education,
Lisa Gibb
School Coordinator Jr. Sr. High School
November 14
Gymnastics
Jr. Sr. High School
November 18, 19 & 20
Parent /Teacher
Interviews
November 21
Gymnastics
Elementary School
Rooms 4 and 14
November 26
Parent Workshop
November 28
Swimming
Elementary School
Rooms 11 and 15
IN ORDER TO SAVE
PAPER ALL
NEWSLETTERS WILL
BE EMAILED OUT TO
FAMILIES EACH
MONTH. PLEASE LET
US KNOW IF YOU
WOULD PREFER TO
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
HAVE A PAPER COPY.
PLEASE
PLEASE
Our Mission
To maximize the
potential of each
child with autism
by enabling
academic success
and facilitating
lifelong community
integration.
Our Vision
To continue to be
an educational
leader in
enhancing the
lives of children
with autism, their
families and the
communities, in
which they live,
while maintaining
excellence in
teaching through
enhanced studentteacher ratios,
individualized
curriculum and
research based
teaching
techniques.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUB
The November book club catalogues will be sent home
soon. Please send your completed order form and
cheque payable to Scholastic Canada Ltd., to the school
by November 7, 2014.
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
Winter is coming
Just a friendly reminder to all families! To
please send your children to school with
approperate winter wear, including hats,
mittens or gloves and boots. Please print
your childs name in all of their clothing. We
do our best to ensure that all clothing items
are send home with the correct student.
Please let us know in the communication
book if any of your children’s clothing items
are not returned.
Caption describing picture or graphic.
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
Congratulations!
BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
President:
Ian Menzies
ian@menziesmixedmedia.com
403.668.6176
Vice President:
Mona Johnson
Treasurer:
Rob Oxoby
We would like to congratulate Duncan Marsden of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
in Calgary who received the Canadian National Pro Bono Distinguished Service
Award for his contribution to the provision of pro bono legal services.
Mr. Marsden supported Janus Academy by providing his legal services during
the hiring process of our new Executive Director and we are thrilled to learn
that he has received this national award.
Mr. Marsden’s work with our Board of Directors through the hiring process,
and he and his wife Angie’s continued support at our Spring Gala and Sports
Day event, is invaluable and deeply appreciated.
roboxoby@janusacademy.org
Secretary:
Adrian Todeila
Member:
Pat Gartner
Member:
Ian Holloway
Member:
Tracy Aylesworth
Member:
Blake Scheuerman
PLEASE HELP US OUT
As cold and flu season approaches, we would like to take this
opportunity to encourage parents keep their children home if
they are sick or are coming down with something. We are
having many children show up to school sick and this is
causing it to spread throughout the school. We also encourage
our staff members to stay home if they are not feeling well to
prevent the spreading of sickness to others. Please help us
guard against the spread of colds and flu’s. THANK YOU!
Reminder: please call into the school as early as possible and
leave a message if your son or daughter is going to be away,
so that we can notify the bus staff and their classrooms. We
can often become worried if students are not on the bus and
we cannot get a hold of any one at home. If there was an
emergency or an incident on the bus, we would not be aware
of it until we received confirmation from parents.
contact@janusacademy.org
| Phone: 403.262.3333
Thank you for yourEmail:
understanding
and support!
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
Thank You!!!
Thank you to Romeo Rojas and Doug Way for their generous donation
through United Way Calgary. Your continued support is truly appreciated!
We would like to extend a huge thank you to Pat Gartner for his patience,
expertise, and all of the time he has committed to helping the Elementary
site with IT support and making connections in getting our computer
requirements met. This is an overwhelming area to stay on top of so we
sincerely appreciate all of your support.
We would also like to thank Patrick Ryan from Asset Canada for his
continual support of our school in providing us with refurbished
computers and software.
Thank you to John Anthoine for his Apple products donations over the
last few months. Your generosity is truly appreciated.
Thank you again to Mona Johnson for once again chairing our Casino
event and coordinating all the parent volunteers. We truly
appreciate the 10+ years you have dedicated yourself to this event.
Many thanks to Nurse Alison, who is the Elementary School nurse.
Alison came and did a presentation for many of our students and
our staff a few weeks ago. This time around we formed two
groups of students from those in classroom 4 and 11 and Alison
presented on the importance of hands washing before eating,
after playing outside, after blowing noses and coughing and after
using the washroom. Students practised washing hands,
especially the backs of the hands, the palms, around and under
the nails as well as in between the fingers. Taking the time to
sing the ABC song should be enough time to wash, and rinse the
germs away. They learned that drying is also important to killing
germs. We look forward to Alison joining us again to perhaps
provide additional presentations to our other classrooms on
similar topics.
Alison, also provided a presentation
and training seminar
to the
staff
Email: contact@janusacademy.org
| Phone:
403.262.3333
at the Elementary site on the protocols and safe use of Epi-Pens,
information on allergies as well as, what to look out for in.
regards to seizures and how to care for those having a seizures.
Jr. Sr. High School Renovation Project
The Beginning of October was a very exciting time at the Janus Academy Jr. Sr. High School. We were chosen by
the home automation company, Vivint, to be the recipient of one of their renovation projects for this year,
through the Vivint Gives Back Program. We are extremely grateful to Vivint for selecting Janus Academy as one
of their 4 major service projects for this year and the only Canadian project on this list.
Over the course of two days, Monday October 6 and Tuesday October 7, 67 volunteers from Vivint completely
transformed all 7 of the Jr. Sr. High School rooms. They painted all of the Janus Academy rooms, as well as the
church hallway, a warm and inviting color that completely opened the space up and made it feel twice as big
as it was. They built additional lockers, refinished all of the existing ones and constructed a new gym equipment
storage area. The volunteers also replaced all of the existing cabinets, shelves, cupboards and tables with
wonderful space saving built-in units and new shelving in all three classrooms and the computer lab. Vivint also
donated new computers for the students to use within their classrooms.
The transformations to both the Daily Living and Vocational rooms are the ones that will have the greatest impact
on the day to day teaching that takes place within in the school. The Daily Living Room was converted into a
mock apartment, with a new bed for making the bed programs, new dishes for setting the table, and new
wardrobes and dressers for folding and putting away the laundry. As well they replaced all of the groceries on our
mock grocery shelves. The Vocational Room was transformed into a handyman’s dream, with new storage units,
workbenches and new tools. The students and staff have been very excited to work and learn in this new space.
This renovation will allow our vocational and pre-vocational programs to expand and grow to meet even more of
our students needs.
In addition, Vivint completely surprised the Classroom Coordinators and Administrative Staff by completely
transforming the office, to give us more storage and room to accommodate our ever growing needs.
On the evening of Tuesday October 7, Vivint also hosted a reveal dinner for the staff, students and their families at
the Jr. Sr. High school. This was a very emotional evening as staff and families were finally able to see the
beautiful, functional teaching spaces that had been created for them. After dinner, Vivint’s generosity continued
when they presented the school with a ten thousand dollar donation.
A thousand ‘Thank You’s’ will never be enough. The staff, students and their family at the Jr. Sr. High School will be
eternally grateful for the fantastic teaching environments that have been created for us.
The generosity of Vivint and their volunteers did not end at the doors of the Janus Academy; it was also extended
to the McDougall United Church where they filled several large boxes for their food bank donation program, just
in time for Thanksgiving.
Thank you again to Vivint, their Vivint Gives Back Program and all of the volunteers for selecting the Janus
Academy Jr. Sr. High School as one of your projects for this year and having a huge impact on the lives of our
students.
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
PARENT WORKSHOP:
UNDERSTANDING BEHAVIOURS
Date: Wednesday, November 26th, 2014
Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Conducted by: Yolande Daley
Location: 8516 Athabasca Street SE.
(This is the Janus Academy Junior/Senior High School location)
Workshop is free to all of our Janus Academy parents
This two hour workshop is designed to provide a how-to guide in
dealing with behavioural issues at home. Topics will include:
providing an understanding of the functions of behaviours, proactive
strategies to teach alternatives to maladaptive behaviours (including
inattention, self-stimulatory, prompt dependency, etc.), and reactive
approaches for when behaviours occur.
The workshop will include some theory training on behaviours as
well as an interactive component for parents to practice these
techniques. This workshop is recommended for all new parents.
Returning parents are welcome, however, please note that the
concepts will be similar to ones covered in previous behaviour
workshops and this would be more of a “refresher” workshop.
To register for this workshop you can email yolande@janusacademy.org
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
The Ability Hub Resource Centre regularly hosts workshops for families, caregivers and professionals. To learn
more about upcoming workshops, and to get a sense of the workshops previously held, please continue reading. For
information on our location, please visit the Contact Us section.
Upcoming Workshops
iPads for Beginner's Workshop - Oct
Date: Oct 6 2014 - 10:30am to 12:00pm
Are you thinking about buying an iPad and want to learn more about it? Or, do you own an iPad and want to put it to
better use?
iPads and Scheduling Workshop - Oct
Date: Oct 21 2014 - 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Do you often miss appointments and want to become more organized? Do you struggle with transitions or staying on
task? Or do you own an iPad and want to put it to better use?
iPads for Beginner's Workshop - Nov
Date: Nov 4 2014 - 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Are you thinking about buying an iPad and want to learn more about it? Or, do you own an iPad and want to put it to
better use?
iPads and Scheduling Workshop - Nov
Date: Nov 10 2014 - 10:30am to 12:00pm
Do you often miss appointments and want to become more organized? Do you struggle with transitions or staying on
task? Or do you own an iPad and want to put it to better use
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
Are you interested in helping with
Autism Spectrum Disorder
Research?
Are you between the ages of 14 and
20?
If interested please contact: asdwebstudy@ucalgary.ca;
(403) 955-7440
This study has been approved by the University of Calgary CHREB
#25210 Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333
This study has been approved by the University of Calgary CHREB
#25210
Parent/Teacher Interviews
PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS will be held on November 18, 19 and 20, 2014.
For parent teacher interviews at the elementary school please email karli@janusacademy.org or for
interviews at the junior/senior high school please email lisa@janusacademy.org your preferred times.
They will then get back to you with the day/time that works. Or print this form off and send it in your
child’s communication book.
Student: ___________________________ Parent: ____________________________
For Office Use Only.
Your P/T interviews are
confirmed for:
____________________
____________________
Please indicate your 1st and 2nd choice below.
Time Available:
Tuesday Nov 18, 2014
7:45 _______
8:15 _______
8:45 _______
3:00 _______
3:30 _______
4:00 _______
Wednesday Nov 19 , 2014
7:45 _______
8:15 _______
8:45 _______
3:00 _______
3:30 _______
4:00 _______
Thursday Nov 20, 2014
7:45 _______
8:15 _______
8:45 _______
3:00 _______
3:30 _______
4:00 _______
Email: contact@janusacademy.org | Phone: 403.262.3333