This Week at Pratt

We wrapped up another great week at Pratt with our annual Terry Fox Activities, celebrating Terry’s incredible legacy of courage, perseverance, compassion and community.

Our day began with a school-wide assembly recognizing Terry’s story and featuring a wonderful reflection video created by our Grade 9 leadership students. We were also pleased to join the Royal Oak School community for our run/walk. Thank you to our students, staff and families for your generosity of time, donations and effort in making the day so memorable. Our Terry Fox donation page will remain open until September 25.

We also held our first School Council meeting on September 16. It was wonderful to see so many parents join us both in person and virtually. Thank you for your questions, feedback and commitment to helping us build a connected middle school community. For families interested in learning more about the middle school philosophy we are committed to at Pratt, I encourage you to explore the CBE Middle Years and Association for Middle Level Education resources.

You may also see classes taking advantage of the many outdoor learning spaces within walking distance of our school. Families will be notified approximately 48 hours before these local walking trips. Trips beyond these identified walking areas will continue to follow our regular field trip process, including Acknowledgement of Risk and Medical Forms.

Finally, we are excited to share that William D. Pratt has been selected to pilot the new Grade 8 and 9 Mathematics curricula. More information will be shared with families next week.

Thank you for another great week, Pratt families. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sam Kaddoura
Principal

Important Reminders

Meet the Teacher | September 24, 5:30–7:00 PM

We look forward to welcoming families to Meet the Teacher on Thursday!

Families will experience a “day in the life” of their child at Pratt by moving through their timetable, meeting teachers and hearing important information about their classes.

The final 30 minutes will be an open-house format, giving families an opportunity to explore other areas of the school and connect with teachers they may not have met during their rotation.

Please note that, due to the format and limited time, the evening is intended for introductions and general questions. If you would like to discuss your child individually, please connect directly with their teacher to arrange another time.

Are You Receiving Our School Messages?

We want to make sure you don’t miss important information from William D. Pratt! A few quick things you can do:

  • Subscribe to CBE commercial messages to receive information about fees, field trips, picture days, yearbooks, fun lunches and more.
  • Opt in to text messages by texting YES to 978338 from the cell phone number on file with the school.
  • Check your junk/spam and blocked senders. Marking a CBE message as spam or clicking “unsubscribe” can prevent future SchoolMessenger emails from reaching you.
  • Add CBE email addresses to your safe senders list, including the school and your child’s teachers.

Think you’re missing messages? Email williamdpratt@cbe.ab.ca and we can check whether there is a SchoolMessenger block on your email address.

Reporting an Absence

If your child will be absent, please:

Drop-Off & Pick-Up Safety

Drop-off and pick-up times are especially busy in front of our school. You may have noticed Calgary Police and parking control in the area this week.

Thank you for helping us keep our students, staff, families and surrounding community safe by following parking and traffic regulations around the school.

CBE Family & Caregiver Series

CBE invites parents and guardians to participate in a live online series focused on supporting child and youth well-being.

Hosted by the Recovery Alberta Community Education Service (CES) Program in collaboration with Calgary-area experts, the sessions offer families practical information, tools and strategies for supporting children and teens.

Please refer to the CBE Caregiver Series 2026 for upcoming sessions and additional information.

Grade-Specific Information

Grade 6 | Free YMCA Membership

All Grade 6 students are eligible for a FREE YMCA Calgary membership through the Calgary Flames Grade 6 YMCA Membership Program. Memberships are valid until August 31, 2027.

To activate the membership:

  1. Complete the Grade 6 YMCA Membership Form shared previously.
  2. Request proof of enrolment by emailing williamdpratt@cbe.ab.ca. Please submit enrolment letter requests by email only.
  3. Bring the completed form and proof of enrolment to any YMCA Calgary location with a parent or guardian.

YMCA Opportunities | Other Grades

The YMCA also offers additional opportunities for students and families:

  • Financial assistance is available for eligible families.
  • Flames Fridays offer reduced-cost drop-in admission on Fridays from 1:00 PM until close. Some activities require pre-registration.
  • Grade 7 students can access the YMCA’s Step Up membership during September and October, allowing them to lock in a discounted rate of $25/month until age 18.

Athletics & Activities

Cross-Country

Our cross-country team has its final meet this Monday. Please contact Mr. Auer for more information.

Soccer & Basketball

Soccer and basketball seasons are underway! Please check the school calendar or Athletics section of the school website for upcoming games and information.

Mini Mavs

Mini Mavs will continue Friday mornings at 6:45 AM. Please contact Ms. Stobo or Ms. Strohbach for more information.

Clubs & Activities

We’re excited to see more clubs and activities getting underway at Pratt! Current opportunities include:

  • Grade 8–9 Band — Mondays at lunch | Room 155 | Mr. Ormiston
  • Grade 5–7 Music — Wednesdays at lunch | Room 155 | Mr. Ormiston
  • Grade 5–7 Dungeons & Dragons Club — Wednesdays, 12:18–12:40 PM | October–December | Room M103 | Mr. Duff
  • Grade 7–9 Knitting & Crochet Club — Wednesdays at lunch | October–April | Room 237 | Ms. Sihota
  • Grade 5–6 Homework Club — Mondays, 12:18–12:40 PM | Room M106 | Ms. Strohbach
  • Grade 5–6 Science Fair — Wednesdays, 12:18–12:40 PM | October–April | Room M106 | Ms. Stobo & Ms. Strohbach
  • Grade 5–9 Aviation Club — Wednesdays at lunch | October–April | Room M107 | Mr. Abraham

Students can also find the current list on the bulletin board upstairs beside Room 229. We will continue adding opportunities as they become available.

School Council & Community

Staff Appreciation Potluck | September 24

School Council is organizing a Staff Appreciation Potluck for Meet the Teacher evening and is looking for families who can contribute.

With limited time for staff to leave the school for dinner that evening, this is a great way for our parent community to show some appreciation!

Apple Fundraiser | Orders Due October 6

The annual Sun Oka Farms apple fundraiser is back! Families can order 10 lb boxes of Honeycrisp or Ambrosia apples.

Orders are due October 6, with delivery expected in mid-to-late October.

Get Involved with School Council

School Council is currently looking for a co-chair. If you’re interested in getting more involved in the Pratt community, they would love to hear from you.

The next School Council Meeting is October 21.

Coming Up at Pratt

September 24 — Photo Day
September 24 — Meet the Teacher | 5:30–7:00 PM
September 25 — Non-Instructional Day | No School
September 30 — National Day for Truth and Reconciliation | No School
October 6 — Apple Fundraiser Orders Due
October 21 — School Council Meeting

September 25 | Non-Instructional Day

There will be no school for students on Friday, September 25. Teachers will be engaged in writing student IPPs and marking literacy and numeracy screeners.