Welcome May!

This month we are excited about more time to play and learn outside. Many field trips are coming up, the Spring Dance is May 8 and the Volunteer Tea is on May 29. Thank you to all the volunteers that pitch in to make these things possible for our students!

Safety Drills

Each year, schools are required to have 6 fire drills and 2 lockdown drills. The drills are always announced to teachers so they are able to prepare their students. On May 1, we had our fourth fire drill of the year. All staff, students and volunteers exited the building quickly and safely. All participants were accounted within minutes. Great job JJ!

Tennis Reminder

This week, all students will participate in a tennis residency through Sport Hub! We are so grateful to have this free-of-charge sports opportunity. Students should be dressed in comfortable clothing. Kindergarten and grade 1 classes will learn tennis in the gym and grade 2, 3 and 4 classes will walk to the tennis courts at the Shawnessy Barn for their lessons. Students should dress in comfortable clothes and grade 2, 3 and 4 students must wear outdoor running shoes to school this week (no flipflops, sandals or heelies).

Mental Health Week

May 4 to 10 is Mental Health Week in Canada. The theme is "Stronger connections, better mental health". At JJ, teachers will be talking to students about how to take care of their mental well-being with lessons connected to the Physical Education and Wellness curriculum.

Hats On for Mental Health: We invite all students to wear their favourite hats to school on Wednesday, May 6 to show that taking care of our mental health matters.

"Better Together/Meilleur Ensemble" is our school's motto and we design many activities where students can work together and be connected to our school community, such as Family Groups on Fridays and whole school assemblies.

Here is an update from our JJ School Council:

Dear JJ Families,

Just a quick reminder about our ongoing fundraisers!

JJ FAMILY SPRING DANCE

Tickets are now on sale for the JJ Family Spring Dance happening on May 7, 2026, from 6–8 PM. This year’s Beach Party theme invites everyone to dress in tropical attire and enjoy a fun, warm weather-inspired evening. 

There are only 200 tickets left, so be sure to grab yours before they sell out! Tickets are available until the end of the day on May 4 here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/jj-spring-dance

Organizers thank volunteers and families for their support, especially dessert donations. If you have signed up to volunteer, please remember to show up for your shift. Everyone is looking forward to a fun and memorable night!

READ-A-THON

The Read-a-Thon fundraiser was a big success, raising $4,804 thanks to students’ enthusiasm and family support. Students showed great dedication and a love of reading throughout the event.

Top highlights:

• • Mme Dominique’s class raised the most ($702) and earned a bonus recess.
  • Maci D. raised the most individually ($510) and won a $50 book fair credit.
  • Book fair prize winners by grade:
  • • Kindergarten: Conor K
    • Grade 1: Jania C.
    • Grade 2: Aedan C.
    • Grade 3: Ben S.
    • Grade 4: Evie H.

MABEL’S LABELS:

If you haven’t had a chance yet, now is the perfect time to stock up on personalized, waterproof name labels for your child’s school gear—everything from lunch containers and water bottles to clothing and shoes. Not only do these labels help keep your child’s belongings out of the lost and found, but 20% of every purchase also supports our school!

Use the link below to order:

https://mabelslabels.ca/en-CA/fundraising/support

Search for and select “Janet Johnstone School (Calgary)” and start shopping

COBS BREAD (Shawnessy):

When you shop at COBS Bread Shawnessy simply mention the Janet Johnstone School code 5912 and 5% of your purchase will be donated to our school!

Here's what's coming up at JJ in the month of May: