School Update 

To the students and families of MRS, 

This past week, our Grade 4 students defied gravity and launched into an unforgettable virtual reality space mission in our school gym! With the guidance of our expert VRCORE instructors—fresh from their visit to the International Space Station National Lab in Florida—students experienced the cosmos like never before. 

Teaming up with ISSNL and NASA, VRCORE brought space exploration to life, allowing students to: 

• Float through the Solar System and interact with planets up close 
• Pick up and organize planets based on their distance from the Sun 
• Complete a cosmic scavenger hunt to match planets with their unique characteristics 
• Discover lunar phases and how they shape what we see from Earth 
• Dodge asteroids in an exhilarating space game 
• Step inside the International Space Station for a breathtaking sneak peek at ISS: Curiosity in Orbit! 

From asteroid dodgeball to hands-on planetary exploration, this immersive experience ignited curiosity, sparked wonder, and brought space science to life in a way that textbooks never could. 

The verdict? Mission accomplished—this adventure was truly out of this world! 

Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend. 

Maple Ridge Staff 

Upcoming Important Dates 

Self-Guided Open House 

This week, Maple Ridge hosted a Self-Guided Open House for families interested in our Science Alternative Program, and the turnout was fantastic! 

Families explored our innovative learning spaces, discovered the exciting opportunities our program offers, and shared plenty of positive feedback. 

If you missed the event, there’s still time to join our community! Registration for new students remains open until noon on February 11th.  

Don’t miss out on the chance to be part of this dynamic, hands-on learning experience! 

For more information, visit https://mapleridge.cbe.ab.ca/open-house  

iLab Materials Needed   

We are excited to announce that we are restocking our iLab materials! 

iLab projects promote critical thinking skills and encourage students to use design thinking to solve real-world problems. 

If you are willing to donate any of the following items, please drop them off at the front door (in the wagon) or send them with your child. We will be accepting donations until further notice. 

If you have any questions or think you have something not listed that might be useful to our iLab, please email Mrs. Hildebrand at dthildebrand@cbe.ab.ca.   

Thank you in advance for helping us collect these items and support innovation at Maple Ridge!   

*Not needed at this time: Egg Cartons, Fabric 

Report Cards – Now Viewable  

Families will be able to view online student report cards for Kindergarten to Grade 4 beginning Monday, January 27. Report cards for the 2024-25 school year may be viewed, downloaded and/or printed by signing in to the MyCBE account.   

Reminder – No Food Policy 

We want to take a moment to share an important policy in place at our school: students are not to bring food from home to share with other students during the school day. 

This policy is essential for several reasons. Many of our students have allergies or dietary restrictions that could make sharing food unsafe for them. By ensuring that each child only consumes food provided by their own family we can help maintain a safe and inclusive environment for everyone. 

We kindly ask for your support in reinforcing this rule with your child as this will help us protect the health and well-being of all our students. 

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.