GATE Parents Newsletter February 2024

GATE Parent Education Session: A CONVERSATION ABOUT GATE 

The GPA is pleased to offer this session with Chris Radu from the Calgary Board of Education. Chris leads the Inclusive Education portfolio, which supports the GATE program and over 150 Specialized Classes across the CBE. At this session, Chris will speak to various topics of interest to parents of GATE kids, and to those who may be interested in learning more about the GATE program.

Register here by March 10th. Non-GATE parents are welcome to attend this session.

Questions for Chris: If you have questions related to GATE that you would like Chris to address, please email questions to info@gatecalgary.ca by March 7th.

Date: Tuesday March 12, 2024
Time: 6:30pm
Venue: Virtual meeting (Zoom)

General Meeting
Immediately following the presentation, we will hold a short GATE Parent Association General Meeting.  If you have a student registered in the GATE program for this current school year, you are a member of the GPA. 

MORE SESSIONS TO COME – Check out future newsletters for details on an upcoming GATE Parents Education Session aimed at families of high school students. 

GPA President Stephanie Labowka (right) and GPA Past President Traci Akierman (left) at the Henry Wise Wood open house on January 29th, 2024.

GPA Past President Traci Akierman (left) and GPA Vice President Alicia Mossing (right) at the Louis Riel open house on February 1st, 2024.

Volunteers Still Needed! 

The GPA is looking for volunteers to serve as Treasurer and Vice President of the GPA for the 2024/25 school year. We need to fill these roles! Pick up the torch and help with advocacy, education and fundraising for GATE students. 

If you think you may be interested, the current Treasurer and Vice President are happy to volunteers shadow them for the spring to get familiar with the GPA and its roles.

Find more information about the roles and the GPA, visit our website.

UPCOMING CES PARENT EDUCATION SESSIONS

The Community Education Service (CES) is offering the following sessions for parents and families. Sessions are offered at no cost but registration is required. *Click on the Poster/PDF icon below the correct session to register*

February 29, 2024: Navigating Technology with our Youth 
In this 1.5 hour presentation, we will discuss the role of technology and today’s youth. The message of this presentation is not only based on technology, but also about a child’s healthy brain development and the necessary parenting/caregiver role in creating healthy, emotional, regulated, and integrated brains. This presentation will address the underpinning of a child’s emotional brain development and how to grow it, as well as how technology can dangerously hijack this.

We believe that talking does not grow neurons; experience grows neurons. This workshop is designed to give attendees the skills to become their child’s emotional coach. The workshop will provide participants with:
• An understanding of the basic neuroscience behind healthy brain development,
• The dangers of technology for healthy brain development,
• Technology use rules that will help your child
• When building healthy brains, how to identify emotions in your child/student, and
• How to become your child’s/student’s emotional coach in only five steps and in that, build a resilient child.

March 20, 2024: Creating a Culture of Respect: Understanding 2SLGBTQ for Parents
In this workshop parents can expect to gain deeper understanding of the concepts around sexual and gender diversity and we will provide tools to increase parents comfort in supporting 2SLGBTQ+ youth. We will explore terms and definitions as well as ways parents can engage in accepting behaviours and reduce rejecting behaviours in parenting our 2SLGBTQ+ youth.

March 21, 2024: Building Resiliency in Today’s Youth
Before High School graduation, one-third of adolescent girls will experience depression, anxiety disorders, self-harm or an eating disorder. This workshop is designed to give caregivers the skills to become their child’s emotional coach. The workshop will provide participants with:
• Basic introduction of interpersonal neurobiology,
• Where emotions live in our brains,
• The essential role emotions play in mental well being,
• How to identify emotions in youth,
• How to become an emotional coach in only five steps.

DID YOU KNOW you can access pre-recorded sessions for free HERE.

ALSO CHECK OUT resources available through Mental Health Literacy HERE.

How can we help you?

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