Dear Friends and Families of HDC,
Our students had great fun together at today's Halloween dance organized by our Leadership class and Ms. Snow. Many students and staff dressed up for the occasion, and others chose to spend time connecting and engaging in quieter activities like board game play and crafting.
Thanks to those who made it out to our School Council meeting last week. These meetings are an important opportunity to meet with administration and other families for school and learning updates, and to ask questions/provide feedback to inform decision making throughout the school year. Our next School Council meeting will take place on Thursday November 19 at 6pm, and all are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Yesterday we hosted our first HDC Student Council meeting of the year. This group will meet monthly, and those who signed up are eager to share their voices, provide feedback, represent the HDC student body, and actively inform decision making this year. As the weather gets colder, there are a plethora of clubs and extra-curricular opportunities taking place over lunch hour and after school. It's no wonder our student council members celebrated the many opportunities they have to get involved and explore new interests at HDC. We encourage you to talk to your students about what's happening each week at school, and the value of coming out to try new experiences as we work to support the holistic development of each young person every day at school.
Cell Phones at School
In alignment with provincial legislation, students must keep personal devices away for the day unless an exemption request has been made and approved. If personal devices come to school, they need to be securely stored in lockers for the day. Phones cannot be carried around inside pockets during school hours; students are able to carry and use their phones outside the school building over the lunch break. All students have access to a phone outside the school office if calls are necessary, and the main office can accept and share messages from home at any time.
Unfortunately, we are seeing an increasing number of students carrying phones in pockets and/or hidden on their person throughout the day, leading to missed class time when students are tempted by notifications that distract from learning. If students need support to follow our "away for the day" policy, they will be asked to keep phones at home or drop them off in the office for safe keeping until 3:07pm. Please have a conversation with your students to make sure they understand and are following expectations regarding use of personal devices at school.
Missed Healthy Hunger Orders
Please remind your students to pick up Healthy Hunger orders on the day the food is delivered. If students forget or are absent, we can keep orders in the fridge until the end of the day (and make an announcement to remind those who have forgotten to pick up their orders to come down before leaving for the day). In order to abide by food safety regulations, we are unable to keep food stored beyond this time. The school website has been updated with reminders about which restaurants have been booked for which days of the year. Thank you again to the parent volunteers who have set up Healthy Hunger for our students that we can offer fun and accessible school spirit activities/events throughout the school year.
School Store Closes Today!
Our School store is open for students and families to purchase school gear! Today is the last day to order this Fall, and items will be shipped directly to H.D. Cartwright school the week of November 19th.
Visit the website to check out available items and order by the end of the day today:
https://store.kodiaksports.ca/stores/cartwright-cougars
Physical Education and Health
For the Weeks of November 2-10, 2026, the following classes will participate in:
Volleyball (Indoors)- Kanary/Cliche (704, 803, 806, 902, 903, ACCESS)
Wrestling/Combative Activities (indoors)- Hall/Browne (701, 702, 801, 804, 805, 901)
Outdoor Games and Activities (outdoors)- Burke/Cassidy (703, 705, 802, 904, 905, 906)
Please ensure that students are ready for the wrestling unit by wearing comfortable attire, removing jewelry, long hair tied back, and that they bring a spare pair of socks in case of wet feet throughout the day.
Thank you for supporting your child to ensure that they have the proper footwear for the gym, and the proper outerwear for the weather each day.
HDC Athletics
HDC Cougar athletes have had a great Fall so far! Please keep looking at the school website for game and practice times in the coming weeks, in order to make arrangements for rides to and from the proper location.
Basketball Teams are having a great time out on the courts and are improving with each game. We are entering the end of league game play and will be heading into playoffs so please make sure to check the calendar online and in the school hallway. Go Cougars!
Our Soccer teams wrapped up with their pizza party this week, and the Soccer Academy team had a tough game against the Teacher Team to wrap up their season. Thank you to all parents and families for your support. Thank you to the coaches, Ms Fraser, Ms Chin, Mr Streeter and Mr Leong for all your time and energy into practices and games with our soccer teams this season!
Our wrestling teams have gotten onto the mats and are getting ready for their first tournament! Make sure to check the times and days of the tournament so that your child is on time and doesn't miss out on the competition they have been training for!!
School Council Request — We Need Your Help!
Did you know our school casino fundraiser is our largest fundraising event, earning HD Cartwright approximately $80,000–$90,000 for just two days of volunteering?
These funds go directly back to our school to enrich our students’ junior high experience and provide opportunities that benefit our entire school community.
🎰 Our next casino is November 21–22 at Pure Casino, and we need YOU!
To make this fundraiser happen, we need to fill 36 volunteer spots, plus approximately 12 on-call volunteer spots. With our HD Cartwright families working together, we can make it happen!
Never volunteered at a casino before? No problem!
✔️ No police clearance required
✔️ No experience necessary — training is provided when you arrive for your shift
✔️ Free meals and parking for volunteers
✔️ Sign up with a friend and make it a night out!
Why does your shift matter? If we don’t fill all the required volunteer spots, we risk losing this fundraiser and the $80,000–$90,000 payout that helps support our students. That’s an incredible amount of support and opportunity for our kids that we don’t want to lose!
Please take a look at the available shifts and consider signing up. Grab a friend, choose a shift that works for you, and enjoy a night out while supporting HD Cartwright!
Sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0D4FA4AA28A2FCC07-65537247-pure#/
Thank you for supporting our students and helping make their junior high experience the best it can be!
Dates of Significance
- November: Hindu and Lebanese Heritage Month
- November 5-11: Veteran's Week
- November 7: Inuit Day
- November 8: Bhandi Chhor Diwas, Diwali, Indigenous Veteran's Day
- November 9-15: Rock Your Mocs Week
- November 11: Remembrance Day
- November 15-22: Metis Awareness Week
- November 15-21: National Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week
- November 16-20: Canadian History Week
- November 16: Louis Riel Day in Alberta
Mark Your Calendar
- November 3: Photo re-takes
- November 10: Remembrance Day Assembly (all students)
- November 11-13: Fall Break (school closed)
- November 23: Student Well-being Symposium for SWAT team members (at Mount Royal University)
- November 25: Grade 7 Field Trip to Theatre Calgary
- Grade 9 tour of Robert Thirst High School for designated students
- November 26-27: Conferences (in person on Thursday, 4-8pm; via Teams on Friday, 8:30- 1pm)
As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.
Have a fantastic weekend.
Kate and Jeff