I received my Black Gold 20-year service pin recently and was reminded of the John Lennon quote, “Life is what happens when you are busy doing other things.” So while I was working in my shop this weekend, I put a little thought into where it all started. From a Black Gold perspective, it started in Thorsby. I had taught in Japan and Edmonton Public, but in 2005 I took a job as the shop teacher in Thorsby. The drive was a bit longer than I had previously, but I loved arriving in the morning to the sight of a field of wheat and the sound of birds singing.

I was a young teacher with too much energy for my own good, but there were good veteran staff that put up with me and mentored me on my path. One of them was the math teacher, who drove a crappy old Ford Fiesta every day from Beaumont. We were chatting about the drive one day, and he commented that living east of the school was key, “because you never have to drive into the sun.” I had never considered this before he said it, but I think about it sometimes when I flip my visor down on the way to work. On some days I drive into the sun, but on some days I drive toward the sunrise spreading across the sky. I often smile in this moment, realizing that with a little tweak, a perceived difficulty can turn into something that inspires my whole day, and perhaps those moments are worth driving into the sun some days.

So as we begin a new year, and new situations are on the horizon, I hope that we all find the good in the moments we find ourselves in. If you have a moment like this, let me know; I’d love to hear about it! Thanks for a great start to the year! I am looking forward to getting to know all of you!

October 12 Happy Thanksgiving Day - School Closed

October 13 PD Day - No Students

October 14 Parent-Teacher Interviews

October 14 School Council Meeting

October 14 OSS Band Concert

October 15 Parent-Teacher Interviews

October 16 Photo Retakes

October 29 Last Day of Semester 1, Quarter 1

October 30 Semester 1, Quarter 2 Begins - Day 2

Who will you find in Student Services:

Mrs. Drover, Miss Alexa, Mrs. Thiessen, and Mrs. Unger

Important Reminder for Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up:

To ensure the safety of all students and help traffic flow smoothly, we’d like to remind parents and guardians of the following:

• 🚗 The drop-off and pick-up lane is a continuously moving lane. Do not drop-off or pick-up your student in the staff/visitor parking lot.

• 🚗 For safety, students should always exit the vehicle from the right side.

• 🚗 If your child needs extra time during drop-off, or if you are waiting during pick-up, please use the additional parking areas or the student parking lot. This keeps the main lane clear and helps prevent congestion.

Please note:

🚪 Multiple entrances and exits are available before the first bell and after dismissal—use them to help ease traffic.

🅿️ Visitor stalls are reserved for those entering the school building.

🅿️ The staff parking lot is reserved for staff only. The area marked with a red "X" is included in staff parking and should never be used. It is a high collision risk due to its proximity to the exit.

🚌 Always yield to buses and keep the bus and emergency lanes clear at all times. Bus lanes must remain clear after school until 3:50 PM.

We appreciate your continued cooperation in keeping our school safe, efficient, and welcoming for all students and families.

Address: 4800 - 69 Street, Leduc, AB T9E OB1

Telephone: 587-671-0331

Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

General Inquiries: oss@blackgold.ca

School Website: oss.blackgold.ca