Teachers Supporting Teachers Market

Our community is welcome!!

• Teachers for Teachers’
• Christmas Market
• Dec 8 4:30-7:30PM

Parent Information Session – Navigating the Post Secondary Application Process

Join us on Thursday, December 11th, at 6:00 pm in the Diefenbaker Cafeteria for Part 2 of the information session, “Navigating the Postsecondary Application Process: A Parent’s Guide” by Renee Duan. 

This session will cover 

• scholarship applications, 
• interviews, 
• competitive programs, and more, 

with a Q&A time at the end of the session.

Spaces are limited, so please register to attend: Navigating the Postsecondary Application Process: A Parent’s Guide” by Renee Duan.    – Fill out form

Thursday, December 11th, at 6:00 pm in the Diefenbaker Cafeteria

*Note: Organized by your school council, this presentation aims to assist parents/caregivers in supporting their students in applying for scholarships and preparing for interviews. While this presentation is intended for parents/caregivers of Grade 11 and 12 students, Grade 10 parents/caregivers are also encouraged to attend. Students are welcome to join parents as it is a parent/caregiver event. Please indicate the total number of attendees on the registration form. 

Cell Phone Use

John G. Diefenbaker teachers and staff are following Alberta Government’s law regarding cell phones. Teachers only allowed students to be on their phones when it is an integral part of the learning. 

Parent please do not text or call your child when they are in their classrooms.  Or if you do text or call, please do not expect an immediate response. Students are not allowed to take calls or texts during the learning and if they do, they face consequences. If there is an emergency, please call our main phone number and ask one of the Secretaries to call into the classroom.  Parents contacting students during class time has become a concern in our building and we ask for your assistance!

Toys for the Children’s Hospital

John G. Diefenbaker is collecting new (in box) toys for the holiday season for the Children's Hospital Youth Foundation. We are encouraging all our students to donate to this worthy cause. Please place your donated toy into the boxes located at the front of the school and hopefully John G. Diefenbaker can help spread a little holiday joy during this time of year.  Deadline for the collection of these gifts is between December 15-19 to the Children's Hospital. We hope to ensure kids in need receive at least one gift this holiday season.

Showing Knowledge!

Diefenbaker’s Grade 12 full-diploma IB students demonstrated their understanding of how knowledge operates in the world around us through their Theory of Knowledge Exhibitions. Held in the library during lunch last week, students presented their objects and arguments while exploring questions such as “Does our knowledge depend on our interactions with other knowers?” and "How might the context in which knowledge is presented influence whether it is accepted or rejected?" They shared their insights with our Grade 11 and 12 IB community, sparking thoughtful discussions and curiosity about how we make sense of the world.

Yearbook

Please purchase your yearbook as soon as possible. Deadline is last week of school in December!

Graduation Pictures

The website is officially open to book grad sessions.  Please find below the grad flyer for graduates to sign up for photos. 

To book a Prestige Session at John G. Diefenbaker High School visit the website below.

https://schedule.prestigeportraits.ca/schedule/home.html

Go to: 

• Enter School Postal Code shown on Flyer - Click on Continue
• Enter School Name - Select John G. Diefenbaker High School - Click Continue
• Enter First/Last Name - Click on Verify & Proceed
• Click Book Session - follow prompts to complete booking
• Appointment Email Confirmation will be sent upon completion

Artist Spotlight

Evey R is a Grade 12 student who has been drawing her entire life. She finds that Art is her way to best express her ideas and interests through both art classes and band. In Grade 10, Evey won the Diefenbaker Art Award.

Although she is unsure of her next endeavours, Evey does plan on pursuing a career where she can express herself through her creativity. Her mediums include coloured pencils and markers, as well she dabbles with paint.

Athletics & Events Schedule

Calgary Transit Busing Information

On Monday, November 24, we had our first major snowfall and it caused many delays in vehicle traffic.  Both the CBE and Calgary Transit were working diligently to help our JGD students arrive safely and in a reasonable amount of time on our dedicated 734,735, and 736 buses.

 The message from CBE is the following:

You are welcome to provide the information we have on our website: Calgary Transit | Busing & Transportation | Schools | CBE Home.

 Service Delays

Calgary Transit has several Rider Tools to stay informed along the way.

All traffic is affected in situations of poor weather. Students taking Calgary Transit have more options and flexibility as buses run more frequently.

It is wise for parents to create a backup plan and share that plan with your child. Your plan may include possibilities like carpooling with neighbours or dropping and picking up your children at school. We understand that these options are not possible for everyone and encourage you to develop a plan that is suitable to your family situation.

Available links on that page are: Traveling in Winter which provides resources for families to self-inform on service delays.

 Furthermore, our liaison with Calgary Transit shared the following message:

We encourage students and families to plan their trips ahead of time, as our buses face the same challenges as other vehicles on the road. Please remind students to dress appropriately for winter conditions to stay safe while waiting for their bus.

We appreciate your understanding as we work to ensure the safety of all students during these challenging weather conditions.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please contact Cat Turner, cjturner@cbe.ab.c or call 403-608-8572.                                                                  

Arrival times and door opening times

All students must be under the supervision of a teacher while in the building.  With Basketball practices, Band practices and cold weather, students have been arriving earlier and earlier.  Students arriving for teams and classes, should enter the building via the door closest to their activities.  The front and mall doors will open for students attending regular classes at 8:00. 

Please do not drop off or send students to arrive prior to 8:00 am as they will not be let in

Student Drop Off

With the cold weather approaching, we see an increase in students being dropped off in the mornings.  We have a very efficient and safe drop-off procedure in the mornings. 

Please do not use stalls to park, drop off, and reverse out to leave.  This causes congestion and safety hazards. 

There are 3 safe and quick paths:

1. Enter from the south entrance on 4^th St, head north along the school, drop off by the flagpole, and turn left to exit either via the north entrance onto 4^th St or turn right to use the East exit by the portables.
2. Enter at the north entrance (by McDonald’s), go straight into the parking lot, drop off at the 2 large orange pylons, and exit via the East exit by the portables.
3. Enter via the East entrance by the portables (behind the McDonald’s), head west in the parking lot, drop off at the 2 large orange pylons, and exit via the north entrance onto 4^th St.

Cars can only turn RIGHT between 8:00 and 9:00AM if exiting onto 4^th St. and 3:30-4:00PM

We have also noticed many drivers driving excessively fast in our parking lots. For student safety we expect all drivers to drive slowly (under 15 km/h) while in our lots. With the snow coming and limited snow removal, our lot tends to get icy and excessive speed has resulted in accidents.
Please slow down for everyone’s safety.

Thanks for your cooperation to make drop off quick, efficient and safe for everyone.

Education Matters - Study Guides - Fundraiser

EducationMatters has partnered with Castle Rock Research to offer students a special discount on study guides for grades 3-12 in Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies.

These print and digital resources are aligned with the Alberta curriculum and have been updated to reflect the 2025-26 curriculum. They are an excellent support for all students, including those preparing for finals and diploma exams.

For more information, click the button below, or copy the link to place your order. Orders will be individually packaged and shipped to the school for pickup by your student. 

If interested, please order: https://schoolorders.solaro.com/9860

Castle Rock Loyalty Program
JGD Community Newsletter Dec 5, 2025