MARCH 2018 We Learn in the light of Christ - La lumière du Christ dirige notre apprentissage We Learn in the light of Christ

Transcription

1 MARCH 2018 We Learn in the light of Christ Aprendemos en la luz de Cristo- La lumière du Christ dirige notre apprentissage École/Escuela Father Leo Green is a Christ centered community that provides a Catholic learning environment celebrating the French and Spanish languages and their cultures. Guided by the teachings of Christ, the staff and students strive for high academic standards where all members are encouraged to develop 21st century learning skills and opportunities in order to become adaptable, global citizens who aspire to a life of faith filled service to others. We, the Catholic school community of École/Escuela Father Leo Green, will ensure that all members are treated with dignity and respect as we learn together in the light of Christ. Table of Contents ADMINISTRATORS MESSAGE... 2 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATIONS... 3 Father Leo Green Open House... 3 MOVING? PLEASE LET US KNOW... 3 E-REPORT CARDS AND DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING... 4 EARLY DISMISSAL BEFORE SPRING/EASTER BREAK... 4 SOLIDARIRY LUNCH- PINK SHIRT DAY... 4 CANADIAN COGNITIVE ABILITIES TESTS (C.C.A.T.)- GRADE SPRING BOOK FAIR- CASTILLA & SCHOLASTIC BOOKS... 5 SAFE in 6 PROGRAM... 5 LEADERSHIP NEWS... 6 SOCCER CLUB... 6 SPANISH THEATRE PROJECT... 7 A CULTURAL CELEBRATION THROUGH STORYTELLING... 7 SAC NEWS... 8 ST. DOMINIC SAVIO PARISH NEWS "ARE YOU MOVING" FORM..12 NEWS FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE DISTRICT... 13

2 ADMINISTRATORS MESSAGE We have entered into the Holiest season of the Christian calendar Lent. We began our Lenten journey with our annual Ash Wednesday liturgy and we will end with Easter. The season of Lent is a time of reflection and of turning our hearts to God. We turn our attention to growing spiritually so that we can fully cherish the joy of Easter. Parents, did you know that the Archdiocese of Edmonton publishes a weekly e-newsletter that provides information about events and news in the Archdiocese? You can subscribe at the following link: A reconciliation day for students who have already received the sacrament is scheduled for Tuesday, March 20 th from 9:30-11:30. Thank you to Father Gabriel at St Dominic Savio for coordinating this service for us. Last month was a very busy one for us, and we would like to extend sincere appreciation to our parent community for your support and positive involvement in your child s learning. We wish to acknowledge the volunteer efforts of many parents who assisted with fieldtrips and Shrove Tuesday lunch. God bless you for your generous contributions of time and talent! Just a reminder that Daylight Savings Time begins at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 11. Don t forget to turn your clocks ahead! We would also like to remind parents that the Thursday before Spring Break is a full day; dismissal on Thursday, March 22 nd is at 3:15. We will dismiss at 12:00 noon on Friday, March 23 for Spring Break. Together we will work very hard in the next few weeks and then enjoy a well-deserved Spring Break at the end of the month. Guitta Kodershah Principal Alexandra Scarpelli Mannarino Assistant Principal

3 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATIONS We are now accepting registrations for the French Immersion and Spanish Bilingual Kindergarten school year. Registration packages are available in the school office. Please note, to be eligible, your child must be 5 years old by March 1st, Father Leo Green Open House Our Kindergarten Open House will be on Wednesday, March 7th at 7:00 p.m. This is an excellent way to visit our school and find out about our programs, asks questions, and become informed. The evening will include a short general program in the gymnasium, followed by a presentation in the French Immersion and the Spanish Bilingual Kindergarten classes. We know that our best form of advertising is your sharing of the great things that are happening at Father Leo Green. We thank you for passing on this information to any parents you know who may be considering our school for the fall. MOVING? PLEASE LET US KNOW Spring really seems to be a time when families move to new homes. If you are moving out of our school community, please let us know so that we can have an accurate registration count for the fall and can staff our classes accordingly. To assist us with this process, we will be sending a form with the students on Monday, March 05 th, for parents/ guardians to complete by indicating if your child/children will be returning to Father Leo Green for Please return this form no later than March 19th. A copy of this form is also included on page 12 of this newsletter for your convenience. As well, it is important that we have up-to-date contact information in the school office, so if you have a change of address or telephone number, please let us know. Thank you!

4 E-REPORT CARDS AND DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING Report Cards will be available on PowerSchool for grades 1 6 on Friday, March 9 at 3:30 pm and can be viewed until March 23 rd. Demonstration of Learning will take place on the afternoon and evening of Thursday, March 15. Please plan to come and celebrate the success of your children during these times: 1:00 4:00 pm and 5:00 8:00 pm. Our students look forward to sharing with you what they have learned, their personal achievements and goals. Student success is enhanced when students perceive that the school and home are working together! Your attendance shows you are interested and that we all care. EARLY DISMISSAL BEFORE SPRING/EASTER BREAK Thursday, March 22 nd will be a FULL day of school. We will move the HALF day to Friday, March 23 rd and we will dismiss the students at 12 noon for Spring Break. Classes will resume on Tuesday, April 3 rd, We wish you all a restful break. SOLIDARIRY LUNCH- PINK SHIRT DAY On Wednesday, February 28, we hosted our yearly Lenten Solidarity Lunch in the school gymnasium. February 28 was also Pink Shirt Day. This year, Pink Shirt Day focus was to combat cyberbullying by thinking twice before posting something negative, and instead using the internet to spread kindness - because we know that Nice Needs No Filter! It was so wonderful to see our whole school community gathered together to share a simple meal while showing their support and encouragement for kindness. We sincerely thank all the parents who were able to send a donation of a loonie or a toonie. All money raised will be given to the Mustard Seed here in Edmonton to assist those who may need a meal. A special thanks to Mme Scarpelli for organizing this event. CANADIAN COGNITIVE ABILITIES TESTS (C.C.A.T.)- GRADE 3 The Canadian Cognitive Abilities Tests (C.C.A.T.s) are written by all grade three students in Edmonton Catholic Schools, in the first week of March. These tests measure students overall ability levels and problem-solving skills. Although students cannot study for these tests, ensuring a good night s sleep, a healthy breakfast and being on time for school will assist children in doing their best.

5 SPRING BOOK FAIR- CASTILLA & SCHOLASTIC BOOKS We are happy to announce that our Spanish Book Fair will be held on Wednesday, March 14 and Thursday March 15, and will have books in Spanish for all our K-6 students in the Spanish Bilingual Program. We will also be hosting the Scholastic book fair. We will have both French and English books available for purchase. Students will have an opportunity to visit the book fair during their regular library times and are able to purchase books or items on those days. The Scholastic book fair will be open on Tuesday, March 13 and Wednesday March 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to NOON and during the Demonstration of Learning hours which are 1 pm-4 pm and 5 pm-8 pm. We encourage you to stop by and take a look. We accept cash, cheque, VISA, Master Card, and Debit. SAFE in 6 PROGRAM We are excited to partner with the Edmonton Police Service to offer our Grade 6 students the opportunity to participate in the SAFE in 6 program. Safe in 6 program development has been a collaborative effort with Edmonton Police Service, The Canadian Centre for Child Protection, Edmonton Public and Catholic schools, Alberta Health Services (Mental Health and Addictions) and Edmonton Red Cross. The objectives of Safe in 6 are supported by health curriculum for grade six students. The program will provide the student with skills and knowledge about healthy relationships, drug resistance and internet safety. We thank constable Julianne Searle from the Edmonton Police who will be presenting the topics to our students in March and April.

6 LEADERSHIP NEWS At the February school assembly, our grade 6 student leaders shared with the school community what they have learned about the everyday challenges the people in Haiti face to access clean water. They presented their posters to raise awareness about the need to support the social justice project they chose this year to raise money to support construction of 3 water kiosks. When families in Haiti can access clean water from a kiosk in their community, children can attend school and gain improved hygiene. On Friday, March 16, a guest speaker from the WE Organization will visit the grade 6 classes to speak to the student leaders and encourage them to continue with their actions and projects that promote social justice in local and global communities. SOCCER CLUB On February 8 th the Soccer Club participated in the annual St. Nicholas Soccer Tournament. The FLG Lions participated in four matches and a Hard Shot Competition, in which our team won three of the matches with outstanding effort. Congratulations to the following students who were recognized as MVPs: Carolina, Crsitiano Marco and Joshua. Thank you to all members for their commitment to the team and amazing team spirit. Go FLG Lions! Thank you/merci/gracias to all family, friends and fans who came to the tournament to support our players! A special thanks to Sr. Cristian & Srta. Perri for coaching the Soccer Club!

7 SPANISH THEATRE PROJECT On February 20 th & 21 st, Vicky Velasco the director of The Gato Negro Spanish Theatre led a series of drama workshops with each class in the Spanish Bilingual Program. This two-day project gave the students the opportunity to practice their listening comprehension, storytelling, and presentation skills in Spanish in a fun and engaging way. Each class presented a scene of the story on Wednesday, February 21 st in front of the school community and the parents who were able to join us. We are very proud of all our students who confidently expressed themselves in Spanish! A CULTURAL CELEBRATION THROUGH STORYTELLING On February 27 th we hosted an Indigenous storytelling event that was led by Elders and consultants from the district Indigenous Learning Services Department. We started the morning with an assembly in the gymnasium where we introduced and welcomed the guest speakers, listened to indigenous music and songs, and thanked the visitors for sharing the richness of the First Nations cultures with our school community. Following the assembly, each class gathered with an elder or Indigenous learning Services consultant to listen to stories about the history and the life of First Nations. What a great learning opportunity for our school community.

8 SAC NEWS SAC March 2018 News As you may be aware, the School Advisory Council with the support of our school is continuously raising money for various school activities. Did you know that the SAC subsidizes field trips for every student? The SAC also funds special days and projects like Carnaval d hiver/día del Niño last month, the Fun Fest Hot Dog Lunch in June, as well as various other events throughout the year. Why a Spell-a-thon? A Spell-a-thon is an activity that generates more funds than most events, directly involves the students and also promotes learning! Why NOT?! Who will participate? All of the students at École/Escuela Father Leo Green from Kindergarten to Grade six. How will this work? Each student will receive a number of words (English/French/Spanish) for their grade level, and a pledge form. Students are asked to get pledges from sponsors for their participation in this activity. Children will be reminded it is important they do not go door to-door to collect pledges. For their own safety they should speak only with people that are known to your family. There are two ways that sponsors can make a pledge: * By donating a flat amount to the student (the bigger the amount...the more incentive you give them!) * By donating an amount per correct spelling word. This amount could be whatever the sponsor prefers. *Please request cheques are made out to Father Leo Green SAC. The entire school will have their Spell-a-Thon test in the month of April

9 Our Goal? We hope to raise $10,000. All the money raised will go towards various SAC activities that directly affect the children raising the money and working hard on learning their vocabulary words! What can you do to help? Parent involvement is crucial to our success. Parents can help their child/children get sponsors (family, friends, neighbours, co-workers) and of course, practice for the test. Please keep in mind that since we are cutting most of our fundraising next year, this is our last major fundraising campaign (aside from the casino) for the foreseeable future. A Spell-A-Thon Package with all the details will be sent home with each student after Easter break at the beginning of April. Should you have any questions regarding the Spell-a-Thon, please contact: Marina Kingsley, SAC Director at flgsac@gmail.com or Hot Lunch There are only 2 more Hot Lunches this year!! Order Deadline - April 18th Lunch Date - April 27th Order Deadline - May 9th Lunch Date - May 18th Please make sure you have ordered!!! There have been many students expecting a lunch but there is no order for them. Please take a moment to double check!!! If you have not ordered lunch for your kids yet:

10 o Use HealthyHunger.ca to order. o Payment must be made with Interac, Visa or MasterCard. o Items come as listed only. No substitutions can be made. o If you have not done so already, you will need to set up an account at HealthyHunger.ca following the instructions on the website but don t fear, it s super easy. o PLEASE CHOOSE THE CORRECT CLASSROOM/TEACHER. French is at the top of the list, Spanish at the bottom. o WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO DELIVER LUNCH! If you can volunteer at 11:20 am to help deliver the hot lunch, please send an to flgsac@gmail.com. Someone will confirm with all volunteers directly via or text prior to the hot lunch date. Upcoming School Council/School Advisory Council Meetings The next meetings will be Monday, March 19th at 6:30 pm in the school library. All parents are welcome to attend. If you re interested in getting more involved in SAC activities and ensuring your child s school continues to be a fun place to be, we strongly encourage you to attend this SAC meeting, as we ll be doing some planning for the next school year. We have our executive board filled tentatively for next year, but as mentioned in the February Newsletter we are in need of some new people willing to contribute. As of now, we do not have Coordinators for the following events for the next school year ( ), which means they will be cancelled: Halloween Family Dance Fall Fundraiser (Little Caesars Pizza Kits in previous years) Family Market Art Card Program(We have one volunteer currently volunteering with this program but to continue next year we will need someone to help the existing coordinator.) If you are interested in leading the organization of any of these events/fundraisers/programs, please come speak with us at the March 19th meetin

11 ST. DOMINIC SAVIO PARISH NEWS Here is a list of the times of Saint Dominic Savio s Parish service schedule for Holy Week and Easter: Thursday, March 29 th, 2018: 7:00 p.m. Friday, March 30 th : Stations of the 2:00 p.m. : Good Friday 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 31: Blessing of the Easter 4:00 p.m. : Easter 9:00 p.m. Sunday, April 01: Easter 9:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m.

12 École/Escuela Father Leo Green Avenue Edmonton, AB T5C 2R7 Phone Fax March 5, 2018 Dear Parents/Guardians, As we approach the end of the school year, we begin our planning for classes and staffing for the school year. To assist us, we would ask that you please fill out the following and return it to the school as soon as possible. My child(ren) Please print child(ren) names will be returning to École/Escuela Father Leo Green for the school year. will not be returning to École/Escuela Father Leo Green for the school year, but instead will attend. (name of new school) Parent Signature: Parents Name: (please print) Please return the form to the school by Monday, March 19, 2018.

13 Superintendent News March 2018 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ~John 13:1~ This passage comes from the Gospel reading for Holy Thursday. The Gospel of John is also known as the Gospel of Love because it is written to clearly tell us of the great love that God has for us. That love is embodied in the person of Jesus. Knowing of the immense suffering that Jesus is about to endure as his death approaches, it is humbling to even try to imagine the magnitude of His love for us. Our Catholic community was deeply saddened by the loss of our dear friend and shepherd, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph MacNeil. One of our schools proudly bears his name and his motto Let us grow together in Christ. Archbishop MacNeil was a significant part of the fabric of so many of our lives, especially through the sacrament of Confirmation. We invite you to visit and click on the Remembering Archbishop Joseph MacNeil banner to share a favorite story or picture of him. ECSD has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mount Royal University to collaborate and offer students two courses to explore their passions and interests in Aviation. The two dual credit Aviation courses, which are required courses within the Mount Royal University Bissett School of Business Aviation Diploma, will be offered at St. Joseph High School to interested grade 11 & 12 students from ECSD who meet the pre-requisites of English 30 1, Math 30 1, and medical clearance. By offering the courses after school hours, it will enable students from across ECSD to enroll in the courses. Students will be able to develop their knowledge to achieve Transport Canada requirements respecting navigation and aviation operations, along with Basic Meteorology to interpret weather information for pilots as supplied by Atmospheric Environment Services. In partnership with WestJet, students will be able to experience flight simulation and in-flight experiences with trained pilots. WestJet will support this opportunity through personnel, simulator experiences, and site visitations at YEG. Edmonton Catholic Schools is excited to plan for our new K-6 school in The Orchards at Ellerslie. The culture and ethos of a Catholic school evolves from its name. We want to choose a name that is meaningful to our Catholic community, and that conveys the school s identity to the broader community. We are currently taking suggestions from the public and would love to hear your voice.

14 Visit and click on the Name our New School Banner to learn more about the guidelines and criteria. We will be accepting entries until March 31. There are so many opportunities for our students to showcase their learning. An excellent example of this is the annual Jean Forest Leadership Academy Luncheon to celebrate International Women s Day. This year's Women's Day theme is Press for Progress! and the girls of JFLA are embracing this challenge by building on their leadership and engaging in community service as students in the Academy. The guest speaker at this year s luncheon will be mental health advocate and professional photographer Blake Loates. She will be speaking about the need to Press for Progress in the fight to end the stigma of mental illness. Visit and look under What s New in the District to learn more about the luncheon and how to purchase tickets. The month of March also provides us with the opportunity to focus student learning more intentionally on the importance of numbers in our daily lives during our annual Numeracy Week event. Our students will spend time gaining an appreciation of the fact the numeracy is not just significant in math class! The year moves by so swiftly. Our year-round schools will begin their Spring Break on March 19, and our regular calendar schools will begin their break on March 26. All classes will resume on Tuesday, April 3. This is a wonderful time for students and staff to rest and recharge in preparation for the busy-ness of the last few months of school. I leave you with another passage from the Gospel of John as we continue our Lenten journey: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ~ John 3:16 Have a wonderful month! Sincerely, Joan Carr Superintendent... 2

15 Living in the Word of God - Mercy at the Heart of It All Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup; for all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves (1 Corinthians 11: 27-29). In previous articles on Living in the Word of God, we discovered that the Christian response to God's love revealed in Christ is threefold: worship, witness and service; the three ways in which we put into practice the Word of God. Our lives come from the mercy of God. The Lord calls us precisely in our weakness, and mercifully bestows upon us all the gifts we need for the fulfillment of our Christian calling. True worship, especially through the celebration of the Eucharist, requires that we examine our way of living, to seek forgiveness and reconciliation, to profess what we believe, and to serve others with joyful hearts. Pope Francis calls us to embrace fully the meaning of our Baptism and to live consciously as disciples of Jesus Christ. This means hearing the Word of God and practicing it. Every day we encounter a myriad of voices; some positive, some negative, endeavouring to influence and shape our way of thinking and living. Yet, for us there is only one voice that we know is fully worthy of our trust, and that voice is Jesus. To be disciples, to live in accord with our Baptismal identity and dignity, is to allow only his words to guide and direct our lives. Sandra Talarico, Religious Education Consultant

16 Among the many desires of mankind is the pursuit of power. It may be political, economic, psychological, or familial. A review of current global or local issues indicate just how many revolve around the application of power: who has it, how much, and why. Power holds a great force of influence. In most instances it is pursued so as to effect control such that one s personal intentions, needs, and wants are enacted. Essentially one wants to ensure one s needs and wants are met and served. Indeed, we know by experience that to be served feels good, but this is only so if it is done out of an authentic love which then can be reciprocated with acknowledgement and appreciation. For to be served on demand or out of mere selfishness is the antithesis of the interpretation of service Jesus both lived and extolled. As we are given to understand in every Gospel in general and Holy Thursday in particular, it is not the societal interpretation of power to which the Christian is to aspire. Rather, it is the humble service which can and likely involves a sacrifice, a task we are asked to fulfill for its own sake and the common good. Our District community has many such examples from which to draw: the new mother who sacrifices sleep to be with a sick child, the dedicated teacher who gives up the lunch hour to be with a struggling student, or the newly retired principal who volunteers their skills to help a senior in need. The way that Jesus serves is consistently defined by what he says and so by what he does. Consequently, if we desire to know what it means to be the real image and likeness of God, what it means to know ultimate power, what we ought to do is look to Jesus. And if we want to know how to be closer to God, we in turn emulate the way of Jesus: not to be served, but to serve. Holy Thursday and the Mass of the Lord s Supper will be our example and source of inspiration: all are encouraged to attend this most special night at their local Parish. The Gospel reinforces for us that it is service to others which will show the way to what is true leadership and authentic power within the Kingdom. And the final destination of the Kingdom is all that should really matter. May we remember this during the latter of Lent and Easter soon to be: God, power, others, and me. Most sincerely yours in Christ, Fr. Dean Dowle ECSD Chaplain