St. Leo Catholic Elementary School Avenue Edmonton, AB., Canada T5W 1N9 Tel: (780) Fax: (780)

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1 Newsletter St. Leo Catholic Elementary School Avenue Edmonton, AB., Canada T5W 1N9 Tel: (780) Fax: (780) Administrator s Message October 2018 Thank you to all the parents who came out for Meet the Teacher and the Annual General Meeting for our School Council. We are excited to start the year with a nominated School Council Executive. The year is off to a great start and the teachers are working hard to ensure success for your child(ren). We enjoyed meeting and chatting with some of you. It is that time of year where God presents us with a world full of beautiful colours as we embrace autumn. God is also giving us a glimpse of what we might expect in the months ahead. We hope to enjoy the colours for some time before the snow covers everything over. Although each day we give thanks, October as the month of Thanksgiving, provides us with the opportunity to reflect on and express gratitude for the many blessings in our lives. We are presently blessed with the gift of a fresh coat of paint for our classrooms. We are grateful for everyone s patience as students adapt to new spaces for a couple days as their classroom gets a facelift. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for what has been a smooth and very positive school start-up. Thank you to all of you for being diligent in paying your school fees. We appreciate your commitment to helping us support the students with what they need to have an amazing learning experience. Once again, our enrolment is up and speaks to the wonderful community that we are blessed to be in. We are so excited to be supporting two 100 Voices programs this year and look forward to building relationships with the families that are new to our school. Pat Opyr, Principal Nicole Pichette, Assistant Principal

2 Grade 5 & 6 Tree Planting On September 14, students in grades 5 and 6 participated in a tree planting event with Roots for Trees. Roots for Trees is an enhanced tree planting program which works to preserve and expand our urban forest through partnerships with community groups, corporations and individual residents. Students will be able to see the rewards of their hard work for years to come as they watch the trees they planted grow on the side of the Yellowhead at 66 th street. It was a perfect opportunity for our students to see their learning in action. One of the grade six science units is Trees. Meet the Staff September 20 Thank you for making time to come out and meet your child s teacher. Thank you to all the parents who volunteered for our fundraising events, to be a member of the executive or a room rep and for being part of the parent council annual general meeting. You are an important part of our school community. Cross Country Run September 18 Rundle Park Ms. Shalapay and Ms. Yarmuch took twenty of our students to Rundle Park to participate in Edmonton Catholic School s annual cross country run. We are very proud of all the students efforts. Many of our students finished the race with their personal best time. Congratulations to Anna in grade 3 who placed 2 nd in her age category.

3 Parish News Please watch for upcoming news from our neighbourhood parishes: Our Lady of Fatima, St. Clare and St. Alphonsus. Parish Websites: St. Clare and St. Alphonsus Sacramental Preparation Information: For information on 1 st Reconciliation and 1 st Eucharist please contact Rose through the Parish Office or by (Rosalind.Derksen@caedm.ca). Our Lady of Fatima Sacrament Preparation Information: DONATIONS Terry Fox Run Social Justice Opportunity St. Leo School students and staff participated in the National School Run Day on Thursday, September 27 th, Thank you for all your donations. We will be sending in a donation of $ to the Terry Fox Foundation. ORANGE SHIRT DAY September 29 "The residential school experience is one of the darkest, most troubling chapters in our collective history." Justice Murray Sinclair, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) Chairman Education is a powerful tool. It is truly heartbreaking when that tool is misused, for it affects the lives of our most vulnerable, our children. On Orange Shirt Day, we acknowledge Canada s Indigenous history and remember all the children and families whose lives were irrevocably changed through the

4 tragedy that is to be found in residential schools. It is a time to honour those who survived, and to remember those who did not. Orange Shirt Day finds its roots in the story of Phyllis Jack Webstad, a 6-year-old girl who was stripped of her shiny, new orange shirt when she entered a residential school. You can see Phyllis tell her moving story at The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, was established to create an enduring archive of the stories of residential schools. It is a rich repository of text and of video from the work of the TRC that provides many opportunities for us to use the powerful tool of education as an integral part of the journey to reconciliation. Children were invited to wear an orange shirt on Friday, September 28 th to show that Every Child Matters. First School Advisory Council Meeting October 22 The first Parent Council meeting is Monday, October 22, 2018, at 6:00 P.M. in the school staffroom. All parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. This is a great way to find out what s happening at school and to have a part in the SAC s decisions. Decisions on school wear will be made at this month s meeting (What are you interested in? Hoodies, t-shirts, sweatpants?). Thank you to those parents who volunteered to be room reps for your child(ren) s classroom and contributing to our school council meeting by being a voice in the community and helping to make decisions that will benefit our school. FUNDRAISER ADmazing Savings Ticket Packs ADmazing Saving Ticket Packs will be on sale until October 12 th, Completed order forms can now be brought in to the office. 50% of the proceeds from every Coupon Book (less GST) will stay in our community. These coupon books are sold by our school to raise funds to enhance student programming. This year, the money will go towards new playground equipment. The books sell successfully because they are loaded with savings for everyone in your community.

5 With big savings, busy Albertan families can get discounts at the businesses they already visit to eat, sleep, entertain, play and shop in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer and Southern Alberta. The cost of the books is $25.00 and you can see a list of participating vendors on the following link: Your participation in this valuable fundraising opportunity would be most helpful to our St. Leo School community. Parent Volunteers Thanks to our parents who have come forward to: Help with hot lunch Be a room rep at school council meetings Be on the executive for our school council Be a reader for Read In Week Help the photographers We couldn t do it without you! We are currently looking for volunteers for a St. Leo School Council fundraiser at the A Merry Little Christmas Market on November 24 and 25. We are also looking for parent volunteers to shelve library books in the mornings. Please contact the office if you are interested.

6 Read In Week October 1-5 Our Read In committee has been busy organizing a number of guests to visit our classrooms and share their favorite stories. Our MLA Brian Mason, our School Trustee Carla Smiley, a fireman, two police men and even Spiderman have already made an appearance. Thank you to Ms. Suen, Ms. Milot, and Ms. Doerr for inviting and organizing all these guest readers. Thank you to parents who also are taking advantage of coming in to share a good book with the students. World Teacher Day October 5 World Teachers Day represents a significant token of the awareness, understanding and appreciation displayed for the vital contribution that teachers make to education and development. On October 5, along with over 100 countries around the world, the Canadian Teachers Federation and its Member organizations across the country celebrate World Teachers Day through a public awareness campaign that highlights the contributions of the teaching profession. We also want to take this opportunity to show how important publicly funded Catholic Education is to us by wearing blue. Parents you are invited to come and get a blue ribbon at the office to wear to show your support. Thanksgiving Celebration October 4 Parents, guardians and other family members are invited to join us for our Thanksgiving Celebration on Thursday, October 4 th at 9:00 a.m. in the gym. We will gather to give thanks for all our blessings and as a sign of our thanks, we are inviting students to bring a donation for the Food Bank. Boxes are ready for donations. Hot Lunch October 26 Our first hot lunch will be in October. Order forms will be sent out on Friday, October 5 th for future hot lunches. and will be due by October 19 th. No late orders will be accepted. Boston Pizza needs the orders in early to order the food required to prep before making the meals. Food choices for October will include a variety of choices to determine what some of the more popular food items may be Remember to send utensils with your child on that day and that late orders will not be accepted.

7 Halloween Parade October 31 Students will be given time at lunch to get into their costumes. There will be a parade in the gym at around 1:00 PM. Please check classroom newsletters for party info for the afternoon. Picture Retakes November 6 For any students who were away or if you are unhappy with your child s photo, your child will have the opportunity for a retake on Tuesday, November 6. C.O.W Bus November 6 The Centre for Family Literacy is offering the Classroom on Wheels (C.O.W.) in our neighbourhood. It is a FREE drop-in family literacy program, for parents and their children from birth to 6 years old, that helps support family learning. The bus will be in the Montrose Community ( Ave in community hall parking lot) on Fridays from 10:30 noon. For more information please visit Highlighting Student Learning Making books in kindergarten. Writing prayers of thanks in grade 3. Writing instructions on how to build a fort in grade 2/3. 3. Working with numbers in math in grade 4.

8 October 1-5 October 2 October 4 October 5 October 8 MONTHLY CALENDAR Read In Week Custodian Appreciation Day Thanksgiving Celebration at 9:00 AM Grade 4 Fieldtrip to West Edmonton Mall World Teacher Day Wear Blue in support of publicly funded Catholic Education. Thanksgiving Day, NO SCHOOL October 9 Immunizations for grades 1 & 6 October 12 End of ADmazing Ticket Pack Fundraiser October 15 CCAT testing begins for grade 6 October 19 October 22 October 25 October 26 October 30 October 31 ECSD Elementary Student Symposium AYP program begins today from 2:50 4:30 p.m. Hot Lunch Order Forms due SAC Meeting at 6:00 PM NO KINDER CLASSES St. Leo Pride Theme Day/Hot Lunch Grade 2 & 2/3 Fieldtrip to Royal Alberta Museum HAPPY HALLOWEEN

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11 Where is God in my Life? A Reflection by Fr. Glenn McDonald, CSB Where is God in my life? This is a question I get asked a lot as a priest. Theology can point towards an answer, but only an experience from someone s everyday life will satisfy as a response. I am embarrassed to admit that even as a seminarian and later as a priest, I was having a lot of trouble seeing God in my own life. How could I then point out the presence of God in someone else s life? Thankfully, God began to teach me how to recognize His presence in my own life, which enabled me to help other people see His presence in their lives, too. He used a special relationship to do this. I am very fortunate to have my grandmother living in Edmonton. Her name is Lulu. And yes, she is as adorable as her name. During the four years I spent studying at the University of Alberta, which was only a short bus ride away from my grandmother s house, I rarely visited her. I was always too busy. I had every excuse not to go: I had homework to do; the bus would take too long; I had plans with my friends; I would go next week. When I completed my degree and was departing from Edmonton, I had to say goodbye to my grandmother. Despite the fact that I had visited her only once a semester, she was very sad to see me go. In that moment, my degree suddenly seemed empty. I could see how precious my grandmother s presence was in my life. I had been so blind, but it was too late. It was time for me to leave the city. Fortunately, I was given a second chance many years later, when my religious community appointed me to Edmonton. I resolved to visit my grandmother each Friday. And I did! Our visits followed the same pattern. I would bring her flowers. She would make me a sandwich and a cup of tea. We would talk about her week, how the family was doing, and if she had heard from relatives in Saskatchewan. I would share about my work. After an hour, I would depart. Each visit was ordinary, but I always felt fulfilled when I left like I had participated in something of great value. In 1 John, we read, Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. Over time, I realized that my weekly visits with my grandma were an experience of love. An experience of genuine love is an experience of God. I became aware that these visits were one of the ways that God was present and active in my life. What are the situations in your life in which you experience sincere love? Who are the people in your life who love you the most, with self-sacrificial, giving love? It is in these situations, and interacting with these people, that God s presence and action in your life becomes real. Today, when a student asks me, Where is God? I respond with, Let me give you an example from my own life. Her name is Lulu. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. - 1 John 4:8

12 Gaudete et Exultate of the Holy Father Francis: A Call to Holiness in Today s World Chapter One - The Saints Who Encourage and Accompany Us In March 2018, Pope Francis released an Apostolic Exhortation on the Call to Holiness in Today s World. In that Exhortation, Pope Francis commends "parents who raise their children with immense love, men and women who work hard to support their families, the sick, the elderly religious who never lose their smile" (7), as people who are living out their holiness. The Pope guides us in the direction of the Saints, who like us, were not perfect, but who never stopped trying to live out their call to holiness. When reflecting on these Saints lives we need to focus on the big picture of what they accomplished rather than on their fragile, and at times imperfect, existence. Here are a few highlights from the Exhortation that led way to some Aha moments: "Let us be spurred on by the signs of holiness that the Lord shows us through the humblest members who share a living witness by means of faith and charity (8). "We should not grow discouraged before examples of holiness that appear unattainable (11). For us, God s lay faithful, this means that we are to follow our own path and use the unique and special gifts He has given each of us. Pope Francis stresses that we are not meant to copy others' acts of holiness, but to create our own. These acts can be subtle or grand, but both have value, and both are essential in today s world. "A Christian cannot think of his or her mission on earth without seeing it as a path of holiness"(19). The saints lived their lives by following their various paths, and sometimes not everything they did was authentic or perfect; it is their lives in totality that need to be contemplated. Our lives too, need to be seen as a mission that we allow to be transformed by listening to God. Our lives may not always be perfect, but their totality will demonstrate our call to holiness. "Our lives do not have a mission; our lives are a mission (27). Friends, in our lives we are often called to many tasks; being a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, friend, daughter, son, boss, etc. As such, we tend to live our lives in a hurried and busy manner! Pope Francis asks us to slow down and remember that rushing through our lives is not living our lives as a mission, but that it is living our lives to the fullest that is our mission! It is how we carry out our day to day tasks, how we do our jobs, and how we raise our children or how we care for our aging parents, just to name a few. Sometimes it might feel as if we are living our lives as a mission impossible, but with faith and dedication to Christ, our lives can become a mission possible Go and make disciples baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (MT 28:19). God Bless, Susanna Kaup Secondary Religious Education Consultant Edmonton Catholic Schools

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