March 2017 Newsletter

Transcription

1 March 2017 Newsletter Our Vision As a Christ Centered Professional Learning Community, working in collaboration with our parish and community, we will strive towards Faith, Learning, Peace and Joy. Message from the Administration What a great month February was! We had a wonderful time celebrating and recognizing Valentine s Day, the 100th day of school, Random Acts of Kindness and Pink Shirt Day. Our community also came together to get heart healthy and support Jump Rope for Heart. Our school raised $ , an amazing donation that proves our school has a large heart! We also had our Open House, which was a great success. It was wonderful meeting and talking with so many prospective new families. We would like to remind all our current families to share the word about our school, especially to families that are looking for a school for next year. We concluded the month with a well enjoyed sausage and pancake breakfast in recognition of the traditional Shrove Tuesaday practice, which signals that our Lenten Season is upon us. Our school will gather together to celebrate Ash Wednesday Mass at St. John the Evangelist Parish on Wednesday, March 1. All families are welcome to join us at the 9:15 am service led by our school and St. Vincent school. March will be another busy month as we will look to promote healthy eating. We also will have a few events to look forward to: Teachers will enhance their learning with Teachers Convention, March 2 and 3. therefore there is no school for students on these days. Report Cards (March 10th) Demonstration of Learning (March 1th) and March Break (March 24 to April 2). Mr. Robinson Mrs. Laurie Bonanni-McGee Principal Assistant Principal The grade fives have been working hard on writing interesting story beginnings to hook in the reader. Take a look below at how some students would start their story of this picture: Tucked, by Nidiart, retrieved from storybird.com Fiyin: Sofia s soft snore drifted through her warm cozy house. Aluong: CRASH!!! I heard from the kitchen. I got out of bed to see what was going on. I looked on the floor to see footprints of some kind. Dorian: What should I do? I thought as the giraffe lumbered toward me. Allan: Sarah thought to herself, how would life be if I had a pet giraffe? Halima: Daizy s cup of hot chocolate crashed to the floor and she awoke from her power snooze. Luke: The giraffe slipped through the glass window, grabbing the soft delicate blanket off of Shyna. Peter: The floor went creak, as the stuffed animal came to life!

2 OLOV Wellness Champions: Taking Care of Body, Mind & Spirit Students at Our Lady of Victories took up the challenge to become Heart Healthy through the month of February. Our school partnered with the Heart and Stroke Foundation and participated in the Jump Rope for Heart fundraising event. We are very proud of our student s participation in raising both the awareness of the importance of active living and the AWESOME donations totaling $4, towards Heart and Stroke research. We celebrated our success with a dance party through our school hallways. Way to go Wolves! School Advisory Council Please consider attending our next meeting on Wednesday, March 8th at 7:00 pm in the school library. We welcome Trustee Debbie Engel who will be joining us. Come and be part of the valuable discussions that affect our children and the greater school community. Fitness Corner Unstructured activities are good for kids Organized sports can be valuable, but they re not the only solution. Not all children and teens like competition. As well, unorganized sport and unstructured activity have been shown to be especially beneficial in preventing children from becoming overweight, perhaps because the emphasis is not on winning but on fun. Here are some ideas for unstructured fun: A game of tag, pick-up games of ice or ball hockey, skipping rope, tobogganing, shoveling snow Family activities to try: Hike in a local park or conservation area, swim at a local community centre pool, play Frisbee, baseball or soccer in the backyard, get involved in activities at the local community centre Healthy March and Healthy Eating Challenge This month we will focus on Nutrition and Healthy Eating. Miss Mireau will be teaching weekly lessons to every grade that will focus on this topic. We have also included in the newsletter a Calendar entitled March Healthy Eating Challenge. We encourage our families to help their children complete the challenges that are on each day. If your child completes a challenge, please initial on that date. We ask that students bring back their calendars on or before March 24 th. Every child that completes at least 12 or more challenges will be entered into a chance to make a healthy snack with the Administration on Friday March 24. Have fun as a family and let s all focus on healthy eating habits for March.

3 Empowering Writer s Corner- Strategies in Story Beginnings Our students continue to develop their writing skills through exploration of story structure and story beginnings. Some of the strategies introduced across various grades have included: using dialogue, a thought or question, a sound or action. Our younger friends have also continued to refine their understanding of the character/problem/solution framework. Have a look at some of their awesome writing pieces! We wish to acknowledge our students who were recognized in February for sharing the Fruits of the Spirit of Kindness: Kindergarten- Daniel, Kit Grade 1- Christian, Smith Grade 2- Ava, Steve Grade 2/3- Olivia, Feras Grade 4- Arop, Juztine Grade 5- Gabriel Grade 6- Megan, Tristan

4 Take a Break for Mental Health Positive Relationships Part of being a young person is exploring new relationships. This is exciting for kids, but can be scary for parents, who don't want to see their kids get hurt. Relationships can be supportive and help people learn more about themselves. They can also be difficult, frustrating, and even unhealthy. Your child needs your help learning about the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Defining characteristics of a healthy relationship include: * Seeing your friend/partner as trustworthy * Being supported * Feeling physically and emotionally secure * Having the ability to be completely honest * Frequently expressing appreciation * Feeling respected which includes treating oneself with respect * Being true to oneself and not changing so someone will like you more. Unhealthy relationships do the exact opposite. When someone is in an unhealthy relationship, they can feel confused, anxious, and unsure. Knowing the differences between a healthy and not-so-healthy relationship will help in making good choices around relationships and friendships. Check out monthly Mental Health tips at: Nutrition Corner Create an Environment that Supports Healthy Eating Your environment includes your home, school and other places you spend time. Take a look at your environment to see if there are changes you can make. Here are some ideas: Talk to your family about healthy changes you can make together. Help with meal planning and grocery shopping. Get active as a family. Play ball, go for a walk or ride your bikes together. When you buy food or drinks at school or restaurants, make healthier choices. Replace French fries or potato chips with a salad or other vegetables. Choose water or milk instead of sugary drinks. Go for fruit instead of sweets and desserts. When you are out with friends or at sports activities, pack a healthy snack instead of buying snack foods or fast foods. Cut back on the amount of time you spend watching TV, texting, playing video games or computer games. Use that time to do something active. Get nutrition information and advice from a reliable source such as a dietitian or other health professional. The messages you hear about food and nutrition from advertisements or the Internet may be incorrect or misleading.

5 2017 MARCH - Healthy Eating Challenge M T W T F S S Have one serving of dairy with breakfast Bring a piece of fruit for a snack Help make a meal t his weekend wit h yo ur parent s Bring a yellow vegetable or fruit to eat today Add fruit to your breakfast Help your parents make your lunch Bring a snack that is not prepac kaged Do not drink pop this w eekend Avoid bringing sweets, treats or candy today Add fruit to your breakfast Bring a homemade snack Bring a green vegetable or fruit to eat today Go g ro cery sho p p ing wit h yo ur p arent s and help pick a meal Bring a lunch with no pre-packaged items Eat a breakfast with no, or low, sugar Bring a red vegetable or fruit to eat today B ring a lunch wit h a select io n f ro m all f o ur f o o d g ro up s

6 Walk like a Penguin Deep freeze temperatures and sheets of ice may not inspire feelings of safety and comfort. Most of us have known someone - if not ourselves - who has fallen and been seriously injured on ice. In fact, from April March 2014, injuries caused by falls on ice and/or snow accounted for 16,910 visits to Alberta Emergency Departments. But, this doesn't mean that hibernating is the safer bet. Quite the opposite: being sedentary contributes to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and unhealthy weight gain. This winter, Alberta Health Services is encouraging all Albertans to leave the hibernating to the bears, and to take a cue from some web-footed friends instead... Enjoy the winter wonderland safely by learning the penguin walk! Watch a great new short Penguin Walk animation from AHS (featuring our penguin friends) at Help us spread the word: - download and share the video, or find quick bullet point tips, at - Spread the word on social media and show Alberta how your family or school is doing the penguin walk, using #penguinwalk. Morning Reminder We would like to remind parents and students about the procedures for entering the school in the morning. We ask that students please enter the school through their assigned grade entrances. If parents are dropping their children off, they should be going to their assigned entrances. As we are now into the second half of the school year, we encourage parents to give their children more independence and allow them to enter the school without being walked in. A reminder that there is a supervisor at the back of the school starting at 8:15 until the bell at 8:30. Student Drop Off & Pick Up 8:30 AM We ask parents to continue to obey all traffic laws when dropping off and picking up students. Please respect no parking areas, refrain from jay walking, doing U-turns, and travel slowly through the school zone. The safety of our students is # 1. READING ROCKSTARS Presented by: Edmonton Public Library An afterschool program all about reading! Explore books, literacy games, fun activities, and more! Who? Grade 1 to 3 When? Wednesdays, Feb 15 - Mar 22, :15-4:15 Where? OLOV school library

7 Students for Social Justice: Showing Solidarity with Our Neighbors in the Global South Lent is a time for each of us to reflect on Christ s message to love our neighbor and to honor what it truly means to walk with our Lord through these 40 days. We are called to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. We are reminded through the Lord s Prayer that God s desire is to have His Kingdom here on earth be as it is in heaven. We know that much work needs to be done if all humanity is to live in harmony with each other and creation. Through these 40 days, students will have an opportunity to learn about the Catholic organization known as Development and Peace (Caritas Canada) and their work in supporting our Global South neighbors through emergency relief, advocacy and prayer. Students will engage in various learning experiences that will foster a deeper understanding of our call to Care for Creation, and how we can support the work of this vital organization. For more information on Development and Peace please visit: Just'n Daycare and Out of School Care (located in Our Lady of Victories School) We have some on-site spaces available for children ages 5-12 yrs for before and after school care (including full days for school break times). We also have full day care for the younger group ages 3-5 years. Makes them feel like they are in school too! Fully accredited, fully trained staff with developmental programming. Spacious areas, providing snacks, fun and active activities. Competitive rates. Come and see us or call Beaux Esprits (French immersion) Playschool Our 37th Year (Location: Our Lady of Victories School) Give your preschooler the gift of French as a second language in a play based program with strong educational components. Room # 7, Street Telephone: / beplayschool@telus.net For more information call: Samantha

8 March 2017 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~ The Gospel of John is deeply rooted in love-the love of our God and His Son for us, our love for God and his Son, and our call to love each other. This particular verse of the Bible is one which you will often see posted simply as a scriptural reference, John 3:16, on signs at public events, sporting events, and at roadsides as an example. It is a message that Christians love to share, and even non-christians recognize the symbolism. This passage is also a perfect one for us to reflect upon as we enter this Lenten season. This is the time when we realize that God s love, manifest in the gift of his Son Jesus, leads to eternal life. These words are the ever-present message that whispers to us from the cross. The Archdiocese of Edmonton is once again celebrating a Day of Confessions. The day will be held throughout the Archdiocese on Wednesday, March 8, Visit their website to find times in your parish. The Spring brings many opportunities for our students to showcase their learning in the fine arts. This month, students from across the city will share their talents in many ways. Spring Into Art, a student art exhibition, runs from March 6-19 at the U of A Enterprise Square building. Band Share Day is on March 7 at the Winspear, and Heart of Glee is on March 16 at 7pm at the Myer Horowitz Theatre. Our Council of Elders is hosting a Pipe Ceremony to welcome and honor the Spring season at St. Francis of Assisi School on March 23 at 10 am. Visit the Council of Elders section on our website to learn more about their role in sharing knowledge with our staff and students and fostering relationships between our District and the Aboriginal community. This year, we have an increased focus on building a positive mathematical culture and creating environments of numeracy within classrooms and across the school. Whether it be a continued focus on deepening basic math skills or making authentic connections between daily learning in math and the broader world around us, our students are moving forward in their journey towards in-depth mathematical literacy. At the elementary level, a guided math structure enhances the learning of all students through targeted instruction by the teacher; over 100 teachers have attended workshops in this area this year. Our secondary students are deepening their mathematical skills through an intentional focus on problem solving, critical thinking and assessment. Students are experiencing success through engagement in rich mathematical tasks such as problems of the week, an example of which can be found at this link as well as many local, national and international math contests. Numeracy week happens March 13th-17th; we are looking forward to hearing exciting stories about mathematical learning! 2

9 As you prepare for your Lenten journey, I would like to share some words from Pope Francis. He reminds us that serving others can be as basic as acknowledging their sacred human dignity Lent is a favorable season for opening the doors to all those in need and recognizing in them the face of Christ. Each of us meets people like this every day. Each life that we encounter is a gift deserving acceptance, respect and love. (Message of the Holy Father Pope Francis for Lent 2017, 07/02/17) Have a wonderful month! Sincerely, Joan Carr Superintendent

10 AMORIS LAETITIA CHAPTER 6: SOME PASTORAL PERSPECTIVES A partner is defined as a person who takes part in an undertaking with another or others. Between the people of Faith and the Church, we make for excellent partners on a journey that leads us through life and to God. An exceptionally important part of this journey is that of marriage. To every person, marriage is an exciting mystery filled with potential which requires our best effort to understand and responsibility to develop: truly it engages us all. Pope Francis Amoris Laetitia speaks to how the partnership of marriage involves a role and responsibility of man and woman to become a committed couple. It recognizes how a couple shares something with one another which they will not and could not share with any other person on this earth: it is a love unique between them and from any other form of human relationship to be found. This is so because God designed it to be so; God created us to connect with another and we sense this within our very selves. The first experience of this bond of love is within our families. It begins and is felt in child to parent, it is seen between mother and father, and it is developed in families to our communities. Indeed, the qualities and intention of a strong marriage are its own reward; we follow this by the example of those who live it well and the way in which they inspire others to live and give to the same. Within any new relationship there is always excitement and challenge. As education prepares us for our future, so a quality formation in marriage will assist in preparing couples for a life lived between two and among the wider community. A couple does not know what they may encounter together; but they desire to be prepared, both to overcome challenges and delight all the more in the joys which will surely occur. The Church stands ready and willing and is eager to offer pastoral assistance through this time of early growth. Sound preparation and mature formation will become the foundation to their success. And, the simple ways can often be the surest of ways to achieving this success: intimate time together, communication in community, and speaking with God. Over time, and as this couple matures, they will then be able to give back in witness and wisdom perhaps to children and hopefully to younger couples who explore and learn this for themselves. In so doing, each person of every family will pass on the tradition and values received, and so contribute to the experience and heritage for a future generation. Amoris Laetitia affirms how love is always a gift from God; like any good gift, we seek to show and share it with those around us. A married couple in love naturally share their love with those around them. The Church in general, and the Parish in particular, are places which recognize, celebrate, assist, protect and promote their relationship. In turn, the couple will receive affirmation, advice, and assistance as we would within a home. However, if a married couple no longer attends the Church or choose not to draw on their Faith which brought them to each other, it may become similar to walking a long path alone. Such a path is indeed private and a couple will have one another on which to draw support, but it eventually becomes lonely and they risk becoming lost or subject to greater difficulties without help. Furthermore, to do so would be for them to miss out on a shared experience of past and present with others, while the rest of the community misses their contribution for the present and the future. The Church continues to offer and desires to share the sacredness of the Sacrament of Marriage. Like a guide on a journey or an expert within a field, so the Church can and will be for a couple who are searching their hearts in love: it is and will always be a companion who seeks to introduce and relay God s will for them. The Church has travelled this road of life for over two thousand years and so can point out what to do, where we should be, with whom we should seek company, when we ought to arrive, and why we are capable of doing so successfully. It is through this purpose which Amoris Laetitia expresses and confirms how husband and wife are always special partners to each other, and how married couples are vital and valuable partners with the Church; together, we will then be and become the faithful partner to God - God who is and remains our pastoral partner for life and for all. ~Father Dean Dowle

11 Our Lenten Journey faith, a follower of Jesus. The season of Lent this year onbegins March 1, Ash Wednesday. Lent is a time to Create Ourselves Anew. It is a season for praying, fasting, and almsgiving to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ's Resurrection at Easter and for our own Redemption. Often, we are asked, why do we need a special time of year to concentrate on these things... shouldn t we always be creating ourselves anew? Of course, we should always work towards being the best person we are called to be. The Church recognizes, however, that we are all human. We do need special times to remind us what it means to be a person of Lent is one of these special times. We often focus on fasting and almsgiving during Lent and sometimes forget about praying. There are many tools that the Church has given us to help us pray, including form prayers like the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Glory Be, and other practices like Lectio divina, Visio divina, and Ignatian Contemplation. Another form of prayer that is, perhaps, lesser known is the Examen, which was originally developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola. This form of prayer, although it was originally prayed primarily by the followers of Ignatius, known as Jesuits ( Pope Francis is a Jesuit), it is certainly accessible to all of us. The prayer card to the right sums up the practice very nicely. The Examen is a contemplative form of prayer that allows us to take time out of our busy day to spend with God. The Examen is a prayer that helps us to seek the presence and the movement of God in the events of life as it is lived. The first time we do it, we may find that it goes kind of fast, maybe only 5 minutes. As we continue praying this way, however, we will find that the time passes quickly and we may end up spending 15 to 20 minutes or even half an hour. It is a wonderful way for us to look at our lives through the loving eyes of our God. During Lent, we are encouraged to pray, to fast, and to give of ourselves. This year, let s make sure that we remember to spend some quality time with God in prayer, maybe using the Ignatian Examen. God bless, Ed Jean Secondary Religious Education Consultant

12 March 2017 Kathleen Nguyen, Elementary Religious Education Consultant Journeying through Lent as a family Lent is the 40-day season of preparation for the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday. It begins on Ash Wednesday which falls on March 1 st this year. Ashes are placed on our forehead in the shape of a cross as a sign of our humility and contrition. The ashes come from the palms that were blessed on Palm Sunday the year before. Lent is a time of purification and enlightenment. During this time, we use the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to prepare ourselves. This year, try picking one thing in each of these three areas as a family and do it intentionally. Prayer Ask your family: What is one way we can develop our relationship with Jesus through prayer this Lent? The aim of the Lenten practice of prayer is to get closer to Jesus. One way you can do this is by taking 15 minutes and listen to Jesus talk to you through the gospels. You can even get an audio version of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV) and listen to it together as a family. Fasting The Church calls us to fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, and on Good Friday, the first day of the Triduum. For these two days, fasting involves eating two small meals and one medium size meal that is no bigger than the two small meals combined. Abstinence means that we do not eat meat. Fasting throughout the 40 days of Lent is all about conforming our hearts to Jesus. Ask your family: What kind of fast do we need to have in our life? What is something that is keeping us from being present to each other or others? Your fast doesn t have to involve food. You might choose to fast from Netflix, Facebook, or from checking your phone constantly. Almsgiving Ask your family: How can we let God use us in this time to bless others? Almsgiving can involve giving of your time, talent, or treasure. For example, you could decide to share your time by volunteering as a family. You may wish to share your musical talents by giving the gift of music to the elderly. If you decide to give money, do it consistently throughout the season of Lent. (It is called a Lenten practice because it is meant to be intentionally done throughout the 40 days.) When you are doing one of these things, you are taking time to bless someone else. Family friendly Solidarity Calendar from Development and Peace:

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15 Author Visit with Tyler Enfield On Monday, April 10 th I will be making an author visit to Our Lady of Victories School. The presentation will draw from my newly released children s novel, Hannah And The Magic Eye, a fast-paced, magical adventure about two children searching for the lost treasure of King Solomon s Temple. The visit will also cover my award-winning children s novel series, Wrush: Volumes One and Two (for ages 7-12). Wrush is the story of Tabetha Bright, an eight-year-old girl in a wheelchair who uses creativity to overcome obstacles. With the help of a magic pen, Tabetha escapes the dreary walls of her hospital, writing her way into faraway worlds where adventure, friendship, and incredible challenge reveal the inner strength that lies hidden within her. Wrush was awarded the Moonbeam Award, the ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Award, the Writer s Federation of New Brunswick Literary Prize. If your child would like to purchase a signed copy, books will be available for $12 each, or just $10 each if two or more books are purchased of either Wrush, or Hannah And The Magic Eye. Checks can be made payable to Secret Worlds Productions Ltd Sincerely, Tyler Enfield Author, Photographer, Speaker To learn more about Wrush, visit: To purchase signed copies, please detach the following and bring to the event. Student s name Number of books (Wrush: The Secret Worlds Of Tabetha Bright) Number of books (Wrush: Tabetha s Last Task) Number of books (Hannah And The Magic Eye) Number of books (Madder Carmine $15, a teen Western, for age 16 and up) Attached: Cheque (payable to Secret Worlds Productions Ltd) Cash In the amount of $.00 Classroom teacher:

16 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 5 First week of lent 12 Second week of lent Daylight Savings Begins 19 Third week of Lent 6 Gr. 5 Active Living School March 6th - 10th 7 Gr.6 Passports due to office Kinders to Art Gallery 1 Ash Wedneday St John 9:15am Reading Rockstars Gr 1-3 3:15 4:15 8 9:45 Reading Rockstars Gr 1-3 SAC Meeting 7:00 pm 15 Gr. 6 to Legislature Reading Rockstars Demo of Learning 3:30-7:00 pm Last Reading Rockstars Gr Teachers Convention NO SCHOOL 9 10 Ravine Walk for Gr 2/3 Report cards go 3: Happy St. Patrick s Day Pizza Lunch 23 Full Day of Classes Wear Green ECSD Gr 5Active Living Gr 5 Active Living Gr 5 Active Living Gr 5 Active Living 24 NOON Dismissal. Spring Break Begins S P R I N G B R E A K ( March 25 to April 2 ) > > > IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP: April 5.. NO Kindergarten April 5.. Assembly 9:45 April 10 Author Visit 1-2 pm April 14 Good Friday NO SCHOOL April 16 Easter Sunday April 17 Easter Monday NO SCHOOL April 19 SAC 7:00 pm April 20 Easter Celebration 10:00 am April 21 Ravine Walk Gr 2/3 April 21 Hot Lunch Edo Japan April 28 Class 2/3 & Gr 4 to Leduc #1 He is risen!