DECEMBER Tis the Season to prepare and rejoice!!

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1 DECEMBER 2017 Tis the Season to prepare and rejoice!! This is the time of year where we settle into winter and begin to wrestle with the busyness of the Holiday Season. Amidst all the busyness, we hope all our friends and families from the St. Vladimir community find time to spend with friends and family and enjoy quieter, simpler and rewarding activities. Simple things that allow you to enjoy life at no cost like the beautiful gift of time!! The gift of time is such an amazing gift to both give and receive from those you are closest with, and it helps us to realize and appreciate just what truly is important. I would like to thank the staff and students at St. Vladimir who have worked together to decorate our school for the Advent Season. Christmas trees, Advent wreaths, Santa Claus and Wintery friends, wintery bulletin boards and art, and the colour purple that fill our halls and classrooms. Most importantly, as you walk through our halls and into our classrooms, you will find not one, but several displays of the manger spread out around the school. We have done this to remind ourselves about the true meaning of the Advent Season Jesus Christ!! Thank you to all the families who made it out to our Parent/Teacher Night and a huge thank you to everyone who contributed to, and supported, our Bake Sale and Book Fair. All funds raised will go towards bettering our St Vladimir Community. As we look to the three weeks we have together in December there is lots to look forward to. Our time with Lucas Coffey from RHyTHM-RHyTHM-RHyTHM wraps up with our drumming finales on December 1 st, our choir performs at the Hotel MacDonald on December 15 th, and our Christmas Concert takes place at St. Cecilia Catholic Junior High School on December 20 th. Our Volleyball teams participate in their second tournament of the season and we wrap up the month with our SC Christmas Dinner on the 18 th and our Advent Celebration on the 21 st. On behalf of the St. Vladimir staff we would like to wish you all a joyous Christmas and a wonderful New Year and, as always, we extend an invitation to all families to come into the school to say hello and get acquainted. Mr. A. Buttigieg Principal Mrs. J. Schipper Assistant Principal

2 CHRISTMAS CONCERT!! A STAR FOR CHRISTMAS!! Our Christmas concert is quickly approaching. Each class will be performing one song with a whole school performance at the end. Students are asked to wear their Sunday best (or black pants and a white or black top). The concert will take place at: St. Cecilia Catholic Junior High ( Avenue NW) Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2017 Show time: 6 pm Student arrival time: 5:30 pm If your child is going to be away for the Christmas concert, please send your child to school with a note indicating the reason for their absence. This helps us for planning purposes (arrangement for the performance, who is playing instruments, etc.). Thank you in advance.

3 WE TEAM!! Seasons Giving Dear Parents/Guardians: The Social Justice Committee at St. Vladimir invites you to participate in donating goods to the Bissell Center this Holiday Season. The Bissell Center is an organization that helps homeless people or persons who are currently down on their luck and require support with acquiring goods, shelter, or food. To offer our Support, we as a school, are collecting winter items, non-perishable food, clothing, hygienic products, baby supplies, cleaning supplies and other household goods such as pots and pans or cutlery. The class who donates the most items will win their choice of a movie and treat day or an electronics day. If the whole school is able to donate 20 BINS worth of donations Mr. Slupek will dye his hair blue. So please help support a good cause and give Mr. Slupek a new hairdo. Thank you, The Social Justice Committee *Donations accepted from December 1st until December 20th.

4 ADVENT CELEBRATION!! Every Monday morning, throughout the Advent Season, our grade 6 students will be delivering the week s Advent Celebration over the announcements, as students and staff follow along and light the Advent candles in their classrooms. The weekly celebrations will consist of a Gospel Reading, reflections and song. To wrap up our December, and the Advent Season, we will all gather as a family on: Thursday, December 21, :00PM School Gym All parents and family members are invited to join us!! CHOIR!! Our school choir has been asked to perform at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald on Friday, December 15th. Students will sing from 11:30-12:00 pm. If your child is part of the school choir, they are expected to wear black dress pants and a white or black top (with no writing or pictures on it) for the performance. A field trip form was sent home for students in the choir. A huge thank you to Ms. Prystupa, who continues to work with our students from Grade 3 to Grade 6 who have joined our school choir.

5 VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT!! A huge thank you goes out to Mr. Slupek and Mr. Nagy for their time commitment this month in organizing both our Boys and Girls Volleyball Teams. They had a fabulous showing in this years St. Cecilia Invitational Tournament. Special recognition goes to our girl s team who brought home the silver medal at the event. Our boys and girl s volleyball teams will be participating in the Cardinal Leger Volleyball Tournament on Thursday, December 7th. The tournament begins at 1:00 PM and is finished by 6:00 PM. Come cheer on the Pilots!! GO PILOTS GO!! BAKE SALE!! Our school council hosted their Annual Bake Sale on Thursday, November 23 rd. Thank you to all the members of our school community who helped organize and support the event and a special thank you goes out to Anna Bruni-Bossio for taking the lead in organizing the event. The funds raised will go towards providing new learning experiences for our students.

6 LEADERSHIP Our student Leadership Team has planned out their events for the school year. For December they will be sponsoring the following activities: December 11 th 18 th - Reading Elf Buddies Christmas storybook time for Div I classes. December 11 th 18 th Candy grams $0.25/ea Funds raised will go towards Social Justice Initiatives selected by the student body. HEARTS TO LOVE AND HANDS TO SERVE!! This year, Edmonton Catholic School District has a theme founded on the words of Teresa Avila, Rooted in Jesus; Hearts to Love, Hands to Serve. The staff, students and parents at St Vladimir have been keeping their eyes and ears open to catch students showing this theme in action, both in and out of the classrooms. We have been acknowledging these acts of exemplary service on a bulletin board located near the office by writing a few words about what that student has done. In addition to this, we have been acknowledging these acts of love and service at our full school gatherings/celebration. HEALTHY HUNGER!! Our next Healthy Hunger Lunch is Mucho Burrito and was scheduled for Friday, December 8 th. It has been rescheduled to Wednesday, December 13 th Any orders already placed wil transfer to the new date.

7 100 VOICES!! Dec. 18- Christmas lunch will be provided for all the students. Morning class will eat at 10:45 am Afternoon class will eat at 12:15 pm Dec. 19- Christmas concert rehearsal at St. Cecilia School, Ave NO CLASSES for 100 Voices Dec. 20-Christmas concert at St. Cecilia School. Have your child at St. Cecilia at 5:45 where they will be met by one of the 100 Voices staff. Dec Voices classes at regular class times Dec. 22- NO SCHOOL FOR 100 VOICES Jan. 8- School resumes We continue to explore how to recognize our own feelings and the feelings of others, and ways to calm ourselves when we are feeling sad, mad or frustrated. In math, we are exploring geometry: shapes, spatial awareness, building with various materials. Our library day will be on Wednesday. Your child will receive a large zip lock bag to keep their library book in to help prevent it from being damaged. The library book needs to be returned each Wednesday so that your child can take out another book. Wishing you all a blessed Christmas, and all the best in the New Year! Mrs. Bowman, Ms. Jands, Ms. Ricioppo SCHOOL COUNCIL IMPORTANT DATES!! The School Council Executive, along with several staff members and other parents met on Monday, October 23 for the second meeting of the year. A great deal was discussed, and everyone agreed that there is a lot to look forward to in the upcoming school year for all our students, families and staff. The Executive members would like to extend an invitation to all parents who are interested in helping throughout the year. Important dates to remember are: Monday, December 18 SC Christmas Dinner for ALL students and staff Monday, December 4 th at 6:00PM next SC Meeting

8 DRUMMING RESIDENCY Our students had the opportunity to participate in a school wide drumming residency. The residency took place during the week of November 27 December 1, Every class had the opportunity to participate in 3 class sessions with talented drummer Lucas Coffey from RHyTHM-RHyTHM-RHyTHM. The week concluded with a finale featuring four groups of performers from all grade levels. THANK YOU MR. LUCAS A LOT OF FUN WAS HAD BY ALL!! OIL KING TICKETS JANUARY 21 st!! Need a Christmas gift idea? Purchase tickets for your family to see the Edmonton Oil Kings on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $20.00 each, with $2.00 from each ticket coming back to our school s music program. Come out and see the St. Vladimir choir perform the national anthem. If you have any questions, or would like to purchase tickets please contact Ms. Kyla Prystupa at kyla.prystupa@ecsd.net or call the school at *All students who are in the choir will be given a free ticket to the game. More details for choir member to come in early January. RAZ KIDS and MATHLETICS All our students have access to two very valuable on-line resources Raz Kids and Mathletics. They are encouraged to use these programs on a regular basis to supplement their learning at school in both language arts and mathematics. Both these programs can be accessed from home.

9 Ave, Edmonton, AB T5E 3G7, TEL: , FAX: WEB: CARDINAL LÉGER PRE-AP INFORMATION EVENING January 16, 2018 at 7:00 pm The pre-advanced program is an academic program designed to challenge students by going deeper into the curriculum. Assessments in the Pre-AP program are the same as those used in the regular program, but students have the chance to delve deeper into the topics covered in the grade appropriate curriculums. The evening is designed to provide information to families about the program and registration requirements. The meeting will be held in the school gymnasium and there will be no school tour. If you have any questions regarding the Pre-AP Program, please contact the school principal, Mr. Peter Meurs, at

10 December 2017 O come, divine Messiah; the world in silence waits the day When hope shall sing its triumph and sadness flee away. (O Come, Divine Messiah, S.J. Pellegrin) The season of Advent is upon us. It is a sacred time of prayer, reflection, and preparation for the coming of Jesus. There are so many ways that families can share in the joy and anticipation of the birth of our Saviour. Archbishop Smith shares how we can bring the Word of God more deeply into our classrooms and homes in his message to us this month. In the weeks leading up to Christmas, as we light the candles on our Advent wreaths, we can also reflect on the hope, peace, joy, and love that is to be found in the gift of Jesus Christ. There are many special events that are being held in our parishes and schools; evenings of Advent song, the preparation of hampers for families who would benefit from extra support, extra opportunities to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation, to name a few. The Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories released a supplementary letter just before Catholic Education Sunday. In it, they gave a call to Catholics to join in and spread the great news of Catholic education. They share, It is important that everyone be ready to stand up for our faith and for our schools. Please be prepared to speak out in support of our Catholic schools whenever you can. We are proud of who we are as Catholics. You can read the entire letter at We will be proudly sharing the story of the richness of Catholic education in Edmonton Catholic Schools using the hashtag #ECSDFaithInspires in the upcoming months, and we encourage you to help us spread the message that Catholic education is an outstanding and important choice for families to guide our children and youth as they learn and grow in mind, body, and spirit. We are embarking on a legacy project and would like to be able to capture the journeys of families who have 3 or 4 generations that are able to share their story of Edmonton Catholic Schools. If your family is interested in participating, please a brief overview of your generations to marketing@ecsd.net. The response to our Celebration of Catholic Education Evenings in November was tremendous! We have included the responses to the questions which people shared with us as part of the feedback sheets. Edmonton Catholic Schools is excited to participate in the Hour of Code, once again this year. This is the fourth year that we will be participating, and this year s event will be the best one yet! Hour of Code is a global movement that is supported by Code.org with the purpose of reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries through a one-hour introduction to computer science and computer programming. Coding is a great way to develop literacy, numeracy, creativity, and thinking skills. Last year we had over 22,000 students participate and this year we are hoping for 25,000! Our goal is to have a <Bit of Code> In Every School. In his Sunday Angelus to mark the beginning of Advent last year, Pope Francis shared the following message: In this season of Advent, we are called to expand the horizons of our hearts, to be amazed by the life which presents itself each day with newness. I wish you all an Advent that fills you with this amazement! Sincerely, Joan Carr Superintendent

11 Celebration of Catholic Education Religious Education Parent/Guardian Engagement Evenings Feedback On November 1 and 2 the Trustees and Administration of Edmonton Catholic School District were pleased to host parent engagement evenings at St. Charles Parish and Corpus Christi Parish titled: Celebration of Catholic Education Religious Education Parent/Guardian Engagement Evenings. Each evening began with the celebration of the Eucharist followed by a presentation and an opportunity for reflection. We were delighted that Archbishop Richard Smith and Bishop Gregory Bittman were able to celebrate these evenings with us. They were joined at our Lord s table by the parish priests, deacons, and our District Chaplains. Additionally, we were pleased that, so many community members attended Mass and the program that followed. We are happy to share some of the feedback and comments we received following each presentation. Included below are corresponding links to more information and resources as well as highlights from the presentations. A. We asked participants: What is one thing from this evening s presentation that you enjoyed most? 1. The experiences and opinions of the children in the video; they are the principle role in this story. I enjoyed the video and how the young students understood their Catholic faith and expressed themselves with confidence. The video, Growing in the Spirit, was a collaborative effort between Learning Services Innovation and many students from across the school district. It focused on asking students to express their thoughts on what Catholic Education meant to them. Growing in the Spirit Video 2. I enjoyed learning about the new curriculum and resources available for parents, teachers and the parishes. Knowing what my children will be learning enables me to help them grow in their faith. Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ, the new Religious Education program approved by the Catholic Bishops of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and the Northwest Territories and developed in collaboration with Catholic educators from across Canada, exemplifies the discipline and rigor with which the program is delivered. Pearson Canada, the publisher, has developed a school, a home, and a parish website that helps to integrate the faith into everyday life. Pearson Canada Student-Home Website Username: ecsd99 Password: Student99 3. I really appreciate how the Competencies formed through Catholic education are permeated from Kindergarten to Grade Twelve and that teachers are receiving professional development in this area. We know that Catholic education means that students are given the opportunity to encounter Christ in all aspects of their learning day, not just in Religion class. This means that our Catholic faith is permeated throughout all subjects and all activities. The Learner Competencies Formed through Catholic Education reflect the Alberta Programs of Study from a Catholic education standpoint and change the way that we approach permeation. Learner Competencies Formed Through Catholic Education 4. I was pleased to see the Archdiocese s Sacramental Education Initiative. I have children who are passed their sacraments, so this is a document with which I am unfamiliar. The Standards for Preparing Children and Youth for the Sacraments in the Archdiocese of Edmonton are the result of the Sacramental Education Initiative set forth by the Archdiocese and the Catholic school boards chairs and superintendents from our Archdiocese. The Standards have been developed after four years of wide consultation with priests of the Archdiocese, pastoral assistants, religious consultants, parents, principals and teachers in our Catholic school districts. We invite you to contact your local Catholic parish for more information about Sacramental preparation. The Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton Sacramental Preparation

12 B. We asked participants: What is one thing you wonder about or would like to learn more about? 1. I am anxious to know if Religious Education is mandatory from Kindergarten to Grade Twelve. Religious Education is a scholastic discipline and not a complementary course; nor is it a supplement to other disciplines, but underpins the educational activity of Catholic schools. Students are required to participate in and complete Religious Education courses each year of their schooling with Edmonton Catholic Schools. In high school, students typically complete nine credits in Religious Education within a traditional classroom setting. Under some circumstances, and to accommodate special learning needs, Religious Education is also delivered in alternative modes such as PASS (Part Time Alternative Self-Paced School) or Revelation Online. 2. What is ECSD doing about the alternative curriculum for sexual education in our schools? We have, and continue to teach the outcomes of the existing curriculum. To clarify, it should be noted that the Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta (CCSSA) did not submit a parallel curriculum proposal to the government. CCSSA is working closely with Alberta Education in supporting the curriculum development, and seeks to create a supplemental resource that ensures a Catholic lens is provided for our learners. Our District has teachers participating in the working group that is developing the new health and wellness curriculum. 3. I appreciate that teachers and administrators continue their faith journeys in meaningful professional development opportunities. Teachers and administrators have many opportunities to develop and grow in their faith. This includes School Opening Mass, Permeation Afternoon, Faith Formation Afternoon, Father Michael Mireau Youth Day, Faith Development Day, Grace for the Heart and Soul, Student Faith Development Days, District-Wide Professional Development sessions on the RE Curriculum, as well as Social Justice Initiatives; Religious and Moral Education Conference through the ATA; SPICE and Blueprints through the Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association; Dinner and a Course through St. Joseph s College; and the Treasures of the Faith, the Certificate in Catholic Studies, and the Master of Religious Education through Newman Theological College. Included below are two links from the Alberta Bishops in their support of Catholic Education: Catholic Education Sunday Bishop s Letter Catholic Education Sunday Supplementary Statement We thank those who were able to attend the parent engagement evenings and for sharing their comments.

13 LIVING IN THE WORD OF GOD Creation of a Prayer Space in the Home In his recent Pastoral Letter, Living in the Word of God, Archbishop Richard Smith offers some thoughts as to how we, as members of this Archdiocesan family, can together listen carefully to the Word of God and, in a shared commitment, put it into practice. St. Paul teaches that faith comes from what is heard. This means that the first act of the disciple is to listen carefully to what God is saying to us in the words of Jesus. The hearing of Christ's Word demands a silent and attentive listening. This requires effort and determination. Living in a world of noise, we must be always cultivating, with the help of God's grace, an inner stillness in which we are disposed to hear and be transformed by the Word of God. In the same way, Archbishop Smith invites families, too, to listen together to the Word of God. Through a careful listening to this Word, families encounter the Lord in their very midst and hear within the depths of their hearts his assurance of love and call to holiness and service. One way to make this happen is to create a prayer space in the home. I recall from my days as a parish priest the practice of one family that created a sacred space in their home by simply placing a candle in the corner of one room. They would gather daily around the lit candle to offer their spontaneous prayers to God for his blessing upon their day. We, at Edmonton Catholic Schools, invite you to heed the call of Archbishop Smith. As we approach the season of Advent, we are reminded that Advent is a time of great spiritual preparation as we ready our souls for the coming of Christ. Advent is an important season in which families can dedicate time each day to pray and to share the Word of God together, preparing in a powerful way for the coming of Christ. This Advent Season, like many of the past, will be filled with distractions and priorities which attempt to take away from our families spiritually during this crucial time. Consider creating a prayer space in your home by placing an Advent Wreath at the center of your dining table. As a family, gather around the Advent Wreath, before or after meals, to light the Advent candles, to offer spontaneous prayers, and to listen to the Word of God. During this Advent season, we hope that you will use these traditional tools with your family and that God will use them to benefit your family with grace and love. Sandra Talarico, Religious Education Consultant

14 December 2017 Dear Friends, In December, especially in Edmonton, we notice that the hours, minutes of sunlight diminish. It is during this time of darkness that we begin a new liturgical year. The season of Advent is upon us. Advent is a time of preparation for Christmas. We prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World (John 8:12). The prophet Isaiah foretold this event when he wrote: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness on them light has shined. (Isaiah 9:2) During this Advent season as we prepare for Christmas, I invite you to listen to Jesus, the Word of God and to be guided by the Word. As the Psalmist writes: Your word is lamp unto my feet and light to my path. (Ps 119:105) There are many ways to listen to the Word. In our Catholic Schools the Word of God proclaimed, studied and discussed. I invite you, as I have invited everyone in the Archdiocese, to hear the Word of God in three ways: 1. To prepare a prayer space in your home or classroom where a Bible takes the place of honour; 2. To pray a simple prayer before and after meals. I will assist you in this by offering a biblical verse to help you to hear the Word of God. These are available through the parish Sunday bulletin. 3. To discuss the Sunday homily as a family. With Christ as our guide, may you continue to let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matt.5:16) during the Advent season and throughout the liturgical year. I pray that you have a blessed Christmas! Richard W. Smith Archbishop of Edmonton

15 DECEMBER 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 DRUMMING FINALES GR 4 - WASTE MANAGEMENT SC MEETING 6:00PM GR 1 SAFETY PROGRAM GR 1 SAFETY PROGRAM ALBERTA BALLET JUBILEE AUDITORIUM FIELDTRIP 13 HEALTHY HUNGER CHOIR PERFORM AT HOTEL MACDONALD SC CHRISTMAS DINNER FOR ALL STUDETS AND STAFF 19 CONCERT REHEARSAL AT ST CECIIA 9AM 11AM 20 CHRISTMAS CONCERT AT ST CECILIA 6:00PM 21 FULL DAY OF CLASSES ADVENT CELEBRATION 1:00PM SCHOOL GYM 22 EARLY DISMISSAL!! FIRST DAY OF CLASSES IS MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2018 THANKS!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!!