DECEMBER To thee shall come Emmanuel

Transcription

1 DECEMBER 2017 To thee shall come Emmanuel Advent is a time of waiting and preparation. During this holy season we prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus and the return of Jesus at the end of time. During Advent the color of purple is seen in our churches and schools. Purple represents royalty and is also a sign of penance which reminds us to prepare our hearts. The green of the Advent wreath is the symbol for everlasting life. The four candles of the Advent wreath help us to count the Sundays to Christmas. Fr. Dean Dowle, our District Chaplain will be here to celebrate Mass on Wednesday, December 6, at 9 a.m. Parents are invited to join us. Our students and teachers have been working hard to prepare for our Christmas concert on December 22. There will be two performances at 1:15 p.m. and 7 p.m. We encourage all grandmas and grandpas, aunties and uncles to come for the afternoon performance as the evening performance will be quite full. On behalf of our St. Benedict School staff, we would like to wish you and your family a joyous, blessed Merry Christmas. May God grant you a peaceful holiday of faith, family and friends. Mrs. Dombroski Principal Mr. King Assistant Principal IMPORTANT DATES Dec. 1: Healthy Hunger lunch Dec. 4: Gr. 6A to Aviation Museum Dec. 4: SAC meeting 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5: Kid Safe Gr. 1A/B Dec. 6: Advent Mass at School 9 a.m. Dec. 8: Pasta Lunch Dec. 12: Kid Safe Gr. 1A/B Dec. 15: Gr. 6B to Aviation Museum Dec. 21: FULL DAY OF SCHOOL Dec. 21: Christmas concert 1:15 p.m. 7:00 p.m. Dec. 22: Movie at WEM BRR...IT S COLD! It is important that your children come to school with appropriate outdoor clothing for winter (hats, scarves, mitts, and boots). Students will be outside for all recesses unless the temperature with the wind chill is 20 C or colder. MONTHLY BUS PASS FEES AND HOCKEY ACADEMY FEES DUE BY DECEMBER 7 SCHOOL FEES ARE DUE! GRADE 1 TO 6: $50 KINDERGARTEN: $30

2 THANK YOU TO SCHOOL COUNCIL PASTA LUNCH Our school council will be providing a pasta lunch for all students on Friday December 8. Students will gather in the gym for lunch to share the meal together as a school. It will also be pajama day. Thank you to our school council for all your efforts to provide this great meal for our students! MOVIE Thank you to our school council who will be sponsoring our school trip to West Edmonton Mall to watch a movie on the morning of Friday, December 22. All students from kindergarten to grade six will walk to West Edmonton Mall to see a movie on the day before Christmas holidays. More information will be sent home soon. SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 AT 6:30 P.M. NEW MEMBERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM 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. Currently this new program has been implemented in grades one to four. 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 THANK YOU You are invited to our Christmas Concert December 21 Two performances: 1:15 p.m. or 7 p.m. This past month we said goodbye to Mrs. Ladouceur who has moved on to a new position. We thank her for the wonderful work she has done with our students and wish her the best in her new position. DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING Thank you for coming to our Demonstration of Learning on November 29. The teachers appreciated that so many parents were able to be here. Thank you for supporting your child s learning. If you were unable to come to meet your child s teacher on November 29 and you wish to do so, please call the school to set up an appointment with the teacher.

3 PD DAY NOVEMBER 29 On Thursday, November 29 our staff participated in a PD day at school. Our morning was spent with staff from our District Indigenous Services department who led us in the Blanket Exercise. This session teaches us about the history of the Indigenous people of Canada so we can have a better understanding of the culture and events that have affected their way of life with the hope that this knowledge will help us build positive relationships. In the afternoon on November 29, our District math consultant worked with teachers on strategies for math instruction. News This month, our campaign is Eat, Move and Plan through the Holidays. During our morning announcements, students are provided with ideas to get them moving. We challenge you to be more active and make healthier choices during this holiday season. Included in the newsletter is a challenge to complete. Have your child return it to school to get a prize when completed. ANNUNCIATION PARISH NEWS Advent Penitential service: Thursday December 7, 6:00 pm Novena to the Immaculate Conception: Wednesday November 29 t Novena 6:30 pm Mass at 7:00 pm through to Friday December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception Novena 6:30 pm mass at 7:00 pm Christmas Mass times: Sunday December 24 10:00 pm and 12 midnight Monday December 25 9:00 and 11:00 am and 12:30 pm Sunday December 31 10:00 pm Monday January 1 9:00 and 11:00 am

4 Leading a healthy life isn t as hard as you think. Here s a chance to give it a try. Physical activity >> Colour in one bar for every 10 minutes of activity you do Eat. Move. Play. day 1 day 2 day 3 day 4 day 5 My favourite activity My favourite activity My favourite activity My favourite activity My favourite activity Your goal is to get 60 minutes of physical activity, replace an unhealthy food or drink with something healthy and spend at least 1 hour less in front of a screen everyday for five days. Encourage your family to take on the Challenge with you. Plan a fun family event like going bowling or for a hike to celebrate having completed the Challenge. Healthy Eating >> Choose healthy foods and drinks often. See other side for more information Screen Time Alternatives >> Reduce your screen time by at least one hour. See other side for ideas on what to do instead Today I ate/drank (something healthy) instead of (something unhealthy) I reduced my screen time by 1 hour today What I did instead: Today I ate/drank (something healthy) instead of (something unhealthy) I reduced my screen time by 1 hour today What I did instead: Today I ate/drank (something healthy) instead of something unhealthy) I reduced my screen time by 1 hour today What I did instead: Today I ate/drank (something healthy) instead of (something unhealthy) I reduced my screen time by 1 hour today What I did instead: Today I ate/drank (something healthy) instead of (something unhealthy) I reduced my screen time by 1 hour today What I did instead: *Reproduced with permission from Doctors Nova Scotia. Visit and for more info about healthy living

5 Eat. Move. Play. Physical Activity You have only one body so take care of it by being active, eating well and getting enough sleep every day. Kids need 60 minutes of physical activity every day just to be healthy and strong. Make sure 30 minutes of this time is spent doing activities that get your heart pumping hard like running or playing tag. The other 30 minutes can be spent doing different things like Healthy Eating Screen Time Alternatives Learn about labels One step to healthy eating is learning how to read the nutrition facts on food labels. Here are some tips on what those facts are telling you: Daily Value (DV) Serving Size How much of the food is in 1 serving. The information in the table is based on the serving size. cup tasse (300g) Calories How much energy is in 1 serving. Limit these Only a small amount of the right kind of fat is healthy. Avoid saturated and trans fats. Choose items that have a low % DV of sodium and cholesterol. Shows the percentage needed each day. 5% and below is considered low, 15% and above is considered high. Vitamins and minerals Choose foods/drinks with high % daily value of these nutrients Ingredient lists Tell you what s in a food or drink. They are listed by weight from most to least. Limit foods & drinks high in: sugar, fat, sodium, artificial sweeteners, artificial flavour and artificial colouring Although screen time is one way to relax, learn or have fun, it takes away from other healthy activities like physical activity and other fun activities. Try powering down all electronics for at least one hour every day and instead: Play catch Read Play cards Walking or biking to school Dance Canada s Food Guide 4 food groups Do a craft Playing in a neighbourhood playground Rollerblading, skateboarding or scootering Playing hopscotch Make a fort Draw Fruits and Vegetables Grain Products Milk and Alternatives Meat and Alternatives Participating in sports Think Your Drink Helping out with yard work or shoveling choose most often Plain water, milk, soy drink Choose sometimes 100% fruit juice, chocolate milk, fruit smoothies Having a scavenger hunt with friends Playing active games like tag or hide and seek Healthy snack choices Sports drinks, fruit drinks with added sugar, choose least often pop, flavoured water, artificially sweetened drinks Choose Never Learn to juggle Write a story, journal or poem Dancing to your favorite music Winter activities like building a fort or sledding Do a crossword Fruit Veggies and dip Cheese and crackers Whole grain cereal Seeds and nuts Granola and yogurt Home-made muffins Real fruit smoothies Caffeinated/energy drinks *Reproduced with permission from Doctors Nova Scotia Visit and for more info about healthy living

6 Eat, Move, and Play Through the Holidays This month, students are learning how to stay healthy during the holidays through a campaign called Eat, Move, and Play Through the Holidays. Here is a summary of the learnings and how you can support your child s health. Tis the Season to be Healthy and Mindful During the holidays, baked goods are just a hand s reach away and gatherings focus around food. Maintaining a healthy routine can be challenging during this time. Here are some quick tips to promote a healthy holiday season for your family: Store treats until snack or meal time. If left out in an accessible area, your family is more likely to nibble throughout the day instead of scheduled meals times. Plan fun winter activities. Make the best of the snow while you can. Build a snowman, have a snowball fight, or go tobogganing as a family. How Will You Eat, Move and Play Through the Holidays? This month, students goal is to get 60 minutes of physical activity, replace a less healthy food or drink with something healthier, and spend at least 1 hour less in front of a screen every day for five days. 1 Help you child reach his/her goals, or even better, join in the challenge yourself! Reference: 1 For more information about APPLE Schools, visit

7 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 caurbf. 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

8 CHRISTMAS TIME! Gifts that build language, motor skills, turn-taking and more! Gifts for School & Life Skills! Learning should be FUN! Take time to draw, build, and play with your child! Time with you is the BEST gift. Gifts of time, and games have benefits for your child's motor skills, language skills, and social skills: Increased hand strength, pincer skills, and eye-hand coordination help with printing and independence (like doing zippers!) Games encourage turn taking, waiting, focusing skills, language skills, following rules, matching and counting! Connecting with your child helps build strong relationships, trust, and improves behaviour! Outdoor play builds strength, coordination and creativity Games: Bananagrams, Scrabble Junior (letters) Snakes & Ladders, Cranium Junior Yahtzee, Dice, Uno, Jenga, Memory Other Gifts: Puzzles, Hidden Picture Books Art sets, craft materials, Litebryte Sleds, shovels, skates, mini trampoline Cookie cutters, kinetic sand, LEGO Technology: ipad app - LetterSchool ($) Osmo for ipad ($$$) - Screen time should be UNDER 1 hour/day (American Pediatric Association guidelines) School Occupational Therapist

9 MESSAGE FROM THE ARCHBISHOP 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: To prepare a prayer space in your home or classroom where a Bible takes the place of honour; 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. 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! XRichard W. Smith Archbishop of Edmonton

10 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

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. We asked participants: What is one thing from this evening s presentation that you enjoyed most? 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 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 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 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 We asked participants: What is one thing you wonder about or would like to learn more about? 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. 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. 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.