It is amazing how quickly the months are passing by, can it already be the month of April?

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1 Dear Parents, It is amazing how quickly the months are passing by, can it already be the month of April? The liveliness of St. Kateri during the month of March was contagious as we prepared for Report Cards and Demonstration of Learning. Our second last Flex round has begun and many of our classes continue to create cross grade curricular innovative projects, while using various technologies and tinkering in our Makerspace. We celebrated Numeracy Week by engaging in various math games in our classrooms and in the Information Station. St. Kateri continues to be a dynamic and vibrant place of learning where our students lead through their creativity, kindness and respect. We are grateful to the many parent families who, with their children, celebrated their child s learning and successes during our Demonstration of Learning. As we continue to work together and continue to support and encourage our students, your child continues to thrive and bloom in their personal journey of learning and growth. We hope that Spring Break was for you and your family a time of slowing down the pace from the routines and bustle of everyday life. With renewal, rejuvenation and continued enthusiasm, we enter our last term of the school year. Focusing our sights on our goals, we continue to guide and encourage our students to their commitment to learning as we centre new energy towards achieving the goals set for the final months of school. Wishing all of our families a Blessed Easter. Enjoy April, as it brings with it the freshness of Spring, warmer weather, sunshine and new life. Ida Poulin Darlene Payne Thomas Collins Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal

2 Kindergarten Registrations We are now accepting Pre-Kindergarten (100 Voices Program) and Kindergarten registrations for the school year. Registration packages are available in the school office and placement for a morning or afternoon class will be determined according to the date submitted on the registration form. Please note, to be eligible for Pre- Kindergarten, your child must be 4 by March 1, To be eligible for Kindergarten, your child must be 5 years old by March 1, To register your child, we require the following documentation: Child s birth certificate Baptismal certificate of the child/parent if Catholic - for sacramental preparation Parent s driver s license/proof of residency Hot Lunch We will be having Hot Lunch on Friday, April 28 th. We are very grateful for our Hot Lunch coordinator and all of our parent volunteers for their leadership with the Hot Lunches for our students. Spring, Puddles & Muddy Boots Spring is here and so are the puddles and wet areas. Our playground has been temporarily closed due to all the water in the park. Please keep extra clothing in your child s backpack. A reminder to all students, muddy outdoor shoes must be removed at the front entrance and carried to the boot room. School Council Meeting Please join us for our School Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, April 11th at 6:30 PM. All are welcome, please join us. St. Kateri Day On Friday, April 28 th, we will be honouring and celebrating St. Kateri. St. Kateri was known as Lily of the Mohawks and patron Saint of the environment. We will begin with an opening ceremony and prayer. There will be various curricular activities planned on this day for our students such as: planting lilies in our Lily Garden, caring for our environment, making crosses and participating in a round dance.

3 Kids Kitchen Korner- Dig it, Dip it, Dunk it! Here are a few of our favorite nutritional dips which we shared with our students during our recent cooking Flex Session. Mexican Avocado Dip 1 ripe avocado 1 c low fat Greek yogurt 1 clove garlic ½ tsp. cumin Pinch salt and pepper ¼ c minced Cilantro ¼ tsp. smoked paprika 2 dashes hot sauce 1 green onion finely diced 1 small tomato diced ¼ c diced green pepper ¼ c black beans Juice of ½ a fresh lemon Directions: 1. Mash avocado 2. Add Greek yogurt and all other ingredients. 3. Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour. 4. Serve with nacho chips and vegetables. Dill Pickle Dip 1 package low fat cream cheese 3 tbsp. pickle juice Pinch of salt and pepper 1 tsp fresh dill weed minced ¼ tsp garlic powder 1 tsp celery seed 2 dill pickles finely minced 2 tbsp. finely diced green or purple onion Directions: 1. Mix softened cream cheese with pickle juice. 2. Add salt, black pepper, dill weed, garlic powder and celery seed. 3. Mix in minced dill pickles and onion. 4. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 5. Serve with Bagel bites, soft pretzel pieces, Nacho chips and or vegetables.

4 April 2017 The Lord is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds. The Lord upholds all who are falling, and raises up all who are bowed down. ~Psalm 145: 13-14~ This passage comes from a beautiful psalm titled The Greatness and the Goodness of God. It truly evokes the image of a loving Father who nurtures and supports his children in their life s journey. As we approach Holy Week and the ensuing season of Easter, we can see this greatness and goodness of our God in the saving gift of his Son, Jesus. Edmonton Catholic Schools has many reasons to celebrate this month. We are very pleased to have been named one of Alberta s Top 70 Employers 2017, our second year in a row! This special designation is organized by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers and recognizes Alberta employers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Organizations that enter the competition are evaluated in 8 categories and then compared to other organizations. Winners are chosen for offering the most progressive and forward-thinking programs. We know that when our staff have exceptional working conditions, they can focus on providing excellent learning experiences for our students. The Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta sponsors the Excellence in Catholic Education Awards each year. We are pleased to announce that Bruno Binassi, principal of Sir John Thompson, Rena Methuen, principal of Ben Calf Robe/St. Clare, and Beth Pecson, a teacher from Monsignor Fee Otterson are recipients of this prestigious award. These three exceptional Catholic educators are being recognized for providing excellent educational experiences for their students that are deeply grounded in our Catholic faith. Congratulations! As we approach the final months of our school year, the opportunity to celebrate student achievements in a variety of forums arises. Each year Edmonton Catholic Schools showcases and celebrates fine arts education and the gifts and talents of its students and staff through its annual Celebration of the Arts Concert. This year, our event takes place on Tuesday, April 25 at 6:30 pm at the Winspear Centre. It is a truly awe-inspiring evening. The final Supporting our Diverse Learners session for parents and guardians takes place on Wednesday, April 19 at 6:30 pm, St. Anthony Meeting Centre, Avenue. This session will focus on mental health awareness, transitions, and Programs of Choice. Topics include the developing brain, common myths about mental illness, childhood and teenage stress, and promoting positive mental health in your child. Visit to learn more and to register. The provincial budget was proclaimed on March 16. We are pleased to receive dollars to support the reduction in school fees that we have already put in place for next year. We are extremely pleased the government will continue to provide funding for new students. We are projecting an enrolment increase of 3.3% or 1,359 students for September Our work to analyze all the financial data will continue over the next few weeks. As the end of Lent approaches, I would like to leave you with a final thought from Pope Francis. Lent is the favorable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in his word, in the sacraments and in our neighbour. (Twitter, March 12, 2017) Many blessings of the Easter season to all of you! Sincerely, Joan Carr Superintendent

5 Amoris Laetitia Chapter 7: TOWARDS A BETTER EDUCATION OF CHILDREN This chapter is particularly relevant for those who have been called to serve in the field of Catholic education. It is clear that the synod participants, under the leadership of Pope Francis, believe that the primary educators of children are the child s parents. The importance of this message is reflected in the second paragraph of this chapter which explains how essential it is for parents to spend quality time with their children: Only if we devote time to our children, speaking of important things with simplicity and concern, and finding healthy ways for them to spend their time, will we be able to shield them from harm. (260) This devoted time is seen as a gift to be shared by both parents and children. The document underlines the importance of helping children to see the parental relationship as a positive experience when it says, Obsession, however, is not education (261). The focus is on encouraging children to develop habits of love and trust, not controlling them with fear of punishment. While it is true that inappropriate behavior must be corrected, the key is to do so with love and in a way that the children understand and learn from the situation. It is interesting to note the understanding of the real world that comes through in this chapter. There is no illusion that all families are perfect and all adolescents listen to and respect their parents. This is reflected in the quotation: adolescents should be helped to draw analogies: to appreciate that values are best embodied in a few exemplary persons, but also realized imperfectly and to different degrees in others (272). This gives parents permission to turn to others for assistance. His Holiness invites and encourages all parents to seek faithful assistance; this is especially true concerning the gift of Catholic education. One of the most influential partners that parents can count on to assist them in the education of their children is the Catholic school systems available in many countries around the world. The education of children involves teaching of morality, Scripture study, and theology, as well as education on human sexuality. In speaking specifically about this area, the document gives several guiding statements which educators can look to for inspiration: It can only be seen within the broader framework of an education for love, for mutual self-giving (280). The important thing is to teach them sensitivity to different expressions of love, mutual concern and care, loving respect and deeply meaningful communication (283). While these statements are not a how to teach human sexuality, they give a clear direction and focus for the development of human sexuality education programs in Catholic schools. In concluding the chapter, Pope Francis returns to the importance of the role of parents in raising their children. Handing on the faith presumes that parents themselves genuinely trust God, seek him and sense their need for him, for only in this way does one generation laud your works to another, and declare your mighty acts [Ps 144:4] and fathers make known to children your faithfulness [Is 38:19] (287). The education of children is a daunting challenge and a glorious calling for all of us. We, as educators and members of the Church, are a source of support for the parents of the children we serve. Ed Jean, Secondary Religious Education Consultant

6 April 2017 We are a people who love messages. Did you get my letter? My ? Text? Indeed, we all like to have something to tell. A message is defined as a verbal, written, or recorded communication sent to or left for a recipient. In turn, a message is intended to be heard, heeded, and likely succeeded on to another. Consequently, the content of the message is very important, both by what it is and how it is conveyed. For us as Catholics and Christians, Easter has a most powerful message: Christ is Risen! The fullness and importance of the message is that Jesus intimately knew our human experience, and through being God, was able to conquer sin and destroy death. When taken together, this is why the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ define our identity as the Catholic Church. This is also why our recognition of our identity in the Mass is to be a communal celebration: together we experience Christ in the social community which gathers to worship as God s people through what was accomplished during the Triduum. Such becomes the value in having all its members present, each and every Sunday, for where the whole Church is joined in unity, Christ is most present. And where all are gathered, all will receive the one same clear communication of good news. The greatest message of the Church began with a few who saw, would believe, and then pursue the gift that was offered to them. The gift of their Faith is what we and those many before us would then receive. In these modern times, the Catholic Church, our District, and the community of Edmonton gathered together for Easter continues our identity of who we are and what we can achieve for Christ. This is the incredible power of good news, the purpose of Truth, and all received through the announcement of great joy. It is the fundamental message I pray and hope all will remember as we go forth: that Christ IS Risen and then to share it by text, or one-to-one with everyone in an excited Happy Easter! Very sincerely your servant in Christ, Fr. Dean Dowle

7 Alberta March for Life Foundational to our belief as Catholics is that life is a gift from God. Our District Chaplains, Father Dean Dowle and Father Julian Bilyj would like to invite all of our staff and our parents to join them on Thursday, May 11, 2017 for the Alberta March for Life, which honors that All Lives Matter From Beginning to End. This is a family friendly event which allows participants to bear witness to our belief of the sanctity of life. This pro-life event begins at Churchill Square at noon. There will be a formal program followed by a march to the Alberta Legislature. Visit to learn more about the event and to view the detailed brochure on the March for Life events. Father Dean shares Together, we walk in happiness to live and give the love that was so generously shared with each of us. April 2017 We are a people who love messages. Did you get my letter? My ? Text? Indeed, we all like to have something to tell. A message is defined as a verbal, written, or recorded communication sent to or left for a recipient. In turn, a message is intended to be heard, heeded, and likely succeeded on to another. Consequently, the content of the message is very important, both by what it is and how it is conveyed. For us as Catholics and Christians, Easter has a most powerful message: Christ is Risen! The fullness and importance of the message is that Jesus intimately knew our human experience, and through being God, was able to conquer sin and destroy death. When taken together, this is why the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ define our identity as the Catholic Church. This is also why our recognition of our identity in the Mass is to be a communal celebration: together we experience Christ in the social community which gathers to worship as God s people through what was accomplished during the Triduum. Such becomes the value in having all its members present, each and every Sunday, for where the whole Church is joined in unity, Christ is most present. And where all are gathered, all will receive the one same clear communication of good news. The greatest message of the Church began with a few who saw, would believe, and then pursue the gift that was offered to them. The gift of their Faith is what we and those many before us would then receive. In these modern times, the Catholic Church, our District, and the community of Edmonton gathered together for Easter continues our identity of who we are and what we can achieve for Christ. This is the incredible power of good news, the purpose of Truth, and all received through the announcement of great joy. It is the fundamental message I pray and hope all will remember as we go forth: that Christ IS Risen and then to share it by text, or one-to-one with everyone in an excited Happy Easter! Very sincerely your servant in Christ, Fr. Dean Dowle Edmonton Catholic School District Chaplain

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