Message from our Holy Cross Administration November brings many events: All Saints and All Souls Day, Catholic Education Sunday, and Remembrance Day. On November 11 th we will take the time to remember those courageous Canadians who defended our rights and freedom so many years ago. It is a time to remember that, without those remarkable men and women, Canada would be a very different place today. Our role is not limited to one of simply remembering. We have a responsibility to ensure that these veterans dream is not forgotten. Remembrance Day allows us to take a few minutes to reflect about peace and understanding. Mme Lorraine Press Principal Mme Lynnette Anderson Assistant Principal 1
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On Saturday, September 30, the Grade 7 band students had an opportunity to attend Jumpstart! The students had the privilege to work with a professional musician on their chosen instrument, where they learned how to make a sound on their instrument and play their first scale. We can't wait to hear what they'll play next! The event organizer of this event at Blessed Oscar Romero commends our students on their behaviour, effort, and overall enthusiasm. 3
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Provincial Achievement Exams Results In May and June of each year, Holy Cross students in Grades 6 and 9 write the Provincial Achievement Exams. Below are the results from the 2016-2017 school year. Holy Cross Académie Internationale Provincial Achievement Test Results 2016-2017 Subject Acceptable Standard Standard of excellence Below acceptable standard GRADE 6 School Province School Province School Province French Language Arts 6 88.9 85.1 13.3 13.5 11.1 11.0 Mathematics 6 79.5 80.8 13.6 16.2 20.5 17.4 English Language Arts 6 97.8 82.5 37.8 18.9 2.2 7.7 Social Studies 6 72.7 76.2 9.1 12.8 27.3 21.8 Science 6 72.7 81.5 11.4 21.9 27.3 16.4 GRADE 9 School Province School Province School Province French Language Arts 9 93.4 83.1 14.8 11.2 6.6 13.0 Mathematics 9 82.0 82.5 21.3 23.6 18.0 14.4 English Language Arts 9 98.4 76.8 39.3 14.9 1.6 12.0 Social Studies 9 90.2 77.2 26.2 20.9 9.8 20.5 Science 9 93.4 86.0 32.8 22.4 6.6 11.8 9
MYP Clubs MYP students have a variety of lunchtime clubs to take part in this year! The workout club just kicked off. We are hoping to inspire others to join us to be fit. Using our new weight room, we are aiming to become stronger both physically and mentally. Students from Grade 6 to Grade 9 come to help each other out and encourage each other. It s a great way to spend some time and meet new friends. The Science Club is slowly getting underway. We ll soon have our first assignment for the Science Olympics that will be coming up in February. Games Club continues on Fridays in the réseau. Students can play a variety of board games with friends during the lunch recess. Thanks to Joy in Grade 9 for organizing this. Homework Club takes place in the réseau on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Students can complete assignments or study for their classes, either alone or with a friend, and there s always a teacher supervisor to answer questions. Leadership Club takes place every Monday. The students in this group publish a monthly newsletter that can be found on the school website. They also plan school spirit events, such as Hat Day, and the Grades 7-9 Halloween Dance. The Art Club meets on Wednesdays. These students are looking forward to showcasing their talents for the school community. 10
Share your talents! Connecting students with real-world experts shows them how their day-to-day learning is used outside the classroom walls. We invite parents and other guests to share their passions, gifts, and talents in our classrooms. Please contact us if you, or someone you know, are able to help out by being an expert in one of our classes. Thank you! For their Science unit on sound and hearing, the Grade 3 classes are looking for experts who can help them learn more about how our hearing works, hearing protection, or sign language. As part of their Social Studies unit, Grade 3 is hoping to find experts who can share photos and information about the traditions and culture of Tunisia, Peru, or Ukraine; and Grade 2 is looking for experts to share information about the Inuit, Acadian or Ukrainian cultures. Grade 3 is studying animal life cycles in Science and would love a visit from an expert in this area! CTF Photography (Grades 6-9) looks forward to a visit from experts in photography, digital imaging, and photo editing. This expert visit would be on a Thursday morning. Grade 6 is studying Evidence and Investigation in Science during November and December and would love a visit from an expert in crime scene analysis, a detective or police officer, or a forensic scientist. Grade 7 is learning about Forces and Structures in Science and hopes for a visit from an expert in construction such as an architect, a carpenter, an engineer, or building inspector. Grade 8 is studying Mechanical Systems in Science. They are wanting a visit from a mechanical engineer or someone with knowledge of mechanical systems (levers, pulleys, inclined planes). 11
CTF Foods is interested in a presentation from a food expert! Are you a nutritionist? A chef? This expert presentation would take place on a Thursday morning. Grade 9 Math students are studying scale diagrams and models and constructing a to-scale model of a house. These classes are hoping for a visit from experts, such as a civil engineer or an architect, who could speak about the importance of scale factors and how to properly effect reductions or enlargements. Kindergarten students are preparing for their next IB unit: My House, Your House. It would be great to have an expert come in and speak about construction, house building, or about homes in different parts of the world. CTF Musical Theatre (Grades 6-9 ) would appreciate an expert s advice on lighting and sound, as well as choreography. This expert would be needed on a Thursday morning. An expert is needed to discuss simple machines (levers, wheels, pulleys) and how we use these in real world with students in Grade 4. Grade 5 is studying Simple Circuits in Science and would like to invite an expert in this area, such as an electrician or an electrical engineer or technician. CTF Recreational Leadership is looking for a fitness expert! Are you a personal trainer, a yoga or pilates instructor? This class would love a visit from a fitness expert on a Thursday morning. Volunteers are needed for the Book Fair on December 6-8. Please contact Mme Élise in the office if you are available to help with this. Thank you! 12
Senior Volleyball The senior girls volleyball season is well underway. The girls competed at the St. Francis-Xavier tournament and made it to semi-finals! Throughout the tournament, the girls demonstrated sportsmanship and supported one another. The girls kicked off their first season game with a bang winning the first 3 sets. Go Crusaders! Holy Cross's senior boys' volleyball team began its season in mid-october. The team participated in the FX Volleyball tournament over the October 20-21 weekend. They placed 2nd in their pool and moved on to the semi-finals. We congratulate them on their good sportsmanship and their dedication to represent our school with their best efforts. On October 24, the team played and won their first game of the regular volleyball season. We wish them a successful season. 13
Grade 4 and 5 Makers 14
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District Pilot: Assessment and Reporting PowerTeacherPro Outcomes-Based Gradebook for Grades 6 to 9 For this 2017-18 school year, our school will participate in a district pilot project involving assessment and reporting. With the recent revision of our assessment administrative procedure which highlights the importance of student understanding of learner outcomes and success criteria as well as assessment that is ongoing, we will work with the updated PowerSchool Gradebook called PowerTeacherPro for our Grades 6 to 9 students. In this revised gradebook, when a teacher creates an assignment, they attach at least one key learner outcome to that assignment. Along with the numerical grade of the assignment, a teacher also assesses the connected learner outcome(s) chosen in terms of levels of achievement (beginning, approaching, proficient and exemplary). In the quick-look ups on PowerSchool, which can be accessed at any time, the achievement of each student is expressed numerically as well as through levels of achievement on the learner outcomes chosen. This visual representation clearly leads parents, student and teachers into dialogue about next steps in learning. At the December and March parent/student/teacher meetings, the PowerTeacherPro gradebook along with student work will be excellent resources to engage in dialogue about each student s learning to date and to set goals for continued progress and success. The homeroom teacher will contact parents who are unable to attend interviews. The January 31st and June 28th progress reports will include an assessment of student learner skills, a percentage grade in Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Religion and Physical Education as well as a summary level of achievement (beginning, approaching, proficient, exemplary) for each curricular learner outcome assessed during the term. For Grade 6 students, achievement is indicated as in previous years (beginning, approaching, proficient, exemplary), without a number grade. If you are unable to access your child s information in PowerSchool, please contact the office by phone or email for assistance. This ongoing outcomes-based assessment and reporting structure gives parents, students and teachers clear information about student achievement which informs next steps in teaching and learning for the continued progress and success of each student. We look forward to ongoing communication with you throughout the year as we work together with your child to support their progress and success. More information will be forthcoming, including a screen recording video which will guide you through the new features in PowerTeacherPro to more fully understand your child s ongoing progress. 16
2017-2018 SCHOOL FEES ECSD School Fees have now been approved by the Minister of Education. Detailed information on school fees can be accessed on our website. This year, schools cannot charge for: textbooks, workbooks, photocopying, and printing Schools can charge for agendas technology fees including student-used software and apps headphones whole-school activities such as cultural presentations communication envelopes and pouches, and agendas Phys Ed apparel These fees have been bundled as a Supplemental Education fee. Kindergarten: $30 Grades 1-6: $50 Grades 7-9 $60 Schools can also charge additional fees for: Academies Senior High $90 refundable textbook deposit Options/complementary courses Activities like field trips, farewell/ graduation activities IB and AP exams Personal music equipment like recorders, mouthpieces/reeds, and handbell gloves Optional items and activities: social activities; hot lunches; yearbooks; extracurricular teams; clubs; optional fitness program/fitness room access; apparel; refundable cap and gown rental Replacement of lost resources or those that have been damaged beyond use MYP (Grade 6-9) students are also charged additional fees for Music, Art, and CTF option courses. These fees vary by course. Specific costs for each course can be found on our website. 17
Please be advised that the following Radio and TV Stations will carry announcements with respect to transportation cancellations due to inclement weather conditions. RADIO STATIONS TV STATIONS 630 CHED *CITYTV AM 930 *CTV Edmonton The Light CJCA *GLOBAL Edmonton CBC *CBC TV CISN FM 103.9 SHINE 105.9 FM CHFA (CBC Fr.) FRESH FM 92.5 TSN 1260 CFCW 840 INEWS 880 AM 95.7 CRUZ FM CAPITAL FM 96.3 Kiss FM 91.7 The Bear 100.3 FM K97 97.3 UP! 99.3 FM SONIC 102.9 FM 102.3 NOW! Radio HOT 107 FM 104.9 VIRGIN Radio FM Every effort will be made to have messages broadcast commencing no later than 6:30 a.m. 18
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Spirits, Saints, and Souls. The early days of November within the Catholic Church mark the month for which we commemorate the memory of all the faithfully departed. While All Hallow s Eve spurs the popular imagination with Spirits, this is really intended to prime the mind and heart to focus on the Saints and Souls who have lived and passed. These Saints and Souls are the faithfully departed - our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone before us. Initially it may be emotionally difficult to let go of them due to their physical absence; however, eventually we come to realize their spiritual presence remains which both offers and reminds us of a different form of human connection. This is why we need to remember them in prayer and also request they pray for us too. Contrary to a popular misconception, we pray not to them, but rather for and through them. Together we help comprise what is such a central element to our Christian Faith: the Communion of Saints. In so doing, we understand how there is continuity between this world and that of the next. This is a long standing tradition in the Church which shows how life in Christ is indeed eternal and our relationship with Him extends into a community. Those who have died in the peace of Christ are still alive in and with Him because of their Faith and ours which continues. To help ensure this, it is the work of every member of the Church, which includes all the baptized believers - both living and deceased - to help bring people into a relationship with Christ and an intimacy with God. And so each time we celebrate Mass in School or on Sundays, we remember that the entire mystical Body of Christ is present, together. Effectively, because our departed have already arrived at the place to which we are also seeking to be, they can therefore offer the inspiration, insight, and guidance we need, in response to the prayers we make for ourselves and for them. Though death can be hard, it is a part of this life, and which also leads to the next. And so November is a gift to recognize and remember those good souls who have died & are yet still very much in spirit with us. Most sincerely yours in Christ, Fr. Dean Dowle 21
LISTENING AND DAILY ATTENTIVENESS TO THE WORD OF GOD On September 14, 2017, Archbishop Richard Smith issued his Pastoral Letter - Living in the Word of God to the clergy and the lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Edmonton. In his message, the Archbishop recalled his baptism: On May 10th, 1959, at just two weeks of age, I was taken by my parents to our parish church to be baptized. It is without question the best and most important action my mother and father ever undertook on my behalf. By the sacrament of Baptism, I was washed with the mercy of God the Father and given the gift of new life through a communion of love and friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ. Furthermore, it brought me into the community of people who follow Jesus Christ as Lord and united me to them by the bestowal of the Holy Spirit, who dwells within all the baptized. With the passage of time my gratitude for being a member of the Church has steadily deepened. It is truly beautiful to be a Catholic. What begins at Baptism is a way of life that is shaped by sacred teachings, strengthened by sacramental celebration, and marked by loving service of neighbor (Archbishop Richard Smith). It is true that at Baptism, our life in Christ begins. Baptism makes us disciples; to respond to his call to follow him. Yet what does it mean to follow Jesus? Simply, it is a matter of listening and doing. An authentic disciple of Jesus Christ is one who first listens to his Word and then puts it into practice. In the Archbishop s Pastoral Letter, we are offered insight as to how we can listen carefully to the Word of God and, in a shared commitment, put it into practice. Saint Paul teaches that faith comes from what is heard, meaning that the first act of the disciple is to listen carefully to what God is saying in the words of Jesus. The hearing of Christ's Word demands a silent and attentive listening. Yet, we live in a world surrounded by noise and confusion, thus we must work particularly hard to cultivate that inner stillness to hear and to be transformed by the Word of God. On the Archbishop s part, he suggests that we take as little as ten minutes each day to read a few lines of the Bible; to pray together at mealtime; and to create a prayer space in the home: I encourage 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. Here I suggest three simple ways by which our families can make the Word of God central to their daily living and draw from it guidance and peace: Grace at mealtime, creation of a prayer space in the home, and family discussion of the Sunday Homily (Archbishop Richard Smith). As families, it is especially important to gather and to reflect deeply upon the Word of God. In this way we will not only support one another as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, but we will also encourage one another to embrace the common mission that is ours in virtue of our Baptism into his Church. Sandra Talarico Religious Education Consultant 22
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