Advent Prayer (Loyola Press)

École St. Stanislaus School 3855-114 Street Edmonton, Alberta T6J 1M3 Tel: 780 434-0295 Fax: 780 434.0334.s s nisl s.ecs.ne Le Tournesol December 2016 Advent Prayer (Loyola Press) Receive school and parent council informa on by following us on social media. God of Love, Your son, Jesus, is your greatest gi to us. He is a sign of your love. Help us walk in that love during the weeks of Advent, As we wait and prepare for his coming. We pray in the name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen. Advent marks the beginning of the Liturgical year. It is a me when we await the birth of our Lord and Saviour with joy and an cipa on. The greatest gi to us is Jesus. Advent is a season of renewal, when God invites us to let Jesus come into our hearts and make us more like him. Thank you to all the children and families of St. Stanislaus who con nue to be more like Jesus. Thank you for sharing your compassion for those in need in our city. Dona ng blankets and baking cookies for the Bissell center. Contribu ng to our Advent social jus ce project in support of the Mustard Seed (dona ng toiletries, gloves, mi ens, etc, baking/selling cookies with proceeds used to purchase addi onal necessary items for the Mustard Seed). These ac ons bring hope to the world, hope to those in need in our Edmonton community, spreading Jesus message of Hope and Mercy through compassion, love and peace. May 2017 bring you and your families Hope, Love, Joy and Peace through the birth of Jesus our Saviour. Floriana Bruni-Bossio Principal Johanne Renaud Assistant-Principal

W inter is upon us. The weather changes throughout the day. Students will stay indoors during the day if it is 20 c or colder, including the wind chill. It is important that children wear hats, mittens/gloves, warm boots, winter jackets/ winter gear. With the weather changing quickly it is a good idea for children to dress in layers. When students are dropped off in the morning they will come into the school if the weather is 20c or colder; however, it is still important they dress for the cold weather. When your child takes the bus or is picked up they will need to walk from the school to their method of transportation. Furthermore, children taking the bus need to wait at the bus stop in the morning or need to walk home from the bus afterschool. Please review with your child what they need to do if their bus is late. It is important to review with them how long they should wait and where they should go in the event the bus does not arrive in time. Cancellation of Yellow Bus Service TV STATIONS CITYTV, CTV Edmonton, GLOBAL Edmonton, CBC TV Radio stations will broadcast cancellation of Yellow Bus Services. 630 CHED AM 930 The Light CJCA CBC 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 The Bounce FM 91.7 The Bear 100.3 FM 104.9 VIRGIN Radio FM K97 97.3 UP! 99.3 FM SONIC 102.9 FM 102.3 NOW! Radio HOT 107 FM

The Grade 4-6 students will be skiing/snowboarding on December 16th. Families will be notified the day prior ski day if inclement weather is projected for the following day. We will make all attempts to reschedule the day. A reminder that students who have their own ski/ snowboarding equipment cannot transport them on the yellow bus. The bus is not equipped to safely store ski/ snowboard equipment. A fieldtrip form has been sent home with the scheduled skiing/snowboarding days.

The Grade 4-6 classes have been preparing for our 2016 Christmas Concert which will take place December 22 nd at 10:30am and 7:30pm at the school. The Christmas Concert is a special event that children want to share with their family. Our gymnasium capacity is 295 as regulated by the Alberta Fire Code; therefore, we will host two performances. We invite grandparents to attend the 10:30am concert. Parents are also welcome to attend the morning performance. Given the capacity of the gym and ensuring safety of all occupants during the Christmas Concert, we will provide 2 tickets per family for our evening concert (students do not require a ticket). Please complete the form sent to all Grade 4-6 families and return to the school by December 16th. Thank you to M. Bugeaud for his time and dedication in preparing the children for this beautiful Christmas gift.

STAFFING UPDATE In mid-november, we said good-bye to Mme Lacey our Emo onal Behavioural Specialist. We thank her for all the support she provided our students. She will be missed. We also welcomed Mme Brianna Tremblay, our new Emo onal Behavioural Specialist who will con nue working with our students. WE CELEBRATED ADVENT WITH A MASS AT ST. STANISLAUS On November 29th, Father Dean Dowle celebrated the first week of Advent with a Mass at St. Stanislaus. Thank you to all the parents and families who were able to attend. The children were reverent and listened attentively throughout the Mass. We thank the Grade 1A, 1B, 4A and 4/5B students who prepared and contributed to the Advent Mass as well as thank you to their teachers, Mme Carole, Mme Lina, M. Bernard, Mme Cécile and Mme Bussière who helped prepare the children for the Mass. Thank you Father Dean for celebrating the beginning of the Liturgical Season with us. PARENT/STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES Thank you to all the parents/guardians who a ended Parent/ Student/Teacher conferences. The children have learned a lot since September. It is together we can best support your children in their learning. If you were not available to meet with your child s teacher on December 1st, please contact the teacher to schedule another mee ng me.

December 13 to 23 Grade 6 Gingerbread Church fundraiser December 14 Pancake Lunch December 16 Grade 4-6 Snow Valley Fieldtrip December 22 Cancellation of early dismissal. 8:30am-3:17pm Hot Lunch Kindergarten comes to school Grade 4-6 Christmas Concert 10:30am and 7:30pm December 23 Early Dismissal 8:30am-11:48am No Kindergarten classes December 24 Christmas Eve When they saw that the star had stopped, [a] they were overwhelmed with joy. Matthew 2:10 December 25 Christmas Day Rejoice and Be Glad a saviour is born. January 1 Happy New Year! January 9, 2017 First day back for all students January 9, 2017 Registration begins for the 2017-2018 school year.

GSADCA s Brand New Thursday Only DAYCARE Program! We are very excited to be introducing a roll-away, Thursday Only Program here at St. Stanislaus. To help all our families, current and poten al, get excited for it too here s a bit more informa on about the basics of this new program. When? Thursday Only Program will be offered every Thursdays star ng on January 12th. It will run between 11:50 AM (a er early dismissal), un l 6:00 PM. We will run during the school year, and be closed for the summer. Why? We wanted to create an op on for families who only need childcare for those longer Thursday a ernoons. Where? The Program will be run out of the St. Stanislaus gym. Who? Families with children in Grades 1-6, who a end St. Stanislaus are welcome to register for our program. How? As men oned before, this program is a roll-away. This means that all the furniture and supplies are rolled out at the start of the program. At the end of the day, everything is rolled away into storage un l the next week. What? Every Thursday children a ending the program from St. Stanislaus would meet at the gymnasium. If the room isn t fully set up, the children will have a great opportunity to lend a hand in crea ng the space as everyone works together to roll out! As the children arrive lunch will begin. Once everyone has finished their lunches there will be plenty of me for taking a trip to the park, free play, and planned ac vi es. There will be several centres for the children to enjoy including a block centre, quite puzzle & reading area, and a space to get cra y. If there is something needed that we don t have on hand, we can always make a quick trip down to Room 105 or 106, to grab what is needed. All of these centres will be available for the children as long as they are there- unless we re out at a park, of course! In addi on to all the free-play opportuni es, there will be a larger planned ac vity each week. The children will be encouraged to suggest cra s, ac vi es, etc., that they would like to do the following week. The staff will then pick a sugges on and provide the supplies to facilitate that sugges on. There is no ques on that there will be plenty to keep everyone playing, crea ng, and learning, and all that fun can build up an appe te. To help refuel bodies and minds a snack, along with milk, will be provided around 3:15 PM. As the day winds down and children are picked up, they will be asked to put away their bin, and maybe a chair or two. As chairs and bins, and maybe some artwork gets put away, all centres will remain available un l closing at 6:00 PM But, just as the roll out started with everyone helping to create the space, the children can do a small part to roll-away their day s play, too.

December 2016 Therefore, keep awake for you do not know when the master of the house will come... And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake. ~ Mark 13:35-37 The month of December is joyous for many reasons in Edmonton Catholic Schools. Our schools enter the exci ng me of Advent, which has us an cipa ng the birth of Jesus. This scripture passage is one which is o en used during Advent. Jesus is giving his disciples a message of hope about the coming of the Messiah, assuring them that they should keep faith in God s promise, even during challenging mes. It calls for us to be alert and to prepare a place for Jesus in our daily lives. Classrooms will be abuzz with ac vi es that help students to prepare just such a place in their lives for Jesus and explore the great gi of love that our Father has given us in the person of His Son over the four weeks of Advent. In this year where We are Called to be Leaders of Hope and Mercy in Edmonton Catholic Schools, we are reminded of what hope truly means as we prepare for the birth of our Savior. Our schools and sites also turn their a en ons to mercy through their many social jus ce projects. Our annual We Care Challenge is one way in which this occurs. Many of our schools and sites carry out a variety of engaging ac vi es to raise funds for the Edmonton Catholic Schools Founda on and Catholic Social Services Sign of Hope Campaign. Other schools will collect socks and mi ens, build hampers, and raise funds for the many organiza ons in Edmonton and beyond that help people in need. We have several exci ng enrichment opportuni es for students who are passionate about music through our All-City Choir and All City- Band Programs. These highly commi ed students come together regularly to hone their skills as ensembles. There are several occasions for people to enjoy these spectacular groups at their Christmas concerts. The concerts start at 7:30 pm: All City Choir @ St. Joseph s Basilica- Dec. 5, Junior All City Band @ John L. Haar Theatre (MacEwan)-Dec. 7, Senior All City Band @ U of A Convoca on Hall Dec. 13. Our Council of Elders hosts a Sacred Pipe Ceremony four mes a year to welcome and honour each new season hosted at a Nehiyaw Pima siwin (Way of Life) School. The winter ceremony will be held at Our Lady of Peace School on Thursday, December 15. This is a me to celebrate friendships, welcome new friends to the circle, and to ask God/Creator for his blessings. If you are interested in a ending the Sacred Pipe Ceremony, please contact The Council of Elders office at 780-471-2360. 1 of 2

Cont d There are many mes where we report our accountability to the public. There are two major reports of this nature which will be presented at the November 29 Public Board of Trustees Mee ng, our Audited Financial Statements, August 31, 2016 and the combined Annual Educa on Results Report 2015 2016 and Three Year Educa on Plan 2016 2019. Once approved by the Board of Trustees, the reports will be posted on our public website on the Annual Reports and Results page at h ps://www.ecsd.net/aboutus/annual_reports/pages/default.aspx. As we turn our eyes towards Christmas and the birth of Jesus, we also reflect upon the willingness of his mother, Mary, to humbly serve our God. Her incredible faith, echoed in her joyous acceptance of the news that she was to give birth to the Messiah, reminds us that God calls on us, too. Pope Francis shared the following thought on Twi er - Mary is the woman who says yes, a yes of surrender to God, a yes of surrender to her brothers and sisters. May we follow her example. (02/13/16) Mary s yes changed our world! I wish you all a blessed Advent and a Holy Christmas as you turn your eyes towards a lowly manger in the town of Bethlehem and the precious gi of love to be found there! Sincerely, Joan Carr Superintendent 2 of 2

Kathleen Nguyen, Elementary Religious Educa on Consultant Celebra ng Advent as a family What do January 1 st and November 27 have in common this year? They are both considered a New Year! The first Sunday in Advent falls on November 27 this year and so it is the first day of our New (liturgical) Year. During this me of advent, we are joyful and hopeful as we prepare for the celebra on of the birth of Jesus. This is a me that we can give our children the gi of tradi on as we deepen their understanding of the Church s celebra on of this season. Create and use the Advent Wreath as a family to prepare for the birth of Jesus: The Advent wreath has many rich symbols that can help make the Advent season meaningful to us because we focus on Jesus. At first glance, you see four candles that are evenly spaced around a circle of evergreen branches. But what does it mean? Circle: The circle is a symbol of God who is eternal and everlas ng. Evergreen plants: Evergreen plants have leaves all year long which symbolize Jesus Christ who has conquered death and given us everlas ng life. Candles: The candles represent Jesus Christ as the light of the world. The warmth of the candle and bright light that it brings during the cold, dark winter help us remember the new life Jesus has given us. Four candles: The four candles represent the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. Each week, we light one more candle. Three purple candles: Purple was used in ancient Rome as a symbol of royalty. We use purple to remember that Jesus is the Messiah or King. Purple helps us remember that we must prepare in a special way; especially through prayer and penance. One rose candle: We light the rose candle on week three. This is known as Gaudete Sunday; a La n word that means rejoice. We know that Christmas is almost here! Blessing your Advent Wreath as a Family h p://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/liturgical-year/advent/about-advent/blessing-an-adventwreath Praying together as a Family Sit the Advent Wreath in the middle of your table. Light the candle. Say a short prayer from the link below or sing a verse of O Come, O Come Emmanuel. h p://www.loyolapress.com/our-catholic-faith/liturgical-year/advent/prayers Have a Blessed Advent.

Message from Tim Cusack, Assistant Superintendent Learning Support Services As a member of two music ministry groups, I am fascinated with the many ways that the themes found in favorite hymns and songs celebrate the Word of God. Whether Sing to the Mountains, Sing a new Song, or Go Tell it on the Mountain, the message of God found in each musical piece touches the heart of the Gospel message we proclaim. Pope Francis opens this chapter by reminding us that the core of the Gospel message, the Kerygma, is what is most beau ful, most excellent, most appealing and at the same me most necessary. (58). Pope Francis outlines the need for us to enter more deeply into the Word of God which we must hear again and again in different ways, and which we must always announce in one form or another. (58). Very much like how I hear a similar message via different hymns and songs, I can learn more and interpret nuances differently because of the various styles of music. As for the message our Pon ff states: nothing is more solid, profound, secure, meaningful and wise than that message. (58). This chapter explores in great detail, through many illustra ve scriptural examples, the Church s teachings on marriage and the family. Our teaching on marriage and the family cannot fail to be inspired and transformed by this message of love and tenderness; otherwise, it becomes nothing more than the defence of a dry and lifeless doctrine. (59). Echoing the call for a pastoral approach to deepening our understanding of family and marriage encountered in chapter 2, Pope Francis posits that the Chris an family can be fully understood only in the light of the Father s infinite love revealed in Christ, who gave himself up for our sake and who con nues to dwell in our midst. (59). Through sharing beau ful examples of Christ s love, mercy, and compassion, the chapter goes into great detail about how marriage and family life is to be viewed as a gi from the Lord. In reminding us of God s divine covenantal love for all of humanity, our salva on history, we recall that through his Church, Christ bestows on marriage and the family the grace necessary to bear witness to the love of God and to live the life of communion. (63). In several examples such as: the miracle at Cana, friendship with Lazarus and his family, and sympathizing with grieving parents over the loss of a child, Jesus demonstrated the true meaning of mercy, which entails the restora on of the covenant. (64). Jesus 1 of 3

Cont d models gratuitous love in the face of sin and in doing so models how we are called to do the same in our rela onships. Pope Francis reinforces this point through recoun ng the na vity narra ve where the incarna on of the Word in a human family, in Nazareth, by its very newness changed the history of the world. (65). Mary said yes to have the Word conceived in her womb. Joseph too said yes in naming Jesus and watching over mother and son. We witness the struggles and toil of a family, who despite the harshness and challenges life can some mes bring, such as exile, persecu on and humilia on, hold their communion with God with humility and love. The covenant of love and fidelity lived by the Holy Family of Nazareth illuminates the principle which gives shape to every family on this basis, every family, despite its weaknesses, can become a light in the darkness of the world. (66.) This is truly a hope-filled message. From the example of the Holy Family, we next examine several documents of the church, such as Second Va can Council s Pastoral Cons tu on, Gaudium et Spes, which promotes the dignity of marriage and family. We learn that in marriage Christ the Lord makes himself present to the Chris an spouses in the sacrament of marriage and remains with them. (67). Through the incarna on, Jesus assumes human love, purifies it and brings it to fulfilment. By his spirit, he gives spouses the capacity to live that love, permea ng every part of their lives of faith, hope and charity. (67). This is central to the founda on of the Chris an family. Pope Frances cites the work of Blessed Paul VI (Humanae Vitae) which brings out the intrinsic bond between conjugal love and the genera on of life: married love requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obliga ons in the ma er of responsible parenthood the exercise of responsible parenthood requires that husband and wife, keeping a right order of priori es, recognize their own du es towards God, themselves, their families and human society. Pope Francis furthers his views through ci ng Saint John Paul II s Familiaris Consorto which defined the family as the way of the Church how spouses, in their mutual love, receive the gi of the Spirit of Christ and live their call to holiness. (69). This is echoed by excerpts from Pope Benedict XVI s Deus Caritas Est, where he states marriage based on an exclusive and defini ve love becomes an icon of the rela onship between God and his people God s way of loving becomes the measure of human love. Further, in Caritas in Veritate, Benedict XVI stresses the importance of love in society as a place where we learn the experience of the common good. (70). The message is consistent in all cases: love is at the heart of our existence. Marriage and the family are rooted in love; a love that is radiated and witnessed through Jesus. The chapter progresses to a detailed examina on of marriage including the nup al mystery, sexuality, imperfect situa ons, the ministry of marriage, procrea on, and the sanc ty of life. The message of the Church s teaching is meant to help couples experience in a complete, harmonious and conscious way their 2 of 3

...cont d communion as husband and wife. (82.) The chapter then explores the role of family and the Church. Pope Francis asserts that the Church is a family of families, constantly enriched by the lives of all those domes c churches the church is good for the family and the family is good for the Church. The safeguarding of the Lord s gi in the sacrament of matrimony is concern not only of individual families but of the en re Chris an community. (87.) Pope Francis assures us that the experience of love in families is a perennial source of strength for the life of the Church. (88). Examples of the beauty of marriage, the value of family and the profound sense of God s covenant of love with humanity are abundant in this chapter. Just as a song sounds be er when others join in and lend harmony, Pope Francis shared wisdom on marriage and family life in this chapter is succinctly captured in his closing words: The beauty of this mutual, gratuitous gi, the joy which comes from a life that is born and the loving care of all family members from toddlers to seniors- are just a few of the fruits which make the response to the voca on of the family unique and irreplaceable, both for the Church and for society as a whole. (88). What a wonderful song these words would make! Tim Cusack, Assistant Superintendent Learning Support Services 3 of 3

there were deaths in Alberta due to Fentanyl drug overdose, 43 of which were in Edmonton. We encourage parents to share age-appropriate, posi ve messages about safety with their children. Not all strangers are dangerous and children may need to ask a stranger for help. Educa ng about who the "safe strangers" are can avoid other hazards. For instance, police officers are a good example of an iden fiable safe stranger. Teachers and Principals are other adults that children can trust and are easy to recognize when at school. It is important to stress that children should ask for help in a public place whenever necessary. The following are examples of threats posed by a stranger: 1 of 4

http://www.ncpc.org/topics/violent crime and personal sa https://canadasafetycouncil.org/child safety/what teach children about strangers www.childrenstech.com www.gamerdad.com. 2 of 4

Cough Healthy School Policy Addi onal informa on on the Edmonton Catholic Schools Mental Health Strategic Plan: Con nuum of Supports. at 3 of 4

Student safety on the bus ride to and from school is a priority for the District. Here is specific informa on regarding bus delays, cold weather and winter road condi ons. Delayed bus - As soon as Transporta on Services is advised by the bus company that a bus route is running late, an automated phone message is sent to parents with the approximate me delay. The message is sent to the phone number(s) and email address completed on the transporta on applica on form. Cold Weather - Given the possible weather extremes in Edmonton, it is impossible to guarantee that buses will run on me. Parents are reminded to dress their children warmly for the cold weather and to ensure that their child knows to return home or to a pre-selected loca on if the bus Does not show up on me. Parents are advised to exercise their own discre on as to how long their child should wait for the bus. 4 of 4