January Newsletter - St. Rose Junior High School

January Newsletter
January 2014
Volume 5 Issue 5
Reflection
Truths for Living
Inside this issue:
Reflection
Administrator’s
Message
1
Accelerated Math and
Science Exam Dates
Parent Council
Open House
Staff Changes
Faith Development Day
2
Band News
DELL Promotion
3
Athletics / Sun Run Info
4
Premier Basketball
5
The more generous we are, the more joyous we become.
The more cooperative we are, the more valuable we become.
The more enthusiastic we are, the more productive we become.
The more serving we are, the more prosperous we become.
The more outgoing we are, the more helpful we become.
The more curious we are, the more creative we become.
The more patient we are, the more understanding we become.
The more persistent we are, the more successful we become.
William Arthur Ward
Champions
Leadership News
6
Administrators’ Message
Toy Drive Update
Faith Development Day
Information
7
Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,
Cobs Fundraiser Info
8
Happy New Year! On behalf of the St. Rose staff we pray that your New Year is blessed with
happiness, good health and renewed strength of spirit! The spiritual and daily prayer focus for the
month of January is Honesty. Along with honesty, a new year often has us focused on acknowledging the need to make changes in our lives that result in new resolutions!
How Synrevoice Works
Your Voice! Government
of Alberta
9-10
Accountability Pillar Letter
11
Community Conversation
12
AHS January HealthTalk
13
Superintendent’s Message
14
Feast of the Epiphany
Submitted by Patti Liogier
15
Catholic Social Teaching
Information
16
Important Dates
17
Please watch for news updates and future Newsletters to provide more information highlighting
important activities, school events and registration information. A special congratulations goes
out to all of our student volleyball athletes for an outstanding season, our music students for an
outstanding Christmas Celebration of Music performance and our Term 1 Academic Honor recipients for their impressive academic achievements! We salute all of our students for a job well
done; we are proud of your accomplishments in all of your endeavors!
Calendar
18
Ms. Jane Lagacé, Principal
The month of January reflects new beginnings and from a school perspective the beginning of our
work in planning for the 2014-2015 school year. Open House will take place this year on Monday, February 24 at 7:00pm. Please help us to spread the good news about St. Rose School to
family and friends! Out of district parents wishing to register for next year will be able to access
application forms at the Open House and Edmonton Catholic District parents will once again be
receiving the District Transition Passport from their respective elementary schools February 10,
2014.
Mr. Sean Gregg, Assistant-Principal
1
Grade 7 Accelerated Math and Science Final Exam Schedule
At this time of the year, the Grade 7 Accelerated Math and Science students will be nearing completion of the
Grade 7 programming and preparing for their final exam. The final exam dates have been scheduled and they
are as follows:
MATH 7
- Wednesday, January 29th, 2014
SCIENCE 7
- Wednesday, February 5th, 2014
The second half of the school year will focus on the Grade 8 curriculum.
PARENT COUNCIL
Thank you to all of the parents for their contributions to the annual SAC fundraiser of
Stawnichy’s Mundare Sausage and Poinsettia’s. You raised $3,335.55. The gift card fundraiser totaled $870.00 for the School Council. Thank you to all of the parents for you support. Our next SAC meeting is on Monday, January 20th, 2014 at 7:00 in the school library.
Open House
Open House will be held on Monday February 24 at 7:00pm. Application forms for registration will be available at that
time. If you know of students transitioning to Junior High, please encourage them to attend the Open House! St. Paul students will receive the District Passport and registration documents at St. Paul School on February 10. All other Edmonton
Catholic District students will also receive the Passport Document the same week. We have limited space available for
some new registrants for Grade 8 and Grade 9 for September 2014!
STAFF CHANGES
Unfortunately we have to say good-bye to Ms. Amy Ciezki, who temporarily replaced Mrs. Matheson
during her maternity leave. We loved having you at St. Rose and you will be missed by the students
and staff. We wish you all the best in your career with Edmonton Catholic Schools.
We welcome back Mrs. Matheson to the school. Glad to have you back!
FAITH DEVELOPMENT DAY
This year’s Faith Development Day for the staff of Edmonton Catholic Schools will take
place on Tuesday, February 4, 2014. This is an all day district wide professional development
day. There is NO SCHOOL for students!
2
BAND NEWS
The annual St. Rose Christmas Concert was a resounding success! The grade seven students proudly demonstrated their quickly developing skills, the grade eight and nine Concert and Jazz Bands showcased the refinement of their talent, and the flute trio and violin/flute were well polished! Mr. Prokopiw extends his heartfelt thanks to guest conductor Mr. Groten for all of his efforts assisting in the presentation of the concert.
The Concert Band is beginning preparations in earnest for its upcoming performance at
Archbishop Oscar Romero High School on January 30th.
As a follow-up to the show case that the Information and Infrastructure Technology Services Dept. hosted
back on Saturday, November 23rd, DELL has setup a website that entitles staff and parents of Edmonton
Catholic Schools to shop online and receive District pricing.
To access this site, simply navigate to www.dell.ca/MPP and enter “Edmonton Catholic School” in the Organization field, then click Shop Now. You will receive a sale price which is lower than the Dell.ca pricing.
3
EAGLES ATHLETICS
SENIOR BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM
SENIOR GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM
2013-2014
Coaches: Mr. Cimino / Lee M.
Managers: Laura M. / Mellisa C.
Coach: Mrs. Matheson
Asst. Coach: Jacquelyn B.
Managers: Maddie G. / Jillian H./
Lukasz L.
Nicholas Z.
Nahome W.- G.
Fraser M.
Alex R.
Jeremy S.
Marc P.
Jacob W.
Mats P.
Ben P.
Rexon N.
Josh P.
Steven B.
Anna D.
Chelsea H.
Emma N.
Caroline R.-Y.
Diana G.-H.
Erika M.
Brynn L.
Danielle B.-H.
Madison B.
Gabriela V.
Jacqueline G.
Kate W.
Nicole F.
This year the Girls Team have a lot of returning players. With six Gr. 8 and six Gr. 9 girls, the team is very well balanced. Expect this team, to really challenge others with their strength and height. The girls will be competing in the
St. F.X. Tournament the first weekend back after the Christmas break (January 10th and 11th). They will also compete in the MAC Tournament January 30th and February 1st. Lastly, the girls will be facing some tough competition
in the Riverbend Tournament, February 6th - 8th, which has a team from Winnipeg participating. Their regular season starts January 14th. We wish the girls all the best this year.
The Vancouver Sun Run team is gearing up to start training for the 2014 race held on April 27, 2014. The
team is looking for any personal or company sponsors to help contribute to reducing the overall cost of
the trip. Any donations over $500.00 will receive space on our team shirts for their company logo.
Please contact Mrs. Usenik if you have any questions or are interested in making a donation @
julie.usenik@ecsd.net or 780.483.2695.
4
Congratulations to the Eagles Sr. Boys Volleyball team who defeated St. Edmunds, JJ Bowlen and
LSL to become the 2013 Premier Conference City Champions!!! The Eagles got off to a quick start
defeating St. Edmunds by a score of 3 sets to 0 in quarter-final play to advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals the Eagles met up with the undefeated North Division champs from JJ Bowlen.
The Eagles were down 2 sets to 1 and fought from a 6 point deficit in the fourth set to win by a
score of 25-23 to force a fifth and deciding set. The team showed tremendous composure and
heart to dramatically come from behind a second time to capture the win by a score of 15-13. With
the win the team advanced to the City Championships where they would face LSL. The Eagles
started the game strong and kept their momentum rolling defeating LSL in the first two sets by a
score of 25-20 and 25-18 to take a commanding 2 set to 0 lead. It was in the third set where the
Eagles truly showed their hard work and determination coming from behind by a score of 24-17 to
win and clinch the city championship by a score of 26-24. Way to go Eagles!!!
Mr. Whitehead is extremely proud of his team for all their contributions, hard work and "never give
up" attitude displayed throughout the season. The athletes have been tremendous ambassadors
for St. Rose and have been a fantastic group of individuals to coach. Thank you all for such a
memorable season.
5
Leadership News
Leadership activities are now in full swing! Here is a look at what we had going on in December, as
well as a look ahead into January and February.
December
Rafiki Water Chain Bracelets - Leadership students sold Rafiki Water Chain Bracelets during December. Each bracelet was hand crafted in Kenya by a Maasai mama. When students purchased a
bracelet, it ensured clean water for one person for one year. Thank you to everyone who purchased a
bracelet!
Pyjama Day – Pyjama Day was held on Wednesday, December 18. Thanks to everyone who participated for Eagle Pride Points!
January
July in January: Beach Day – This theme day is going to be held on Friday, January 24, 2014. Students will receive Eagle Pride Points for participating. Extra points will be given if your homeroom
teacher also participates!
February
Socks n’ Sandals Day – Mark February 26, 2014 on your calendars for this year’s Socks n’ Sandals
day! Come prepared to earn your homeroom some Eagle Pride Points.
HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE
The staff would like to thank our parents and students for their generous gift donations during the
Holiday Toy Drive. Several student volunteers delivered toys to each student at Mother Teresa
School, causing smiles and excitement for staff and students. It is wonderful to share this season’s joy with others, thank you!
6
December 3, 2013
Dear Parents and Guardians:
RE: Staff Faith Development Day
This is to inform you that on Tuesday, February 4, 2014, all staff members will be involved in a
district-wide Faith Development Day at the Shaw Conference Centre. There will be no instruction of
students at school on that day.
Joan Carr, our Superintendent, calls Faith Development Day, “an outstanding opportunity for the
staff of Edmonton Catholic Schools to come together to articulate and celebrate our faith.”
This year, our theme is: Life of Grace: Journey of Joy. We are pleased to welcome Steve Angrisano
as our guest speaker.
Catholic education is an awesome vocation and responsibility. By being involved in the education
mission of the church, Catholic schools provide a hopeful response to the great mysteries of life in
an increasingly complex world. Faith Development Day provides us, as a community of faith, with
the opportunity to become more deeply aware of the faith foundation of our lives and to find
inspiration to enter into our life’s work with deeper conviction.
I am confident that you will agree that such a day is critical to realizing our mission: “to provide a
Catholic education that inspires students to learn and that prepares them to live fully to serve God in
one another.” (ECS Mission Statement)
For more information, please feel free to call our school office at 780.483.2695.
Peace and blessings,
Ms. Jane Lagacé
THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH AND MY SHIELD; MY HEART TRUSTS IN HIM , AND HE HELPS ME .
M Y HEART LEAPS FOR JOY , AND WITH MY SONG I PRAISE HIM . (PSALM 28:7)
7
St. Rose Parent's Council participates in the
"Dough Raiser Program"
at
COBS Fresh Bread
Crestwood Location Only: 9680 -142nd St NW, Edmonton
Fresh bread tastes even better when it’s helping raise money for our school.
Simply mention "St Rose Jr. High School" at the time of your COBS
purchase and a percentage of your sale will go back to our school at the
end of the year.
The more members of our school involved, the more money we will raise!
8
9
10
Accountability Pillar Survey for Grade 7 parents, Grade 7 students and all
Teaching Staff
As an annual check-up on the education system, the Accountability Pillar provides an opportunity for
Alberta Education and school authorities to ensure that we are equipping students for success.
The Accountability Pillar uses a set of 16 indicators consisting of surveys of students, parents and
teachers on various aspects of quality; student outcomes such as dropout and high school completion
rates; and provincial assessments of student learning.
From January to the end of February, Alberta Education will be conducting the annual Accountability
Pillar Survey. In January, parents of students in grades 4, 7 and 10 will receive a survey from Alberta
Education. In February, students in grades 4, 7 and 10 and all teachers will be completing their surveys
online at school.
All surveys are anonymous and ask questions about experiences with the school. In addition to English
and French, the parent survey is available in Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic, Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish
and Tagalog.
Your participation in the survey helps provide important information on the quality of education your
child is receiving, so we encourage you to return your survey promptly.
Survey results will be available to school authorities in May 2014, and will be reported publicly as part
of their 3-Year Education Plans and Annual Education Results Reports.
Should you have any questions or concerns please contact me at the school. 780-483-2695.
Miss Jane Lagacé
Principal
11
COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE
Edmonton Catholic Schools invites all our parents to participate in our COMMUNITY
CONVERSATIONS: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE consultation process.
The purpose of these Community Conversations is to elicit comments and solutions to the
question:
How can Edmonton Catholic School District’s utilization be improved?
Here are some key messages that are addressed on the Community Conversations: Planning for
the Future website:
 Edmonton Catholic Schools has over 10,000 empty student spaces.
 The cost of operating these empty spaces far exceeds the funding we receive from
Alberta Education for school building operations and maintenance.
 In the District’s 2013-2014 budget, 2.9 million instructional dollars (funds intended for
teaching and learning) will be used to heat, light, clean and maintain schools that are
under-utilized.
Edmonton Catholic Schools will ask all stakeholders, including staff, parents, secondary
students, parishes and community leagues, to participate in planning for the future as we deal
with our District’s utilization issue.
We are asking all interested parties to go to the COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS: PLANNING FOR
THE FUTURE website, become familiar with the information it contains, and post their comments
in the Forum section. We encourage your participation in the discussion through the online
Forum which will be open until January 7th 2014. The website address is: http://communityconversations-planning-for-the-future.ca/
12
13
JANUARY, 2014
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
The Christian life is to be a life of joy. It is founded on faith in Jesus, whose life on earth began as "good news of great joy for all
people" as proclaimed by the angels the night of his birth. (Lk 2:10). Joy is God’s gift to believers, one of the fruits of the Holy
Spirit. It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we experience the joy of salvation and are enabled to rejoice even in the midst of
trials.
Pope Francis, in his first homily as Pope on March 24th, 2013 said, “Follow Jesus! We accompany, we follow Jesus, but above all
we know that he accompanies us and carries us on his shoulders. This is our joy; this is the hope that we must bring to this world
of ours.” As we begin a new year, let us work together to bring God’s joy to our communities and to all we encounter.
You may hear teachers or principals talk about our District’s Transform! Engage in Christ-centred Learning for Today and
Tomorrow focus. What IS Transform? It is our commitment to deepening our understanding and skills in teaching for our
students’ futures. Our teachers are exploring a variety of shifts in the ways they instruct and engage students. These changes in
teaching and learning practices are transforming our schools in various ways. For more information on Transform! please look
at our website: http://www.ecsd.net/landing/21st-century-learning.html. Be sure to enjoy the two videos! I also encourage
you to engage in conversation with your child’s principal about the innovative and creative Transform! strategies that are being
used at your child’s school.
Our second Parent Engagement evening hosted by the Board of Trustees will be held on the evening of Wednesday, February
19, 2014. Lee Crockett, renowned for his expertise in 21st Century teaching and learning along with Edmonton Catholic Schools’
Emerging Technology Team, will demonstrate how social media is impacting the world and our learning environments. Please
note this session will be held at St. Anthony (10425-84 Avenue) and not at the school sites as originally planned. If you have
already registered for this session, we ask that you please re-register if you are planning to attend the session at St. Anthony.
Alberta Education’s annual review of the education system, the Accountability Pillar, will be mailed to parents of grades 4, 7, and
10 students in late January, 2014. This survey provides an opportunity for Alberta Education and school authorities to ensure
that school districts across Alberta are equipping students for success. In addition to English and French, the survey will be
available in Mandarin/Cantonese, Punjabi, Arabic, Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish and Tagalog. Parents wishing to have
surveys in a language other than English or French can contact their principal. We strongly encourage your participation as the
results help us identify our school and jurisdiction’s strengths and weaknesses.
As our high school students write their Diploma exams in late January, we encourage them to prepare diligently and we pray for
their successful completion. Also, as we begin to look forward to the next school year, it is an appropriate time for the parents
of our Grade 6 and 9 students to discuss transitions and prepare to attend various Open Houses. Please check out the District
website for Open House dates and school locations at www.openhouse.ecsd.net.
May the bright and festive glow of the New Year candle warm your days throughout year.
May God bless you and your families with joy, hope, and peace throughout 2014!
Sincerely,
Joan Carr
Superintendent
14
The Feast of the Epiphany
The feast of manifestation, or EPIPHANY, is traditionally celebrated the 12th day after Christmas, January 6th.
For many years in the English speaking world the feast of Epiphany has been overshadowed by that of Christmas. After
contemplating the staggering fact that God has become a human child, we turn to look at this mystery from the
opposite angle and realize that this seemingly helpless Child is, in fact, the omnipotent God, the King and Ruler of the
universe. The feast of Christ's divinity completes the feast of His humanity. It fulfills all our Advent longing for the King
"who is come with great power and majesty." We see that whereas Christmas is the family feast of Christianity,
Epiphany is the great "world feast of the Catholic Church."
The Epiphany takes its name from the Greek epiphania, which denotes the visit of a god to earth. The feast unites three
events in the life of Christ when His divinity shines through His humanity: the adoration of the Magi; the baptism of
Christ in the Jordan; and the first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana. Moreover, at Epiphany the Church looks forward
to the majestic coming of Christ on the "youngest day" when His manifestation as God will be complete. The Gospels of
the baptism and the marriage at Cana are read on the Octave Day and the Second Sunday after Epiphany, and later
Sunday masses in the Epiphany season continue to show the divine power of our Lord in some of His most striking
miracles.
A second important idea in Epiphany is the extension of Christ's kingship to the whole world. The revelation of Christ to
the three kings at Bethlehem is a symbol of His revelation to the whole of the Gentile world.
Closely linked to both these themes of divine manifestation and world kingship is a third idea running through the
Epiphany feast: that of light. During Advent, the world was in darkness, and we prayed and waited in the spirit of the
Jewish nation which lived in expectation of the Coming Light during thousands of years. At Christmas the Light shone
forth, but dimly, seen only by a few around the crib: Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. But at Epiphany the Light
bursts forth to all nations and the prophecy is fulfilled: “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of
your dawn”.(Isaiah 60:3)
One ritual Catholics observe is marking the formula 20 ( for the years beginning 20) +C+M+B+(last two digits if the
current year) with chalk/sign above the door of the house. For example, 20+C+M+B+14 for the year 2014. The C,M and
B represent the traditional names of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. These initials also stand for the Latin
prayer Christus mansionem benedicat or “Christ bless this house’. The ritual represents the wish on the part of those
who dwell there that all who enter their house during this year will find the newborn king within. It is also a reminder to
welcome all visitors with hospitality.
Resources:
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=442
http://www.catholic.org/clife/advent/advent.php?id=2
Blessings to all this New Year,
Patti Liogier, Religious Education Consultant, 7-12
Learning Services-Innovation
15
God calls us to live a life of love and justice. Jesus Christ is our model on how to live justly. Catholic social
teaching is an essential element of our faith; it is founded on the words, actions and life of Jesus Christ. For more
information please visit http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/
Respectfully submitted by Janice Stefancik, ECSD Religious Education Consultant, Elementary Education
Life and Dignity
of the Human Person
Participation in Family Life
and Community
Rights and Responsibilities
of the Human Person
Preferential Option
for the Poor
Dignity of Work
and the Rights of Workers
Catholic Social Teaching
Our Faith in Action
All human life is a gift from God;
life is sacred.
How do we respect, protect and promote life?
God created us for relationships
in families, communities
and the world.
How do we keep our families strong?
How do our families model
loving communities?
Every human person has basic human
rights—to live, to work, to have food,
clean water, housing and education.
How do we work to ensure that everyone’s
basic human rights are respected?
Jesus was especially concerned for the
poor and most vulnerable. When we
love the least of our sisters and
brothers, we love God.
How do we recognize and respond to
the cry of the poor in our midst and
around the world?
Our work has dignity because it is our
participation in God’s work. All persons
have a right to just wages and safe
workplaces.
How do we see our work as an opportunity to
use our God-given gifts?
How can we promote justice in the workplace?
As members of one global family, we
are committed to the common good
and responsible to one another.
How can we overcome the barriers and
divisions within the human family?
How can we be loving brothers or sisters to
others we may never know or meet?
We are called to be stewards of the
world’s resources and to care for the
environment.
How do we care for water, land, and air
in our neighbourhoods? At work?
In our nation? Around the world?
Human Solidarity
Stewardship of God’s
Creation
16
8815 145 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5R 0T7
Phone: 780 483-2695
Fax: 780 487-8237
Email: Jane.Lagace@ecsd.net
C HECK OUT OUR
IMPORTANT DATES
JANUARY 2014
6
Classes Resume
20
SAC Meeting at 7:00 in the Library
29
Immunizations (Grade 9 students only) and
Grade 7 Accelerated Math Exam
LOOKING AHEAD TO FEBRUARY 2014
4
Faith Development Day - NO SCHOOL
5
Grade 7 Accelerated Science Exam
11
Lunch visit from Mother Margaret Mary H. S. (Gr. 9’s)
12
Lunch visit from Oscar Romero H. S. (Gr. 9’s)
13
High School Information Day (Grade 9s only)
Visit from St. FX and Mac High School
17
17
Family Day - NO SCHOOL
24
St. Rose Open House - 7:00 pm
27-28
Teachers’ Convention - NO SCHOOL
WEB SITE AT
www.strose@ecsd.net
JANUARY 2014
Sun.
5
Mon.
6
Tue.
D1 7
Wed.
Thur.
1
2
D2 8
D3 9
Classes
Resume
12
13
Fri.
Sat.
3
4
D4 10
D5 11
D4 17
D5 18
D4 24
D5 25
D4 31
D5
Short Day
12:10
D1 14
D2 15
D3 16
Short Day
12:10
19
20
D1 21
D2 22
D3 23
SAC Meeting
at 7:00 pm in
the Library
26
27
D1 28
Short Day
12:10
D2 29
D3 30
Immunization
Grade 9’s only
Short Day
12:10
Gr. 7 Accelerated
Math Exam
18