Holy Spirit Academy News The Light of Christ is inherent in our every word and gesture as we prepare our children for life’s journey. Our school is Christ centered, student focused, academically challenging and authentically Catholic

May 2015

May is the Month of Mary

In celebration of the month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Spirit Academy will be praying together a Living Rosary at 1:45, on Wednesday, May 5, 2015 in the gym. Students in Grade 3 will be leading us in prayer and reflection. All students are invited to bring their own rosary from home to pray with during our dedication to Mary. During the month of May we ask for God’s blessings for all mothers. On May 10, we wish you a blessed and happy Mother’s Day.

Alberta Achievement Tests begin this Month

Students in Grade 6 will begin writing their Achievement Tests this month. These tests accurately reflect the skills and objectives taught to the students from the Alberta Curriculum in Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. Please help your child be prepared for the tests by ensuring they are well-rested and have a good breakfast on the day of the tests. All testing begins promptly at 9:00 a.m., so please ensure your child is at school on time. Test Dates: Wed May 13 - Gr. 6 Language Arts (story) Wed June 17 - Gr. 6 LA (reading) Thurs. June 18 – Gr. 6 Math Fri. June 19 - Gr. 6 Science Mon. June 22 - Gr. 6 Social Studies The Alberta Government has an excellent web site with information about Provincial Achievement Tests. Please go to http://education.gov.ab.ca/k%5F12/testing/achievement/parentguides/GR6 for a copy of this excellent resource

Newsletter Contest By answering the following skill testing question and providing us with a “bouquet” – a comment on something you think we are doing well at H.S.A, or a “suggestion” – a comment on some area we can improve on, your child will be eligible to have their name drawn from the hat and win a $10.00 gift coupon from Scholastic Books. Name the newsletter article that talks about: “Summer Reading ” Bouquet: _________________________________________________ Suggestion: _______________________________________________ Your child’s name: _____________________________________

Request for Popcorn Helpers : Grade 5 Parents and Guardians, I know it may seem early to already be looking towards next year, however with all the budget cuts in Education we as Grade 6 teachers don’t want to see next year’s class missing out on our Grade 6 Camp due to funding. Every year we spend a couple months fundraising for camp by selling popcorn on Wednesday. This money goes towards minimizing costs for students and allows us to only charge a minimal fee for each student attending. We are looking to continue popcorn sales in May and June and throughout all of next year in order to continue on providing this excellent experience for students. We are very much in need of volunteers who would be available on Wednesdays from 10:30-1:00. The more support we can garner from parents, the greater the likelihood of making this a success! If you would be willing to volunteer, please let me know as I am looking to get a volunteer schedule ready as soon as possible. Thank you for your support, Kelsey Doolaar, Grade 6

Thank You Special thanks to our dedicated volunteers who helped monitor students brushing their teeth during Dental Health Month. Without your commitment and time we would not have been able to educate so many students. Special thanks to the following individuals who volunteered their time: Judy Cochrane, Deanna Misana, Leanne Cyr, Allison Senft, Natalie Campbell, Reannnon Walker, Mia Fontaine, Laverna and Dan LaFontaine,Teri Peri-Woolcott, Sandra Seney,Cate Walker, Kim Tiessen, Rhonda Caron, Jacquie Williamson, Melanie Carr-Rollick and Alisha LeDuc

Dress Code As the weather begins to warm up, please keep our school’s dress code in mind when sending your child to school. Proper Dress Student Right: Students have the right to be in an environment that promotes modesty, respect for self and others. Student Responsibility: Students are attending a Catholic Christian School and are required to dress in an appropriate fashion. Dress should be in good taste and appropriate for the activities of the school. Questionable slogans or pictures are not permitted. Health and Fire regulations mandate the wearing of proper footwear in schools at all times. As the tracking of mud through the school is a problem, all students are required to have outdoor footwear that must be removed, and indoor shoes for internal use only. Head wear and sunglasses are not to be worn in the building, and outdoor jackets are not to be worn in class. Students wearing inappropriate apparel will be asked to change.

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. Hail Mary, full of grace, The Lord is with Thee; Blessed art thou among women, And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us sinners, Now and at the hour of our death. Amen V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord. R. Be it done unto me according to thy word. Hail Mary, etc. V. And the Word was made Flesh. R. And dwelt among us. Hail Mary, etc. V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. LET US PRAY Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Holy Spirit Academy 4 21st St. S.E. High River, AB T1V 2A1 Phone: H.S.A. 652-2889

We’re on the Web.

Www.redeemer.ab.ca

Fruits of the Spirit April

Kindness: Emily Gow, Declan Dingwell, Selena Mejia, Zanthea Nicol, Leek Alier, Joshua Guerrero, Grace Alfon, Sarah Anderson, Kashieca Porsenido, Reyd Williamson, Tascha Tretiak, Hudson Walker Peace: Tyler Niven, Griffin Hughes, Cody Rowland, Jordan Seney, Danielle Ronghadi, Reece Campbell, Finn Hamilton, Ethan Rowe, Hunter Wiest Patience: Daryl Dudor, Chidinma Okafor, Daisy Montecillo, Fihdelah Abes, Jayda Wilkinson, Angela Lacuesta, Zoey Lanigan, Mauricio Camacho, A.J. Lewin

Generosity: Gracy Fehr, Ariana Mendoza, Jase Dunne, Miguel LePatourel, Dhenzel Gerardo, Emerson Malberg, Ian Mayes Joy: Nate Nychyk, Ryan Williamson, Alex Leadbeater, Ashley Smillie, Reece Campbell, Ryder Koenig, Lexie Zacharias, boden DeCoteau, Nethzy Orantes, Iris Sobrino, Scott Mahon, Princess Parel, Osvaldo Mejia, Hunter Dorman Self-Control: Kaishen Ton, Hexus Paracha, Maury Mangaoang, Christian Dador, Isaac Morrow, Marshall Malmberg, Odin Atkinson Modesty: Charlie Mooij, Adelynn Verbeek Love: Adriel Mendoza, Erin Braat, Hailey Novotny Lund, Makenna Walker, Marianne Anga-Angan, Molly Conlin Faithfulness: Taylor Ewankow, Arwyn Wiest Goodness: Brendan Diebel, Ethan Sekura, Geron Pedro, Kinley Smit Gentleness: Breanna McEachern, Daphne Ton, Savannah Armstrong, Angel Corpuz, Chaembers Cocjin

Prayer for the Month of Mary

Covenant Promise “I will work to follow Jesus’ example, to be faithful to His

teachings, and to show the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

During the month of May students will be focusing on the virtue of Faithfulness.

May

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Gr 5 at Mass

Family Dance 4:30-8:30

2

3

Gr 3 serving at 11:00 Mass

4

Easter Liturgy

5

Pre-K registration and open house

6

Living Rosary

Gr 5 Family Life parent/child presentation 7:00

7 8

Gr 1 at Mass

9

10

Happy Mother’s Day

11

Easter Liturgy

12 13

Gr 6 LA PAT

Fetal Development for Gr 6

14

Jump Rope for Heart presentation

Parent Council Elections 7:00

IF classes at movie

15

Gr 2 at Mass

Fine Arts Extravaganza 10:15

16

17 18

Victoria Day Holiday

19

Faith Days at Holy Spirit Academy

20 21

22

Pentecost Mass 10:00

23

24 25

Farm Safety presentations

26

Farm Safety Presentations

27

Support the Cause Walk

28

HepB shots

29

Atco Gas Power Team

Gr 6 at Mass

Spirit Day

30

31 June 1

K-G swims 1:2:

2

K-Beckie swims 1-2:00 K-G swims 2-3:00

3

Gr 6 Track and Field meet in Okotoks

4

K-G swims 2-3:00

Evergreen Theatre

5

Gr 3 at Mass

“I will work to follow Jesus’ example, to be faithful to His teachings, and to show the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit.”

Read Aloud With Your Child • Share books that you both will enjoy. Your enthusiasm will shine through and

make the experience fun. • Take turns reading aloud. If your child isn’t reading yet, then allow them to

predict words or phrases and to guess what comes next. • Summarize or skip parts that are too long or beyond the level of your child’s

comprehension. • Relate the book to other books that you have read. • Model good reading behaviors. If you make a mistake, correct it and show your

child that it is okay to make mistakes when reading…everyone does it. Show that it is okay to guess at a word that seems to make sense if you are stuck.

• Try out different voices for different characters. Make it fun by adding your own special touch.

• Praise goes a long way! By supporting your child on the road to reading, you will experience wonderful opportunities of shared moments. In the end, you will foster the love of reading, which is the greatest gift of all.

Summer Reading at Holy Spirit Academy One of the best ways to help students develop as readers is to provide opportunities for them to engage in reading activities. Over the course of the school year our primary students have worked hard to develop reading skills. As parents, you have worked extremely hard to help your child develop as a reader. If your child is not engaged in reading throughout the summer months, it is highly likely that they will lose some of the skills they have developed and the transition to a new grade may be more difficult. In an effort to ensure that your child’s reading skills do not regress, we are inviting you to participate in our Summer Reading Program. Over the summer, we are committed to providing appropriately leveled books for your child. There will be 3 specific days set aside, that you will have the opportunity to come into the school and exchange books. We will provide your child with enough books to last two weeks. Last year we offered this program to our Early Literacy students, and it was very successful in helping them begin the new school year on a positive note. If you are interested in having your child participate in this program, please let Mrs. MacDonald know. We will send out more information, as it gets closer to summer holidays.

Holy Spirit Academy Healthy School Initiative 2014-15

Great things are happening at Holy Spirit Academy to help our students, staff and families strive toward living a healthier lifestyle. Enhancing overall fitness levels through activity has been a focus for our school this year. Every Physical Education class starts with 5-10 minutes of circuit training to get students hearts pumping. Equipment has been ordered to encourage varied circuit training activities that are age appropriate, and focus on different development (strength, fitness, flexibility, dance, etc). Every month the stations change to ensure students are exposed to a variety of activities. Yoga mats were purchased so that larger groups can be accommodated for yoga classes. 21 students were selected to be a part of our Youth Cultural Ambassador Training. These students serve as leaders within the school and they foster the development of a culturally inclusive school community. Just before the Easter break, our YCAT team went through a 6 week training session and are now fully trained. Our focus with the YCAT team is encouraging students to try Culturally Diverse games outdoors at recess and to create a Culture Club that students can participate in weekly during lunch hour. WE have purchased a wide variety of equipment and our YCAT team will introduce students to games that they can play outdoors in small groups or with a larger group at recess(Chinese skipping, Double-Dutch ropes, marbles, curling stones, etc). This is proving very successful in encouraging more physical activity, and also creating a sense of belonging as all students have somewhere to play if they choose to participate. We will be using our YCAT team members to tour new families throughout our school which is also very exciting. Our biggest focus to date has been on promoting an awareness of appropriate Nutrition during the month of March, and for April the focus is on Oral Health. Re-think your Drink displays and appropriate food portion lessons were conducted throughout the school. Healthy School Committee members reached out to local dentists and were able to secure toothbrushes for all students at H.S.A. along with Dental gum for students in Grade 4-6. A dental hygienist is doing dental health presentations to each class, tooth brushing charts are going home with all students, and at school all children are either brushing teeth after lunch or are chewing dental gum following lunch to educate students on proper tooth care. In some of our school’s classrooms, our dental hygienist has indicated tooth decay is as high as 41%. The need to educate families and students on proper oral hygiene is imperative, as many students miss school, or suffer severe tooth aches due to the cost to visit a dentist that many families cannot incur. Fostering a healthy lifestyle is an ongoing challenge, and one that we embrace at Holy Spirit Academy.

You are invited to PARENT COUNCIL ELECTIONS!!!!!!!

Thursday May 14th, 2015 In the Library at H.S.A.

At 7:00pm Please come and have coffee and a treat with Parent Council and our Principal Dorothy White. We will talk about this past year and what we are looking forward to in 2015/16. We will end our evening with elections. Chair – Open Vice Chair – Open Treasurer – Christianne Dahlman (is letting her name stand) Secretary – Open Fundraising – Jacquie Williamson (is letting her name stand) Parish Rep/Community Rep – Laura Suarez Tena (is letting her name stand) Hot Lunch – Sheryl Malinowski-Bruneski (is letting her name stand)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nomination Form

Holy Spirit Academy School Council 2015-2016 Date Submitted:_________________________________

Candidate Name: ______________________________________________________________ Position: Executive positions (voting positions) on the School Council. (Please Check One)

o Chairperson________________________________________________________

o Vice Chairperson____________________________________________________

o Treasurer__________________________________________________________

o Secretary__________________________________________________________

o Hot Lunch Coordinator_______________________________________________

o Parish/Community Rep_______________________________________________

o Fundraising Coordinator _____________________________________________

Rosary Rainbow Bracelet Club This Term Mrs. Olynyk and Div II students will be making rosary bracelets

for $10 each. All proceeds will go to Adele’s Over the Rainbow Baskets, that help to support families with Down Syndrome.

Bracelets will be on sale at the front office.

Adele’s Over the Rainbow Baskets

Through donations, I am able to make up baskets for families who have a baby born with Down syndrome in the Calgary and High River areas. The baskets are filled with beautiful items that have been donated by generous and thoughtful people, from all over the world. I include a list of resources for the family, so that when they go home with their beautiful miracle, they know who to contact and which forms need to be filled out, as well as a list of community supports. The goal of the basket is to bring comfort to families, allow them to settle in their new routine and focus on the joy of their beautiful addition. If you would like to donate items to Adele’s Over the Rainbow Baskets, I would gladly accept any new baby items as well as gifts for the parents. Some examples; receiving blankets, journals, clothes, handmade items, booties, mittens, sleepers, cloths, gift cards. If you have any ideas of your own, please feel free to let me know. When a new baby is born, the hospital contacts me with the news. I am informed of the gender and whether or not the family would like to spend

some time with me and if they have any questions about our journey. The visits have been some of the most wonderful, emotional and heartfelt moments. All babies are miracles. If you would like to donate, please contact Krista either through email, krowland23@hotmail.com or Adele’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/aperfectextrachromosome I also write a blog called A Perfect Extra Chromosome. The blog focuses on our journey as a family, the ups and downs and the joy of raising two beautiful girls. http://aperfectextrachromosome.blogspot.ca Krista Rowland-Collins

IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM CHRIST THE REDEEMER

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Regarding Bus Service for the 2015-2016 School Year

Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools has not charged bus fees for High River families for the last two years due to the flood. Now that both of our school buildings are once again open bus fees will be required for ineligible riders for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year. **Both the Student Bus Request form and Payor’s PAD Agreement mentioned in this notice can be found under the Transportation Tab on the division website (redeemer.ab.ca). 1. Bus service for eligible bus students (students who live over 2.40 km from their designated

school): • If your child is an eligible rider and currently takes the bus:

These students will automatically be added to the bus list for the upcoming school year. You can disregard this notice.

• If your child is an eligible rider but currently does not take the bus: If you would like bus service for the upcoming school year, please complete a Student Bus Request form and e-mail the completed form to transportation@redeemer.ab.ca by May 31, 2015 to ensure your child has a seat for the beginning of the next school year.

• No bus fee is required for eligible bus students as we receive government funding for these students.

2. Bus service for ineligible riders (students that live over 1 km but less than 2.4 km from their designated school):

• School divisions do not receive funding to transport these students. Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools endeavors to bus all students that request bussing if possible, however we do charge a fee to transport ineligible bus students. Bus fee information can be found on the Student Bus Request form.

• We are not able to provide bus service to students who live within 1 km of their designated school.

To register an ineligible rider for bus service for the upcoming school year the following is required:

• Complete the Student Bus Request form and return it to your school, together with payment, by no later than May 31, 2015 to ensure your child has a seat for the beginning of the school year.

• Payment must be received PRIOR to your child being allowed to ride the bus. • There are two payment options:

Cash or check totaling payment in full (no partial payments are allowed with this payment option); or

Complete the Payor’s PAD Agreement and return it together with a VOID check to the school (or if payment will be coming out of a non-checking account a letter from your bank with your account information can be used in place of a VOID check). Please note this is the only option that allows bus fees to be paid by installments. If you choose to pay by installments with this method you will still receive early-bird pricing as long as the form is returned to the school no later than June 28/15. When completing this form please note that the first payment must be made by no later than the end of September 2015 and the last payment must be made no later than May 31, 2015. No post-dated cheques will be accepted for installment payments – a PAD agreement must be used if you are making more than one payment.

3. Other important information

• If your child is changing schools and changes from an eligible rider to an ineligible rider they will not be added to the bus list for the new school unless a Student Bus Request form is completed and returned to the school together with payment.

• If you are unsure if you owe a bus fee please contact the Transportation Department for clarification. It is parent responsibility to find out if your child is eligible for bussing or considered an ineligible rider.

• Principals will give special consideration to families experiencing financial difficulties.

• Home-to-school distances are calculated using our logistics software which has been audited by Alberta Education.

Please contact the Transportation Department with any questions you may have regarding bus service. Thank you from the Transportation Department.

E-mail: Transportation@redeemer.ab.ca Direct Phone: 403-938-8073 / Toll Free: 1-800-737-9383

What is a healthy active lifestyle? Children and youth need at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day, whether they are at home, at school, or at play. Teach your child the benefits of being active. When you are active, your child is more likely to be active too! Being physically active:

o Promotes good posture and balance o Strengthens the heart o Promotes good sleep o Helps maintain flexibility o Increases energy levels o Promotes healthy weight o Improves confidence, self-esteem, and concentration o Helps build stronger muscles and bones

Active skills to build on It is important to keep in mind their personal interests and natural capabilities. Build Confidence

o Start with the activities your child enjoys most. o Offer different things to do. Your child develops skills by trying different

sports and activities. These skills give your child confidence to enjoy being active for the rest of their life.

o Help your child learn how to jump, run, hop, skip, roll, climb, kick a ball, and throw.

o Focus on the social and fun aspects of team sports and less on winning. o Your child will respond to positive support and feedback. Take

photographs of your child being active. Then put the photos in places where everyone can see them.

o Encourage both the girls and the boys to be physically active.

Create Opportunities o Make sure that your child has the proper equipment to be active. Provide

things such as balls, skipping ropes, a bicycle, a scooter, a skateboard, in-line skates, toboggan, snowshoes, and skates.

o Make sure that your child wears safety gear. Safety gear includes a helmet, knee and elbow pads, wrist guards, a mouth guard, and well fitting shoes. If you need equipment you can call KidSport Alberta at 1-888-914-5437.

Reduce Screen Time and other sedentary behaviours! o Recreational screen time (TV, video games or surfing the internet) an hour or less per day. o Non-active transportation o Extended sitting and o Time spent indoors throughout the day.

There is no time like right now for children to get up and get moving! Activities for Growth and Development in All Areas of Fitness Moderate to Vigorous Aerobic Activities Strengthen heart and lungs

o Bike riding o Playing tag o Swimming o Walking/running o Skating o Jump rope o Snowshoeing o Cross-country skiing o Skateboarding

Strengthening Activities Build strong muscles and Bones

o Climbing on play structures o Building a snowman o Raking leaves o Rock climbing o Sledding o Gymnastics o Yoga o Martial arts o Hopscotch

MAY WELLNESS FROM YOUR HEALTHY SCHOOL COMMITTEE

Now that the sun has decided to show it’s glorious face and the snow has hopefully come for the last time, it is time to get outdoors and get moving. This month the school will be participating in JUMP ROPE FOR HEART! Many of you might remember this as a child yourself with fond memories. Skipping is a great form of exercise and something that you can easily do with your children. Sometimes all you need to do is turn that rope for them!! Please look for further information coming home from the school with regards to this exciting event!

May is also Mental Health Awareness month. There are numerous programs available from Alberta Health Services if you or anyone in your family is in need. Some great programs are as follows: The Bounce Back Book Series-provide advice on how to prepare children to feel competent in dealing with life’s challenges, disappointments and setbacks. These can be found at Alberta Health Services or Parent Link. 403-652-8340 or 403-652-8633. My New Head-Self Care and Building Resiliency (Grade9 – Adult) – an initiative brought to you by the Canadian Mental Health Association and Healthy Minds Canada. My new Head encourages Canadians to own their mental fitness by learning new skills and creating positive changes in thinking and behavior. Simply Google “My New Head.” At My Best Program (Grades K-3 & 4-6) - Toolkits for children to promote and develop overall wellness. Includes physical activity, healthy eating and emotional well being and character development. Simply Google “At My Best Program.” Hearts and Minds High River – partnering with our school divisions to support students, staff, and families. They can also be found by Googling “Hearts and Minds High River.” Sometimes we all just need a few minutes a day to relax, focus, and unwind. The most

important thing is to find something that works for you and to continue practicing it. Some great activities are: ~Going for a relaxing walk. ~Yoga or Tai Chi ~Meditation ~Prayer ~Coloring ~Deep Breathing ~Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) – also easy to teach your children! PMR is a technique of stress management developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. Jacobson argued that since muscular tension accompanies anxiety, one can reduce the negative feelings by learning how to relax and relieve the muscular tension. PMR is based on alternately tensing and then relaxing one's muscles. A person can practice this technique by either sitting or lying down in a comfortable spot. The key to the relaxation process is taking some deep breaths and then proceeding to tense, then relax a group of muscles in a systematic order. One can start with the head and move down to the neck, shoulders, etc or can start with the feet and legs and proceed accordingly. The goal of the process is to cause deeper relaxation to the body than by simply attempting to relax.

A Simple Exercise that will Help You Relax in 10 Steps:

▪ Sit in a comfortable position, with eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths, expanding your belly as you breathe air in and contracting it as you exhale.

▪ Begin at the top of your body, and go down. Start with your head, tensing your facial muscles, squeezing your eyes shut, puckering your mouth and clenching your jaw. Hold, then release and breathe.

▪ Tense as you lift your shoulders to your ears, hold, then release and breathe. ▪ Make a fist with your right hand, tighten the muscles in your lower and upper arm,

hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left hand. ▪ Concentrate on your back, squeezing shoulder blades together. Hold, then release.

Breathe in and out. ▪ Suck in your stomach, hold, then release. Breath in and out. ▪ Clench your buttocks, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. ▪ Tighten your right hamstring, hold then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left

hamstring. ▪ Flex your right calf, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left calf.

Tighten toes on your right foot, hold, then release. Breathe in and out. Repeat with left foot.