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Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 1
In your hands, you hold the power
It’s that time of year again…Advent. It’s always tempting to skip over Advent and jump right into Christmas. I believe that something is lost when we rush through the beautiful, reflective season of Advent. One of my favourite elements of Advent is the anticipation in waiting for the arrival of Jesus. Taking the time to reflect on the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ brings about a sense of awe and wonder. It is very appropriate that the Advent season brings with it a new sense of wonder and preparation for Our Lady of the Rosary School as we prepare for our very exciting move to the new building. We are so blessed to have the Advent season coincide with the preparation of our new school and the excitement of our first day on January 9, 2017. As indicated in the district letter that you received, I am pleased to be able to inform you that Monday, January 9 will be the first day of classes for all students in our new building. As you might guess, there is a considerable amount of planning and work to be done in order to prepare for and execute the move from our temporary school location to the new facility. We wish it to be a smooth transition, minimizing disruption to students and academic programming. Therefore, to accomplish this move classes for all Our Lady of the Rosary students will be cancelled on Wednesday, December 21 and Thursday December 22, the last two days of classes before Christmas break. It is important to note that even with this calendar change, Our Lady of the Rosary students will still exceed all Alberta Education yearly requirements for instructional minutes. Staff will be hard at work on both days packing up resources at Blessed Cardinal Newman School and setting up our classrooms at the new school. Our priority is to ensure that everything is in place for a smooth start when we resume classes at Our Lady of the Rosary School on Monday, January 9, 2017, following the Christmas break. We sincerely thank the Blessed Cardinal Newman School community for welcoming us into their family during these past few months. We are blessed to have such wonderful colleagues and neighbours who have opened their school to our staff, students and parents. The staff of Our Lady of the Rosary School also want to send our blessings and well wishes to all of our families for a safe and happy Christmas holiday. We hope that the spirit of Christmas touches each of you in a meaningful and memorable way. God Bless! Blessings to all for a wonderful month. Mrs. M. Harrigan Ms. A. McCaffrey Principal Assistant Principal
Newsletter December 2016 / January 2017
Administration Message
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 2
In your hands, you hold the power
Mrs. Kulkarni is available to assist parents and students from 7:45 am to 3:45 pm Monday through Friday. If
you have any questions or require assistance, please come in or call the office at (403) 500-2126.
Absences & Lates Please call the school at (403) 500-2126 whenever a student will be late or absent. The answering machine is always on and you are asked to leave a message at any time. Please report your child’s name, the homeroom class and the reason for late or absence.
Student Appointments If parents are picking up students for an appointment during the school day they MUST come into the school to sign the student out.
Electronics/ Cell Phones/ Valuables Certain items are not allowed at school as they interfere with the academic process and can be distracting to students. In addition, they can be stolen or misplaced. Items such as rollerblades, heelies, toys that interfere with the learning process (including collector cards and remote control cars etc…) as well as weapons, water guns, skateboards, large sums of money or valuable personal property must not be brought to school.
THEY WILL BE CONFISCATED AND PARENTS WILL BE CALLED TO PICK THEM UP.
Telephone Usage – Students The school telephone is for school business only. Our students will be permitted to use the office phone for emergencies and when they are not feeling well. Students will not be called from class to the telephone . Office staff will only take emergency telephone messages for students. These messages will be relayed to students at dismissal time for the lunch period and at the end of the day. Students are not permitted to use cell phones to make phone calls in class. We request that parents make arrangements (pick-ups, appointments, etc.) with their child before they arrive at school.
School Fees A school fee invoice/schedule was sent home in early September. You have the option to pay the fees online at www.cssd.ab.ca and click on the icon on the homepage. We encourage you to pay your fees online. You will receive the receipt right away if you do so. Should you prefer to pay by cheque, please make it payable to Our Lady of the Rosary School. Receipts will be issued and sent home with your child as cheques are processed
Bus – Southland Transport If you are waiting for a bus in the morning, you are always welcome to contact dispatch at Southland Transport directly to find out if there is a delay. Their number is (403) 873-7268. Mrs. Kulkarni posts any updates as she receives them on our Remind notification system.
From The Office
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 3
In your hands, you hold the power
From The Office (Continued)
Safety reminders for winter weather conditions
Winter weather conditions are forecast this week and parents/guardians are cautioned to take extra care with
students traveling to and from school. Please note the following:
All students should be well prepared for conditions caused by low temperatures and high wind chills and
should not be left unattended at bus stops or spend any extended period of time outdoors under any
circumstance. Parents should form an emergency plan with their children so they have clear instructions
about what to do if the bus does not arrive.
Cold weather or heavy snowfalls can result in bus schedules being unavoidably delayed. Buses will run as
close to schedule as possible but delays do occur and should be expected.
Children should be dressed appropriately for the cold weather. Unexpected mechanical problems causing
buses to cool off very quickly may occur more frequently at this time of year.
If parents /guardians cannot ensure the safety of their children to and from school, the child should be kept
at home or other arrangement made for the daily supervision of the child.
All CCSD schools located within the City of Calgary limits will remain open to provide a safe, warm and
secure environment for attending students. Schools located in Airdrie, Cochrane, Chestermere may close
based on weather conditions, as they serve a large number of rural students.
As is our normal protocol when temperatures drop below -18 degrees including the wind chill, children will
be kept indoors during lunch hour and scheduled breaks.
Children must be reminded of the proper crossing procedures when departing the bus and crossing the street
at the end of the school day. Stand back a safe distance from the bus. Wait until the bus leaves the stop.
Walk to the closest intersection. Cross the street only when it is safe to do so and remember to look both
ways.
Parents/guardians are advised to listen to local media for updates on weather and transportation.
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 4
In your hands, you hold the power
The day has finally arrived that we are moving into Our Lady of the Rosary! By now, you have received the letter from our superintendent that was sent home regarding our big move. Please be reminded that our students WILL NOT have school on December 21 and 22 as we will use these two days to move our resources and set up our new school for the first day on January 9, 2017. As the letter from the District stated, we will still exceed our required instructional minutes as outlined by Alberta Education. Here is a link to the letter on our website. District Letter - Notification of move
All staff are so excited to welcome our students and parents to our new school on Monday, January 9th, 2017. Please gather at the back tarmac in the early morning. Any student who purchased Our Lady of the Rosary inaugural T-shirts are encouraged to wear them on this special day. At the first bell (8:20 a.m.) teachers will guide their students to the front entrance where we will have a brief school opening prayer and ribbon cutting ceremony. Students will then enter their new school to begin their regular day and all parents are encouraged to return later in the day, between 2:45 and 5:00 pm, to tour the school and enjoy our open house.
Bell Times – Our Lady of the Rosary School
8:10 Arrival of Bus to Our Lady of the Rosary School 8:20 Entry Bell - Beginning of school day 8:20 – 8:25 Classroom Organization Time 8:25 – 10:00 Morning Classes 10:00 – 10:15 Recess 10:15 – 11:45 Morning Classes continue 11:45 – 12:25 Lunch (Note: Reverse Lunch – students have outdoor recess
from 11:45 – 12:05 and then eat lunch from 12:05 – 12:25) 12:25 Student Return to Classes 12:30 - 2:45 Afternoon Classes Resume 2:45 Dismissal 2:55 Bus departs from Our Lady of the Rosary School
Moving Day is Here – No School December 21st and 22nd
First Day of School – OLR – January 9th, 2017
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 5
In your hands, you hold the power
We know that all of our parents are curious and excited to get a peek inside our beautiful new school. On January 9TH, 2017 from 2:45 to 5:00 pm, please stop by for a quick visit, have a coffee and check out the beautiful learning spaces.
In the New Year, we will be looking for volunteers to help us to organize some of our learning and storage spaces as well as help to unpack and catalogue many of our new resources in our new school.
We will require volunteers to help in the following areas: Phys. Ed. Equipment, Learning Commons support, music equipment, art supplies. If you are able to volunteer between January 10 and 13, please complete this online form with your availability. https://goo.gl/forms/CXwxagA0Qh9xhe1V2
District guidelines state that students who reside further than 1.2 km from our furthest school boundary are entitled to access our District transportation. During the December 1st and 2nd Parent Teacher Interviews, transportation forms were given to all parents of these applicable students for completion. Please ensure these forms are returned by Wednesday, December 7th,so our transportation department has sufficient time to ensure a smooth transition and we can distribute a new route and schedule before our Christmas Break. You may pay transportation fees on-line at www.cssd.ab.ca If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Ms. Kulkarni or Ms. McCaffrey (403) 500-2126.
As discussed at the October school council meeting, we will be implementing the reverse lunch once we move into our new school in January. This means that our students will go outside to play and then they will come inside to eat. There is a great deal of research to support the benefits of the reverse lunch. These benefits include:
Positive health effects * Academic effects
Cleaner, calmer schools * Supervision is simpler If you are not familiar, click HERE for an article that may be interesting for you to read related to reverse lunch at school.
Reverse Lunch
Bus Transportation after our move to Our Lady of the Rosary
Open House – Come see our new “home” – January 9th
Calling all Volunteers – We need help in our new school
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 6
In your hands, you hold the power
We want everyone to be prepared for our move and ensure that our new school and surroundings are the safest possible. Here are some tips that were borrowed from the AMA website.
Avoid School Parking Lots - Poor visibility and cramped spaces make parking lots dangerous for drivers and pedestrians. Please respect ‘No Parking’ signs and encourage your kids to walk around, rather than cut through.
School Bus Zones - Trying to park a school bus full of excited children is hard enough at the best of times. Buses have big blind spots and poor maneuverability, which is why we put the bus loading zones as close to the school as possible. Parking in the bus zone, even for a few moments, just adds to the congestion. When passing buses on foot stay at least five steps back from the bus and stay extra alert for pedestrians when driving by.
Point, Pause, Proceed at Crosswalks - School patrollers help our children cross safely but they aren’t always there to remind drivers to slow down. Play show and tell with your kids – tell them how to cross safely using the Point, Pause, Proceed method, then show them you mean it by setting a good example. Use the crosswalk, cross at the corner, and make eye contact with drivers. Make sure the vehicle stops before stepping off the curb. Lead the way and watch your children follow!
Extra Attention in Drop-Off & Pick-Up Zones - The morning rush and after school pick-ups are the busiest times for teachers, parents, kids, and drivers. Minimize the risk by parking down the block and stretching your legs. Scan between parked cars, avoid bus zones, don’t stop near crosswalks or let passengers out in the middle of the road. Avoid jaywalking and illegal U-turns.
Drive Distraction-free - By now we all know that being distracted behind the wheel can net you a pretty hefty fine. But did you know that around one out of every three collisions is due to driver distraction? Set a great example by staying focused, keeping your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. The same rules apply to pedestrians too — teach your kids to put the phone away, avoid headphones, and always be aware of their surroundings, especially around moving vehicles.
Don’t Idle - When the weather is cold, it can be tempting to keep the motor running during pick-up time. But cold weather is particularly bad for vehicle exhaust, which lingers close to the ground where children breathe, triggering asthma attacks. Unnecessary idling also wastes fuel and is hard on your engine (not to mention the environment) – the best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it. Let’s follow our children’s lead and help protect the environment by never leaving a vehicle running in a school zone.
Set a Respectful Example – Instead of pointing fingers, we want our students to join hands and come up with solutions to school zone safety challenges. When cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians share the responsibility and look out for each other, everyone stays safe. We’ve all heard the expression “Do as I say, not as I do,” but it’s time to start walking the talk in school zones. From obeying speed limits and no parking zones, to hopping off our bikes at crosswalks, and making eye contact with drivers, setting a good example teaches our children be safety leaders.
School Safety Zone Tip Reminders for our new school
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 7
In your hands, you hold the power
The Christmas break fast approaches and School Council has been busy putting the last touches on our activity Calendar for the New Year. We have LOTS of fun and exciting things upcoming that we can’t wait to share! Our monthly School Council meeting was held on November 8, 2016 – thank you to all parents that were able to tear themselves away from the US Election coverage and join us that night!! We had a very productive meeting. Mrs. Harrigan and Mrs. McCaffrey were able to give us another construction update on the school and as well went over the first draft of the School Plan. The School Plan has now been posted on the School website. Council approved the purchase of a popcorn machine for the school that will be used for our Family Movie Event nights and for other fundraising and treat days going forward. We are also excited to announce that Council has approved Dueling Pianos Entertainment for our upcoming Silent Auction and Parent Social (keep an eye out for more details about this fun and exciting event!). We are so happy to be able to present this amazing entertainment for our first major event. Check out the Fundraising Corner in the newsletter for more information for all the upcoming happenings! The Our Lady of the Rosary Education Society has also formally elected their Executive. Thank you to all who stayed to participate in the elections. School Council looks forward to working together to move forward with our fundraising goals this year. The OLR Ed Society Executive will be as follows: President: Aleksandra Crawley Vice-President: Shawna Feradi Secretary/Treasurer: April Haddon Directors At Large: Ian Morris Mike Crawley On November 24, 2016, the Board of the Calgary Catholic School District held the first of three Parent & Trustee Forums. These forums are open to all parents and guardians and are full of great information. This session was focused on Formative Assessment and strategies around formative assessment that can be useful in the home as well as in the classroom to assess your child’s level of understanding. It was very interesting and I would encourage everyone to attend the next session that will be held January 19, 2017 at the Clarion Hotel from 7:00 – 9:00pm. Early in the New Year our Playground Committee will begin the planning process for building the playground for our school. This is a huge undertaking and the major goal for our fundraising efforts for the next few years as playground builds can cost anywhere between $150,000 and $350,000. We will continue to keep you updated. On behalf of the School Council Executive, I would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and we look forward to seeing you all at our next School Council meeting on January 17, 2017. Jennifer Odenyo OLR School Council Chairperson
Message from School Council
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 8
In your hands, you hold the power
Playground: Thank you to all of the families that have participated in Fundraising activities so far this year. As you may know, our new school building will not come equipped with a playground, nor is any funding provided for it. In order to build our students and community an amazing playground, we need to raise enough money to build it! Our playground committee will be meeting soon to look at options for our playground and the estimated cost could be up to $350,000 depending on the design. This is a huge undertaking for our School Council to raise this amount of money, therefore all of the participation from our school families and surrounding community is very much appreciated! Christmas Concert - December 15th at 7:00PM:
School Council will be raffling off VIP seating (Front-row leather couch!) to this year's Christmas Concert. Raffle tickets will go on sale when doors open at 6:30PM. Tickets are 1 for $5, 3 for $10. The draw will take place at 6:55 pm. Christmas Concert Bake Sale: Immediately following the Christmas performances, please proceed to the main foyer for the Christmas Bake Sale. Many delicious treats will be available for purchase; please bring cash to buy all of your holiday homemade treats! Good Earth Seton is providing complimentary coffee and hot chocolate for families to enjoy. If you are able to donate nut-free baked goods to the Bake Sale, please drop them off at the Bake Sale tables upon your arrival to the concert.
Family Movie Night - January 26th at 6:30PM: Please join us for a family-friendly movie along with pizza and popcorn. Details will be sent home with students in early January. Major Fundraiser - March 10th at 7:00PM:
School Council is very excited to announce our major fundraiser for the school year. It will take place in our new school building and will be an adult-only evening featuring The Dueling Piano Show, a Silent Auction, raffles, food, drinks and much more! Please save-the-date and watch for ticket info in the New Year. If you or your business is able to provide Silent Auction items for this event, please email [email protected] - this would be very much appreciated!
Thank you again for your participation in fundraising. Our students and community will be very excited to have a playground on our new school grounds!
School Council – Fundraising Corner
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 9
In your hands, you hold the power
Hello OLR Families! We hope you and your families are continuing to enjoy the fun lunch offerings. With the move to our new building over the Christmas holidays and the subsequent change in the school calendar as a result, we're only offering lunches for the first 2 weeks of December. Our December offerings are: Dec. 7th - Quiznos Dec. 14th - Edo Japan We're back to school in our new building January 9th and will be right back on schedule for our fun lunches. Our January offerings are: Jan. 11th - Chachi's Jan. 18th - Wok Box Jan. 25th - Mucho Burrito Once again, a big thank you to Mrs. Kulkarni for sending out the weekly reminders. The deadline for ordering is the previous Friday at midnight. As well - in case you weren't aware - you can always order for multiple weeks at a time, and you can make changes to an existing order right up until the order deadline for that week. As always if you'd like to drop us a note with some feedback or have some ideas to share for upcoming lunches please email us at [email protected] Thanks, Jen
Our ongoing fundraiser is Fundscrip - an online gift card ordering system which will run throughout the entire school year. Thank you to the families, grandparents, friends and neighbours that have already signed up as supporters of our school and are purchasing cards for gas, groceries, movie tickets, Christmas gifts, and more! Ordering the gift cards through Fundscrip is very simple and the gift cards are delivered directly to your mailbox. Our school receives up to 10% of the value
of each gift card sold. If you haven't already signed up, you can do so at www.fundscrip.com using invitation code CDWSW2. Thank you for your support!
Did you know we are a member of Cob’s Dough Raiser Program? When you mention Our Lady of the Rosary School at the Cob’s location at 130th Avenue they donate 5% of your purchase back to our school. The more members of our school that make purchases at Cobb’s, the more money we’ll raise. Fresh bread tastes even better when you know it’s helping raise money for our school.
Fun Lunches – Healthy Hunger
COBS Bakery
FundScrip Gift Card On-going Fundraiser
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 10
In your hands, you hold the power
In addition to reading and signing the student agenda daily, we have set up a variety of avenues for parents to keep abreast of happenings at Our Lady of the Rosary School. Facebook: Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD Twitter: @olorosary_ccsd Text Messaging Updates via Remind App: For General OLR Updates send this message: @mrsakulk to (587) 409-2973 For Bus 675 Updates send this message: @6Kgfb9 to (587) 409-2973 For Bus 676 Updates send this message: @62hf2f to (587) 409-2973 For Bus 677 Updates send this message: @6hc66 to (587) 409-2973 For Bus 678 Updates send this message: @eh6ka to (587) 409-2973 For Bus 679 Updates send this message: @46ecg7 to (587) 409-2973 Our Website: https://www.cssd.ab.ca/schools/ourladyrosary/Pages/default.aspx Our Classroom Blogs can be accessed from the “Classroom News” tab on our website or click HERE.
While it is not customary to have an elementary school yearbook, we have elected to create one for this very special and important first year. The yearbook is available for purchase for $20.00. It may be purchased online with the fee payments (as an optional fee.
We will be selling Our Lady of the Rosary t-shirts this year. The t-shirts are $15 each and may be purchased online with the fee payments (as an optional fee using this link http://bit.ly/2fQ27aA ) or by cheque. We have t-shirts of all sizes available in the office. Stop by and purchase yours the next time you’re at Our Lady of the Rosary.
Winter is coming and we wish to remind all parents to please ensure your children come to school with appropriate clothing (hats, mittens, boots etc.) to allow them to fully enjoy their time outside at recess. Also, students are expected to have a pair of indoor shoes (non-marking and appropriate for Phys. Ed) to change into as they enter the school.
Stay in Touch with Our Lady of the Rosary School
School T-Shirts
Winter Clothing
Yearbook / Memory Book
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 11
In your hands, you hold the power
Don’t know what to do with that Jacket that doesn’t fit anymore? We will help! This December all classes at Blessed Cardinal Newman and Our Lady of the Rosary will be collecting slightly USED JACKETS to donate to the Drop-In Centre. Please send to school with your child any used jackets you would like to donate between December 5th and December 16th. Every size and thickness is accepted.
On Tuesday December 6th, we will be having Eucharistic Adoration in the Learning Commons for the whole school. Each grade will be invited to come down and spend 10-15 minutes with Jesus, who is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. Understood simply, Eucharistic Adoration is adoring or honouring the Eucharistic Presence of Christ. In a deeper sense, it involves "the contemplation of the Mystery of Christ truly present before us". During Eucharistic Adoration, we "watch and wait", we remain "silent" in His Presence and open ourselves to His Graces which flow from the Eucharist ... By worshiping the Eucharistic Jesus, we become what God wants us to be!
Mrs. Leung’s Grade 3 class is attending “Upper Class” at the Calgary Tower on Friday, December 9th. Students will learn about how our city and the Tower were constructed, how to construct their own tower, and the importance of the buildings in the downtown core. Using a tablet, the students will move through 9 stations to experience a new interactive perspective on the city’s architecture, history, and geography. Lastly, the grade 3s will be climbing the 802 stairs that are inside the mast of the Calgary Tower. What a great way to kick off our new science units, Building and Testing Using a Variety of Materials.
Gr. 3 - Upper Class Field Trip – Calgary Tower – Dec. 9th
Eucharistic Adoration – December 6th, 2016
Jacket Racket – Dec 5th – 12th
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 12
In your hands, you hold the power
We are pleased to extend a warm invitation to all of our parents to attend our first ever Christmas/Advent Concert on Thursday, December 15th. The students and teachers are busy preparing a song, dance or choral reading for your enjoyment. The concert will begin promptly at 7:00 pm in the large gym at Blessed Cardinal Newman. Doors will open at 6:30 pm.
As we are still relatively small in numbers, we have not limited the tickets but please be respectful of the limited space and capacity of the gym when inviting family members. School Council has arranged for a raffle draw for “best seats in the house” and will also be hosting a bake sale following the concert. Looking forward to seeing you all there.
Please be reminded that there is no school for students on Friday, January 27, 2017. The staff of Our Lady of The Rosary will be participating in a variety of learning opportunities throughout the city and are excited to share their learning with their students.
Christmas / Advent Concert – December 15th, 2016
Professional Development Day – January 27, 2017
Camp Cadicasu – January 1- 7, 2017
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 13
In your hands, you hold the power
Throughout the 2016-17 school year, all students and staff from Our Lady of the Rosary will be participating in The Zones of Regulation® curriculum (or “The Zones” for short), to help gain skills in, and learn more about, the area of self-regulation. Self-regulation can go by many names, such as self-control, self-management, and impulse control. It is defined as the best state of alertness of both the body and emotions for the specific situation. For example, when a student plays on the playground or in a competitive game, it is beneficial to have a higher state of alertness. However, that same
state would not be appropriate in the library. If you are interested in learning more about The Zones of Regulation®, and how it can benefit your family, I will be having a parent meeting on February 1st, 2017 at 6:30 pm. To sign up, or for more information, please email me at [email protected]. Mrs. Jackie Young Diverse Learning Consulting Teacher
All students from Our Lady of the Rosary are invited to join together to celebrate the season with song. No experience in required, and you do not need to be a member of the choir to participate. Students will come together to spread joy, laughter, and music over the lunch hour in Mrs. Perrault’s (BCN) elementary music room. The dates are as follows: Tuesday, December 6th Friday, December 9th Wednesday, December 14th Monday, December 19th We hope to see you there!
Our district recognizes and supports the correlation between healthy nutrition and the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of students. Additionally, with the number of food sensitivities amongst our students we want to encourage a safe environment for all. We are therefore asking that NO cake, cupcakes or food items be forwarded to share with your child’s class particularly on their birthdays. This allows the focus in the classroom to be on the academic and encourage you to celebrate these milestones at home.
Zones of Regulation – Parent Workshop – Feb 1, 2017
Healthy Choices and Birthday Celebrations
A Caroling We Will Go – Call for all interested students
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 14
In your hands, you hold the power
This month has flown by. All the classes have been into the Learning Commons and had their first opportunity to explore our MakerSpace. From our main loan pool we borrowed K’Nex sets, straws, and connectors and these allowed our students to build their dream homes. The next month will be very exciting for me. I will be spending much of my time at the new school cataloguing our many resources. I am pleased to have volunteers assist me in January. Please complete the google form later in this newsletter if you would like to help or email
me directly ([email protected]). ~ Mrs. Deppiesse – Learning Commons Librarian
Wow! We can’t believe it’s December already! So much learning has been happening and so much excitement is coming! As the Grade 1 students are getting ready for Christmas, we are looking at ways to prepare our hearts for Jesus. We have been discussing about how we can show kindness through our actions, and through our words. After reading: Don’t Laugh at Me we learned that even when we say we are sorry, the hurt we have done, is still there. So it is better to use kind, loving words and actions before anyone is hurt. We also listened to: Arnie and His School Tools and learned that everyone uses different tools to learn, like wearing classes, using technology or fidgets to help us focus. By understanding that everyone can learn, just in different ways, we see that we have more things in common with each other than differences. We are coming together as a community of learners, and are trying our best to support each other! We would like to share with you our Art from our Remembrance Day Display.
Classroom Update – Mrs. Harrison’s Class – 1H
Learning Commons
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 15
In your hands, you hold the power
Our annual school plans have now been posted on our school website. You can access it by following by using this link: http://bit.ly/2gPzUQR This year’s faith focus is “Be merciful just as your Father is merciful” and our academic theme continues to be “Success for All students”. Please take some time to review some of our school’s initiatives for the year.
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of St. Albert the Great Parish extends their thanks to all the parents and guardians who so generously gave to this year’s Christmas Food Drive. Between Our Lady of the Rosary and Blessed Cardinal Newman we collected thousands of non-perishable food items. St. Vincent de Paul Society serves the people of McKenzie Lake, McKenzie Towne, Copperfield, New Brighton, Douglas Dale, Douglas Glen and several other areas located in the South East of Calgary. They provide food hampers for those in need at Christmas and throughout the year. If you would like to contact them directly please email Christine Shepperd at St. Albert the Great Parish http://www.st-albert-parish.com/ .
Here are some important dates to note for this months of December and January to remember:
December 5th – 12th Jacket Racket December 15th, 2016 Christmas Concert 7:00 pm @ Blessed Cardinal Newman December 21, 2016 NO SCHOOL – Moving Day December 22, 2016 NO SCHOOL – Moving Day December 21-January 8th, 2017 NO SCHOOL – Winter Break January 9, 2017 8:20 am – ribbon cutting ceremony Our Lady of the Rosary School, 41 Cranston Gate SE 2:45 – 5:00 pm – Open House for all Parents/Guardians January 19, 2017 Parent Trustee Forum – Clarion Hotel 7:00 pm – All parents/guardians
welcome to attend January 26, 2017 Family Movie Night @ OLR January 27, 2017 NO SCHOOL – Professional Development Day Febraury 1, 2017 Parent Workshop – Zones of Regulation – 7:00 pm
St. Vincent de Paul Food Drive – Thank You!
Our Lady of the Rosary – School Plans
Important December / January Dates to Remember
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 16
In your hands, you hold the power
Parish Updates
Our Lady of the Rosary CCSD @olorosary_ccsd December 2016/January 2017 Newsletter Page 17
In your hands, you hold the power
OLR SPECIAL EVENTS
Our Lady of the Rosary School Council is pleased to share our upcoming
Special Events Calendar. All of the money raised at these events will go
directly toward building our school playground. Please save-the-dates for
these fun activities:
Christmas Concert Bake Sale
Thursday, December 15th
Concert Begins at 7:00PM, Doors Open at 6:30pm
VIP Seating (Front-Row Leather Couch!) will be raffled off. Arrive
early to buy your tickets: 1 for $5, 3 for $10
Please join us in the main foyer following the performances
for our Bake Sale. Coffee and hot chocolate will be
provided. Please see the details below if you are able to
provide nut-free baked goods for our sale.
Family Movie Night
Thursday, January 26th 6:30PM
Pizza, popcorn and a family-friendly
movie in our school gym. Details to
follow in January.
Wine & Cheese / Silent Auction
Friday, March 10th 7:00PM
This adult-only evening will be featuring
the exciting entertainment of Dueling
Pianos, along with food, drinks, raffles
and a 50/50 draw. More details will be
sent home in the New Year.
Please detach and return to your child’s teacher by Dec. 5th if you are able to help with the Bake Sale
YES, I am able to provide nut-free baked goods for the Bake Sale on December 15th
Student Name __________________________________________________________ Parent Name__________________________________________________
*Baked goods may be dropped off at the Bake Sale Tables upon arrival at the concert. Contact: [email protected]
with any questions.
1000 Fifth Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 4T9 403-500-2000 www.cssd.ab.ca
CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MONTHLY NEWS
ConnectionsDECEMBER 2016
Board of Trustees’ Christmas MessageHis Holiness Pope Francis has been a wonderful role model to all of us living and learning in Catholic faith together. As he reflected on the close of the Jubilee Year of Mercy, he shared many insights about what it truly means to give and receive mercy. He said, “If every one of us, every day, does a work of mercy, there will be a revolution in the world!” Visit our website under News to read more.
Chief Superintendent’s Christmas MessageIt’s hard to believe we have already entered the Advent season and are preparing for Christmas! The school year has been moving quickly, due to how busy our district and schools have been. But no matter how busy we get, there are always opportunities to slow down and reflect. As you may know, the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy concluded on The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, on Sunday, November 20. As a district, we will continue on the road of exploring mercy with our faith theme for the school year, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). Visit our website under News to read more.
Celebrating Faith Day & Shepherd Leadership Award Winners 2016Calgary Catholic staff members came together as a community at the TELUS Convention Centre on No-vember 1 to celebrate our annual Faith Day—an inspirational, faith-based professional development day. We also recognized the 25 members of our district who received a Shepherd Leadership Award. Visit our website under News to learn more.
Field of Crosses ProjectThank you to our students who wrote 321 biographies on Southern Alberta soldiers who lost their lives in world conflicts. The biographies were affixed to the white crosses along Memorial Drive from November 1–11, as part of the Field of Crosses memorial project. In the coming years, we hope to have our students write biographies for all of the over 3000 soldiers represented.
School Nutrition Pilot ProgramWe are pleased to announce that St. Peter School and Holy Family School will take part in the Govern-ment of Alberta’s school nutrition pilot program. The program, which has been launched in 14 school boards across the province, provides funding so students can have healthy meals every school day, as well as learn about healthy eating and nutrition. Learn more on our website under News.
Annual Advent and Christmas High School Choral Festival – December 6, 2016The tradition continues at CCSD and all are invited! The Advent and Christmas High School Choral Festival features choirs from Bishop Carroll, Bishop Grandin, Bishop O’Byrne, Notre Dame, St. Francis and St. Mary’s. With close to 700 students participating—this is a holiday event not to miss! It will take place on Tuesday, December 6 at 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral (219 - 18 Ave. SW). For more information, please contact [email protected].
Diploma Preparation Courses – January 2017The Calgary Catholic School District will again be offering opportunities for students and the general public interested in taking Diploma Preparation Courses in January 2017. The cost is $75 for 12 hours of instruction, with four-hour classes held over three evenings. Learn more and register online under Stu-dents/Academic Support/Diploma Preparation Courses.
Christmas HoursCalgary Catholic schools and administrative offices will be closed beginning on Friday, December 23 and will reopen on Monday, January 9. We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas season!
Did you know?
Our annual District Day with the Calgary Hitmen will be held on Friday, January 27, 2017 at 7 p.m. Mark your calendars and stay tuned to the district website and social media for information on how to buy your tickets!
FRIDAY, JAN. 27, 2017 7:00 PM
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
ENTER CODE: LUNAR
II SPECIAL TICKET OFFER
$1200*
lunarcelebratIonCELEBRATE THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER WITH THE CALGARY HITMEN AT THE ANNUAL LUNAR CELEBRATION! FORTUNE COOKIE PRIZES, DRAGON DANCERS AND POST-GAME FIREWORKS!
Presented by
$2.00 from each ticket goes to the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation
School Speech Language Services Newsletter
Page 1 of 4
Following Directions
Before you get started…
Separate your math and spelling pages, put the markers next to the scrapbooks on the middle shelf, and bring me your journals.
Have you ever stopped to think about all the skills you need to use in order to follow directions? You need to…
• pay attention to the speaker; • hold the directions in your working memory; • understand the vocabulary—separate, journal, scrapbooks; • understand the concepts—next to, middle, before; • understand the sentence structures; and • be willing to comply with the speaker!
Inside, we will share our tried and true strategies to support these students in your classroom.
Please share the last page of the newsletter with your families.
Reminders
• School conferences are approaching and that means that you may have questions from parents about our services. If a parent brings up a concern about communication skills, please bring it forward to your speech-language pathologist (s-lp). The s-lp might be able to problem-solve a solution without needing to make a formal referral. If individual service is needed, please let parents know that there may be a wait for that service.
• Your next School Speech Language Services Summary will be sent to you in December. If you need an updated list, please talk to your s-lp.
In this issue:
• Information about the skills needed to follow directions
• How students with difficulties following directions present in the classroom
• Strategies to try • Ideas to send home to parents
School Speech Language Services Newsletter
Page 2 of 4
How to tell when a student has trouble following directions
Here is what you might see in your classroom…
The student:
• takes a long time to respond. • does not respond at all to the direction. • seems to be hearing what is said, but not listening. • has trouble recognizing what’s important and what isn’t. • misses key information in verbal directions. • finds it hard to remember details. • has difficulty responding to direct questions. • mixes up the order in which things need to be done. • misreads directions. • gets lost when reading directions.
Recognizing where the student is breaking down changes how you will support him in the classroom. Not all difficulties following directions are language-based. Other breakdowns are related to:
Attention
The student may have difficulty slowing down and following directions. It might help if you…
• make sure you have her attention; • give simple, actionable directions; • chunk directions into manageable pieces; • speak clearly and in a firm voice; and • give the explanation before you give the direction.
For more information about supporting students with attention difficulties, go to www.canlearnsociety.ca.
Working Memory
Working memory is the brain’s sticky note that helps to remember incoming information long enough to use it. You can support a student with working memory difficulties by…
• using visuals to help support completion of tasks with multiple steps; • using checklists to complete multistep tasks; • using key words written on a white board or smart board to support new information; and • repeating, repeating, and repeating!
School Speech Language Services Newsletter
Page 3 of 4
Helping Language Impaired Students Follow Directions If a student is having trouble following directions and you are confident that these difficulties are not
related to attention or working memory, the student may have a language delay or disorder. The
student can hear fine but has problems processing and following through on incoming directions and
information, especially verbal directions. Language-based problems include problems with reading and
reading comprehension. This makes it difficult for him to follow written directions.
Here are some easy ways to make following directions easier for a student with a language impairment:
• Face the student. It is much easier for a student to listen if she can see your face. You will also have
a better idea if she is not understanding part of the direction.
• Repeat, repeat, repeat. The student with a language impairments will need to hear directions more
than once.
• Avoid overly chatty directions. Only include the information that is absolutely necessary.
• Keep directions concise and simple.
• Number multiple steps, if you need to give more than one step at a time. This makes it easier for the
student to know how many things he has to do. You may also consider waiting for the student to
complete the first step before giving the next one.
• Keep your vocabulary simple. Use words you know the student understands.
• Word order counts. Give the directions in the order you want them to be completed.
• Consider using visual supports, especially for rote tasks.
• Teach the student that she is responsible for understanding what she hears. Encourage her to ask
questions or to ask for things to be repeated if she hasn’t understood.
• Avoid giving instructions over the classroom noise. Try to quiet the classroom before starting.
• Some students may need some concepts taught to them directly. Students need to be able to
understand words like first, before, between, and if.
School Speech Language Services Newsletter
Page 4 of 4
Helping Children Follow Directions at Home Some children have problems following directions. You can help your child learn how to follow directions by creating an environment that encourages the child to listen and learn. Here are some suggestions:
• Noises, such as the television, radio, dishwasher and other people talking, make it hard for your child to listen and follow directions. Before you give your child a direction, turn off the noise or take him somewhere quieter. If you cannot turn off or move away from the noise, stand close to your child so that other noises are less distracting.
• Let your child know when it is time to listen. Call your child’s name and say, Time to listen. You can also give your child a signal such as pointing to your ear.
• Use actions with words. The action makes it easier for your child to understand and follow directions. For example, pretend to wash your hands while saying, Go wash your hands.
• Ask your child to repeat directions after you give them.
• Speak clearly and slowly. Emphasize important words in the direction. For example, you might say, Bring me the red blanket, please.
• Give one direction at a time. Wait for your child to finish doing the first direction before you give another direction.
• Give your child extra time to understand and carry out directions. Be patient.
• If your child does not follow a direction, it may be because he did not understand. Make your direction easier to understand by using simpler words or shorter directions.
Healthy Children Parent Newsletter
December 2016
Hand Washing
Anytime is hand hygiene time. Studies done by the Center for Disease Control have shown that if children wash their hands as few as four times during the school day they have up to 50% fewer colds, flu and sore throats.
There are five important steps:
1. Wet hands with warm water.
2. Apply enough soap.
3. Scrub for 20 seconds focusing on the thumb and fingertips.
4. Rinse off the soap and dirt.
5. Dry hands well.
The first four steps remove 60% of the germs. The last 40% of the germs come off when hands are dried. Keeping skin in good condition also keeps the germs away, so use lotion if skin gets dry. If the dirt is visible, waterless hand gels do not work. The best way to keep the germs away is to use plain soap and water, spend the time and get good friction. Hand hygiene continues to be one of the best and simplest ways to stay healthy all year round.
Tobacco and the Environment
Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventatble death and disease around the world. However, it isn’t just human health that is impacted by tobacco use. It is also harmful to the the health of our environment. Did you know:
• Around the world about 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are thrown away every year! • Cigarette butts have many dangerous chemicals in them that leak into our soil and water. • Cigarettes are not bio-degradable. They can take years to break down. • Animals, fish, birds, and even kids eat tobacco litter – making them very sick. • Every year land about the size of 200,000 football fields is destroyed for tobacco farming. • The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 300,000 people die every year as a result
of fires caused by smoking. • Cigarette use world-wide has been linked to climate change due to the gases released during smoking! • Smoking is a leading cause of house fires in Canada. • Tossing cigarettes butts out is littering and you can be fined. • Kids under 18 years old are not allowed to buy cigarettes, but many children work on tobacco farms,
exposed to toxic chemicals.
For more information on tobacco use and support to quit, visit www.albertaquits.ca or call 1-866-710-QUIT (7848)
To find an electronic copy of this newsletter, visit: www.albertahealthservices.ca/csh.asp
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Concession Menu is
in red
Healthy Hunger fun
lunches are in blue
1 Parent Teacher
Interviews from 5 to
8 pm
Pizza Pretzel
2 Parent Teacher
Interviews from 9 to
11:30 am and 1 to
2:30 pm—NO
SCHOOL
3
4 5
Pasta
6
Chili & a bun
7
Quiznos Lunch
Spolumbo’s on bun
8
Pizza Pretzel
9 Grade 3 field trip to
Calgary Tower
Mac & Cheese
10
11 12
Perogies
13
Lasagna & Caesar salad
14
Edo Japan Lunch
Pulled pork on bun
15
Christmas Concert—
7 pm
Pizza Pretzel
16
Mac & Cheese
17
18 19
Pasta
20 Last Day of classes
before Christmas
break
Chili & a bun
21 Moving day—NO
SCHOOL
22 Moving Day—NO
SCHOOL
23 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
24 Christmas Eve—
NO SCHOOL
25 Christmas Day—
NO SCHOOL
26 Boxing Day—NO
SCHOOL
27 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
28 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
29 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
30 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
31 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
School reopens on
Monday, January 9
December 2016
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 News Year Day—
NO SCHOOL
2 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
3 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
4 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
5 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
6 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
7 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
8 Christmas Break—
NO SCHOOL
9 Classes resume at
the New School
10 Grade 5
vaccinations
11
Chachi’s Lunch
12 13 14 Confirmation
Prep—10 am to 12
noon
15 Confirmation
Prep—2 to 4 pm
16 17
School council
Meeting—7 pm
18
Wok Box Lunch
19 20 21
22 23 24 25
Mucho Burrito Lunch
26 Family movie
night @ 6:30 pm.
Doors open at 6
27 Professional
Development Day—
NO SCHOOL
28
29 30 31 Healthy Hunger
Lunches are in blue
January 2017
