september 2016 - edmonton catholic schools · september 2016 . meet our staff page 2 september...

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Welcome back! The staff of St. Edmund would like to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students and their families. We’re glad you’re here! We are looking forward to a happy and productive school year. As the new school year begins, it is important to remember that students who experience success in school are diligent and conscientious in their approach to school work. There are a number of ways that parents can help their children as they prepare for the start of the new school year: Talk with your children about the school day. Use questions such as “How was your day?” “Tell me all about it.” “Do you have homework?” “What is your homework?” “What was the best part of your day?” “Who did you sit with for lunch?” If your children have recess, try these questions: “Who did you play with?” “What did you play?” These are just ideas for starting the conversation each day. Soon your children will start the conversation them- selves. If you can initiate the conversation as soon as you see your children each day, it will become part of a daily, “scheduled” event. Get to know your child’s teachers. Children notice when their parents greet their teachers — and when their teachers know who they are! Check on the academic progress of your children. Start early! Junior high parents can use PowerSchool to access their child’s marks and assignments in a secure online environment. Elementary parents may use the Student Agenda Book to record homework and assign- ments, it can also become a key communication tool between parents and teachers. Parents are urged to check their child’s agenda regularly. Read the monthly newsletter. The newsletter includes information that can answer many questions you may have and it will alert you to upcoming events. The newsletter is posted online on the first Friday of each month that we are in session, along with a monthly calen- dar of events. For those parents who are subscribed to Synervoice, an email message is sent to parents when the newsletter has been posted. The newsletter can be accessed on our school website: http://stedmund.ecsd.net/news_calendar.php Please feel free to contact the school if you require clarification about anything. Attend school events such as our Meet the Staff Evening, student-led conferences, music con- certs and cultural events when they take place. If your child is on the sports teams, be a fan. Consider attending the School Advisory Council meetings and becoming part of the parent team that assists the staff with the education of your children. Our first meeting of the school year is on Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 pm. We look forward to an excellent year with your children! Terry Volk Darrell Cleave Kerry Carr-Jeschke Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal Administrators’ Message MEET OUR STAFF 2 ENROLMENT HOURS OF OPERATION 4 OFFICE HOURS TEXTBOOK INFORMATION SCHOOL FEES 5 PROPERTY TAXES BUS PASSES 6 YELLOW BUS INFORMATION 7 INFO RE PERMEATION OF FAITH REGISTRATION/FOIP/RESPONSIBLE USE FORMS 8 PERSONAL PROPERTY/ELECTRONIC DEVICES POKEMON GO JH STUDENT HANDBOOK ELEMENTARY AGENDA BOOK HOCKEY HELPS KIDS 9 VACATIONS/EXTENDED ABSENCES PROTOCOL FOR PARENT CONCERNS STAFF OPENING LITURGY 10 STUDENT PICK UPS & DROP OFFS SLOW DOWN FOR SCHOOL ZONES 11 SAFETY PATROLS SAFETY DRILL PRACTICES SCHOOL PICTURE DAY POWERSCHOOL 12 SCHOOL OPENING CELEBRATIONS MEET THE STAFF EVENING CURRICULUM INFO FOR PARENTS ILLNESS & RECESS MEDICAL ALERTS 13 VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CLOSED CAMPUS HOT LUNCH PROGRAM 14 ELEMENTARY BOOMERANG LUNCH SCHOOL POLICIES SCHOOL WEBSITE 15 PEANUT & NUT ALLERGIES SYNERVOICE COMMUNICATIONS 16 VISITORS & VOLUNTEERS INFO RE SCHOOL EMERGENCIES 17 REPORT CARD & CONFERENCE DATES EREPORT CARDS FOR 2016-2017 SOCCER SEASON BEGINS CONGRATS STEPHANIE LABBE! 18 SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING FENTANYL: A DEADLY DRUG 19 IB NEWS 20 ALL THINGS FRIENDLY 22 SUPERINTENDENTS MESSAGE 23 ARCHBISHOP SMITHS MESSAGE 24 VACCINATION/MEASLES INFO 25 SEPTEMBER CALENDAR 30 STAY ALERT 29 September 2016

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Page 1: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

Welcome back! The staff of St. Edmund would like to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students and their families. We’re glad you’re here! We are looking forward to a happy and productive school year.

As the new school year begins, it is important to remember that students who experience success in school are diligent and conscientious in their approach to school work. There are a number of ways that parents can help their children as they prepare for the start of the new school year:

Talk with your children about the school day. Use questions such as “How was your day?” “Tell me all about it.” “Do you have homework?” “What is your homework?” “What was the best part of your day?” “Who did you sit with for lunch?” If your children have recess, try these questions: “Who did you play with?” “What did you play?” These are just ideas for starting the conversation each day. Soon your children will start the conversation them-selves. If you can initiate the conversation as soon as you see your children each day, it will become part of a daily, “scheduled” event.

Get to know your child’s teachers. Children notice when their parents greet their teachers — and when their teachers know who they are!

Check on the academic progress of your children. Start early! Junior high parents can use PowerSchool to access their child’s marks and assignments in a secure online environment. Elementary parents may use the Student Agenda Book to record homework and assign-ments, it can also become a key communication tool between parents and teachers. Parents are urged to check their child’s agenda regularly.

Read the monthly newsletter. The newsletter includes information that can answer many questions you may have and it will alert you to upcoming events. The newsletter is posted online on the first Friday of each month that we are in session, along with a monthly calen-dar of events. For those parents who are subscribed to Synervoice, an email message is sent to parents when the newsletter has been posted. The newsletter can be accessed on our school website:

http://stedmund.ecsd.net/news_calendar.php

Please feel free to contact the school if you require clarification about anything.

Attend school events such as our Meet the Staff Evening, student-led conferences, music con-certs and cultural events when they take place. If your child is on the sports teams, be a fan.

Consider attending the School Advisory Council meetings and becoming part of the parent team that assists the staff with the education of your children. Our first meeting of the school year is on Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 pm.

We look forward to an excellent year with your children!

Terry Volk Darrell Cleave Kerry Carr-Jeschke Principal Assistant Principal Assistant Principal

Administrators’ Message MEET OUR STAFF 2 ENROLMENT HOURS OF OPERATION

4

OFFICE HOURS TEXTBOOK INFORMATION SCHOOL FEES

5

PROPERTY TAXES BUS PASSES

6

YELLOW BUS INFORMATION 7

INFO RE PERMEATION OF FAITH REGISTRATION/FOIP/RESPONSIBLE USE FORMS

8

PERSONAL PROPERTY/ELECTRONIC DEVICES POKEMON GO JH STUDENT HANDBOOK ELEMENTARY AGENDA BOOK HOCKEY HELPS KIDS

9

VACATIONS/EXTENDED ABSENCES PROTOCOL FOR PARENT CONCERNS STAFF OPENING LITURGY

10

STUDENT PICK UPS & DROP OFFS SLOW DOWN FOR SCHOOL ZONES

11

SAFETY PATROLS SAFETY DRILL PRACTICES SCHOOL PICTURE DAY POWERSCHOOL

12

SCHOOL OPENING CELEBRATIONS MEET THE STAFF EVENING CURRICULUM INFO FOR PARENTS ILLNESS & RECESS MEDICAL ALERTS

13

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CLOSED CAMPUS HOT LUNCH PROGRAM

14

ELEMENTARY BOOMERANG LUNCH SCHOOL POLICIES SCHOOL WEBSITE

15

PEANUT & NUT ALLERGIES SYNERVOICE COMMUNICATIONS

16

VISITORS & VOLUNTEERS INFO RE SCHOOL EMERGENCIES

17

REPORT CARD & CONFERENCE DATES EREPORT CARDS FOR 2016-2017 SOCCER SEASON BEGINS CONGRATS STEPHANIE LABBE!

18

SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETING FENTANYL: A DEADLY DRUG

19

IB NEWS 20

ALL THINGS FRIENDLY 22 SUPERINTENDENT’S MESSAGE 23

ARCHBISHOP SMITH’S MESSAGE 24

VACCINATION/MEASLES INFO 25

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR 30

STAY ALERT 29

September 2016

Page 2: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

Meet Our Staff

Page 2

September Newsletter

Teaching Staff

100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: [email protected]

Kindergarten A - Shelley Hillaby E-mail: [email protected]

Kindergarten B - Jessica Prodor E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 1A - Larissa Petruk E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 1B - Leona Tomkow E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 2A - Grazia Caramia E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 2B - Lynn Kluthe E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 3A - Carla Taylor E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 3B - Gabriella Panaro E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 4A - Valentina Padovani E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 4B - Tracy Durie E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 5A - Christina Panizzon E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 5B - Connie Roy E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 6A - Sheldon Biamonte E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 6B– Adam Sergerie E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 6C– Laura Manucci E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 7A - Shirley Borrelli E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 7B– Michael Loeffler E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 7C - Salina Coria E-mail: Salina.Coria.ecsd.net

Grade 7D - Roberto Pagnani E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 7E - Kevyn Ernest E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 8A - Brittany Ward E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 8B - Katie Ongaro E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 8C - Chris Denman E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 8D– Miranda Paonessa E-mail: [email protected]

Grade 8E - Raffaella Spadafora Email: [email protected]

Grade 8F - Grace Piano Email: [email protected]

Grade 9A - Tessa Lewis Email: [email protected]

Grade 9B - Matthew Parks Email: [email protected]

Grade 9C - Dave Filice Email: [email protected]

Grade 9D- Dave Madole Email: [email protected]

Page 3: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

Meet Our Staff Con’t

September Newsletter

Grade 9E - Amanda Lee-Reid Email: [email protected]

Grade 9F– Kalay Dumont Email: [email protected]

Teacher: Elizabeth Gameiro E-mail: [email protected]

Teacher: Karen Polard E-mail: [email protected]

Teacher: Carilynn Salisbury E-mail: [email protected]

MYP IB Coordinator/Learning Coach/Media Resources: Lyndsy Panizzon E-mail: [email protected]

PYP IB Coordinator: Laura Manucci E-mail: [email protected]

Learning Coach - Mellisa Mall-Masih E-mail: [email protected]

JH Chaplain: Kevyn Ernest Email: [email protected]

Hockey Academy Coordinator: Umberto Fiorillo Email: [email protected]

Recreation Academy Coordinator: Leroy Knorr Email: [email protected]

Soccer Academy Coordinator: Rita McKinnon Email: [email protected]

Classroom Support

EA: Carla Weslosky EA: Elisabete Nanfara

EA: Sandy Wiberg EA: Anna Efird

Early Learning Facilitator: Stacy Fehr

Early Learning Facilitator: Abby O’Keefe Early Learning Facilitator: Kathy-Anne Dean

Office Support Staff

Secretary: Rose Sayegh E-mail: [email protected]

Accounts Clerk: Nicole Culley E-mail: [email protected]

Clerk: Maria DeBenedetto E-mail: [email protected]

Out of Scope Staff

Technology Support: Stephen Payne

STAY Advisor: Doug Green E-mail: [email protected]

FSLW Social Worker: Hannah Wong E-mail: [email protected]

Emotional Behavior Specialist: Gerald Bara Email: [email protected]

Custodial Staff

Head Custodian: Stefan Kachmar Custodian: Tan La

Senior Custodian: Constancio Siruno Light Duty Custodian: Bozena Kret

Administration

Principal: Terry Volk E-mail: [email protected]

Assistant Principal Junior High: Darrell Cleave E-mail: [email protected]

Assistant Principal Elementary: Kerry Carr-Jeschke E-mail: [email protected] Page 3

Page 4: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

Page 4

September Newsletter

Hours of Operation 2016 - 2017

The word is out in the community that St. Edmund truly is a center for excellence in aca-

demics and athletics. Enrollment has been steadily increasing over the past year. Alt-

hough we expect a bit of change as some families move away and others move into the

neighbourhood, we currently have 331 students in elementary and 450 students in junior

high registered with us, for a total of 781 students. Enrollment numbers will be finalized

on September 30.

Enrolment at St. Edmund

St. Edmund operates on a five-day, fixed schedule for both elementary and junior high

students. This format allows us to more easily plan activities and to book shared spaces in

the school. With a fixed schedule, it should also be easier for families to know exactly

what is happening on any given school day.

Enrolments at St. Edmund have been steadily increasing over the past few years, particu-

larly in our elementary, which has prompted us to move to a staggered recess and lunch

time for elementary students. This ensures that recess play areas do not become overly

congested with students, makes play times more enjoyable and helps us to keep our stu-

dents safe.

Elementary Junior High

Grades K-2 MTWF M T W F Thursday

Registration: 8:05 - 8:10 Registration: 8:05 - 8:10 8:05 - 8:10

Instruction 8:10 - 10:00 Block 1: 8:10 – 9:00 8:10 - 8:40

Recess 10:00 - 10:15 Block 2: 9:02 - 9:52 8:42 - 9:25

Instruction 10:15 – 11:43 Block 3: 9:54 - 10:19 9:27- 10:10

Lunch 11:43 - 12:06 Block 4: 10:24 - 11:14 10:12 –10:55

Recess 12:06 - 12:30 Block 5: 11:16 - 12:06 10:57 - 11:40

Instruction 12:30 - 2:35* Lunch 12:06 - 12:50 Dismissal:11: 40

Dismissal 2:35 Registration: 12:50 - 12:53

Grades 3 - 6 MTWF Block 6: 12:53 - 1:43

Registration: 8:05 - 8:10 Block 7: 1:45 - 2:35

Instruction 8:10 - 10:15

Recess 10:15 - 10:30 Note: Thursday, December 22 and Thursday,

March 23 will be a full days of instruction, with ear-

ly dismissal on Friday, December 23 and Friday,

March 24 (prior to Christmas Holidays and Spring

Break).

Instruction 10:30 – 12:06

Lunch 12:06 - 12:30

Recess 12:30 - 12:50

Instruction 12:50 - 2:35*

Dismissal 2:35

Thurs Dismissal 11:40

Includes 10 minute heath break

Page 5: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

September Newsletter

Textbooks are bar-coded and are issued to each student during the first week of school.

This allows us to keep track of books issued to students. The condition of textbooks is also

monitored. Students are responsible for their own books. Since replacement costs for some

textbooks are over $100.00, students are urged to take very good care of their text-

books.

Textbook Information

School fees are now due. School fees are directed toward consumable items for students

such as elementary agenda books, supplies for complementary courses such as foods,

woodworking or art, and activities such as dances. Music students have an additional

charge for mouthpieces/reeds (collected in class). Every effort has been made to keep

school fees as reasonable as possible.

School fees for students registering in sports academies, which are programs of

choice, involve program fees. Preliminary budgets for the upcoming year, along with actu-

al expenditures for the previous year are emailed to parents in September of each school

year. Sports academy fees include apparel packages, venue fees, transportation, instruc-

tion (not teachers), and administration costs. Sports academy fees do not include general

school fees, which are an additional charge.

The first and last monthly payments for students who are registered in Sports Academies

are due at registration. We recognize that payment of fees in September can be difficult,

especially for those parents who have a number of children returning to school. We happily

accept Visa and Mastercard for payment of school fees. Parents with PowerSchool accounts

may choose to pay school fees online. Instructions for completing school fee payments online

are available on our school website:

https://www.ecsd.net/schools/8215/Online_School_Tools/Pages/default.aspx

Parents may also choose to pay school fees in installments. Please contact Mrs. Culley in the

school office for more information and to make arrangements to pay fees. Thank you!

School Fees

Our school office is open from 7:45 am to 3:30 pm. Parents who call the school after

these hours are asked to leave a clear message and we will return your call as soon as

we are able to.

Please remember that we will be happy to give your child a message at the end of the

day or at breaks in instructional time, such as recess or lunch. We thank you for your un-

derstanding of our wanting to protect learning time for all students by not interrupting

classes for messages.

Office Hours

Page 5

Page 6: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

September Newsletter

Bus passes are on sale in the school office. They are sold during the last week of the

month and the first week after. Parents of students who ride the bus to school are encour-

aged to pre-pay using Visa, Mastercard or with post-dated cheques.

We would like to remind students who take either the ETS or the yellow school busses

that they are expected to behave in a manner acceptable to the bus driver. Riding these

busses is not a right. It is a service provided by Edmonton Transit or by the school district.

Students who misbehave on the busses could be asked to find alternate transportation to

school.

Note: Video surveillance cameras were put onto yellow school busses throughout the

school district in 2002.

The cost of bus passes this year is $50.00/month for junior high students. St. Edmund

does not offer bussing for elementary students, since our elementary boundary area is

within a 2 kilometer radius of the school. A family plan is available for families with

three or more children attending school. The cost of family plan bus passes is

$46.00/month for junior high students. Note: In order to confirm eligibility, parents must

complete an application for the family plan.

The Edmonton Transit System allows the holder of an ETS bus pass to utilize Edmonton

Transit any time throughout the week, including weekends.

In collaboration with Edmonton Transit, the Edmonton Catholic School District has en-

hanced the options available to yellow bus pass users. Students who possess a yellow bus

pass will be allowed six rides per month on Edmonton Transit System throughout the

week, including weekends, up to 8:00 pm. Students will have their yellow pass punched

by an ETS operator and will obtain a transfer pass before boarding the bus or LRT.

Students are reminded to take good care of their bus passes, particularly since they are

charged the full replacement cost if they lose them. For ETS bus passes, replacement

passes are $71.00 for both elementary and junior high students. Replacement costs for

yellow bus passes are $5.00.

Bus Passes

BUS PASSES ARE

ON SALE IN THE

SCHOOL OFFICE

ON THE LAST

WEEK OF THE

MONTH AND THE

FIRST WEEK

AFTER.

Page 6

All property owners are encouraged to examine their Tax Notice to ensure that their

support is assigned to Edmonton Catholic Schools. If you own a business or are in a busi-

ness partnership, please check to see that your taxes are being allocated to our district

(partial allocations can also be designated). If there is an error, please contact the City

of Edmonton using their 311 number or through email: [email protected]

Property Taxes

Page 7: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

SCHOOL START-UP – SEPTEMBER 2016

The following safety measures are in place for all Edmonton Catholic Schools yellow bus

routes:

Code RED – All carriers have agreed to implement a code red system that requires dis-

patch to answer a Code RED call from a bus driver as a priority. Code RED is defined

as, “any time a situation arises and a driver’s ability to safely drive is compromised.”

Oversize Items – Oversize items on a school bus can become a safety hazard if the bus

has to stop suddenly or is involved in a collision. To ensure student safety, the district has

implemented the following guidelines:

Maximum size limit for large items: 13” wide x 13” deep x 30” high or 33cm wide x

33cm deep x 76cm high

Guidelines:

The item must be in a backpack, closed bag or carrying case.

The item must fit on the child’s lap or between their legs on the floor of the school

bus.

Items placed on the floor must not extend past the child’s chest area.

Items cannot block aisles or emergency exits.

Notices – Information on oversize items is on large easy-to-read stickers that are clearly

displayed on yellow school buses. Bus drivers will also retain a copy of these guidelines

on the bus and the information has been posted on the district website.

Drivers have been instructed that they cannot refuse transportation to a child even if the

child shows up at the bus stop with an oversize item that exceeds the maximum limits. In

this situation, drivers will stow the item as safely as possible. Once the bus arrives at the

school, the driver will advise the school supervisor that the student has an oversize item

and remind the school that the driver will not allow the oversize item back on the bus.

The school must make arrangements with parents to transport the oversize item.

Driver Expectations – Edmonton Catholic Schools’ transportation staff attended orienta-

tion sessions for yellow bus drivers where they presented information on these new

guidelines as well as outlined driver expectations. Driver expectations include:

Develop seating plans and assign students to specific seats.

Follow the route as designed - no courtesy stops.

Complete child check to ensure that children are not left sleeping on the bus, and

Yellow Bus Information for Parents

Page 7

September Newsletter

Page 8: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

Copies of the registration information we have on file are sent home early in the school

year. Parents are asked to check this information over carefully, make any necessary

changes and return the forms to the school. We also ask that parents of students who are

of First Nations, Metis or Inuit descent identify this on the registration forms. In some cas-

es, this enables us to access additional support for students. It is extremely important that

we have accurate information regarding our students in the event of an emergency. As

per the information above, parents of students who are new to our school, as well as

parents of students in grades four and seven, are asked to also complete FOIP and Re-

sponsible Use Agreement (for access to school computers) forms. Parents of junior high

students who wish to use personal computing devices at school, along with students, must

also sign the St. Edmund Student-Owned Devices Policy.

Registration, FOIP and Responsible Use Forms

September Newsletter

Page 8

A reminder that kindergarten and grade 1 students are to be met at their stop by a par-

ent or guardian. (in schools where transportation for elementary students is provided)

Camera Surveillance Equipment

Edmonton Catholic Schools operates video surveillance equipment in approximately

45% of our bus routes. The equipment will be assigned to longer bus routes and bus

routes that have had a history of issues. If, at any time throughout the year, principals

want a particular bus route to have video surveillance equipment, they may contact

Transportation Services and arrangements can be made to have the video surveillance

equipment available for that route.

Yellow Bus Information for Parents con’t

Information for Parents Regarding Permeation of Faith As a result of Bill 44, The Alberta Human Rights Act requires all schools in the province of

Alberta to give notice to a parent or guardian when courses of study, educational pro-

grams, institutional materials, instruction or exercises include subject matter that deals

primarily and explicitly with religion.

The essential purpose of Edmonton Catholic Schools is to fully permeate Catholic theolo-

gy, philosophy, practices and beliefs, the principles of the Gospel and teachings of the

Catholic Church, in all aspects of school life, including in the curriculum of every subject

taught, both in and outside of formal religion classes, celebrations and exercises. Every

course of study and education program, all institutional materials, instruction and exercis-

es will at all times include subject matter that deals primarily and explicitly with religion.

Page 9: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

Page 9

September Newsletter

Since so many of our junior high students keep track of assignments and important dates

with cell phones or other personal devices, we do not provide a Student Agenda for jun-

ior high students. Instead, we publish a Student Handbook. Junior high students are still

required to keep track of their assignments, but they may do so using any manner they

wish. Some may use calendars in their personal devices, others may wish to purchase a

daytimer. We trust that this will meet the needs of our junior high students.

JH Student Handbook

Our elementary students use the Student Agenda books. The Agenda books assist students

in keeping their homework assignments well organized and can be an invaluable tool in

developing effective time-management skills.

Please note: the first section of the Agenda contains a great deal of information about St.

Edmund School. Please be sure to read the first section of the Agenda with your child. Ele-

mentary parents are asked to sign the Awareness Statement on page 15. All parents

could assist teachers by adding their email addresses to the signature page. Thank you!

Elementary Agenda Books

Personal Property and Electronic Devices Students are responsible for all personal property. All personal items should be clearly

marked with the student’s name. Students should never leave money and valuables unat-

tended. We suggest that students leave expensive items of any kind at home. Students

who bring electronic devices such as cell phones, iPods, iPads, laptops, tablets or similar

items do so at their own risk. The school cannot be responsible for damage or loss and we

do not investigate in the event that these items go missing.

Pokemon Go We know that Pokemon Go has been a very popular pastime over the summer months.

Although we have spotted a few Pokemon inside the school building, we ask that students

DO NOT use their personal devices to play Pokemon inside the school or during classes

such as outdoor physical education or on field trips. Students may use their personal de-

vices to play Pokemon Go outside the school building before and after school and at re-

cess times.

Last May, student representatives from our Junior High Leadership Team, with help from

Ms. Ward and Mrs. Carr-Jeschke, made a submission to the Edmonton Oilers Foundation.

St. Edmund students are very focused on taking action in our community, so this seemed

like a great fit for us. Our students’ submission was outstanding, and St. Edmund was cho-

sen as one of four schools to participate in Hockey Helps Kids over the coming school

year. Check out the Press Release for more information. We are thrilled to be part of this

wonderful initiative!

Hockey Helps Kids

Page 10: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

September Newsletter

Edmonton Catholic Schools recognizes the freedom of all members of the school communi-

ty (students, staff, parents and neighbours) to voice their concerns in an appropriate

manner to the appropriate school personnel. The principle of “first contact” needs to be

followed. This means that the person(s) who have the concern, have the responsibility to

begin addressing the concern directly with those persons with whom they have the con-

cern before taking their concern elsewhere. Parents who contact school administration

prior to speaking with the persons with whom they have a concern will be directed to

that person first.

Protocol for Parent Concerns

Page 10

21st century classrooms are dynamic learning environments that are fluid and constantly

changing. Work assigned is often project-based and is designed to promote critical

thinking and a deeper level of student engagement. Worksheets and paper packages

of student work are increasingly rare in today’s classrooms, since research shows that

they do little to promote higher level thinking skills or achievement. Because our learning

environments are so dynamic, it can be very difficult for teachers to put together pack-

ages for students who will be away for an extended period of time. Consequently, we

recommend that families avoid booking vacation time during the school year. If that is

not possible, or if student must be away for truly important events or family emergencies,

then parents are asked to contact the teacher to find out what general topics of study

will be examined while the student is away. The student will be expected to read appli-

cable textbook chapters and monitor work and material being posted to virtual class-

rooms, with the understanding that the student will likely have work to make up when he

or she returns to school.

*N.B. It is the responsibility of the student to see each of his or her teachers to find out

what work was missed during an absence and to complete all missed work, assignments

and/or exams.

Vacations/Extended Absences

Staff members from throughout Edmonton Catholic were privileged to begin the school

year by attending mass together at one of two parishes—St. Charles or Corpus Christi.

Our staff attended mass at St. Charles. The mass was celebrated by Bishop Gregory

Bittman. It was a truly beautiful celebration. During the mass, staff members were invited

to renew their commitment to serving students in their school communities. Celebrating our

faith in community with one another was a wonderful way for staff members to begin the

new school year.

Staff Opening Liturgy STAFF MEMBERS

THROUGHOUT

EDMONTON

CATHOLIC WERE

PRIVILEGED TO

BEGIN THE SCHOOL

YEAR BY ATTENDING

MASS TOGETHER.

Page 11: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

Page 11

September Newsletter

Traffic in and around the school building is very congested first thing in the morning

and again after school. In the past, we have had problems with parents not stopping

for pedestrian traffic at intersections around the school and also with parents who

are not only dropping off students at the front doors, but waiting to watch them enter

the school. This ties up traffic along 130 avenue and creates a very dangerous situa-

tion. The road is narrow, which means that other vehicles cannot get by. We have

already had a few accidents in this area. It also results in many of our students arriv-

ing late each morning.

To address this situation, we would like to remind parents that only students who have

heavy hockey bags are allowed to enter through the front doors of the building. All

other students entering the building through the front doors will be sent back out and

will be asked to enter through their designated doors. In the junior high, students may

enter and exit through any of the three doors at the west end of the school. In the

elementary, students enter through their assigned parking lot doors. 100 Voices stu-

dents enter through the east parking lot door. Kindergarten students enter through the

west parking lot door. Parents of junior high and upper elementary students (with the

exception of those in the hockey academy on ice days) are asked to drop off and

pick up students along 131avenue, at the north end of the school field. Parents of

students in kindergarten and primary grades are asked to drop off and pick up stu-

dents along 117 street - taking care not to block the entrance to the staff parking lot.

Parents are asked NOT to enter the staff parking lot, since there are not enough

stalls for all staff members, and since it is very, very difficult to turn around in the

parking lot. Cars entering the staff parking lot often have to back out, which creates

a highly dangerous situation for students. All parents are asked to “stop, drop, and

go” when dropping off their children in order to keep traffic moving in and around

the school. Parents who wish to wait with their children until they enter the school are

asked to park away from the school and to walk with their children.

All entry doors to the school are locked at 8:30 AM. Students arriving after 8:30 are

asked to go to the front door of the school and ring the buzzer for entry.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us to keep our students safe.

Student Pick-Up and Drop-Offs

ONLY STUDENTS WHO

HAVE HEAVY HOCKEY

BAGS ARE ALLOWED TO

ENTER THROUGH THE

FRONT DOORS OF THE

BUILDING. ALL OTHER

STUDENTS ENTER

THROUGH THEIR

DESIGNATED ENTRY

DOORS.

Slow Down for School Zones At Edmonton Catholic Schools the health and safety of students is always our first priority!

School zones are in effect around elementary schools throughout Edmonton. Motorists are

required by law to slow down to 30 km/h between 8:00am and 4:30pm on school days

where school zone signs are posted. Please slow down and ensure the safety of students

near elementary schools.

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September Newsletter

School pictures will be taken on Friday, September 9. Please mark your calendars! Pre-

payment envelopes with additional information on packages and prices will be sent

home once we receive them. Students must bring the pre-payment envelope with them on

Photo Day. This envelope will be given directly to the photographer.

St. Edmund Safety Patrols Our new and eager grade five/six crew of AMA safety patrollers is ready to go! Our

patrollers use the point, pause, and proceed technique. This technique models what every

pedestrian should do when crossing the street and is a much simpler procedure for school

patrollers.

The primary role of AMA School Safety Patrollers is to assist younger students to cross the

street — not to direct traffic. Patrollers will now extend their arm to indicate pedestrians

want to cross the street and will only extend their stop sign when it is safe to cross their

fellow classmates. It would be greatly appreciated if parents could assist our patrollers

by exercising extreme caution when approaching the intersections in front of the school.

Thank you for your cooperation. Let’s make this a safe and successful year for our chil-

dren!

School Pictures

Safety Drill Practices

In general, we will be practicing our fire drills in the Fall and Spring. We will practice

lockdown and shelter in place procedures in the winter months. These valuable exercises

are required so that the staff and students are aware of what the procedures are should

one of these events occur. For some of these practices, the students will be aware that

they will occur. Other practices will be surprise events. In all cases, the office will make an

announcement following the practice.

Parents at St. Edmund are encouraged to use PowerSchool to monitor their child(ren)’s

progress at school. For junior high parents, PowerSchool enables them to monitor attend-

ance on a class-by-class basis, find out what homework assignments will be, confirm that

students have submitted homework or assignments and view their child’s grades as they

exist in the teacher’s gradebook at any given time. PowerSchool also allows parents to

register to receive alert notifications, review daily comments from teachers and much

more. For elementary parents, PowerSchool allows them to sign up for alert notifications

and attendance information.

We are in the process of registering new families for PowerSchool. Parents will be noti-

fied as soon as we receive their usernames and passwords.

Note: PARENTS MUST HAVE A POWERSCHOOL ACCOUNT TO ACCESS STUDENT RE-

PORT CARDS.

PowerSchool

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September Newsletter

Normally, children who are too ill to go outside for recess are too ill to be at school. This

is particularly true in cases of severe colds, infections and headaches. With severe colds,

children are unable to function well at school. In addition, they provide a source of infec-

tion for other children and would recuperate faster if kept at home.

Once again, parents are asked to ensure their child’s teacher is made aware of any

unique medical situations.

Illness and Recess

Upon occasion, parents request that staff members administer medication to students who

are not sufficiently mature or reliable enough to care for their own needs. In order to

administer medication to a student, we require a “Request for Administration of Medica-

tion/Medical Treatment Form” be completed and on file in the office. A copy of this form

may be obtained from the school office. It is the parents’ responsibility to keep us in-

formed of medical conditions and to provide correct information regarding treatment

and emergency contact information.

Medical Alerts

PLEASE KEEP US

INFORMED OF MEDICAL

CONDITIONS AND

CORRECT INFORMATION

REGARDING TREATMENT

AND EMERGENCY

CONTACT

INFORMATION.

Page 13

Meet the Staff Evening Parents, please mark your calendars and plan to join us for our annual Meet the Staff

Evening on Wednesday, September 14 at 7:00 pm. This event will not only give you a

chance to meet our staff and your child(ren)’s teachers , you will also learn about our pro-

grams, activities and goals for the upcoming school year.

Students, parents and teachers can find a variety of resources in the Alberta Govern-

ment’s online Back to School Toolkit to help with preparing for the new school year:

http://education.alberta.ca/resources/backtoschool.aspx

The Toolkit provides an overview of what’s new in Alberta’s Kindergarten to Grade 12

education system and provides many helpful tips for parents. In addition, My Child’s

Learning provided by Alberta Education, give parents an in-depth look at the subjects

and programs available from kindergarten to senior high school. Click on the “Customize

My Printout” button to access information about Catholic education.

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mychildslearning/customize.html

Back to School Resources/Curriculum Info for Parents

School Opening Celebrations St. Edmund School will mark the beginning of the school year with our school opening cel-

ebrations on Thursday, September 8. Celebrations will take place in the small gym for

elementary and the large gym for junior high. Celebrations will begin at 8:30 AM. Par-

ents are more than welcome to join us for our religious celebrations.

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September Newsletter

St. Edmund School will continue the policy of a closed campus for students at noontime.

We are concerned with the safety of our students during the school day and it is difficult

to properly supervise them if they leave the school grounds. As well, the allotted time for

students between morning and afternoon classes is short and unless your son or daughter

lives very close to the school, he or she would not have time to get home and return to

school for afternoon classes. A few reminders for parents:

1. For those who live within easy walking distance of the school, permission for your

son/daughter to go home at lunch must be in writing and on file in the school office.

2. Please do not send notes giving your child(ren) permission to leave the school grounds

to go to the nearby shopping centers or to another student’s home at lunch time. They

will not be honored.

3. Parents who wish to take their children out for lunch must come to the school office

and sign their children out.

There will be a variety of activities for students to take part in over the noon hour once

the cold weather sets in.

Closed Campus

This year, St. Edmund will be using Healthy Hunger as our hot lunch organizing service.

Hot lunches are offered for students on Tuesdays and Fridays. Our hot lunch providers

include Mr. Sub, Booster Juice, Press’d, Panago, Mucho Burrito, Boston Pizza and others.

Because our vendors require advance notice, lunch orders must be placed in advance.

There are three order cycles in the school year. The first order cycle will run from mid-

September until the end of November; the second from December until mid-March; and

the third from mid-March until June. Healthy Hunger allows a great deal of flexibility for

parents in terms of ordering and paying for meals, since it gives parents the ability to change

or delete orders up to five days before the lunch date. Parents are also able to order for chil-

dren in different schools from the same account, as long as both schools use the Healthy Hunger

service. Payments for hot lunches through Healthy Hunger are made online only. The school does

not collect money for lunches.

To create an online account and to view an informative video about the service, please visit the

Healthy Hunger website.

Hot Lunch Program

St. Edmund has a video surveillance system. This system enables us to more easily monitor

activity at entrances, in hallways and on the school grounds in our efforts to ensure that

students are safe at all times.

Video Surveillance at St. Edmund

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Page 15

September Newsletter

Order Cycle 1 will open on September 16. Please remember that changes to orders,

including cancellations, cannot be made once the five day cut off has passed for a par-

ticular lunch date has passes. If a student is absent or ill on hot lunch day, parents may

call the school to make arrangements for pick-up if they wish. Otherwise, the lunch will

be donated to someone else.

For parents who do not have access to a computer, we have a computer in our school

office that is set aside for parent use. Please feel free to drop by the school to use this

computer at any time.

Parents with questions or concerns about the hot lunch program are asked to contact Mrs.

DeBenedetto at the school at 780-453-1596.

Please let us know what your feelings are with regard to our hot lunch program!

Elementary Boomerang Lunch

Do you know what your child is really eating for lunch? The amount of food waste generat-

ed over one lunch hour at school is truly staggering! Children often throw items that they do

not like away. As well, organic waste, such as apple cores and banana peels, can attract

stinging insects, which can pose a danger to children. At St. Edmund, we feel it is important

that parents of elementary students be aware of what their children are actually eating at

lunch time and we would like to reduce waste in our school. In an effort to cut down on

food waste, we will be asking students to pack uneaten food items, recyclables and waste

back in their lunch boxes to be disposed of at home. To facilitate this, students are asked to

pack their lunches in sealed containers so uneaten food can be sent home in the same con-

tainer. This not only reduces waste at school, it also helps us in that we have no place to

rinse or store recyclable containers. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding!

Students are asked NOT to bring microwaveable items to school since students do not have

access to microwave ovens at lunch time. Thank you!

School Policies School policies at St. Edmund are revised each school year. Revised policies were dis-

cussed and approved by our School Council and have been printed in our student hand-

books. They are also posted to our school website:

https://www.ecsd.net/schools/8215/School-Information/policies/Pages/default.aspx.

Please take some time to review and familiarize yourselves with our school policies.

School Website A great deal of information is posted to our school website. Please check the website fre-

quently for updates with regard to school events and for information about our programs

and Sports Academies. Note: the website is optimized for Google Chrome. If you use oth-

er browsers, you may not be able to access all pages.

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September Newsletter

We have a number of students with life-threatening allergies to peanuts and nut products

at our school. In some cases, these allergies are so severe that just a trace of or even the

smell of peanuts or nut products can send the child into anaphylactic shock. If this happens,

the child’s throat tightens and swells and he or she may stop breathing. This type of severe

allergic reaction can be fatal. The following website has a great deal of helpful infor-

mation regarding anaphylaxis: http://www.anaphylaxis.org.

We strive to keep each of our students safe during the school day. Even though your child

may not be in the same class as one of our severely allergic children, there is still the possi-

bility of cross-contamination. If, for example, a child has a peanut butter sandwich for

lunch, then uses the computers after lunch, he or she might unknowingly leave trace amounts

of peanut butter on the keyboard. If a severely allergic child used the keyboard during the

next class, he or she could have a severe allergic reaction. Although we cannot absolutely

guarantee that students will not come into contact with nut products, we do wish to limit the

chances of such an occurrence. Please help us by checking the labels, packages and ingre-

dients of all foods your children bring to school. Please don’t let your child bring any foods

to school that contain even a trace amount of peanuts or nuts.

We truly appreciate your cooperation and help in this important matter.

Peanut & Nut Allergies

IN SOME CASES,

THESE ALLERGIES

ARE SO SEVERE

THAT JUST A

TRACE OF OR

EVEN THE SMELL

OF PEANUTS OR

NUT PRODUCTS

CAN SEND THE

CHILD INTO

ANAPHYLACTIC

SHOCK.

Synervoice Communications Synervoice is the email messaging system used by the school to communicate late-

breaking news to parents in a timely fashion. This format ensures that parents will actually

receive our news, since paper communications sometimes get lost between home and

school. The school district also uses Synervoice to communicate important information on an

occasional basis. We do strive to keep email communications to a minimum.

In July 2014, the Canadian government passed anti-spam legislation which requires us to

gather your consent to use email as an option for communicating school or district infor-

mation. We would like to be able to keep you informed and up-to-date on the latest

school and school board information, events and announcements through the Synervoice

system. Occasionally these communications may include information about offers, adver-

tisements or promotions related to school activities such as yearbooks, fieldtrips, lunch pro-

grams, photos, or similar related school activities. Without your consent we may be una-

ble to send you these types of communications electronically.

The school district has sent messages regarding subscription to Synervoice. We ask our

families to please consider having at least one parent subscribe to Synervoice. Thank you!

If you choose to unsubscribe from these types of messages, you will continue to receive

school-related non-commercial messages such as attendance messages and emergency

messages.

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Page 17

September Newsletter

Visitors and Volunteers

For the safety of all of our students, the doors to the school remain locked during the

school day. In keeping with our district Occupational Health and Safety requirements, all

visitors and volunteers must report to the office, review the safety guidelines for the

school, sign in, and receive a visitor’s badge. Everyone must sign out in the office as well.

St. Edmund, like all schools in ECSD, complies with our district-wide volunteer policy.

Some of the key points in the policy include:

1. All volunteers shall be required to complete a “Volunteer Registration Form” annual-

ly and prior to commencing any volunteer activities in the school.

2. All volunteers who are to be assisting with school activities on any given day shall

register at the school office at the beginning of each day. School staff shall be in-

structed that a volunteer register or log shall be kept and made available to the

school principal at all times. The volunteer register shall contain legible names of the

volunteers and their expected location or classroom assignment during the course of

their duties during the day.

3. While engaged in volunteer activities, all volunteers shall wear appropriate identifi-

cation.

In keeping with district policy, we will be asking all parents who have not yet done so to

complete the volunteer registration form. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

Note: any parents or community members who are supervising children in situations

where a staff member is not present, such as coaching a sports team, must have a crimi-

nal record check and a child welfare check on file with the school.

Information Regarding School Emergencies In the Edmonton Catholic School District, the safety of our students is always our first prior-

ity and students are well supervised when they are on school property. When situations

occur that warrant emergency procedures to ensure the safety of all students, we will pro-

vide parents with accurate and up to date information. One way to keep parents in-

formed about an emergency and the safety procedures that have been put into place is

by posting the information on the school web site. Information will be posted and updat-

ed as required when a school is experiencing an emergency.

If there is an emergency situation at the school where your child(ren) attend, check the

school website to stay informed and receive timely information. We also need to keep

phone lines available at the school during an emergency, so we ask that you do not call

the school. This will enable staff at the school to keep in touch with emergency providers

and District personnel.

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September Newsletter

Report card dates and student-led conferences for this school year are scheduled for:

First Report Card: November 25, 2016

Student Led Conferences: November 30, 2016

Second Report Card: March 10, 2017

Student Led Conferences: March 15, 2017

Third Report Card: June 29, 2017

If you wish to discuss your child’s progress or marks, please feel free to call or email the

school at anytime. Parents of junior high students may access their child’s grades at any-

time using PowerSchool. Marks will be available on PowerSchool in October.

Report Card and Conference Dates IF YOU WISH TO

DISCUSS YOUR

CHILD’S

PROGRESS OR

MARKS, PLEASE

FEEL FREE TO CALL

OR EMAIL THE

SCHOOL AT

ANYTIME.

Report cards are available online to parents/guardians via the PowerSchool parent por-

tal. Parents will be provided with their own PowerSchool passcode (for each child) which

will allow them to view the report card online through the PowerSchool parent portal.

PowerSchool will not only give parents access to their child’s report card, but also access

to other school and classroom information. PowerSchool passcodes for those parents who

have not yet created a PowerSchool account will be sent home later this month, so please

watch for them in your child’s Agenda.

Parents/guardians who do not have internet access and would like to receive a paper

copy of their child’s report card are asked to send a written request to the school office.

Parents are also welcome to use the computer in our school office at any time for school-

related use such as placing hot lunch orders, online payments, or viewing PowerSchool

information.

eReport Cards for 2016-2017

Soccer Season Begins Soccer tryouts will be underway right away. Our soccer season begins in the fall for a

number of reasons, the most important of which are rain and poor field conditions in the

Spring which could result in games having to be rescheduled and a possible shortened

season. Students are welcome to come out and tryout for either the boys or girls’ soccer

teams. In early September, students need to pay close attention to announcements for

exact times and dates.

Congratulations Stephanie Labbe & Women’s Olympic Soccer Team! Congratulations to Stephanie Labbe and the Canadian Women’s Olympic Soccer Team

on winning the bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Rio. Ms. Labbe spent over a

month working with students in our Soccer Academy last fall. We are thrilled that she and

her teammates did so well at the Olympics!!

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September Newsletter

School Council Meeting

Parents who would like to be more involved in their child’s education and in the decision-

making process at the school are invited to join the School Advisory Council. New mem-

bers are always welcome! The first school council meeting of the year, which is also our

Annual General Meeting, will be held on Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 PM in our

staff room. Subsequent meeting dates will be determined by the SAC at the first meeting.

Typically, the School Council meets every other month, with meetings in September, No-

vember, January, March, and May.

The School Council is a collective association of parents, teachers, principal, staff and

community representative(s) whose purpose is to advise the principal and the board re-

specting matters relating to the school. It is a means for parents and community members

to work together with the school to support and enhance student learning.

The primary role of school council members is to work together with school personnel to

create a strong learning environment, within the context of our Catholic identity, for all

students enrolled in the school. School council members typically advise the principal on areas

such as school planning, budgeting, school fees, communications, community relations, program-

ming, and the school plan for continuous growth.

Parents are encouraged to become involved in their School Council.

Fentanyl: A Deadly Drug that is Stronger than Heroin Fentanyl is a highly powerful medicine made from opioids (chemicals used to treat sudden

and ongoing pain). It’s up to 100 times stronger than other opioids like morphine, heroin,

or oxycodone and has been linked to at least 145 deaths in Alberta since January 2015.

Drug dealers often sell fentanyl but say it is oxycodone. Buyers may think they are buying

oxycodone, but they are getting another opioid drug that has Fentanyl and other sub-

stances in it. Police warn that a dose the size of two grains of salt can be deadly, and

no amount of the drug is safe.

Here are some resources to help educate you on Fentanyl:

Alberta Health Services - Health Information – Fentanyl

( https://www.ecsd.net/News/Documents/hi-padis-fentanyl-faq.pdf )

Alberta Health Services – Fentanyl Information and Resources ( http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/11357.asp ) Ontario Provincial Police - Officer Safety Alert – Fentanyl ( https://www.ecsd.net/News/Documents/Fentanyl%20Bulletin%20UPDATE%20FINAL%20CPAT%20135-15_1.pdf ) If you have additional questions about the drug Fentanyl, please call the Poison and Drug

Information Service at 1 800 332-1414.

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IB News September 2016

Mission Statement from the IB The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. To this end the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right. For more information about the PYP and MYP programmes please visit their website at www.IBO.org

Developing the International Student

The cornerstone of the IB programme is the Learner Profile. These are the ten most important attributes of an international person. We seek to challenge ourselves to answer the question: What kind of person do we want our students to be? The aim of the PYP and MYP is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. At St. Edmund we want the students to learn to become inquirers, thinkers, communicators, risk-takers, knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and reflective. In all areas of the school, the teachers and staff model these attributes. Learning experiences are created so that the students are able to develop these characteristics. Wherever we are in the world and whatever we are learning, the characteristics of the learner profile define us as the international person according to the IBO. Developing the Learner Profile Attribute - Risk-taker Over the course of school year, our school will focus on one attribute of the learner profile each month. This month we will promote the attitudes and ideas connected to being a risk-taker. As risk-takers we approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change. Here are some resources posted below for our students to explore these attributes at home.

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Kindergarten through Grade 3 http://vimeo.com/36120812 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTu6c9yAssY Grades 3 – 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEDT8mCOfM4 http://storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-change/ Grades 6 – 9 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2tOp7OxyQ8 Self-Study Beginning this September, St. Edmund will begin an evaluation process where we, as a community, will assess ourselves against the standards and practices set forth by The International Baccalaureate Organization. What is the self-study?

The self- study is process put forth by the IB which involves the whole school assessing the delivery of the PYP and MYP programmes. The self-study is based on the following practices and standards of the IB PYP Programme:

Section A:Philosophy Section B: Organization Section C: Curriculum

Each section has a set of criteria which are measured both by the school and the IB. The self-study should reflect the results of discussions and reflections of documented evidence gathered in the process. Once we have completed the self-study and submitted the findings, it is reviewed by a team of evaluators who complete a report and are then sent to our site for an evaluation visit. This will occur in the fall of 2017. As always we welcome questions about the IB Programme in our school. Laura Manucci is the co-ordinator for the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Lyndsy Panizzon is co-ordinator for the Middle Years Programme (MYP). They can both be reached at (780) 453-1596.

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“All Things Friendly” by Gerald Bara. B.ED / R.S.W. Emotional Behavior Specialist. St. Edmund School.

Getting Great Relationships Back on Track “At core, every choice is a choice between love and fear. Choose love.” Adapted from Dr. Laura Markham. www.ahaparenting.com

Even though it doesn’t feel like it at times, there is always a way to make even a difficult interaction with our child into a win / win situation. Simple, yet really hard at times because we have to step up and be willing to do ‘the work’ to choose love when we feel sad or mad and our thoughts are very negative.

1. Start by being willing to offer compassion (kindness, mercy) to yourself. Doing this will help process and shift you out of your own internal state of emergency.

2. Remind yourself that every relationship has two people, whose needs will sometimes conflict. As parents we are called to model for children that we can help ourselves out of conflicts in ways that bring us closer. This awareness helps us shift into a willingness to be emotionally giving and kind, even when we can’t give our child what they want.

3. Then you connect with your child. You might be setting a limit (“I can’t do that now.”) AND you are offering love and understanding instead of frustration or intolerance. Often, feeling understood and loved is enough for a child to accept a situation, even when they don’t like it.

4 Core Skills of Shifting Our Feelings and Thoughts to More Loving Places 1. Breathe into where it is closing. (Your chest, throat, stomach, shoulders) 2. Imagine a Loving person or Image. (You are hugging your family. God is holding you). 3. ADD better-feeling thoughts. (“Even if I feel bad I am still good, loved, smart, getting

better, can let it go). 4. Let the stress go from your body by using exercise, movement and / or tapping.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Check out the Dr. Laura Markham website at www.ahaparenting.com for other supportive parenting strategies for 100 voices to grade 9 students. There is a free newsletter you can subscribe to.

* Check out the Edmonton Public Library website. (www.Epl.ca). Click on “Digital Content” then “Databases” then “Health and Wellness” then “Family Behavior Toolbox”. (This toolbox is from Alberta Health Services).

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August - September 2016

Welcome to the 2016-2017 School Year! Our theme for this year is We are Called…To Be Leaders of Hope and Mercy. The scripture which we have chosen to guide us this year provides us with a truly beautiful image for Catholic education. It speaks to us of nurturing our students so that they become leaders of hope and mercy who show compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. At the most fundamental level, they are learning how to clothe themselves in Christ to create a world of great hope.

Christ is the focal point of all that we are and all that we do in Catholic education. On August 30, our staff gathered together as a community of Christ to renew their commitment to Catholic education and to celebrate the Eucharist together. This uplifting celebration is such a wonderful way for each of us to celebrate our vocation and our role in fulfilling our District’s mission to provide a Catholic education that inspires students to learn and that prepares them to live fully and to serve God in one another.

Our ongoing commitment to providing the best possible educational opportunities to our students and their families is reflected in the six goals that we have established in our District Plan for Continuous Growth (2016-2019). I invite you to visit our website at https://www.ecsd.net/AboutUs/annual_reports/Pages/District-Plan-for-Continuous-Growth.aspx to look more deeply at the richness of each of these goals and the promise that this plan holds for your children.

Goal One Live the Distinctiveness of Catholic Education Goal Two Every Student is Successful Goal Three The Edmonton Catholic School District is Inclusive Goal Four Quality Teaching and School Leadership Goal Five Engaged and Effective Governance Goal Six First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Students are Successful

This is such an exciting year for Edmonton Catholic Schools. As we continue together on our mission to provide a Catholic education that inspires students to learn and that prepares them to live fully and to serve God in one another, we are welcoming two new schools and a new educational partnership into our Edmonton Catholic Schools family. St. John XXIII and St. Brendan Catholic Elementary/Junior High Schools are opening this fall, and we welcome Kitaskinaw Educational Authority from the Enoch Cree Nation into partnership with us. We are truly blessed to be able to serve these communities!

Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, is a shining example of what it means to be a leader of hope and mercy. I would like to share one of his many inspiring, hope-filled tweets with you as you begin the exciting journey of a new school year. “God is inviting you to dream: He wants to show you that you can make the world a different place.” (July 30, 2016) This is the essence of Catholic education, empowering our children to make the world a better place!

I wish everyone an amazing year of growth and discovery as members of our Edmonton Catholic Schools family!

Sincerely,

Joan Carr Superintendent

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August - September 2016 Dear Friends, Welcome to a new faith filled school year. The theme for our new school year, “We are called…to be leaders of Hope and Mercy” continues to focus our attention on the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy which has as its central message God’s forgiveness. Each of our schools designated a Jubilee Door of Mercy, modelled on the official Doors of Mercy opened by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, last December. As you walk through the Holy Door at your school may you be reminded that our God is a God of Hope and Mercy. May we continue to be instruments of His hope and mercy in our schools and communities. May God continue to bless each of you this school year. Sincerely Yours in Christ, Richard W. Smith Archbishop of Edmonton

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Public Health

#300, 10216 – 124 Street, Edmonton, AB T5N 4A3 www.albertahealthservices.ca

August 30, 2016 Dear Sir or Madam: Health and Education have a long history of working together to ensure that children in Alberta are healthy and protected from vaccine preventable diseases. Immunization saves lives, prevents complications and is the most cost effective disease prevention program in health care. Alberta Health has requested that Public Health in Edmonton Zone review the immunization records of all grade 1, 5 and 9 students; this change will further improve vaccine coverage rates, thus protecting Alberta students from vaccine preventable diseases. Our continued partnership between Education and Health is essential for our success. The changes to the school based immunization program will be phased in over the next two years. Going forward it will include: Grade 1: Review immunization records of all grade 1 students, and offer relevant

vaccines to all children who are not up to date according to Alberta Health recommendations. This is unchanged from previous years.

Grade 5: Offer Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines for girls and boys (each consists of a series of 3 doses of vaccine spaced over at least 6 months). New for 2016/17 school year: Review all students’ immunization records and offer relevant vaccines to children who are not up to date according to Alberta Health recommendations

Grade 9: Offer Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (combined) vaccine, Meningococcal vaccine and HPV vaccine (consists of a 3 dose series spaced over at least 6 months, for students who have not yet received). Starting 2017/18 school year: Review all students’ immunization records and offer relevant vaccines to children who are not up to date according to Alberta recommendations

We request your support to communicate the school immunization program changes to principals and school staff, and to highlight some of the possible impacts your school may experience: Offering additional immunizations may increase the amount of time our nurses will

require in the schools to deliver the program in a safe and effective manner. Our immunization program will have to start earlier in the school year; this will ensure

our students are protected earlier, and minimize the scheduling of the program during December and June, which are both busy times for schools.

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For an efficient and safe immunization program, School Health Teams will require current class list information. In September we will ask for your support in ensuring we have the most up to date client names and contact information.

Public Health Nurses are experts on vaccines and the diseases they prevent. They are also a key contact on health matters for schools and parents of students. Working in partnership with the Edmonton Zone schools, our Public Health Nurses will continue to do their utmost to meet the needs of the individual schools, while delivering the expanded immunization program in a safe, effective and efficient manner. In addition to arming children against disease, immunizations are also important for adults. Adults need booster doses of certain vaccines throughout their lifetime, and may also need additional vaccines if they have specific health conditions, risks or are travelling out of country. We encourage all adult Albertans discuss their individual immunization needs with local Public Health. Vaccines not only protect individuals – they also protect our communities against disease. As more people are immunized, the risk of disease for everyone is reduced. For school staff to learn more information about immunity, immunization, and how to protect themselves and their family, visit www.immunizealberta.ca or call Health Link at 811. The routine immunization programs offered by Public Health through schools have continued to expand over the years to provide better and broader protection to Alberta students. Our continued partnership is essential for our success. Thank you for your support in helping us to deliver the best school-based immunization program possible. Please contact me if you have any questions. Sincerely,

Connie Berg Chabaniuk, RN, BScN, MA Program Manager, Child & Youth Health Public Health, Edmonton Zone (office) 780 735-3023 cc. Chrystal Ference, RN, BN, MN Director, Public Health Programs, Edmonton Zone Dr. Christopher Sikora, MD, MPH, Msc CCFP FRCP(C) Medical Officer of Health, Edmonton Zone

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om

August 2016 Dear School Parents, Staff and Volunteers: PROTECTION AGAINST MEASLES - IMMUNIZATION REMINDER FOR SCHOOL PARENTS, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS Measles is an illness that can sometimes cause severe health problems, and occasionally death. It can be prevented by measles immunization. A school exposure occurs when a person with measles is present at a school. Persons who attend, work or volunteer at that school are at risk of getting measles. When there is a school measles exposure: 1. Public Health will check all students, staff and volunteers for protection against measles. 2. Students, staff and volunteers who do not have protection against measles may be

excluded, meaning they are not allowed to attend, work or volunteer at school, until the risk for infection is over.

Two doses of measles vaccine given before a school measles exposure provides protection against measles and avoids possible exclusion. Please ensure your local Public Health Centre has a record of immunizations which may have been given previously in different locations in Alberta, Canada, or other countries, translated if necessary. To receive measles vaccine or check immunization records, please contact an Alberta Health Services Public Health Centre. For more information on measles immunization, please go to immunizealberta.ca. For more information on measles, protection, vaccine schedule, exclusion, and Public Health Centres, please see other side. Thank you for your attention and help in this important matter. Sincerely, Alberta Health Services Medical Officers of Health Dr. Albert de Villiers Zone Lead Medical Officer of Health North West Area

Dr. Chris Sikora Zone Lead Medical Officer of Health Edmonton Zone

Dr. Deena Hinshaw Zone Lead Medical Officer of Health Central Zone

Dr. Richard Musto Zone Lead Medical Officer of Health Calgary Zone

Dr. Vivien Suttorp Zone Lead Medical Officer of Health South Zone

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Measles: Measles is a viral illness with fever, cough, runny nose or red eyes, and a red blotchy rash. It is spread easily through the air. Symptoms usually start 8 – 12 days after exposure; it takes about 14 days for rash to appear. About one in three children with measles will suffer more severe problems, including ear infections, diarrhea, croup, pneumonia, febrile seizures and inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Persons who may have measles should contact Health Link Alberta (811). Protection Against Measles: Persons born in 1970 or later are considered protected if they have a written record of two doses of live measles-containing vaccine. The first dose must have been given on or after the first birthday, and the second one after a minimum time has passed (differs by vaccine). Persons born before 1970 are considered protected because most have been infected. Measles-Containing Vaccines: Children aged 1 year and 4-6 years of age are offered measles-containing vaccine at no charge as part of the Alberta routine childhood immunization program.

Exclusion from school due to lack of protection against measles:

• Exclusion lasts from 5 days after the first exposure up to 21 days after the last exposure. This continues for each new case. All persons attending, working or volunteering at school will be considered exposed, whether they were present when the person with measles was at school or not.

• Excluded persons must remain at home to avoid exposure of others in the community. • Persons who get measles must remain at home for four days after the start of the rash.

To find a local Public Health Centre:

• visit the Alberta Health Services website www.albertahealthservices.ca: select Find Health Care, Find Hospitals and Facilities, Facility Type, and Public Health Centres

• call Health Link Alberta (811) • consult a phone book

For information about immunization visit immunizealberta.ca

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STAY Alert

April 2015

Seven (7) Habits of Highly Effective Teens

1. BE PROACTIVE‐‐Take responsibility for your life.

2. BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND‐‐Define your mission/goals in life.

3. PUT THINGS FIRST‐‐Prioritize, and do the most important things first.

4. THINK WIN‐WIN‐‐Have an everyone‐can‐win attitude.

5. SEEK FIRST TO UNDERSTAND, THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD‐‐Listen to people sincerely.

6. SYNERGIZE—Work together to achieve more.

7. SHARPEN THE SAW—Renew yourself regularly.

These habits build upon each other. The first three deal with self‐mastery, what we call “PRIVATE VICTORY”. The next three deal with relationships and teamwork, what we call “PUBLIC VICTORY”. You have to get your personal act together before your become a good Team player. That is why “PRIVATE VICTORY” comes before “PUBLIC VICTORY”. The last habit is the habit of “RENEWAL”. It feeds the first six habits.

School Team Advisors for Youth (STAY) Junior high schools in the Edmonton Catholic School District each have ‘School Team Advisors for Youth’ (STAY) which are comprised of retired Police Officers.

The STAY role involves:

• Educating, mentoring, and empowering students. • Educating and mentoring parents on the realities their children face each day by raising parent awareness on

these issues. • Educating and mentoring staff on the realities that students face each day. Working in partnership with the

administration of the school to develop action plans for safety and health of all students.

Stay Advisors in our junior high schools make a difference in the lives of our youth by encouraging them to “STAY” in school. The STAY teams work hard to ensure our youth succeed in life.

September 2016

Page 30: September 2016 - Edmonton Catholic Schools · September 2016 . Meet Our Staff Page 2 September Newsletter Teaching Staff 100 Voices - Katrina Filice Email: Katrina.Filice@ecsd.net

September 2016 Sun  Mon  Tue  Wed  Thu  Fri  Sat 

        1 Newsle er #1 

First Day of School 

Kinder staggered 

entry. 

2 Early Learning Confer-

ence Day.  

No School for Kinder 

4  5 Labour Day.  

No School. 

6  

7  

8 School Opening 

Celebra ons 

9 School Pictures 

 

10 

11  12  13  

14 Meet the Staff 

7:00 PM 

JH Ac vity Day 

15 JH X-Country Trials 

16  

17 

18  19 Elem X- Country  Run 

20  21 SAC Mee ng 6:30 PM 

Staff Room 

22 JH Awards Evening 

7:00 PM 

 

23  24 

25  26  27  

28  29 JH X- Country Finals 

30   

11712 - 130 Avenue | Edmonton, AB | T5E 0V2

Phone: 780-453-1596 | Fax: 780-454-8013

E-mail: [email protected]

St. Edmund Elementary/Junior High School