SJPII Monday Morning Memo!
Health Protocol Guides:
AHS daily health checklist can be found here: COVID-19 Alberta Health Daily Checklist - updated September 2021
Evergreen Stay At Home Guide
Evergreen Assessment and Reporting – there are some significant alterations to the way all schools and grade levels in Evergreen will be communicating student growth and achievement this year. The PDF posted above does an excellent job of explaining the rationale for the changes. In the coming weeks, parents will be given access to PowerSchool, where you will start to see these exciting changes take shape. Please take some time to read through the very important attachment. Please do not hesitate to contact the school with any questions.
Grade 4 Bibles – this Wednesday, Fr. Paul Moret will be visiting St. John Paul II! As is tradition, our Gr. 4 students will be receiving Bibles, as each grade 4 class rotates through our Chapel to celebrate with Fr. Paul. Many thanks to Fr. Paul for his meaningful contributions to our Parish and school community. We are always, “Planting Seeds of Hope”.
Picture Day – individual student photos will be taken this week. K-Gr. 3 on Tues Oct 5 and Gr. 4-8 on Weds Oct 6. All ordering will be done online through Smart Photography at https://vando.imagequix.com/J98RA99Ordering Instructions will be provided to students directly from the photographer. You will be able to view students photos 3-6 weekdays after picture day! Say Cheese!
Sacrament Registration - the last day to registration for 1st Reconciliation and 1st Communion is on October 29th. This is for children baptized in the Catholic faith who are in grade 2, or for those that have missed these sacraments up to and including grade 5. For more information please check the parish website at www.trinitycatholic.net or call the parish office at 780-960-0135.
Seeds of Hope is a web series featuring Fr. Paul Moret, pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Spruce Grove. Fr. Paul takes a few minutes each week to introduce us to various saints we look at the lives of the saints as heroes and examples for all of us as we seek to grow, learn, and live our lives in Christ. The hope is that their example might plant seeds of hope in our own lives, that someday we, too, might become saints. In this week's video, we consider St. Francis of Assisi, considered by some to be the greatest saint in the history of the Church: https://youtu.be/lXQDhl-GqWA
Parent-Teacher Interviews – at SJPII, we had initially hoped to run in person parent teacher interviews. Since we are not able to offer that at this time, we have decided to offer parents numerous options to meet with teachers during the week of October 18-22. Before the end of this week, all parents will be receiving communication (a google form) from their child’s homeroom teacher with instructions on how to coordinate potential parent-teacher interviews. This form will be due on October 7 at 3:30. We are very proud of our consistent and meaningful relationship with our parent community and we look forward to continuing our conversations!
Targeted Intervention Program - On May 28, 2021, Premier Jason Kenney and Minister of Education Adriana LaGrange, announced a $45 million provincial investment to close the gap on pandemic learning disruption for students in grades 1-3. The COVID-19 global pandemic has created new systemic challenges that will require supports that are broader and more intensive than the ones regularly offered in schools. This new funding is intended to provide between 12 and 16 weeks of additional programming for students. All students in Grades 2-3 participated in literacy and numeracy screening assessments in September and Grade 1 students will participate in January. As such, we have identified students who can we offer these additional learning supports, beginning October 14! If your child will be part of this program, you will be contacted directly by the school.
PD Day – there is no school on Friday Oct 8, as teachers participate in professional development. This Friday, staff will be working on our Assurance Plan Goals click here and Assessment and Reporting (see above and attachment) 😊
Reporting an Absence – all parents are expected to notify Mrs. Hanlan (or Mrs. Wild) in the office if your child is absent. If you are reporting after our office hours, you can leave a voicemail (780-963-2526), or send an email [email protected] While we appreciate absences being communicated to homeroom teachers, it is our preference that this important information flow through the office. Thank you!
Toonies for Terry - this will be St. John Paull II Catholic School’s 25th year participating in the Terry Fox Run. Our school is one of the thousands of schools across Canada that is participating in a Terry Fox event this year. While we won’t be participating by running across country, we will be holding a “What’s Your 40?” challenge to celebrate the 41st Anniversary of Terry’s Marathon of Hope. All homerooms are completing a 40 challenge. This year students are asked to not make pledge pages online. Instead, any donations are made online to St John Paul II School. Donations are welcome online at http://www.terryfox.ca/StJohnPaulII We are looking forward to building school spirit and excitement by helping others. Online donations deadline is October 31. Thank you Crusaders!
Thanksgiving Food Drive – in support of our local Food Bank, SJPII is once again participating in a Food Drive, beginning Sept 28 and concluding on October 5. Students are encouraged to bring whatever they can, but the Food Bank is particularly in need of canned fruit and vegetables, peanut butter, canned mixed beans, coffee & tea.
Early Mornings – as the days continue to shorten, we’d like to offer a reminder that there have sometimes been coyotes spotted in the High Park path system very early in the mornings. We have never had any issue with this, but wanted to provide a heads up 😊
Happy Thanksgiving – while it is far too easy to get caught up in the stresses we all face in our day-to-day world, Thanksgiving provides us an opportunity to slow down and see all the blessings that have been bestowed upon us. There is so much to be thankful for! We wish each SJPII family a restful, safe, and blessed Thanksgiving.
SHAWN MURDOCH
Principal
"Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence".
St. John Paul II
