PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Page 1

Page 1

ÉCOLE ST. MARY

November 1, 2014

Administrators’ Message

Two months of school have passed and we still have sunshine! How

lucky we have been! November will be a very busy month but before I

get into all of the details, I think it is important to look back on the

fabulous month of October.

Thank you to our staff for the many events that took place to celebrate

Education Week. Every day there was something special happening for

our students. Literacy is very important at École St. Mary and we

continue to see our students fall in love with reading. Take the

opportunity to enjoy reading with your children at home!

With November comes our first formal report period (report cards

November 25th) and Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences (November

26th & November 27th). Please make it a point to come in and speak

with your son/daughters teacher(s). The St. Mary staff has been

working very hard with your children. We care very much about our

students and want to provide them with the best education possible.

Parent communication is an essential piece of the puzzle. Without your

support, it is very difficult to achieve our goals with your children. If

you are unable to attend during scheduled interviews, please make

arrangements at other times with the teacher(s) involved. Thank you

to all the staff and parents who have kept the lines of communication

open throughout the first two months.

Please remember to continue visiting our school and that if you have

any questions or concerns, we are here to help and to provide support

to our families.

Have an amazing November!

School Photos Retakes

Thursday November 6th

Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences Scheduled for November Last year, students within Regina Catholic Schools were encouraged to attend the Parent-Student-

Teacher Conferences. In our on-going efforts to engage students in the learning process and take

ownership for their learning, students will be provided with the opportunity once again to be

involved in the conference by being a participant.

During the conferences, students, parent and teachers each have a role to play in discussing the

student’s learning. Students will be able to contribute to the conference, by sharing their goals,

work samples and discussing their accomplishments with plans as to how they will set new learning

goals. Parents, will find out about their child’s learning and have the opportunity to question and

express their ideas and help make plans to support their child’s learning at home. Teachers will

help to facilitate the conversations while also supporting the learners and the parents by clarifying,

elaborating and responding to specific questions and concerns.

Research shows that when students are involved in this reporting process by talking about what they have learned and what they still need to work on – achievement improves. Students also feel

supported and are more motivated when they can share their learning with an audience such as their parents and teacher who show a genuine interest in their learning. We look forward to the

involvement of all our learning partners in the upcoming conferences scheduled for November.

Regina Catholic Schools Band Parents Association

Hello Band Parents and Students, Band is well underway for 2014/2015 and we are very excited for another year of wonderful Band music performed by all our Students. If you are new to the Band program...WELCOME! Just a reminder, Band Fees are due November 1st, 2014. If you did not receive the information sheets (they were on buff and purple coloured paper), contact your Band Director. You may also pay online at https://sites.google.com/a/rcsbpa.ca/registration/ (Do not search for this, type it directly into the URL) We want to extend an invitation to all Band Parents to come and join the Board of Regina Catholic Schools Band Parents Association (RCSBPA). We are incredibly short of parents on our Board. Our Band Program has approximately 1200 students and needs to be better represented by you, the parents. Come and find out how we spend your band fees and just what things are happening in the school year. See for yourself how the partnership between the Regina Catholic Schools and the RCSBPA works. We usually meet every second Tuesday of the Month. Our next meeting is November 18th (because of Remembrance Day), 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at Miller High School. Even if you can’t make every meeting, your participation is greatly needed. We are also very excited to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Band Days in April 2015! This will be a wonderful event culminated by our Grand Concert at the Conexus Arts Centre. If you would like to be involved in planning this, or participating in the Alumni Band performing at the event, please contact myself, Julie Atter at j.atter@rcsd.ca, or visit the Alumni Band Facebook page at Regina Catholic Schools 40th Anniversary Alumni Concert Band. If you would like further information, my contact information is below. Have a wonderful school year! Vickie Krauss President RCSBPA kraussd@accesscomm.ca

We are pleased to be using the Conference Manager to schedule Parent-Teacher Interviews using the Internet. The link for the Conference Manager is: https://stmary-rcs.schoolsoft.ca A Parent Account is required to use the Conference Manager. However, you only need to go through the registration process the first time you use the system. If you have never registered in the Conference Manager use the link above and click the “Register Now” button. Can’t remember your password? If you already have a Parent Account, click on the link above, select “Forgot your password” and enter the email address you used to register in the system. You will then receive an email containing instructions for resetting your password. If you do not receive an email, you might have entered an email address the system does not recognize. Please also add appointments@schoolsoft.ca to your address book in your computer mail. This will over ride any spam filters that might be blocking the email. If the problem persists, please contact the office and ask them to access your Parent Account, confirm your email address and reset your password. Step 1 - Conference Manager Opens to Parents – November 17, 2014 at 6:00 am If you used the Conference Manager in the past, your email and password are still in the system. You can simply access the Conference Manager using the link above. Step 2 – Book your Parent-Teacher interviews Select the teachers with whom you want to book interviews. You will see each teacher’s schedule. After booking your appointments you can print off your schedule. You will also receive an email confirming your bookings. You can log into the system at any time to view your bookings, print, cancel or re-schedule appointments. If you do not have Internet access, you are welcome to contact the office and we will schedule your conferences on your behalf. Important Dates: Registration – available immediately if you are not registered Monday, November 17, 2014 – Start scheduling your interviews at 6:00 am Wednesday, November 26, 2014 – Conference Manager closes at 12:00pm Wednesday, November 26, 2014 – Parent Teacher Interviews 4:00pm–8:00pm Thursday, November 27, 2014 – Parent Teacher Interviews 4:00pm—8:00 pm If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact the school.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=teacher+student+parent+free+images&biw=1680&bih=925&tbm

On Friday, November 7, École St. Mary staff, students,

families and special guests will hold a Remembrance Day Ceremony in

the gym starting at 11:00. Parents and families are most welcome to

join us for this special ceremony of remembrance. Mme Mitchell’s

grade 1 class and M. Duguay’s grade 6 class will lead the

ceremony. Furthermore, we have the honor to welcome Donna

Kadash. She will speak about her nephew, James Hayward Arnal,

who was the 88th soldier killed in Afghanistan while serving in the

Armed Forces for Canada. Her message is always very touching,

emotional and it really makes everybody think about the meaning of

Remembrance Day…remembering the heroes of the past and of the

present. We will also welcome John Llambias who will play the

bagpipes for our special ceremony. Girl Guides, Scouts and Air Cadets

are encouraged to wear their uniform. We truly hope that everybody

will take the time to remember the many soldiers who died for our

freedom as well as the soldiers who are currently serving our country.

Lest we forget

In Flanders fields the poppies blow...

Come

to our

Book Fair

The first week in November marks our first Scholastic Book Fair of the year! The

students will be filling in their Wish Lists on Monday, November 3rd and Tuesday,

November 4th during the day. Purchasing will be available Wednesday, November

5th and Thursday, November 6th during the day as well as Thursday, November 6th

after school from 3:35 – 5:30 pm. Please check with your child’s classroom teacher

for exact times that your child’s class will be attending the book fair. Credit and

debit will be available. Cheques will be accepted – they must be made out to École

St. Mary. All proceeds from the book fair go towards the purchase of new books for

the school library. The library will be closed for regular circulation during the week.

CSCC News

https://www.google.ca/search?q=movie+reel+free+images&biw=1680

Message from Colin Wensley Chair Happy November everyone! This is just a short message to encourage parents to reach out to the school and the CSCC however you can. For those that might not know, ‘CSCC’ is another way of saying ‘Home and School’. When my kids started kindergarten at St. Mary 3 years ago, I decided to come out to a monthly CSCC meeting. I’m glad I did as it has provided me an opportunity to give back to my community in service. It’s also provided a window into the education of my kids and best of all allowed me to meet some great parents and staff. I want to commend the volunteers that have gone before me and I want to let you know that you can help make a difference. When I agreed to take on this role, my number one priority was to get more parent involvement in various activities through developing a welcoming and open CSCC. I am happy to say that some really amazing people have joined the CSCC over the last couple of years and that gives me encouragement. I know there are more of you out there, so please come out to a meeting, volunteer for a fundraiser, or give me a call and we can go for coffee to discuss CSCC activities and initiatives. At the end of the day, I truly believe you get what you give and how much better can you get than putting smiles on the faces of the kids you love. Bottle & Can Drive - Thank YOU! The bottle and can drive was held on the afternoon of Sunday, October 26th and it was a great success!

Over $2700 was raised towards a new playground at St. Mary. A huge thank you to the school

administration for their support, the donors that gave, and finally the kids and parent volunteers

that made this happen. This amount was raised by approximately 12 St. Mary families. Imagine what we

could do if all 250 families helped! We’d have a new playground almost immediately. A very special

'Thank You' is extended to Shauntel Lemon and family who allowed us to use her garage and home as our

collection depot.

Halloween Movie Night Have your little ghouls all dressed up and come out for some fun! Movie: Ghostbusters! It's the 30th anniversary of this classic. Date: Saturday, November 1 Doors Open: 6:30pm Movie Starts: 7:30pm Cost: $5 per family with CSCC membership, $10 regular CSCC memberships will be available at $10 per family. Canteen will be open with popcorn and water. Don't forget pillows and blankets!

St. Mary Sentinels Spirit Wear The CSCC will be sizing and taking orders for St. Mary Sentinels spirit wear in early November. Show your pride!

Cookie Dough Fundraiser Don't forget, November 5th is the last day to get your cookie dough orders in quick! You are welcome to go online to place your orders and/or see the great selection of food and all kinds of other wonderful items. You can register at www.shopdfscanada.com and the 4-digit code for our school is 2453. There are extra books and order forms at the school if you require them.

Croire C’est Pouvoir!”

We’re on the Web!

www.rcsd.ca

140 McIntosh Street North

Regina, Saskatchewan

S4R 4Z9

Phone: 306-791-7365

Fax: 306-791-3599

Email: b.lefebvre@rcsd.ca

ÉCOLE ST. MARY

Thank you to parents/guardians for contacting the office before 9:00

a.m. to advise of your child’s absence. Contacting the

office prior to 9:00 a.m. helps to ensure that attendance

information is entered in a timely manner and that all

students are accounted for. The same rule applies to the

afternoon—please call before 12:30 to report your child’s

afternoon absence.

Student Attendance

Lost and Found

Please have your child check for any missing items in the Lost and Found bins. Parents may also check the bins during parent-teacher interviews at the end of November.

Office News

We have a new part time Office Manager at École St. Mary. Mme

Nicole Rueve replaced Cynthia Mack in September. If you are emailing

Mme Lefebvre about absences etc. please cc Mme Rueve on the emails

as well.

Monthly Meetings The CSCC Exec meets once per month, the first Tuesday at 7pm at St. Mary Library (next meeting November

4th). All parents welcome! Come be part of your kids community!

The CSCC Playground Committee meets once per month, the last Tuesday of every month. Come help

us give our kids a new playground!

Facebook Like us on Facebook at Ecole St. Mary (community). We will be using this as one way of communicating

with parents for upcoming events. https://www.facebook.com/pages/%C3%89cole-St-

Mary/275170212691567?ref=br_tf

We will always remember...

https://www.google.ca/search?q=remembrance+day+free+images&biw=1680&bih=925&tbm=isch&tbo=u&s

ource=univ&sa=X&ei=rFRRVIi8KojCsATbp4GwCQ&ved=0CDkQsAQ#tbm=isch&q=patrice+vincent+free

+imag-

https://www.google.ca/search?q=remembrance+day+free+images&biw=1680&bih=925&tbm

=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=rFRRVIi8KojCsATbp4GwCQ&ved=0CDkQsAQ#tb

On October 31st, after lunch students will put on their costumes and there will be a parade from 1:30 to 2:00. Students will change out of their costumes just before the afternoon recess bell. Student costumes must be appropriate for school. This means that anything depicting violence or blood and gore will not be accepted. Costumes that violate the school dress code will not be accepted. Parents are welcome to attend the parade. We have students with severe allergies to various foods in the school. Please remind your son/daughter they should only be eating their own food and not each other’s food. Also, we strongly encourage parents to refrain from sending Halloween candy to school. Snacks and lunches should be nutritious and part of a well-balanced diet. IF you are sending a treat, we encourage you to one item on a Friday afternoon rather than daily. Sugar does not help concentration nor attention and we want our students to have the best fuel to support their learning! Thank you for supporting your son/daughter’s education by ensuring they are eating well.

Changing Weather and Clothing needs

As our days are getting shorter and temperatures becoming cooler, it is

important for our students to be prepared. Along with recesses, teachers may

take students outdoors during class time. It is therefore imperative that your

child(ren) bring warm clothing and footwear so they are comfortable for these

outdoor activities.

Access to School

A reminder to parents that there are no supervisors in our school for students prior

to 8:45 am. Only students that are being tutored at 8:00 am are permitted in the

building. Other arrangements must be made for students who need childcare prior

to 8:45 am. such as the YMCA Before & After Program. We thank you for

respecting this policy as it ensures the safety of all our École St. Mary students.

Halloween Candy and more…

8:45 a.m. Milk Cards

20 count milk cards are $18.00 OR $1.00 per milk Gatorade $2.00 for Grades 4-8 students See the office to get your Milk card—payment by cash or cheque—made out to St. Mary School.

https://www.google.ca/search?q=halloween+free+images&biw=1680&bih=925&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa

Safety and Emergency Measures: Cancellation of First Student

and Para Transit Buses

Dear Parents:

Our transportation provider, First Student Canada, has implemented new procedures for

operation of buses during cold weather. Regina Catholic Schools (RCS) has updated our policies

accordingly and would like to advise you of the new procedures.

RCS expects school buses to operate as scheduled under most weather and urban travel conditions

usually experienced in Saskatchewan. There should be very few occasions when severe weather

and adverse operating conditions affect school bus service. However, when these conditions arise

school bus service may be delayed, altered, or cancelled. Parents/guardians are responsible for

having alternate arrangements in place for their children to be transported to or from school in the

event of transportation being cancelled. Students should be aware of what these arrangements

are; please ensure your child is familiar with your alternate plan.

First Student and Para Transit buses are automatically cancelled for the entire day

when Environment Canada reports the temperature at 7 AM with a wind-chill of

minus 45 degrees Celsius or colder. Schools will remain open.

Our transportation provider, First Student Canada, relies on the local media to help them let parents know if buses are cancelled due to severe weather. During the coldest winter months please listen to the local radio stations in the morning for information about school bus cancellations. First Student Canada bus information is also available from First Student at 306-721-4499. Information will also be available through the RCS Twitter account @RCSD_No81 and on the school division’s website at www.rcsd.ca Other conditions which may arise and which may result in school bus service being delayed,

altered, or cancelled include, but are not limited to high winds, poor visibility, extremely cold

temperatures, high wind chill factors, blizzards, snowdrifts, deeply rutted or snowbound roads,

torrential rain, flooding, mud.

Cancellation of Bus Service during the School Day

In the event that buses have run as usual in the morning but during the day it becomes necessary

to cancel the return trip home at the end of the day, the school division’s transportation officer

works with First Student Canada to communicate this information to the media as outlined above.

During times of inclement weather please monitor the local radio stations to determine if school

buses are being cancelled due to any of the above listed conditions, or any other emergent

conditions that are making driving difficult in the city.

Students will remain at the school until a parent or guardian picks them up and signs

them out of school.

Please be assured that the safety of your children is always the overriding consideration when a

decision is made to delay, alter, or cancel student travel.

Go Make A

Difference! ~

“Love the Lord

with all your heart

and soul.”

Holy Trinity Parish

Sharing the Riches of the Liturgical Seasons of Advent & Christmas Sat., Nov. 1, 9:00 a.m. – noon Holy Trinity Continental breakfast provided 8:15 a.m. Admission: free will offering. Pre-register: 306-543-3838 by Mon., Oct. 27. Fri., Nov. 7, 50-9 p.m. & Sat., Nov 8, 8:30-3:30 CWL presents Craft/Trade Show 45 tables of craft & trades items available for Christmas shoppers! Upcoming sacrament preparation meetings: Sat., Nov. 1, 5:00 p.m. Mass & Meeting or Sun., Nov. 2, 11:00 Mass & Meeting Sat., Nov. 8, 5:00 p.m. Mass & Meeting or Sun., Nov. 9, 11:00 Mass & Meeting Sun., Nov. 23, 11:00 a.m. Mass & Meeting Sat., Nov. 29 10:00 a.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation, in the church followed by: Journey to Bethlehem in our hall For all families in our sacrament program

The first Band concert of the year is approaching and will be on Wednesday December 3rd at 7:00pm at O’Neill High School. Band students should be practicing their pieces they are performing at that concert. For further information, visit rcsnorthband.weebly.com.

Band

Family Vacations and Homework If your family is going to be taking a vacation, we would ask that you inform your child’s classroom teacher as well as the office. Please do not ask the teacher to prepare in advance the homework that your child will miss during your vacation. The major assignments that are missed will be made up by the child with the support of the family upon return to school.

Regina Catholic Schools

Greetings from your Regina Catholic School Division Board of Trustees! October 19-25 was Education Week in Saskatchewan, and congratulations to all schools on a successful Education Week celebration! Many schools held special Education Week activities to recognize this year’s theme: “Supporting and Celebrating Success.” During Education Week, an article in the Leader-Post chronicled the innovative Celebration of Learning conferences for our kindergarten and pre-kindergarten students. It will be a busy month for our staff and administrators. Not only do Celebration of Learning conferences take place, but report cards will be completed and subsequently issued to parents and students. Our Building a Vision for the Future community consultations began this past month. It was a great opportunity to receive feedback from staff, families and rate-payers about the direction of our school division as we plan for the future. We have scheduled November’s round of consultations, in which we aim to highlight strategies for action. Here are the dates and locations of the consultations, including the respective interested schools which are encouraged to attend:

We welcome you to join us for our next round of consultations—each session runs from 7-9pm. More details on the consultation process itself can be found at: www.buildingavision.ca Finally, November is a time to remember. On November 1st, we celebrate the solemnity of All Saints and on November 2nd we celebrate All Souls Day in commemoration of all the faithfully departed. We also take time to remember all the men and women who have dedicated their lives to our freedom on November 11th. If your child’s school has a Remembrance Day Celebration scheduled, you are always welcome to join your child(ren) in remembrance.

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

November 4 November 5 November 12 November 13

At Riffel Catholic HS At Miller Catholic HS At O’Neill Catholic HS At LeBoldus Catholic HS

St. Angela St. Gabriel St. Francis St. Matthew

St. Bernadette St. Dominic St. Joan of Arc Deshaye

St. Josaphat St. Catherine St. Mary Holy Rosary

St. Jerome St. Marguerite St. Peter St. Pius

St. Luke St. Augustine St. Gregory St. Andrew

Jean Vanier

St. Theresa

Sacred Heart

St. Michael

St. Timothy

Home Based