DAY 1 updateHello everyone.

I want to sincerely thank you all for being amazing parents and supporting our school during these difficult transition times. I can assure you all that we as staff share your concerns over the worrisome situation, we are all faced with today. We will be sending frequent updates in the short term to assist in communication regarding education of your child. Our staff met this morning and have begun meeting to plan some next steps forward for the delivery of education for your child.

What we can tell you at this time is that parents are invited to drop by the school and collect any items that might be required (school materials – personal items) from their children's lockers. As per provincial guidelines, we are not permitted to allow students or minors into the building. Parents will be provided with their child's locker number and combination as well as supported in opening the locker if need be. At this time, the school will be open daily from 8:30 am - 4:00 pm and parents are invited to drop by at their convenience. It is our hope that this flexibility will serve to support you in organizing your frantic days ahead.

Please know that there is no rush for you to come to Sir John today and that we would be happy to assist you with this up to the school closing for Spring Break. We also want parents and students to know that teachers are going to be very flexible around existing project and assignment timelines. Students are free to hand in any assignments that they have been currently working on to their teachers electronically.

We have met as a staff this morning and reiterated the need to provide a sense of calm and patience for our staff, students, and school community. We have also begun the process of meeting to discuss how education will proceed in the coming weeks for our students. As you can imagine there will be many different sources and authorities weighing in on what this looks like. We want to assure everyone that we will work through this and provide the best possible education to your children that we can considering this new reality. We will continue to update you as information becomes available.

Take care, everyone. SJT staff love their students and families and want them to feel calm and supported at this time.

SPECIFIC SUBJECT AREA UPDATES

Update form Ms. Morel – regarding borrowing of instruments.

1. If you have an instrument at home, you may keep it. Please fill in the attached form and either scan it and email, or send it with a parent when they come to get your stuff from your locker. If this is impossible, I will be creating a google doc as a last resort later today.

2. If you have an instrument, but you are NOT going to play it, please have a parent return it to the school today or tomorrow.

3. If you don't have an instrument, but you WANT one, please tell your parent to come to the school and I will give you one. Priority will be given to students in grade 7/8 who are signed up for band next year and students in tour band.

Day 2 update.In the meantime, we have provided you with a list of Google classroom codes that our teachers use on a regular basis in their classrooms and may be a central platform moving forward. You children have all been briefed throughout this year as to how to access these online classrooms.

SPECIFIC SUBJECT AREA UPDATES

Below is a list of codes that each of our teachers use for their Google Classrooms.

GOOGLE classroom codes:

March 30th – Weekly update – The Plan

Hello to all our parents and students in our Sir John Thompson community.I wanted to share with you all the results of our staff collaboration meeting this morning as the structure of learning at Sir John Thompson moves forward. Our staff are deeply committed to providing exceptional learning opportunities for your sons and daughters.Beginning today, your child’s homeroom teacher will be contacting you and your child to send a positive message explaining how we intend to roll out our online learning plan. All staff have collaborated in its construction, with the needs of our students at the forefront. We were careful to adhere to the provincial guidelines of approximately 10 hours per week with the implicit understanding that some students will find this light, while others may find this challenging. This depends on many factors which continue to affect our families. Please know that we remain sensitive to your home situation and stand ready to support you and your children as best we can.

We had an excellent debate on creating a system that is simple and easy to follow. Moving forward, we will be constructing our week as follows:Day 1 - Mondays – LA / MathDay 2 - Tuesdays – Science / SocialDay 1 - Wednesdays – LA / MathDay 2 - Thursdays – Science / SocialDay 0 - Fridays – Religion / PE and optionsPlease ensure that your child knows to connect to their Google classrooms for work posted by their teachers. Teachers will post work on the days assigned to their classes according to the schedule below and will be in contact with their students. If your child has any questions regarding any of the academic work, they can either email or connect with their teacher through Google classroom.*Please note that you can view your child’s Google classroom by having them access/login for you. Parents have no direct access to this secure learning environment. If your child is having any difficulties accessing their Google classrooms, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher. A complete list of your child’s teacher emails is available on PowerSchool simply by selecting the teacher’s highlighted name.SJT Student Support TeamIf you or your child are experiencing any non-academic difficulties, our SJT Student Support Team may be able to assist you either directly or by referring you to outside agencies (see attached).Please share any of these emails with your son or daughter so they can reach out to our team for support if needed. As well, you can expect that the Student Support Team may be checking in with your son or daughter over the next while to ensure that all is well. Please continue to look after yourself and your family.Belinda GriffinFamily Support Liaison Worker (FSLW)belinda.griffin@ecsd.net Jacki PaplawskiSchool Counsellorjacki.paplawski@ecsd.netIda Ricioppo-EspositoLearning CoachIda.Ricioppo-Esposito@ecsd.netRocky MazeSTAY (School Team Advisor for Youth)Rocky.Maze@ecsd.netGod Bless,Kelly L. Kaup - Principal

Attached FilesCommunity supports for families and Youth.docx

April 3rd – Weekly update.Hello parents, guardians, and of course our students.First, my sincere thanks to the many emails of thanks that we have received from you all and the wonderful support shown to our teachers by your children in this new online environment.I want to let you know that I will be sending you weekly updates on Friday to keep you informed of new developments and information that may help you all in the area of remote learning. I will not be sending out the school newsletter and hope that this will suffice. In addition, we are in the process of adding a section to our website called, ‘Guide to Remote Learning’ where we will put all of the information I have been sending out to assist you and your child in the online learning world at SJT.

Attached are the following for you to peruse:1. ECSD April Newsletter2. Message from the Bishop3. STAY Newsletter4. Internet for Good Program (Telus) – to assist families with providing low cost Internet.

Compugen Chromebook purchase program

I am so impressed with our teachers who have truly embraced the technology of connecting online as they regularly meet with each other throughout the week and collaboratively plan activities for their online platforms. Today I saw a video production in Science on a Lab for students to view. There is a real sense of excitement amongst our staff as they create and explore new and innovative ways to help your children learn. In the first few days our staff have come to realize the absolute need to create a connection between teacher and student that is so essential for real learning to flourish. I know my own children have been missing this since schools were closed. Our amazing staff have realized this and have responded by providing a variety of ways to connect with them. One of the strengths of the SJT community has always been the connection between adults and children. I am pleased to see that this is flourishing in new and creative ways. A great example of this is the one-minute videos posted by staff on the PE Google classroom showing how to stay active. I encourage you to have a look! I also wanted to ask you to go over these Online Guidelines for Videoconferencing with your child. Please remind your child that we are online in a classroom setting just as we would be if we are in school.

April 9th – weekly update.

Hello everyone, I sincerely hope that this email finds you well. On behalf of all of us here at SJT we want to express to you and your families our best wishes this Easter. Before I go home, I am reminded of a great quote from Saint Teresa of Calcutta, ‘If you want to change the world, go home and love your family’. I couldn’t agree more as I look forward to a blessed Easter with my family and wish you my extended family the same.

I am continually amazed by the creative work our staff are doing in support of this new online learning world. Today we had a virtual meeting where our staff conveyed how impressed they were with your children in adapting to this new format. Just like the beginning of the school year, each child adapts to the environment at a different pace and by all accounts your children have adapted quickly.

It has been increasingly shown by everyone how much the face to face interaction is being missed. Our staff have been touched by the positive interactions shown by your children in live chat sessions and in the online questions and commentary. Thank you for supporting them at home and supporting our staff in the effort to establish positive academic routines. We truly miss you all! Please take the time to sit down with your children and see the great work they are doing. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the teachers.

We have created a new section on our website titled ‘Guide to Remote Learning’. Here you will find many resources to assist you in becoming familiar with the online platform as well as a variety of documents that can provide support to you and your families.

I also wanted to mention that we have removed all the items from the regular and PE lockers and what is remaining will be waiting for you to pick up. Mrs. Pityn has been calling the families to let them know but you are certainly welcome to drop by and pick them up. The school division is now allowing students to come in and pick these things up if you are unable to do so.

I want to wish you well on Holy Thursday as we remember that many years ago Jesus gathered with the disciples and took part in the Last Supper prior to his arrest and crucifixion. The Catholic Archdiocese livestreams all their masses including the ones for Easter. It certainly is a unique experience to see this online. You can access them at https://caedm.ca/. We remember Jesus’ sacrifice and the sacrifices all if society is making during this current crisis.

I sincerely wish you a love filled Easter this weekend with your family.

Best wishes,

Kelly Kaup

Principal

I wanted to wish you all God’s blessings as this Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week with Palm Sunday on April 4th. I have included an excerpt from my parish priest Fr. Dean Dowell whom many of you will remember as our district Chaplain. My family and I are fortunate to have him as our priest at St. John the Evangelist parish.

This Sunday, April 4, we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem the week before his death. Though he had been there many times with his disciples, this was different - the people welcomed Jesus with shouts of Hosanna, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Matt 21: 9). They cut branches from the trees to spread on the road, as they would do for the path of a king. But Jesus knew what awaited Him, that the rejoicing of the crowd would quickly turn to jeers...

Sadly, we are not able to receive blessed palms or gather to remember the Passion of our Lord this year. St. John's cannot get our palms and even if we could, there is no safe and approved way to get them to you. We really brainstormed about this, hoping to have a drive-by pickup and blessing. (This is not just for St. John's - it is the situation for the whole Archdiocese of Edmonton.)

We are physically separated but we are united as the body of Christ. We are the Church.

April 17th

Hello everyone and happy positive Friday to you all. I certainly hope that this email finds you and your family well and that your Easter break was restful.  At SJT we continue to pray for the health and safety of all the members of our community and that we will be able to gather again soon.  May God bless and keep each one of you.  As the new world of remote learning unfolds we continue to be impressed with the

amount of interaction your son’s and daughters are having with our teachers.  It certainly is clear that learning is continuing and flourishing here at SJT!

I encourage you all to ask your children to show you the SJT home page on Google classroom where you will see a variety of posts from our staff including our Triton News Network (TNN) weekly video production.  Thank you to Mr. Luukkonen and Miss Petryga for looking after this.  I would also encourage you to ask your children to show you our PE Instagram page, go to Instagram and search for ‘sjt_tritons’ and view the story to see videos posted throughout the day by staff and students.

I have provided a few updates below for your information.

God Bless, Kelly Kaup - Principal Sir John Thompson

Updates

Staff Reductions at SJT

Due to the recent announcement of a funding decrease to our school district SJT is losing 4 staff members for the months of May and June.  Their last day of work will be on April 30th.

We are sad to not have them with us for the last two months and really appreciate all their work in keeping our school running.  They are:  Ms. Funnell (Admin support), EA’s Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Hofstede, and Mrs. Pityn.

Supporting the Triton Nation

As we settle into this "new normal", we are starting to become aware of the need to offer additional supports outside of just education. Our staff have always referred to Sir John Thompson School as a Home Away From Home and that sentiment still exists in spite of the fact that our students are not in the building. To this end, our student support team have identified an increasing need to begin providing food hampers to SJT families who we have become aware could use the support during these difficult times. If you are able to donate grocery store gift cards or monies that could be used in support of this endeavor, it would be greatly appreciated. Our Family School Liaison Worker Belinda Griffin will be delivering these items to those families who are in need. Our office will be accepting gift cards and donations of money daily during school hours. We thank you in advance if you are in a position that allows you to support this worthwhile cause. 

I would like to personal thank David Altobelli who is one of our grade 7 parents who reached out to us here at SJT with an offer of support on behalf of a COVID community initiative through his employer TELUS.  Thank you to David and TELUS for getting this rolling in such a positive way!

Grade 8 Camp Nakamun Information

By now, you have received an email asking for parent volunteers for the Grade 8 Camp Nakamun trip that is currently planned for September 14-16. As of today, we are continuing to plan for the trip as scheduled and are hoping that we will be able to go in September, but as this continuously dynamic COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, we are also actively seeking contingency plans in case we may have to cancel the trip in September.

In a nutshell, Camp Nakamun is a two-and-a-half-day trip where students experience a wide range of activities such as zip-lining, canoeing/kayaking, swimming, campfire, and other fun and exciting games and group activities.

Camp Nakamun is an exceptional experience for all grade 8 students as it gives them an opportunity to bond with each other and to develop a foundation for eventually being leaders in the school. It is also an opportunity or the grade 8 students to challenge themselves to experience new opportunities and to meet new friends. Many students who have attended camp in the past have said it is one of the highlights of the school year for grade 8 and memories of the camp stick with them for years to come.

If you have any questions regarding camp, please contact Ms. Petryga at theresa.petryga@ecsd.net.

Sincerely, The Grade 8 Camp Nakamun Planning Committee

April 24th Hello everyone. I hope that this weekly update finds you and your family healthy and well. Today we had a virtual staff meeting with the main topic being a check up on how well your children are doing with the new world of online education. First of all, please know that we as a staff greatly miss the interactions with your children we have come to cherish. Our staff truly miss each and every one of them. It was very clear from our meeting that we continue to learn as a community about how online education is both delivered and received. We want to reassure parents that there is no such thing as a normal expectation at this time. We are finding that there is a great amount of diversity amongst learners and their home situations and we know that levels of engagement and academic output can vary greatly from week to week depending on so many factors at home.

That being said, our teachers have been very impressed with the vast majority of your children’s ability to problem solve and continue to learn on the go. While some may struggle with daily assignments at times or feeling that they are overwhelmed and behind please know that our teachers are always there to support them in any way to help them continue to learn. We are committed to providing as much flexibility for your children as is needed for each individual situation. Our sincere thanks to all of you who have reached out with your well wishes and continued support. Should you or your child need any support I would ask that they please reach out to our support team here at SJT. Mrs. Paplawski, Mrs. Griffin, Mrs. Ricioppo, and Mr. Maze are always ready to assist you.

I have attached an excellent handout provided by our support team titled, ‘AHS Caregiver Handout regarding COVID 19’ which have some excellent suggestions to help you navigate providing an effective structure for your child at home. Establishing a regular routine is critical in making sure your child is able to continue with their education.

Our teachers wanted me to let you know that our students are expected to check in with their home room teachers weekly on their Google Classroom. This is very important, as we use this as a way of measuring the engagement of your children. Along with this, teachers in specific subject areas provide information to each homeroom teacher regarding your child’s progress to monitor the general levels of engagement with their education. You can support us greatly by ensuring that they are checking in each week.

We continue to pray for you and our entire community. May God’s blessings always be with you.Kelly Kaup – Principal Sir John ThompsonUpdate

Food hamper projectSincere thank you to those families who generously supported our efforts to provide for families in need as outlined in last weeks update. We are continuing this project and with gratitude thank you all in advance for supporting our community. Below is the information we sent out last week.

As we settle into this "new normal", we are starting to become aware of the need to offer additional supports outside of just education. Our staff have always referred to Sir John Thompson School as a Home Away From Home and that sentiment still exists in spite of the fact that our students are not in the building. To this end, our student support team have identified an increasing need to begin providing food hampers to SJT families who we have become aware could use the support during these difficult times. If you are able to donate grocery store gift cards or monies that could be used in support of this endeavor, it would be greatly appreciated. Our Family School Liaison Worker Belinda Griffin will be delivering these items to those families who are in need. Our office will be accepting gift cards and donations of money daily during school hours. We thank you in advance if you are in a position that allows you to support this worthwhile cause.

May 1st

Hello everyone. Tradition at Sir John Thompson is that Fridays are ‘positive Fridays’. In the spirit of positive Friday, I sincerely hope and pray that you and your families are managing during this time at home. A few days ago, we had our weekly staff meeting and spoke about our efforts to continue to engage your children. Our teachers again reiterated how impressed they were with your children’s comfort with the platform and their ability to problem solve. Some concerns that they raised were centered on the quality of work their students were submitting. However, this certainly is typical of the age group. We are well aware of the progress that students make from grade 7 to 9 in understanding what quality truly is. Our teachers are providing regular specific feedback to your children to assist them. Staff have commented that getting students to see and respond to this feedback is very challenging online. We truly miss the in-person interaction!I would ask that if or when you have the time to engage with your child about their learning you ask them what they think the quality of their work is.As is write this I am reminded about my two boys when they were younger.

Dad/Mom (entering the house after work) – ‘How was your day?..........Did you finish all your homework?’ Or similar questions throughout the day during COVID working from home.Son #1 – ‘For sure……(that’s the right answer because they will leave me alone)’Son #2 – ‘We didn’t have any’

Our response later changed to:Dad/Mom (entering the house after work or at home) – ‘How was your day? .........Did you finish all your homework?Son #1 – ‘For sure……(that’s the right answer because they will leave me alone)’Son #2 – ‘We didn’t have any’Dad/Mom – ‘Great then it should only take you 5 minutes to show me what kind of quality you produced’.

For our family simply changing the question greatly changed the level of engagement with my own kids.

I hope you find this simple suggestion useful!

UPDATESTriton News NetworkAsk your children to show you the amazing creative videos our teachers have prepared each week. This week’s edition is an amazing tribute to all of our support staff. Well done Triton teachers!

Last day for support staff.Yesterday was the last day of work this year for a number of our support staff: our Admin support Kim Funnell, and our Educational Assistants Peggy Clarke, Iryna Pityn, and Diane Hofstede. We had a wonderful send off for each of them complete with a gift and flowers as a token of our thanks.*Please note that we are down to one administrative support in the office to assist you with your questions. We thank Anita Riva our business manager for shouldering the load.

Food hamper projectI huge thank you for everyone who has donated money for our Food bank project. We have had approximately $400 donated so far. Please look at the attached pictures of our support team assembling the food hampers. In one photo you will see a group of TELUS employees who donated a sizable amount of food to this project. A big thank you to TELUS and David Altobelli for initiating and supporting our community! We continue to welcome grocery gift cards and cash donations. I thank you all for your support!

Mental Health and Resiliency SeriesAttached you will find full information that our Student Support wanted to share and invite you all to.

The CYF Education Team is pleased to offer this 8 part webinar series on mental health and resiliency in our children and youth. Starts this Tuesday!Register at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MentalHealthResiliencyWebinarSpring2020

Prayer of ConsecrationOn Friday, May 1, 2020, the Catholic Bishops of Canada will consecrate their individual dioceses or eparchies to Mary, Mother of the Church, seeking her protection during the Coronavirus pandemic, similar to what other Episcopal Conferences throughout the world have already done. Along with the Catholic Bishops, the Edmonton Catholic School Division, whose own patron saint is Mary, the Mother of God, joins the consecration as part of the global effort to unite in faith and prayer in this most difficult time.The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), in fraternal communion with the leadership of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), has agreed that this Marian consecration be held on the same day in both countries, making this a most meaningful and powerful intercession throughout North America to the Blessed Mother. 

The first day of May holds particular significance as it marks the beginning an entire month to honour the Blessed Virgin Mary. "May is the month dedicated in a special way to the Mother of Christ. We believe that she is, in a spiritual but real sense, our mother too," said the Most Reverend Richard Gagnon, Archbishop of Winnipeg and CCCB President. "We turn to her and ask for the help of her powerful and maternal prayers to God for us. To consecrate ourselves to Mary means to be united with her in entrusting our lives entirely to God."May 8th

Happy positive Friday to you all. Once again, I hope that this email finds you and your families well. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the friends and family who have been affected by the COVID situation. Our teachers continue to connect with your children online and have been very grateful for all the work and effort that they have been putting in.

As we are all well aware, spring is upon us! A reminder to everyone that our teachers are available throughout the day to assist your children with their work. Their regular contact hours are 8:30 – 3:00pm.

Reminder to everyone to have your children check their Google Classrooms regularly and to respond to their teachers weekly check in. The weekly check in is done by their homeroom teachers.

I would like to thank each and everyone of you in our community for spreading the good work about our school. We are 35 students over the district’s projection for next year. SJT will be nearly 390 students next year with 5 classes of grade 7 joining us in the fall.

This Wednesday will be our May PAC executive meeting (time T.B.A.). If you would like any items discussed or wish any further information, please feel free to contact any of the executive members. The agenda and minutes will be posted on the school website when they are finalized.

Please know that we all miss you and your children and eagerly wait for a return to normal. If there is anything, we can do to assist you please feel free to contact our office.

Blessings on a good weekend.

Kelly Kaup

Principal – Sir John Thompson

May 15, 2020

Hello everyone and happy positive Friday to you all. I want to apologize to all our Mothers out there for not wishing you a happy Mother’s Day last Sunday. However, I did not forget to buy my mom flowers and make sure my teenage sons looked after my wife! We in the office are busy planning for next year and our teachers are continuing their efforts to provide meaningful learning opportunities for your children. We are excited for next year and hopefully getting back to the regular mayhem of a school with 390 adolescents and 25 adults to look after them. I sincerely wish you all a fantastic long weekend and know that we continue to pray with our entire community for the safety of our loved ones.

PE Prize patrolOur PE teaching staff may have been by to visit your child throughout the morning today as they get together on Friday and ride their bikes to those students’ homes who have won prizes from their weekly contests. Check out your child’s PE Google classroom or check out our Instagram feed. The PE staff love the chance to see your children and always enjoy the surprised reactions they get from the students when they come to the door. They have learned over the past couple of weeks to make sure that the visits happen in the afternoon!

PAC meetingLast Wednesday we had a great meeting with our parent council. They truly are great representatives for our community. We will post the minutes on our website when they are available. We are truly the benefit of having such committed parents. Thank you to Erin Plume, Jennifer Harvey, Lisa Savill, Anita Petrovic, Deb Dixon, Kim Corbett, Cheryl Williams, and Karen Molyneux for all their time and dedication to making this such a great community to be a part of.

Assessment in CORE classes until the end of the school yearOur teaching staff have been very impressed with the level of engagement shown by your children during the time of online learning. However, with the spring weather upon us students usually have a bit of a drop off with their levels of motivation. Our teachers are very busy fielding questions in the afternoon while the mornings seem to be getting light. After several days of staff discussion and feedback from the parent council, our teachers will be adding some summative (for marks) assessments until the end of the year. Up until now our teachers have been assessing your children on the outcomes of the curriculum in a formative way. This essentially means that feedback has been given and students are aware of their performance on individual tasks. These formative assessments have not been included in the final grade for the course. We want our students to be motivated, and it is our hope that these summative assessments will allow our students the opportunity to increase their marks and their overall levels of quality engagement. Some key points for explanation and understanding are included below:

Due to the prolonged nature of online learning we will now be including summative assessments in our core subject areas to provide meaning and motivation for the vast majority of our students.

Core subject areas include: Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science. All other courses will continue as before with Formative assessment only. For the remainder of the year, core subject teachers will have 1-2 summative assessments in

their courses. Teachers will continue to use formative assessment as well. Any summative assessments will comprise no more than 10% of the overall course mark. Please be aware that the way in which your child’s final grades were determined will change to

include the absence of a final exam and the inclusion of a small number of summative assessments.

Changes to the grade book calculations are consistent across individual subject areas.i.e. All classes in a core subject area will have the same adjustments made across classes.

Teachers will update these changes in the course descriptions in PowerSchool and will communicate these changes in their Google classrooms.

As per district directive there will be no final exams during Online Learning.

*Please be patient as your child’s mark evolves into a final percent grade in June. As always if your have any questions please reach out to your child’s teacher first.

What can I do as a parent to ensure work is being completed?This is a difficult question to answer as each family has their own situation as they deal the world of online learning. We encourage you to check your child’s Google classroom regularly and have your child show you what they are working on. If you have any questions, email your child’s teachers by clicking on their name in PowerSchool which will link you directly to their email. Our teachers will also continue to check in with students to ensure the maximum level of engagement is being maintained.

Refunds – school and transportation ECSDEarlier this week our school division sent out an email indicating their process we are to follow for processing refunds to our families. I encourage you all to refer to this email to answer any of your questions. If you have any further questions, we would be happy to assist you. Please contact our business manager Anita at the school.

*Please note that all school materials must be returned to Sir John Thompson according to the plan we will be sending out shortly. See below for further information.

School resource return planWe are in the process of finalizing our process to assist families with returning school resources. All textbooks, library books and borrowed technology will need to be returned to SJT beginning June 16 th. Our assistant principal Karen Molyneux will be sending out details to families within the next few weeks outlining a plan to safely return school materials. We would ask all of our parents to assist us with this process so that our business manager can settle all of the refund accounts.

Important dates in June. Textbook, Library, Music, and technological resource return for parents will run in a staggered

format from June 16th to June 19th. We will share out the specifics of the plan in the coming days.

Honors and award recipients will be notified in the third week of June and their medals can be picked up during the resource return window.

Grade 9 farewell – we are working on a special video farewell that we will send out to our Grade 9’s in late June.

Family Support ResourcesWho can I speak to – resource into for Families during COVID -19 – attached*Available on our website under – ‘Guide to Remote Learning’

Spring Edition of the Board MessengerLink to the ECSD School Division newsletter - https://www.ecsd.net/BoardofTrustees/overview/notable-news/Documents/sbfile/200508/Issue%202%20Volume%201_May%202020.pdf

May 22, 2020

Good afternoon to all of you in the amazing Sir John School Community. I want to once again thank all of you for your wonderful supportive comments you continue to share with me and our staff. It really is appreciated and helps us to keep connected to you all. Our teachers have reported a big increase in motivation in our students since last weeks update. Thank you for your continued effort in supporting your children at home with positive motivation for their schoolwork.Attached you will find two newsletter inserts from our School Division for June.

News from around the schoolI am pleased to let you all know that our enrollment continues to grow here at Sir John Thompson. We are approaching 400 students for the 2020 – 2021 school year. Each new registrant we speak to says versions of the same theme. “I have a friend whose child goes there, and they really like the school.” I want to express my gratitude to each one of you who continue to spread the good word about our community.

Office renovation is complete! As of yesterday, our office renovation is officially complete. It is truly a beautiful space that we are excited to share with you all once school resumes once more. The upgrades are continuing with the interior roof and lighting systems being replaced in our portables along with the furnaces.

School resource return planSincere thanks to our assistant principal Karen Molyneux and Kim Corbett who have taken the lead on our School resource return plan! All textbooks, library books and borrowed technology will need to be returned to SJT beginning June 16th. We will be sending out details to families next Friday May 27th outlining our plan to safely return school materials. We would ask all of our parents to assist us with this process so that our business manager can settle all of the refund accounts before the end of June.*Note: we will be utilizing our online booking system that we use for Parent Teacher Interviews to support you in selecting a time that ensures the safety of everyone.

Music Equipment Return Procedure – All music studentsInstrumentsIf your child has an instrument (including percussion practice pads and stick bags), these items must be returned to the school between Monday, June 1st and Monday, June 15th.

Next week, Mrs. Morel will be e-mailing all parents/students to set up a time slot to return this equipment. Once the time slot is set up, either a parent or student may return the equipment to the school.

All instruments must be returned so that Mrs. Morel can do inventory and send some away from repairs/summer cleaning.

If your child would like an instrument for the summer, they will be redistributed at the end of June. More information about this process will be sent out at a later date once all instruments have been returned and inventory / cleaning has been completed.

Mouthpieces

Even if your child does not have an instrument at home, the vast majority of Music students at SJT still have mouthpieces that belong to the school. Mouthpieces can be returned to the school with Textbooks and Library books from June 16th-June 19th.

Each child who plays clarinet, saxophone, or a brass instrument has their own mouthpiece to eliminate the sharing germs between students who share instruments.

If your child has lost their mouthpiece, the cost to replace can vary between $40-$125. Please ask your child to locate their mouthpiece prior to your textbook return timeslot.

If you're not sure if your child has a mouthpiece or not, please e-mail Mrs. Morel at erin.morel@ecsd.net.

Music TextbooksStudents in grade 7 and 8 have a music textbook called "Standard of Excellence". The grade 7 book is red, and the grade 8 book is blue. These books can be returned to the school with the rest of their Textbooks and Library books from June 16th-June 19th. The cost to replace a music textbook is $15.

Tour Band FoldersSome students who are in Tour Band have black SJT Tour Band Folders. These folders can be returned to the school with the rest of their Textbooks and Library books from June 16th-June 19th. The cost to replace a black Tour Band Folder is $20.

Important dates in June. Music instrument return will run form June 1st – June 15th by scheduled appointment with Mrs.

Morel. Textbook, Library, Music, and technological resource return for parents will run in a staggered

format from June 16th to June 19th. We will share out the specifics of the plan in the coming days.

Honors and award recipients will be notified in the third week of June and their medals can be picked up during the resource return window.

Grade 9 farewell – we are working on a special video farewell that we will send out to our Grade 9’s in late June.

May 29, 2020Hello everyone and a sincere happy positive Friday to you all. We at Sir John Thompson sincerely hope that this weekly update finds you and your families well. It certainly is hard to believe that June begins on Monday. June will be a very busy month as teachers take in their final assessments in their core courses and prepare the final report cards. June will also be a busy time for us in the office taking in all school resources. This week’s update contains a comprehensive guide to assist you all in helping us with these tasks in bringing the year to a close.

This morning I joined the PE prize patrol and cycled along with our PE teachers to drop off prizes to those students who were the weekly winners in the PE challenge. This week students had to submit videos of themselves doing exercises with their pets. I have attached some photos for you to look at.When we rang the doorbell and asked what the kids were doing all of them answered, ‘we were doing school’. We were all so impressed! Thank you to all parents for supporting your children to stay on track in online learning.

Division survey for school reentry – Parents and studentsThe ECSD school division has sent out a letter regarding the current planning phase for the possible reentry of students to school in September. There are two surveys provided. One for your child and one for parents. I would ask that you take the time to complete this as it forms the division input for planning to Alberta Education. Information as to how to access this information is attached.

Textbook and school resource returnIn the attachment you will find a step by step guide to returning all school resources. This begins on June 16th and runs until June 19th. See SJT Textbook Returns – attachment.

Music resource return plan – from Mrs. MorelMusic resource returns begins on Monday June 1st through June 15th. Mrs. Morel has emailed all parents who have school instruments signed out. Further information is provided below.Instrument Return:

If you have an instrument/stick bag at your house, please fill out the google form that has been sent to your e-mail. This form is also available on your child's Music google classroom and your child's school ecsd e-mail.

If you have already filled out the survey, you will receive an e-mail from Mrs. Morel within 24 hours that contains your appointment time slot to return your instrument. The e-mail also contains important information like how to clean the instrument and what specific equipment you should be returning.

***Please respond to this e-mail to confirm your timeslot***

On the day of your appointment, please double check that you have brought all the equipment listed in the e-mail. Please do not arrive early for your appointment or you will have to wait outside/in your vehicle. Please try not to be late, or your appointment may be moved to a later time/date.

Parishes are opening!!This weekend marks the beginning of our parishes opening for regular services. Please check with your parish for further information as to mass times. At this time the Archbishop is allowing no more than 50 people in a service at a time. I think I will have to get there a lot earlier than on Christmas Eve!

The following attachments are included:PE Prize Patrol PicturesRe-entry options plan – division letterSJT Textbook Returns COVID 2020School Re-Entry Survey information

Important dates in June. Music instrument return will run form June 1st – June 15th by scheduled appointment with Mrs.

Morel. Textbook, Library, Music, and technological resource return for parents will run in a staggered

format from June 16th to June 19th. See attachment for details. Honors and award recipients will be notified in the third week of June and their medals can be

picked up during the resource return window. Grade 9 farewell – we are working on a special video farewell that we will send out to our Grade

9’s in late June.

June 5, 2020

Hello everyone and a happy positive Friday to you all. It has been so good to see some students come to the school and return their musical instruments to us. We truly miss them! I am shocked at how grown up they are. Our staff have been working on the final summative assessments for the students. We thank you for helping your children make these a priority in the final few weeks of school. Please check both PowerSchool and their Google classrooms to see that your child is keeping up with their assignments.

Take care everyone!Kelly L. Kaup - Principal SJT

Division LiturgyPlease select the link to see a great liturgy from Father Glenn our Division Chaplainhttps://youtu.be/7DHpFjNhlIo

School re-entry in 2020 – 2021In last weeks attached letter from our division they indicated to parents that Alberta Ed is working with all Divisions in Alberta on re-entry planning for our schools. We certainly appreciate all your feedback in the division survey sent to you last week. The division is now compiling this information and will be holding three focus groups to discuss the return to school scenarios. I am on one of the division focus groups. Should you have any feedback you want me to bring forward please contact me at the school.

The three scenarios identified in the 2020-21 Re-Entry Plan provided by the Province are: 1. Normal Operations 2. Schools are open for in-person classes with some health restrictions that affect operations (hybrid model) 3. At-home/remote learning continues

The Division has assembled a team to consider the specific implications of each scenario, to effectively operate within each scenario. This team is working in conjunction with similar teams in jurisdictions around the province to develop our strategic approach to each scenario.

Music instrument return – June 1st to June 15th.

Thank you everyone for all your assistance in returning our musical instruments. Mrs. Morel has been working very hard scheduling appointments and hauling instruments to the music room. We certainly appreciate all the efforts from our music community. All mouthpieces must be returned to the school with textbooks June 16th-19th. If your child is in Music, please ask them look for their mouthpiece now so that it is ready for your textbook return appointment. Please be reminded that the cost for a lost mouthpiece ranges from $40 - $125.

Textbook and school resource returnIn the attachment you will find a step by step guide to returning all school resources. This begins on June 16th and runs until June 19th. See SJT Textbook Returns – attachment.

Food hamper project - TelusOnce again Telus led by our amazing parent David Altobelli have dropped off food to support our food hamper project. Thank you on behalf of all of our school community for your support. Your assistance and support of social justice is an important part of what makes our school great. We continue to welcome grocery gift cards and cash donations. I thank you all for your support!

Calendar websiteOur school calendar for June has now been updated for you. Here you will be able to find all the June important dates.

Life touch plan – Grade 9 group photographsIn the coming weeks we will be receiving some information regarding our group grade 9 farewell picture. This year’s group photo will be a composite photo of individual students in grade 9. This will go up in our hallway along with all the others but certainly will look different that our usual photo taken in the gym. These will be available for purchase. Information will be sent out to our grade 9 families prior to the end of June.

Important dates in June. Music instrument return will run form June 1st – June 15th by scheduled appointment with Mrs.

Morel. Textbook, Library, Music, and technological resource return for parents will run in a staggered

format from June 16th to June 19th. See attachment for details. Honors and award presentation will be sent out on June 19th. Awards can be picked up on the

following dates: Grade 7 – June 23rd, Grade 8 – June 24th, Grade 9 – 25th. Information will be sent out in the coming weeks.

Grade 9 farewell – we are working on a special video farewell that we will send out to our Grade 9’s in late June.