Dolphin Dispatch

Administration Message

Blessings to all of our Madeleine d’Houet families as we move into the Advent

season and surround ourselves with family and friends. In preparation for this

season, we have been collecting non-perishable food items in support of the

St. Vincent de Paul food hampers to support families in need during this season. It has been our tra-

dition for each homeroom class to prepare a hamper for a family in need; these hampers are distributed

through St. Pius Church.

This year, the district faith theme, “Walk Humbly with God” is coming alive in many ways at our

school. Not only are we preparing food hampers, the homeroom classes have also been challenged to

bring in necessity items that we might take for granted. With these items (toiletries etc), the stu-

dents will stuff socks which will be brought to the drop-in centre and distributed to the less fortu-

nate in our own local community.

From December 8, 2015 until November 20, 2016, Pope Francis has announced the Extraordinary Jubilee of

Mercy. This Holy Year of Mercy will be an opportunity to encourage Christians to meet people's "real

needs" with concrete assistance, to experience a "true pilgrimage" on foot, and to send "missionaries

of mercy" throughout the world to forgive even the most serious of sins. Pope Francis announced in

March his intention to proclaim a holy year as a way for the church to "make more evident its mission

to be a witness of mercy."

Throughout the jubilee year, more than a dozen individual jubilee celebrations will be scheduled, such

as a jubilee for consecrated men and women, a jubilee for the Roman Curia, and separate jubilees for

teenagers; for deacons; priests; the sick and disabled; and catechists. A jubilee for "workers and

volunteers of mercy" and a jubilee for prisoners will also be celebrated.

A major aspect of the Holy Year has been that of pilgrimage to Rome to make reparation for sin and to

renew the conversion of one’s life. A very important symbolic act performed by each pilgrim has been

to pass through the Holy Door. Christ identified Himself as “the door.” Pope John Paul II stated

that the Holy Door “…evokes the passage from sin to grace which every Christian is called to accom-

plish. Jesus said, ‘I am the door’ (John 10:7) in order to make it clear that no one can come to the

Father except through Him.

To honour the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, we have constructed two “holy doors” upon which we will

display the corporal works of mercy and the spiritual works o mercy. Once they are completed, we will

proudly display the "holy doors" in our foyer showcase. Thank you kindly to Collin McCutcheon, Mme

McCutcheon's husband who generously donated his time and the materials to make the doors for us.

Volume 4

Dec. 2015/Jan. 2016

C S S D

École Madeleine d’Houet Christmas Concert

December 3rd, 2015 @ 6:30 p.m.

We will be collecting donations for the St. Vincent hampers at the door, so please feel free to bring canned or other non-

perishable food items when you attend the concert. All of our musical groups will be performing and it promises to be an excep-

tional evening! We are looking forward to seeing you there!

PAGE 2 D O L PHIN D ISPATC H

PARTY Program Our Grade 9 field trip to the Party Program at the Foot-

hills Hospital was a real success. The students were

engaged in the process of learning about risk tak-

ing behaviors and the sometimes devastating and life-

altering consequences of behaviors such as substance

use and driving. Thanks again to our parent volunteers

for joining us!

Resource for French Immersion Parents Yes, You Can Help! Information and Inspiration for French Immersion Par-

ents – the ground-breaking Alberta Education book that has sold thousands

of copies since the first edition in 1996 – is now available online!

The brand new digital version includes all of the same information, but:

it is accessible free of charge on the Alberta Education website at

http://education.alberta.ca/parents/resources/youcanhelp.aspx*

statistics, references, etc. have been updated

recent research results and insights into immersion as well as

changes in education guidelines and practices have been incorpo-

rated

hotlinks give easy access to more in-depth information, cross-

references, and footnotes

topics are addressed one “page” (screen) at a time, so readers can

quickly find the information they seek.

Yes, You Can Help! is designed for parents from preschool to postsecondary.

The 12 major sections include:

Why learn a second language?

A made-in-Canada solution (What is French immersion? What does

the research say?)

I want to help, but it’s in French!

The secondary years and beyond

The importance of French outside of school

But my child is…! (diverse needs in French immersion)

What have graduates said about French immersion?

Judy Gibson, Branch Development Officer

Canadian Parents for French, Alberta Branch

Congratulations to our WesJet raffle

winner:

Dallas Galbraith

Thank you to Annabelle Ashley who was able to have

the WestJet tickets donated through her volunteer

hours.

Also, thank you to everyone who supported our grade 9

Quebec trip by purchasing the tickets. We were sold

out of all of the tickets!

Thank you to Dawn LeFeuvre for the long hours volun-

teering to make the raffle a success.

We Have a Winner!

Volunteer Hours & Matching Grants

Did you know that your volunteer hours can earn money

for our school. Many companies like EnCana, Cono-

coPhillips, Cenovus, Shell and more will contribute grant

money to schools where their employees or spouses

volunteer to support programs. If you think that your

company is involved in this type of program, it may be

worth inquiring about.

Also, many of these companies will also match any con-

tributions that their families make to schools. This

means that your dollars double when you make dona-

tions to the school if you enroll in their match grant

programs.

LOCKS AND LOCKERS It is very important to ensure that your child

has a lock on his/her locker and that they are

securing the locker on a regular basis to avoid

any issues. Students have also been advised

to keep their lock combinations completely

confidential. Not heeding this

advice and sharing the

combination with peers can lead

to issues.

RECONCILIATION AT PARISHES

Did you know that during the advent season,

all pastors are available to hear confes-

sions on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to

8:00 pm? In addition, Father Bill Corcoran

at St. Pius is available for reconciliation

on Thursdays and Saturdays. Families are

encouraged to connect with home parishes and

the Advent season is a great time to

reconnect with the Church.

VO L UME 4

Upcoming Dates:

MDH Christmas Concert (6:30pm in the Gym) – December 3

Grade 8 Band Camp (Camp Evergreen) – February 4 - 6

Grade 9 Band Camp (Camp River’s Edge) - January 28 -30

AIBF Grade 8 & 9 – February 17 -23 (Dates and Times TBA)

AIBF Jazz Bands – March 1 - 4 (Dates and Times TBA)

AIBF Jazz Festival Showcase Performance for Sr. Jazz –

March 3

AIBF Grade 7 – March 15 – 16 (Date and Time TBA)

Jazz a l’Etage Fundraiser (6:30pm in the Gym) – May 5

Sounds of Spring Concert (6:30pm in the Gym) – June 2

Merry Christmas and best wishes to all!

Sincerely,

Sean Craig

PAGE 3

Merry Christmas from our School Band!

Love Kindness Fill a Sock

Fill a Need for The Drop in Centre

This Christmas season the Student Leadership

team is asking every homeroom to collect for

The Drop-In Centre. Some items we need in-

clude:

Warm socks

Gloves

Hats

Toiletries

Cough drops

Brushes/Combs

Chocolate/Candy

$5 Coffee or food gift cards.

December 11th deadline.

See attachment for more details.

The minstrels played their Christmas tune

To-night beneath my cottage-eaves;

While, smitten by a lofty moon,

The encircling laurels, thick with leaves,

Gave back a rich and dazzling sheen,

That overpowered their natural green.

Through hill and valley every breeze

Had sunk to rest with folded wings:

Keen was the air, but could not freeze,

Nor check, the music of the strings;

So stout and hardy were the band

That scraped the chords with strenuous hand.

And who but listened?--till was paid

Respect to every inmate's claim,

The greeting given, the music played

In honour of each household name,

Duly pronounced with lusty call,

And "Merry Christmas" wished to all.

Minstrels a Christmas Poem by William Wordsworth

SCHOOL PLAN

Our school plan and Annual education results

have now been posted on our school’s web-

site. This year’s faith focus is “Walk Humbly

with God” and the academic theme continues

to be “Success for Every Student”. Take some

time to review some of our school’s initiatives

for the year.

PAGE 4 D O L PHIN D ISPATC H

Coming Your Way…….

In the next couple of months, please note the following

events and deadlines:

December 1—Simon’s Pies, Kicking Horse Coffee & Gift

Card Orders DUE

December 2—St. Francis special programs night

December 3– 6:30 pm – Christmas Band Concert

December 10— Simple Simon’s Pie & Kicking Horse

Coffee pick-up – 3:00 to 5:30 pm. (you must pick

up and deliver your own orders).

December 11 and 12 – Wrestling City Championships

December 17 – Advent Celebration—12:30pm

December 18 – Dismissal for Christmas

break -11:50am

January 4 – Welcome back and Happy New Year!

January 7— Epiphany Liturgy—12:30pm

January 11—”Choosing the Right Courses” at St. Francis

HS 7:00pm

January 12 – Grade 9 Immunizations

January 14– Snowball Dance - 6:30 pm—8:30pm

January 20—6:30 pm – School Council Meeting

January 21 – MADD Presentation for Grade 9 (Flex)

January 22— PD Day— No School

January 28 – 30 – Gr. 9 Band Camp

Salvation Army Coat Drive Holiday Absence Reporting Dear Parents,

If your child will be missing any school either before or after

the Christmas holidays, please contact the school office to let

us know. Please call the main office at (403) 500-2008 or

send an email to: monika.armstrong@cssd.ab.ca and

monique.couragemccut@cssd.ab.ca. Also, please email your

child’s homeroom teacher to let them know and arrange for

any missed schoolwork to be completed. All staff email ad-

dresses can be found on our school website.

Thank you for your help as this helps minimize phone calls to

the classroom and home trying to locate our students.

We wish you a safe and happy Christmas season!

The Salvation Army wants to give a shout-

out to all of you who supported 2015 Coat

Drive. Through our kindness, over 5,000

coats were collected and distributed to

those in need. The distribution of the

coats will be taking place at the Centre

of Hope and the Barbara Mitchell Family

Resource Centre. At Madeleine d’Houet, we

were able to contribute approximately 60

coats in a very short collection period.

Thank you to all parents, students and staff for your

participation in The Salvation Army, Calgary’s Classic

Rock Q 107 and The Calgary Stampeders for this

year’s coat drive. Your participation in the coat drive

challenge will help keep Calgary’s less fortunate

warm this winter.

PAGE 5 D O L PHIN D ISPATC H

Given the natural beauties of Pouplin where she grew up and of Parassy which was her dowry, it is no surprise that Marie Madeleine loved gardens,

flowers and trees.

Where she could, she bought or leased properties like Chateauroux, France or Lingdale House England where the gardens would not only be restful for the Sisters but provide an opportunity to invite factory women and girls in at the weekends for fresh air and recreation. Where there was no Park of

Garden she encouraged Mother Legrand, for example, to make one. At Ste. Anne d’Auray in 1828 she set about reclaiming land there.

They began by fashioning a kitchen garden, later they planted groves and made many meadows. Frequently the community there took their meals in

the garden (1835). When in London, Marie Madeleine loved to say her rosary in the garden at Gumley House.

As she travelled from house to house, Marie Madeleine was always aware of her surroundings and thinking of others who would delight in seeing what she saw. In 1850 she wrote saying how she wished Sister Reine Bournot could see the garden at Lingdale with its rhododendrons 20 feet high and in full blooms, and the superb sycamore trees. In Nice she rejoiced in ‘three walks lined with orange trees’ when she went to Carouge she was generally loaded with shrubs, plants and cuttings from Turin and Nice. In 1838 she sent M. Euphrasie Delaporte, who was superintending the laying out of the garden at Carouge, 460 rose trees, 400 different shrubs, jasmine etc., 2 beautiful cleanders, orange and olive trees besides cuttings and seeds. Latter she wrote to M. Euphrasie who had left Carough, “Now I must give you news of our children; the trees. The limes that you set in front of the House are superb, the chestnut trees fine, and the grove also, but the summer-house is still without creepers or greenery. What will surprise you more than all is

that fig tree has this year yielded three dishes of excellent figs….The children have a charming conservatory for their winter plants.”

Were Marie Madeleine d’Houet to visit the FCJ convent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, she would be very happy with the transformation of the grounds. When we first moved here, there were no gardens, just gravel-covered parking space and wilderness, filled with poison ivy, scrub trees, volunteer privet bushes, thorny vines and parts of a rusting cyclone fence. Now the garden is a showcase from late January through mid—July. Sister Madeleine Gregg fcJ reports that ‘every place has something eye catching, whether in shape of leaf, colour of flower, size or habit of plant. The city condemned the garage some years back and it was removed. Now the wilderness and back area are filled with herbs and vegetables, and off-spring from iris, daisies and other plants from around the garden. Each year I transform a little more of the available space. Slow progress is a given in nature and I feel in sync with Marie Madeleine who also knew what it was to wait patiently for things to develop. I do not have a master plan, but react to a local circumstance. Trading plants with friends and colleagues keeps the cost of gardening down as do composting and using our new 55 gallon rainwater tank. Marie Madeleine would rejoice with me that so many of the plants in the garden were gifts from people wanting to express appreciation for all that the FCJs have done for them. She would love it that our garden has become a sacred space in which so many people reconnect with the Creator of

All. www.fcjsisters.org

…..delighted in gardens

MARIE MADELEINE D’HOUET

VO L UME 4 PAGE 6

Athletics Update Wrestling

Our MDH grade 7,8, and 9 wrestlers have just attended their first meet at St. Elizabeth Seton. Students are now

practicing for the City Championships taking place on December 11th (girls) and 12h(boys) at Notre Dame High

School. Please see the MDH athletic website for more details.

Basketball

The basketball season at MDH will start soon. Senior tryouts will be held December 7—10th. Junior tryouts and the

first senior practices will be held December 14—17th. Please see the MDH athletic website for further details. All

students are encouraged to come to the tryouts to see if this is a sport they are interested in playing.

Check www.mdhpe.weebly.com for more info on all athletics at MDH.

Congratulations Jr & Sr. Girls Volleyball Team! Senior Girls Volleyball Team successfully defeated Christ the King School to win this year's city cham-

pionships by coming back in the 3rd set down 13 - 8 to win 15 - 14 . Way To Go Dolphins!!

The Junior Girls Volleyball Team scored big at their last tournament of the season in November by winning first place! Congratulations girls on your successful season.

VO L UME 4 PAGE 7

Prayer for healing

God, our Creator, Jesus our Companion.

Holy Spririt, Source of Wisdom

Marie Madeleine believed in your

Power, hoped in your promises

And lived for your glory and service.

We ask her to pray with us for…

Through her prayer may your

Healing presence be shown

And your name glorified.

We make our prayer

Jour du Souvenir

Students took some time during flex in November to remember Veterans and thank them for their service. The post cards they wrote will be sent to three Care Centre's in Calgary that are homes to local Veterans.

Homeroom 8-1 led the school community in the Remembrance Day Liturgy that was held on Tues-day, November 10th. A special thanks to Rhys D., who led the Color Guard; Zoe R., Macayla F., Erik H., Michelle M. & Matthew W. They added a spe-cial presence to the liturgy. You could have heard a pin drop while Emma R. played the Last Post on trumpet and Eveline M. played Amazing Grace on bagpipes. We are so fortunate to have talented students who share their gifts! Thank you.

PAGE 8 D O L PHIN D ISPATC H

Outdoor Education 9 On October 15, 2015 the grade 8 Outdoor Ed class went on a hiking trip to Nihahi Ridge. On our way we stopped

at Elbow Falls and saw a bench that was half stuck in the ground because of the flood. While hiking up to the ridge

we came across some fossils that were once on the ocean floor! It was a fun hike. When almost at the top of the

ridge we came across a steep path which was fun to run down. While at the top we ate lunch and saw a rescue

helicopter and a large hawk near the peak of the mountain.

In short we all had a lot of fun, playing games like camouflage and tracking animals. The view was beautiful and

honestly I’m really glad we went on that hike.

-Eric H and Caileigh C

From the FCJ Sisters….

Thank you to Sister Madeleine Gregg, FCJ, for visiting our parents at our November school council meeting.

At the meeting, Sister Madeleine shared some upcoming events that are available now for families of our school to

attend.

If you are interested in attending, please contact the FCJ Christian Life Centre at 403-228-4215

January 25 - 4:30 to 7:30 pm

Faithbooking: A Mother-Daughter Retreat for daughters between 10-12 years of age.

$54 early registration

$60 after Dec. 29

(includes dinner and an evening tea party)

February 28 - 2:00 - 4:30 pm

Living into Love & Loving into Life: A Love Languages Retreat for Young Teens and Parents

$45 early registration

$50 after Dec. 29

(includes afternoon snack)

March 13 - 2:00 - 4:30 pm

Family Forgiveness: Parents and Kids Retreat (children must be 5+ years old)

$45 early registration

$50 after Dec. 29

(includes afternoon snack and all materials)

108 - 22nd Street N.W.

Calgary, AB

T2N 2M8

CSSD

Phone: 403-500-2008

Fax: 403-500-2208

Catholicity, Community & Academic Success

École Madeleine d’Houet

We’re on the Web!

www.cssd.ab.ca/madeleinedhouet

Next School Council Meeting: January 20 @ 6:30 p.m.

In the Library

Spirit Days in December/January

“Show your school spirit and participate for House

Points!” Christmas Trivia—Dec. 14-19th

Red & Green Day—Dec. 14th

Christmas Sweater Day—Dec. 16th

Homeroom Dress Up—Dec. 17th

(The winning class at the end of the school year will have a free afternoon

with pizza and a movie!)

PAGE 9 D O L PHIN D ISPATC H

Snowball Dance January 14 @ 6 to 8 p.m.

In the Gym

December Gift Card Deadline Monday Dec. 1st

This is your last chance to order gift cards! Please

send your orders in asap. Information and order

forms are available on our school website under

“Fundraising”.

School Connects Coming soon…..

Madeleine d’Houet uses SchoolConnects. SchoolConnects is a PowerSchool based mass-communication tool that enables school

administrators and office staff to quickly send voice, email and text messages to parents and staff regarding student attendance,

school information and emergency events. Notification of unknown absences is automatically sent to parents.

SchoolConnects is used by over 35 schools in CCSD with great success. Many

schools have reported that their secretaries and office assistants are saving

several hours per day of manually phoning unknown absences. In addition,

parents respond more rapidly to notify the school of their child's’ absences.

It is important to have current phone numbers on record. Please update them if

they have changed.

As we embark on this new system, we will look forward to your feedback.

PAGE 10 D O L PHIN D ISPATC H

Calgary Catholic Education Foundation

Chance 2 Enhance’ Car Raffle

We are excited to inform you that the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation is conducting our second ‘CAR Raf-

fle’ in support of schools and students. You can purchase a raffle ticket through your child’s school or on-line.

Fact: Through fundraising initiatives like this, Madeleine d’Houet School has received more than $5,000 from the Foundation.

Fact: Since its beginning in 2009, the CCEF has contributed more than two million dollars for student-focused

educational initiatives, enhanced learning opportunities, programs and equipment for Calgary Catholic students.

Order your tickets now at www.theccef.ca or from your child’s school.

Tickets are $20 each or three for $50. Draw date: February 17, 2016

PRIZES INCLUDE: 2016 Volvo S60 Two round-trip tickets anywhere WestJet flies Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge 2-night Bed & Breakfast package Copper Point Resort two-night stay Telus Samsung S6 phone Calgary Stampede Rodeo -2 Infield tickets Calgary Flames suite for a game Calgary Stampeders suite for a game Stay and Ski Package-one-night stay at the Delta Lodge at Kananaskis and 2 adult ski passes for

Nakiska Three cash prizes of $1000.

The Calgary Catholic Education Foundation (CCEF) was started by community volunteers in 2009 in the re-sponse to the need for external fundraising. Supported by community, the Foundation is a resource dedicated to

enhancing educational experiences of students in the Calgary Catholic School District.

We thank you for your support!

Calgary Catholic Education Foundation

PAGE 11 D O L PHIN D ISPATC H

Spirit Day Events

The MDH

Student Leadership Newsletter

Christmas Spirit Days

There are several exciting things that will be happening the week of December 14 to celebrate

Christmas! See the dates and details below and join us in showing your Christmas spirit!

Christmas Trivia Dec 14-19

Red & Green Day Mon. Dec .14 Wear a red and green outfit today for spirit points!

Christmas Sweater Day Wed. Dec. 16 Wear your most outrageous Christmas spirit sweater today!

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5

Fill a Sock Fill a Need for

The Drop in Centre

This Christmas season the Student Leadership team is

asking every homeroom to collect items for The Drop in Centre.

Some of the items we need include: Warm socks

Gloves Hats

Toiletries Cough drops

Brushes/Combs Chocolate/candy

$5 coffee or food gift cards

Please send your items to your student’s homeroom by Dec. 11.

Our goal is to put together 100 completely stuffed socks!

Listen on the announcements for Christmas Trivia questions and earn spirit points for your homeroom for correct answers!

Homeroom Dress up Thurs. Dec 17 Choose someone in your homeroom to dress up as a Christmas Tree!

Individualized, Flexible Scheduling • Personalized Learning • Positive Relationships

Program Information & Open House Nights

Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 7 p.m.Wednesday, January 6, 2016 at 7 p.m.

For those interested in Advanced Placement courses, there will be a brief AP information session at 6:30 p.m. prior to the general information session.

Junior High School Visits (by appointment only)

December 8 to 10, 20159 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Open House

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 9:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. &

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Bishop Carroll High School4624 Richard Road SW Calgary, AB403-500-2056 • bishop.carroll@cssd.ab.cawww.cssd.ab.ca/bishopcarroll

Champion Athletics • Advanced Placement • Performing Arts • Digital Media Arts • International Travel • Hockey Canada Skills Academy

Discover PersonalizedSelf-Directed Learning!

1000 Fifth Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 4T9 403-500-2000 www.cssd.ab.ca

CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MONTHLY NEWS

ConnectionsDECEMBER 2015

Board of Trustees’ Christmas Message“Though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8) This writing speaks to our district faith theme this year: “Walk Humbly with God.” The idea of walking humbly with God brings a mindfulness to our lives, especially during the hectic pace of the Christmas season. Read more: http://bit.ly/1PMqJvQ

Chief Superintendent’s Christmas Message“Less of me; more of you.” This is an idea that we keep returning to this year, as we explore our dis-trict faith theme, “Walk Humbly with God.” It means putting others first, as a reflection of our love for them and for God—an idea which is truly humbling. Read more: http://bit.ly/1ji9QdV

Celebrating Faith Day 2015More than 5,000 district staff members came together as a community at the TELUS Convention Centre on November 2 to celebrate Faith Day. The day explored the third part of the district’s three-year faith theme: “Walk Humbly with God.” Learn more: http://bit.ly/1Nch9Mh

CCSD Shepherd Leadership Award Winners 2015Faith Day is also an opportunity to recognize employees in the district who model the qualities of a shepherd leader. Since 2008, the Shepherd Leadership Recognition has been awarded annually to 25 employees who are working hard to make a difference for children, families and staff. Congratula-tions to this year’s recipients! See the full list: http://bit.ly/1PAKjcM

Annual Advent and Christmas High School Choral Festival - December 1, 2015The tradition continues at the Calgary Catholic School District and all are invited! The Ad vent and Christmas High School Choral Festival features choirs from Bishop Carroll, Bishop Grandin, Bishop O’Byrne and St. Mary’s. With close to 600 students partici pating—this is a holiday event not to miss! Mark your calendars for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1 at St. Mary’s Cathedral (219 - 18 Ave. SW). For more information, please contact Holly Schile at 403-500-2844.

Christmas Holiday Hours - December 18, 2015–January 4, 2016Calgary Catholic schools and administrative offices will be closed beginning at noon on Fri day, De-cember 18, 2015 and will reopen on Monday, January 4, 2016. We wish everyone a blessed and joyous Christmas season!

January 2016 Diploma Preparation CoursesThe Calgary Catholic School District will be offering opportunities for students and the general pub-lic interested in taking Diploma Preparation Courses in January 2016. Each course is four hours long and runs over three evenings for a total of 12 hours of instruction. Learn more: http://bit.ly/1w5Du5k

Calgary Catholic Education Foundation Raffle The Calgary Catholic Education Foundation’s second “Chance 2 Enhance” raffle is selling tickets from now until February 17, 2016. The grand prize is a 2016 Volvo S60. Other prizes include Westjet round-trip flights, hotel packages, cash prizes and Flames and Stampeder tickets. Don’t miss the opportunity to win amazing prizes, while supporting the education of over 53,000 students in the Calgary Catholic School District. Learn more: http://bit.ly/1j8oYKJ

Did you know?

The district’s annual Advent and Christmas High School Choral Festival started in 1992 – 23 years ago!

Healthy Teens Parent Newsletter

December 2015

To find an electronic copy of this newsletter, visit: www.albertahealthservices.ca/csh.asp

Talking to Your Teen About Bullying

Teens can be under a lot of pressure as they deal with hormonal changes, heartbreaks, anxiety about school, relationships, etc. With so much going on in your teen’s life, it is important to watch for signs that your teen may be struggling with bullying. If your teen seems unusually anxious, worried about going to school or withdrawn, take some time to check in and let them know you are there to support them. Bullying can take different forms:

Verbal: name calling, gossiping and negative comments about a person’s interests or background (e.g. culture, race, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual orientation).

Physical: hitting, tripping, pinching and unwanted sexual touching.

Social: leaving someone out on purpose, telling others not to be friends and spreading rumors.

Cyber: the use of email, text messages, social media and internet sites to socially exclude, embarrass and damage reputations and relationships.

What to do if you suspect your teen is being bullied?

Start the conversation. Talk often and openly.

Offer comfort and encourage your teen to talk about their feelings.

Work with your teen’s school to monitor, prevent and stop bullying behaviours.

Make safety arrangements. Be sure your teen knows how to get help.

Build confidence. Teach your teen to be assertive, not aggressive.

Stand up for you teen. Get involved in bullying awareness and prevention programs.

Be a role model.

Adult intervention is key to bullying prevention. Being informed about bullying is the first step in addressing bullying behaviour and promoting healthy relationships. Take action with teachers and other adults in your community to implement anti-bullying programs to help end negative implications caused by bullying. For more information and resources on bullying awareness and prevention, we encourage you to check out what www.teachingsexualhealth.ca has to offer!

Safe Food for Lunch

Food is an enjoyable part of everyday living. When we eat we want to have the proper nutrition, but we also want the food to taste and look good. One thing we never expect is to get sick from the food we eat. To keep any food safe we can follow four easy steps:

Chill – Keep food at 4ºC or colder. Use an ice pack in your child’s lunch bag or freeze a juice box. You will still have cold juice by lunch and the rest of the lunch will be safer to eat.

Cook – Colour no longer indicates doneness. To make sure the germs that cause foodborne illness are killed, check the temperature of the food with a thermometer. An internal temperature of 74ºC should be reached at the end of cooking. Reheat foods to an internal temperature of 74ºC as well.

Clean – Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent many types of illness. The most important time to wash is after going to the bathroom. Use clean dishes to prepare food. Wash fruits and vegetables before eating.

Separate – Keep raw foods and cooked foods separate. Clean dishes between preparing different types of food or use separate dishes.

These four steps will help to keep any food safer to eat and prevent foodborne illness. Driving is

Because they don’t come with a manual Alberta Health Services has created Healthy Parents, Healthy Children just for you. From pregnancy up to 6 years of age, all the information you need is at your fingertips. For reliable information about how to help your family grow, learn and be healthy, visit: www.HealthyParentsHealthyChildren.ca

Des ados en santé Bulletin pour les parents

Décembre 2015

Pour obtenir une version électronique de ce bulletin, consultez www.albertahealthservices.ca/csh.asp

Parler d’intimidation à son adolescent

Les adolescents peuvent vivre beaucoup de pression tandis qu’ils doivent composer avec les changements hormonaux, les déchirements, l’anxiété au sujet de l’école, les relations, etc. Comme il se passe beaucoup de choses dans la vie d’un adolescent, il est important d’être vigilant et de reconnaître les signes qui indiquent que votre adolescent a de la difficulté en raison de l’intimidation. Si votre adolescent semble anxieux, inquiet à l’idée de fréquenter l’école ou replié sur lui-même, prenez le temps de lui souligner qu’il peut compter sur vous pour obtenir du soutien. L’intimidation peut revêtir différentes formes :

Verbale : injures, potins et commentaires défavorables faits au sujet des intérêts, du sexe, de l’orientation sexuelle ou de l’origine culturelle, raciale, ethnique ou religieuse d’une personne.

Physique : frapper, faire trébucher ou pincer une personne, ou encore se livrer à des attouchements sexuels non désirés à son endroit.

Sociale : exclure volontairement quelqu’un, dire à autrui de ne pas être son ami ou faire circuler des rumeurs.

Informatique : le recours aux courriels, aux textos, aux medias sociaux et aux sites Internet pour exclure quelqu’un d’un groupe ou pour l’embarrasser, ou encore pour ternir la réputation et les relations.

Que faire si vous soupçonnez que votre adolescent est victime d’intimidation?

Engagez le dialogue. Parlez souvent et ouvertement.

Réconfortez votre adolescent et encouragez-le à exprimer ses sentiments.

Travaillez avec l’école de votre adolescent afin de surveiller, de prévenir et d’éliminer les comportements d’intimidation.

Mettez en place des dispositions de sécurité. Assurez-vous que votre adolescent sait où obtenir de l’aide.

Inspirez de la confiance à votre adolescent. Enseignez-lui à être assertif sans être agressif.

Défendez votre adolescent. Participez à des programmes de sensibilisation à l’intimidation et de prévention.

Donnez l’exemple.

L’intervention des adultes constitue un élément essentiel à la prévention de l’intimidation. La première étape à franchir pour s’attaquer aux comportements d’intimidation et promouvoir les relations saines consiste à s’informer au sujet de l’intimidation. Prenez des mesures auprès des enseignants et d’autres adultes au sein de votre communauté afin de mettre en œuvre des programmes anti-intimidation visant à contrecarrer les répercussions néfastes de l’intimidation. Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements et ressources sur la sensibilisation à l’intimidation et sa prévention, nous vous encourageons à consulter ce que le site www.teachingsexualhealth.ca a à offrir!

Driving is

Alberta Health Services a créé pour vous Healthy Parents, Healthy Children, car les enfants ne naissent pas accompagnés d’un guide. Depuis la grossesse jusqu’à l’âge de 6 ans, tous les renseignements qu’il vous faut sont à votre portée. Pour obtenir des renseignements fiables sur la façon d’aider votre famille à s’épanouir, à apprendre et à mener une vie saine, consultez www.HealthyParentsHealthyChildren.ca

Des ados en santé Bulletin pour les parents

Décembre 2015

Pour obtenir une version électronique de ce bulletin, consultez www.albertahealthservices.ca/csh.asp

Des aliments salubres pour le dîner

Les aliments jouent un rôle agréable dans notre quotidien. Lorsque nous mangeons, nous voulons nous prévaloir non seulement d’une nutrition adéquate, mais également d’aliments qui ont bon goût et une belle apparence. Chose certaine, nous ne nous attendons jamais à tomber malade en raison des aliments que nous consommons. Pour assurer la salubrité de tout aliment, nous pouvons suivre les quatre étapes simples suivantes :

Refroidir – Conservez les aliments à une température maximum de 4 ºC. Mettez un bloc réfrigérant dans le sac à dîner de votre enfant ou faites congeler une boîte de jus. Celle-ci sera encore froide à l’heure du dîner, et le reste du dîner pourra être consommé sans risque.

Cuire – La couleur n’indique plus le degré de cuisson. Pour assurer l’élimination complète des microbes qui causent les maladies d’origine alimentaire, vérifiez la température de l’aliment à l’aide d’un thermomètre. La température interne de l’aliment doit atteindre 74 ºC à la fin de la période de cuisson. Pour réchauffer les plats, la température interne de l’aliment doit aussi atteindre 74 ºC.

Nettoyer – L’un des meilleurs moyens de prévenir de nombreux types de maladie est de se laver les mains, surtout après être allé aux toilettes. Préparez les aliments sur de la vaisselle propre. Lavez les fruits et légumes avant de les consommer.

Séparer – Séparez les aliments crus des aliments cuits. Nettoyez la vaisselle entre la préparation de différents types d’aliments ou utilisez de la vaisselle distincte.

Ces quatre étapes vous aideront à faire en sorte que vos aliments soient plus salubres et empêcheront les maladies d’origine alimentaire.