September Newsletter, 2016

Newsletter September 2016

Administrators’ Message

Welcome/Welcome back to another exciting year of Catholic education with Edmonton Catholic Schools! The staff of Annunciation would like to extend a warm welcome to our new and returning students and their families. We’re glad you’re here! We are looking forward to another happy and productive school year. We look forward to a school year where ‘We are called…to be leaders of hope and mercy’. The District theme for the year calls for change for a better world - hope for the future. As adults, we relate and shape the minds of the individual students who then set out upon the world and will, in turn, affect others they interact with.

September begins a very special new school year for the entire Annunciation school community – Annunciation is celebrating a jubilee anniversary… 50 years of Catholic education! The school was officially opened by the Edmonton Catholic School District in 1966 so we take this year to celebrate our mission, our vision, and our journey in education and faith since our humble beginnings 50 years ago. Special celebratory events will take place close to our Feast Day which is on March 25th. Of course, we will also take the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate this special jubilee anniversary at Annunciation during various points throughout the year.

For those returning families, you may have noticed that the school has a very different look. The exterior of the school was painted in June and the front yard of the school will also be receiving a little bit of a facelift. We are very excited to be starting the school year at such a beautiful site, inside and out!

Our entire staff was hard at work prior to opening day, planning and preparing for your child’s arrival. Several new staff members have joined us this year, and we also have some

September Newsletter, 2016 congratulatory news. We have a new addition to our Annunciation family. Christine Szaszkiewicz and her husband, JP, welcomed a beautiful baby girl, Gabrielle Allison Szaszkiewicz, on August 20. Congratulations to Christine, JP and big brother Joel!

Research clearly indicates that students experience greater success in school when their parents take an active interest in their education. You are their most important teacher! Your child will think education is important if you make it a priority in your home. Here are some simple tips regarding what you can do:

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

• Get to know your child’s teachers and keep in touch. Children notice when their parents greet their teachers - and when their teachers know who they are!

• Check on the academic progress of your child. Start early! Parents may use the Student Agenda Book to check for homework and assignments; it can also become a key communication tool between parents and teachers. Parents are urged to check their child’s agenda regularly.

• Read the monthly newsletter. The newsletter includes information that can answer many questions you may have and it will alert you to upcoming events. The newsletter is posted online on the first few days of each month. An email message is sent to parents indicating that the newsletter has been posted. We look forward to communicating to you the activities of the school through these monthly newsletters which will be placed on our website. Please take the time to read each newsletter online at http://www.annunciation.ecsd.net so you are kept informed. Please feel free to contact the school if you require clarification about anything.

• Attend school events such as our Meet the Staff/Curriculum Information Evening, Student-led Conferences, celebrations, music concerts and cultural events when they take place. If your child is on the sports teams, be a fan.

• Consider attending the parent school council meetings and becoming part of the parent team that assists the staff with the education of your children. Our first

September Newsletter, 2016 meeting of the school year will be held on Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 pm in our school staffroom.

• Read with your child at least 10 minutes each day. Reading is one of the most important activities you can do with your child.

• Establish a nightly homework routine. Have a firm bedtime and limit TV watching and video game playing.

• Expect your child to do their best and have high, but realistic, expectations of them.

Annunciation School has a rich history and a tradition of success. We are honored and pleased to have the opportunity to work with your children and with such a dynamic and hard-working staff. We are thrilled to be here and look forward to another year as administrators at Annunciation School. In partnership with you, we will continue to build on the school’s history of success and together with staff, will work diligently at ensuring that we make decisions in the best interests of your child’s education.

May God’s blessings be upon you as we begin our 2016 - 2017 school year. We look forward to an excellent year with your child(ren)!

Jennifer De Stefanis-Dimas Joseph Estephan

Principal Assistant Principal

September Newsletter, 2016

Meet Our Staff

We are so happy to welcome back our returning staff members and welcome our new staff members, Ms. Anderson, Ms. Frank, Mrs. Karla Silva-Ludtke, Miss Brodeur and Miss Cimino. We are especially thankful that Mrs. Ostrowerka and Mr. Kosinski, who were both on medical leaves during the previous school year, have both been cleared to return back to work this year. We missed them tremendously last year and our thankful that they are healthy and ready to start the new school year. In other staffing news, Mrs. Lindop has had to go on an extended medical leave

TEACHING STAFF

Kindergarten A – Karen Szelewicki Kindergarten B - Ashley Jennings Grade 1A – Ashley Brodeur Grade 1B - Moira McDade Grade 2A – Stephanie Bajac Grade 2B – Kathleen Hamanishi-Lohner Grade 3A – Karla Silva-Ludtke Grade 3B – Chiara Cimino Grade 4A - Renee Shevalier-Lavin Grade 4B – Ivy MacLean

Grade 5A – Phil Campbell Grade 5B – Sunata Halliday Grade 6A - Christopher Koper Grade 6B - Maureen Ostrowerka Music Teacher – Marta Miskic Learning Coach/IB Coordinator – Sarah L’Hoir English Language Learner Teacher – Deborah Peterson

SUPPORT STAFF

EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANTS OFFICE

EA – Linda Anderson EA – Nadia Frank EA - Linda Girard EA - Yussi Ibanescu Kindergarten EA - Yolanda Engel Kindergarten EA – Tianna Yates

Secretary – Vicky Jingling Clerk and Media Resources - Maria Joy

CUSTODIANS OUT OF SCOPE

Head Custodian - Richard Kosinski Senior Custodian - Raymonde Dodard

Technician – Ken Kwan

ADMINISTRATION

Principal – Jennifer De Stefanis-Dimas Assistant Principal – Joseph Estephan

September Newsletter, 2016 for an undetermined length of time. We ask that you keep her in your thoughts and prayers. We are happy to announce that Miss Chiara Cimino has been hired for the position until Mrs. Lindop’s return. We are very thankful to be able to have such a capable teacher taking over the Grade 3 position!

Enrollment at Annunciation The word is out in the community that Annunciation is an outstanding school! Enrollment has been steadily increasing over the past number of years and we continue to be at capacity. Although we expect a bit of change as some families move away and others move into the neighbourhood, we currently have 331 students registered with us. Enrollment numbers will be finalized on September 30.

Hours of Operation

Registration: 8:25 - 8:30 am

Instruction:

8:30 - 10:15 am

Recess: 10:15 - 10:30 am

Instruction: 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

Lunch: 12:00 - 12:45 pm

Instruction: 12:45 - 3:00 pm *

*Includes a 5 minute wellness break.

Thursday dismissal is at 11:55 am. The Thursdays before major holidays, including Christmas, Spring Break and summer, will be full days of instruction, with early dismissal on the Friday before the holiday.

Attendance and School Hours

Regular and punctual attendance is critical to student success.

It is of critical importance that students attend school regularly and on-time. If a child is not here, they are missing out on curricular instruction and their learning is being impaired. As well, arriving late interrupts the learning time of all students.

Conscientious parents know the importance of getting their child to school each day before the bell rings. We take attendance very seriously. We have a legal obligation to monitor attendance and to do what we can to enforce it. In those rare

instances when attendance becomes a serious problem, administration will act accordingly, including making referrals to the Provincial Attendance Board.

Please note the first school bell rings at 8:25 am to start the day. Lunch is from 12:00 noon to 12:45 pm. The day ends at 3:00 pm. The exception to this schedule is Thursdays, on which we dismiss at 11:55 am.

September Newsletter, 2016

Morning/After-School Student Supervision Morning supervision for students does not start before 8:10 am. Please do not drop your child(ren) off before 8:10 am as we are not able to provide supervision and they will not be able to come into the school. After school supervision ends at 3:15 pm. Please ensure that your child(ren) are picked up between 3:00 pm and 3:15 pm. Students are not able to wait in the school after 3:15 pm as there is no supervision. Thank you for your continued support in ensuring that all our children are safe before and after school.

Designated Entrances/Exits All grades have been assigned a designated entrance/exit that they are required to use to enter and exit the building. Students are discouraged from using the front door due to the traffic that results, and it is just not possible to accommodate over 300 students to use the front door as an entrance at the start of the day or as an exit at the end of the day. W e are asking parents to support their child(ren) in following this procedure by having a meeting point outside the front of the school, whereby students exit through their own door and then meet their parents at the designated meeting point. If a student has a younger sibling to pick up at the end of the day, they may meet their younger sibling outside their door.

In addition, we are committed to honoring instructional time during the day and limiting disruptions to learning. Unless there are special circumstances, parents are asked not to enter the school before our dismissal times and walk through the hallways in order to pick-up their child(ren), but rather to arrange a meeting place outside the school where they can meet their child(ren) (outside their designated door would be best). Your cooperation will limit the disruptions to teaching and learning time which is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Edmonton Catholic School District Assessment and Reporting Your child’s growth and progress as a learner is most important to us. To communicate student learning, the key learner outcomes from the Alberta programs of study are standard from school to school. Your child’s progress and understanding of each of the learning outcomes are expressed by one of the revised levels of achievement as indicated in the following chart:

Level of Achievement

Indicator

Description/Criteria

September Newsletter, 2016 Exemplary The student….

• demonstrates in-depth understanding of the learning outcomes from the

program of studies • applies concepts in a wider variety of learning situations, including new

contexts • uses required skills and strategies effectively

Proficient The student…. • demonstrates solid understanding of the learning outcomes from the

program of studies • applies concepts in most learning situations • uses most required skills and strategies effectively

Progressing The student…. • demonstrates understanding of the learning outcomes from the program

of studies, and may require additional guidance and support • applies concepts in some learning situations • uses some required skills and strategies appropriately

Beginning The student…. • demonstrates limited or incomplete understanding of the learning

outcomes from the program of studies • applies concepts in learning situations with repeated guidance and

support • uses required skills and strategies with repeated guidance and support

Insufficient Evidence

• The student has not yet demonstrated enough evidence for reporting purposes

• An explanation is included in the comment box

There are specific comments about your child’s progress in English Language Arts, Mathematics and Religion, (and where applicable, French/Spanish/Ukrainian Language Arts).

For the Learner Skills section of the progress report, teachers select learner skills that pertain specifically to your child, and will assess according to three indicators from the following list:

September Newsletter, 2016

Consistently, Shows Progress or Requires Growth. Because more personalized information is embedded in the revised report card design, lengthy comments are not necessary; an additional comment may be included at the teacher’s discretion.

Citizenship This area reflects the student as a member of our Catholic school

community

• Is considerate and polite • Accepts responsibility for own actions • Responds to others in a respectful manner • Respects property of others • Shares ideas and takes action to make the class, school or community a safe and just

place • Plays well in small and large groups

Collaboration This area reflects the student’s participation as a group member working towards learning goals

• Shares learning, resources, and prior knowledge • Responds positively to the ideas and opinions of others • Assumes shared responsibility for group work • Works with others to resolve challenges in order to achieve group goals

Self-Management This area reflects the student’s responsibility for personal learning

• Takes responsibility for personal goals • Remains focused and on task • Perseveres when responding to learning challenges • Seeks clarification and assistance when needed • Organizes personal learning materials and space • Follows classroom rules and routines • Listens attentively during instruction and classroom discussions • Takes initiative to extend learning

Progress Reports and Student-led Conference Dates Progress report dates and Student-led Conferences for this school year are scheduled for:

First Progress Report: December 2, 2016

Student-Led Conferences: December 7, 2016

Second Progress Report: March 17, 2017

Student-Led Conferences: March 22, 2017

Third Progress Report: June 29, 2017

If you wish to discuss your child’s progress or marks, please feel free to call the school to speak with his/her teacher at any time.

September Newsletter, 2016

Office Hours

Our school office is open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Parents who call the school after these hours are asked to leave a clear message and we will return your call as soon as we are able to.

Please remember that we will be happy to give your child a message at recess, lunch, or at the end of the day. We thank you for your understanding of our wanting to protect learning time for all students by not interrupting classes for messages.

School Fees As a district, we are very sensitive to the economic pressures that many of our families are facing at this time, and acknowledge that this is an area where we can act in mercy as our Holy Father has called us to do. It is our desire to support our Edmonton Catholic Schools families to the greatest extent that we can in order to ease financial constraints. To that end, for the 2016-2017 school year, every Catholic school will be suspending school fees for basic education costs, such as textbook rental, learning resources, printing, technology, library, or general fees.

Schools will continue to collect funds on a strictly cost recovery basis for optional supplemental educational activities in the following categories: Extra-curricular teams/clubs, field trips, school activity costs (dances, social activities), student activity costs and costs for extra-ordinary course consumables.

As a school district, we are unsure how long we will be able to sustain this direction, but are committed to taking these first steps to support our families in challenging economic times.

Textbook Information This school year, students will not be charged a textbook rental fee; however, they are responsible for the books that they are assigned. Since replacement costs for some textbooks are over $100.00, students are urged to take very good care of their textbooks.

Property Taxes All property owners are encouraged to examine their Tax Notice to ensure that their support is assigned to Edmonton Catholic Schools. If you own a business or are in a business partnership, please check to see that your taxes are being allocated to our district (partial allocations can also be designated). If there is an error, please contact the City of Edmonton using their 311 number or through email: taxinquiry@edmonton.ca

Bus Passes Bus passes are sold in the office during the last week and the first few days of the month. Parents of students who ride the bus to school are encouraged to pre-pay using post-dated cheques. Bus

September Newsletter, 2016 passes will not be issued to students unless payment has been received. Please be advised that the deadline to purchase yellow bus passes is the 4th day of every month. If your child has not purchased his/her bus pass by that time, they will no longer be able to take the bus. Parents/Guardians will be notified that they will need to find alternate transportation for their child.

We would like to remind students who take either the ETS or the yellow school busses that they are expected to behave in a manner acceptable to the bus driver. Riding these busses is not a right. It is a service provided by Edmonton Transit or by the school district. Students who behave inappropriately on the busses could be asked to find alternate transportation to school. Note: Video surveillance cameras were put onto yellow school busses throughout the school district in 2002.

The cost of bus passes this year is $32.00/month. A family plan is available for families with three or more children who take the yellow bus. The cost of family plan bus passes is $28/month for each child. Note: In order to confirm eligibility, parents must complete an application for the family plan.

The Edmonton Transit System allows the holder of an ETS bus pass to utilize Edmonton Transit any time throughout the week, including weekends.

In collaboration with Edmonton Transit, the Edmonton Catholic School District has enhanced the options available to yellow bus pass users. Students who possess a yellow bus pass will be allowed six rides per month on Edmonton Transit System throughout the week, including weekends, up to 8:00 pm. Students will have their yellow pass punched by an ETS operator and will obtain a transfer pass before boarding the bus or LRT.

Students are reminded to take good care of their bus passes, particularly since they are charged the full replacement cost if they lose them. For ETS bus passes, replacement passes are $69.00. Replacement costs for yellow bus passes are $5.00. Edmonton Catholic Schools

2016 - 2017 BUS PASS FEES GRADES Regular

Rate Family Plan (families of 3 or more)

Replacement Cost

Kindergarten Free n/a Free

Elementary (Yellow ) $32.00 $28.00 $5.00

Elementary (ETS) $32.00 $28.00 $69.00

Annual Pass (Elementary)

$320.00 $280.00 $5.00

Yellow only and non-refundable

September Newsletter, 2016

Yellow School Bus Information for Parents SCHOOL START-UP – SEPTEMBER 2016

In June 2015, a Joint Safety Committee was formed with representatives from Edmonton school jurisdictions and contracted yellow bus carriers. The purpose of the committee is to meet bi-annually to discuss yellow school bus safety with all stakeholders involved with yellow school bus transportation in Edmonton. The following new safety measures have been implemented on all Edmonton Catholic Schools yellow bus routes as of September 2015:

Code RED – All carriers have agreed to implement a code red system that requires dispatch to answer a Code RED call from a bus driver as a priority. Code RED is defined as, “any time a situation arises and a driver’s ability to safely drive is compromised.”

Oversize Items – Oversize items on a school bus can become a safety hazard if the bus has to stop suddenly or is involved in a collision. To ensure student safety, the district will be implementing the following guidelines:

Maximum size limit for large items: 13” wide x 13” deep x 30” high or 33cm wide x 33cm deep x 76cm high

Guidelines:

• The item must be in a backpack, closed bag or carrying case. • The item must fit on the child’s lap or between their legs on the floor of the school bus. • Items placed on the floor must not extend past the child’s chest area. • Items cannot block aisles or emergency exits.

Notices – Information on oversize items will be on large easy-to-read stickers clearly displayed on yellow school buses. Bus drivers will also retain a copy of these guidelines on the bus and the information has been posted on the district website.

Drivers have been instructed that they cannot refuse transportation to a child even if the child shows up at the bus stop with an oversize item that exceeds the maximum limits. In this situation, drivers will stow the item as safely as possible. Once the bus arrives at the school, the driver will advise the school supervisor that the student has an oversize item and remind the school that the driver will not allow the oversize item back on the bus. The school must make arrangements with parents to transport the oversize item.

Driver Expectations – Edmonton Catholic Schools’ transportation staff attended orientation sessions for yellow bus drivers where they presented information on these new guidelines as well as outlined

Junior/Senior (Yellow) $50.00 $46.00 $5.00

Junior/Senior (ETS) $50.00 $46.00 $69.00

Annual Pass (Junior/Senior)

$500.00 $460.00 $5.00

Yellow only and non-refundable

September Newsletter, 2016 driver expectations. Driver expectations include:

• Develop seating plans and assign students to specific seats. • Follow the route as designed - no courtesy stops. • Complete child check to ensure that children are not left sleeping on the bus, and • A reminder that kindergarten and grade 1 students are to be met at their stop by a parent

or guardian.

Camera Surveillance Equipment Edmonton Catholic Schools operates video surveillance equipment in approximately 45% of our bus routes. The equipment will be assigned to longer bus routes and bus routes that have had a history of issues. If, at any time throughout the year, principals want a particular bus route to have video surveillance equipment, they may contact Transportation Services and arrangements can be made to have the video surveillance equipment available for that route.

Our plan is to add new video surveillance equipment to our buses every year so that this equipment will be on the entire fleet of buses assigned to Edmonton Catholic Schools.

Medical Alerts Upon occasion, parents request that staff members administer medication to students who are not sufficiently mature or reliable enough to care for their own needs. In order to administer medication to a student, we require a “Request for Administration of Medication/Medical Treatment Form” be completed and on file in the office. A copy of this form may be obtained from the school office. It is the parents’ responsibility to keep us informed of medical conditions and to provide correct information regarding treatment and emergency contact information.

Fentanyl: A Deadly Drug that is Stronger than Heroin Fentanyl is a highly powerful medicine made from opioids (chemicals used to treat sudden and ongoing pain). It’s up to 100 times stronger than other opioids like morphine, heroin, or oxycodone and has been linked to many deaths in Alberta. Drug dealers often sell fentanyl but say it is oxycodone. Buyers may think they are buying oxycodone, but they are getting another opioid drug that has Fentanyl and other substances in it. Police warn that a dose the size of two grains of salt can be deadly, and no amount of the drug is safe. Here are some resources to help educate you on Fentanyl: Alberta Health Services - Health Information – Fentanyl ( https://www.ecsd.net/News/Documents/hi-padis-fentanyl-faq.pdf ) Alberta Health Services – Fentanyl Information and Resources ( http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/11357.asp ) Ontario Provincial Police - Officer Safety Alert – Fentanyl ( https://www.ecsd.net/News/Documents/Fentanyl%20Bulletin%20UPDATE%20FINAL%20CPAT%20135-15_1.pdf ) If you have additional questions about the drug Fentanyl, please call the Poison and Drug Information Service at 1 800 332-1414.

September Newsletter, 2016

Registration, FOIP, ECSD Responsible Use Agreement and Student Owned Devices Policy Copies of the registration information we have on file will be sent home early in the school year. Parents are asked to check this information over carefully, make any necessary changes and return the forms to the school. We also ask that parents of students who are of First Nations, Metis or Inuit descent identify this on the registration forms. In some cases, this enables us to access additional support for students. It is extremely important that we have accurate information regarding our students in the event of an emergency. As per the information above, parents of students who are new to our school are asked to also complete FOIP forms and the ECSD Responsible Use Agreement. Two years ago, we implemented our Student Owned Devices Policy for Grades 3-6. Therefore, all parents and students are asked to sign this updated agreement so that students will have access to their own devices during instructional time.

Agenda Books Our students use the Student Agenda Books which are sold to students for $12.00. The Agenda assists students in keeping their homework assignments well organized and can be an invaluable tool in developing effective time-management skills and communicating between home and school.

Please note: the first section of the Agenda contains a great deal of information about Annunciation School. Please be sure to read the first section of the Agenda with your child. Parents are asked to sign the Awareness Confirmation at the front. All parents could assist teachers by adding their email addresses to the signature page. Thank you!

Friday is Information Day Annunciation School uses Friday as the day to send home information so that communication material can be sent home to parents in a consistent manner each week. Information such as classroom newsletters, brochures, field trip letters, forms and book orders will be sent home in the student agenda every Friday. Please read and respond to the material as soon as possible. Thank you!

Protocol for Parent Concerns Edmonton Catholic Schools recognizes the freedom of all members of the school community (students, staff, parents and neighbours) to voice their concerns in an appropriate manner to the appropriate school personnel. The principle of “first contact” needs to be followed. This means that the person(s) who have the concern, have the responsibility to begin addressing the concern directly with those persons with whom they have the concern before taking their concern elsewhere. Parents who contact school

administration prior to speaking with the persons with whom they have a concern will be directed to that person first. If resolution is not found, please then involve school administration as needed. All parties will deal with concerns in a manner that is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic

September Newsletter, 2016 Church.

Safety Drill Practices In general, we will be practicing our fire drills in the fall and spring. We will practice lockdown and other emergency procedures all year. These valuable exercises are required so that the staff and students are aware of what the procedures are should one of these events occur. Both planned and surprise events will occur for all of these practices. In all cases, the office will make an announcement following the practice. Our first fire drill will be held on Friday, September 9 (weather permitting) and our first lock down practice will be held on Thursday, September 22.

School Opening Celebration Our school opening celebration will take place in our gym on Thursday, September 8 at 11:00 am. Please join us!

Cell Phone Use Students at Annunciation are not allowed to use cell phones, recording or transmission devices in the school building without the express permission of a teacher or staff member. Students who need to contact their parents during the school day may use the phone in the office. To do so, students must have permission from a staff member.

Back to School Resources/Curriculum Info for Parents Students, parents and teachers can find a variety of resources in the Alberta Government’s online Back to School Toolkit to help with preparing for the new school year:

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

The Toolkit provides an overview of what’s new in Alberta’s Kindergarten to Grade 12 education system and provides many helpful tips for parents. In addition, My Child’s Learning provided by Alberta Education, give parents an in-depth look at the subjects and programs available from kindergarten to senior high school. Click on the “Customize My Printout” button to access information about Catholic education. http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/mychildslearning/customize.html

Meet the Staff/Curriculum Information Evening September 14 at 6:30 pm

Mark your calendars... for a very important evening. We will be hosting our annual Meet the Staff/Curriculum Information Evening on Wednesday, September 14 at 6:30 pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about our school, the staff, the curriculum for your child’s grade, and to see the classroom your child will be learning in. It is also your opportunity to ask the teacher any questions you might have regarding your son or daughter’s education.

We will open the evening by gathering in the gym. Administration will give a brief opening address welcoming you to the school. Parents will then be invited into their child’s classrooms where they can

September Newsletter, 2016 meet the teacher and see firsthand the learning environment that their child will be spending almost one thousand hours learning in this year!

It promises to be an informative evening, and we hope to see you there. The evening will end between 7:30 and 7:45 pm.

School Council Parents who would like to be more involved in their child’s education and in the decision-making process at the school are invited to join the School Council. New members are always welcome and we have many vacant positions this year that must be filled! The SAC meets approximately eight times per year. Our first SAC meeting of the year is on Wednesday, September 21 at 6:30 pm in the Staffroom. Please plan to attend!

School Picture Day ~ October 19 School pictures will be taken on Wednesday, October 19. Please mark your calendars! Pre-payment envelopes with additional information on packages and prices will be sent home once we receive them. Students must bring the pre- payment envelope with them on Photo Day. This envelope will be given directly to the photographer. Retakes are scheduled for Tuesday, November 15.

Annunciation Safety Patrols Our new and eager grade six crew of AMA safety patrollers is ready to go! The 2016-2017 school year will see our patrollers maintaining the west controlled crosswalk with the point, pause, and proceed technique. This technique models what every pedestrian should do when crossing the

street and is a much simpler procedure for school patrollers.

The primary role of AMA School Safety Patrollers is to assist younger students to cross the street — not to direct traffic. Patrollers will extend their arm to indicate pedestrians want to cross the street and will only extend their stop sign when it is safe to cross their fellow classmates.

It would be greatly appreciated if parents could assist our patrollers in the following ways:

• Our pylons are to assist in marking our No Parking Zones. • Please do not park in the No Parking or Bus Zones in front of the school. Even if you are

only dropping your child off, it makes it extremely difficult for the patrollers or supervisors to effectively watch for oncoming traffic when there are vehicles in these areas.

• Please exercise extreme caution when approaching the front of the school.

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

Parking in the Turn-Around The turn-around in front of the school is a NO PARKING zone during peak drop-off and pick-up hours of the day. Parents are asked to keep traffic moving by using the turnaround to STOP, DROP/PICK UP and GO. There is no parking in the turnaround between the hours of 7:30 - 8:30 AM on Monday -

September Newsletter, 2016 Friday, 2:30 - 3:30 PM on regular school days, and 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM on our early dismissal day. For parents who wish to remain with their children in the morning, there are a few guest parking spots in front of the school and also limited parking along the street. Parents are asked to remember that there is no parking in the bus zone, handicapped parking zone, by the fire hydrant or near the patrollers.

Parents are also asked not to drive into the staff parking lot to drop off or pick children up. Our staff parking lot is completely full and there is no extra parking or room for cars to turn around. Some parents like to drive into the staff parking lot in order to drop their children off rather than having children walk to their door from the front of the school. Unfortunately, parents then have to back out, creating a very dangerous situation. Staff vehicles could be hit by parents backing out of the staff parking lot and of even more concern is the possibility of someone being injured. Parents are urged to drop their children off in the turnaround and have them walk to their entry doors.

The Edmonton City Police will be visiting our school at entry and dismissal times to help enforce traffic laws. They will issue tickets for parking violations. Please help us to keep children safe by adhering to these traffic guidelines. Thank you!

Information for Parents Regarding Permeation of Faith As a result of Bill 44, The Alberta Human Rights Act requires all schools in the province of Alberta to give notice to a parent or guardian when courses of study, educational programs, institutional materials, instruction or exercises include subject matter that deals primarily and explicitly with religion.

The essential purpose of Edmonton Catholic Schools is to fully permeate Catholic theology, philosophy, practices and beliefs, the principles of the Gospel and teachings of the Catholic Church, in all aspects of school life, including in the curriculum of every subject taught, both in and outside of formal religion classes, celebrations and exercises. Every course of study and education program, all institutional materials, instruction and exercises will at all times include subject matter that deals primarily and explicitly with religion.

Staff Opening Liturgy Staff members from throughout Edmonton Catholic were privileged to begin the school year by attending mass together at two different sites, St. Charles and Corpus Christi. In past years, all of the Edmonton Catholic Schools staff celebrated opening mass together at the Winspear, but the District has become so big, that the Winspear is unable to accommodate all staff members. Therefore, board trustees, members of the Edmonton Archdiocese and the

Ukrainian Eparchy along with all Edmonton Catholic staff members gathered as a community to

September Newsletter, 2016 celebrate the Opening School Liturgy at the two different sites. The Divine Liturgies were celebrated by Archbishop Richard Smith and Bishop David Motiuk; it was a truly beautiful and reverential celebration. During the masses, staff members were invited to renew their commitment to serving students in their school communities.

Closed Campus

Annunciation School will continue the policy of a closed campus for students at noontime. We are concerned with the safety of our students during the school day and it is difficult to properly supervise them if they leave the school grounds. As well, the allotted time for students between morning and afternoon classes is short and unless your son or daughter lives very close to the school, he or she would not have time to get home and return to school for afternoon classes. A few reminders for parents:

• For those who live within easy walking distance of the school, permission for your son/daughter to go home at lunch must be in writing and on file in the school office.

• Please do not send notes giving your child(ren) permission to leave the school grounds at lunch time. They will not be honored.

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

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

Annunciation All-Stars Reading Incentive Program Welcome to a new school year! As part of our continued efforts with building literacy in our students, we would like to share with you some information related to our school-wide Reading Incentive Program. Both you and your child are invited to become part of this reading incentive program that will complement their current home reading. Essentially, the program provides an opportunity to make reading a special time for you and your child.

HOW ANNUNCIATION ALL-STARS WORKS:

Each student at our school will receive an incentive sheet. The incentive sheet is a grid made up of perforated strips. In each strip, there are eight boxes each with a specific reading goal.

After your child has read and met their specific goal each night, a parent or guardian must initial one box on the incentive sheet.

When eight boxes, or one row, are complete, please tear off the strip and have your child return it to school.

Your child will then place it in their homeroom’s Annunciation All-Stars jar located in the library.

At the end of every other month, one name from each homeroom will be drawn and that child, along with the other children whose names are drawn, will be treated to a special lunch with our principal, Mrs. De Stefanis-Dimas, our assistant principal, Mr. Estephan, and the program coordinator, Ms. L’Hoir.

September Newsletter, 2016 We are confident that this program will both encourage and motivate your child to read daily at home. Please feel free to contact your child’s classroom teacher if you require any additional information. HAPPY READING!

Illness and Recess

Normally, children who are too ill to go outside for recess are too ill to be at school. This is particularly true in cases of severe colds, infections and headaches. With severe colds, children are unable to function well at school. In addition, they provide a source of infection for other children and would recuperate faster if kept at home. Parents are asked to ensure their child’s teacher is made aware of any unique medical situations.

Mobile Moo Club

Students have the opportunity to participate in the Mobile Moo Club. It is our hope that providing such a program at school will encourage students to develop the lifelong habit of drinking milk and benefit from the many nutritional advantages it offers. This initiative is being sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Alberta-Club Moo Program and supports our APPLE School Project initiatives. This program provides Moo Club Members with fun activities and prizes throughout the school year.

Milk is delivered to classrooms Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday each week. Students are required to purchase a milk card for $16.00, which will allow them to receive twenty 250ml cartons of chocolate or white milk. Students can bring payment in at any time, and give it to their teacher in either cash or cheque form. All cheques can be made out to Annunciation School. A reminder note to purchase a new card will be issued when they have consumed 17 of their 20 milks.

Annunciation School is Part of the APPLE Schools Project The Purpose of the Project:

• Improve nutritional habits • Improve physical activity habits • Increase knowledge about healthy living for

parents, students, teachers and the school community

• Implement and sustain comprehensive school health

• Sustain capacity for healthy environments in school communities.

Thanks to a generous donation from a supportive Albertan, all APPLE Schools benefit from the influence of a school health facilitator whose role in the school community is to make the healthy choice the easy choice by changing school environments. The easy choices for students are healthy lunches, nutritious snacks, daily physical activity and a school environment that supports healthy lifestyles. In these healthy schools, everyone works together to improve a child’s health. The

September Newsletter, 2016 facilitators in APPLE Schools engage with parents, students, staff, and community stakeholders to impact students’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviour. Our APPLE Schools facilitator is Phillip Campbell.

Birthday Treats Ideas

We know that birthdays are very important in a child’s life. In keeping with our nutrition policy, we are asking parents to choose healthy alternative treats to send to school when their child is celebrating a birthday. Teachers will not be able to serve birthday treats containing lots of sugar (such as cake or cupcakes) to the entire class when a student is celebrating a birthday since this does not support our nutrition policy, the nutrition policy of the District and also is not in keeping with what parents are trying to promote with their children. In addition, we are requesting for parents to please let the homeroom teacher know the day before if they will be sending in a treat for the class so that notes can be sent home in the students’ agendas. This is imperative since we have students who have food allergies or who are diabetic. To make your child’s birthday treat a healthy success, please try some of the following ideas:

Peanut & Nut Allergies

We have a number of students with life-threatening allergies to peanuts and nut products at our school. In some cases, these allergies are so severe that just a trace of or even the smell of peanuts or nut products can send the child into anaphylactic shock. If this happens, the child’s throat tightens

September Newsletter, 2016 and swells and he or she may stop breathing. This type of severe allergic reaction can be fatal. The following website has a great deal of helpful information regarding anaphylaxis: http://www.anaphylaxis.org.

We strive to keep each of our students safe during the school day. Even though your child may not be in the same class as one of our severely allergic children, there is still the possibility of cross- contamination. If, for example, a child has a peanut butter sandwich for lunch, then uses the computers after lunch, he or she might unknowingly leave trace amounts of peanut butter on the keyboard. If a severely allergic child used the keyboard during the next class, he or she could have a severe allergic reaction. Although we cannot absolutely guarantee that students will not come into contact with nut products, we do wish to limit the chances of such an occurrence. Please help us by checking the labels, packages and ingredients of all foods your children bring to school. Please don’t let your child bring any foods to school that contain even a trace amount of peanuts or nuts.

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

Visitors and Volunteers For the safety of all of our students, the doors to the school remain locked during the school day. Visitors and volunteers are asked to report to the office, sign in, and receive a visitor’s badge. Everyone must sign out in the office as well.

Annunciation, like all schools in ECSD, complies with our district-wide volunteer policy. Some of the key points in the policy include:

1. All volunteers shall be required to complete a “Volunteer Registration Form” annually and prior to commencing any volunteer activities in the school.

2. All volunteers who are to be assisting with school activities on any given day shall register at the school office at the beginning of each day. Schools staff shall be instructed that a volunteer register or log shall be kept and made available to the school principal at all times. The volunteer register shall contain legible names of the volunteers and their expected location or classroom assignment during the course of their duties during the day.

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

At Annunciation, our sign-in and identification procedures have been in place for a number of years.

In keeping with district policy, we will also be asking all parents who have not yet done so to complete the volunteer registration form. This form will remain on file for two years. Thank you for your cooperation and support!

September Newsletter, 2016

Background In May 2013, Education Minister Jeff Johnson announced that Alberta would be giving teachers more support to help students succeed by introducing assessments that will replace the existing Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs).

The Student Learning Assessments (SLAs) contribute to realizing the vision of Inspiring Education by enabling parents and teachers to be aware of a child’s strengths or areas needing improvement at the start of the school year. The SLAs support student learning while more effectively assessing literacy, numeracy, and competencies such as critical thinking, problem solving, and the ability to apply knowledge to different scenarios. For the 2016-2017 school year, they will be administered at the start of Grades 3.

Structure of the Grade Three Student Learning Assessments (SLA 3) Components of the SLA 3 have been determined by Alberta Education in partnership with the Alberta School Boards Association, Alberta School Councils’ Association, Alberta Teachers’ Association, College of Alberta School Superintendents, and Alberta Assessment Consortium. The four components of the SLA 3 are the following: > A digitally scored literacy component > A literacy performance-task component > A digitally scored numeracy component > A numeracy performance-task component.

The SLA 3 will reference the current provincial programs of study until the implementation of new programs of study developed through the Curriculum Redesign Initiative.

Reporting Results of Student Learning Assessments in 2016/17 Following the administration of the SLA, Alberta Education will provide student, school and authority detailed reports, as it has in the past with Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs).

Information Regarding School Emergencies In the Edmonton Catholic School District, the safety of our students is always our first priority and students are well supervised when they are on school property. When situations occur that warrant emergency procedures to ensure the safety of all students, we will provide parents with accurate and up to date information. One way to keep parents informed about an emergency and the safety procedures that have been put into place is by posting the information on the school web site. Information will be posted and updated as required when a school is experiencing an emergency.

If there is an emergency situation at the school where your child(ren) attend, check the school website to stay informed and receive timely information. We also need to keep phone lines available at the school during an emergency, so we ask that you do not call the school. This will enable staff at the school to keep in touch with emergency providers and District personnel.

September Newsletter, 2016 Thank you for your support and help in ensuring our students remain safe.

IB News September 2016

Developing the International Student

The cornerstone of the IB programme is the Learner Profile. These are the ten most important attributes of an international person. We seek to answer the question: What kind of people do we want our students to be? The aim of the PYP is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. At Annunciation School we want the students to learn to become inquirers, thinkers, communicators, and risk-takers who are knowledgeable, principled, caring, open-minded, balanced and reflective. In all areas of the school, the teachers and staff model these attributes. Learning experiences are created so that the students are able to develop these characteristics. The profile helps teachers and students establish goals, plan units of inquiry, and assess performance. While we strive to develop the international student as part of implementing the PYP, this does not mean that we have to study other nationalities and cultures to develop attributes of the international person. Wherever we are in the world and whatever we are learning, the characteristics of the learner profile define us international persons according to the IB.

IB Learner Profile Monthly Awards

Each month, the staff will be asked to nominate two students to share how they are developing in one of the learner profile attributes. Students will be awarded with a certificate of recognition at an assembly which parents and other family members are encouraged to attend.

Learner Profile Attributes Monthly Focus

September: Inquirers are naturally curious and enjoy researching to learn new things.

October: Learners who are Knowledgeable are interested in local and global issues.

November: Thinkers use both critical and creative thinking to approach complex problems. They understand that sometimes there are no “simple” answers.

December: Communicators are able to express ideas and information confidently, often in more than one language. They work well with others.

January: Learners who are Balanced understand the importance of maintaining a balance between the intellectual, physical, and emotional elements of their lives.

February: Caring learners show empathy, compassion and respect towards the needs and feelings of others. They act to make a positive difference to the lives of others.

March: Learners who are Open-minded understand and appreciate their own cultures and personal histories. They are open to the perspectives, values, and traditions of others.

April: Risk-takers approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought.

May: Learners who are Principled act with integrity and honesty and with a strong sense of fairness.

September Newsletter, 2016 They take responsibility for their actions.

June: Reflective learners give thoughtful consideration to their own learning and experience. They know their own strengths and limitations.

For the month of September, our school will be focusing on the learner profile attribute of being an inquirer.

September Learner Profile Attributes Monthly Focus: Inquirer

INQUIRERS ASK QUESTIONS

Why does it work this way? Why is it like this? How is this changing? How is this connected to what I already know? How do I know?

What is my responsibility? What is it like? How does it work? What if? How come? I wonder if… Will this work? Should I? What are the points of view?

An inquirer shows a natural curiosity and seeks out answers to their questions.

WHAT IS INQUIRY?

“Inquiry, interpreted in the broadest sense, is the process initiated by the students or the teacher that moves the students from their current level of understanding to a new and deeper level of understanding.” (Making the PYP Happen, 2007, IBO, p. 29)

What Forms Does Inquiry Take in Classrooms?

• Exploring, wondering, and questioning.

• Experimenting and playing with possibilities.

• Making connections between previous learning and current learning.

• Making predictions and acting purposefully to see what happens.

• Collecting data and reporting findings.

• Clarifying existing ideas and reappraising perceptions of events.

• Deepening understanding through application of a concept.

• Making and testing theories.

• Researching and seeking information.

• Taking and defending a position.

• Solving problems in a variety of ways.

Book List to Help Magnify the Profile of Inquirers:

Cannon, Janell. Verdi. 1997 A young python does not want to grow slow and boring like the older snakes he sees in the tropical jungle where he lives. (5-8yrs.)

Heide, Florence Parry, illustrated by Ted Lewin. The Day of Ahmed's Secret. Ahmed is very pleased with himself as he goes about Cairo's bustling streets delivering gas bottles to his many customers who call out his name and greet him. He is very much a part of the life of this colourful and noisy city and he is proud that he is helping earn money to support his family - and his secret is that he has learned to write his name.

Suzuki, David and Sarah Ellis, illustrated by Sheena Lott. Salmon Forest.

September Newsletter, 2016 A beautifully illustrated book in which Kate and her dad enthusiastically explore the forest and the river where the salmon live and spawn. Her father talks about the amazing relationship between the sea, the land, the river and all of life.

Muth, Jon. Three Questions. Scholastic Press, 2002. Nikolai is a boy who believes that if he can find the answers to his three questions, he will always know how to be a good person. His friends--a heron, a monkey, and a dog--try to help, but to no avail, so he asks Leo, the wise old turtle. "When is the best time to do things? Who is the most important one? What is the right thing to do?" Leo doesn't answer directly, but by the end of Nikolai's visit, the boy has discovered the answers himself.

James, Simon. Dear Greenpeace When a whale suddenly appears in the garden pond, the little girl decides to write to Greenpeace for advice. She shows great ingenuity in her letters.

Lewis, Stephen. A Race Against Time. House of Anansi Press. 2006.

In 2000, the United Nations laid out a series of eight goals meant to guide humankind in the new century. Called the Millennium Development Goals, these targets are to be met by 2015 and are to lay the foundation for a prosperous future. In Race Against Time, Stephen Lewis advances real solutions to help societies across the globe achieve the Millennium Goals.

Nolan, Helen and Tracy Walker. How Much, How Many, How Far, How Heavy, How Long, How Tall is 1000? (Canadian) 1995. Provides information and asks questions about just how many items are in a thousand including how high a thousand sheets of paper are, how much space does a thousand pennies take up, and how a thousand hockey fans could fill a small stadium.

Slavin, Bill. Transformed; How Everyday Things Are Made (Canadian) 2005 Presents full colour illustrations that describe how over sixty everyday objects are made including chewing gum, pencils, plastic wrap, paper, ice cream, toothpaste, and many more.

Curriculum Connections with the Learner Profile: Inquirers

• In language – People who inquire use language as the main way to learn about language and through language.

• In mathematics – Inquirers are fascinated by the world of patterns, shape, and number and use the skills of mathematics to conduct purposeful inquiry.

• In science and technology – They have a sense of wonder about the physical and material world. They wonder how it works and use the scientific process to conduct purposeful inquiry.

• In social studies – Inquirers inquire into their own and others’ cultural heritages, historical and geographical influences on individuals, groups, and social systems. They inquire about society and culture.

How can Parents Help to Develop Students who are Inquirers at Home?

• Encourage areas of your child’s interest by visiting the library to borrow books that explore these topics.

• Develop an understanding of the Internet. Work with your son or daughter when the Internet is being used and try to instill the understanding that some Internet sites are not reputable.

• Model being an inquirer. Admit when you don’t know the answer to a problem or a question and seek out answers in front of your child.

• Catch your child being an inquirer. Make sure your child knows he/she has done something good. Expressing your approval is a powerful way to reinforce your child’s learning.

September Newsletter, 2016

As always, we welcome questions about the IB programme in our school. Sarah L’Hoir is the IB coordinator for our Primary Years Programme (PYP). She can be reached at 484-4319 or at Sarah.L’Hoir@ecsd.net.

24 | P a g e

September, 2016

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 First day of classes Kindergarten Staggered Entry

2 Kindergarten Early Learning Conference Day (Teachers Only) No School for K

3

4

5 Labor Day No School

6 Kindergarten Staggered Entry

7 First day of Kindergarten Classes

8 School Opening Celebration 11:00 am

9

10

11

12

13

14 Curriculum Evening 6:30 pm

15

16 Mass at Annunciation Parish 9:00 am

17

18

19

20

21 School Council Meeting 6:30 pm

22 Autumn Begins

23

24

25 26

27

28 Terry Fox Run 10:00 am

29

30 Annunciation All-Stars Draw

*Please note that specific classroom events will be communicated to parents through the classroom teacher. As well, please be aware that other events may arise over the course of the month.

August - September 2016

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

Joan Carr Superintendent

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

May 16, 2016   Important Information Regarding Student Transportation  Yellow Bus Passes Parents/Guardians are reminded that students are required to purchase a yellow bus pass if they are using the yellow bus service. Edmonton Catholic School District collects bus pass fees because the Student Transportation funds we receive from Alberta Education do not cover the costs for the level of service provided. Without bus pass fees the level of service would be greatly reduced.   Over the past few years we have experienced a large increase in the number of families who are provided with but do not pay for a bus pass.  Beginning in the 2016‐17 school year, schools will be responsible for paying for all of the yellow bus passes distributed to their school based on the number of students who are registered for yellow bus transportation and then ensuring that payment is received. There are thousands of families who diligently purchase bus passes for both the yellow bus as well as Edmonton Transit and it is only equitable and consistent that all families pay bus pass fees for accessing yellow bus transportation service.  Financial Waiver No student in the District shall be denied access to school programs or student transportation because of financial hardship. Where necessary, the Principal may, at their discretion and on an individual student basis, waive bus pass fees. The District does not outline specific criteria as this alternative is a discussion between the Principal and the parent. Financial hardship should be reviewed on a month‐to‐month basis. Please contact your school Principal if you wish to be considered for the financial hardship waiver.   Access to yellow school bus transportation Bus drivers are trained and directed to allow a student to get on the bus on the way to school even if the child does not have a valid bus pass. This is a safety concern and we will not allow a child to be stranded at a bus stop. However, please keep in mind that Principals may keep students who do not have a valid bus pass at the school at the end of the day and parents will be contacted to pick‐up their child at the school.  Cancellations When your child is registered for the bus, a seat is reserved. If your child is not going to use transportation, please inform your school immediately and preferably with 30 days notice so that the service is cancelled. Otherwise, without notification of a cancellation, a bus pass will be sent to the school and the school will need to pay for that bus pass, even though your child is not using the service.    Thank you very much for your attention to these important issues regarding student transportation. Please contact Student Transportation Services directly at 780‐441‐6078 or @ www.transportationservices.ecsd.net if there are any questions.   

Catholic Education Services • 9807-106 Street • Edmonton AB T5K 1C2 • T: 780 441-6000 • F: 780 425.8759 • www.ecsd.net

EIGHT CHARACTERS OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION . . . Community • Hospitality • Justice • Tradition • Sacramentality • Humanness • Rationality • Spirituality

© 2016 Alberta Education

2016–2017 Grade 3 SLA PilotQuick Facts for Parents/Guardians

Grade 3 Student Learning Assessment (SLA) – 2016–2017 Pilot Quick Facts for Parents/Guardians

What are SLAs?

SLAs are digitally based provincial assessment tools that provide a beginning of the year “check in”. This enables parents and teachers to learn about and identify student strengths and areas of growth at the start of the school year. The Grade 3 SLA is based on outcomes related to literacy and numeracy in language arts and mathematics in Alberta’s current Grade 2 provincial curriculum. Some questions include contexts from arts education, health, science and social studies.

What are the purposes of the SLAs?

The three purposes of the SLAs are to:• improve student learning (primary purpose);• enhance instruction for students;• assure Albertans our education system is meeting the needs of students and achieves the

outcomes of the Ministerial Order on Student Learning.

Provincial assessment programs, including SLAs, are meant to complement, not replace, day-to-day teacher observations and classroom assessment.

Why the change to SLAs from PATs?

Knowing early in the school year, rather than at the end, what students know and are able to do and areas for growth will serve as a useful reference and enable collaboration between parents and teachers to help students learn and grow during the year. Also, the SLAs are flexible and can be completed over a number of days rather than on a specific day and time. This gives teachers greater flexibility and students the opportunity to take the assessment “when ready”.

The SLAs are digitally based and allow students to show their learning in ways that are not possible with paper-based tests. As such, the SLAs are a more inclusive assessment tool.

What is the structure of the Grade 3 SLA?

This literacy and numeracy assessment consists of digital interactive questions (marked by Alberta Education) and performance tasks (marked locally):

• digital interactive literacy questions;• a literacy performance task;• digital interactive numeracy questions;• a numeracy performance task.

Who is participating in the Pilot?

Alberta Education selected 20 school authorities by random sample to invite them to participate in the 2016–2017 SLA Pilot. A list of invited school authorities is available online at https://education.alberta.ca/media/3272616/list-of-school-authorities-invited-to-participate.pdf.

Why are we Piloting the Grade 3 SLA?

The purpose of the Grade 3 SLA pilot is to improve, in a deliberate and thoughtful manner, the SLA tool as well as the related administration processes and supports for everyone involved. The Grade 3 SLA is set

© 2016 Alberta Education

2016–2017 Grade 3 SLA PilotQuick Facts for Parents/Guardians

to enter its third pilot year in 2016. The goal of the pilot is to ensure the SLA is a valuable and effective assessment tool for teachers, parents, and students to inform future provincial assessments.

Will my child need to study for the Grade 3 SLA?

Your child does not need to study to do this assessment. However, students should be familiar with using a computer or similar technology.

Are there any practice questions my child can do before the Grade 3 SLA Pilot?

Yes. Students can try out the practice questions and released questions from last year that are located at https://public.education.alberta.ca/assessment/.

What are the important dates for the 2016–2017 Grade 3 SLA Pilot?

The Grade 3 SLA is available to teachers to administer starting September 1, 2016. Parents and guardians can access their child’s results, including a parent-friendly report via their child’s teacher. Schools are expected to share students’ Grade 3 SLA results with students’ parent(s) or guardian(s).

Teachers and parents/guardians are encouraged to discuss students’ Grade 3 SLA results together, as professional teachers are in the best position to interpret the results.

Want to know more?

More information and resources for the Grade 3 SLA are available on the:• Alberta School Councils’ Association website at http://www.albertaschoolcouncils.ca/;• Alberta Education website at http://education.alberta.ca.

The personal information collected in the Student Learning Assessment Pilot is collected pursuant to section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSA 2000, C. F-25). This information will be used for the purpose of administering the Student Learning Assessment Pilot as well as support programs and policy evaluation and measurement.

Questions regarding the program and the collection, use and disclosure of information may be directed to Nicole Lamarre, Director, Student Learning Assessments, Student Learning Standards, Alberta Education, 6th Floor, 10044 -108 Street, 44 Capital Boulevard, Edmonton, AB T5J 5E6, by email at Nicole.Lamarre@gov.ab.ca or by telephone at 780-427-6204. (Dial 310-0000 to be connected toll-free from outside the Edmonton area.)

© 2016 Alberta Education Grades 6 and 9 Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs)

Quick Facts for Parents/Guardians

Grades 6 and 9 Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs)Quick Facts for Parents/Guardians

What are PATs?

Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) are administered to students in grades 6 and 9 and have three main purposes:

• to determine if students are learning what they are expected to learn;

• to report to Albertans how well students have achieved provincial standards at given points in their schooling;

• to assist schools, authorities, and the province in monitoring and improving student learning.

When are PATs administered?

PATs are administered in May and June annually in English and French language arts, mathematics, science and social studies in grade 6 and grade 9. Some grade 9 students write PATs in January of each year.

Are there any practice questions my child can do before writing PATs?

Yes. Students can try out the released questions from previous PATs that are located at https://questaplus.alberta.ca/PracticeMain.html.

When will I find out my child’s PAT results?

After PATs are administered, schools share the preliminary results with parents. Each fall, Individual Student Results (ISPs) are made available to schools that contain official student results. Schools then share the ISPs with parents and keep a record of the ISP on the student’s record in accordance with the Student Record Regulation.

Want to know more?

More information and resources for the PATs are available on the Alberta Education website at https://education.alberta.ca/provincial-achievement-tests.

The personal information collected in the Provincial Achievement Testing program is collected pursuant to section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (RSA 2000, C. F-25). This information will be used for the purpose of administering the Provincial Achievement Testing program as well as support programs and policy evaluation and measurement.

Questions regarding the program and the collection, use and disclosure of information may be directed to Nicole Lamarre, Director, Student Learning Assessments, Student Learning Standards, Alberta Education, 6th Floor, 10044 -108 Street, 44 Capital Boulevard, Edmonton, AB T5J 5E6, by email at Nicole.Lamarre@gov.ab.ca or by telephone at 780-427-6204. (Dial 310-0000 to be connected toll-free from outside the Edmonton area.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exclusion from school due to lack of protection against measles:

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

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

To find a local Public Health Centre:

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

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

For information about immunization visit immunizealberta.ca

Creating Confident Printers

Growing Changes: Occupational Therapy Services for Children presents:

Fine Motor Fall Camp in Sept/Oct 2016 A four week fun and interactive camp for children in Kindergarten and grades 1 - 3 who find printing or other fine motor activities challenging. The camp will be run by experienced pediatric occupational therapists. A multi-sensory approach will be used along with co-operative games and crafts to practice the skills needed for hand functioning. This camp is designed for children who may be experiencing mild to moderate delays in fine motor development or who would benefit from extra practice. The camp places an emphasis on grasp development, formation of lower case letters, legible printing, copying shapes and letters, using school tools (pencils, scissors, glue), in hand manipulation skills, eye hand coordination and strength. This includes a summary report identifying individual children's strengths, areas of need, and suggestions for further skill development will be provided.

This camp will use a multi-sensory approach combining fine and gross motor movement to enhance learning. Parents are encouraged to attend the first of the four sessions in order to help their child feel more at ease in the group and to learn how to support their child with printing practice at home.

Time: Printing Basics: 10:00 am - 11:30 am weekly

(Saturdays: September 24, October 1, 15 and 22). No class October long weekend.

Cost: $250.00

Where: Highlands Community Centre: 6112 - 113 Avenue Edmonton, AB

Contact: Rebecca Cormier at 780.965.4310 or email growingchanges@gmail.com to register.

Note: OT services may be covered depending on health plan and are tax deductible.