News from our 3/4 Classroom During our first monthly school assembly our class won the reading challenge for the

month of September. Our classroom was overjoyed with this honor. Parental support with daily reading has made a huge difference in the students’ reading fluency and will spur us on to win another challenge.

The Grade 4 students received their brand-new Bibles during our School Opening Cele-

bration. These Bibles will stay with them until grade 6. This year our students are doing a great job with their recycling responsibilities as part of their Science unit “Waste in Our World”. We are showing care for the environment and our community through this school wide responsibility.

We hosted the Thanksgiving Celebration and had a lot of fun re-enacting the Cleansing of

the Ten Lepers found in the Gospel of Luke. Our students acted out their parts with joy and read with excellent fluency.

The students have settled into their new classroom located in the primary wing. They are

all full excitement and wonder and we are talking about becoming the best version of ourselves. Everyone in class is working very hard to make this school year successful and bridge to their future.

Our Mission

Fostering a Christ-centered

learning community

through collaboration,

creativity, innovation, and love.

Message from the Administration

October has been a busy month. We completed our move into the primary wing of our building and the construction has begun on the other side. Students have responded well to the changes and we look forward to being a tight and close community over the next few months of construction. We will continue to keep you informed of the progress as it becomes available to us.

Thank you to our families who generously donated to the Food Bank over Thanksgiving. Our prayers and collection went to ensure mercy is shared with all those in need at St. Teresa of Calcutta school. Please read the attached letter from their administration.

Our first Annual Student Faith Day was a big success. It was an amazing day, filled with activities that inspired our students to express their Faith, work together and share their talents. We were pleased to have our Seminarian student, Larry, and Sophie, from St. John the Evangelist join us on this special day.

We also had a fun time during Reading Week. Students greatly enjoyed our book sale and we were able to get over 500 gently used books into the hands of our students. It was awe-some to see our students so passionate about books and reading!

In “Wolves Den” this past month we looked at Gratitude, as our Christian Value. We also spent time talking about rude behavior, mean behavior and bullying. We empowered our students to realize the differences between these actions and to stand up to any behavior that makes you feel sad or hurts you. We look forward to continuing the conversation during National Bullying Awareness Week, November 13-17.

Our Halloween parade was one of our highlights of the month. It was great seeing all the students so excited about their costumes!

Report Cards will be available online on November 24th and Parent Conferences will occur on November 30th. Just a reminder that there will be no classes on Friday, November 10th, in honor of Remembrance Day. We look forward to another wonderful month of learning at Our Lady of Victories School.

November 2017 Newsletter

A big thank you goes to Mrs. Quast for her hard work in putting together our first

hot lunch of this school year. It was a great success and the students enjoyed wearing

hats in school for theme day and eating pizza from Pizza Hut. Our next hot lunch is

scheduled for Friday, November 24th.

Thank you to Ms. Stolson and Mrs. Krezlewicz who generously donated their

time on picture day to help out the photographer and the students.

Reminders As colder weather arrives ……

We remind parents to send their children to school dressed appropriately. Student doors will remain closed until 8:30. Students being dropped off prior to this time will be waiting outside. District policy states that students will remain inside for recess breaks when the temperature (including wind chill) drops below -20C. Also as the weather changes and the snow eventually arrives, we ask parents to continue to

obey all traffic laws when dropping off and picking up students. Please respect no parking

areas, no parking between pylons, refrain from using U-turns, and travel slowly through the

school zone.

Please be advised that the following Radio and TV Stations will carry announcements with respect to transportation cancellations due to inclement weather conditions.

RADIO STATIONS

630 CHED AM 930 The Light CJCA CBC CISN FM 103.9 SHINE 105.9 FM CHFA (CBC Fr.) FRESH FM 92.5 TSN 1260 CFCW 840 INEWS 880 AM 95.7 CRUZ FM CAPITAL FM 96.3 Kiss FM 91.7 The Bear 100.3 FM K97 97.3 UP! 99.3 FM SONIC 102.9 FM 102.3 NOW! Radio HOT 107 FM 104.9 VIRGIN Radio FM

TV STATIONS

CITYTV CTV Edmonton GLOBAL Edmonton CBC TV

Every effort will be made to have messages broadcast commencing no lat-er than 6:30 a.m.

REMINDERS: Bus Pass Money Just a friendly reminder that all bus pass money is due the FIRST of every month. Paying on-line through Powerschool Parent Portal and post-dated cheques work best for the school,

but monthly cash or cheque is also acceptable on the FIRST of every month. School Fees Thank you to those who have already paid school fees. For those with outstanding fees, please see Ms. Barnabé in the office to arrange for payment. THANK YOU!

Crosswalks and Loading Zone

Please use the crosswalks when crossing the street. For the safety of all our students, please do not jaywalk around the school area, as it can be very busy with traffic. Please ensure that you do not park too close to the crosswalks. It is difficult for the safety patrollers to do their job safely when cars are blocking the line of vision. Parking too close to the crosswalk can result in fines.

To the South of the cross is a loading zone area. This area should be used strictly for quick drop offs and pick ups and not a parking space. Often delivery trucks and Dis-

trict vehicles need to use this space to make a delivery or to pick up materials from the school. Please be mindful of this space and do not park or leave your vehicle unat-tended in this space.

Where Everyone Matters:

Learning to Become Ethical and Engaged Citizens of Our Lady of Victories School

This past month our Wolves Den lessons have focused on bringing about an awareness of bullying. Through literature, videos and simula-tion activities, students have developed a better understanding of the definition of bullying and their right to stand up against bullying behav-iours. We encourage all families to continue the conversations we have

started at school and to look for more information to come as we prepare our whole school for Alber-ta’s Bullying Awareness Week, November 12-18, 2017.

School Advisory Council Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 8 at 6:30 pm. Please attend, if you can, to offer your support to the Council and to our school. Looking forward to seeing new faces at our next meeting.

Congratulations to Our Home Reading Classrooms: September- Grade 3/4 October- Grade 1 Just a reminder that all students from grades 1-6, who meet their reading goals each month, are entered into a draw for a Chapters gift card each term. Our first draw is in December. Happy Reading!

Report Cards and Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews

Reminder that again this year report cards will not be sent home with your child on Friday, November 24th. Instead they will be available to view and download on Powerschool on this day, after 3:00 pm. To make sure you are able to access your child’s report card please make sure that you have picked up your password from the office before November 24th. Most parents have already done this but there are still some families that have not picked up their PowerSchool passwords. Interviews will be held on Thursday, November 30th. The times will be between 1:00 –5:00 pm and 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Sign up sheets will be sent home on November 24th. To ensure you receive the time slot you would like please return the sign up sheets as soon as possible. You may also phone the office to book your appointment.

Terry Fox Run

This year we were excited to bring back the Terry Fox Run to Our Lady of Victories School. It is a wonderful charity to be involved with and it honors the memory of one of Canada’s greatest heroes. So many of us have been touched by Cancer so it is great that our school is trying to help find a cure for this disease. We had our students run or walk outside for 20 minutes. Mr. Paluck was the lead runner and many students kept pace with him and one student even stayed in front of him for the whole time, great job! As a community we raised $111.35 for this wonderful cause. We will definitely participate in this fun run again next year and hope to have the support of our wonderful community again!

Metis Week 2017

This year, November 13 -18, is dedicated to honoring our Metis peo-

ple. Our students will learn more about the history of the Metis in

Alberta and our FLEX sessions will be Metis themed.

Catholic Education Sunday

In order to celebrate Catholic Education Week all the schools associated with St. John the Evangelist Parish will be hosting the 10:30 a.m. mass on Sunday, November 5th. If you can join us on this day we would love to see your family to help celebrate Catholic Education Sunday.

All students in grades 1 - 6 completed an informal writing assessment based on a picture prompt. As a staff, we have examined the writing strengths and challenges across all the grades and have decided to focus our writing instruction on specific areas common to all grades. Our first area of focus will be on conventions, particularly, spelling. Through purposeful word study activities, students will develop strategies to help them recognize word patterns and build their confidence in spelling unfamiliar and high frequency words. Please look for ways you can support your child’s learning in our newsletter. We have included links, as well as a Speller’s Choice Menu to rein-force spelling skills.

Online Practice Links:

1. Interactive Spelling Bee This set of activities is like an old-fashioned Spelling Bee. 2. Houghton Mifflin Spelling and Vocabulary (a number of activities by grade level 3. Be a Spelling Wizard Check out 2 cool ways to memorize your spelling words. 4. The Spellits 5. Word Builder Test your Skill 6. Spelling City An online spelling program that makes practicing for spelling tests fun!

Celebrating Our Christian Values

Our Christian Values focus for October was Gratitude. Stu-dents were challenged to keep a Gratitude Journal to help them realize the many blessings they have in their lives. They were also asked to show their thankfulness through words and actions at home, school and their community. OLOV is pleased to acknowledge the following students for setting a positive example of showing Gratitude towards oth-ers:

Sam, Rachel, Cole, Josie, Gwen, Karlee, Anna Maria, Janna, Camila, James Ian, Danya, Adelyn, Oliver

OLOV Student Faith Development Day Oct.27,2017

Students and staff took the day to come together in celebration of our Christian faith. We enjoyed creating art, praying and experi-encing an amazing dramatic production on the lives of St. Clare and St. Francis. This incredible event marked our first ever Student Faith Day, and we look forward to making this a yearly tradition at OLOV.

Anticipating Advent Sunday December 3, will mark the first Sunday of Ad-vent. Our ”One Love Social Justice Club” is already busy planning this special season. Stay tuned for upcoming in-formation and events.

November 2017

Edmonton Catholic Schools Online Financial Budget Survey

YOUR CHILD!

YOUR VOICE!

Edmonton Catholic Schools believes it is essential to involve parents in

providing input into the budget process. In preparation for the upcoming

2018-2019 budget it is important that the district gather as much information as possible. Therefore, as a parent

of Edmonton Catholic Schools, your feedback will provide a valuable contribution in the decision-making

process.

We would like to gather your input through an online survey. The survey can be accessed through the District

Website, School Website, Powerschool or by using the URL address provided.

URL Address: Click on the following link or enter the address in the web browser http://financialservicessurvey.ecsd.net/

District Website: Go to http://ecsd.net then go to the slider indicating the Online Financial Budget

Survey and follow the directions.

Powerschool: Parents log on to Powerschool as you normally would to check your child's progress.

Once in Powerschool, click on the tab "Financial Budget Survey". This tab will take you directly to the

online survey.

The survey is open from November 14th to November 28th, 2017. We encourage all families to fill out the survey.

The survey will only take a few minutes to complete.

Survey results will be shared with the Edmonton Catholic School District Budget Committee in January for

consideration during the 2018-2019 budget process.

November 2017

“My soul shall glory in the Lord, for He has been so good to me.” (Taste and See, James Moore JR.)

The hymns which we sing in our liturgies and in the Mass are often rooted in scripture. The verse shared above comes

from one of our most beautiful Eucharistic songs, and is based on Psalm 34. This psalm is one of thanksgiving in which

the psalmist is praising God for deliverance from troubles. When you are struck by the beauty of the message in songs at

church, consider looking at the reference at the end of the song in the hymnal and reading the corresponding scripture

passage!

Archbishop Smith has released a pastoral letter to the Archdiocese that will provide special focus for our faith

community over the next 5 years. It is deeply grounded in the words of Pope Francis, “These are the two conditions in

order to follow Jesus: to listen to the word of God, and to put it into practice. This is the Christian life – nothing more.

Simple, simple.” (Homily at Daily Mass, September 23, 2014)

You can read the pastoral letter, watch a video titled Archbishop Smith’s Pastoral letter in 60 Seconds, and find other

resources at http://caedm.ca/Letter. Beginning with this month’s newsletter, we will also be including highlights of

sections of the pastoral letter for your information and consideration.

We are very pleased to welcome our newly elected Board of Trustees: Ward 71-Terry Harris, Ward 72-Sandra Palazzo,

Ward 73-Carla Smiley, Ward 74-Debbie Engel, Ward 75-Alene Mutala, Ward 76-Lisa Turchansky, and Ward 77-Laura

Thibert. Their very first Public Meeting was held on October 30. The Trustees were sworn in and held their

Organizational Meeting. Trustee Harris was elected as Chairperson for the upcoming year, and Trustee Palazzo was

elected as Vice-Chairperson for the same period.

Our Alberta Education Accountability Pillar Results Report, which is our report card from the province, was released a

few weeks ago. Our results, which are outstanding, reflect our commitment to continuous growth! Visit our website to

view the overall summary. https://www.ecsd.net/AboutUs/annual_reports/Documents/sbfile/171017/ECSD%20Acc.%20Pillar%20Summary%20October%202017.pdf

Catholic Education Sunday is being celebrated across Alberta on November 5th this year. We celebrate Catholic

education for the advantage, richness, and success that Catholic education brings to our students and families. Please

check our website and our social media each day during the week of October 30 – November 3 as we highlight different

aspects of what makes Edmonton Catholic Schools so great for our children and families. You can also join us on Catholic

Education Sunday (November 5) at St. Joseph Basilica for the Commissioning Mass for our new Edmonton Catholic

Schools Board of Trustees at 12:15 pm. Bishop Bittman will be presiding.

One of the significant characteristics of Catholic education is that, in addition to having our faith permeated in all aspects of the school day, all students also have courses in Religious Education. In Elementary and Junior High, all students have Religion classes within their schedules. At the High School level, students are expected to complete 9 credits in Religious Education within their program, and which contribute to Alberta Education's criteria of 100 earned credits required as the minimum for graduation. We are pleased to begin sharing a new video series for students and parents on Staying Safe in a Digital World. Our first video is titled Privacy. The series features our STAY (School Team Advisor for Youth) Officer, Rick Cole, who will offer simple tips on how to be sure that we remain safe in the online world. You can access this video by visiting www.ecsd.net and clicking on the video title on our banner. We will use social media to share the release of future episodes. In this month which is dedicated to remembrance and peace, I will leave you with a tweet from Pope Francis: “Let us bring the flame of Christ’s love to humanity which needs true happiness and peace so much.” (October 20/17) Sincerely, Joan Carr Superintendent

Spirits, Saints, and Souls. The early days of November within the Catholic Church mark the month for which we

commemorate the memory of all the faithfully departed. While All Hallow’s Eve spurs the popular imagination

with Spirits, this is really intended to prime the mind and heart to focus on the Saints and Souls who have lived

and passed. These Saints and Souls are the faithfully departed - our brothers and sisters in Christ who have gone

before us. Initially it may be emotionally difficult to let go of them due to their physical absence; however,

eventually we come to realize their spiritual presence remains which both offers and reminds us of a different

form of human connection. This is why we need to remember them in prayer and also request they pray for us

too. Contrary to a popular misconception, we pray not to them, but rather for and through them. Together we

help comprise what is such a central element to our Christian Faith: the Communion of Saints. In so doing, we

understand how there is continuity between this world and that of the next. This is a long standing tradition in

the Church which shows how life in Christ is indeed eternal and our relationship with Him extends into a

community. Those who have died in the peace of Christ are still alive in and with Him because of their Faith and

ours which continues. To help ensure this, it is the work of every member of the Church, which includes all the

baptized believers - both living and deceased - to help bring people into a relationship with Christ and an

intimacy with God. And so each time we celebrate Mass in School or on Sundays, we remember that the entire

mystical Body of Christ is present, together. Effectively, because our departed have already arrived at the place

to which we are also seeking to be, they can therefore offer the inspiration, insight, and guidance we need, in

response to the prayers we make for ourselves and for them. Though death can be hard, it is a part of this life,

and which also leads to the next. And so November is a gift to recognize and remember those good souls who

have died & are yet still very much in spirit with us.

Most sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Dean Dowle

LISTENING AND DAILY ATTENTIVENESS TO THE WORD OF GOD

On September 14, 2017, Archbishop Richard Smith issued his Pastoral Letter - Living in the Word of God to the clergy

and the lay faithful of the Archdiocese of Edmonton. In his message, the Archbishop recalled his baptism:

“On May 10th, 1959, at just two weeks of age, I was taken by my parents to our parish church to be baptized. It is without question the

best and most important action my mother and father ever undertook on my behalf. By the sacrament of Baptism, I was washed with the

mercy of God the Father and given the gift of new life through a communion of love and friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ. Furthermore,

it brought me into the community of people who follow Jesus Christ as Lord and united me to them by the bestowal of the Holy Spirit, who

dwells within all the baptized. With the passage of time my gratitude for being a member of the Church has steadily deepened. It is truly

beautiful to be a Catholic. What begins at Baptism is a way of life that is shaped by sacred teachings, strengthened by sacramental

celebration, and marked by loving service of neighbor” (Archbishop Richard Smith).

It is true that at Baptism, our life in Christ begins. Baptism makes us disciples; to respond to his call to follow him. Yet

what does it mean to follow Jesus? Simply, it is a matter of listening and doing. An authentic disciple of Jesus Christ is

one who first listens to his Word and then puts it into practice. In the Archbishop’s Pastoral Letter, we are offered insight

as to how we can listen carefully to the Word of God and, in a shared commitment, put it into practice.

Saint Paul teaches that faith comes from what is heard, meaning that the first act of the disciple is to listen carefully to

what God is saying in the words of Jesus. The hearing of Christ's Word demands a silent and attentive listening. Yet, we

live in a world surrounded by noise and confusion, thus we must work particularly hard to cultivate that inner stillness to

hear and to be transformed by the Word of God. On the Archbishop’s part, he suggests that we take as little as ten

minutes each day to read a few lines of the Bible; to pray together at mealtime; and to create a prayer space in the home:

“I encourage families, too, to listen together to the Word of God. Through a careful listening to this Word, families encounter the Lord in

their very midst and hear within the depths of their hearts his assurance of love and call to holiness and service. Here I suggest three simple

ways by which our families can make the Word of God central to their daily living and draw from it guidance and peace: Grace at mealtime,

creation of a prayer space in the home, and family discussion of the Sunday Homily” (Archbishop Richard Smith).

As families, it is especially important to gather and to reflect deeply upon the Word of God. In this way we will not only

support one another as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, but we will also encourage one another to embrace the

common mission that is ours in virtue of our Baptism into his Church.

Sandra Talarico

Religious Education Consultant

November 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

Rea

Reading

1

Assembly @9:45

2 3

4

5 Daylight

Savings Ends Turn Clocks BACK

Catholic Education

Sunday

6

7

K - 1 Skating

8

9 9:30 am

Remembrance Day

Celebration

10

No School

In lieu of Remem-

brance Day

11

Remem-brance

Day

12 13 Picture

Retakes

14 K - 1 Skating

15

16 17

18

19 20

21

K - 1 Skating

22

23 24 Hot Lunch

OPA! Report Cards go on-line 3pm

25

26

27

Alberta Opera 9:30

28 Last

K - 1 Skating

29

30 Student/

Parent/Teacher Conferences

1 - 5 pm 6 - 8 pm

IMPORTANT DATES COMING UP:

December 4 …………….. Grade 5 immunization December 6 …………….. Assembly 9:45 December 14 …………… Christmas Festival December 21 …………….. Full Day December 21 …………….. Advent Mass 9:15 @ St. Johns December 22 …………….. Early Dismissal (12:05) December 23—January 7 ……… Christmas Break—NO SCHOOL