ABJ Scots Week at a Glance (SWAG)
June 20 - 24, 2022
This weekend we honour the ‘mystery of our faith’. In our church calendar, this weekend marks the “Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.” Some folks will call this Corpus Christi weekend. In very simplistic terms, this weekend's readings offer our faith community the opportunity to focus with a deeper sense of awe on the significance of the bread and wine becoming for us the body and blood of Christ. That he would love us so much that he would give us his body in its entirety is beyond words. Indeed this is true sacrifice.
This is also Father’s Day, a day for us to consider the impact of a Father. Fathers have a lasting impact on us. It is helpful to call to mind St. Joseph and his role in the life of Jesus. It was Joseph who taught him so much in a direct and tangible way by his silent and obedient contemplation. By his honest labour. By his fidelity to Mary. By his respect for women. By helping Jesus to understand and use everyday images in his parables. By helping Jesus to show to others that love is ultimately about serving our neighbour with justice. As we celebrate Father’s Day, let’s be grateful for all of our fathers and for those who’ve filled in for them.
As we come close to the end of the school year, we recognize there are still many exams left to write. We honour and celebrate the students, families, and staff who have partnered together to prepare and support our students. The sacrifices all of these groups have made to support our ABJ students is to be acknowledged and commended. We are blessed to have such a strong, faith filled community who promote and support one another so well.
Important Dates
Parent and Student News
Parent Advisory Council
Colour Awards
Thank you to all the organizers as well as students, parents, and staff for their attendance in-person to this event!
Drama 20 Show Wraps Up
ABJ has a new Native Plant Garden!
Grad Update
Any grads who may want to create their own Google links to transfer documents from EICS accounts to, please see the link below. Please note that once you are no longer a student of EICS, you will not have access to your Google account.
Congratulations to New EICS Board Chair Le-Ann Ewaskiw!
Preparation for Next School Year
Locker Clean-Up. Once students finish all exams, any items from lockers should be cleaned out and locks kept for use next school year.
Information on registration for 2022-2023 and start-up will be shared in in next week's SWAG and in communications in August.
Student course lists will be available later this week. This will detail which courses the student will have for next school year. Timetables will be available for pickup during registration in August. Any course changes that need to occur for valid academic reasons (eg. missing a course, need to repeat a course) will be addressed in the new school year.
Mental Health Moments
Finals don't have to drain your mental reserves... Here are 7 tips to manage your mental health over the next two weeks:
1. CREATE A SCHEDULE
Students who are juggling multiple finals can easily become overwhelmed. Creating a schedule helps you pace yourself and avoid burnout. What's the key to a good finals week schedule? First, be realistic: No, you can't cram a semester's worth of material into a single all-night study session. Cramming is an ineffective study strategy. Instead, spacing out study sessions over a longer period of time helps students retain more information.A schedule can also make a big difference from a mental health perspective. Rather than drowning in a massive amount of material, planning ahead provides structure. A schedule also helps you avoid the problem of cramming for your early finals, then running out of time to study for exams later in the week.
2. CHANGE IT UP
Move around to different study spots, if you can. Similarly, changing up your study schedule also improves focus. Instead of studying one subject for an entire day, mix up the schedule by incorporating small blocks of study time for different courses. Relocating doesn't necessarily mean leaving your apartment or dorm room, either. Even moving to different spots in the same room can help information sink in.
3. GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP
Putting down the books to get a good night's sleep can mean higher grades. In a 2015 study, researchers found that 82% of students slept less than seven hours the night before an exam — and their grades suffered. Students who slept longer the night prior to a test received higher grades. The study also found that it's not just hours of sleep that matter — it's also when you sleep. Students who went to bed after 2 a.m. and slept at least seven hours performed worse than those who slept the same number of hours but hit the sack earlier.
4. USE HEALTHY STUDY TECHNIQUES
Different study techniques work for different people. Some people can only study with music in the background or a highlighter in their hand. For others, reading aloud helps concepts sink in. Whatever technique works for you, make sure you do it in a healthy way. How you approach studying matters as much as what you do. Thinking positively, cutting off catastrophic thoughts, and avoiding negative comparisons can put you in the right mindset to absorb new material.
5. TAKE BREAKS
Taking breaks can improve your focus and performance. The key, though, is to watch the clock. A brief mental break can help, but long or disruptive activities could actually hurt. Consider a 10-minute walk to get the mental benefits of a break, plus fresh air and exercise.
6. KEEP THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE
Finals puts students under a large amount of pressure — but remember that you'll go through multiple finals weeks in your academic life. Instead of pressuring yourself to perform well, keep things in perspective. Finals are just another test, and in most classes they represent a fraction of your course grade.
7. BE KIND TO YOURSELF
Finals can seem all-consuming, but remember that you're a whole person with needs outside of a single week during the semester. Being kind to yourself can help you both academically and from a mental health perspective. Approach your exams with self-compassion. That means dropping the judgmental or critical thoughts about yourself and practicing self-kindness during this time.
GOOD LUCK ABJ, YOU'VE GOT THIS!
When you’re in high school, It’s totally normal to be unsure of what you want to do for a career, some of you may have known exactly what you want to do since the day you stepped into Grade 10 - either path is absolutely fine, but it is absolutely worth your time to really investigate what might be a best fit for you AFTER ABJ - because ask our Graduating class right now... Trust when I say that day will come!
As we head into our summer, it might be the perfect time to reflect on this! I’ll share some advice on how you can be proactive in high school so that you're set up for success when you graduate.
Research Programs and Schools
Before you commit to a school or apply to your dream program, it’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into.
The OCCInfo website is a great place to start. You can browse post-secondary institutions across Alberta; compare programs that interest you; find out which high school courses you need to get into the program you want; and get the details on potential career paths.
Once you’ve narrowed down your options to a few schools and programs, check out the websites of the schools you like. Knowing the campus culture and the unique opportunities at your schools of choice prior to committing will help you find your best fit. Here at ABJ, we have a Work Experience/RAP coordinators and counsellors that are happy to help you with lots of different resources like in-house post-secondary opportunities, campus tours, and student shadowing where prospective high school students get a firsthand view of what campus life or the world of work are actually like.
Early Admission—What’s That?
After you’ve done your research, you may wish to apply for early admission. Early admission is typically for students that have set their mind on a certain degree, and are in good academic standing. This allows you to narrow down your options by getting accepted early, several months before your classmates, so that you can start preparing for the big move into post-secondary education.
On top of this, you’ll likely be more exposed to more opportunities for early-admission scholarships, early enrolment in classes (which reduces the stress associated with being on the wait-list up until 2 days before classes start), and involvement in first-year mentorship programs (more on this stuff below).
Get Involved, Gain Experience (and maybe free money!)
In addition to doing your research to find the school and program that is a good fit for you, there’s lots you can do now to make the most of your time in at ABJ and gain some valuable experience.
Do you like animals? Try volunteering at your local pet shelter. Bio-30 sparked your interest in the sciences and medicine? Try volunteering at your local hospital to see what it’s like working as a nurse, physician, or therapist. Take the initiative to try new things, and interact with professionals who could become your future co-workers. And remember - we can help you with this!
Volunteer experience looks great on your resume, and it’s also a way to get free money. Seriously, scholarships can be based on more than grades—and if you’ve had some experience with volunteering, student groups, athletics, or other interesting hobbies, you’ve got what it takes to make some free money!
Find a Mentor
High school is the perfect time to find a mentor who can provide advice and guidance in the early stages of your education and career planning. Mentors are usually people who have life experience and wisdom to share—they can help you set and achieve goals, and share insights that will help you figure out your path.
How do you find a mentor? Think about whether you know anybody who has your dream job. If not, maybe you know a professional with a charismatic and ambitious attitude, someone who inspires you. Alternatively, ask your parents, teachers, or friends if they can recommend someone to you, or seek out a youth mentorship program.
In addition to seeking out a mentor, you can also try job shadowing a professional in a field that interests you. Job shadowing enables you to learn about what a job is really like and can help you figure out whether it’s something that suits you. If not, that’s okay! Maybe you’ll fall in love with your backup plan. Or the backup to the backup?
All that said - it is OK if you don't know what you want to do with the rest of your life, but there is really no excuse for you to not start investigating what might be a good option for you NOW! Please connect with Mrs. Glass if you have any questions or wanted to go into this a little further together!
Supporting Karynna On Her Road to Recovery
Your prayers and support are greatly needed and most appreciated!
Nitza's Pizza along with the Cattail Crossing Golf & Country Club is proud to host the 3rd Annual Golf Tournament in support of a family near and dear to our hearts 💜- The Chwok Family! ⛳
Date: Thursday, July 21st, 2022
8AM Shotgun Texas Scramble
Price: $150/GOLFER, $600/FOURSOME
Place: Cattail Crossing Golf & Winter Club
PRIZES, SILENT AUCTION & DINNER
To register, sponsor a hole or donate an auction item or for more information, please call 780 417 6666. Hope to see you there!
To learn more about Karynna Chwok and her family or to donate please visit https://gofund.me/86973da6
Faith News and Development
Prayers
Learning Spotlight
Science 9 AP Review Using Wintercounts
Final Projects in Creative Textile Arts 9
ABJ Athletics
Summer Basketball Camp at Legacy Athletics
Below is a link to the sign up for the summer basketball I will be running in August at Legacy. The dates will be the 15th and 16th with a 2hr morning and a 2hr afternoon session on each day. Cost for the camp will be $150 per athlete. I will be donating the coaching and some of the gym time costs if we get a high number of registrants I may be looking for some coaching help, all of the proceeds will go towards ABJ boys' basket ball. I have opened the camp to both boys and girls in grades 9,10,11 and 12 up to 30 athletes in total.
See here for more information and to register:
NBC Camps
The most popular overnight basketball camps in the world are NBC Basketball Camps.
Over 400,000 student athletes have attended NBC since 1971 with nearly 200 camps a year at 100 locations throughout the world.
NBC Camps builds confidence and skills in an environment of encouragement, enthusiasm and intensity. If you have an athlete who would benefit from outstanding coaching and an amazing camp environment check out:
Overnight Basketball Camps
Olds College
NBC Complete Player Basketball – July 24-27, 2022 30 spots available
NBC Basketball Leadership – August 5-7, 2022 (By application only) 11 spots available
NBC Complete Player Intensive Basketball – August 7-11, 2022 22 spots available
Prairie College
NBC TOTAL – College Prep Basketball – August 15-20, 2022 3 spots for boys/6 spots for girls available
Basketball Day Camps
Calgary
Ambrose University SOLD OUT
Rundle College Conklin School 2 camps. 25 spots available
Trinity Christian School 2 camps. 15 spots available
Bearspaw Christian School 2 weeks. 12 spots available
Strathcona Tweedsmuir School 18 spots available
Lethbridge
Lethbridge Christian School 9 spots available
Sherwood Park
Strathcona Christian Academy 3 weeks
Edmonton
Parkland Immanuel Christian School 2 weeks
Volleyball
For information about NBC Volleyball Camps go to www.nbccamps.com/volleyball or contact shawn@nbccamps.com
For more information or to register go to www.nbccamps.com
Come experience the NBC difference and see why nearly 7000 kids have already signed up for camp this summer.
Student Services, Wellness & Counselling Supports
Grant MacEwan Still Accepting Applications
GRADE 12's - Still no plans for fall? Maybe wishing you had applied to post-secondary?
Here are our programs with a June 30 application deadline:
- Bachelor of Commerce
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, Music Theatre Performance major
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, Studio Arts major
- Correctional Services diploma
- Emergency Communications and Response diploma
- Special Needs Education Assistant certificate
- And so many others!
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Communication Studies - all majors
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, Arts and Cultural Management major
- Bachelor of Fine Arts, Theatre Production major
- Office Assistant, all majors
- Public Relations, all majors
Still Need Help to Finance Your Post-Secondary?
Just because school is almost ending, doesn't mean scholarship season is! I have put together a list of scholarships that are all still available over the summer months. Once exams are completed, you may have a bit more time on your hands to dedicate to funding your post-secondary so view HERE for scholarship information.
Scholarships are NOT just academic in nature; scholarships are awarded for so much more than just your marks - check it out and APPLY! You don't have the potential to earn a cent if you don't throw your hat in the ring!
Applications for Special Olympics Unified Sports Leader in Inclusion Scholarships Now Open
Four scholarships will be awarded to students who participate in Unified Sports and demonstrate leadership in creating an inclusive environment in their school.
4 x $500.00 Scholarships will be distributed geographically as follows:
1x Edmonton
1x Calgary
2x Elsewhere in the province of Alberta
Application Deadline is June 30th at 12:00 Midnight
Click this link to find out more information on the Scholarship and to find the application: https://www.asaa.ca/sport-info/special-olympics-unified-sports/awards-and-scholarships
How to Apply for the ALEXANDER RUTHERFORD SCHOLARSHIP!
Attention Grade 12’s that are planning on attending post- secondary THIS FALL! I would encourage you all to apply for the Rutherford, which provides funds up to $2500 for academic averages in two separate categories; there is an amount given for averages above 75% from Grades 10 through 12 and another amount for averages exceeding 80%. I would encourage you all to apply, as partial scholarships can be awarded even if you didn’t attain the academic threshold for all 3 years.
How to Apply:
The online application can be completed on Student Aid Alberta
When to Apply:
Applications will be open mid August 2022, so check back then! By this point, your official high school transcript marks are available and you will be enrolled in full-time post-secondary studies for the fall.
More information can be found here.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Glass if you had any questions or needed any additional information.
* Women in STEM Scholarship Information
Cafeteria Update
Cafeteria service will resume in the new year.
Thank you to all who have supported Culinary Delights this year!
Communications
Please stay informed on all things ABJ through the weekly Smore, website, blog, and on social media.