Sister Alphonse Academy Newsflash!
15/January/2021
A Prayer for the New Year
Happy Friday Sister Alphonse Academy Families!
Our first week back together in the building has been great! We are so happy to have everyone back at school.
Thank you to all of the school council members and parents who took the time on Wednesday, January 13th to virtually attend the school council meeting!
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Blessings,
Christine Samson, Principal
Lisa Kleparchuk,
Welcome Back Ice Cream Treat!
SAA Upcoming events:
Upcoming events: January 18 - 22nd, 2021
Monday, January 18 - Exciting day of learning at SAA!
Tuesday, January 19 - Exciting day of learning
Wednesday, January 20 - Exciting day of learning
Thursday, January 21 - SAA Spirit Day! Wear blue/green or your SAA spirit wear!
Friday, January 22 - Exciting day of Learning
***SAA VIRTUAL KINDER EXPO***PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS!
Sister Alphonse Academy Kindergarten Virtual Open House - Wednesday, January 27, 6:00 p.m. Registrations are now open online on our website.
Looking ahead?
Thursday, February 11, 6:30 p.m. - SAA Elementary/Junior High virtual Open House! Registration now open as well on our website.
Blessings,
Christine Samson,
Principal
Lisa Kleparchuk,
Vice Principal
Covid - Health & Safety Updates: Important message
Parents/Guardians:
To answer a few questions I have recently received regarding how notifications work if health officials confirm a case of Covid-19 in a school community, please see the procedure below. If you have any other questions please feel free to contact the school.
This information is also found found in our GSACRD Parent Handbook:
COVID-19 Protocols
If health officials confirm a case of COVID-19 in a school community, Alberta Health Services will take the following steps:
1. The zone medical officer of health will work with school authorities to quickly:
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○ identify cases
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○ identify close contacts
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○ create isolation measures when needed
- ○ provide follow-up recommendations
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A COVID-19 case will not automatically lead to school closure—it could be that only the group of students and staff who came in close contact will be required to stay home for 14 days.
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Parents will be notified if a case of COVID-19 is confirmed at school and the individuals who tested positive, the school, and/or public health officials will contact those who were in close contact with the person.
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Each school authority will support students and staff to learn or work at home if they are required to self-isolate.
Please click on the link below to read the latest update from Dr. Clint Moroziuk, Superintendent of Schools.
Parent Guidebook for School Re-Entry: 2020-2021 (Updated: 2021.01.08) (PDF)
The Alberta Government has established stronger mandatory province-wide public health measures to help slow down the spread of the COVID-19.
Please open the link below to see an important change in the symptoms and isolating:
Alberta Health Daily Checklist - Please continue to screen your children for any symptoms BEFORE choosing to send them to school.
Covid-19 - How long to stay home from school
Thank you so much for your support!
Junior High News!
Dear Parents/Guardians:
We have the opportunity to add additional support for our diverse learning needs at the Junior High level. The School Division and Senior Admin let us know that they had some additional funds to support education assistant time to our school. We have decided with the increase of time to Mrs. Webb, one of our Educational Assistants, who is supporting the elementary students during the morning to have her now support some of the students at the Junior High level. She will be with us every afternoon Monday through Thursday, and your child may work with Mrs. Webb during EXCEL block or option subjects. We wanted to make you aware of this information as Mrs. Webb may work with your child either with a review of concepts from core subject courses or providing scribing or reading for assessments where required as per your child's individual program plan.
We will also be working with our Junior High group to provide some additional information on some great computer software programs. We are looking at providing the Junior High students with more tools that will eventually prepare them for high school and being more independent.
Thank you for welcoming Mrs. Webb!
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me.
Take care and God Bless,
Mrs. Lisa Kleparchuk,
Vice Principal, Diverse Learning Facilitator
SACHS information session
A couple of staff from Ecole Secondaire St. Albert Catholic High School will be having a short visit with our Grade 8/9 class on January 20 and February 10th during our EXCEL block to provide students with some information about the high school programming. Grade nine parents stay tuned for more information on transition tips/information to high school. Thank you!
Purchase your SAA Yearbook today!
Mrs. Kleparchuk and our staff are working hard on our 2020/2021 yearbook! A big thank you to one of our parents Mrs. Kosik-Lowen who is spending time again helping us build our yearbook. Your time and expertise is greatly appreciated! Purchase your yearbook through school cash using the link below.
If you experience any problems with the system, please let our office know at 780-809-2996.
We are Knights! Our clothing store is open!
Thank you from Catholic Social Services!
Please see the letter that our district received from Catholic Social Services regarding our contributions to the "Stuff a Stocking" campaign. Thank you to everyone who made such generous donations during the Advent season to the worthy cause!
Dear GSACRD staff, please see the message and attached photos from Catholic Social Services.
With your support more than $8,472 was raised! Your generosity enabled our CSS elves to purchase and distribute hundreds of warm Christmas dinners, stockings filled with goodies, and gift cards to those in our high-risk youth programs.
Even our littlest elf, Lilo, came out to help!
For many of the youth in these programs, the stockings and gifts were the only ones they received this year.
We're deeply grateful to you for helping ensure each and every youth in our care felt treasured this Christmas morning. During a particularly difficult holiday season, thank you for stepping up and supporting some of the most vulnerable right here in our community.
With gratitude,
The CSS family
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming soon!
Sister Alphonse Academy Virtual Book Fair
Let reading take you anywhere at our Time Machine Book Fair!! From February 15-26, you are invited to shop our Scholastic Book Fair online.
Come explore the latest books and enjoy these special online shopping features:
§ All orders ship direct to home
§ FREE shipping on book-only orders over $40
§ FREE shipping for orders made on Wednesday from 6pm-8pm
§ All purchases support our school and earn 20% in rewards
Let us make this the best fair yet! If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. Stay tuned for more information and for the book fair link!
Happy Reading!
Ms. L. Gamache
Phone: 780-809-2996.
Email: lgamache@gsacrd.ab.ca
SAA Recreation Academy in Action!
Our recreation academy is available as an option in Grade 4 - 9. See our website for more information or call our school today!
SAFETY PROTOCOL STUDENT RE-ENTRY REMINDERS
Before coming to school each day, all staff and students must complete the Alberta government’s COVID-19 Information Screening Questionnaire, which is available in multiple languages, to determine whether they can attend or must stay home. The form does not need to be submitted to the office. If your child has any symptoms, contact your school office to let your child’s school know. Everyone who enters a school will see a sign that reminds them to complete the daily COVID-19 Information Screening Questionnaire before entering the building.
Please remember to bring with you all of your books and supplies that are needed for school on Monday morning. Monday is a regular, full day of classes.
Please remember that we have four entrances for students. When you arrive at school please report to the same school door that you were using before the Christmas break.
On August 4, grades 4-12 students and all staff have been asked to wear masks and mask use will be mandatory in common areas and when physical distancing of 2m is not possible. K-3 students are not required to wear masks, but mask use is encouraged as much as possible. Masks are to be worn while riding the bus as well.
Students with pre-existing health conditions that cause symptoms of illness should be tested for COVID-19 at least once before returning to school. A negative test will help show that symptoms are related to their pre-existing conditions, and not to COVID-19. This will establish what their baseline for being healthy looks like. Families should notify their school about any pre-existing condition and the symptoms it causes. As long as these symptoms remain the same, the student can attend school.
Additional hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed in every school and division office and additional hand sanitizer has been provided to schools to enable individuals to practice good hand hygiene.
It is recommended that individual-sized hand sanitizer bottles be purchased for your children so that they have this with them throughout the day. If you need to purchase another one for Monday please do so. Thank you.
Students please bring your own water bottle to school and do not share them. Water fountains will remain open and be cleaned regularly.
All students are asked to wear a mask to wear upon entry at school and when riding a school bus. Teachers will provide mask breaks. Prior to the break, students needed more reminders of continuing to do this so let’s have a new start again.
Grades 4 - 9 students: Please remember to wear your mask at all times when walking in the classroom and/or hallway and continue to maintain physical distance between one another.
Approved cleaning protocols have been put in place in all Division buildings. Custodial staff have been trained to identify high touch areas and to know how to clean, sanitize, and disinfect them.
If your child becomes ill at school, your child will be placed in a safe space until you or your emergency designate picks up your child.
Lunch Hour: All students in the elementary and junior high school need to eat their lunch in their own classrooms. We have always had this guideline in place, but students needed a few reminders to adhere to this prior to the break. Students in Junior High who are leaving the building for lunch please follow all safety protocols with masks use, physical distancing and sanitization upon exit and entry.
Junior High - Nutrition break: You are to eat your snack at your desk in your classroom. If you would like to go for a short walk in the school, wear your mask and continue to maintain a physical distance of two metres while walking.
Gym use - Students will have grade cohort assigned time to use the gym. Please listen for the announcements for your day of use.
SIGIS Childcare available
Please note that we have SIGIS Childcare within our building at SAA! If you are in need of before school or after school childcare, please read some information below. This may be a convenient service you may be interested in. Thank you.
Technology donation thank you!
Mrs. Hoskins has a sewing/textiles business and she used small scraps to sew masks and sold $500 worth! We look forward to sharing our purchase with you soon!
Friends of Sister Alphonse Academy
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO ENHANCE SAA BY SUPPORTING FUNDRAISERS AND VOLUNTEERING
ONGOING FUNDRAISERS:
1. Campbell Park Bottle Depot - Ask for the receipt from the return of your bottles and cans to go towards 'Friends of Sister Alphonse Academy" envelope.2. FlipGive - Go to flipgive.com or get the FlipGive app. Enter code QYXC53 to earn a portion of proceeds for the school by purchasing gift cards and shopping online!
3. COBS DoughRaiser - Mention Friends of Sister Alphonse Academy at St. Albert location, and 5% of your purchase will go to Friends of SAA.
4. Oliver's Labels - http://www.oliverslabels.com/FriendsofSAA
5. Mabel's Labels - mabelslabels.ca - Click on 'Support a Fundraiser' and search for Friends of Sister Alphonse Academy (St. Albert)
We are a Recreational Academy School!
Sister Alphonse Academy!
Email: info@sisteralphonseacademy.com
Website: https://www.saa.gsacrd.ab.ca/
Location: 1 Joyal Way, Sturgeon County, AB, Canada
Phone: 7808092296
Facebook: facebook.com/sisteralphonseacademy
Twitter: @sisteralphonseacademy