Called to More @ OLA
Week of October 4, 2021
Saint of the Month
Learning about our Saints
We can pray to saints to help us.
They are so close to God that he has given them the ability to help us directly.
3V - Design and Build Napkin Holders
Science & Art - Building Boxes
Grade 3 practiced designs and made boxes.
Then we created our own!
Lucky Ducks
This Week @ OLA
October is Read in Month
Monday, October 4
- An awesome day to answer the "Call to More"
- Teachers collaboratively meet and respond to ensure every child succeeds in Literacy
Tuesday, October 5
- World Teacher Day - Share a thank you to your child's teacher!
- Virtual School Council Meeting & Elections - 7:00pm
Wednesday, October 6
- Virtual Announcements
- Grade 4 Bible Presentation Mass @ OLA Parish 12:45pm
- Early Dismissal - 2:19 pm - Dress as your Favorite Story Book Character to celebrate Read-In Month!
Thursday, October 7
- Grade 1 & 2 Fire Safety Presentations
Friday, October 8
- Today and every day, we answer the "Call to More!"
Truth and Reconciliation Week
Last week we encouraged you to take time to listen, learn and grow towards reconciliation. Here are some of the ways we honoured the days @ OLA!
- Participated in a Trail Tale - An Indigenous story that we read outside, and followed the story around our playing field, walking from page to page.
- Made Commitment Strings: Commitment Strings are a visible expression of the relationships, kinships, and commitments we have in our lives. Although these strings are a relatively recent creation, they are connected to the necklaces First Nations people wore in the past to show and honour the same values. Commitment strings are not “crafts”. Rather, they are a meaningful symbol acknowledging our guiding principles, the important people in our lives, the milestones we have achieved, and the goals we have set for ourselves. They are a beautiful creation and can be viewed as art, but the meaning behind them elevates them beyond being a simple craft. With the guidance of Elder Doreen Wabasca, we have tailored the commitment string to support and strengthen our commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
We prayed and sent love to all those children who never made it home, by tying orange ribbons onto our fence along the road because Every Child Matters.
Led by one of our Grade 4 students, we prayed a Cree prayer during morning announcements
Together as a whole school community we sang a Cree blessing song that Mrs. Lukie our Chaplain and music teacher taught all children. Joining the blessing song was one of our OLA students who is an Cree drummer.
We read stories from Indigenous authors and read stories to better understand our history so we can move forward together, because when we know better, we do better, together.
We participated in the tradition of Sharing Circles and followed the beautiful protocols of these circles as they are an act of listening more than they are of sharing.
September 30, 2021 - Truth & Reconciliation Day
Mrs. Weller, Mme Gravelle and Mrs. Lukie are honoured to have been part of this beautiful ceremony and day of Truth and Reconciliation.
Harvest Time @ OLA!!
There were items listed here that we were requesting to be donated for soup making and sharing. A very generous family donated ALL of the items needed!!! Wow! Thank you! We are humbled and moved! This village is AMAZING!!!!
We would like to feed our community, too!
We may have a few veggies left over. If we don’t use all the vegetables, they will be available for families to take home for a donation that will allow us to purchase seeds for next year! The vegetables will be at the front door of the school on Friday.
Donations can be placed in the mail slot on the left of the front door. Thank you so much for your generosity to keep our garden going!
Poster Contest: Sherritt 2022 Diversity & Inclusion Calendar
Last year, three OLA students were featured in Sherritt's first-ever Diversity & Inclusion Calendar...maybe it will be YOU this year!
Sherritt’s Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) team is looking for artwork from both employees’ children or grandchildren, and children from Fort Saskatchewan schools depicting what they feel a diverse and inclusive community and workplace looks like. We will select 12 pieces to be displayed in a 2022 D&I calendar to be distributed to all Sherritt employees, and the artists of the selected works will receive a $100 Indigo gift card.
We’re welcoming all artwork submissions from children in grades K-9, whether drawings, paintings, print collages, or other flat-form landscape formats, that show what diversity and inclusion means to them. Any written content on the artwork should be complementary and less than 25 words.
All submissions must be original, landscape, on 8.5x11 paper, and include the artist’s name, grade (or age), and parent’s name and phone number on the back.
By submitting an art piece, you are consenting to have it published in a calendar that will be distributed to all Sherritt employees and the winners of selected artwork. Selection is up to the discretion of the Sherritt’s D&I committee, with winners chosen on or before November 12th, 2021, and calendars distributed December 15th–31st, 2021.
Please have all submissions at the OLA office on or before Thursday, October 20, 2021.
Welcome Volunteers...and October is Read-In Month!
The engagement of parents in their child's education is an integral element to the learning success of children. We are looking forward to welcoming back this partnership in a fashion that ensures the continued health and safety of our OLA community.
Together, we've got this!
As mentioned in previous newsletters, we are excited to welcome volunteers and guest speakers to OLA beginning this month. We will do this together, in a pre-arranged fashion that is initiated and confirmed by OLA staff or School Council and connected to a specific duration for a purposeful task.
Volunteers Needed:
- We are organizing our STEAM room - yes! OLA has a STEAM room!! -- It's actually our Science Technology Engineering Art and Math room and it is going to be so well used now that renovations are completed! We are looking for a parent or two, under the direction and guidance of Mrs. Desaulniers, who are interested to organize supplies, label cupboards and set up the STEAM room. If you are interested, please email Mrs. Desaulniers at ola@eics.ab.ca ATTN: Mrs. Desaulniers
- Hot Lunch volunteers - on October 5 during our School Council meeting beginning at 7pm, the topic of hot lunch will likely be discussed. In order for OLA to have a hot lunch program, volunteers will be needed to help coordinate, pick up/deliver and possibly sort foot. If you are interested in helping with a potential Hot Lunch program, please email OLA's School Council at schoolcouncil.ola@eics.ab.ca or attend our School Council Meeting at 7:00pm on Tuesday, October 5th. The Google Meet Link will be shared via email that morning. Please check your junk mail incase it pops up there.
- October is Read-In Month!! Usually it's a week, but at OLA we feel that Literacy and a love of reading is SO important, we make it a WHOLE month! If you are interested in reading to your child's class either virtually or in person, please contact your child's teacher to offer dates/times you are available to read this month. We encourage you to bring and read a book you love or loved to read. When a parent reads to a class virtually, it opens the door for a Mystery Reader! Children ask questions, and parents answer by typing in the chat, to see if they can guess who you are. If you are interested in offering to be a Mystery Reader (and it means answering any questions kids may ask....:-) Then please share that with your child's teacher too. Let's make reading fun, together!!
Through pre-arranged in-person volunteering, the following will be expected:
- Complete the Daily Screening Checklist
- Sign-in at the office and acknowledge completion of the Daily Screening Checklist.
- Wear a volunteer badge at all times. This indicates to staff and students that you have completed the checklist, signed-in at the office, and are at the school for a specific pre-arranged purpose.
- Maintain social distancing at much as possible with staff and students.
- Be present at the for the scheduled duration of the volunteering time
- Follow all masking, hand hygiene and hand hygiene protocols
Dropping off or picking up children, lunches or items will continue in the same fashion, and our exterior doors will remain secured.
Should you have any questions, please contact Mme Gravelle at 780-998-3716.
Outdoor Fun
Learning Disruption Grant
Alberta Education has provided funding to support schools with staffing and resources for supplementary interventions. Students in Grades 2-3 have completed specialized assessments and students in Grade 1 will be assessed later in the school year. Interventions in both groupings will begin shortly after the assessments are complete. Students identified as requiring additional support will receive 30 hours of supplementary programming in literacy and between 20-30 hours of support in numeracy in small group formats from specialized intervention teachers. During and after the intervention period, student progress will be monitored and communicated with classroom teachers and parents. A final communication of gains will also be provided to Alberta Education.
With the grade 2&3 assessments complete, as well as the analysis of the results, please be aware of possible communication from your child's teacher, informing you of your child's inclusion in the supplementary support along with whom to connect with should you have questions.
Attendance Reporting Procedures
1-877-246-9970 or leave a message on our voice mail. Attendance Reporting Procedures
A reminder for all families that the AHS Daily Assessment needs to be completed and actioned each morning prior to coming to school. If your child is experiencing symptoms and therefore staying at home, please select the following absence codes:
“Flu-like symptoms”
“other illness or injury” If they are experiencing symptoms that you do not deem to be flu-like, or your child has a medical appointment.
“parent excused.” If your child is experiencing no symptoms at all, please choose this. The parent excused absence should only be chosen if you are keeping your child home for a reason that does not pertain to a medical issue. (i.e dance competition)
Questions? Please feel free to contact us at the school. We are happy to navigate through absences with you.
1P Math Centers
See you on October 5th!
Exciting News Will Be Shared at our October 5th...Be there to hear it first!!
Virtual School Council meeting at 7:00pm!!
See you there!!
At our October 5th meeting will not only share exciting news, our 2021-2022 Executive Team will also be elected!
If you have a desire to make OLA the best it can be, as well as a little time to attend meetings and learn your role; you should consider nominating yourself to a position.
During the meeting you will have the opportunity to share with everyone why you feel you would be good for the position and if there are multiple people nominated for a position, all in attendance will take a vote.
If you think you may be interested in a role on the executive team and/or have questions please email the school council at schoolcouncil.ola@gmail.com
A link to this meeting will be sent out the day of the meeting and will arrive in your email inbox (thank you for checking your junkmail just it can it lands there). Be sure to check your junk mail, it sometimes ends up there.
Hope to see you all there!
Joining School Council allows you the opportunity to be in the know to work closely with parents, teachers and the school leadership team to plan and implement enhanced programming and special events for students and our school community!
Curiosity Peaked!!
OLA families, we are excited to share some exciting news with you at our virtual Annual General Meeting on Tuesday Oct 19th at 7pm.
A link will be sent to your email the morning of the meeting. Please remember to check your junk mail if you cannot find it.
Hope to see you there!
Fort Saskatchewan Catholic Schools Playground Society
Looking Ahead...
Looking Further Ahead...
October 11
- Thanksgiving Day - No School
October 14
- Picture Day - T/Th Kindergarten and Grade 1 - 4
- T/Th Kindergarten Teachers Pet Field Trip
October 15
- M/W Kindergarten Teachers Pet In-Class Field Trip
October 18 - 22
- Bus Safety Week
October 18
- PD Day - No School
- Evidence of your Child's Learning so far this year, coming home this week
- Halloween Party & Celebrations - details to come
- Virtual Three Way Conferences 5-8pm
November 3
- Early Dismissal - 2:19pm
November 17
- Picture Day M/W Kindergarten and retakes for Grade 1 - 4
Parenting Through Connections
Our Lady of the Angels School
Fort Saskatchewan, AB
T8L 1W7
Email: ola@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://ola.eics.ab.ca/
Location: 9622 Sherridon Drive, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: (780)998-3716
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/OLASchoolFtSask/photos/?ref=page_internal
Twitter: @OLAFortSask