The Good News
September 17 - St. John XXIII Catholic School
Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Protocol
Elk Island Catholic Schools is committed to providing a safe and caring environment for all students/clients, staff, and community members. As such, we have worked together with police and community partners to adopt a Violence Threat Risk Assessment (VTRA) Protocol for the Elk Island area.
This is a systematic and collaborative approach to threat assessment, whereby community partners work together to investigate potential threats and put supportive interventions in place. VTRA promotes a common language and understanding of threat assessment, makes use of the expertise of various community partners, and encourages a multidisciplinary approach to violence prevention.
All VTRA partners are committed to intervening when behaviour indicates that an individual is moving along a pathway toward serious violence. Please be advised that all threats of violence will be taken seriously and investigated according to the VTRA protocol. Examples include, but are not limited to the following:
- Violent behaviour with the intent to harm or kill another person
- Verbal or written threats to seriously harm others or cause significant property damage
- Internet, text, or social media threats to seriously harm others
- Possession of weapons (including replicas)
- Bomb threats or making/detonating explosive devices
- Fire setting
- Sexual intimidation or assault
The Elk Island VTRA Protocol outlines how schools and agencies will respond immediately to threatening behaviour. The RCMP and school administration is always involved as a partner early in the process, with additional school division and community supports being brought in as needed. This may include Psychologists, Social Workers, Family-School Liaison Workers, Mental Health Clinicians, and other professionals as relevant to the situation. Parents and guardians will be notified as early as possible in the process. Personal information shared throughout the VTRA process will respect and balance each individual’s right to privacy with the need to ensure the safety of all.
To read the entire Elk Island VTRA protocol, please click here:
Club Moo Milk Program
New Changes for Hot Lunch
The Hot Lunch program will be starting up soon, please watch for a notice in a back pack near you! This year we will ONLY be accepting payments for up to 4 weeks from the order date. Payments can be made online through PayPal ( you do not need to set up an account to pay by credit card), cheque or cash. PLEASE NOTE **Payments will NOT be accepted after the deadline and unpaid lunches will NOT be ordered. Thank you for your cooperation.
Parent Workshop - Connect!
Elk Island Catholic Schools is blessed to be apart of this journey and to have this resource available to us is a true gift!
Connect is a 10-week attachment based program to support parents and caregivers of pre-teens and teens with difficult behavioural and emotional problems. Parents meet in small groups with two trained group leaders for one hour and a half each week.
Each session provides parents with a new perspective on parent-teen relationships and adolescent development. Parents watch role- plays, try exercises, and work together to develop new choices for responding to their child’s difficult behaviour. Parents receive handouts following each session with key points to remember.
Each child and each parent is different and change is part of development. Rather than teach only one way of parenting, parents are encouraged to see choices that support healthy relationships while setting limits and helping their teen to move forward.
**Note: The first session is beginning this week in Sherwood Park; however, Fort Saskatchewan will be hosting one in October. If you want to get started now, sign up this week.
Families First Society Fort Saskatchewan
Looking Ahead!
September 21 Yo-Yo Presentation 9:00 - 9:45 am in the gym
September 22 PICTURE DAY! In the Library this year
September 22 Earth Rangers Presentation 1:00 - 2:00 pm in the gym
September 27 Orange Shirt Day
September 27 School Bus Evacuation Drill
September 27 Registration Deadline for the Sacrament of Reconciliation for Fall 2017
September 28 Terry Fox Run 2:00 pm
September 29 ECS Safely on Board School Bus Safety Presentation
September 29 Fort Sask Multicultural Association Presentation - Sri Lanka Dance
October 5 School Thanksgiving Mass at OLA Parish - details to follow
October 6 Staff Professional Development Day - No School for Students
October 9 Thanksgiving Day - No School
"Charity helps us to know the truth and truth calls for acts of kindness."
Pope Francis
via Twitter September 10, 2017
9526 - 89 Street, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta
Email: stj@eics.ab.ca
Website: www.stj.eics.ab.ca
Location: 9526 89 Street, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: (780)998-7777
Facebook: facebook.com/stjohnxxiii
Twitter: @ST_JohnXXIII