Patriot Post
October 1st - 5th, 2018
This Week at St. JPII
Monday Oct. 1st
Gr. 5 Home Alone Fire Presentation 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Jr. Girls and Boys Volleyball Practice 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Tuesday Oct. 2nd
Wednesday Oct. 3rd
Jr. Girls Volleyball Practice 7:00am - 8:00am
Thanksgiving Mass at St. JP II 12:45pm
Early Dismissal @ 2:00pm
Jr. Boys Volleyball Practice 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Thursday Oct. 4th
Jr. Boys/Girls Volleyball League Games 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Friday Oct. 5th
PD DAY - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Principal's Message
PLEASE SEE THE IMPORTANT MESSAGE BELOW FROM OUR ST. JOHN XXIII PARENT SOCIETY CHAIR
Playground Meeting and Election
Thursday, October 18, 7pm
St John Paul II School
Now that school has settled in, I am sure you are aware of the need for outdoor spaces for your new (or new to you) schools.
For anyone new to our Fort Saskatchewan Catholic schools, we are four Catholic schools that have been restructured from three Catholic schools upon the completion of a new Catholic high school. Within the restructuring process we have the following changes:
1. St John XXIII (SJXXIII) (grades K-4) has half the number of students as half of the students were reallocated to OLA.
2. Our Lady of the Angels (OLA) has changed from a middle school (grades 5-8) into an elementary school (grades K-4).
3. St John Paul II (JPII) has changed from a high school (grades 9-12) into a middle school (5-8).
4. St Andre Bessette is a new build for a high school (9-12).
These changes were much needed, but have resulted in the playgrounds, equipment and outdoor spaces being inappropriate or non-existent for three of the four schools. We are left with the current problems that need remedying:
1. OLA (grades k-4): has 30-year-old playground equipment more appropriate for a middle school
2. JPII (grades 5-8): does not have any playground or outdoor play structures since it had been a high school
3. JPII (grades 5-8): we will need to remove half of the parking lot to make room for an outdoor play structure
4. Saint Andre (grades 9-12): does not have any outdoor gathering spaces and needs benches or picnic tables
5. SJXXIII (grades k-4): due to school enrollment at full capacity for so long, the playground is worn. They just received a bill for $40,000 to replace a broken play structure.
We are applying for grants and fundraising to replace old playgrounds and to build new ones where needed. We are fundraising as one community as we see our Catholic schools as one family, with close connections with each other. We plan on raising these funds together, and together building outdoor spaces adequate for all our Catholic schools. As ambitious as it sounds, we would like to complete our fundraising within 18 months.
We will have a meeting to elect an executive to carry these efforts forward. The executive would be responsible for working with the respective school principals, continuing to stay in contact with our grant’s writer, and securing a company to purchase playground and outdoor equipment from.
Please attend this meeting on Thursday, October 18, 7pm in the SJPII school.
Thank you,
Donamarie Lukie
Pope John XXIII Parent Society Chair
Chaplain's Corner
This Sunday's readings very clearly show us where God stands on accepting others. Something that many of us struggle to do at times.
Where is God?
We Christians believe that the Church is God’s special way of revealing himself to the world. But we really cannot go on to claim that therefore God is only to be found in the Church. That in our Church alone is there Truth and Goodness. To be honest, we have tended in the past to give that impression.
Within the Church, too, there have always been groups — and they are still among us — that feel they have something that no one else has. That only they are in possession of God’s Truth, that only among their ranks can people be "saved". They often exert a good deal of their energies trying to prove that other groups or even the rest of the Church is deeply in error.
Today’s Gospel moves on to a much more relevant problem as far as we Christians are concerned. There is a severe warning against those who prevent people from coming closer to God. It is regarded by Jesus as a most serious form of sinfulness.
The word "scandal" means originally a stumbling block, like a large stone in a person’s way that causes him to trip and fall. Am I a stumbling block to those who might be in search of Jesus or his Church? For instance, would any person want to be a Christian because they know me? What kind of impression of Christian life or of the Church do I present to others?
We have to learn to recognize that God can do his work through all kinds of people. St John, in his First Letter, says very bluntly: "Wherever there is a caring love (agape) there is God." Christians clearly have no monopoly on loving others. And we can add that wherever there is true justice being practiced, there is God; wherever there is true freedom being promoted or defended, there is God; wherever there is a person, perhaps a total stranger from another race or culture, who acts as a true brother or sister to me, there is God. And so on…
Click on the link at the top to read more commentary regarding This Sunday's readings.
Upcoming and In the Works Faith Events
- Gr. 8 Faith Retreat: October 18, 2018
- Gr. 7 & 8 Days of Service
- School Adoration
- School Reconciliation
- Parish priest visits to St. JP II
PATRIOTS VOLLEYBALL
READIN WEEK
Demographic Confirmation & Yearly Consent Forms
The annual consent forms allow your child full participation in all activities, field trips and events for optimal learning at St. JPII. Thank you for completing these forms so your child experiences the full learning benefits at St. JPII.
YEARBOOK COMMITTEE
St JP II Catholic School is looking for a "Year book crew" to build the 2018-2019 yearbook!
If you are in grade 7/8 and enjoy taking pictures and having fun on the computer, then this is the club for you!
Contact Cindy Dziwenko-Cox at coxy4@telus.net if you have any questions.
Grade 5 Wetlands Fieldtrip
Family Wellness Worker's Corner
My name is Amanda Davidson and I am the Family Wellness Worker at St. John Paul ll. I am excited to help the amazing staff at the school support students and families who are a part of the St. JPll community.
Please see below information about the role as well as my contact information.
EICS Family Wellness Program
Program Overview
The Elk Island Catholic Schools Family Wellness Program provides short-term supportive assistance to students and their parents and guardians. Services are provided free of charge and may take place at school and/or in home and community settings.
Service Delivery
Each school is staffed with a Family Wellness Worker (FWW), who works under the direction of their School Principal and the Assistant Superintendent of Faith & Wellness. FWW's receive clinical guidance from a Registered Psychologist.
The primary function of the Family Wellness team is to provide social and emotional support to students and families. Family Wellness Workers meet with students and parents to assess needs, set goals, identify required supports, and plan appropriate interventions.
They collaborate with school system staff and community resources to build a “village” of support around students/families who are struggling.
Referrals
Parental consent is required for FWW services.
Referrals to the Family Wellness Program may be made by students, parents/guardians, school administration, teachers, or other school staff (e.g. school counsellor or collaborative response coordinator).
Parents and guardians can access these services by speaking with the Principal or contacting the school's Family Wellness Worker directly.
Family Wellness Contact Information
Amanda Davidson RSW, BSW
St. John Paul ll
St. Andre Bessette
(p) 780-860-4621
Upcoming Community Supports for Parents
Connect Parent Group
There is very good evidence that strong relationships with parents protect youth from risk during adolescence and help them thrive! We call that ATTACHMENT!
Connect Parent is a 7 week Attachment-Based Program to Support Parents & Caregivers.
When:
Wednesday Afternoons 1:30- 3:00PM
October 10 - November 28
(no class November 14)
*Light snacks and refreshments
will be provided.
Where:
OLPH Parish Basement
13 Brower Drive Sherwood Park
For more information and to
register, please contact your Connect Trainers:
JACELYN GIACOBBO
PSYCHOLOGIST, EICS Inclusive
Learning Services
780.410.6250
MICHELLE HORON
FAMILY WELLNESS WORKER
ABJ High School
780.467.2121 ext 1210
Dragonfly Support Group
A monthly group for parents whose children face mental health challenges.
3rd Monday of the Month 6:30 - 8:30 PM CN Station - Kinsmen Room (10030-99 Ave) Register @ 780.992.6265
Cafeteria
Cafeteria in St. John Paul II Catholic School
Meals available daily: Chicken strips, Pizza-bun (ham or extra cheese), Salad (cheeseburger, chicken caesar, or egg salad), and Sub (chicken salad, egg salad, or ham).
Daily specials: Monday- Spaghetti, Tuesday- Chicken Alfredo, Wednesday- Pancake, Thursday- Sweet&Sour Meatballs, and Friday- Chicken Fried Rice
Sides: Apples & Grapes, Apple Sauce, Carrots & Sweet Peas, Cheese Strips, Chocolate Energy Bites, Fresh Fruit Mix, Fresh Veggie Mix, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie, Pretzels, Rice Cereal Square, Vanilla Yogurt, Wowbutter Cookies, 237 mL white milk/chocolate milk, 200 mL juice (apple or orange)
*Menu changes three times per year* All food is prepared to meet school guidelines.
A regular meal with two sides is $6,
you can order a larger portion for $1 more,
and you can add an additional side for $1.
Pre-order online or cash purchases
Online orders- how to get started:
· Visit www.fortsasklunchbox.com
· Click the order tab
· Create an account (use the email that is best for receiving receipts and create your own password)
· Choose St John Paul II as your school- lunches can be picked up at the school cafeteria
Dr. Jody Carrington is Coming to the Fort!
Visitors To Our School
St. John Paul II Catholic School
Email: stjp@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stjp.eics.ab.ca
Location: 9975 93 Avenue, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-992-0889
Twitter: @stjp2cs