St. Finnan's Catholic School
MAY 2019
Principal's Message
Spring season is upon us and we prepare our hearts and minds at this time of renewal, welcoming all of what nature has to offer and what God has prepared for us. The students and staff of St. Finnan’s Catholic School will be "Living as Joyful Disciples" this month, especially during Catholic Education Week. This year's Catholic Education Week combines the themes of ...
The subthemes for Catholic Education Week 2019 are as follows:
Monday: Rooted in Prayer
Tuesday: Living in Community
Wednesday: Doing Justice and Creating Hope
Thursday: Journeying Together in Faith
Friday: Sharing the Good News
On Monday, May 6th, our School Choir will perform at St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Cornwall for our Catholic Education Coalition event "Joy Sings from a Loving Heart" @ 6:00pm. You are all invited to attend and see the beautiful singing that evening!
We trust that the students will enjoy and learn from the various activities organized throughout the week and the month.
We ask that you continue to pray for our Catholic schools, that they may be marked by God’s hope and joy. We hope to see many of you during our festivities.
Happy Mothers’ Day to all the Mothers of St. Finnan’s Community!
Judith Boucher
Principal
Vulnerable Sector Check
Please remember that if you plan on attending year-end field trip(s) or volunteer at the school, you need to have your vulnerable sector check done by the Ontario Provincial Police. All record checks are good for one (1) year only. You may request documentation through the school office, thank you.
ECO Team
The Eco-Team is happy to see that spring has finally arrived. We have done a lot in the month of April. We helped clean the gardens around the school, attend the Glengarry Earth Day Exhibit at the park on the 27th. We are also continuing to help the school commit to acting responsibly with regards to caring for our Earth. In May and June, we are planning a bottle drive to get funds to help us pay for a couple of our greening projects. We would like to create another garden in the school yard and buy some mulch for our existing one. This coming fall, we would also like to plant some bulb flowers (tulips, hyacinth, crocus) in and around the school to brighten things up in the spring. We can’t wait to see the daffodils we planted last fall pop up!
Please keep an eye out for our "Bottle Drive" information and start collecting those bottles! In addition, should you have any plants you would like to donate for our new and existing garden, we will be happy to receive them!
As always, thank you so much for your support!
St. Finnan’s Eco-Team
Our Earth, Our future
We still collect markers, household batteries and milk bags for recycling. Please send them in with your child!
St. Finnan's Parish
Congratulations to all the students who received the sacrament of Confirmation on April 28th.
The sacrament of Holy Communion will be celebrated on Sunday, May 5th @ 11:00am at St. Finnan's Cathedral.
Regular Masses Hours:
Monday through Friday: 7:30am
Saturday: 5:00pm
Father Leger, Pastor 613.525.1340
SAVE THE DATE
New this year, Family Fun Day will be held on SATURDAY, June 1st starting at 2:30pm ending with the 5pm mass!
FREE games for all ages including mini putt, petting zoo, balloonist, face painting, and more!
FREE refreshments. Entertainment in the Church. Special Sunday School starting at 4:30pm.
Something for everyone!! Volunteers needed to help with the day's activities or you can volunteer your musical talent!
613-525-3208 for details!
From your Catholic School Council
Hello Parents/Guardians,
Have a Happy Spring. Looks like the weather is finally turning nice and it is time to get ready to prepare for our first Spring Clean Up Sale on Saturday, June 1st from 8am to 2 pm, in the school parking lot. Save your little treasures (gently used and new items) and send them to school during the last week of May!! More details will be sent shortly.
The Catholic School Council is happy to report that we will host an end of the year BBQ on the last day of school (Thursday, June 27th) for all the students! Parents and Guardians will be invited to attend in the afternoon. Thank you for all your support this year and please call the school if you would like to join the Catholic School Council. The Catholic School Council always needs parents who would like to contribute to their child's education; consider joining the committee.
Jennifer Lavigne – CSC Chair
St. Finnan's WE Team
The WE Team held two campaigns this month: WE Volunteer and WE Bake for Change. First, the students walked to the Château Glengarry Retirement Home where they sang for the residents. The smiles on their faces and seeing them clap along to the music was priceless. One lady even got up to dance with Brayden at the end!
Students also volunteered their time on Unicorn Day by planning a morning of fun activities for the Kindergarten class. They created unicorn crafts, ate unicorn cookies and sipped a magical unicorn drink. It was a fun morning for all! Too bad Unicorn Day couldn't be every day!
The WE Team held a Spring Bake Sale on April 24th for animals in need. The WE Team gave the school the opportunity to decide which animal charity would be getting the profits from the sale. Students researched five reputable charities and voted by secret ballot. The lucky recipients of the $260 we raised were the Farley Foundation and Bullies in Need: two very worthwhile causes, that will put our money to good use! Because furry lives matter!
REGISTRATION TIME IS HERE!
We are accepting registrations on a continuous basis; please don’t hesitate to call and make an appointment for a visit!
Tell your family and friends! 613.525.4274
We offer Catholic Education from Kindergarten to Grade 8
We have both French Immersion and Core French programs.
Email: StFinnan.Alexandria@cdsebo.on.ca
Website: stfinnans.cdsbeo.on.ca
Location: 220 Main Street South, Alexandria, ON, Canada
Phone: (613)525.4274
Facebook: www.facebook.com/StFinnansAlexandria/
School Cash Online
THANK YOU to everyone who has signed up to pay online!
If you have not done so already, please click on the link below and register to School Cash Online! This is a time efficient way to pay for your child's hot lunch, milk order and other school activities!
No more worries about sending money with your child to school!
Eastern Ontario Health Unit
It’s Time to Go Biking!
Now that spring is here, it’s time to go biking! Besides being a fun activity that can be enjoyed by the whole family, biking is a great way to fit some exercise into your daily routine, especially if you use it to commute to work!
Choosing the Right Bicycle for Your Child
Your children may have outgrown their old bicycle over the winter. Before you go shopping for a new one, measure your child’s height and inseam. These measurements will help you choose a bike with the right-sized frame for your child.
Once you’ve found a bike that looks like a proper fit, have your child sit on it. Your child’s feet should be able to touch the floor, and their knee should be slightly bent when resting on the pedal. However, make sure the seat isn’t too low as that would make it difficult for your child to pedal. Your child should also be able to easily reach the handlebar and pull on the brake levers.
Teaching Your Child to Ride a Bike
Most children are ready to start biking between the ages of three and a half and four and a half. When you take them out to practice, choose a smooth, flat location away from traffic. Have your child start pedaling and follow them with your hands underneath their armpits. Once they’re pedaling and balancing themselves, the key is to have them practice it on their own until they gain confidence.
For more information about choosing the right-sized bike and teaching your kids the basics of pedaling, check out www.activeforlife.com/how-to-teach-kids-to-pedal-their-bikes-properly.
Keep Your Family Safe with these Rabies Prevention Tips!
Several wild animals including raccoons and skunks continue to be reported as testing positive for rabies in southern Ontario. Rabies is a deadly disease carried by mammals and bats that can be transmitted to humans through animal bites.
To reduce the risk of exposure to rabies and to help protect yourself and your pets, have your cats and dogs vaccinated against the disease. Even indoor pets must be vaccinated against rabies because bats can make their way into homes.
You can also help keep your family safe by teaching your children NOT TO:
- Approach or pet animals they don’t know
- Approach or feed wild animals or stray pets
- Touch sick or injured animals
If you or a loved one is bitten by an animal, contact your family physician or the emergency department as soon as possible and then report the bite to the Eastern Ontario Health Unit by calling 613-933-1375 or 1 800 267-7120. You can also visit www.eohu.ca for more information about rabies.
Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario
Student Transportation of Eastern Ontario (STEO) would like to advise students and parent(s)/guardian(s) that there are three (3) methods in which you can check for school vehicle cancellations:
1. Announcements regarding the cancellation of school bus and special vehicle transportation will be broadcasted starting at 6:15 a.m. on local area radio stations.
2. Access our Website at www.steo.ca and click “View Bus Delays & Cancellations”. School vehicle cancellations will be posted by 6:15 a.m. Scroll down to check the transportation status for your school.
3. Call 1-866-629-0629 to access a pre-recorded message.
• During inclement weather the message will be posted by 6:15 a.m.
• Please note that the message for this phone line is only updated on inclement weather days.
Please do not call the bus companies as the radio and website reflect the most accurate information.
If transportation is cancelled in the morning, afternoon transportation will not operate
Junior/Intermediate MEP Class Fundraising Efforts Paid Off!
Mrs. Seguin's Grade 4-7 students are proud to announce that they raised $103.00 for Community Living. The unique homemade wax crayons were sold every Friday during the season of Lent as Acts of Mercy (Pope Francis's mission for the world).
Thank you to the students, parents and staff who made crayon purchases for such a worthy cause. The money will be donated to the Breakfast Club at St. Finnan's Catholic School.
Le défi cubes énergie!
It starts on April 29th until May 27th - take note of your daily physical activities and earn cubes!
For more information, please visit: www.cubesenergie.com
Summer Vacation Bible School
The Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall is hosting two Vacation Bible Schools this summer. The first is at St. Anthony’s Church in Apple Hill from July 15th to 19th from 9 am to noon each day. The second is at the Agora Catholic Centre in Cornwall from August 5th to 9th from 9 am to noon. If you are 4 to 12 years old you are invited to join Moses the Cat along with his human helpers for a “Wilderness Adventure Through the Sacraments”. The cost is just $25 per child or $90 per family. To register go to www.alexandria-cornwall.ca and click on VBS.
Relics of Padre Pio
The Diocese of Alexandria-Cornwall will welcome the relics of Saint Padre Pio to Cornwall on Monday, June 3rd from 11 am to 6:30 pm. Bishop Prendergast will preside at the Mass at 7 pm. Padre Pio is a beloved Italian priest born in 1887 and who died in 1968. Aside from his great love of the people, he is remembered for being marked with the wounds of Christ. When he was 31 years old the five wounds of Jesus mysteriously appeared on his hands, feet and side. His funeral attracted more than 100,000 mourners. The relics that will be on view at the Cocathédrale de la Nativité include his glove, handkerchief and mantle. Relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints. Holy Scripture teaches that God acts through relics, especially in terms of healing. For more information visit the diocesan website at www.alexandria-cornwall.ca
``Dentistry from the Heart`` - FREE Service
For all interested families!
Dr. George Limantzakis (1080 Montreal Road, Cornwall) is hosting his yearly free “Dentistry from the Heart” day on June 7, 2019. Anyone interested can start to register by 7:30am. This clinic is offered for adults that have limited coverage (i.e. Ontario Works) or for those that have no coverage. They offer limited services such as cleanings, fillings or extractions. “Dentistry From The Heart” is a non-profit dental organization working to supply the world with free dental services.