The Good News
Saint John XXIII October 18, 2020
Leadership Message
Our School Saint: Saint John XXIII
We are so blessed at our school that we get to learn about and follow the virtuous life of Saint John XXIII.
Pope St. John XXIII (1881–1963) was one of thirteen children born in Lombardy, Italy. Desiring to serve God with his life, he entered seminary at the age of 12, and, after serving in the Italian Army, was ordained a priest in Rome in 1904. Saint John XXIII served as a military chaplain, a bishop, and eventually Pope at the age of 76. He took the name John which had not been used in over 500 years. He was known as gentle, wise, and courageous. People saw him as a good and loving shepherd of Christ and gave him the name of "Good Pope". He was canonized by Pope Francis together with Pope John Paul II in 2014.
Today, we follow St. John's daily devotion of God through his, Decalogue for Daily Living, which we learn about at assemblies and during our daily announcements. It is our hope and goal that every Saint John XXIII student will leave grade four knowing Saint John XXIII's Daily Decalogue.
Last week, Mrs. Comartin had invited her students to head outside to pick up some of the orange ribbons from Orange Shirt Day that had fallen to the ground and she mentioned, "We noticed this so let's just do this good deed without being asked". One of the grade four boys responded with, "That is just like Saint John XXIII taught us in his decalogue-Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it".
Saint John XXIII's Feast day was October 11th. Saint John XXIII, pray for us.
Blessings,
Mrs. Bonnie-Lynne Boehm, Principal
COVID-19: Continued Commitment to Daily Screening and Symptom Checking
As we continue to navigate COVID-19, please continue to commit to the Daily Screening tool updated recently from AHS and linked here.
If you have questions about How Long to Stay Home from School with symptoms, please refer to the updated information from AHS linked here.
This information can also be found on our STJ website and EICS website.
We recognize the gravity of the COVID-19 pandemic situation and the impact it is having on all staff, students and families. Thank you for your continued commitment to the shared responsibility of our protocols, helping keep our staff and students safe. May we also continue to pray for one another and find the JOYs in our daily moments together as a Saint John XXIII village. As a staff, we are focusing on "what can we do" rather than what can't we do. Our goal is to foster continued resiliency and hope in our children of Saint John XXIII.
Meet our Team SJXXIII-Each week we will highlight a few staff members so you can get to know our crew!
Kindergarten
Mrs. Amy Ekdahl-Kindergarten Teacher & Wellness Lead
Hello St. John! I am so excited to learn, grow and play at St. John again this year! I am very blessed to be our school’s kindergarten teacher and a part of St. John’s Wellness team.
I love to be outdoors camping and exploring. My husband and I enjoy hitting the road with our camper and seeing where the road takes us. Our puppy, Izzy, loves to come along for our adventures too!
Some things that bring Mrs. Ekdahl joy are: Nothing brings me more joy than connecting and watching some of St. John’s youngest grow, explore and uncover the wonderful world around them.
Mrs. Jacqui White-Educational Assistant
Hi St. John Families! I am so happy to be at St. John for another year! I have been an EA with EICS for the last 6 years and have been blessed to spend 4 of them at St. John. I love seeing the kiddos and their smiles everyday.
I live in Fort Saskatchewan with my husband Andrew and our daughters Autumn, who is 17, and Olivia, who is 15, and our many dogs.
Something that brings Mrs. White joy are: her family, rescue dogs, coffee and being in the mountains.
Finding Mary and Praying the Rosary with JOY: Tuesday, October 20th
Thank you Parents for your fundraising dollars that contributed to our new Sensory Pathways! They are helping us regulate every day!
Helping your child prepare
We are in need of gently used or new girls underwear and boys socks for our "in case of accident" bins.
IMPORTANT: *Consent Forms:PowerSchool Account
A friendly reminder to please take a moment to to log into PowerSchool and digitally consent to the following forms:
1. Field Trip Annual Consent Form
2. Annual Student Responsible Use Agreement for Technology
3. Locker Use Agreement
We also require that you fill out the Medical Status Update/Medical Treatment form every year to ensure that we have the most up-to-date and accurate medical information for your child. We would appreciate you reviewing, updating and fully completing and submitting these forms as soon as possible.
If you require assistance, please contact Mrs. Potter 780-998-7777 or via email stj@eics.ab.ca
Our Celebration of Learning and Principal Call Home-Congratulations!
Please send a pre-filled re-usable water bottle each day
Thank you for encouraging your child to bring their water bottle home each day for washing.
Late Arrivals: What to do? Please ensure your child gets into school safely
Looking ahead:
October 19: Assembly 9 am: Grade fours
Parent School Council AGM & Executive Elections Google Meet 7 pm
October 20: Finding Mary Rosary Walk (dress warm)
October 26: Assembly 9 am: Grade threes
October 30: Halloween Activities
Conferences: November 4th & 5th
We are looking forward to connecting with you and your child to celebrate their learning progress and together, setting learning goals for their future growth.
Growing Brains & Sharing Smiles! It's a Great Day to be a Saint John Kid!
Congratulations and Blessings to our students who received their Sacrament of Baptism. Send your pictures to Mrs. Boehm bonnie-lynneb@eics.ab.ca
OLA Parish News
If you would like your child to receive their First Communion this year and they have not yet celebrated their First Reconciliation, please contact the OLA Parish office at 780-998-3288 to make an appointment to meet with Father Kris.
First Eucharist Registration Form & First Eucharist Brochure
Saint John XXIII School Council News
Our Parent School Council AGM & Executive Elections will be held via Google Meet on Monday, October 19th at 7:00 pm. Google Meet link was shared via PowerSchool Messenger on Friday.
Please plan on attending to be informed and part of your child's school community. All subsequent meetings will be held via Google Meet and will be on the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm.
Community Supports:
AHS & Mental Health Foundation: Excellent Resources and Support for Parents
Their aim is to increase awareness and reduce stigma of the mental health challenges that children and adolescents experience, provide parents and caregivers with evidence-based mental health information, and provide strategies that support mental wellness. Click to learn more.
Our presenters are Mental Health Educators with extensive knowledge of addiction and mental health issues impacting children, adolescents, families and communities. Our team has a wealth of experience coming from a variety of backgrounds, including: child & youth development specialist, counselling, occupational therapy, nursing, psychology, social services, social work, & teaching. Our educational sessions and parenting groups are based on evidence-based information and best practices, along with the clinical experience of our staff.
Caregiver Education Series: https://www.cyfcaregivereducation.ca/about-us#h.q1wzonq1lydx
GRATEFUL ADVOCATES FOR CATHOLIC EDUCATION (GrACE)
Like their facebook page for excellent information and support for our Catholic Faith and your family.
Saint John XXIII Catholic School
Email: stj@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stj.eics.ab.ca/
Location: 9526 89 Street, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-998-7777
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St.JohnXXIII
Twitter: @St_JohnXXIII