This Week at École OLPH
March 11 to 15
Our Mission Statements
We are a Catholic community committed to developing educational opportunities int he context of Gospel values, where students' gifts and talents are celebrated and nurtured through lifelong spiritual and personal experiences.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School
Our Lady of Perpetual Help school is committed to quality education in both official languages fostering in our students respect for life and learning as Christ taught us.
Message from the Office!
Dear Parents,
Thank you all of our wonderful families who joined us on Thursday, March 7th, for our École OLPH Information Night. An enjoyable time was had by all.
Thank you to our partners Staples, Boys & Girls Club, and Parent Council for attending our Information Night.
God Bless
M. Morin & M. St. Jean
Principal - Assistant Principal
École OLPH
Weekly Events at École OLPH
Monday, March 11, 2019
- Parent School Council Meeting ~ École OLPH Staff Room ~ 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
- Junior High ~ Jasper Ski Trip ~ 5:00 p.m. departure
- Grade 6 ~ Dare Program ~ 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Science Olympics ~ 12:24 p.m. to 1:07 p.m.
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
- Junior High ~ Jasper Ski Trip ~ All Day
- Science Olympics ~ 12:24 p.m. to 1:07 p.m.
- Hot Lunch ~ Wild Wing
- Junior High ~ Jasper Ski Trip ~ 11:00 p.m. arrival
- National Pi Day
- Grade 5/6G ~ Indigenous Liturgy Presentation
Friday, March 15, 2019
- Happy St. Patrick's Day ~ Wear your Green!!!
- Hot Lunch ~ Hot Dogs
- Grade 5/6 ~ Sunridge Ski Trip ~ All Day
- Grade 7 ~ Dare Program ~ 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Outdoor Ed ~ Outdoor Skills 1 Field Trip ~ 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Important Dates to Remember!!!
Monday, March 18, 2019
- Face to Face Ministries ~ All Day
- Eucharistic Adoration ~ All Day
- Linking Generations ~ Summerwood ~ Evening Visit ~ 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
- Eucharistic Adoration ~ All Day
- Friday Class Schedule ~ All Day
- Eucharistic Adoration Mass ~ École OLPH Gym ~ 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
- Grade 6 ~ Dare Program ~ 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Science Olympics ~ 12:24 p.m. to 1:07 p.m.
- Outdoor Ed ~ Outdoor Skills 2 ~ Strathcona Wilderness Centre ~ 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Parent / Teacher Interviews ~ 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
- Eucharistic Adoration ~ All Day
- Hot Lunch ~ A&W
- Science Olympics ~ 12:24 p.m. to 1:07 p.m.
- Linking Generations ~ Clover Bar ~ Evening Visit ~ 6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 21, 2019
- Eucharistic Adoration ~ All Day
- Parent / Teacher Interviews ~ 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday, March 22 to Friday, March 29, 2019
- Spring Break ~ No School
Monday, April 1, 2019
- First Day of School After Spring Break
J'aime Parler Français
Congratulations to the following
students who won the
"Parler Français" prizes.
The Week of February 25 to March 1
Student 1 ~ Raya Plouff ~ 6T
Student 2 ~ Sam Diloreto ~ 8D
The Week of March 4 to 8
Student 1 ~ Andrew Holzman ~ 5S
Student 2 ~ Katy Kirchen ~ 8G
Félicitations de Parler Français!!!
Prayer for March!!!
Month of the St. Joseph
Oh, St. Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God.
I place in you all my interests and desires.
Oh, St. Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most loving of Fathers.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Lent ~ Almsgiving ~ Fasting ~ Prayer ~ March 6 to April 21
March 10
Be like the flowers and turn
your face toward the Son.
March 11
There are good deeds and good intentions.
They are as far apart as heaven and hell.
~ Ben Harper
March 12
God is speaking to you.
Take a moment to stop and listen.
March 13
We love because He first loved us.
~ 1 John 4:19
March 14
Pray daily. Give generously. Reflect always.
March 15
Let us consider how to stir up one another
to love and good works.
~ Hebrews 10:24
March 16
Lent is a time to pull up weeds,
and plant new seeds.
~ Ven. Fulton J. Sheen
Shrove Tuesday!!
Dear Parents,
God Bless
Ash Wednesday Mass
Students from Jean Vanier, Madonna, École Père Kenneth Kearns and École OLPH were blessed with ashes during the EICS school Ash Wednesday masses.
Thank you to Father Sathia for blessing all of our student and our parents for joining us as well.
God Bless
Junior High Baskeball
Dear Parents,
Félicitations / Congratulations to our boys’ basketball team who played a hard fought game in their final game of the season.
Félicitations / Congratulations to our girls’ basketball team who won an extremely close game to take third place in their season!
God Bless
Sports for Life & Performing Arts Programs - Coming to École OLPH!!!
Great news!!! Starting the 2019-2020 school year, École OLPH is proud to offer our grade 5, 6, 7, and 8's the option of registering in the Sports for Life and Performing Arts programs that will be at École OLPH.
Should you wish to register your child, please ensure that the completed registration form (attached below) and $200 deposit fee (no cash please) are returned to the École OLPH school office by Friday, February 22, 2019. Registrations will be accepted on a first come first serve basis.
The registration deadline to guarantee placement in the program for 2019-2020 school year is Friday, February 22, and registration to the remainder of our EICS population will be available on Saturday, February 23.
Any French Immersion students choosing to enroll in the Sports for Life or Performing Arts program will have no other options available to them for the duration of the school year.
Attached below are the information program brochures, as well as, the registration forms for Sports for Life and Performing Arts programs.
We look forward to further discussing the Sports for Life and Performing Arts programs at our Information Night on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at 6:30 p.m.
Should you have any further questions, please contact M. St. Jean at marcs@eics.ab.ca or 780-467-5631.
Diluting the Power of Connection
Bonjour EPK and OLPH!
It has been awhile that I shared a mini-blog post, my apologies! I quite enjoy sharing these learning moments with you all and, in return, you have been so gracious and kind with opening conversations with me.
This time around I have found a blog post from a trusted parenting website called Circle of Security Parenting. This week's blog post talks about our desired need for connection and how we may turn to technology to fill it. It definitely made me pause and reflect on my technology habits. I know I do turn to technology as a form of connection! What about you?
Diluting the Power of Connection ~ Blog Post
Recently, I had a very candid conversation with a 17-year-old male about what it’s like to feel lonely and what makes him lonely. He said he doesn’t feel lonely very often because as soon as he does, he takes out his phone to look at it. He said that it probably wasn’t a good thing to do but he seemed to do it often anyway.
“I check my phone all the time. Like, I’ll just be sitting there and I’ll feel this need to pull it out and see if anyone has sent me anything. If I see that there’s a notification, I’ll feel great! Like I matter.
If there aren’t any notifications, then I feel awful about myself. I know I shouldn’t base how I feel abut myself on whether or not someone has sent me anything, but I do.”
He went on, “I mostly use SnapChat. It’s stupid really. I’ll take a picture of my face and send it to thirty people. Then some of them will take a picture of their faces and send it back to me. If I get a couple back, I feel awesome. But it’s dumb, we’re just all sitting alone, sending each other pictures of our faces.”
We sat quietly for a moment because I was struck by how profound his words were and how accurately he described the bind of the connection-not-connection that technology seems to offer us.
Then I asked him, “what do you suppose would be different about your life if you could look up from your phone and see someone’s face in real life… someone who showed you how glad they were to see you?”
He hesitated because he didn’t have an answer at first.
Then he said, “I think I’d be…. happier.”
In that moment, I realized that even though technology has offered us many advantages, humans have stopped looking at each other as often. We have eye contact that is filtered through our screens and we are missing out on the information we receive when we look at real-time, live, in-person faces. Technology has diluted the power of connection.
Our children are hardwired to look at our faces thousands of times each day. It gives them information about who they are, what they are worth, if they are loved, if they are a priority. Eye contact, delight and responsiveness create brains that are primed for security, confidence and optimism.
When our children don’t have access to our real-time, live, in-person face, they will make do with technology. They will turn to phones, computers and tablets to fill the gap that is missing from a present and interactive relationship. Technology doesn’t fill the void completely…. but something is better than nothing.
As parents, we are going to, of course, be distracted often. Work, chores, meals, bills and other commitments will have to take priority at certain times every day.
I wonder, though, how often my children look at my face while I am busy looking a screen. I wonder how many times they tried to get connected with me but I didn’t respond. I wonder how many times they walked away and used something else to fill the void that I unintentionally created in that moment.
I wonder how many times I have looked at my phone when I felt lonely. I wonder how many times I haven’t even noticed. I wonder if I would feel happier too if I engaged with my phone less and people more.
Lost & Found
Please take a moment to look through the Lost & Found for any missed placed items that your child(ren) may have lost.
God Bless
New Student Fees
All School Fees are now due.
Please take a moment to log onto your child's PowerSchool account and pay any outstanding or newly added school fees.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact M. Morin at alyrem@eics.ab.ca or 780-467-5631.
God Bless
Reminder - Grade 8 Farewell - Student Pictures
In preparation for the Grade 8 Farewell which will be held on Friday, June 14th at OLPH Church from 6-9:30 pm, we are requesting ONE “baby” photo (0-2 years of age) and ONE current photo of each grade 8 student to be used in the powerpoint presentation during the evening. (After Farewell, each student will be forwarded the presentation for their memories.)
In addition, if you have any photos of the students from their elementary day, please email those to me as well.
These photos may be brought to the school in paper format (whereupon they will be scanned and returned), or they may be sent in digital format to deniseg@eics.ab.ca. If they are attached to a photo album, please do not remove them from the page as I can scan and crop them.
Please send the two photos to school by Jan. 18th at the latest.
Thank you so much in advance for your cooperation, and I wish everyone has a safe, blessed and Merry Christmas with their family and friends.
Blessings,
Mme Denise Gagnon
FundScrip Fundraising
Dear Parents,
OLPH School Council has been using FundScrip for the last 5 years as one of the schools main fundraisers.
FundScrip, is a fundraising program that lets you raise funds simply by purchasing gift cards for your everyday shopping (i.e. groceries, gas, gifts and household items). When you purchase a $100 grocery gift card, you receive the $100 card, but in addition, a percentage is donated to our fundraising campaign. It’s like getting free money, where the only catch is you have to change your method of payment to using gift cards!
Please visit https://www.fundscrip.com/ to place your on-line order(s). To print off a paper order form, please click on the attached document below.
How to Support our École OLPH FundScrip Group
1. Go to www.fundscrip.com and click on Support a Group
2. Complete the information in the Become a Supporter section and be sure to enter École OLPH's group Invitation Code: PETQYC
3. Click on Sign Up and you will be sent a confirmation email.
4. Click the link in the confirmation email and complete your registration.
5. Now you are ready to login, place orders, and start supporting our École OLPH group.
6. Watch your Inbox for the confirmation email from FundScrip.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email Erin DiLoreto at artsadminerin@gmail.com.
God Bless
Parent Meeting - Voyage Quebec Trip
Dear Parents,
Please save the date of Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. for a very important parent meeting regarding the Voyage Quebec Trip.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact M. Morin at alyrem@eics.ab.ca or Mme Gagnon at deniseg@eics.ab.ca.
God Bless
Update - Grade 8 Voyage Quebec Trip
Please take to log onto your child's PowerSchool account and pay your child's Voyage Quebec trip.
As a reminder, you always have to option to make multiple payments on your account in order to meet the payments and due dates listed below.
Deadlines and Fees are as follows:
- Gr. 8 Quebec Trip ~ Payment #1($1200.00) due by Dec. 19, 2018
- Gr. 8 Quebec Trip ~ Payment #2 ($800.00) due by Feb. 28, 2018
- Final Reconciliation Fee ~ TBA
May 18 to 25, 2019. Please ensure that your child's trip is paid in full prior to leaving on the Voyage Quebec trip.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact M. Morin with any of your questions or concerns to help you make an informed decision at alyrem@eics.ab.ca or 780-467-5631.
God Bless
Parent Council Corner
Please take a moment to "Join" the Parents for OLPH Sherwood Park Facebook group, for important information and updates.
Here is the link for easy access.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/213584608682158/
God Bless.
How To Report Your Child's Absence!
If your child is going to be absent, please follow the instructions below when reporting the absence:
- Safe Arrival portal login: School Messenger Login
- Call the parent toll free number: 1-844-478-2613
- Using "SchoolMessenger" link in the EICS App (requires School Messenger App installed on the phone. It will prompt you to install the App when you open the EICS App and click on SchoolMessenger app)
- Using the SchooMessenger App
- If you are having difficulties, please call the school directly, 780-467-5631.
God Bless.
Canteen Dates Below!!!
Dear Parents,
Canteen Dates will be on Fridays
April 5, 2019
May 10, 2019
May 24, 2019
May 31, 2019
Canteen cards or Cash only is accepted at the canteen. As well, all items are priced at $1.00 and exact change is appreciated! The canteen is NOT open on hot lunch days.
Canteen items will vary week to week but will include items like hot chocolate, canned drinks, cookies, chips, etc. Canteen is intended for treats and snacks -not a substitution for a healthy lunch.
To reduce wait time there will be 2 canteen carts this year. One will serve the 5/6 wing and one will serve the 7/8 wing.
Any questions can be sent to Barb and Samantha at olphhotlunch8@gmail.com
God Bless
OLPH Parish Bulletin - March 10, 2019
Please click on the link below for the OLPH Parish Bulletin for Sunday, March 10, 2019.
God Bless
2018-2019 Student Sacrament Dates
Please click on the link below for the Sacrament Dates for First Communion and Confirmation at OLPH Church.
http://www.olph.ca/sacraments/
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Raylene at OLPH Church at 780-467-5470.
God Bless