SAA Newsflash! September 17, 2021
Sister Alphonse Academy
We are Wonder Driven!
We are witnesses - Arise! Get up, Get Going!
When we live a life of service we are witnesses to what Christians do in the world. We set an example, we show others what it means to live like Jesus and make a difference! Knights SERVE, ACHIEVE, and ASPIRE!
Flexible learning at SAA! Our Learning Commons is a great place to work and collaborate.
Upcoming Events!
Monday, Sept 20: Exciting day of learning!
Tuesday, Sept 21: GSACRD Parent Cafe - Tuesday, September 21 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Please see further information below.
Wednesday, Sept 22: Exciting day of learning!
Thursday, Sept 23:
SAA Spirit Day - Students can wear their SAA Spirit wear or our school colours: Blue/Green. Every Thursday students are encouraged to wear their school colours!
Friday, Sept. 24 - September 24 - No PreK/Kinder
Terry Fox Run - please bring in Toonies for Terry
September 29 - Liturgy - Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day Activities
September 30 - National Day of Truth and Reconciliation - NO SCHOOL
As you are aware, our Board of Trustees has made the decision to recognize September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as a holiday for staff and students. In order to maintain the number of instructional days and keep the semesters balanced for our high schools, an adjustment to the calendar was required.
Please find attached an updated 2021-2022 Division Calendar, which reflects the changes. Key changes include:
- September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is a holiday for staff and students.
October 1 - Snack shack opens! No PreK/Kinder
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, October 4 - Exciting day of learning!
Tuesday, October 5 - Exciting day of learning!
Wednesday, October 6 - Exciting day of learning!
Thursday, October 7 - PICTURE DAY! Dress up!
Wednesday - Friday: October 6 - 8: Doug Kramer, Chaplain is at SAA! Student Retreats
Monday, October 11th - Thanksgiving Day: NO SCHOOL
Our Thanksgiving celebration date and time will be shared shortly.
Tuesday, October 12th - Exciting day of learning!
Wednesday, October 13th - Exciting day of learning!
SAA is a Polling Station on Monday
Election – September 20, 2021:
Sister Alphonse Academy is a designated polling station for the federal election on Monday, September 20. I have met with the Election Canada Site Supervisor to discuss school protocols for the health and wellness of our students and faculty.
During the day, students will not have contact with any of the voters when they are in the school:
- Voters will only be entering and exiting the building through our gymnasium doors.
- Washroom and break areas to be used by the elections staff are contained within the gym, where the polling station is being located.
- If you are planning to vote before or after dropping off or picking up your child, enter and exit only through the designated entrance for voters.
- Elections Canada signage will be put in place.
Being the start of the day, our teachers will take a few minutes to review student expectations and protocols surrounding the election.
As our school expects to have increased traffic throughout the day, particularly at the beginning and end of the school day, we ask families to allow a few extra minutes to navigate the additional traffic congestion.
GRADE TWO ART IN ACTION! SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLOURFUL CATS!
Dear Parents/Guardians:
We have had another great week of learning at SAA! Our volleyball tryouts are up and running and students are becoming more familiar with their classes and teachers. Thank you to Mrs. MacKinnon and Mrs. Hillier for volunteering to coach the Junior High boys and girls volleyball teams! Thank you as well to Mrs. Teixeira and Mr. Brass for offering to assist with the practices. The only way we can offer extra-curricular teams is through our staff offering to spend this extra time outside of the classroom with these student activities.
Learning is also well under way at SAA! This past week our elementary students had the opportunity to experience a free exciting virtual field trip with Earth Rangers! Students gained many facts about different types of animals, sustainability, and having ecological awareness.
Please also note that there have been important updates made to the Covid safety protocols in place, since provincial health restrictions were changed this past week. Please take time to read through the GSACRD Return to School Plan guidebook which is included within this newsflash. This provides parents/guardians with up to date information regarding any changes that are taking place. One of the changes we have had to make is for our students to experience recess in their cohort groupings. We initially had opened up the groupings so that students in different grade levels could now play together, but with the new restrictions we have had to move back to the homeroom model for playing outside.
Please also note that our timetable will be staying the same, as we are not required to change anything within it pertaining to any of the new restrictions that have been recently implemented.
Take care, God bless and have a great weekend!
Christine Samson, Principal
Cindy Phillips, Vice Principal
Welcoming new students to SAA!
GSACRD Back to School Plan 2021/2022 - UPDATE SEPTEMBER 16, 2021
GSACRD BACK TO SCHOOL PLAN 2021/2022 - UPDATED SEPTEMBER 16TH!
Positive Covid-10 Cases within our schools
Positive COVID-19 Cases within our schools
GSACRD school administrators will be informing their families when a positive COVID- 19 case is reported. This will add a layer of awareness to the cases in our communities, allowing families to make decisions regarding their child’s health and safety. Please be mindful of the following:
• Disclosure of COVID-19 status is voluntary, although strongly encouraged. Families are not obligated to share and therefore, no communication does not necessarily mean that there is no presence of COVID-19 in the school or in your child’s class.
Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools / September 16, 2021
RETURN TO SCHOOL PLAN 2021-2022
• Names of positive cases will not be shared and close contacts are not required to isolate. Communication will serve only as information only.
When a positive case is disclosed, school administrators will communicate with families of students who were in classes with the positive case. The whole school will also receive a more general communication. Families who only receive the general communication, would not have had a child in the class of a positive case. Please note that this does not mean that your child could not have had contact with the affected individual during unstructured times.
Parents of children who test positive have a legal obligation to keep their child in isolation in accordance with the COVID-19 protocols set out by AHS. Please check https://www.alberta.ca/isolation.aspx and adhere to the required isolation measures.
(Information above is taken from our GSACRD Return to School plan - September 16, 2021)
Guide for Parents - Covid Checklist
AHS Letter for Schools
Student Illness
As we continue into this new school year, we thank you for your cooperation in keeping your child home from school when he/she is ill. If your child becomes ill at school, we will call you and ask that the child be picked up and be taken home at that time. We appreciate your support in keeping all of our students and families safe.
Medical Conditions
Thank you for your support with this.
Student Safety - Lanyards
https://www.gsacrd.ab.ca/administration/administrative-procedures-manual
Thank you for your cooperation with this. Student safety is of the utmost importance.
Communication with your child
We are asking students to come to the office if they need to speak to parents/guardians during the course of the school day. If a student needs to be picked up from school, our office needs to be aware of this as there is a sign out and arrangements are made in this way. We have had a few students recently contacting parent/guardians without our knowledge, which can leave us not being aware of some arrangements that are being made.
Students are asked to keep their cell phones in their lockers. Thank you for your support.
Grade 1 - 3 Entrance Door Congestion
Please also note that our entrance doors do not open until 8:10 a.m. Our entrance bell rings at 8:15 a.m., with our announcements starting at 8:22 a.m.
Daily Chromebook use
Junior High Awards - 2020/2021 School Year
Thank you Mrs. Jeanne Rouse!
Sister Alphonse Academy Friends!
We welcome our new executive for this year and we thank you in advance!
Steve Ducharme - Chair
Jessica Caister - Vice Chair
Josh Hill - Treasurer
Marianne Schiedel - Secretary
Thank you as well to all of Friends members who participated in fundraising last year! You truly made a difference last year in raising funds which will be devoted to purchasing wish list items. Once purchasing has been made, the equipment purchased will be shared with our SAA community!
Chair - Kirsten Miller
Treasurer - Kristi Rouse
Secretary - Steve Ducharme
Ex-Officio - Tom Untergasser, Sandra Kosik
Communications Coordinator - Shanlyn Cunningham
Research Coordinators - Christine Hoskins Marianne Schiedel Jessica Caister Jamie Lock Kirsten Miller
Happy to Help - Lynn Russell Caleb Russell Lindsay Martyna Christine Hoskins Jessica Caister Keri Wilson-Hackett Sharleen Skuta Jenna Hill Lindsay Westle Kim Willy Brooke Ducharme Tara Whelehan Alessandra Hardy Kirsten Miller
Previous executive members: Kirsten Miller, Sandra Kosik, Kristi Rouse, and many other parents who contributed to organizing the fundraising efforts made last year!
Sister Alphonse Academy Friends Meeting!
Monday, Sep 27, 2021, 06:30 PM
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Student Wellness at SAA!
Parish Information
St. Albert Parish News
Click on the SAP Parish Link to access the weekly bulletin for St. Albert Catholic Parish.
Holy Family Parish News
Click on the HF Parish Link to access the weekly bulletin for Holy Family ParishSacramental Preparation - St. Albert Catholic Parish
Elementary Earth Rangers Virtual Presentation!
Earth Rangers visit SAA!
The Terry Fox Run is coming!
The Annual Terry Fox run is being held on Friday, September 24th. Students are being encouraged to bring in loonies and toonies to raise dollars for Cancer research. We have a goal of raising $1000.00. Please join us in supporting this worthy cause!
Volunteering at SAA!
Please note that once your forms have been approved and accepted in the office, the volunteer time and entry will be arranged through appointment, as aligned with our current entry practices. Thank you in advance for your time and support!
GSACRD School Calendar
As you are aware, our Board of Trustees has made the decision to recognize September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, as a holiday for staff and students. In order to maintain the number of instructional days and keep the semesters balanced for our high schools, an adjustment to the calendar was required.
Please find attached an updated 2021-2022 Division Calendar, which reflects the changes. Key changes include:
- September 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, is a holiday for staff and students.
- November 1, which was previously scheduled to be ATA Institute Day, is now a regular instructional day.
- January 30, which was previously to be a Division Faith and Wellness Day, is now the Division Faith & Wellness/ATA Institute Day.
Parent Cafe
The GSACRD Voice team would like to invite you to join our Parent Cafe sessions again this year.
We will begin with the topic of Back to School nutrition and will be joined again by Registered Dietitian, Lalitha Taylor who will educate on how to build nutritious and economical lunches and snacks. The event will take place on Tuesday, September 21 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
The event is free, online and requires registration. For more information and to register, visit this link:
https://gsacrdvoice-bts-nutrition.eventbrite.ca
Feel free to share this in your school newsletters or share our Facebook post to your pages. Hope to see you there!
Virtual Photos 2020/2021
The Nutrition Grant is back!
Safety Drills at SAA!
Transportation and Parking
Transportation & Bussing:
Bus routes stay the same for all families and students only need to get on the bus the day that they attend school as per the above staggered entry schedule. Busses will enter the parking lot via the northwest bus lane. The BUS LANE is reserved for busses between the hours of 8:00 am and 9:00 am and 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. The bus lane is one way only. Students will board and disembark busses along the sidewalk adjacent to the bus lane.
STUDENT DROP OFF
A passenger drop-off lane has been created along the north sidewalk in front of the school. This lane is only for dropping off of students. PARKING IS NOT PERMITTED in the drop off zone.
VISITOR PARKING
A visitor parking lot is found immediately east of the school. Visitors should enter and exit the visitor parking lot via the northeast entrance.
***PLEASE OBSERVE THE SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMIT AND PLEASE WATCH FOR PEDESTRIANS. THANK YOU!