JPI Update
27/11/2020
Administrative Team Message
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)
Lord, fill our hearts with your love, and as you revealed to us by an angel the coming of your Son as man, so lead us through his suffering and death to the glory of his resurrection, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Time has certainly passed very quickly and here we are in the season of Advent. As we begin this special liturgical season, we are reminded that it is not only a time of joyous anticipation, but also of penance and preparation for the great Christmas feast.
As we journey through this season, let us remember that as we become immersed in the busy time of Christmas, we need to be even more focused on Christ’s birth - the true meaning of Christmas.
All our staff continues to look forward to working with each student and parent to emphasize their personal ownership of their learning and behaviour. If you know of something happening at JPI that excites your child, please give that staff member a sunshine call.
Yours truly, on behalf of staff,
T.Peterson G. Antipán
Principal/Directora Assistant Principal/Subdirectora
Superintendent Robert Martin - December 2020
When the darkness closes in, Come, Lord Jesus!
Courage fails and hopes grow dim, Lord Jesus, come!
Clear the shadows from our sight; set our troubled world aright
Fill our eyes with radiant light. Lord Jesus come!
(M.D. Ridge, Come, Lord Jesus)
The lyrics of this Advent hymn are, perhaps, even more poignant this year as we prepare our hearts and our homes for the birth of our Saviour, Jesus. Our world seems to be lonely and dark, and we are all overwhelmed by the seemingly unending pall of Covid-19 in our lives. As we turn our eyes towards Bethlehem in these upcoming weeks, let’s take the time to reflect upon the promise to be found in the baby Jesus. God loves us, and that love is triumphant. Advent is a time of hope, and we need to let that hope permeate all aspects of our lives.
Edmonton Catholic Schools’ Fine Arts team is a very creative group, and they have designed a beautiful online Advent experience for all to enjoy. Starting on November 29, you will be able to “open a door” on our virtual arts Advent calendar each day. You will experience weekly celebrations, art, performances, and Advent themed activities. Visit www.ecsd.net and click on the Art of Advent graphic to learn more.
Did you know that the Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ religion resource for grades 1-7 has various resources to support your family’s Advent journey towards Christmas? Click on the Pearson Advent Bulletin For Parents to find out exactly what those resources are. You can continue learning about Advent and Christmas at home by logging into the Student-Home Website and finding these specific resources listed in the bulletin above. The username is ecsd99 and the password is Student99.
The new Covid-19 measures that were announced on November 24 were a possibility that we have been preparing for. We have known right from re-entry at the beginning of this school year that we needed to be able to pivot quickly between scenarios and we have plans in place to do so. Unlike our experience in the spring, our junior and senior high students who are now moving online will be following their existing schedules and will participate in learning following regular school hours. You will receive more comprehensive communication on this pivot in the upcoming days. Elementary families will receive information about the one-week pivot to online learning (January 4-8, 2021) before Christmas Break.
On November 25 at our Public Meeting, the Board of Trustees approved our 2019 – 2020 Audited Financial Statements and our Annual Education Results Report (AERR). Historically, the AERR has been combined with our 3 Year Education Plan, however, we shared that plan, the Division Plan for Continuous Growth 2020-2023 in May. As we join the rest of the province in shifting to an Assurance Framework, we will continue communicating these two documents separately. We will share more with you about the shift to an Assurance Framework in the upcoming months.
In his Midnight Mass homily last Christmas Eve, Pope Francis shared a beautiful piece of wisdom that I will leave you with: “Dear brother, dear sister, if your hands seem empty, if you think your heart is poor in love, this night is for you. The grace of God has appeared, to shine forth in your life. Accept it and the light of Christmas will shine forth in you.”
Have a blessed Advent and a very Merry Christmas!
Sincerely,
Robert Martin
Chief Superintendent
Archbishop Smith 2020 Message
December 2020 Dear friends,
Advent, which comes from the Latin word meaning coming, is intended to be a season of preparation for the arrival of Christ, but often, this underrated liturgical season is set aside in favour of the more popular pre-Christmas rush. Yet, Advent is a time worth making. While we typically regard Advent as a joyous season, it is also intended to be a period of preparation, much like Lent. This year, the season of Advent is observed from the first Sunday of Advent on November the 29th to Thursday, December the 24th.
Given our unique circumstances this year, preparing for the coming of Christ will be different. Yet, even in the midst of the Pandemic, the season of Advent is important. How do we journey to Christmas? Consider taking some quiet time for you and your family, reading, and reflecting on a short daily devotion and listening to Advent music. Decorate for the season with an Advent wreath and as a family, light a candle every week. Assemble a Nativity scene in your home and talk about the Christmas story. Support a social justice initiative and donate to a local charity in your community. As Christmas approaches, discern which activities to dismiss on the side of dedicating more time to your family.
There is no doubt that Christmas is a beautiful time of the year as we anticipate the birth of Christ. He is the reason for the season, and we need to celebrate his birth appropriately and with great reverence. Yet the Christmas season also brings with it the hustle and bustle of sales and deadlines that veer us away from its true meaning. For us Christians, Advent is that distraction; that opportunity to prepare our hearts and minds for his coming.
As we journey to Christmas, let us remember to pause and consider what God is asking of us in this season of Advent. Take time to appreciate the people around you, pray, read scripture, attend Mass - in person or remotely, and participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. While we cannot erase the challenges of the past nine months, we can still rejoice in knowing that Christ is coming amid shouts of joy.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
XRichard W. Smith Archbishop of Edmonton
How Does Premier Kenney's Announcement Affect My Child's Learning?
From January 4-8, 2021 all students in the Province will be asked to learn remotely from home. Our staff will be working hard these coming weeks planning and preparing for the first week back in January. Please pay close attention for information from your child's teacher on how they will be facilitating the online learning platform during that first week back.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
John Paul I Scholastic Book Fair - November 30th to December 9
Virtual Book Fair Countdown!
Dear families,
Our school’s Scholastic Virtual Book Fair starts next week! It will be open from
November 30th-December 9th
Let’s continue to give our students access to the books they want to read! We are excited to provide this opportunity for families to shop together, from the comfort of home.
Your investment in your reader also helps our whole school. All purchases earn Rewards that can be redeemed for books and Education Resources for our school’s classrooms and library.
When it’s time to shop, visit our school’s Virtual Book Fair site using this link:
https://bookfairs-canada.myshopify.com/pages/5153471
Before our Fair begins, click the link to:
• SAVE it to your browser
• WATCH videos of popular new titles
• PREVIEW our Featured Books
Watch for news leading up to our Scholastic Virtual Book Fair!
Happy reading!
John Paul I Staff!
Monday, Nov 30, 2020, 08:00 AM
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Read-Alouds at Bedtime
It is important for your children to read daily. It is equally important that we, as parents, read to our children regularly! Bedtime is the perfect opportunity to read aloud to your children.
What are the benefits of reading aloud?
There are so many! Here are just a few:
- Children hear effective reading.
- Children learn the structure of story.
- Books spark conversation.
- Young children develop book sense (direction of print, recognition that letters represent sounds and that words hold meaning).
- Children realize that books are fun!
- The routine of bedtime stories creates time to connect with your child(ren).
Tips for Reading Aloud:
- Read the title and look at the cover. Ask your child(ren) to make predictions about the book.
- Read with expression.
- Encourage your child to look closely and talk about the pictures.
- Ask questions and talk about the book before, during, or after reading!
- Reread books: children love to hear their favourites again and again!
- Don’t stop reading aloud to your child(ren) just because they are readers themselves!
If you want your child to love reading, read great books aloud to them daily!
Family Game Night
Did you know that engaging your child(ren) in a weekly game night can help improve their literacy skills?
How? During family game night, your children will:
- Engage in conversation
- Read instructions, cards, or game boards
- Learn new vocabulary
- Practice spelling (in some games)
In addition, board games can be beneficial for learning skills such as turn taking and fair play. They can also help increase attention spans, improve family dynamics, and help kids learn to deal with losing. Most of all, they’re fun!
What types of games should we play?
Consider language based games such as:
- Scattergories
- Guess Who?
- Taboo Junior
- Zingo
- Mad Gabs
- Apples to Apples
- Bananagrams
- Catch Phrase
- Scrabble
Also consider other favourites:
- Jenga
- The Game of Life
- Uno
- Spot it!
- Connect 4
- Twister
- Cribbage
*Be sure to check the age recommendations for the games.
Some are appropriate for the very young; some are more appropriate for older children.
Early Dismissal Prior to Holidays
As always, Edmonton Catholic Schools flips the Thursday/Friday hours before Christmas break. Students will attend classes all day on Thursday, December 17 and dismiss at noon on Friday, December 18. These changes have been communicated to the Transportation Department and buses will pick the students up according to the revised times.