Jean Vanier Catholic School
Feb. 16, 2018
"To love someone is to show to them their beauty, their worth, and their importance." -Jean Vanier
Leadership Message
Joel 2:12-14
"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave behind a blessing — grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
This week we began our Lenten journeys. In our Catholic faith, Lent is a prayerful time in which we prepare ourselves to celebrate the grace of forgiveness, our gift of salvation, and hope in the Resurrection. Many symbols during the Lenten season are reflective of the time Jesus spent in the desert. During Lent we work towards an inner renewal of our Baptism in Christ. We are grateful for the life we have with Christ and the love and hope this brings every day.
Lent can be complicated for young ones to understand. Communicating about and modeling for our children what Lent means and why we prepare our hearts for Jesus is very important to our Catholic faith. As a faith community, we focus on three aspects of Lent; prayer, fasting, and “almsgiving”. During Lent we will pray more. We encourage our students and their families, to also pray together during Lent. The students often are very excited to share some of the prayers they learn at school.
While we no longer give “alms” today, we shared with the students at Monday assembly that almsgiving is the sharing of our gifts with those in need. This could be anything from sharing of their time, no longer used or needed toys, clothes, or books, or even, donating allowance to those less fortunate. As we communicated with the students at assembly, any “almsgiving” they wish to share must be talked about and agreed upon with their parents. Lent is also a time during which the faithful abstain and fast. Abstinence is the act of doing without or avoiding something. Particular days of abstinence during Lent are Fridays, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday. As canon law states, Catholics over the age of 14 are expected to abstain from eating meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays throughout the Lenten season (Canon 1250-1253). It can be tricky to talk with little ones about fasting. Fasting for kids can be thought of as giving something up and replacing it with something that brings us closer to Jesus. For example, a child may select to give up playing videogames and devote that time to their siblings or parents. Some children may choose to give up a food item that is considered a treat or fasting from gossiping. While there are parts of Lent that focus on sacrifice and repentance, it can also be thought about as adding or subtracting some things in our life so that we can be closer to God.
We encourage you to share your Lenten stories from home with us so we can celebrate our journeys. If you have pictures or stories of your child sharing their Lenten promises at home, please send these to Mrs. Boehm bonnie-lynneb@eics.ab.ca. It would be amazing to see and share pictures of your child praying or sharing of their gifts.
This week’s challenge for students and staff was:
What will your Lenten Promises be? How will you pray, fast, give?
God Bless!
Thanks to our AMAZING PSC for our Shrove Tuesday Lunch!
OLPH Sacraments Information
First Reconciliation and First Communion registrations are still being accepted until March 15 for children in Grade two and older.
Missed the retreats for these sacraments? Makeup dates are:
First Reconciliation retreat Tuesday March 20 at 6:30 pm
First Communion retreat Tuesday April 10 at 6:30 pm
First Communion Mass Saturday, April 29 1:30 pm
Growing Brains, Sharing Smiles at JV!
Using the Olympic medals for Numeracy in 1S!
Growing our math brains in 3M!
Be like Jean Vanier: Be courageous!
Office Helpers
Innovative thinking in Kindergarten!
Ash Wednesday Mass Readers and Gift Bearer
Birthday Buddies!
Comparing Cultural Cinderella Stories
ECS and Grade 4S Buddies building Digital Literacy skills
Snoopy Letters in 1M!
Mrs. Nixon shares a story with Kindergarten
Fact or Opinion in 2A?
Celebrating National Flag Day! Thanks Mrs. Rockwell
Peruvian Masks in Grade 3
Maker Space at JV: What is it? How does it work? How does it connect to learning for my child?
The conceptual understandings and explorations of Makerspace are at Jean Vanier! Makerspace is an inquiry-based, project-based, collaborative model which allows students to share ideas, problem solve and be creative.
Winter Walk Day at JV February 7
Learning through Competencies
We are focusing on using the language and philosophies of learning through the competencies at Jean Vanier. Through competencies, students develop and connect key aspects of knowing, thinking and doing across a variety of learning contexts, both within and outside school. As students develop competencies through learner outcomes, they acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes that contribute to their success as lifelong learners and active citizens.
News from BUCPS
4/8/11 Celebration - Call for Volunteers
All parents with students in Grades 4, 8, and 11 – we are looking for your help!
Planning for our 4/8/11 Celebration in June is going to be starting VERY SOON and we are looking for Volunteers, as well as a Chair for this annual celebration!
Please contact Jennifer Lychak, BUCPS Secretary at bucpssecretary@gmail.com to let her know of your interest!
The first meeting will be in the next few weeks – stay tuned for the date and time once it has been finalized.
Olympic Day
Thank you
The Week Ahead...
Feb. 16-No School PD Day
Feb. 19 - No School Family Day
Feb. 20 - Hot Lunch Opa
Feb. 20 - Grade 4 field Trip to Edmonton Symphony
Feb. 22 - ECS Field Trip to Telus world of Science
Feb. 23 - Jean Vanier Olympic Day 12:30 Start
THE MONTH AHEAD ..... a few extra upcoming events
Feb. 28 - Pre K/Kindergarten Open House
2017-2018 Approved School Calendar
Jean Vanier Catholic School
Email: jv@eics.ab.ca
Website: www.jv.eics.ab.ca
Location: 109 Georgian Way, Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-467-3633
Twitter: @jvcatholic