Patriot Post
Sept 9th - Sept 13th, 2019
This Week at St. JPII
Monday Sept 9th
Girls Volleyball Team Tryouts: 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Tuesday Sept 10th
**Today will be a WEDNESDAY schedule**
Musical Theatre 7/8 Field Trip to Birch Bay
Boys Volleyball Team Tryouts: 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Wednesday Sept 11th
**Today will be a TUESDAY schedule**
School Opening Mass at OLA Parish: 1:15pm - 2:45pm (students will be walking back/forth to the Parish)
Meet the Staff Night: 5:00pm - 6:30pm
School Council Meeting: 6:30pm - 7:30pm All are welcome! :)
Thursday Sept 12th
Boys Volleyball Team Practice 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Friday Sept 13th
Chaplain's Corner
Welcome to a new year filled with many new discoveries and adventures for our students, our staff and our families. Our theme, Love First, Last and Always is founded sacred scripture from 1 John. As usual, Jesus has show us the way it should be through His example. We are able to love others only because Jesus loved us first thus showing us how it should be done.
It is interesting that the connection between today's readings and our division theme show clear similarities. The over reaching tone of the readings today is that we need to pick up our cross and follow Jesus. In the parable immediately preceding today’s Gospel passage, Jesus spoke of those who had been invited to the banquet of his Kingdom making all kinds of excuses not to come. Instead, said Jesus, people would be called in from all the “streets and lanes, the poor and maimed and blind and lame” to come and fill the unoccupied places. The implication is that many of Jesus’ own people had rejected his invitation to be his disciples so he would reach out to the despised and sinful.
Luke’s Gospel presents the following of Jesus in the most radical terms. In following Jesus, we have to go with him the whole way. We have to accept totally his way of seeing life and then putting that into practice in the way we live. There cannot be, as is the case with practically all of us, a kind of wishy-washy compromise, trying to have our cake and eat it.
It is quite obvious from the overall context of Luke’s gospel that Jesus could not mean us literally to hate our parents, brothers and sisters. Nor does Jesus literally mean us to hate our own lives. On the contrary we are called to have love and compassion for every single person, irrespective of who they are or what their relationship may be to us.
We are therefore bound to love our close family members – but not only them. That immigrant, that waiter in the cafe and even that street sleeper is our brother or sister. We owe them our love and care. We may, in fact, in certain circumstances owe them more love in action than we can truly realize.
In summation, If we try to walk on the Way with Jesus without being aware of what is involved, we will not exactly become a laughing stock (there will be so many people with us!). However, we will miss the joy and happiness of a totally fulfilled life that Jesus, despite the apparently negative language of today’s Gospel, is holding out to us.
Discuss with your kids the concept of empathy. It is always good to review it from time to time so that each of us might truly open our eyes and see those around us that are in need of our love. A love that we are called to share with ALL of our brothers and sisters in Christ.
God Bless each and everyone.
Mr. Brady
EICS Transportation
Elk Island Catholic School (EICS) Transportation is pleased to share with the EICS community that there is now increased awareness for parents and guardians regarding EICS bus arrivals and possible delays through our transportation software program BusPlanner. This new app will allow parents and caregivers to see the details of current routes, stops and transfers relating to their children on EICS transportation.
With this new system parents gain access to the following:
- The BusPlanner Parent Portal, located here: https://eics.mybusplanner.ca/Default.aspx which allows parents to view details of the routes, stops and transfers for their children.
- The BusPlanner Notification System for email alerts to parents for issues which impact transportation on a route by route or school by school basis.
- The BusPlanner Delays app which both parents and students can install on a mobile (hand-held) device and allows them to subscribe to and receive BusPlanner notifications through push notifications.
Parents, please take the time to create an account for the BusPlanner Parent Portal and subscription to receive notifications of transportation delays or school closures through email. Please click here for further instructions - thank you.
Please know, it will be through this portal that all notifications will be vetted. There will no longer be emails or phone calls directly from EICS transportation regarding route cancellations or late buses.
Notifications will come to you through Bus Planner, so please subscribe.
In faith,
Your EICS Transportation Department
EICS Demographic and Consent Forms
EICS Demographic Confirmation and Consent Forms are available now on your PowerSchool ParentPortal. Please take a moment to visit your PowerSchool ParentPortal account and complete these forms; one for each child you have attending school with EICS.
Alberta Education requires that we obtain a detailed update of student demographics on an annual basis. School funding from Alberta Education is conditional on us receiving these updates and including them in your student’s record. More importantly, these forms ensure that we have the most current contact information if we need to reach you in event of an emergency.
We certainly appreciate you taking the time to complete these forms. Should you have any questions, or require assistance, please contact Carrie-Lynn in the office at 780-992-0889 and she will be happy to help.
VISITORS IN OUR SCHOOL
School and Field Trip Fees
School fees and field trip fees will be uploaded into the PowerSchool Parent Portal shortly. This year will see some minor differences with respect to field trip fees. As opposed to sending home multiple requests throughout the school year asking for money for your child's field trips, our grade-level teachers will establish a total amount that will be added to your PowerSchool Fees that can be paid in one lump sum at the start of the year. An option will also exist to pay your school/field trip fees in installments over the course of the year.
A reminder, we encourage these fees to be paid online through your Powerschool Parent Portal, or you are welcome to send cash or a cheque made payable to Elk Island Catholic Schools to the office as convenient. If you require assistance logging in to the ParentPortal please call the school and we will be happy to help.
SCHOOL COUNCIL INFORMATION
Please join us for our first School Council meeting of the school year which is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 11th @ 6:30pm in the school library. The meeting will be taking place on the same evening as our annual Meet the Staff Night. We will be electing an executive that first meeting so we welcome and encourage you all to come and join us!
This is an excellent opportunity to receive the latest school and grade level updates from our Administration and Teacher Representatives, as well as, upcoming School Council supported activities and events!
PATRIOT WEAR!
Shout out to Enhance It Embroidering for making this possible. All orders are processed directly through the store and Enhance It Embroidery will call to arrange pickup within the allotted shipping time.
http://www.enhanceitembroidery.ca/store/c2/St._John_Paul_II_Spirit_Wear_.html
HAPPY SHOPPING!
EICS FAMILY WELLNESS WORKER
Service Delivery
Each school is staffed with a Family Wellness Worker (FWW), who works under the direction of their School Principal and the Assistant Superintendent of Faith & Wellness. FWW's receive clinical guidance from a Registered Psychologist.
The primary function of the Family Wellness team is to provide social and emotional support to students and families. Family Wellness Workers meet with students and parents to assess needs, set goals, identify required supports, and plan appropriate interventions.
They collaborate with school system staff and community resources to build a “village” of support around students/families who are struggling.
Referrals
Parental consent is required for FWW services.
Referrals to the Family Wellness Program may be made by students, parents/guardians, school administration, teachers, or other school staff (e.g. school counsellor or collaborative response coordinator).
Parents and guardians can access these services by speaking with the Principal or contacting the school's Family Wellness Worker directly.
Family Wellness Contact Information
Hello St. JPII School Community! My name is Lee Dube and I am so excited to be a part of your Fort Saskatchewan school community. I am here to support families and students to be successful. I am someone that parents and students can talk to and can offer connections to various resources in the community. Please do not hesitate to give me a call at the school or send me an email at lee.dube@eics.ab.ca to set up a meeting. I will be at St. JPII on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday afternoons.
CAFETERIA
Cafeteria News
September Menu is here! Our kitchen is stocked and ready to feed your hungry students Meals start at $4.50 and sides can be added for $1-3 each
Monthly pass $120 (this includes a meal and two sides every school day and works out to 4 free lunches!)
Lunch tickets- $7 each or packs of 10 for $65
Wed 11th- Meet the teacher night, we will be open if you have any questions or want to try one of our sides
Available everyday:
Gluten free options are marked with an * and are only available through online preorders.
Chicken Strips*, Pizza (ham & cheese, or extra cheese), Wraps (chicken caesar or turkey/bacon/ranch), Salad* (chicken caesar or egg), Mac&Cheese*
Daily Specials:
Monday- Taco Wrap/Salad*, Tuesday- Chicken Noodle Soup*, Wednesday- Pancakes with fruit and syrup, Thursday- Chicken Fried Rice*, Friday- Cheeseburger*
Sides:
Fresh fruit*, fresh veggies*, apples&grapes*, sweet snap peas*, apple sauce*, cheese strips*, apple crisp, blueberry bran muffin, chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, rice cereal square*, puffed wheat square, tapioca pudding*, pretzels, smoothie* (mango or strawberry), milk* (chocolate or 2%), juice box* (apple or orange)
Monthly passes & lunch tickets now available
Email admin@fortsasklunchbox.com for info
Pre-order online or cash purchases
Online orders- how to get started:
· Visit www.fortsasklunchbox.com
· Click the order tab
· Create an account (use the email that is best for receiving receipts and create your own password)
· Choose St. John Paul II as your school- lunches can be picked up at the school cafeteria
St. John Paul II Catholic School
Email: stjp@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stjp.eics.ab.ca
Location: 9975 93 Avenue, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-992-0889
Twitter: @stjp2cs