"Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds." (Psalm 72:18)

December 11-22 - SLR Countdown to Christmas

December 17 - Third Sunday of Advent (Joy)

December 18 - Shine Bright: Wear lights, tinsel, glitter etc.

December 19 - Sunday Best: For Advent Mass

December 19 - Advent Mass 9:30 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church

December 20 - Headwear: Wear hats, headbands, antlers etc.

December 21 - Holiday Sweaters: Wear a holiday sweater

December 22 - Pajama Day: Wear pajamas

December 24 Fouth Sunday of Advent (Love)

December 23-January 7 - Christmas Break

Grade 6- Wednesday Dec 20 Block 2

Grade 7: Monday Dec 18 Block 2

Grade 8- Monday, Dec 18 Block 6

Grade 9- Monday Dec 18 Block 4

Our SLR community will be coming together at Sacred Heart Parish for Advent Mass on Tuesday, December 19th at 9:30am. Parents, you are welcome to join us.

Join us for our countdown to Christmas with some fun holiday theme days!

We are highlighting a few of the amazing things that be happening with our teacher PLCs during these next few months! Thank you to our teachers and the students for their hard work!!

Grade 6:

Literacy focus: Using different assessments, we will support student learning through informed instruction measured by a pre-assessment reading comprehension sample and post assessment sample with a 5% increase.

Math focus: New Curriculum Assessments connected to number strand with a focus on order of operations and fractions,

Grade 7:

Students will be able to show mindfulness in their metacognition, (thinking about their thinking), academics and emotional regulation. Students will identify a mindfulness strategy that supports them in being mindful by a February 5 reflection.

Grade 8:

By February 5th, students will demonstrate significant advancements in empathy and foster positive self-esteem through personal growth attained via thoughtful self-reflection.

Grade 9:

Students will participate in community building activities twice a week to create a space where every student feels valued, supported, and eager to participate.

VISION STATEMENT:

Grounded in our faith, we extend a heartfelt invitation to all community members to develop a deep, genuine relationship with Christ. Through authentic and lifelong learning experiences, we will inspire personal growth and intellectual development rooted in choice, hands on learning and career pathways.

MISSION STATEMENT:

Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing, and faith-filled environment where students are encouraged to find their unique voices, share their gifts and talents, and develop resilience in the face of challenges.Through inclusive environments, we empower every student to learn, grow and succeed. We believe in creating a strong sense of community where relationships are prioritized to ensure everyone feels connected and valued.

Thank you to everyone who donated to this year's CSS Giving Tree. This was St. Lorenzo Ruiz Middle School's first year participating in the division wide fundraiser, to support families in need. Together, SLR families raised a total of $750 in gift cards and cash. May this money bring joy and holiday spirit to those who receive it.

We wanted to let you know that we are aware of google having the incorrect phone number for our school and are working to get it resolved. If you need to reach our office for any reason, please contact our main line at 403-406-7365. This is also the number to call should you need to call in your child's attendance. This number is alway available on our website. We thank you for your understanding.

URGENT: We are asking for your help, it is imperative that these forms get completed.

You should have received notification that the 2023-24 Student Information Update form was sent to you. This form is MANDATORY and required by Alberta Education. The information in this form must be updated and current. Please pay close attention to medical and legal alerts as these are often out of date and need to be current. The form can be found by logging into PowerSchool on your browser (not available on the app) and clicking on SchoolEngage at the bottom of the menu on the left hand side. Please take a few minutes to complete this form and submit. CHANGES MUST BE SAVED FOR EACH PAGE BEFORE CLICKING NEXT.

STUDENT INFORMATION UPDATE FORMS ARE PAST DUE AND MANDATORY

Important Information: Please use our North parking lot for parking or out front of the school for drop and go if drivers must remain in their vehicles. Please be considerate of our neighbours across the street and leave that parking for residents only.

UPDATE: On Monday, we sent home fee statements to those families with balances owing. Please pay these fees ASAP or call the office to make arrangements to pay as they are past due. We accept cash or cheque at the office or you may choose to pay using a credit card online by following these steps:

To pay online, please log into your Parent PowerSchool account to view your outsanding fees and make your payment online through RYCOR. If you are unsure how to pay using RYCOR, please follow these steps:

1. Visit your school's website and click on the PowerSchool quick link (or use link above).

2. Sign in using your PowerSchool Username and Password. If you have forgotten either/or please contact the school office for assistance with resetting your password.

3. Click on link, "School Fees and Forms", located on the left-hand side.

4. Please follow the instructions provided on the screen when you are taken to RYCOR. If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

**RYCOR can only be accessed via PC/Tablet, the program does not work using the PowerSchool app.

The Red Deer branch of the Salvation Army is hosting its annual Community Christmas Dinner this Friday, Dec. 22. Dinner will be served from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. or until food runs out. It will consist of ham, mashed potatoes, vegetables and dessert. It is free of charge, and is eat-in only. The Salvation Army Church is located at 4837 54 Street.

St. Lorenzo Staff participated in a Dress Down week last week to fundraise money for St. Lorenzo families in need of support this holiday season. Staff raised a total of $345 that will be given to families in grocery store gift cards.

Join the Family Resource Network for their upcoming parenting seminars. Phone Tammy @ 403-896-5348 to register. More info below.

Red Deer Christmas Bureau - Applications being accepted until December 15th from 9 am to 3:30 pm. Phone 403-347-2210 to book an appointment.

Adopt A Family (The Outreach Centre) - Applications are currently being accepted. The program focuses on single parent families. who require extra help to provide for their family. Phone 403-347-2480 to book an appointment.

Adopt A Family (Salvation Army) - Applications Currently being accepted. Focuses on supporting low income families. Christmas Hamper drop off is December 17th. Phone 403-346-2251 for more information or to book an appointment.

Youth board game day - December 29th. For more information please see the poster below.

The basketball season has begun. Please pack our (newly installed) stands and come cheer on our Golden Eagles! Home and away game dates and times can be found on our SLR Sports Calendar.

We are still waiting for some volleyball jerseys to be returned. If your child played volleyball this season, could you please make sure the jersey is washed and returned to the school. We thank you for support.

As always, for anything sports related, please see our SLR Sports Calendar for the most current dates and times. This calendar is updated regularily and is the best way to stay on top of everything SLR sports. If there is ever a change in the schedule, this is where you will find it.

In case you missed it last week, our online ordering is now available at slr.hotlunches.net

Parents can now order in advance using this online system. Students are still able to pre-order at the school as well. For more instructions on how to sign up and use the system, please read this letter.

School Council Information

Email: slr.schoolcouncil@gmail.com

The common practice of Radon testing for SLR has now been scheduled for December 8 PD day. Please see the letter for more information.

Winter weather has arrived! We know it can be tricky to convince teenagers to wear their jackets, but we ask that you please remind your children to dress for the weather as outdoor recess does continue through the winter months.

As noted in the signage at our front entrance, to support the safety in and around our school we have indoor and outdoor cameras.

Rejoice in the Lord, always! One of many phrases from Chris Stefanik, as he reminded teachers across the division during this past Faith Day (December 8th) that we need to become people of JOY again; that love always wins and that the joy of the Lord is your strength in any battle!

Here below are documents for the 2023 Red Deer Christmas Light Tour.

Documents

2023 Shortened Route Red Deer Christmas Light Tour.docx

2023 Red Deer Christmas Light Tour.docx

Homestay parents are currently needed for international students. For more information, please see the poster below.