St. Cecilia Community Messenger

Open House St Matthew February 20 2025 PDF.pdf

Register - Calgary Catholic School District

1.7 MB

Greetings

CocoBrooks and Spolumbo's Fundraiser

Support St. Cecilia School Council with our Coco Brooks and Spolumbos Fundraiser!

We are excited to launch a fundraiser to benefit St. Cecilia School, aiming to raise $3,000 to enhance our children’s education. The funds will go towards supporting field trips, in school activities, and some money to St. Cecilia Playground.

You can place your order through this link:
https://stceciliaschoolcouncil.myteamfund.ca/seller/1572-01

Feel free to share this link with family, friends, and coworkers so they can also participate and support our cause.

Fundraiser Details:

Deadline for orders: February 24
Pick-up date: March 6th at St. Cecilia School

Thank you for your support!

Registration Information

Registration for Kindergarten in September of 2025 will open online on Feb 3. Please do NOT complete the registration before Feb 3 and Please note that ALL registrations must be completed online. Completing the registration at the link below does NOT guarantee your spot in Kindergarten. Once the form is completed the information must be verified and confirmed by school administration. Please refer to AP 301 in the attachment below. If you still have questions about kindergarten registration, please do not hesitate to call us at 403 500 2040.

AP_301_Student_Enrollment_in_Schools.pdf

275.5 KB

Calgary Catholic Education Foundation Raffle

Please consider supporting the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation raffle which is currently underway. The CCEF supports Catholic Education by providing grants to schools for things such as playgrounds and technology upgrades. You may purchase your ticket at this link: 2025 CCEF ANNUAL 50/50 RAFFLE | Rafflebox

Or, scan the QR Code.

Thank you for supporting the CCEF!!

St. Cecilia_2025CCEF_RafflePoster.pdf

https://www.ymcacalgary.org/grade6

1.3 MB

Student Success

Tea Time with Mme Dina

We would like to take this opportunity to recognize the students who were invited to Tea Time with Mme Dina this week. This was the first time we have celebrated students and we plan to continue with this practice of positive reinforcement. Recognizing students' efforts and celebrating them helps to create a memorable experience at school. We recognize and believe that all students can be successful and that even those who may struggle at times can benefit from the positive reinforcement that this activity provides. Describing and recognizing postive behavior will help students to continue to demonstrate positive behaviors.

A big thank you goes out to Mme Dina for promoting wellness and for her intitiative in creating this activity. I would also like to thank teachers for their thoughtfulness and efforts in recognizing students. Of course, it takes some work and effort on their part to make this activity a success. THANKS EVERYONE!!

Well Being

School Wellness Worker

Kids' wellness encompasses various aspects of physical, emotional, and mental health. Here are some key areas and activities that can promote overall wellness for children:

1. Physical Activity: Regular exercise is crucial for kids. Activities like playing sports, dancing, swimming, or even just playing outside can help keep them active and healthy.

2. Healthy Eating: A balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins supports growth and development. Involving kids in meal planning and cooking can make healthy eating fun.

3. Mental Health: Encouraging open communication about feelings and providing a supportive environment can help kids manage stress and emotions. Activities like mindfulness, yoga, and creative arts can also promote mental well-being.

4. Sleep: Ensuring kids get enough sleep is vital for their health. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine can help them get the rest they need.

5. Social Connections: Building strong relationships with family and friends is important for emotional health. Encouraging playdates, group activities, and family time can foster these connections.

6. Safety: Teaching kids about safety, whether it's online, at home, or in the community, helps them stay safe and feel secure.

In Calgary, there are several resources and centers dedicated to kids' wellness, including City of Calgary facilities and programs, Trico Centre for Family Wellness and Peak Health Kids. These centers offer various programs and activities designed to support children's health and well-being. And did you know every grade six student in Calgary is eligible to receive a free 13-month membership to the YMCA?

Click on the link for more information.

Black History Month

Next week and for the month of February staff and students will celebrate the cultural contributions of Black people to Canada. Next Thursday morning students will participate in an assembly and scavenger hunt style activity where they will be encouraged to read biographies of notable people of colour. These biographies are presented on posters and feature historical figures as well as prominent politicians, artists, musicians and athletes who have enriched our cultural diaspora.

Classroom teachers have access to a plethora of lessons for all age groups and will work with students to create memorable learning experiences throughout the month of February. Please watch for your child's Google classroom or other information coming home regarding Black History Month.

You may see the poster below in your child's classroom or in the school. The four agreements is based on the work of Glen Singleton who wrote the book Courageous Conversations About Race. This book is a foundational text for our school district. The poster below breaks down the language in easy to understand terms for younger students.

Faith Formation

Family Life Information

Please watch for information coming home next week on Family Life. Fully Alive is part of our PE & Wellness curriculum. Unit 3 covers topics related to Family Life therefore the classroom teacher must teach this portion of the program. In Grades 1-3, this material is taught as it comes up in the sequence of units. However, in Grades 4-6, Unit 3 is reserved until the month of June and is taught in Religion class.

Should any parent choose to have their children exempted from Unit 3 instruction, parents must notify the principal of the school in writing, as detailed in Section 58.1(2) of the Education Act.

Indigenous Education

School Results Commentary

School Improvement Plans

Each year Alberta schools are required to analyze data and make plans for continual school improvement. Our school plan flows from the School District plan and is framed around District Priorities which are; Faith Formation, Student Success, Well Being and Indigenous Education. Our school plan is housed on our school website at this link: Reports & Publications - St. Cecilia School.

Over the coming weeks I will include snippets of data from our AEM report and Student Voice Survey in this newsletter. Ongoing discussion, analysis will occur at the school level as the school year continues to unfold.

Student Voice Survey

Each year, students in grades 4-5-6 are asked to complete the Student Voice Survey. The SVS collects data on the District Board Priorities and students are asked a variety of questions.

Student Engagement Analysis and Commentary

1. I often worry that other students will think I am not good enough.

- 25.49% strongly agree they often worry about what other students think of them.

- 23.53% disagree they often worry about what other students think.

- 39.22% agree they often worry about what other students think.

- 11.76% strongly disagree they often worry about what other students think.

2. I often worry that I will get poor grades at school.

- 33.33% strongly agree they often worry about getting poor grades.

- 20.59% disagree they often worry about getting poor grades.

- 40% agree they often worry about getting poor grades.

- 5.88% strongly disagree they often worry about getting poor grades.

3. I feel completely overwhelmed when I don't know how to solve a problem at...

- 26.47% strongly agree they feel overwhelmed when faced with problems they can't solve.

- 28.43% disagree they feel overwhelmed in such situations.

- 35.29% agree they feel overwhelmed when faced with problems they can't solve.

- 9.8% strongly disagree they feel overwhelmed in such situations.

The data provides insights into the students' worries and feelings of being overwhelmed. The responses show a range of perspectives, with significant percentages both agreeing and disagreeing with the given statements. This highlights the diversity of experiences and challenges faced by the students.

Enrollment in A Catholic School for Non-Catholics

The Education Act requires the Calgary Catholic School District to prioritize resources and facilities for resident (Catholic) students. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the advancement of a non-resident (non-Catholic) student from one grade to the next in the same school or from elementary to junior and senior high school.

We do not reassess the enrollment priority of a non-resident student during a school year, but we may do this for a future school year. This may result in us informing you to seek enrollment at a different school in the Calgary Catholic School District or another school division for a future school year.

Please contact me at denis.fortier@cssd.ab.ca or by phone at 403 500 2063, if you have any questions about your child’s enrollment priority.

Board of Trustees Priorties

Board Meetings

This meeting is a Regular Meeting, and the only order of business is the Oath of Office for new Trustees who were elected in the by-election that took place on January 31, 2025.

This meeting is being held on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, and members of the public are invited to join the meeting at 1:00 p.m.

The Calgary Catholic Regular Board Meeting Agenda for this meeting can be viewed here:

https://www.cssd.ab.ca/board-meetings

All public board meetings are held on Wednesdays at 1:30 pm and members of the public are invited to join the meeting at 3:00 p.m.

The Calgary Catholic Regular Board Meeting Agenda and memos for the February 5, 2025, meeting can be accessed with the following link:

https://www.cssd.ab.ca/board-meetings

Creating Calgary Catholic Together Newsletter

Please open the newsletter in the attachment below. There are updates from the Board of trustees as well as information from Alberta School Boards Association, and Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association. There is also some information about the District's Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion policies.

CCCT_February2025.pdf