Madonna Catholic School News

Dear Madonna Families,

As we enter the second week of Advent, we continue preparing our hearts for the coming of Jesus at Christmas. Advent is a special time in the Church that reminds us to slow down, pay attention, and make room for Christ in our daily lives. The past week allowed us time to pause and reflect on the gift of our faith being passed along to our youngest students. Big congratulations to the students above from Madonna who received their Holy Communion on November 30th.

This weekend the Gospel of Matthew we listen to how Jesus encourages His followers to stay awake and be ready for the coming of the Son of Man. His message challenges us to live with hope and to look for moments where we can show kindness, fairness, and love to others. During this second week of Advent, may we shine Christ’s light by making thoughtful choices and preparing our hearts for His arrival.

Blessings,

Mrs. Cathy Hinger, Principal

Mrs. Fiona Wimmer, Assistant Principal

December 8 - 9:00am Assembly - Second week of Advent JOIN US!

December 11 - Face to Face Ministries here at Madonna School

December 11 - Final swim lesson grades 2 & 3

December 12 - Hot Lunch Nitza's

December 15 - 9:00am Assembly - Second week of Advent JOIN US!

December 15 - Advent Mass @ OLPH Parish 6:15pm

December 16 - Final swim lesson grades 1 & 4

December 17 - Advent Celebration @ Madonna 5:30-7:30pm

December 19 - Last day of school - Christmas break Dec. 20- Jan. 4

UPDATED EICS CALENDAR HERE

THANK YOU to our families who are doing their best to follow the rules along the drop off zone on Malvern Drive. There have been improvements in the traffic flow - especially in the mornings. A noticeable reduction in u-turns at the Markham Crescent intersection has helped a lot.

There is plenty of space to drop off students along Malvern Drive, especially in the morning IF families respect the drop off and go zone. *Please note the County fo Strathcona and RCMP have been made aware of the situation and are supporting us by observing the drop off zone as well. School drop off zone begins at 8:15am until 9:00am.

Please help us keep our school community safe by following the designated parking guidelines and exercising caution at all times.

Thank you for your cooperation and care.

Thanks to Mrs. Spindler for joining our music teacher, Mrs. Fortier in supporting the choir this Advent season. Serving as accompianist to our growing choir, Mrs. Spindler is sharing her gift of music and helping our young students develop their faith.

Wellness & Spirit Team led us in a closing dance with actions

Grade 4 Faith leaders reading scripture

Video explaining how Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary

Shepherd on the Search Storybook

Shepherd on the Search is a Christmas tradition that our Madonna students greatly enjoy. It is where a small shepherd is hidden each day during Advent for our students to find. It represents the shepherds looking for baby Jesus. Families can use a storybook link above to get a better understanding of this tradition. It helps teach the Nativity story and remind children of the true meaning of Christmas. It’s similar to Elf on the Shelf, but instead of silly tricks, it focuses on faith, family, and preparing for Jesus’ birth. Here are some pictures of where our Shepherd has been in our school during this first week of Advent.

Mrs. Boake brought her grade 9 leadership students to Madonna last Monday to offer some fun and festive acitivities to support our grade 4 classes. These partnership opportunities help build community between our schools and foster a community of learning and support. Thank you to these wonderful teens for coming in so prepared and energized to work with our students!

Action for Healthy Communities (AHC) works with schools to support newcomer and immigrant students as they adjust to life in Canada. Through fun, hands-on activities, the club helps students build confidence, develop social skills, and learn more about their new community. The group has met a few times through November and December. We truly appreciate this supportive partnership. Pictured below are some of our stuents working with Mrs. Larose and Jeerecah from AHC group.