St. Cecilia Community Messenger

March 17 - 21, 2025

Week at a Glance

Mon, March 17 - Day 3

Tues, March 18, Day 4

Wed, March 19, Day 5

Magic shows

Thurs, March 20, Day 6

School Council Meeting 6:30 pm. Teacher showcase, M. Kitoko

Fri, March 21, Day 1

On the Horizon

March 20: School Council 6:30 PM

March 21: Deadline for Gr 4-5-6 parents to complete AEAM surveys

March 24: Readathon begins

March 24: Hotdog fundraiser

March 25: Lockdown Practice 10:00 AM

March 26: Parent Education Evening 6:30 PM in St. Cecilia School Gym. Please RSVP Here

March 27: Lenten Liturgy 10:30 AM

March 27: Evening PT Interviews

March 28: No classes PT Interviews

April 7: Book Swap

April 11: Pledges from Read A Thon Are Due

April 17: Holy Thursday Liturgy

April 18: Good Friday - Easter holidays begin

May 1: Asian Heritage Month

May 8: Spring Family Dance

May 15: School Council AGM

May 19: Victoria Day - No Classes

May 22: Marian Liturgy

May 28: ELA PAT - Gr 6 Students

May 30: Sacramental Recognition Liturgy - 10:30 AM

June 5: School Council Meeting - 9:30 AM

June 6: PG Day - No classes

June 12: Gr 6 ELA PAT Part B

June 13: Gr 6 Math Part A

June 18: Year End Mass

June 21: National Indigenous People's Day

June 25: Last day of classes for students

June 26: Last day for teachers

Circle of Friends Survey for Class Placement

Circle of Friends Survey For Class Placement Sept 2025

Greetings

Alberta Education Assurance Measures Survey

Thank you to all gr 4-5-6 parents who have completed the AEAM surveys. So far, 27 codes have been used out of 110. This survey is your opportunity to let us know your feedback and thoughts on the educational services we provide at St. Cecilia. We encourage parents to complete the survey because the results and feedback will help to guide our planning process for next year.

School Council Fundraiser Cocobrooks and Spolumbo's

We would like to thank our families for their support with our Cocobrooks and Spolumbo's fundraisers. The funds raised will help to support student learning initiatives.

School Council Meeting

Our School Council Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 20 at 6:30 PM here at St. Cecilia. School Council is an opportunity for parents to get involved in their child's education. As the primary educator of your child, St. Cecilia staff values the partnership and wants to work with parents on matters related to school life and the greater education system. All parents are members of school council and we strongly recommend all parents try to attend at least one school council meeting over the course of the school year.

The agenda for March 20 is attached below. We hope to see you there.

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March 2025 Meeting Agenda Revised.pdf

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Hop Into Spring with Our Easter Purdy’s Fundraiser! 🐰🍫

Dear St. Cecilia Families,

Easter is Sunday, April 20, 2025! 🐣🌸 It’s the perfect time to stock up on delicious Purdy’s chocolates while supporting our school’s new playground.

With 25%–30% of sales going directly toward the playground fund, this is a sweet way to keep our fundraising momentum strong! Thanks to your incredible support, we’ve made fantastic progress, and this campaign gives us another big push toward our goal.

📅 Order Deadline: March 31st

Pick up: April 14-17 (main office or sent home with youth)

🍫 Shop Now: https://fundraising.purdys.com/1952795-127661

Let’s make this our best fundraiser yet—every order counts! Thank you for your ongoing support in making the new playground a reality for our students.

Warm regards,

Mallorie Peters

Vice Chair

The Foundation for St. Cecilia

Hotdog Playground Fundraiser - March 24, 2025

Our School Council will host a special hotdog lunch on March 24, 2025. All proceeds from the sale of hotdogs will go to support the playground. Order deadline is March 19. Please place orders on Healthy Hunger.

Kathy MacDonald - Cyber safety March 26, 2025, 6:30 PM.

Cyber Safety is About Being Diligent, Skeptical, and Kind Online

Please RSVP HERE

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelqh6iDo7sahTFk47qHrrww31HtVTFIDNHTDUwby1dSnM8wg/viewform

Kathy's presentation will help audiences acquire a better sense of safety and security for their children when they are online. She addresses concerns related to cyberbullying and online coercion and sexual exploitation and she offers an enlightening glimpse into emerging security threats including the Internet of Things (IoT).

This presentation includes discussion of social media, popular apps, privacy, and the laws that help to protect young people. It offers information about the positive use of technology and helps families respond promptly and effectively to a variety of online issues that could arise with their children. As a former police officer and online investigator, she shares first hand stories about fraud prevention, social engineering, and personal security. Her innovative style breaks down complex concepts of cyber security into smaller doable actions that can enhance the audiences ability to secure themselves in their everyday physical and virtual life.

Kathy's actionable advice reminds Internet users that security is everyone's business, and that it is vital to always be proactive online.

Bio

Kathy Macdonald is a retired police officer with the Calgary Police Service, with almost three decades of investigative and crime prevention experience. She recently published a book titled, Cybercrime: Awareness, Prevention, and Response. It is a comprehensive Canadian resource talking about how cybercrime affects individuals, businesses, governments, institutions, and organizations. https://emond.ca/CAPR

In 2009, the Governor General of Canada, invested Kathy with the Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, M.O.M., in recognition to her commitment to cybercrime prevention. Kathy was recently awarded one of the Top 20 Women in Cyber Security - Canada.

Bottle Drive in Support of the Playground

Our Education Society will hold a bottle drive on March 30th in support of the playground. If you have cans and bottles starting to pile up, please consider donating to the Foundation. If you cannot make it on March 30, feel free to drop them off anytime and we will store them in the courtyard until March 30.

Student Success

Monk Lunch

Our students have been participating in "Monk Lunch" each day since Ash Wednesday. We realize that it is challenging for students to be still and quiet in the lunchroom, but I would like to recognize their efforts and encourage them to continue. Silence is often an understated virtue in our busy world and the ability to sit quietly with our own thoughts requires some self discipline and motivation. It is not easy but the good thing about self discipline is that like a muscle, it can be trained and improved upon. Please encourage your child and speak to them about their own spiritual journey during this Lenten season.

As part of our service to others, we are now collecting food donations for St. Vincent de Paul. Students are invited to bring a non-persishable food item to school to donate.

Well Being

Jump Rope for Heart

Just a reminder that our Jump Event will be taking place on March 26th! Students have been learning new skills and pushing themselves to beat their personal records. If you haven't already registered online to donate, there is still time! Click the link to register to our school's event page: https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/80767 .

School Wellness Worker

Hello Families,

Did you know that March 15th is International Long Covid Awareness Day?

Long COVID, otherwise known as post COVID condition, is when people experience symptoms that affect their physical, mental or social wellbeing for months after a COVID infection.

Symptoms can look a little bit different between kids and adults. In children and adolescents, these symptoms may include an inability to tolerate strenuous activity, anxiety or tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing and difficulty thinking, also known as brain fog. The younger children can sometimes have hair loss or weight loss from a persistent loss of sense of smell or taste. What is clear is that a significant number of children and adults who had COVID are currently suffering from ongoing symptoms.

Please click on the links for more information and resources.

PS. The Calgary Tower will be lit up in recognition of Long Covid Awareness on Sunday, March 16th, so keep an eye out for it.

Take Care 🙂

https://covidsociety.ca/priorities/long-covid/

Faith Formation

Silence as a Form of Prayer

Written with the assistance of Microsoft Co-Pilot

As one of the three pillars of Lent, Fasting is an important part of our spiritual development as we lead up to Good Friday and Easter. Students are asked to refrain from talking during the eating portion of the lunch break. One of the first benefits I have noticed is that students who are focussed on eating, eat more of their lunch. A quiet, peaceful atmosphere may also promote emotional regulation and better digestion.

Being silent as a form of prayer can be incredibly profound. Silence allows for a deeper connection with oneself and God.

Inner Reflection

In silence, one can turn inward and reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and actions. This introspection can help people find clarity, seek forgiveness, and cultivate a sense of peace and purpose.

Listening

Prayer isn't just about speaking; it's also about listening. In silence, one can listen for divine guidance, inspiration, or simply be present in the moment, allowing for a two-way communication with the divine.

Mindfulness

Silent prayer can be a form of mindfulness, where individuals focus on their breath, body, and the present moment. This practice can help them feel more connected to the world around them and the divine.

Sacred Space

Silence can create a sacred space where one feels more attuned to their spirituality. It allows for a break from the noise and distractions of everyday life, providing a moment of peace and connection.

Many religious traditions incorporate silent prayer or meditation as a way to deepen one's spiritual practice. It's a beautiful reminder that sometimes, words aren't necessary to communicate with the divine.

Catholic Education Assurance

Parents, please complete the Catholic Assurance Survey.

Catholic Bishops of Alberta and the Northwest Territories Vision/Mission Statement ENSURING QUALITY CATHOLIC EDUCATION SO THAT EVERY CHILD COMES TO KNOW, LOVE AND SERVE THE LORD JESUS

Calgary Catholic Mission and Vision Statement LIVING AND LEARNING IN OUR CATHOLIC FAITH SO THAT STUDENTS, CENTERED IN CHRIST , REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL

This pilot emerged from conversations with the Catholic Superintendents in Alberta and the Bishops of Alberta. The purpose of this pilot is to demonstrate to our shareholders and communities that we are successful in the mission of Catholic Education.

Through collaborative engagement with schools via observation, surveys, and conversations, the assurance team will examine how our Catholic faith is being demonstrated and lived at our schools. The report will look at areas of strength as well as areas of growth as a means to improvement, growing in our faith, and better serving our communities.

To provide an accurate review of the Five Marks of Catholic School Identity, a variety of methods will be used to provide a ‘snapshot’ of current realities in each area. Reviews will provide school divisions with information for division/school planning purposes.

The following instruments have been selected for this purpose.

Survey—to gather perceptions of shareholders, appropriate to their roles in Catholic education (coming next week)
Observation Checklists—to gather key information from division and school contexts in an objective manner

Focus Group/Interview—to gather personal/professional experiences and themes, otherwise difficult to uncover.

Possible benefits arising from reviews which may prompt further actions and growth:

Continued development of common language, understanding, and alignment of Catholic School Identity—using resources already developed in Alberta, such as The Excellent Catholic Teacher and Leader to complement the assessment process and outcomes.

Opportunity for targeted professional learning to assist staff and students in their faith formation.
A rounded process to inform planning decisions beyond school divisions to help inform provincial direction, such as resource development and support.

St. Cecilia Parish Bulletin

Please click the attachment below to see the St. Cecilia Parish Bulletin.

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10 Lent 1 March 15-16.pdf

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5.1 MB

Indigenous Education

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

March 13, 2025

To view the Calgary Catholic Board Meeting Highlights for the Special Board Meeting of March 12, 2025, as well as previous Highlights please access the following link: https://www.cssd.ab.ca/highlights-minutes

Useful Links

Faith Formation Links

Formed, AKA Netflix for Catholics

All About Shrove Tuesday

Student Success Links

My Child's Learning: A Parent Resource

Canadian Parents for French - CPF is an advocacy group whose aim is to promote French bilingual education.

St. Cecilia Student Handbook

K to 12 Education in Alberta: This link gives a broad overview of Alberta's K to 12 education system.

New LearnAlberta Parent Support Website: Contains an overview of grade level topics and is a good place to start for parents who are looking for ways to engage with their child's education.

Programs of Study: Links to K-12 programs of study as well as Tools for Parents.

Please click the links below to view the volunteer orientation and please make sure to complete the acknowledgement forms. These steps are very important in keeping you up to date as a school volunteer.

Volunteer Orientation: https://youtu.be/QaOxx2x3-eM

Acknowledgement Form: https://forms.gle/sDCD7aYau9PTGgSPA

Circle of Friends Survey for Class Placement Sept 2025

Indigenous Education Links

21 Things You May Not Have Known About the Indian Act

Indigenous Veteran's Day - Nov 8.

The Seven Sacred Laws Animated Web Series

RupertsLand Institute

Indigenous Elder Definition

Wellness Links

Action for Happiness Action for Happiness is a great resource to bring more positivity in our lives.

The Summit - The Summit program is an Alberta Health Services program that supports children and families experiencing mental health concerns that need to be addressed. They provide long term counselling as well as walk in’s.

CanLearn Society - A great resource for parents on how to manage mental health issues or concerns in the home.

Healthy childhood development through outdoor risky play: Navigating the balance with injury prevention.

Brief review about outdoor play

The importance of regaining outdoor PA

HealthyHunger.ca Healthy Hunger.

Bullying Prevention Resources for Alberta Government

Links for Playground Donations

For St. Cecilia School students/parents, please click below link to login school fee payment account to make the donation:

https://www.studentquickpay.com/CSSD/Default.aspx

For guest donors, please click below link to login and make the donation:

https://www.studentquickpay.com/CSSD/MyAccount/Main.aspx?webitemid=8670