Damascus Crier

As we enter November, and on All Souls’ Day, we take time to pray for the repose of the souls of all those who have passed. “Therefore, he made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin.” (2 Maccabees 12:46) Our school community takes time to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made through service by the Canadian Armed Forces members. Remembrance Day offers us an opportunity to honour their courage, and the contributions they have made to the peace and freedom we enjoy today. At this time, we also hold close to our hearts, those from CFB Wainright. Our prayers go out to their families, and we pray for the repose of the souls of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

As we move further into the school year, it is a blessing to see our students engaged in their learning and making connections with peers at our school events and activities. We also look forward to seeing our students and parents at parent teacher interviews as well as our annual awards ceremony on Thursday, November 19. We also will begin the season of Advent at the end of the month with Sunday November 29th being a celebration of hope. We can take hope in our faith that Jesus is the true vine.

Yours in Christ,

Mr. Mike Jerrett

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. This I command you, to love one another. - John 15:12-17

You are invited to join us for our school's Remembrance Day prayer service on November 10th at 10:45 AM. We will gather as a school community to honor and pay respect to those who have given their lives in service for our country, reflect on their sacrifice, and pray for peace. Click here to join the virtual service. For information and resources on Veterans’ Week, you can visit the Veterans Affairs Canada website. There are many resources there to learn about Remembrance. The Canadian Legion also has many resources to educate about Remembrance Day. There is no school on November 11, and all are encouraged to take time on Remembrance Day to take part in ceremonies and to pray for those who serve our country.

Our Catholic Social Teaching for this month is Solidarity! St. Óscar Romero exemplifies Solidarity, which is the commitment to recognize all people as one family in Christ.

He was born in El Salvador in 1917. Romero was a carpenter before becoming a priest and later the Archbishop of San Salvador. Following the assassination of a close friend, he became an outspoken champion for human dignity, using weekly radio broadcasts to give voice to the voiceless, denounce human rights abuses, and urge soldiers to defy unjust orders. On March 24, 1980, he was martyred while celebrating Mass. He was canonized in 2018.

Solidarity in Action

Solidarity means recognizing that an injustice against one, wounds us all. Romero moved beyond passive sympathy into active unity with the oppressed, walking alongside vulnerable farmers and speaking truth to power.

● Reflection: How can we move beyond superficial sympathy to genuine, active commitment to those who are suffering?

● Student Action Ideas:

○ Dedicate prayer intentions each week to families facing poverty or displacement worldwide.

○ Organize a household food, clothing, or essential supplies drive for a local shelter or outreach ministry.

○ Learn about a global community in crisis and write letters of encouragement or advocate on their behalf.

Prayer

“O God, who granted to your bishop, Saint Óscar Romero, the grace to give his life for your Church and in defense of human dignity, grant, through his intercession, that we may be steadfast in our witness to the Gospel, courageous in promoting justice, and united in Christian solidarity. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.”

Our Bible Study is now underway. A big thanks to one of our high school students Lely for organizing and running our study and sharing her knowledge of scripture to guide us. A special thanks goes out to those in attendance; it was an earnest discussion of how coming to know scripture can support us in our daily lives! All students in junior and senior high are invited to attend, and the dates of the upcoming sessions are included below. Students can click here to join the next session.

Parent Teacher Interviews are scheduled for Thursday, November 19th from 1:30PM – 6:50PM. Parents and students have the option of attending in-person conferences or zoom. Please note the following dates:

• The booking portal will open Monday, November 2nd at NOON.

• The booking portal will close Thursday, November 19th at NOON.

• No School on Friday, November 20th.

If you choose to book a parent-teacher interview, you will be given the choice of selecting an in-person interview or a Zoom interview. To assist you in selecting the interviews, the location of each teacher (Okotoks or Edmonton office or Zoom only) will be displayed in Conference Manager. If you chose a Zoom conference(s), a Zoom link will be included in the confirmation email you receive for each interview you book.

Our annual Student Awards ceremony is a highlight of the school year! It is our time to recognize the exceptional achievement and commitment of our students. This special event captures the very spirit of The Centre for Learning@HOME by highlighting the diverse talents and hard work that define our unique school community. From academic excellence and spiritual growth in faith to achievements in athletics, citizenship, fine arts, and entrepreneurialism, we are proud to honor the success of our students. We also look forward to honoring a deserving family who has shown outstanding dedication to the journey of Home Education. Please join us as we come together to celebrate the passion that makes our school community so unique. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Awards Ceremony will be held after Parent-Teacher Interviews on Thursday, November 19, from 7:15 – 9:00.

Two locations to join in person:

In Okotoks at The Centre for Learning@HOME, Okotoks office.

Address: 109 Southbank Blvd. Okotoks, AB T1S 0G1

In Edmonton at The Holiday Inn Conference Centre Edmonton South

Address: 4485 Gateway Blvd. Edmonton, AB, T6H 5C3

To join in person please RSVP cflawards@redeemer.ab.ca by Thursday November 12.

Or click here to Join us On Zoom

Our students are doing amazing things both in and outside of school, and we would love to celebrate them! Whether it's through sports, 4-H, music, the arts, a small business, community involvement, or another extracurricular activity, we want to hear about it.

If you know of a student who has an accomplishment or special achievement you'd like us to highlight, please click here to fill out our Student Spotlight form and share it with us. We look forward to celebrating the many talents and successes of our students!

Our PEC team has been busy organizing activities across the province and is thankful to all the support from students and families at our events. We would also like to introduce our new program enhancement coordinator, Ms. Rachel Efird, who will be serving the Edmonton and North region, and we thank Mr. Arthurs for his work with our CFL families. Ms. Efird brings a lot of experience to the role in outdoor education and recreation programming, and leading youth in various capacities. Please welcome her to our school if you see her at an event.

Yes, we knew it had to happen eventually! As we transition toward the winter months, it is important that students are dressed for the weather at our events and activities as well as our Connections@CFL programs.

To learn more about events and activities, and to register, click here.

Each Christmas, The Centre for Learning@Home runs the Adopt-A-Family Program for families in our school community who need a little extra financial assistance during the holiday season. As you plan your Christmas giving, please add the Adopted Family to your list! Your generosity will bring the joy of the season to our families.

Monetary donations go to: https://www.redeemer.ab.ca/donate

Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and click on Make a Donation tab. Under Gift Information click on the Fund Destination drop down menu to choose “Centre for Learning–Adopted Family.” It will ask you to register – follow the prompts – you will be issued a tax receipt automatically for any donation over 20 dollars.

You can also support our Adopt-A-Family program, by purchasing your favourite Purdys chocolates. A portion of every purchase will go directly toward our Christmas campaign.

It's a sweet and simple way to check a few gifts off your Christmas list while supporting families in our school community. Every order helps! Purdys for Christmas - Click here to order!

Thank you for helping us spread a little extra joy and kindness this Christmas!

The Family School Liaison Program is a free, confidential, school-based service that provides support to students navigating social, emotional, and behavioral issues that impact their school functioning. Ms. Polson focuses on providing connection and support to enhance student success at school. You can connect with Ms. Polson via your Canvas Homeroom or by email.

Our November School Council meeting will take place on Monday November 16 at 6:00 PM. All Centre for Learning parents/guardians and students are invited to join. The meeting is held virtually in Zoom, and the agenda will be sent out a week prior to the meeting. Click here to join

November 10: Remembrance Day Liturgy 10:45AM. Click here to join.

November 11: Remembrance Day. No School.

November 16: School Council Meeting 6:00PM. Click here to join.

November 19: Parent Teacher Interviews and CFL@HOME Awards Evening. Click here to sign up for an interview in Conference Manager.

November 20: No school.

November 29: First Sunday of Advent – Watchfulness and Hope

Connect with other CFL@HOME parents on Centre for Learning@HOME Parent Communication Hub. This group is your go-to place to connect with other CFL parents, share experiences, ask questions, and find support on your homeschooling and online education journey. Whether you're looking for advice, resources, or just a friendly chat, you'll find a warm and welcoming community here. Let's work together to create the best learning environment for our children! Join us and be part of a supportive network dedicated to making learning a positive and enriching experience for all.

Joining the Group:

• Search for CFL@HOME Parent Communication Hub on Facebook.
• Click on CFL@HOME Parent Communication Hub in the search results.
• Click "Join Group."

Email: cflregteam@redeemer.ab.ca
Website: https://centreforlearning.redeemer.ab.ca

Location: 200 - 109 Southbank Blvd, Okotoks, AB T1S 0G1, Canada
Phone: 403-938-4119
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centreforlearningathome/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/centreforlearningathome/