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News from Our Grade 2B Host Class Throughout the month of April, we focused on the knowledgeable IB learner profile attribute and the IB PYP attitudes of commitment and independence. Here are some of our reflections for the month.

I was independent when I chose to work by myself to finish my math so that I wouldn’t have any homework. (Brody) I was committed to watching the Oilers all year long, even though they didn’t make the playoffs. (Cormac) I was knowledgeable when I gave my Indian culture presentation to the class. I also used my movement skills to teach the class about Indian dance. (Abiah)

I was independent by not talking to my friends and finishing my math test. (Griffin) I showed commitment by practicing my spelling words at home so that I would get 100% on my spelling test. (Aurick)

I was independent when I worked hard by myself every day to

finish my fictional story. (Danny)

I was knowledgeable when I created a fictional culture presentation in our IB unit of inquiry. (MacLayne)

I showed independence when doing my spelling test. I didn’t talk to anyone and I made sure not to look at anybody else’s work. (Sophie) I showed commitment by working hard to brainstorm ideas and raise money for the families of the Humboldt Broncos. (Kennedy)

MAY 2018 NEWSLETTER

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Administrators’ Message Throughout the month of April, our commitment to the IB Primary Years Programme and to our arts focus was in full force, as students took action to make powerful connections – to our Catholic faith, during our Easter Week celebration; to global perspectives, as we explored the Wild Migrations floor map; to the IB learner profile, as the Grade 2A class led our

communicators assembly; to dance, drama, the visual arts, and physical literacy, as we began our final round of Thunderstruck flex sessions; to our heritage, as we met with former St. Boniface students, teachers, and administrators to prepare for our 50th anniversary; to other learning environments, as some of our classes visited Louis St. Laurent Junior/Senior High School and the Art Gallery of Alberta in appreciation of artistic

expression; to 21st century learning, as our student teachers finished their practicum placements; and to the profound loss experienced by other communities, as we honoured Jersey Day and Sticks Out for Humboldt.

May is a momentous month for us, as we celebrate our golden jubilee! Please join us for our 50th anniversary festivities on

Friday, May 18th – beginning with Mass at St. Thomas More Parish at 9:30 AM, followed by a reception and tours at the school at 11:30 AM. We are blessed to be celebrating our golden jubilee during the month of Mary. We are all invited to the St. Thomas More Parish Marian Mass at 7:00 PM on Monday, May 7th. For this special liturgy, we were asked to create a prayer of intention for our school. Our students used their communication skills to write the following petition, which perfectly captured the enthusiastic, forward-looking spirit of our awesome community!

Almighty God, our Lord and Creator – with profound appreciation and love, we ask you, through the intercession of the Blessed Mother and our namesake, St. Boniface, to help us believe, grow, and prevail for another 50 years and beyond. Amen.

Mrs. Leana Perri Principal

Mr. John Edwards Assistant Principal

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ST. BONIFACE IB MATTERS Dear St. Boniface Learning Community: IB is turning 50! The International Baccalaureate first launched its programme in 1968. As the world was struggling to recover from the impact of two world wars, a group of dedicated thinkers pioneered a movement for international education. The idea was to bring young people together with the skills, values, and knowledge necessary to build a more peaceful future. I believe the IB was successful in what they set out to do. Today, at more than 4000 schools in 159 countries, IB students and graduates use their learning to make a real impact in the communities around them. IB educators have the tools and flexibility to do more than just teach subjects; they ignite passion and curiosity, and teach in a way that is best-suited for them and their students. They are part of what makes an IB education so purposeful and challenging. Every day, they demonstrate the attributes of the IB learner profile and help to nurture these attributes in students. This month, we will be focusing on how we are thinkers, one of the attributes of the IB learner profile. Students who are thinkers work to solve problems independently. They imagine many solutions to a question or challenge. Thinkers make informed decisions and can predict the outcomes of their actions. They think creatively and critically. How can parents help their children to develop the thinkers attribute at home?

† Encourage your child to try thinking of solutions to problems independently.

† Present real-life challenges and questions to your child.

I choose to act with integrity, honesty, and a strong sense of fairness, justice, and respect for the dignity of individuals, groups, and communities. I realize I must accept responsibility for my own actions and the consequences that accompany them. I will encourage others to behave in a principled manner. IB PYP Challenge Do I choose to do the right thing, regardless of who is watching, or NOT watching? Do I hold my friends to the same standard, by refusing to ignore their misbehaviour or, by my silence, do I act as their accomplice? Do I honestly accept my consequences without fussing? If you have any questions regarding the IB Primary Years Programme at St. Boniface, please email me directly at kristine.werzun@ecsd.net. Always thinking, Mrs. K. Werzun IB PYP Coordinator & Learning Coach

IB LEARNER PROFILE

Inquirers………Knowledgeable………Thinkers………Communicators………Principled

Open-minded………Caring………Risk-takers………Balanced………Reflective

As part of my growth, I understand that, when I make the wrong choices, I must take responsibility and abide by the natural

consequences of my actions.

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Important Dates MAY May 6th-11th Catholic Education Week May 7th Field Trip – Grades 1-3 to the Winspear for ESO Musical Storytelling May 7th Marian Mass at St. Thomas More Parish (7:00 PM) May 9th Knowledgeable Assembly – Grade 2B Hosting (9:30 AM) May 9th Wireless Public Alert Test (1:55 PM) May 10th Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Test – English Language Arts (Part A) May 11th Grades 1 & 2 Mother’s Day Tea May 13th Mother’s Day May 16th Booster Juice Snack Day May 17th Skaha Lake Middle School Band Performance (9:00 AM) May 18th 50th Anniversary Festivities (Including Mass at St. Thomas More Parish) May 18th Fun Lunch (Press’d Sandwiches) May 20th Pentecost Sunday May 21st Victoria Day – NO SCHOOL May 22nd Field Trip – Grade 1 to Rundle Park May 22nd Grade 4 Classroom Agriculture Programme PM May 22nd Grade 5 Immunizations (Round 3) PM May 24th Field Trip – Kindergarten to Edmonton Humane Society May 25th Field Trip – Grade 1 to Art Gallery of Alberta May 30th Field Trip – Numero Club to St. Francis of Assisi for Numero Challenge 2018 May 30th School Council Meeting (6:00 PM) JUNE June 1st Family Dance/Barbecue (6:00 PM) June 5th St. Boniface Feast Day June 6th Grade 6 IB PYP Exhibition (6:30 PM) June 7th Field Trip – Kindergarten to John Janzen Nature Centre June 13th Field Trip – Grades 4 & 5 Voyageur Canoeing June 14th Thinkers/Reflective Assembly – Grade 1A & 1B Hosting (9:30 AM) June 15th Fun Day (Sportball) June 15th Fun Lunch (Panago) June 15th Field Trip – Grades 1 & 2 to Ukrainian Culture Heritage Village June 18th Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Test – English Language Arts (Part B) June 19th Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Test – Mathematics (Parts A & B) June 19th Field Trip – Grade 5 to Glastonbury Wetlands June 20th Booster Juice Snack Day June 20th Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Test – Social Studies June 22nd Grade 6 Provincial Achievement Test – Science June 25th Grade 6 Farewell June 26th Year-End Mass at St. Thomas More Parish (10:30 AM) June 27th Kindergarten – Last Day of Classes June 28th Grades 1-6 – Last Day of Classes, Progress Reports Available Online

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School Fees Reminder Thank you to those of you who have paid your school fees! School fees are $30 per student for Kindergarten and $50 per student for Grades 1-6. Fees were due on September 5th. If you have not paid your school fees, you can pay online through PowerSchool using your parent login, or with cash or cheque at the school office.

School Council Our next School Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 30th at 6:00 PM. We appreciate your commitment to your children’s education! All parents/guardians are welcome to join us at School Council meetings.

St. Thomas More Parish The St. Thomas More Catholic Parish Newsletter includes important information about:

† Mass Times

† Youth News

† Sacraments

† Summer Programmes

Apple Donation Programme This year, we are continuing with our apple donation programme. We ask a different class each month to volunteer to bring in apples. These apples will be available in the office for students on Wednesdays and Fridays only. During the month of May, we invite the Grade 5A class to donate apples. Grade 5A parents/guardians – if you can contribute apples this month, please contact the office (780.434.0294) to let us know when you are able to donate, or you may simply drop your apples off at the office. Thank you for your support!

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Fun Lunch and Booster Juice Hi Parents and Guardians, Please remember that you can still order Fun Lunch and Booster Juice for your children! Please visit www.healthyhunger.ca. The cutoff is five days prior to the scheduled date of each Booster Juice and Fun Lunch date. Why make lunch when you don't have to? Our next Fun Lunch and Booster Juice dates are: Booster Juice May 16th please order by May 11th Fun Lunch May 18th Press’d Sandwiches please order by May 13th Volunteers will be required for Fun Lunch on May 18th. If you can volunteer, or if you have any questions about Fun Lunch, please email Kim Nerbas at ktanerbas@gmail.com.

Fundraising News Salisbury Greenhouse The Salisbury Greenhouse gift cards make a great Mother's Day gift, as well as a gift for anyone who has a green thumb or just likes to visit Salisbury. Our school will receive 20% from the total sale of the gift cards. The cutoff date is May 2nd for this fundraiser, in order to guarantee delivery of the gift cards for Mother's Day. Evergreen Greenhouse As per the handout and email sent home, we are able to buy some amazing outdoor flowers for this summer. We are also able to purchase tomato plants and fresh herbs. The cutoff date for this fundraiser is May 16th. The plants will be delivered to our school May 31st. By then, we should be done with the cold weather and will be able to display our amazing plants outside. Family Dance/Barbecue (Friday, June 1st, 6:00-8:45 PM) This year’s Family Dance/Barbecue will have a disco theme! So, everyone dig out your disco-themed clothes and come and enjoy the music of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. We encourage everyone to come dressed for the theme and enjoy an evening of fun. We will have The Lunch Lady prepare the food for the dance, which will be hamburgers and hotdogs. An order form will be sent home at the beginning of May for families to preorder their food. Meal prices will include: a bag of chips; beverage (water or pop); hamburger or hot dog; carrots and dip. We will have raffle prizes, a 50/50 draw, and some silent auction items. If you would like to make a donation to the raffle or silent auction, please email me at ktanerbas@gmail.com. If you would like a copy of a letter to provide to a company, that can be emailed to you, as well. There will be a bake sale (so, all you wonderful people who like to bake, we will be looking for your yummy treats) and some games for families to play. I will be sending home a volunteer sheet along with a detailed information sheet about the dance in early May. The dance is dependent on parent and older sibling volunteers, so please fill out the form and send it back to the school. We are also in need of a disco ball for the dance. If anyone has one that they would be willing to lend out for the night of the dance, please let me know. We are also looking for any parents who may be able to print posters for the family dance to be displayed on a few of the doors at the school. If you have any questions about the dance, please contact me at ktanerbas@gmail.com. Also, if there are any parents out there who would like to take on helping with fundraising for the 2018/2019 school year, please let me know. I would like to step back a bit next year on the fundraising side to allow for another parent (or parents) to take the reins for the years ahead. If this is something you are interested in, let me know. Thanks! Kim Nerbas

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Transportation Information for September 2018 Transportation Services Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 7:15 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday 7:15 AM – 4:00 PM Phone: 780.441.6078 Email: transportationservices@ecsd.net Deadline The deadline for submitting a Transportation Application is Friday, May 25th, 2018. Applications received after May 25th will not be set up for the first day of school. How Will I Be Notified If I Am Not Eligible for Transportation? Your school shall contact you. Going Into Grade 1 September 2018 If your child is currently in half-day Kindergarten and you are eligible for transportation in Grade 1, you must complete and submit a Transportation Application by May 25th to ensure that bussing is in place for the first day of school. Address or Contact Changes Use the Transportation Change Form for changes (cancellation, change in address, or contact information). This form is available at your child’s school and/or the District web site at www.ecsd.net. Cancelling Transportation Email transportationservices@ecsd.net to cancel bussing if you no longer need transportation for September. When Do Changes Begin? Changes always begin on Wednesdays. The first route changes will be for Wednesday, September 12th, 2018. How Will I Be Notified About Transportation? An automated call/email will go out in late August with information about your child’s bus route. Please contact your school to obtain your login and password to your Parent Portal to obtain your child’s bussing information. Curb Service Transportation If your child is currently attending or will be attending a specific program in the District, where Curb Service transportation is provided, a Curb Service Transportation Form must be completed and signed by the Consultant, Principal, and Parent. Please contact your school.

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Barefoot Books This spring, we hosted our very first Barefoot Books event. Barefoot Books began in 1992 with a goal to create beautiful and enduring books for children that open their hearts and minds to our diverse world. They use only sustainably sourced paper and vegetable-based ink and their packaging is made from recycled material, which is recycled again after use. Lindsay Callaghan-Neeves, our gracious ambassador, showcased a number of high-quality books and provided personalized recommendations for the children and families at St. Boniface. A total of $729.00 worth of books was sold; from that, the school received $218.70 in free items and 60% off a book bundle. The teachers will now have a few more books to help support their units of inquiry. Thank you to everyone who supported this event!

Easter Week Celebration We were honoured to have our District Chaplain, Father Dean Dowle, join us for our Easter Week celebration, as the students of Grade 4A and 9G applied their organization skills and communication skills to lead the gathering with tremendous confidence and enthusiasm.

https://twitter.com/StBonifaceECSD/status/982644708861140993

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Wild Migrations Floor Map Written by the students of 9G

As globally-minded thinkers, we explored North America, Central America, and part of South America with the Wild Migrations giant floor map from Canadian Geographic Education. We inquired into the ways we share the planet and made connections to the migration of different animal species. When we did our map treasure hunt, we used our communication skills to listen to each other and take turns talking. We used our research skills by checking the legends. We used our social skills to work well together and that made the learning fun! We used our self-management skills to finish on time and to print our answers neatly on our sheets. We used our thinking skills to come up with new treasure hunt challenges for our Grade 1 buddies.

Numero Challenge 2018

With St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Elementary School, we will be cohosting the Numero Challenge again this year. On Wednesday, May 30th, our Numero Club members will be joined at St. Francis of Assisi by students from seven other schools for a morning of numeracy fun, fellowship among young mathematicians, yummy snacks, and

awesome prizes. Numero is a math activity that develops strategic thinking, mental computation, autonomous learning, and lateral thinking. Last year, Annunciation Catholic Elementary IB World School took home the trophy for the third year in a row, making their Numero Challenge dynasty status official. Our St. Boniface team came in second, which was unprecedented for a team in its very first year. This school year, our Numero Club has been meeting three times a week to get ready for Numero Challenge 2018. Game on, Annunciation!

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May 2018

“Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope.” ~ The Hail Holy Queen

In the month of May, when our thoughts turn towards paying special honor to our mothers and the women in

our lives who fill that maternal role, we also turn our hearts toward our Mother, Mary. She is our model of

saying “yes” to the call of our God, and she is also our model of grace, compassion, love, and tenderness. As we

pray the rosary, we pray with hope to our holy Mother to intercede on our behalf so that we may feel God’s

abundant mercy.

The week of May 6-11 is Catholic Education Week and May 10 is World Catholic Education Day. It is a time

when we will ask our staff and our students to focus on the gifts that are to be found in an education that is

grounded in our Catholic faith. Our work will be centred on empowering our community to articulate the many

valuable aspects of attending Catholic schools. This, in turn, will also enable people to advocate for the need for

ongoing and meaningful support of Catholic education in our province. It is important that we all speak up for

Catholic education with a strong voice!

Edmonton Catholic Schools has many partners who help us provide exceptional learning opportunities and

supports for our students. One of our excellent partners is the City of Edmonton. They provide support for many

of our programs and events. One such example is our upcoming 37th Annual Ben Calf Robe Traditional Pow

Wow. This amazing experience of Indigenous culture will take place from 1-10 pm on May 12 at the

Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre. Admission is free, and it is a great family event! To learn more

about Our Partnerships, visit our public website at www.ecsd.net and look under “About Us”.

Our District Budget, 2018-2019 will be presented at the May 29 Public Meeting of the Board. Thank you to all

our stakeholders who took the time to complete our Budget Survey. Your voice was so important in helping us

to set our priorities for this budget.

I leave you with words of thanks from Pope Francis to all the women who fill the role of Mother in our world:

“Mothers are the strongest antidote to the spread of self-centred individualism… It is they who testify to the

beauty of life.” Certainly, “a society without mothers would be dehumanized, for mothers are always, even in

the worst of times, witnesses to tenderness, dedication and moral strength. Mothers often communicate the

deepest meaning of religious practice in the first prayers and acts of devotion that their children learn…

Without mothers, not only would there be no new faithful, but the faith itself would lose a good part of its simple

and profound warmth… Dear mothers: thank you! Thank you for what you are in your family and for what you

give to the Church and the world”. (Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia, 174)

Have a wonderful month of May!

Sincerely,

Joan Carr

Superintendent

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Edmonton Catholic School District

Parent Newsletters

May 2018

Mothers and Myrrh-bearing Women

Soon after Jesus’ resurrection, the word of God continued to spread and the number of faithful greatly increased – so

much so that the twelve disciples had difficulty in continuing to care for the widows and the daily distribution of food. To help

in these important tasks, the disciples chose seven men from among their midst, including Stephen, who would become the

first-martyr for the faith (see Acts 6:1-7).

Yet, men were not the only ones who followed Jesus and supported his ministry, both in his life, and at his death.

So, as we celebrate Mother’s Day, let us recall the myrrh-bearing women, who ran to the tomb on that first Easter

morning.

The myrrh-bearing women are the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ death and the place of his burial. They are also the witnesses

of his resurrection. And they are the ones who receive the glorious news from the angel, who tells them, “Do not be alarmed;

you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid

him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”

As we read in Father Thomas Rosica’s book, Stay with Us…, Encounters with the Risen Lord:

“These women represented countless nameless yet devoted women who were part of the crowds Jesus addressed and in

the homes he frequented.

“They were the courageous ones who reached out fearlessly to touch the fringe of his cloak.

“They shouted after him; they entered his hosts’ houses uninvited; they poured expensive perfumed nard over his feet.

“They knew the promise made to them, they welcomed him, they knew from Jesus’ own treatment of them the strength

of their own testimony to him, and they were unafraid to show him great love.

“In the end, they stood beneath his dying body, while the men were hiding for fear of the authorities.

“It was the women who grounds spices for his burial and calculated how to roll back the stone from his tomb.

“They attended firmly to the business of his living and dying.

“[And] they were rewarded for their fidelity by being the first recipients of the Good News of the Resurrection” (pp.

45-46).

My late mother, Olga – God bless her soul, was also a myrrh-bearing woman in her own right. As I’ve shared before,

she taught me as a young boy about God, about love, and the importance of family and friends. She taught me about caring for

neighbours. She taught me my daily prayers – the Our Father, the Hail Mary, how to make the sign of the Cross, and the Ten

Commandments – in Ukrainian I might add, and even before I ever attended summer Catechism with the Sisters Servants of

Mary Immaculate at the age of 5 (mom didn't want the Sisters to think that she neglected her duty as a mother in passing down

the faith to her children!).

Like my mother, your mother, all mothers are myrrh-bearing women. They received the Good News of the

Resurrection of Our Lord that very first Easter morning. They received the great command to go tell others of the joy of the

Gospel message, of God’s love and mercy in the world.

This Mother’s Day, let us offer a word of prayer and thanksgiving to God for all moms who have showed us love and

raised us to be who we are today, truly children of God.

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms!

And to my mom, may God grant you eternal rest! I love you!

Bishop David

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Mother’s Day – Honoring Our Mothers

The practice of celebrating Mother’s Day comes from Civil War times. Mrs. Ann Reeves Jarvis

wanted to organize a special day for mothers who had sons fighting on opposing sides in the Civil War.

Ann Jarvis was a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil

War, and created Mother's Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Jarvis’s daughter, Anna,

wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and, in 1907, began a movement to

make Mother’s Day a national event. Anna wanted to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she

believed a mother is “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.” Finally, in

1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day.

Mothers teach love. And they teach it by doing loving things for their children and for other

people. Mothers, like Jesus, become the measurement of how we are to love. Jesus said, “I give you a

new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one

another.” (John 13:34) So every mother silently says the same. Watch me and you will learn how to

love. Let me move you from self-centeredness to sharing and concern for others. Watch me and I will

show you how to do it. This way, every mother furthers the good news of Christ.

Out of French Revolution came the story of a mother who had wandered through the woods for

three days with her two children, trying to survive on roots and leaves. On the third day, she heard

some soldiers approaching and quickly hid herself and the children behind some bushes. The sergeant

in charge prodded the bushes to see what was stirring behind them. When he saw the starving woman

and children he immediately gave them a loaf of bread. The mother took it eagerly, broke it into two

pieces, and gave one piece to each of the children. “She has kept none for herself,” the sergeant said.

“Because she is not hungry?” a soldier asked. “Because she is a mother,” the sergeant replied.

Love is taught by loving actions. Our first experience of love in this life comes from our

mothers. We recognize that instinctively. We need to acknowledge also that the love of God is taught

by lots of “moms” and “dads” – even the ones that are childless or single. And so Mother’s Day and

Father’s Day really celebrate all those people who have mothered and fathered us, and taught us how to

love.

“Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34) This is the perfect

verse and message for Mother’s Day. Why? Because love is what mothers do best.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Fr. Julian Bilyj

District Chaplain Resources: A World of Stories for Preachers and Teachers by Fr. William J. Bausch. Twenty-Third Publications, Mystic, CT, 2004.

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May 2018

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 Gr. 1-3 to Winspear Marian Mass STM 7:00 PM

8 9 Knowledgeable Assembly 9:30 AM Wireless Public Alert Test 1:55 PM

10 Gr. 6 PAT ELA (Part A)

11 Gr. 1 & 2 Mother’s Day Tea

12

13 14 Last Senior Dance Club Session

15 16 Booster Juice Snack Day

17 Skaha Band 9:00 AM

18 50th Anniversary Festivities Fun Lunch

19

20 21 NO SCHOOL

22 Gr. 1 to Rundle Park Gr.4 CAP Gr. 5 Immunizations

23

24 Kindergarten to EHS

25 Gr. 1 to AGA

26

27 28 29 30 Numero Challenge School Council Meeting 6:00 PM

Please note that information about specific classroom events will be communicated to parents through the classroom teacher. As well, please be aware that other events may arise over the course of the month. Clubs & Teams

Numero Club Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays 12:20-12:38 PM Senior Dance Club Mondays 3:10-4:10 PM Art Club Fridays 12:00-12:30 PM

Catholic Education Week May 6th-11th