St. Rita Page 1 February Newsletter St. Rita

February 2020 Newsletter

I t is hard to believe that we are entering the second half of the school year. February is a busy month with many events planned. Please refer to

the monthly calendars attached, and to the week at a glance section of the website. With this weekend’s cold weather, we remind parents to dress their children for the weather. Students go outside for fresh air and free play time at recess and lunch when the temperature is no colder than –20º Celsius. Please ensure your children have appropriate hats, mitts, scarves, boots, etc. (all labeled) so they may enjoy their outside time safely. On a similar note, on days when the temperature is below –20º patrols will not be crossing students. Please ensure your child crosses with a parent. During the month students will be involved in a number of initiatives to support their learning. February 12th is Red Day! Students will be attending a Canadian citizenship ceremony hosted in our school gym. 20 individuals will be receiving their Canadian citizenship that day, including Miss Tina and her family! February 25th is Shrove Tuesday. The Knights of Columbus from St. Peter’s Parish will be making our pancakes. If you would like to volunteer that day, watch for a notice going home next week. Students in K and Grade 1 will celebrate the “100th Day of school” sometime this month, watch for more information from your child’s teacher. Pink Shirt Day, a day to raise awareness around positive peer interaction is on February 26th. Teachers will be involved in the Calgary City Teachers’ Convention, February 13th and 14th. This convention is mandated through the School Act and paid for by teachers through Alberta Teachers’ Association fees. It is an excellent opportunity for our teachers to stay current in teaching methods and strategies. Monday, February 17th is Family Day, no classes will be in session. We hope you enjoy this day spending time with your loved ones.

W hen everything seems to go wrong,

just P.U.S.H.! When the job gets you down,

just P.U.S.H.! When people don't react the

way you think they should, just P.U.S.H.!

When your money looks funny and the bills are due,

just P.U.S.H.! When you want to curse them out for whatever the reason,

just P.U.S.H.! When you ask the question, when is my ship coming in?

(as I often do), just P.U.S.H.!

When people just don't understand you, just P.U.S.H.!

Not to continue on and on… let me tell you what P.U.S.H.

stands for. P–ray U–ntil

S–omething H–appens

Pink Shirt Day—February 26th

Message from Administration Just P.U.S.H.

I f you have a child that will be turning five on or before December 31st, they are eligible to register for a September start to Kindergarten.

Please spread the word to anyone you know who may not see this newsletter but qualify. Registration takes place at the school anytime during office hours (8:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.). All you need to bring with you is your child’s Birth Certificate. If you have a Baptismal certificate (parent or child), please bring that as well.

Kindergarten Registration

7811 Ranchview Dr NW Calgary, Alberta T3G 2B3 Phone: 403-500 2083 Fax: 403-500-2283

Principal: Marcie Gomes Assistant Principal: Karen Strand Secretary: Dorrie Banasiak

Website: http://www.cssd.ab.ca/schools/stRita

St. Rita Page 2 February Newsletter

A s an annual check-up on the education system, the Accountability Pillar provides an opportunity for Alberta Education and school

authorities to ensure that we are equipping students for success.

The Accountability Pillar uses a set of 16 indicators consisting of surveys of students, parents and teachers on various aspects of quality; student outcomes such as dropout and high school completion rates; and provincial assessments of student learning. From January to the end of February, Alberta Education will be conducting the annual Accountability Pillar Survey. In January, parents of students in grades 4, 5 and 6 will receive a survey from Alberta Education. In November, students in grades 4, 5, 6 completed their surveys online at school. All surveys are anonymous and ask questions about experiences with the school. In addition to English and French, the parent survey is available in Chinese, Punjabi, Arabic, Blackfoot, Cree, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog and Urdu. Your participation in the survey helps provide important information on the quality of education your child is receiving, so we encourage you to return your survey promptly. Survey results will be available to school authorities in May 2018, and will be reported publicly as part of their 3-Year Education Plans and Annual Education Results Reports.

Keeping Active During Winter

Alberta Education Survey

C anada’s Physical Activity Guides recommend that children and youth be active for at least 60 minutes every day. Adults should try to be

active for at least 150 minutes per week. Although 60 minutes of activity seems like a lot and may be difficult to include (given the other time demands such as homework, school, after school activities etc…) there are many ways to include activity each and every day. SOME WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR DAILY ACTIVITY: • Use active transportation (e.g., walking to the store) whenever possi-

ble. • Decrease inactive time by 30 minutes and increase active time by 30

minutes. • Involve your children in housekeeping activities such as shoveling, vac-

uuming, and sweeping. • Walk your child to school or ask other parents that walk to school if

your child can join. • Plan for activities before and after dinner and on the weekends. • Make activity fun. • Take small steps towards the larger goal and don’t be discouraged by

roadblocks along the way.

W e have an overwhelming amount of unpaid school fees. Fees can be paid at the office with cash or cheque and online with a credit card. We ask parents to contact the office to make payment arrangements if

they are unable to pay fees in full at this time. Planned activities and fieldtrips may need to be cancelled if we do not have enough funds to cover costs due to unpaid fees.

Unpaid School Fees

O n Wednesday February 26th we would like to invite all stu-

dents to participate in Pink Shirt Day. Pink Shirt Day or Anti-Bullying Day originated in Nova Scotia in 2007 after a male stu-dent was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. We wear pink to stand up against bullying in schools and to raise awareness of this on-going issue. We ask that students wear a pink shirt to remember the victims of bullying so that we may bring to light the issues students face in schools every day.

P lease DO NOT enter the school parking lot while dropping off

your child before school, or while picking them up after school. The safety of our students is of primary concern for us and we have had close calls recently with the potential of injury being at risk.

Pink Shirt Day

Parking Lot Safety

We are continuing with Healthy

Choices for our Snack Attack. This initiative offers healthy snacks to students in hopes that they may try something new. Jan-uary’s focus was milk, students learned how milk has valuable nu-trients for our bodies to grow strong. This month it will be smoothies!

The first week of February stu-

dents will be participating in a dance residency with DancePLAY. Our instructor Matt will be back to teach the kids some cool dance moves!. Join us on Friday, Febru-ary 7th at 2 pm for student per-formances!

Healthy Choices

DancePLAY

St. Rita School February 2020 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

2 3 Day 1

4 Day 2 9:30-10:30: Souper Stars gr. 4 10:45-11:45: Souper Stars gr. 5

5 Day 3 10: Winter Walk 11: Snack Attack

6 Day 4 3:15-4:15: Boost Floor Hockey

7 Day 5 2:00: Dance Performances

8

9 10 Day 6 11 Day 1 9:30-10:30: Souper Stars gr. 4

10:00: Gr 2/3 S4 presentation

10:45-11:4m: Souper Stars gr. 5

3:15: School Council Meeting

12 Day 2 Red Day! 8:45-8:55: Walking Wednesday 9:30am: Citizenship Ceremony

13

Teachers' Convention - no

classes

14

Teachers' Convention - no

classes

15

16 17 Family Day – no

classes

18 Day 3 9:30-10:30: Souper Stars gr. 4 10:45-11:45: Souper Stars gr. 5

19 Day 4 20 Day 5 Litterless Lunch

10:45-11:30: St. Ambrose Visits Gr. 6

3:15-4:15: Boost Floor Hockey

6:30: St. Jean Brebeuf Gifted Program Open House

21 Day 6

22

23 24 Day 1

25 Day 2 Shrove Tuesday 9:30-10:30: Souper Stars gr. 4 9:45: Hymn Sing 11:30: CPAW with Earth Guardians 10:45-11:45: Souper Stars gr. 5

26 Day 3

Ash Wednesday Pink Shirt Day

1:00: Ash Wednesday Liturgy 3:30-4:30: Family Nature Club

27 Day 4 3:15-4:15: Boost Floor Hockey

28 Day 5

Decade Day Fun Lunch

29

K – 6: Pl3y Now Dance Residency

Gymnastics

St. Rita School March 2020

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 Day 6

3 Day 1 9:30-10:30: Souper Stars gr. 4

10:45-11:45: Souper Stars gr. 5

3:15-4:15: Boost Hockey

4 Day 2

5 Day 3 3:15-4:15: Boost Floor Hockey

6 Day 4

7

8 9 Day 5 10:00: Gr 5/6 S4 presentation

10 Day 6 9:30-10:30: Souper Stars gr. 4

10:45-11:45: Souper Stars gr. 5

3:15: School Council Meeting

11 Day 1 10:00: Snack Attack

12 Day 2

13 Day 3

14

15 16 Day 4 17 Day 5

Green Day 9:00: 1 – 6 to National Geographic Live

18 Day 6

4:15 – 7:15:

Parent/Teacher Conferences

19

9 - 3 Parent

Conferences no classes

20 Professional Day all - no classes

21

22 23 Day 1 AM Joe Starlight presentation (K-6)

24 Day 2 9:30-10:30: Souper Stars gr. 4

10:45-11:45: Souper Stars gr. 5

25 Day 3 26 Day 4 Litterless Lunch

27 Day 5

Crazy Hair Day Fun Lunch

28

29 30 Day 6 12:45: Gr 5/6 Crossfit 1:45: Gr 1/2 Crossfit

31 Day 1 9:00: Gr 4 to TELUS 12:45: Gr 1/2 Crossfit 1:45: Gr 5 Crossfit

Gymnastics

Gymnastics

1000 - 5 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 4T9 403-500-2000 www.cssd.ab.ca

CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MONTHLY NEWS

FEBRUARY 2020

District Day 2020Join Calgary Catholic on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020 at 7 p.m. and cheer on the Hitmen as they face off against the Prince Albert Raiders. Enjoy free light-up foam sticks and face painting in Section 214 and watch CCSD students sing the national anthem and perform an on-ice hockey demonstration. Tickets are only $12 and $2 from every ticket, along with a portion of the 50/50 sales, go to schools through the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation. Visit ccsdinfo.ca/DistrictDay2020 to buy tickets. Use the code DISTRICT.

CCSD Flames FundraiserCalgary Catholic and the Calgary Flames are offering students, staff and families discounted tickets to Flames games in February and March, while also fundraising for their schools. Last year, CCSD raised more than $7,000 for schools and the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation. For every ticket sold, the Calgary Flames will donate $10 back to your school. Tickets can be purchased at ccsdinfo.ca/FlamesFundraiser.

Kindergarten RegistrationAll CCSD elementary schools offer a kindergarten program. Depending on total kindergarten enrolment, schools may offer a choice of morning or afternoon classes on a first-come, first-served basis. To register, contact your local school or visit the website at ccsdinfo.ca/Registration to learn more.

Open Houses & Program Information NightsOver the coming months, several Calgary Catholic schools will be hosting Open Houses and Program Information Nights. These events offer students and their families an opportunity to visit and get to know their local Calgary Catholic school. They are also a great way to learn more about each school’s unique program offerings. For a full list of upcoming events, visit our website at cssd.ab.ca/News.

CCEF 10th Anniversary RaffleThe Calgary Catholic Education Foundation is once again holding a biennial raffle to raise funds for learning enhancements for 116 schools and 58,000 students attending the Calgary Catholic School District. This year, the foundation changed things up from cars and prizes and are offering $75,000 in cash prizing. Tickets prices are $10 for single and $25 for a 3-pack (must be sold together). The raffle will run from January 6 to February 21, 2020. Tickets are now available at schools and online at theccef.ca/raffle.

Chief Superintendent Gary Strother retiresCalgary Catholic School District’s Chief Superintendent Gary Strother announced his retirement effective Feb. 29, 2020. He has been with the district for more than 36 years and our community is incredibly grateful for his leadership throughout the last eight years. Gary’s legacy includes a vibrant spiritual and academic culture, continual improvements to our education programs and staff performance and effective stewardship of resources that benefit our students. We wish him all the best in the future. Click here to read the full media release.

There will be no classes on Thursday, Feb. 13 and Friday, Feb. 14 for Teachers’ Convention, as well as Monday, Feb. 17 for Family Day. We hope everyone can enjoy quality time with family.