Welcome to the 2019-2020 School year at Archbishop O’Leary !! For those of you new to O’Leary my name is Donita Large and I am the First Na-tions, Metis & Inuit (FNMI) Graduation Coach here at O’Leary. I am here to provide students with support and tools needed for high school gradua-tion. Tanisha Mora, our Transi-tion Coach, also is on hand each morning to support our Grade 10 students on their first year of high school. Braided Journeys has many great programs to offer: Career & Post—Secondary Counselling We work on career and/or post secondary plans for each Indige-nous student. All grades will be able to investigate careers, cre-ate a resume, attend Lunch &

Science 10 or higher can also get STEM Acceler8 tutoring at the UofA on Wednesday evenings. Let Donita know your specific course concerns so she can help find you the right help. Cultural/Ceremonies Attend PDT on Mondays for Smudge ceremonies and other cultural teachings. A Sweatlodge ceremony may be coordinated if there is enough student interest. Leadership Club Gain valuable leadership training and opportunities that will look good on your resume or scholar-ship applications. We meet Wednesday after school. We do lots of interesting things so don’t miss out.

ARCHBISHOP O’LEARY

BRAIDED JOURNEYS newsletter

A little about me...

My home community is Saddle Lake Cree

Nation in northeastern Alberta. I have

lived in Edmonton for over 23 years

working within the Indigenous communi-

ty in health, wellness and education. I

have been working as a Grad Coach at

O’Leary for the last 6 years.

Learns and listen to career speak-ers. Research program require-ments, tour post secondary schools and explore scholarship opportunities. In addition to our post secondary group tours, Do-nita will also book student for a day visits for students serious about investigating their educa-tional options. Study Room Students can work in the Braided Journeys room during their spares, PDT block, lunch and after school. Need help with your schedule, course changes or have other school concerns? We are here to help.

Tutoring Need a extra help with your stud-ies? Look for Braided Journeys Tuesday PDT sessions that feature tutoring. Students in Math 10C ,

Feel free to stop in to say “Hi” join in our programs and ask questions.

Donita Large, FNMI Graduation Coach Archbishop O’Leary High School

Braided Journeys Program

Ph: 780-476-6251 C: 780-240-0891 Email: Donita.Large@ecsd.net

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Interested in making a difference in your community?Join Leadership to help local causes, learn some new skills, get some cool opportunities that look good on your resume and scholarship applications. Plus we have lots of fun! All you have to do is show up! The Leadership students who volunteer and show up regularly get some cool Braided Journeys swag, are the first to be asked on field trips and can earn Braided Journeys credits. On October 24th, last year’s top Leaders will be receiving a

Leadership Award during O’Leary Awards Night!

Congratulations to Natasha B., Yndes G., Kylie M., Venessa

C., Julia B., Kelsey R., Angel S., Trayden C., Keenan H., &

Roger B., for you commitment and hard work!

Braided Journeys Leadership every Wednesday 3pm-4:30pm.

CAREER—it helps to build your resume; you develop important work and life based skills; develops your port-folio for scholarship applications

COMMUNITY— you are able to make a positive contribution to your community

ESTEEM— helping others increases self-esteem. Feeling needed relieves you of loneliness and makes you feel good about yourself

“Go out and make some good

things happen, you will fill the

world with hope, you will fill

yourself with hope.”

Barak Obama

VALUES—allows you to live out your personal and cultural values. Choose volunteering opportunities that are close to your heart.

BELONGING—it helps you feel like you are part of a community

AWARENESS—it increases your understanding of yourself and also the issues that people in society face

There are many opportunities to volunteer through the Braided Jour-neys Program.

Volunteer with us at the Edmonton Food Bank

Upcoming Thursdays (1pm-4pm)

Nov 21, 2019

Dec 12, 2019

Jan 9, 2020

Gain service hours. Add to your resume.

STAY CONNECTED!

If you’re a FNMI student don’t be freaked out if Donita wants to check in with you. She may call you from

class to have a short meeting with you to check on how things are going ot to do some future

career/post sec planning. She is here to make sure you are doing well and to see if there is

anything she can help you with. FYI.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES! Sept 11—1st Leadership Meeting (continue weekly)

Sept 12—Grade 10’s went canoeing

Sept 13—Welcome Breakfast for Grade 10’s & new students

Sept 14– 1st Smudge Ceremony PDT (continue weekly)

Sept 17—Lunch & Learn with NAIT (we provide lunch)

Sept 18—Leadership team—work on Orange Shirt Day displays

Sept 19—Roots for Tree’s Elder Teaching & Volunteering

Sept 25—1st STEM Acceler8 Tutoring session at UofA & Leadership

Team will be prepping for a City of Edmonton event.

Sept 26—Orange Shirt Day “Reclaiming Hope” event (field trip).

Sept 30—Honoring Orange Shirt Day at O’Leary, PDT in HUB, wear

orange t-shirts, Cree prayer for announcements and more.

Oct 1—UofA TYP & Native Studies Programs Lunch & Learn

Oct 10—City of Edmonton Indigenous Framework Event to Engage

Young Leaders Field Trip

Oct 11 - School PD Day—School is closed.

Oct 16—UofA Health Discovery Day for 5 students serious about

health careers.

Oct 18—NAIT Open House & Bowling Field Trip

Oct 23– No Leadership mtg this day.

Oct 24—O’Leary Awards Night, Braided Journeys Leadership

Awards are awarded!

We are just getting started!!! More activities are always

added so make sure to stop in the Braided Journeys Room

and see what is happening, events are posted on the clip-

boards None of these great opportunities are mandatory. If

you do want to participate in any please let Donita know!

Braided Journeys offers many great opportunities for students to be involved in .

You are welcome to participate in as many of the activities as you would like.

The most important thing is to stay connected so you know what is going on.

Cell Phone: (780) 240-0891

Email: Donita.Large@ecsd.net

Facebook: Braided Journeys O’Leary

Braided Journeys Week At a Glance

Monday:

PDT—Culture/Smudge Sessions

After School—Starting in October—

Students can attend the St. Joe’s

Rainbow Spirit Dance Troupe practice

(travel by cab is provided if parents

sign a field trip form).

Tuesday:

PDT—Homework Sessions

Lunch & Learn sessions—twice

monthly (career& post sec speakers)

Wednesday:

PDT- Career Sessions

After school—Leadership Team mtgs

After school Math/Science Acceler8

Tutoring at U of A 4pm-6pm

(transporter to U of A & supper in-

cluded)

Thursday:

We often book Leadership field trips

& special events on this day

Friday:

Post Secondary Tours are booked

throughout the year (NAIT, Macewan,

UofA)

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First Nations, Metis & Inuit

HONOURING CEREMONY 2019

ORANGE SHIRT DAY to

honour Residential School Survivors

TREE

PLANTING with Roots for

Trees

On Sept 26th Braided Journeys sites joined at St. Joes

for for our Reclaiming Hope event. As a part of the day we

had a BRAVE presentation to increase awareness of sexu-

al exploitation. On Sept 30th, O’Leary hosted a PDT ses-

sion, a morning prayer in Cree & SU gave ourt orange brace-

lets that said “In Solidairity” to O’Leary students.

On the left: FNMI

Valedictorian, Kylie Moisan

DAY 1 DAY 2 DAY 1

THURSDAY

DAY 2

THURSDAY

PDT

8:20AM-9:10AM

1

8:20AM-9:15AM

4

8:20AM-9:15AM

1

9:15AM

10:30AM

4

9:15AM

10:30AM

3

9:15AM

10:10AM

2

9:15AM

10:10AM

3

10:35AM

11:45AM

2

10:35AM

11:45AM

5

10:15AM

11:05AM

8

10:15AM

11:05AM

LUNCH

11:45-12:25PM

7

11:10AM

12:00PM

6

11:10AM

12:00PM

5

12:30PM

1:40PM

8

12:30PM

1:40PM

STAFF PROFESSIONAL

LEARNING TIME 7

1:45PM

2:55PM

6

1:45PM

2:55PM

O’Leary Schedule

(with PDT)

PDT us a great oppor-

tunity for extra help

with cores or to do

some fun activities.

Braided Journeys has

PDT sessions every

week.

Parents if you have any

questions about your

child’s attendance,

courses or schedule

please contact me, I’m

here to help.

Congratulations to all our alumni who were

awarded post secondary scholarships! Your

hard work & leadership work paid off!

Post-Secondary & Career field trips

UofA

Health

Students do you

still need to take

CALM? Braided

Journeys will be

offering it during

Spring Break (CALM is a graduation

requirement).

Make sure to let Do-

nita know if you are

interested.

Coming up...

UofA Health Discovery Day Oct 16

NAIT Open House Oct 18

NAIT PAY Day Dec 3: Patricia Campus

Grade 12’s can book Student for a Day trips to

Macewan and UofA with Donita for their select

programs of interest now. Grade 11 students can

book one with Donita for January during exam

break.

To the right: Julia

Babiak and her mom

Nicole after receiving

her scholarship & sash

at the BBMA Awards.

You are invited for great food! Entertainment! Door prizes!

MARK YOUR

CALENDARS

PARENTS!

Helpful Info for Parents

If you have received this newsletter than you have chosen to identify your child as a First Nations,

Metis or Inuit (FNMI) student. This is fantastic as I will be able to provide extra supports to your child

while they are at O’Leary and they will have access to all that Braided Journeys Grad Coach Program

has to offer. All the activities and opportunities are optional and not mandatory, your child can be

involved as little or as much of our program as they would like.

Do you have access to Parent Powerschool?

If you have internet access I highly recommend accessing Powerschool, if you don’t already. This great tool

gives you the low down on your child’s assignments, marks, attendance and so on. If you do not have access

to Powerschool please ask me for assistance. If you do not have access to the internet you can also contact

Donita for updates on your child’s progress or other school needs.

Parents we value your involvement! Therefore know that we will also want to connect with you on a regular basis. We

can call home, email or text you - whatever you prefer. Not only do we want to give you updates on your child’s pro-

gress we also want to invite you to our family events.