Dear parents,

Although the 2020-21 school year startup has been unusual in every sense, we are extremely happy to be back at school. The staff and students have done an amazing job of becoming accustomed to our new routines and norms. We are exercising the precautions that were set out for our re-entry plan and continue to be very cautious for the safety of all.

Thus far this month we have had our virtual meet the staff, a virtual school opening celebration as well as our Terry Fox run. Although we cannot gather, we are finding new and innovative ways to be able to come together virtually and still run events in different formats.

We have also had fire drill and lockdown practices; our students have completed those promptly and efficiently.

We are looking forward to READ IN week next week. Although we cannot invite guests to come and read in our classrooms at this time, parents are encouraged to get in contact with their child’s teacher and perhaps organize a virtual reading.

We are also preparing for our virtual Thanksgiving Day celebration on Friday October 9th which will be led by our grade 5A class.

As we progress in our school year, we ask that you continue to monitor your child’s symptoms prior to coming to school. It is important that we all follow the isolation protocols in order to keep one another safe.

We also thank you for all of your prayers and many well wishes during this time. We recognize the many challenges this pandemic poses on all of our lives and are extremely grateful to have your support as we progress together in this school year.

May Our Lord continue to keep you safe! Señora Zelada Ms. Coulombe Principal Assistant Principal

WELCOME BACK! POWERSCHOOL Please ensure that you have access to your parent PowerSchool site. Information such as Report Cards, Attendance, School Fees, and Bussing are all available for parents. All payments of fees, bussing, and fieldtrips are to be made through the parent PowerSchool site. You may use debit, credit card or prepaid credit card for payment online.

COVID PROCEDURES Students will, socially distancing, wait for their teacher, who will meet them at the door. Prior to entering the school all Grade 4-6 students must wear a mask. (It is strongly encouraged for K-3 students.) Students will sanitize their hands using the sanitizer station located at the designated door. Students will proceed to their classroom with their teacher. WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD IS SICK If your child has any of these symptoms, they are legally required to isolate for at least 10 days from the start of symptoms or until they resolve, whichever is longer: Fever Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Runny nose Sore throat If your child is tested for Covid-19, then they may return to school upon receiving a negative test result if they have no more symptoms and have not been a close contact to a confirmed case. If your child has other symptoms, they should stay home until symptoms resolve: Chills Painful swallowing Stuffy nose Headache Muscle or joint aches

Feeling unwell, fatigue or severe exhaustion Gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained loss of appetite) Loss of sense of smell or taste Conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the office. PICKING UP YOUR CHILD? Parents, please remember that if you are picking up your child during school hours you MUST ring the front door doorbell, let the office staff know who you are picking up and the office staff will call your child down to the office. The student will be walked to the front door, at this time the parents may come into the vestibule and sign their child out in the sign out book. (Please ensure that you are wearing a mask when you come into the school to sign out your child) If your child normally takes the bus home and you decide to pick them up, pleased ensure that you let the bus driver or their bus supervisor know that the student will not be taking the bus, this is so we may mark them off our list and that the bus does not wait for a student that has already gone home.

Transportation Information Transportation Services: Hours: Mon - Fri 7:15 AM – 5:00 PM Thursday 7:15 - 4:00 PM Phone: 780 441 6078 Email: transportationservices@ecsd.net Transportation Applications / Curb Service / Change Forms Can be found on our website at www.ecsd.net in the box that says School Bus Info, click on View Transportation, scroll down and you will �ind both the Transportation application and the Change form. Kindergarten & Grade 1 Students For safety reasons can only ride the bus when their names appear on the Detail report. They must be met by an adult or they shall be returned to their school where they can be picked up. When to catch my bus? Please be out 5 minutes prior to your scheduled pick up time. What to do if my bus does not arrive? Please wait 10 minutes after your pick-up / drop off time, if the bus has not arrived please call our of�ice at 780 441 6078. Bus Noti�ications

If our of�ice is advised that a bus is running late, we shall send out a swift call to the families as well as posting it on our Delay Board which we try to keep updated in real time which can be found on our website at www.ecsd.net Please ensure we have your current phone number and email address. Route Change Dates (Regular Yellow & Curb Service) Changes only occur on Wednesdays. We will begin preparing changes for Wednesday September 11th and each Wednesday after. If you did not get an application to us prior to May 24th, 2019 then you may not have a stop for the �irst day of School. Changes take 2 – 3 weeks starting September 3rd and then each Wednesday after. How will I be noti�ied about transportation changes? An automated email will go out on a Friday night around 6:00 pm regarding possible changes to your child’s bus route. Go to your parent portal to see your child’s transportation information showing the effective date. Please contact your school to obtain your login and password to your Parent Portal. SCHOOL SCHEDULE

Time Group Place Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday 8:05 8:18

8:18 8:23

Group A Group B

Bell for Group A Bell for Group B

9:45-10:00

Group A

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4

1C&1D&1A Andrea 5A &4DColleen 2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Vivian

2/3 Amaya 6C & 6D Karri 1C&1D&1A Cassandra 5A &4D Alex

1C &1D&1A Sandra 5A &4D Colleen 2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Vivian

1C & 1D &1A Cassandra 5A &4D Colleen/Alex 2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Anita

2/3 Amaya 6C & 6D Anita 1C & 1D &1A Cassandra 5A &4D Alex

10:15-10:30

Group B

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4

2A & 2C Susan 4A & 6A Ashley 3A & 3C Pablo 5C Teresa

3A & 3C MFW 5C Teresa 2A & 2C Maria 4A & 6A Caitlyn

2A & 2C Susan 4A & 6A Ashley 3A & 3C MFW 5C Teresa

2A&2C Susan/Maria 4A & 6A Caitlyn/Ashley 3A & 3C MFW 5C Teresa

3A & 3C MFW 5C Teresa 2A & 2C Maria 4A & 6A Caitlyn

12:00 - 12:20

Group A

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4

1C&1D&1A Andrea 5A &4D Alex 2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Vivian

2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Anita 1C&1D&1A Cassandra 5A &4D Colleen

1C &1D &1A Sandra 5A &4D Alex 2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Anita

Bus students 11:55 Group A 11:57 Group B 12:00

2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Vivian 1C & 1D &1A Cassandra 5A &4D Colleen

12:20-12:40

Group B

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4

2A & 2C Susan 4A & 6A Caitlyn 3A & 3C M.Fidyk 5C Regan

3A & 3C Regan 5C M. Fidyk 2A & 2C Maria 4A & 6A Ashley

2A & 2C Susan 4A & 6A Caitlyn 3A & 3C M.Fidyk 5C Regan

3A & 3C Regan 5C M. Fidyk 2A & 2C Maria 4A & 6A Ashley

1:15- 1:30 Group A

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4

1C & 1D &1A Sandra 5A &4D Colleen 2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Karri

2/3 Amaya 6C & 6D Anita 1C & 1D &1A Andrea 5A &4D Alex

1C & 1D &1A Andrea 5A &4D Colleen 2/3 Olivia 6C & 6D Karri

2/3 Amaya 6C & 6D Anita 1C & 1D &1A Sandra 5A &4D Alex

1:45-2:00 Group B

Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4

2A & 2C Susan 4A & 6A Ashley 3A & 3C Pablo 5C M.Fidyk

3A & 3C Pablo 5C Teresa 2A & 2C Maria 4A & 6A Caitlyn

2A & 2C Susan 4A & 6A Ashley 3A & 3C Pablo 5C M.Fidyk

3A & 3C Pablo 5C M.Fidyk 2A & 2C Maria 4A & 6A Caitlyn

2:55 2:57 3:00

Bus students Group A Group B

.

Morning Supervision

Morning Recess for Group A

Grades 1A,1C,1D,2/3D,4D,5A,6C &6D

Morning Recess for Group B

Grades 2A,2C,3A,3C,4A,5C&6A

Lunch Recess for Group A Grades 1A,1C,1D,2/3D,4D,5A,6C &6D

Eating Lunch at 12:20pm

Lunch Recess for

Group A

Lunch Recess for Group B Grades 2A,2C,3A,3C,4A,5C&6A

Eating Lunch at 12:00pm

Lunch Recess for Group B

Afternoon Recess for Group A

Grades 1A,1C,1D,2/3D,4D,5A,6C &6D

Afternoon Recess for Group A

Afternoon Recess for Group B

Grades 2A,2C,3A,3C,4A,5C&6A

Afternoon Recess for Group B

LUNCHES Just a reminder, that according to our September 17th updated ECSD School Re-Entry plan parents will not be permitted to drop off lunches during the day. No food delivery service will be permitted to bring food to students in the school. Please ensure that the student have their lunch before they come to school.

READ IN WEEK

The READ IN Week initiative began when UNESCO declared 1990 The Year of Literacy. Representatives from Edmonton Catholic Schools, Edmonton Public Schools and Norquest (then) AVC, decided to join together to raise awareness for the importance of literacy. It was determined that the significance of literacy must begin with young children Kindergarten – Grade 12 and carry on to adults in the form of life-long learning. Various partners have been involved in READ IN Week, from schools including the Francophone district to post-secondary institutions, the City of Edmonton and various media outlets. The focus of this initiative has been to instill the love of reading in all Edmontonians.

PICTURE DAY OCTOBER 9th Please remember that picture Day is Friday, October 9th.

THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION On Friday, October 9th at 2:30pm the Grade 5 Teachers and students will be hosting a in class virtual Thanksgiving Celebration for the school.

2020 FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

Fire Prevention Week brings awareness to fire risks, striving to educate citizens about fire prevention including how to safely escape their home or building in the event of a fire. Since 1992, the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) has sponsored the public observance of Fire Prevention Week. Edmonton Fire Rescue Services has observed this week of awareness since 1931. This year, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services reminds Edmontonians that "a safe kitchen is a prepared kitchen. Most destructive fires start in the kitchen when cooking is left unattended. A significant number of these fires are the result of overheated cooking oil in deep fat fryers or pans heated directly on kitchen stoves. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Between 2018 and 2019, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services responded to 153 fires caused by overheated cooking oil. This resulted in more than $4.6 million in property damage. HALLOWEEN Friday Oct. 30 in the afternoon we will have in-class Halloween activities.

Halloween Considerations and Guidance during Covid.

1. Covid mask protocols still apply and must still be worn. 2. Full face masks are not allowed. 3. No replicated weapons are allowed. 4. Costumes must allow for sanitization and washing of

hands. No hand coverings. 5. No sharing of candy or any food among students. (No outside

food can be brought in)

6. If teachers are handing out treats – all treats must be individually packaged and handed out by the teacher after they have sanitized their hands; consider also utilizing gloves when distributing.

7. There will be no costume parade in the gym. We will consider a virtual parade.

October 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 2 Custodian Appreciation Day

3

4

5 World Teacher Day

6 7

8 9 *Picture Day *Virtual Thanksgiving Celebration-2:30pm

10 World Mental Health Day

11 12 Thanksgiving Day

NO SCHOOL

13

14 15 Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila

16 17

18 World Mission Sunday

19 20 21 Virtual SAC Meeting 6:30pm

22

23 24

25 26

27

28 29 Staff Development Day

NO SCHOOL

30 Halloween Activities (PM)

31 Halloween

Read In Week

Bus Safety Week

COMING UP IN NOVEMBER

November 1st-Catholic Education Sunday November 1st- Daylight Savings Time Ends

November 5th-11th-Veterans Week November 11th-Remembrance Day-NO SCHOOL November 12th-School Wide PD Day-NO SCHOOL

November 18th-Picture Retake Day November 23rd-27th-Virtual Book Fair November 25th-Virtual SAC Meeting

November 26th-Virtual Demonstration of Learning

November 28th-Holodomor Memorial Day November 29th- First Sunday of Advent

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October 2020

“Joy springs from a grateful heart. Truly, we have received much, so many graces, so many blessings, and we rejoice in this. It will do us good to think back on our lives with the grace of remembrance…Let us seek the

grace of remembrance so as to grow in the spirit of gratitude. Let us ask ourselves: are we good at counting our blessings, or have we forgotten them?” (Pope Francis, Homily, 09/24/15)

Our Holy Father shared these words initially when he was preaching to a group of priests and religious in New York. The message, however, is one that transcends vocation and age and whispers into all of our hearts. It is so easy to lose our sense of gratitude and joy when we are being inundated with messages of fear, anxiety, and negativity at every turn, every day. This year, more than ever, as we approach Thanksgiving, it is so important for us to take time to discern and to remember all of the goodness in our lives. There are blessings in each of our lives, and it is important that we never lose sight of them. Counting our blessings with gratitude is the first step of our journey to joy. The beginning of September seems so long ago. There is no question that we are all learning as we move along the educational journey in Covid times. Families and schools have all been focused on making learning “work” in an environment that is drastically different than the norm, all while trying to minimize anxiety for everyone. At the time of writing this article, our Division has an enrolment of 43,350 students with approximately 11,513 of those students participating online. Part of the understanding that we have gained as a Division is that we need proper time to be able to plan for and staff our different learning scenarios. As a Division, we have hired 96 teachers to support the learning choices that families made; thankfully, much of the cost of this is offset by the federal education pandemic funding that was announced in September. We are very proud of the way our schools and departments were able to reconfigure in the few precious days between August 28, when parents finalized their Quarter 1 learning decisions, and the first student day on September 2. In many cases, entire school timetables needed to be rebuilt and teaching assignments were changed. October sees Quarter 2 on the horizon, and this means families will have another opportunity to choose in-school or online learning. You will receive a SWIFT K-12 message by October 5 with all of the information that you will need in order to make an informed decision for your children for the second quarter and beyond. We need to have a firm commitment from our families well before the second quarter begins on November 10 so that we can arrange our staff appropriately.

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I will leave you with a thought from Pope Francis’ General Audience on September 2, 2020. “The current pandemic has highlighted our interdependence: we are all linked to each other, for better or for worse. Therefore, to come out of this crisis better than before, we have to do so together; together, not alone… Either it is done together, or it is not done. We must do it together, all of us, in solidarity.” Have a blessed Thanksgiving! Sincerely, Robert Martin Chief Superintendent

A Message from your Pastor The Rosary is a centuries old prayer; so much honoured by the Church that we dedicate the month of October to praying the Rosary. The mysteries of the Rosary strongly dwell on the life of Christ, honouring Mary through her Son. Throughout the ages, the Church has encouraged us to pray the Rosary, especially in times of trouble and fear. Before the Battle of Lepanto, which changed the course of history in the western world, the people fervently prayed the Rosary. In our troubled times, we need to turn to this prayer as well. It encourages us to pray, through Mary, for strength, comfort and love. Prayer has healing power and can work miracles. Imagine the great result if each person reading this prayed one decade of the Rosary for the month of October. We need healing and hope. School is different this year. We always had the schools to help in the preparation for the sacraments. This year we cannot do that but we still need you, as students, teachers and parents, to help with the preparation and reception of Confession, First Communion and Confirmation. Growing in knowledge and maturity of faith is a very important part of your life and education. We pray for a successful school year and a holy and blessed time for all. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us all. Father Mitch Fidyka Pastor, St Thomas More

Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100).

Given our unique circumstances in the past eight months, and the many challenges and difficulties that so many have faced, we might think that as Thanksgiving approaches, we have very little for which to be thankful. But scripture and particularly Psalm 100 tell us a completely different story. In fact, the passage invites us to praise the Lord with great joy; to celebrate and worship the God of love.

The major theme that emerges from this Psalm is the importance of belonging to God. During the past year there may have been times when we felt abandoned or forgotten by God. But the psalm presents the entire earth as joined together, not separated and alone. God’s steadfast love endures forever. And in the same way that we sing a song of praise to our creator, we acknowledge, praise, and bless Him for his goodness and mercy. Indeed, the Lord is good and he never abandons us; God is always ready to sustain us with his merciful love, even and especially during times of great doubt and fear. “Be not be afraid. I go before you always. Come follow me, and I will give you rest” (John Michael Talbot).

During this Thanksgiving weekend, let us remember that God is with us, in the good times and in the moments that we find ourselves struggling. “Know that the Lord is God. It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture” (Psalm 100). Like God, we too are called to be “good shepherds” in the environments where we live: in our families, at work, and in the community, sharing the Gospel message of love with everyone we meet.

Sandra Talarico Manager, Religious Education Services Edmonton Catholic Schools