November 2017 October was an incredible month at St. Basil School as the students really settled into their year. While the Sw. Jan Pawel II students were celebrating their culture in the classic Dozynki gathering, the Grade 7 girls of the Jean Forest Leadership Academy began their journey of leadership on their Birch Bay retreat. With so much on the go, one wonders where the students find all their energy! The month concluded with our Hallowenza afternoon on October 31. Both the students and staff showed a lot of spirit and fun with imaginative and colorful costumes. They also enjoyed the perennially popular Haunted House that was put together and run by our Sw. JP II student council. November ends with the anticipation of the first report cards and the Advent season, but begins in respectful remembrance of Canada s fallen soldiers through the No Stone Left Alone event that is attended by the JFLA girls, and the Remembrance Day celebration on November 8 held here at St. Basil. St. Basil Catholic School Newsletter 10210 115 Avenue Edmonton AB T5G 0L8 Phone: 780-477-3584 Web Address: www.stbasilschool.ca We wish again to thank the communities of Sw. JP II and JFLA for the support of the children and the school. In that regard, please read about the School Councils and Fundraising Societies for each program on our website and consider taking part. We want to hear your voice! Stephen Simmons, Principal Stephen.Simmons@ecsd.net Jolene Thompson, Assistant Principal Jolene.Thompson@ecsd.net
Dozynki On October 6, the students and staff of Sw. Jan Pawel II held its annual Dozynki celebration. Filled with the splendour of the dazzling costumes, the speed and energy of the dancing, and the melodic sounds of children singing, Dozynki was once again a joyous expression of our thanks to God for the blessings we all share from the earth. The students entertained each other and close to 100 parents and other friends and family members who came to watch. The students proudly displayed their pride in and appreciation of the Polish culture Sw. Jan Pawel II Day On October 27, the Sw. Jan Pawel II Polish Bilingual Program commemorated the day that Pope Jan Pawel II was made a saint by the Church. We also celebrated Jan Pawel s life, particularly his love and devotion to the Holy Rosary. To honor this, the students created a living rosary that saw students lead the saying of the rosary in a circle around the student community. It was a beautiful and enriching way to celebrate the life of a man who did so much for his church and his country.
School Council and Parent Fundraising Society Report Casino Volunteers Urgently Needed! It is very exciting that this year both the Sw. JP II and JFLA fundraising societies have casinos that could collectively make as much as $150,000 that would go directly into enhancing the education of our students. In the past, casino funds have been used to purchase computer labs, ipads, Chromebooks, gym equipment, playground equipment, smart boards, musical instruments, and bussing. This can only be done with the support of our parent communities! We need volunteers for both casinos. Please don t sit by when you have the chance to directly support the education of our St. Basil students and your child. The Sw. JP II casino is being held on Wednesday, December 13 and Thursday, December 14, 2017 Please contact Eva Strechenuik at eva.strech@gmail.com to sign up for a shift. The JFLA casino is being held on Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3, 2017 Please contact Marcella dejong at mdj@shaw.ca to sign up for a shift. Sw. JP II School Council and Parent Fundraising Society Next Meeting Thursday, November 30 Time: 6:00 PM Place: St. Basil School Staffroom JFLA School Council and Parent Fundraising Society Next Meeting Tuesday, November 28 Time: 7:00 PM Place: St. Basil School Staffroom Remember, parents are welcome to attend all meetings. We would love to see you there. If you have any questions, or if you have any ideas for meeting agenda items, please contact Mr. Simmons. You can also contact: Sw. JP II School Council and Society Chair Izabella Bereznicki-Common JFLA School Council and Society Chair Amber Fink
Upcoming Events Our newsletter will be sent each month by email. It will also be posted on our website at stbasil.ecsd.net. Our website contains much more detailed information about the school. The newsletter will also be posted in our school s main lobby in our main school lobby. November November/December Events 4: Young Authors Conference 8: Remembrance Day Celebration 10: No school 13 17: Alien In-Line. Grades 1-7 30: Andrzejki: Kindergarten 5 New Teacher Induction On October 24, the Alberta Teacher s Association held its yearly ceremony to welcome the newest inductees into the teaching profession. One of the inductees was St. Basil s own Magdalena Galkiewicz, who is currently a Grade 1 teacher in the Sw. Jan Pawel II Polish Bilingual Program. Congratulations, Pani Galkiewicz! December 1: Elementary report cards home 4: Advent celebration 6: Sw. Mikolaj 7: Demo of Learning 12: Christmas Concert 22: Oplatek. Early dismissal 23: Christmas Break begins
Demonstration of Learning On December 7, we will be holding our Demonstration of Learning for the whole school. This year there are two important changes to our reporting and assessment that all parents need to be aware of: Firstly, junior high students will no longer receive a report card in December. They will only receive two report cards; one at the end of January and another at the end of June. This means that the Demonstration of Learning is even more vital for junior high parents to gain information on the academic progress of their children. Elementary students (K 6) will receive their first of three report cards in December as was done in past years Secondly, junior high teachers will be using a scheduled appointment format to do parent interviews. Parents will be able to book teacher interviews on an online website. Information of how to book appointments will be sent out later this month. Elementary teachers will hold the same open door format as in past years. Soccer Champions! Congratulations to the girls soccer team who took the title of ECSD's Division 4 City Champions! They fought hard all season and defeated Monsignor Fee Otterson in an intense game that ended with the whole team taking penalty kicks. We are so proud of our girls for achieving St. Basil's first ever gold medal in sports. Great job, ladies! You made your fellow Tigers proud! Team Roster: Shaya Guest-Fink, Aaliyah Geddes, Amelia Vandenberg, Kayte Maragua, Zuriah Sims, Maya Krol, Olivia Skoczylas, Michaela Pacheco, Georgia Nykyforuk, Haven Edwards, Praise Akariza, Emily Senten Coaches: Miss Nickel, Miss Stanicki, Miss Jedrych
For the whole week of November 13 17, students in grades 1 7 will have the opportunity to learn all about the sport of in-line skating! They will have three sessions with a team of instructors who will be visiting our school. Helmets are required, so students may bring their own, or the instructors will provide one if needed. The schedule is provided below for your reference. Alien In-Line Schedule November 13-17, 2017 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Block 1 8:45-9:33 Block 2 9:33-10:21 Block 3 10:21-11:10 Block 4 11:10-12:00 Block 5 12:45-1:35 Block 6 1:35-2:25 Block 7 2:25-3:15 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 1A Grade 1B Grade 1A Grade 1B Grade 1A Grade 6 Grade 7A Grade 6 Grade 6 Grade 2 Grade 5 Grade 1B Grade 7C Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 7B Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 7C Grade 7C Grade 5 Grade 7B Grade 7B Grade 7A Grade 7A
Your Administration Team Mr. Stephen Simmons Principal Mrs. Jolene Thompson Assistant Principal There is never a dull moment at St. Basil School! The fall has been full of excitement for both of our programs as we prepare for the coming of winter. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Stephen and Jolene
Edmonton Catholic Schools Online Financial Budget Survey YOUR CHILD! YOUR VOICE! Edmonton Catholic Schools believes it is essential to involve parents in providing input into the budget process. In preparation for the upcoming 2018-2019 budget it is important that the district gather as much information as possible. Therefore, as a parent of Edmonton Catholic Schools, your feedback will provide a valuable contribution in the decision-making process. We would like to gather your input through an online survey. The survey can be accessed through the District Website, School Website, Powerschool, or by using the URL address provided. URL Address: Click on the following link or enter the address in the web browser http://financialservicessurvey.ecsd.net/ District Website: Go to http://ecsd.net then go to the slider indicating the Online Financial Budget Survey and follow the directions. Powerschool: Parents log on to Powerschool as you normally would to check your child's progress. Once in Powerschool, click on the tab "Financial Budget Survey". This tab will take you directly to the online survey. The survey is open from November 14th to November 28 th, 2017. We encourage all families to fill out the survey. The survey will only take a few minutes to complete. Survey results will be shared with the Edmonton Catholic School District Budget Committee in January for consideration during the 2018-2019 budget process.