St. Patrick's Blog
Week of April 7th, 2015
The image of the empty tomb is a strong symbol of Jesus’ commitment to His mission here on earth. It became a symbol of shame for those who had persecuted Jesus as they were left with the undeniable truth of His consistent message. Jesus’ followers, who all seemed to be at various points of belief, were rewarded by the discovery of His empty tomb on Easter morning. The stories and prophecies He had preached for three years had all come true.
As we journey through the season of Easter, may our “various points of belief” in our own abilities, talents and relationships be strengthened by the example of Jesus.
Holy Thursday Passion presentation and Easter Mass
This past Holy Thursday, our youth group presented the Passion of Jesus Christ in a “radio-play” format for our staff and students. Individuals took turns reading about the Last Supper, the trial of Jesus and His crucifixion. It was a very moving opportunity to link images from the narrative with the dialogue provided by the students. We appreciate Mr. Kozak’s work in preparing the presentation with our students. On Friday, April 10th, we will be celebrating our Easter mass with Father Greg at 10:00 am. All members of our parent/guardian community are welcome to join us for the gathering.
This past Wednesday, a large group of St. Patrick’s students had the opportunity to travel to the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata to participate in the We Day gathering. These are students representing our Youth Group, Student Ambassadors, and social justice actions who had committed to initiatives supporting global and community enterprises. Students were able to hear messages from high profile individuals such as the United States Ambassador to Canada, Bruce Heyman and his wife, Kweku Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela and local student Jonathan Pitre who spoke of overcoming obstacles to make change. We are proud of the efforts of all our students involved in supporting social justice initiatives in our local and global communities. Be the Change!
Proposal for Accommodation Consultation
On March 12th, our School Board presented a proposal for consultation on the future of the building site of St. Patrick’s Intermediate School. Currently we share a campus where our Board owns the school buildings, however, the federal government owns some of the infrastructure that impacts upon our site. Given that the federal government has indicated that a sale of their stake in the property could be on the horizon, the board has presented a proposal to review options for the continued, successful program at St. Pat’s Intermediate School. An overview of the proposal can be accessed below, and the board has set up consultation meetings to seek input on the options available. Individuals in our community may attend a public meeting on April 13th at the St. Pat’s High School Cafeteria (2525 Alta Vista Drive) where board staff will provide information regarding this issue, and receive comments from the community. This feedback will be used as accommodation options are developed. A second public meeting (same location) will be held on May 11, 2015. I would encourage you to attend the public meetings with your questions, and a reminder that members of the St. Patrick’s Intermediate School Council are always available to address questions you may have. Their contact information is available at the St. Pat’s website (http://spe.ocsb.ca/).
School Cash Online
In the coming weeks, we will be rolling out our “School Cash Online” system for families of our students. This system allows for the online financial purchase of goods and services at the school. Following a registration process that will be explained shortly, parents and guardians will be able to go online and pay for year end trips, yearbooks, school excursions, etc. We are hoping that this provides additional choice to our parent community while providing an efficient way to manage school payments.
International Standardized Assessment: TIMSS
On Thursday, April 16th, grade 8 students at St. Pat’s will participate in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) worldwide standardized assessment. TIMSS is an international assessment conducted every four years and coordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. The study measures the mathematics and science achievement of students in Grades 4 and 8. In Ontario, approximately 4500 Grade 4 and Grade 8 students participate in each administration.
Ontario has participated in the study since its inception. Previous administrations were conducted in 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2007. In 2011, the most recent administration, Grade 4 students in 57 jurisdictions and Grade 8 students in 56 jurisdictions participated. This current administration will reveal trends in mathematics and science over a 20-year period. The Ontario report for this administration will be released in December 2016.
Session for parents/guardians: Technology Tools to support Learning
Parents and Guardians are encouraged to take part in the Board’s session on Technology Tools to Support your Child's Learning at Home and at School. Come learn more about the tools available to support learning, how to access the resources and use them to accelerate learning.
Two interactive and fun workshops will be offered on each evening at the same time;
1) Elementary Workshop (Grades: K-6)
2) Intermediate / High School Workshop (Grades: 7-12)
Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 PM
Immaculata High School
140 Main Street, Ottawa
Reminder: Director’s Forum for Parents and Guardians:
We invite all of our St. Patrick’s parent/guardian community to the 2015 Director’s Forum. This year's OCSB Director's Forum will address the many challenges of school & home communication in the digital age. This event is great for everyone, whether you are new to social media or a seasoned online expert. Guests are encouraged to B.Y.O.D -- bring your own device. Learn new skills to apply in your lives to improve your relationship with your child! The evening runs from 6:15 to 9:00 pm on Tuesday, April 7th at St. Paul High School.
Parent Presentation: Kids and Drugs
We invite all of our parent community to join us on Tuesday, April 21st @ 7:00pm for an information session on Kids and Drugs. The presentation will be delivered by the Ottawa Police Service and is sponsored by the Catholic School Parents' Association (CSPA). The session is for parents, guardians, friends and family members who are concerned about preventing their children from using alcohol & other drugs. Kids and Drugs is built on known protective factors for substance abuse prevention and strives to improve interactions between kids & parents through improved communication, support, decision making and discipline. Please click on the link below to bring you to an information poster highlighting the event. Click on “register now” to be included. Child care is provided for our parent community.
Have a great week;
Sean Kelly
