“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.” ( Psalm 31:24)

December 2 - First day of term 2

December 6 - Giving Tree Donation Deadline

December 7 - Blackfalds Bulldogs Game Night & Toy Drive 7-9 pm

December 9 - Candy Cane Day - Wear red and white

December 10 - Grinch Day - Wear green or Grinch attire

December 11 - Three Wise Men Day - Twinning is Winning!

December 12 - Advent Mass at Sacred Heart 9:30-10:30am

December 12 - Sunday Best Day - Wear your Sunday best for Advent Mass

December 13 - PD Faith Day No school for students

December 16 - Wear your comfiest Christmas clothes and head gear

December 17 - Dress as your favorite Christmas character

December 18 - Holiday sweater Day

December 19 - Mad about Plaid Day

December 20 - Last day of school before Christmas break

December 20 - PJ Day

January 1 - New Years Day

January 6 - Classes resume

We are looking forward to another great season! Please see the parent information letter that was emaile out earlier this week. Registration is filling up fast so don't wait to register your child.

Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) are administered annually to all Alberta students in grades 6 and 9. These standardized tests reflect the essentials that all Alberta students are expected to achieve.

Below is the schedule for PATs this year. Please note there is no Grade 6 Science PAT as it is a new curriculum and our students will not be writing Grade 6 Social Studies Curriculum as we are piloting some of the new Social Studies outcomes.

Please see the dates below for dates of PATs.

Grade 6 English Language Arts Part A - Wednesday, May 28

Grade 9 English Language Arts Part A- Thursday, May 29

Grade 9 K&E Language Arts Part A- Thursday, May 29

Grade 6 English Language Arts Part B - Thursday, June 12

Grade 9 English Language Arts Part B - Thursday, June 12

Grade 9 K&E English Language Arts Part B - Thursday, June 12

Grade 6 Mathematics Part A - Friday, June 13

Grade 9 Mathematics Part A - Friday, June 13

Grade 6 Mathematics Part B - Tuesday, June 17

Grade 9 Mathematics Part B - Tuesday, June 17

Grade 9 K&E Mathematics - Tuesday, June 17

Grade 9 Social Studies - Wednesday, June 18

Grade 9 K&E Social Studies - Wednesday, June 18

Grade 9 Science - Thursday, June 19

Grade 9 K&E Science - Thursday, June 19

Please see our 2024-2025 Annual Results Report below which can also be found on our website under the About tab.

As we approach the holiday season, we’re excited to kick off once again our annual Giving Tree Christmas Project in support of Catholic Social Services.

With the help of several dedicated RDCRS schools, some of whom have been partnering with CSS year after year, this project continues to thrive. Thanks to the unwavering support of the community, we are able to reach countless families, spreading holiday joy and bringing the true spirit of the season to those in need.

This year, with an even greater demand for assistance, we are asking for your support to buy gift cards that will allow families the freedom to choose what suits their needs best, making a meaningful impact on their lives.

Walmart gift cards of $25 or $50 can be dropped off at partner schools by December 6, 2024.

For the first time, we are also very thrilled to offer the option for digital donations, where you can select your participating school! Please use the following link: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-sign-of-hope-society-archdiocese-of-edmonton/p2p/2024-rdcrs-giving-tree.

Thank you for your generosity and support!

Donations can also be dropped off at the St.Lorenzo office until December 6th, 2024.

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools is now using PowerSchool SchoolMessenger for parent communications.

To opt in for text messages:

1. Grab your phone.
2. Text “Y” to 978338.

This is a quick and easy way to stay up-to-date with news, reminders, and urgent alerts from your school!

P.S. Our old system, Swiftreach, is no longer available. Make the switch today!

Parents: Click here for more information on the opt-in process.

Family Night Out!

Blackfalds Bulldogs vs. Spruce Grove Saints

Saturday December 7, 2024

Tickets are $5 each.

Tickets are available for purchase on RYCOR and can be picked up at the office. We will also be accepting cash purchases at the office. Deadline to purchase tickets is December 5.

We will also be collecting toys as part of a toy drive to support local families. Please see poster for more details.

We have been advised that class photos will be sent home in the new year once the lab has completed individual photos, and moved onto class photos. If you didn't see it last week, please see letter from Edge Imaging regarding an update on school photo orders.

There are two ways to view the status of your child's bus status. You can either go to our website and look at the bus status on the right hand side or you can download the Bus Status 4 App in your app store. The app is available for both apple or android users.

Download the New Bus Status App!

Bus Status 4 for iOS and Android notifies you when your school bus is cancelled or delayed.

Please download the Bus Status app at your earliest convenience to continue or to receive school bus notifications from Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools. To install this app, please follow the directions below:

Step 1: Download the Bus Status app by Box Clever.

Step 2: Open the app and select Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools from the list (you only need to select your district the first time you open the app. Bus Status will remember your selection).

Step 3: Go to All Buses. Tap the star to add a bus to My Buses.

Step 4: You’ll receive a notification when one of your buses is delayed, cancelled, or early.

Step 5: Tap the bell icon to see general notifications from Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools.

It's hard to believe we are already thinking about high school but ... Grade 9 parents/guardians please see the linked document for important information regarding transition to high school.

Colder weather has arrived! We know it can be tricky to convince teenagers to wear their jackets and warm footwear, but we ask that you please remind your children to dress for the weather as outdoor recess does continue through the fall and winter months.

You now have two ways to mark your child's late or absence. You can email us at slrattendance@rdcrs.ca or call the school's attendance line at 403-406-7365 and press 1 to leave a detailed message. Please remember to include the reason for your child's late or absence. All absences MUST be excused. Any messages received after 9am may result in the automated attendance call going out.

If you are having troubles logging into Schoology, the Schoology Parent Reference Guide is a great resource for troubleshooting and how to's.

All families should have a parent portal set up. If you do not remember your login information or are having troubles logging in please call the school and we will be happy to provide you with your user name and reset your password for you. To access your parent portal please click on this link. You are not able to view forms or pay fees using the PowerSchool App.

What do parents access in PowerSchool?

• School Fees and Forms to access RYCOR for school fees and permission forms.
• School Engage To access Alberta Ed documents such as RDCRS Student Information Update Forms 2024-2025

Thank you to those who have filled out their form(s). We have started sending reminders to families who have not completed their forms. This document is a mandatory document that MUST be submitted for every student at the start of the school year. The purpose is to verify the information we have for each student is accurate and up to date. All you have to do is open the document, verify the information hasn't changed and submit. If you make any changes to the information, please save and submit. Please contact or stop by the office for help to complete this 2 minute form.

School Fees for the 2024/2025 school year are now due.

BIG NEWS! We now accept credit card payments at the office. Fees can be paid at our office by cash, cheque or credit card. To pay online, please log into your Parent PowerSchool account to view your fees and make your payment online through RYCOR. If you are unsure how to pay using RYCOR, please follow these steps:

1. Visit your school's website and click on the PowerSchool quick link (or use link above).

2. Sign in using your PowerSchool Username and Password. If you have forgotten either/or please contact the school office for assistance with resetting your password.

3. Click on link, "School Fees and Forms", located on the left-hand side.

4. Please follow the instructions provided on the screen when you are taken to RYCOR. If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

**RYCOR can only be accessed via PC/Tablet, the program does not work using the PowerSchool app.

PARKING UPDATE: We now have smaller school busses dropping students off out front of the school around 8:15 am. The front of the school will remain Drop and Go as these busses should be gone before families begin dropping off their children. If you notice a bus as you drop off your child, please be mindful of students in the vicinity. We thank you for your attention to this matter. As always, we remind our families to please use our North parking lot when parking and exiting vehicles. This is especially important on game nights when we have an abundance of visitors parking near the school. In an effort to show kindness to our community, we are asking our school community to please be considerate of our neighbours across the street and leave that parking for residents only.

If you need to reach our office for any reason, please contact our main line at 403-406-7365. This is also the number to call should you need to call in your child's attendance. This number is always available on our website.

Students now have an opportunity to work on assignments during lunch recess on Wednesdays. Please see poster for more information.

If you think your child could benefit from speaking to a counsellor, please complete this form. A member of our counselling team will be in touch with you.

Please click on the link below to view this Health Canada resource on vaping and teens.

Lots happening with athletics these next couple weeks. Please pay close attention to the SLR Sports Calendar for up to date changes.

Basketball season is HERE!

Thank you to all our seniors who tried out! We are looking forward to a great season!

Junior Boys and Girls tryouts will begin this coming week. Please see the SLR Sports Calendar for dates and times.

Good luck to everyone trying out!

If your child is interested in playing any team sports this year, please fill out the Athletic Informed Consent form which can be found on RYCOR. To access RYCOR, please log into your PowerSchool account and click on fees and forms. Once in, click on your childs name and the forms will appear. Students will not be able to tryout until this form has been submitted.

For the most current practice and game times and locations, please see the SLR Sports Calendar.

For anything sports related, please see our SLR Sports Calendar. This calendar is updated regularily and is the best way to stay on top of everything SLR sports. If there is ever a change in the schedule, this is where you will find it.

Online ordering for the Eagles Nest Cafe is available at slr.hotlunches.net

Access code is: slr

New monthly menus will be posted to the website 7 days before the start of the next month.

Please seee parent letter for more information.

School Council meets the third Wednesday of every month at 6pm in the multicultural space at St. Lorenzo Ruiz. We encourage all our parents and guardians to join us! The next meeting will be on January 15.

School Council Information

Email: slr.schoolcouncil@gmail.com

As noted in the signage at our front entrance, to support the safety in and around our school we have indoor and outdoor cameras.

Please see the poster for more information.

Lindsay Thurber is hosting the 3rd Annual Bucky’s Winter Classic Skate Park competition (see parent information below), at Incline Industries in Sylvan Lake on Thursday, Dec. 19th, 9:30am - 2:00pm. We are inviting all grade 9-12 students in the surrounding areas to compete. PLEASE NOTE: Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the event.

Registration is for student competitors only (no student spectators) and is ONLINE using the following REGISTRATION LINK. Schools can share this link with their parents to submit. The link also contains a parent letter with more information regarding the event. Note: We must have individual registrations for each competitor to properly track attendees (no mass payments from schools will be taken).

The fee per competitor is $10 and includes lunch and a goodie bag (w/ t-shirt). Payment is due online in order to submit the registration successfully. If parents are experiencing difficulty accessing or submitting the online form or making payment online, please contact Mellanie Kopec at Lindsay Thurber High School at (403)347-1171, ext. 1110. If they have questions in regards to the competition, please direct them to RJ Willms at rj.willms@rdpsd.ab.ca.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Are you ready to unleash your creativity and showcase your photography skills? We're thrilled to announce the Edge Imaging Student Photography Contest exclusively for students in Alberta! At Edge Imaging, we understand the power of visual storytelling, and we're eager to see the world through your unique perspectives. Whether you're a budding photographer or a seasoned pro, this contest is your chance to shine and share your talent with the community.

Eligibility: Open to legal residents of Alberta, Canada, who are elementary and/or high school students.

Prizes:

• One grand prize per category: Elementary and High School.
• Grand Prize: $150 giftcard of choice.

How to Enter:

1. Visit the official contest website at edgeimaging.ca/alberta.
2. Complete the entry form by providing your name, email address, city, school name, grade level, and uploading your photograph.
3. Agree to the official contest rules and regulations.
4. Submit your entry by May 1, 2025.

Entry Deadline: Submissions must be received by May 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM MST.

Winner Selection:

• Winners will be selected in June 2025.
• Winners will be contacted by email.
• Entries will be judged based on creativity, composition, and overall impact.
• The winning photographs will be chosen by a panel of judges appointed by the contest organizers.

Additional Rules:

• Entrants must be legal residents of Alberta, Canada, and students at the time of entry.
• Only one entry per person is allowed.
• Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
• Winners may be required to sign and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability release within a specified time period.
• By entering the contest, participants agree to abide by the official rules and decisions of the contest organizers.

Disclaimer: This contest is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, any third-party brands or platforms.

For Inquiries: Contact Krysta at kjesso@edgeimaging.ca

Whether you're inspired by the beauty of nature, the vibrancy of urban life, or the emotions captured in a candid moment, we encourage you to let your imagination run wild and capture the world through your lens.

Spread the word and share this opportunity with your fellow students. Let's make this contest a celebration of creativity and talent within the Alberta student community!

For more information and to submit your entries, please visit edgeimaging.ca/alberta. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me.

We can't wait to see your submissions!

The Alberta Sports Hall of Fame offers engaging educational programs that bring Alberta’s rich sports heritage to life. Students can dive into hands-on activities, explore unique sports artifacts, and hear inspiring stories of Alberta’s sports heroes. Our programs cover various themes, including Indigenous traditions, adaptive sports, evolution of sports, and the intersection of art and sport.

Programs Offered:

Art in Sport (K-4): Discover the connection between sports and art through mascots, jerseys, and medals.

Lasting Traditions (Grades 4-8): Explore Indigenous traditions in sports and culture.

Adaptive Sports (Grades 6-12): Learn about athletes who broke barriers in inclusive sports.

Innovation & Evolution (K-6): Students explore how sports and equipment have changed over the last century.

Pricing:

- In-house Programs: $75 for up to 30 participants, $150 for 31-60 participants.

- Outreach Programs: $125 per class.

For more information, please visit our website albertasportshall.ca/education-program

Click here for a PDF copy of the brochure.

Please see important information from Canada Homestay Network.