November Newsletter

October was a busy and exciting month. Thank you to all the families who attended our SCC AGM, Pre-K family event and SCC Halloween Family Bingo. We are so happy to see more and more families taking part in our school community!

As the temperatures drop this month, we are reminded of the beauty that God creates in all seasons and the special moments he gives us to pause and reflect. We draw near to Veterans week, National Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, so we pray for all those, past, present and future, who demonstrate courage and sacrifice for the greater good of our country and all those who call Canada home. This is also an opportunity to remind our students and all of us of our responsibility to do what we can to protect the peace among us that they fought so hard to create.

Service is a huge part of our mission to be the light of Christ. Last month we collected food items for the food bank and started collecting items for Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes. We have more service projects planned as a school for the months of November and December.

Even though frost is coming out, things are just warming up inside the school. November and December will be full of special activities to promote prayer, learning, and the joy of the winter season. A reminder that Student Led Conferences are in November so keep an eye out for when you can sign up for a time. The students love being able to share what they have been learning with their families. Please check out the November calendar to see what’s happening for the Hounds!

Mrs. Combres & Mrs. Welford

Tues. Nov. 5- Faith Retreat

Wed. Nov. 6 - Gr. ⅚ Visits Caleb Village residents

Thurs. Nov. 7- Remembrance Day Service @1:00, Formal Day

Fri. Nov. 8- No Classes Teacher PD

Mon. Nov. 11- No Classes - Remembrance Day

Tues. Nov. 12 - Last Day to Order Growing Smiles

Wed. Nov. 13- Disney Day, Elder Visit

Fri. Nov. 15 - Dress Backwards Day

Wed. Nov. 20- Early Dismissal, Twin Day

Wed. Nov. 20 - Lunch of the Month, Student Led Conferences 3:30-6:30, Book Fair

Thurs. Nov. 21- Student Led Conferences 4-7, Book Fair

Fri. Nov. 22- Pajama Day

Tues. Nov. 26- Mass @ 9:30 and Photo Retakes and Class Group Photos

Wed. Nov. 27- Growing Smiles Pick Up, Air Band Performances

Thurs. Nov. 28- Hounds Day, Advent Wreath Blessing

Nov. 28 - Dec. 5: Children’s Only Store

Wed. Dec. 4 - CO-OP Christmas Lunch

Thurs. Dec. 5 - Pre-K & Kindergarten Family Event

Thurs. Dec. 12 - Christmas Family Night

Please make arrangements to pay your child's school fees at the office. We would like to thank those parents who have already paid their fees. Please make cheques payable to Holy Family School. Thanks you for your cooperation in this matter.

Gr. K-3 = $30

Gr. 4-6 =$35

Gr. 7= $40

This is the only fees that are owed and cover all of the school supplies for each grade level. These fees can be paid online at School Cash. To access School Cash please see our school homepage.

We will once again be carrying on our tradition of our Children’s Only Christmas Store beginning on November 28 . Classes will sign up for times to visit the store. This is a great opportunity for students to buy Christmas gifts for loved ones at a very low cost. Older students will be wrapping all gifts and helping younger students write out gift tags.

We need your help! Our goal is to get every student to donate at least 1 gift bag, or roll of wrapping paper, or roll of tape. They can be gently used already. These donations will help cover some of the costs of the store.

Dear Holy Family Catholic School Community

As the leaves change colour, we know that Fall is coming! I pray this letter finds you in good

health and high spirits in the Lord. Let us spend this coming month reflecting on the significance

of Remembrance Day!

A suitable text can be cited from the Gospel of St. John, “If you abide in me, and my words abide

in you ... [then] you bear much fruit and become my disciples” (Jn 15:7-8).

The idea of bearing fruits in life is the goal for many. “I live to bear fruits to make the world a

better place.” “I want to become a teacher to pass knowledge on to the next generations. I want

to become an engineer to make people’s lives easier. I want to become a priest to save souls for

God, etc.” These are the “dreams” we carry in our hearts. It motivates us, and it keeps us going

and creative.

If I am a doctor, then I want my patients to be healthy; If my dream is to be a teacher, then I want

my students to do well in school; and if I am a soldier, then I want to sacrifice my life so that

others, because of my sacrifice, will enjoy the peace that my service brings to the country. These

dreams, though different, share one common thing. They look for the good and the better in the

other. This is what it means to be a christian and Christ’s follower.

As we celebrate Remembrance Day, we remember that the veterans are the men and women who

used to have dreams like us but chose to leave behind these dreams to look after the better good

of the country. They decided to leave behind everything to choose to love and thus pursue peace

for the country.

And as we remember their great acts of love, we remind ourselves of the need to continue their

footstep of great sacrifice, not for one’s sake but for the sake of the other.

Jesus says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn

15:13). This is what we celebrate this month; this is what we are called to fulfill in life. This is

our mission—a mission to love and to go beyond the necessary duty to seek the good not for

ourselves but for others, even to the point of laying down our lives for the other.

The world has become warmer in its temperature, but inside each human heart, it seems that

humanity has become colder to one another due to excessive personal reservation and

selfishness. Let’s follow the example of the veterans who left behind everything and chose to

follow and seek the common good of society. Let’s love one another as our Lord has commanded

us to do so!

Your Priest and Brother in Christ,

Fr. Tai Le

Catherine was a French nun who was a member of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul and is a Marian visionary. She is believed to have relayed the request from the Blessed Virgin Mary to create the famous Miraculous Medal of Our Lady of Graces worn by millions of people around the world. Labouré spent forty years caring for the aged and infirm. Her body was discovered to be incorrupt after being exhumed in 1933. She was beatified by Pope Pius XI on May 28, 1933 and canonized by Pope Pius XII on July 27, 1947. St. Catherine Labouré is often shown with the Daughters of Charity habit and the Miraculous Medal. St. Catherine Labouré is the patron saint of the elderly, infirmed people and the Miraculous Medal. Her feast day is celebrated on November 28.

November is the month of the Poor Souls. The Feast of All Saints, or All Saints’ Day, commemorates all those who have died and are now in Heaven. Generally, November 1, The Solemnity of All Saints, is a Holy Day of Obligation in the Catholic Church.

The Feast of All Souls, or All Souls’ Day, is a day set apart for honoring all who have died. It is celebrated on November 2nd. All Souls’ Day is a day to remember the souls of all who have died, but especially those who have not yet attained Heaven.

In remembrance of all the men and women who fought for our freedom we will be creating a collaborative bulletin board of a poppy field. Each student in the school will create a unique poppy for the display.

Here is our collaborative display for October thanking God for all our blessings. We were reminded of all the things we can be grateful for.

Thank you to all those who sent food items.

Holy Family School has taken on filling shoeboxes as a Social Justice project.

Samaritan's Purse’s website describes the project as:

“Operation Christmas Child delivers great joy and the Good News of Jesus

Christ to children in need around the world through gift-filled shoeboxes.

Each box packed full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items

becomes a tangible expression of God’s immense love for the child. For many,

it is their first gift ever! Delivered by our local church partners, shoebox gifts

provide an opportunity to present the Gospel to boys and girls in a clear,

child-friendly way.”

Each classroom was responsible for filling 2 shoeboxes, the support staff

filled an additional 2 boxes for a total of 22 shoeboxes. We partnered with St.

Joseph’s Parish for this project receiving guidance and support from Denise

Huxley.

Our school Remembrance Day Ceremony will be held on Thursday, November 7 at 1:00 pm. This day is also formal day. Students and staff are encouraged to dress in their formal best.

School picture retakes will take place on Wednesday, November 27th. Class group photos will also be taken on this day in the morning. Please call the office and let Mrs. Spence know if you wish for your child to have retakes.

1. Student-Led Conferences provide an important opportunity for you to discuss your child’s learning progress. Students will spend time preparing in class to showcase their accomplishments and future goals with you. It is important to celebrate students’ academic growth! Students and parents are expected to be in attendance for these conferences. Here is what you can expect:

   
   

   1. Format: Conferences will be in-person. Students will have a scheduled time to attend with you to look at their work and meet with the teacher. If you require more time with the teacher or wish to discuss more private matters, please arrangements with the classroom teacher to meet on a follow-up date.

   2. Interview Scheduling: The schedule will open to parents on Monday, November 4th. You will receive a message in your Edsby messages (the envelope icon in the left-hand corner) that you can use to reserve your conference time. The schedule will be finalized Monday, November 18th after which time you willhave to make arrangements through your child’s classroom teacher if you have not already booked a time by then.

   3. Edsby Grades: You have access to your child’s grades through Edsby at any time (for students in grades 1-7). We encourage you to check Edsby on a regular basis and especially prior to student-led conferences so that you are aware of your child’s grades prior to coming into the conference.

   
   

   If you are having any difficulty logging into your Edsby account, please be sure to contact the office and Mrs. Spence will be happy to help you.

   
   

Cross Country - Thank you to the students who participated this year and to Mrs. Lightfoot and Mr. Ross for coaching. Congratulations to our students!

Soccer - Thank you to the boys and girls who participated in soccer this year and to our coaches Mr. Gaviada, Miss Winterholt, Mrs. Edwards and Miss Thompson. Our boys team placed 2nd at our division tournament and our girls team placed 1st at our division tournament. Way to go!

Esports Team - This is a new team that our grade 7 students can join. The teacher team leading this is Mr. Ross and Ms. Kipp. Students have had a lot of fun practicing and perfecting their skill at Rocket League. Inter School games have begun. Good luck to our players!

Volleyball - The boys and girls volleyball teams have been busy with practices and have already played a few games. Good luck this season to our players and to our coaches Mrs. Hochbaum, Mrs. Quijada-Sawitsky, Mrs. Nelson and Miss Thiessen.

SRC - The Student Representative Committee has met to come up with some fun activities and projects for our school community. They are excited for the year ahead!

Come and enjoy! Sunday, November 26th at 9:30-12:30pm. Adults are $13, children 6-12 are $6.00 , 5 and under are free. This is a great opportunity to build community while enjoying a delicious meal together.

Just a reminder that we do have students with different allergies in the school. We want to limit the snacks that contain nuts and ask that you try to find snacks that are school friendly.

Please use the Edsby program to enter your child's absences from school. The teacher will see the absence you create first thing in the morning.

Also we appreciate some notification by phone or to the classroom teacher if your child is being picked up by someone other than the parent or guardian. Please understand that we are not comfortable relying on what students tell us in situations like this.

Weather can be very unpredictable this time of year. Please dress children in layers and have their articles labeled with their name on them.

Just a friendly reminder to please pack healthy snack options and lunch options to fuel your child's mind and body throughout the day. Please limit the amount of treats when possible. Pop and energy drinks are not allowed at school.

Also, please remember to send a water bottle with your child to refill throughout the school day as well as any utensils they will need to eat with.

Our fundraising efforts continue as we are raising funds to pay for our new playground equipment that our children enjoy every recess.

We have a few fundraisers on the go:

Growing Smiles Fundraiser

Thank you to those families who purchased a seasonal item from our Growing Smiles catalog. Items will be ready for pick up on the Wednesday of Student Led Conferences.

Our Raise the Dough fundraiser brought in $135.00 and the Bingo brought in $608.00. Thank you to all families who supported these events.

Thank you to our families and friends for the continued support.

Holy Family SCC

The Book Fair is coming. It will run the week of Nov. 18- 22and is open to students during school hours during their library times. It will be open to parents on the evenings of Student Led Conferences. More Info will be coming your way soon.