Growing Smiles Poinsettia and Winter Greenery Arrangements Fundraiser
The website for easy online ordering and payment (https://ladyofrosaryschool.growingsmilesfundraising.com/home) is live and paper order forms will be coming home. Paper orders with cash and cheque are due at the office by November 21. Plants will be available for pick up December 11-12 if everything goes according to plan.
Mitten & Sock Tree
As you are aware, our division theme is "Inspired by Christ on a Journey to encounter, nurture, and serve." This year, our school is focused on the theme of service and our social justice team have planned many meaningful projects.
As we approach colder months, we want to ensure that all children in our community have the warm clothing they need. This year, our school is organizing a “Mitten and Sock Tree” initiative to collect new or gently used mittens, socks, and other warm clothing items for those in need. We kindly ask for your cooperation in making this effort a success.
We currently have 3 trees in our Gathering Area where you or your child can drop off your donations. We are excited to see our trees fill up with warm offerings from our community. Your generosity will directly support local families and help keep our community’s children warm during the winter season. Please bring donations before December 6.
Please consider involving your child(ren) in this project if you are able to contribute. In teaching our children to be like Jesus, we can point to His example of service to others. As we do the things He did by serving our brothers and sisters, we become more and more like our Savior.
Choir - Grade 3 and 4
We’re excited to announce that the Grade 3 and 4 Choir began this past Tuesday! Sessions will take place every Tuesday from 11:30-12:00 (lunch recess) in the Grade 4 breakout room, led by Mrs. Cuellar and Mrs. Gringhuis. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to develop their singing skills, work as a team, and showcase their talents!
Choir students are asked to commit to attending each week to ensure consistency and progress. We look forward to hearing their beautiful voices!
Intramurals - Grade 4
We are pleased to announce that Grade 4 Intramurals have started! Students have the opportunity to participate every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11:30-12:00 (lunch recess) under the guidance of Mrs. Hebert. Our first sport will be soccer, where students can learn new skills, enjoy friendly competition, and stay active!
Intramurals provide a fantastic way for students to engage with their peers and develop teamwork skills. We look forward to seeing your child join us for intramurals in the gym!
Engagement Nights - Parent Input Requested!
To support our parents, we are considering offering evening Engagement Sessions throughout the school year. For the past several years, we have held French Immersion Engagement Nights designed to support our French Immersion parents with tools for students in acquiring a second language. Because of the success of these evenings, we are considering offering more sessions on a variety of topics.
We need your assistance to determine if parents would be interested in attending Engagement Nights, and if so, what topics would be most helpful.
Please take a moment to fill out a very short survey using the following link: Engagement Night Parent Feedback 24-25.
This survey will be open until November 19. We will communicate through our Week at a Glance our next steps based on your feedback. Thank you for taking the time to do this survey!
DID YOU KNOW?
Schools are considered to one of the safest places in our community. However, in reality, emergencies do happen. Red Deer Catholic Schools have developed a comprehensive Emergency Response Plan called "Hour Zero." In the coming weeks, we will be using this space to help parents understand our Hour Zero procedures better, so that you are prepared in the event of an emergency situation. This week, we are focusing on EVACUATIONS.
An EVACUATION requires all students and staff to leave the school and go to an alternate location. This may mean only going outside and away from the building until it is safe to re-enter the school. In other cases, students and staff may need to go to a designated evacuation centre. Parents would be informed of the alternate location through the school’s messaging systems. We understand that if an emergency evacuation were to occur, parents will be worried and want to be reunited with their child as quickly as possible. To ensure every child’s safety and the safety of staff, parents would be asked to adhere to the parent-child reunification procedures listed below.
Please understand that the following processes will take time requiring patience when parents arrive at the evacuation center/Parent-Child Reunion Area.
Student Release: Parent-Child Reunion Procedures
1. A Parent-Child Reunion Area will be established. Parents will be notified at the time of the emergency of the Reunion Area’s location. The location may not be at the school — the location will depend on the specifics of the emergency.
2. You will be required to fill out a Student Release Request Form. This ensures all students are accounted for at all times and students are only released to authorized individuals.
3. Students will only be released to an individual designated as legal guardian or emergency contact on the student's Emergency Card, which is completed at time of school registration. Please be sure to keep this information current with your school, as the school will only release a child to someone listed as an Emergency Contact — there will be no exceptions.
4. Valid identification is required to pick up your child. This is required to protect your child from any unauthorized individuals attempting to pick up students. Even if school personnel know you, you must still present I.D. as the school may be receiving assistance from other schools or outside agencies.
5. You will be required to sign for the release of your child. This is extremely important, as it ensures your child, along with other students, is accounted for at all times. Please do not just take your child from the school or evacuation center without signing for his/her release.
6. Once you have been reunited with your child, please leave the area immediately. This is for your own safety and that of your child. If you are unable to pick up your child, he/she will be kept at the Parent-Child Reunion Center until alternate arrangements can be made. Your child will be supervised at all times.
For more information on Hour Zero and how we are keeping your kids safe, please refer to our school website. https://www.olrschool.ca/parents-students/emergency-response-plan
