Divine Mercy Sunday-April 19, 2020
Leadership Message
Together we can, Together we will: Celebrate the Diversity
There have been a lot of memes, parodies, and funnies traveling around about coping through COVID-19, and specifically, about remote learning from home and teaching through a digital platform. We can all relate to the humour surrounding aspects of the situation and lighten up the tone now and then by giggling at ourselves through this pandemic. We laugh daily, as staff, as we navigate; Googlemeets, videos of ourselves, hilarious outtakes, and the unique coping tools we have had to come up with to keep our heads above water.
A beautiful diversity: Our Colourful Village
Joking aside, there are elements of remote teaching and learning from home that brings a vulnerability to the surface that is important to address and support. When we were together in school, one of the most beautiful aspects is the diversity. There are unique gifts, experiences, skills, and struggles that fill our classrooms and connections. We all learn how to be together in community with this beautiful diversity. Teachers and support staff, much like parents of multiple children, embrace and recognize that; no two people learn at the same time or in the same way. This is how it is supposed to be.
The platform of remote learning and teaching has pushed all of our uniqueness to the forefront. Teaching styles and tools have shown up on the “tube” and students’ homes have been opened up on Googlemeets© and GoogleHangouts© for more public scrutiny. Parents are wondering if what they are doing and how they are supporting the learning at home is going to be okay. We have listened to what each parent is trying to do to cope through this and every story is unique. We are all wondering if we are “enough”.
You are enough-It Takes a Village
We are, you are, and our kids are “enough”. We need to remember where we come from. God made each of us as a unique and wonderful masterpiece; each with our own purpose and plan for sharing our light with the world. No matter what math strategy is used or remembered, or how one parent reads a bedtime story versus another, we are enough simply because we are. So parents, please know that wherever your child comes from is a beautiful place, even in the struggles and chaos, because this is where the light gets in. In the midst of the storms is where we experience God’s tender mercy and unconditional love. No matter how hard it seems, how much it feels like failure, please reach out, and let us know how we can help. We too, are struggling and failing well. Together we can do this, Together we will-it’s our village.
Blessings,
Mrs. Bonnie-Lynne Boehm, Principal
Mrs. Boehm's Weekly Challenge: Love-First, Last and Always
As we continue to find ways to keep the joy in our learning and growing together at Saint John XXIII, Mrs. Boehm will add a Weekly Challenge for you to participate in. No pressure at all please. :) We were used to taking many pictures during our school days and want to keep seeing and sharing the good news with our kids' smiling pictures! Each week there will be a simple, easily accessible from home challenge for students to participate in. Simply snap pictures of your kids engaging in the weekly challenge and send them in!
Please send your weekly challenge picture to Mrs. Boehm bonnie-lynneb@eics.ab.ca We will post these on our various school sites (Twitter, Facebook, and Weekly Smore).
This week's challenge: Can you spell LOVE?
From the Music Room of Mrs. Schaub
Hello St. John Families! I miss hearing your beautiful voices in the music room. I know many of you will want to find ways to be musical at home, so I created a website for you! On this website you can find song-based picture books, name that tune, music activities, Sing Alongs, and more! Keep singing!
https://sites.google.com/eics.ab.ca/mrs-schaubs-music-room/home
OLA Parish Connection
A huge thank you to Fr. Kris, and all the ministries who planned and led the four school Easter mass on Thursday. What a joy to be able to come together and share in Easter mass as Fort Saskatchewan EICS community.
Please note the link below for Sunday masses at Our Lady of the Angels parish and a video below from Archbishop Smith.
Saint John XXIII Catholic School
Email: stj@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stj.eics.ab.ca/
Location: 9526 89 Street, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-998-7777
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St.JohnXXIII
Twitter: @St_JohnXXIII
