Week at a Glance

Friday, November 8

• No school - Day off in lieu of Parent Teacher Interviews

Monday, November 11

• No school - Remembrance Day

Tuesday, November 12

• Pre-K 3 year olds attend

Wednesday, November 13

• What Would Jesus Do Awards - M/W Kinder, Grades 1 & 2 - 9:00

Thursday, November 14

• Pre-K 3 year olds attend
• Photo retake day

Friday, November 15

• M/W Kindergarten attend
• Hot lunch for those that ordered - Boston Pizza

Upcoming Events:

• November 19 - What Would Jesus Do Awards - T/TH Kindergarten, Grades 3 & 4 - 9:00 am
• November 20 - Theme Day - Crazy Hair Day
• November 21 - Growing Smiles fundraiser orders are due
• November 22 - Hot lunch for those that ordered - Taco Time
• November 25 - School Council meeting - 1:00-2:45 pm
• November 29 - PD Day - No school for students
• December 2 - Advent Retreat - all grades
• December 4 - Advent Mass at Our Lady of Assumption - 9:15 am
• December 5 - Theme Day - Christmas Sweater Day
• December 11 - Grade 1 nature walk
• December 12 - Theme Day - Red & Green Day
• December 13 - PD Day - No school for students
• December 20 - Christmas Pajama Day
• December 23 - Christmas Break (Classes resume January 6)

Please opt in to text messaging from the school if you wish to receive texts in addition to email notifications.

This week, we were saddened to say good-bye to Mrs. Robinson, our librarian. We want to express our deepest gratitude to Mrs. Robinson for nurturing the love of reading in our students. She has made our library a warm, welcoming space where curiosity could flourish and where books became our best friends. Her passion for stories and her kindness have left a lasting impact on all of us. God bless you, Mrs. Robinson, as you begin your new job at Father Henri Voisin School in Red Deer.

We are excited to welcome Mrs. Francine Hewson to our staff as our new librarian starting on Tuesday, November 12. We are so excited to have you join our community. The library is such an important place for all of us, and we can’t wait to see how you’ll make it feel even more special. We look forward to discovering new stories, learning new things, and exploring the world together through books.

The library will be closed this coming week as Mrs. Hewson transitions into her new role.

Our annual Growing Smiles Poinsettia and Winter Greenery Arrangements Fundraiser is happening in November.

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.

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.

From November 12th to December 6th, we will have a few trees in some designated area in the school where you or your child can drop off your donations. Your contributions will directly support local families and help keep our community’s children warm during the winter season.

We’re excited to announce that the Grade 3 and 4 Choir will begin this 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!

Students wishing to join are asked to commit to attending each week to ensure consistency and progress. We look forward to hearing their beautiful voices!

We are pleased to announce the start of Grade 4 Intramurals! Beginning this Wednesday, students will 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!

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 16. 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!

Our Lost and Found is OVERFLOWING! We will have all items on display at our upcoming Parent Teacher Interviews. Please take some time on those evenings to reclaim lost items.

With winter approaching, students are bringing extra clothing to stay warm, and we’ve noticed some mix-ups with similar-looking boots, mittens, and other items. To help everyone keep track of their belongings, please label your child’s belongings with their name. This small step will make it much easier for students to recognize their own items and avoid any confusion.

Thank you for your help in keeping things organized!

The RDCRS 2024-2025 Student Information Update Forms are now past due. If you have a student in grades 1-4, and have not yet completed their student information update form please do so as soon as possible. This documentation is required by Alberta Education, and used to verify your child's school enrolment.

How to Access the RDCRS 2024-2025 Student Information Update Form:

• Log in to the PowerSchool Parent Portal from a PC, Mac, or Chromebook: https://rdcrs.powerschool.com/public/home.html

• If you are unsure of your password, use the "Forgot Username or Password?" link to reset it, or feel free to contact your child's school for assistance.

• In PowerSchool, select the "School Engage" button (scroll down to the last button on the left-hand side)

• In School Engage, click the Students tab, then select your child’s name.

• Look for the Student Information Update Form on the right-hand side of the screen.

• To open the form, click the blue, "Open" button under {RDCRS 2024-2025 Student Information Update Form}.

• After opening the form, navigate through the form by clicking the right arrow button on the top right of the form. Please fill in the mandatory fields highlighted in red and check or update other information shown on the form.

• Complete the process by clicking the Submit button at the bottom of the last page

Please feel free to contact the school if you have any questions or concerns regarding the form.

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

Do you have questions or concerns regarding the state of our public education system? There is a lot happening right now that impacts our families and the quality of our children's education, our teachers and our education assistants. To be "in the know" and to have your voice heard please consider joining two upcoming engagement events for all members of the School Council (you're a member if you have a kiddo in public school!) and the community:

1) ASCA Engagement Event NOVEMBER 23 @ 1:00- 4:00 PM

• An online event that will address current events affecting public education
• Keynote Speaker: Tammy Schamuhn, Institute of Child Psychology:
  Emotion Regulation & Children: Understanding Their Brain is Your Superpower
• Pre-registration is required: https://www.albertaschoolcouncils.ca/about/board-of-directors/virtual-engagement-event

2) RDCRS Stakeholder Engagement Sessions NOVEMBER 12 (ONLINE) and NOVEMBER 13 (IN-PERSON) @ 6:30 - 8:30 PM

• RDCRS engagement summit is an opportunity for community members to provide input in "Helping to shape the future of RDCRS."

• More information below

• Registration closes November 12

Your Input is Needed!

Join us for the RDCRS Board of Trustees Engagement Session and help shape the future of RDCRS! Choose which session to attend below: online or in-person.

Online: November 12, 2024 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Register Here: Zoom Link

In-Person: November 13, 2024 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Location: St. Thomas Aquinas Middle School Learning Commons
Register here: In-Person Registration
Registration closes November 12 at 4:30 PM

Share your thoughts on:
Classroom priorities
Budget considerations
Culture
The future of RDCRS

Don’t miss this chance to make your voice heard!

Join your School Council at this online learning and engagement session. It's free to attend but you do need to pre-register. If you have any questions please contact Stephanie, eolrschoolcouncilchair@gmail.com.

The keynote speaker will discuss:

Emotion Regulation & Children: Understanding Their Brain is Your Superpower
In this presentation Tammy Schamuhn, Author, Registered Psychologist and Institute of Child Psychology Co-Founder will help guide parents how to cultivate calm in their home by teaching them 3 simple principles, all grounded in interpersonal neurobiology. Whether it's behavioural concerns, discipline issues, or tackling tricky feelings, this model will revolutionize how parent's see & relate to their children.

Are you struggling to connect with your teen?

Register now for the FREE RDCRS Connect Parenting Program: https://forms.gle/vJU4hrwyW41dntAL9