Eagle's Eye

This week on April 30th we say goodbye to Mrs. Khajavi and Mrs. Augspurger and we wish them all the best!

We are so excited to welcome Mrs. Tembo and Ms. Opio in the front office to join the SCS Team!

Mrs. Tembo can be reached at alisha.tembo@eips.ca

Ms. Opio can be reached at edith.opio@eips.ca

Please continue to send all attendance notices to the general inbox @ general.scs@eips.ca

On May 14, we recognize the dedication, hard work and compassion of educational assistants in our school community and across Elk Island Public Schools. Educational assistants play an integral role in education, from one-on-one student support to larger classroom dynamics. Thank you to all our educational assistants—you make a difference in the lives of students every day, and we are so grateful to have each one of you in our school.

This Educational Assistant Appreciation Day and beyond, we encourage students, families and staff to take a moment to tell an educational assistant how they’ve impacted you and to share your appreciation with them.

Join us on May 5 as we recognize and thank our school bus operators for keeping the safety of our students their first priority. We encourage you, and your children, to take a moment to say thanks to our bus operators—who go above and beyond to provide safe and timely transportation to our students.

On behalf of Strathcona Christian Secondary, THANK YOU to all of our school bus operators for a job well done.

Although many staff are present, there is no formal supervision for students after 3:45 p.m. and it is expected that students vacate the building by this time. Lingering/loitering in an unsupervised environment presents safety concerns for students, teachers, and custodial staff. Students who are waiting for a school-sanctioned event -- i.e., a sports practice, math help, etc -- can remain at the school at their parents' discretion and should leave the premises when these events are done. Students who are attending an evening event at the church or the school must leave the building as well and return to the appropriate place for the event when it begins. For any questions or concerns with this policy, please contact school administration.

Registration is now open for the upcoming Diploma Exam Prep courses to help students prepare for their exams in June. The material presented is based on a 12-hour schedule over one weekend. Courses will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day with a half-hour break for lunch and will take place at Salisbury Composite High in Sherwood Park. Students can only register for one review course each weekend.

May 31 to June 1 or June 7-8

English Language Arts 30-1

Social Studies 30-1

June 14-15

Mathematics 30-1, 30-2

Biology 30

June 21

Science 30

June 21-22

Chemistry 30

Physics 30

Intermediate First Aid

The cost is $125 per course, or $75 for Science 30 and $105 for Intermediate First Aid. Space is limited. Register early! Current EIPS families will register and pay for Diploma Exam Prep courses through their existing PowerSchool Parent Portal account.

Teachers schedule assessments very intentionally and students are expected to write exams in the designated exam-writing space/time. However, students are sometimes absent on exam-writing days, and there can be many reasons for this. Fortunately, SCS is rolling out a new opportunity for catching up on missed assessments without the risk of missing class time. So, in an effort to maximize instructional time, students who miss in-class assessments will be expected to write those assessments after school as soon as possible, typically the day after the absence (or, the day of, if possible). This will not impact students who utilize accommodations for exam-writing.

In short, an exam writing space is now available after school, every day of the week! This will occur each school day in Room 212 from 3:40 – 5:10. Late/missed exams will not be written during class time, unless arranged with administration. At a teacher's discretion, smaller assessments/quizzes may be written at lunch in the office or at another time deemed appropriate.

The goal of this shift is to increase student learning and achievement. The research is very clear: when a student misses class time, their achievement suffers. This can also have an impact on the learning environment at large – teachers may want to go over or reference past exams in their lessons and cannot do this when students haven’t written them. Providing after-school assessment-writing prevents students from missing valuable class time to catch up on missed tests and quizzes.

These changes will take effect on Monday, March 10, 2025.

Our school is pleased to welcome back SCS graduates Neriah and Moriah, from the U of A Black Students Association. They will be presenting to our junior high health classes again, and have shared a brief summary of their presentation:

Our presentation, Why Words Matter, encourages students to think about how the words we use can affect others and shape the way we connect with one another at school. As former students ourselves, we share personal experiences to help start a thoughtful conversation about kindness, respect, and how we treat those around us. The session includes a fun drawing activity that shows how even with the best intentions, miscommunication can happen. It’s a light and engaging way to show how listening and clear communication can help avoid misunderstandings. From there, we open up a discussion about how quick judgments or assumptions, something we all make from time to time, can unintentionally get in the way of real connection.

We also talk about how certain comments, even when not meant to be hurtful, can stick with someone, and we share helpful ways students can respond kindly and respectfully. The heart of the presentation is about building a school environment where every student feels seen, valued, and treated with care. It’s about everyday choices…choosing to be thoughtful, choosing to include others, and choosing to be part of a positive, welcoming school culture.

At its core, this presentation is simply about living out something Mr. Spronk once shared with all of us: Show love. That message stuck with us, and we're just trying to carry it forward.

Neriah Otu; Moriah Inyang-Otu

SCA Performing Arts is proud to present Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! It is a new musical that has never been performed in our community before! A fresh version of Willy Wonka filled with classic songs from the original, PLUS fresh songs with modern references, exciting dances, vibrant sets, props and costumes! Our 57 grade 8-12 students are thrilled to present you with a world of pure imagination!

Tickets and Information Here: https://www.scasecondary.ca/sca-performing-arts/current-season

You've all (SCS and SCE students) won a golden ticket and SCA gets to go to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for free!!

On Friday, May 9th we will gather with SCE in the auditorium to watch the musical theatre group perform their 2025 musical. Please be respectful and enjoy this weird and wonderful show!

Our school resource officer Constable Ceri-Lee Smith has provided this helpful document on bike theft prevention! A great thing to refresh on with the spring weather upon us.

Access the SCS student life handbook: https://www.scasecondary.ca/students/scs-student-life-handbook

Please let your teacher(s) or the office know if you are traveling outside of Canada and require access to your Brightspace. Regularly, Brightspace isn't accessible when you are outside of Canada, so we need to request access from EIPS for the duration of your travels.

On behalf of the Strathcona Christian Academy Secondary School Council, thank you for helping us recognize our amazing staff for the wonderful work they do.

If there is staff member you'd like to recognize, please fill out this Google form.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Do you know a person at school that is great and deserves to be recognized? Nominate them for a 10/10! We want to hear all the good things that are happening around our school.

All these awesome stories will be shared on The Board and some may win a free meal at the Eagle's Nest!

Every year, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) publishes an Annual Education Results Report, which outlines the Division’s Four-Year Education Plan, growth opportunities and how it supports students in achieving the best possible outcomes. Read through this year’s EIPS Annual Education Results Report 2023-24 and discover how EIPS fosters learning environments for all students to learn, grow and thrive—and why it matters.

April Spotlight: cultivating high-quality learning environments and experiences

· Raising the Bar: Evidence-based practices that are enhancing teaching and learning in EIPS

· Power of Kindness: Creating welcoming, inclusive, respectful and safe learning environments in schools

· Building Blocks: How effective planning, management and infrastructure are supporting learning

RELATED INFORMATION
EIPS Four-Year Education Plan: 2022-26
EIPS Three-Year Capital Plan: 2025-28

In 2025-26, Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) will be expanding its Collegiate Pathways programming to provide more opportunities for more students across the Division. Opportunities are available for students entering or returning to Grade 12 in the fall. For students entering grades 10 or 11 next year, the available information will help with course planning throughout senior high.

Learn more about Collegiate Pathways

Planning for Grade 12

Course planning for grades 10 and 11

Mark your calendars! Registration for EIPS Summer School opens March 17. For more information, see the Summer School page on Next Step’s website

National Volunteer Week takes place April 27 to May 4. On behalf of the Board of Trustees at Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS), I want to say a giant thank you to all EIPS volunteers. This year’s theme is Volunteers Make Waves, and that’s certainly true in our Division. No matter whether you’ve chaperoned a field trip, helped out at a hot lunch day or provided support in a classroom—every time you’ve stepped in a school—you’ve made a ripple effect that washes over your community. These waves of positivity, hard work and dedication build up and make a momentous impact on a student’s experience at school.

So, thank you again for being a part of our ocean at EIPS. The waves you’ve made—and will continue to create—all contribute to our collective goals of ensuring learning and working environments sustain student learning and amplifying the importance of public education in our province. This National Volunteer Week, I encourage everyone to celebrate the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours put into supporting student growth and achievement at schools across the Division.

Cathy Allen
Chair, EIPS Board of Trustees

EIPS prepares a budget in the spring based on projected enrolment, funding, estimated costs and Board of Trustees budget priorities. Before the Division can finalize its budget for the next school year, we need to wait for the provincial government to provide the funding manual for school authorities and EIPS’ funding profile. This year’s funding manual is expected to be released in early April and the funding profile should be available mid-March. EIPS plans to publish its spring budget in May. Learn more

Registration for EIPS Summer School is now open. The program, organized through Next Step, offers more than 40 senior high courses. Students can earn credits, upgrade marks, lighten workloads or finish pre-requisite courses.

Courses include:
Open to EIPS students entering grades 10-12 next fall, and students in their Grade 12 year.

· Core senior high courses

· Career and Life Management (CALM)

· Physical Education

· Land-Based Learning

· Work Experience and the Registered Apprenticeship Program

· Workplace Safety

Plus, choose from a variety of complementary courses—offered online.

Learn more about EIPS Summer School 2025—including 2025 course offerings, registration, important dates and more.

Did you know that students at SCS have access to spiritual, academic and social-emotional support every day at school? Student Services is located on the second floor of the school in room 203. Mrs. Matheson, the school counsellor, and Campus Pastors Kiara, Jamie and Luke are available, and students are encouraged to pop in to see them. However, sometimes students may not feel comfortable popping by and would prefer to book an appointment. In order to make this process easier, SCS Student Services is launching their new Student Support Form. Students can scan this QR code or use the URL to open up a google form where they can request an appointment with someone from student services. It is important to note that the form is screened by the entire student services team (including Mrs. Meints) and the form is NOT a place to report an emergency as it does not get screened 24/7. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to anyone from student services!

Help us make 500 loaves of banana bread for our sponsored non-profit organizations.🥰

We care- Now has approximately 140 clients needing care and support. Loaves would be sent downtown every Sunday.

Youth Unlimited drop-in centers- Minister to approximately 200 marginalized students every week Monday-Friday.

Strathcona Food Bank- Our goal is to bless this amazing organization with 25 loaves each week for 2 months.

You can drop off donations at the kitchen ort bring them to your home room.

The grade that brings in the most ingredients will win a free meal coupon to the Eagles Nest for each individual!!

Our Missions Local class has put together a survey to track emissions released into the air by the students at SCA travelling to and from the school. We ask that all students use this link to fill out the survey so we can review this data and use it to begin sustainable school transport.

Beginning on February 4th a Girls Bible study will be held on Tuesdays at lunch in legato. All are welcome to join! Meet in front of the school office at the beginning of lunch.

NEW BEGINNING SEMESTER 2: All guys grade 7-12 are invited to join this weekly Bible Study!

Join us every Wednesday from 11:45-12:25 in the SPAC Legato (coffee shop) for a men’s Bible study led by grade 12 students and supported by our campus pastor team. This group is open to all guys, grades 7-12. Our hope and prayer with this group is that everyone, no matter where they are at on their faith journey, knows that they belong here, as we challenge, encourage, and pray with one another.

If you have any questions or want more information, reach out to Pastor Luke.

We are now collecting form submissions for yearbook write ups that will be displayed next to your photo. Submission deadline is April 30th! Please let Mr. Johnson or Mrs. A know if you have any questions!

Parents of 2025 Grads - If you haven’t already, please follow the 2025 Parent Grad Committee on one of our social media channels:

Facebook: SCA 2025 After Grad Party

Instagram: scagradparents2025

The Parent Grad Committee is getting ready to send out an information letter by email to 2025 grad parents.

Please help the committee connect with you, by sending your preferred email address to:

scagradparents2025@gmail.com

The Eagle's Nest is open! Each day, Miss Higgs will have a delicious meal ready for purchase. Meals are $6 each or you can purchase a 5-meal punch pass for $25. Cash or cards are accepted.

• Monday, April 28 (Day 1)

  • Taco in a bag

  Tuesday, April 29 (Day 2)

  • French Toast Feast

  Wednesday, April 30 (Day 1)

  • Grilled Cheese or Philly Cheese Steak with Soup

  Thursday, May 1 (Day 2)

  • Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl or Butter Chicken with Naan

  Friday, May 2

  • PD Day No school

• April 28-May 2: Musical Theater Tech Week
• May 2: No School
• May 5: Jr High Track Meet
• May 7: Early Dismissal
• May 6-9: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Production
• May 9: SCS and SCE Students attend show
• May 12: Jr High Film Festival
• May 13-17: High School Band Trip
• May 19: No School
• May 20: Grade 11 Retreat

SPAC Youth has weekly gatherings, and we would love to have you join:

Senior High (Grade 9-12)

Tuesday | 7pm

Junior High (Grade 7-8)

Wednesday | 7pm

We’d love to have you join

Follow us on Instagram - @spacyth for more details.

We hope to see you there.

Please remember that our building does not open for students before 8:20AM. Students who arrive earlier will need to wait outside until the doors open.

In the afternoon, we kindly ask that parents pick up their children before 3:35PM. After 3:35PM, students are kindly asked to wait outside for their transportation.