Eagle's Eye

Last week, Pastor Jamie admitted he was born in the late 1990s and graduated 11 years ago. That makes me feel just a little older because I was born in the early 1990s, so it’s been a bit longer for me. Still, I can vividly remember being in grade eleven, navigating one of the most stressful years of my life. I had just finished a semester crammed with three core classes and one option, only to step into another semester where I thought taking two 30-level courses simultaneously was a great idea. Did I mention this was back when diploma exams were worth 50% of your final grade? Even thinking about it now makes me break into a cold sweat!

I bet some of you can relate. Whether it’s finals week, trying to finish assignments before the deadline, or juggling school, sports, and friendships, it can feel like everything rests on your shoulders. Maybe you’ve been staying up late, worrying about how you’re going to get through, or stressing about what happens if you don’t meet expectations.

Last week, Pastor Jamie shared something so simple yet so convicting: worrying about your math test won’t add any hours to your life. I needed to hear that. Even though I’m no longer in math or chemistry (my real nemesis), I still find myself worrying about my achievements and failures. Instead of school, it’s now about how well I’m doing as an employee, a wife, a mom, a friend, a daughter… you name it. My happiness and self-worth are far too often tied to how I think I’m “performing” in life.

Maybe you feel that too. Maybe when you ace a test, score the winning goal, or get praised by a teacher, you feel on top of the world. But when things go wrong—when you fail a test, miss the shot, or disappoint someone—you feel like your world is crashing down.

Sounds like a pretty shaky way to live, doesn’t it? Like a house built on sand, every time the storms of life come, the foundation shifts and everything feels unstable - like it could collapse at any moment.

What’s beautiful is Jesus offers us a different way to live. In Matthew 7:24-27 he descfibes two builders:

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

Those houses Jesus is talking about - they’re our lives. If you base your life on things like marks, achievements, popularity or even the approval of others, you’re building your life on sand. Those things won’t stand the storm when life gets hard.

But if you build your life on Jesus - on His truth, and promises and LOVE - you’ll have a firm foundation that can withstand any storm. You can rest assured knowing no matter how you do in school, sports, work, drama, the list goes on - you are LOVED, and your identity is secure in Him.

Take a moment this week, maybe during your one free day between semesters, and reflect on what your life is built on? Are you standing on shifting sands - achievements and approval - or are you standing firmly in the love of God. Friends. Jesus has given you great value - not because of anything you have done, or will ever do, but because of who you are: His beloved child.

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

The January exam schedule has been posted to the school calendar! If there are any questions please call the office 780-464-7127 or email general.scs@eips.ca

*Please note that specific exam start times have been posted to our school calendar.

Exam sittings for junior high students begin at 8:45 a.m. (like every school day) and proceed until 11:45 a.m. Jr. High Students are required to stay in their exam room until 11:45 am for all exams (but have access to additional time for certain exams). Students cannot be excused from school until that time (except for emergencies). During exam week, afternoon classes continue for junior high students according to their regular schedule. These times are utilized for studying or other learning opportunities. During exam week, high school students can arrange help sessions with their teachers via email.

Dear Semester 1 Art Students (and parents):

As the semester comes to an end (and another begins) it's important to make space in the art room for incoming art students. As such, please make an effort to pick up your art as soon as possible.

All artwork will be located on the tables in the art room for the rest of this week. On Monday and Tuesday (Jan 27-28), all art will be on tables in the front entrance of the school.

Note! Any art not picked up by Friday, January 31st will be recycled.

Dear Parents and Students,

This is a friendly reminder to everyone that all textbooks are due back to the school by January 28th, 2025, at the very latest.

We kindly ask that textbooks be returned on the day of the student’s final exam to help streamline the process. Returning textbooks on time is essential to ensure they are available for the next group of students who will need them.

Please note that any textbook not returned by February 11th, 2025, will result in a non-refundable fine being applied to the student’s PowerSchool account. This policy helps us maintain and replace our resources as needed, ensuring every student has access to quality materials.

If you have any questions or concerns about the return process or if there are extenuating circumstances, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs. Plooy at Meghan.BeslerPlooy@eips.ca.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and for supporting our efforts to keep our resources in excellent condition for everyone.

With appreciation,

Mrs. Plooy

The Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) returning student registration process for 2025-26 takes place Feb. 10-24, 2025. Through the online form, all families will confirm the school and program their child will attend next year or advise the Division if they aren’t returning. For students who want to attend a non-designated school next year, these requests must be submitted through the returning student registration process—acceptance is based on available space.

On February 10, the parent/guardian on file in PowerSchool identified as the Permission Click contact for each pre-kindergarten to Grade 11 student will receive an email through Permission Click with a link to the form. If your family hasn’t received any Permission Click forms this school year, contact the school office so we can investigate any technical issues before registration season.

Registration questions? Contact Mrs. Khajavi

1. Contact Mr. Rempel for a Monday or Thursday Lunch meeting

2. We encourage all RAP Prep students to sign up for the Youth Skills Network with AIT https://tradesecrets.alberta.ca/engagement-events/youth/

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!

To help students and their families make informed decisions about next school year, senior high schools across the Division will host open houses throughout the upcoming registration season to share information about specific courses, programming and extracurricular opportunities available.

Plan to attend one or more of the open houses near you.

· Ardrossan Junior Senior High – February 10 at 6-7 p.m.

· Bev Facey Community High – February 11 at 6-8 p.m.

· Fort Saskatchewan High – February 11 at 5-7 p.m.

· Lamont High – February 12 at 6-7 p.m.

· Next Step Fort Saskatchewan – January 15 at 6-7:30 p.m.

· Next Step Sherwood Park – January 22 at 6-7:30 p.m.

· Next Step Vegreville – February 13 at 6-7:30 p.m.

· Salisbury Composite High – February 12 at 6-8 p.m.

· Strathcona Christian Academy Secondary – January 20 at 6-7 p.m.

· Vegreville Composite High – February 13 at 6-7:30 p.m.

For those who were unable to attend the Division High School Information Session on January 13, a copy of the presentation and recording of the information will be available on eips.ca later in January.

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

The next municipal election is on Oct. 20, 2025—an important component of this is the election of school trustees. Trustees are elected representatives who are knowledgeable about the communities they serve, and are accountable to students, families, staff and community members of a school division. Once sworn in, these individuals work diligently to promote and advocate for a strong public education system. Learn more

Video surveillance at schools and on buses

Did you know each EIPS bus is equipped with video surveillance, and many school sites have video monitoring equipment?

Video surveillance and equipment help:

· ensure the safety of all students, staff, drivers and property; and

· discourage destructive acts.

As needed, EIPS school administration and Student Transportation staff review video recordings, in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act. The recordings assist schools and the Division with monitoring student and driver conduct and may be used as evidence in a disciplinary matter.

For more information about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, contact the EIPS FOIP Co-ordinator at 780-464-3477

Through Dual Credit opportunities, students can earn college/university credits from a Post-Secondary institution and high school credits in select programs. These opportunities are in partnership with Elk Island Public Schools Division, Lakeland College, Portage College, Norquest College, Olds College, and Alberta Education.

Dual credit helps students to:

- get started on a Post-Secondary education while still in high school
- save money on Post-Secondary tuition costs (through the Dual Credit Framework, high school students do not pay post-secondary tuition fees (other than the cost of textbooks)
- potentially earn credits in high school and a Post-Secondary Institution at the same time
gain experience to succeed academically in a Post-Secondary environment

Students will be responsible for purchasing all textbooks and required resources materials (ie: robotics kit). These costs are set by the Post-Secondary Institution and indicated in the course descriptions. Information about purchasing the required materials will be provided to students once they have been accepted into the course.

Note: due to the independent nature of dual credit programming, students should be self-directed learners.

For more information about dual credit, reach out to Mrs. Matheson (dion.matheson@eips.ca)

If your child misses just two days a month for any reason for ten of their school years, they’ll have missed the equivalent of one entire year of school. Students who frequently miss school, even as early as kindergarten, are also more likely to have di­fficulty in school, at post-secondary and in their career. As every family has unique circumstances, EIPS uses a multi-tiered approach to re-engage students with chronic absenteeism. In addition, the Division promotes strategies to support and encourage regular attendance for all students. If you’re concerned about consistent student attendance for your child or youth, contact the school for support. An informative video is also available.

Has your contact information recently changed?

Have you recently moved or has your contact information changed since the start of the year? Strathcona Christian Secondary School encourages families to review the information the Division has on file to ensure it’s up to date. Using the Student Information Update available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, families can review the current information on file for each student—including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, parent and guardian information, emergency contacts, medical details and other related information—and submit any updates needed.

Reviewing and updating the form ensures the school and Division have the most up-to-date information regarding your child. Updates completed by December 10 are especially helpful as the Division prepares for 2025-26 registration processes beginning in the new year.

NOTE: Only submit updates for the changes that have already taken place. If you’re moving later this school year, you’ll submit the necessary updates to your information through the Student Information Update after you’ve moved.

If you have questions about the form or any trouble with your Parent Portal account, contact the school office at 780-464-7127

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!

Wes Hosford will be hosting a workshop on Digital Wellness on January 30th with the Strathcona Family Resource Network. Learn how to help your teen with the social and technological pressures they face in the world today. Together we will go through research-based ways we can support teens when they are feeling the pressure of their digital lives. Issues addressed include interacting with strangers online, understanding their digital identity, and healthy relationships.

The content of this workshop is geared for parents and caregivers with children between 9-14 years of age.

The presentation is from 6 to 7:30 pm at Wes Hosford, with an opportunity for Q & A from 7:30 to 8 pm.

For more Information email; FamilyResourceNetwork@strathcona.ca

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.

For this year's graduation ceremony, due to the size of the graduating class and seating available in the sanctuary, each graduate is entitled to a minimum of 8 guest tickets. Please fill out this form to indicate how many of these 8 tickets your graduate will be using (graduates do not need to count themselves in this amount). Depending on the number of guest tickets claimed, there is the possibility that grads will have access to more than the 8 minimum, so please indicate in the form how many additional tickets you would require if they become available. There is no cost for the tickets for the graduation ceremony.

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

1. 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, January 27 (Day 1)

  • Jumbo Hot Dog and Chips

  Tuesday, January 28 (Day 2)

  • Brisket Mac n Cheese

  Wednesday, January 29

  • PD Day- No School

  Thursday, January 30 (Day 1 )

  • Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl or Butter Chicken w Naan Bread

  Friday, January 31 (Day 2)

  • Pasta Plate with salad and garlic bread

• January 29- PD Day no school
• January 30- Semester 2 Begins.
• February 5- Early Dismissal
• February 6-7- Teachers convention, NO SCHOOL
• February 17- Family day, NO SCHOOL
• February 24- School Council Meeting 7:00 PM
• February 26- Pink Shirt Day
• 
  

NAIT Program Preview registration is now open! Get a deeper dive into their schools and programs, entrance requirements and student supports. Plus, discover how NAIT grads are prepared with real skills and relevant knowledge to hit the ground running in their careers.

To register, check out their website.

The student session is designed towards high school students interested in both the skilled trades/ technology and engineering. It will take place ON January 30th from 12:00-2:30

The public presentation is aimed towards adults, however if students are unable to attend the student session, parents could consider taking their student to this session.

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.