Shining Bright @ Madonna!

Just before Jesus ascends to heaven to be at the right hand of God, He calls His disciples to spread the Good News to all the world.

Just like we are each called to Go Light Our World!

When we spread God's love, we are speaking new languages of hope, faith, joy and love!

Our School's Patron Saint, and most important mother of all, is Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

Moms, we know, just like Mary, you say yes to loving your children and doing the best you can for them, even in uncertainty and fear. Mary did the same. She was afraid of what God was asking of her, and she returned to her Faith to guide her days. May God's love continue to guide and support you.

MAY:

13 - Monday

• Faith Assembly at 9 AM - All are welcome!
• Miss Emma - Mental Health Capacity Builder - visiting classrooms!

• Return Library Books
• Grade 4 Boys Friendship Workshop
• 3&4G and 3V in-school field trip about Tunisia
• Grade 4 Art Club
• Miss Emma visiting classrooms!

• Celebrating our Diversity: Indian Culture Presentations
• Prayer Club in the Chapel at First Recess
• Students Services Team meets to ensure success for all students

• No School

• No School

Enjoy your long weekend! We will see on you on Tuesday, May 21st!

God Bless each of our amazing family members, friends and community guests who joined us for this very successful event! It was our first one ever, and we couldn't be more delighted with the joy, smiles, connections, stories, laughs and community building that happened in one hour! Thank you to everyone who attended and shared the gift of your time with our precious students. We are truly honoured you chose to spend your time with us!

Children benefit from puddle water play!

• They explore and learn major skills like estimation, measuring, gross motor skills, predication and spatial awareness.
• They build healthy immunity. When children interact with the environment their immune system balances. They have less illnesses.
• It increases physical exercise as they kick, splash, run, jump, stomp. It also stimulates their tactile sensory learning. it strengthens muscular development.
• It stimulates their imagination and creativity. Children build stories around their puddle play.
• They learn personal boundaries and natural consequences.
• Did you know that May 4 was National Puddle Day in Canada!!

If your child wants to play in puddles, please ensure they have the following with them when they come to school so they are well prepared. Just like we need the right gear to play outside in Canadian winters, we need proper gear for Canadian springs!

Please ensure your child has:

• rubber boots (a must-have play in puddles)
• rain pants (suggested)
• change of pants, socks and underwear

Remember, no matter what the weather - snow or rain -

outdoor play in essential for healthy kids and optimal learning.

Thank you for your help ensuring children are prepared for all weather outdoor play!

The term Loose Parts Play was first introduced by Simon Nicholson and his Theory of Loose Parts. His theory explains that loose parts play is the activity of children manipulating and using open-ended materials as they play.

Nicholson strongly believed that the “loose parts” within our environment help us to form connections and discovering those connections fuels creativity. He suggests that loose parts play is important for cognitive development and develops critical skills necessary to what we now call STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Education. (excerpt from My Teaching Cupboard)

We are calling on your help for more parts for our Loose Parts Play!

We are looking for the following items:

• shovels
• gently used blankets
• milk crates
• flex/accordion dryer venting (clean)
• used cooking & kitchen items (no rust please)
• thick rope
• used ski poles
• PVC pipes of all lengths and diameter

Thank you to the Jackson family for the fantastic donation of dimensional lumber! The kids are having a blast with these new additions!

Now that the weather is fantastic, Loose Parts Play is becoming more popular. Thank you for your help in providing MCS students with more opportunities for creative outdoor play!

Thank you in advance for your donations. Items can be brought to the office. On your most generous behalf, we will happily deliver items to the Loose Parts Play Team!

The Nutrition Program provides:

• healthy breakfasts to children
• many options to introduce new foods
• sustenance for optimal learning.

Special thank you to our regular volunteers:

• To our 3/4G students who are helping with breakfast delivery!
• To Mrs. Donna Gravelle, Mme Gravelle's mother, who helps prep food on Tuesdays!
• Mrs. Cathy Wood, one of our caring Grandmothers, who helps prep food on Thursdays!
• Mr. John Lacandula for joining the team!

May's Menu Plan:

Monday May 13 (short week)

Wed May 22 & Thursday May 23

Monday May 27 & Friday May 31

With extra grab n go items on the other days

We can always use more help!

If you can spare a little time, we could really use your help!

For more information or to help on a regular basis, please contact Jem jemliveyoung@yahoo.ca

Please see Mrs. Roberts in the office for volunteer forms.

We invite and welcome families of young learners into our faith-based, inclusive Pre-Kindergarten classrooms and offer a variety of programs to support all of our little learners (PUF Supported and Independent Learners).

Please email prekpufinfo@eics.ab.ca for more Pre-K information and/or to book a screening appointment. Additional information about our programs can be found at eics.ab.ca

We look forward to journeying with you and your child!

Our friends who joined us at our MCS School Council Meeting heard the news first of a Leadership change afoot at Madonna Catholic School for the 2024-2025 school year.

Before we get to that, we both want to express genuine, heartfelt and immense gratitude for the partnership, collaboration and love you have shared with both of us as we led this incredible Madonna Catholic School Community. We are abundantly proud of this school community, the children who learn robustly in Madonna's Faith Filled environment, the incredible teaching and learning team who are instrumental in forming these precious children each and every day, as well as you, our fantastic parent community for your hard work, dedication and for carrying high the Madonna Catholic School Banner.

It has been an amazing year, and we are truly blessed to have walked this journey with you and through the many successes and celebrations this year - and there are so many! It is with mixed emotions and a profound trust in God's plan that we share the following leadership changes for Madonna Catholic School.

Miss Kendra Podoborozny will be continuing to lead the Madonna Catholic School community as Chaplain and an inspiring member of the teaching team. However, she will be returning in 2024-2025 under a different name! Congratulations! Miss P. is getting married this summer! We look forward to hearing all about your summer wedding adventures!

Mme Pamela Gravelle has been called to be the Principal of St. Luke Catholic School for the 2024-2025 school year.

We have both adored every single moment leading this amazing community together and we wish for your continued success and joy. We look forward to cherishing these last couple of months with you, as Madonna's Leadership Dynamic Duo, continuing to celebrate all of the amazing contributions everyone has made at Madonna Catholic School, making it a remarkable place to learn and grow!

With immense pride and gratitude,

Your 2023-2024 Madonna Catholic School Leadership Team,

Mme Pamela Gravelle & Miss Kendra Podoborozny

_____________________________________________________________________________________

We are pleased to share with you your new Madonna Catholic School leadership team for the 2024-2025 school year:

Mrs. Cathy Hinger - Principal

Mrs. Fiona Wimmer - Assistant Principal

Please click here for all Elk Island Catholic School Divisions School Leadership Changes for the 2024-2025 school year.

You are invited to click below for introductory letters from both Mrs. Hinger and Mrs. Wimmer.

On behalf of the Madonna Catholic School Team & all MCS Parents, thank you to the following people who have served this year as your MCS School Council Executive! Your dedication, commitment and generosity of time and talents are appreciated and seen!

Kerstin Adamson - Chair

Sheana Aronyk - Co-Chair

Krystin Bajer - Treasurer

Nicole Howes - Secretary

On Wednesday, May 8 at the Madonna Catholic School Council Annual General Meeting, the following positions were filled. Thank you & Congratulations to each of you for stepping forward (some of you again!) to help guide and support this amazing school community!

Kerstin Adamson - Chair

Sheana Aronyk - Co-Chair

Krystin Bajer - Treasurer

Nicole Howes - Secretary

Darci White - Director & Hot Lunch Coordinator

Kim Mahoney - Director

Thank you for sharing your gifts with the MCS school community and helping to provide rich learning experiences for the children blessed to walk these halls!

Sunday Mass: 8:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 7:00 PM.

If parents have any questions, they can also contact the church by phone 780-467-5470 or email sacraments@olph.ca

MAY:

24: Volunteer Tea

29: Class Pictures

30: Class Pictures

31: Grade 4 Tour of OLPH School

June:

3: Kindergarten & 2L Strathcona Wilderness Center Field Trip

4: Last Library Book Exchange

5: Early Dismissal at 2:13 PM

5: Spirit Day - Dress like your Teacher!

5-6: Grade 4 Students in Drumheller

6: Year End Mass at ABJ - Everyone is invited

6: School Carnival at ABJ

11: All Library books are due!

11: 1 S/W Reading to the Horses & Farm Visit

12: 1B Reading to the Horse & Farm Visit

13: 3V, 3&4G, 4P going swimming

17: 2/3O, 3V and 3&4G Field trip to Telus World of Science

17: Gr 4 visit to St.T's

18: Kindergarten & 4P Strathcona Wilderness Center Field Trip

19: Transition Day - Student's Visiting the next Grade Classroom!

21: National Indigenous Day

24: Grade 4 Farewell at 1PM

25: School Fun Day

26: Last Day for Students