WE ARE ONE WITH THE RISEN CHRIST
Lord we lift our hearts to you. As the dawn breaks, may we carry the unity we share into every moment knowing that we are one with the risen Christ.
Lord, we lift our eyes to you. As the sun rises, may this moment stay with us, reminding us to look for the beautiful colors of promise in your word.
Lord, we lift our prayers to you. As the dew air falls, may we breathe this morning in and know that like the earth, you sustain us, keep us and work within us always.
And so, we lift our voices to you. We celebrate the greatest day in history, when Jesus rose from death, defeated darkness and bathed the world in stunning resurrection light.
May we ever live to praise you!
Amen
Holy Week is April 2 to April 8. The Holy Triduum marks the end of the forty days of Lent and the beginning of the three-day celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Easter Triduum of the passion and resurrection of Christ is the culmination of the entire liturgical year. These three days lead us to an empty tomb and an Octave, eight days, of celebrating the Resurrection. They also introduce an entire liturgical season, the Easter Season, which lasts for Fifty days until Pentecost. Please take the time to ensure your child is aware of the sacrifice Jesus made for us and that we remind ourselves that Jesus came to show us the way to eternal life. Let us keep in mind that he led by example. He gave his life for us. He is our role model and we aspire to live our lives in a manner consistent with the lessons that Jesus taught us.
Equitable and inclusive education is one of our goals here at St. Peter School. In our monthly newsletters, we will be sharing some of the initiatives, activities, and professional learning that are taking place in our community to support this goal.
Representation matters! As we continue to perform an equity inventory at St. Peter School, we will extend our examination of resources beyond classroom resources and consider and prioritize the following:
Representation in Physical Space: Do we ensure bulletin boards, posters, and other visuals in the classroom and school reflect the racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds represented by students?
"...let us, love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action."
~ 1 John 3:18
April 2, 2023 is World Autism Awareness Day. Joined by the international community, hundreds of thousands of landmarks, buildings, homes and communities around the world come together on April 2, Autism Awareness Day, to Light It Up Blue in recognition of people with autism and those who love and support them. Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world. We will be honoring World Autism Awareness Day here at St. Peter School on Monday, April 3, 2023 to help spread kindness and autism awareness! Show your support by wearing BLUE!
GREAT LEARNING HAPPENS IN THE LEARNING COMMONS
24 new chairs have been purchased to be used in our Learning Commons (library). The purchase of these chairs helps to create an additional learning space for all students. All classes are invited to visit this space as an alternative learning area.
BLINDS… SAFETY FIRST
All rooms in our school now have fully functioning window blinds! This investment is one that prioritizes student safety. Many blinds were needing to be replaced, some needed to be repaired, and some rooms were needing blinds to be installed.
Mental Health & Well-Being Matter at St. Peter School
To continue the great work that began at our school Chill Fair, plexiglass holders have been purchased to display messages and posters that share positive affirmations and wellness strategies! We will continue to make the mental health and well-being of our school community a goal for all!
SMARTBOARDS…COMING SOON
We are happy to report that 2 of our classrooms will soon be receiving Smartboards! We are so grateful to the members of our Catholic School Council who have worked tirelessly to raise funds to allow for the purchase of one of our Smartboards! A very special thank you to all of our community members who have supported the St. Peter School fundraising initiatives this year!
Our Evergreen Team has been busy during the month of March, celebrating the Great Gulp and Earth Hour as a school community. We are very excited for our upcoming April events, including Earth Week celebrations (stay tuned for more details). As the warmer weather approaches, we look forward to participating in community clean-up events and re-visiting our sit spot to do some nature journaling in the sunshine.
Ongoing Initiatives:
Battery recycling (drop off in box by the eco display case)
Pack a Plate campaign (bring a reusable plate on pizza days to reduce paper towel consumption)
Waste Free Lunches/Trashless Tuesdays (pack a waste free lunch every Tuesday)
Our Team is open to Grade 4-8 students and is being led by Mrs. Louie and Mrs. Killman. We meet weekly on Wednesdays at lunch recess and on Thursdays at last recess. If you’d like to help make an eco-difference by joining our school Evergreen Team, please see Mrs. Louie or Mrs. Killman for more information and a permission form.
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @ecoStPeter
Catholic Education Week begins on a Sunday to highlight the partnership that remains the foundation of Catholic education between our Catholic schools and local Catholic parishes. Catholic Education Week 2023 will be held April 30 - May 5, 2023.
This year’s Catholic Education Week theme is, “We are Many, We are One.”
The theme for Catholic Education Week 2023 was inspired by the following considerations:
- The Church worldwide has embarked on a synodal process, “a synod on synodality,” which centres on intentional listening: listening to each other and listening to the Holy Spirit. We have each been asked to actively reach out and listen to the voices and experiences of people where they are at and consider what steps the Holy Spirit is inviting us to take as we walk together. As the Catholic Bishops of Ontario highlighted in Renewing the Promise, “It is about taking the time to walk alongside one another, to listen and to teach, and in doing so, to transform.
- Ongoing recognition of the Truth & Reconciliation Commission and the importance of Indigenous culture and spirituality as we move forward together.
- The Ministry of Education’s focus on Inclusion and Equity resonates with all educators and administrators as we desire to serve all of God’s children and Pope Francis’ encyclical entitled, Fratelli Tutti, will guide us in this good work.
- The challenges to personal and spiritual well-being posed by the uncertainty of the current global crisis makes the timing and the concerns of Mental Health Week, which takes place during the same week as Catholic Education Week, all the more relevant.
There are five sub-themes for each day of Catholic Education Week. The five sub-themes for Catholic Education Week illuminate the path to being many and one. We achieve this unity…
Monday: When we see
Tuesday: When we listen
Wednesday: When we reflect
Thursday: When we learn
Friday: When we act
Spring is just around the corner and soon it will be time to bring out all the spring gear!
Families are encouraged to label as many of your child’s items as possible to reduce the chance of items being accidentally shared or lost. Take this opportunity with our Mabel’s Labels Fundraiser to purchase stylish, long lasting, waterproof labels for all of your child’s items! They are reasonably priced and if this is done, then we have a much greater chance of returning the lost items to your child!
Simply visit www.mabelslabels.ca, click Support A Fundraiser - search St. Peter (ORANGEVILLE) and have fun shopping!
Thank you for your support!
February 22 - April 6- LENT
April 7 - Good Friday (No School)
April 10 - Easter Monday (No School)
April 16- Last Day to Purchase Spirit Wear
April 18- Last Day to Purchase Macgregors Meet & Seafood
April 17 - 22 Earth Week
April 21- Grade 8 Graduation Photos
April 27- Macgregors Meat & Seafood Delivery
April 30 - May 5 Catholic Education Week
