Eagle's Eye

Dear Students and Families,

As we come together to celebrate this Christmas season, I want to take a moment to reflect on the meaning of this special time. Christmas is a season of joy, hope, and love. It’s a time when we celebrate the blessings in our lives, big and small. Whether surrounded by family, friends, or our school community, this time brings us together with hearts full of gratitude. I also recognize that this year, for some, the season may feel heavier. Many of our families are facing personal hardships, and some are experiencing loss or challenges that make this time difficult. I want you to know that you are not alone in your struggles, and we stand with you as a community that values compassion, support, and understanding.

In this season, let us hold close the words from Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” May this Christmas bring moments of peace and comfort, and may the New Year hold the promise of brighter days ahead. Let us remember to reach out to those in need, offer a helping hand, and continue to uplift each other with kindness and grace.

Wishing you all a blessed Christmas filled with love, hope, and the strength to face any challenges ahead.

Warmly,
Matthew Spronk

When I was in elementary school, I had a terrible nail-biting habit. My poor mom tried everything—soaking my fingers in lemon juice, smearing them with Tabasco sauce, even promising me pretty nail polish if I stopped. But no matter what, every time I felt bored or anxious, I’d catch myself nibbling again. Then, on New Year’s Eve in 2003, I decided that 2004 was going to be different. Somehow, at ten years old, I found the willpower to quit, and that was the first New Year’s resolution I ever made—and kept!

Looking back, that small but meaningful victory taught me the power of starting fresh. Over the years, my approach to the New Year has deepened. Now, instead of willpower alone, I’ve learned to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to live in greater alignment with the ways and practices of Jesus. One of my favorite practices is prayerfully choosing a word for the year—a word that shapes how I live and grow in the year ahead. It’s a simple but powerful way to set the tone for the year, with God at the center.

This past year, 2024, my word was presence. I entered the year with a growing conviction that I wasn’t aware of the presence of God with me, and at work in and around me. I felt absent in my own life - not present with my kids, or present to my team and church family. So, I prayerfully asked the Holy Spirit to awaken me and call me to BE present with God and with those around me, and I echoed that prayer for the following 366 days.

This year, 2025, I sense God calling me to trust Him in a fresh way. What this looks like is still unfolding, but the past five days have held a confession that I struggle to trust Him, but I long to. I’ve openly confessed areas of my life I try to control, manipulate and plan my way into peace, rather than surrendering to His goodness and love.

With the New Year upon us, what might the Lord be prompting in you? Is there a word, a theme, a prayer, or a calling He’s inviting you to embrace? God longs to draw closer to you, what can you do this year to draw near to Him? Perhaps it’s something like peace, courage, or trust.

Let’s end our time prayerfully reflecting and asking God to reveal the word He has for you.

God, thank you for this New Year. Thank you that your mercies are new every morning. Thank you for this past year, the highs and the lows, the victories and the struggles. Thank you for being with me through it all. Would you reveal to me a word, a theme, a picture, for this new year… and would it be the power of the Holy Spirit that empowers and strengthens me as I pursue you. Amen.

Pastor Kiara

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

Dear SCA Secondary school families,

Under Alberta Education’s School Fee Regulation, schools must consult with parents prior to setting school fees for the upcoming school year.

Our next school council meeting will be taking place on January 20, 2025, at 7:00p.m. During that time, I’ll be sharing information about our current fee structure, posing specific questions about priorities, and asking you to provide your feedback as we plan for the 2025-26 school year. While many of these activities and services enhance students’ educational experience, we want to ensure these fees aren’t cost prohibitive for families.

Specifically, we will be asking for input on the following:

· Optional courses and associated fees

· Field trips and associated fees

· Extracurricular activities

· Non-curricular travel (for example, Leadership 9 and band trips)

· Non-curricular goods and services (for example, student union and yearbooks)

I understand not all families will be available to attend the meeting but it’s still important we get as much input from the school community as possible. Following the meeting, materials will be shared on the SCA Secondary website for your review, and a survey form provided so you can submit a written response.

School administration will use feedback provided to help determine fees for 2025-26, which will then be shared at the March school council meeting, posted to our website and shared via link through email.

I look forward to hearing from you on January 20.

Sincerely,

Matthew Spronk,

Principal

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.

January 30th is the first day of Semester 2!

Deadline to submit requests for Semester 2 schedule changes is Monday, January 20th, 2025 (4pm).

Junior High: All Gr. 7-9 option change requests must be requested via email by parents to Mr. Winkel.

Senior High: All Gr. 10-12 course change requests must be made using the Semester 2 course change request form.

Semester 2 Timetable

Thank you kindly!

SCA Secondary School was selected as the recipient for a community project grant generously totaling $3000 from Desjardins Insurance! These funds will be used to purchase some additional equipment for our Community Kitchen. We are thankful for how God continues to bless this program so that we can continue to bless our community and beyond!

Thank you, Desjardins Insurance for your generosity!

The Athletics Department urgently needs your help with replenishing our medical supplies. We're looking for a volunteer to come in and take inventory of our current stock. This is a great opportunity to lend a hand and support our athletes' well-being.

If you're available and interested, please reach out to Mr. Botchey at symonds.botchey@eips.ca. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you for your support!

Alberta Education allocates funds to school boards to fulfill their delegated responsibilities of providing education programs for students in kindergarten to Grade 12. As part of Elk Island Public Schools’ (EIPS) commitment to stakeholder engagement and to continue allocating resources according to local priorities, the Division conducts an annual budget planning survey to seek input from staff, families Grade 12 students and community partners.

The survey is voluntary, anonymous and takes about five to 10 minutes to complete. The survey questions suggest possible budget areas for EIPS to focus its resources, which align with the Division’s current Four-Year Education Plan. If you believe there are other areas where the Division should concentrate its resources, you can also indicate what these are. EIPS will consider all budget planning input to guide future decision-making.

COMPLETE THE SURVEY NOW Survey closes Dec 18, 2024 Grade 12 students will complete the survey at school.

Thank you for sharing your input to help inform Division planning.

EIPS’ Annual Education Results Report 2023-24 is now available online. The report details how EIPS is doing relative to Alberta Education’s performance measures; how it’s supporting students to achieve the best possible outcomes; and its successes, challenges and priority strategies moving forward. A brief overview of the report is also available.

I wish to extend warm holiday wishes to all students, staff and families on behalf of the Elk Island Public Schools Board of Trustees.

As busy as we know this time can be, it’s nice to take a moment to look back with gratitude on the past year. We are thankful for the incredible parents and caregivers in the communities we serve, who consistently step up to support both students and educators—day in and day out. We appreciate our staff members, in schools and at Central Administration, for their commitment to excellence in learning. And we celebrate students across the Division, who work so hard and make us proud.

We hope you enjoy all the wonderful concerts, shows and festivities happening at your school, and that you get a chance for rest and reflection during the break. To all of you—have a joyous holiday season, and a healthy and happy New Year.

We look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Jan. 6, 2025.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays,

Cathy Allen EIPS Board Chair

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

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

Thinking of buying your kid a device this Christmas? Here’s a couple tips to help you make an informed choice...

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!

These classes are wide open to anyone who is interested in attending, and are affordable. There is room for up to 12 people per class, with three available classes. It’s an opportunity where you can learn how to make simple, nutritious meals with student instructors and in the end take home meal kits and recipe cards. There will also be a small store set up where you can purchase healthy + quality food at a discount, and a give away with a variety of kitchen utensils at the end of each class.

The goal is to guide and teach those how to cook, to increase dependability on cost effective nutritious meals and reduce the reliability on cheaper, less nutritious food.

1011 Clover Bar Road, Sherwood Park, AB
(SCA Secondary, In the Church Kitchen)

Thursday January 9, 2025
Friday January 17, 2025
(2:00pm - 3:10pm)

If interested, please sign up at http://bit.ly/3Z4e53c

For any questions, please email matthias.cheung@eips.ca

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.

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

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/

Diploma Exam prep registration opens on Monday, October 28th and is run by Next Step/Outreach. You can register at https://www.eipsnextstep.ca/diploma-prep . Should you have any further questions including payment inquiries, please contact them directly at eipsnextstep@eips.ca or call 780-464-1899.

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)

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.

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

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!

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 10-12. 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.

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 6 (Day 2)

  • Taco in a Bag

  Tuesday, January 7 (Day 1)

  • Chicken Club Wrap or Pulled pork wrap

  Wednesday, January 8 (Day 2)

  • Grilled Cheese or Philly Cheesesteak with Soup

  Thursday, January 9 (Day 1)

  • Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl or Butter Chicken w Naan Bread

  Friday, January 10 (Day 2)

  • Bacon Beast Burger and Fries

• December 21- January 5- Christmas Break
• January 6- School Resumes
• January 8- Early Dismissal
• January 10- Exams begin
• January 16- Last Day of classes for HIGHSCHOOL ONLY

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.

Night to Shine is a global initiative founded by Tim Tebow, led by churches, that shares the love of Jesus and celebrates the worth and value of people with special needs. The evening consists of a meal, fun activities, "walking the red carpet", a short inspirational program and a dance. Each guest dresses up in their finest for this special evening.

To ensure the success of this community-building event approximately 150 volunteers will be needed! Lots of different times and roles to choose from.

Each person attending the event must:

1. Attend one volunteer training session

2. Sign a "volunteer expectations" document

3. Submit a criminal record check, (adults only)

4. Must be at least 14 years old

More information available from,

Lisa Mol - Night to Shine coordinator

lisa.mol@bethelchurch.com

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.

From January 3-5th 2025, we will be heading to Camp Nakamun for their Winter Youth Retreat. This overnight retreat is open to all youth in grade 7 & 8. We believe the impact of retreats can be significant. God can capture our attention in a unique way when we leave our everyday ordinary routine and retreat away without cell phones and distractions. Imagine what Jesus might do in the life of your teen as they worship, pray and learn for an entire weekend. If your teen is interested in attending, we recommend that you register soon as spots are limited.

For more information, or to register your teen(s), CLICK HERE!

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.