Prayer is such a profound mystery, isn’t it? How does it truly work? How does God manage to hear everyone at once, and what does He do with all that He hears?

One of my deepest questions is whether prayer really changes anything? Are things going to happen the way they are meant to whether I pray or not? I've seen God answer prayers, and I've seen prayers go unanswered: which raises the question “why?”

This uncertainty is a fundamental part of the mystery of prayer. It’s not that answers can’t be found in Scripture or through personal experiences with God, but rather that we can commit to prayer even without having all the answers.

I understand you might have questions about prayer, but my encouragement is to not let these questions prevent you from talking to God. Embrace the mystery of talking with an all-powerful, all-knowing God, rather than letting the unknown push you away. Even when I’m unsure whether prayer changes my circumstances or the outcomes, I’ve found that prayer changes me. It reminds me that I’m not alone and helps me trust God rather than trying to fix or solve everything myself. Through prayer, I acknowledge my limitations. Prayer changes me because it keeps me humble.

1 Peter 5:6-7 reminds us: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on Him, because He cares about you.”

How can you humble yourself in prayer?

Take a moment to think about the questions you have about prayer… you may even want to write them down. Then humbly bring them before God in prayer.

“Thank you God that you care about me. I am thankful that I can talk to you about my questions. (Share your questions with God). I humbly admit that there’s a lot I don’t know, but I am thankful to know of your goodness. Amen.”

Hello parents,

Teachers will be reviewing the Functional Emergency protocols with their block one classes on Monday September 16th, 2024.
These protocols include: evacuation (fire) drill; lock-down; hold-and-secure and shelter-in-place.

Update your PowerSchool information The EIPS Correction and Verification Form is available online through your PowerSchool Parent Portal—at the top of the left-hand menu. Use the form to access and update your child’s records information—including address, parent and guardian information, emergency contacts and medical information. Reviewing the form and submitting updates ensures the school has the most up-to-date information regarding your child.

When reviewing the form, pay close attention to all listed phone numbers, email addresses and emergency contact information. Also, if you recently moved, now is the time to ensure the Division has your updated address. Throughout the year, the Division and school use the listed information to communicate with families about important information, including updates, the latest news and events. PowerSchool Correction and Verification Form Review and update the form by Sept. 25, 2024

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

Brightspace Parent & Guardian Information

Brightspace Parent & Guardian allows authorized parents/guardians to log in to the Brightspace learning environment to see their child's classroom activity feed; grade items and grade feedback from instructors; upcoming assignments; portfolio evidence; and quizzes. This helps parents/guardians engage with their children about their learning and stay up-to-date on upcoming work.

**If parents have NEVER used Brightspace before, an account will need to be created (video linked below). Parents MUST use the same username that they use to log into the PowerSchool parent portal, otherwise the account will not be linked to the student.**

Create Your Brightspace Parent & Guardian Account

Parent/Guardian Log In (use your PowerSchool Parent Portal user info to login)

Additional helpful links on how to navigate Brightspace.

Video overview of Brightspace Parent & Guardian

Brightspace Parent & Guardian Guide

Brightspace: Parent & Guardian FAQ

Brightspace Parent & Guardian App

Brightspace Parent/Guardian Information Session (Recording)

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

The safety of students and staff is of paramount importance to Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS). To improve safety and security in schools, the Division has implemented a new initiative to keep student safety and learning a top priority. For some schools, this new division wide process aligns with current practice, for other schools it will be something new.

Effective for the start of the 2024-25 school year, all school exterior doors, including the front door, will remain locked during operation hours, 0900-3:20, and opened for student access during specific school entry times. (08:20 am-09:00 am for drop off) (11:45-12:45 for lunch)

Students will enter and exit the school using their designated doors, and parents/caregivers will continue to meet their children outside their dismissal doors.

Students who arrive after the entry bell—as well as parents/caregivers, volunteers, school visitors and other guests—will be welcomed into the office through the front door after ringing the front doorbell/video-monitored intercom entry system. The visitor sign-in protocol at schools remains the same as it has been in the past: upon arrival, all visitors must report to the school office and sign in.

The video-monitored intercom entry system will enable office personnel to determine who’s at the door and admit arrivals without having to leave the front desk. The video camera will display the individual’s image on a screen in the office, and once admitted, the individual will sign in at the office as they have in the past. This new procedure enables staff to know who’s in the building and helps prevent trespassers from entering the premises. Students will continue to come and go from the school at the start and end of the day and at recess and lunch as they have in the past. Parents, caregivers and volunteers are still welcome and appreciated for your visits to and involvement with the school.

We ask that families please assist school staff with reminding your children, for safety reasons, not to open any locked doors for individuals attempting to enter the school. When the doors are locked, all individuals must approach the front door and follow the new procedures. For any food service deliveries throughout the school day, parents/caregivers or students must inform the school office staff in advance, so staff know to expect the applicable delivery at a specified time, and all deliveries will come through the main school entrance.

For extracurricular, after-hours or community use, one designated door will be unlocked for the applicable times as specified in the agreement when the space is booked.

Refer to the new Administrative Procedure 538: Building Security and Door Locking on the Division website for more information. These changes are one more step EIPS is taking to support the ongoing safety and wellbeing of everyone in Division schools. If you have any questions about the new procedure, contact the school directly at 780-467-7127.

Please fill out this form to register for our My Pass Set-Up sessions that will be hosted by Mrs. Khajavi in The Commons. Grades 11&12 students who plan to attend these sessions must register first by completing this form. Students will need a personal email address that is NOT a school generated account.

Note: Sessions for Grade 10 students will be held in early 2025 as there won't be any credits processed at this time.

What is MyPass? MyPass is an Alberta Education self-service website for students to access and order transcripts, view detailed academic reports, track credits, view diploma exam results and so much more!

DATES: Tuesday, October 15 & Thursday, October 17

TIME: 11:45am

LOCATION: The Commons

Please bring a personal digital device with you, preferably a laptop.

Mr. Rempel will be hosting a student information session at lunch Thursday, September 19th starting at 11:50. We will discuss Off-Campus Education opportunities such as Work Experience, RAP and the Green Certificate Program. Parents can obtain an overview of the program by seeing Mr. Rempel at the Educators and Enchiladas evening this Monday at the CTS booth. Here is a link to the EIPS Career Pathways website: https://www.eips.ca/programs-services/career-pathways

SCS has a before and after school kids club for elementary-aged students, and we need more caregivers to help our amazing existing team!

If you are an accountable, caring, patient, and energetic babysitter and interested in joining this awesome team, please email Maya Gagne: mayaag25@g.eips.ca or Kainen Hornbacher: kainenjh26@g.eips.ca

Field Trip Procedure:

Students are expected to have Permission Click field trip forms completed and signed in a timely manner, prior to the day of a field trip. Students who arrive at school on the day of a field trip without consent to attend that field trip will not be permitted to attend. Permission Click forms and reminders are emailed to parents and guardians in advance of field trips. Please ensure your email address with the school is correct.

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)

All parents and caregivers are welcome to attend Enchiladas with Educators. This event, which does not include students, will run on Sept. 16, from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Come enjoy a 'light snack' of Enchiladas as you get to know your child's teachers.

Here's a brief itinerary:

6:00 p.m. - event begins; parents can mingle in the link and chat with SCA's teachers

6:30 p.m. - a brief address from Mr. Spronk and our campus pastors

7:00 p.m. - Enchiladas with Educators concludes.

7:00 p.m. - School Council Meeting begins in the Commons (library)

7:00 p.m. - Parents are invited to a prayer time in Room 211 (this room is at the top of the stairs at the back of the link)

In preparation for this event, please ensure you have checked PowerSchool and/or understand which teachers you'd like to visit. Please note that this is not a parent-teacher interview. Instead, you can expect a short conversation with each teacher, approximately one minute in length. You can ask them questions like:

• The topics the course will cover
• Where you can access more information about the class
• The teacher’s favourite thing about teaching that class OR what most kids seem to enjoy about the class

If you would like to schedule a meeting with your child's teacher to discuss a concern, please reach out to them directly through email which you can access via the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Also, our scheduled Parent-Teacher Interview times are on Oct. 30 and Nov. 4, 2024.

Thank you, from the SCS Office Team

The first parent council meeting will be held on Monday September 16th at 7:00 in the commons. Please see the attached document for agenda. September 2024 Agenda

• The SCS Parents in partnership prayer team will be meeting on Monday September 16, 2024 at 8:50 am in the society board room. The Parents in partnership prayer team meets every Monday morning, and all are welcome to join. Please sign in at the office upon arrival!

Download these bus apps for a successful ride! Is your child riding the bus this year? If yes, download the My Ride and Bus Status apps to stay in the know about your child’s bus stop location, route, pickup time and whether their bus is running on schedule.

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!

Click here to nominate someone 😀

Pay school fees online! Wondering when and how to pay for school fees? School fee information for the 2024-25 school year will be posted on the PowerSchool Parent Portal in late September. All fees are due within 30 days of being posted. NOTE: Additional fees may be added throughout the year—for example, at the beginning of each semester, as your child takes part in various activities, or they may be adjusted by changes in selected optional courses in junior and senior high school. If you’re unable to pay your school fees, you can apply to have certain fees waived. The application deadline is Dec. 16, 2024.

For more information, contact Jennifer Gibson at 780-464-7127

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.

Thank you! 😀

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.

We are super excited to launch our partnership with the new Community Kitchen high school course! Over the next year we are looking to support two ministries (to begin with), We Care and Youth Unlimited drop-in centers. Our goal is to provide meals and snacks for over 200 youth/adults each week in the hopes that by meeting the physical need for food, each individual will experience the love of Jesus. Our students will have an opportunity to serve selflessly and express compassion in a tangible way.

The proceeds from the Eagle's nest will go directly to this ministry and every meal you purchase will actually feed double-fold! Thank you in advance for all your support and please continue to pray that God will open even more doors of opportunity for us to serve!

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, September 16, 2024 (Day 2)

• Beef Brisket Poutine

Tuesday, September 17 (Day 1)

• French Toast Feast

Wednesday, September 18 (Day 2)

• Grilled cheese or Philly Cheesesteak with Soup

Thursday, September 19 (Day 1)

• Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl or Butter Chicken with Naan Bread

Friday, September 20 (Day 2)

• Pasta Plate with salad and garlic bread

• September 16- Grade 7 Retreat Birch Bay
• September 16- Meet the teacher
• September 16- School Council Meeting
• September 20-21 Varsity Volleyball Old School Tournament
• September 27- Picture Day
• September 27- Orange Shirt Day
• September 30- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - School Closed

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.