HOLY TRINITY SCHOOL 1717 - 41 Street SE T2A 1L2 Ph.: 403–500-2032 Fax: 403–500-2232 Principal: Robert Ranger Assistant Principal: Jane Grierson E-mail: robert.ranger@cssd.ab.ca Secretary: Kathie Millan

An Easter Prayer

May the glory and the promise of this joyous time of year bring peace and

happiness to you and those you hold most dear.

And may Christ, Our Risen Saviour always be there by your side to bless you most abundantly

and be your loving guide. Message from Administration The season of Easter is upon us in our homes and at school. It lasts eight weeks until Pentecost Sunday on June 4. Easter is the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead and is the most important holiday on the Catholic calendar. It is really at the heart of what we believe, that Jesus died and rose again that we might have the promise of eternal life. We look forward to the last two months of the school year. In these busy months, there is still much to accomplish academically. We look to you to continue supporting us in maintaining student focus on academics while also enjoying the varied activities planned to enrich student learning. Our Grade 6 students are also excited to begin writing their Provincial Achievement Tests. They have been working diligently on their lessons all year and now are focused on last minute preparations and studying.

MAY 2017

Newsletter

We are already beginning to plan for the 2017-18 school year and have scheduled our Welcome to Kindergarten for May 18 at 6:30 pm. This is an important session in which we encourage families to meet the Kindergarten teacher, visit the classroom, tour the school and learn more about how they can support their children in this transition. We already have 20 students registered for Kindergarten and looking forward to meeting each of these families on this evening. If you know of anyone with Kindergarten age children, please encourage them to visit the school to register them for the 2017-18 school year. I would like to also remind parents about our upcoming School Council Meeting on Thursday May 11 at 6:30pm. This will be one of our last meetings of this school year and one of agenda items will be regarding our playground. If you have time in your busy schedules we would appreciate your attendance at this meeting. Mr. Robert Ranger Mrs. Jane Grierson Principal Assistant Principal

Kindergarten – Mrs. Knox

During the month of April, Kindergarten learned all about Easter and Jesus’ dying and rising again. We made Easter crafts and decorated eggs. For one of our Easter crafts we used shaving cream and food coloring to create our masterpiece. The two classes got together as one to take part in a Last Supper Liturgy, which was a really special occasion and a great chance to see their peers. We also spent a lot of time working on numbers. We have practiced writing the numeral, counting the numbers, making tallies and some fun coloring to represent the number of the day. It has been a busy and exciting month. The class also talked about Spring, however have not had many opportunities to enjoy the Spring weather. Grade 1 – Mrs. Meek During the month of April, we really focused on Easter through Bible stories, learning activities, observing the Passion Mime and participating in a Holy Thursday classroom celebration. We are continuing to learn new phonics rules such as initial and final consonant blends, the sounds ‘y’ makes when it is a vowel and the magic ‘e’. We have begun our Geometry unit in Math so we are able to identify the difference between a shape and an object as well as describe characteristics of 3-D objects and 2-D shapes. In Social, we are comparing rural and urban communities and in Science we are building things based on popular fairy tales. For the upcoming month we are responsible for the Marian Celebration and will be leading a living rosary. We have an in-class field trip booked for May 31. Grade 1/2 – Mrs. Pierson The time has been flying by. We have been focusing on our writing and spelling this month. The students’ writing has improved so much. I love seeing the students’ creativity flow in our classroom. We just finished our geometry unit in Math, and the students really enjoyed building with different objects. We learned the difference between shapes and objects. We started our addition and subtraction unit, and the students are able to add and subtract in a few different ways already. We were very fortunate to have the Earth Rangers presentation on Earth Day. The students got to see several animals, and learned different ways to protect our Earth. We did a craft and the students came up with several ways we can be kind to our Earth.

Grade 2/3 – Miss Dahl

This past month in Grade 2/3 has just flown by! I can’t believe we are down to the last two months of the school year! We shared some special times this month as we prepared for Easter. Students were invited to watch a youth group perform the Passion in our gymnasium, they were captivated by the story and the excellent acting. Our class came together after for a liturgy where we washed each other’s hands, broke bread and shared some grape juice. This was a beautiful way to celebrate Holy Thursday, and reflect on Jesus’ last days on earth. During April, we also had some other unique presentations and events at Holy Trinity. Students enjoyed an “Earth Rangers” presentation that included many animal guests that visited us right here in our gym. We learned about taking care of the environment and that we can be “leaders today!” At the end of the month, we had Andrew Stiles come to our class to teach us how to construct birdhouses. We were treated to a presentation on different types of birds in Calgary, and types of birds that might inhabit your son or daughters bird house. Everyone did an amazing job on their birdhouse, I was very proud of how responsible students were and I saw many of students step up and be leaders to help their classmates. The morning was made extra special with our parent volunteers and help from Constable Ron.

Grade 3/4 – Mrs. Herbert Over the last few weeks Grade 3/4 H has participated in a computer-coding program in partnership with the Calgary Public Library. Each of the students has been introduced to the Studio Code program and has worked hard to complete various coding and programming challenges. By the end of the six-week course each student will have the opportunity to create his or her own computer game. I cannot wait to see what they come up with!

Grade 4 – Mrs. Mutual The Grade 4 class has been working hard this month completing several units! Students has been studying figurative language and have written a collection of poems which they have compiled into individual poetry booklets. In Science, the Tomatosphere Project was a success and almost all of the student’s tomato plants germinated and are now growing into healthy, adult plants. Our class was happy extend our learning by helping with the school’s new “Garden Tower” which will be used to grow plants aeroponically all year round. We also ended the month by saying farewell to our student teacher, Ms. Cater, who has completed her teaching practicum. Parents are encouraged to help their child at home practice multiplication and division facts as well as word problems.

Grade 5 – Mrs. Atallah

We sadly had to say goodbye to our amazing student teacher, Mr. De Freitas. We wish him the best of luck on his teaching journey and thank him for being such a huge part of our class for the last ten weeks. The students have already began preparing for their grade five district wide Religion assessment. This assessment has three components; Demonstration of Learning (project based on a topic discussed in class), Multiple Choice Test, and a Written Reflection based on a scripture story from the Bible. Students have already chosen their project topic and have begun working on it in class. The multiple choice and the written portion will be done at the beginning of June. In Science, students have enjoyed creating circuits using wires, batteries, bulbs and switches which will be necessary for them to complete the final unit, creating mechanisms using electricity. In Social Studies we will be looking at how World War 1, contributed to the industrialization and urbanization of Canada. Students will be creating propaganda poster that would have been seen in Canada at that time. In Language Arts we will be continuing to explore story writing with a focus on main events.

Grade 5/6 – Mrs. Grierson & Mrs. Wilding Throughout April we did a reflection on the events of the Passion of our Lord that helped us prepare for Holy Week. We are now rejoicing in the Resurrection of Jesus through a reflection. In May the Grade 5 students will complete their Religion District Assessment project that allows students to choose a topic of interest to research and present. In Science the Grade 5s have been creating electrical circuits. The Grade 6s built parachutes and hot air balloons while exploring flight. Both the grades will be wrapping up their current Science unit early in May and we will all be moving on to our final unit, Space Science. In Social the Grade 5s are exploring the affect that World War I had on Canada and the Grade 6s are starting a new unit on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Our math work focuses on angles – creating them, measuring them, naming them in all sorts of shapes. We are also continuing our mental math work as well as honing our skills with adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing whole and decimal numbers. In LA we are writing stories and newspaper articles.

Grade 6 – Miss Kavalinas This month we have been preparing for Holy Trinity’s annual grade six vs teacher dodgeball game. Each class had to raise $20 to earn their ticket to the game. All the funds were donated to children around the world through a charity called Holy Childhood Association.

The money will be used for food, shelter, clean water and toys for children in need. Students who were unable to donate money were asked to say a prayer for these children. Unfortunately, due to limited space, parents will not be permitted to attend the dodgeball game. The dodgeball game will be held on Tuesday, May 2nd. Who do you think will win? - Derek and Nyareak

PE – Ms. Manastyrski This month in PE we focused on badminton, dance, and soccer! Students got a chance to develop their badminton skills through fun games that challenged their hand-eye coordination. In dance, students were taught several new dances and learned how moving their bodies to music can be lots of FUN, especially when they got to create their own dance moves! Our soccer unit will be continuing into May! Students are learning the basics of soccer using fun games that focus on developing skills that can also be used in many other sports. In addition, students in grades 1-6 have an opportunity to join the free after school soccer club that runs EVERY WEDNESDAY IN MAY from 3-4 pm (May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31) at Holy Trinity School field. Ms. M will be coaching, as well we will have Coach Andy helping who is an international soccer coach and is a part of the Blizzards Soccer organization. If your child has signed up, they should have brought home a sheet that has all the information on it. If you do not have this sheet, Ms. M has copies for students who misplaced it. All skill levels are welcome!

Music – Ms. Craig In April our classes have been working on various different songs. The Div. 1 classes were practicing learning the lyrics and actions that went with a song about Lent. We have also explored using different instruments as a class. The Div. 2 classes have been working really hard singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as well as incorporating their own instruments. I am very proud of the effort put in from our classes!

Learning Commons – Mrs. Thiessen Thank you to the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation for supporting our transition from a “Traditional Library” to a new “Learning Commons Space!” The purchase of many new hands-on resources, Lego Wall, iPads, robotic devices and our Green Screen room has given our School Community the opportunity to Connect, Communicate, Collaborate and Create in many new ways. Staff and students are now using the space as an extension of the classroom,

for clubs and student initiated activities during recess breaks. It is truly becoming the "Hub" of our School Community!

Tell us how we are doing! If you have comments or suggestions, please complete and send back to school with your child.

Student Name: Homeroom: Parent Name:

visit canwetalk.ca

CO

MM

-19

0b

Le

tte

r 2

017

04

Wear a special hat to school on May 3, 2017, to raise awareness of the importance of good mental health.

FOR MENTAL HEALTH

2017May

3

1000 Fifth Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 4T9 403-500-2000 www.cssd.ab.ca

CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MONTHLY NEWS

ConnectionsMAY 2017

2017 Edwin Parr Teacher Award Nominees

Nominees for the Edwin Parr Teacher Award are first-year teachers who have displayed outstand-ing skills and performance. We wish to congratulate: Ruth Medrano - St. James, Katrina Ivanco - St. Anthony, Justine Merritt - St. Sylvester, Lydia Wong - St. Martin De Porres, Shana Reilander - Our

Lady of Peace, Kevin Lehew - Father Lacombe, Trista Wilson - St. Thomas More, Elaine Weekse - St. Matthew, Lucas Trotta - Our Lady of Grace, Michela Vetere - St. Vincent De Paul, Jessica Lukey - St. Clare, Lisa Keith - St. Pius, Liam O’Brien - St. Benedict, Laura Perry - St. Matthew and Rebecca Phelan - St. Luke. We are excited and proud that these wonderful nominees are part of our district. Special con-gratulations to nominee Kevin Lehew who was selected to represent Zone 5 for the Alberta School Boards Association. A reception for the nominees was held on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at the Catholic School Centre.

Diploma Preparation Courses – June 2017

Diploma preparation courses will be offered to students and the general public in June 2017. The cost of each course is $75 for 12 hours of instruction. These courses are taught by teachers with extensive experience preparing students for diploma exams and will help review specific curriculum that may appear on an exam, as well as offer insight into the diploma test-taking process. For more informa-tion or to register, please visit our website under Students/Academic Support/Diploma Preparation Courses.

My 1st Ride Reminder

Registration is now open for the My 1st Ride program brought to you by the Calgary Catholic School District and the Calgary Board of Education. My 1st Ride is a free program designed to educate par-ents and kindergarten children about riding the school bus safely. Public and Catholic families with children entering kindergarten are invited to attend a session on May 27 or May 28, 2017. For more information or to register, please visit our website under Parents/Transportation.

CCSD recognized as one of Alberta’s Top 70 Employers

On March 22, 2017, the Calgary Catholic School District was recognized as one of Alberta’s Top 70 Employers for 2017. This is the seventh time that our district has been recognized as a Top Employer since 2009. Alberta’s Top Employers is an editorial competition that recognizes Alberta-based em-ployers that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and forward-think-ing programs. The annual competition is open to both private and public sector employers.

Steve Bell Concert Fundraiser Success

Thank you to everyone who attended the Steve Bell Concert Fundraiser for the Calgary Catholic Education Foundation (CCEF) on Friday, April 7, 2017. Thanks to your generosity, $8,449.25 was raised through ticket sales, Westjet raffle sales and a silent auction. These funds will help enhance programs and equipment at schools in need throughout the district. The CCEF looks forward to your support at their next event with former Canadian astronaut Robert Thirsk on May 23, 2017. Stay tuned for more information.

Did you know?

The district’s 21st Annual Art Walk will take place on Tues-day, May 9, 2017. This annual event allows the district to show-case the art work of our talented students from every school in the district, by display-ing their art through-out Central Office.

Healthy Children Parent Newsletter

May 2017

Backyard Safety

As the warmer weather nears, so do long hours of afterschool and weekend outdoor play! The summer is a great time for your kids to enjoy playing outdoors with family and friends. It is during this time that new friendships are formed, new skills and activities are learned and life-long memories are made. This is also a time during which kids are faced with some dangerous risks related to the outdoors. This sounds scary, but many of these risks are predictable and injury is preventable. Many kids spend their time playing in the backyard. Here are some potential hazards and ways to prevent injury from them. BBQ’s – Children are attracted to fire, and summer brings an increase in burn injuries from outdoor grills. Always supervise your children around a BBQ that is on and never let them operate a BBQ.

Pools – Most pool drowning or near drowning incidents involve home pools and most victims are under the age of four. Always supervise your children when they are playing in or near the pool. Remember to empty the water or cover your pool after each use.

Trampolines – Falls from play equipment are the leading cause of injury in backyards. Many of these falls are from backyard trampolines. Almost all trampoline-related injuries to children involve backyard trampolines. Supervision by adults and trampoline nets are not enough to

prevent these serious trampoline injuries to children. The Canadian Paediatric Society, the Canadian Academy of Sports Medicine and Parachute Canada recommend that children and youth do not use backyard trampolines.

Proper supervision and awareness of hazards will help reduce the risk of injury to children in their own or in someone else’s backyard, allowing you to enjoy safe and active time outdoors! For more information on backyard safety, visit:

www.parachutecanada.org/injury-topics/item/home-safety-play-time#sthash.cZUtME54.dpuf

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Alberta/Pages/trampoline-safety.aspx

https://myhealth.alberta.ca/alberta/Pages/backyard-safety-for-children.aspx

Ways to Build Your Child’s Confidence As a parent or caregiver, you play the greatest role in nurturing your child’s self-image. Influences such as the child’s academic and athletic ability, teachers, or peers affect how your child may feel about him or herself. You can help your child feel more confident by doing and saying things that will strengthen their own feelings of self-worth. Providing encouragement and support helps to strengthen your child’s confidence. This is something almost all parents do instinctively from the time their children are babies by praising them for their first steps or applauding their first word. As your child grows older you may sometimes find more to criticize than to praise. It’s easy to forget that children need praise and encouragement at every stage of development. Children need to know that they are loved and appreciated, no matter what may happen in the world around them. For example, when there are troubles in the family children might think they have somehow caused the problems. You can help your child build a stronger sense of self-worth by assuring them that adult problems are not their fault, and by telling them often that you love them. Children who know they are loved and who have a strong sense of their value as individuals have a better chance of leading happy and fulfilling lives. Children who feel neglected, unloved or insecure know something is missing from their lives and may try to fill that emptiness by turning to alcohol or other drugs when they are older. By showing your love and encouragement every day, you’re building your child’s sense of identity and self-worth. Your child will be better equipped to cope with challenges they encounter and are more likely to make healthy choices in the future.

To find an electronic copy of this newsletter, visit: www.albertahealthservices.ca/csh.asp

Holy Trinity School May 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 Day 3

2 Day 4

3 Day 5 “Hats on for Mental Health” day

4 Day 6 9:30 – 11:00 Fire Safety Presentation – Grade 5

5 Day 1 6

7 8 Day 2 9 Day 3 10 Day 4 11 Day 5 9:00 -PAT Gr. 6 L.A. (A)

1:15 - Marion Celebration – Living Rosary

6:30 – School Council Meeting

12 Day 6 9:30 – 2:00 - Winsport – Gr. 4 to 6

13

14 15 Day 1 16 Day 2 1:30 – Humaine Society Presentation – Grade 2/3

17 Day 3

18 Day 4 12:45 – Prolife Presentation – Gr 6 6:30 p.m. - Welcome to Kindergarten

19 Professional Day - No Classes

20

21 22 Victoria Day - No Classes Boys & Girls Club Closed

23 Day 5

24 Day 6 25 Day 1 1:30 – 2:45 Trinity’s Got Talent

26 Day 2 9:00 – 2:00 - Telus Spark – Gr. 6K

27

28 29 Day 3 30 Day 4 31 Day 5

Holy Trinity School June 2017 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 Day 6

2 Day 1 All day - Grade 6 Retreat

3

4 5 Day 2

6 Day 3 Netball Clinic Gr 3/4 - 6

7 Day 4 8 Day 5 Patrol Picnic 9:00 am to 5:15 pm 6:30 - School Council Meeting

9 Day 6 ISSP Stampede Breakfast

10

11 12 Day 1 Gr 3 & 4 Swimming 1:00 – 1:45 pm Gr. 3 1:45 – 2:30 pm Gr. 4

13 Day 2 14 Day 3 15 Day 4 16 Day 5 17

18 19 Day 6 9:00 - PAT Gr 6 L.A. (B)

20 Day 1 9:00 - PAT Gr 6 Math

21 Day 2 Aborignial Day

22 Day 3 9:00 - PAT Gr 6 SS

23 Day 4 9:00 - PAT Gr 6 SC 2:00 – Kindergarten Celebration of Success

24

25 26 Day 5 1:30 Year End Mass at Church

27 Day 6

28 Day 1 29 Day 2 Last full day of classes Progress reports go home

30 am only - Teacher organization No Classes