O Canada! ( a reason to be thankful!)

It is always exciting to get mail!  This large package arrived in our classroom this week.

The students are learning about our own wonderful country and have worked on a map of Canada and a map of Alberta.  We read a story about our flag, and then opened this mysterious package.

Inside were a whole array of bright and colourful maple leaves all the way from Ontario, graciously collected and then sent to us by Mrs. Matheson's brother and sister in law (and their puppy Sprocket)!

The students were amazed at the variety of colours and sizes of these leaves.  It seems amazing that this important symbol of Canada, one we so easily identify with, does not naturally grow here.  The ones that have been planted, never seem to get to this bright colour, falling off when they are still green or just turned yellow.

Each of the students' social studies duo tang now has a real maple leaf on it!

Oh Canada!  How proud we all are of thee!

Look at the smiles!  They are almost as big as these leaves!

Here's the letter that will be coming home on Tuesday:

Dear Parents,

As part of our belief that we should all live a long and active life, the students as Madonna Catholic School will have the wonderful opportunity to participate in swimming lessons this year.  We will be swimming from 1:45 to 2:30 Thursday afternoons in October, November, and December specifically on October 23, October 30, November 6, November 20, November 27, December 4^, and December 11.

We would love to invite fathers and/or grandfathers to take on the role of supervisor to ensure that the male students are safe as they change.  As Mr. Harmata reminded all of the teachers, our school district’s policy is to have all volunteers who will be in contact with students on a regular basis to provide a criminal record check, a child intervention check and sign a confidentiality undertaking also with an acceptable use agreement.  All of those forms can be obtained through the school’s front office.  It may seem like a great deal of work, but our children are so very precious to us, that I know you won’t mind taking the time to get these forms filled out.

The fees, which cover both the lessons and the bussing, are being collected separately from school fees and payment options are listed on the long yellow sheet which is in the plastic pouch of your child’s BEE binder. I will also need to know what level of swimming your child will be entering for these lessons by Wednesday, Oct. 15 so that the information can be shared with the pool staff who organize the students into appropriate groupings. 

A gentle reminder that long hair is best braided for the lessons, that combs cannot be shared, that swimming items should be packed in a separate sturdy waterproof bag (not a disposable bag from groceries) in the backpacks in the morning, and that the students will not have time to blow dry their hair so having a warm hat is encouraged.

 Just another quick note:

Please know that you are welcome to join our school as we celebrate mass on Wednesday, October 15 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish at 9:30 a.m.  I am asking all the children in my class to bring one small non-perishable, such as a can or small box of food, which we will contribute to the food drive that the parish is conducting for those with less than us.  Did you know that our parish is currently sponsoring a family from Columbia and that they are in the legal realm of bringing and sponsoring a family from Syria?  We are all asked to do our part. 

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,"    Matthew 25:35

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!