Principal’s Message:
Last week we unveiled the 2023/24 teaching lineup for our school. This was the reality at that moment in time. From that point we have had to shift a few things due to changes in enrollment (both additions and subtractions) and what is best for kids. While we will have some larger class sizes in a few hotspots, we will also ensure that we have some extra support in those rooms. We will also have the opportunity for classes to be broken into smaller sizes for literacy, which is incredibly important in development. As you can imagine these staffing lineups are created with a variety of things in mind and are always done by putting people in places for success (kids and teaching staff). While I always appreciate parent feedback, please ensure scheduling (as well as teacher and student placements) is always done from a birds-eye view, keeping in mind many different factors. Many hours of thought and prayer have gone into each and every schedule and class placement.
Announcements
Playground Grand Opening
On behalf of Covenant Christian School, we would like to welcome you to the “Grand Opening” of our brand new playground! Please join us on June 27th at 1:00 pm to cut the ribbon introducing the new structure to our student body.
We have had many changes over the last few years, but I truly believe this is the most anticipated one by our students, parents, and community! The number of questions regarding it shows the passion and interest of our families, and I look forward to this structure helping create flourishing learners, who delight in God, and who are inspired to serve in many different ways.
Dress Like a Student/Teacher Day – Monday, June 12
Pennies for Play (Right to Play) – 3J
Covenant students were excited to hear about a new playground addition planned for their own school in Leduc. But then they started asking themselves how they can seek justice and build community – both here in Canada and around the world. After learning about Concepcion’s desire for a new playground, Covenant students knew they could step up and support their fellow students around the world.
The Covenant students have written letters to Concepcion students, talked with EduDeo’s partners in Belize, and used their Science class to dream up and build playground models. They even met with students from Rocky Christian School who had helped begin the construction of a wall and fence for the new playground!
Now, the Covenant students need your help. Although they can’t fly to South America, they want to raise awareness about kids’ global right to play and raise funds to support Concepcion’s new playground. You can help make this a reality.
Please visit 3J’s donation page here to learn more about this project and make a donation! Students will be speaking in their various communities about the project until June 26th.
Improv Club for Junior High!
DIV III Improv club with Mr. Jenkins!
Junior high students and CCS staff are welcome to attend.
Tuesdays, June 20th: Auditorium @ Lunch recess
International Student Exchange Hosts Needed
Covenant Community!
Next year, we have the opportunity to host some international students from Columbia! If this is of interest to you, please email Mr. Simmons at [email protected] for more information today!
If you would like, feel free to take a look at the website below:
Exam Schedule
- Exams will begin at 9:00 am and Jr. High students must stay until 11:00 am. Students must bring a book to read while they wait. Phones/Gaming devices will not be permitted due to exam protocols.
- At 11:00 am Jr. High students are free to leave provided they have completed all previously assigned assignments for the year and have the proper signed documentation (permission form completed) — A permission form is NOW AVAILABLE to complete on PowerSchool.
- Jr. High students without documentation will be in ‘study hall’ in their own classroom area. Once all exams have been completed teachers will go back to their homeroom to supervise.
- Beginning at 11:00 am there will be three check-out tables (7,8,9) in three areas around the foyer or just outside the main doors-if weather permits. At 11:00 am, once students have completed their exam they will go to their check-out area to wait for their ride.
** Students must take at least 60 minutes to write their exam. At 10:00 am (or 60 mins after you begin the exam), students who have completed the exam will make their way to the gymnasium to wait until all others are finished. While in the gymnasium, there will NOT be any athletics going on, it will simply be a large space for them to socialize/hang out until they are picked up or move to the study hall area for the afternoon. (No athletics is due to the large number of students in the gymnasium area). Phones are still not available for them at this time. If the weather allows, Mr. Drader is willing to move to the fields to allow those willing to participate in athletics out there. If this occurs, someone will supervise the gymnasium area**
Grade 9 Graduation
We will be hosting our grade 9 graduation ceremony and celebration Friday, June 23 at 6:00 pm at Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church. All are welcome to attend the ceremony. There will be a standing reception to follow.
Grade 8 parents traditionally have cleaned the church after the ceremony. Please contact Mr. Schindel if you would be willing to volunteer: [email protected]
Staff Teaching Assignments for 2023/2024
Due to our enrolment numbers changing, we needed to make some teaching assignment changes. Below is the updated list.
- Kindergarten Monday/Wednesday – Mrs. Alice Vande Kraats
- Kindergarten Tuesday/Thursday – Mrs. Heather Luchak
- Grade 1B – Mrs. Leanne Briggs
- Grade 1G – Mrs. Laura Glesman
- Grade 2GM – Mrs. Joanne Gulley & Mrs. Ebony Matter
- Grade 2W – Mrs. Danielle Woloschuk
- Grade 3H – Mrs. Nicole Hennink
- Grade 3J – Mr. Andy Jenkins
- Grade 4CV – Mrs. Nicole Chapman & Mr. Jon Van Huis
- Grade 4LV – Mrs. Jennifer Lozeau & Mrs. Charlene Veldkamp
- Grade 5J – Mrs. Lynette Johnston
- Grade 5M – Ms. Robynn Moody
- Grade 6B – Mrs. Stacy Bruinsma
- Grade 7C – Mrs. Michelle Clark
- Grade 7/8H – Mr. Chris Hennink
- Grade 8W – Mr. Colin Ward
- Grade 9S – Mr. Jeremy Schindel
- Phys. Ed and Wellness – Mr. Philip Drader
- Phys. Ed and Wellness – Mr. Jon Van Huis
- Music – Mrs. Ann McDonald
- French – Madame Nicole McConville
- Grade 6 Support/Numeracy – Mrs. Caroline Clark
- Learning Support Teacher – Mrs. Charlene Veldkamp
- Counselor – Mrs. Jennifer Lozeau
- Assistant Principal – Mrs. Nicole Chapman
- Principal – Mr. Donavin Simmons
Year-End Celebrations
We are excited to be able to return to some of our year-end celebrations that have been traditions over the past years. For the last day of school, Tuesday, June 27, the itinerary will be as follows:
- 8:35 am – Classes Begin
- 11:30 am – Year-End Celebration (awards/scholarships, prayer for those leaving CCS, announcements for next year)
- 12:15 pm – Lunch (Year-end pizza lunch and Kona Ice-more details to follow/below)
- 12:45 pm – Junior Highs leave to go on Bowling field trip
- 1:00 pm – Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening for the new playground
- 2:00 pm – Homerooms/cleanup etc.
- 3:15 pm – Staff wave goodbye as buses/students leave for the summer!
SCHOOL-WIDE PIZZA FAMILY PICNIC – We will once again be doing a school-wide pizza lunch. This is not a hot lunch-sponsored event but will run similar to hot lunch. The pizza order form is now up on PowerSchool and ready to be completed. The deadline for orders (and payment-which MUST be made at the time of filling out the order form) is Thursday, June 22, 2023, at NOON. Any money that is made from this lunch will go to the Grade 3 Pennies for Play fundraiser. All parents and younger siblings etc are invited to join us! Our LSCE PR committee will also be providing a KONA ICE treat for all of our staff and kiddos! Visitors will be able to purchase their own Kona Ice treat if they choose as well.
Lost & Found
We will post weekly pictures of our lost and found. If you see something that is your child’s, please have them stop by the table and pick it up or let the office know. All unclaimed items will be donated to a second-hand store at the end of the school year.
Athletics:
We look forward to another exciting year of sports next year!
LSCE News:
LSCE Executive Meeting Update
The tenth monthly Society Executive meeting for the school year was held on Monday evening, June 12. Here are some highlights from our meeting:
- Golf Tournament – June 10: Our third annual golf tournament was held this past weekend, and it was a smash hit (pun intended). 75 golfers battled the heat, smoke and the dreaded Plinko board, all to raise money for our parking lot upgrade project (watch future issues of the Chronicle for the final tally)! Thanks to our fundraiser, Afton Goldsmith, and all of our volunteers and golfers who made the event possible!
- Playground Grand Opening – June 27: As many of you have seen, the playground expansion is almost complete! We will be having our grand opening on the last day of school (Tuesday, June 27) at 1 pm. Come early to get your spot in line for the best slide in Leduc County!
- Welcome Back BBQ – August 29: While the end of the school year is only a couple of weeks away, it’s never too early to start planning for the next school year! LSCE will once again host the “Welcome Back” BBQ on Tuesday, August 29, from 4:30-6:30 pm. Meet the staff, see the classrooms, drop off the school supplies, grab some food, and visit with some new (and not-so-new) friends!
- Have a great summer! We’re almost there! Thanks to our entire CCS family – students, parents, teachers, support staff, custodians, and bus drivers – for all that you have done, and continue to do, for His school! We pray for continued strength and energy for you all in the final push through to the end of the school year – and for a safe and restful summer!
CCS Golf Tournament
We would like to thank everyone who participated in our fundraising efforts this year. Your generous support is greatly appreciated.
A special thank you goes out to all of our volunteers. The events we host would not be possible without the help of our many volunteers.
Thank you to those who sponsored our Golf Tournament this past weekend. It was a huge success and a great time had by all.
Full-Time Bus Driver NEEDED
Covenant Christian School is requiring a bus driver for the 2023/2024 school year. Hours are 5.5 hours/day plus field trips. Route runs from Calmar to the Millet area and then to LCHS and Covenant. Competitive wages and Health Spending account. “S” endorsement and first aid will be required. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and driver’s abstract to [email protected] by June 16, 2023, at 4:00 pm. Please email or call 780-612-1557 for more information.
Fundraising Opportunities
Although we do a few special fundraising campaigns throughout the year, don’t forget about our ongoing fundraisers that you can take advantage of all year long.
Drop any of your Boston pizza receipts at the office for the school to receive 5% back on the total of your bill.
Purchase CO-OP gift cards from the office in $50, $100, and $500 denominations.
Social Media
Stay up-to-date on all the events and fundraising opportunities we have to offer.
You can find us on Instagram with the username “fundraising.lsce.”
https://www.facebook.com/covenantchristianschoolfundraisingpage
Calendar:
June:
- 13-16 – Grade 7 Jasper Field Trip
- 23 – Grade 9 Graduation
- 27 – Last Day of School
- 28-29 – Teacher Workdays.
August:
- 28 & 29 – Teacher Workdays
- 29 – Welcome Back BBQ
- 30 – First Day of School for Grades 1-9
Community Events:
Please click on the image below to learn more about community events in our area! Also found under our Parents menu on the website.
Library Summer Program
Leduc Arts Foundry
I’m very excited to share an exciting collaborative project between the Leduc Arts Foundry and Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts! We are looking for seniors and youths ages 16-22 to be a part of our new project, Me @18!! This project is intended to engage community members in storytelling and initiating an important dialogue between seniors and youth. Our aim is to break down misconceptions cast upon one another and to share stories that will shed light on the experiences of being 18 then and now, promoting empathy, enlightenment, and conversation. This project focuses on oral storytelling and will cover a broad range of topics, from politics and school to family life and love. If you or someone you know is interested in being a part of our project and sharing YOUR story, contact Brittany Snellen at [email protected]. **Participants must be willing to provide a video interview that will be published as a part of the Me @ 18 series.**
Connectivity Dance
Hello!
I hope you are doing well as we gear up for the end of the school year! My name is Amy Skinner and I am the Children’s Pastor at Journey Church and Camp Director for Sunnyside Kids Camp. I am reaching out to you with information about our camp running this summer from July 2-5, 2023 in Sylvan Lake for elementary-aged kids who have finished grade 1 until grade 4. This camp is supported by the Alberta Northwest Territories District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) and kids from all denominations are welcome to attend!
Camp is an amazing time for kids to grow in their relationships with God, make friends with kids from across Alberta, and have fun participating in camp activities including crafts, games, and swimming!
You can register using this link: https://sunnysidekidscamp.campbrainregistration.com/
If you have any youth that are interested in developing their leadership experience, serving their community, making friends and having a blast, we are seeking amazing counselors who want to invest in the lives of children. Counselors must be 16+ and junior counselors must be 14+. They can apply using this link: https://sunnysidekidscamp.campbrainstaff.com/
Please pray for our camp that God would transform the lives of our children.
Odds & Ends:
Sign In/Out Form:
In an effort to reduce the amount of shared touched surfaces, we will be using a QR code that you will need to scan with your phone for signing in and out of the school. You can also use this link if you are in your vehicle and need to sign out a student but can’t scan the code. This means that students/parents/visitors can scan the QR code when entering or leaving the office/school to sign in or sign out on their own phone/device.
Parents will also be able to sign their kids out from their vehicle in the parking lot when they arrive to pick them up for appts. etc. please use the link above if you can’t scan the QR code. We do ask that parents pull into a spot (not bus lane) where they can contact the office to let them know you have arrived and we can make eye contact with you
from the staff/office door. Students must also stop by the office before leaving the school. At that point, once a connection is made, we are able to send students out to you.
Facebook Page:
Check out our Facebook page for more highlights of happenings at CCS by clicking here.
We were privileged to have the Beaumont School of Highland Dance come and perform for our students. It was all the better watching knowing we had several of our own students participating!
Some of the Grade 9s enjoying and thanking God for His creation while on their glacier walk!