Principal’s Message:
Over the last two days, I have been able to attend some professional development on “Traumatic Event Training”. The instructor, Kevin Cameron, is THE guy when it comes to traumatic events around the world. He has been on site at every situation from the Humboldt tragedy to the Columbine shooting. This training has been a transformative experience, equipping me with a deeper understanding of the critical role trauma plays in the lives of our students and how it impacts their well-being within our school community.
Throughout the training, I learned that trauma can take many forms and affect individuals in various ways. It was eye-opening to grasp the significance of creating a safe, nurturing, and trauma-informed environment within our school. I now understand how small gestures of empathy and support can make a world of difference for a child who has experienced trauma. The training emphasized the importance of recognizing trauma triggers, responding with compassion, and fostering resilience in our students. I also gained practical strategies for improving communication, conflict resolution, and collaboration among our staff, all of which are essential for maintaining a harmonious and supportive learning environment.
I want to assure you that the knowledge I acquired from this training will be instrumental in shaping our school’s policies and practices to better meet the unique needs of each student, regardless of their past experiences. My commitment to providing a compassionate and trauma-informed Christian education remains steadfast, and I look forward to working closely with our dedicated staff and parents to create an even more nurturing and inclusive school community for all our children.
Announcements
Terry Fox Run – THIS FRIDAY!
On Friday, September 22nd, all families are invited to come and cheer on CCS Students as they take part in the Terry Fox Run. This event is for all students and staff and will support cancer research while also building incredible school spirit for our students. We will begin with an Assembly at 9:00 am, which parents are welcome to attend. After our short assembly, we will take our traditional all-school photo by the front doors of the school. We will begin the walk/run at 9:45 followed by recess and regular scheduled classes.
Let’s all show the great strength and resiliency of our school community by supporting one of our greatest Canadian heroes, Terry Fox.
The Terry Fox Foundation has created an online fundraising page for our school. You can donate to the cause here.
International Columbian Students
From September 25th to October 20th, we are thrilled to welcome five students to our school from Columbia. As part of BGSD’s international student program, these students will join us for a month to experience Canadian culture, gain a global perspective, and help with a wide variety of personal skills. These Jr. High students will join in all of our classes, and will also participate in some larger events with the rest of their international student cohort. Covenant Christian is extremely excited to play host for these kids, as we all will learn how to be Flourishing Learners, who Delight in God, and who are Inspired to Serve.
School Council AGM – September 28, 2023
Are you looking to get involved at CCS? Looking for a fun way to connect with other parents? Have a chance to get to know our Principal? Then come join the School Council! Our AGM is Thursday, September 28th right after Celebration.
Please email our Chair, Shauna Balehowsky with any questions you might have [email protected].
LifeTouch School Photos
We will once again have LifeTouch coming to our school to take photos for us. This year, we will be combining individual photos AND class photos on the same day, instead of individual photos now and class photos in the Spring. They will be at our school on Wednesday, October 11th, and Thursday, October 12th. The schedule for photos will be as follows:
Wednesday, October 11:
- Kindergarten Vande Kraats, 1B, 1G, 2GM, 2W, 3H, 3J, 4CV, 4LV, 5J, 5M, 6B
Thursday, October 12:
- Kindergarten Luchak, 7C, 7/8H, 8W, 9S
We are in need of a parent helper for each day to help our photographer organize students and make the day go smoothly. If you are interested in helping us with either/both photo day(s) please email the office at [email protected].
Lunch/Snack Needed Notifications
Nourishment is part of a healthy learning environment! We know that packing food/making lunches can be a struggle sometimes and then lunches can get forgotten at home from time to time etc. In an effort to keep communication open with parents, we will send home a short email to let you know that your student came to the office for extra lunch or a snack on a day they didn’t have enough. Parents may not be aware that their students need a little extra or that they forgot their lunch as kids don’t always remember to let parents know by the time they come home at the end of the day. We also know that the cost of everything continues to increase creating financial strain on families. Please reply to the email notification or send an email to [email protected] to let us know that your child could use a little extra and we will gladly help out with supplementing lunches on a regular basis if needed. We are happy to help!
Hot Lunch
We are excited to once again offer a weekly Hot Lunch Day! This year, Hot Lunches will be on Wednesdays.
If you are looking for a flexible way to get a bit more involved and volunteer in the school then joining our hot lunch volunteer crew might be just what you are looking for! You can sign up for 1 week or as many weeks as you would like, we appreciate whatever help you are willing and able to offer! Our volunteers arrive around 10:30 am on the Wednesday(s) they sign up for and we are usually all done by 12:30/1:00 pm. If you are interested in volunteering or you have any questions please contact Mrs. Hofstra in the office.
You can find the forms for Hot Lunch in your student’s PowerSchool account. Orders will close on the Tuesday prior to the following week’s hot lunch at 11:59 pm. All orders must be placed online, and payment must be made with form submission to be processed. (No cash or cheques are accepted). Please check your email for a confirmation receipt to ensure that your order went through.
The forms for all of September and October, as well as some of November lunches, are now on PowerSchool.
If you would like to see which hot lunches are coming up, you can find out on our school events calendar found here.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding Hot Lunch, you can reach our Hot Lunch Coordinator, Mrs. Hofstra, via email at: [email protected]
Celebration
We hold weekly assemblies, which we call Celebration. We alternate between Wednesday and Thursday mornings each month so our kindergarten students are each able to join us every other month.
Celebration will be held on THURSDAYS for the month of September.
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 each month.
Athletics:
Golf
The golf team will be participating in a tournament tomorrow. All the best to our athletes!
Catch ball
Practices for our Grade 6 Catch ball team have begun! Please see the list below for further practices:
- Wednesday, September 27 @ 7:45 am
- Thursday, October 5 @ 7:45 am
- Thursday, October 12 @ 7:45 am
The permission form and fees are up on PowerSchool to be signed and paid as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. McDonald at [email protected] or Mrs. Andres at [email protected].
Volleyball
Senior boys volleyball practice is TODAY after school until 5:00 pm.
Junior and senior girls volleyball practice will be held TOMORROW after school until 5:00 pm.
Cross Country Running
Stay tuned for further information on this event as well!
LSCE News:
Invoices for Tuition
Invoices have been sent out. If you have not received one, please contact Lisa Gatzke at 780-614-1557 or email her at [email protected].
Fundraising Opportunities
Social Media
To keep up to date on all fundraising opportunities, please follow us on social media.
https://www.facebook.com/covenantchristianschoolfundraisingpagehttps://www.instagram.com/fundraising.lsce/
Calendar:
September:
- 26 – Swimming Lessons Begin for Grades 3 & 4
- 28 – School Council AGM (immediately following Celebration)
- 28 – Orange Shirt Day
- 29 – Day in Lieu of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – No School
October:
- 9 – Thanksgiving Day – No School
- 10 – PD Day – No School
- 11 – Individual AND Class Photos for Kindergarten Vande Kraats, 1B, 1G, 2GM, 2W, 3H, 3J, 4CV, 4LV, 5J, 5M, 6B
- 12 – Individual AND Class Photos for Kindergarten Luchak, 7C, 7/8H, 8W, 9S
- 19-20 – Christian School Teachers’ Convention – No School
Community Events:
Sound of Freedom Viewing Opportunity – September 28 @ 7:00 pm
As many of you might remember, Philip Drader was involved in a fundraiser, over the summer, for organizations that help fight sex trafficking. It involved him hiking the equivalent elevation of Mount Everest Base Camp. One of the things that really inspired and motivated him was seeing the movie, “Sound of Freedom.” As he was asking people if they had seen the movie, once we were back at school, he realized that many people had not. He was made aware of an opportunity to show the movie through Faith Content Network and thought he better take the opportunity so that more people could be made aware of this horrible thing that is going on in our world.
Come out to CCS on September 28 (no school the next day) at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:30) to watch Sound of Freedom. The movie is based on the incredible true story of Tim Ballard rescuing a young boy and his sister from ruthless child traffickers. Ticket prices are shown in USD, but work out to ~$17.60 CAD, and can be purchased here.
Leduc Track Club
Please see the flyer below and visit us at Leduc Track Club for more information.
Ebenezer Church Women’s Study Groups
We have many different ways for you to get involved this year!
Morning Coffee Break – Come join us as we study the book “Identity Theft: Reclaiming the Truth of our Identity in Christ” by Melissa Kruger. Childcare provided for ages 0-5. Start Date: October 4, Time: Wednesday mornings, 9:30-11 a.m. Contact: Alex at 587-989-9798.
Coffee Break at Salem Manor/The MEWS – Do you know someone at the MEWS who might benefit from Christian fellowship and Bible study? Get more details from Alyse, at 780-387-4024.
Evening Ladies Bible Study – This year’s book will be Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson. Start Date: Oct 11, Time: We will meet at Ebenezer, alternating Wed evenings at 7:30 pm. Contact: Alesha at 587-597-2596.
Odds & Ends:
Sign In/Out Form:
Scan Me
Please use the above QR code, orthis link, to sign your child in or out from the building. You can also come into the school and use the Chromebook provided in the office. Please make sure to let the office know you have collected your child before leaving the parking lot (phone call/eye contact) and ask your child to check in at the office when they enter or leave. This ensures everyone is accounted for appropriately in the case of an emergency.
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