Principal’s Message:
Welcome back to school, everyone!
I know this is not a typical Principal Message, as I usually like to write more on topics from a pedagogical standpoint, but I think for today, it is important for me to touch once again on the matching donation challenge we have received.
Don’t worry, I will once again ramble on about other things next week! It has been just under two weeks since I shared with you the generous offer from our anonymous donor family. So far, we have had a few individuals take them up on it, and a few ask me some questions about what we are planning to do with any potential donations.
When I was first presented with this offer, I must say I was in shock, and I could not answer “what will happen with this money” as concretely as I would have liked. Although, now that I have had some time to dream a little, I have a few answers I feel confident you will be excited about as well.
The brainstorming has included:
– Air conditioning for the portable classrooms
– Additional Chromebooks to get us closer to 1-1 for each student
– High-quality digital cameras for photography classes
– 3D printers for CTF classes
– stage lighting to finish off the auditorium
– an additional piece of playground equipment
– Take down/semi-permanent Gaga ball courts
– Gazebo/sitting area near the playground for families/students
– If you wish to donate to the school parking lot, this can work as well
If after praying and thinking about it, you want to donate money to the school and take advantage of this matching offer, the easiest way to do this is by EFT or cheque to the LSCE. The LSCE email for EFT transfer is: [email protected]. Coming down to the school and writing a cheque is also always a possibility.
I want to thank all of you for your prayerful consideration of this opportunity.
Announcements
Parking Lot Safety
Please read below about how to navigate our lot. Also, please make sure that:
- You are only parking in designated parking spots
- You are only driving in/out through the correct entry/exit ways
- You are not driving in the bus lanes (only the two dedicated parent lanes)
- You are not driving in or through our ditches
- You are not dropping off kids by the dumpster/watershed
Our parking lot was not designed for the amount and type of traffic that we experience, so we all need to cooperate to ensure the safety of our students. These are the key procedures:
- Always enter through the south driveway and exit through the north driveway
- Drive slowly and be particularly alert during recess and noon hour when the students are outside.
- Do not drive through or park in the “BUS LANE” (the area between the school and the first row of cars) between 8:25-8:40 and 3:00-3:20 as this is when the buses are present or due to arrive.
- If you want to park and walk your child to school, please park on the far west side of the parking lot (by the basketball court). Walk toward the auditorium and then up the crosswalk.
- The middle of the parking lot is where vehicles drive through to drop off students. Students should exit vehicles quickly and make their way to school (NOT between the cars).
- Students or adults should NEVERwalk between buses.
- Yield to buses when they are arriving or leaving.
- Take extra care when backing out of a parking stall as students are not always paying attention.
Hot Lunch
We are excited to once again offer a weekly Hot Lunch Day! This year, Hot Lunches will be on Wednesdays.
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.
Our first Hot Lunch for this year will be Wok Box and is scheduled for September 20, the deadline to complete the form is Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 11:59 pm. The forms for all of September’s lunches are now on PowerSchool).
If you have any questions or concerns regarding Hot Lunch, you can reach our Hot Lunch Coordinator, Mrs. Hofstra, via email at: [email protected]
Terry Fox Run – Friday, September 22, 2023
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. 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.
International Columbian Students
From September 25th to October 20th, we are thrilled to welcome four 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].
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.
Junior High Retreat – September 13 & 14
Our annual junior high retreat will be held on September 13 and 14 this year with Mr. Jeremy Horlings from the PCCE as our guest speaker! We will need parent volunteers and drivers for this event! If you are planning to attend, please contact the office or your child’s homeroom teacher to let them know. You will also need to provide us with a Vulnerable Sector Check as well as an Intervention Record Check. Please contact the office if you require instructions on how to obtain them.
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
We are once again offering golf for our junior high students to be a part of! The golf team will begin practicing next week and will participate in one tournament on September 21. This year we will be holding a tryout TOMORROW. For those who indicated they were interested in playing, the permission form is on PowerSchool to be signed.
Following the tryout this week, a permission form and fees for those members who are chosen for the team will be up on PowerSchool and MUST be paid before students can participate in any further practices or the tournament.
Catch ball
We will be offering catch ball to our grade 6 students this year again! Catch ball is a team sport derived from volleyball in which the ball is caught and thrown rather than hit. The sport was started in Israel and was designed to be a simpler version of volleyball. The rules of catchball are very similar to volleyball, though by allowing the players to catch the ball before throwing it to another player or over the net, it is easier to play and learn. Those who have indicated they are interested will be having practices begin towards the end of September and will have two tournaments to participate in in October.
Volleyball
The volleyball season is drawing near. We would like to invite any junior high students, who are interested in playing volleyball, to a drop-in session taking place TOMORROW, September 7, after school until 5:00 pm. Tryouts will begin shortly. We’re looking forward to another great season of volleyball!
Cross Country Running
Stay tuned for further information on this event as well!
LSCE News:
Invoices for Tuition
Invoices will be sent out in the next one to two weeks either via email or Canada Post depending on what you selected on your Returning Student or CCS Enrolment form.
If you have any questions regarding payment of tuition, please contact Lisa Gatzke at 780-614-1557 or email her at [email protected].
Fundraising Opportunities
Davison Orchards
Thank you to all of those who ordered from our Davison Orchards Fundraiser. If you have not yet paid, please do so at your earliest convenience. Payments can be sent to [email protected] or call Lisa Gatzke at 780-614-1557 to make payment over the phone.
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:
- 12 – Davison Orchards Order Pick Up
- 13 & 14 – Junior High Retreat
- 15 – PD Day – No School
- 26 – Swimming Lessons Begin for Grades 3 & 4
- 28 – School Council AGM (immediately following Celebration)
- 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 (grade configuration will be determined closer to this date)
- 12 – Individual AND Class Photos (grade configuration will be determined closer to this date)
- 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.
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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