Principals Message
As we approach the halfway point of our school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the journey so far and encourage us all as we press on together. This year, we have seen so many wonderful examples of growth in our students—academically, spiritually, and in their service to others.
At Covenant Christian School, our core purpose calls us to nurture Flourishing Learners who Delight in God and are Inspired to Serve. This means we aim for more than just academic success. We desire that each child becomes a well-rounded individual who understands their God-given potential and uses it to make a meaningful impact in the world.
As we move through the rest of the year, let us keep this vision at the forefront of our efforts. Here are a few key reminders to help our students continue thriving:
Flourishing Learners:
Encourage your child to embrace curiosity and persevere through challenges. Whether it’s tackling a tough math problem or practicing kindness during recess, every opportunity to learn is a step toward flourishing.
Delighting in God:
Our faith is woven into every aspect of life at Covenant. Continue to pray together as a family, engage in discussions about how God is working in your lives, and encourage your child to see His presence in their day-to-day experiences.
Inspired to Serve:
Serving others is a tangible way to reflect Christ’s love. Let’s challenge our students to look for ways they can serve at home, in school, and in the community. Small acts of kindness make a big difference.
Finally, I want to thank you for your continued trust and partnership. Together, we can ensure our students grow into confident, compassionate, and faithful individuals. Let us finish the second half of the year with the same commitment and enthusiasm that we started with.
Announcements
Report Freeze Information
Report cards will be available on January 31, and PowerSchool access will be temporarily paused from January 22 at 4:00 pm until January 31 at 3:30 pm. This “freeze” period allows teachers to finalize all grades, assessments, and comments for an accurate snapshot of your child’s progress.
During this time, report cards will include a variety of assessments (both formative and summative) with detailed, constructive comments. These comments are designed to provide insights into your child’s strengths, challenges, and areas of growth. Additionally, homeroom comments will offer a summary of your child’s behavior, citizenship, and how they contribute to our school community.
After-School Pick-Up Plans
As we continue to support our students’ success and well-being, we’d like to remind all families of the importance of having a plan in place in case of late pick-ups or missed bus connections. While we understand that occasional delays or unexpected situations may arise, we kindly ask that you ensure arrangements are made for such instances.
Please keep in mind:
- After-School Care: Covenant Christian School does not provide after-school care services.
- Supervision: Our staff are committed to their professional responsibilities during school hours. After the workday, they have personal obligations and commitments that require their attention.
- Sporting Events: While some events and activities may take place after school hours, these are specific and supervised for participating students only.
If you anticipate being delayed, we encourage you to:
- Arrange for a trusted family member, friend, or neighbor to pick up your child (update PowerSchool).
- Communicate your plan with your child in advance so they are aware of what to expect.
- Contact the school as soon as possible if an unforeseen delay occurs.
Your cooperation in this matter helps us ensure the safety and well-being of all students. Thank you for your understanding and partnership in making this a positive experience for everyone.
🚗 Winter Drop-Off Reminders: 🚗
If Grandparents or others are dropping off/picking up students, please share this information!!
- Bus Lane: The bus lane is never for parent traffic, regardless of whether you’re in a hurry or don’t see a bus. Please respect this rule at all times.
- Middle Lane (Kiss and Go): This lane is for quick drop-offs only. Please do not park and exit your vehicle here.
- Third Lane: This lane is for parents who wish to park and walk their child into school.
- One-Way Flow: All lanes operate as one-way only. Please follow the directional flow to maintain safety and order.
- One-Lane Flow: The lanes are only one lane, there is never any passing lanes. Two cars across increases the chance of collision with a pedestrian, as well as increases, with certainty, Mr. Simmons blood pressure.
Pick-Up Reminders:
- Proper Parking: Even when snow covers the lines, park as properly as possible to maximize space and avoid congestion.
- Crosswalk Safety: Do not park where the crosswalk extends. It’s vital for our students to use crosswalks safely and without obstruction.
- Full Lap Rule: If no spots are available, continue around the loop and return to see if a spot has opened. Please do not stop in the middle and block others.
- No Speeding: Corners can be tricky; please drive cautiously and at a safe speed.
- Staff Parking Lot: This lot is reserved for staff only. Parents should not park here.
- Patience is Key: You are in a warm car. Please demonstrate patience for the sake of everyone’s safety.
- One-Way Flow: All lanes are single-lane and one-way, just as they are during drop-off.
- Ditches: The ditch is not for vehicles to use as a shortcut to the parking lot. Vehicles MUST be on the road only!
Why These Rules Matter
As adults, we have the responsibility to create a safe, predictable environment for our children. Kids can be unpredictable, as is their nature, and by following these rules, we are doing our part to protect them. Your cooperation in modeling respect and patience goes a long way in ensuring everyone’s safety.
Thank you for your attention to these guidelines. By working together, we can make our parking lot safe and efficient for all families.
School Council Meeting
Our first School Council meeting of 2025 will be on January 22nd, following Celebration. If you’re interested in learning more about what is happening at CCS then please join us. Our meetings are informative and fun and are a great way to meet and connect with others!
You can access this month’s agenda here. If you’d like to see something added to our agenda, this month, or going forward, please email Candace Dreger at [email protected] .
Dress for the Weather—A Shared Responsibility
As we move further into the cold season, I want to kindly remind everyone of the importance of dressing appropriately for the weather. While recess is only 12-15 minutes, the time spent outside is long enough for students to be at risk if they are not properly dressed.
Recently, during a first aid course, I was reminded of the very real dangers of frostbite and related conditions. The trainer shared the heartbreaking story of a young student in Grade 2 who lost three fingers due to frostbite, simply because they forgot their mittens. Another example involved students developing trench foot from wearing wet socks and boots during extended exposure to cold and damp conditions.
While I believe in natural consequences as learning opportunities, it is also our responsibility as educators—and yours as caregivers—to ensure that children are safe and well-prepared. As we act in loco parentis during the school day, it is imperative that we all work together to avoid preventable harm.
Please ensure that your child comes to school equipped with:
- A warm jacket
- Mittens or gloves (more than the thin ones)
- A hat
- Proper footwear (insulated and waterproof)
- Extra socks, if needed (Nobody wants to go back outside with wet socks!)
Our shared goal is to keep students safe and comfortable so they can fully enjoy their day and the outdoor time they need. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for helping us keep all our students warm and safe during the colder months.
Counselors Corner
Many conversations I have in a day involve discussing feelings. Our emotions and resulting feelings are a good gift from God and He designed us with an ability to express emotion as an important part of who we are. We honour and obey God with our emotions, and they are included in our expression of worship. There are many resources and approaches when it comes to making sense of emotions. Think for a minute about how many emotions you can name – off the top of your head…if you named ten, you beat the average. Knowing the words that describe and help us make sense of our emotions allows us to effectively share them with others. I have included a chart below for quick reference. As we examine our emotional health, we must consider our childhood influences, and how we are shaped and changed by environmental and internal factors such as adverse and positive childhood experiences, birth order, peer influences, temperament, and the opportunities we have with emotional education and practice – both guided and independent.
Several years ago I heard a speaker share a way of thinking about emotion that has stuck with me. She compared our emotions to a passenger in our car. We listen to them, acknowledge their existence, and can be guided by their input. But – we don’t let our emotions drive the car. I have thought about this often over the years and used it to help guide my thinking as I nurture emotional growth in myself and others. Learning to be vulnerable and to recognize, name, and make sense of our emotional states and resulting feelings, is a good place to start as we strive to be effective models for the kids in our lives. When we develop the skills that help us think about, manage, and express our own emotions, we are in a better place to have authentic and helpful discussions with others.
CCS SOCKS!!
Covenant SOCKS! These “Hype” brand socks are super durable, and look great too. We will sell them on-site, out of the office for $15/pair. They will be available on PowerSchool for payment. We have kids pairs, as well as adult medium and large.
Grade 3 Fundraisers in January
Covenant Canteen
📣Cougar Canteen! 🐾🍬
The Cougar Canteen! The Cougar Canteen isn’t just about snacks; it’s an empowering project designed to equip our students with essential life skills.
Operating Details:
🗓️ The Cougar Canteen will be available 1x/month for each division (announced in each week’s Chronicle).
🕰️ The Cougar Canteen will be open during afternoon recess (2:00-2:15) on Thursdays.
💰 If students wish to purchase a snack, $1-$5 is plenty!
Snack Menu:
🥔 Chips: $1.00
🥤 Cans of Pop: $2.00
🍭 Candy Bags: $1.00
Schedule:
Jan. 16 – Div. 2
Jan. 30 – Div. 1
Feb. 13 – Div. 3
Feb. 20 – Div. 2
Feb. 27 – Div. 1
March 6 – Div. 3
March 13 – Div. 2
** March 20th will be canceled due to our “The Little Mermaid Jr.” musical.
Hot Lunch
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.
The forms for all of January’s lunches are now on PowerSchool).
January’s hot lunch
- January 15 – Subway
- January 22 – KFC
February’s hot lunch
- Feb 5 – Hotdog booster juice
- Feb 12 Wok Box
- Feb 19 Domino’s pizza
- Feb 26 Boston Pizza
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 WEDNESDAYSfor the month of January.
Lost & Found
Below are the 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.
Sock Drive a Huge Success!
CCS Sock Drive for Hope Mission a Huge Success!
On behalf of the Leadership/Mentorship group, thank you to all families for participating in our sock drive for Hope Mission. We were able to collect over 480 pairs of socks. They were delivered to Hope Mission before Christmas and they gave us a thank you letter for all of our school’s hard work being Servant-Workers in December!
Athletics:
Athletics
Please read through the CCS Athletic Handbook, as it highlights our expectations for our parents and our athletes.
Jr. High Basketball
Regular season games begin this week!
Elementary Basketball
Regular season games continue!
Gr. 5/6 Swimming Lessons
Our Grade 5 and 6 classes will be doing swimming lessons Tuesday mornings until March 4th. Please make sure your child has their swimming suits and towels during this time.
Elementary Floor Hockey
March 7th -9th – Gr. 3/4 Girls Floor Hockey Tournament – More information soon!
March 14th – 16th – Gr. 3/4 Boys Floor Hockey Tournament – More information soon!
LSCE News:
Preschool Registration is open for existing Covenant families only until January 31, 2025. If you have a student attending CCS in grades K-9 and have a student who will be 4 years old by December 31, 2025, you may register them for our Preschool program here. This is for CCS families only, please do not share this link. Registration opens to the public on February 5th, 2025.
Calendar:
January:
- 22 – Powerschool “freeze” for parents – Will not be able to view grades/comments until Jan 31.
- 22 – School Council Meeting
- 23 – Covenant Ski/Snowboard Day
- 29 – PD Day, No School for students
- 30 – Gr. 6 Alberta Legislature trip
- 31 – Report Card freeze finished, Report Card comments email out
February:
- 4 – 90’s Day! Dress up like you lived in the 90’s!
- 5 – Winter Walk Day
- 6 – ATA Convention: No School
- 7 – ATA Convention: No School
- 14 – Gr. 5 & 8 to Citadel for Frozen
- 17 – Family Day, No School
- 20 – Student Led Interviews 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
- 21 – 100th Day of School
Community Events:
Mental Health and Wellness Camp:
This will take place on Saturday, January 18 from 10-1. It is for grades 4-6 and we will be playing lots of fun games, such as 9 square, basketball, volleyball, and soccer, all while focusing on mental health and wellness. Lukas, Jared, and Conner are grade 9 students and they are running this camp for His Story My Part project. Light snacks will be provided, but please bring a lunch.
Baking to the Maxx
I want to start this business because I love to bake and it’s a very big passion and hobby of mine. I want to save up for a standard mixer, set of chef knives, cake pans and a full set of chef’s pots and pans.
Please support me in my baking business and passion!!!
We have the following items that I am baking:
SOURDOUGH BREAD……………………………………………..$12.99
CARAMEL BANANA BREAD LOAF………………………………………….$6.99
GARLIC AND HERBED FOCACCIA………………………..$8.99
LEMON BLUEBERRY MINI PIE…………………………$4.50
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB MINI PIE…………………………….$4.50
Please contact Maxx at [email protected] , or 780-819-4341 for all your baking needs and orders.
Thank you for your support in my baking passion!!!!
Odds & Ends:
Sign In/Out Form: 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