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St. Edmunds Newsletter – April 2021

It is surreal to think back to where we were last year at this time with so much uncertainty and unknowns around COVID-19.  One thing that is certain, however, is that it is through our faith that we can remain strong and focus on our blessings.

As Pope Francis says, “Charity, love, is sharing with the one we love in all things. Love makes us similar, it creates equality, it breaks down walls and eliminates distances. God did this with us.” As we approach the end of Lent, let us concentrate on following God’s will as we journey towards the joy of the Cross and unity with our Risen Saviour.

Looking forward with joy to the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, we have been reflecting on the importance of this liturgical season as we prepare to enter into the Triduum, the holiest days of the year. On Thursday, April 1st the grade 5 class will be presenting the Stations of the Cross (virtually). Holy Thursday will also include the 5 pm and 7 pm Livestream parish Mass of the Lord’s Supper. During this Mass, we recall that Jesus gave His body and blood and taught us to care for others when He washed the disciples’ feet. The Triduum continues on Good Friday with the celebration of the Lord’s Passion and on the night of Holy Saturday, we celebrate the great Easter Vigil. During this celebration our Saviour conquers death, bursting out of the tomb and on Easter Sunday we continue to celebrate the Resurrection with great joy.

On behalf of our entire staff, I extend our very best wishes to all families for a happy and Holy Easter. May the peace of the risen Christ bless your homes, your hearts and your families.

Praying for Others:

Mite Boxes – Before Spring Break your child received a Mite Box.  Students are asked to collect offerings throughout Lent and to pray for the young men in our Archdiocese who are studying and discerning a vocation to the priesthood.  Mite boxes can be returned on Tuesday, April 6th.

Sacraments – Our Grade 2 and Grade 7 classes have begun preparing for the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Holy Communion and Confirmation.  Please keep them and their teachers in your prayers during this special time in their faith formation.  Further information will be sent to parents in the near future depending on when we receive updated protocols for religious gatherings.

The grade 7s will also be participating in a virtual Spirit Day Retreat on Saturday, April 24thh from 1 to 5 pm.

Community – Our North Shore Community has been hard this week in light of the incident in Lynn Valley as well as the fires at the Masonic Lodges. Many people in our community need our prayers for physical, emotional and spiritual healing.

Spelling Bee Intermediate Finals

Our “Spelling Bee-ers” have been busy reviewing their words. Our in-house competition has been re-scheduled to Friday, April 9th, with the winner advancing to the CISVA Spelling Bee on Tuesday, April 27th. This will be held virtually.

Congratulations and Recognition

We are very proud to announce that this week was notified by Mr. Fry of our Local Legion that St. Edmund’s School had the highest number of entries in their annual Remembrance Day Poster Contest.  All students who participated received a Remembrance wristband.  Notably, 23 of 79 of our entries were awarded a signed certificate and Indigo gift card.  Congratulations to the following students:

  • Ivan Lipnitskiy
  • Kaylayla Sherwood-Guerrero
  • Landon Mailhot
  • Sam Eslami
  • Jason Hall
  • Oshanya Wesley- Baker
  • Maria Villacorte
  • Weston Alconis
  • Matteli Perez
  • Victoria Turner
  • Jogette Fortaleza
  • Evangeline Riddall
  • Sophia Bersalona
  • Sophia Vicente
  • Luka Anicic
  • Kate McCann
  • Kyara Tan
  • Johanna Bolivar
  • Emily Soare
  • Melissa Villanueva
  • Roice Bag-Ao
  • Rory Beaton

Covid-19 Revised Guidelines

Amendments to Public Health Guidance for K-12 Schools:   In light of the statement released by the Deputy Minister of Education on March 29, 2021, all students in Grade 4 to Grade 12 are expected to wear masks while at school. It is also recommended, but not required, that students in Kindergarten to Grade 3 also wear masks. Please send your children to school with washed masks everyday.

Please remember to continue to complete the ‘Daily Health Check’ and keep children at home if they show any symptoms.

A kind reminder to all of our families (particularly on days of good weather) that our students should be picked up and brought to the cars as soon as possible in an effort to ensure minimal social gathering and proper social distancing at pick-up times.  Parents/guardians are also asked to wear their masks in the pick-up area after-school. A very special thank you to those parents who are already doing so.

Crosswalk Supervision

 Thank you to all the parent volunteers who assist daily with traffic supervision. We ask that you continue your commitment and help us maintain a high level of safety for all our students and community members throughout the remainder of the school.

Fundraising

Thank you to all the families who purchased Purdy’s Chocolates this month.  These funds go towards our technology upgrades.

Uniform Updates

It is the expectation that all students come to school dressed in full uniform every day.  Please ensure that your child has their school sweater and black school shoes.  As many of your children are growing, we also ask that over Easter break you take the time to check the fit of your child’s uniform.  Remember that you can order uniform pieces online at Cambridge or call the office to enquire about items we may have that are available for a donation.

Monitoring On-Line Activities at Home

While the past year has presented many challenges in regards to social connections and human interactions, it is important that parents monitor screen time and limit online activities/games for their children at home. We are finding that children, even as young as eight years of age, are accessing different social media platforms or games (i.e. Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Fortnite, etc.) without proper supervision at home. It is important to know that these platforms have age restrictions of at least 13 years of age. Navigating through a digital world can be challenging for adults…imagine the impact it can have on the very young. Please know what your child is accessing at home and reinforce the importance of being safe and respectful when online. Please speak with your child about their online presence and ensure they are following the expectations that have been set out by your family. ‘Raising Digitally Responsible Youth – A Parent’s Guide’ is a good resource for parents.

Calendar Highlights:

Thurs. April 1             Holy Thursday Early dismissal

Friday April 2             Good Friday – No School

Monday April 5          Easter Monday – No School

Wed. April 7               K Class Mass

Gr. 2 Reconciliation

Friday April 9             Intermediate Spelling Bee

Wed. April 14           Gr. 1 Class Mass

Wed. April 21           Gr. 6 Class Mass

PEC Meeting

Wed. April 28           Gr. 5 Class Mass

 

Please be sure to check our online calendar for further information and updates.