Greetings from the Principal: February has been a very busy month at Immaculata, with a number of interesting events taking place. The bus strike made life difficult for many, but the contingency plan mitigated the effects, and attendance suffered only a slight decline over that period. Many thanks to all the parents who made the extra effort to get their young people to school during a very crucial time in the school year.
Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, a time when we concentrate as Christians on fasting and penitence. Our students participated in assemblies to mark this important day in our liturgical calendar. Sister Shelley led us all in prayer, and focused our attention on the need to care for one another and to grow in oneness with each other.
High school students have settled into second semester classes, and report cards for semester one were distributed on February 12. Grades 7 & 8 students will be receving their report cards for term two on March 26.
Preparations are underway for our biannual trip to the Dominican Republic. The "Dream Team" leaves for the Dominican on March 2 and returns on March 9. During that time, they will be residing with local residents and learning about the culture, as well as helping out with some community service. We wish the 3 teachers and 15 students all the best as they prepare to make this trip. No doubt they will return with a different world perspective than they currently have.
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CHAPLAINCY CORNER
The season of Lent calls us to a deeper reflection on our lives, our hopes and desires, and our actions toward others, our world and all of creation. A good place to start our reflection this Lent would be with our Board spiritual theme: We Care for God's Creation. All is found in this phrase because our well-being and the well-being of all of life is found in creation.
In our spiritual lives we are not called to grow step-by-step or from stage-to-stage, rather we are called to grow in deeper levels of reconciliation with our God, our selves, with one another and with all of creation. These 40 days of Lent enable us to enter more deeply into this discernment and to pray for this grace for it is in such discernment that we will discover where life is most threatened.
From this standpoint comes our call (and the work entailed) to choose life and to choose it in its fullness so that all may have life as God intended - with dignity. It is in this choice for life that we respond to the one who has first loved us.
May our Lenten journey reveal to us the depths of our being where the only thing that exists is love and may this love manifest itself as the strongest expression of our lives.
Shelley Lawrence, rscj
Chaplaincy Leader |
Nicholas Spano
It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of one of our young grade 7 students, Nicholas Spano. Nicholas came to us from Corpus Christie School, and had only spent a few days at Immaculata, due to his illness. He lived his life with courage and zest, and left a lasting impression on his family, friends, and school community. Many students and staff attended the very touching service at Blessed Sacrament Church, during which Nick's mother delivered a moving eulogy about her son. We join with Nick's family and the Corpus Christie community in praying for Nick and the family he has left behind: Sophie in grade 11 at Immaculata, Sasha in grade 4 at Corpus Christie, baby sister Isabella and parents . May he rest in peace. |
Parent Program Nights:
February is the month during which students complete option sheets to choose their courses for the following year. On Thursday, February 19, parents of grade 8 students attended our parent program session at 6:30 in the library at Immaculata. A presentation was made by several staff members and Administration. A display of items related to course work was displayed for parents, who were encouraged to ask questions after the formal session was over. That same morning, students participated in assemblies with the Guidance Counsellors to assist them in making appropriate choices for next year. Students heard from a number of teachers who are responsible for new courses or special programs as well.
On February 26, parents of grades 6 & 7 students participated in a second Parent Program Information Event, where they received information about the transition from elementary to high school. This was a very important session, and parents had many questions about what was in store for their youngsters. Tours of the school were available on that evening as well.
The importance of choosing courses wisely cannot be underscored. Generally, the best source of information about what level of course a student should study is the current classroom teacher, who knows the student's learning style and work habits. Should you have any questions about this or other issues related to the option sheet process, please do not hesitate to call.
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Jean Vanier School Consolidation:
The closure of a school is always a difficult decision, and one that is not taken without undergoing a long and arduous study. After a comprehensive school accommodation review, the Ottawa Catholic School Board trustees voted in favour of the consolidation of Jean Vanier Intermediate School on February 10. Students currently attending Jean Vanier will be integrated with either Immaculata High School or Lester B. Pearson High School.
Grade 6 students currently attending St. Brigid, Assumption, St. Michael's and Corpus Christie Schools will be directed to Immaculata for grade 7, and students currently attending Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be directed to Lester B. Pearson from this point onwards. Students from McMaster continue to have the option to attend either Immaculata or St. Patrick's High School.
There may be families who have young people attending Immaculata whose younger siblings will be directed to Lester B. There is no provision for a cross boundary transfer based on the desire to have both students in the same school, but parents do have the option of moving the older sibling to be in the same school as the younger one.
We welcome the students of Jean Vanier to our school community, and look forward to having them as part of our school community. |
| School Council:
Immaculata School Council is preparing a parent presentation night on Internet Safety on March 10. Larry Brown, a member of the schoolboard's Information Technology Department, will present a workshop on Facebook and other social networking sites to help educate parents about the issues related to these sites. Constable Kari Colucci, our School Resource Officer, will also speak with parents about internet safety and some of the issues that young people face when using this service. All parents are invited and encouraged to attend. The session will begin at 7:00 in the computer lab on the first floor (N102), prior to the regularly scheduled School Council meeting. Signs will be posted to direct you to the proper site.
Two more evening events are planned for parents by the council. Information will be communicated at a later date about a Substance Abuse Information evening on April 21, when our Rideauwood Counsellor will be present to talk about addictions. Another event is planned for May 20, when Ron Morrish, a well known expert on adolescent behaviour, will be featured. Further information to follow on all these events.
Representatives from all School Councils were invited to attend the Director's Forum for School Councils on Monday, February 23 at St. Patrick's High School. Guest speaker this year is Max Valiquette, the President of Youthography, Canada's leading youth marketing consultancy. He is reportedly a much sought after speaker on youth culture in Canada. |
| Kindness Week:
February 15 - 21 was designated Kindness Week in the City of Ottawa. We held a number of activities to mark the event.
One of our students, Nelly Letourneau, was present at a ceremony at Eaton Court at the Rideau Centre on February 13 to watch her prize winning entry into the City of Ottawa Kindness Week Contest unveiled.
Jennifer Snell and her dog Smokey visited our grades 7 & 8 classes to teach lessons in Humane Education.
The lessons addressed caring and kindness to pets, respect for animals, people, and the environment, and developing reverence for all life and empathy and respect for all life.
Also, our Bully-Busters group was very busy throughout the week. They made daily announcements about bullying and how to help stop it, and also made presentations to all of our grade 7 & 8 classes about respecting each other and responding appropriately to bullying.
We also hosted a "Caught you Caring" campaign, during which the Bully-Busters handed out cards throughout the week to anyone caught performing a kind act. There were prizes at the end of the week.
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| March Students of the Month:
William Richardson - grade 7.
William has been involved in the Peace Conference, the Anti-bullying group, and our Ash Wednesday celebrations and other liturgical celebrations. William is always eager to get involved, is extremely well organized and is always pleasant and willing to do whatever is asked of him.
Andrea Eyre-Carter - grade 11.
Andrea demonstrates the qualities of reliability (always early to home room), perseverance (stays at lunch for extra help), sense of humour, and kindness (quietly assists Weronika who is blind).
Randelle Tasco-Thompson- grade 9.
Randelle is a devoted singer and baritone player. She rarely misses a band rehearsal, and is always kind and thoughtful towards her fellow students. She is also an excellent student in English class, and she loves to read and share her wonderful ideas and insights with the class.
Jessica Milien- grade 11.
Jessica is a very composed young lady whose brush with fame was widely acknowledged this week. Jessica made a Beaver Tail and served it to President Obama when he made his impromptu visit to the Byward Market on February 19. She exchanged a few words with him, and was later interviewed by CBC News for her impressions. No doubt, this will be a moment Jessica will never forget, and the Immaculata community is very happy for her good fortune!
Madgina Mesidor - grade 12.
Madgina is a very honest young lady, who turned in a number of credit cards that she found in a washroom. The owner of these was most grateful, and we are very pleased to be able to commend Madgina for her honesty and community spirit! |
| Good News Student Story:
Denia Parkin,who is a competitive swimmer, won the gold and silver medal in the Eastern Ontario Swim Championships in Kingston. Her gold was in the 200metre Butterfly and her silver was in the 100m Freestyle. She also placed top fourth or fifth in 4 other events.
As a result of her swim in the 200m Butterfly she is now ranked as one of the elite athletes in Ontario and one of the few from the Ottawa area who has qualified to swim in the Provincial championships at the end of February.
We wish Denia the very best in her pursuits. Congratulations Denia!
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Literacy Test Preparations:
As the second semester gets underway, Grade 10 students and their teachers gear up for the EQAO Literacy test scheduled for the morning of April 2, 2009. The current Grade 10s know they have a real challenge to beat last year's achievement of 88%. Preparations begin in Grade 9 when students are introduced to the type and format of the reading and writing exercises through practice tests. Throughout the school year, key words from the test are emphasized through the use of class room Word Walls and special promotion of weekly words. Some of these include: summarize, predict, justify, explain. Between now and the big day, teachers in all subject areas will be engaged in training our team of Grade 10s through cross-curricular literacy activities. Immaculata is proud of its improved results on this annual test and we have great confidence that our current Grade 10 students will do well. (More information on the Ontario Secondary School Literacy test is available on the EQAO website.)
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Interesting Speaker Engagement: "The Street Stops Here" at Blessed Sacrament: How lessons from an inner-city Catholic high school in Harlem apply to schools in Ottawa and across Canada. Powerful, eloquent, candid, McCloskey's account should be required reading for those who seek to remedy the academic woes of our troubled urban schools. Publisher's Weekly [The Street Stops Here] should be required reading for anyone who is interested in the welfare of our kids. The Wall Street Journal On Saturday, February 28, and Sunday, March 1, critically acclaimed author Patrick J. McCloskey will speak at all Masses at Blessed Sacrament church in the Glebe about inner-city education and the challenges to Catholic and public schooling in both advantaged and disadvantaged areas. The University of California (Berkeley) Press recently published McCloskey's book, The Street Stops Here, a narrative, non-fiction account of the year he spent as a journalist at an all-boys Catholic high school in Harlem. The problems faced by schools and their students in big-city American ghettos are essentially the same as those faced in disadvantaged areas across Canada. Schools from inner-city Toronto to remote aboriginal communities struggle to teach children from broken, impoverished families and challenged communities. Many youngsters have been neglected and abused, and daily they struggle to resist succumbing to gangs and drugs. Increasingly students from more affluent families deal with these same issues, meaning there's much we can all learn much from a successful Catholic high school in central Harlem. Despite the challenges, Catholic schools in the most impoverished, high-crime neighbourhoods across the U.S. heroically provide a quality education that lifts underclass students, many of whom aren't Catholic, to the middle classes and beyond. The secret of this success is the age-old Catholic focus on values, character and academic skills. Canadian schools can benefit greatly from this vibrant tradition. Since Ontario's Catholic schools are publicly funded, like regular public schools they are required to follow provincial guidelines that sometimes interfere with educating disadvantaged students. However, lessons from the 'hood show how to circumvent obstructionist regulations and identify effective education initiatives. McCloskey will highlight the value of a faith-based education and also discuss the problems of maintaining Catholic identity in contemporary Catholic schools and the trends in North American education that endanger prosperity, democracy and faith. Coffee will be served in the church basement after every Mass. McCloskey will sign copies of The Street Stops Here and be available for further discussions. For additional information about the book, please visit: www.TheStreetStopsHere.com. Masses: Saturday, February 28 at 4: 30 p.m. Sunday, March 1, at 8:15, 9:30, 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 pm. Blessed Sacrament (613) 232-4891 194 Fourth Avenue (corner of Percy St.), Ottawa |
| Contemporary Studies News:
During the week of February 9th, Grade 11 students in World Civilizations course experimented with pre-historic tools by creating their own '"cave paintings". They had an opportunity to compare their works of art with actual finds from France and Spain. Their art will be on display in the school.
Next year, there will be a new course offering in grade 11 in this curriculum area. The course will be called "Native Studies" and the curriculum is just being developed. This will certainly be of interest to our students and is an exciting new initiative that only a few of the schools in our schoolboard will be piloting. |
| Rideauwood Services at School:
Immaculata is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Hunter, a counsellor from Rideauwood Addictions Services. Sarah has several years experience as a counsellor and has a background as a teacher. She will be present in the school every Tuesday all day, and half days on Thursdays.
Sarah offers a very important service to our students and families. She will be available to help educate students about the dangers of drug abuse, and will also be accessible to students for individual counselling about their concerns. Rideauwood has been present in many of our schools in the Ottawa Catholic Board, and is extending its service further this year. Shortly, all of our schools will be offering this service. Should you wish to speak with Sarah, please leave a message at the Student Services office. |
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Athletics:
Ski Club
With the weather being unpredictable as it has been, we have had to reschedule a couple of ski nights at Camp Fortune. To replace those two nights, the skiers will also go to the hill on March 5 & 12.
High School Wrestling
For the first time in many years Immaculata had a high school wrestling team. Starting in late October, students in grades in 9-12 began to train, and compete. At the Hillcrest Take-down in December 12 wrestlers competed, bring home 10 medals to Immaculata.
In early February 8 wrestlers competed at the East City Finals with two moving on to City Finals on February 11th. At the City Final Championships, Madison Barr finished 4th overall in her category, with Nicholas Keenan-Pelletier finishing 5th in his.
Coaches Butler and Chan would like to thank everyone for their support and encouragement over the season. They would also like to wish their graduating wrestlers luck as they move on to other things.
Boys Basketball
The senior boys basketball team fell short of the NCSSAA title on February 24th at Carleton University, against Ridgemont HS. The game was hard fought and came down to just a few points at the buzzer. The team is congratulated on one of the best seasons yet, and the fans commented that they saw improvement in the team's play from day one! Having participated in various tournaments around the city, much experience was gained and teamwork continued to develop.&n bsp; The team is sadly saying goodbye to 5 graduating players, but are hopeful to return to the finals and capture the championship next year!
Jump and Hoops for Heart
Last week, the Mac Athletic Council held its second annual Jump and Hoops for Heart Fundraiser. It was a great success due in large part to the council members, all of the students who participated, the 7/8 students who fundraised, and Mr. Purves, the event coordinator. There were stations for speed skipping and double-dutch, speed dribbling, free throws, shooting stations and other dribbling challenges. All students dedicated a heart to the person they were jumping/shooting for and draw prizes were awarded all day. Also, the athletic council members sold healthy snacks outside the gym, and all together, the event raised over $575 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Way to go Mac!
Congratulations to February's athletes of the month!
7/8 female: Emma Bischof
7/8 male: Jeffrey McKeen
HS female: Chelsey Blackman HS male: Charles Kijek |
Dream Team Events:
The Immaculata Dream Team will be heading to the Dominican Republic in March, and they held an awareness week to let students know what they will be doing, and to raise some money to bring along and share with their sponsors. Sister Marilyn Carty of the Grey Sisters, and Mr. John Graham, former Canadian Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, spoke with the students who will going on the excursion on Monday. A non-uniform day was held to raise some funds, and students also participated in a Salsa dancing contest and a Pizza lunch. The students are well prepared to go on this trip, thanks to the many hours they have spent with the staff team who will be accompanying them: Miss Beth Finn, Mrs. Sue Kehoe, and Miss Amy Hill. A sending ceremony was held to pray for them and bless them on
February 24 in the chapel, and parents and students gathered with staff. We wish them all the best of luck as they head off to assist in this needy community, and we know that they will return changed by the experience.
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| Multicultural News:
Multicultural News:
February marked Black History Month at Immaculata. The school was full of displays, information and trivia meant to increase students' knowledge and awareness of some of the important dates, events, and historical issues.
March will focus on the First Nations People of Canada, Again the school will feature displays, trivia, information, and guest speakers.
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Music in the School:
Blues Lady, Maria Hawkins, was in the Library Feb.6/09 for Core Grade 8 classes participating in Showtime Workshops. Students were treated to a blend of Blues, R&B, Funk and Soul rhythms with messages of the power of believing in yourself, setting goals and taking charge of your life. Ms. Hawkins created songs on the spot with input from the audience, showing how creativity comes naturally from our ordinary experiences. These workshops are offered through MASC, an organization for arts and cultural programming in schools, and made possible by an anonymous donor to MASC to subsidize the cost of the performance here at Immaculata. |
Autism Awareness Week:
Autism Awareness at Immaculata March 9-13 will mark Autism Awareness Week at Immaculata High School. During this time, we will hold contests, have prizes and most importantly, we will raise awareness about autism, and the challenges people on the Autism Spectrum face. Prevalence of Autism in Canada: Autism is now recognized as the most common neurological disorder affecting children and one of the most common developmental disabilities:
Most recent epidemiological studies show that the prevalence has increased from 40 to 60 per 10,000 which represents approximately 190,000 Canadians
Approximately one in 165 children have an ASD and the number of cases is increasing worldwide. Reference:
Fombonne, E., 2003: Modern Views of Autism, Can. J. Psychiatry, 48:503-505.
Fombonne, E., 2003: Epidemiology of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders: an update. J. Autism.Dev. Disord. 33:365-381
(Fombonne E, Zakarian R, Bennett A, Meng L, McLean-Heywood D. Pervasive developmental disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: prevalence and links with immunizations. Pediatrics. 2006 Jul;118(1):e139-50).
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NEW SCHOOL WEBSITE SIDEBAR:
Please be advised that our school website has been updated with a new left sidebar which includes new links to information about Summer School 2009 and a new High School Courses webpage. These comprehensive pages serve as excellent resources for students preparing to make school transitions.
Your school website sidebar also contains a link to the Capital Educators' Awards 2009 Call for Nominations. Please be reminded of the fast-approaching deadline of March 2nd to nominate an outstanding educator for an award. Anyone can nominate an educator - including students, parents, and particularly fellow educators.
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After School Access to the School:
Students are reminded that they are not to be loitering in the school after hours. If they are attending a co-curricular event and are under the supervision of a teacher, they are welcome to be here. Otherwise, no student should be in the school after 5:00 as the library and other areas open to students are then closed. Access to lockers and hallways is restricted between the hours of 7:15 and 5:00, to ensure a safe environment for all.
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Internet Sites to Share
By NorthStar Staff
Obesity Issues
American Obesity Association
One of the most comprehensive websites about obesity and overweight.
www.obesity.org/
Weight Loss and Nutrition Myths
A list of at least 15 helpful Myths and Facts, for instance:
Myth: Certain foods, like grapefruit, celery, or cabbage soup, can burn fat and make you lose weight.
Fact: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss.
http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/myths.htm
Discovery Education Health Connection
An excellent website to help teach health education to K-12 students. You'll find sections on these topics: the body, alcohol and other drugs, growth and development, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, and much more.
Each section contains research-based, teacher-reviewed lessons, work sheets, videos, etc. http://www.discoveryhealthconnection.com/
American Diabetes Association
A website full of facts and resources for students, teachers, and parents. One important resource is a set of Weight Loss Matters tip sheets that have been designed to provide advice for those who have, or at risk for, type 2 diabetes.
www.diabetes.org/for-parents-and-kids/for-schools.jsp
More on Diabetes
A new diabetes resource called Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel. And, best yet, it's free.
www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/youth/youth.htm
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