December 2017

Parent Newsletter

The angel said to them, “do not be afraid; for see – I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in

bands of cloth and lying in a manger” (Luke 2: 10-12).

Principal’s Message

Merry Christmas!

As we prepare in anticipation of our Lord and Saviour, we look ahead to an exciting month of culminating activities. Our first semester Drama students perform “Heathers” the evenings of Dec 14-16 with an additional matinee performance on Saturday Dec. 16 (tickets available from the business office). The week before Christmas break has us attending our Advent Mass at the Basilica on the 19th and we will wrap up 2017 with ‘Mac’s Got Talent’ the morning of the 22nd. Please remember that early dismissal will be on Friday, Dec. 22 and Thursday, December 21 will be a full day.

As we approach this busy and important part of the year, we sometimes forget why we celebrate the season of Christmas. I invite you to stop and reflect upon what Christmas is truly about. When I take the time to do this, it seems that my worries about buying that “perfect gift” for everyone whom I hold near and dear disappear.

Christmas is about the Christ child and the promise he brought to the world through his birth. With all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season and with the bombardment of the thousands of commercials enticing us to buy that “perfect gift”, it is comforting to know that no matter what gift we give to those we love, it pales by comparison with the love we feel for and receive from them.

My Christmas message is that there is no greater love than that given to mankind by Jesus Christ, and that by his lesson, we learn to share our love with our families, friends, colleagues, and neighbors.

On behalf of the staff of Ecole Archbishop MacDonald High School, I wish you and your loved ones a joyous and meaningful Christmas season and may you all be embraced by the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Mr. John Fiacco Principal

December Events Dec. 4 All City Choir Concert Dec. 5 All City Band Concert Dec. 6 SAC Bake Sale Dec. 7 Carnaval Rivernal- French Immersion Dec 12. Marmot Basin Ski Trip Reminder ... MUST-ATTEND SNOW VALLEY SKI LESSON 7:15 PM COME EARLY!! Dec. 14-16 Year Play- Heathers- The Musical- at L’Uni Theatre at

La Cite Francophone Dec. 19 Advent Mass at the Basilica- Parents Invited to join us! Dec. 21 FULL DAY OF CLASSES Dec. 22 EARLY DISMISSAL Mac’s Got Talent Jan. 8 First day back from Christmas Break- Day 2 Upcoming Dates…. Jan. 11-30- Diploma Exams/Final Exams- Please see next page for Exam Schedule. Also on our website- located under School Information- Exam Schedules. Jan. 18- Last day of Classes- Dismissal @ 12:28 pm Jan. 31 - P.D Day- NO CLASSES Feb. 1- First day of Classes- Semester 2- Day 2

Drama- Year Play- Heathers- The Musical Heathers The Musical a darkly delicious story of Veronica Sawyer, a brainy, beautiful teenage misfit who hustles her way into the most powerful and ruthless clique at Westerberg High: the Heathers. Veronica gets caught between the cutthroat world of the Heathers and lure of new kid JD, who plans to put the Heathers in their place. Brought to you by the award-winning creative team of Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness, “Desperate Housewives”), Laurence O’Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde) and Andy Fickman (Reefer Madness, She’s the Man). Heathers The Musical is a hilarious, heartfelt, and homicidal show. This new high school edition makes the script more accessible to both high school performers and audience and takes an unflinching look at the joys and anguish of high school. Are you in, or are you out? CONTENT WARNING *Heathers contains mature themes such as bullying, suicide, and school violence. Show is recommended for audience member’s age 13+.* Heathers the Musical runs Dec 14-16th at L’UniTheatre at La Cite Francophone. (8627 91st, Edmonton, AB) Shows at 730PM Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evening. Matinee 2PM on Sat, Dec 16th. Tickets are available at the Archbishop MacDonald business office. $10.00 for students and $15.00 for adults.

HOW NOT TO BUBBLE WRAP KIDS LEARNING HOW TO USE DAILY STRESS TO DEVELOP RESILIENCE PART 1: Think about your immune system. Exposure to germs on a regular basis helps to make your immune system stronger. It teaches your body how to react so that when your body is faced with a larger challenge, such as an infection, it has the tools it needs to fight it off. Exposure to daily stressors works in much the same way. It teaches your brain how to react (or cope) so that when you are faced with a more intense stressor, you’ve already developed and practiced the skills you need to handle the situation successfully. You have learned to adapt. You are becoming resilient. If we deprive children and teens of the opportunity to learn how to cope with stressors by eliminating stressors or by intervening to solve their problems, we’re actually making it harder for them to grow into healthy and competent adults. Young people need to be taught that the stress response is normal and a call to action, not anxiety. They also need to learn problem solving and healthy coping skills and be given the opportunity to practice those skills without adults hovering over them. If we remove kids from a stressful situation before they’ve had a chance to use their coping skills, the situation is going to feel even more stressful the next time they encounter it. And they will encounter those stressors again because no one lives a stress-free life. Persistent avoidance of stressful situations can lead to learned helplessness!

December Physical Education News

In November, our PE 20 & 30 Students experienced many out of school field trips to meet our curriculum needs. Some of these trips included, Squash at the U of A, Curling at Jasper Place Curling Club, Scuba class at Peter Hemmingway Pool, Fitness training at World Health Club, and Wall Climbing at both Vertically Inclined & Rock Jungle. Our PE 10 Wellness Classes, started to complete their Calm assignments including attending many Calm Guest Speaker Presentations during our PLT sessions and a CPR break out session.

Stay Active MAC Mr. Marauder will have a tip in staying active and eating healthy for our MAC community each month.

This Month, Mr. Marauder recommends that families use the Government of Canada Food Guide Website to look at food portions for meals https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-food-guides.html Mr. Marauder also suggests that students stretch while they brush their teeth.

LIVING IN THE WORD OF GOD Creation of a Prayer Space in the Home In his recent Pastoral Letter, Living in the Word of God, Archbishop Richard Smith offers some thoughts as to how we, as members of this Archdiocesan family, can together listen carefully to the Word of God and, in a shared commitment, put it into practice. ” St. Paul teaches that faith comes from what is heard. This means that the first act of the disciple is to listen carefully to what God is saying to us in the words of Jesus. The hearing of Christ's Word demands a silent and attentive listening. This requires effort and determination. Living in a world of noise, we must be always cultivating, with the help of God's grace, an inner stillness in which we are disposed to hear and be transformed by the Word of God.” In the same way, Archbishop Smith invites families, too, to listen together to the Word of God. “Through a careful listening to this Word, families encounter the Lord in their very midst and hear within the depths of their hearts his assurance of love and call to holiness and service. One way to make this happen is to create a prayer space in the home. I recall from my days as a parish priest the practice of one family that created a sacred space in their home by simply placing a candle in the corner of one room. They would gather daily around the lit candle to offer their spontaneous prayers to God for his blessing upon their day.” We, at Edmonton Catholic Schools, invite you to heed the call of Archbishop Smith. As we approach the season of Advent, we are reminded that Advent is a time of great spiritual preparation as we ready our souls for the coming of Christ. Advent is an important season in which families can dedicate time each day to pray and to share the Word of God together, preparing in a powerful way for the coming of Christ. This Advent Season, like many of the past, will be filled with distractions and priorities which attempt to take away from our families spiritually during this crucial time. Consider creating a prayer space in your home by placing an Advent Wreath at the center of your dining table. As a family, gather around the Advent Wreath, before or after meals, to light the Advent candles, to offer spontaneous prayers, and to listen to the Word of God. During this Advent season, we hope that you will use these traditional tools with your family and that God will use them to benefit your family with grace and love. Sandra Talarico, Religious Education Consultant