375 Hawkstone Drive NW Calgary, Alberta T3G 3T7 Telephone: (403) 500-2099 Fax: (403) 500-2299 www.cssd.ab.ca/stmariagoretti

NEWSLETTER MARCH 2016

The season of Lent is upon us. Easter is right around the corner! Ci troviamo ora nella stagione della

Quaresima. La Pasqua arriverà in un baleno! We had our Ash Wednesday Liturgy on February 10th, led by Mrs. Smigel and her Grade 6 students along with Mrs. Georgeou and her Kindergarten (afternoon) students. Progress Reports will be sent home on Friday, March 11th. This will be the second written report of the year. Teachers will request conferences with parents whose children are experiencing difficulties. Parents who feel the need to discuss any aspects of the progress report may book a 10-minute interview time for Thursday, March 17th, from 4:30-8:00 PM, or on Friday, March 18th, from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM or 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM with their child’s homeroom teacher. We will again offer on-line booking of interviews starting Friday, March 11th. More information about booking procedures will be included in the Progress Report envelopes. Please take time to look at our March calendar which is attached. We have a lot of great activities planned for the coming month! Michael Macdonald Carla Rea-Gilmour Principal Vice Principal

Loving Father, during this Lenten season, Please make me ever mindful that I am an ambassador for Christ.

Open my heart to your grace so that I may know how to be what you need me to be.

Carnevale/Carnaval

Carnevale/Carnaval was a great success! The students had a fantastic time going through the many stations and parading in their costumes. Many thanks go to the Carnevale Committee -- Mrs. Laratta, Mrs. Collins, and Mr.

Zaccagnini. Thank you also to parent Carnevale Coordinator, Rosangela De Vincenzo. They did outstanding work in preparing for this event. Thank you to the Grade 6 students and their teachers, and many other parent volunteers who helped run all the stations and made the day a success – Grazie! Carnevale Thank you

The Carnevale Committee would like to thank many people for enabling it to run so smoothly. St. Maria Goretti School is fortunate to have so many parent volunteers who are willing to help benefit the children at our school. Thank you to the over 50 parents who prepared the passport masks, made sugar cookies and cupcakes, helped with setting up, cleaning up,

running errands, taking photos, and helped with the stations. We couldn't have done it without your help!

The ice cream was donated by Matteo De Vincenzo with Devi Construction, which he got from Amato Gelato Airdrie. The pizzelle's were made by Sarah Spadafora and Rina Marra, and the maple syrup was from Joyce Wright from Good Stuff Maple. Thank you also to the Italian School and Mr. Domenico Rossi for donating the gelato and Edgemont Starbuck's for the coffee for our volunteers and visitors. A thank you also goes out to Mrs. Stanich and the Grade 5 classes for sharing their spoon performance. A special thanks to our Grade 3 students for playing the parts of the Commedia Dell'arte characters and especially to our own Grade 6 students, Mr. Zaccagnini and Mrs. Smigel who prepared and ran the stations. We were also very fortunate to have Mrs. Leeb, one of our own SMG parents, perform Italian opera songs. Grazie Mille!

The Carnevale Committee Generous Donation We would like to sincerely thank Centro Linguistico E Culturale Italiano for their kind donation of $2000.00 to our school. These funds will go towards enhancing the fine Italian Language and Culture program that we offer. Grazie Mille! Lenten Food Drive

For our Lenten project, we are collecting non-perishable food items for the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Please send your non-perishable food items to the school throughout the month of March where we will collect and display them in the cabinet located in the piazza. The final day for donations will be Monday, March 21st. It will be great for the students to see our generosity

grow throughout the Lenten season!

Italian Corner

Uova di Pasqua (Traditional Italian Easter Egg)

Although Italians do not decorate hard-boiled eggs nor have chocolate bunnies or pastel marshmallow chicks, the biggest Easter displays in bars, pastry shops, supermarkets, and especially at chocolatiers are brightly wrapped uova di Pasqua—chocolate Easter eggs. The sizes range from 10 grams (1/3 ounce) to 8 kilos (nearly 18 pounds). Most of them are made of milk chocolate in a mid–range, 10–ounce size by industrial chocolate makers. Some producers distinguish between their chocolate eggs for children (sales

numbers are a closely guarded secret, but the market for these standard quality eggs is said to be shrinking with Italy's birthrate) and expensive "adult" versions. All except the tiniest eggs contain a surprise. Grown–ups often find their eggs contain little silver picture frames or gold–dipped costume jewelry. The very best eggs are handmade by artisans of chocolate, who offer the service of inserting a surprise supplied by the purchaser. Car keys, engagement rings, and watches are some of the high–end gifts that have been tucked into Italian chocolate eggs in Italy. Green & Gold Day

The Grade 6 Leadership group is sponsoring a “Green & Gold Day” on Thursday, March 17th. Help us celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by wearing green and gold and show your school spirit at the same time! As usual, a $1 or $2 donation for participation in the day would be greatly appreciated. All donations will go directly to the St. Vincent De Paul Society.

Learning Commons News

This year students have been creating and tinkering in our new makerspace. Each grade is enjoying one makerspace class per month during their regular Learning Commons schedule. We have also been creating Italian videos in grade five, experimenting with crystal growing in grade three, and computer programing in

grade four. Students have been enjoying our Kahoots (getkahoot.com) and have learned many new things about the Learning Commons. Our school has entered a team into “Maker March,” a contest created and sponsored by the Calgary Catholic School District. Our team, made up of eight grade 4-6 students, will create a unique prototype that has to solve a social problem found on our new planet. Sounds exciting! The Learning Commons has added many nonfiction books and exciting novels to our collection thanks to our very successful book fair at Christmas time. SMG students are loving our self-checkout and are showing responsibility and respect by keeping track of their own account. Thank you, Mrs. Immel, librarian

Catholic Community of Caring "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown MERCY” -- Matthew 5:7. As the students of SMG continue to Walk Humbly with God, our focus in March remains on the virtue of Mercy. Students will continue to receive ‘Angel’ pictures when caught being merciful, of service to others, assisting others to do the best job they can, or when acting with humility.

We encourage the call to discipleship and to stand with and up for others. We are trying to build a culture of love. Over the next couple of months students will learn more about the Jubilee Year of Mercy. This culture of love can be expressed through the practice of corporal or spiritual works of mercy. The description of God as being steadfast in love and faithfulness is beautiful. The word love indicates an attitude of affection, grace and goodness. We can learn mercy by listening to what God himself teaches us with his word. In the Old Testament these words are echoed with many variations putting the emphasis on mercy and on the love of God who never tires of forgiving. We want to teach the students that God is compassionate and will bend down to whoever is weak and poor, always ready to welcome, to understand, and to forgive. We are encouraging the students to open their hearts to love, because no one is excluded from the feast of mercy. Giving back to others helps us to manifest the mercy we have received from Christ. We need to continue to listen to others, stop rushing from one thing to another and remain with people who have faltered. These can be ways to go forth with open hearts. Like the father of the prodigal son, he always keeps the door open so that when his son returns, he can readily pass through it. Yours in Christ, CCC Team CCC Leadership Awards

Catholic Community of Caring (CCC) Assemblies are part of the monthly student awards. The CCC awards will recognize students in the following areas (Caring, Faith, Respect, Trust, Responsibility and Family). By the end of the year all students will be recognized as a way of building community and focusing on the CCC values that are important for faith and personal

character development.

The February CCC Leadership Awards were presented to:

K Georgeou AM Tristan, Kata, Emily K Georgeou PM Abigail, Mathena, Jacob K Kuhn AM2 Carter, Ilaria, Camillo K Astorino PM2 Samantha, Burke 1 Frank Sophia D., Jaide 1 Novello Anson, Ovie, Juan 1 Scott Sophia C., Juliana, Mina 2 Cook Chiara, Livia, Ryker 2 Pasutto Chris, River 3 Dixon Mia, Rhys, Tala, Russell

3 Markland Fiona, Glory, Liam D. 3 Petrillo Erik, Ezra, Jahanna, Francesca 4 Esposito Dominic, Jinu 4 Kancsal/Sinnathamby Akim, Zoe, Lucas 4 Viola Hailey, Claudia 5 Dusevic Natalie, Hawie, Ella 5 McDonaugh Bryant, Alexia, Sydnie, Jake 5 Rossi Jayden, Erik C. 6 Smigel Ben, Kendyl, Cassie, Celina 6 Zaccagnini Colin, Brendan, Larissa, Kristina SP Donnelly Koen, Liam G.

“Bookworms Know How”

We are continuing our reading incentive program, “Bookworms Know How” which rewards students for daily reading. Students who finish a prescribed amount of reading (depending on the grade level) are given a ballot. The ballots are collected in each classroom and at the end of the month a ballot is drawn. The lucky student from each

class will receive a gift certificate entitling them to $10 to purchase a book. Bookworm winners will be announced monthly at our CCC assemblies. Thank you to the Furlong Family for sponsoring this reading incentive program. The lucky recipients of “Bookworms Know How” awards for the month of February were:

1 Frank Alessa 1 Novello Viktoria 1 Scott Zachary 2 Cook Mario 2 Pasutto Isaac 3 Dixon Nadia 3 Markland Alessia 3 Petrillo Elias 4 Esposito Iniubong

4 Kancsal/Sinnathamby Adriana 4 Viola Hailey 5 Dusevic Hannah 5 McDonaugh Shea 5 Rossi Francesca 6 Smigel Abigail 6 Zaccagnini Trinity SP Donnelly Wol

ILC Program at St. Jean Brebeuf Jr. High

St. Jean Brebeuf Jr. High School will continue to offer the Italian Language and Culture (ILC) program to students in Grade 7, 8 and 9 for the 2016-17 school year. This is intended to be an option subject offered to students of St. Maria Goretti School who wish to continue Italian studies. This same program will be offered at St. Alphonsus Elementary-Junior High School.

Lost and Found

Our “Lost and Found” bins located in the Division one and two boot rooms are overflowing! During Parent/Teacher Conferences, items will be displayed in the hallways. Parents, please take a look through the items when you are in the school.

Misplaced Personal Items Please remind your children to be responsible for their personal items so as to avoid problems with lost or misplaced boots, shoes, jackets, etc. Parents can help by making sure all items are clearly labeled, as many personal items and boots look very similar. Bottle Depot

Spy Hill Bottle Depot and Crowfoot Bottle Depot accept recyclables as a donation to St. Maria Goretti School. They will donate the proceeds of your recyclables to SMG if you direct them to do so. You can simply leave your recyclables with them labelled “to be donated to

St. Maria Goretti School”. You don’t even have to wait in line . Thanks so much for your generosity!

Safety Corner With spring just around the corner, it is a good time to review with your child some common sense safety rules when walking home. It is best to walk in pairs or small groups. Children should never go over to a vehicle unless they recognize the occupant and know that the ride has been prearranged.

On morning and afternoon supervision, we have noticed that some adults with children are not using the school patrollers and are crossing the street by j-walking. Please set a responsible example for your children or those you are providing care for by crossing with the patrollers and not darting across the street. Adults should not ask children to cross the street in any location other than the designated School Patrol crosswalk. Please remember to be safe.

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1000 Fifth Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 4T9 403-500-2000 www.cssd.ab.ca

CALGARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT MONTHLY NEWS

ConnectionsMARCH 2016

Canada’s Outstanding Principals – Deana Helton and Kevin DeforgeCongratulations to two Calgary Catholic School District principals – Deana Helton at Bishop Mc-Nally High School and Kevin Deforge at St. Dominic School, who were recognized as part of “Cana-da’s Outstanding Principals” for 2016! They were two of only four principals from Alberta who were selected as part of a group of 40 exceptional educators from every province and territory in Canada. They are being celebrated for demonstrating innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and truly remarkable initiatives in public education. Read more on our website under News & Events/Awards & Accolades.

District Day with the Calgary Hitmen 2016Our annual District Day with the Calgary Hitmen was a huge success again this year, thanks to our fantastic community! Held on February 12, the pre-game events included student face-painters, school mascots and CCSD staff handing out light sticks and greeting students and their families. With $2 from every district ticket sold, as well as 50/50 sales, the Calgary Catholic Education Foun-dation will receive close to $10,000 for enhanced opportunities, equipment and experiences for our students. Thank you for supporting District Day! Read more on our website under News & Events.

Summer School 2016Calgary Catholic School District offers high school courses during the summer to any student born after September 1, 1995, including students completing Grade 9 in June 2016. Students can take up to eight credits in Summer School that can include one direct-instruction course and/or a combina-tion of online courses. Five-credit courses run from July 4 – July 29, 2016 and three-credit courses run from July 4 – July 19, 2016. For more information and to register, please visit our website under Students/Academic Support/Summer School.

CAREERFair: RAP and Skilled Trades 2016Students and parents are invited to one of the annual CAREERFairs to connect with employers and in-dustry. Ask questions about the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) and Skilled Trades. Over 50 booths from a variety of industries will be setup and a brief presentation will be given to show opportu-nities in the Skilled Trades. For more information on dates and times, visit our News & Events page.

CCSD named as one of Alberta’s Top 70 Employers for 2016We are honoured to once again be recognized as one of Alberta’s Top 70 Employers. This special designation recognizes Alberta employers that lead their industry in offering exceptional places to work. Employers are evaluated based on a number of criteria including the physical workplace; work atmosphere; health, financial and family benefits; community involvement and vacation. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine who offers the most progressive and forward‐thinking programs. Read more under News & Events/Awards & Accolades.

Letter from the Bishops of AlbertaThe Catholic Bishops of Alberta have written a letter addressed to the government regarding physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. The letter can be viewed at calgarydiocese.ca under News & Events.

Easter Break 2016All Calgary Catholic schools and administrative offices will be closed for Easter break beginning at noon on Thursday, March 24 and will re-open on Monday, April 4. During this most holy time, we humbly celebrate the gracious gift of God’s mercy and love. May all staff, students and their families be blessed with lasting peace and joy at the resurrection of our Lord.

Did you know?

Bishop Carroll student and biathlete Ben Churchill represented our country as Can-ada’s flag-bearer for the 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway in February!

Deana Helton

Kevin Deforge

St. Maria Goretti School March 2016 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

Lenten Food Drive continues to March 21st

1 DAY 5

Gymnastics (Feb.22-Mar.3)

2 DAY 6 3 DAY 1

Pizza Thursday

ILC Parent Workshop – 7:00 pm

4 DAY 2

Confirmation Retreat - 9:30 am - noon

5

6 7 DAY 3 8 DAY 4 9 DAY 5

10 DAY 6

ILC Parent Workshop – 7:00 pm

11 DAY 1

Fun Snack

Report cards go home

12

13

Confirmation Parent/Candidate Sponsor Night @ St. Peter’s – 7-9 PM (Mar. 13th or 14th)

14 DAY 2

CCC Assembly/Awards – 9:45 am

15 DAY 3 16 DAY 4 17 DAY 5

Green & Gold Day

Pizza Thursday

Parent/Teacher Conferences Grades K-6 – 4:30-8:00 pm

18

Parent/Teacher Conferences

- 9:00-11:00am and 1:00-2:30pm

- No classes

19

20 21 DAY 6

Last day for Food Drive collection

22 DAY 1

Spring Photo Day

23 DAY 2

Culture Club – 9:45 am

24 DAY 3

Liturgy – 10:00 am

Holy Thusday - Noon Dismissal

25

Good Friday

- No classes

26

27

Easter Sunday

28 29 30 31

St. Maria Goretti School April 2016 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 - No classes

2

3 4 DAY 4

Regular classes resume

5 DAY 5 6 DAY 6

* New Date *

School Council – 6:30 pm

7 DAY 1

Pizza Thursday

ILC Parent Workshop – 7:00 pm

8 DAY 2

CCC Assembly/Awards – 9:45 am

9

10 11 DAY 3

Alien In-Line (Apr. 11-22)

12 DAY 4 Gr. 5 HepB, HPV vaccine (round #3)

13 DAY 5 Confirmation Mass – St. Peter’s Church

14 DAY 6 15 DAY 1

Fun Lunch

16

17 18 DAY 2

Alien In-Line (Apr. 11-22)

19 DAY 3 20 DAY 4 21 DAY 5

Pizza Thursday

ILC Parent Workshop – 7:00 pm

22 DAY 6

23

24 25

Professional Day

- No classes

26 DAY 1 27 DAY 2

Culture Club – 9:45 am

28 DAY 3

Djembe drums (Apr.28-May 30)

29 DAY 4 Favourite Character Day

Fun Snack

30