April Break Stem Camp
An April Break Stem Camp is being offered. Please see the attached poster for details.
Reminders for the Week: Mar 22 – 26
Hi Saints Families!
What an amazing week we had celebrating what We have been celebrating our first-ever “March Break at School”. Students enjoyed the beach day, character day, St. Patrick’s Day, Throwback Thursday and Superhero Day along with cheering on the staff for our Saints Staff Survivor Game. You can see from the pictures below that “ March Break at School isn’t that bad at all.” Follow us on Twitter for more @stclementsaints
Generous Community Donations: Ladies Baseball Team
A very generous, local ladies baseball team was so happy to give a donation to St. Clement CES because they think the staff and students of St. Clement Catholic Elementary School are amazing (I couldn’t agree more 😊). St. Clement School will be using the money to go towards our Learning Commons as a common place that all of the students access on a daily basis and is going through an update to include more options for technology and learning. Again, a big thank you for their generosity!
Parent Internet Safety Workshop
This parent-only workshop on March 23, 2021 at 8 pm is designed to inform and empower parents in the highly digital age we live in.
Paul Davis, a world-renowned expert on internet safety, will be talking about topics such as Snapchat, Tiktok, Instagram, Facebook,Smartphone and digital trails. He will also speak about cyberbullying,texting, image sharing, online gaming and online security. Interested participants must pre-register using the link below.
More information available in the attachment: Internet Safety with Paul Davis (1)
SAINTS Spirit Wear for sale in the virtual store
Exciting news! Saints can order their spirit wear online. We have a new vendor with many new and exciting designs and options. Check it out at the following link: https://www.stitchgraphix.com/showroomsf.htm
Orders can be placed until April 1st. All payment information is on the site. No charges will be processed to credit cards until April 1st. All items will be delivered directly to your home!
Happy Shopping!
Extra Clothes Needed
| It’s that time of year again… With warm weather brings muddy, puddle filled school fields. |
| We have made announcements requesting students to stay clear of the mud and water while out for recess. We ask that you kindly send extra clothes to school with your child(ren) to keep here at school to avoid the office calling home and having parents drop them off. |
| Thank you for your cooperation! |
Grade 8 Graduation Pictures
The Grade 8 Graduation Photos have been scheduled for Tuesday, April 27th in the morning at St. Clement School. A photographer from LifeTouch will be at the school and all photos will be taken in the school gym. (More information on Grade 8 Graduation to come)
Global Epilepsy Awareness Day
Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. We will be honouring this day at St. Clement school and encourage all Saints to wear purple in support.
April Break Stem Camp
An April Break Stem Camp is being offered. Please see the attached poster for details.
Umbrella Project: March Theme: Autonomy
March at the Umbrella Project is focused on the skill that helps us think and do for ourselves, feel that our life is in our control and confidently make our own choices when faced with uncertain situations. This skill is Autonomy.
Offer Constructive Choices
Many times when our children are frustrated it is because they feel they have no choice or power in the current situation. We all thrive when we feel we have some control or choice in our lives and children will often try to seize this power back by making choices anyways. Responding to the situation with meltdowns, anger, yelling, ignoring us, refusing to eat the food they don’t want to and others are our children’s attempt to demonstrate autonomy.
By purposely offering choices to our children we can head off this reaction to feeling powerless and instead help them practice their autonomy in a more healthy way.
Here are a few of the benefits of offering choices to your child whenever possible:
· Improves their problem solving skills
· Helps them feel an internal sense of control over their lives
· Promotes self-regulation
· Teaches them to accept responsibility for their choices
· Minimizes the reactive behaviour that comes with feeling controlled and helps to prevent our children from seeking power in unhealthy ways
Remember, there is often a layer of non-negotiable that exists for children. It’s not an option to, not go to school, for example. In our house, I consider healthy eating a non-negotiable. It’s important to learn that not everything in life is within our control and we often have to work within the parameters of society, workplaces etc. There are however, choices within these situations that can usually be identified and help us to practice our autonomy. At our house, I may add control by getting the kids to help with the family meal plan, or selecting the vegetables that they want in their school lunches. This choice can also be purposely using your Umbrella Skills like empathy or cognitive flexibility. These are always within our power to choose.
Listen in as Dr. Jen gives some ideas for offering constructive choices.
Health & Happiness,
Dr. Jen, The Umbrella Project
Upcoming Important Dates
March – World Autism Month Feb. 19 – March 30 – Tiny Homes – Lenten Promise school wide continues. Donate on CashOnLine
Friday, March 19th 6PM- Last day for Transition survey for the 2021-2022 school year (Remote vs. in-person learning)
Mar 24 – Crossing Guard Appreciation – Thank our crossing guard, Cathy, today, for the wonderful job she does keeping our students safe.
March 26 – Global Epilepsy Awareness Day: Wear Purple
March 26- Student submission for yearbook cover contest due to the office (please see the attachment below for information!)
Yearbook Cover Colouring Contest!-3
Here are some of the great things that happened this week at St. Clement School during March Break Madness!
Monday-Beach Day
Tuesday-Book Character Day
Wednesday-St. Patrick’s Day
Thursday-Retro Day
Friday-Superhero Day
Catholic Community Foundation of Waterloo Region Offering
In the fall 2020, there was a merger of the Waterloo Region Catholic School Foundation Inc. and the Catholic Community Foundation of Waterloo Region. The new organization, The Catholic Community Foundation of Waterloo Region Inc (CCFOWR), has a mandate to support the Catholic community, with a continuing focus on Catholic schools and families. In response to the needs created by the year-long pandemic, the CCFOWR will be supporting school families through a gift card program. These free gift cards are intended to help families in need during this difficult time. Please contact Mrs. Dafoe at 519-699-5271. Donation of the cards will be kept confidential.
WCDSB TRANSITION FORM TO VIRTUAL SCHOOL FOR THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR: TODAY IS THE LAST DAY
Please complete the following survey for any family that wishes to choose virtual learning for next school year. The choice for virtual will be a choice for September through June, there will not be transition periods during the year. Realizing that the landscape continues to change, we will confirm your choice with you in June (through one final survey open to all), but we will be seeking your interest now, so we can determine the demand for the virtual option. If you register for St. Isidore, our virtual school, you will no longer be affiliated with your current home school, (for the 2021-2022 school year). You will have the option to re-register for the following school year (2022-2023).
Survey Date: March 15th @ 9 a.m. to March 19th @ 6 p.m.
Survey Link: https://wcdsb.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2oaynXLdeB6dQZo If you are unsure about the difference between VIRTUAL and REGULAR school, please visit: https://www.wcdsb.ca/plan-for-re-opening-schools/#models
Tomorrow is Superhero Day!
FRI-YAY March 19 March Madness Theme: SUPERHERO DAY! Who are your superheroes? Nurses?
Doctors? Wonder Woman? Spiderman? The Flash?
SAINTS Spirit Wear for sale in the virtual store
Just a reminder that Saints can order their spirit wear online. We have a new vendor with many new and exciting designs and options. Check it out at the following link: https://www.stitchgraphix.com/showroomsf.htm
Orders can be placed until April 1st. All payment information is on the site. No charges will be processed to credit cards until April 1st. All items will be delivered directly to your home!
Happy Shopping!
Tomorrow is Retro Day!
Thursday March 18 March Madness Theme: THROW BACK THURSDAY DAY! DRESS IN RETRO…WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ERA…20s? 30s? 50s? 60s? 80s? 90s?
Generous Community Donation: Local Ladies Baseball Team
Thank you!
A very generous, local ladies baseball team was so happy to give a donation to St. Clement CES because they think the staff and students of St. Clement Catholic Elementary School are amazing (I couldn’t agree more 😊). St. Clement School will be using the money to go towards our Learning Commons as a common place that all of the students access on a daily basis and is going through an update to include more options for technology and learning.
Again, a big thank you for their generosity!
Lunch Hour Supervisor 2021-22 School Year-Starts Sept 2021
| St. Clement is in need of one more Lunch Hour Supervisor starting September 2021 for the hours of 11:35-12:35 Monday-Friday. This is a paid position with the Waterloo Catholic District School Board. Please contact andrea.dafoe@wcdsb.ca if you are interested in the position and complete this form: https://forms.gle/MmGMinUgEmbwZL4g8 |
| Many thanks for considering! |
Survey open Mar 15-19 Sept 2021-June 2022 school year
| Dear Waterloo Catholic Community, |
| In education our planning for the 2021-2022 school year is underway now. We are working on staffing and budget and need to make decisions for next year at this time. |
For this reason, this week – March 15th through March 19th – we will have a survey on our Board website for any parent/family that wishes to choose virtual learning again for next year. Here is the link to the survey: https://wcdsb.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2oaynXLdeB6dQZo
| That said – it will be a one-time choice, there will not be transition periods throughout the 2021-22 school year. A choice for virtual will be a choice for September through June. |
| Realizing that the landscape continues to change, we will confirm your choice with you in June (through one final survey open to all), but we will be seeking your interest now, so we can determine the demand for the virtual option. |
| If you register for St. Isidore, our virtual school, you will no longer be affiliated with your current home school, (for the 2021-2022 school year). You will have the option to re-register for the following school year (2022-2023). |