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Confirmation Parent Information Session is on Monday, September 25, at 7:00pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral CYO Hall. If you would like more information, please click here.
Dear St. Francis of Assisi students and families,
God of my Life, thank you for your presence with me this week, in the times that were easy and the times that were hard. Guide me to a period of rest that I might preside with you, recharge my batteries, and prepare to again do the work you are calling me to do next week. This I pray in your holy and true name. Amen. Field Trips Teachers are planning many Off-site experiential activities for this semester. Please look out for any field trip forms that students may bring home, and promptly fill them in, sign them and return them to the school. The Terry Fox Run will take place this Wednesday; please remind students to dress for the weather! Run for Theo A family in our community is going through a difficult ordeal. Theo, the son of a CSSC Mercier teacher, has been diagnosed with cancer; the same type of cancer as Terry Fox. He is currently in Vancouver for treatment. With the approval and support of the Terry Fox Foundation, CSSS Mercier has decided to support this family with a fundraiser entirely dedicated to them. If you would like to help, you can contribute by etransfer to cssc.mercier@yukon.ca, indicating "Run for Théo". You can also contribute to the Terry Fox Foundation in support of cancer research at https://terryfox.org/ Cafeteria Our cafeteria will be open for breakfast (morning break) as of next Monday September 25th. Students will be able to pay by cash or by debit. In a few weeks, lunch service will start again. Grade 8 Parent Information Night We will be facilitating a presentation for grade 8 parents at Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary on Wednesday September 27th at 6:30 in the Learning Commons (Library). This information session is in person and for grade 8 parents/guardians only. In this information session we will:
Period Products Menstrual products are a basic and essential need to ensure a person’s full participation in school, work and society. As part of a previous commitment by Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu to ensure menstrual products be made available equitably and free of charge, various menstrual products, including pads, tampons, and menstrual cups have been distributed to schools across the Yukon. St. Francis has these products available in the office, and in the girls’ bathrooms. Thank you to CYFN and all of the people behind the scenes who worked together to provide these products for our students. Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ Growing in Faith is a religious education program that is being taught in Catholic schools. It is published by Pearson and created by the Catholic Bishops of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and NWT. It is a rich resource based on solid instructional pedagogy to support teachers in the delivery of Catholic faith curriculum. If you would like to know more about this program, you may access the digital resources by logging in with the following credentials: www.pearsoncanada.ca/growinginfaith/parish username: cke_parish password: Religion1 (*Password is case sensitive) Sacramental Preparation Confirmation classes will begin on October 16, from 6:30-8:00pm at the CYO hall. If you would like more information, please attend the Parent Information Session on September 25 at 7:00 pm at the CYO Hall at Sacred Heart Cathedral. CEAY The Catholic Education Association of Yukon will be having its annual general meeting on Wednesday, September 27 at 7:00 pm in the CYO Hall. There will be mass at 6:00 pm in the Cathedral for anyone who can attend. All are welcome. If you are interested in supporting our school councils and how we work together with the other schools, please come if you are available. St. Francis Clubs and Athletics Please visit our website to see our student calendar and current meeting times for clubs/activities/athletics. Please do not hesitate to call the school at 667-5901 if you have any questions or concerns. Blessings, The St. Francis of Assisi Admin Team, Alethea Wallace, Principal and Mia Ouellette, Vice-Principal Dear St. Francis of Assisi students and families,
Cafeteria The cafeteria is closed this week due to unforeseen circumstances. We would like to thank YFNED Nutrition for providing meals for our students in need during this time. Student Clubs and Athletics Please visit our website for information on Clubs and Activities that we are offering this year. In addition, Saint Francis Athletics are also outlined on this page. Please click here for more information. St. Francis Clothing The St. Francis Volleyball clothing store is now open at https://urstore.ca/group/stfa-volleyball-shop. All orders must be received by September 17th. A portion of sales will go towards supporting St. Francis Athletics. Please note the following: -All items will be shipped directly to St. Francis after the closing date, which means that no shipping charges will apply. -If you wish to order something as a surprise/gift for a student please contact Tanner Cassidy by email at tanner.cassidy@yesnet.yk.ca after you've placed your order so that he can arrange for you to pick up the item when it arrives. If not notified, all order will be given directly to the students upon arrival. -You may also contact Tanner Cassidy if unable to pay by credit card to make alternative arrangements for ordering. -If you wish to add a last name customization, follow the instructions provided on the website -There will be another merchandise opportunity in the next month that will have St. Francis branded items not specifically related to volleyball if that is of more interest to you or your child. Digital Media The promoting healthy screen use in school-aged children and adolescents webinar will take place on September 18. The topics that will be covered include using social and digital media and the impacts on both physical and mental health. If you interested in attending, please click here for more information. Confirmation and Youth Group Parents of Grade 8 students who would like to register for the Confirmation preparation program through Sacred Heart Cathedral are encouraged to attend the information session on September 25 at 7:00 pm at the CYO Hall. Youth on Fire youth group for grades 5 to 8 begins on Friday September 29 at CKES. Please click here for more details. Please do not hesitate to call the school at 667-5901 if you have any questions or concerns. Blessings, The St. Francis of Assisi Admin Team, Alethea Wallace, Principal and Mia Ouellette, Vice-Principal Dear St. Francis of Assisi students and families,
Rise to blessing. Rise to gratitude. Rise to potential. Rise to goodness. Rise to generosity. Rise to appreciation. Rise to hopefulness. Rise to new life. Rise like Jesus did, for God has blessed you with a day too beautiful to miss. Amen. Our first couple of weeks back at school with all our learners went quite smoothly. Students are now settling in to their routines, and the school has an atmosphere of positive energy and excitement for learning. It has been wonderful to re-connect with our returning students and to welcome many new students to our school. Parking A reminder to parents and students regarding parking, morning drop offs and afternoon pickups. The drop off loop is on the north side of the building; the first turn off when travelling on Duke Rd from Lewes Blvd. We are asking everyone to use this location to ensure safety (the staff parking lot is not designed for drop offs). We would also like to remind students to park their cars in the student parking lot. Thank you all for your cooperation in this matter. Field Trips Teachers are planning many Off-site experiential activities for this semester. Please look out for any field trip forms that students may bring home, and promptly fill them in, sign them and return them to the school. Thank you. Outstanding School Materials There are many students who have not yet returned textbooks, library resources and English novels which were used last year. These items remain on a student’s record and may prevent them from having access to new resources. We ask for your help in having these items returned ASAP. Confirmation Parents of Grade 8 students who would like to register for the Confirmation preparation program through Sacred Heart Cathedral are encouraged to attend the information session on September 25 at 7:00 pm at the CYO Hall. Please click here for more information. Invitation from Bishop Vila In celebration of the start of this school year, I would like to personally invite you, your staff, parents and students to Holy Mass on Sunday September 10th, 2023, at 10:30am at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Whitehorse. The Mass will be followed by a ‘Beautiful Breakfast’ in the CYO Hall hosted by Sacred Heart Parish. You can find more details about the breakfast closer to the date at sacredheartcathedral.ca. - Yours in Christ, Bishop Hector Vila. Student Clubs, Activities and Athletics For an overview of the many student clubs and activities we have at St. Francis, please visit our school website, or click here. To see the dates and times scheduled for the upcoming week, students should visit the Hallway on Teams, or click here. Grads Parents and grads, the first grad meeting will take place on September 27th at 7:00 pm in the small gym. You should be receiving an email today from this year's Grad Advisors about it. If you don't see that email, please contact the school to make sure they have the proper contact information on file. Student Tutoring All St. Francis students can receive tutoring from other students for assistance in course work, assignments or organizational skills. The students requesting tutors are self-identified, or identified by their parents or teachers. To receive tutoring the student simply needs to fill in an application in the Skills Room (Room 3). Students in Grade 10, 11, or 12 can apply to be a tutor. Tutors can earn either service learning hours or an hourly wage. Peer tutors are paid on a graduated scale, which increases with grade level and number of hours tutored. Potential tutors need to come in person to the Skills room and fill in an application. Students will be matched one on one by the Learning Assistance Teachers. At the present time, there are MANY senior students who are experienced tutors who are willing to work with grade 8 and 9 students before school, at lunch time, or after school. If you have a junior student who would benefit from some academic support, organizational support, or even peer mentorship, please have them fill out the bright orange form from the skills room and give it to Ms. Cann. For more information, or to get the form, parents can also email Ms. Cann at: amanda.cann@yesnet.yk.ca School Council School Council will be holding the first meeting of the school year on September 5th. The meeting will take place in the evening at 6:30 pm in the school Learning Commons. Please visit our page on the school website for more information. Volunteer Hours Students who are looking for volunteer hours or opportunities to earn some money through sporting events can contact Executive Director Kristen Johnston at YSAA. You may contact her through Teams or email kristen.johnston@yesnet.yk.ca. Please do not hesitate to call the school at 667-5901 if you have any questions or concerns. Blessings, The St. Francis of Assisi Admin Team, Alethea Wallace, Principal and Mia Ouellette, Vice-Principal Dear St. Francis of Assisi students and families,
Dear God, We thank you that you are powerful and loving, that out of your glorious riches you strengthen us through your Spirit in our inner being. We ask you for the fresh filling of your Holy Spirit, we ask for your power and love to fill us. We thank you that as believers we know that Christ dwells richly within our hearts through faith. We pray that you would strengthen our roots and establish our lives firmly in your love. Help us to love, and to keep on loving. By the power of your Spirit. Even when it seems impossible. Even when it does not make sense. May our lives be filled with your goodness and power, today and every day, as we walk together in the light of Christ. In Jesus’ Name, Amen It has been a very busy first week of school. On behalf of the Staff of St. Francis of Assisi we extend our warmest welcome to returning students, staff, and all those new to our school. We are committed to making the 2023-2024 school year one filled with rich opportunities for growth and learning in our faith-based community. Picture Day Thursday October 5th and Friday October 6th Students will take their school photos based on their last names. On Thursday, students with the last names from A-L will be called down to the Learning Commons during the day. On Friday, Students with last names from M-Z will have their photos taken. The Star Flower photo envelopes with all of the package details will be given to students during their first block class closer to picture day. Important Information Regarding Grade 8 and 9 Students: At Saint Francis of Assisi, we want to encourage and support the development of learning skills and good work habits by intervening early on with our grade 8 and 9 students. For many years now, we have provided a framework where students who have outstanding assignments are asked to stay during PLC instead of leaving during early dismissal Wednesdays. Students who have outstanding assignments/assessments will be informed by their teachers if they are asked to stay during PLC. This framework provides students with an opportunity to complete assignments and receive focused support so that they can stay on track academically. We have seen evidence that this framework helps students develop organizational skills and work habits that serve them further throughout their high school experience. Helping students develop organisational and work completion skills has often translated in an increase of self-determination and the initiation of study habits in our students. We will be starting this week on Wednesday the 30th from 2:10 pm to 3:13 pm. Grade 8 and 9 students who are not completing work in an assigned classroom can either be in the gym with supervision or go home/access public transit. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our administration. Mathematics Workbooks Clarifications In a previous email, we shared that we are collecting Workbook fees specifically for students enrolled in Mathematics. To clarify further, we do provide the classroom textbooks; however, students can also have their own workbook that they can fill and write in. Students get to keep the workbook at the end of the course. As indicated in our School Handbook (p.27), some teachers choose to use workbooks to accompany the textbook or will use the workbook rather than textbooks. Students/Parents/Guardians are required to pay a deposit for the workbooks which will be refunded if the workbook is returned in a condition that will allow it to be used by a future student (ie. no writing in the book). A refund will also be issued if the teacher has not utilized the workbook. Need Volleyball Coaches If you interested in coaching or helping coach volleyball, please contact Dwayne Stoker our Athletics Administrator at Dwayne.stoker@yesnet.yk.ca. We have many students wanting to play and unfortunately, not enough coaches to support having more than one team per level. St. Francis Athletics There are exciting opportunities coming up to play some sports here at St. Francis!
Parking Thank you to parents and those students who drive for using the appropriate parking lot and drop-off loop during morning drop-offs and afternoon pick-ups. Thank you all for your cooperation in this matter. Lunch Hour We would like to remind students to be respectful of community members and property when out during the lunch hour. We have had complaints regarding students loitering on the porch steps of neighbouring apartment buildings, leaving a mess and not being kind. We would ask parents to remind their students about appropriate behavior, and thank you in advance; we will also remind students of our expectations this week. In addition, there are lawn chairs for students to use outside while we have enjoyable weather. Schedule Changes The last day for schedule changes will be Thursday August 31st. X-Block Dates Aug 23rd - x-block = 1 Sept 6th - x-block = 3 Sept 20th - x-block = 5 Oct 4th - x-block = 3 Oct 18th - x-block = 3 Nov 1st - x-block = 5 Nov 15th - x-block = 3 Nov 29th - x-block = 5 Dec 13th - x-block = 3 Jan 10th - x-block = 3 PD Days There is no school on Monday September 4th for Labour Day and October 2nd for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. There will be days of professional development in late October for all Teachers and EAs, which means no school for students on October 27th. Vaping There are serious consequences for vaping at St. Francis Vapes are not permitted on school property.
Attendance Procedures Attendance in classes is the biggest contributor to student success and we take attendance tracking seriously. It is the responsibility of all Parent/Guardians to inform the office of all excused absences from school. The office will call home for unexcused students missing first block. Automated phone calls are generated to call home for any unexcused absences after the school day has finished. Please inform the office of any absences by calling 667-5901 and speaking with any office staff, if you call after school hours you can leave a voicemail. Or, if it is more convenient, please feel free to email us at sfacss@yukon.ca. Service Learning Hours As members of a Christian community, we are called to work together to build a world of Peace, Justice, and Compassion. To accomplish this, we must reach beyond ourselves. The religious education program at St. Francis includes a service-learning component. Students are required to complete a number of volunteer/service hours as well as a small reflection assignment in order to receive their religions credits. These hours need to be completed outside of class time and during the current school year of each grade. Extra hours over and above what is required will not count toward future years. Students must not receive compensation in any form for their rime and effort. These hours are to be voluntary. School staff will remind and encourage students to seek contacts and opportunities for service, but ultimately it is the responsibility of each student to find a way to meaningfully reach out to their community.
Please do not hesitate to call the school at 667-5901 if you have any questions or concerns. Blessings, The St. Francis of Assisi Admin Team, Alethea Wallace, Principal and Mia Ouellette, Vice-Principal Dear St. Francis of Assisi students and families,
Next week, the cafeteria will be open for students and staff. Students will be able to either pay with cash or buy a meal punch card from the office. The punch cards are 20$. The cost of each meal will be 8$. The menu for next week is as follows: Monday Grecque Salad, rice, and chicken or beef plate (GF) Tuesday Butter chicken, rice (GF), and Naan bread Wednesday Pizza Thursday Shawarma Chicken wraps Friday Cheeseburger and Fries Have a great weekend, Blessings, The St. Francis of Assisi Admin Team, Alethea Wallace, Principal and Mia Ouellette, Vice-Principal Dear St. Francis of Assisi students and families,
We are collecting textbook fees specifically for Mathematics Workbooks. If your student/child is in grade 10, 11, or 12, and is enrolled in a Mathematics class this school year, the fee is 45$. If your student/child is in grade 8 or 9, the fee is 30$. Payment options: You or your child can bring the amount to the office, You can issue a cheque to “Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Secondary School”, or You can e-transfer to sfacss@yukon.ca . Please include the name of your child in the message of the e-transfer. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the office at 667-5901. Blessings, The St. Francis of Assisi Admin Team, Alethea Wallace, Principal and Mia Ouellette, Vice-Principal Dear St. Francis of Assisi students and families,
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen Welcome back! It has been a wonderful few days welcoming our students back into the building, and we have had a smooth start to the school year. Our priorities have been focused on ensuring students feel safe and supported, and building a sense of welcoming community within each class. Throughout this year, we will try to email all our families at the start of each week with events and relevant information. Course Changes and Classes We have been making schedule changes for students to ensure grade requirements and student interests. Most teachers have set up their class in MS Teams and students should be able to access those in the next few days. Parking A reminder to parents and students regarding parking, morning drop offs and afternoon pickups. The drop off loop is on the north side of the building; the first turn off when travelling on Duke Rd from Lewes Blvd. We are asking everyone to use this location to ensure safety (the staff parking lot is not designed for drop offs). We would also like to remind students to park their cars in the student parking lot. Thank you all for your cooperation in this matter. Attendance Procedures Attendance in classes is the biggest contributor to student success and we take attendance tracking seriously. It is the responsibility of all Parent/Guardians to inform the office of all excused absences from school. The office will call home for unexcused students missing first block. Automated phone calls are generated to call home for any unexcused absences after the school day has finished. Please inform the office of any absences by calling 667-5901 and speaking with any office staff, if you call after school hours you can leave a voicemail. Or, if it is more convenient, please feel free to email us at sfacss@yukon.ca. Cafeteria Our cafeteria is closed for this week. If students could bring a lunch from home, that would be great. We will let you know when it is re-opening. Thank you for your patience and understanding. St. Francis Clubs and Athletics There are so many clubs and sports teams that you can join here at St. Francis. As mentioned in the assembly earlier today, volleyball is just around the corner (9/10 girls vball meet August 29 at lunch in room 13 for example), and some clubs are having their first meetings this week. Keep an eye out for posters in the hallways that will tell you what is happening and where. Details will also be posted on Microsoft teams in the St. Francis Hallway. Grad The grad website is www.stfrancisgrad.com. Grads, please visit this website to stay informed. Also grad parents, ensure that the school has a current email address for you on file, as that is how most grad related information will be sent out. Student Tutoring All St. Francis students can receive tutoring from other students for assistance in course work, assignments or organizational skills. The students requesting tutors are self-identified, or identified by their parents or teachers. To receive tutoring the student simply needs to fill in an application in the Skills Room (Room 3). Students in Grade 10, 11, or 12 can apply to be a tutor. Tutors can earn either service learning hours or an hourly wage. Peer tutors are paid on a graduated scale, which increases with grade level and number of hours tutored. Potential tutors need to come in person to the Skills room and fill in an application. Students will be matched one on one by the Learning Assistance Teachers. X-block X-block schedules for the first semester will be shared in the next weekly email home, and on the school website. Tomorrow, August 23, x-block is 1. Outstanding school materials There are many students who have not yet returned textbooks, library resources and English novels which were used last year. These items remain on a student’s record and may prevent them from having access to new resources. We ask for your help in having these items returned ASAP. Catholic Education Association of Yukon CEAY is very pleased to announce that we are sponsoring a public screening at the theatre on Wood Street, in partnership with Yukon Film Society, of the documentary about Mother Teresa. SUNDAY AUGUST 27 @ 1pm Mother Teresa: No Greater Love The film has no rating, but parental guidance for very young children is advised due to images of poverty and illness. Admission is pay-what-you-will. Mother Teresa is a modern day saint who is universally recognized as a model of charity through her lifetime of dedicated service to the poor. As we are all called to be saints, the witness of St. Teresa of Calcutta is a beautiful example for our own lives and encourages all of us to show the face of Christ to everyone we encounter. The trailer is available here: https://www.motherteresamovie.com/ We encourage all families in our school community to take advantage of this opportunity to build relationship and understanding through our shared vision of mission. – Katherine Williams, Executive Director Invitation from Bishop Vila In celebration of the start of this school year, I would like to personally invite you, your staff, parents and students to Holy Mass on Sunday September 10th, 2023, at 10:30am at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Whitehorse. The Mass will be followed by a ‘Beautiful Breakfast’ in the CYO Hall hosted by Sacred Heart Parish. You can find more details about the breakfast closer to the date at sacredheartcathedral.ca. - Yours in Christ, Bishop Hector Vila. Welcome to Our New and Returning Staff
Please do not hesitate to call the school at 667-5901 if you have any questions or concerns. Join us on Instagram @stfrancisyukon. Blessings, The St. Francis of Assisi Admin Team, Alethea Wallace, Principal and Mia Ouellette, Vice-Principal |
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