Vanier Weekly Email - October 12-15

Greetings!

I hope everyone was able to spend some time with family and friends counting blessings over this past weekend.  Despite the difficulties that pepper life generally, we do have much to be thankful about.  I’ve been reading about the ancient Stoics, those philosophers that practiced a calm detachment to life’s troubles.  They insist in the practice of imagining how much worse things could be before issuing any complaint about one’s present circumstance.  Indeed, the path to wisdom is always calling…

Thanksgiving Liturgy

The whole school will come together at 10:05 on Tuesday, Oct 12 for the Thanksgiving Liturgy hosted by Ms. Sharma’s Genocide Studies 12 class.  This is our first full-school gathering since the pandemic. 

Food Drive

Bags have been delivered to most streets in Riverdale and beyond.  Our school will be gathering those full bags of dry and canned goods on Wednesday, Oct 13 all day.  We’ll drive them down to the food bank afterschool.

NET

We met the recently-arrived National Evangelical Team members after mass on Saturday night during a yummy potluck.  This group is a little older than last year’s and are full of enthusiasm for the mission ahead.  Members will be in and around the school until May, participating in class activities and helping with the liturgies and retreats. 

Grade 8 Retreat 

The Grade 8 Retreat scheduled for Wednesday, Oct 13 will have to be postponed until Nov 3.

VGSA

First meeting of the year is tomorrow, Thursday at lunch in Room 20 (Mr. Willoughby's), please join for free pizza and drinks.

Confirmation Classes

Confirmation classes are starting up on Wednesday, October 20 at 6:30 in the Sacred Heart Rectory.  Registration forms can be found outside the Religious Education Office.  Please talk to Ms. Best if interested.  It used to be that confirmation was done at the same time as First Reconciliation and First Communion, but that changes about five years ago.

Literacy and Numeracy Assessments

Due to COVID and a series of unfortunate events (last year’s snowmageddon and internet failure), we are behind on the completion of Grade 10 Literacy and Numeracy Assessments and the Grade 12 Literacy Assessment.  These are required for graduation.  We will get a large number of these completed during the first week of November.  Teachers will have an opportunity to prep students in the coming weeks.

Reports

All families should be getting the first informal, interim report this week.  In two week’s time, teachers will prepare the mid-term report.  Please review these carefully and have a discussion with your student.  Parents can always check out what work has been assigned by getting on to teachers’ MS-Teams sites.  Ask your student to take you there!

Awards Night

Awards Night is schedule for Monday, Oct 25 at 7:00 in the small gym.  Invites will go out this week.

Finally,

Today’s (Monday) Gospel reading comes from Luke 11: 29-32.  They are ominous words. Jesus warns the people of their disbelief and seeking of signs for some sort of proof of God’s presence in our midst.  Our Lord reminds us of Jonah who was sent off to Nineveh to convert the evil doers.  He found success, but only after he was swallowed by the whale for his cowardice.  We often forget the advice of Christ.  We don’t want to hear it, for we think we are fine, and that there is no great urgency to turn ourselves to God.  Just like making room for gratitude, this weekend, let’s make a little room for God.  Let him guide us in a reflection of what we have going for us, and what more we may do bring God’s love into our lives and our world.  Let that be all the proof we need.

God bless you,
​
Kyle Janzen, Principal VCSS.