Dear Parents,
A very happy Mother’s Day is extended to all of the OLA moms! You are Superwomen and you deserve to have a wonderful day today!
This is Week 8 of Distance Learning. Wow…time is flying by!
Grade 7 and 8 Immunizations Update
We were advised by York Region Public Health that due to COVID-19 restrictions and school closures, all school-based immunization clinics are cancelled until further notice.
For more information you can refer to the School Immunization Clinics page on www.york.ca.
Our Lady of the Annunciation Church Update
Grade 2 First Communion has been postponed to the fall.
Fr. Peter’s 25th Anniversary Celebration has been postponed till Sunday, September 20, 2020.
Hot Lunch Order Refunds
A refund cheque has been prepared for each family based on lunch orders not received during the school closure as well as days related to Job Action and Bus Cancellations. You can expect to receive the cheque in the mail in the next couple of weeks.
Cathoic Education Week “Message of Hope”
The Grade 7 and 8 students, under the direction of Mrs. Pileggi prepared a Catholic Education video called, “Message of Hope”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6zCrCF0FMs&t=7s
Message of Gratitude for the Staff at OLA from the Catholic School Council
A very special thank you to members of our Catholic School Council and Student Council Executive for sending a video message to the staff at OLA. It was greatly appreciated. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GckreeDHN9Y&t=12s
Grease Trailer
Thank you to Cristiano M. who created this Grease Trailer. Director Pezzelli continues to plan for a way to celebrate the hardworking cast and crew. https://youtu.be/ZFDtHQI-u3I
Allow Our Family of Schools to Help Families in Need
To support families who are struggling to feed their families, we decided to come together as a community to provide some much needed assistance.
Father Frederick McGinn CES, Our Lady of the Annunciation CES, and Our Lady of Hope CES will have a 1 day food drive event on Thursday, May 14th from 9:15 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Respecting physical distancing guidelines, drive, cycle or walk with your family to your school where there will be collection bins for you to drop off your donation. These donations will be collected by the Food Bank of York Region and dispersed to families in need.
Items that are preferred are: flour, sugar, rice, dry or canned beans, canned meats, baby formula, diapers, wipes, juice boxes, pasta and pasta sauce, nut butters, soups and stews, canned vegetables.
Your donation is greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping us, help others!
Healthy Schools Update
In September 2020, we look forward to welcoming our new kindergarten students to our OLA community – a place they can call home. Sending your little ones off to school – some being apart from you or a caregiver for the first time – can be difficult and can create separation anxiety. It is important to prepare for this transition, and your kindergarten teacher and Early Childhood Educator will support you every step of the way. At home, you can help your child feel good about himself and gain confidence, especially as he enters a new learning environment,
Here are some ways to boost your child’s self-esteem:
- Make learning a regular part of your activities at home – Go on nature walks with your child and talk about the world around her. Answer questions and listen to her observations. Cook and bake together. Play games and model turn-taking. Keep her mind active and her hands busy.
- Teach independence – Children who come to kindergarten knowing how to dress themselves, take care of their personal belongings and use the washroom on their own with minimal prompts are able to fully focus on learning the routines of the classroom and on the teacher’s lessons at the carpet. Self-reliance at a young age breeds confidence and future success.
- Set up playdates – The key to happiness is social connection. Children who often interact with others are better able to demonstrate strong communication, cooperative and conflict resolution skills. They are also more likely to develop lasting and positive friendships that enhance their mental health as well as their learning experiences at school.
- Model a growth mindset – What is a growth mindset? “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment,” writes Carol Dweck, author of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Students who embrace growth mindsets – the belief that they can learn more or become smarter if they work hard and persevere – may learn more, learn it more quickly and view challenges and failures as opportunities to improve their learning and skills. Encourage your child to take risks and be vulnerable so that when he makes mistakes, he sees them as learning opportunities and fears other’s teasing less and less over time.
- Model mindfulness – Give your child strategies (e.g., deep breathing, exercise, meditation) to deal with moments when she struggles with self-regulation. Practise them on a regular basis. Remind your child that everybody has bad days, but learning how to cope when she feels low is critical to her emotional well-being.
- Remind your child: “You are not alone” – A kindergarten classroom is a very busy place! Some children may feel overwhelmed or homesick. It is important that you remind your child that someone is there to listen and care for his needs. Our teachers, ECE, lunchtime supervisors, peer mentors, and even our Year 2 students are always there to lend a helping hand.
It’s remarkable how our very strong, tight knit community is coming together during this challenging time.