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ST. CATHERINE’S
NEWSLETTER
November 2014
Mr. D. Tymchyshyn, Principal --- Ms. C. Bowers, Assistant Principal
St. Catherine Catholic School
10915 - 110 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5H 3E3
Telephone: 780-426-6933
Almighty and Everlasting God,
who dost enkindle the flame of Thy love in the hearts of the saints,
grant unto us the same faith and power of love;
that, as we rejoice in their triumphs
we may profit by their examples, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Message from School Adminis tration
October was a productive month at St. Catherine, and we also enjoyed a beautiful holiday
rest in the middle of the month during our Autumn Break. On October 24th we had a very
beautiful Thanksgiving Liturgy. Our Girls Soccer Team had an excellent season by winning four
out of six league games and finishing third overall in the City Center League. Our Boys Soccer
Team had an outstanding season this year. They won all six of their league games and then
won gold medals for their first place finish in the City Center Soccer League championship.
Congratulations to both our soccer teams on excellent seasons. We finished the month with
The Concrete Theatre presentation of the “The Bully Project” for grades 5 to 7 and with some
wonderful Halloween activities sponsored by our Student Leadership Team.
The month of November will be very exciting with a number of activities including special
guest speaker for our Remembrance Day liturgy on November 7th; the Tien Lung Taekwon-Do
presentation on November 5th; report cards on November 14th; and Demonstration of Learning
on November 20th. November is going to be a busy month.
A Time for Prayer and Celebration
Staff and students gathered on Friday, October 24th for our Thanksgiving Liturgy. Thank you
to Mrs. Kaup, Mr. Jancewicz, and Ms. Maassen for leading the students of 2A and 8A in
preparing the liturgical celebration. A wonderful job was done with the music by Ms. Beer,
Ms. Woodlock and the student choir. We will gather once again on Friday, November 7th for
our Remembrance Day Liturgy.
Report Cards
Report cards will be sent home on Friday, November 14th, and we look forward to seeing all
parents/guardians at our Demonstration of Learning and Parent-Teacher Interviews on
Thursday, November 20th from 1:00 to 4:30pm and 6:00 to 8:00pm. Between 4:30 and 6:00pm
the school is closed for a supper break. This is an opportunity for your child to share his/her
successes and challenges with you and her/his teacher.
Interviews for grades 4 to 9 will take place in the gym and must be scheduled in advance for
ten-minute appointments. Demonstrations of Learning for 100 Voices to Grade 3 will take
place in classrooms.
Please note that there are several key differences with the report this year as Edmonton
Catholic Schools has been seeking ways to reduce the length and complexity of the report
cards. This new appearance should make reading the report much easier for many parents.
The Scholastic Book Fair – November 2014
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school and we are looking forward to seeing you
there! We invite you to share in this important celebration of books and reading with us.
Mark your calendars so you will not miss our Scholastic Book Fair. It is a special time for our
entire school, being held in the Library on Monday, November 17th to Thursday, November 20st
during school hours. A special family evening will be held on Thursday, November 20st from
6:00pm to 8:00pm.
Our Scholastic Book Fair gives our school the opportunity to bring families, teachers, students
and books together, and additionally, it is a great way to raise funds while encouraging
children to read. A portion of the sales benefits our school library.
When you visit our Book Fair make sure to enter our Family Event Draw. There will be many
prizes awarded from this draw.
Thank you for encouraging your child to read. By purchasing books and supporting our Book
Fair, you enable our school to obtain new resources for our school library. We look forward
to seeing you at the Book Fair!
School Fees
School fees remain unchanged from last year. School fees were due at the end of September.
We understand that the start of a school year can be somewhat financially difficult for some
families, so if you wish to make other payment arrangements, please contact Ms. Stewart.
Grade 9 school fees:
Grade 7-8 school fees:
Grade 1-6 school fees:
Kindergarten fees:
$140.00 (plus $5.00 for 2 locks)
$125.00 (plus $5.00 for 2 locks)
$100.00
$100.00
ETS and Yellow Bus Passes
For students who ride the ETS bus, we ask that parents make cash payments on a monthly
basis or pay the entire amount in full to cover the purchase of bus passes throughout the
year. This procedure greatly assists Ms. Stewart with her record keeping. The monthly cost
of bus passes this year is:
Single Bus Pass Elementary
Single Bus Pass Junior High
Family Plan Elementary
Family Plan Junior High
$30.00
$47.00
$26.00
$43.00
Students who take the yellow school buses do not pay for a bus pass and will receive one bus
pass for whole year. However, if you wish to have your child ride the yellow school bus you
must provide the school with proof of your address and complete forms requesting the yellow
bus. Yellow busing is provided only for students living in our catchment area.
School Nutrition and Food in Classrooms
This year at St. Catherine’s we continue working towards improving the nutritional habits of
students. We are encouraging students to develop more healthy eating habits. We ask
parents to stop bringing cakes, candy, and soda pop to classes for celebrations of
students’ birthdays and other events unless prior arrangements have been made directly
with the classroom teacher. In the past, we have found that classroom celebrations,
involving food full of sugar and dyes, to be very disruptive to learning and we encourage you
to help reduce students’ consumption of these types of foods at school. We thank all parents
in advance for their continued support and cooperation with this nutrition initiative.
Student After School Pick-Up
This year we have had many instances of parents not picking up students in kindergarten and
grade 1 after school, either at the school or at the bus stop. It is very important that parents
understand that the school and bus drivers will not release students in kindergarten and grade
1 to anyone but a parent. As well we request that students younger than Grade 7 go straight
home after school. Parents need to arrive promptly to pick up children after school so that
all children are gone home by 3:00 pm. These requests are for safety purposes.
Extended Vacations
Many families take their children away from school for extended vacations of two, three or
more weeks. These types of vacations are very disruptive to student learning. Please know
that if you are planning on doing so, you must request the permission of the principal for an
extended absence from school registration. In addition, if your child is going to miss multiple
weeks of school, you must request work from the teacher and your child must complete the
work during the absence. Since children under the age of seventeen are required to attend
school by law, parents, choosing to remove their children from school for extended periods,
are required to request permission and ensure that school work is completed prior to or
during the absence.
Toys and Electronic Games
We discourage students from bringing any toys and electronic games to school. Toys and
electronic games of any type should not be brought to school as they disrupt learning and
create behaviour problems in the school ground. We cannot be responsible for the loss or
theft of these items if they are brought to school.
Cell Phones, iPads, and Other Electronic Devices
Cell phones, iPods, iPads and other electronic devices can be brought to school to be used by
students for learning purposes as directed by their teachers. However, we cannot be
responsible for the loss or theft of these items. If your child brings a cell phone or other
electronic device to school, please remind him or her that it is to remain in the school bag or
locker unless being used for educational purposes. In the past, we have had too many cases
of parents phoning and texting children on their cell phones while children are in class
and thus disrupting learning. If this problem continues we will be forced to go back to
banning the use of personal devices like cell phones at school. If students need to contact
parents during the day, they are asked to ask permission to use our phone located outside the
office.
Student Immunization
In November grade 5 and 9 student immunization begins. In November parents/guardians will
be receiving permission forms from Alberta Health Services which they must sign in order for
their children to be vaccinated. The immunization schedule for this year is as follows:
Grade 9
HPV Round 1, Diptheria, Tetanus, dTap and Meningitis Round 1 – Friday, November 21st morning
HPV Round 2, Diptheria, Tetanus, dTap and Meningitis Round 2 – Wednesday, January 14th morning
Grade 5
HepB, Chickenpox and HPV Round 1 – Monday, November 24th - morning
HepB, Chickenpox and HPV Round 2 – Monday, January 19th - morning
Christmas and Spring Concerts
This year we will have two school concerts. Kindergarten to grade 2 students will participate
in a Christmas Concert at 7:00pm on Tuesday, December 9, 2014. Only students in
kindergarten, grade 1, and grade 2 will perform at this Christmas Concert. We look forward
to seeing parents of these students at the concert. On Thursday, April 16th we will have a
Spring Concert for students in grades 3 to 9. More details about the Spring Concert will be
provided later in the year.
Winter Means Cold Weather
We would like to remind parents to dress their children appropriately in winter. Toques,
mittens and a warm coat are a necessity as students will be outside for morning and lunch
recess. Decisions regarding outdoor activities at St. Catherine will take into consideration
that inclement weather may result from the following conditions or combination of
conditions: continuous rain, extreme wind, and/or extreme cold. Please note if the
temperature and wind chill are -20ºC or colder, students will remain indoors during recess.
Children must be properly dressed for the cold winter weather (with coats, mittens, gloves,
scarves, and hats). If you need assistance with this please see Mrs. Sheehan or Mrs. Stewart
at the office who can assist you with winter clothing.
Please be advised that the following Radio and TV Stations will carry announcements with
respect to transportation cancellations due to inclement weather conditions. Every effort will
be made to have messages broadcast commencing no later than 6:30 a.m.
RADIO STATIONS
630 CHED
CISN FM 103.9
FRESH FM 92.5
INEWS 880 AM
The Bounce FM 91.7
UP! 99.3 FM
HOT 107 FM
CITYTV
AM 930 The Light CJCA
SHINE 105.9 FM
TSN 1260
95.7 CRUZ FM
The Bear 100.3 FM
SONIC 102.9 FM
104.9 VIRGIN Radio FM
CTV Edmonton
TV STATIONS
GLOBAL Edmonton
CBC
CHFA (CBC Fr.)
CFCW 790
CAPITAL FM 96.3
K97 97.3
102.3 NOW! Radio
CBC Edmonton
Lunch Time Milk Sales
250ml cartons of white or chocolate milk can be purchased by elementary and junior high
students at the price of 50 cents per carton. Milk can be purchased at the Concession each
day at lunchtime or from the Grade 3 students who sell milk. If you wish to purchase milk for
your child please see Mrs. Coulombe in Grade 3B.
Lunch with the Principal and Assistant Principal
Congratulations to Nahom in Kindergarten A, Ishan in Grade 1A, Marjorie in 4A and Richshene
in Grade 7A as they were the winners in the newsletters draw. All these students will join
Mr. Tymchyshyn and Ms. Bowers for a pizza lunch in November.
Student Leadership Team
The members of the Student Leadership Team planned a number of very successful Terry Fox
run on September 26th. Unfortunately, the weather did not allow us to go outside but the
students had a great time walking inside the school and enjoyed their snacks and drinks after
the event. Next the Student Leadership Team organized Halloween activities for October
31st that included a haunted house, a costume parade, and a junior high student dance.
Boys and Girls Club and St. Joseph Catholic School Mentoring
During the last week of October we once again began our participation in the mentoring
program sponsored by the Boys and Girls Club of Edmonton. Students from St. Joseph
Catholic High School work on a weekly basis with students in grades 4A and 4B on mentoring
activities designed to create special learning experiences for our primary students. The
mentoring program will take place each Monday until June of 2015.
Grade 1 and Early Learning Supports
This year Early Learning Services will provide supports for students in 100 Voices,
kindergarten, and grade 1 from the occupational, speech and language, and psychological
therapists from Early Learning. If you have a child in in these grades, he or she may talk
about the therapists that visit the classroom. If you have questions about this please ask your
child’s teacher.
Student Learning Assessments – Grades 3 and 6
In May 2013, the Education Minister announced that Alberta would be giving teachers more
support to help students succeed by introducing assessments that will replace the existing
Provincial Achievement Tests (PATs) in grades 3, 6 and 9. The new Student Learning
Assessments (SLAs) contribute to realizing the vision of Inspiring Education by enabling
parents and teachers to be aware of a child’s strengths or areas needing improvement at the
start of the school year. The new SLAs will support student learning while more effectively
assessing literacy, numeracy, and competencies such as critical thinking, problem solving, and
the ability to apply knowledge to different scenarios. Alberta Education is developing the new
SLAs. They will be administered at the start of grade 3 in 2014 and at the start of grade 6 in
2015 in place of PAT’s. Grade 9 PAT’s will still be written in 2015.
St. Andrew’s Catholic Church -- First Holy Communion
Parents are asked to please register their children, who are seven years or older, to prepare
for First Holy Communion and First Holy Confession. The scheduled date for their First Holy
Communion is on the Feast of St. Andrew – Sunday, November 30, 2014 at 11:00am Mass.
The Snack Program and Breakfast for Learning
The Snack Program at St. Catherine Catholic School is proudly funded in part by Breakfast
for Learning and E4C. Thanks to their support, we are able to offer our students a healthy
meal or snack during the school day.
Breakfast for Learning is a national charity that is committed to ensuring students attend
school nourished well and ready to learn, giving them the best chance of success in life.
In the 2013-2014 school year, Breakfast for Learning funded 2,402 breakfast, lunch and
snack programs, served 251,531 children and youth and provided over 40 million
nourishing meals and snacks.
Since 1992, Breakfast for Learning has helped serve over 510 million meals to children and
youth across Canada. For more information, please visit breakfastforlearning.ca.
Visit our website at www.stcatherine.ecsd.net
to view an electronic copy of our newsletter
Newsletter Attachments:
Message from Superintendent
Message from Bishop Motiuk
Message from the Trustee
Parent Letter on Enterovirus
Superintendent’s Message to Families
Gr. 5 & 9 Immunization
HPV Immunization Letter from Alberta Health Services
District Financial Survey
November and December Calendars
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please fill out the form below indicating that you have read the November Newsletter. Have
your child return this form by Friday, November 14th. His/her name will be entered into a
draw to win a lunch with the administrative team.
Student Name
______________________________________________
Grade
______________________________________________
Parent Signature
______________________________________________
November, 2014
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. ~ Matthew 5:9
When Jesus was giving the Sermon on the Mount, he shared with us the great promise that God holds for us if we follow the two basic
principles of our faith: love God and love each other. November is an excellent month to re-examine this scripture passage because it brings to
us some of the most significant moments of our modern history. Schools will be participating in a variety of activities to mark Remembrance
Day this year. Students in all of our schools will also recognize Holodomor Memorial Day on Friday, November 28 this year. This memorial
day encourages schools to undertake a moment of silence or other activity in recognition of the millions of Ukrainians who died as a result of
the famine genocide that began in 1932 under the Soviet regime.
This month also brings Catholic Education Sunday, which will be celebrated this year on November 9. We are so fortunate to have
publicly funded Catholic Education in Alberta! We are one of only three provinces that have this gift. Please take the time to pray for the
continuing vitality of our mission to bring the Gospel to life for our students.
Our District believes it is essential to involve parents in providing input in the budget process. Please take a few moments to complete
our online survey. It is open from November 1-30.Your feedback is essential to our process! http://financialservicessurvey.ecsd.net/
We are marking some new beginnings this fall. Our Board of Trustees has just elected their new officers. We would like to
congratulate our new Chairperson, Trustee Debbie Engel, and our new Vice Chairperson, Trustee Marilyn Bergstra. Our new District
Chaplains, Father Dean Dowle from the Archdiocese of Edmonton and Father Julian Bilyj from the Ukrainian Eparchy, began their journey of
faith leadership with us on October 27. We are thrilled at the richness that having these two priests will bring to our mission.
We have many things to celebrate this month. The Government of Alberta released several very important reports in October. Please
visit our public website to look at the wonderful results that our District has attained in multiple areas. The accountability pillar is our overall
report card from the province, and it is an excellent report card this year. https://www.ecsd.net/AboutUs/annual_reports/Pages/AccountabilityPillar-Report.aspx.
You can also review our fabulous PAT and Diploma Exam results. Our students outperform the province in the standards of
acceptable and excellence in many subject areas. https://www.ecsd.net/AboutUs/annual_reports/Pages/Diploma-and-Provincial-Results.aspx
Alberta Education launched the 2015 Excellence in Teaching Awards on October 17. Does your child have a teacher or administrator
this year that has a special ability to connect with them and is having a significant impact on their development and love of learning? Please
consider nominating that educator for this award. The affirmation that even being nominated for this prestigious award brings is so special.
Please visit their website to download the nomination package or talk to your school principal.
http://education.alberta.ca/teachers/excellence.aspx
Did you know that your children can access high quality educational resources to support their learning through our District
subscription to Discovery Education Canada, the educational wing of the Discovery Channel? Have your child first log into MyECSD.net, then
select ‘Discovery Education’ from the ‘Students’ tab to learn about this and many more educational tools available to students including an
interactive atlas. Students log in using their district ID and password.
The annual Sign of Hope WE Care Challenge has now officially begun. Many of our schools are focusing their social justice learning
and activities on supporting Catholic Social Services. Please take a moment to read our letter or visit our website for more information.
As we focus our attention on peace and service this month, let us reflect on the words of Pope Francis. “Violence is not conquered by
violence. Lord, send us the gift of peace.” Amen.
Sincerely,
Joan Carr
Superintendent
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
~ Romans 15:13
November 2014
Unity, Saint Josaphat, and Passing on the Faith
This November, we mark the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council “Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis
redintegratio. One of the principal concerns of the nearly 3,000 bishops attending the Council (1962-1965) was the restoration of
unity among all Christians.
As we mark this occasion, let us recall Saint Josaphat whose liturgical feastday we celebrate on November 12.
I like Saint Josaphat. After all, he’s the patron saint of my Cathedral!
As a priest and later as a bishop, he dedicated his life in the service of God and of neighbour. Saint Josaphat sacrificed
everything, even to the point of martyrdom, giving his life for the sake of Christian unity, specifically among Catholics and Orthodox.
Immediately after his death in 1623, the Lord God glorified him with miracles of healing the sick and change of heart. Today,
his earthly body, which remained incorrupt for many years after his death, rests in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. I’ve had the
pleasure on many occasions to celebrate the Divine Liturgy upon his saintly relics.
Saint Josaphat’s life and death, and his desire for unity among God’s people, is a model for all Christians.
Unity.
We might ask ourselves, what are we doing to promote unity, in our families, among friends and neighbours, in our churches
and beyond?
A parable might be helpful here.
In the spring time new leaves appeared on an old, old tree. One particular leaf admired the beauty of the newness of life. It
could see great distances, taking in the mountains in the horizon, the nearby flowing river, the deer grazing under it boughs, the birds
dancing among the clouds, and the glorious sunrises and sunsets.
One day the young leaf looked down at the roots of the tree, actually feeling sorry for them. They never saw the beauty it did,
being buried deep beneath the earth.
The roots explained that they were very happy, providing nourishment and stability for the entire tree, even preventing it
from being uprooted when the strong winds blew.
The young leaf would have none of this, still feeling sorry for the roots.
The roots added that the tree was made up of many parts: branches, trunk, roots, bark, sap, and leaves. They all had a role to
play in the growth and health of the tree. And all had to work together in unity if the tree was to survive.
The young leaf was not convinced. It continued to look down upon the roots.
So the roots simply said, “Let’s have this conversation in the fall!”
[Students, you’ll most likely have to explain this to your older sisters and brothers, and your parents too. Hint: leaves fall off
in the fall, but the roots remain year after year!]
Did you know that we can tell how long a tree lived by counting the numbers of rings in its trunk once it has died. 100 rings
means the tree has lived 100 years. A happy tree that gets lots of sunshine and rain will show rings that are farther apart. On the other
hand, if the rings are closer together, the tree might have experienced a serious drought, a forest fire, or an infestation of insects.
How well are we doing in passing on our faith to others, from one generation to the next, from grandparents to parents to
children?
We may not be able to count the rings in our trunks, if we had any trunks. But we can be roots and leaves – and everything in
between, working together.
Unity. We do all have to work together. No part is greater or more important than the other. Members in a family, a school, a
community, working together. Christians working together. People of different faiths working together. All working together for a
better world, for God’s greater glory.
It’s really not about me, myself and I.
It’s about unity.
And Jesus prayed, that “they may all be one” (John 17: 21).
Bishop David Motiuk
Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Edmonton
Message to the Parents and School Communities in Ward 75
From Trustee John Acheson
November 2014
The new school year is now well under way with your children fully engaged in the
next chapter of their educational adventure. Regardless of the experiences of the
previous year the new school year always comes with a sense of excitement and
positive anticipation of what is to come. The school is such an important part of your
children’s lives and, while they don’t always admit it, they like being at school -this
in great part because of the positive ethos that exists in our Catholic schools – a
positive ethos created by the skilled and dedicated staff who are there to serve your
children.
As your trustee I wish the very best for all our students for the coming year and ask
God to bless them as they work to actualize their God given gifts and talents through
their involvement in Catholic education.
As the year unfolds I invite you to be in contact with me if you have any questions
and/or suggestions regarding the education of your children. I would be pleased to
meet your respective school councils during the year and look forward to being
invited to events where I can engage with your school community.
Sincerely,
John Acheson
October 25, 2014
Dear Parents and Guardians:
We wanted to make you aware of a new virus that is affecting children with cases being
reported throughout North America.
A total of 49 cases of the Enterovirus D68 have been confirmed in Alberta between July and
September 10, 2014. Enterovirus is contagious and will spread through close contact with
someone already sick, e.g. from touching contaminated surfaces or when an infected person
coughs or sneezes. Symptoms of respiratory EV-D68 infections include:
• Fever
• Cough, runny nose or sneezing
• Skin rash
• Mouth blisters
• Body and muscle aches
There is no specific treatment or vaccine to prevent EV-D68. If your child has a respiratory
condition, such as asthma and is showing symptoms of the virus, you can call Health Link
Alberta, T: 1 866 408-5465, or visit your doctor. To protect you from Enterovirus, the following
steps are recommended:
•
•
•
•
Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water
Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. When unavailable, cough or
sneeze into your arm. Throw away tissue and wash hands afterwards.
Keep fingers away from eyes, nose and mouth.
If you have symptoms of the virus, stay home. Do not visit others until your have fully
recovered.
For further information on Enterovirus, visit Alberta Health Services:
http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/10418.asp
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thank you!
Sincerely,
D. Tymchyshyn
Mr. D. Tymchyshyn
Principal
Catholic Education Services • 9807-106 Street • Edmonton AB T5K 1C2 • T: 780 441-6000 • F: 780 425.8759 • www.ecsd.net
Fall, 2014
You are the light of the world… Matthew 5:14
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Catholic Social Services' roots and traditions are based on the Catholic social teachings of social justice, human
dignity, and the common good. When we donate to Catholic Social Services (CSS) annual Sign of Hope campaign, we
are investing in the staff of CSS as they work to build stronger family and community life for many individuals in our
city and surrounding communities.
The staff of CSS dedicates their lives to care for more than 60,000 people in need including a number of our families.
Each year, Sign of Hope dollars are transformed into promise for these individuals facing issues such as addictions,
physical and mental abuse, family crisis, domestic violence, and adjusting to a new country. Many people of all faiths
and cultures benefit from over 100 programs that are funded by Catholic Social Services.
The Sign of Hope campaign also provides a wonderful opportunity to involve our students in raising funds for Catholic
Social Services through the “WE Care” Challenge. Under the leadership of staff members, Sandra Talarico and Terry
Volk, who have spearheaded this campaign for over 15 years, this challenge raised over $70,000 last year. This is
more than just a fundraising campaign; it is a movement and an opportunity for children and youth to learn about the
programs and resources provided by the Agency and to help bring about change in our local communities. It provides
them with the opportunity to show “WE Care” about those less fortunate!
The staff of Edmonton Catholic Schools also supports the Sign of Hope Campaign each year. Last year we raised over
$42,000 in payroll contributions and over $7,300 in staff fundraising activities. Ninety-one cents of every dollar we
entrust with the Sign of Hope goes directly to client services. Through our investment, lives are saved and futures are
built.
Please take some time to talk with your children about what they are learning about Catholic Social Services and their
great work through our annual campaign. If you would like to learn more about CSS or to donate personally, please
visit www.signofhope.ab.ca.
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Joan Carr
Superintendent
EIGHT CHARACTERS OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION . . .
Community • Hospitality • Justice • Tradition • Sacramentality • Humanness • Rationality • Spirituality
Grade 5 School Immunization
Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavirus (HPV) &
Chickenpox (Varicella) Vaccine
Hepatitis B Vaccine
 All students in grade 5 are offered hepatitis B immunization.
 The immunization consists of 3 needles given over a six-month period.
Human Papillomavirus Vaccine
 All students in grade 5 are offered human papillomavirus immunization.
 The immunization consists of 3 needles given over a six-month period, and will be offered at
the same time as the hepatitis B immunization.
Varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccine
 All students who have not had chickenpox disease or vaccine are offered varicella vaccine.
 Varicella vaccine consists of one or two needles depending on your child’s date of birth, and
will be given on the same day as the above immunizations.
Information and Consent:
 Your child will be given an immunization package containing a consent form and information
on each of the diseases and vaccines, as appropriate, for the parent/guardian to read. The
consent form must be signed and returned as per the instructions on the consent form
within one week.
 Your child will only be immunized with your consent.
If you have any questions, please call:
 Health Link Alberta at 780-408-LINK (5465) or 1-866-408-LINK (5465).
eRPHF04-358 (Revised 08 2014)
Grade 9 School Immunization
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (dTap)
Meningococcal (Group A, C, W-135 & Y) Conjugate &
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis (dTap) Vaccine
 All students in grade 9 are offered a booster dose of diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine.
Meningococcal (Group A, C, W-135 & Y) Conjugate Vaccine
 All students in grade 9 are offered a single dose of meningococcal (Group A, C, W-135 & Y)
conjugate vaccine.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine
 All boys and any girls in grade 9 who have not already completed a series are offered
human papillomavirus immunization.
 The immunization consists of 3 needles given over a six-month period.
Information and Consent:
 Your child will be given an immunization package containing a consent form and information
for each of the diseases and vaccines, as appropriate, for the parent/guardian to read. The
consents must be signed and returned as per the instructions on the consent form within
one week.
 Your child will only be immunized with your consent.
If you have any questions, please call:
 Health Link Alberta at 780-408-LINK (5465) or 1-866-408-LINK (5465).
eRPHF04-359 (Revised 08 2014)
September 2014
To: Superintendents of Schools
Re: Expansion of Alberta’s Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Immunization Program
The Alberta Ministry of Health has announced the expansion of the human papillomavirus (HPV)
immunization program from grade five girls only to also include males in grade 5 beginning in
September 2014. In addition, HPV immunization for grade nine boys will start in the 2014-2015
school year and continue for four years to June 2018. This immunization initiative will lead to a
significant long term reduction in HPV-related cancers in both males and females.
Expanding the HPV program to males will save lives, reduce disease and decrease future health
care costs in Alberta. Recent data from Alberta shows that almost 100% of oropharyngeal head
and neck cancers in men under 40 years of age are HPV-related.
Medical experts have recommended implementation of school-based HPV immunization
programs across Canada. School-based immunization generally results in higher numbers of
students completing the immunization and being protected from HPV disease. HPV immunization
is voluntary and the signed consent of a parent or guardian is required before the immunization
can occur at the school.
Is there anything that can help parents make a decision?
In support of the HPV immunization program, Alberta Health Services has developed an
interactive, online resource to provide parents with the information to make an informed HPV
immunization decision for their child. The HPV Vaccination Decision Tool contains important
information about HPV disease, the HPV vaccine, and the benefits and risks associated with the
HPV vaccine. The decision tool is available at: http://albertapreventscancer.ca/resource/hpv-andhpv-vaccine. As well, information for the public is available on ImmunizeAlberta.ca at
immunizealberta.ca/i-need-know-more/diseases-covered/hpv-human-papillomavirus.
Alberta Health Services or First Nations Inuit Health Branch Public Health will be sharing or have
already shared this information with school principals in your jurisdictions via a similar letter from
Medical Officers of Health or through the Public Health Nurses assigned to their schools.
www.albertahealthservices.ca
Thank you for your anticipated cooperation and assistance in making this new immunization
program a success. If you have any questions about the HPV immunization program, please
contact your local Medical Officer of Health.
Sincerely,
Dr. Judy MacDonald
Medical Officer of Health
Alberta Health Services – Calgary Zone
Dr. Christopher Sikora
Medical Officer of Health
Alberta Health Services - Edmonton Zone
Dr. Albert de Villiers
Medical Officer of Health
Alberta Health Services
North Zone – West; North Zone Lead
Dr. Wadieh Yacoub
Medical Officer of Health
First Nations Inuit Health Branch
Health Canada
Dr. Deena Hinshaw
Medical Officer of Health
Alberta Health Services - Central Zone
Dr. Karin Goodison
Medical Officer of Health
Alberta Health Services - South Zone
2014-2015 Calendar
November 2014
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
All Saints Day
2
All Souls Day
3
4
5
No Kindergarten
Early Learning
Conference Day
6
12:10pm Early
Dismissal
7
10:45amRemembrance Day
Liturgy
8
9
10
11
12
13
12:10pm Early
Dismissal
14
15
Report Card
Distribution
No Kindergarten -IPP Conference Day
Remembrance
Day No School
Remembrance
Day No School
16
17
Book Fair
18
Book Fair
19
Book Fair
20
Book Fair
12:10pm Early
Dismissal
P/T Interviews
Demo of Learning
21
Gr. 9 Immunization
22
23
24
25
26
28
29
Grade 9 U-School
Gr. 5 Immunization
Grade 9 U-School
Grade 9 U-School
Photo Re-Take Day
27
Grade 9 U-School
12:10pm Early
Dismissal
No Kindergarten-IPP
Conference Day
30
Grade 9 U-School
2014-2015 Calendar
December 2014
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
1
11:15am Advent
Liturgy
2
3
4
12:10pm Early
Dismissal
5
6
7
8
Solemnity of
Immaculate
Conception
9
7:00 pm K- 2
Christmas Concert
10
11
12:10pm Early
Dismissal
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Full Day of
School
19
9:30am Christmas
Liturgy
12:10pm Early
Dismissal
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Christmas Break
Christmas Break
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Christmas Break
29
30
31
Christmas Break
Christmas Break
Christmas Break
—–———————————NO SCHOOL———————————-
28
—–———————————NO SCHOOL———————————-