The end is here!

Tomorrow is the last day of school. Students are of course expected to be in attendance as there are lots of activities planned for this special day. 

Students have received their report cards today. Included in the Report Card envelope is the report card, an information sheet about the Trinity Nation Orientation for students who will be attending Holy Trinity in Grade 7 on August 29, and the certificate from the Entrepreneurial Adventure. 

It has been a very special year for me as I have taught and worked with this amazing group of students . They are an enthusiastic, talented bunch and I know that they will be successful in all of their endeavours thanks to the excellent foundation they have received here at St. Anne. It has been a pleasure to teach them and to work with all of the parents to make this school year such  a success. Have a great summer and best wishes to all as they begin grade 7. 

Year end trip

Many of my students have requested that a list of what to bring on the year end trip on Thursday June 23. The following is a list of items that students are required to bring:

sunscreen
hat
water bottle
bathing suit
towel
change of clothes
jacket/sweater (it may be cool in the morning)
snacks(nut free please)

It is recommended that students wear their bathing suits underneath their clothes for the day. They will be rotating through stations that may involve getting into the water. They will need a dry change of clothes to get into at the end of the day as this trip will go ahead rain or shine.

We ask that students not bring valuables such as, but not limited to, iPods, iPads, cell phones, cameras, etc. as there will not be a facility where their bags can be locked up at the camp.

Entrepreneurial Adventure Showcase

Today our class attended the Entrepreneurial Adventure Showcase held at the Museum of History.  We got to view the other ventures that took place across the city of Ottawa and were also privileged enough to have a visit form The Minister of Finance for the Federal Government Bill Morneau. We also took part in the awards celebration and although we did not receive an award, we were happy to be there to represent St. Anne. We also met up with our business mentor Tammy who said her final farewell and mentioned how proud she was of our students and how they will be able to look back on this and remember the impact we had on Ms. Devine to help her through her most difficult time.

Last Minute Change for EA Showcase

The Busses will be picking us up at 12:15 from the Museum of History not 1:30. This is a last minute change that I only became aware about now. Students will return to school in time for their afternoon classes. We will have lunch at St. Anne.

Family life and the gift of Life

Today we started Theme 3 of our Family Life program entitled "Created Sexual: Male and Female". We recapped what was taught in previous grades as well as discussed sources of information about our sexuality including our parents, other family members, friends, teachers as well as more informal ways of learning such as media including TV, magazines, the Internet and social media. We also discussed how we can have normal, natural attractions and desires for things including friends, food, video games and that those attractions may eventually include being attracted to another person and how we can control those desires and use them in a positive way such as making healthy eating choices and not eating too much junk food. We will continue to learn this week about how God created us unique and different and about the purpose for why he created us male and female.

Today is also the day where we can give the gift of life by donating blood to support Ms. Devine and all others who need blood transfusions. There are still spots left for those who are able to give blood in many time blocks from 3:30-7:30.  Below are some tips on donating blood. Don't forget to specify that you are signing up for the clinic in honor of Nicky Devine. If for some reason you are unable to make it today, you can always donate at your earliest convenience at 1575 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7M3. 

Tips for a positive donation:

·         Review the Basic Eligibility criteria https://www.blood.ca/en/blood/abcs-eligibility    or take the quiz here https://www.blood.ca/en/node/497

·         Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

o   drink LOTS of water the days leading up to and the day of your donation,

o   have those 8, 8ounce glasses of water –You can do it!

o   Limit yourself to one cup of coffee or tea the day of your donation.

·         Eat a healthy breakfast and have a substantial snack before coming to donate!

·         For lunch time appointments eat your lunch before donating

·         For dinner time appointments eat a meal before donating

·         Remember to bring identification- Photo and address or address and signature

·         Children under 12 must be supervised by a parent or other adult
·         All children must remain in our Café Rouge refreshment area –

Review of learning

This next week in Math we will do an in depth review of the 5 main strands in Mathematics. Today we reviewed Number Sense, which has an impact on all the other strands. Tuesday, we will review Patterning which includes describing patterns using pattern rules, Wednesday we will review geometry which includes transformations to an object on the coordinate plane, Thursday we will review Data management and probability and Friday we will review measurement. Students are invited to take the work we do in class home with them to help them remember what was taught this year.

In Language we will also review the different types of text that we read and how to best analyze them; narrative, poems, news reports, graphic texts, etc. We will also review how to write narratives, poems, reports, opinion pieces, and persuasive letters.

In Religion we will begin our family life unit on how we are created sexual. There will be a letter going out with the students on Tuesday outlining the topics of discussion. We will be finishing our Confirmation preparation by learning about the 7 themes of Catholic Social teaching which is how we can live out our faith and life in the Holy Spirit.

Have a safe and relaxing Victoria Day long weekend!

Blood Drive

The Staff at St. Anne are organizing a blood drive to help support Ms. Devine. Each student will have received a cookie with information about the blood drive. Please keep Ms Devine in your prayers as she is undergoing her scheduled surgery today.

Below is a note from Ms. Devine regarding the blood drive.

January 2014 I received my first call to supply teach for the Ottawa Catholic School Board. I taught kindergarten that day. The staff and students were wonderful and this quickly became my main school to work at. I loved it at St. Anne. Every time I was there I learned something new, whether it was from a teacher sharing their knowledge, the set up of a classroom, or the students themselves. I enjoyed every minute in that school.

The day after hearing that I had a tumour I received a phone call to supply at St. Anne and sadly had to turn it down. My mom saw the devastation in my eyes as we waited in the doctors office.  When the doctor asked "do you have any other questions" my mom asked "can she go to work during this time". The doctor was shocked that I had been working at all the last 4 months, so no... no working for me.

Yet, St. Anne didn't give up on me...  they stood behind me every single day of this fight. Whether it was fundraising for me, emailing me, visiting me... they have never let me feel alone.

And still, after everything they have done... they still want to do more. They changed my life, and now they are going to save other peoples lives.

During my journey I have received 4 bags of blood, this blood allowed me to continue my fight. I have met so many patients who have also been given blood that literally saved their lives. St. Anne is holding a blood drive on Wednesday May 25th from3:30-7:30 at 1575 Carling. Together we can make a difference.

For those giving blood...

Step 1 register at blood.ca.

Step 2 Do the eligibility quiz under the Blood tab.

Step 3 Under find a clinic, put 1575 Carling Avenue then put the dates as May 25 and find a clinic

Step 4 Click the tabs for time of day and then choose a time

Step 5 Update this doc so we know when you’re going