I am pleased to introduce and welcome our new St. Emily Catholic School Council. This is a hard working and dedicated team and we are blessed to have them step forward on behalf of all of the parents in our community. We look forward to another awesome year together.

Please join me in welcoming:

St Emily Catholic School Council 2021-22

Kelly Fry

Chairperson

Janice Vanderwel

Vice - Chairperson

Emalie Ujjainwalla

Treasurer

Carolina Cieniak

Assistant Treasurer

Renee Cooper

Secretary

Helen (Nicky) Svoboda Dorner

CSPA representative

Megan Pettit

Fundraising Chair

Selvan Assiskumar

Parish representative

Sarah Nazarenko

Lunch Program representative

Fidelia Addison

Member at large

Monica Jagdev

Member at large

Ana Bustamante

Member at large

Melissa Alexander

Member at Large

Kristjan

Teacher Representative

Monday: Sept 27th

After five years of testimony from over 6,750 survivors of Canada’s residential schools, the 94 Calls to Action were released in 2015. Six years later, there is still much work to be done. Reconciliation calls on all Canadians to learn the true history of this country and the multigenerational impact. It then invites Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on Turtle Island to collaboratively forge a new path toward a stronger, more equitable society.

Let us pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit

(Romans 12:1-2)

In Scripture St. Paul said, I appeal to you, therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. The word of the Lord.

God of Truth,

Open our eyes, ears, hearts, and minds this week as we examine our past, commemorate orange shirt Day, and the National Day of Truth And Reconciliation.

Make this a time of humility and vulnerability where we don’t shut out the Truth.

Make this a time of Truth wherever it leads and patience and perseverance.

Make this a time of hope with Gratitude for residential school survivors who are sharing their stories.

Guide as all in your tender arms Lord as we journey into this week of Truth and Reconciliation with hope to strengthen and heal as the Nations of this place we call Canada.

Amen

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Sept. 27, 2021

As the purpose of celebrating First Communion and Confirmation for school-age children is to allow them to participate more fully in the Sunday Eucharist, there is no urgency about having these celebrations while the children are unable to attend Mass during the Covid crisis. You may hear of some parishes doing so; you will find that, unlike us, these are dealing with very small groups of children.

While the ‘remote’ or school-based component of the preparation for these sacraments can continue as long as the elementary schools are operating, the ‘family and parish’ component depends upon the parents being able to bring the children to the church (or St. Joseph High School gym) regularly for Sunday Mass.

Therefore the Sacramental Preparation program will not begin until there are no restrictions on Mass attendance and St. Andrew Parish resumes Masses at St. Joseph High School. The process will begin with a parent meeting of one hour at St. Monica church hall, followed by registration and the distribution of materials. Since the meeting will not be optional, it will be repeated several times to better accommodate parent schedules.

The actual celebration of First Communion will take place over several Sundays, at different regular parish Masses, in small groups, and not by school. The candidates will be given a date for the celebration only after all requirements have been met. Whether this will be during the Easter season or the summer will depend on the timing of the end of the crisis.

The celebration of Confirmation has been held at the Cathedral on Sussex Drive on a weekday evening in the September following the school year of preparation. This has worked very well, and we hope to be able to do the same this time.

As always, if your circumstances make it too difficult to participate in the preparation this time, you are welcome to wait until next year. Grade Two is simply the minimum age for First Communion; the ‘typical’ age for Confirmation is set by the local Bishop and varies from age seven to fifteen. In Ottawa the typical age is eleven.

The dates of the parent meetings will be posted in our parish bulletin. If you wish to be sent a notice about the meeting, please reply to the Sacramental Coordinator, Milva Calla. She will send you information about registering as parishioners (if you have not done so already). When we have dates, she will invite you to attend the registration meeting. The registration must be in person, at the parent meeting.

May the Lord bless you and your family and keep you safe.

LT shared about how to sign the Responsible Use of Tech Form

Signing Responsible use of Tech Form for Parents

Tuesday, Sept 28th

Charlene Bearhead has said, “What is our own story but a collection of experiences we have with other people?”. During the National Week of Truth and Reconciliation, as we bear witness to survivors’ testimonies, their stories become part of us, challenge our perspectives, and transform our lives.

+Let us Pray in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

(Hebrews 10 23-25)

We read in the Letter to the Hebrews, Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to inspire one another to love and good deeds, meeting together and encouraging one another.

On our journey of Truth and Reconciliation, we turn in prayer today to the Algonquin Morning prayer as an intentional act of cleansing ourselves with hope in the purpose of Truth, Reconciliation, and healing

Algonquin Morning Prayer

Kwey Mishomis,

Kwey Kokomis,

Kwey Gitchi Manitou

Meegwetch for this day, Meegwetch for my life, Meegwetch for the joy that you bring me

each & everyday in the many ways that you do.

Cleanse my eyes

that I will see only the good intent of others Cleanse my heart

that I will feel only the good intent of others Cleanse my ears

that I will hear only the good intent of others Cleanse my head that

I will understand only the good intent of others Cleanse my mouth

that I will speak only my good intent to others Cleanse my mind that

I will think only good intentions towards others Cleanse my body that

I will act only on my good intent towards others

Meegwetch, Meegwetch, Meegwetch, Meegwetch.

Amen

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The Parent Portal is now open. School staff are asked to provide parents and guardians with student transportation information if they call.

Due to the ongoing driver shortage, some routes have been temporarily cancelled until a solution can be found for those students. We also know there may be daily cancellations due to COVID isolation and other reasons throughout the school year. It is vital that school staff, parents and guardians regularly check the posted cancellation lists for either OCDSB or OCSB on the website to confirm the route’s status.

Hello Families,

There have been multiple changes and cancellations to transportation services for OCSB students due to severe driver shortages. You are receiving this message because your child was assigned to blue bus, V178, and OSTA has informed St. Emily that this route is now cancelled due to driver shortage.

For cancelled routes, parents will need to find alternative transportation to get their children to school for the next few weeks until services stabilize. OSTA continues to work with its operators to find creative solutions to provide service to as many students as possible during these unprecedented circumstances.

Please review your child’s information on the Parent Portal and then check the posted list to confirm the route’s status. The list will be updated daily with any new cancellations reported the morning that service occurs. We encourage you to subscribe to receive important information from OSTA, such as delays and cancellations. Once the route resumes, parents are asked to stay with their children at the bus stop until the bus arrives in case of delays or cancellations.

We thank you for your continued patience during these challenging times.

Hello and welcome to St. Emily,

It is so good to be able to have you come into the school building. We have been waiting and planning for this day to come.

Some important things for you to know about next week and the beginning of the school year.

Masks

All Kindergarten students (Year 1 and Year 2) will be wearing masks in the school building because we want to be safe and play together.

Buses

All students who are eligible for a bus will need to wear a mask on the bus. We will be assigning each student a place to sit on the bus. You can go on to OSTA http://www.ottawaschoolbus.ca/ and check out where your child will be picked up and dropped off now. Kindergarten students must be met by someone. They will return to school if someone is not there to pick them up from the bus.

All Year 1 Kindergarten students who are bus eligible will begin taking the bus on Friday, September 10

Opening Days

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

All returning Year 2 (or Senior Kindergarten students) and those students attending Chapman Mills Childcare will come to school on the first day. Your classroom educational team will reach out to you to let you know where to meet. We will be lining up outside like last year.

New to Kindergarten - both Year 1 and Year 2

New students to Kindergarten at St. Emily (Year 1 and Year 2) will be called by their educational team inviting them to a time to meet. Each team is meeting at different times and will meet up with you outside. Students may come into the classroom. Parents may not. Students do not stay at school on this day.

The first day for new Year 1 or Year 2 students will be determined by the team after they meet with their classroom educational team.

All Kindergarten (Year 1 and Year 2) will be in class together on Friday, September 10, 2021.

Have a great time until we see you at school

Be safe. Be Kind

Tracy Mertz Kevin Shannon The Kindergarten Team

Principal Vice Principal