Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship – District Level Competition Results

                                     

On February 17, 2018, a number of students from St. Clare participated in the annual Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship District Level Competition which was held at Our Lady Of Fatima School. 

Congratulations to the following students for their fine performances and top finishes:

Benfred Gonzaga – 2^nd place

Orlando Campusano – 3^rd place

As District Level Champions, these students will advance on to the Regional Level of the competition from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM on April 14^th, 2018 at St. Monica School.

Congratulations and best wishes Benfred & Orlando!

Easter Reflection / Easter Hallelujah

The following Easter reflection written by Helen Steiner Rice has been appreciated by people from all ages and walks of life. The beauty of spring merged with the grace of God makes this poem a wonderful one to read. Reading this beautiful composition will take you closer to the real essence of the poem and allow you to experience the true grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Easter Reflections”

With OUR EYES we see
The beauty of Easter
As the earth awakens once more.

With OUR EARS we hear
The birds sing sweetly
To tell us spring again is here.

With OUR HANDS we pick
The golden daffodils
And the fragrant hyacinths.

But only with OUR HEARTS
Can we feel the MIRACLE of GOD'S LOVE
Which redeems all men.

And only with OUR SOUL
Can we make our 'pilgrimage to God'
And inherit His Easter Gift of ETERNAL LIFE.`

Easter is the central event in the life of the Church. The events that happened that first Easter continue to be the power, hope, and peace within our lives even today. It is my hope that the content of this message will help you celebrate the victory that is the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Below is a beautiful Easter version of one of my favourite songs by Leonard Cohen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzfnVHZebuw  - Easter Hallelujah - Kelly Mooney 

Wishing you and your family a very blessed Easter season!

Student Led Conferences – March 22, 2018

In conjunction with the recent reporting period, St. Clare hosted Student Led Conferences on March 22, 2018

This occasion offered students  the opportunity to show their parents what they know and are learning in school.  Parents were enlightened through a “Gallery Walk” of many of the activities that their child were engaged in throughout the term. 

 

Parents were able to talk with their children with regards to their work displayed throughout the room and in their folders.  Chromebooks were also available for students to showcase their work in their various subject areas on projects that incorporated technology. 

We were so pleased to have such a great turnout for this wonderful “Celebration of Learning”.  Below are some pictures of some of the students’ work on the displays from the “Gallery Walk” and Student Led Conferences. 

CTF Interest Groups - Abstract Art - Session 2

The students on my CTF interest group during the last session after Christmas created abstract paintings or mixed-media collages on canvas board based on a theme of their choice. In the time allotted, students had opportunities to experiment, create and showcase their knowledge and skill in this abstract art style. The students on our CTF interest group created artwork based on a variety of the following options:

The students had an opportunity to create an abstract art painting or collage based on the Cubist style of Modern Art.

       

One style featured a masking-tape technique where paint of a variety of colours was applied on 10” X 14” canvas boards.  This led to interesting effects and colour patterns once the tape was removed. It ultimately enabled the students to create abstract paintings focusing on an assortment of geometric shapes created by the selection of a myriad of colour separated by white or black spaces.

Another style featured students making a mixed-media collage on canvas board based on a theme of their choice. These projects were basically a collage of shapes, images and text (words & phrases) or tissue paper glued to 10” X 14” canvas boards. The selection of the images, cutouts, shapes and colour choice of the background was dependent upon the individual’s personality or preference.

Below are some pictures of some of the students’ work that was created.

"You Are You" Day - February 28, 2018

"You Are You" Day

 

On February 28th, the staff & students of St. Clare celebrated promoted individual awareness through "You Are You" Day activities. All students and staff were encouraged to wear clothes and dress in such a way that expresses who they are (as long as it was appropriate and within school rules).

 

In conjunction with Hymn Sing that day, we had a school assembly where we watched videos and listened to musical selections that were centered on this theme. Throughout the day, teachers across the divisions also did classroom & buddy activities which focused on ideas like buddy reading, art activities, lessons from S4 resources as well as random acts of kindness initiatives. 

 

Some classes read books and stories that supported the overarching idea which was to celebrate and respect the differences we each have.  Some of the books explored were:

-          “Stephanie’s Ponytail”

-          “Tacky the Penguin”

-          “The Best Part of Me”

-          “We are All Wonders”

                     

Teachers of Division 2 classes enjoyed similar stories in addition to art activities, music and videos which explored the theme of self-awareness, respecting individual differences and finding one’s inner strength.

Posted along with this blog is a visual display that has been set-up on the glass showcase windows of "The Studio" which highlight some of the day’s events.

 

Ascension Parish Holy Week & Easter Mass Schedule

Alien Inline Skating Program

Alien Inline Skating Program

From March 1st to the 16th, we had the Alien Inline program at St. Clare.  It has been an annual program that the students and staff look forward to having as part of our Physical Education program every year.  A great part of the appeal of this program has been the opportunity for students to be engaged in a sport that offers a fun and healthy activity for life. If you are looking for a new activity to keep your kids active, Shop Task in Kensington offers the purchase of line skates with a discount for schools participating in Alien Inline Programs. 

Over the years, we have been blessed to have wonderful instructors delivering the program to our students.  This year, we had an excellent instructor by the name of Shaun Unwin.  He created lessons which were well organized in terms of content, delivery and leveling to suit student need and skill level. He was enthusiastic, and his lessons kept the students engaged and eager to try their best. 

Family Skate Nights: March 8 & 15

Our Family Skate nights were held on March 8th and 15th. We were happy and fortunate to be able to offer the flexibility of having two this year for families to participate in!  Both were enjoyable, successful and well-attended by the members of our school community.  As it is very popular with both the students and staff, we look forward to the continued opportunity of having this program back on an annual basis.