St. Patrick's Intermediate Blog March 28 to April 1

Jesus is Risen
The image of the empty tomb is a strong symbol for Jesus' commitment to His mission here on earth.  It became a symbol of shame for those who had persecuted Jesus, for they were left with the undeniable truth of His consistent message.  Jesus' followers, who all seemed to be at various points of belief, were rewarded by the discovery of His empty tomb on Easter morning.  The stories and prophecies He had preached had all come true.  

As we journey through the season of Easter, may our abilities, talents, and relationships be strengthened by the example of Jesus.

Stations of the Cross
On Wednesday, our Youth Group, under the direction of our chaplain, Mr. Paul Kozak, presented the Stations of the Cross in dramatic tableau.  The school was so attentive and respectful of this moving event one would be able to hear a pin drop in the cafeteria.  

Shamrock Classic Basketball Tournament
This weekend (April 2nd and 3rd) our own version of "March Madness" takes place as the annual Shamrock Classic Basketball Tournament occurs here at St. Pat's Intermediate.  Eight schools from across the Board will be participating in this exciting event.  Good luck to all!

Important Contact Information
Our School Council chair is Cees Artz and can be reached at 
chair@StPatsInt-council.ca

Our Trustee is Mark Mullan and can be reached at mark.mullan@ocsb.ca

Have a great week.

Don Murphy
Principal

Coming Up

Wednesday, April 6:  CSPA presents Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs, 7-8:30 p.m., St. Patrick's High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information and to register).

Saturday, April 16:  CSPA presents How to Help Your Child Succeed in School, 9:30-11:30 a.m., Holy Trinity Catholic High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information and to register).

Monday, April 18:  St. Mark School Council presents The Effects of Nutrition and Sleep on Teenagers, 7-8 p.m., St. Mark High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information).

Wednesday, April 20:  CSPA presents Math for Parents, 7-8:45 p.m., All Saints Catholic High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information and to register).

Thursday, April 21:  CSPA presents Youth Substance Use...Supporting Youth and Families, 7-8:45 p.m., Sacred Heart High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information and to register).

Saturday, April 23:  CSPA presents Responsibility Matters...Raising Responsible Students/Children, 9:45-11:30 a.m., Saint Clare Catholic School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information and to register). 

St. Patrick's Intermediate Blog March 21-25

Guys Read Club

On Tuesday, the week before March Break, the Guys Read Club (aimed at promoting reading among males) went to Chapters in South Keys to receive a book and then had a complimentary lunch at Kelsey's.  The Guys Read Club generally meets once a week at lunchtime and has been a huge success.  This initiative helps to foster positive attitudes toward literacy overall.

This week marks Holy Week in the Roman Catholic Liturgical Calendar. Following weeks of personal reflection through Lent, we are asked to consider the importance of Jesus Christ’s ultimate sacrifice to free us from the bonds of sin. While this is a Christian belief, we have spent much time these last 40 days drawing parallels to the inner reflection encouraged by multiple faiths. Reviewing our spiritual direction and setting personal goals for ourselves relates directly to what we are working on academically as well.  The steps to strengthening our faith are similar to those that clarify our academic direction. To be able to draw connections between our spiritual and personal development and our academic growth is one of the gifts of an education in the Catholic system.  I wish all of our families peace as you journey through this solemn period.

Stations of the Cross

On Wednesday, all classes will gather in order to observe the Stations of the Cross. This is another example of how we come together as a community to recognize one of the most important weeks in the Catholic calendar.

Important Contact Information
Our school council chair is Cees Artz and can be reached at chair@StPatsInt-council.ca
Our trustee is Mark Mullan and can be reached at mark.mullan@ocsb.ca

Have a nice week and a very happy Easter.

Don Murphy
Principal

Coming Up

Tues. March 22:  St. Patrick's Intermediate School Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Learning Commons Building 1.

Wed. April 20:  CSPA Presents Math for Parents, 7-8:45 p.m., All Saints Catholic High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information and to register).

St. Patrick's Intermediate Blog March 7-11

Teachers Build Robots

On Tuesday many teachers, and our vice-principal, attended a robotics workshop where they learned all about robot technology.  From all accounts, this workshop was an extreme success in leading to the next step of helping our students involve themselves in this worthwhile endeavour.

ThinkFast
On Friday, our St. Pat's Youth Group participated in ThinkFast. ThinkFast is an initiative that was started by Development and Peace.  It seeks to educate youth about the complex issues of development, social justice, and poverty.

The day began at 8 a.m. with a meeting of the participants.  A prayer was then said and students went to their classes.  At lunch, students gathered for soup and fellowship.  After school, another gathering took place in the chapel for a prayer service, refreshments, a presentation on social justice, and then supper, consisting of vegetable soup.  After supper, students headed to the gym to play games and then, eventually, watched the film Living on a Dollar a Day.  The fast was broken at 8 p.m. with a light meal and a sharing session on what was learned during the day.  Mr. Kozak, our chaplain, put this extremely worthwhile endeavour together and we look forward to doing it again next year.

Grade 6 Parent Information Session
On Tuesday we will be holding our Parent Information evening for students currently in grade 6, at 6:30 p.m. in our cafeteria.  Families are encouraged to join us for a presentation regarding programming in grade 7, supports available, and school activities being offered.  Our School Council will also be present to describe their important role in the school and to answer any questions. 

Grade 6 Visits to Our School
This week we welcome our feeder school grade 6 students as they have the opportunity to visit our school in order to witness all the great things going on. Tours of the school will be given compliments of our Ambassadors.  In addition, students will begin pathway planning via My BluePrint and also complete an art, drama, or music activity.  This is one of the many transition steps we take with our grade 6 students throughout the year.  As we move forward toward September, we encourage any new parents to the school to contact us regarding any questions or the need for additional information.

March Break
Next week is March Break.  I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all in our community, whether travelling or staying here to enjoy all that Ottawa offers, a very restful and restorative break.

Important Contact Information
Our school council chair is Cees Artz and can be reached at chair@StPatsInt-council.ca
Our trustee is Mark Mullan and can be reached at mark.mullan@ocsb.ca

Have a nice week.

Don Murphy
Principal

Coming Up

Wed. April 20:  CSPA Presents Math for Parents, 7-8:45 p.m., All Saints Catholic High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for more information and to register).