St. Patrick's Intermediate May 1-5 (Catholic Education Week)

Brain Health Forum May 3

On Wednesday, May 3, St. Patrick's High School and St. Patrick's Intermediate School are hosting a Brain Health Forum, funded by Ontario's Ministry of Education.

This event will take place at St. Patrick's High School (2525 Alta Vista Drive...corner of Alta Vista Dr. and Heron Rd.) at 6 p.m.  There will be information booths from several Ottawa-area organizations focussing on the symptoms and preventative techniques associated with brain-health related issues.

Present, as well, will be guest speakers from the Brain Injury Association of the Ottawa Valley and Epilepsy Ottawa.  

Complimentary childcare will be provided.  We hope you can join us! To register, please access this link:

http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/37c9426d15cd9c499535

Open House May 4

Parents, students, and guardians are reminded of our Open House taking place at St. Pat's Intermediate from 3 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 4.  From 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the cafeteria there will be displays, information from public health, School Council personnel, computers to complete School Climate surveys, and much more. From 4 to 5:15 p.m. there will be a BBQ where tickets can be purchased for hamburgers, hot dogs, and drinks.  And, finally, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. there will be a music showcase.  Hope to see you there!

Poetree Planting

As part of Canada's 150th, schools have been submitting poems for a poetry contest. In honour of this, various "poetrees" are going to be displayed at Ottawa Public Library branches around the city, one of which was made by our very own Joan Sweeney.

At the Alta Vista Branch of the Ottawa Public Library (across from St. Pat's High School) our tree from St. Pat's Intermediate was "planted" on Wednesday. 

Mr. Mark Dalipaj's class was present as well as some students from St. Pat's High School.  It's a real honour to have one of our trees on display at our community library.

St. Patrick’s French Excursion to Quebec City

We welcome our students and staff back from their Quebec City trip this past week. They arrive Saturday evening. The group was involved in a French language and cultural experience that included a visit to Sainte Anne de Beaupre Basilica, a guided sightseeing tour of the city, and an exploration of the history surrounding the Plains of Abraham.  There was also a little time for shopping and, I hear, some great meals! Thank you to our parent community for supporting this activity.

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

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, May 31: School Council Meeting @7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1

St. Pat's Intermediate April 24 to 28

Parent School Climate Information Survey
Every two years the Ministry of Education requires that schools conduct a School Climate Survey where we ask students, staff, and families to provide their input on the environment in our school.  In Catholic schools, our Catholic teaching on the dignity of the human person is the starting point for all issues of diversity. Catholic schools strive to create an environment where all members of the school community feel safe, welcomed, included, and valued.  

We need your voice in that we ask for your input as we continue to build positive school climates.  We encourage you to take 10 minutes to complete our survey and ask each family to complete only one survey.  Please note that this is the same survey sent by e-mail last week.  Please click on this link for the parent survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PARpatrickinter841900

All students in grades 4-12 will complete a similar survey at school.  The student survey measures safety, bullying, equity, inclusivity, and student well-being. Our school staff will also complete a survey.  

The surveys will help in-school teams determine school needs, make decisions on improving the climate of our school, as well as help to determine whether programs are effective at improving the school climate.

The survey will be available for completion until May 5, 2017.

St. Pat's Intermediate Administration Change
Following the meeting with Trustees last week, there were a number of changes to administration teams across the Board.  These changes did have an impact on St. Pat's Intermediate as we are losing our vice-principal, Ms. Kristine Burgoyne, to St. Mark High School.  Ms. Burgoyne has been an important member and contributor to our community and we will miss her very much.  I wish Ms. Burgoyne much success as she heads to Manotick.  

Taking Ms. Burgoyne's place will be Mr. Marc Paradis, currently a department head at St. Pius X High School.  I look forward to working with Mr. Paradis in the coming year.

Feeder School Concerts

Our school band went to all of the feeder schools this week to perform for students there.  This provided us with an excellent opportunity to promote our music program at our school. Feedback from the schools was nothing but positive.  A big thank you to our music teacher, Ms. Reilly, for putting this endeavour together.

Open House May 4

Parents, students, and guardians are reminded of our Open House taking place at St. Pat's Intermediate from 3 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 4.  From 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the cafeteria there will be displays, information from public health, School Council personnel, computers to complete School Climate surveys, and much more.  From 4 to 5:15 p.m. there will be a BBQ where tickets can be purchased for hamburgers, hot dogs, and drinks.  And, finally, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. there will be a music showcase.  Hope to see you there!

Brain Health Forum

On Wednesday, May 3, St. Patrick's High School and St. Patrick's Intermediate School are hosting a Brain Health Forum, funded by Ontario's Ministry of Education.

This event will take place at St. Patrick's High School (2525 Alta Vista Drive...corner of Alta Vista Dr. and Heron Rd.) at 6 p.m.  There will be information booths from several Ottawa-area organizations focussing on the symptoms and preventative techniques associated with brain-health related issues.

Present, as well, will be guest speakers from the Brain Injury Association of the Ottawa Valley and Epilepsy Ottawa.  

Complimentary childcare will be provided.  We hope you can join us! To register, please access this link:

http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/37c9426d15cd9c499535

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

Upcoming Events

Wednesday April 26: St. Patrick Intermediate School Council Meeting at 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1.

Thursday, April 27: CSPA presents Recognizing and Supporting Mental Health Needs at Immaculata High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information)

Wednesday, May 3: Brain Health Forum at St. Patrick's High School (see above for information)

Thursday, May 4: St. Patrick's Intermediate Catholic Education Week Open House, 3 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

St. Patrick's Intermediate April 17-21

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.

Brain Health Forum

On Wednesday, May 3, St. Patrick's High School and St. Patrick's Intermediate School are hosting a Brain Health Forum, funded by Ontario's Ministry of Education.

This event will take place at St. Patrick's High School (2525 Alta Vista Drive...corner of Alta Vista Dr. and Heron Rd.) at 6 p.m.  There will be information booths from several Ottawa-area organizations focussing on the symptoms and preventative techniques associated with brain-health related issues.

Present, as well, will be guest speakers from the Brain Injury Association of the Ottawa Valley and Epilepsy Ottawa.  

Complimentary childcare will be provided.  We hope you can join us! To register, please access this link:

http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/37c9426d15cd9c499535

St. Brigid's Summer Camp

St. Brigid's summer camp registration takes place on Saturday, April 22 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at St. John the Apostle Church, 2340 Baseline Road.  To learn more about St. Brigid's summer camp please access:

www.stbcamp.ca

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

Upcoming Events

Thursday, April 20: CSPA presents Supporting Big Emotions (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information and registration instructions)

Wednesday April 26: St. Patrick Intermediate School Council Meeting at 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1.

Thursday, April 27: CSPA presents Recognizing and Supporting Mental Health Needs at Immaculata High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information)

Wednesday, May 3: Brain Health Forum at St. Patrick's High School (see above for information)

Thursday, May 4: St. Patrick's Intermediate Catholic Education Week Open House, 3 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

St. Patrick's Intermediate April 10-14

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.

Shamrock Basketball
Unfortunately, this week marked the end of the road for both the boys' and girls' basketball teams. The girls lost a hard-fought game against Sacred Heart on Wednesday and the boys lost an equally tough match against St. Peter on Thursday. We are so proud of how both teams made it to the semi-finals this year and look forward to going even further next year.

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

Upcoming Events

Thursday, April 20: CSPA presents Supporting Big Emotions (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information and registration instructions)

Wednesday April 26: St. Patrick Intermediate School Council Meeting at 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1.

Thursday, April 27: CSPA presents Recognizing and Supporting Mental Health Needs at Immaculata High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information)

St. Patrick's Intermediate April 3 to April 7

Basketball Excitement

It's our own version of March Madness here at SPI as both our boys' and girls' basketball teams have made the quarter-finals.  The girls play on Monday next week and the boys play on Tuesday.  Both games are here.  Go, SPI, go!

Leslie McCurdy Presentation
We had the honour of hosting Leslie McCurdy Friday morning.  Leslie is best-known for performing one-woman plays and she has toured internationally doing this for 15 years. Leslie presented The Spirit of Harriet Tubman, a play about the Underground Railroad outlining the struggles and hopes of people put into slavery.  The students enjoyed watching this performance very much, tying much of what they saw to discussions in February which was Black History Month.

Lent Confessions

We had an excellent turnout of students signing up for confessions, which took place on Wednesday.  A special thank you goes out to our Chaplain, Father Zenon, who set up a schedule with community priests and prepped students beforehand.  

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

Upcoming Events

Monday, April 3: Parent Information Meeting on Fentanyl and Opioids at St. Paul High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information)

Thursday, April 20: CSPA presents Supporting Big Emotions (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information and registration instructions)

Wednesday April 26: St. Patrick Intermediate School Council Meeting at 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1.

Thursday, April 27: CSPA presents Recognizing and Supporting Mental Health Needs at Immaculata High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information)

St. Patrick's Intermediate March 27 to 31

MakerMobile Workshop
On Wednesday, uOttawa came to our school to do MakerMobile Workshops with our grade 8 students. Essentially, students learn how to manipulate 3-D objects using computer programming technology.  They then are able to make replicas of their objects using 
3-D printers. We are grateful to uOttawa for providing this as it is always a hit with our students.

 

 Congratulations to Ms. Barbara Foley

We are honoured to recognize one of our office administrators, Ms. Barbara Foley, as a recipient of a Director of Education Commendation.  Ms. Foley will receive this prestigious award at the Board's Education Week Mass, taking place on Tuesday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Notre-Dame Cathedral.  Way to go, Barb!

St. Patrick's High School Bike Day

In an effort to increase the number of students and other community members in using cycling as one of their means of transportation, the ECO Team of St. Patrick's High School is holding a Bike Day.  The event is designed to get people past those barriers that keep them from using their bicycle regularly.

You are invited to visit us on Saturday April 1, 2017 from 10 am to 12 pm at St. Pat's High (2525 Alta Vista Drive) to browse our booths set up in the Heron Rd parking lot:

“Get tuned-up”:  Basic cycle maintenance clinic (tires, brakes, seat and handle adjustments, etc.)

“Safe Cycling”:  Information on safe cycling strategies, how to be safe on the road

“Route planning”:  Have a bike route specialist help plan your route to school or work, avoiding high traffic areas or dangerous intersections

“Get kitted”:  What sort of gear will you need to get to school/work...racks, rain gear, fenders, locks, visibility

We will be finishing the day with a community ride (weather dependent), and return to the school for a BBQ.

Hope you can join us!

Cyberbullying Information Event

The Ottawa Bullying Prevention Coalition in partnership with Ottawa Public Health and Ottawa Police Service will be hosting an event for parents on cyber bullying. The event will bring together key partners across sectors including mental health experts, police and research to facilitate a conversation on cyberbullying and building a more supportive and safe community for all those impacted.

Thursday, March 30^th, from 6:30pm to 9:00 pm at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe, Ottawa ON

Our Target Audience: Parents and caregivers

Evening Program Time:
6:00-6:30 pm: Agency Fair Setup

6:30-7:00 pm: Registration / Service Fair Booths
7:00-8:00 pm: Speaker: Dr Hazen Gandy CHEO

8:00-8:30pm: Speaker: OTTAWA POLICE SERVICE, Cst Cindy Cybulski and Cst Geneviève Hupé
8:30-9:00pm: Question Period /Service Fair Booths

Registration is limited..please register using Event Brite at:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByrlYMrTjslHQjJrRjg0cGRPM2YtVnotUW5xT1RKS21jVGlN

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

Upcoming Events

Monday, March 27: CSPA presents Special Education and Your Child (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information and registration instructions)

Monday, April 3: Parent Information Meeting on Fentanyl and Opioids at St. Paul High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information)

Thursday, April 20: CSPA presents Supporting Big Emotions (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information and registration instructions)

St. Patrick's Intermediate March 20 - 24

Welcome Back
I'd like to welcome everyone back from what hopefully was a restful and relaxing March Break. Keep watching this blog for all the exciting things happening at SPI as we head into Spring.

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

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, March 22:  St. Patrick Intermediate School Council Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Learning Commons Building 1

Monday, March 27: CSPA presents Special Education and Your Child (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information and registration instructions)

Monday, April 3: Parent Information Meeting on Fentanyl and Opioids at St. Paul High School (see spe.ocsb.ca for further information)