St. Patrick's Intermediate May 7 to 11

Catholic Education Week - May 6 to 11

Also: Celebrating 50th Anniversary Events at Holy Cross Elementary,

Georges Vanier Elementary and Frank Ryan Intermediate

The Ottawa Catholic School Board opens its doors during Catholic Education Week to showcase the learning our students experience every day. All Board schools host activities to encourage the community to visit as we are ‘Renewing the Promise.’  

The Catholic Education Week Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Terrence Prendergast will take place Tuesday, May 8th at 7:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Cathedral, 385 Sussex Drive, Ottawa. The Mass will be followed by the presentation of the Director of Education Commendation Awards. These awards are unique as the recipients are nominated by their peers for recognition.  Our Catholic Education Week Mass collection will be directed to Mother Earth Water Walk, www.motherearthwaterwalk.com , a Canadian organization of First Nations people raising awareness and promoting the health of our Great Lakes and the precious fresh water they provide.

Holy Cross Elementary will celebrate their 50th anniversary on Monday, May 7th.  An open house will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the formal ceremony will take place in the gym at 6:30 p.m.  Refreshments will be served in the Learning Commons.

Georges Vanier Elementary, 40 Varley Drive in Kanata, will celebrate their 50th anniversary on Wednesday, May 9th at 4 pm. Take a walk down memory lane at an Open House/Tour of the school at 5:30 pm.  There will be a welcome prayer and school blessing beginning at 6:30 pm.

Frank Ryan Intermediate School is also celebrating their 50th Anniversary. Join them on Friday, May 11 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for special events including a memory walk, photo booth, face painting and refreshments.

Visit ocsb.ca/edweek for a listing of the activities in over 80 OCSB schools during Education Week.  Follow #CathEdWeek.

Mass on Monday, May 7
We begin Catholic Education Week with a mass at St. Pat's Intermediate at 9:10 a.m. on Monday. All are welcome to attend.

Open House May 10

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 10. There will be displays, 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, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., there will be a music showcase.  Hope to see you there!

Youth Mental Health Week
Along with it being Catholic Education Week, it is also Youth Mental Health Week.  Below are some resources that may be of interest to parents:

Ottawa Public Health has created a series of videos to give parents more information about mental health. The videos aim to give parents the knowledge and resources they need to talk about mental health with their child or teen. Parents often have questions about the behaviour of children and adolescents. They may worry about whether a behaviour is appropriate for a particular age or developmental level, or a sign that something is might be wrong.  They may wonder why it is occurring and how best to respond.

The  ABCs of Mental Health provides free web-based resources to help answer these questions. The Resources include ideas for promoting the mental health of children and teens, information about how children change as they get older, descriptions of behaviours that might indicate a problem, and practical suggestions for steps to take.

     

The Psychology Foundation of Canada has developed a variety of resources for parents to help them parent their children and develop positive coping skills.  They have a number of one-page fact sheets for parents on various topics such as Help your teen with stress, Manage screen time, Helping kids get enough sleep. For the parents of pre-teens (ages 10- 12 years) they also have various fact sheets on topics such as friends, managing conflict, independence, puberty, etc.  These are available in various languages in addition to English, such as Arabic, Spanish, Tamil, Russian, Hindi, Gujardi and French.

New Transportation Information for SPH
If your son/daughter is going to be going to St. Pat's High School in the fall and is going to be bussed, please be aware that they will be receiving Presto cards as they will travel on OC Transpo (even for grades 7/8), NOT yellow school buses. Also, please be aware that receiving transportation currently at St. Pat's Intermediate does not guarantee that you will receive transportation to St. Pat's High School (because you may live close enough to St. Pat's High School). To see if you will receive a Presto card and transportation, please study the following map (if you live withig the boundaries outlined you will NOT receive transportation):
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0ByrlYMrTjslHdDh5SGFDdDQxRTIzOGF5OE81bU5XX0pMNHNV

CSPA
There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions.  You can visit the website here.

Important Contact Information

Our School Council chair is Stephanie Anderton 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 (not listed above):

St. Patrick's Intermediate Blog April 30 to May 4

Open House May 10

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 10. There will be displays, 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, from 5:30 to 6:15 p.m., there will be a music showcase.  Hope to see you there!

School Council Meeting

We held our last School Council meeting for St. Pat's Intermediate on Tuesday. We discussed such issues as anti-bullying strategies, staffing, and logistics for our grade 8 Closing Ceremony in June. I'd like to thank all our members of School Council this year for their hard work and commitment, as well as those who came out to our meetings. It's always great to receive input from this wonderful community.

Cannabis Information Session

Cannabis – What we know!
Parent information sessions
April 26 and May 3: Dr. Elizabeth Paquette, Chief Psychologist from the Ottawa Catholic School Board, will be presenting with public school board and Ottawa Public Health staff at 2 public information sessions aimed at parents to learn about cannabis, tackle the myths, what is known about the upcoming new laws, how to have THAT talk with your youth, protecting youth and available services.

Community partners like Rideauwood, PLEO, OPS, Project Step will be accessible in a display area for questions from the public. Ottawa Catholic School Board staff will be available at both events for questions about curriculum and services available in schools.

The dates and times are as follows - this meeting is open to all parents/guardians:

Thursday, April 26, 2018 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Gloucester High School – 2060 Ogilvie Road

Thursday, May 3, 2018 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Sir Robert Borden High School – 131 Greenbank Road

Agenda for evenings:

6:30 doors open - marketplace (display area) - Ottawa Catholic School Board staff will be available for questions with community partners like Rideauwood, PLEO, OPS, Project Step .

7-7:30 Presentation - Dr. Elizabeth Paquette, Chief Psychologist from the Ottawa Catholic School Board, will be presenting with public school board and Ottawa Public Health staff

7:30-8:30 marketplace (display area) - Ottawa Catholic School Board staff will be available for questions.

Please feel free to join us.

CSPA

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions.  You can visit the website here.

Important Contact Information

Our School Council chair is Stephanie Anderton 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 (not listed above)

St. Patrick's Intermediate Blog April 23 to 27

Feeder School Concerts

Our school band went to the feeder schools this week (Monday was cancelled due to it being a snow day) 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 10

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 10.  From 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the cafeteria there will be displays, information from public health, School Council personnel, 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!

Helmet Discount Weekend

For information on Ottawa’s annual helmet discount weekend coming up on May 5&6, please access:

https://www.ottawapublichealth.ca/en/public-health-services/helmet-discount-weekend.aspx

For information on helmet safety overall, please access:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FBmzRQVhp-9D5tX538Sk-Gsv5eY0xH0PO5t0STOegDA/edit

School Bike Safety

CSPA

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions.  You can visit the website here.

Important Contact Information

Our School Council chair is Stephanie Anderton 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 (not listed above)

Tuesday, April 24: School Council Meeting, 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1 at St. Pat's Intermediate

St. Patrick's Intermediate Blog April 16 to 20

Praying for Humboldt

Our flag was at half-mast for a portion of the week and we participated in Jersey Day on Thursday in order to remember and show our respect for all those involved in the Humboldt Broncos tragedy which occurred last weekend.  As we have so many who participate in sports and the like this awful incident really hits close to home.  We will continue to keep Humboldt in our thoughts and prayers.

Administration Update

With the amalgamation of our school with St. Pat's High School in the fall, some administration changes were announced at the Board meeting on Tuesday.  Our vice-principal, Marc Paradis, will follow our community to St. Pat's High School, being appointed vice-principal there.  I, on the other hand, will be going to St. Joseph's High School in Barrhaven as principal there.  I have really enjoyed my time at St. Pat's Intermediate and will miss it very much.  This community is so special in so many ways. I do intend to drop by St. Pat's High School from time-to-time, though, as I live in the vicinity and am excited to see how the new addition looks.  To be sure, these are very exciting times for St. Pat's Intermediate.

Guest Speaker Paul Davis

Cyber-specialist Paul Davis spent much of the day on Wednesday with us speaking to students and parents about internet dangers and the like.  Students really learned a lot about trails that are left on the internet as a result of visiting sites.  In addition, Paul offered advice to stay safe on social media and emphasized the dangers of sharing photos.  In light of what is happening this week in the United States with Facebook, this talk could not have come at a more appropriate time.  I'd like to thank our vice-principal, Mr. Paradis, for setting this up.

CSPA

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions.  You can visit the website here.

Important Contact Information

Our School Council chair is Stephanie Anderton 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 (not listed above)

Tuesday, April 24: School Council Meeting, 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1 at St. Pat's Intermediate

St. Pat's Intermediate April 9 to 13

Presentation by Paul Davis

Are you interested in gaining a better understanding of what your children are doing with technology and social media? On Wednesday, April 11, St. Patrick Intermediate School has invited Social Networking Safety speaker Paul Davis, who has over 26 years of IT experience, to share his message with students of the school in the afternoon, and parents in the evening at 6pm in the cafeteria.

This invitation is being extended to all parents in feeder schools as well. Paul will provide a Common Sense approach to dealing with the technology we have, including Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat, Cyber-Bullying, Handheld Devices, Texting, Photo Sharing and Legal Matters, as well as demonstrating how easily your account can be compromised. To date, he has reached over 430,000 students in Canada alone. If you would like to attend, you are asked to register at bit.do/spepauldavis, or e-mail the school at patrick.intermediate@ocsb.ca or call the school at 613-733-3736. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the St. Patrick’s Intermediate School cafeteria on Wednesday April 11 at 6pm.

CSPA

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions.  You can visit the website here.

Important Contact Information

Our School Council chair is Stephanie Anderton 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 (not listed above)

Tuesday, April 24: School Council Meeting, 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1 at St. Pat's Intermediate

St. Pat's Intermediate Blog April 2 to 6

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.

Presentation by Paul Davis

Are you interested in gaining a better understanding of what your children are doing with technology and social media? On Wednesday, April 11, St. Patrick Intermediate School has invited Social Networking Safety speaker Paul Davis, who has over 26 years of IT experience, to share his message with students of the school in the afternoon, and parents in the evening at 6pm in the cafeteria.

This invitation is being extended to all parents in feeder schools as well. Paul will provide a Common Sense approach to dealing with the technology we have, including Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat, Cyber-Bullying, Handheld Devices, Texting, Photo Sharing and Legal Matters, as well as demonstrating how easily your account can be compromised. To date, he has reached over 430,000 students in Canada alone. If you would like to attend, you are asked to register at bit.do/spepauldavis, or e-mail the school at patrick.intermediate@ocsb.ca or call the school at 613-733-3736. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you at the St. Patrick’s Intermediate School cafeteria on Wednesday April 11 at 6pm.

CSPA

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions.  You can visit the website here.

Important Contact Information

Our School Council chair is Stephanie Anderton 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 (not listed above)

Tuesday, April 3:  Anxiety in School-Aged Children​Speaker: 

Dr. Jean Clinton ​

St. Paul High School:   2675 Draper Avenue

7:00 - 9:00 PM

Both parents and teachers are expressing increased concern about the number of children exhibiting anxiety. This talk will explore what some of the causes may be and some strategies for helping.

​Register Now: http://bit.ly/CSPAdrjean2018 ​

Link to poster​: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rOfR5Wzi_tyfRi2umckcm2PX4BYYpO5F/view?usp=sharing​




Tuesday, April 24: School Council Meeting, 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1 at St. Pat's Intermediate

St. Pat's Intermediate Blog March 26 to 30

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.

Information Night at St. Pat's High School
We had a really great turn-out for our information night at St. Pat's High School prior to the March Break. This night gave us a chance to meet families having students in grades 6 and 7. We are all very excited about our fall move to St. Pat's High School.

CSPA

There is a great deal of information on the CSPA website regarding information for parents and upcoming sessions.  You can visit the website here.

Important Contact Information

Our School Council chair is Stephanie Anderton 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 (not listed above)

Tuesday, April 3:  Anxiety in School-Aged Children​Speaker: 

Dr. Jean Clinton ​

St. Paul High School:   2675 Draper Avenue

7:00 - 9:00 PM

Both parents and teachers are expressing increased concern about the number of children exhibiting anxiety. This talk will explore what some of the causes may be and some strategies for helping.

​ Register Now: http://bit.ly/CSPAdrjean2018 ​

Link to poster​: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rOfR5Wzi_tyfRi2umckcm2PX4BYYpO5F/view?usp=sharing​

Tuesday, April 24: School Council Meeting, 7 p.m. in Learning Commons 1 at St. Pat's Intermediate