Superintendent's Blog

May 22nd, 2012

Thank you the Board of Trustees for hosting the Retirement Function for all employee groups last week.  This evening was a first for the Board in that all retiring employees were honoured at the same event.  It was a wonderful event.  Thank you to the organizing committee;  Andrea Klotz, Gina Fowler, Palma Covelli and Dana Prefontaine for the many hours  they spent organizing and preparing for this event.  Many thanks also to the Glee Club from Archbishop Joseph MacNeil School and several of our talented staff members for their musical presentations that were enjoyed by all!

Congratulations to Susanna Nigro-Vecchio from at St. Paul School who is our recipient of the 2012 Provincial Excellence in Teaching Award.  Susanna will be honoured at a celebration in Calgary at the end of this week, and will be able to access up to $4,000 for professional development.  Thank you to all who supported our teachers in providing documentation for this year’s provincial Excellence in Teaching Awards!

Upcoming events include:

• On Wednesday, May 23 at 1:00 pm, the sacrament of Baptism of the children of Our Lady of Grace program will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church of the First People (10821-96 Street).  This blest event is a first for Edmonton Catholic Schools.  Congratulations and many blessings are wished for these newest members of our Catholic faith community!

• On Wednesday, May 23 at 6:30 pm, the annual Superintendent’s Award of Excellence  celebration will be held.  This year we will be honouring forty-eight of our Junior High (1 student from each school) and Senior High students (2 students from each school) for their outstanding contributions both in their schools and the greater community. 

• On Thursday, May 24, all staff members are participating in a faith formation afternoon.   With much gratitude to principals, Barb Brochu and Susan Makale, for organizing such a variety of opportunities for our staff to enjoy some moments of grace that are sure to “…awaken our senses…stir our hearts!” We look forward to the afternoon and hope that our weather cooperates as some of the activities take place outdoors (dress appropriately).  Enjoy the activities planned and time with colleagues for the afternoon!

• On Monday, May 28 at 7:00 pm, the ECSD Film Fest Gala Event will take place at the Garneau Theatre.  Thank you to the junior high and senior high students and staff members who are a part of this year’s event.  What a wonderful opportunity for our students to showcase their talent and their achievements in this area!

Enjoy the week!

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May 14th, 2012

Thank you to all who supported the Jessica’s Wish Foundation Memorial Scholarship program for the advancement of education and promotion of leadership and community involvement. Congratulations to both the Award Winners and Runners-up from the various junior high schools. Thank you to the Board of Jessica’s Wish Foundation for recognizing these students for the positive contribution they make to their own lives and in their communities.

Congratulations to Principal Kathy Dekker who has been awarded the May, 2012 Global Woman of Vision Award.   Kathy credits her energetic and dedicated team made up of teachers, educational assistants, office staff and custodial staff along with support from parents and other individuals/ organizations for enabling the students of St. Francis of Assisi to meet with even greater successes.   Thank you to all who continue to make St. Francis such a dynamic learning environment for students! For more information check out: http://www.globaltvedmonton.com

Great news for Edmonton Catholic Schools and our creative team in Community Relations Services! The Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals has awarded the following accolades to our staff:

• Matt Morris – Web Designer – Honourable Mention for the redesign of the www.ecsd.net homepage
• Christine Plican – Graphic Designer - Gold for the design of the interactive Bulletin and Honourable Mention for the design of the God’s Calling Poster
• Annette Ferguson – Graphic Designer – Gold for the design of the 2012 AISI Wellness Recipe Book
• Allan Au – Multimedia Specialist – Platinum for the creation of our 2012 Television Ads

Congratulations to each of you on your outstanding talent and contributions to our District!

THANK YOU to:

• Mike Carby and his team for hosting the excellent professional development activity last week along with partners, Discovery Education Canada.  Besides the participants who were at Louis St. Laurent for the day, many individuals across Canada were on-line to benefit from the informational sessions presented.   

• All staff involved in planning and organizing the annual Ben Calf Robe Pow-Wow held at the Butterdome on the weekend.   From its humble start in a school gymnasium, this event now attracts a huge crowd not only from western Canada but from further afield as well!  What a celebration of the rich Aboriginal traditions by our students enrolled in the Nehiyaw Pimatisiwin Cree Language and Culture Programs within the Edmonton Catholic School District.

Good Luck to our students who are writing Provincial Achievement Exams this week.

Wishing you an enjoyable long weekend!

May 4, 2012

Thank you again to all staff and students who were involved in any way in the fabulous Celebration of the Arts production this week at the Jubilee Auditorium.   It was a night to remember celebrating the wonderful God- given gifts through music, dance, drama and the visual arts!  The diversity of performances by our youngest 100 Voices’ program students to those who will be graduating in a few months, along with the colourful pageantry of traditions by some of our students in our language programs, it truly was a feast to ‘awaken our senses and stir our hearts.’   My heartfelt congratulations and thanks to all!

Congratulations to Edmonton Catholic Schools’ three nominations for the provincial Catholic Superintendent’s Awards.  All three nominations were recognized at either the SPICE or Blueprints conferences held over the past week.
         Careyann Wirth – Holy Trinity
         Administration and Staff of J. H. Picard
         Palma Covelli – District Principal, Leadership Services

Please be reminded that the Parish Pastoral Council at St. Michael-Resurrection Parish (10555 - 50A Street) has invited your staff, parent community and student leadership team to the fourth in a series of presentations on Catholic education.  This will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012. Dr. Richard Gaillardetz, will present the Topic: “The Two Schools of Discipleship: the Home and the Parish” starting at 9:00 A.m. and round table discussion on this topic will be held in the afternoon from 1:00 - 2:30 PM.  Lunch will be provided.  For further information please contact the parish office at (780) 468 – 4071.

A new on-line program is being offered at Newman Theological College - the Certificate in Catholic Studies (Foundations in Faith Year 1). This program provides an opportunity to study and learn about the rich tradition of the Catholic faith.   Year 1 includes 6 courses (each course will take about 25 hours over a five week period) and NTC will grant 3 undergraduate transfer credits for the successful completion of this program.   For more information please call (780) 392-2450.

Discovery Education Canada and Edmonton Catholic Schools has partnered to present an interactive professional development opportunity for staff.   This event is being held on Thursday, May 10 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM at Louis St. Laurent School (11239 – 43 Ave).   Featured speakers will discuss strategies to incorporate digital media, social media and Web 2.0 technologies into classrooms to improve student engagement and achievement.   For more information, contact heidi_may@discovery.com or lori.nagy@ecsd.net. Please consider this wonderful learning opportunity!

Some schools may be preparing to have their staff and students participate in the Run 4 Change nationwide event that will take place on Wednesday, May 16th.  The 2.5 KM or 5 KM run / walk can take place at your school anytime during May 16th.  Good luck with your event!

Enjoy the weekend!

April 30th, 2012

The province of Alberta has designated this week, April 30 – May 6, 2012 as Education Week!   Continue to dialogue with and involve parents and others members of your school community in order to reinforce the many rich educational opportunities delivered in the context of a faith-filled environment which are a part of their children’s learning experiences. 

At Edmonton Catholic Schools our number one resource is our staff.  Edmonton Catholic Schools is committed to providing a safe and positive working environment to all staff.  This positive atmosphere is therefore projected to our students to enhance their learning capabilities by providing a safe learning environment.  Edmonton Catholic Schools is in the process of obtaining its Certificate of Recognition (COR) designation within the Alberta Worker’s Compensation Board’s (WCB) Partnership in Injury Reduction (PIR) program.  In obtaining this designation, it is a major transformation from a reactive safety program to one that is preventative.  By creating a  preventative safety program Edmonton Catholic Schools will further enhance the safety of all staff, and in doing so, take further steps in protecting the wellbeing of our number one resource; our staff.

To those who attended/are attending this year’s Alberta Catholic School Trustees Association-sponsored SPICE or Blueprints conferences, I wish you some quality time away from your usual duties to listen to the excellent presenters, enjoy the amazing religious celebrations, participate in lively and informative discussion with colleagues from across the province and reflect quietly on the importance of your contributions to Catholic education. 

The 31st Annual Ben Calf Robe Powwow will be held on Saturday May 12, 2012.  The theme this year is “Nehiyaw Pimatisiwin – Our Way of Life” and there is a strong belief held that it is important to have our Leaders of today there to encourage and inspire our Leaders of tomorrow. The event takes place at the Universiade Pavilion (Butterdome) in Edmonton and consists of two Grand Entries.  A brief agenda is included:

Agenda
9:30 am           Pipe Ceremony
1:00 pm           Initial Grand Entry
6:00 pm           Evening Grand Entry
10:30 pm         Retire Flags

Thank you to all of our staff and students who will be performing at the Celebration of the Arts on Wednesday night.   May your experience be satisfying, and may it reflect the commitment and passion you feel for your particular offering!

April 10th, 2012

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad.” (Psalm 118)

I hope that each of you had time during the Easter weekend to participate in some time with family and friends enjoying all of the religious and cultural traditions you treasure.   We are now entering into a very busy time for staff and students as we are not only preparing for the end of the 2011-2012 school year, but already involved in so many areas of planning for the 2012-2013 school year. 

Please join us for the Election Forum hosted by our Board of Trustees on Monday April 16 at 7:00 PM at St. Joseph High School.

The Board of Trustees of the Edmonton Catholic School District is hosting its Volunteer Appreciation Night on Tuesday, April 17 starting at 7:00 PM in the Courtyard of St. Joseph High School.  Our schools could not possibly deliver the present high quality of service without the time, talents and assistance of so many parents and other volunteers.  Please join me in extending our heartfelt gratitude to these many dedicated volunteers.

535 staff members with service from 10-40 years will be honoured at Edmonton Catholic Schools’ Long Service Celebration that will be held on April 18, 2012.  Thank you to these staff members who have so willingly and effectively served students and their families, colleagues and members of other organizations within the Edmonton area.  I wish many blessings in the future for these dedicated staff.

All schools and District sites are encouraged to participate in Pitch-In Canada’s Operation: Clean Sweep, during the week of April 23-30, 2012.   This campaign is in its 45th year, and is a great way for your school communities to show their concern for the environment and demonstrate their civic responsibility.

The 23rd annual Celebration of the Arts will take place on Wednesday, May 2 at the Jubilee Auditorium starting at 7:00 PM.   I look forward to see the various performances of students within our District and wish to thank all District staff who are spending endless hours preparing our students for this wonderful celebration. 
 
On May 17, 2012 the District is hosting a retirement celebration for staff from all employee groups.   This is the first time such an event is being held and I look forward to sharing an evening with these employees and their family and friends.  

Enjoy the rest of the week – let’s hope our weather is more ‘spring-like.’

March 19, 2012

Thank you to Carole Brosseau, Consultant- Fine Arts, for her leadership in organizing all of the outstanding pieces of student art that have been displayed at various events and venues throughout the past month. On Sunday, March 18th, students along with their families and staff members enjoyed the closing reception of the 'Spring Into Art' showcase at the U of A Extension Art Gallery. I wish to thank the teachers and parents who have encouraged and nurtured these students' talents. We are so very proud of these gifted young artists and look forward to seeing even more of their works in the future!

Check out today's Edmonton Journal, page 3
Click here re: an article on the launch of the Wellness Recipe Book 2012. Thanks to Cheryl Shinkaruk who worked with CTS food teachers and students to create this fun cookbook that includes healthy choice recipes that kids most like to eat. It can be purchased for $20 from cheryl.shinkaruk@ecsd.net.

Along with all Edmonton Catholic School District employees, I look forward to participating in our first District-wide 'personal' faith formation afternoon on the afternoon of May 24! The Grace for the Heart and Soul: Care for Creation Day on-line registration guide will soon be available. Staff will be able to choose from a wide variety of faith development experiences in various venues and sites throughout the city. We look forward to having this gift of time to celebrate, nurture and develop our faith!

March 21st is International Day for the Elimination of Racism. I encourage all schools to delve into this topic at appropriate levels with your students throughout the various curricula areas. Visit the Centre for Race and Culture's website at http://www.cfrac.com for more information.

Throughout the next month a survey instrument along with some interviews with staff, students and parents will be utilized in order to seek various stakeholders' perspectives on current teaching, learning and assessment practices throughout the Edmonton Catholic School District. Thank you to all involved for taking the time to complete the surveys and interviews. Your thoughtful responses are appreciated, and are a constructive way of contributing to the Edmonton Catholic Schools' learning community.

At the Tuesday, March 20th Board of Trustees' Meeting at 4:00 p.m. results of this year's District Satisfaction Surveys will be presented. As well, the administrative placements for the 2012- 2013 school year will also be announced. All members of the public are welcome to attend this meeting!

I wish each of you an enjoyable Spring Break. May you return rested and full of energy for the final three months of this school year!

March 6, 2012

The week of March 4 – 10 is Social Work Week.  Edmonton Catholic Schools would like to recognize and thank a group of twenty-two social workers who work tirelessly with other District staff members to serve the needs of our students and their families.  The success of many of our students depends on the expertise of these individuals who play such an important position, often bridging the roles between the educational and medical fields.  We thank our dedicated social workers not only for their support and assistance, but also for their leadership and insights that allow our students to experience even greater successes.  We are blest to have these social workers as part of the Edmonton Catholic School District team.

Staff and students in many schools are preparing for this term’s Demonstration of Learning.   As well,  this month is especially busy as many high schools are hosting their Open Houses, including our new high school that will open in September, 2012 - Mother Margaret Mary (Open House date:  March 13, 2012 at 7:00 PM).  Other schools may be involved in presenting Spring Concerts!   May these evenings be successful – informative and enjoyable!

Edmonton Catholic Schools salutes our students and staff in the Jean Forest Leadership Academy (junior high programming at St. Basil and senior high programming at St. Joseph) as they are joined by others to celebrate International Women’s Day with special activities and a luncheon on Thursday, March 8.

Edmonton Catholic Schools Early Learning is proud to sponsor  the Mom, Pop & Tots Fair on March 9 and 10 at the Edmonton EXPO Centre (Time 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM).  Guest presenters include:  Thomas the Tank Engine, Angelina Ballerina and Buttercup the Skateboarding Bulldog!  Thank you to all staff who have been part of the planning, organizing and will be participating in these days.   Thank you also to our sponsors for their support of this important event for families.   Tickets are available at www.EdmontonShows.com

The week of March 12 – 16 is Substitute Teachers’ Appreciation Week.  As a District, we are fortunate to have such a great number of willing individuals who continue to support the learning of our students as they fulfill this important role.  Please take time in your busy schedules to express your appreciation to those individuals who serve your school communities on an ‘as needed’ basis and provide such a great service to your school communities, often on very short notice!

Don’t forget to move you clocks one hour ahead on the weekend as Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 11! 

For those who are Irish, or wish they were, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

February 27, 2012

As we approach the end of the month I know that many staff members are looking forward to the change of pace for March 1st and 2nd.  The wide variety of presentations available at the Teachers’ Convention with its theme of ‘Empower, Engage, Encourage’ hopefully will give our certificated staff some opportunities to hear some world-renowned  keynote speakers,  to enjoy  sessions in their areas of interest and to connect with old and new friends.  Our custodial staff will probably use these days to ‘catch up’ on a few tasks and many members of our support staff will have a few days to spend with family or perhaps enjoy a ‘short getaway.’    In any case, I hope the change of pace will benefit each of you as we head into the busy month of March.

Pope Benedict XVI’s Lenten message is based on the following quote “Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works” (Heb 10:24).    He states, “Today too, the Lord’s voice summons all of us to be concerned for one another. Even today God asks us to be “guardians” of our brothers and sisters (Gen4:9), to establish relationships based on mutual consideration and attentiveness to the well-being, the integral well-being of others. The great commandment of love for one another demands that we acknowledge our responsibility towards those who, like ourselves, are creatures and children of God.”  As Edmonton Catholic Schools’ staff gathered by our common faith, we are called to be models of this great commandment in our daily lives. Perhaps during Lent we can more purposefully reach out to those who we find challenging to love in order to seek the forgiveness and reconciliation, that we are already graced to receive in our relationship with God.

The Core Budget Committee 2012-2013, made up of representatives from both the District and school levels, has begun a series of meetings to look at how to maximize the funding that the District is receiving from the provincial government to best meet the needs of all of our schools and departments for the 2012-2013 school year.

Check out the new District programs and proposed programs for September, 2012 by visiting http://ecsd.net/programs/pdf/new_expanded_programs.pdf.

Thank you to all staff members who have so diligently being preparing and participating in the various open houses and registration process at your sites.   It is so important for our students and their parents to receive up-to-date information on all of our District/school programs for smoother transitions and to assist school personnel in planning for the next school year. Check for upcoming school open house dates at http://ecsd.net/parents/open_house.html.

Enjoy the week ahead!

February 16, 2012

I would like to thank the following schools for their outstanding contribution in making last Friday’s ‘Heart of Glee’ presentation such a wonderful night of performances:  Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, Archbishop MacDonald, Cardinal Léger, H.E. Beriault, Holy Family, J.H. Picard, St. Basil, St. Nicholas and Sir John Thompson.  The staff and students of these schools need to be commended for their exciting and entertaining performances in front of such a large audience.  May each of you know that your participation in this event was enjoyed by many and that through the money raised for the Stollery Children’s Hospital, you are making a difference in the lives of others!

Thank you also to the Grade Two students and their teachers from Monsignor Fee Otterson School who took time out of their Valentine’s Day activities to brighten our Central Office with their smiles, their cards and gifts, their songs and their genuine warmth and enthusiasm.   We really enjoyed their visit!

Last week our province committed $6.8B to education in its budget ($34M invested in K-12 students every school day).  Part of the government’s announcement is that this is predictable funding for three years, something that has been a priority for our District in its discussions with elected officials.   Several new grants have been announced: An Equity of Opportunity Grant will provide support for all funded students at a rate of $156 per student, and an Inclusive Education Grant will offer $68M in funding for the 2012/2013 school year to better support inclusive practice in schools across Alberta. Over the next number of weeks, District personnel will analyze District needs and prepare our budget to reflect an overall increase of 2.6%, and what the implications those additional dollars hold for our District.  The complete details of the funding the Edmonton Catholic School District will receive from Alberta Education can be found at:  http://www.education.alberta.ca/media/6658280/edmonton%20catholic%20separate%20school%20district.pdf

I am sure that by now you have heard of the Board of Trustees’ decision to keep St. Mark School open.

As we celebrate this weekend’s holiday – Family Day on Monday, let us take a few moments to thank God for the many blessings we have received in our families, our extended families and our school and parish families.   Take some time to enjoy those extra hours in enjoyable activities with those who are special in your life.

Happy Family Day long weekend!

February 6th, 2012

On Saturday, January 28th, St. Cecilia hosted the 28th Annual Paperweight Wrestling Tournament at the University of Alberta.  There were over 700 participating athletes from 85 schools - some as far away as Prince George and New Brunswick.  Over one-third of the staff of St. Cecilia gave up their time to help organize this annual event, and co-coaches, Jerry Derewonko and Morgan Richardson are so proud of the efforts of all of their volunteers. There were many positive comments received from participants including hopes to be invited back again.  Many thanks to St. Cecilia staff for their time, effort and expertise to host this first class event!

I would like to extend a special thank you to the many participants in the skits/ads/commercials for Faith Development Day.  It was great to see members of the Archdiocese’s clergy participating with our staff members to provide this lighthearted look at some of our traditions and activities.

This year’s “Heart of Glee” performance will take place on Friday, February 10, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. and will feature student performances from the following schools:  Archbishop Joseph MacNeil, Archbishop MacDonald, Cardinal Léger, H.E. Beriault, Holy Family, J.H. Picard, St. Basil, St. Nicholas and Sir John Thompson.  Thank you to special guest, Marty Pawlina, who is joining us for the evening. Please mark your calendars for an evening of fun at the Maclab Theatre  (The Citadel) 9828 – 101A Ave.   Tickets are $20 and available at 780.425.1820 or visit www.citadeltheatre.com   All proceeds go to the Stollery Children's Hospital.

Edmonton Catholic Schools is proud to co-sponsor The Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention Association in hosting an evening for parents and educators featuring two speakers.  You may choose from Peggy Orenstein’s presentation, “Cinderella Ate My Daughter” or Barry MacDonald’s presentation called “Boy Smarts.”  These presentations will take place on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Shaw Conference Centre (9797 Jasper Avenue). Parking is available in the lot on Grierson Hill and in adjacent parkades, or you may plan to come via public transit.  This event is FREE but pre-registration is required.  Please note that these sessions are for adults only. To register please visit http://tinyurl.com/GETCA2012  or call 780.429.8040   Note: Photographs may be taken at this GETCA event, which may be used on the sponsors’ websites and in other publications. Peggy’s and Barry’s books will also be available for purchase at the event.Check out www.peggyorenstein.com  for more information about Peggy. Check out www.mentoringboys.com for more information about Barry.

Next week is Random Acts of Kindness Week and I am sure that many schools/sites will be ‘buzzing’ with a variety of student and staff activities.  Although this week gives us a wonderful opportunity to focus upon and share the many blessings we have received with others, Edmonton Catholic Schools’ Foundation including the Mission, Vision, Core Values and Characters of Catholic Education form the basis for these acts throughout the year.

Enjoy the week ahead!

January 26, 2012

Congratulations to Kathy Dekker, principal of St. Francis of Assisi School, who has been chosen as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2012.  Kathy will have the opportunity to share her leadership journey and further her leadership capabilities through a five day executive leadership program offered by The Learning Partnership and will receive her award in Toronto in February.   Thank you to the members of Kathy’s writing team who did a wonderful job articulating Kathy’s leadership qualities!

Perhaps you have heard of Edmonton Catholic Schools’ new initiative One World…One Centre which is located in the former St. Patrick School at 12050-95A Street.  Renovations are nearing completion so it won’t be long before it will be functioning as our District’s welcoming place for people coming to us from all over the world!  In time, it will serve as our central registration and English language assessment site for the children of these newcomers.  Our ESL consultant team and International Education office are both housed there to provide these services along with our Intercultural Liaison Workers who will support families in their first language and assist them with issues that arise when adjusting to a new society.  Other services available at One World…One Centre include programs offered by our Early Learning Department and by our Schools as Community HUBs, as well as Adult English language classes offered through Language Instruction for Newcomers (LINC).  Many thanks to Assistant Superintendent Joe Naccarato, Principal Santo Saporito and Assistant Principal Kevin McGoey, for their leadership with this exciting initiative, and to all other ECSD staff members who continue to lend their expertise and support for this project!  Stay posted for further updates!

The Edmonton Catholic School District invites you to submit names for our new high school completion centre that is presently under construction in the Clareview area.   This high school completion centre is being built in partnership with the City of Edmonton, and will form part of a large community service nucleus minutes away from the LRT station with hockey rinks, indoor and outdoor recreational facilities,  a public library, an aquatic centre and meeting rooms for multicultural purposes.  For more information how to submit your suggested name for this centre, please visit: http://www.ecsd.net/landing/clareview_completion_centre.html

District trustees and administrators are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the 2012 Provincial Budget due on February 9th, 2012.  Input from parents, and school councils has been sought, and discussions with school and District administrators, as well as the various employee groups, are well underway.

I look forward to sharing a day of prayer, reflection and friendship with you on Tuesday, January 31st at our District’s annual Faith Development Day at the Shaw Conference Centre.   Enjoy this special day.

Have a great weekend.

January 16, 2012
I would like to wish each of you a very blessed new year. The unseasonably warm weather gave us the opportunity to enjoy time outdoors, but that has changed for the week ahead!

Staff and students in our 'semestered' schools are finishing their first semester courses and our students will be preparing for exams and have begun writing diploma exams this past week. I wish all students much success as they complete these studies.

In the Archdiocese of Edmonton, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is celebrated from January 22 – 29. The Edmonton and District Council of Churches invites you to participate in an evening of praying together in Christian harmony especially for world peace on Sunday, January 22 at 7:00 PM at Knox Metropolitan United Church (8307-109 St. Edmonton). Refreshments will be available after the prayer service. As well, please find an opportunity to mark this week of prayer with your staff and students.

THANK YOU all staff, students and parent communities for your wonderful support of this year's Sign of Hope campaign - Kids' Care Challenge activities. Although there are still a few schools submitting their money, almost 60 schools/sites/departments participated in the Kids' Care Challenge, and funds raised in the 2011 Campaign cycle were $57, 324.23 to date. Employee pledges added up to another $41, 456.00 (which included $9,500.00 from a special collection from Faith Development Day, 2011). I am so proud of Edmonton Catholic Schools' overall contribution and to you, both personally and in your school communities for your support to this worthy cause, which assists and supports so many of our families throughout the District.

Earlier this week I sent you information regarding this year's Faith Development Day to be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at the Shaw Conference Centre. Our keynote speaker this year is David Wells, a teacher and a member of the Religious Education Service in London, England. David is a renowned speaker and has provided seminars in many parts of the world, including Canada, USA and Eastern Europe as well as throughout the UK. He has also developed learning programs for parents including "You, Your Children and their Catholic Faith." David's role in his Diocese is primarily one of encouraging adults to continue to learn about their faith. We look forward to his insights as we continue our journeys as Catholic educators within our schools and our families.

The Guide to Education: ECS to Grade 12 is being reviewed to determine how its content and format might be improved in the future. As part of this review, the ministry is interested in knowing how the Guide to Education is currently being used by staff in schools and school authority offices across the province. Respondents are asked to complete the survey by Friday, January 27, 2012. The survey can be completed in either French or English. At any time during the survey, you may save your answers and return to the survey at a later time to complete it. Click on the following link to be connected to the online survey: https://surveys.education.gov.ab.ca/web/surveys/GR6UBB/.

Along with the Board of Trustees, I had the opportunity to meet with Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk this week to discuss future directions for education not only in our province but specifically providing him with some insights into programming and operations within our District. We look forward to his continued work on reviewing the Provincial Achievement Testing Program and Early Learning (full day kindergarten).

Enjoy the rest of the week. Keep warm!