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MARCH 2019 Superior North Catholic District School Board Newsletter

We are in the season of Lent. The word Lent comes from the Middle English word Lenten, meaning springtime – the time of lengthening days. Lent is the forty-day liturgical season of fasting, special prayer and almsgiving in preparation for Easter.

Lent is 40 Days

The scriptural emphasis for Lent is the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness after his baptism. The three earliest Gospels – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – all state that after his encounter with John the Baptist at the river Jordan, Jesus was led out into the desert by the Spirit.

‘Forty’ has long had spiritual significance for Jews and Christians in regard to preparation. Moses was with God for forty days and nights on Mount Sinai in preparation for receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 34:28). But the primary focus for Lent is on: Matthew 4:1-2, where Jesus is portrayed as fasting for “forty” days and nights; Mark 1:12-13, depicting Jesus as being led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for “forty” days; and Luke 4:1-2, telling of Jesus being led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to fast and to be tempted by the devil for “forty” days. Taking into consideration how Jesus prepared for his ministry, “forty” was determined to be the number of days his followers should use in preparing for Easter.

Sacrifice

Lent is a time for today’s Christian’s to undergo personal self-reflection and sacrifice in remembrance of the physical and emotional pain Jesus endured starting on a Holy Thursday in the Garden of Gethsemane. While in the Garden praying, he was betrayed by one of his original twelve disciples for twenty pieces of silver. From the Garden, he was taken before a judge who let a mob outside his chambers make the decision to crucify Jesus. Then, on the way to Golgotha, the traditional place for crucifixions, Jesus suffered the torment of verbal and physical abuses from the chanting crowds along the way. And, finally, he underwent the excruciating pain and humiliation of being crucified.

Resurrection

Christ's Resurrection is an object of faith in that it is a transcendent intervention of God himself in creation and history. In it the three divine persons act together as one, and manifest their own proper characteristics. The Father's power "raised up" Christ his Son and by doing so perfectly introduced his Son's humanity, including his body, into the Trinity. Jesus is conclusively revealed as "Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his Resurrection from the dead” (Rom 1:3-4; cf. Acts 2:24).

"If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14.). The Resurrection above all constitutes the confirmation of all Christ's works and teachings. All truths, even those most inaccessible to human reason, find their justification if Christ by his Resurrection has given the definitive proof of his divine authority, which he had promised.

We must look further, deeper, beyond His sacrificial death to His equally sacrificial life. His daily walk was an example of the Golden Rule, doing for others what we would have them do for us (Luke 6:31). As Jesus says of Himself, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

Maria Vasanelli, Interim Director of Education

References:

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Chapter 2, Paragraph

Who is Jesus?

LENT

Students and staff at all of our schools marked the beginning of the season of LENT with an Ash Wednesday mass. Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting.

Students and staff received ashes which symbolize the dust from which God made us. During the season of Lent, we prepare for Easter with prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day. This day provides us with an opportunity to facilitate inclusion, raise awareness, celebrate diversity and educate our students about people with Down Syndrome.

Our staff and students took part in the "Rock Your Socks" Campaign. The socks are intended to create conversations, raise awareness and remind us all how we can support.

Students at St. Hilary Catholic School are participating in 4 days of winter electives. Students are participating in skiing, skating, microbits, bowling and painting.

THANK YOU to Mrs. Muir & Mrs. Nystrom for their help with planning the painting and crafts!
Thank you to Ms. Hogue for organizing the microbits!
Thanks you to Mrs. Dupuis, Mrs. Clowes and all of our parent volunteers for supervising the skiing.

THANK YOU to all of our staff for making these 4 days so enjoyable for our wonderful students!

St. Martin Catholic School Leadership Team has been doing some incredible work this year and is truly on a journey of social change!

The team has spent the school year organizing amazing lunches and bake sales to help feed school children in Ethiopia. The school has set a $5,000 goal for this school year to donate towards the WE Education Pillar in Ethiopia.

Encouragement along the way is always inspiring and the school was very excited to receive a special message from Marc Kielburger, Co-founder of the WE Movement, which includes WE Charity, ME to WE Social Enterprise and WE Day.

The Leadership team would also like to thank the Lake Superior High School Student Council. The Lake Superior High School Council held a children’s Winterfest dance and payed it forward by sharing the proceeds they made to St. Martin School.

Katie Weatherston visits Holy Saviour Catholic School in Marthon

Katie Weatherston visits Our Lady of Lourdes in Manitouwadge

The students at St. Edward Catholic School had a very busy and exciting March. They started the month off with their fourth and final winter elective day. The students from JK-Grade 3 had a beautiful day to enjoy the tubing area of Mount Baldy.

On the same day, their school took part in the annual White vs. Blue Hockey Game as part of the township’s Winter Carnival. Students from both St. Edwards and George O’Neill Public School teamed up in this fun-filled event.

During the Winter Carnival, the town of Nipigon also hosts an ice-sculpture competition. This year our turtle created by St. Edwards Catholic School Native as a Second Language students took second place.

The school celebrated Shrove Tuesday together as a school family with their annual Pancake Breakfast. Our students have also enjoyed our Lego Wall and completing Challenges that Mrs. Binette has made for them.

Lots of learning happening in the Kindergarten classroom at Holy Angels Catholic School
A couple times a week some new animal friends visit the Kindergarten classroom at Holy Angels School in Schreiber while they are out and leave the students clues to help them figure out who was there!

Students at St. Joseph Catholic School made clay bowls based on 7 Grandfather Teachings.

Excellent job Gr. 3/4!

The grade 3/4 students at St. Joseph Catholic School were lucky enough to have the opportunity to participate in First Lego League. Lego League presents an exciting learning experience in which students had to explore different kinds of problems they would need to solve if they lived on the Moon.

The teams spent a number of weeks exploring and coding the motorized lego which they created to solve a variety of problems. They solved issues of no water, no oxygen, no energy, and no food. They built a Moon base and invited all the classes to come to see their creations.

Thank you, Lego for the hands-on STEM program. WE HAD FUN!

Indigenous Education

Submitted by Colleen Sheriff, Indigenous Education Lead

Indigenous Winter Games

Students of St. Joseph Catholic School, St. Brigid Catholic School, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, Public Schools and French Schools had the pleasure of taking part in the Indigenous Winter Games at St. Brigid Catholic School. Fun was had by all!

Games included; Inuit Games, Snowshoeing, Hoop Dancing, Floor Games and Hoop & Spear

Chi-Miigwech! Thank you! to all the participants, volunteers and for St Brigid Catholic School for organizing and hosting such a great event!

Indigenous Games at St. Brigid Catholic School in Nakina

Inuit Games Day

St Hilary Catholic School in Red Rock organized an Inuit Games Day with the JK to Grade 8 students. Students tried different Indigenous winter games including plank walking, snowshoe relay, boot hockey, arm pull and kneel jump!

It was a beautiful day to be outside! Miigwech/Thank you to all the volunteers, participants and organizers!

Superior North Catholic District School Board, Superior-Greenstone District School Board and Matawa Education organized a day for Student Voice!

Indigenous students from Grades 6 to 12, from the Catholic and Public schools in Geraldton, Longlac, Nakina and Aroland, all joined together at Geraldton Composite High School to share their voice on school environment, education, career planning and ways we can improve.

Chi Miigwech/Thank you to Brent Edwards, our MC, Victor Chapais, our Elder for the event and to all the organizers, volunteers and participants that made this an awesome day!

Submitted by Tracy Bryson, Positive Behaviour Support Lead
Submitted by Michelle Legacy, SNCDSB Attendance Counsellor
Submitted by Peter Kutok and Lena Stahl, SNCDSB Math Leads
Submitted by Sarah Clowes, Technology Enabled Learning Teacher

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"Together We Educate Heart, Mind and Soul."

Credits:

Created with images by Dmitry Bayer - "untitled image" • Josh Applegate - "untitled image"

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