Dear Parents/Guardians:
Thursday, December 2nd, we ushered in Advent at Mother Teresa High School with our Advent Liturgies featuring song, music, scripture, narration, drama, and a wonderful showcase of the inclusive nature of our Mother Teresa community. Many thanks to our incredibly talented students who were able to bring to life our Chaplain, Martha Dougherty's, vision of a modern-day adaptation of the Christmas Story. Our students connected on a level that made it very meaningful to them.
I wish everyone a very blessed and meaningful Advent Season!
Christmas Basket Collections
This year Titans are challenged to raise a minimum of $4000 for families in need of financial support at Christmas. We are also collecting a minimum of $1000 in Canadian Tire money. Both cash and Canadian Tire money will be converted into gift cards and families will be free to shop for themselves. Please support our collection efforts and remind your children to contribute to their homeroom envelope.
The two homerooms that collect the most cash and Canadian Tire money will be invited to a pancake breakfast with Mayor Watson and Councilor Jan Harder on December 16th in our Atrium.
Parents as Partners in Education
I would like to share a note with you regarding a valuable resource for parents in our community known as Parents as Partners in Education. At my previous school I had the pleasure of delivering a number of the Parents as Partners in Education workshops to our parent community and would like to share a brief description of these sessions.
The complete set of Parents as Partners in Education workshop material is now available on the Board website. It's listed as a menu item under the NEWS & PUBS tab. View it here: http://www.ottawacatholicschools.ca/content.php?doc=6954
Parents as Partners in Education is a series of 15 workshops developed by our board with funding from the National Office of Learning and Literacy. The goal of the program is to help parents with the challenge of supporting their children in school from Kindergarten to Grade 8. The workshops are presented in plain language, so they are especially beneficial for parents with literacy and language barriers. CSPA has encouraged school councils to consider offering these workshops as a means of supporting and encouraging parent engagement.
QSP Fundraiser
The School Council's major fundraiser of the year, our QSP Magazine Sales Campaign, continues. Although we have finished collecting hard copy orders, we encourage you to continue selling through the online program. Sales right up until the end of January will be totaled and top-selling students will be eligible for prizes!
Remember, shop and order online at www.qsp.ca using our Group ID #10887.
Thank you for your continued support!
Yearbook Sales
Although the Early Bird offer is over, yearbook order forms are still available in the office and will be accepted until December 17th. The price is $45.00, plus an additional $5.00 if you want your book personalized. Completed forms and payment can be submitted to the yearbook staff outside the Cafetorium during both lunches.
Don't be disappointed by missing the December 17th deadline!
OSAID Region 9 Conference
On Wednesday, December 1st, Mother Teresa's OSAID (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving) group hosted the Region 9 Conference for schools across the Ottawa area. OSAID is a group of Ontario students taking a stand against impaired driving whose main focus is to raise awareness about impaired driving and the devastation that it can cause. It does this by organizing activities that provoke discussion among students.
The conference had 60 representatives from schools across Ottawa who either already had an OSAID chapter or were hoping to start one. There were guest speakers, workshops, leadership games, and brainstorming sessions. Guests included motivational speaker Matt Evans and OPP officer Guy Prevost. The conference was very well received and the Mother Teresa community is very proud of all the organization and effort our students and staff put in to make this event a success!
Grade 12 students Emily MacDonald, Sarah Lalonde, Erika Huntley, Eleanor Miller and their staff advisor Marlena Kowal were particularly instrumental in organizing this event.
For more information about OSAID, please visit www.osaid.org
Christmas Outreach Project
On Friday, December 3rd, 34 Mother Teresa students from Grade 7 to 12 took part in a Christmas Outreach Project at Dr. F.J McDonald Elementary School. Under the leadership of Ms. Burnett, Mr. Buccino and Mrs. Landry, the students created a Christmas store with beautiful gift items donated by Mother Teresa staff and friends which could be purchased for a dime by each of the elementary students.
Congratulations to all of our "shopping assistants", gift wrappers, raffle and snack attendants, and of course, our Christmas singers and talented musicians. You truly gave the gift of yourselves to these young children and afforded them the wonderful opportunity to bring home gifts to their family members this Holy Season.
Mother Teresa herself would be so very proud!
Upcoming Dates
December 9: 7/8 Festival of the Arts
December 13 & 14: 7/8 Immunization Clinic
December 13 to 16: Grad Photo Retakes
December 17: Last Day of Classes
MT Live Talent Show
On Friday, December 3rd, Student Council hosted its second annual MT Live talent show which featured a showcase of student talent from Grade 7 to 12. Spectators were wowed by amazing vocals, killer dance moves, tense drum battles, and wicked jam sessions. As an added bonus, over $2,000.00 was raised for future student council events and for our Advent Christmas Collection.
The event was a huge success in large part due to the wonderful efforts of our co-chairs and MCs, Chantale Desjardins and Monica Mendoza.
Thank you to all family and friends who supported our budding stars!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Norma McDonald
Principal
Mother Teresa High School