Principal’s Message—Mme Marla Tonita As a staff, we began our school year by watching a beautiful video created by Dewitt Jones, a photographer with National Geographic, and now also a keynote speaker. The video is entitled Celebrate What’s Right with the World, and it is filled with beautiful and inspiring images of nature and of peo-ple. I think it would be almost impossible to not feel some awe at how wonderful our world is after spending a brief 20 minutes with this visual presentation! Mr. Dewitt highlights several key messages in this short video, one being “Recognize Abundance”. Dewitt says, “We live in that paradigm all the time—a world based on fear and scarcity and competi-tion. If you choose to believe it, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. But, it wasn’t what

nature was showing me. Na-ture was showing me incredi-ble beauty… nature set before me a banquet of incredible proportions… nature never stood in front of a forest and said, ‘There is one great photo-graph hidden here. One pho-tographer will find it, and the rest of you will be hopeless losers.” We see this abundance in our school on a regular basis, and we work to cultivate an appre-ciation for this abundance in each of us. This does not refer to material abundance, but abundance of self, of others, of gift. We recognize that all of our students bring the gift of themselves to school each day, with both their frailties as well as their huge potential. We know that our parent commu-nity showers our school with goodness through support for

your children, as well as by working together with teach-ers. We also appreciate that we are all citizens of the larger local and global world, and we strive to help our students develop positive skills to con-tribute in meaningful ways throughout their lives. And while we know that belonging is a necessity, this belonging does not preclude the beauty found in diversity as well. How boring the world would be if we were all the same… And so, as we find ourselves closer to the annual Thanks-giving holiday, I wish each of our students and families the gift of abundance, where possi-bilities for hope, comfort, and joy abound. Oh, and some harvest food might just top it all off.

OCTOBER / OCTROBE 2015

Mission:

To empower students

to reach their poten-

tial through quality

learning opportunities.

Vision:

ÉJELS is a school

community that hon-

ours a strong peda-

gogical foundation and

that fosters an empa-

thetic and productive

learning environment

through innovation and

teamwork.

Parent Council / PAA

2

Counselor’s Corner

3

Library News Sports Running Club

4

Sports - Volleyball

5

Active Citizenship Hot Lunch

6

Music Notes 7

Calendar 9

Inside this issue:

SABRE SCOOP École J .E . Lapoin te School

4801 - 55 Ave. Beaumont, AB T4X 1K2 Phone: 780-929-5977 Fax: 780 -929-5258

Web page h t tp ;//e je ls .b lackgold .ca Off ice email : je lof f ice@blackgold .ca

THE

FLEX is underway! We have survived our first couple of weeks

of FLEX and have already streamlined the process significant-

ly. It has been really great watching the kids get excited

about making their own educational choices. Our first weeks

offered such programs as Debate, Make A Difference, Drama /

Improv as well as many opportunities for academic sup-

port. Each week you will see a session description link on our

school webpage that indicates what courses are offered. Feel

free to go over the choices with your child. FLEX is such a

great opportunity for our students to make choices that best

suit their own needs; we look forward to more positive updates

in the coming months.

FLEX

Page 2 SABRE SCOOP

Our AGM was a great success! All the positions for the School Council/PAA

Executive have been filled! I have been elected as Chair for the 2015-16 year

and am excited to contribute to a great group over the coming months. Our

elected executive consists of Vice Chair - Maggie Courchene, Secretary - Bran-

ella Persaud, Treasurer - Brandy Wachter, Fundraising Coordinator - Lynn

Vaughan, Hot Lunch Coordinators - Debbie Webster and Vicky Lord. Welcome

to the team ladies! Thank you to Marla Tonita and Darren Helgren for your con-

tinued support and to everyone who attended the meeting! We have a new Mas-

cot and a great Hot Lunch Program under way. We are off to a great

start! Our next meeting is October 27th, 2015 @ 8:30am in the staff

room. All are welcome to attend so please consider joining us!

Regards,

Sharon Fehler

J.E. Lapointe School Council/PAA Chair

Parent Council / Parent Advisory Association

MedicAlert’s No Child Without Program is at Our School

The No Child Without program offers a free MedicAlert membership to students who attend our school

and are between the ages of

4 up to their 14th birthday. If your child has a medical condition, allergy or is required to take medica-

tion on a regular basis then you

should consider a MedicAlert membership through this program. MedicAlert is your child’s voice in an

emergency,

MedicAlert membership;

• Gives emergency first responders immediate access to a your child’s medical information on their

MedicAlert bracelet or

necklet

• Enables first responders to quickly obtain up to date medical information by means of the child’s Elec-

tronic Health Record

through the 24 Hour Emergency Hotline.

• Communicates with the parent or emergency contact upon activation of the Hotline

Allows free updates of the child’s medical record as needed

MedicAlert identification can alert school staff, friends, coaches and others about your child’s medical

condition should an

emergency occur.

Page 3

EJELS SWAT tis beginning its third year of stu-dent involvement. This group has been formed to focus its efforts in the area of promoting positive physical and mental health for students and our school community. SWAT is made up of students from grades 7-9 who will promote , educate, facilitate and sponsor activities that foster wellness. SWAT will meet 2 times a month during FLEX . This student led group will help determine the direction SWAT takes in the areas of physical and mental health. Come and be a part of this amazing opportuni-ty to personally make a difference!

Counselor's Corner

10 Mindful Minutes by Goldie Hawn

New York Times Best Seller

Giving our children and ourselves - the social and emotional skills to reduce stress and anxiety for

healthier, happier lives... inspired by the MindUP program

Parent resource available to borrow from our school library...

Family School Liaison Work (FSLW)

"FSLW" provides school and community support for our students.This program offers a coordinated approach to the

delivery of school-based health and support services for students so that our children are better prepared to attain

their potential. FSLW offers a variety of programs to facilitate social skills education and, if necessary, strategies

for parents to develop and implement behavior plans for their child. It also supports families in accessing appropriate

agencies, acting as a liason among students, families, schools, and community agencies.

Michelle Crosby is our new FSLW contact person. She comes with much experience working with children in a variety

of settings, including CASA and Bosco Homes. Some of the areas that Michelle helps students develop better coping

skills include: Anger Management, Self-esteem, Peer interaction, Conflict resolution, Non-compliant behavior at home

or school, Recognizing social cues.

If you feel your child might benefit from some special skill development in the listed areas, con-

tact laura.gervais@blackgold.ca or michelle.crosby@gshare.blackgold.ca

S.W.A.T

Page 4

It was a sunny day at Peace Hills in Wetaski-

win as the Sabres running team took to the

field. This year the Sabres running team

numbered 20 athletes, one of the largest

teams in recent history. It was a great day

full of challenges and achievements. Special

note goes to Kianna Row for her first place

finish in her race and to Magnus McCracken

for his second place finish in his race. We

also had numerous top 10 finishes, Stuart

MacLellan finish six and Josh McCallion fin-

ished eighth. The rest of our team made the

Sabres proud by competing with the won-

derful attitude and never giving up. As their

coach I was very proud that these awesome

athletes represented JEL.

M Mario Morin

Library News

On Wednesday, September 16, 2015 we held our annual

Terry Fox run/walk. Over 450 students and staff par-

ticipated in support of this great cause. Following the

run, parents were invited to attend an outdoor picnic.

Although the weather was not ideal, we did have a few

parents join us. We would like to thank staff and stu-

dents as well as any parent volunteers for assisting with

this event. Close to $450 was raised for Cancer Re-

search. Way to go!

Terry Fox Run

Sports—Running Club

The book fair is coming soon!

The book fair will be held in the library, from November 23rd to November 27th

from 8:30am to 12:30 pm. On November 26th, the book fair will also be open

from 3-8pm during parent-teacher conferences for your convenience.

If you are interested in volunteering for the book fair, please contact Sabrina

Kotyk at 780-929-5988 or by email at Sabrina.kotyk@gshare.blackgold.ca.

I have created a library blog for all students and parents to access. The blog

will have up to date information on library news and contests. It will also fea-

ture book reviews, book recommendations, and more! The blog can be ac-

cessed from the Ecole J.E. Lapionte school website under common re-

sources. Here is the link now for easy access. http://ejelslibrary.blogspot.ca/

Page 5 SABRE SCOOP

Sports—Volleyball

Jr. Premier Girls

Coach: M Mario Morin

Game Schedule

Sept 29 - Dansereau

Oct 6 - Clear Vista

Oct 13 - vs Riverview

Oct 20 - Coloniale

Oct 21 - vs CTK

Oct 27 - vs CTK

Oct 2/8 - Queen E

Nov 03 - vs LJH

Nov 10 - vs Pigeon Lake

Playoffs:

Nov 17 - LJH

Congratulations to all of the boys and girls that came out for our Premier, Senior and Junior development volleyball

tryouts. There was an overwhelming response to tryout for volleyball this year, with over 60 girls and 60 boys trying

out for the various teams. Thank you to all of the athletes for wanting to represent our school with your talent and

sportsmanship. Let’s go Sabres!!!

Sr. Premier Girls

Coaches: Mrs. Kayla Kay

& Mme Kathy Stewart

Game Schedule

Oct 1 - Clear Vista

Oct 8 - vs CTK

Oct 15 - vs LJH

Oct 22 - Sacred Heart

Oct 29 - Riverview

Nov 5 - vs Queen E

Playoffs:

Nov 19 - Queen E

Tournaments:

Oct 16-17 - LJH

Nov 20-21 - Wagner

Jr. Premier Boys

Coaches: Mrs. Kim Kuppe

& Mrs. Katie DeBoer

Game Schedule

Oct 6 - Clear Vista

Oct 13 - Coloniale

Oct 20 - vs Sacred Heart

Oct 27 - vs LJH

Nov 3 - vs CTK

Nov 10 - vs Queen E

Playoffs:

Nov 17 - Coloniale

Sr. Premier Boys

Coaches: Mr. Blaire Bohun

& Mrs. Julie Duru

Game Schedule

Oct 1 - Clear Vista

Oct 8 - vs CTK

Oct 15 - vs LJH

Oct 22 - Sacred Heart

Oct 29 - Riverview

Nov 5 - vs Queen E

Playoffs:

Nov 19 - Queen E

Tournaments:

Oct 16-17 - LJH

Oct 23-24 - FR Hawthorn

Danica Blanchette

Reese Clarke

Emma Cooper

Jorja Garchinski

Jackie Ivanc

Jada Johanson

Tori Klapstein

Joelle Klassen

Jocelyn Kublik

Emma Lacquement

Jordyn Matson

Tiara Pihrag

Jenifer Angell

Alexis Bernier

Reagan Deatherage

Hayley Hall

Arianna Klar

Alexis Lindsay

Jade Matson

Amber Robertson

Grafton

Kiana Row

Taryn Terpsma

Craig Black

Carson Chapman

Ben Crawley

German de laGarza

Robert Giorgini

Daniel Hall

John Krieger

Marc LeBlanc

Rayshawn Matthews

Akashdeep Nijjar

Ryo Quinton

Carson Schultz

Jeremy Chapman

Carter Gylander

Roen Helgren

Logan Klapstein

Ben Lisowski

Matthew Lisowski

Liam Morris

Colby Mueller Adryon Thompson

Brett Thompson

Volleyball – Developmental Program We have started this program for those students interested in volleyball that do not play on our competitive teams. It is a chance for stu-dents to learn the basic fundamentals, strategies, and rules of play. Students will also be introduced to Triple-ball which allows students to learn game play. There will be one night of play where our students will play co-ed volleyball by dividing into teams as well as possibly playing the recreational co-ed teams from Dansereau and Coloniale Estates schools. This will occur right after school however there is no set night due to hosting commitments of our competitive teams. We have practices Mondays and Fridays at lunch. Our first practice had an incredible turn out – over 30 students participated!

Page 6

October’s Lunches

Oct 15 - Booster Juice

Oct 22 - Boston Pizza

Oct 29 - Maina’s Donair

Questions regarding hot lunch can be directed to jelapointehotlunch@outlook.com b

Mrs. Duru’s Kids for Change class is helping an organization called Zoe’s Animal Rescue by collecting some

much needed items for them. Everything is going to the Enoch and Paul Band Reserves for homeless dogs or

animals that may have been abused and/or left outside all winter! You can help us by donating any of the fol-

lowing:

Blankets or old towels

Leashes, Harnesses, and collars

Bully sticks

Elk Antlers

Litter pans

Paper towels

Kitty Litter

Stuffed animals/Toys

Blankets/Old towels

Food for dogs and cats

Poop bags

Kongs

Pill Pockets

Leashes/Collars, harnesses

Good quality spray bottles

Kitty/puppy milk replacement (Powdered, or Canned)

Anything that can be donated to Value Village

Kitty/Dog dishes

Bleach

WE will also accept donations of anything you would normally take to Value Village because Zoe’s animal res-

cue is teaming up with them to help Paul Band reserves! All donations can be dropped at J.E Lapointe School,

Rm. 114 during lunch or after school. The fundraiser is open until November 13, 2015.

Active Citizenship

Hot Lunch

Page 7 SABRE SCOOP

MUSIC ROOM PRACTICES!

Tuesday—Choir (Grade 7-9) @ 12:14

*Students bring lunch to music room, sing, then eat (microwave is available)

Wednesday—Senior Jazz Band (Grade 8 & 9) @ 7:30 am

*Mrs. Baron will arrive @ 7 am for any students who need to be dropped off early

Thursday—Junior Jazz Band (Grade 7) @ 7:30 am

*Mrs. Baron will arrive @ 7 am for any students who need to be dropped off early

Monday & Friday—Open Band Practice 12:14 – 12:54

*This is an optional practice time for all students taking band. It is a time to just prac-

tice or get help if struggling. Students can bring their lunch to the music room and eat,

then play.

BAND PRACTICE!

Each month all students in band (grades 7-9) are asked to fill in a practice calendar.

Students can get practice minutes during; FLEX time, Noon hours Mon & Wed, as well

as during jazz band practices before school

Practice goal: 45-60 minutes per week.

*The practice page requires a parent signature. Please take a minute to ask your child about practice and if they are having

trouble reaching their goal each week, help them figure out how it could be easier to attain. (see note above about possible

practice times at school)

**Please note: Practice includes playing the instrument, but could also include buzzing on the mouthpiece, reviewing note

names, learning new notes, reading the book to learn new signs and symbols or even playing a game online that helps rein-

force note names or theory we are working on in class. Students can use a private music lesson once per month on their

practice sheet as well.

BAND FIELD TRIPS!

Members of the EJELS grade 7 band will be travelling to Camp Evergreen, near Sundre, Al-

berta on Oct. 15-16, 2015 for a band/outdoor education field trip. A more detailed note of

what to bring and departure/arrival times will be sent home in the next few weeks. Thank you

to the many parent volunteers that are donating their time and vehicles to transport our

gear!

Members of the EJELS grade 8 & 9 bands have the opportunity to travel to Ottawa this May for Musicfest Nationals. The

invitation to this festival was due to a superior ranking given at the provincial festival last spring. This is a great accom-

plishment for our junior high band members, as only the best in Canada are invited to this festival. Congratulations!

MILK MONDAYS!

Milk Mondays will be returning this October. Students will have the opportunity to buy white or choc-

olate milk during the lunch hour. The cost is $2.00 for a large and $1.00 for a small. First come, first

served outside the music room (as pre-ordering will not take place this year).

BAND BAKE SALE!

Friday, October 30th (over the lunch hour)

*All items will be $1.00 with proceeds going towards the Jr. High MusicFest Ot-

tawa trip this May

Music Notes

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