"I Bring You
Tidings of Great Joy"
Christmas in the LDCSB
December
19th, 2008
Click
on the buttons below to find out what has been happening in our
schools and much more!
A
timely reminder: during the 2008 Christmas break (Monday,
December 22nd, 2008 to Friday, January 2nd, 2009 inclusive) critical
upgrades to the Board’s IT infrastructure will be taking place.
These upgrades will increase system security and permit the
expansion of IT services, including new technology, in the coming
months. As a result of this process, there will be extended
periods of disruption to all IT systems. During this period of
time, most IT systems will not be available. All systems will be
operational for Monday, January 5th, 2009.
This year, students and
staff of St. Thomas Aquinas helped to bring Christmas to 51 area
families. Each family received presents for the children and
vouchers for food. Pictured here, with bags of gifts, are STA
students along with members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society who
will make the deliveries to the families.
"This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not
the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart
that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ."
- Frank McKibben
My Dear Friends:
A very Merry Christmas and a holy and a happy New Year! This is a
very special time of year for all of us - a time of wonder and of
celebration. At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ,
the greatest gift ever given, by the greatest gift-giver of all, our
wonderful God and Father!
It is my hope is that you spend time with your families and take
the time to appreciate the things that really matter in life - your
family, your friends and your God.
This is a time to recharge and reenergize ourselves in the
mission of Catholic education.
On behalf of the Trustees and Senior Administration, I wish you a
safe, holy and happy time. May the peace and joy of Christmas be in
your hearts and in your homes.
Wilma de Rond
Director of Education
Over the past two weeks, students at St.
Francis Catholic School have organized a food drive to help those in
need during this Christmas Season. The event, which was organized by
members of the student parliament, was a tremendous success. The
goal for the student organizers of the event was to collect an
amount of non-perishable food items equivalent to the weight of a
Smart Car. The end result was an incredible, 1000 lbs. of food
donated by families in the St. Francis Catholic School community.
The food will be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St.
Justin’s Parish and distributed to families in the local
community.
“On Christmas Morning” Written by Mrs.
Masek’s SK Class at St. Paul Catholic Elementary School
(Above) If I were a donkey on Christmas morning I would keep Jesus
Warm. That’s what I would do! By Eva If I were a cow on Christmas
morning I would breath on Jesus to make him warm. That’s what I
would do! By Michael If I were a sheep on Christmas morning I would
keep Jesus safe. That’s what I would do! By Janine If I were a
camel on Christmas morning I would give Jesus some happiness. That’s
what I would do! By Connor If I were a cross on Christmas morning I
would be a decoration on the tree. That’s what I would do! By
Harry
The RMC Jazz Band and the RMC Carollers
directed by Bruce Hewitt performed five "Jazz 'n
Christmas" concerts this week at St. David, St. Sebastian and
Sir Arthur Carty Catholic Elementary schools as well as concerts at
St. Joseph's Health Centre Huot Atrium and the Catholic Education
Centre. (Above) The RMC Jazz Band formed this September and has
enjoyed learning and performing many styles of jazz music. The
audiences all enjoyed hearing the lively music and singing Christmas
carols along with the band and carollers.
The Grade 1/2 class at St.
Rita Catholic School had a special friendThe Grade 1/2 class at St.
Rita Catholic School had a special friend, "Aunt Tracey"
come and help make Christmas gifts and cards., "Aunt
Tracey" come and help make Christmas gifts and cards.
St. Thomas students help
each other through tough economic times. Through the generosity of
the Monsignor Morrison community, our Angel Tree was overflowing
with gifts for those less fortunate than ourselves. What a living
example of our Catholic Social Teachings!
Celebrating Those Who Have Made a
Difference!
This will be the sixth year of an initiative to profile London
District Catholic School Board Graduates who live the Ontario
Catholic Graduate Expectations. Those selected must be
secondary school graduates of the London District Catholic School
Board or its predecessor Boards. They must demonstrate impact in
professional and/or personal life in the following areas: spiritual,
academic, aesthetic, social, or physical; demonstrate fulfillment of
the Ontario Catholic Graduate Expectations; and demonstrate
stewardship in Catholic Education. Nominators must complete a
nomination form, signed by the nominee and submitted to John Boles
at the Catholic Education Centre by February 28th, 2009. (Printable
nominations forms are available HERE).
There is a limit of one nomination per nominator. A Selection
Committee will review all nominations and make a final decision
based on the criteria. The graduate (s) will be profiled in
Spotlight, on the Board Website and during Education Week. This is
your opportunity to publicly honour someone you know who has made a
difference in the world around them! A list of previous winners is
available Here.
Our
Mission
To serve the Catholic
student in a community that nurtures a living faith and provides a
quality Catholic education that enables the individual to become a
contributing member of the Church and Society.
or contact:
John Boles, Manager of Communications, 519-663-2088, ext
40015
Spotlight
is produced weekly by
the Communications Department of the
LDCSB.
Spotlight is a BRAVO Award
winner for demonstrated excellence, recognized by the Canadian
Association of Communicators in Education and a winner of the
Glorya Nanne Award from the Ontario Association of Parents
in Catholic Education for making a substantial contribution to
fostering better understanding of Catholic Education.
A
timely reminder: during the 2008 Christmas break (Monday,
December 22nd, 2008 to Friday, January 2nd, 2009 inclusive) critical
upgrades to the Board’s IT infrastructure will be taking place.
These upgrades will increase system security and permit the
expansion of IT services, including new technology, in the coming
months. As a result of this process, there will be extended
periods of disruption to all IT systems. During this period of
time, most IT systems will not be available. All systems will be
operational for Monday, January 5th, 2009.
