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Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - Volume 13, Issue 16

O u r 3 0 0 t h i s s u e !

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A Message from Administration

The next few weeks are packed with several notable events. We have final evaluations and the end of one quadmester, the postponed and much-awaited March/April Break, and the start of our final quadmester of the school year. We would like to wish our students much success in their assessments this week. Once those final evaluations are completed, our school community will enjoy a weeklong break unlike others in previous years.

We would typically ask students to enjoy their break and to stay safe. This year, staying safe takes on additional meaning. Please do take every opportunity to relax and decompress, but please also do everything possible to minimize contacts and risks associated with the spread of the Covid-19 virus. We are seeing vaccination number increasing and that is giving us all hope that we are nearing the end of this very challenging time in our lives. We are not at a point where we can relax yet though. A little bit more patience and effort will make our families and community safer and healthier. We all need to do our part. Thank you for all the measures that you are taking and for all those sacrifices that you continue to make - all for the greater good.

Upon our return from the Break, we will be starting the fourth quadmester on Wednesday, April 21. Students will be contacted by their quad 4 teachers via school email ahead of that date. April 21st will be a fully virtual day following the schedule listed later within this BENN newsletter.

Much health and happiness to our students, families, and entire school community over the next two eventful weeks.

School Schedule and Calendar

Quick Link to Our Calendar - https://stbenedict.wcdsb.ca/parents/current-students/school-year-calendar/

Our calendar (with Cohort info and key dates) can be accessed through our school website https://stbenedict.wcdsb.ca.

You can then access the calendar by going to ABOUT US > School Year Calendar

Important Dates for End of Quad 3 and Start of Quad 4

Thursday, April 8
Period 1 Final evaluation at 8:00 am (both Cohorts)

Friday, April 9
Period 2 Final evaluation at 8:00 am (both Cohorts)

Monday, April 12 to Friday, April 16
Spring Break - No Classes

Monday, April 19 and Tuesday, April 20
Credit Recovery Days

Wednesday, April 21
Fully Virtual Day 1 of Quadmester 4 following below schedule
Period 3: 8:00-9:52 synchronous, 9:52-10:30 asynchronous
Period 4: 11:10-1:02 synchronous, 1:02-1:40 asynchronous

Thursday, April 22
Period 3 Cohort A in the morning following the regular Cohort Schedule (see School Calendar)

Any changes to the Quad 4 startup information will be communicated through normal channels.
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Are you looking for something to do during the April Break?


Click on the image to the left to access the April Break Wellbeing Passport and find things to do to promote wellness together as a family next week!

CovidTesting
McCarthys

New Store Hours

Tuesday: 10am – 6pm
Thursday: 10am – 6pm
Saturday: 10am – 6pm
OR VISIT: www.mccarthyuniforms.ca
1-800-668-8261

Updating Contact Information

Please find attached the instructions to verify your child's mailing address in the Aspen student portal.
If your address is incorrect, please email: benedict.attendance@wcdsb.ca with your child's name, proper mailing address along with the postal code. As well, please contact us if you do not have an email address on file or any additional information is incorrect in Aspen.
Thank you for your time, and attention to this matter as we prepare to mail Quad 3 report cards..
Instructions for Verifying Your Address Resend Nov 20 2.pdf
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Family Winter Participation

Free April Activities

The WCDSB Catholic Parent Involvement Committee (CPIC) & Ministry of Ontario PRO Grants is offering Free activities for families. Sign up here or scan the QR code below.
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Key Dates for Quad 3 & 4

Quad 3:

April 8
Quad 3 Period 1 Final Evaluation, 8:00 am
April 9
Quad 3 Period 2 Final Evaluation, 8:00 am
April 12 - 16
Spring Break
April 19 - 20
Credit recovery
April 21
BENN Newsletter Release
Quad 4: April 21 to June 25, 2021

April 21
Quad 4 begins virtually for all students
May 5
Quad 3 Report Card Distribution Date & BENN Newsletter Release
May 9
Mother’s Day
May 19
BENN Newsletter Release
May 20
Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
May 21
Turn Around Date for Careers/Civics
May 24
Victoria Day
June 2
BENN Newsletter Release
June 4
PA Day
June 9
Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences
June 16
BENN Newsletter Release
June 20
Father’s Day
June 24
Quad 4 Period 3 Final Evaluation, 8:00 am
June 25
Quad 4 Period 4 Final Evaluation, 8:00 am
June 28
Assessment and Evaluation/Credit Recovery
June 30
BENN Newsletter Release
July 12
Quad 4 Report Card Distribution Date (Mailed)

Mental Health & Wellness

April Mental Health Tip

With the upcoming breaks this month we may have a bit more time to explore new practices that can support wellbeing.

Not quite sure where to start?

Check out the calming strategies section of the new WCDSB Mental Health and Wellbeing page (https://www.wcdsb.ca/programs-and-services/mental-health-and-well-being-at-wcdsb/)!

This is your one-stop shop for a wide range of mental health information including links to services in our community that can provide support if you’re struggling, including the Kids Help Phone, Front Door, Ray of Hope, and Here 24/7.

April Study Hacks

You may notice that during the pandemic it’s harder to concentrate, complete assignments, sleep, remember things, and stay organized, which may be connected to the ongoing stress we carry with us during a pandemic. Here are a few tips that can help things get back on track:
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CounsellingCollaborative
The Counselling Collaborative of Waterloo Region (https://counsellingwr.ca) is a partnership of 6 local counselling agencies working together to make counselling services more accessible to individuals with a limited income. Fees may be fully or partially subsidized depending on individual circumstances and the service requested. Visit their website or call (519) 804-1097 to book a phone/video appt.

Youth Force April Workshops

Join YouthForce over the April Break and earn some community service hours!
We have two series happening over the break and students are welcome to sign up for each. The series are our Pre-Employment Webinar Series and Y.E.L.L. (Youth Engaged in Learning about Leadership).
Students can earn up to 20 hours for attending both series (and 10 hours if they join a single series).
Registration is now open and those who are interested can email YouthForce Coordinator Mallory Fennell at malloryf@kinbridge.ca for a welcome package and more information!
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Frequently Asked Question

Is there a cohort-specific schedule?

YES THERE IS!

Cohort A Cohort B

COVID Test/Screening and Outbreak Protocol

All students (or guardians on their behalf) will be asked to engage in a daily self-assessment before reporting to school and anyone feeling unwell or identifying a concern based on their self-assessment should not report to school. COVID-19 School Screening

Once at the school, all students will be required to wear mask at all times. Students are to sanitize their hands upon entering and leaving the classroom.

Operational guidance: COVID-19 management in schools (Ontario.ca)

What to do when my child isn't feeling well?

Read the memo for parents and guardians from the Region of Waterloo Public Health Unit. The document provides direction for parents and caregivers regarding the role of families, Public Health and schools.

Message from Guidance

Grade 12 Students

COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS
Completion of your Community Service Hours (minimum for this year - 20 hours) is required if you are planning to graduate this year. All Grade 12 students who have not yet completed and handed in their hours are reminded to do so as soon as possible. Grade 12 students are expected to submit their Community Service Hour forms by May 1, 2021. Please complete the form available on the school website: https://lf.wcdsb.ca/Forms/APO015-01F

POST-SECONDARY APPLICATIONS
Although some students who have applied to either college or university have started to receive admission offers, students need to be aware that many colleges and universities do not send out offers of admission until quadmester 3 final marks have been received and processed. (Check your marks in OUAC and OCAS after April 23).
While it would be easier and far less stressful if all post-secondary institutions followed the same timelines with regard to admission offers, this is not the case. Students also need to be reminded that all offers of admission are conditional – meaning that the offer can be removed if graduation requirements are not completed by June. Pay close attention to all the details contained in emails and correspondence from the various universities and colleges so that deadlines do not get missed.

Summer School

Is available this year as online learning courses through our board at St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education. More information can be found on their website: https://stlouis.wcdsb.ca/summer-programs/summer-credit/
These courses will run from July 5 – July 29. (Half credit courses Careers and Civics Term 1 July 5-15. Term 2 July 16 – July 29).

What is Online Learning?

Online Learning means courses are specifically designed to be taught in a fully online format (formerly referred to as “e-learning”). Online learning relies on communication between pupils and teachers through the internet or any other digital platform and does not require pupils and teachers to be face to-face with each other or with their teacher. Students must be online and working on their course for a minimum of 6 hours a day.
Students may only take one online course or both Civics and Careers half courses.

If you choose to register for summer school, please inform your Guidance counsellor.
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Academics

Getting into the swing.... of spring!

Our Community and Active Living students wanted to brighten up their classroom with a punch of colour and to celebrate the return of spring...
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The room is enveloped in flowers of all shapes and sizes and many beautiful, colourful butterflies.

Driving home STEM concepts

Mr. Briere has been helping put together a new project for our Board's elementary schools STEM kits! The cardboard car can be assembled and customized by students, and it is run by a micro:bit computer which the students themselves will learn to program.

See a demonstration of the car in this tweet by Mr. Leonard, Experiential Learning & Innovation Lead for the WCDSB
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homeworkclub

Every Wednesday, join Mrs. Borba (Literacy) or Mr. Chaves (Numeracy) ONLINE from 1:45-3:00pm!

JOIN the Google Classroom https://classroom.google.com/c/MjM2MzY1NjE0NDI5?cjc=ojocdyl
or simply CLICK on the Teams Links!!

Click here for: Borba Literacy Meet
Click here for: Chaves Numeracy Meet

Can't WAIT to see you SAINTS online!

News from the Library

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Spring is here and so is our much-awaited spring break! Best of luck to all students as you finish off your assignments for the third quadmester.

As your school library is an important resource for success in high school the library remains accessible to individual teachers as well as teachers and their classes from 8am to 10am. Don't forget your school library has many excellent resources available on the Library Learning Commons website.

Students may access the library individually at 10am, using the Clemens Mill Library front doors. Clemens Mill library is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm, for curbside pickup and for inside hold pickups as well as pickups for Take & Makes. In-person access of computers and photocopiers is limited to 45 minutes. At this time there is no browsing of library materials or study rooms/study tables available. However, if you are looking for a book or movie, we can help you at the front desk. For a full list of our services at this time, please check Idea Exchange's website.

Looking for something to do on the April school break? Here's a few suggestions:

Do you fancy yourself a detective? Try our Interactive Murder Mystery: A Garden Party Murder. This event runs daily beginning March 19 to May 31. Simply open the link above and follow the instructions. You are a guest at a garden party and before the day is out, one of your fellow party guests will have been murdered! Can you guess the culprit?
This is a text-based, interactive murder mystery. It will proceed like a “choose your own adventure” type of story. You will have the chance to interview guests and see evidence as you attempt to discover the criminal among you. It should take about 1-2 hours to complete. There are three rounds, with sections within each round. If you can’t complete the mystery within one sitting, finish a section first. When you return you will have a chance to continue from a specific section. You can work on your own or with a group. Taking notes is recommended! Good luck.
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Looking for something "crafty"? Try our DIY Kits. which are simple maker kits complete with materials and instructions, to take home. You can get your kit at the Clemens Mill Library - use the front doors please.

Don't forget that we also lend out musical instruments, sports equipment and video games. We also lend out a variety of parks passes and membership cards.

If you need help finding a good book or resources for assignments, please contact your school library, Ms. Pilon at ppilon@ideaexchange.org.
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Cambridge Idea Exchange's School Liaison illustrated the new offerings they have that might be of interest to families in your school particularly hard hit economically by COVID--free Parks Ontario passes to sign out, podcast kits on loan, board games, puzzles, garden tools. Check out their unusual stuff to borrow page!

Clubs

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News from the Social Justice Council


The social justice council got off to a bit of a late start this year, but we are doing some AMAZING things and wanted to share some of our accomplishments with the St. Benedict community!

Support for Sunbeam

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Our first group project was to spread a little cheer and show our appreciation for local front-line workers and the special residents they serve at the various locations for the Sunbeam Home. This amazing group of 74 students is currently sending virtual cards to residents and staff at a wide variety of Sunbeam satellite locations.

Laurie, the volunteer coordinator at Sunbeam shared the following with us: “I want to tell you how happy I am about the messages pouring into Sunbeam. There are 32 so far. The messages are sweet and thoughtful and kind. They make a difference. Thank you soooo much for presenting this at your school.”

We are now up to 164 letters sent to some very deserving people! Thanks to those who took the time to share their thoughts and kind words.... and keep up the amazing work.

If you want to consider volunteering with Sunbeam Home, take a look at their volunteer page at https://sunbeamcommunity.ca/volunteer.

Earth Day 2021

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Earth Day is on April 22nd, and the Social Justice Council is asking for help cleaning up the school yard at Bennie's. Appropriate PPE will be provided and social distancing will be maintained – homerooms will need to sign up in advance. This is a long-standing tradition at our school, and the day after Earth day is always a proud moment for our staff and students, because our school grounds look FANTASTIC. Students will also be able to participate on their own time by picking up trash on their own and submitting pictures of them doing so to a google form on social media.

The Social Justice Council will also be sharing a fun sustainable calendar through social media which shows people little changes they can make in their lives to live greener. The calendar will also feature DIY activities people can do to give old items a new life.

Lastly, we recognize that climate change is one of the biggest threats facing the world today. This is why the Council will be writing letters to our local politicians to let them know how important it is to take action in order to protect the Earth for future generations.

Be sure to keep up with, and participate in all the Earth Day initiatives we have planned for the week of April 19-23!

Student Activities

Other News

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Calendar of Events

Thursday, April 8
8:00am: Quad 3 - Period 1 Evaluation Day

Friday, April 9
8:00am: Quad 3 - Period 2 Evaluation Day

Monday, April 12 to Friday, April 16
Spring Break

Saturday, April 17
10:00am: Free COVID Testing Available for Students and Staff

Monday, April 19
8:00am: Credit recovery/Credit rescue
10:00am: Grad Photos

Tuesday, April 20
8:00am: Credit recovery/Credit rescue
10:00am: Grad Photos

Wednesday, April 21
Quad 4 Begins - Fully Remote
BENN Newsletter release
8:00am: Period 3 Cohorts A & B Synchronous
9:52am: Period 3 Cohorts A & B Asynchronous
10:00am: Grad Photos
11:10am: Period 4 Cohorts A & B Synchronous
1:02pm: Period 4 Cohorts A & B Asynchronous
2:00pm: Debate Club
Thursday, April 22
8:00am: Period 3 Cohort A Face to Face
10:00am: Grad Photos
12:25pm: Period 4 All students Distance learning

Friday, April 23
8:00am: Period 3 Cohort A Face to Face
10:00am: Grad Photos
12:25pm: Period 4 All students Distance learning

Monday, April 26
8:00am: Period 3 Cohort A Face to Face
10:00am: Grad Photos
12:25pm: Period 4 All students Distance learning

Tuesday, April 27
8:00am: Period 3 Cohort A Face to Face
10:00am: Grad Photos
12:25pm: Period 4 All students Distance learning

Wednesday, April 28
8:00am: Period 3 Cohort A Face to Face
10:00am: Grad Photos
12:25pm: Period 4 All students Distance learning
2:00pm: Debate Club

Be sure to check out the calendar on the school website for updates!

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