Elementary Pastoral Plan 2018-2019 PASTORAL PLAN School: St. Luke Elementary School School Mission Statement: The community of St. Luke Catholic School, teachers, parents, and parish, strives to nurture all students so that they may attain their full spiritual, academic and physical potential as envisioned by the Ministry and Board standards. We endeavor to provide a comprehensive system of assessment, analysis, and support to ensure a safe and effective Catholic learning environment. School Motto: Caring, Nurturing, Growing Our Parish: St. Mary Star of the Sea Pastor: Rev. Neil McMillan Parish website: www.starofsea.ca Message from the Pastor: “All people have inherent human dignity because they are loved and created in God’s image.” Dear School Staff and Students, it is great to celebrate with you all the special times and Page 1 of 11
Transcript
Elementary Pastoral Plan 2018-2019
PASTORAL PLANSchool: St. Luke Elementary School
School Mission Statement:
The community of St. Luke Catholic School, teachers, parents, and parish, strives to nurture all students so that they may attain their full spiritual, academic and physical potential as envisioned by the Ministry and Board standards. We endeavor to provide a comprehensive system of assessment, analysis, and support to ensure a safe and effective Catholic learning environment.
School Motto: Caring, Nurturing, Growing
Our Parish: St. Mary Star of the Sea
Pastor: Rev. Neil McMillan
Parish website: www.starofsea.ca
Message from the Pastor:
“All people have inherent human dignity because they are loved and created in God’s image.”
Dear School Staff and Students, it is great to celebrate with you all the special times and accomplishments occurring throughout St. Luke in this academic year. Part of this growth is also spiritual enrichment: not just to become better people but to become God’s people. In that regard, we start our school year with an opening Mass seeking God’s blessing upon all of us. In Advent, we prepare for the Birth of Jesus with another special celebration of faith. In Lent, we are reminded to renew our resolve to act with discipline and faith. And of course, at the end of the year we say “thanks” with our closing Mass. But that is not all: during the entire year, we pray every day as well as share our faith through our
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Elementary Pastoral Plan 2018-2019
daily words and actions. And of course, we are invited to be part of the parish faith community on the Lord’s Day. Let us keep Jesus alive in our hearts by celebrating Sunday Eucharist. Wishing all of you an abundance of God’s blessing this school year and always. Fr. Neil, pastor.
Message from the Catholic School Council:
“We are called to affirm our Catholic Faith, in word and action and in all that we do.”
The St. Luke Catholic School Council will work to further strengthen and enhance the triad between home, school and church. This will be achieved through various community events with the focus of building a strong Catholic Faith community at school and home.
Catholic Education Week Theme: Renewing the Promise
Throughout Catholic Education Week, we ask you to reflect on the significance of Catholic education’s presence and contribution in our Church, and in our society.
May 6 – May 12 is Catholic Education Week.
Throughout Catholic Education Week, we foster the continuous development of all through classroom presentations, Our School Willy Wonka Production (K-8), Medieval Times Day in the gym, The Crowning of Mary celebration, Welcome to Kindergarten, Hatz off to Kids Walk-A-Thon, and OCGSE assemblies which contribute to a caring, safe, and inclusive environment.
Faith Formation:
Forming ourselves in our Catholic faith is a foundational element in helping each of us understand and live in the example of Christ.
“For we are God’s servants, working together…” 1 Corinthians 3:9a
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The goal is to improve student application of scripture, sacramental life, and Catholic social teachings to daily life.
Adult Faith Formation is supported through: -Staff integrate and model Jesus’ teachings, prayer, and scripture across the curriculum through daily interactions with all members of the community-Mississauga South Adult Faith Ambassador Gathering/Liturgy-MS Youth Faith Rally-MS Advent Retreat-MS Easter Celebration-the celebration of liturgies on a weekly basis, weekly throughout Advent and Lent, to celebrate secular and religious holidays (i.e. beginning of the school year, All Souls Day, St. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, other’s Day, Father’s Day, End of the school year) and as needed to support members of our school community (i.e. to pray for our loved ones who are ill)-the monthly distribution of a faith-based newsletter to all staff, providing information, liturgical celebrations and activities relevant to each month
Youth Faith Formation is supported largely through our Youth Virtue Ambassador Program, in the following ways:-MS Youth Faith Rally-student-led liturgies to celebrate relevant feast days, virtues and periods in the liturgical calendar-student-led classroom presentations and school-wide announcements, teaching students of all ages about important aspects of our Faith (i.e. the liturgical calendar, virtues, saints, Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations, Mother Mary, stewardship)-artwork illustrating what has been taught and/or celebrated in the classroom, adorning the walls of our school-our students also learn about and celebrate our Christian virtues, led by our Virtues Club-student participation designing and decorating our school’s Catholic display case
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Sacramental Preparation:
As Catholics, we understand sacraments to be "outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace." Together in partnership with our parish, we support the preparation of God’s children in receiving the sacraments.
First Holy Communion June 9th & 10th and June 16th & 17th, 2018
Sacrament of Confirmation
June 2nd & 3rd, 2018
Liturgical Celebrations:
The Liturgical calendar is marked by the gathering in community to celebrate the Eucharist and share in prayer.
Celebration Date
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Opening School/Thanksgiving Mass Oct. 11, 2017Confessions Nov. 28th, 2017 & March 20th, 2018Advent Mass Dec. 5th, 2017Ash Wednesday Feb. 14th, 2018Stations of the Cross April 29th, 2018Easter Mass April 11th, 2018Year End Mass June 13th, 2018
Social Justice / Outreach Activities / Charities:
Catholic Social Teachings of the Church root our actions in supporting human dignity and the preferential option of the poor which calls us to serve the most vulnerable in the world.
“A Self-Directed, Responsible, Lifelong Learner”
-Terry Fox Walk for Cancer Research-Thanksgiving Food Drive-St. Catherine of Sienna Breakfast Club Food Drive-Christmas Outreach to Parish families in need-Easter Personal Needs Drive-Angels in Action-Daffodil Collection for Cancer Research-Share Life and United Way-Anti-Bullying Awareness -Angels on the Tree-Giving Tuesday-Denim Day-Water Bottle Reduction/2 new refillable water stations-Goose Bin-Continue with100% Eco-School certification-Collaborate with Peel Health to increase student well-being
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Recognizing Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations:
Framed by the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations (OCSGE), our graduates will be effective communicators, reflective thinkers, lifelong learners, collaborative contributors, caring family members, responsible citizens and discerning believers formed in the Catholic faith community.
To celebrate OCSGE, we as a school community….- encourage teachers to share the Ontario Catholic School Graduate Expectations with their students on an ongoing basis. Many teachers post the OCSGE along with their Learning Goals and Success Criteria-teachers celebrate each OCGSE and recognize and name a student in their class who demonstrates each OCGSE-Youth Virtue Ambassadors focus on the OCSGE during announcements and liturgies
Celebrating Virtues:
A virtue is a habit or established capacity to perform good actions according to a moral standard. When we practice these virtues we strengthen them and thereby make the presence of God more and more visible in the world around us.
Christian Virtues are celebrated and emphasized throughout our school community through explanatory and prayerful announcements and through bi-monthly virtue assemblies where virtuous behaviors are prayed for and celebrated by staff, students, and parents. Symbols representative of the virtues are placed on the altar at the front of the school, and change bi-monthly. Virtue street signs are visible throughout our school. Our Virtue Ambassadors are proud role models of each virtue and exemplify all of the students’ words and actions are aligned with our Catholic virtues.
Visible Signs of our Faith:
Through symbol and service, we are instruments of God’s love whose work within our communities stands as a witness to our faith.
Fr. Neil is a visible sign of our faith at St. Luke; he attends many events and celebrations throughout
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the school. The Rosary Apostolates pray the rosary each month with each class. An altar featuring relevant symbols of our Faith, is present at the entrance of our school building. A prayer center can be found in every classroom, on which a cross, Bible, and candle can be found along with other relevant symbols of our Faith. The hallways of our school and front display case are adorned with Faith-based activities produced by the students of St. Luke, in keeping with the liturgical calendar and Catholic Education Week. The school community regularly come together in prayer, in keeping with the liturgical calendar. Staff and students also come together to bring in monetary and food donations, presents, and donations of personal needs items, for various drives throughout the year. Staff come together to volunteer to deliver presents collected to our families in need.
Resource List for Parents/Guardians:
Religious Education Curriculum - Ontario Religious Education Curriculum Family Life Curriculum - Ontario Family Life Curriculum
Fully Alive Program information - Ontario Bishops' information on Fully Alive
We have Vocations units as part of the Grades 2, 5, and 8 curriculum. The goal of these supplementary units is to deepen one’s understanding of God’s call – the “vocare” – to various forms of life within the Church.
History of the ParishThrough the resource book Our Story, Our Tradition, Our Journey, grade 7 students have the opportunity to learn about the history of our parish.
