THE DAMASCUS CRIER Message from our Principal Special points of interest: Principals Message Expense Information Page 2 Events coming up Pages 9-17 Europe Trip details Page 3 June 2012 Volume 9, 2011/12 Mr Paul Byrne Dear Students and Parents: May God give us light to guide us, courage to support us, and love to unite us; and the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you always June is here! It is hard to believe that another school year is coming to an end. I want to thank our parents for the trust you have in us to be your partners in education for the 2011-2012 school year. I look forward to welcoming you back in August for the 2012-2013 school year. I extend best wishes to our students and families who will take a different path next year. This year we have over one hundred students completing grade 12. This is a very special time in your lives. You will have many options and challenges as you move forward. I sincerely hope that you embrace opportunities available to you and pursue your goals diligently. Final exams are upon us. The effort that our students give over the next three weeks can make a significant difference in their final grades. I especially want to encourage our students to make your studies a top priority. If you are writing diploma exams, remember, that extra effort now can make the difference between a pass or a fail; a 75% or an 85%. Ensure you take every advantage of the extra support offered by your teachers as you prepare for final exams. Although we do not endorse any external programs, if you are considering courses such as “Rock the Diploma” – diploma exam prep courses, I commend you for taking this extra initiative. There are a few important events taking place in June. Our graduation ceremony happens on June 8. I look forward to seeing all of our graduates and their families at the ceremony. It truly is a very special day for all those who attend. We also have a number of picnics taking place; June 1 in Edmonton and June 28 in Okotoks. This is a great way to say good bye to friends and classmates. The first day of online classes for students is August 29. Remember, online orientation takes place on August 29, 30, 31 so if you are returning to us, you do not have to take the orientation again. Our blended, fully aligned and traditional families are encouraged to meet with their teachers and facilitators to complete their registration and program plan for the coming year. Finally, I have heard from a number of parents regarding the changes in funding for the coming year. I personally want to thank you for contacting us directly with your concerns and suggestions. I am pleased to announce that the resource fee is being adjusted to $150 per student to a maximum family amount of $300. This change will require us to prioritize some of our new initiatives, but parents can expect, at a minimum, the same level of service and activities. One of our goals is to provide more opportunities for family interaction outside of Calgary and Edmonton. I wish you all the best for a safe and relaxing summer! God Bless! Paul Byrne Principal
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THE DAMASCUS
CRIER
Message from our Principal
Special points of interest:
Principals Message
Expense Information
Page 2
Events coming up
Pages 9-17
Europe Trip details
Page 3
June 2012
Volume 9, 2011/12
Mr Paul Byrne
Dear Students and Parents:
May God give us light to guide us, courage to support us, and love to unite us; and the
blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain
with you always
June is here! It is hard to believe that another school year is coming to an end. I want to thank
our parents for the trust you have in us to be your partners in education for the 2011-2012 school
year. I look forward to welcoming you back in August for the 2012-2013 school year. I extend
best wishes to our students and families who will take a different path next year. This year we
have over one hundred students completing grade 12. This is a very special time in your lives.
You will have many options and challenges as you move forward. I sincerely hope that you
embrace opportunities available to you and pursue your goals diligently.
Final exams are upon us. The effort that our students give over the next three weeks can make a
significant difference in their final grades. I especially want to encourage our students to make
your studies a top priority. If you are writing diploma exams, remember, that extra effort now can
make the difference between a pass or a fail; a 75% or an 85%. Ensure you take every advantage
of the extra support offered by your teachers as you prepare for final exams. Although we do not
endorse any external programs, if you are considering courses such as “Rock the Diploma” –
diploma exam prep courses, I commend you for taking this extra initiative.
There are a few important events taking place in June. Our graduation ceremony happens on
June 8. I look forward to seeing all of our graduates and their families at the ceremony. It truly is
a very special day for all those who attend. We also have a number of picnics taking place; June 1
in Edmonton and June 28 in Okotoks. This is a great way to say good bye to friends and
classmates.
The first day of online classes for students is August 29. Remember, online orientation takes
place on August 29, 30, 31 so if you are returning to us, you do not have to take the orientation
again. Our blended, fully aligned and traditional families are encouraged to meet with their
teachers and facilitators to complete their registration and program plan for the coming year.
Finally, I have heard from a number of parents regarding the changes in funding for the coming
year. I personally want to thank you for contacting us directly with your concerns and suggestions.
I am pleased to announce that the resource fee is being adjusted to $150 per student to a
maximum family amount of $300. This change will require us to prioritize some of our new
initiatives, but parents can expect, at a minimum, the same level of service and activities. One of
our goals is to provide more opportunities for family interaction outside of Calgary and Edmonton.
I wish you all the best for a safe and relaxing summer!
God Bless!
Paul Byrne
Principal
For direct deposit to your bank account
forward a VOID cheque
your email address Expense Claims and original receipts must be received in the office before the 10th of each month. The first cheque run is
in late October. The deadline for your last expense claim is June 30; the final cheque run will be done in August. This allows time to re-
turn textbooks that belong to The Centre for Learning@HOME. If you submit extra expenses, we will hold those receipts and will reimburse you the following year, if you are registered
with us. Cheque runs will be processed in August and March for high school CEU funding which is $25/credit.
Unused funding for the current school year will NOT be carried forward to the next year. Please contact Mary Lynn Schneider should you have any questions on 403 938 4119 x 254
*Criteria for High School CEU funding to be reimbursed:
credits have been earned (Courses completed with a passing mark).
ALL books have been returned
Receipts and Family Expense claim forms have been submitted
Hello everyone, June is upon us and it is a crazy month with lots of exams, graduation and the summer picnics in Edmonton and Okotoks.
Keep smiling, take a deep breath and prepare yourself for the exams. Studying makes all the difference! Remember to use Exambank to support you. www.exambank.com is an easy to use studying technique. The questions are Alberta Education standards, following the curriculum and helping you to prepare yourself for the exams. If you get a question wrong, the program will give you the correct answer and a short explanation. Keep working hard as we are fast approaching
the end of the year. You can look forward to those long, hot, hazy, summer days just ahead of you! God Bless!
Having
Trouble with
Math?
Here's a math website that is great
for building on math skills. Many of our
students use this site because they
find it very helpful… hopefully you will
too!
5
You can never cross the ocean unless you
have the courage to lose sight of the shore. - Christopher Columbus
Preparing for the New School Year
Plan for Success By Grace Fleming, About.com Guide
To set yourself up for a successful school year, you can establish some standards and
guidelines to follow through the entire year. A great plan may start with a simple conversa-
tion with parents which will lead to clear family communication, and it could include tools
like checklists, which will help you stay on track and prepare for tests and due dates.
A good plan will reduce tension in the home, free up time for extracurricular activities, and ensure that you get
your homework done in time.
1. Identify a Time Management Tool
Great time management requires very little in the way of investment, but the payoff can be priceless! A few simple
tools will keep students on track and on target all year long. A simple wall calendar and a few colored stickers will
do the trick:
Simply place the big wall calendar in a prominent place near your regular study space.
Then come up with a color code for your classes (like green for math and yellow for history).
When you have a big due date or a test date, place the appropriate colored sticker on that date for all to see.
The big wall calendar is just one tool that you can use in your time management tool kit. Find a few tools that are
right for you and you'll see how easy it is to stay on top of your work.
2. Preview the Expectations
It's always a good idea to preview the material that you will cover over the coming months. Take a look at the top-
ics you'll cover in math, science, social science, and language areas--but don't get nervous or overwhelmed by
what you see. The idea is simply to establish a mental framework to follow.
3. Get Organized With Color
If you're already a very organized person, you are one step ahead of many people! But many students (and par-
ents) can use some help when it comes to staying organized. Color coding is one of the best tools for keeping
homework, folders, and school supplies organized.
You may want to start with a pack of colored highlighters, then find folders, notes, and stickers to match them.
Assign a color for every school subject.
Use coordinated colors when highlighting notes, compiling research, and filing in folders.
You'll find that your homework are much easier to track when you stick to the color-coding method.
4. Stop the Madness With Homework Checklists
Are school mornings chaotic in your household? A checklist might cut down on the madness. The school morning
checklist reminds students to finish all tasks, from brushing teeth to packing assignments into the backpack. You
can use a checklist for every assignment to stay on track!
5. Consider a Homework Contract
There are lots of benefits to establishing a clear set of rules. A written contract between students and parents can
clear up any potential confusion when it comes to expectations. A simple document can establish:
Congratulations future graduates! Good luck with your Final and Diploma exams.
If you need any assistance with post secondary scholarships or applications -
please do not hesitate to phone me.
Make sure to send in your registration documents as soon as possible! If you are in
High School, please go to the following link to book a phone interview with your
guidance cousellor to program plan for next year. https://cflhome-guidance.schoolsoft.ca This includes discussing credits, scholarships, post-secondary
schools, streams of classes and your diploma requirements. I look forward to
speaking with you!
Have a wonderful summer - take time to relax and recharge your batteries!!
God bless,
Mrs. Strilchuk
7
The Centre for Learning @Home is starting a
Reach for the Top Team!!
Reach for the top is a trivia league in which high school trivia
teams compete against one another.
Most of the trivia competitions are in the Calgary area. If the CFL
team progresses to the provincial competition it will give our team a
shot at the national tournament which will be held in Toronto,
Ontario.
WE NEED STUDENTS TO SIGN UP
Trivia questions are based on all subject areas Students of all
interests are encouraged to represent the Centre for Learning
@Home
For more information contact Ms. Harnish or Ms. Young