Kobza's Komments

Every month we highlight a habit and during October we are focusing on Habit 1 Be Proactive: You are in Charge. This habit teaches about personal responsibility: I am in charge of me; I am responsible for my choices and behaviours; I can choose how I react to other people or situations. The common themes that we reinforce are as follows:

1. Pause
2. Proactive
3. Circle of Control

Pause helps us to make Proactive choices. Before responding to a situation, take a moment to pause and think about your response. We have the freedom to choose our response.  Kelso’s choices are giving students proactive options as to how to respond to others.  Being proactive is about the language we use and the choices we make.  Proactive language helps us take responsibility while reactive language can be about blame.  In making our choices we also use the analogy of water vs soda.  If you shake up a bottle of water and a bottle of soda and then open the lid, you will get two different reactions.  The soda spraying all over is an example of how we can explode and be reactive.  Without the pause, the soda does not get to settle and sprays all over everyone near you.  In life there are things we can control and things we cannot and being proactive means focusing on the things within our circle of control and taking action that will make a difference.  Our goal with this habit is to get our students to become a transition person:  a role model of proactive, helpful and effective behaviours. 

Communication is an area in which we can Be Proactive.  Knowing where to find information is within our circle of control.  The following are different ways to stay connected at St. Teresa of Calcutta School.

1. School Messenger – The school and the division sends out communications via text, email or phone.  It can be done through your phone or via the School Messenger app. Each week we will be sending out texts to remind you about upcoming events.  Currently we have 37% of parents signed up to receive texts. If you didn’t receive a text this week, you can sign up sending a text to 978338. Reply with a Y to opt in.

2. STC Website – Our website links on it for all kinds of information you may need.  Explore it at https://stc.holyspirit.ab.ca. 
3. Email – Want to connect to the front office?  Send us an email at stcoffice@ holyspirit.ab.ca. Want to connect with the staff?  You can find contact information on our website under the School/Contact Tab.
4. Office Hours – If you want to know how your child is doing at school, you can connect with the teacher during office hours. Every second month, teachers are available to connect with parents.  Our first virtual round is set for Thursday October 21 from 4:30 – 6:00. Teachers will send out information and links to parents in advance so that parents can make appointments. If that time doesn’t fit your schedule then please contact the teacher for an alternate time.
5. Newsletter – If you do not receive our monthly newsletter, you can find it on our website.  You can access it from the home page newsletter button.
6. Calendar – Our Live Google Calendar of school events.  Sync this calendar with your own calendar. Upcoming Events scroll down the right side of the home page.
7. Facebook – Like and follow us at STChs4
8. Twitter – Follow us @STChs4
9. Instagram – Follow us stchs4
10. School Council – Meetings are the first or second Monday of the month at 6:00 pm. Minutes are under the School/School Council Tab
11. Spaces – Coming Soon – Digital Portfolio to celebrate student learning and to communicate with home.  Students have been rostered into the program and teachers are still learning how to use Spaces.  We will be discussing our implementation plan at our October PD Day.  A parent information night and a date for going live with the program will be set soon. Spaces Website 

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.

St. Teresa of Calcutta