Principal’s Update – March 21, 2025
As we journey through the third week of Lent, the Gospel reminds us of God’s patience and mercy through the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree (Luke 13:1-9). In this story, the landowner is ready to cut down a tree that has not borne fruit, but the gardener pleads for more time to nurture it, hoping it will thrive. This parable speaks to the heart of Lent—God’s desire for us to grow in faith, guided by His grace and loving care.
At school, we see this message in the way we support our students. Just as the gardener cares for the fig tree, we help children grow by giving them the time, encouragement, and guidance they need to thrive. Lent is a good time to reflect on how we nurture patience, kindness, and faith – both in our children and in ourselves.
TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK …
- Final Learn to Skate
- Musical Bake Sale
- St. Patrick’s Day Colour Day
- Enrichment
- Pizza Fundraising Lunch
- Science Fair
- Report Cards went home
- PowerSchool re-opened
LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK …
- Scholastic Book Fair
- Advisory Groups
- Wednesday Subway/Hot Dog Fundraising Lunch
- Lost and Found tables will be out in the Front Lobby
- Parent Teacher Interviews/Student Led Conferences
- Staff Appreciation Lunch
- Inservice Day-NO SCHOOL Friday, March 28th
LOOK WHAT’S COMING UP …
- Spring Break!!! We return to classes on Monday, April 7th
- Enrichment Classes Tuesday, April 8th
- Reconciliation Grade5-8 on Wednesday, April 9th
- Kinder Grad & Grade 8 Farewell Lifetouch Picture Day April 9th
- Wednesday Subway/Hot Dog Fundraising Lunch (back-to-back Subway/Hot Dog Fundraising Lunches both before and after Spring Break is correct)
- PML Lunch Hour Recital on Thursday, April 10th
- 230 pm Early Dismissal on Thursday, April 10th
- Inservice Day-NO SCHOOL on Friday, April 11th
More detailed information can be found on the school website, in the calendar section under Parent Zone!
BASC
A few updates and reminders for BASC:
- BLINE is on Monday & Wednesday
- Tuesday is on Wood Burning
- Tennis is on Thursday.
- Friday, March 28th all day BASC and closes at 4PM. You must register before attending.
- BASC forms and payments must be submitted before attending BASC.
- May & June forms are in the front entrance and on ParentZone:
- May: Golf, Tennis, Mother’s Day Craft & Cookie Baking
- June: Field trip, Father’s Day Craft, Donuts & Cake Baking
📞 Last-minute BASC? If you need BASC or need to cancel on the same day, please text me directly at 204-880-8245. I provide the attendance list to teachers daily, so there’s no need to contact the office.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!
Ms. Furutani
SUMMER CAMP applications are now available! There are a few spots left. If interested or have any questions, please contact Ms. Furutani. 📧 kfurutani@stccs.ca📞 204-880-8245
IMPORTANT PARKING INFORMATION
Thank you to everyone in our community for following parking protocols and signage to help keep our students safe!
Please remember that only one side of Augier Ave is for stopping. The school side is a no stopping zone.
- Volunteers Needed! We are always looking for extra hands to support this initiative. As a thank you, FREE BASC (Before and After School Care) is offered to our volunteers.
- Sign up for Loading Zone Patrol (Monday – Friday) on ParentZone!.
KINDERGARTEN & GRADE 8 STUDENTS
On April 9th, Lifetouch will be at SCCS to take photos for all Kindergarten and Grade 8 students—a cherished tradition at our school.
Families will receive a package with ordering details. Kindergarten students should wear their uniform, while Grade 8 students should dress in their “Sunday best” for photos and change into their school uniform for the rest of the day.
We look forward to capturing this special milestone!
As part of our Lenten journey, we are participating in 40 Cans for Lent, a food drive rooted in Catholic values of compassion and service. This initiative encourages us to give to those in need by collecting non-perishable food items for Winnipeg Harvest.
Students can bring donations to their homeroom teacher’s collection boxes. Together, we can make a difference by living out our faith through generosity and kindness. Thank you for your support!
LENTEN CHALLENGE
Encourage your child to “Walk with Jesus” this Lent by marking each day with ways they prepare their hearts for Easter. Students could draw a Lent symbol in the box if they did something to prepare their hearts for Jesus’ Death and Resurrection. An information sheet and calendar were sent home with each student on Wednesday.
Focus on the three pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving!
Please return completed calendars by Thursday, April 24, for a chance to win a small Easter prize. Winners will be chosen Friday from each grade level!
MUSICAL FUNDRAISER
There is a Musical Fundraiser on Monday March 17th! All items at the Bake Sale are $1 and help support our School Musical. It’s also a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! Thank you everyone for your support.
STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES AND PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS
Next week, K-6 students will participate in conferences in their homeroom classrooms, where they will present a portfolio of their learning to their parents. For Grade 7-8 students, as well as K-8 specialist teachers (French, Gym, and Music), parents will have the opportunity to schedule Parent-Teacher Interviews to discuss student progress.
Also, a Lost and Found table will be set up. Please take a moment to check for any missing items.
You are welcome to take a look around the school during your visit! We encourage all families to take advantage of this opportunity. Please book your conference/interview using this link:
SCCS GOLF TOURNAMENT
Save the Date! This year’s Golf Tournament is Thursday, May 22, 2025 @ Breezy Bend Golf Course, please mark it in your calendars! We need help from the entire St Charles community to make this a success.
Golfer Registration Form: GolferREGISTRATION2025PDF Document · 197 KB
Sponsorship Form: SCCSSponsorshipPACKAGE-2025PDF Document · 193 KB
JUMP ROPE FOR HEART
So far, we have raised over $1,375 through Jump Rope for Heart! A huge thank you for your amazing fundraising efforts and for practicing the EASY healthy habits:
🌱 Eat fruits and vegetables
🏃 Active for 1 hour or more
📱 Screens for 2 hours or less
💧 Yes to water, no to sugary drinks
You should be so proud of yourselves for making a difference and helping to save lives! We hope you had a blast getting your heart pumping during our Jump Event and that you continue to stay active and follow the EASY habits for a healthy heart and mind.
Our fundraiser is open until April 1st! If you’d like to help us reach our $2,000 goal, you can donate or share our school’s fundraising page here: https://jumpropeforheart.crowdchange.ca/84810
Let’s keep up the great work! ❤️💪
MUSICAL
St. Charles Catholic School is performing Dot & the Kangaroo Jr. at the Winnipeg Art Gallery on May 5thwith a matinee and evening show.
Tickets are available in the school front office or please contact Ms. Furutani.
There are also three gift baskets to win, and tickets can be purchased in the front office and on May 5th.
Thank you for your support!
ROME 2025 – Here We Go!
A group of 19 is gearing up for an unforgettable journey to Rome! We leave on Monday, March 31, and return on April 7, with Mrs. Prettie, Grade 7 & 8 students, and several parent chaperones all excited and ready for this adventure of a lifetime.
Each day, we’ll take part in guided tours, exploring Rome’s most famous landmarks, with an Italian tour manager leading the way.
Please keep us in your prayers for safe travels and an incredible experience!
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR
Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair, The Magic of Books, is coming our way Monday. The Magic of Books is the power books have to transport readers to new worlds, expand their minds, and improve comprehension, vocabulary and creativity. Students choosing their own books empowers and inspires them on their journey to becoming lifelong readers. AND – as always – every purchase at the Fair benefits our school. Visit the Book Fair in the cafeteria March 24 – 28, 2025 Click the link to volunteer: VOLUNTEER at our SCHOLASTIC “THE MAGIC OF BOOKS” BOOK FAIR March 24-28, 2025
WINTER CAMP 2025: A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE!
Winter Camp was as incredible as ever! This year, we were especially fortunate to have the best weather any of us can remember. Our Grade 7 and 8 students had a fantastic time enjoying bonfires, sleigh rides, Gaga Ball, broomball, human foosball, board games, and a petting zoo. They also participated in engaging workshops led by Manitoba Theatre for Young People and WISE.
A heartfelt thank you to our amazing parent volunteers—your support made this experience possible!
Ms. Cascenga, Ms. Copeland, and Mr. Domolewski
SANDBOX/PLAYHOUSE TOYS NEEDED
We are looking to add more fun and engaging items to our outdoor play areas! If you have any gently used sandbox toys or playhouse toys that your family no longer needs, we would greatly appreciate your donations. These items help enhance creative play and outdoor learning for our students.
If you would like to contribute, please drop off any donations at the school office. Thank you for your generosity!
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COLORING CONTEST WINNERS!
In December, our students took part in the Knights of Columbus Keep Christ in Christmas coloring contest.
This week, the winners were announced and 13 students were awarded certificates for our school Book Fair.
Our students competed against peers from other Catholic schools and Sunday School programs across the city, and we are proud to share that our school had one Provincial winner, Zoey in Grade 2!
Congratulations to all who participated!
SUPPORT SCHOOL BAND – Donate an Instrument!
Do you have a band instrument sitting in storage, unused and collecting dust? Put it to good use by donating it to our school! Our music program is always in need of instruments to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn and play.
If you have an instrument to donate, please bring it to the school office or contact Mrs. Gregorchuk. Thank you for your support!
CHRISTMAS & BAND CONCERTS Now Available to View!
Our Christmas Concert and Band Concert are now available for viewing on Parent Zone under the Gallery section. The provided link will take you directly to a private YouTube account. Please note that these videos are not publicly searchable on YouTube.
We kindly ask all families to respect this privacy and enjoy the performances through the designated link.
A huge thank you to Mr. Aguilar, who filmed and edited all the concerts – it was a tremendous amount of work, and we truly appreciate your time and skill!
Enjoy the shows!
MUNCHaLUNCH
To ensure your child(ren) receives the correct hot lunch on Wednesdays, please take a moment to double-check your MunchaLunch account.
A reminder that orders and modifications can be made up to 7 days prior to the lunch date. All payments are also due at that time—any unpaid orders will be automatically canceled.
For full details on our hot lunch fundraiser, please visit MunchaLunch. If you have any questions, feel free to contact fundraising@stccs.ca. Thank you for your support!
BURSARY APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE
Bursary applications for the 2025-2026 school year are now available on Parent Zone under Forms & Documents. If you require a printed copy, please call the school directly.
The deadline for submission is May 16th at 4:00 PM. Applications should be placed in a sealed envelope addressed to Mrs. Prettie and submitted to the school office. All applications will remain confidential and will be reviewed by the bursary committee.
If you have any questions about the bursary process, please feel free to contact me directly.
WORLD’S FINEST CHOCOLATE – FUNDRAISER
We have some chocolates left and are offering them at 50% off!
- Almond cases – $50 each
- Variety cases – $45 each
Plus, when you purchase a case, you’ll receive 1 VIP hour!
To get your cases, please visit the office – payment is required at pick-up.
Thank you for your support!
TURF CAMPAIGN – FROM THE GROUND UP – HELP BUILD OUR PLAYGROUND
We are asking for your help! So far we have raised $72,020. You can track our progress on the school website.
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.”
-1 Corinthians 3:6May this season be a time of renewal for our families, filled with the grace to grow and bear good fruit. Have a wonderful weekend ahead!
Sincerely,
Aneta Prettie PRINCIPAL
St. Charles Catholic School
Phone: 204-837-1520 ext. 222
Link to .pdf version of Principal’s Update.