A Note from our Principal

We are approaching the midpoint of our semester and it has been an extremely active one for our community.  The Haiti relief efforts have been a key focus for our community and in conjunction with our Lenten Project supporting Free the Children and their efforts to rebuild Haiti we have raised over $15000 to date.  Tuesday April 13th marked our full school Easter Mass for which we had the privilege of celebrating with Bishop Gerard Bergie. 

Two events in the upcoming weeks will focus on safety and community building.  The first is an assembly on Facebook and Twitter outlining safe use and cautionary notes that all students should be aware of as they engage in the use of these social media.  The second event is Challenge Day being held April 28th.  This day is focused on building positive relationships within our school community and breaking down some of the barriers to relationships which can often contribute to isolation and bullying. 

Please visit our school calendar on our website to get a sense of the many exciting activities planned for the balance of the semester.

Mr. Dan Witt, Principal

Midterm Report Cards

Midterm report cards are to be distributed on Tuesday April 27th.  This, like the interim report distributed after March break, serves as another key reporting time and an important source for dialogue around student achievement.  The interim reports were intended to initiate the dialogue between parent, student and teacher.  The midterm report cards should serve as the next chapter of that conversation.  Please review the midterm report cards with your son or daughter and don't hesitate to contact teachers or guidance counsellors to discuss areas of concern and strategies to support learning. 

Important Dates

• April 19th-23rd: Rez Reads
• April 27th: Report Card distribution
• April 28th: Challenge Day
• May 3rd-7th: Catholic Education Week

Enrichment Opportunity

Would your child benefit from enrichment activities that are not part of the regular curriculum? There are several interesting and exciting opportunities available to them. Possibilities include field trips, speakers, camps and weekly sessions at various Ontario Universities. You can find postings for these on Class Net under “Clubs and Teams - enrichment activities.”

ADHD Facts and Myths: focusing the energy

Join Dr. Bruno DiGravio for an evening discussing the facts and dispelling the myths surrounding ADHD. Wednesday April 28th, 7pm, Bingeman Conference Centre. Click here for more information...

Bishop's Banquet

The fifth annual Bishop's Banquet, that supports our Faith Formation Programs within our schools, is being held on Tuesday May 4, 2010. Click here for more details...

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Haiti Earthquake Relief Overwhelming

It is a humble privilege for me as your Chaplain, to thank each and every one of you (students, staff and parents) on behalf of the entire Resurrection community for all that you have done since the news of the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010. To be honest with you, your response has been overwhelming. 

You responded to the crisis of our sisters and brothers in Haiti; the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, in immeasurable ways. We are so proud of you!  You prayed, you mourned, you fasted, you vowed silence, you had Haircuts for Haiti, through Mission Collections and other fundraisers, you gave over $15, 135.00 to the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace and Free the Children. This is of unprecedented significance!You gave soap, toothbrushes, shampoo and other personal hygiene products to Haiti through the Mennonite Central Committee.

I have not mentioned all that you have done for the people of Haiti; there is so much more. Even when it was no longer a major issue in the media, you continued to care. You have done so much for people that you have never met and probably will never meet. Why? Because you are a caring, compassionate and loving people.  What an amazing community of faith! Our efforts culminated during the Holiest Week of the Christian year, on Monday, March 29, during a Liturgy of the Word, when Free the Children came and thanked us personally and shared with us where our efforts would be used in Haiti.

Our gratitude humbles us; Our gratitude runs deep! Thank you for all that you are and all that you do! Thank you for being there in a time of great need. I conclude my remarks from the words of Sacred Scripture: Well done good and faithful servants!

Your very sincerely,

Brian Millette
Chaplain

Easter Eucharistic Celebration, Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Our Principal Celebrant was The Most Reverend Gerard Bergie, V.G.,D.D., Auxiliary Bishop of Hamilton. We were so grateful that he had taken the time to celebrate our Easter Eucharistic Celebration with us and to grace us with his presence in the joy of the Resurrection. He spoke to our community so honestly and courageously.

Our Easter Eucharistic Celebration is the only time we gather during the school year as a full community. How appropriate as we celebrate Christ’s Resurrection, the central mystery of our faith, after which our school aptly takes its name! All of the liturgical ministries were so wonderfully fulfilled with “full, conscious and active” (“Sacrosanctum Concilium” 14) participation among the members of our faith community. What a beautiful celebration of faith!

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Student Activities Update

Student activities have been flourishing here at Rez!  April will proove to be a busy month with the following upcoming events to watch for:

• Friday April 16th Twitter/FaceBook Assembly for grades 10-12
• April 26th Student Trustee Elections at the board office
• April 28th Challenge Day
• April 29th Student Council Co-Prez assembly
• April 30th Co-Prez elections

May will be equally busy with planning spirit week and the MADD Canada presentation for our senior students. 

Also important to note is the NEW date for Grad day and Grad formal - both are now going to be on FRIDAY JUNE 11th! 

Nutrition 4 Learning (N4L)  @ Rez has expanded again!!  

We have been operating our program on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:50 - 8:15 in room 111.  Room 111 is our Community Living Classroom and gives us access to two kitchens as well as a small class setting for students who would like to sit and eat!  Our Community Living Students have also been actively contributing to N4L by baking us muffins and apple sauce on a regular basis.  This has been a wonderful reflection on our Catholic Community Values and continues to foster our Mission of Inclusion and Equity for all. 

We are now serving two hot breakfasts a week and on average are serving approx 100 students each day. Our menu includes pancakes, French toast, grilled cheese, bagels and cream cheese, fresh fruit, fruit parfaits, juice, cheese and yogurt. 

For those of you who are interested in making donations to our program, cheques** can be made to Resurrection C.S.S. and dropped off in the main office OR better yet come visit our program and see us in action! 

Healthy food is essential for students’ physical, emotional, social and intellectual development.  Well nourished students are better able to concentrate more effectively, retain and apply the things they learn and are more likely to show positive social behaviour. Resurrection recognizes the relationship between healthy nutrition and students’ academic achievement and fully supports nutrition programs for all students. 

**If you would like a tax receipt (for donations of $10 or more), please instead make your cheque payable to "Waterloo Catholic Schools Foundation" and a receipt will be mailed to your home.

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Rez Reads...for the fun of it!

Next week is Rez Reads here at Resurrection...where everyone in our school reads together for 20 minutes each day. Students, staff, custodians, teachers, EAs...everyone chooses something they enjoy reading, and then we all read at the same time! If you have time, consider setting aside some of your own reading time...as we celebrate reading...for the fun of it! Click here for a schedule of reading times, and other fun reading information...

Scholastic Book Sale

There are some amazing deals this month - including the Wimpy Kid Movie Diary for only $7.99 (retail $18.95!) or the Hunger Games pack for only $19.99 (retail $33.98). All book order forms are due on Thursday April 29th. Click here for April's flyer...

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Dance to be Different Showcase

This year’s “Dance to be Different” showcase will feature dance numbers from both the grade 11 and grade 12 dance class, DCAR, and from many other talented dancers at school! All students involved have worked very hard to put on the best possible production to showcase the talent within our school. The entire show has been orchestrated by Mrs. Robert’s dance class!

Auditions for dancers will be held on Wednesday April 28th and Thursday April 29th from 2:30pm to 4:30pm, and are open to all members of the school community. The “Dance to be Different” Dance Showcase will be held on Wednesday May 19th at 7:00 pm in the cafeteria. Ticket prices are $2.00 for students and seniors, and $5.00 for adults. We look forward to seeing you at Resurrection’s best dance event of the year!

Photos (clockwise from top left): David Matuszewski (grade 11), Beau Landry (grade 12) and David Matuszewski (grade 11), Kathleen Romero (grade 12), Taylor Handke (grade 12)

Article Author: Jessica Boehmer (grade 11)
Photographer: Melissa Weiler (grade 12)
Tech: Ms. Julia Drake

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Resurrection Junior Boys Basketball Team Champions!

2009-2010 District 8 Champions
2009-2010 CWOSSA AAAA Champions

The Resurrection junior boys basketball team had another very successful season this year finishing undefeated in league play for the second year in a row and capturing their second consecutive District 8 and CWOSSA championship titles.  Click here for more information...

Good luck to our Marathoners!

Two Resurrection teachers, Mr. Paul Braun and Ms. Ann Marie Moss, are running in the Boston Marathon on Monday morning. Up to 25,000 participants will run from the rural town of Hopkinton, through eight other cities and towns, and finish (just over 42 km later!), in Boston's Back Bay. For more information about the marathon, visit its web site at www.baa.org. Best of luck Paul and Ann Marie!

Track and Field at Rez

Track and Field season is under way at Resurrection. For more information, including practice times and details about April 23rd's TRACKWARS Invitational, being held at RCSS, visit the Track & Field page on ClassNet (Resurrection > Clubs and Teams > RCSS Varsity Track & Field).

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Model United Nations

Our Model UN Club has just returned from a successful conference, CHAMUN, which took place over three days in the North York Civics Center.  We were very proud to see three of our attendees sponsoring a resolution to address the question of terrorism in Central Africa (the Lord’s Resistance Army).  Our club combines writing skills, strategic logic and debating / presentation skills on a solid basis of current events.  As well we always throw in some social activities such as our fantastic attendance at “Jersey Boys” which just happened to be playing across the street from our hotel.  It was a perfect combination of academics and entertainment, a highly successful conference.

Now we are looking to rejuvenate the club for next year as many regulars are moving on to university.  Resurrection’s third annual Model United Nations Conference is just around the corner. This year’s conference will be taking place Thursday May 13th  here in our school and it will require an all day commitment. It will provide an enriching experience for both amateur and professional MUNers alike and will be an interesting mix of topics regarding both terrorist attacks and environmental practices of many countries around the world. Anyone wishing to participate should email rez_mun@hotmail.com or come out to a Tuesday afternoon meeting.

Cruisin' the Capital

The history department's bi-annual field trip to Ottawa "Cruisin the Capital" has been launched successfully.  In three days the 50 student quota filled completely and a waiting list has been established.  June 3-5 bodes well for an exciting culmination to the Civics and Canadian History programs.  Wish them well!

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Charlie Film Festival

On April 22, at the Princess Theatre in Waterloo, local high school videographer students will compete in the 2010 Charlie Film Festival. Resurrection teacher, Richard Sloos, is hosting the festival. Two years ago, Resurrection students placed first among twenty other high school entries. Public showing is free at 7pm.

Captured: Rez Film Festival

On May 6, 2010 at 7pm in the Resurrection cafetorium, our school will have it's first film festival for student made films at Resurrection. The film festival will also feature a silent auction and a performance by Breaching Vista, a local band of former Resurrection Students. Tickets are free.

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Resurrection C.S.S.
455 University Ave. West
Kitchener, ON
N2N 3B9

Main Office: (519) 741-1990