Dear Parents,

Some of you may be wondering why your child(ren) has 2 days off at the end of October in a month where we have already had a PD Day. The reason for this is that we make it a priority each year for our staff to attend the Edvance Annual Gathering, which brings Christian educators from across Ontario together at Redeemer University to learn, share, and grow. This year, we will have our largest gathering with over 1500 attendees registered to participate in this day. 

The theme of this year’s conference is Pursuing Joy and is centered around Philippians 1:4-6 which says, “I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” 

Here is a brief explanation from Edvance to highlight this year’s theme:

“Despite being imprisoned at the time of writing his letter to the Philippians, Paul is filled with joy. He uses the words “joy” or “rejoice” 14 times in this brief letter. His joy is rooted in the beautiful work he sees Jesus doing in the lives of the Philippians and in his own life through the gospel. In Paul’s words, we can remain confident and joyful because we trust that Jesus will complete the good work he has begun in us. We are works in progress.

Our 2024 Annual Gathering keynote speaker, Dr. Jon Eckert, echoes this sentiment, suggesting that our school communities can also be characterized by joy. Jon, author of Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-being for Each Student, emphasizes that education is the profession that makes all other professions possible. By partnering with Christ, we contribute to the good work he is doing in each of his children. Jon will guide us in exploring how we can do this through a focus on feedback, engagement, and well-being.”

We are excited for how God will use this time as an opportunity of growth and blessing for our staff. We hope that you have a great long weekend and time together as a family.

Blessings,

J-D Lussier, Principal