Wolf Weekly - January 27 - 31, 2025

Please check our St. Francis Athletics Calendar on our school website for sports details!

School Division calendar for the 2024- 2025 school year.

St. Francis School Event Calendar

• January 27: Family Literacy Day
• January 28: SPIRIT DAY - Hawaiian Day
• January 29: Outdoor Ed 9 - Chester Lake
• January 29: Ski/Snowboard Club - Canyon
• January 31: Professional Development Day (no school for students)

We believe that nurturing our students' spiritual growth is just as important as their academic development. That's why each week, during our morning announcements we dedicate a spot called Faith Fact Friday, where our students learn and reflect on key aspects of their faith.

Did you know ... Our 4 Pillars are all rooted in scripture? Each one was selected based on a scripture passage and each one helps us know a good way to live. Being Loving - teaches us how to be loving in all of our actions to every person we meet. Being Humble - teaches us how to be proud of ourselves, but that we should not be boastful about them. Being Joyful - teaches us that we need to make choices and act in a way that brings Joy to ourselves and the people around us. Being Forgiving - teaches us not to let hatred and resentment in our hearts and forgive those around us.

The 9-4 religion class brought a touch of green to the community! Partnering with Catholic Social Services, the students spent time crafting seed packets for their Foster Care event at the Dawe Centre on January 25th. With smiles and focused hands, they cut, glued, and filled envelopes with seeds, demonstrating the power of small acts of kindness. CSS was incredibly grateful for the students' generous support.

Bell Let's Talk Day provides an opportunity for our school community to raise awareness about mental health in an effort to reduce the stigma that surrounds it. The theme this year is Prioritize Youth Mental Health - something that definitely resonated with all of us at St. Francis. Our Bell Let’s Talk Day started at 8:30 am with staff handing out bananas and yogurt to our students for breakfast while music played in our halls. This gesture was more than just a healthy snack and time to sing along with some of our favourite songs– it was a reminder that connection, self-care, nutrition, and mental health all go hand-in-hand.

But the day wasn’t just about food at St. Francis. Staff also took the opportunity to engage with students about the importance of checking in on one another and reaching out for support when needed. During our Health classes leading up to the day, resources and tips for managing mental health were made available to students, encouraging them to prioritize their mental well-being year-round. The hope is that small, everyday acts like these will inspire students to continue the conversation and make mental health a top priority in their own lives.

Bell Let’s Talk Day serves as a reminder that mental health matters and even the smallest gestures can make a big difference. As a community, we are committed to continuing our support of students’ well-being, both mentally and physically. We will continue to prioritize this conversation, as well as our efforts to break the stigma, and take care of each other – one banana and yogurt at a time!

We are thrilled to welcome Mrs. Poulin back to our Grade 7 team after her maternity leave! We’re so happy to have her energy, expertise, and passion back in the classroom. Welcome back to the pack, Mrs. Poulin! 🐺

Grade 6-8 parents/guardians have received the STF 2025-2026 Student Intention Form to confirm their child's enrollment at St. Francis of Assisi Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year. Thank you for your cooperation as we prepare for another great year! This form is due by March 1, 2025.

Planning has started for our year end field trips. In order to provide the best possible experience for our students, please make sure your school fees including your school council fee has been paid through RYCOR

Connect with the school @ 403-314-1449 to start the volunteer process. Everything is done online and is very easy.

Planning for the year-end Grade 9 Farewell has begun. Sign into your PowerSchool Parent Portal to make your payment of this fee ASAP Payment is due no later than March 1, 2025.

At St. Francis of Assisi, we’re committed to creating an engaging, student-centered learning environment. This year, our focus is on enhancing student engagement through strategies that foster active participation and critical thinking. During Professional Development Days, teachers are building their toolkit with Total Participation Techniques (TPT), designed to involve every student in meaningful learning. Look for upcoming highlights of these techniques in action, with photos from our classrooms!

The grade 7-1 class is buzzing with energy as they dive headfirst into their Social Studies unit on the Oath of Neutrality. Instead of just reading about it in textbooks, they're turning the classroom into a bustling marketplace of ideas! Students are walking around, engaging in lively debates with their classmates, sharing their unique interpretations of what it truly means to remain neutral. The air is filled with the sound of animated discussions, questions being posed, and different viewpoints being explored. It's a dynamic and interactive way for students to grapple with this complex concept and truly make it their own.

This week, parents of students in Grade 6, 8, and 9 should have received an email inviting you to complete the Schollie Parent Survey. Your feedback is important to us as it helps shape the learning experience and community at our school. If you haven’t had a chance yet, we encourage you to complete the survey at your earliest convenience. You can find the details in the email sent earlier this week or refer to the attached information below. Grade 7 families share their feedback through the Assurance Survey from Alberta Education, which is sent out at a later date.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and support our school community!

Curious about God and Jesus? Want to explore your faith in a supportive environment? Join us for Alpha, where we dive into life’s big questions and discover how to live with purpose and joy!

Here’s what to expect:

• Who: Grade 8 and 9 students
• Watch: Short, engaging videos exploring the Christian faith.
• Discuss: Open conversations about life, faith, and everything in between.
• Discover: How to live a fulfilling, joyful life.

🗓 When: Every other week in the Shop. Next meeting: February 5th.
🎥 Next Topic: Who is Jesus?
🍴 Bring: Your lunch!

We’ll spend 60 minutes together, and we’d love for you to join us. Everyone is welcome—see you there!

Upcoming Dates:

• January 29
• February 12
• February 26
• March 5

We look forward to sharing another wonderful year of skiing with you all. See you on the hill! 🏔️⛷️

Our Junior 2 Boys Basketball team had their first Hub Night of the season at St. Lorenzo this week! They played three exciting games, showcasing their skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship. 🏀🐺

We’re so proud of our boys for their effort and dedication, and a huge KUDOS to their amazing coach, Mrs. Reed, for guiding and supporting the team. 🙌

Mark your calendars—their next Hub Night will take place right here at St. Francis on February 12th! Let’s cheer them on and show our Wolf Pack pride. Go Wolves! 💙🐾

If you do have any of the materials listed that you would be willing to donate, please drop it off at the office or contact Mr. Christensen to arrange pickup. If you have any questions, please call or email Blair Christensen (403-314-1449) blair.christensen@rdcrs.ca).

Good morning,

You are invited to sign up a team and participate in Coldest Night of the Year, Canada's National Walk for Homelessness and Poverty in Red Deer, Saturday February 22nd. in support of the Mustard Seed and the Red Deer Food Bank.

The Coldest Night of the Year is a winterrific family-friendly walk to help support people experiencing hurt, hunger and homelessness. You are invited to sign up a team to walk 2 or 5km by registering below.

Red Deer (Red Deer Food Bank & The Mustard Seed Red Deer) - CNOY 2025 Canada

Event includes: pre-walk snacks and a post-walk meal, family friendly games, skating, face painting, colouring for kids, and raffles.

Location: Central Middle School in Red Deer.

Registration: and family friendly activities start at 4pm, followed by a kick-off rally at 5pm for the 2km and 5km walks, followed by a FREE MEAL back at Central Middle School. There will be numerous draws and awards for the top 3 fundraising teams.

Please Help The Mustard Seed and The Red Deer Food Bank achieve its goal of signing up 50 teams (walkers) for the day of the event, helping to raise $100,000 to help vulnerable men and women who are struggling with poverty in Red Deer.

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOUR TEAM IS UNABLE TO WALK AND PARTICIPATE ON FEB 22, PLEASE SELECT YOUR OWN FAVOURITE TRAIL (EVEN ON A HOLIDAY SOMEWHERE) TO WALK ON A DAY THAT WORKS FOR YOU - THE WEEK OF THE EVENT.

Did you know that Red Deer won the 2024 ParticipACTION Community Challenge for the province of Alberta. We did, and now the Community Better Red Deer Committee would like to say thank you to everyone who helped Red Deer win. We will be offering a series of FREE TRY IT events throughout the year to inspire our community to stay active and connected, as we gear up for this year’s June ParticipACTION Community Challenge.

Check out the attached TRY IT Day activity events coming up! To register for the activities click here or scan the QR code above.

*Please note participating in the community activities is at your own risk and that the events are open for everyone to join. If there is a large number of people at the activities, you may need to be patient and wait to access the facility or equipment rentals.