

Fast Friday Facts
Friday January 24 2025
Sneak Peek of the Week! 👓
Hello Saints Community!
Next week, our Saints are gearing up for an action-packed Literacy Week, filled with exciting events and surprise reading activities each day! Check out these important dates:
Monday Jan 27
- National Family Literacy Day! Be sure to take time to read, play literacy based games, and tell stories as a family! It matters!
-Literacy Week begins at St. Mary's! We kick off the week with the "Poem in my Pocket" challenge! Students are encouraged to keep a poem in their pocket, and recite it when asked by a staff member. Each read of the poem will enter the student into a fantastic draw. This contest continues all week long!
Tuesday Jan 28
-Literacy Week continues! Bring your flashlight, we'll be dimming the lights for a reading delight, and Reading by Flashlight!
- Parent Council Meeting at 6:30pm at the school. We’re looking for one parent volunteer from each class to join our Parent Council. This ensures equal representation across the school and offers a wonderful opportunity to stay informed about school updates and initiatives. It’s also a great way to get involved in your child’s education and help make a positive impact on our school community.
If you’re interested, please contact your child’s teacher or Mrs. Squires for more information.
-While at the school, join our Booster Club meeting for their monthly meeting at 7pm. This hard working group of parent volunteers continue to raise funds for the "extras" that our students enjoy, and more help is always welcome!
Wednesday Jan 29
- Skating Day for all students in grades 1-8! Every Wednesday this month our students will have the opportunity to take our Phys-Ed classes to the Sexsmith Arena. Skates and helmets are required (we have extras if needed), and we appreciate volunteers who can help tie skates!
- Our Literacy Week activities continue with a Book Swap! Students are encouraged to bring in a previously love book or two to swap for something new for them to read! We'll accept incoming books on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday for the swap that will happen on Wednesday!
-Pre-orders for Thursday's Hot Dog Day are due to the office. Our Booster Club appreciates exact change, and clearly labelled orders.
Thursday January 30
-As we wrap up our Literacy Week activities, we invite you to Dress as your favorite character, inventor or scientist!
-The Saints' City Market opens during the last block of the day, with BLUE groups shopping and YELLOW groups running ventures.
Please note that MicroSociety blocks usually occur during the last block of the day on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, from 2:08 to 3:01 PM. Students are fully engaged in MicroSociety activities and truly enjoy participating. We kindly ask you to consider scheduling appointments and early pickups for other times so students can fully immerse themselves in their MicroSociety learning.
-Hot Dog Day! No need to pack a lunch, if you order from Booster Club! Hot dogs are $2 each, juice and treat are $1 each. All funds raised are used to enhance student learning at St. Mary's!
-Forms and fees are due for our upcoming grades 4-8 Ski Trip to Worsley on Feb. 5th. Please note that fees ($40) can easily be paid online through PowerSchool, or in the office, and must be paid (or arrangements made) before participation. Please contact the office for more information, or to make payment arrangements.
Friday January 31
-PD Day. No school for our students while our staff focus on their own professional development.
Our virtue of the week will be Motivation.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord." – Colossians 3:23
Mon Feb 3- Staff meeting, 2:30 dismissal
Tues Feb 4- Swimming lessons begin Gr 1-6
Wed Feb 5- Grade 4-8 Ski trip to Worsley
Thurs Feb 6- Gr 1-6 Swimming, Saints Market in AM
Fri Feb 7- Kinder, Pizza Hut hot lunch
Tues Feb 11- Gr 1-6 Swimming, Hot dog preorders due
Wed Feb 12- Hot Dog Day
Thurs Feb 13- 100th Day of School! WingN It orders due online, Saints Market in AM
Have a super weekend!
January Calendar 📆
February Calendar Sneak Peek! 👀
Ski Trip Info! 🎿
Literacy Week is Coming!📚
Get ready—Literacy Week is almost here! Next week, we’ll celebrate with exciting activities, events, and surprises every day. Join the fun from home by completing the Family Literacy Bingo Card together for a chance to win a fun prize (one entry per family, draw to happen on Thursday). Don’t forget to send in a book or two for our Book Swap, a labelled flashlight and show off your favorite character costumes on Character Day! Reading together is succeeding together!
Saints' City MicroSociety! 🌇
We are always searching for new mentors to help our students grow and learn in their ventures and agencies. From advertising to zoology, you likely have a talent, skill, or ability that could enhance our MicroSociety and that students would love to learn! Contact Mrs. Squires if you're willing to help our Saints!
Does your family have a case of the sandwich blues? We’ve got you covered! Log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal and order hot lunches from our favorite vendors. Orders for our next Hot Lunch, crowd favorite Pizza Hut, are due on Thursday January 30th at midnight, for lunch to be served Friday February 7th (which IS a Kinder Friday!)
While you're in PowerSchool, save time and place orders for lunches all the way to Spring Break! Orders close about a week before the scheduled date, so you don’t have to order all at once, but you can if that's easier for you! There will be no refund for lunches missed due to student absence.
Need help with your PowerSchool account? Call Mrs. Nelson, she's here to help!
https://gpcsd.powerschool.com/public/
Booster Group News! 🚀
School Fees 💵
St. Mary's does not charge base fees for the academic year, however, certain programs do have fees attached.
Fees for our Pre-K program are due monthly by the 4th of each month.
Junior High CTS classes have been invoiced and emailed home. Statements will reflect fees for the whole year, however, only fees associated with Term 1 and Term 2 are past due.
Fees related to the upcoming Grade 4-8 ski trip are payable through PowerSchool. Please contact the office if this fee is a barrier to student participation.
Fees can easily be paid online through the PowerSchool Parent portal, or in person in the office. Please don't hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions or would like to make arrangements for payment.
Health and Wellbeing💪
Community🏠
Water Bottles Required
Nut Aware School
Outdoor Gear
Contact Us, We're Here to Help!
St. Mary's Catholic School is located on the beautiful lands of Treaty 8 Territory. We respectfully honour the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples who have lived on and cared for these lands since time immemorial and who continue to do so today.
Email: stmarys@gpcsd.ca
Website: stmarys.gpcsd.ca
Location: 9001 103 St, Sexsmith, AB, Canada
Phone: (780) 568-3631
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMarysSX