
Hawks Weekly
St. Theresa - April 14 - 18, 2025
Prayer
Lenten Prayer
Loving God, you call us to be servants to all your people. Through our acts of faith may we bring others to you. Send your Spirit so that we may have the gift of humility, to extinguish selfish desires, to see that all people are one family, and to carry out your message to feed the hungry and comfort those who suffer. We seek to do all things to glorify you, Lord, and to grow in union with you. Amen.
Upcoming School Events
Mark Your Calendars:
Monday April 7 - Thursday April 17
- Lenten Initiative - Almsgiving - Birthday Bag Item Collection
Tuesday April 15
- Theme Day - 80s Day
- Parent Coffee Shop " Kurt Hortons" - 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Wednesday April 16
- Hawks Hockey Challenge - Chuck a Pucks go on sale @ Lunchtime
Thursday April 17
- Last day for our Lenten Initiative - Almsgiving - Birthday Bag Collection
- Friday Schedule
Friday April 18
- Good Friday - No School
Monday April 21
- Easter Monday - No School
Tuesday April 22
- Earth Day - Shoe Drive - More information to follow
- Performing Arts and Sports for Life Registration Deadline
Wednesday April 23
- Linking Generations @ 11:45am
Thursday April 24
- Theme Day - Lazy/Comfy Day (PJs, slippers, comfy clothes)
Friday April 25
- Hawks Hockey Challenge - Sherwood Park Arena @ 1:15pm
Tuesday April 29
- Theme Day - Rhyme Without Reason (partner dress up as rhyming words ex: one is a cat the other is a bat)
Wednesday April 30
- Grade 6 - Telus World of Science
Performing Arts & Sports for Life Registration - Now Open until April 22nd
Performing Arts
Does your Son or Daughter like Performing Arts? Are they interested in Drama, Music, Movement and Dance Supplemental classes in; Media and Set Design.
The Performing Arts have the power to engage students in a dynamic educational experience, where they can uncover and explore their God-given talents. The arts allow for students to develop creativity, ingenuity, empathy and innovation, which are the keys to success in today’s complex, changing world.
With registration right around the corner, we asked parents of our Performing Arts students a few questions: How do you think the program has impacted your child? How has your child grown? What do you like about the program as a parent? Here are a couple of the perspectives from our very own Performing Arts Parents!
“In the first year of performing arts, I was in awe of my daughter’s ability to get up on stage. Her performance was quiet but I was so proud of her. In her second year, she is very committed to the upcoming performance, she is dancing and rehearsing and very excited for her part. Performing arts has done and continues to improve her self confidence, and I believe is helping her find her truest self.
I love getting snippets of the performance shown to me at home while the group is learning and developing their parts. I love the joy on my child’s face when she has learnt a new dance routine, and I love the music and singing along with my child.”
~ M. L.
Sports for Life
Is your Son or Daughter interested in Sports? Are they interested in gaining exposure to a range of physical activities and sports, so they can begin to discover sports they enjoy and build confidence in basic skills?
The mission of the Sport for Life Program is to provide students exposure to a variety of sport and recreation activities in a Catholic environment with the focus on creating life-long active and healthy lifestyles. Students will have the benefit of building athletic skill, along with leadership qualities in a faith-filled setting.
The program is based on the Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) model, which is a movement to improve the quality of sport and physical activity in Canada through improved athlete training and better integration between all stakeholders in the sport system, including sport organizations, education, recreation and health.
Sports for Life Testimonials:
" I went to St. Teresa for two years and participated in the Sport for Life program. I truly believe that the Sport for Life program helped improve on my leadership and teamwork skills that got me where I am today as a post-secondary athlete, playing volleyball for the Nait Ooks. I really enjoyed trying new sports and activities while creating lasting friendships and memories that got me through high school and that we still talk about today. If you're thinking about doing the Sport for Life program, I really recommend it. "
- Emma Buyar
Both of our kids have taken part in the Sports for Life program, and it has been an incredible experience. It kept them active while teaching valuable lessons in teamwork, responsibility, and resilience. The variety of activities helped them grow as individuals and as part of a team. They learned to communicate effectively and support their teammates. Setting goals taught them responsibility and leadership. The challenges built resilience, showing them how to overcome setbacks. They especially enjoyed bonding with peers and meeting students from other classes. It created a strong sense of community and belonging. Sports for Life helped them grow in character and confidence. We are grateful for this amazing program.
- E.N
EICS Lenten Campaign
To donate, please click on this link: https://www.canadahelps.org/s/6UFmBf
Parent Information
Dress Code
Hello St. Theresa families,
Important Notice: Re: Dress Code
Notwithstanding the warmer weather, student dress and attire is a topic of conversation year round. The subjectivity and personal interpretation related to this topic, coupled with the awkwardness it sometimes creates, can be problematic.
We are asking for your help.
Please monitor what your child is wearing when they leave for school in the morning. Clothing is to be modest and respectful of a faith-based learning and working environment.
For a student deemed inappropriately dressed, there might be a conversation with the student and/or a phone call home for further discussion.
Thank you.
St. Theresa Staff
Parent Coffee Shop "Kurt Hortons"
The Bean Shop will be transformed again into the Parent Coffee Shop "Kurt Hortons" on Tuesday, April 15th from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM. Parents are invited to the front foyer of the school where it will be transformed into a pop-up coffee shop!
All members of the school community are invited to come and grab a coffee by donation. Why? The Bean Shop Cafe is a charitable initiative being run by the St. Theresa Leadership program in order to raise funds for the Alberta Cancer Exercise Program on behalf of our amazing colleague Mr. Kurt Davison. As you may be aware, Mr. Davison recently won his battle with cancer and is now on the road to recovery and this program has been very important on his physical recovery journey … but they could use a little help. That is where we come in!
So come and grab a coffee and let your donation make a big difference! See you on the 15th.
For more information on the Alberta Cancer Exercise Program please visit https://www.albertacancerexercise.com/
Lenten Initiative - Almsgiving - Birthday Bag Drive
- generic birthday bag
- paper cupcake holders at least 24 or a disposable tin cake pan
- boxed cake mix
- container of prepared icing
- sprinkles
- bag of balloons
- box of candles
- paper plates
- paper napkins
Hawks Hockey Challenge - Chuck A Puck
Starting Wednesday April 16th, students will be selling pucks for the Hawks Hockey Challenge Chuck-A-Puck activity. Pucks will be sold at the front of the school next to the cafeteria doors during the lunch hour. The puck that is thrown closest to the faceoff dot will be declared the winner and that class will win a class pizza party. There will be one prize for Grades 5/6 and another prize for Grades 7/8.
Pucks will be sold for $5.00 each with all proceeds being donated to support
Alberta Cancer Exercise Program (ACE).
Hawks Hockey Challenge
Dear parents/guardians,
St. Theresa Catholic School is excited to announce that we will be hosting our Annual “Hawks Hockey Challenge” game in support of Alberta Cancer Exercise Program (ACE). This game will take place at 1:15 pm on Friday, April 25, 2025, at the Randy Rosen Arena. The premise of this game is for teachers and students to play one another to build school spirit and support worthwhile causes. We will be adding an optional $2 donation to PowerSchool for students’ entry fee into the game - should you wish to remove the $2 donation there is an opt-out form in your PowerSchool fees page to remove the $2 from your account. In addition, there will be a PAC concession and a “Chuck a Puck for 5 Bucks” during the game. Proceeds from the concession will go to support our school and the proceeds from the hockey game and Chuck a Puck will be donated to the Alberta Cancer Exercise Program (ACE).
Thank you for supporting this charitable event which has become an activity the students and staff look forward to each year!
For more information on the Alberta Cancer Exercise Program please visit: https://www.albertacancerexercise.com/
Thank you,
St. Theresa Staff
Save the Date - Ukrainian Bilingual Program 4-8-12 Celebration
Organization of the Hawks Weekly
The newsletter is organized based on our four school assurance priorities for this year.
- Faith Integration
- Learners and Learning
- Systemic Wellness
- Community Engagement
Starting the Week in Prayer
Every Monday morning, our St. Theresa staff gathers in our school chapel to begin the week in prayer. This special time allows us to center ourselves in faith, reflect, and lift up our students, families, and school community.
Stations of the Cross
Ukrainian Bilingual Program had the Stations of the Cross on Monday, April 7. Father Slavko from St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in Edmonton was invited to lead the service in both languages. Students did readings of 14 Stations. Father Slavko also shared with his experience how to prepare yourself to Easter.
GrACE Contest
A Celebration of Catholic Education
2024-2025 Theme: Rooted in Christ, “I am the vine; you are the branches… bear much fruit, and become my disciples.” John 15:5,8
GrACE exists to inspire, invigorate and embolden the spirit of Catholic education in order to unite, engage, educate and communicate with one voice on its behalf. GrACE, in partnership with the REAL Foundation, is happy to present this contest to EICS students. This is our sixth annual GrACE Contest: A Celebration of Catholic Education.
We invite EICS students of all grade levels to submit work reflecting the importance of, and their experience with or contribution to Catholic education. This year our theme is Rooted in Christ. Entries need to reflect this theme. It is often helpful if students include a few sentences to go with their entry on how it is connected to this year’s theme.
Student Submissions could include such things as (but not limited to):
*Please note, all digital submissions need to be in “view all” format before submitting.
A work of art
A poster
A formal or informal essay
Original music
Poetry
A presentation (video or otherwise) of social justice work
etc
Contest Rules
All Submissions due to your school chaplain by May 2
Prizes will be presented May 25 in each community’s parish (The week of World Catholic Education Day, Thursday, May 29). There will be 14 prizes!
K-8 students = 50 dollar prize in the form of a gift card
9-12 students = 100 dollar prize in the form of a gift card
Performing Arts 5 and 6 Workshops
This week Performing Arts 5 and 6 participated in stage makeup workshops. The grade 5s got their toes wet (or faces) with Intro into face painting, learning the difference between Aqua paints and cream based makeup, blending, stenciling, and more! The grade 6s learned about the process of aging makeup, getting to use cream based makeup, highlighting, contouring, and even got to use liquid latex to create wrinkles! A big shout out to Theater Garage for their wonderful workshop!
Grow with the Flow
Students customized their own sugar scrubs this week at Grow with the Flow with Emma and Mrs. Norrie. Creating the scented sugar scrub offered students a fun, hands-on way to engage their senses while promoting relaxation and creativity. The soothing scents and simple mixing process helped them to slow down, focus, and enjoy a calming moment of mindfulness.
Run Wild - May 3
Register for the in-person RunWild Marafun 1.2km race in Sherwood Park, Saturday May 3 at 2:00 pm in Greengrove Park in Glen Allen.
Here is a link to their promotional video: RunWild Canada
Hawks Athletics
Badminton
Good luck to the badminton team as this weekend they are participating in the Ardrossan Jr Buffalo Cup, and on Tuesday they face off against OLPH in an EICS friendly tournament.
Handball
Congratulations to the handball teams as they played in their first two matches of the season this past week. The boys won one and lost one in some exciting, physical gameplay. The girls also won one and lost one, with an exciting last minute game winning goal. Good luck to the teams on Wednesday as they finish their regular season round robin matches.
Go Hawks!
St. Theresa April
Sports Performance 8 - PoundFit
Neon Day
5S - Fort Precinct
5S had an exciting and educational experience at the Fort Heritage Precinct, where students explored the theme Connections to the Land through hands-on learning in the Historical Village.
They participated in three engaging sessions:
• Rise of the Métis Nation
• Homesteading
• Building the Railway
It was a rich, immersive day full of learning and discovery!
A huge thank you to our fantastic parent volunteers. We appreciate you all!!!
Grade 7/8 - Jasper Ski Trip
Parent Societies
Parent Advisory Council (PAC)
The St. Theresa Parent Advisory Council performs many vital functions for our school community, by helping to facilitate school wide student functions and providing valuable funding to our school via fundraising. Parents involved in the PAC learn about planning and development within the school and are part of the planning process. These roles make their involvement very important to the families, administration and teachers.
Next Parent Council Meeting - Tuesday May 27, 2025 - St. Theresa Library @ 6:30pm
https://stt.eics.ab.ca/parents/parent-societies
2024/2025 PAC Meeting Dates:
September 24, 2024
October 22, 2024
November 26, 2024
January 21, 2025
March 10, 2025
May 27, 2025
2024 - 2025 Executive PAC Members:
Chair: Kara Gettings
Secretary: Rosie Conrad
Treasurer: Kim Pennock
Fundraising Coordinator: Tana Currie
Bilingual Ukrainian Catholic Parents Society (BUCPS)
Bitaemo! Sherwood Park's Ukrainian Bilingual Program began in 1980 and has seen decades of success in academic achievement, global learning, and celebration of the rich Ukrainian heritage. From Preschool/Sadochok to Grade 12, the Ukrainian Bilingual Program offers a community-minded cultural environment along with an enhanced academic curriculum. BUCPS Mission is to promote, advocate, support and foster cultural and educations opportunities for students in the Ukrainian Bilingual Program.
Next BUCPS Meeting - TBA
https://stt.eics.ab.ca/parents/parent-societies
2024-2025 Executive BUCPS Members:
President : Andrea Chmilar
Vice-President: Kelsey Whattam
Treasurer: Laurie Leeder
Secretary: Paula Harasymiw
Parish News
Grade 6 and Up Confirmation
Please see the below links to register for the Grade 6 and Up Confirmation sessions starting in February 2025:
OLPH Parish
We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PARISH
13 Brower Drive, Sherwood Park AB. T8H 1Y7
Phone : 780 467 5470 Fax : 780 467 0530
E-mail: info@olph.ca Website: www.olph.ca
Dear Parents:
Welcome to a new year of Catholic education and faith formation for your child!
Each year, in a Catholic school, your child will learn about many aspects of their Catholic faith— including learning about the seven sacraments. In our Archdiocese, preparing children for the celebration of their own sacraments always occurs in the parish, with the support of the school: • preparing for First Reconciliation, and then First Eucharist, can begin when a child is 7 years of age and in Grade 2 or older
• preparing for Confirmation can begin when a child is about 12 years of age and in Grade 6 or older • special preparation is also available for children of any age who are not yet baptized
Most children attending Catholic schools are ready to receive at the ages shown above, but there is no such thing as too late. Are you seeking for your child to celebrate a sacrament, such as Baptism, First Communion or Confirmation? Are you ready to help them live out their Baptismal promises? Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish and Elk Island Catholic Schools are each involved in preparing your child for a Catholic sacrament along with you. It is a group effort, and everyone has a role:
• As a parent, the Church has always held that you are the primary teacher of the faith for your child. You teach them about God; set the example; talk about your own faith; and you bring them to Mass. • The place where the sacraments are celebrated and lived is the Catholic parish. We the people of God in the Church are each part of the Body of Christ. Being in relationship with the parish community (with all its challenges and blessings) is essential for your life of faith and that of your child. The preparation for, and celebration of, the sacraments happens in the parish church. • You must sign your child up for preparation at the parish. The school doesn’t do this part of the process for you. Catholic schools are a special place for children to learn more about Jesus Christ, to practice living in a community of faith, and to develop and deepen a relationship with Christ. We (Catholic parish and Catholic school) are eager to walk beside you and your children during this very special time.
Please call OLPH parish office 780-467-5470, send an email to sacraments@olph.ca or visit www.olph.ca/sacraments to get started or learn more.
As you prepare your child for their sacraments may this also be a special time for you - of deepening your own understanding and of growing in faith for the whole family!
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Jim Corrigan, Pastor
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
A Roman Catholic Christian community.
We come together at our Lord’s invitation to worship God, celebrate the sacraments, and deepen our faith. We strive to be thankful, generous and welcoming, and are sent forth to help advance God’s Kingdom on earth by proclaiming the Gospel and serving others.
Helpful Links
St. Theresa Catholic School
Email: stt@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stt.eics.ab.ca/
Location: 2021 Brentwood Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-464-4001
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St.TheresaCatholicMiddleSchool/