St. Martin's Catholic School

December 1, 2024

✍🏻 Office Information

Brief Message From the Office Staff

Our Advent season is upon us. As always, we are looking for ways to help the students really understand and appreciate the true spirit of Christmas. We have Spirit Days that are listed on the Mark the Calendar section of this SMORE and as a school, we will have projects for staff and students to participate in this Advent Season to support the Christmas Bureau, Food Bank, and Catholic Social Services. For more information please see the Advent Letter that was sent home linked below.

Other Highlights of this weeks Newsletter:

Cultural Empathy 💃👯🕺
Christmas Spirit Days 🎄🎅⛄
Provincial Assessment for Kindergarten 💯📝⌛

👉👉👉ADVENT INFORMATION LETTER👈👈👈

STMN Office Staff:

🎅Mr. Darby Murphy (Principal)

⛄Mrs. Melanie Sorochan (Ast. Principal)

🎄Ms. Fronde Dubuc (Secretary)

📸 Highlights of the Week

Cultural Empathy Presentation Inspires St. Martin’s Students

This week, St. Martin's Catholic School was honored to welcome Olubusayo Disu for a powerful and thought-provoking Cultural Empathy Presentation. Originally from Nigeria and now a proud resident of Sherwood Park, Busayo shared her personal journey of moving to Canada, highlighting the importance of embracing diversity, understanding different cultural perspectives, and building empathy in our daily lives.

Through stories and meaningful discussions, Busayo encouraged students to celebrate what makes each of us unique while recognizing the shared humanity that connects us all. Her message resonated deeply, fostering an atmosphere of respect and compassion in our school community.

We are incredibly grateful to Busayo for sharing her experiences and wisdom with us. Her presentation was an inspiring reminder of the strength and beauty in cultural diversity. Thank you for making such a meaningful impact on our students!

🌟 Community Engagement

Join Us for Our Parent Council/Foundation Meeting on Dec 2nd!

We are excited to invite all parents and guardians to our upcoming Parent Council Meeting on MONDAY Dec. 2nd at St. Martin's Catholic School. This is a wonderful opportunity to get involved, share your ideas, and help shape the future of our school community.

Your input and participation are invaluable in ensuring that our school continues to be a nurturing and engaging environment for our children. Whether you're a returning member or new to the council, we welcome you to join us for a productive and collaborative evening.

The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM in the school staff room. There will be a virtual link sent out the day of the meeting by email for those who are unable to attend in person but we hope you can join us. We look forward to seeing you there and working together to make a positive impact on our school!

VISIT HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION https://stmartins.fundraiserorders.com/admin/

📆 Mark the Calendar

Dec. 2: Parent Council/Foundation Meeting @ 7:00pm
Dec. 4: Early Dismissal - School is Done by 1:55 ⏰
Dec. 4: BP's Hot Lunch 🍕
Dec. 16: DIV 1 Christmas Concert - Dress Reher. @ 1:00 and Concert @ 7:00 🎼
Dec. 18: PreK and Kinder Christmas Concert @ 6:00pm 🎶
Dec. 18: DIV 2 Christmas Concert - Dress Reher. @ 1:00 and Concert @ 7:00 🎶
Dec. 20: Last Day of Classes before Christmas Break
Dec. 21-Jan. 5: CHRISTMAS BREAK
Jan. 6: First Day Back
Jan. 8: Early Dismissal - School is Done by 1:55 ⏰

🎄 CHECK OUT OUR CHRISTMAS SPIRIT DAYS BELOW! 🎄

🏫 Learners and Learning

STMN Kindergarten - Provincial Assessment Letter

As a Catholic school division rooted in Christ, we are committed to supporting the growth of each child as they develop their God-given potential. In January 2025, all students enrolled in Kindergarten across Alberta will participate in provincially developed literacy and numeracy standard assessments. Additionally, we wish to inform you that this year, we will pause the Kindergarten January report card. This decision allows teachers the time to focus on administering the new provincially mandated assessments.

Please find more information in our Provincial Assessment Letter. This letter will also be printed and sent home with your child in Kindergarten. If you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out.

😁 Systemic Wellness

PEPY @ St. Martin's

Thank you to Steven and Nicole from the PEPY team for introducing St. Martin's Catholic School to the PEPY Energy Dots today. PEPY is an energy coaching system that supports the well-being of individuals in various settings, such as schools and workplaces. It uses a strength-based approach that emphasizes the development of the whole person, focusing on three major areas: Spiritual Health, Social Health, and Physical Health. Check out more at their website https://www.pepy.life/

⛪ Faith Formation @ STMN

Grade 6 Retreat at St. Martin's of Tours Parish

On Wednesday, our Grade 6 students from St. Martin’s Catholic School participated in a meaningful retreat at St. Martin’s of Tours Parish. The day was filled with reflection, faith-building activities, and opportunities for spiritual growth, bringing our students closer to God and to one another knowing that they are Rooted In Christ.

A heartfelt thank-you goes to Father Robert for graciously hosting our students and sharing his wisdom and guidance throughout the day. His presence and leadership helped make the retreat a truly special experience.

We also extend our gratitude to Mrs. Salsbury, our dedicated Grade 6 teacher, for organizing this wonderful retreat. Her careful planning and commitment ensured the day was both engaging and spiritually enriching for all involved.

This retreat was a beautiful reminder of the importance of nurturing faith in our students and fostering a strong connection to our parish community. Thank you to everyone who made this day possible!

Elevate Youth Retreat

The 3rd Annual Edmonton Archdiocese ELEVATE Youth Retreat led by FacetoFace Ministries will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Sherwood Park on Saturday, January 25, 2026. OLPH Parish is located at 13 Brower Drive, Sherwood park AB. Elevate is a Youth Retreat for grades 6-8! Come to encounter the Lord, have fun, and be empowered to become a modern-day saint!

The conference includes lots of fun, keynote talks, praise and worship, Adoration, and more.

Registration fee includes lunch, all supplies and activities and covers the cost to bring in FacetoFace Ministries.