Madonna Catholic School News

Dear Madonna Catholic School Community,

Next week marks the beginning of a sacred season in our Catholic faith, with Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday holding profound significance, especially in the context of an elementary Catholic school.

Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, is the day before the season of Lent begins. Traditionally, it is a day of celebration, as it offers a final opportunity to enjoy rich foods before the fasting and sacrifices of Lent. The word "shrove" comes from "shrive," which means to confess sins and seek forgiveness. Historically, people ate pancakes on this day to use up ingredients like eggs, milk, and sugar, which were often avoided during the upcoming Lenten fast.

To honor this tradition, our School Council will be offering students a special pancake treat on the morning of Tuesday, March 4. The more hands we have to help, the more smoothly the event will run. If you are able to assist, even for a short period of time, we would be grateful for your support.

Ash Wednesday, which follows immediately after Shrove Tuesday, marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period devoted to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving in preparation for Easter. On this day, Catholics receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross as a reminder of human mortality and our call to repentance. The priest or minister often says, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return," inviting us all to reflect deeply on our relationship with God. Ash Wednesday is an invitation to renew our faith, to embrace the spirit of sacrifice, and to seek spiritual transformation. We will travel by bus to attend Mass and receive ashes. Parents are warmly invited to join us for the 12:15 p.m. service at OLPH Parish.

These two days offer our students an important opportunity to reflect on their spiritual lives, make meaningful choices, and open their hearts in preparation for the joy and hope of Easter.

Enjoy the beautiful weekend,

Mrs. Cathy Hinger, Principal

Mrs. Fiona Wimmer, Assistant Principal

Monday, March 3

• Assembly at 9:00 - All Welcome!

Tuesday, March 4

• Shrove Tuesday
• Break the Rules Day

Wednesday, March 5

• Ash Wednesday Mass @ 12:15pm
• Early Dismissal @ 2:15pm

Friday, March 7

• PD Day - No School for Students

Thursday, March 13 - Madonna Open House @ 6:00pm

The EICS Board of Trustees approved the 2025-2026 school year calendars at their Feb. 19 public meeting. Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, and Vegreville Schools

Each year, the goal is to develop a calendar that meets required instruction hours, supports a quality learning environment, and provides for teacher and staff professional development.

In addition, EICS takes into consideration the calendars for Elk Island Public Schools (EIPS) and Battle River School Division (BRSD). While our division provides student transportation in Sherwood Park and Strathcona County, we have cooperative bussing agreements in place with our public board counterparts in Vegreville, Camrose and Fort Saskatchewan.

Please take a moment to complete your next year intentions form available in the colored box when you first sign into your portal (as shown above). This provides important information to the school for next year's enrollment numbers. The link to the form is shown below.

Did you know that you can support EICS by directing your property taxes to Catholic education? Please read this letter from EICS Board of Trustees Chair Le-Ann Ewaskiw to learn about this meaningful opportunity to strengthen Catholic education for our students.

On this exciting adventure, our grade 2 students explored the fascinating world of light and sound! They engaged in activities that helped them understand how light moves, where it comes from, and how its path can be changed. The students also listened to various sounds and learned how to identify their unique characteristics. Through fun, hands-on experiences, they developed important skills in observation and critical thinking, all while deepening their understanding of the wonders of light and sound. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to explore, experiment, and discover in a way that sparked their curiosity and creativity.

This field trip for our Kindergarten students was an exciting adventure that connected directly to the Kindergarten Language Arts and Literacy Curriculum! It provided a unique opportunity for students to expand their vocabulary and develop their storytelling skills. They first enjoyed watching a professional puppeteer perform captivating stories. Then, the students had the chance to interact with the puppets and use them to create and share their own stories. It was a memorable and engaging experience that sparked their creativity and love for storytelling!

Ms. Cholak's ECS class has been learning about the five senses this week. The students did some drawing and discussed wonderful vocabulary words to express their understanding as their teacher led them through the vanilla ice cream recipe. After they demonstrated a lot of patience they were able to eat their science experiment (however we were too busy enjoying the treat and the students smiles to take pictures of the final product! ).

Students at Madonna showed their support for kindness, inclusion, and anti-bullying on Pink Shirt Day! The school came together to raise awareness about bullying prevention, with everyone wearing pink as a symbol of solidarity.

Many students also bought buttons that read "I Stand Up Against Bullying," with proceeds going to the Lurana Shelter, which supports those affected by domestic violence. A big thank you to Ms. Gauthier for coordinating the event and helping raise funds for this important cause.

"As a professional African drummer, I have had the opportunity to learn, collaborate with other groups and establish an African performance group (SANGEA)". Since 2014, Mr Llyod has partnered with Action for Healthy Communities (AHC) and taught African drumming at their summer camps in various parts of the Edmonton area. This past week he came to Madonna and spent the day with every class in the gym...drumming and dancing ALL day!! Reckie says, "it gives me great joy when I see kids play the musical instrument they are passionate about. The chance I didn't have as a kid. I believe drumming is not just entertainment, it is a tool used to unite the community. Music speaks to the heart, that's why it is so effective when used to build cultural bridges."

Dear Madonna Families.

As you have a child registered with Madonna Catholic School you are automatically a part of our school council. We are presently in need of some volunteers to sit on the Executive Council to help run the school council.

We are looking to fill 3 positions. Our Chair of the past three years, Kerstin Adamson has stepped down, Vice-Chair, Sheana Aronyk, and Nicole Howes our Secretary are stepping down, and we urgently need replacements to keep our School Council running. The roles are not challenging and Kerstin will provide support for a smooth transition. ASCA (Alberta School Councils’ Association) also offers courses to help you succeed.

School Council Chair Roles and Responsibilities:

- Chair all meetings of the school council, and create the agenda for meetings

- Be the official spokesperson of the school council

- Help plan fundraisers

- Comply with the School Councils Regulation by providing the school board with an annual report

that summarizes the school council's activities for the previous school year, including a financial

statement relating to money (Financial Statement done by our Treasurer).

School Councils are mandated under the Education Act, and without these roles filled, many important events and funding could be at risk such as Hot Lunch, Hot Dog Day, Family Games Night, Teacher Appreciation and funding for school activities.

Our AGM (Annual General Meeting) is in April where we would encourage you all to attend as we will be voting in these positions. If you're interested or have questions, please contact us at Madonnasces@gmail.com. Please consider stepping up to help us continue supporting our school community!

We need your help to keep Madonna Catholic School a special place for our students and staff!

Thank you and God Bless,

Madonna Catholic School Council

OLPH (Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish)

Masses at OLPH will be livestreamed. Please join using this link. https://www.facebook.com/olphsherwoodpark/videos/

Visit OLPH Website for more information about the parish and in regards to sacramental preparation.

Visit www.facebook.com/olphsherwoodpark