Wolf Weekly

God, source of all hope,

We pray that you will continue to light the candle of hope in our hearts every day, And that hopefully one day soon you’ll fulfill all of our hopes for this world.

Amen

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

• Dec 1 First Sunday of Advent - Hope
• Dec 2 - TERM 2 Starts
• Dec 2-6 - CTF Showcase Week (3:15 - 4:00 PM in the Learning Commons)
• Dec 2 - Junior Boys Basketball Tryout Gr 7 & 8 ONLY
• Dec 2 - Junior Girls BasketballTryout Gr 7 & 8 ONLY
• Dec 3 - SKILLS Alberta Exploration Days Gr 9 Students
• Dec 3 - Junior Girls BasketballTryout Gr 7 & 8 ONLY
• Dec 3 - Junior Boys BasketballTryout Gr 7 & 8 ONLY
• Dec 3, 4, 5 - Grade 6, 7 and 8 Sendero Presentations
• Dec 4 - Father Henri Voisin Feast Day
• Dec 4 - Junior Boys BasketballTryout Gr 7 & 8 ONLY
• Dec 4 - Junior Girls BasketballTryout Gr 7 & 8 ONLY
• Dec 5 - P.O.D. Youth Ministry @ Camille 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• Dec 6 -Band Workshop (afterschool) & Showcase Performance (@ 7:00 PM)

We are thrilled to take a moment to recognize Mr. Jacobson for his exceptional commitment and unwavering dedication to our school division and faith community.

Mr. Jacobson has faithfully served as a Faith Mentor for over 10 years, providing invaluable support to new teachers across the division and playing a key role in nurturing the faith development of both students and educators. His work is a true reflection of his love for Christ and his desire to share that love with others.

Recently, Mr. Jacobson was honored by our division’s superintendent, Dr. Kathleen Finnigan, for his incredible contributions. His tireless work has helped lay a strong foundation for faith formation in our schools, strengthening connections to our faith communities and inspiring others with his confidence and care.

We are incredibly grateful for Mr. Jacobson’s dedication, and we are blessed to have him as part of our school community. Thank you, Mr. Jacobson, for your years of service and your ongoing impact on all of us.

Congratulations to our own Student Teacher Mr. Cole Wicker for being recognized as Red Deer Polytechnic's Athlete of the Week for November 22-24. Mr. Wicker is in his 4th year of the Bachelor of Education program. We are lucky to have him join our school community until December 20th.He is a guard with The Kings Men's Basketball team. Wicker was named the North Star Sports Kings Player of the Game. Check out rdnewsNow for more details.

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! This week's highlight photos are from grade 7.

We are excited to announce that the St. Francis Learning Commons will be hosting a special showcase of class projects during the week of December 2-6. This event is a fantastic opportunity to explore the wide range of courses offered at St. Francis, as students from various subjects will be displaying their creative and academic work.

From science experiments to history presentations, art displays, and more, this exhibit will provide a glimpse into the incredible learning happening across our school. It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the achievements of our students and to highlight the diverse and dynamic curriculum that makes St. Francis such a unique place of learning.

We encourage Parents, to visit the Learning Commons during this week from 3:15 to 4:00pm to experience these projects firsthand. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the variety of courses available and to support our talented students!

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.

Early Bird Registration Deadline with payment is Friday December 13, 2024. (Early Bird price $40, After December 13 price is $50)

Doors open for check in at 9:15 am

Retreat 9:30 am - 4:15 pm

(Parent/Guardian/Group Leader must sign child in and out)

Options for payment are:

• EFT to OLPH.etransfer@caedm.ca with "Child's Name - Youth Conference" typed in the note.
• Pay in person with Cash/Cheque/Debit/Credit Card at OLPH Parish Office.
• Mail cheque payable to OLPH Parish to 13 Brower Drive, Sherwood Park AB, T8H 1Y7 (write "Child's Name - Youth Conference" on the bottom of cheque)

Sign up link: https://ourladyofperpetualhelpsp.flocknote.com/signup/151904

As we approach the holiday season, we’re excited to kick off once again our annual Giving Tree Christmas Project in support of Catholic Social Services.

With the help of several dedicated RDCRS schools, some of whom have been partnering with CSS year after year, this project continues to thrive. Thanks to the unwavering support of the community, we are able to reach countless families, spreading holiday joy and bringing the true spirit of the season to those in need.

This year, with an even greater demand for assistance, we are asking for your support to buy gift cards that will allow families the freedom to choose what suits their needs best, making a meaningful impact on their lives.

Walmart gift cards of $25 or $50 can be dropped off at the school by December 6, 2024.

For the first time, we are also very thrilled to offer the option for digital donations, where you can select your participating school! Please use the following link: Giving tree link

Thank you for your generosity and support!

Let’s work together to make this Christmas a season of hope and joy for every family we serve.

The Catholic Register is conducting its 14th annual children’s Christmas drawing contest.

The top entry will receive a prize and the winning drawings will appear in The Register’s Christmas edition! Open to children from Grades 1 - 8!

Details here: https://ow.ly/E4IU50U5kCg

Reminder that statements for school fees have been emailed out.

1. Access PowerSchool through the Parent Portal.

2. Sign in using your POWERSCHOOL Username & Password.

3. Click on the link "School Fees & Forms" located on the left-hand side

4. Methods of payment include Visa, Visa Debit, MasterCard and Debit MasterCard only.

Mandatory School Fees:

CTS/Options Fee - $20 This fee supports the delivery of Option Classes for all grade levels

School Council - PAC (Parent Council) Fee - $35 This fee supports year-end field trips, activities, and special projects etc. for all grade levels to support student life

Lockes & Lockers Fee - $5 This fee covers the locker and 1 lock rental. Non-refundable. If the lock is lost and needs to be replaced there will be an additional fee charged

Grade 9 Farewell Fee - $10 (Grade 9 students only) This fee supports the celebration of our graduating Grade 9 students

Band Instrument Maintenance Fee - $150 (Grade 7-9 only)

Extra-Curricular Fees:

Athletics

Badminton - $30

Cross Country Running Club - $30

Sports Development - $25

Jr Teams - $75

Sr Teams - $175

Ski Club

Canyon - $110-$310 (Depending on Package Selected)

Nakiska - $120-$130 (Depending on Package Selected)

The 2024/2025 RDCRS Student Information Update Form has been sent out to all parents. This form needs to be completed every year, even if there are no changes. This is a legal document that is required by Alberta Education. Please check your email for the link or go to your powerschool account using the web browser and click the SchoolEngage tab. The link for powerschool can be found on our St. Francis website. If you are not able to sign into your powerschool account please contact the school and we can reset your password.