Madonna Catholic School News

Dear Madonna Catholic School Community,

This Sunday’s Gospel (Luke 5:1-11) reminds us of the power of faith and trust in God’s plan. When Jesus told Simon to cast his nets into deep water, he obeyed, even though he had caught nothing all night. The result was an overwhelming abundance of fish—a reminder that when we place our trust in Jesus, He provides more than we could ever imagine. Just as Simon, James, and John left everything to follow Him, we are also called to follow Christ in our daily lives, sharing His love and wisdom with those around us.

At Madonna Catholic School, we see this reflected in our students and staff each day, whether in the classroom, during assemblies, or through the many special learning opportunities we are blessed to experience.

Registration for next school year has started. We have already competed the first round of Cogito Student Profiles. If you are interested please go to the first page of the website for more information.

Be sure also to check your child’s backpack for details on a special reading experience, thanks to the wonderful coordination of our librarian, Mrs. Bonsant.

Wishing you a warm and restful long weekend,

Mrs. Cathy Hinger, Principal

Mrs. Fiona Wimmer, Assistant Principal

Wednesday, February 12 - Parent Council Meeting at 7:00pm Virtual Link

Thursday, February 20 - OLPH School Open House for our current grade 4 students

Friday, February 21 - Madonna Family Dance 6:00-8:00pm

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.

Our Trustees have "Approved in Principle" the EICS calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. One key change you'll notice is that every Wednesday will now be early dismissal days to allow time for ongoing Professional Development for our staff. If you have any feedback about the calendar, please join us at the next School Council meeting on February 12th at 7:00 PM. We will collect feedback at this time to share with the Board.

As we plan for next year our intention at Madonna is to offer our full day kindergarten for both Mainstream and Cogito streams on the following days: Mondays and Thursdays (with alternating Wednesdays). Tuesdays and Fridays (with alternating Wednesdays). A fulltime kindergarten program is also available with a fee to be confirmed soon.

Fr Roger came to speak and read to Mrs. Fawcett's Cogito kindergarten class last week. He spoke abotu his call to join the preisthood and how everyone has a soul.

Mrs. Pineau is our Preschool teacher here at Madonna and would you believe she once upon a time was a student here too…in fact the classroom she teaches in once housed an above ground swimming pool where she took life saving lessons!

Mrs. Pineau has spent her career with EICS but the last seven have been here at Madonna. She really loves the people she meets and works with each day - both the little and taller variety.

When it is summer time she greatly enjoys hiking in the badlands of Alberta searching for fossils with her daughter. Spending time with her husband and their dogs…or a good book is time well spent too.

Today we presented our school community with a wealth of cultural learning about our incredible North! We focussed throughout the day on the many cultural and traditional games commonly seen in the Northern countries around the world. Check out the video below to learn a little more about the sporting events showcased every two years. Thank you to Ms. Gauthier, Mrs. Odiobala and Mrs. Fortier for leading us in this delightful day of active learning. We did have to hold off on some outdoor events like Winter Walking and the chance to use Snowshoes but we hope to include these very soon with our classes as the weather improves.

Please take some time to participate in our survey. This survey helps set the direction for next year. Chenck your email for the link. Thank-you for your feedback!

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 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