This passage from Luke’s Gospel, often called the Sermon on the Plain, presents his version of the Beatitudes. They provide a powerful message about the values of God’s kingdom, which stand in contrast to worldly expectations. Jesus descends to a “level place,” emphasizing His closeness to the people—He does not speak from above but among them, embodying humility and solidarity with those who suffer.

His words turn conventional wisdom upside down. The poor, the hungry, the sorrowful, and the persecuted are declared blessed—not because suffering itself is good, but because God sees them, loves them, and promises them a future of hope. Wealth, satisfaction, and worldly praise can create a false sense of security. Jesus warns that those who rely solely on earthly comforts may find themselves lacking in the deeper, eternal joy of God’s kingdom. This is not a condemnation of having resources but a challenge to recognize our dependence on God rather than material wealth.

This passage calls us to trust in God’s promises, to stand in solidarity with the suffering, and to live with humility. It challenges us to ask: Where do we place our hope? Do we seek comfort in worldly success, or do we trust in the greater blessings of God's kingdom?

Monday, February 17

- Family Day. No school.

Tuesday, February 18

- Junior Girls BBall vs. O'Leary at ABJ beginning at 5:00 pm

- Junior Boys BBall at Dr. Anne Anderson beginning at 5:30 pm

- Senior Boys BBall vs. SPA at ABJ beginning at 6:30 pm

Wednesday, February 19

- PEP Day. Choose your session at abjpep.sched.com

- Grade 9 Girls and Boys BBall vs. Lakeland at ABJ. Games at 4:00 and 5:15 pm respectively.

- Senior Boys BBall at Memorial beginning at 5:00 pm

- Senior Girls BBall at St. FX beginning at 6:30 pm

Thursday, February 20

- ABJ Open House 6:00-8:00 pm

- High School Badminton Tryouts from 3:30-5:00 pm

- Junior Boys BBall at Leduc beginning at 5:30 pm

Friday, February 21

- Senior Girls BBall at the Memorial Tournament

- Grade 9 Boys BBall vs. SAB at ABJ beginning at 4:00 pm

Upcoming...

February 24

- PD Day. No school.

February 25

- High School Badminton Tryouts from 3:30-5:00 pm

February 26

- Pink Shirt Day. Stand up against bullying!

- Boys and Girls Rugby information session at lunch time in the Library Learning Commons

March 4

- Shrove Tuesday

March 5

- Ash Wednesday Masses

- Early Dismissal

March 7

- PD Day. No school.

March 17

- PAC Meeting at 6:30 in the ABJ Library Learning Commons

March 21 - 30

- Spring Break

The newsletter is organized based on our four school assurance priorities for this year.

1. Faith Integration
2. Learners and Learning
3. Systemic Wellness
4. Community Engagement

All are welcome to a Healing Service put on by second year students of The Edmonton Encounter Ministries Campus.

If your child is in Phys Ed this semester, please ensure you have signed the Online Phys Ed Consent Forms. You must complete this before your child can attend any field trips. Thank you!

If you are planning on writing a Diploma exam during the April sittings, please contact Ms Johnson ASAP by email zenaj@eics.ab.ca as I need to order exams. The deadline for ordering exams is February 23/25. This is a firm date set by Alberta Education. No exceptions and no late request can be accepted.

With February being Black History month, Leadership 15 and General Psychology 20 were fortunate to have guest speaker Busayo Disu share her experiences and her knowledge of cultural empathy as an immigrant from Nigeria. She outlined common challenges faced by immigrants and highlighted the importance of diversity as well as showing genuine interest in others. We thank Busayo and are grateful for her presence in the community!

ALSO - a reminder that if you applied to a post-secondary program but are waitlisted for your program of choice, once your Diploma Exam marks are in, you can upload a copy of your Detailed Academic Report to your post-secondary account to signal a reevaluation of your grades! See Mrs. Glass or Mrs. St.Amand if you have any questions!

February to June is the peak scholarship period when most scholarships are available for grade 12 students. Many of the students actively looking for scholarships in October and November have dropped off, making this an excellent time for students to find and apply for scholarships!

Better still, new scholarships are continually being added every week. On ScholarTree alone, they have added 31 awards worth over $120,000 in the last week.

Here are some scholarships that either just opened or are ending shortly that may interest:

• https://scholartree.ca/scholarship/ada-indigenous-steam-bursary/ybrm8lQBqnq
• https://scholartree.ca/scholarship/jay-nijholt-scholarship/0yVGYK0BpE
• https://scholartree.ca/scholarship/pathfinder-scholarship-award/yzAwaHt6abX
• https://scholartree.ca/scholarship/utility-safety-partners-scholarship/ymMB1WAowBg (Alberta Students only)
• https://scholartree.ca/scholarship/jsk-consulting-ltd-scholarship-in-memory-of-rolly-walgenbach/N7MqAKDkAbg(Alberta Students only)

REMEMBER - your Scholarship Search Guide is your best place to start if you haven't already. It begins on PAGE 7 so start there!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to Mrs. Glass or Mrs. St.Amand.

See the opportunities that await! Create a big future at our small campus. This event will be in person on campus as well as live-streamed.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

• Grade 11 students can apply now for Fall 2026 through our Jump Start program.
• Grade 12 students who have already applied.
• Grade 12 students who are undecided; applications are open for Fall 2025 until June 30, Winter 2026 applications now open.
• Family, supporters, counsellors, and anyone interested in finding out more about CUE!

WHY SHOULD STUDENTS ATTEND?

• Application fee will be waived – Admissions Advisors will be on hand to assist with the online application (fee waived for domestic students only)
• Registration Advisors will also be on hand to assist Fall 2025 admitted students with registration in courses.
• Faculty presentations from the Deans and in-person booth fair; live stream link will be emailed ahead of time and available on our event webpage, concordia.ab.ca/infonight
• Tours of campus and student residence!
• Students who sign up will receive an application code by email to apply for free!

PLUS

• We're giving away CUE sweaters for in-person applications submitted at Info Night!

If you are looking for programs with open seats for Fall 2025, check out NAIT's options below. We're also bringing you updates on which programs had their competitive requirements removed for the Fall 2025 intake.

Aiming at a Winter 2026 start date instead? Applications will open soon, on March 1.

Click HERE to see Fall 2025 Programs with open seats!

Fall 2025 - Programs without competitive requirements

The following programs have removed their competitive requirements for Fall 2025 only:

• Civil Engineering Technology
• Chemical Engineering Technology
• Construction Engineering Technology
• Engineering Design Technology
• Surveying and Geospatial Engineering Technology
• Electronics Engineering Technology
• Geoscience Technology
• Nanosystems Engineering Technology
• Petroleum Engineering Technology
• Wireless Systems Engineering Technology
• Water and Wastewater Technician

Click HERE to apply for any of these programs!

Winter 2026 applications open March 1!

Winter Applications open on March 1, 2025 for a start date in January 2026. Use the link HERE to apply.

The Winter 2026 intake application at King's University is now open!

King's University offers many programs to equip students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Competitive Scholarships & Financial Aids application is now open!
The competitive scholarship and financial aid application is now open for King's University. These scholarships recognize academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement. The deadline for competitive scholarship is March 31st, 2025.

At Archbishop Jordan Catholic High School, we emphasize the value of in-person learning as part of our mission as a faith-filled community. Guided by Catholic values, we recognize the sacred nature of relationships within our school and affirm the importance of presence and connection, reflecting Christ’s call to walk together in faith and love.

Attendance is essential for not only community but also for academic success. Being present enables students to engage with the curriculum, build relationships, and participate in classroom activities. While absences due to illness or emergencies are sometimes unavoidable, minimizing absences ensures students receive the best education. ABJ’s Attendance Policy emphasizes the importance of regular attendance, noting that missing 20% of a course could lead to interventions or withdrawal due to significant curriculum gaps.

Please see the student letter HERE and the updated ABJ Attendance Process in the button below.

Webinar Wednesdays begin January 15, 2025! Registration is open now. Click here for more information or to register for a session! 6 p.m. MST - learn about program areas and join us for a Faculty Q&A!

February19:

Transitional Employment

February 26:

Animal Health & Equine

March 5:

Trades & Meat

The ABJ Robotics Club delivered an outstanding performance at the Mecha Mayhem tournament in Calgary last weekend, proving their resilience and skill on a highly competitive stage.

Rasputin faced an early setback when their robot initially failed inspection, but with quick thinking and swift modifications, they successfully made it through. Serbia started strong and came incredibly close to securing a spot in the elimination rounds. The Rat Lovers encountered a similar challenge to Rasputin due to size limitations, but they demonstrated remarkable adaptability, adjusting their design to pass inspection. They went on to excel in the qualifying rounds, earning a place in Alliance selection and eliminations. Although they were ultimately knocked out, they put up a valiant fight against some of the top teams in the tournament.

With teams from across Canada and the United States competing, ABJ Robotics showcased not only their technical abilities but also their outstanding sportsmanship. Now, all teams have their sights set on provincials in Fort McMurray on February 21st, where they aim to finish the season strong!"

If you missed the first round of grad wear orders, here is another chance for you to pick up some gear. Orders are expected to be delivered to the school the first week of April.

Our Student Services Counsellors and Family Wellness Workers provide vital support for students’ emotional well-being, academic success, and personal growth. By offering guidance, mental health resources, and a safe space to navigate challenges, they help students thrive both in school and in life.

We are excited to welcome Mrs. Laurie Ciezki (lauriec@eics.ab.ca) to the role of Athletic Director as well as Mrs. Courtney St. Amand (courtney.stamand@eics.ab.ca) as Assistant to the Athletic Director. Please feel free to them for any Athletics comments, questions, or information.

Check out the website for all things Athletics.

Are you interested in playing for the High School badminton team? Tryouts are happening this Thursday, February 20th after school in the Large Gym. All grade 10s, 11s and 12s who would like to participate in the competitive high school badminton season are invited to see M. Kent in Room 145 Tuesday at lunch to sign up for tryouts.

The Senior Boys played an excellent game against Mother Mary Margaret at ABJ on Monday night. They had a safe lead at the start but the MMM Storm pushed closer in the second half, ramping up the tension. Scots ultimately triumphed winning 79 to 73. Go Scots!

The Junior Boys are on a 6 game win streak after 2 big wins this week. They defeated Edmonton Christian 92-58 on Tuesday and then added another big win on the road at Bellerose on Thursday defeating the Bulldogs 91-53. The boys have 2 more away games next week before returning to our home court on Feb. 25 at 5:30….. come cheer on your Scots!

The Grade 9 Boys had a successful week of league play with wins over SCA and Ardrodsan before competing in the SAL tournament. All of the games at the tournament were closely contested with boys finishing 4th overall.

The Grade 9 Girls had a busy week! It started with an exciting 3 point win against SCA on Tuesday, followed by a tough battle and 9 point loss to Ardrossan on Thursday. In the Salisbury tournament on the weekend, the girls won both their Friday night and Saturday morning games to play for gold against Lakeland Ridge. The girls came up just 7 points short and finished with silver. The team is determined to win the rematch against Lakeland Ridge in their league game this coming week. Go Scots!

The January edition of the Elk Island Catholic Schools Board of Trustees Monthly Highlights is now available.

This month’s updates include:

• Faith Formation: Reflections on forgiveness and mercy, guided by Gospel themes, at the January public meeting.
• An Update on the 2025-2026 School Calendars: Tentative approval of next year’s calendars, with final approval planned for an upcoming public Board meeting.
• Technology Upgrades: Enhanced classroom tools, new software, and pilot projects to maximize resources across the division.
• And more!

You can view the full highlights by clicking on this link.

In addition to Google Classrooms for each course, there is also a grade-level Google classroom. Students are asked to accept the invitation when they receive it in their school email. Parents will also be invited and are urged to accept the invitation as well.

The Scots Week at a Glance (SWAG) newsletter will be shared weekly on Sunday evenings or Monday evenings on long weekends. This will also be posted on our website and shared via social media. Stay informed on all things ABJ through the website, blog, and on social media.