The Good News March 9, 2025

This week we begin our Lenten journeys. Lent is a time to pray, to ask for forgiveness, and to share what we have with others. For forty days, we prepare for the new life of Easter. By asking Jesus to show us the way, we can become more loving, caring, compassionate, and forgiving. Through prayer, fasting, and sacrifice our hearts can fill with the joy and love of God

Monday, March 10

• N1 SWC
• School Council Meeting 6:30

• Hot Lunch
• Gr3 TPet
• NK Penguin visit

• Gr4 Hockey Hookey
• N2 SWC
• Open House 6:30

• Regular day

Friday, March 14

• Gr1 Fitset Ninja
• Assembly 1:24

Looking Ahead...

March 17 - Alms Reward sheet and money due

March 18 - Cereal Box Challenge, Parent Teacher Conferences

March 19 - Hot Lunch, Parent Teacher Conferences

March 20- NK TPet (1-3 pm), Kindergarten (additional) Conferences, Alms Reward Day

March 21- Day in Lieu (No school for students)

March 24-28- Spring Break (No school for students)

March 31- Student's first day back after Spring Break

April 4 - NK SWC

April 9 - Gr 3 Harbour Pool

April 14 - N1 SWC, School Council Meeting 6:30

April 16 - N2 SWC

April 18 - Good Friday, no school

Parent-Student-Teacher conferences will take place on Tuesday, March 18th from 3:30-6:00 pm and Wednesday, March 19th from 4:00-6:30 pm. The first 2 hours of each night will be in person conferences, and the last half hour will be virtual via Google Meet.

Kindergarten and Nature Program students will have small group Student Led conferences. Kindergarten will have additional conference times on Thursday, March 20th from 9:00 - 3:00 pm.

An email with all of the details about how to book your interview was sent Thursday, March 6th - check your email!

Your child's Evidence of Learning journey will be shared this week. We are looking forward to connecting with you and your child to celebrate their learning progress and together, setting learning goals for their future growth.

As part of our ongoing commitment to service and community engagement, we are thrilled to announce that we will once again be doing our Lenten Service Project - the Cereal Box Challenge for the Fort Saskatchewan Food Bank. This initiative aims to support those in need within our community while fostering a spirit of generosity and compassion among our students.

We invite all students to participate by bringing in donations of a box of cereal or any non-perishable food items packaged in boxes, such as macaroni and cheese, to contribute to this worthy cause. Donations can be brought to the school starting March 10 to March 18. To celebrate the collective effort and generosity of our community, we will be organizing a special event in the gymnasium. A domino track will be meticulously set up to showcase the impact of our donations as they cascade through the track, symbolizing the ripple effect of our collective kindness and support.

Date: Tuesday, March 18th

Time: 11:00 am

Location: Saint John XXIII Gymnasium

Lent is a special season in our Catholic faith—a time for prayer, fasting, and giving to others. It is a chance to grow closer to God and to show kindness and mercy to those in need.

On Thursday, March 20th, our St. John XXIII students will take part in “Alms Reward” Day as part of our Lenten journey to support the Fort Saskatchewan Food Bank through donations.

This is an optional activity where students (with their family's help) can choose special rewards for the day by making a donation. To participate, families will need to:
✔️ Select the rewards their child would like.
✔️ Send in the completed form and donation in a sealed plastic bag by March 17th.

We look forward to coming together as a school community to live out the spirit of giving this Lent! Thank you for your generosity and support. 💜

Congratulations to our St. John XXIII Choir! They performed at the Fort Saskatchewan Music Festival on Thursday, March 6th.

Thank you to all the students for their hard work and Mrs. Schaub for all of the wonderful work she did to prepare the choir.

Thanks to local restaurant Eggcellent P'Eats, we were able to celebrate our faith tradition of Shrove Tuesday with pancakes and fixings! Our students and staff were so incredibly grateful!

Thank you to all the volunteers who picked up and served this tasty treat to the school and classrooms.

Our School Council values your input and encourages you to share your suggestions on how funds from our school fundraisers should be allocated. We are dedicated to ensuring these funds benefit all students inclusively. Your feedback is vital to us and will be discussed at our monthly School Council meetings. Please click the link to share your ideas with us. https://forms.gle/qqDazTubZ65GUKv89

We’ll be using Munchalunch for ordering hot lunch! It’s a simple, convenient way to choose and pay for your child’s lunch online. You can easily pay with a credit card (Visa/Mastercard), debit-credit card, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or a pre-paid credit card.

How to Register:

1) Go to: https://munchalunch.com/schools/stjohnXXIII

2) Click the “Register Here” button (as shown below). The system will guide you through the registration process.

3) After adding your children, click the green “Order Lunch!” button to order.

4) Next time, just click the “Login Here” button to access your account.

Ordering Information:

Online ordering for March Hot Lunch is live:

• Wednesday, March 19 - Montana's

Important Reminders:

• Orders will be accepted up to 7 days before the hot lunch date.

• If your child is ill or absent on a hot lunch date, you’re welcome to pick up their lunch order by 11:30 AM. If you’re unable to do so, please consider it a donation for a child in need.

• Please note that we are unable to issue refunds. We appreciate your support of our hot lunch program, as the prices include costs associated with running the program and help raise funds that benefit the student experience at our school. Thank you for your understanding!

If you need assistance with ordering, please contact our hot lunch coordinator Brandy at Hotlunchstjohnxxiii@gmail.com

We're excited to offer our remaining Big Box of Cards sets! Each box contains 35 handcrafted cards for just $36.32. Choose between the All Occasion box or the Birthday box set—perfect for any celebration!

Hurry, as these sets are available on a first come, first serve basis and quantities are limited. You can order as many boxes as you'd like from our available stock, so be sure to stock up for all your upcoming events! Payment is quick and easy through MunchaLunch, and must be made at the time of order. Don’t miss out on this fantastic deal!

All current St. John XXIII students are required to fill out the Next Year Intentions form (and not a new registration form) in PowerSchool so that we can plan accordingly for next year. Please log into your PowerSchool account and fill out the Next Year Intentions form. This form is located on the left hand side, above the Grades and Attendance dropdown. Please refer to the PowerSchool page on our website for more information.

Nature Kindergarten

Looking for a full-time kindergarten option that nurtures curiosity, independence, and a love for the outdoors? Our Nature Kindergarten program offers an enriching extension to regular kindergarten, operating on Mondays, Thursdays, and some Wednesdays, allowing children to attend five days a week.

This curriculum-aligned, play-based program immerses students in nature, fostering learning through hands-on exploration that engages the body, mind, and spirit. Children spend a large part of their day outside, developing confidence, resilience, and a deep connection to the world around them.

The cost for this full-time kindergarten experience is $350 per month

Nature Program – Grades 1 to 4

Imagine your child exploring forests, discovering wildlife, and learning through hands-on experiences—all while covering the grade-level curriculum in a dynamic outdoor setting! Our Nature Program provides students with two half-days of outdoor learning each week, where they develop physical literacy, independence, and a deep connection to the natural world. This unique, curriculum-aligned program turns science, math, social studies, and literacy into real-world adventures, making learning more engaging and meaningful.

The cost for this enriching experience is $60 per month—an investment in curiosity, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

If your child is currently attending St. John XXIII, and you would like to register in one of our Nature Programs (K,1, 2, 3, 4) please submit a B.3) Supplemental Program Registration form

Please visit our website to access the Nature Programs Parent Handbook, found in the Quick Links

At St. John XXIII, we are committed to creating a Christ-centered, distraction-free learning environment that nurtures the well-being of all students. To support this, personal digital devices (cell phones, tablets, smartwatches, and gaming devices) should remain at home or stored in backpacks and powered off during school hours (8:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.) unless used for teacher-led instruction. All parent communication during the day should go through the school office to minimize classroom disruptions. Thank you for helping us foster a focused and faith-filled learning space!

The EICS Board of Trustees has officially approved the 2025-2026 school year calendar. A big thank you to the parents who joined our school council meetings to share feedback—your input is always valued and appreciated!

Each year, the goal is to create a calendar that balances required instructional hours with quality learning time for students while also ensuring meaningful professional development for staff. EICS also considers local school division calendars to align where possible, especially for transportation purposes.

One key update for next year: schools in Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, and Vegreville will have early dismissal every Wednesday.

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.

Nominations are now open for the upcoming Municipal and School Board Election, October 20, 2025.

Information and nomination forms are available on our division website:

• EICS Catholic School Trustee Election Information

• Division Blog Post - Nominations are Open for the 2025 Election

Thinking of Trusteeship? This handbook provides essential information about the role of Catholic school board trustees, and the unique mission of publicly funded Catholic education. Please click here:

• 2025 Municipal Election - Handbook for Prospective Candidates

Email: stj@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stj.eics.ab.ca/
Location: 9526 89 Street, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-998-7777
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St.JohnXXIII
Twitter: @St_JohnXXIII