As we enter the holy season of Lent, we are reminded of the powerful lessons in Luke 4:1-13, where Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness. This scripture invites us to reflect deeply on the choices we make and the direction in which we are headed. It challenges us to consider whether we are truly facing the bigger questions of life - God, meaning, purpose, and eternal life.

In this season of Lent, we are called to confront these questions and wrestle with the temptations that pull us away from God's will. Am I becoming the person God wants me to be, or am I being drawn towards something else? The first temptation, seeking comfort and sensual pleasure, asks us to consider if we prioritize ease over spiritual growth. The second temptation, the allure of power and glory, challenges us to examine whether we seek status at the expense of humility. The third temptation, rooted in pride and self-centeredness, pushes us to consider if we are placing ourselves at the centre, rather than God.

Lent calls us to examine these temptations and grow in faith, seeking to align ourselves with God’s will, trusting that through prayer, fasting, and reflection, we can become more fully the people God intends us to be.

Monday, March 10

- Substitute Teacher Appreciation Week!

Tuesday, March 11

- Grade 9 Girls BBall Playoffs at Lakeland Ridge. Game starts at 4:00 pm.

- Grade 9 Boys BBall Playoffs at Fr Haythorne. Game starts at 4:00 pm.

- Transition to High School Parent Information Night at 6:30 pm in the ABJ Library Learning Commons

- French Immersion Information Presentation at 7:30 pm in the ABJ Library Learning Commons

Wednesday, March 12

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

- Grade 9 and 10 Small-Group Assemblies (including information for next year registration)

- ABJ Pep Rally!

Thursday, March 13

- Grade 9 and 10 Small-Group Assemblies (including information for next year registration)

- Senior Badminton Team vs. Beaumont and Archbishop Oscar Romero at Beaumont. Games start at 4:00 pm.

- Ardrossan and Victoria Senior Girls Handball Exhibition Games at 4:45 pm

Friday, March 14

- Grade 9 and 10 Small-Group Assemblies (including information for next year registration)

Upcoming...

March 17

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

March 18

- French Immersion Mass at OLPH Parish

- Registration One-on-Ones (Virtual Bookings) for students going into grades 10 and 11

March 19

- Registration One-on-Ones (Virtual Bookings) for students going into grades 10 and 11

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

Last week, our school community gathered for Ash Wednesday mass to mark the beginning of Lent, a sacred season of reflection, repentance, and renewal. Thank you to our students for their exemplary behaviour and contributions at mass and to all of the family members who joined us. Having family members join our school mass made the celebration even more meaningful, strengthening our sense of faith, community, and shared spiritual journey.

Thank you also to Student Council for serving pancakes on Shrove Tuesday!

Throughout Lent, ABJ will focus on the Eucharist and Eucharist miracles with Adoration also scheduled for April 2nd-17th. The Eucharist is one of the seven sacraments in the Catholic Church and is considered the source and summit of the Christian life. Catholics believe that during Mass, the bread and wine are transformed into the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through a process called transubstantiation. This belief is based on Jesus’ words at the Last Supper "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." (Luke 22:19) Receiving the Eucharist unites us with Christ in a deep, personal way, nourishing our souls, and strengthening our faith.

A Eucharistic miracle has occurred when the Eucharist displays divine signs, often involving the Host (the body of Christ) transforming into visible flesh or bleeding. These miracles serve as powerful signs of Christ's true presence in the Eucharist. Blessed Carlo Acutis, who will be sainted on April 27th, was passionate about Eucharistic miracles and created an online database documenting over 100 such miracles worldwide. You can visit his website here.

Do you want to learn more about transubstantiation and the presence of Christ in the Eucharist? Learn more from Father Mike Schmitz here.

The Rite of Election includes the enrollment of names of all the Catechumens seeking baptism at the coming Easter Vigil. Typically, on the first Sunday of Lent, the Catechumens, their sponsors and families gather at St. Joseph's Basilica. The Catechumens publicly express their desire for baptism to the diocesan bishop. Their names are recorded in a book and they are called the Elect. Congratulations to Loan Aguado, Molly Hetherington-Beriault, and Lyla Reichert as they journey towards Baptism at Easter Vigil supported by peer sponsors from ABJ through our sacramental preparation program, Chosen.

Students going into grades 10 or 11 for the next school year are REQUIRED to attend a meeting with a counsellor, administrator, or member of our Learning Support Team to discuss course choices and finalize course selections for the 2025-2026 school year. These appointments are designed to ensure that your student is not only preparing themselves to successfully attain an Alberta High School Diploma, but also to support their individual high school plan into whatever post-secondary initiatives they might want to pursue.

Please stay tuned to your email for more information to be sent out this week.

Strathcona County Transit is considering staggering the Route 430 and Route 431 service schedule to provide all-day, 15-minute service to the Emerald Hills area. The 430 route would depart Bethel Transit Terminal (BTT) at :00 and :30 of every hour, while the 431 route would continue to depart at :15 and :45. This change will increase service frequency to and from Emerald Hills.

We will be continuing the school specials in the afternoon, however, this change may affect you or your child’s trip to school if they ride any other time of day.

Transit is looking for feedback on this proposed change. To find out more information on the change and to tell us your thoughts visit https://survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90802086/Route-430-431-Potential-Changes-Survey (direct to survey) or www.strathcona.ca/transit (Transit website)

The survey is open until March 14, 2025.

We appreciate your feedback,

Transit Planning

Musical Theatre and Tech Theatre students have been hard at work preparing for the upcoming performance of Big Fish. Behind the scenes, Tech Theatre students have been working on the set, costumes, lighting, sound, and stage management for the production while performers have focused on bringing the story to life through acting, singing, dancing, and the seamless integration of these skills in what is sure to be an amazing show. Be sure to come and enjoy the show running from March 17 to 20 in the ABJ Theatre!

The UA-WiSE High School Outreach (HSO) program is hosting an event for all high school students interested in learning more about one of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) related programs on Sunday, March 16th from 11:30 am to 3 pm in the Engineering Teaching Learning Complex (ETLC) Solarium.

There will be a chance to meet current university students in STEM programs to talk about their experiences in their courses, extracurricular activities, research, co-op programs, and the general university lifestyle. The event will feature a wonderful guest presenter speaking about their academic and career journey and also their specific experiences with diversity and inclusion in STEM. Refreshments and pizza will be provided for lunch and select prizes will be up for grabs for all participants in our fun science filled games!

This RSVP form closes 11:59 pm on Saturday, March 15th.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0BAeikK-74hy16CLmfnhR-wJBkGRe5YnKMrvQPZl_8V7qmw/viewform

If you are a current Grade 11 young woman or gender-diverse student interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math subjects, there is a summer paid research position for you! The Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology, or WISEST organization at the University of Alberta focuses on creating effective programs to empower women and gender-diverse people to pursue careers in STEM.

WISEST recognizes and is committed to ensuring that their programs and applications reflect diversity, equity and inclusion. They recognize that there are historical and ongoing barriers for Indigenous and racialized students in accessing academic programs, as such, WISEST has created pathways for their Summer Research Program. Pathways recognizes diverse lived experiences and educational journeys.

If you are interested in learning more about the WISEST Summer Research Program and how to apply, visit their website at www.uab.ca/WISEST. Applications open March 3rd, 2025!

See Mrs. Wetzstein if you have any questions!

The Edmonton Community Foundation is now accepting applications for our Young Edmonton Grants (YEG) stream. The YEG Program provides local youth with funding to turn their ideas into reality. This program supports projects initiated, led, and organized by young residents of Edmonton and the surrounding area, aged 13 to 24. The application deadline is March 15, 2025, for projects starting after May 1, 2025.

Successful YEG applications will:

• Be awarded grants between $500-$3,000
• Be initiated and organized by Edmonton and area residents aged 13 to 24
• Partner with a registered Canada Revenue Agency charity (including schools)

Students can apply and learn more here: YEG Grants

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.

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.

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.

The cheer team competed in the Edmonton metro zones and scholastic classic over the weekend, and took home 5th place. At Scholastic Classic the team “hit zero” which is a huge accomplishment for us, meaning the routine had no deductions. Here is a video of the performance and some pictures from the event!

After finishing the regular season 10-1 and on a 9 game winning streak, the junior boys had to find a new level of compete to have success in playoffs! The quarterfinal game was an intense back and forth battle that saw the Scots emerge victorious with a 67-65 win over MMM. On to the semi final game where we faced a tough Paul Kane team, but we were able to control the second half and walk away with a 61-55 win, securing us a spot in the Metro Championship on Friday night. The team set a goal at the beginning of the season to not only make it to that game, but get another banner up in our gym…. And after battling through a tough first 3 quarters, your Scots came to play in the 4th!!!! Intense defense, steals, fast breaks, exciting 3’s…. The 4th quarter had it all and the 2024-2025 ABJ Junior boys are METRO CHAMPIONS!!!…. The coaches are incredibly proud of the 13 athletes that suited up every game, pushed each other every practice and remained focused on the goal, well done boys, you earned this Championship!!!

The senior girls played the number one seed, Louis St. Laurent, on Monday. They had an incredible game and worked so hard. Unfortunately they lost by 3 points. It was a nail biter until the very end. Congrats on a great season girls!

Congratulations to the senior boys for an impressive season of basketball. Not quite the finish they wanted but the season was sure filled with great moments! Best of luck to our grade 12 players moving on next year and thank you to the coaches for volunteering their time. Go Scots!

The Junior Girls' Basketball team wrapped up their season with a hard-fought quarter-final game, demonstrating resilience and teamwork despite a tough loss to St. FX. Throughout the season, the team showed tremendous growth, dedication, and sportsmanship, making their coaches and school community proud. Congratulations to the players on a great season, and a heartfelt thank you to the coaches for their time, leadership, and support in guiding the team!

After finishing the regular season in 3rd place, the Grade 9 boys defeated Lakeland Ridge 41-25 in their first playoff game last Tuesday. They now play at FR Haythorne on Tuesday, March 14th at 4:00 pm in the semifinals.

The grade 9 girls defeated SCA at home on Tuesday in the first round of playoffs. They are back in action for semi-finals against their season-long rival, Lakeland Ridge, this Tuesday, March 11th. The game starts at 4:00 pm at Lakeland Ridge. Come cheer them on; go Scots!

Students can sign up directly on Google Forms here: https://forms.gle/eLN8XymvghR8jeim8

Parental/Guardian consent is required for all youth volunteers - we will be sending a separate form to Parents/Guardians for consent.

As a result of community feedback, a draft 2026-2027 calendar is being shared for feedback. This feedback will be shared with the board for final approval in March. Please share any feedback you have on this Google form: Draft 2026-2027 EICS School Calendar Feedback. The form will be open March 9 to 13. Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

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.

The February edition of the Elk Island Catholic Schools Board of Trustees Monthly Highlights is now available! This month’s updates provide insight into ongoing initiatives, enrolment trends, and faith-based activities happening across our division.

Here’s a glimpse of what’s included:

• School Calendars: Approval of the 2025-2026 calendars and a tentative plan for the 2026-2027 calendar in Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, and Vegreville, with community feedback still to come.
• Student Transportation: The return of the Give A Pencil Car Wash fundraiser and plans for a Faithful Journeys program to encourage positive bus behaviour.
• Enrolment Projections: Early estimates indicate nearly 9,000 students will be attending EICS schools in 2025-2026.
• Artificial Intelligence in EICS: A new subcommittee is working on an administrative procedure to guide AI use in the division.
• Community Engagement: The Flying Fathers hockey games brought faith and fun together for students and staff.

These are just a few of the updates from this month’s meeting. Read the full highlights to stay informed about what’s happening in EICS.

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.