Fast Friday Facts

Hello Saints family!

We're happy to be back to routine, and on to the next adventure at St. Mary's! Take a quick look at these highlights of the week to come:

Tuesday January 14

-Grade 1-6 Swimming Placement Forms are due online. We've been blessed with a generous grant from the County of Grande Prairie to make swimming lessons at the Eastlink Centre possible for our grades 1-6 students. Please be sure to complete the form at this link before Tuesday: Assessment Form Link: https://forms.gle/VzyabU1rFfMYKu6m9

Wednesday January 15

- Skating Day for all students in grades 1-8! Every Wednesday this month our students will have the opportunity to take our Phys-Ed classes to the Sexsmith Arena. Skates and helmets are required (we have extras if needed), and we appreciate volunteers who can help tie skates!

- Last call for our next vendor- hot lunch, delicious Wok Box, to be served on Thursday January 23rd. Be sure to log into PowerSchool to place your order before midnight!

-Hot Dog pre-orders for lunch on Thursday are due to the office. Thank you for providing the Booster Group with exact change, and clearly labelled orders.

Thursday January 16

-MicroSociety Market Day! Our MicroSociety ventures have been working hard to create innovative products, and students are excited to shop using their hard-earned "Saints Bucks" paychecks supporting their peers. We're looking forward to this showcase of creativity and entrepreneurship as our student-run businesses launch for the first time! Our first market of the year will be open for students only, but we're excited to welcome our community in soon!

-Hot Dog Day. Hurray for our hard working Booster Group volunteers! Interested in lending a hand? Contact them through Facebook!

Friday January 17

-Healthy hearts, healthy minds, healthy bodies! Our Saints will start the day with a walk together, like we do every Friday!

Our virtue of the week will be Resilience - key for our Saints as they navigate the path to the first Market of the year—and life in general!

A quick heads up for families of our grades 4-8 students... We have begun planning our annual SKI TRIP for the end of the month! We'll send out more details soon, but wanted to let you know that there will be a fee associated with this trip (to be determined, but could be in the range of $40-$55/ student). We're excited to hit the slopes, and will keep you posted as we firm up details!

We hope you enjoy a fantastic weekend!

Students in grades 1-8 will be gliding their way into a healthier new year, as we take our Phys-Ed classes to the Sexsmith Arena every Wednesday this month! Students will ride our district "white bus" to the rink for their classes, but will still need warm gear for their time on the ice. Be sure to send helmets and skates every Wednesday. We have some extras for those that do not have, and are always looking for donation of others that have been previously loved by families! We're also very grateful to have extra hands to tie skates at the rink!

Saints' City has been bustling with activity as approved ventures have hired employees, created budgets, and swiftly moved into production for our first Market Day. The Town Council has also been working diligently—establishing minimum wage standards, setting tax rates, and laying the groundwork for a strong and thriving economy.

Each venture has faced its share of "messy problems," but we’re proud of the resilience our Saints have shown in navigating challenges and finding solutions.

Photo: Council members announce newly passed bills!

Does your family have a case of the sandwich blues? We’ve got you covered! Log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal and order hot lunches from our favorite vendors. Orders for our next Hot Lunch, Wok Box, are due on Wednesday January 15th at midnight, for lunch to be served Thursday Thursday January 23rd.

While you're in PowerSchool, save time and place orders for lunches all the way to Spring Break! Orders close about a week before the scheduled date, so you don’t have to order all at once, but you can if that's easier for you! There will be no refund for lunches missed due to student absence.

Need help with your PowerSchool account? Call Mrs. Nelson, she's here to help!

https://gpcsd.powerschool.com/public/

St. Mary's does not charge base fees for the academic year, however, certain programs do have fees attached.

Fees for our Pre-K program are due monthly by the 4th of each month.

Junior High CTS classes have been invoiced and emailed home. Statements will reflect fees for the whole year, however, only fees associated with Term 1 are past due, and Term 2 fees will be due on Jan. 20th.

Fees related to the upcoming Grade 4-8 ski trip will be available to pay in PowerSchool soon.

Extra Curricular and sports teams also have fees attached, and are due before the first event for each team.

Fees can easily be paid online through the PowerSchool Parent portal, or in person in the office. Please don't hesitate to contact the office if you have any questions or would like to make arrangements for payment.

https://gpcsd.powerschool.com/public/

St. Mary's Catholic School is located on the beautiful lands of Treaty 8 Territory. We respectfully honour the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples who have lived on and cared for these lands since time immemorial and who continue to do so today.

Email: stmarys@gpcsd.ca
Website: stmarys.gpcsd.ca
Location: 9001 103 St, Sexsmith, AB, Canada
Phone: (780) 568-3631
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StMarysSX