St. Gabriel Education Centre

Dear St. Gabes students and families,

Happy March!

We are very excited to announce some big changes to St. Gabriel Education Centre!

First, we have a brand new logo! Check it out below.

We will also be offering grade 10 French Immersion programming next year for online students. This program will be open province wide. Students can take one or more courses with us.

Our grades 7-9 online school will join our St. Gabes community as well. Students will be learning online from home so St. Gabes won't look any different than it does now but if you know of anyone in junior high looking for online education, please ask them to contact me.

Students were expected to be caught up in their course work by Friday, March 4. This week, if you are significantly behind, or haven't started your course work yet, you will face course suspension. Should you not be able to access your courses, that means you've been suspended and will need to make an appointment with me to set up a schedule for success.

This week we are beginning the period in our liturgical calendar called Lent. Please read below for information about our calendar for the month of March. There are some important dates to pay attention to.

Many Blessings to you all,

Renee Trottier,

principal

March 4 - All students must be caught up in their school work

March 7 - School Council meeting

March 15 - Parent Teacher interviews.

March 17 - St. Patrick's Day. We will have green treats!

March 18 - PD Day. School Closed

March 25 - Spring Break begins

April 4 - First day back from Spring Break

If you are interested in registering for next year, please click on the link HERE. You can find out more about St. Gabes by checking out our website or calling one of the staff.

Many of you have joined us online but are still registered at your home base school. If you would like to join St. Gabes as a full time student and not a concurrent student, please fill out the registration package and select "NEW" student and then be sure to check the box in the drop down menu for St. Gabriel Education Centre Outreach. You should also email your school's administration and let them know that you are transferring your child/children to St. Gabes. Please contact Mrs. Trottier if you have questions about this process.

If you know anyone interested in online education for junior high or grade 10 online French Immersion, please tell them to contact me at the school.

If you're a parent of a student who is under 18 years old and studying full time at St. Gabes, you would have received a survey in the mail. Please fill it out and return it to the government. We really value your feedback about our school and how we can improve so that we can provide the best possible education for your children. Thank you in advance.

Students, we have codes for you at school so that you can fill out the survey at school.

Interviews are Tuesday, March 15 from 5:00-8:00 via Google Meet.

Please use the code below to book interviews. You will receive an automatic email with the link to join the meeting. Please make sure you save that email as it is the only way you will be able to enter the interview.

https://www.schoolinterviews.ca/code/2ze2n

Code - 2ze2n

To order print or digital products please visit:

https://schoolorders.solaro.com/0378

To help reduce shipping charges, orders will be individually packaged, aggregated and shipped to the school for pick up by each student. Orders can be placed between March 4, 2022 and March 12, 2022 with shipment following within a week after the closing date. For SOLARO digital orders, clients will receive an emailed confirmation for immediate activation.

The following resources are available with educational discounts:

• The KEY Study Guides - Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies courses across grades 3 to 12. Grade 12 Math and Science KEYs have been updated to include questions from recently released Diploma exams. $20.00 per copy
• Student Notes and Problems (SNAP) Workbooks – Instructional content, practice exercises, and unit assessments covering the breadth and depth of select Science and Mathematics courses. $20.00 per copy
• Problem Solved - all of the questions from the respective SNAP books are presented along with the detailed solutions. Class Notes - An excerpt of each SNAP workbook that focuses students on the explanatory notes for each topic. $11.00 per copy.

SOLARO - $20.00 for an annual student license

o access up to 10 courses across all available
grades and subjects, for 1 year

o use online or on mobile devices,

o more courses than are available in print,

o learn more at View SOLARO Video.

This Lent students, staff and parents across the GSACRD community are invited to support Catholic Social Services’ Safe House. CSS’ Safe House is a home where at-risk young people can go to be safe.

These are children and young people, as young as 13, who live on the streets. In many cases they are at risk of exploitation, trafficking or encountering violence or substance abuse.

They are alone, afraid and have no where else to call home.

Safe House is often the only place they can go to access warm and loving support.

In a typical year staff in CSS’ Safe House distribute around 400 ‘BE Safe Backpacks’ to these vulnerable young people.

The funds raised in this campaign will go towards the purchase of these Be Safe Backpacks right at the very moment when it is needed. The Backpacks will provide the items that each individual needs to support their safety.

While no one Backpack is the same they will include some standard items such as a toothbrush, dry shampoo, a flashlight, a re-usable water bottle, granola bars, and clothes suitable for the season.

Perhaps most importantly every young person who receives a Be Safe Backpack knows they do not have to face the world alone.

We are so grateful to all in GSACRD for helping to bring hope to these young people this Lent.

Your solidarity is God’s love in action.

“Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’” Matt 25:40

All donations over $20, by individuals, are eligible for a tax receipt.

https://www.canadahelps.org/me/QwG9Vs2

Our next School Council meeting is on March 7 at 6:30pm. We meet once per month except for December and June. All of our meetings are online. You can find the agenda and meeting link on our website under "About Us/School Council". https://www.stgabe.gsacrd.ab.ca/about-st-gabriel/school-council-parent-council

We look forward to seeing you!

https://www.stgabe.gsacrd.ab.ca/download/379766

For the latest updates about our return to school plan and response to COVID, please click on the link below. It is important to remember that you are required to wear your masks for the entire duration of your time at St. Gabriel Education Centre.

https://www.gsacrd.ab.ca/covid-19-information-and-protocols

Just a friendly reminder to park in our lower parking lot when you are coming to the school.

Please do not park in the following areas:

• our handicapped spot (unless you are handicapped and are coming into the school)
• in the spots at the front of the building or in the upper lot on top of seven hills
• in front of our garbage bin (the truck has left our garbage a few times because the bin was blocked).

"Arise! I have appointed you as a witness of what you have seen!"

(Acts 26:16)

Our GSACRD Faith theme is in its second year of, "Arise! Get Up, Get Going and Go with God!"

This year, we are focusing on the "Get Going!" part of our theme. How do students, staff and parents know, model and witness Jesus Christ?

This week on Ash Wednesday, we start the period in our liturgical calendar called, Lent.

A Reflection from Mark 1:9-15, Psalm 25

Often we speak about Lent as a desert time. Many of us will never spend time in a physical desert, but we do know what it is like to feel that our hearts are empty or dry. During the time of the pandemic, some of these feelings may be even stronger than usual. Let’s look at Jesus and listen to his experience in the desert.

At the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, (Gospel means “good news”) we see Jesus being baptized by his cousin, John, in the Jordan River. As He is baptized, we hear God speak these beautiful words, “You are my Son, whom I love.” Do you feel you are a beloved son or daughter of God? Perhaps during Lent, you would like to spend a little time each day in silence.

We are so used to be distracted by our devices, games, TV, school, work, etc. that it can be a challenge to just sit quietly and listen for the gentle whisper of God in our hearts. On Ash Wednesday we begin the Lenten practice of fasting. We will try to deepen our relationship with God through fasting and praying. In the story about Jesus we hear that the Spirit descended upon Jesus. We received the gift of the Holy Spirit at our own baptism, so we can trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us to spend this quiet time in our personal desert, that is, our hearts. If we listen very carefully, we can hear God say to us too, “You are my beloved daughter; you are my beloved son”. “Believe the “good news’.”

Don't forget to check out our "Mental Health and Wellness" section on our website for wellness ideas, tips, resources and sessions that are being offered. Click on "community supports" for information about services in St. Albert and area to support you or your family.

Our school counsellor at St. Gabriel Education Center is Mrs. Tracy Delhez. She is able to provide social and emotional support to students both online or at school. Mrs. Delhez is available at SGEC on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons until 5:30. Counselling referrals can also be made by parents or teachers. Support is provided for individual or family concerns and referrals to outside agencies can be accessed through Mrs. Delhez. For more information or to book an appointment please contact Mrs. Delhez at mailto:tdelhez@gsacrd.ab.ca

Did you know that we update our social media accounts on a regular basis? Following us is one of the quickest ways to find out what's going on at school and getting those last minute, emergency updates.

Please follow and share with your friends. We want everyone to know what a great place St. Gabes is!

https://www.facebook.com/StGabeHS

https://www.instagram.com/st.gabes/

https://twitter.com/stgabes

Email: rtrottier@gsacrd.ab.ca
Website: https://www.stgabe.gsacrd.ab.ca/.
Location: 6 St Vital Ave, St. Albert, AB, Canada
Phone: (780)459-6616
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StGabeHS
Twitter: @stgabes

Monday to Wednesday
8:30 am to 3:00 pm

Thursday
8:30 am to 5:30 pm

Friday
8:00 am to Noon
All teachers are available