St. Mary's Catholic School

Thank you to all of our students and families for a successful registration and opening day! What a fantastic year we are going to have. We are blessed by God to once again be together!

Student Council has organized some amazing Welcome Week activities! Look for the posters around the school for reminders of what's happening.

Tuesday: Musical chairs in the common area starting at 11:40

Wednesday: Neon Day! Our theme for the year is GLOW so come dressed in as much neon as possible.

Thursday: Donut fishing in the common area starting at 11:40 - limited number of participants on a first come basis.

Friday: Bring Your Own Banana to the canteen for a free ice cream sundae! No banana? $2 will get you some ice cream.

As we embark on another exciting school year, your active involvement remains crucial in shaping our students’ educational journey. With that in mind, we would like to extend a warm invitation to our upcoming MEET the Staff Evening/Parent Council Meeting.

Join us from 4:30-6:30 pm for some food and fellowship as we kick off the new year. Our Parent Council meeting will begin at 6:30 pm for those interested in staying.

This meeting provides a valuable platform for us to discuss important matters, exchange ideas, and work collaboratively to enhance our school community. Your insights and suggestions are incredibly valuable to us, and we believe that your participation will contribute to our shared goal of providing the best possible learning environment for our students.

Agenda topics will include upcoming events, school reports, and opportunities for parental involvement. We encourage you to come prepared with any questions or suggestions you may have. Your perspective as a parent is invaluable, and we truly believe that together, we can achieve great things for our students. Refreshments will be provided, and we are committed to ensuring a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for everyone. Your presence and input will make a significant difference, and we look forward to sharing this productive and enriching evening with you.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and we eagerly anticipate your presence at the Parent Council Meeting. We would love for you to attend in person at St. Mary's or there is also a virtual option for those who may not be able to make it in person. The link for this meeting is available here: PARENT COUNCIL MEETING LINK.

Let your VOICE BE HEARD!

Are you interested in playing volleyball this year? Touch base with the following people on Tuesday to find out when tryouts are happening:

Jr High Girls (Grades 7-9): Mr. Paulichik

Jr High Boys (Grades 7-9): Mr. Kobelsky

Sr High Boys and Girls (Grades 10-12): Mr. Manderson or Mr. Hrabec

We are excited to invite all interested parents, coaches, and athletes to an important Athletic Club meeting, where we will discuss upcoming events, initiatives, and ways to support our young athletes. Your participation and input are invaluable to the success of our athletic programs.

Some key points of discussion on the Agenda:

• Overview of Athletic Club Goals and Purpose
• Discussion on Parental Involvement and Support
• Presentation on Fundraising Efforts/Financial Overview
• Upcoming Athletic Events/School Home Tournaments
• 1A Boys Basketball Provincials (March 14-16, 2024)
• Open Forum for Questions and Suggestions

Your presence at the meeting will help us shape the direction of our athletic programs and ensure a positive experience for all students involved. We encourage you to bring any questions, ideas, or concerns you may have. Thank you for your continued support of our school’s athletic endeavors. We look forward to meeting with you and working together to create a successful and rewarding experience for our student-athletes.

The “EICS Demographic Confirmation Form” for the 2023-2024 school year, is now available for you to complete and submit, for each of your children attending an Elk Island Catholic School. The form is found online in your PowerSchool Parent Portal and you may have received an email regarding updating this info.

This form is a mandatory document and is required to be updated for every student each year, as it could greatly impact you with respect to the Canada Revenue Agency information and Immigration when they request validation of your information.

Alberta Education requires that we obtain a detailed update of student demographics on an annual basis. Funding they provide for your child's education is conditional to us receiving these updates and making them part of the student's record. We would appreciate you completing and submitting this form, for each of your children, as soon as possible.

Please contact our school secretary, Margaret Michaelchuk at 780-632-3934, if you have any questions or require assistance.

Also please let us know if there are any significant allergies that we need to be aware of in the school, especially for those students who are new to the building.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

• Sept. 4: Labour Day - School Closed for Students

• Sept. 6: Early Dismissal - School ends @ 2:00pm

• Sept. 6: Athletic Club Meeting @ 6:30pm

• Sept. 14-16: EIAA Jr. High Volleyball Tournament

• Sept. 20: Meet the Staff Evening @ 4:30-6:30pm

• Sept. 20: Parent Council Meeting @ 6:30-7:30pm - Virtual Option

• Oct. 2: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - School Closed for Students

• Oct. 3: Picture Day

Based on Matthew 5:16, this year’s theme for Elk Island Catholic Schools (EICS) calls upon all staff and students to Go Light Our World.

Matthew 5:16 reads: “Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The verse was selected in the spring when our school chaplains were invited to begin brainstorming scripture and co-creating potential themes for the 2023-2024 school year. Once it was selected, all EICS staff were encouraged to suggest themes that they felt resonated with the scripture.

“The theme Go Light Our World speaks to our mission in Catholic schools: to make disciples and share the good news and gospel teachings,” explained Jody Seymour, the EICS Director of Student and Staff Formation who led the selection of this year’s theme and logo. “Through allowing Christ’s light into our hearts, we are called to share it with others through love, compassion, charity, and acts of service.”

After the theme was announced in June, all staff and students across our division were invited to submit a representative logo design that they felt encapsulated the calling of Go Light Our World.

The selected logo shows four children releasing brightly lit floating lanterns against a night sky. It was created by Elizabeth, an EICS student.

“The idea of using floating lanterns was the one that stuck since it would seem very majestic and bright, and incorporated the concept of the kids letting their light out into the world by releasing the lanterns into the sky,” Elizabeth said.

A close examination of the lanterns reveals that each is unique.

“The lanterns in the poster symbolize the good works of the students, and how they are letting their light shine,” Elizabeth said. “The lantern in the front with the school signifies the students ‘shining’ in academics, the lantern with the heart is them shining through their acts of charity (love), and the lantern with the cross represents them shining in their faith.

“By releasing the floating lanterns into the sky, the students are not hiding their light but letting their ‘light shine before others’ and glorify God who wills all of us to shine to the best of our ability.”

Email: stmy@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stmy.eics.ab.ca/
Location: St Mary's Catholic School, Vegreville, AB, Canada
Phone: (780)632-3934
Twitter: @stmarys_veg