St. Mary's Catholic School

You spoke and we listened. This year St. Mary's is offering a variety of choices during our Wednesday Flex sessions with options that range from music, studying a second language, and mental health strategies, to physical literacy, along with our usual Core Support study sessions. Twice a month these sessions are available for our students; just click the image above or use the QR code below to access the Google Form and make your choice. Remember to use your EICS Student Account.

St. Mary's is proud to announce that we are partnering with Trills Music Studio led by professional musician/teacher Mrs. Laura Lillies. Laura and her husband, Wayne have been musical staples in the Vegreville community for years, and we are so excited to tap into their expertise.

This year during our FLEX days students will have a choice to attend Music Appreciation sessions where students will learn about music from different cultures as well as participate in fun activities such as traditional Gumboot Dancing (see video below). The hope is that there will be enough interest that kids will learn a love for music and we can even have a few performances throughout the year as well.

Laura will also be offering piano lessons at St. Mary's to students on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons during their options courses. Many of her current students attend St. Mary's and have been taking lessons from Laura for years so it is a perfect partnership that gives them the opportunity to have lessons in school. If you are interested in this possibility, check out the Trills Music Studio website for more information.

"I've been teaching piano for 25 years to students of all ages and levels. I have a strong classical foundation, holding a degree in Piano Performance through the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, but I also enjoy learning and teaching all different styles such as contemporary, improvisation, playing by ear, and accompanying. I also offer music theory including rudiments, composition, history, harmony, and analysis." - Laura Lillies

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!

Our Athletics season is off as our Sr. Girls Volleyball team competes in Mega Volley in Vermillion. They won 5 out of six matches and placed second in their pool. Wish them luck as they compete on Saturday. A huge shoutout to our community coaches, Victoria Pawluk and Hailey Nichols who have volunteered to guide our girls this season. #GOSAINTSGO

Sr. Boys schedules and information should be being sent home today; please double check with your student-athlete if they received it as they are competing next weekend.

Jr. Boys and Girls teams are being finalized this week and they are off to Sherwood Park starting next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday (Sept. 14-16th) as they compete at the annual EIAA tournament.

Over forty parents and athletes attended our Athletic Club Kick-Off meeting to discuss the future of the club. Many of the items that were discussed was the overview of the Checkmark System, future fundraising endeavors, basketball provincials in March, and expectations of coaches and athletes for the year. It was exciting to see the momentum from last year carry over as there was a buzz of excitement in the school.

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, and is needed especially for local field trips and athletic trips as there is a digital permission form that is required for students to use our STMY buses.

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

• Sept. 13: Flex Day

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

• Sept 15-16: Sr. Boys Volleyball Tournament @ (TBD)

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

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

• Sept. 27: Flex Day

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

• Oct. 3: Picture Day

The beatification of the Ulma family this Sunday in Markowa, Poland. This marks the first time an entire family will be beatified together. Moved by the commandment to love thy neighbour, as required by the Gospel, they were martyred for hiding a Jewish family from the Nazi.

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