Edmonton Catholic School Division
9807 106 Street T5K 1C2 Edmonton, AB, Canada

Escuela John Paul I Catholic Elementary School donated more than 300 wellness bags for Edmonton’s most needy. The staff & students collected the items throughout Lent. #ECSDfaithinspires #yeg #yegschools #ibelieveinCatholicEd

Green Shirt Day was created to honour and recognize all the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. It is also a day to bring awareness to organ donation and to continue Logan Boulet's legacy by inspiring Canadians to talk to their families and register as organ donors. #ECSDfaithinspires

A 16-year-old Archbishop MacDonald student created the Black Parent Resource Guide, a 24-page PDF document that lists services to help improve Black children's well-being in Alberta. #ECSDfaithinspires Check it out by clicking the link below. https://www.cbc.ca//high-schooler-creates-list-to-help-alb

Edmonton Catholic Schools wishes you and your families an Easter season filled with the joy to be found in the Risen Christ! Please click this link and watch an Easter video message. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxQI8LDrotE #ECSDfaithinspires

Today, we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and his victory over sin and death! After a long season of Lent, we celebrate that Christ is alive. Christ is Risen, Alleluia, Alleluia! #ECSDfaithinspires

This week ECSD celebrates Partnership Appreciation Week. Our partners help in creating supports for our students to learn and grow in the light of God. We thank all our partners and celebrate the work they do in our schools daily. #ECSDfaithinspires

We are truly blessed as Canadians to live in a country that is at peace. Because of this blessing, it is very easy to lose sight of the fact that over 2.3 million Canadians have served in uniform since Confederation, and over 118,000 of them have made the ultimate sacrifice so that we can live in peace. It is so essential that we ensure that these sacrifices are always remembered and honored. #ECSDfaithinspires

Today we celebrate Catholic education in Alberta. One of the many beautiful aspects of Catholic education is that it is grounded in the partnership between the school, the home, and the parish. Together, we all play a role in the nurturing of our children in mind, body, and spirit. #ECSDfaithinspires.

Hey ECSD! Know an exceptional educator? Then nominate them for the Prime Minister's Awards in: Teaching Excellence Teaching Excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)... https://www.ic.gc.ca//s/pmate-ppmee.nsf/eng/h_wz00010.html #ECSDfaithinspires

Catholic Education Sunday will be celebrated on Sunday, November 8. The theme for this year - Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31) and is especially relevant during this time of COVID. For resources click here https://ecsd.net/_ci/p/11546/catholic-education-sunday #ECSDfaithinspires

Complete your high school education your way in a variety of academic settings including Online Learning and Alternative Education. Check out the Fall 2020 edition of My Way. #ECSDfaithinspires http://bit.ly/mywayECSD2020

Yesterday, we had the opportunity to bless and break ground at our future K-9 Catholic School in Keswick. This school will eventually be home to 900 students and is expected to open in the fall of 2022. The school will be located near Hiller Road SW and 170 Street SW. A special thank-you to the Minister of Infrastructure for joining us. Prasad Panda #ECSDfaithinspires

Keswick Catholic School Site Blessing

The additional funding announced yesterday translates into $15.6 million for the Edmonton Catholic School Division. This funding will support student learning by hiring a significant number of additional staff for classroom and online learning and will also assist with the ongoing Covid-related costs. Every decision with the funding announced today will be made with student and staff safety as our priority. #ECSDfaithinspires

Happy First Day of School!!!! We have missed the energy our students bring into our halls everyday. Welcome back! Today, students were introduced to the new-normal and the safety protocols in place this school year. #ECSDfaithinspires #ecsd #yeg #yegschools

A friendly reminder to motorists to slow down and be on the lookout for kids tomorrow as many of our students return to school. #yeg #yegschools #ECSDfaithinspires #backtoschool

On September 2nd, students will return to class in 96 schools in the Edmonton Catholic School Division. Please watch this school opening video and see how we are called each by name. #ECSDfaithinspires

We are so excited to welcome back our students on Wednesday. A reminder: Parents must assess their child daily for symptoms of common cold, influenza, COVID-19, or other infectious respiratory disease before sending them to school. The self-screening questionnaire is available in multiple languages on the Government of Albertas website and can be found here on our website. https://www.ecsd.net/page/8503/daily-health-screening

Today we welcomed the Minister of Education to tour St. John XXIII K-9 school in Windermere. A walk through of the school was given to showcase the provisions taken to ensure the safety of all students and staff when classes resume on Wednesday, September 2nd. #ECSDfaithinspires

St. Augustine of Hippo (354.430 A. D.), a philosopher theologian of the early Christian Church, was born in North Africa. His mother Monica was a devout Christian who raised her son to follow the Christian faith. Augustine, however, did not follow these teachings, and his mother prayed for his conversion. ... Augustine was a great teacher who captivated his students with his teaching style and methods. Augustine argued that education must begin from the natural curiosity of the students. He maintained that teachers must gain the confidence and trust of their students, explain things clearly, alter teaching methods to maintain interest, and present materials at their students level of understanding. Augustine was a teacher far ahead of his time. At the age of thirty-three, Augustine was filled with the Holy Spirit and was baptized. He was ordained a priest in 391 A. D. In 396 he became Bishop of Hippo. Augustine spent much of his life writing about the love of God for us. He believed the presence of God within us is the source of all knowledge and that our basic faith must be grounded in Scripture as well as guided by the teachings of the Church. #ECSDfaithinspires

Monica (born around 331, in North Africa; died 387, in Italy) married a man named Patricius, who had an uncontrollable temper. Over time, her meekness, humility and prayers transformed Patricius, who became a catechumen. The formerly formal relationship of the couple developed into a warm, spiritual devotion. When she was widowed at the age of forty, Monica vowed to belong wholly to God, renounced all worldly pleasures, and ministered to the poor and orphaned, while still ful...filling her duties, as a mother to her son, Augustine, who was leading a very bad life. Monica kept praying for her sons conversion for seventeen years. Augustine attributed his conversion primarily to her. He was baptized on Holy Saturday, 387. Monicas faith nurtured the Catholic Churchs keenest philosopher, most comprehensive theologian, most persuasive apologist, and most far-seeing moralist, a wise administrator, a powerful preacher, and a penetrating mystic: Saint Augustine. In art, Saint Monica is portrayed in widows reeds or a nuns habit in scenes with her son Augustine. She is venerated at Ostia, Italy, and in all Augustinian houses. She is the patron saint of married women and mothers. #ECSDfaithinspires

NEW PRE-K ONLINE OPTION: ECSD is pleased to share that we will offer the choice of online learning for 100 Voices (pre-Kindergarten) students. Parents in this program will be emailed with additional details. #ECSDfaithinspires

Information regarding our online learning option can be found on the re-entry page on our main website. You can also access information here - https://sbecsdstor.blob.core.windows.net//COVID-OnlineLear #ECSDfaithinspires

Dedicated ECSD teachers are hard at work and busy meeting to strategize and generate ideas on how to overcome potential challenges to online learning. #ECSDfaithinspires

All of the School Re-Entry Plans have been uploaded to each of our ECSD school websites. The school plans complement the Division Re-Entry Plan which can be found here -https://www.ecsd.net/page/7383/ecsd-re-entry-plan. We are asking parents to contact their childs school as soon as possible with their choice of learning stance, so we can confirm and finalize classes. The deadline is noon on August 28!

St. Rose was born at Lima, Peru in 1586. Noted for her beauty, she resisted her parents efforts to have her marry and was attracted instead to a life of prayer and reflection in religious life. She entered the Third Order of St. Dominic at the age of twenty. When her parents fell on hard times, Rose worked in the garden to help them. Rose also cared for poor children, slaves, Indians and elderly people in an infirmary she set up in her family home. This is considered to be t...he beginning of social services for the poor in Peru. Stories of her holiness spread, and her garden became the spiritual centre of the city. When earthquakes struck nearby, her prayers were credited with sparing Lima. She was canonized in 1671, and thus became the first saint of the New World. She is the patroness of South America. #ECSDfaithinspires

Guiseppi Sarto was born in 1835 in Riese, Italy and was ordained to the priesthood at twenty-three. He served as a pastor for seventeen years, which gave Father Sarto a special insight into the Church and its role among ordinary people. In 1884 he was ordained Bishop and later was given the rank of Cardinal and made the Archbishop of Venice. He was noted for Angelic Kindness as he respected the rights of individuals and never showed impatience or anger, even in the face of ...stubborn resistance. Cardinal Sarto was elected Pope in 1903 and took the name Pius X. As Pope, he led the Church through difficult times and changing political landscapes. He is remembered for revising the laws of the Church and regulating the liturgy. He laboured for the renovation of the Christian spirit in keeping with his motto, To restore all things in Christ. Pope Pius X was devoted to the Holy Eucharist. He believed that people should be allowed to receive Communion daily. He lowered the age for First Holy Communion. Because of Pope Pius X, everyone can receive Holy Communion daily. He died in 1914 and was canonized as a saint in 1954. #ECSDfaithinspires

Attention ECSD Parents: Schools will be posting their re-entry plans at 7am on Monday, August 24th. Please visit your school website to access this information. #ECSDfaithinspires

Edmonton Catholic Schools has extended the deadline for parents to indicate their choice for either in-school or online learning for their children. You now have until August 28th at noon to make this decision. The earlier ECSD receives this info, the better prepared the Division will be for our students. Please ensure that you either make your selection in PowerSchool or contact your school. The first day of school is Wednesday, September 2nd. ... #ECSDfaithinspires See more

As you prepare your child to wear a mask when in-person classes resume on September 2nd, please watch this video to help your children feel more comfortable.

Wondering about school re-entry? Take a look at these frequently asked questions here: http://ow.ly/tKvQ50AWOh5

Dominic was born in Italy in 1842. Dominic became a student of John Bosco in a home for neglected boys. One of the objectives of the home was to find candidates for the priesthood, a call Dominic felt as a young man. Although he was only a boy, Dominic lived a very full life dedicated to helping others. He was known for his cheerfulness, friendliness, and good advice. At an early age, Dominic organized a group of people called the Company of the Immaculate Conception to help... John Bosco. Dominics group was very poor, but they worked tirelessly to help make John Boscos work a success. At the age of fifteen, Dominic developed tuberculosis, and died. #ECSDfaithinspires During his life, Dominic wrote letters to his friends about his joy in helping poor and homeless children. He described how he and his group carried out their duties in a positive manner, and always tried to do their best. Sharing his joy with others was a major focus in Dominics young life. Pope John XXIII said that Dominic Savio has a message for everyone. It applies equally to children, young people and adults. It is a message of goodness and simplicity of life. Saint Dominic is a model for young people who want to help others.

This afternoon, ECS parents were sent a parent re-entry plan and a letter asking for clarification on if they will be sending their child to school on September 2nd or would rather choose online instruction. Families will be able to decide at four key times throughout the school year whether their child will attend school in-person, or choose to learn at home through online instruction. To ensure the needs of every student is being met, the Division will also be surveying parents periodically throughout the school year so that parents may give their feedback. We would like to hear back from parents very soon with their decision. For more information please visit: https://bit.ly/2Xs8Vio #ECSDfaithinspires

This morning Edmonton Catholic Schools (ECS) released details of the Divisions school re-entry plan for the 2020-2021 school year. The ECS Re-entry Handbook was developed in consultation and resources from Alberta Education, the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Occupational Health and Safety Legislation and stakeholder survey responses from parents, students, and staff. Earlier this morning the Government of Alberta mandated face masks for all students in Grades 4-12 and all school-based teachers and staff. This information will be updated in the plan: https://bit.ly/3funx6Q. #ECSDfaithinspires #abed

Alphonsus Liguori was the son of Joseph, a navy captain, and Anna, a woman devoted to her family, her community, and God. Alphonsus was encouraged by his father to seek worldly honours. Alphonsus became a famous lawyer and got more cases than he could handle. When he lost a very important case, he came to see the uselessness of worldly glory and power and riches. He vowed to become a priest so as to devote all his life, energy and talents to work and to care for the most aba...ndoned and the most needy people. Alphonsus one driving force was his love for God: All holiness is to love God; but to love God is to do Gods will. To do Gods will is to do what Jesus did. Alphonsus therefore urged his own friends and everyone to work at becoming more and more like Jesus and work for Gods reign as Jesus did. Alphonsus realized his own weakness and dependency on prayer and encouraged everyone to lead a life of prayer. Alphonsus died in 1787 (age ninety-one). In 1839 he was declared a saint. #ECSDfaithinspires

Are you writing a Diploma Exam this summer? Click here for important health information and protocols before you write. https://bit.ly/coviddiploma #ECSDfaithinspires

Saint Martha lived in Bethany, a small town near Jerusalem. When Jesus preached in Judea he would often visit the home of Martha and her sister, Mary. Many believe Martha may have been the elder in the family, as she directed the household duties and made sure Jesus and other guests were comfortable. Marthas faith never wavered as she went out to meet Jesus on the road after the death of her brother Lazarus. She still believed that Jesus could bring him back to life and th...at God would grant Jesus whatever He asked. Jesus said to Martha I am the resurrection and the life; whoever lives and believes in me will live and never die. Do you believe this? Martha in the ultimate act of faith replied, Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God. According to legend, after Jesus death, Martha,Mary and Lazarus continued to tell others about the words and powers of Jesus. Martha is the patroness of housewives, innkeepers, waiters and cooks. #ECSDfaithinspires

Anne is known to us because she is the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. Anne and her husband, Joachim, loved God and prayed for a child. It seemed as though God did not hear their prayers because years went by and a child never came. But they kept praying nonetheless. When it seemed as though Anne was too old to have a child, God graced them with one. They called their special child Mary, a name which means incense that rises up to God. Annes daughter became the w...oman that all Jewish women longed to be, the mother of the Messiah. Anne was proud of Jesus. As his grandmother, she often had the opportunities to hold him and play with him. He often came to her house to visit. Anne, whose name means full of grace, was a holy woman who kept praying. Saint Anne shows us the importance of prayer, gratitude and perseverance. #ECSDfaithinspires

Edmonton Catholic Schools will offer online programming (K-12) to allow our families a degree of choice within the Scenario 1 near-normal return to school. In the next few weeks, families will receive more detailed information to help make an informed decision regarding their childs educational programming. #ECSDfaithinspires

Edmonton Catholic Schools would like to thank the province for releasing information today on how school divisions will move forward in September. Over the past two months our Division has been working diligently and will continue planning to ensure our schools are as safe as possible and ready to welcome our students and staff back in September. Our school re-entry plan, informed by the guidance of the Chief Medical Officer of Health and the provincial school re-entry plan...ning guide, utilizes a variety of strategies to support the health and safety of our students and staff. We know our parent community and staff will have questions and are eager to know the details of our plan which we will share in the coming weeks. #ECSDfaithinspires

The Honorable John James Bowlen (1876.1959) was the first Roman Catholic to represent the Crown as Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. Born in 1876 in Prince Edward Island, in 1906 he relocated his family to the west, a move that began an extremely successful life as a western Canadian rancher and politician. By 1920, Bowlen owned the largest horse ranch in Canada. Bowlen had an active political career. Elected in 1930 as a Liberal MLA for Calgary, he was one of only six oppositi...on members to remain elected in the Social Credit landslide of 1935. He held office until 1944, serving his constituents in the Alberta legislature for fourteen years. In 1950, Bowlen was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Alberta. He died in office in 1959, and is buried in St. Joachims Cemetery in Edmonton. During his life Bowlen received many honours and held numerous executive positions, and was an active member of service clubs such as Kiwanis, Elks and Knights of Columbus. #ECSDfaithinspires

Mount Carmel is a mountain spur projecting into the sea south of Haifa, Israel. Its bold outline can be seen for many miles. The name means garden or orchard. Mount Carmel became a refuge for early Christian hermits and monks. In 1156 the Order of Carmelites was founded and a monastery was built to the honour of St. Mary of Mount Carmel. Devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel spread throughout Europe by the returning Crusaders and by members of the Carmelite Order. Notable ...shrines and churches were founded in honour of Mary under the title of Carmel or Carmen. In England in 1215 the Virgin appeared to St. Simon Stock, Prior General of the Order of Mount Carmel. According to tradition, Our Lady promised special blessings to all that wore the Carmelite scapular which signified total dedication to her Son, Jesus Christ. Honour to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is worldwide. The Prayer to Our Lady of Mount Carmel is: Lord let the motherly prayer of the glorious virgin come to our help. Through her support help us reach the true mount which is Jesus Christ. Amen #ECSDfaithinspires