Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools
6 St. Vital Avenue T8N 1K2 Saint Albert, AB, Canada

Join us, virtually, for the official Re-Opening Celebration and Blessing of St. Gabriel Education Centre (formerly St. Gabriel High School) - this Friday (Nov. 20) at 2:30 p.m. The school relocated to the lower level of our Division Office in August, following extensive renovations to the space over the spring and summer, and reopened to students at the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Earlier this year, our Board of Trustees approved a formal name change of the school to ...reflect the growing scope with which it serves both students and the broader community. To watch the livestream: https://bit.ly/3px0UF8. Learn more: https://bit.ly/2UDXoum. #GSACRDproud

Each morning, prior to starting the workday, our Division Office staff meet for #prayer to thank God for our many blessings, to seek guidance, and to bring our schools' and Division's petitions before God.

Today is #LouisRielDay 2020 in Alberta. To learn more about this day and why it is important to commemorate, please watch this video message from Jason Schilling, president of The Alberta Teachers' Association.

On this #CatholicEducationSunday, we reflect on the importance of our local parishes, our partners in #CatholicEducation. If you attend #Mass this morning, check out the beautiful banners on display. All 18 of our schools are represented in their respective parishes. #GSACRDproud

Today, we join thousands of others across our province in celebrating #CatholicEducationSunday. The theme for 2020 "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength" (Isaiah 40:31) is particularly relevant during this pandemic. Catholic schools provide stability, moving us forward even in times of hardship and uncertainty. This is because we know that our hope is in God, Who is forever faithful, Who never leaves us, and Who always holds us in His loving Arms. ... Today, let us thank God for the gift of #CatholicEducation. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3eAETAn.

This week, we join others across the province and country in celebrating #MétisWeek (Nov. 15-21). The Métis Nation of Alberta and the Métis Settlements General Council will host a number of virtual commemorations throughout this week. Everyone is welcome to join in these virtual activities to learn more about Métis people, history, and culture.

Wisdom from an early church father.

WATCH: Today, GSACRD hosted the virtual Re-Opening Celebration and Blessing of St. Gabriel Education Centre (formally St. Gabriel High School). This short video, which was shared as part of the formal ceremony, offers a glimpse into the school and its excellent programming. #GSACRDproud

Alberta Education announced today that high school students in the province will have a choice regarding writing diploma exams for Nov. 2020. Our Superintendent has sent a letter to affected families in our Division to explain what this means for our students and the options available to them to help families make a decision. Learn more about YourAlberta (Government of Alberta)'s decision: bit.ly/2SQPnBv.

Today is the start of #BullyingAwarenessWeek (Nov. 16 to 20). This is a time to promote awareness and understanding of bullying and its impacts. This year’s theme, Where To Turn, encourages everyone to learn where to turn when dealing with bullying. Bullying is repeated mean, cruel, hurtful behaviours done on purpose by someone with more power. It can be verbal, physical, social, and online. Learn how to recognize the signs of bullying: https://bit.ly/38LRZtt. There is no pla...ce for bullying or other disrespectful or abusive behaviours in our schools, and we thank you for helping build welcoming, safe, and caring environments that respect diversity and support a sense of belonging. If you need help regarding bullying or abuse, please call the 24-hour Bullying Helpline at 888.456.2323 (support is available in more than 170 languages). Alternatively, you can chat with a trained professional online at https://bit.ly/38PBLzE (service is available between noon and 8 p.m., daily). Both online chats and calls to the helpline are anonymous.

Catholic Education Prayers of the Faithful for the 2020-2021 school year for November: * For Catholic Education: For protection and graces during this time of Pandemic, we pray to the Lord. * For educators and school staff called to live a life of love and sacrifice during Covid 19, we pray to the Lord.... * For Catholic Education: That our Catholic schools may be inspired by the example of the many great saints who have gone before them and who intercede for them, we pray to the Lord. * For Catholic Education: That our Catholic schools may nurture the growth of wisdom and virtue in the young, we pray to the Lord. Read/download the prayers for every month of the 2020-2021 school year (available in both English and French)... (Source: Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton)

The latest Superintendent's Update has been sent to all of our families. You can also download this update from our website.

Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools has a new theme song for its three-year (2020-2022) faith theme - "Arise, Get Going, and Go With God!" (Luke 7:14). The song was written and produced by our very own Superintendent of Schools. You can download the song (entitled "Arise!") and the lyrics from our website, as well as the backstory for how this song was created. "Arise!" also features Trustee Serena Shaw on harmony and background vocals. In December or January, we will share ...a video, set to this song, that will feature photos, videos, and art that demonstrate how students and staff are animating and living out our faith theme. DOWNLOAD/LISTEN to the song: https://bit.ly/3fiy8U5. #GSACRDproud

"A good teacher teaches people how to see - not what to see." - Fr. Richard Rohr

Fifteen students from five schools in our Division have been nominated for the 2020 Honouring Spirit - Indigenous Student Awards. Sponsored by the Alberta School Boards Association (ASBA), in collaboration with the College of Alberta School Superintendents (CASS), the Alberta School Councils' Association (ASCA), and the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA), these annual awards recognize First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students who model strength and commitment in the pursuit o...f their education by embracing their gifts, strengths, and cultural traditions. This year's student-nominees were announced in this video that was shared with the Board of Trustees, who formally recognized these worthy nominees at the Regular Board Meeting on Oct. 26, 2020. The video also includes a congratulatory message and a blessing (in Cree) from Edna Arcand, our Elder. Congratulations to each one of this year's worthy nominees! Learn more: https://bit.ly/387O5Le.

Schools are considered to be some of the safest places in our communities. However, an emergency can strike anywhere, any time. During any emergency, our first priority is the safety of our students and staff. To provide an effective response to any school crisis, our Division relies upon its Emergency Response Plan. This Plan works in conjunction with other local emergency plans, since a school emergency could require the involvement of numerous agencies. The plans created ...for individual schools, along with the Division Plan, are reviewed annually or after an emergency occurs. During an emergency, information is shared on our website and through our official social media platforms. DOWNLOAD/READ our Division's School Emergency Plan: https://bit.ly/2Ii2yJB.

The Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools Education Foundation has launched its 50/50 Fundraiser. Dollars raised will help support school and classroom needs and help the Foundation to purchase required equipment that will * enhance learning opportunities for our students; * evoke or promote student passion and engagement; * support innovation within the classroom; ... * promote faith; * help students develop relationships with one another and with God; and * foster community spirit and build hope. Support the Foundation and our students by purchasing your 50/50 tickets online before Dec. 3 (you must be 18+ to participate)! BUY TICKETS HERE: https://rafflebox.ca/raffle/gsacsfdn. #GSACRDproud

This week, we will start each day on our Facebook page with a morning prayer. What better way to kick-off our days than by focusing on our loving Heavenly Father! "Lord Jesus Christ, beloved, eternal and faithful Son of the Father incarnate, share Your knowledge of the Father’s heart with me. Come into my darkness with Your Light. Search out my blindness, and share Your unearthly assurance with me in the place of my deepest fears. Find all my broken parts, and bathe them with Your Father’s love. Send Your Spirit to baptize my soul with Your peace."

From the GSACRD family to yours.... Happy Thanksgiving! "For every good and perfect gift comes from the Father..." (James 1:17).

"We cannot attain the presence of God, because we are already totally in the presence of God. "What's absent is awareness." - Fr. Richard Rohr

Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health has written a letter to parents/legal guardians of school children to explain changes to the daily #COVID19 symptoms checklist, which is available in English, French, & nine other languages.

Today is All Souls’ Day (The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed), a holy day that the Catholic Church dedicates to honour and pray for the dead. Celebrated annually every Nov. 2, this day calls on us to pray for our departed loved ones and for the souls of others, so that like the saints, they, too, may have the beatific vision of Heaven. PRAYER FOR ALL SOULS' DAY... Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord, and, as our faith in your Son, raised from the dead, is deepened, so may our hope of resurrection for your departed servants also find new strength. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Source of prayer: DivineOffice.org

Today, on All Saints Day, we honour those holy men and women who have gone before us in faith and have done so in a glorious way. As we honour these great champions of faith, let us reflect upon who they are and what role they continue to play in the life of the Church. The following excerpt is from Chapter 8 of My Catholic Faith!: The Church Triumphant: Those who have gone before us and now share in the glories of Heaven, in the Beatific Vision, are not gone. Sure, we do ...not see them, and we cannot necessarily hear them speak to us in the physical way they did while on Earth. But they are not gone at all. St. Thérèse of Lisieux said it best when she said, I want to spend my Heaven doing good on Earth. The saints in Heaven are in full union with God and make up the Communion of Saints in Heaven, the Church Triumphant! What’s important to note, however, is that even though they are enjoying their eternal reward, they are still very much concerned about us. The saints in Heaven are entrusted with the important task of intercession. Sure, God already knows all our needs, and He could ask us to go directly to Him in our prayers. But the truth is that God wants to use the intercession, and, therefore, the mediation of the saints in our lives. He uses them to bring our prayers to Him, and, in return, to bring His grace to us. They become powerful intercessors for us and participators in God’s divine action in the world. The saints also give us a model of holiness. The charity they lived on Earth lives on. The witness of their love and sacrifice was not just a one time act in history. Rather, charity is living and continues to have an effect for the good. Therefore, the charity and witness of the saints lives on and affects our lives. This charity in their lives creates a bond with us, a communion. It enables us to love them, admire them and want to follow their example. It is this, coupled with their continuing intercession, that establishes a powerful bond of love and union with us. Lord, as the saints in Heaven adore You for eternity, I beg for their intercession. Saints of God, please come to my aide. Pray for me, and bring to me the grace I need to live a holy life in imitation of your own lives. All saints of God, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You. (Source: My Catholic Life).

Today is #WorldMentalHealthDay, which takes place every year on October 10. This year, it comes at a time when our daily lives have changed considerably as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the World Health Organization notes, the past months have brought many challenges: for students and their families; for staff; for health-care workers, for workers whose livelihoods are threatened; for business owners; for the vast number of people caught in poverty or in fragile huma...nitarian settings with limited protection from COVID-19; and for people with mental health conditions or those suffering grief. Mental health is essential to our overall well-being and as important as physical health. When we feel mentally well, we can work productively, enjoy our free time, and contribute actively to our communities. Check out these resources to help you keep mentally healthy and to reduce stress. In cases of mental distress, the first step is to talk to someone you trust. If you feel you need it, seek help from a professional. If you are in an emergency, call 9-1-1. RESOURCES: https://tinyurl.com/y5n8dwf8 https://tinyurl.com/y5may57m https://tinyurl.com/y3f8dh7h

You and your child(ren) can enjoy many of your favourite Halloween activities safely this weekend by taking some simple precautions regarding trick-or- treating, handing out candy, and small gatherings. If you choose to take your little goblins, firemen, or princesses out tonight, please follow these guidelines to help keep your children and neighbours safe from COVID-19. If you are feeling ill, even if symptoms are mild, please stay home.... Stay safe!

We are excited to announce the launch of the new GSACRD Voice website. GSACRD Voice works to promote positive mental health within our 5 schools in Morinville and Legal. This new website will be a valuable resource for our students and families within these communities.... Check out the new site: https://www.voice.gsacrd.ab.ca.

This afternoon, our Board of Trustees hosted our 2020 Long Service Awards. This year’s event took place virtually. Together, we celebrated 103 staff who have reached 5-, 10-, 15-, 20, 25-, 30-, and 35- milestone years with our Division. Congratulations to everyone on your many successes and accomplishments. Thank you for your years of service to our students, families, community, Division, and God.... #GSACRDProud

We are thrilled to announce that Dallas Arcand, 3x World Champion Hoop Dancer, will be a part of the Grand Opening Celebration of St. Kateri Tekakwitha Academy tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately, due to restrictions around #COVID19, we cannot host a large gathering, as we wish we could. But the Grand Opening Ceremony will be live-streamed to the community, starting at 2 p.m. We hope you'll tune in. WATCH ONLINE: https://www.gsacrd.ab.ca/SKTAgrandopening.

In 1975, Cree singer Buffy Sainte-Marie became the first Indigenous person to make regular appearances on @sesamestreet. But, before she agreed to participate, ...she asked the producers: have you ever done any Native American programming? As @missandreawarner writes in her biography of Sainte-Marie, "they hadn’t, but they called her back with a new offer to include her as a writer and contributor and appear as a semiregular cast member. She knew it would be a good opportunity to reach millions of young children and their parents with the same message she had been bringing to her concert audiences for years: 'Indians exist'. In an era with almost no representation of Indigenous voices in mainstream media, Buffy showed kids and parents alike the strength and pride of Indigenous People and culture. And, initially, her character was the only adult on Sesame Street that could see Snuffleupagus, which was part of her bond with Big Bird. Hear music to celebrate Indigenous Kids, and a special song from @buffybuffy1963 down on Sesame Steeet, Sunday at 8PM on @cbcradio. Tune in at cbcmusic.ca/reclaimed __ #indigenousmusic #buffysaintemarie #sesamestreet #cree #bigbird #kids #children #indigenouskids #youth #childrensmusic #buffybio #kidsmusic #nativeyouth #indigenous #music

Thanks to Dr. Frank Neves and the team at Bright Dental for the Tim Hortons coffee and donuts from Italian Bakery's Mercato delivered to our Division Office and to some of our schools today. We appreciate your support for our teachers and #WorldTeachersDay. #delicious

In a word, let us be at peace, because peace is at the heart of thingspeace and utter satisfaction between the Father and the Son and the Spiritin which peace they call us to share; in which peace they promise that at length, when they have their good way with us, we shall share. George MacDonald from The Creation In Christ in Unspoken Sermons

Today, we join millions of people across the globe in celebrating @UNESCO #WorldTeachersDay. Held annually on Oct. 5, this is a day to formally commemorate teachers and to celebrate the teaching profession worldwide. This year’s theme is ‘Teachers: Leading in crisis, reimagining the future.’ This is timely, as the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly added to the challenges facing all teachers. They have made incredible accomplishments relative to providing remote learning, s...upporting vulnerable students, re-opening schools, and working to identify and close learning gaps. On this World Teachers’ Day, please thank our many teachers for living the heart of Jesus and embodying Christ to our students, families, and communities. Let them know that you appreciate their sacrifices, and, most importantly, please pray for them daily. Here are some practical ways to thank and encourage our teachers: https://www.catholicyyc.ca/heartofjesus.html.

This week's #COVID19 update from our Superintendent has been shared with our families and staff. You can download the update from our website: https://bit.ly/2GjWIXC.