Dear Students, Parents/Legal Guardians, and Staff
As we prepare to enter the sacred season of Advent, we are reminded of the beauty of this time of anticipation, hope, and renewal. Advent invites us to pause amidst our busy lives, reflect on the blessings of the year so far, and look forward with faith to the joy of Christ’s coming.
The first few months of this school year have been marked by tremendous growth, collaboration, and a renewed sense of community across our schools. From the energy of September’s new beginnings to the achievements and milestones that have shaped the fall; our students, staff, and families have embraced our mission to create joyful learning spaces filled with love, hope, and mercy.
Pastoral Priorities
This fall, Archbishop Smith launched the Archdiocesan pastoral priorities via his Pastoral Letter and made a formal announcement at the annual Archbishop’s Dinner. The priorities in the next three years, respectively, are Eucharistic Worship, Confident Witness, and Service to Marriage and Family. This short video provides an overview of the pastoral priorities and you can learn more at the Pastoral Priorities webpage. You will see messaging relative to the pastoral priorities in Division messaging over the course of the next three years.
Join Our 5th Annual 50/50 Christmas Cash Raffle Fundraiser!
The holiday season is a time of giving, and this year, we invite you to make a difference in the lives of students within Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools by participating in our 5th Annual 50/50 Christmas Cash Raffle Fundraiser, organized in support of the Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools Education Foundation. Funds raised through this raffle will go directly towards supporting classroom initiatives.
Here’s How It Works:
- Ticket Sales Close: December 3, 2024, at 11:59 PM
- Draw Date: December 5, 2024, at 7:00 PM
- Location: École Secondaire St. Albert Catholic High School
- Prize: The lucky winner will take home 50% of the final jackpot
- AGLC License #704691
- Click here to learn more and purchase tickets
Assurance and Accountability in Alberta’s K to 12 Education System
The Alberta government has an assurance framework for schools and school authorities to assess progress and demonstrate success. The framework has five assurance areas with related performance measures that enable schools and school authorities to show their communities how they perform each year.
This approach helps the province, school authorities and schools track successes, continuously improve the quality of education for students, and support a transparent, accountable and responsive education system.
We are proud to announce that our school division significantly outperformed the province in all 24 required and supplemental measures. All reports are posted on the division website for your review. A few highlights include:
- For the provincial achievement tests in grade six, 76.6% of our students achieved the acceptable standard, compared to the provincial average of 68.5%. GSACRD saw 21.2% of grade six students achieve the standard of excellence, compared to the provincial average of 19.8%.
- For the provincial achievement tests in grade 9, 76.0% of our students achieved the acceptable standard, compared to the provincial average of 62.5%. GSACRD saw 17.0% of grade nine students achieve the standard of excellence, compared to the provincial average of 15.4%.
- Diploma exams - 85.9% of our students achieved the acceptable standard compared to the provincial average of 81.5%. GSACRD saw 26.6% of students achieve the standard of excellence on diploma exams, compared to the provincial average of 22.6%.
- 78.8% of our high school students are eligible for the Rutherford Scholarship compared to 70.7% within the province.
- Our 3-year High School Completion is at 91.6%, compared to the provincial average of 80.4%
Be Mercy for the Unhoused: Our Advent Mission
This Advent, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools invites our community to embrace the spirit of mercy by supporting those experiencing homelessness. Rooted in our three-year faith theme, “Growing in Mercy, with the Son,” this year’s focus calls us to deepen our understanding of mercy and put it into action in our daily lives.
As Jesus reminds us in Matthew 25:40:
"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.”
In partnership with Catholic Social Services Sign of Hope, we are raising funds for the "Care-A-Van" project. This initiative, part of the Welcome Home program, meets the urgent needs of Edmonton's unhoused population in underserved outer-city areas. The Care-A-Van delivers essential items such as food, water, and clothing with compassion and love.
Donations to this year’s Advent Challenge will directly support the Care-A-Van project, ensuring that basic needs are met and pathways to sustainable change are created. This initiative reflects our shared commitment to serving the most vulnerable in our community with mercy and love.
Each school will provide additional details on how staff, students, and families can contribute to this important cause. Together, let us Be Mercy for the Unhoused this Advent season, bringing hope, dignity, and love to those who need it most.
Thank you for joining us in this mission of faith, service, and compassion.
Advent Blessings
As we journey through Advent together, let us take this opportunity to reflect on the light we bring into our schools and communities and how we can share Christ’s love with those around us. I would like to offer you the following Advent prayers (courtest of “Hallow”) that can be prayed throughout the season leading up to Christmas:
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Dear Lord, please allow me to embrace Advent in the way the Church intends: as a way to prepare for Your arrival. May everything I do–every gift I send, every party I attend, every meal I share–remind me to prepare space in my heart for You. Amen.
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May the Holy Spirit help me journey closer to You and lift me up when I feel down and led me when I feel lost. I may stumble at times, but I know my ultimate journey is to draw closer to You and build Your kingdom here on earth–a kingdom that Jesus’s birth, life and death helped secure. Amen.
May God bless you and your families abundantly during the Advent season, and may you draw ever closer to Christ.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Dr. Clint Moroziuk
Superintendent of Schools