August 26, 2025
Superintendent’s Update: Students, Parents/Legal Guardians, and Staff
As we prepare to begin a new school year in Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, I want to extend a heartfelt welcome to each of you. The start of a new year is always filled with possibility…a chance to build community, grow in knowledge, and create faith-filled learning spaces where every student and staff member is cared for, valued, and loved. Together, we have the privilege of shaping schools that are places of joy and hope, rooted in our shared faith.
As we move into this year, I invite you to see our schools not only as places of academic learning but also as communities where faith is lived and grace is experienced daily. May we encourage one another, celebrate our gifts, and create learning environments where everyone thrives.
Our Faith Theme 2025–2026: Growing in Grace, with the Spirit
This year marks the third and final year of our three-year faith theme, Growing in the Trinity: Love, Mercy & Grace. Having reflected on the love of the Father and the mercy of the Son, we now turn to the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with grace. Our focus for 2025–2026 is “Growing in Grace with the Spirit.” Grace reminds us that God’s love is a pure gift, not something we earn, but something freely given. As we open ourselves to the Spirit, we receive these gifts and are called to share them with others, blessing our schools, families, and communities.
As families, students, and staff, this theme calls us to notice the gifts of the Spirit in our daily lives - the patience shared in busy mornings, the kindness shown between friends, the encouragement offered after a hard day, the joy found in small successes. When we recognize these moments as gifts of grace, we are reminded of our call to share them with others. Our homes, classrooms, and playgrounds become places where the Fruits of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - can be seen and felt.
Our guiding Scripture for the year is:
“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.”
(1 Corinthians 2:12)
Trustee Election – Important Information
Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools will hold its next Trustee Election on Monday, October 20, 2025. Anyone interested in serving as a Trustee is reminded that the nomination deadline is Monday, September 22, 2025, at 12:00 noon.
Nomination packages are available through the Division Services Centre in St. Albert (6 St. Vital Avenue) or can be downloaded from our website. Completed forms are accepted by appointment only. To be eligible, candidates must be at least 18 years of age by September 22, 2025, be a Canadian citizen, reside within the division’s boundaries, and be Catholic.
For full details, including nomination forms and candidate information, please visit our website: 2025 Trustee Election Information for Candidates.
Teacher Bargaining and Strike Vote Information
A new collective agreement is currently being negotiated centrally at the provincial level between the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) and the Teachers’ Employer Bargaining Association (TEBA), which represents the Government of Alberta and all school divisions.
Like all divisions in Alberta, Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools is not directly involved in the central process.
We value the essential role that teachers and all staff play in our school communities. Our Division also respects the collective bargaining process, and we remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached without disruption to teaching and learning.
What’s Happening Now:
- No job action has been announced.
- Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools continues to focus on providing high-quality learning for students and is preparing for the start of the 2025–26 school year.
- As part of the bargaining process, the ATA held a province-wide strike vote. On June 10, 2025, the ATA announced that 94.5% of participating teachers voted in favour of authorizing strike action.
- This vote gives the ATA the authority to begin job action at any time within 120 days, until October 7, 2025, unless an agreement is reached with TEBA. Teachers could strike with as little as three days’ notice.
How Families Will Be Informed:
Because things may change quickly, our Division will share information promptly as it becomes available:
- Website Updates: GSACRD Labour Update will be updated regularly.
- Direct Notifications: Families, students, and staff will be informed through School Messenger as soon as changes arise.
We encourage families to stay connected through our website and division messages for the latest updates.
Communication with Families
You can expect to receive a Superintendent’s Update on the last Friday of every month throughout the school year. We will endeavour to provide this consistently unless we need to share urgent or time-sensitive information. We encourage you to follow us on social media and read your schools’ newsletters for weekly updates.
Prayer for the New School Year
As we begin a new school year in Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, we remember that each day is a gift from God and an opportunity to grow in faith, hope, and love. Inspired by a student prayer from the Saskatchewan Catholic School Boards Association, we share this prayer for our students as they embark on another year of learning and growing together in Christ and “growing in Grace with the Spirit.”
Growing in Grace - A Student’s Prayer for a New School Year
Holy Spirit,
As I begin this new school year, fill me with Your grace.
Open my heart to see the blessings You place before me each day.
Guide me through new challenges and exciting opportunities,
and give me courage to grow in wisdom and faith.
Bless my teachers with patience and kindness,
my classmates with friendship and joy,
and my family with love and support.
Help me to be generous in my studies,
attentive in my learning,
and always ready to share Your love with others.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, inspire me to do my best this year,
so that my gifts may bless those around me. Amen.
Teachers and support staff…here is a shorter version that you may wish to pray with your students at the beginning of the year (or adapt anytime to begin a new day or week).
Growing in Grace - A Classroom Prayer for the New School Year/Week/Day
Holy Spirit, be with us as we begin this year/week/day.
Bless our teachers, classmates, and families.
Help us to learn with joy, to be kind to one another,
and to share Your love in all we do.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, guide us to do our best each day. Amen.
Students, staff, and families…it is a humbling privilege to be able to walk alongside you on your journey through Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools. I wish you a joyful and restful long weekend with your families. When we gather again on Tuesday, may we return refreshed, renewed, and ready to begin this school year with hearts open to the Spirit’s grace.
In Christ,
Dr. Clint Moroziuk
Superintendent