Dear Online Learning Pathway families,

Happy March! This is the time of year where I start to get impatient for spring and warmer temperatures. I'm sure many of you feel the same way as well. Winter is wonderful with it's fresh snow and fun winter activities, but I am definitely longing for warmth and sunshine!

We had a wonderful Random Acts of Kindness Week. The teachers and I have to give you all credit for raising such kind and thoughtful young people. We gathered together on Feb. 23 for Pink Shirt Day and shared the activities we did during RAK week and we were so amazed with the quality of work and thoughtfulness that the students used when creating their presentations. It was a very heart warming way to end our day.

Read below for exciting news about online learning for next year!

This week we are beginning the period in our liturgical calendar called Lent. We had a great Shrove Tuesday breakfast together and joined together for Ash Wednesday liturgy. GSACRD is supporting Catholic Social Services "Bags of Hope" for youth during Lent. See below for information and the link to donate.

Many Blessings to you all,

Renee Trottier,

principal

Evergreen - March 21-28

GSACRD - March 25-April 4

Evergreen parents, please email Mrs. Trottier at rtrottier@gsacrd.ab.ca by MARCH 14 to let me know which spring break holiday you will be observing.

Online learning for grades 7-9 next year:

You can register with St. Gabriel Education Centre and continue online learning in a very similar way to what you have been doing this year. Once the registration package is ready to go it will be posted to the St. Gabriel Education Centre website. I will notify you when it's ready and posted.

Online learning for grade 10:

You can register now with St. Teresa Catholic Learning Centre using the registration link below. https://www.ecsrd.ca/apps/pages/registration. This is the Outreach school with the Evergreen Catholic School Division.

You are also welcome to register with St. Gabriel Education Centre which is our online/blended learning centre with Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools. If you want more information about our program, please contact me.

If you are interested in returning to in person learning:

Simply register as a returning student to the school you are currently connected to. You can register by clicking on this link

https://www.ecsrd.ca/apps/pages/registration

I hope this helps. If you have any follow up questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I'm more than happy to answer your questions. You can also contact Stacy Johnson at SJohnson@ecsrd.ca, the principal at St. Teresa's Learning Centre with Evergreen Catholic Schools. She will also be able to answer questions and provide direction.

This Lent students, staff and parents across the GSACRD community are invited to support Catholic Social Services’ Safe House. CSS’ Safe House is a home where at-risk young people can go to be safe.

These are children and young people, as young as 13, who live on the streets. In many cases they are at risk of exploitation, trafficking or encountering violence or substance abuse.

They are alone, afraid and have no where else to call home.

Safe House is often the only place they can go to access warm and loving support.

In a typical year staff in CSS’ Safe House distribute around 400 ‘BE Safe Backpacks’ to these vulnerable young people.

The funds raised in this campaign will go towards the purchase of these Be Safe Backpacks right at the very moment when it is needed. The Backpacks will provide the items that each individual needs to support their safety.

While no one Backpack is the same they will include some standard items such as a toothbrush, dry shampoo, a flashlight, a re-usable water bottle, granola bars, and clothes suitable for the season.

Perhaps most importantly every young person who receives a Be Safe Backpack knows they do not have to face the world alone.

We are so grateful to all in GSACRD for helping to bring hope to these young people this Lent.

Your solidarity is God’s love in action.

“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.’” Matt 25:40

All donations over $20, by individuals, are eligible for a tax receipt.

This week on Ash Wednesday, we start the period in our liturgical calendar called, Lent.

A Reflection from Mark 1:9-15, Psalm 25

Often we speak about Lent as a desert time. Many of us will never spend time in a physical desert, but we do know what it is like to feel that our hearts are empty or dry. During the time of the pandemic, some of these feelings may be even stronger than usual. Let’s look at Jesus and listen to his experience in the desert.

At the beginning of Mark’s Gospel, (Gospel means “good news”) we see Jesus being baptized by his cousin, John, in the Jordan River. As He is baptized, we hear God speak these beautiful words, “You are my Son, whom I love.” Do you feel you are a beloved son or daughter of God? Perhaps during Lent, you would like to spend a little time each day in silence.

We are so used to be distracted by our devices, games, TV, school, work, etc. that it can be a challenge to just sit quietly and listen for the gentle whisper of God in our hearts. On Ash Wednesday we begin the Lenten practice of fasting. We will try to deepen our relationship with God through fasting and praying. In the story about Jesus we hear that the Spirit descended upon Jesus. We received the gift of the Holy Spirit at our own baptism, so we can trust that the Holy Spirit will guide us to spend this quiet time in our personal desert, that is, our hearts. If we listen very carefully, we can hear God say to us too, “You are my beloved daughter; you are my beloved son”. “Believe the “good news’.”

Please continue to check your child's marks on PowerSchool. You can set it up to send you an automatic email once per week, or every time a mark is entered which helps us parents remember to check our children's marks!

If you are unable to see your child's marks in PowerSchool, please email Renee Trottier.