Summer is Here!

Wow—what a year it has been. It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming you back in September, full of nervous energy, fresh notebooks, and big dreams. And now, here we are, saying goodbye to an unforgettable school year!

Students, you’ve all grown in so many ways—some of you found your voice in class discussions, others discovered new talents in the arts, on the court, or through quiet acts of kindness that made someone’s day. Every one of you brought something special to our school community, and we noticed.

There were tough days, too. Days when the homework piled up, friendships were tested, or things just didn’t go your way. But you kept showing up. You kept trying. And that says more about your strength than any grade ever could.

To our amazing families, a big thank you! Your endless support, whether through volunteering or cheering from the sidelines, is the secret of our school's success. Your trust, encouragement, and partnership mean the world to us. To our School Council, a special thank you for all your support, whether it was organizing the latest fundraising or lending a hand in the many activities, especially Lion’s Days and Farewell, your dedication and work ensured that students had many opportunities and different environments to learn and play.

To our grade 9 class, hats off to you! You have conquered challenges, celebrated wins, and grown in ways you cannot even imagine. As you head into high school, remember this: you are capable of more than you know. You have voices that matter, ideas that can change the world, and resilience to face whatever comes next—even if it’s a surprise quiz the first day of school. So, go forward with courage, curiosity, and kindness. And do not forget to visit—you will always be part of this school’s story. Once a Lion, always a Lion!

As we dive into summer, let's unwind, explore, and savor the little joys summer brings. Whether it's getting lost in a book or safely trying out the latest social media trends, may this summer be a time of rejuvenation. To our entire school community, have a fantastic summer filled with relaxation, laughter, and fresh starts.

A massive thank you for being part of our school family. Together, we've woven memories that will last a lifetime.

June report cards will be available through PowerSchool starting Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at noon. Families can view, download, or print report cards directly from PowerSchool. This page also includes guides and videos to help you understand your child’s progress and navigate the system.

If you are having trouble with your account, you can contact the Help-Desk by going to the front page (https://powerschool.ecsd.net/public/home.html) and use the “Contact Us” button.

If you have any questions regarding your child’s marks, please look to PowerSchool first. If there are still further questions, please email your child’s teacher or leave a message on our voice mail prior to 1:30 pm Wednesday 24 June 2026.

Please note that St. Mark will be closed on Wednesday 24 June from 9:30-12:15 for a staff farewell celebration. Teachers will be returning calls prior to leaving for their summer break (1:30 pm, 24 June 2026). All inquiries after 1:30 pm will be addressed in the fall (September 2026).

St. Mark still has some school fees that have not yet been paid for this school year. A notice was sent home with your child today with the outstanding fees.

These fees are important because they cover the cost of materials that students use every day. This includes items like food for cooking, wood for projects, and other supplies that students use (or eat in the case of foods) and often take home. The school does not receive funding for these items, so fees help support these learning opportunities.

If your child also did not return all of their school borrowed materials (i.e., library books, textbooks, calculators, etc.), these items will be charged a replacement fee. This fee can be found in your PowerSchool account. Because many of our textbooks are no longer available, it is important we have these books turned back into the school.

Please note that unpaid fees will remain on your child’s account from year to year. If needed, families are welcome to meet with school administration to arrange a payment plan (in August), and fees can be paid in smaller installments.

Please be advised of the following office schedule updates:

• The office will be closed on Wednesday (24 June 2026) from 9:30 to 12:15 for a staff event. Kindly leave a message on our voicemail or email the school/specific teacher prior to 1:30 pm if you require a response before the summer break.

• The office will closed for summer vacation on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, at 1:30 pm. Messages will not be retrieved during the summer break.

• In case of urgency or emergencies, please contact our division offices at 780-441-6000, and they will ensure a prompt message delivery. Any emails sent to the school (StMark@ecsd.net) after 24 June 2026 will be addressed in late August.

• Information and invitations for the 2026-2027 school year will be sent out to our families at the end of August via email. We will also post information on our website under our Weekly Update page.

• The office will reopen for new registrations and inquiries towards the end of August (tentatively planned 24 August 2026).

With the end of every school year, change is inevitable, including transitions within our St. Mark family. We want to express our gratitude to the staff who will embark on new journeys next school year:

• Ms. Kachi Nzekwe

• Ms. Sydney Parsons

• Ms. Cori Pullan

• Ms. Candice Yaremchuk

As we step into the upcoming school year, we are excited to welcome new members to our family, particularly with the addition of our two (2) WIN Jr. classrooms this fall.

• Phal Bahadur

• Jasper Bitar

• Eli Burtnick

• Samantha Daniele

• Ganga Karki Bistra

• Zsuzsanna Kulscar

A warm welcome to our new staff! We look forward to having you join this wonderful family we call St. Mark.

Thank you to the students who took the challenge of being a student athlete. Thank you to the parents who were so willing to work through “in-house” athletics this year.

Lastly, I would like to thank the staff members who volunteered their time, expertise & effort to coaching or managing; you all went above and beyond the job description. I am grateful to have been the Physical Education Lead at St. Mark for the past 4 year. The Athletic lead has provided a tremendous amount of professional learning and professional growth. I look forward to using these skills to help in other areas of our school next year.

Grade 9 Farewell pictures will be sent by email to families over the next two or three weeks. We will be using the parent/guardian email listed in PowerSchool. We will also be sending the pictures to the students' ECSD email address.

If for any reason, you have not received your pictures by July 30, 2026, please email stmark@ecsd.net and someone will follow up near the end of August.

Hi Everyone!

Bible School is designed for Elementary School Children, with Junior and Senior High Students assisting as Youth Leaders who can assist the week of July 6-10.

Would you be interested in leading and/or assisting one day of that week, more than one day, or all week?

• Phone: 780-475-2888
  Email: stmatthew.edm@caedm.ca

Thank you.Dave Kostiuk

The following links are the buses which regularly pass by or near St. Mark School:

• Route 51 - Castledown - Westmount
• Route 52 - Jasper Place - Westmount
• Route 124 - Westmount - Castledowns
• Route 903 - Jasper Place - Kingsway
• Route 907 - WEM - Westmount

"Regular" Grade 7, 8 and 9 students are NOT provided Yellow Bus services to St. Mark School. ETS bussing is how many of our students arrive and leave school. St. Mark Handout, Parent information Sheet for Arc documents, and Fee schedule for 2026-2027 (attached below) provide further information.

WIN Jr. and Generations is offered Curbside Service through our division's Inclusive department. If your child will be taking the yellow bus to and from St. Mark, we will need to ensure students are ready to safely ride, therefore, we will be asking all families to provide their own transportation for the first morning of school. This will allow us to set the bus up with the proper equipment necessary.

Buses can be followed using the following information (found below). This is especially useful in winter so families are not outside waiting in the cold.

Information for the 2026-2027 school year. Click on the calendar to see the division calendar on our ecsd.net website.

We have tentatively scheduled our first week of 2026-2027:

• September 2, 2026 - Grade 7 students only (Inclusive/Regular, WIN Jr. and Generations)
• September 3-4, 2026 - ALL STUDENTS (Inclusive/Regular, WIN Jr., and Generations)

We will email families in late August with an up-to-date schedule of events and information for the new school year.

• Grades 7-9

  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

    • First Bell - 8:15

    • Warning Bell - 8:22

    • Block 1 - 8:25-9:16

    • Block 2 - 9:18-10:06

    • Locker Break - 10:06-10:10

    • Block 3 - 10:11-10:59

    • Block 4 - 11:01-11:49

    • Lunch and Recess Break - 11:49-12:34

    • Block 5 - 12:34-13:22 (1:22 pm)

    • Block 6 - 13:24-14:12 (1:24-2:12 pm)

    • Block 7 - 14:14-15:03 (2:14-3:03 pm)

  • Thursday

    • First Bell - 8:15

    • Warning Bell - 8:22

    • Block 1 - 8:25-9:16

    • Block 2 - 9:18-10:08

    • Locker Break - 10:08-10:12

    • Block 3 - 10:13-11:03

    • Block 4 - 11:05-11:55

• Generations and WIN Jr.

  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday

    • Morning Classes - 8:25-11:55

    • Lunch and Recess - 11:55-12:30

    • Afternoon Classes - 12:30-14:40 (2:40 pm)

  • Thursday

    • Morning Classes - 8:25-11:46

Our school PD days and Student-led Conferences have also been tentatively set:

• School PD - NO CLASSES - 7 October 2026

• Demonstration of Learning (Parent/Student/Teacher) -26 November 2026

• School PD - NO CLASSES - 28 January 2027

• Demonstration of Learning (Parent/Student/Teacher) - 11 March 2027

• School PD - NO CLASSES - 22 April 2027

Please look in your email in late August for more information on the start of the 2026-2027 school year.

Homeroom classrooms and class lists are carefully crafted, taking into consideration various factors such as learning needs, student abilities, school population, and budget constraints. This results in class lists and configurations that evolve, sometimes even in the initial days of the school year.

If you have a preference for your child to be placed in a particular class, you can submit a letter outlining the educational reasons to the school. Please note that requests for changes to classroom assignments will not be considered prior to 15 September 2026. Your understanding and cooperation in this process are greatly appreciated.

A reminder the our recreation academy students that the fee schedule for payment deadlines are:

• Initial Deposit at time of application - $300

  • $150 dollars is non-refundable due to pre-bookings for the first month of school.

• Second Payment - DUE 2 October 2026 - $450

• Third Payment - DUE 15 January 2027 - $300

• Final Payment - DUE 12 March 2027 - $450

Should an alternative schedule need to be made, please contact school administration in September to arrange a payment schedule.

Families of students in Grades 6 and received an email the morning of June 18 inviting your child to join ECSD’s All-City Choir programs for the 2026–2027 school year. These Division-wide choirs provide students with an opportunity to sing, develop their skills, and be part of a collaborative performing group. No previous experience is required.

The email included information about:

• All-City Junior High Choir for students entering Grades 7 to 9

• All-City High School Choir for students in Grades 10 to 12, with course credit available

Please check your email for more details or visit the webpage (linked above) for more information.