Principal's message
Dear St. Gabes Students and Families,
I was reviewing my newsletter from April of last year and I started it with this sentence, "It's April and it clearly it's coming in like a lion and not a lamb. So much snow!" It seems like we're repeating the same weather story as last year. Still, I'm not complaining - I grew up on a farm and this last snow fall was what we used to call, "a million dollar snow". It meant that our cattle would have grass, we wouldn't have to haul water for them because the dugouts would fill with run-off, and the fields would have ground water for our crops. Hopefully, the snow will also help prevent wildfires this summer as well. Growing up in the short grass desert of southern Alberta, we were always happy for spring rain and snow.
March was a very busy month at St. Gabes. Take a few minutes to check out the pictures in the "Student Events" section. Our staff works hard to ensure that students are receiving an enriched education with opportunities to learn not only their curriculum, but information about life beyond the classroom so that they're ready for the next step in their lives.
It's also that time of year when we have to take a serious look at our course progression. Are you on track? If you're more than one unit behind and your mark is less than 30%, you will likely be withdrawn from those courses. We are not self-paced and students are expected to stay on track with the course due dates. If you want to drop a class, the cut-off is April 30th. After April 30th, you may not be able to drop the course so please have that conversation with your teacher or Mrs. Trottier before April 30th.
Please take a few minutes to register for next year, the link is in the information below. Thank you to those of you who have already sent in their registration package. Planning our staffing for next year is very difficult if we don't know how many students we have returning as teacher's jobs are based on the number of students we have.
Summer school registration is also open now. The link is below. I always encourage students to take a course or two during the summer so that it frees up time in grade 12, just in case you need to take an extra course or upgrade a mark. Grade 9 students (going into grade 10) are allowed to take 2/3 of PE10, CALM, or Religion 15. Grades 11-12 are allowed to take one core or two options. Core classes are in person at SACHS while options (PE, CALM, Religion) are online. If you have questions, please reach out to Wade Michael or Cara Mazur at SACHS.
I hope you all have a blessed Easter season and I pray that you find joy and hope with the coming resurrection of Jesus.
As always, please reach out to us if you have any questions. We are always happy to help.
Many Blessings,
Renee Trottier, principal
April 7 -Green Shirt Day in honour of The Logan Boulet Effect (organ donation)
April 10 - Jersey Day in Remembrance of the Humboldt Bronco's Hockey Team
April 11 - PD/Staff meeting day. School is closed.
April 17 - Holy Thursday
April 18 - Good Friday - School is closed
April 19 - Holy Saturday
April 20 - Easter Sunday
April 21 - Easter Monday - School is closed
April 28 - National Day of Mourning in Remembrance of those injured or killed at work
April 30 - Last day to drop classes. See below for explanation.
May - May is the Month of Mary.
Newsletter Draw
Thank you for taking the time to read about what's happening at St. Gabes each month. Our newsletter is a really important way for you to keep up with what's happening at school.
Congratulations to Cara Fedorak for winning our newsletter draw. Please pick up your prize at school.
Each month you can enter our draw for a gift card. I reset the draw each month so you can win more than once!
Thank you to all of you who have already registered for next school year. This helps us so much with planning staffing and courses. If your child is a current student and will be returning for next year, you should have received an email to register your child already. If you didn't receive the email, please let Mrs. Trottier know and I will send it again.
If you're over 18 (as of September 1, 2025), you will register as a NEW student for 2025/2026 (even if you are a current student).
If you have questions, please contact us and we can help.
Copying, Plagiarism and AI
Did you know that copying from the Internet, using AI, or even copying your friend's work, are all forms of plagiarism? Using someone else's ideas, words, or thoughts (including AI) without citing them can result in receiving a zero for your work and possibly being withdrawn from the course. In post-secondary you can be expelled from school.
Please read our Academic Integrity Policy.
School Rules!
1. Check in - Always check in at the office - sign in with our QR code. This is for students and guests.
2. Check out - Always check out again before you leave.
It's important that we know who is in the building for safety reasons. If there is a lock down or evacuation, we need to be able to identify who is at school so that we can help to keep you safe.
3. Parking - Parking is first come/first served. Do not park in spots that have no-parking signs on them.
4. Bring your own reusable water bottle. We now have a water bottle filling station in the hallway by the bathrooms.
PowerSchool for students and parents
Students - You can access PowerSchool using your student email and password. You have single user sign on now.
Parents - If you don't have a parent PowerSchool account, please contact Principal Renee Trottier. You will need an access ID and Password from the school in order to set up your account. You can add all of your GSACRD children on one account.
The PowerSchool App - Did you know there is an app for PowerSchool? It's super easy to use. Once you've set up your account, download the PowerSchool App from your phone's app store. When it prompts you for our district code, type in QNMM.
Note - parents, you must set up your account from a computer first. After that, you can access your account from your phone or the app.
MYPASS - HIGH SCHOOL AND ADULT STUDENTS
MyPass is an Alberta Education secure self-service website for Alberta students to:
- View and print diploma exam results
- Register to write a diploma exam
- Order high school transcripts
- View progress towards a credential (diploma or certificate)
- View and print a Detailed Academic Report (DAR)
- Order additional copies of an awarded credential
- View student personal information
Link to MyPass: https://public.education.alberta.ca/PASI/myPass
April! Time sure has a way of flying by. Spring break is always a welcome change to our schedule. However, coming back from a break can leave us feeling overwhelmed. June feels so far away and yet our classwork comes week after week faster than we feel we can keep up with sometimes. Yet spring also comes with a sense of renewed energy! The sun is out, the temperature is warmer and more people are out and about. So how can we take this sense of renewal and apply it to our school work?
Here are a few ways to capture that spring energy and apply it to school:
1. Get outside! Go for a walk once a day, even if just for a few minutes. Better if you can do it with a pet or a friend for some added connection and purpose.
2. Be silly! You are never too old to jump in a puddle or dance in the rain. If you have a young child in your life, find some time to spend with them exploring outside looking for bugs or floating sticks in puddles.
3. Set a schedule and goals. Be intentional about scheduling your time. Schedule shorter study and work sessions, but schedule them more frequently and take breaks in between. Schedule some time to get outside, it will help your focus and attention.
April is also a great time to plan for next year. Whether your plans are for returning to high school, upgrading, applying for jobs or applying to post-secondary I can help! I am available Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays to meet with students and help you with your plans and applications. And don't forget to check out our scholarships section on the website!
Now is also the time to find out when final exams are. Students and parents should be looking at Moodle course calendars to determine exactly when final exams are in June. Save these dates and set reminders. These dates are FIXED and can not be changed. If you need help please reach out and I would be happy to help.
Counselling Hours
Mrs. Webb is at St. Gabes on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Email her to set up a time to meet if you need support.
Mental Health and Wellness
Don't forget to check out our "Mental Health and Wellness" section on our website for wellness ideas, tips, resources and sessions that are being offered. Click on "community supports" for information about services in St. Albert and area to support you or your family.
Do You Need Help With Your Coursework?
Did you know that Mrs. Julie Lamoureux is our learning support facilitator? She is available every day except Tuesdays to help you with your coursework. Just email her to set up a time to meet!
Do you know about 211?
Did you know that Alberta has a service that you can call, text or live chat? It's called 2-1-1 and it's a distress service that covers a really large number of topics. It's free, confidential and operates 24/7.
PE Indoors? Yes We Can!
No gym? Too cold outside? There are always ways to get in a bit of physical activity during the cold winter months. Washer toss is an easy game to play inside.
St. Patrick's Day
Most of the St. Gabes staff featured here all dressed up in green for St. Patrick's Day. Missing: Mrs. Ketsa and Mrs. Kidd.
Newsletter Draw
Please fill out the link for our draw! (Please do not enter more than once per month)
Social Media
Please follow and share with your friends. We want everyone to know what a great place St. Gabes is!
St. Gabriel Education Centre
Email: rtrottier@gsacrd.ab.ca
Website: https://www.stgabe.gsacrd.ab.ca/.
Location: 39 Sunset Blvd., (rear entrance)
Phone: (780)459-6616
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StGabesHS
