Patriot Post

Monday, January 5th

• First Day Back to School
• Girls Basketball Practice (7:00-8:15am)
• Linking Generations Visit #5
• Elf Jr. Rehearsal 3-4:45pm

Tuesday, January 6th

• Epiphany- Door Blessings (10-11am)
• Board Game Club 5Z, 5B, & 5Se and Grade 7s
• Elf Jr. Rehearsal 3-4:45pm

Wednesday, January 7th

• Early Dismissal (2:04pm)

• Girls Basketball Practice (7-8:15 am)

• Board Game Club Grade 6 & 8s

• Father Christopher Visit- Grade 8

• Parent Council Meeting (6:30 pm)

Friday, January 9th

• Photo Retake Day

Upcoming Dates:

• Jan. 12th:
• Girls Basketball Practice (7-8:15 am)
  
• Elf Jr. Rehearsal (3-4:45pm)
• Jan. 13th- Elf Jr. Rehearsal (3-4:45pm)
• Jan. 15th- Face 2 Face Ministries
• Jan. 16th- Boys Basketball
• Jan. 22 & 23- Elf Jr. Production
• Jan. 30th- Save the Date- Winter Dance- Organized by Parent Council

Dear Families,

As we come to our last day together before Christmas Break and enter the Fourth Week of Advent, we pause as a school community to reflect on today’s Gospel from Matthew 1:18–24.

In this passage, we meet Joseph at a moment of deep uncertainty. Faced with a situation he does not fully understand, Joseph chooses compassion, trust, and quiet courage. When the angel tells him, “Do not be afraid,” Joseph listens, and through his faithful “yes,” God’s promise is fulfilled. Jesus is born into the world as Emmanuel—God with us.

This message feels especially meaningful as we look around our own school community. Each day, we see Joseph moments, students choosing kindness, staff going the extra mile, and families supporting one another in ways both seen and unseen. These everyday acts of love are how God’s presence becomes real among us.

We are especially grateful for the generosity you have shown through your donations to the Fort Saskatchewan Nourishment Centre and Lurana Shelter. Because of you, families will experience warmth, dignity, and hope this Christmas. Your incredible support, 175 lbs. of donated items, truly reflects the heart of Advent, bringing light to others and reminding us that God is with us through our actions.

As you head into the break, we hope you take time to rest, reconnect, and celebrate the gift of family, faith, and community. Thank you for making our school a place of compassion, generosity, and belonging.

May the peace of Christ fill your hearts and homes, and may you return refreshed in the New Year.

Wishing you and your families a blessed and joyful Christmas.

Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Johnson

We are pleased to share a special message from Archbishop-Designate Stephen Hero to the faithful of the Archdiocese of Edmonton. In this short video, His Grace offers words of gratitude, hope, and a heartfelt pledge of pastoral service as he prepares to lead our local Church.

Archbishop-Designate Hero will be formally installed as the eighth Archbishop of Edmonton on January 23, 2026, at St. Joseph’s Basilica.

As we prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christmas, we are pleased to share a special message from Archdiocesan Administrator Fr. Paul Kavanagh to the faithful of the Archdiocese of Edmonton. In this brief video, Fr. Paul reflects the spirit of the season with words of gratitude, hope, and a heartfelt commitment to pastoral service as he prepares to lead our local Church.

Lurana Shelter is a first-stage emergency shelter that provides safe and secure refuge, along with essential supports such as meals, clothing, personal care items, transportation, child support, and 24/7 staffed services for advocacy, safety, and emotional support.

In 2021, after 27 years of service under the leadership of the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement, Lurana Shelter became part of Catholic Social Services. The Sisters entrusted CSS with this mission because of our shared values, our long-standing commitment to serving vulnerable women, and our dedication to supporting those most in need.

Elk Island Catholic Schools is proud to support the efforts of this vital organization. If you wish to contribute, donations of essential items or financial support are greatly appreciated and go directly toward helping women and children in crisis.

Donation Link here

We invite you to take a moment to visit our January Wellness Corner, where you’ll find helpful tips and resources to support the well-being of your whole family. We are looking forward to having the Saffron Centre Lunchtime Outreach visit us at on November 20th and December 18th.

Please review the following information regarding cafeteria services:
At times, lineups can become quite lengthy—especially on Fridays. If possible, we recommend pre-ordering meals in advance.

You can pre-order meals by visiting: https://fsl.h1.hotlunchonline.net

Introducing your Parent Council Executive for the 2025-2026 School Year!

Chair- Jaclyn Stokes

Vice Chair- Brandy Leach

Treasurer- Melanie Beer

Secretary- Kerri Gartner

We are truly blessed as a school community to have such a caring and dedicated group of parents. Your support makes such a difference in the experiences we can offer our students. Thank you for generously giving your time and energy—we couldn’t do it without you!

Next Meeting-January 8th at 6:30pm

Email: stjp@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stjp.eics.ab.ca
Location: 9975 93 Avenue, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-992-0889
Twitter: @stjp2cs

1. Entrances/Exits

• Dedicated entry/exit doors for each grade will continue as follows:
• Grade 6: Doors by the bus loop (West)
• Grade 5: Doors by the portables (East)
• Grade 7: Front doors (South)
• Grade 8: Door between gym and construction lab (South East)
• Any student arriving late or leaving early may use the front doors.
• All guests/visitors/parents need to use the main front doors of the school.
• Doors will be opened at 8:15 am and will be locked at 8:45 am.

2. Closed Campus

• For the safety and security of our students, ST. John Paul II Catholic School will continue to be a "closed campus." This means that students WILL NOT be permitted to leave school property on their own at anytime throughout the course of the day.
• Students ARE NOT permitted to leave the school to purchase food at nearby fast food restaurants. As such, we are continuing to operate our school cafeteria where students can purchase healthy food choices at lunchtime as well as throughout the day.

3. Parents/Visitors

• In the interest of the safety and respect for all our students and staff, ALL PARENTS/VISITORS MUST report to the office upon arrival at our building.
• We realize that sometimes student lunches and school materials get forgotten at home and need to be dropped off at school, therefore we kindly ask that parents complete these drop-offs at the office, or check in for further instructions. For the safety of our school, we do not want visitors or parents wandering around without our consent or knowledge. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
• If you have any concerns, or need to speak with a staff member or administration, please call the office ahead of time to make an appointment. Thank-you for your understanding and cooperation in this regard.