St. Gabriel Education Centre
February 2025
Principal's message
Dear St. Gabes Students and Families,
Welcome Back to an Exciting Second Semester!
On behalf of the entire St. Gabe's staff, I extend a warm welcome back to all our students and families as we embark on an exciting second semester! We also want to welcome all of our new students who are just starting their courses in the second semester. We are happy you decided to join us to further your education.
We are thrilled to be back in the classroom and eager to continue building on the successes of the first semester. This semester promises to be filled with engaging learning opportunities and many opportunities for our students to shine.
I encourage you to stay connected with school events and announcements through our school website, Moodle, and social media channels. Be sure to connect with your teachers and our learning support team, Mrs. Lamoureux and Mrs. Webb, if you need support both within and beyond school. Keep an eye on your email for notices about make up classes.
All students (new and returning) should take a few minutes to go over our Academic Integrity Policy, our Course Completion Procedures, and our student handbook, all which are linked below and can be found on our website.
Our registration for next year is open. Please share the good news of St. Gabes with your friends and neighbours . . . we welcome all students to our school.
We look forward to a productive and rewarding second semester!
Many Blessings,
Renee Trottier, principal
February is Black History Month
January 31 - First day of classes. We close at noon on Fridays.
February 3 - Deadline to register for Norquest dual credit courses
February 6-7 - Teachers' Convention. School Closed.
February 9-15 - Random Acts of Kindness Week
February 13 - King's University presentation | Pizza lunch
February 14 - Valentine's Day. Come to school for special treats!
February 17 - Family Day - No School
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 Raiya Bedi 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!
Semester Two - Starts January 31, 2025
Have you registered for any courses for semester 2? If not, please see Mrs. Franklin and let her know which classes you would like to take.
Did you know that you can check your schedule on PowerSchool and find all the information you need. Marks are always being updated on PowerSchool so make sure you have a parent account (for students who are under 18).
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.
Dual Credit Course Offerings
We are excited to announce the availability of Dual Credit courses for the upcoming semester!
Dual Credit allows high school students to earn both high school and post-secondary credits simultaneously. This unique opportunity provides students with a head start on their college education while still in high school.
For this academic year, we are offering:
Sociology 1000
Psychology 1040
These courses are offered by NorQuest College and are transferable to both Grant MacEwan University, Concordia University and the University of Alberta.
Dual Credit offers numerous benefits, including:
Reduced college tuition costs: Earn college credits while only paying the textbook fee.
Early exposure to post-secondary education: Gain valuable college experience and prepare for the transition to university.
Enhanced academic rigor: Challenge yourself with college-level coursework.
Improved college readiness: Develop essential skills for success in higher education.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Renee Trottier at rtrottier@gsacrd.ab.ca.
Deadline to register - Feb. 3, 2025
Course starts - Feb. 10 and 12, 2025
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
St. Valentine: A History of Love
St. Valentine's Day is a day of love and romance, but it is also a day with a rich history. The holiday is named after a Christian martyr named Valentine who was killed in the 3rd century AD.
There are several different stories about St. Valentine. One story says that he was a priest who performed marriages for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. Another story says that he was imprisoned for helping Christians escape from prison.
No matter what the true story is, St. Valentine has become the patron saint of love. His feast day is celebrated on February 14th, and it is a day when people all over the world express their love for their loved ones.
Interesting facts about St. Valentine's Day:
- The first Valentine's Day card was sent in the 15th century.
- The chocolate industry makes billions of dollars in sales on Valentine's Day.
- More than 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are sent each year.
Welcome to Semester 2! Time for a fresh start.
Did you know that as the school counsellor I am available to help you succeed each semester? We offer a variety of support to parents and students that help students finish the courses they sign up for each semester. If you or your child did not accomplish what they had hoped in semester 1 then it might be a good idea to reach out and see what we can do differently to see more success this term. Success for everyone is different and every student is different. Here at St. Gabes we are able to tailor a unique support plan for students and families to achieve their goals.
Of course, there are always some basic supports that benefit everyone. This semester we have developed a "Success Checklist" that students can refer to each month to ensure that they are doing all the steps to support their own learning and advocate for themselves. These are available, along with teacher support times and seminar schedules in the common room at St. Gabes. I can also send these resources to anyone interested over email.
Upcoming this semester we will have lots of chances for students to plan for their future. So far we have planned:
- February 13 at 12:00pm King's University will be at St. Gabe’s for a pizza lunch and will share with students all they have to offer.
- March 13: St. Albert Community services will be doing a presentation to students to explain everything they need to know about moving out and renting.
- Also on March 13 SACHS will be hosting a job fair from 5:00-7:00 pm.
More events will be added throughout the semester!
Mrs. Webb is available on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays at St. Gabes to help you with all sorts of supports: individual counselling, post-secondary and career help, our new RAP program, and 1-1 help with your coursework. Please contact her to set up a time to meet at 587-983-2541 or email at: mwebb@gsacrd.ab.ca.
Note - Counselling referrals can be made by parents or teachers. Support is provided for individual or family concerns and referrals to outside agencies can be accessed through Mrs. Webb.
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 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.
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
