Maryview School – Feeling the Faith

The Learning Commons will be given a variety of resources to help students deepen their knowledge of the Catholic faith. These resources include books, audiobooks, games, puzzles, toys, technology, and other manipulatives. This initiative has been allocated $3,000.

Testimonial:

We have used our grant to purchase faith-based children’s books, games, movies, toys and technology. Each week, a chapter or two is read in the book “The Sign of the Carved Cross” and the story holds the students’ attention and gets them talking about our faith.

Maryview School – Faith-based Presentations & Retreats

Grade 4-5 students will have the opportunity to experience a one-day faith retreat filled with various activities including crafts, bible study, singing and faith-based games. The school community will also host a theatre production company that will help all students on their personal faith journey. This project was given $3,500.

 

 

Testimonial

Heartbeat Theatre Productions (from Calgary) came to Maryview through the generous funding provided by the Educational Foundation. This whole school (K-5) theatre production highlighted
our division theme of “Lord, light the path and I will lead others.”

Their message positively impacted our students by sharing Matthew 5:14a, 16a . “You are the light of the world…, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and
give glory to your Father in heaven.” The message was presented in a funny, theatrical story that engaged students but also helped them better understand how we all can be leaders when we follow Christ and let Him be our guide.

Holy Trinity Catholic School – Religion Resources

Each school classroom will be given a set of YouCat/DoCat books to assist students in growing their faith. The hope is that by having easy access to books and study guides, students will explore their understanding of social justice more independently and frequently. This project was given $600.

 

Testimonial:

We purchased YouCats and YouCat Kids for every classroom. By having these books available in each room, the teachers have an easy-to-use resource when planning or when a question comes up in class. Students are encouraged to look through the YouCat and become more comfortable and familiar with this rich church text. These books allow for teachers to set an example for students when looking for answers to our faith. We have also been using the YouCat Kids in Grades 1 and 2 when talking about community helpers and the vocations within the Church. The students love the pictures and the easy language to follow.

We also purchased a set of DoCats and DoCat Study Guides for group use in middle school. These will be used greatly when talking about stewardship and social justice within our middle school Religion, Science, and Social Studies classes. Teachers have already begun discussing their use with the faith coach and look forward to putting them to use in upcoming units.

Holy Family School – FacetoFace Ministries

FacetoFace Ministries will lead a one-day retreat split into various grade groups so students can experience their faith through music, keynote talks, activities, dance, play and prayer. This initiative has been allocated $1,350.

Testimonial

We were truly blessed this year to have had Ryan and Daniel from Face2Face Ministries join us at Holy Family School. They visited us on December 10, 2020 for a whole day where they brought our Catholic faith to life through music, virtual keynote talks, activities, and prayer. As a result of COVID-19 guidelines and procedures, the retreat was laid out differently than normal to ensure the safety of all students, staff, and presenters.  The retreat consisted of whole school praise and worship sessions that were live-streamed to all classrooms in the school, followed by separate grade sessions presented to individual Grade 4 and Grade 5 class cohorts in the gym scheduled throughout the day. The energy and enthusiasm that they brought to our school were palpable throughout the day.  Even without all being together in the gym, the excitement could be heard in the classrooms and hallways as the presenters sang and praised our Lord!

The overall theme for the retreat was “Great Things.” Face2Face Ministries presenters explored the great things God has done, the great things He’s continuing to do, and the great things that we can do through Him in our lives.  They reminded our school community to Know God, Love God, and Serve God through acts of service and prayer!  We are beyond thankful for the Catholic Education grant that allowed us to finance this amazing Catholic rich learning opportunity for our students and staff!

Watch the video here.

St. Teresa of Avila School – Kind Kids Club

In response to high demand and increased number of students, the Kind Kids Club will continue next year at the school. This group of Grade 4 and 5 students will meet weekly to discuss and create activities to promote faith, kindness, acceptance and positive mental health in the school community. This initiative has been given $650.

 

 

Testimonial

The Kind Kids Club enhances faith for children by offering opportunities to both promote and model kindness in our school and community much like Jesus. Our club also encourages all children to have a sense of ‘belonging’ and ‘purpose’ as they walk their faith journey with supportive adults and new friends. The Education Foundations funding allowed us the opportunity to ‘give back’ within our school and the surrounding community. “Giving Back” allowed our students to demonstrate Humanness by allowing students to better understand compassion, and form it in their lives.

The funds were used for crafts, supplies to support our students’ presentation at the Healthy Active School Symposium (HASS), and Kindness Rocks materials. Funds will also be used to restock some of our board games that are shared with families to help encourage the 40 Developmental Assets. Students continue to come each week to the club and are eager for the start of new projects!

Thank you for providing this opportunity for our students to grow through their faith and kind acts.

Projects:

  • We Scare Hunger Food Drive – the school community collected 1,318 items and donated to the Red
    Deer Food Bank
  • HASS Presentation & Activity – Hide a Kindness Bookmark in your school
  • Rock Painting of Kind Messages that will be spread throughout the community in the spring
  • Happy heart messages for staff
  • Bookmarks & thank you cards for community agencies (CFS, Alberta Mental Health, Sexual
    Assault Centre, Suicide Information & Education Services, Child Advocacy Centre…)
  • Random Act of Kindness Flowers for surrounding neighbourhood delivery
  • Board games to support family programming
  • Kind Kids fill snack baskets for classrooms

Maryview School – Faith Retreat for Grade 1-2 Students

Students will attend a one-day faith retreat to participate in activities including crafts, singing and bible study. This initiative has been allocated $1,010.

Testimonial

Cat Chat visited our school and the students loved it! Their vibrant, musical faith-filled production promoted our Catholic values and teachings. Students were engaged in fun, uplifting family-based activities. In addition to the cost of Cat Chat we purchased a few CD’s to use in the school to continue the spirit of their messages.

Grow Boys 2019

Grow Boys is a full day leadership conference for Grade 5 boys in Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools and Red Deer Public Schools. This event includes sessions on physical activity, mental health/wellness, trades and technology. Students benefit from learning new skills and are exposed to positive role models throughout the day. This initiative has been allocated $1,000.

Testimonial:

Grow Boys is an opportunity for pre-teen boys in Red Deer to explore the deeper meanings behind respect, understanding, relationships and responsibility. This year, over 800 Grade 5 boys, 80 high school mentors and nearly 50 presenters came together to support this successful event. It is a combined community effort to support the happy, healthy growth and development of boys. Thank you for your yearly support as we continue to positively impact the lives of our future community.

St. Teresa of Avila School – Breakfast Program

The school will continue to provide a breakfast program for all students. The breakfast follows Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating to ensure students are getting the proper nutrition to start their day. This project was given $3,000.

Testimonial

This inclusive program helped us to provide a healthy breakfast/snack and lunch to children who come to school without these necessities. Monies went towards breakfast, classroom snack baskets and student lunches including providing tickets for our milk program. We all know that healthy meals can increase learning in the classroom. This program is delivered universally, it is available to all students. All students were welcome to use this service making the program non-stigmatizing.

Go Girls 2019

Go Girls is a one day event that promotes health and wellness to all Grade 5 girls in Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools and Red Deer Public Schools. This event focuses on physical activity, healthy eating and mental wellness. Students benefit by gaining new skills and knowledge while building new friendships. This initiative has been given $1,000.

 

 

Testimonial

The funding for Go Girl was used to buy t-shirts for all of the Red Deer Catholic students and teachers that participated in Go Girl 2019. This funding helps to contribute to an amazing opportunity for Grade 5 girls to connect with many other students in Red Deer and to hopefully make new friends as they switch into Middle school in the fall. This activity also helps girls with new ways to promote active living and mental health.

St. Elizabeth Seton School – A Rosary for Every Student

The school will purchase a set of rosaries to be used during the month of May. Students will get the opportunity to hold a rosary and pray each morning. This initiative has been allocated $365.

 

Testimonial

With this money, we were able to purchase 400 Rosaries. This allows each student in our school to physically hold a Rosary in his/her hand while we pray the Rosary. Throughout the month of May, St. Elizabeth Seton School prays a decade of the Rosary every morning. This usually occurs in the classroom with a student or teacher leading the class through a slide presentation. Once a week we gather in the hallway as a school community and the Faith Coach leads the Rosary over the intercom. The students were positively impacted by this grant money because, as you can see in the pictures and videos, they are very proud to be able to hold a Rosary and learn how to touch each of the beads when reciting the prayers. It has helped them to be focused and reverent during prayer time. This project aligns with our school priority of bringing students and staff to a deeper relationship to God through an understanding and participation in prayer. In the spirit of Sacramentality, the reciting of the Rosary together reveals visible signs of God’s invisible grace. The students of St. Elizabeth Seton School are grateful for their Rosaries!