Thursday, December 18th

DAY 1

MORNING PRAYER

“The human heart desires joy. We all desire joy, every family, every people aspires to happiness. What is the joy that the Christian is called to live out and bear witness to? It is the joy that comes from the closeness of God, from His presence in our life. From the moment Jesus entered into history, with his birth in Bethlehem, humanity received the seed of the Kingdom of God, like the soil receives the seed, the promise of a future harvest. There is no need to look further! Jesus has come to bring joy to all people for all time. It is not just a hopeful joy or a joy postponed until paradise: as if here on earth we are sad but in paradise we will be filled with joy. No! It is not that, but a joy already real and tangible now, because Jesus himself is our joy …” - Pope Francis

Our Heavenly Father,

Eternity is too short 

to praise and magnify Your glorious name 

for all Your goodness and love towards me, 

and to all who are called by Your name, 

for in You is the fullness of joy.

Amen

SCHOOL SUPERVISION

Main Entrance - Mrs. Dallman

North Entrance - Mr. Van Otterloo

South Entrance - Mrs. C. Fetch

CAFETERIA

Thursday - Ham Sandwich with Egg & Cheese $4.50

ANNOUNCEMENTS

CULTURES FORGED IN SOLIDARITY

Students who are interested in joining the new club Cultures Forged in Solidarity are encouraged to attend the meeting on Thursday, December 18^th at 12:20 pm in Mrs. Gareau's room (210). Come on out and contribute ideas for the vision of this new club!

SLC MERCHANDISE CONTEST: We are ALL Marauders
The SLC wants your help in developing some new school merchandise!
While it is amazing to be a part of a school where many clubs and teams offer the chance to purchase clothing and proudly represent those organizations, we want to extend the opportunity to everyone in our school. Therefore, we are collaborating with our students in creating clothing merchandise for ALL our school community to wear! We want our student body to have a say in what this will look like, so we are holding a school-wide competition to create a unified logo design.
Here's how the competition will run if you want to participate:

1.     You must use the STM logo provided on the Edsby message. While the STM logo is white or blue in the examples provided, it does not necessarily have to be one of those two colors. You may create a digital or hand-drawn design. After this requirement, the sky is the limit and you are free to create! You need to consider what would be a good representation of our school community. This design would appear on clothing like t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, etc. A Forms page will be open from Tuesday, December 16th until Monday, January 12th. Submit your design here.

2.     The SLC and some St. Mary staff will decide on the top ten entries. From there, voting will be open for our students to vote on the top ten designs and then, once a top three has been calculated, voting will open again to determine the final winner. We will announce when the rounds of voting begin and close, as well as how voting will operate.

We look forward to what ideas come forth and to have our student body use their voices to decide on a design that we can all wear proudly as Marauders!

SLC CHRISTMAS SPIRIT WEEK: December 15th - 19th

Monday, December 15^th

Hat Day

Tuesday, December 16^th

Sweater Day

Wednesday, December 17^th

Red & Green Day

Games at Lunch

Thursday, December 18^th

  Twin Day

Friday, December 19^th

Pajama Day

ST MARY COFFEE HOUSE
Coffee House is a space for students to share and perform their music, writing, and other artistic talents in a comfortable atmosphere – all while enjoying coffee, tea and snacks. Have something you’d like to perform? Come share! This will be the first St. Mary Coffee House in over a decade. Whether you’re performing, supporting friends, or just enjoying the arts – come hang out! The first St. Mary Coffee House is Thursday, January 8th at 7:30 p.m. on the Lecture Theatre stage. Contact Mr. Holash if you have any questions. Since there are limited performance spots available, please use the following to participate: Click this Forms link to reserve a spot – first-come, first-served.

SCHULICH LEADER SCHOLARSHIPS

Schulich Leader Scholarships are the largest and most prestigious undergraduate Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) scholarships in Canada. This scholarship was established to encourage the best and brightest students to be the next generation of entrepreneurial-minded, technology innovators. There are 50 engineering scholarships valued at $120,000 each and 50 science, technology or math scholarships valued at $100,000 each. Schulich Leader Scholarships are open to all Canadian high schools with graduating students planning to pursue an undergraduate degree in an eligible STEM program at one of our 20 partner universities. It is important to note that students who are planning for a career as a medical practitioner or researcher (doctor, dentist, nurse, psychologist, pharmacist, optometrist, etc.) are NOT eligible to apply. École St. Mary High School can only nominate ONE candidate and nomination is competitive. If you are interested in being considered for nomination, please email a list of school/community involvement, leadership activities, and a statement about financial need to Mrs. Rapin (meta.rapin@pacsd.ca) in Student Services by Wednesday, January 7, 2026, before 9:00 am to be considered for nomination. To find out more about the Schulich Leader Scholarship visit http://www.schulichleaders.com or info@uja.schulichleader.com .

PA PUBLIC LIBRARY: December Newsletter

Check out the December Newsletter here has information about numerous events such as the titles/times of FREE movies in the auditorium:

2026 WINTER GAMES: Team Lakeland Badminton Tryouts

The 2026 Winter Games will take place in the City of Meadow Lake from Sunday, February 15^th – Saturday, February 21^st. Badminton will be played from Wednesday, February 18^th – Saturday, February 21^st. Eligible players are those born 2008 or later. Players who are interested in participating must attend the tryouts at St. Francis School on Tuesday, December 9 from 6:00 pm - 9:00 and Sunday, December 14^th (if needed) from 8:30 am - 11:00 am. The cost is $35 for SBA members and $50 for all other participants. (All people in the PA Badminton Club are SBA members.) The top 5 boys and top 5 girls will be on the team. To register for the tryouts, or for additional information, please contact: Coach: Tony de Padua at adepadua@sasktel.net (Manager: Diana Schutte)

U of S: Best and Brightest Entrance Scholarships

Best and Brightest Entrance Scholarships are USask’s highest valued, renewable entrance scholarships and are awarded based on academics, leadership and contributions to school and community life. Five of these awards, known as the Circle of Honour Awards, are designated for Indigenous students. To be considered, students must complete an application for admission by Monday, December 1, 2025 and must fill out and submit the online application for Best and Brightest Scholarships by the deadline of Monday, December 15, 2025 in PAWS. For additional information, please see Mrs. Rapin or go https://admissions.usask.ca/money/scholarships.php

PA PUBLIC LIBRARY JOB OPPORTUNITY

A part-time Page position in Circulation Services at the Prince Albert Public Library is available for a high school student. The Page position involves shelving and organizing books, as well as other library materials. Interested applicants must submit an application (resume and cover letter) by email to jobs@princealbertlibrary.ca or bring a hard copy to the library addressed to Meghan O’Leary, Deputy Director. Additional information about PT Page position/requirements, as well as a job application is available at http://pa.pursueonline.com/index.php/community/

U of R: CHANCELLOR’S SCHOLARSHIP

The Chancellor’s Scholarship is awarded annually to 14 undergraduate students who meet a variety of criteria, including a minimum admission average of 95%. This scholarship is being offered to students directly from high school, or high school graduates who have not completed any post-secondary course (other than those completed while the student was still in high school, such as the High School Accelerated Program). One award is reserved for Indigenous applicants and one award is reserved for out-of-province applicants. The recipients will receive $10,000 a year over four years, plus on-campus housing for the first year. The value of each scholarship is just over $46,000.  An application is required and includes a written statement, resume, reference letter, and referee. The deadline to apply is December 15, 2025. Additional information is available at https://www.uregina.ca/cost-aid/funding/undergraduate-scholarships/entrance-awards/chancellors-scholarship.html

MODEL UN ASSEMBLY: December Session

In preparation for the Model UN Assembly in the spring, there will be a a mini Model UN Assembly on Tuesday, December 16^th from 3:45 pm to 6:30 pm in the Lecture Theatre. Staff and students who want to watch must contact Mr. Joncas, as there are limited spots. St. Mary students will compete alongside students from Carlton and Shellbrook WP Sandin.

NATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST: Gr 10-12 French

If you are a student in grades 10, 11, or 12 (Secondaire IV, Secondaire V, or Cégep in Quebec), you could win one of 100 scholarships to continue your studies completely or partially in French after high school! In total, $388,000 will be distributed between two categories: French as a first language and French as a second language. Enter the National Essay Contest for a chance to win a scholarship between $1,000 and $28,000 to study at one of our 15 partnering post-secondary institutions all over the country. It's your chance to invest in your future, en français! “What is more important: Doing, Listening or Talking?” In this 750-word essay, in French, we’re asking you to reflect on what the theme means to you. The deadline to submit the essay is Friday, December 19th. Additional information about the contest is available here.

IDW 2026 CLASSROOM ART CONTEST: K-12

This year’s IDW Classroom Art Contest challenges classrooms to get creative and inspire others through art. Add your voice - and your classmates’ voices - to the global movement toward building a better, more inclusive world. All entries must be submitted by Friday, January 30, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. (CST) Additional information, including contest rules and guidelines, is available here.

DRIVER EDUCATION 2025 - 2026

Students who are interested in the 2025 - 2026 driver education program are to register online through Microsoft Forms: Driver Education Registration 2025 - 2026 (This link is also posted in Edsby.) Mr. Bourdon will then place students into groups on Edsby. A reminder that spots fill up quickly, so it is important for students to select their two top options to best accommodate each student. 

The start dates for session are as follows:

Session 2: Oct. 7 - Oct. 28 (3:30 pm - 5:30 pm) 

Session 3: Oct. 20 - Dec. 2 (12:15 pm - 1:10 pm) 

Session 4: Nov. 12 - Dec. 3 (3:30 pm - 5:30 pm) 

Session 5: Jan. 5 - Jan. 23 (3:30 pm - 5:30 pm) 

Session 6: Feb. 2 - Feb. 27 (3:30 pm - 5:30 pm) 

Session 7: Mar. 3 - Apr. 22 (12:15 pm - 1:10 pm) 

Session 8: Mar. 9 - Mar. 30 (3:30 pm - 5:30 pm) 

Session 9: Apr. 13 - May 1 (3:30 pm - 5:30 pm) 

Session 10: May 4 - May 26 (3:30 pm - 5:30 pm) 

Session 11: July 2 - July 10 (9:00 am - 1:00 pm) 

Please note the following:

• Students must be 15 years old by the start of the session.
• Sessions will be in the Room 246.
• All sessions begin at 3:30 pm and end at 5:30 pm. (except for the summer/lunch sessions).
• During your driver education class, you will need:
•  your birth certificate
• a pencil/pen and notebook
• your MYSGI account number. (needed on the first day of class)
• Students must go to SGI to get their MySGI customer number.

SMHS RESOURCES EDSBY GROUP: Students/Parents/Staff

All staff, students and parents are encouraged to select and SIGN UP for the SMHS Resources Edsby Group. It contains information pertaining to the Ecole St Mary High School website (morning prayer, daily announcements, cafeteria menu etc.), the Learning Resource Centre website (Book Promotions, Library Search, Ministry databases etc.) and SMHS Career Planning website (Blog entries for scholarships/events, high school graduation credits, post-secondary requirements etc.)

HOMEWORK CLUB
Need a quiet spot to focus on your homework, use a computer, study for an exam, or simply to enjoy your lunch in peace? Then come join us in Room B20 (Mr. Kirilenko's classroom)! Homework Club runs Monday to Friday from 12:14 pm to 1:14pm. All students are welcome to attend!

ART CLUB 

Art Club is every Thursday from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm in the Art Room. Drop-ins are always welcome! 

GAMES CLUB 

Games Club is every Tuesday and Thursday in the Lecture Theatre at lunch. Drop in and play some board games or test your skills on the Switch. 

YEARBOOK CLUB 

Help capture school memories! A camera is supplied! No experience is needed! Students who are interested should contact Mrs. Janay Cantin.

INDIGENOUS ART CLUB 

Students will begin to enhance their skills by working primarily with beads. Artisan trainees will start learning to bead using the 2-needle applique method during the following meeting times: Monday to Friday from 8:00 am - 8:45 am and lunch hour, as well as Wednesday: 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm, unless otherwise posted for special event teachings. All participants will be asked to log their hours. The expected time that a project may require ranges from 4 to 30 hours or more. Sessions will enhance students’ skill levels, enabling them to confidently participate at regional, provincial and national levels of Skills Canada competitions. Students will be able to compete at the school level, city and provincial levels this year based on performance and dedication to the skill required. See Mrs. Longjohn-Constant in room B26 for more details. 

FREE FEMININE MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS

École St Mary High School has received free feminine menstrual products to support our students. Students can go to the main office for their free products (box of tampons and a box of pads). Menstrual Equity in Saskatchewan Schools is a three-year initiative. 

EDSBY SUPPORT

Information and instructional videos are available at https://pacsd.ca/our-students/edsby-for-students/

FREE MICROSOFT 365 FOR STUDENTS

Students enrolled in the Prince Albert Catholic School Division have the opportunity to install Microsoft Office 365 on their desktops, laptops and mobile devices. Instructions and additional information is available at http://pa.pursueonline.com/index.php/community/

COMMUNITY

HOLIDAY MASS

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Wednesday December 4, 7:00 PM Penitential Celebration
Wednesday December 24, Christmas Eve 

4:00 PM English
6:30 PM English 

8:30 PM French - Bishop Stephen Hero
12:00 Midnight - English- Bishop Stephen Hero
Thursday December 25, 11:00 AM Christmas Day
Sunday December 28, 11:00 AM - Bishop Stephen Hero 

*only one mass* Closing of Jubilee Year
Thursday January 1, New Year’s Day
9:30 AM French 

11:00 AM English - Bishop Stephen Hero

St. Michael

Thursday December 4, 7:00 PM Penitential Celebration
Wednesday December 24, 7:00 PM Christmas Eve
Thursday December 25, 9:30 AM Christmas Day 

Sunday December 28, 9:30 AM Feast of the Holy Family
Thursday January 1, 9:30 AM New Year’s Day

St. Mark 

Thursday December 11, 7:00 PM Reconciliation 

Wednesday December 24, 8:00 PM Christmas Eve
Thursday December 25, 11:00 AM Christmas Day
Thursday January 1, 11:00 AM New Year’s Day

St. Joseph

Tuesday December 2, 7:00 PM Penitential Celebration
Wednesday December 24, Christmas Eve 5:00 PM
Children's Pageant 7:30 PM 

Youth Pageant 10:00 PM
Thursday December 25, 10:00 AM Christmas Day
Wednesday December 31, 7:30 PM New Year’s Eve
Thursday January 1, 10:00 AM New Year’s Day

PRINCE ALBERT PUBLIC LIBRARY (PAPL)
Find out about all the FREE print and digital access to novels, graphic novels, music, movies, comedy shows, crafts, book clubs and more that is available at the Prince Albert Public Library. For detailed information visit https://princealbertlibrary.ca/ 

PA PUBLIC LIBRARY: Transparent Language Online

With over 100 languages to choose from (aboriginal languages, ESL programs, American Sign Language etc.) Transparent Language Online is a simple and effective way to learn a new language from the comfort of your own home. Available for desktop or mobile. (A Public Library card is required.) Please see the Information Desk at the public library for a handout on how to download the Transparent Language Online mobile app for Android or iOS.

PA PUBLIC LIBRARY: Fiero Code

Fiero Code is a web-based computer-programming education resource for kids (ages 8+), teens, and adults. Learn how to code using Code Blocks, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Python, SQL, and much more. This educational resource will teach users how to create video games, apps, websites, animations, programs, etc. Fiero Code provides courses, tutorial videos, contest events, and more. From beginner to advanced, there is something for everyone with Fiero Code! (A Public Library Card is required.)

CAFETERIA

Monday - Chicken Burger & Fries $4.50 

Tuesday - Bacon Farmer's Wrap OR Ground Beef Wrap $4.50 

Wednesday - Turkey Christmas Dinner $4.50 

Thursday - Ham Sandwich with Egg & Cheese $4.50

Friday - Sweet 'n' Sour Chicken & Rice $4.50