Our Lady of the Assumptions School is a very special place.  This is due to the terrific students, supportive parents, and committed staff.  Thank you to everyone in our learning community.

• Thank you for a great basketball season, both the boys’ and girls’ teams did very well. I would like to thank the boys’ staff coaches, Mr. Matsalla and Ms. Caughey.  Thank you to Ms. Groten, Mrs. Marcotte, and Ms. Tessier for coaching the girls’.  A big thank you to all the students for playing on the teams.   Also, thank you to the many students for running the score clock.  Thank you to all the parents that helped to drive the players to the games.  Without all these great people we could not have had a terrific season.
• Thank you to all our Division II teachers for organizing our student assemblies and Ms. Groten for running our intramural program.
• Thank you our parent volunteers. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.  It has been wonderful to see an increase in parents volunteering in the classroom, especially helping students build their literacy skills.
• Thank you to all Jump Rope for Heart of committee of Mrs. Ellert, Mrs. Pedersen, and Mrs. Duke for organizing our annual campaign.
• Thank you to Mrs. Ellert, Mrs. Clewes, Mr. Matsalla, Ms. Groten, Ms. Hunt, Ms. Caughey, and all of our grade 5-6s who went skiing for a wonderful Ski Trip.
• Thank you also to Mrs. Nemecek, Ms. Garinger, and Mrs. Greeno for our Run Club and Mrs. Nemecek and Mrs. Greeno for our Snack Shack program. Also, Ms. Caughey, Ms. Garinger, Ms. Martin, and Ms. Tessier for organizing our games club.  Thank you: to Mrs. Roth for working with our Jr. ATB students, to Mrs. Bruised Head for our Blackfoot Craft club, and Mrs. Duke for our skipping club.  Thank you to Mrs. Baptista for all your involvement with our student leadership club.
• Celebrating our faith is extremely important and valuable at our school. We appreciate the planning of our classes who sponsor the Lenten Liturgies.  The grade 6 student’s performance of the Passion Play on Holy Thursday was excellent.  Thank you to Mrs. Marcotte for directing it and Mrs. Clewes for set design.
• Thank you to all the parents for your support of our Parent Fundraising Committee, the Grade 5 Southern Alberta Bible Camp Parent Fundraising committee, and our School Council. All of these groups work hard to make our school a great place.
• Thank you to Mrs. Graf, Mrs. Greeno and Mrs. Lank for organizing our Science Fair. Thank you also to our guest judges and to all the students who participated.  Fun stuff.
• Thank you to our parents for all the support you give us. Your attendance at all of the aforementioned events helps us to appreciate the importance of our work.
• Lastly, thank you to all our students. You share your many gifts with us every day.  You make this such a special place to be.

Together we are accomplishing our mission “to enrich each mind, body, and spirit in a Christ-centered environment” and reach our vision of “a safe and caring, Christ-centered community of hope and learning.”

Respectfully,

Greg Kostiuk

Although February was short, here are some pics of the many events at OLA this past month:

February was truly a wonderful month.

Greg Kostiuk

This year our school’s theme is A Horizon of Hope.  One of the ways we are trying to build A Horizon of Hope is by focusing on Pope Francis’ call to celebrate a Holy Year of Mercy.  In particular, how we are all called to action by way of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.  Lent provides us a great opportunity to discover how we can accomplish the works of mercy as we build A Horizon of Hope.

Earlier this year I had to cover a class for a teacher.  In the class there were many students that I had taught Religion Gr. 3.  I asked the question of the students “What one thing did you learn in Grade 3 Religion?”  Right away, many of the students said Love, Love, Love.  They recalled how we focused on how Christ always calls us to love.  He calls us just not to be nice, but to love.  We had a class discussion about this and dug a little deeper.  One of the spiritual works of mercy is to forgive all injuries.  In order to Love, Love, Love we must be willing to follow the 3Fs: Forgive, Forgive, Forgive.  If we truly love one another, we must be willing to totally forgive.  If someone has wronged us, we must forgive.  If we have wronged someone, we must ask for forgiveness.  Forgiveness is not only an act to help others; it is an act to give us peace.  Before we can love one another, forgiveness is often a necessary step.  This lent as we focus on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, let’s pay particular interest in the act of forgiveness. 

Also, I invite everyone to continue the three traditional practices during Lent: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

• Prayer – Every Friday staff and students meet for prayer at 8:15 am in our chapel. Please join us for prayer.  Also, join us for our Lenten prayer services.
• Fasting – Lent can be more than a time of fasting; it can be a season of feasting. We can use Lent to fast from certain things and to feast on others. It is a season in which we can:
  • Fast from criticism, and feast on praise;
  • Fast from anger, feast on joy;
  • Fast from jealousy, and feast on love;
  • Fast from selfishness, and feast on service;
  • Fast from fear, and feast on faith;

What will you fast from, and feast on?

• Almsgiving – We recently just finished a very successful Food Bank drive. Our small school collected almost 700 lbs of food.  Wow!  Thank you for everyone for donating to it.  We will continue to help our needy.

Lenten Blessing,

Greg Kostiuk