April 2026
SCHOOL NEWS
IMPORTANT DATES
- April 7 – Classes resume after Spring Break
- April 8 – Rec Leadership field trip to Elevate Aviation
- April 10 – Internet safety sessions for all Grade 5 classes
- April 13 – Class Picture Day
- April 13 to 17 – SoundKreation Dance residency for Elementary students
- April 14 – JH Hot Lunch – OPA
- April 17 – Concordia presentation for all Grades 8 and 9 students – Planning for the Future – Educational planning for High School/Post Secondary
- April 17 – Grade 2 Swimming lessons begin
- April 20 to 24 – Collection of food for the St. Thomas More Food Bank – please send a non-perishable food item to school with your child
- April 21- In school Science field trip for all Grade 9 classes
- April 23 – Easter Mass at St. Thomas More Parish at 9:15 – all parents, grandparents are welcome to join us. Students are asked to dress in their Sunday Best.
- April 24 – Grade 2 Swimming lessons continue
- April 24 – Full day Kindergarten field trip to the U of A
- April 27 – Grades 4 to 6 Choir field trip to Pleasantview Seniors’ Lodge
- April 27 – School Council meeting 6:00 at school and on TEAMS – all parents are welcome
- April 29 – Grade 6 field trip to the Alberta Legislature
EASTER MASS – is your child an altar server at Mass?
We are very much looking forward to celebrating our Easter Mass together as a school community on April 23rd at St. Thomas More Church. In the weeks leading up to this special liturgy, our teachers will be working with students to explore the parts of the Mass, their deeper meanings, and the responses and prayers we will share together as a community of faith. We ask our families to be partners in this preparation at home, whether by reviewing the parts of the Mass with your child, practising responses and prayers together, or simply having conversations about the significance of Easter and what it means to celebrate as a Catholic community. If your child serves at Mass, we would love for them to serve at our school Mass. Please let the homeroom teacher know.
Parents and grandparents are invited to attend Mass with us on this day. And….did you know that all our students made get well cards for Father Mark? We are sure he will have hours of entertainment during his convalescence reading our messages.
OUTDOOR/INDOOR FOOTWEAR
This is a reminder that all students, Kindergarten to Grade 9, are required to have both indoor and outdoor shoes throughout the entire school year, not just during the winter months. This helps us keep our floors clean, dry, and safe for everyone. We understand this is new for our junior high families, and we appreciate your support in ensuring your child has appropriate indoor shoes to change into upon arrival, so they can follow our school routine of removing outdoor footwear at the door.
SCHOOL FEES
A reminder that school fees are now overdue. We kindly ask for your prompt attention to this important matter, as these fees help us continue to provide excellent learning experiences and fun opportunities for our students.
PRINCIPAL’S CHALLENGE – April
TRANSPORTATION
Are you receiving bus delay alerts? To ensure that you are, follow the simple directions below.
Please ensure that all three runs are added for your child’s bus route in the app:
- AM (morning run)
- PM (afternoon run)
- THURS (Thursday afternoon run)
Please note that posted delays should be added to your child’s regular pick-up or drop-off time to determine the updated bus arrival time. Bus delays are also posted on the BusPlanner website: https://ecsd.mybusplanner.ca/Alerts. Please note that if your child’s route number changes, you will need to update the information in the app, as it will not update automatically.
OUR LENTEN PROJECT – continuing to Pentecost
Thank you for your generosity and for teaching our children that, as Catholics, we are called to share what we have with those less fortunate; donations can be sent as cash with your child or made through PowerSchool. We hope to reach $5,000, just $5.00 per person at STJ. We currently have almost $3000.00
SPELLING BEE – OUR CHAMP
We are incredibly proud of Grade 6 student Bolaji, who recently earned second place at the Regional Canadian Spelling Bee — a remarkable achievement that reflects her dedication, hard work, and outstanding ability. Bolaji’s accomplishment is an inspiration to our entire school community, and we celebrate her with great pride and admiration. Well done!
STUDENT SAFETY – TRAFFIC
We need your help to keep our students safe during arrival and dismissal times. We’ve observed several concerning traffic patterns that put children at risk:
- Cars stopping on crosswalks
- Vehicles traveling on the wrong side of the road
- Students being dropped off on the street side rather than at the curb
- Cars blocking bus lanes or bus access to our parking lot
- Vehicles remaining in the drop-off zone instead of pulling forward immediately
- Parents parking and leaving the car in the drop-off zone
- Parents double parking to let their child out
These situations have led to a few close calls and create unnecessary congestion for everyone.
Please remember:
- Both staff parking lots are off-limits for parent drop-off, pick-up, and through-traffic.
- U-turns are not permitted in front of schools.
- Keep traffic moving by pulling away promptly after your child exits the vehicle.
Your children’s safety depends on all of us working together and making responsible choices during busy school times. Thank you for your attention to these important safety measures and for doing your part to support safe and smooth drop-off and pick-up routine. During winter and with challenging road conditions, it is especially important that we all remain vigilant and follow the rules to keep every child safe.
SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS
School Council Meeting – Join Us!
Our next School Council Meeting will be held on Monday, April 27 at 6:00 PM. This meeting will be in person, at school, and online, using Microsoft TEAMS. A meeting link will be sent to all families on April 27 by 5:45 PM. We welcome all parents and guardians to attend—your voice and involvement truly make a difference.
Stay Connected!
DIVISION NEWS
Chief Superintendent’s Message
Please read Chief Superintendent Lynnette Anderson’s April 2026 Message.
ST. THOMAS MORE PARISH NEWS
Here is the latest bulletin from our church: March 22
Holy Week and Easter Mass Schedule
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