News

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Free Family Skating begins in November and takes place at the Logan Boulet Arena located at 1302 9 Ave N. This is a great opportunity to meet other families from the school and have fun time on the ice. Parents must stay at the rink with their children, and CSA approved helmets must be worn.</span></p>

<h3 class="editor-heading-h3" dir="ltr"><u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold editor-text-underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Holy Spirit Catholic School Division to review attendance areas ahead of new West Lethbridge Elementary School opening in 2026</strong></b></u></h3><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Holy Spirit Catholic School Division and Board of Trustees is getting ready for the exciting construction of our new West Lethbridge Elementary School and its opening in 2026. To prepare for this opening, we will be adjusting our attendance areas to ensure enrollment in this new school and others across Lethbridge is equalized. Due to increased enrollment across the division, we must also use this opportunity to alleviate enrollment pressures at schools across Lethbridge.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Holy Spirit’s Board Chair, Dr. Carmen Mombourquette, states “In each of the past three years our school division has grown in student enrollment equal to the size of a small elementary school. A benefit that will come with this new school will be an easing of the space crunch being faced in many of our schools.”</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To ensure everyone’s needs are being met, we will be involving parents from all Lethbridge Holy Spirit Catholic School Division schools in the decision making process before we begin developing a plan. This will include Board of Trustee led community consultations on how to make these changes in a manner that best supports all students. We will use this feedback from the initial round of community consultations&nbsp; to inform the design of a tentative plan, which will once again be consulted on with parents prior to finalization. Parents will receive a direct invitation to the first community consultation via SchoolMessenger in early January 2025.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mombourquette, affirms, “Through the process for setting new attendance boundaries parents will be first consulted and then a plan of action will follow. Parent voice is extremely important and valued and that is why we will talk first, show the current attendance data, get suggestions on a way forward, and then plan. We look forward to the engagement sessions and to hearing from you.”</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The new West Lethbridge Elementary School is a large project that we at the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division are excited to bring to the City of Lethbridge. Construction is anticipated to begin in fall of 2025 and expected to be fully operational and welcoming students in September 2026. The funding for the new West Lethbridge School was announced on April 27, 2023 prior to the Province of Alberta’s September 2024 funding announcement of $8.6 billion to build new schools in Alberta. The address of the new school is 423 Caledonia Blvd West. To view the exterior design of the new school as well as the interior floor plan and location, </span><a href="/documents/3a56ef98-228f-4b90-a78f-11644768383f/West%20Side%20School%20Floor%20Plan%2C%20Rendering%20and%20Overhead%20Map.pdf?fingerprint=ppb20251217011220" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Click Here</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Sincerely,</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Dr. Carmen Mombourquette, Board Chair</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Holy Spirit Catholic School Division Board of Trustees</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><img src="/images/f39f0920-7cbd-4fdd-a5ce-9bcff7402f30?fingerprint=ppb20251217012729" alt="Chantal Axani" width="325.65625" height="325.65625" style="float:left"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Holy Spirit Catholic School Division is pleased to announce that Ms. Chantel Axani has accepted the role of Superintendent for the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, beginning in November 2024.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Chantel Axani's 18-year journey at Lakeland Catholic School Division has been marked by unwavering dedication and a deep commitment to Catholic education. Serving as a teacher, administrator, and most recently as Deputy Superintendent, she has played a pivotal role in shaping the lives of over 2,700 students across Bonnyville, Cold Lake, Lac La Biche, and Weskatenau.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Axani's contributions extend beyond the classroom. Her leadership roles with the Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta (CCSSA), including her current position as Vice President, demonstrate her commitment to advancing Catholic education on a provincial level.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Receiving her Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta and a Master's of Education from the University of Calgary, Axani brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her role. Her focus on curriculum, teaching, and learning has enabled her to foster a culture of leadership among her colleagues. Known for her tenacity and collaborative spirit, she has been instrumental in enhancing the quality of Catholic education and creating a supportive environment for both staff and students.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Axani's deep faith is evident in her leadership style. She embodies the spirit of a true disciple of Christ, leading prayers, delivering inspirational messages, and putting the needs of others before her own. As she assumes the role of Superintendent at Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, her commitment to serving the school community and her unwavering belief in the power of Catholic education will undoubtedly continue to inspire and guide her leadership.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“The Board of Trustees is looking forward to Chantel Axani's leadership of the school division as we move into the second quarter of the 21st Century,” says Board Chair, Carmen Mombourquette. “Chantel has a distinguished record of school and school division leadership in Catholic education. Of particular note is Chantel's commitment to the faith and the ways in which it forms the basis of her leadership style. We warmly welcome Chantel and her family to the Holy Spirit family of schools."</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“I am deeply humbled and excited to serve the students, staff and families of Holy Spirit Catholic School Division. I am honored to work alongside the Senior Administration team to continue to provide an excellent and faith filled education for all students," said Ms. Chantel Axani.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The 2024/2025 school year is about to begin and the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division can’t wait to see all the students back in class. To get everyone ready and back to school for the September 3</span><sup style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>rd</span></sup><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> start, when it comes to busing for those traveling in and to Lethbridge, please head to the </span><a href="https://www.southland.ca/lethbridge/" class="editor-link"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Southland Transportation Ltd.</strong></b></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> website where you can find bus maps, routes and schedules.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Rural riders (From Coaldale, Coalhurst, Mountain Meadows, Picture Butte, Stirling) travelling into Lethbridge should look under the “CCHE / St. Francis / St. Mary / Rural” tab.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In regards to the MyBusStop App, the School Codes can be found </span><a href="https://www.holyspirit.ab.ca/school_bus_codes" class="editor-link"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">here</strong></b></a><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">and you can view a breakdown of how to download and use the app on the </span><a href="https://www.holyspirit.ab.ca/mybusstopapp" class="editor-link"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Holy Spirit Catholic School Division website</strong></b></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Further information regarding busing and transportation can be found in our </span><a href="https://www.holyspirit.ab.ca/transportation" class="editor-link"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“Transportation”</strong></b></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> section of the website here.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In addition, messaging regarding busing for ALL LETHBRIDGE &amp; RURAL SCHOOLS will be changing this year. Route updates can now be found on our new and updated website by clicking on the bus icon in the top right corner of your school website or the "Transportation Status" button on the Menu Bar. This will include bus route delays and cancellations. We ask that parents and families please </span><u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold editor-text-underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">check this daily before sending students to wait at their bus stop as emails and texts won’t be sent out</strong></b></u><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Major alerts regarding things like snow days and Division wide route cancellations will still be sent out via email and texts as well as updated on the website. Messaging for some of our rural schools may still be sent out via update platforms from our partner school divisions. Holy Spirit Catholic School Division will ensure this information will be updated on school websites as soon as possible.&nbsp;School websites will have have their bus routes updated under the school bus icon and on the Transportation Status page as soon as the information is available to us.&nbsp;Please refer to your past method of checking bus route schedules until this issue has been resolved. </span><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Please take note that this new method does not include any students/families that use a Blood Reserve Bus or a Peigan Board of Education Bus.</strong></b></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">For further questions regarding transportation for the 2024/2025 school year, you can contact your school office.</span></p>

<html> <head></head> <body><img src="/images/d0dc1605-9bfa-5ab6-ac24-97488d9f2053?fingerprint=ppb20251217012446" alt="This is the image for the news article titled Registration for 2024/2025" srcset="/thumbnails/d0dc1605-9bfa-5ab6-ac24-97488d9f2053?fingerprint=ppb20251217012446 450w, /images/d0dc1605-9bfa-5ab6-ac24-97488d9f2053?fingerprint=ppb20251217012446 600w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 450px, 600px"> <h3><strong><span><span>New Student Registration</span></span></strong></h3> <p>Registration remains open for the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division for the 2024/2025 School Year.</p> <p>All Early Learning to Grade 12 students who are new to the division and wish to enroll for the 2024/2025 school year are invited to&nbsp;<a href="https://holyspirit.ab.ca/schools/registration/new_family_registration" target="_self" title="Opens the New Student Registration page in the same window. ">register online</a>.</p> <p>For information about our programs and age-related guidelines:</p> <p>●&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://holyspirit.ab.ca/educational_services/early_childhood_services/early_learning_program" target="_self" title="Opens the Early Learning Program page in the same window.">Early Learning Programs</a>&nbsp;are for children aged 3 and 4.</p> <p>●&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://holyspirit.ab.ca/educational_services/early_childhood_services/kindergarten" target="_self" title="Opens the Kindergarten webpage in the same window. ">Kindergarten Programs</a>&nbsp;are for children aged 5 on or before December 31, 2024.</p> <p>●&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Grade 1 registrants must be 6 years of age on or before December 31, 2024.</p> <p>●&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://holyspirit.ab.ca/educational_services/french_language_education" target="_self" title="Opens the French Language Education page in the same window. ">French Immersion Programming</a>&nbsp;is also available.&nbsp; Enrollment starts:</p> <p>o&nbsp;in Kindergarten/Grade 1 at École St. Mary School in Lethbridge.</p> <p>o&nbsp;in Grade 1 at St. Michael's School in Pincher Creek.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>For More Information</h3> <p>Contact our Coordinator of Early Learning to discuss Early Learning, Kindergarten, or your child’s specialized programming requirements by phone (403-381-8495) or&nbsp;email (<a href="mailto:earlylearning@holyspirit.ab.ca">earlylearning@holyspirit.ab.ca</a>).</p> <p>Contact our French Language Consultant to discussion French Immersion programming by phone (403-331-4458) or&nbsp;email (<a href="mailto:urquhartw@holyspirit.ab.ca">urquhartw@holyspirit.ab.ca</a>).&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Contact your&nbsp;<a href="https://holyspirit.ab.ca/schools/contact_schools" target="_self" title="Opens the Contact Schools page in the same window.">neighbourhood school</a>&nbsp;or the&nbsp;<a href="https://holyspirit.ab.ca/schools/contact_schools">division office</a>&nbsp;if you need assistance with the online registration process or have any questions.</p> </body> </html>

<img src="/images/33e5ef42-ba89-5430-be73-3e5ac1ee6d6d?fingerprint=ppb20251217011152" alt="This is the image for the news article titled Get a Virtual Tour - Registrations Now Being Accepted" width="inherit" height="inherit"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Check out the virtual tour of our amazing school community!</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Early Learning to Grade 6 registrations are now open for both our French Immersion and English programs!</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><iframe data-lexical-video-id="slYp_j-QIfI" width="640" height="480" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/slYp_j-QIfI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="true" title="Youtube video"></iframe></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ecole St. Mary is the only Faith-based elementary school in the region to offer dual track French Immersion and English programming.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Found near the centre of Lethbridge, French Immersion students are transported to the school from across the city. French Immersion and English students seeking high quality Catholic education may also access bussing from outlying rural areas.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">With a focus on celebrating diversity and encouraging students to develop their unique leadership qualities, Ecole St. Mary is a family-oriented school where all are welcome, “both within our Faith and as a member of our family.”</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">To learn more, phone the school directly at 403-327-3098.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ecole St. Mary - Love is spoken here...</em></i></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<img src="/images/918c911b-d8ac-5bb7-9f15-665fb6b41b58?fingerprint=ppb20251217011931" alt="This is the image for the news article titled New Principal Announced for 2022/2023" width="inherit" height="inherit"><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">After learning of the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://holyspirit.ab.ca/resources_publications/news/whats_new/administrator_retirement_announcements" target="_blank" title="Opens webpage to Administrator Retirements in a new window." class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">well-earned retirement of Principal, Dan Monaghan</span></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">,&nbsp;Holy Spirit Catholic School Division is pleased to announce that Mme. Kiera Bouchard has accepted the role of Principal for École St. Mary in Lethbridge, effective this coming 2022/2023 school year.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mme. Bouchard attained her Bachelors of Education - Secondary from the University of Alberta in 2002. She went on to complete her Masters of Education from Gonzaga University in 2020, focusing on Educational Leadership. In 2011 she also sought to expand her Faith-based understanding by completing coursework on Christian Theology with Newman Theological College.</span><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">An educator since 2005, Kiera gained experience in a variety of educational settings before beginning her career with Holy Spirit Catholic School Division in 2009 as French Immersion teacher at École St. Mary School. She accepted the role as the school’s Associate Principal in 2018.</span><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“Mme. Bouchard is a committed Catholic educator, an exceptional leader, and a strong advocate for French Immersion and French Language Education,” states Superintendent Ken Sampson. “I am certain that her vision for the school will serve the students, staff, and community of École St. Mary very well.”</span><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes Bouchard, “I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to serve Ecole St. Mary in a new capacity as principal. ESM is an amazing community. I feel honoured and blessed to continue to journey with such incredible students, staff, and families.”</span><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiera is an active participant in her faith and a member of the St. Martha’s Parish community in Lethbridge. She and her husband, Paul, are the proud parents of two teenage sons.</span><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">For more information about this press release, please contact:</strong></b><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Ken Sampson, Superintendent</em></i><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Phone: (403) 327-9555</em></i><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Email: superintendent@holyspirit.ab.ca</em></i><br><a href="https://www.holyspirit.ab.ca/UserFiles/Servers/Server_20670192/File/News/February%2028,%202022%20-%20Principal%20of%20Ecole%20St.%20Mary%20Announced.pdf" target="_blank" title="Opens pdf of Press Release in a new window. " class="editor-link"><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Printable Version of this Release</em></i></a></p>