News Archive

🌟 Please join us in welcoming Ms. Sophie-Ana Cives to our St. Francis of Assisi Academy family! Ms. Cives is a recent graduate of St. Mary’s University and brings international teaching experience from her time teaching English in Taiwan. She has also spent the past four years coaching with the Okotoks Mavericks Swim Club, where she discovered her passion for guiding children to learn and grow through hands-on experiences. 🏊‍♀️ She is dedicated to helping students discover their unique strengths, talents, and sense of self through education. A fun fact about Ms. Cives? She loves to line dance 💃 and also plays the trumpet 🎺! Ms. Cives will be covering Mrs. Austen’s maternity leave until Christmas; Mrs. Austen will be returning in January after Christmas. We are so excited to welcome you, Ms. Cives—what a gift you will be to our community! 💙💛 #WeAreSTFA

👋 Please join us in welcoming Mr. Cian Booth to our St. Francis of Assisi Academy family! Mr. Booth is beginning his very first year of teaching with us after graduating from St. Mary’s University in Calgary. He is passionate about helping students discover just how special and powerful history can be when you know what to look for. Over the past four years, Mr. Booth has gained experience in CTR schools through coaching, supporting classrooms, and now stepping fully into his teaching role. This past summer, he also served as a Park Ranger in Kananaskis Country—trekking to backcountry patrol cabins, rescuing hikers, helping protect our mountain parks, and (as he puts it!) babysitting grizzly bears. 🐻 When he’s not in the classroom, you’ll likely find him outdoors hiking, camping, or fly-fishing in Southern Alberta’s beautiful trout streams. We are so grateful to have you here, Mr. Booth—welcome to the STFA family! #WeAreSTFA ♥️

Before & After School Care You Can Count On! Our amazing program, offered through 1st Class After Class, is open Monday–Friday from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM—covering early dismissals, all PD days, and school holidays (summer not included 🥰) Fun, engaging, and worry-free care all year long!

📅 The countdown is on — our first day of school is Thursday, August 28th! If you missed the deadline to have supplies delivered to the school, you can still order through our website: 1️⃣ Visit the School Supplies section. 2️⃣ Select your child’s grade level. 3️⃣ Have your order shipped straight to your home. ✉️ Keep an eye on your inbox Monday, August 18th for our Back to School Essentials newsletter from Mrs. A with everything you need to know for a great start to the year! 🍎 #WeAreSTFA

School may be out for summer, but back-to-school comes quicker than you think! 🎒✏️ Save time and money by ordering your child’s 2025–2026 school supplies through School Start—delivered right to your door or school. Details on how to order here: https://stfrancis.redeemer.ab.ca/school-supply-lists

St. James Parish has officially opened registration for First Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation for the upcoming year. If your child is ready to begin their sacramental journey, now is the time to register! Sessions begin this October. Programs for RCIC (Rite of Christian Initiation for Children) and RCIT (Rite of Christian Initiation for Teens) are also available. These are offered for those who are longing to become Catholic ✝️ For full details and to register, please visit the St. James Parish website: https://www.stjamesparishokotoks.ca

🥇 Dodgeball champs! Congratulations to Team Yellow for taking the win in our annual Grades 4–6 dodgeball tournament!

Last day smiles with the best team 💛☀️

🎤✨ Our talent show has been moved up to a 10:30 AM start (instead of 11:00) to make room for all our amazing performers! 🎭🎶👏

Grade 5 completed their 3D cake sculptures this week! ❤️

We are so grateful to all the families who joined us for our Family Fun Fest—it was an evening filled with joy, laughter, and community spirit! Mrs. Benassi’s joy in this photo says it all: pure happiness, connection, and celebration. The photo captures the heart of what this event was all about—coming together as a school family and creating lasting memories. A heartfelt thank you to the countless volunteers, generous donors, and wonderful vendors who helped bring this event to life. Your time, talent, and contributions made all the difference. And a VERY special, sincere thank you to our incredible School Council for your vision, leadership, and hard work. You poured your hearts into this, and we are so blessed by your dedication. Thank you for helping us build a community where every family feels they belong. 💙 — St. Francis of Assisi Academy #FamilyFunFest #GratitudeInAction #YouAreLoved #CommunityJoy

We are getting ready for the last week of the year! See you on Monday for a great 3 days ❤️

Calling all vendors in our school community! If you have a small business, craft, or side hustle you’d love to share, we’re inviting you to set up a table at our Family Fun Fest this Thursday evening. For a $20 donation, you’ll have the chance to showcase your products, connect with families, and be part of a joyful school event that brings everyone together. Don’t miss this great opportunity to support and celebrate our amazing community!

We are ready to see you for another great week ❤️

Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing dads and father figures in our St. Francis of Assisi community! Your love, guidance, and strength shape our days in countless ways. Today we celebrate the nurturing, the laughter, and the heart you pour into every moment with your families and our school. Thank you for being a steady hand, a guiding light, and a source of inspiration. Enjoy your special day!

🎉 Calling all cake lovers, bakers, and sweet supporters! 🎂 We’re hosting a Cake Walk at our Family Fest on Thursday, June 19, and we need your help to make it a delicious success! We’re asking for donations of home-baked or store-bought cakes to fuel the fun (and the sugar rush!). Want to donate? Email schoolmomlaurie@gmail.com Drop off your sweet treats at the school office by Thursday, June 19 labelled “Family Fest Cake Walk.” Every cake helps bring joy—and yummy competition—to our students and families! Your generosity means the world to us. 💛 Let’s make our Cake Walk the sweetest walk in town!

We wrapped up our awards with recognizing students who achieved top marks in subjects, as well as those who excelled in band, chess, drama, and citizenship! 🏅🎶♟️🎭✨ Congratulations to all, we are so very proud of you!!

Today we celebrated the incredible academic achievements of our junior high students at the Honour Roll Awards! We are so very proud of you ❤️

Pace e Bene- Part 2 Grades 7&8❤️ Today we celebrated our Pace e Bene Awards — a special moment where we recognized students who live out peace and goodness in their everyday actions. 🌿🕊️ Their kindness, compassion, and quiet leadership shine brightly in our school community.

Pace e Bene- Part 1 Grade 9 ❤️ May we all be inspired to walk the path of Pace e Bene — peace with all, and goodness in all we do. 💛