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Learn more about your Calgary Catholic School District Board of Trustees!
by Shannon Cook, Chair, CCSD Board of Trustees
Catholic Education Week
Every May, we celebrate and give thanks for the gift of Catholic education and reflect on the vital role our Catholic schools play in our province. This year, Catholic Education Week is May 6 to 10, 2024, with World Catholic Education Day on May 9, 2024. In Alberta, we are privileged to benefit from publicly funded Catholic education and are one of only three provinces in Canada that retains this blessing. Catholic Education Week provides an opportunity to celebrate and reflect with gratitude on the countless blessings to be found within the Catholic educational community.
We continue to support GrACE (Grateful Advocates of Catholic Education), a province-wide organization, which advocates for publicly funded Catholic education. It is supported by the Alberta Bishops, Alberta Catholic School Trustees, and Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta. All parents are invited to participate in the upcoming GrACE Summit 2024.
Mental Health Week
Since 1951, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) has hosted Mental Health Week in May. This year’s theme is “Compassion Connects”—it is a call to be kind and to recognize the healing power of compassion. Throughout the week (May 6 to 10, 2024), our students and staff will celebrate, promote, and foster mental well-being. Calgary Catholic recognizes the importance of mental health—well-being is one of our board priorities. In January 2023, Calgary Catholic presented a refreshed “Wellness Framework,” a trauma-informed mental health framework. By implementing this updated Wellness Framework in our school communities, the goal is to create learning environments for students where they feel “safe enough to learn and brave enough to try.” When students do not feel safe, they are not able to learn. In October 2023, we hired Dr. Peter Rawlek, our district’s first medical doctor to help support our board priorities of student success and well-being. Dr. Rawlek fills an innovative role, building solutions for students that bridge the growing healthcare needs in education with healthcare resources and advancing district wellness initiatives to create healthier school communities.
Asian Heritage Month
May is also Asian Heritage Month. Our schools and staff celebrate and recognize Asian heritage through special activities and lessons to help our communities embrace the incredible diversity that is our strength. As people of faith, we are called to address social exclusion and ensure a place of welcome in our schools. Asian Heritage Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate Canadians of Asian descent and the ways that our communities are enhanced by their contributions.
Wishing everyone a wonderful May as we recognize and celebrate Catholic Education Week, Mental Health Week, and Asian Heritage Month. Looking forward to recognizing these important events with green grass, blooming flowers, and warm weather.
