St. Catherine is a small, rural Catholic school in Picture Butte, proudly part of the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, serving approximately 180 students from Early Learning right through to Grade 9. Though we are small in size, we are big in heart. Our students come to us from many backgrounds and corners of the world and that mix of cultures, languages, and stories has brought incredible richness and vitality to our school, our parish, and our whole community. Whatever a child's background, our doors — and our hearts — are open wide to them.
This year, we enter Year Two of our Division's three-year faith plan, "Open Wide the Doors! Sent to Share Christ's Love." Having spent last year getting to Know God, our focus this year turns to Love God, drawing on the words of Acts 2:42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers." As a school community, we will spend this year exploring what it means to love kindness — in our classrooms, on our playground, at our parish, and in our homes. We want every student to know, in a real and lived way, that they are loved by God and called to love others in return.
That call is really at the heart of who we are as St. Catherine School. Our school motto, "We rise to meet Christ's challenge," reminds us every day that following Jesus is not passive — it asks something of us. It asks our students to rise to challenges in the classroom, on the field, and in their friendships; it asks our staff to rise in their dedication to every child who walks through our doors; and it asks all of us, together, to rise in faith, kindness, and service to one another.
Beyond faith formation, this promises to be a full and exciting year. Our students will have the chance to take part in a strong junior high athletics program, fine arts and leadership opportunities, and a variety of options, alongside school-wide events that bring our Early Learning "littles" and our Grade 9 "bigs" together as “family groups.” None of this would be possible without the tremendous support of our parents, School Council, and Home and School Association, who give generously of their time and resources so that our students can have these enriching experiences. We are also deeply grateful for our ongoing partnership with our parish, which continues to nurture the faith life of our school community.
As we begin this school year together, please know that our staff is committed to supporting the whole child — academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually. We encourage you to stay connected through our newsletters and school communications for updates on events, celebrations, and opportunities to get involved.
Thank you for entrusting us with your children. We look forward to a year filled with learning, growth, and God's love, as together we rise to meet Christ's challenge.
God bless,
Dan Vanden Dungen,
Principal, St. Catherine School
Mr. Gatner (AP) and Mr. Vanden Dungen (Principal)
