By Jeff Henson

Catholic Education Week to be celebrated locally with tree planting ceremonies

May 18, 2022 | 12:54 PM

The Grande Prairie and District Catholic School Division is planning special tree planting ceremonies next week at all 12 of their schools.

Board chair Russ Snoble says the ceremonies are in recognition of Catholic Education Week, which runs from May 23rd to the 27th.

“It is a joint effort from a committee called GRACE, our Catholic Education Foundation, and Grande Prairie Catholic School District. We are going to symbolically plant an evergreen tree in front of the schools, to represent being rooted in Christ and growing in faith.”

Snoble says the ceremonies will each be about 10-15 minutes in length.

“We will have trustees available. We will do a treaty land recognition and smudging of the trees. We will do a reflection with the superintendent and the education foundation. And then what we are planning to do to make it real for the students, is to have the principal and one of the youngest children in the school plant the tree. And then we will close things off with a prayer from the principal or the student.”

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The schedule for the tree planting ceremonies is as follows:

May 25

St. Kateri @ 9:30am

St Joseph High School @ 10:30am

St. Catherine @ 1:30pm

St. John Paul II @ 2:30pm

May 26

St. Mary Catholic School (Beaverlodge) @ 9:30am

St. Mary’s Catholic School (Sexsmith) @ 10:30am

Ste. Marie Catholic School (Spirit River) @ 1:30pm

May 27

St. Thomas More Catholic School (Fairview) @ 11am

Snoble says it is important to include their rural schools in this exercise.

“Our rural and urban components are equally as important. And we are a district catholic school division, so that means we want everyone to shine. So, as important as it is for the city schools to be celebrated, we want to make sure that our rural schools are also included.”

“We are also going to include the two schools that are not opened yet.”