I have been blessed to be part of the St. Anthony’s School and Drumheller community for over nine years. It has been the most rewarding vocation since the start of my career. I will miss the staff, students, parents and community partners that I have had the pleasure of serving over the years. St. Anthony’s School was my first opportunity to work in a faith-filled community. I have grown exponentially in developing a strong relationship with God and I thank the school community for that. It is through all of you that I see the face of God. Our world more than ever needs the discipline of love. I am so proud of our school which has an amazingly safe and caring environment where everyone knows they can reach out and know we are there to support them. We take care of each other in our actions and words. The light of Christ shines bright in our school. I will dearly miss being a daily part of this community.
I am also excited about lies in the future of St. Anthony’s School. The new team that has been selected has an excellent Principal in the lead, Mrs. Celeste Schrock and two excellent Vice-Principals, Susan Currie and Betina Gross. My confidence in all three of them leaves me with no doubt that the school is in good hands. We will continue to welcome all students and respect the diversity of religious beliefs. You don’t have to be Catholic to come to St. Anthony’s School. We give our students the opportunity to develop a relationship with God if they choose. They have the opportunity to learn more about the person who has been most written about in history – Jesus. More importantly, our faith inspires us to focus on God’s love for us and in turn how we aspire to share this love with others. We are proud that our school is known for its inclusivity. Although our faith permeates what we do, our teaching is based on pedagogically sound learning strategies and it is based on what the Alberta government mandates for learning. Great stewardship of our resources has allowed us to support our most vulnerable students and also have one of the highest graduation rates in the province. For a small rural school, we punch well above our weight in offering a wide variety of options and modules. Along with the most popular options of art, drama, foods and fashion, and construction, we offer some unique options and modules such as astronomy, forensics, speech and debate, robotics, photography, electrical, vehicle care and maintenance, engine fundamentals, recreational leadership, Registered Apprenticeship Program and the list goes on. We also believe strongly that it “takes a village to raise a child” and we rely not only on our school community of parents and staff but also on the community of Drumheller. Our parent council is a group of dedicated, involved parents who have been invaluable advisors to me in my role as principal. They are also instrumental in helping create a strong sense of community within all the families at our school through events like our annual Art Auction, family dances and the annual celebration of St. Anthony’s Feast Day. We are blessed to have many strong partnerships that provide our students with activities that enhance their learning and growth as individuals. In addition to the multitude of extracurricular activities like sports teams, band, craft club, student council, and yearbook team at the school, here are a few of the other opportunities for our students, Drumheller Dragon’s and St. Anthony’s School Breakfast Hockey Program, Junior ATB, Chamber of Commerce Interview Competition (support our CALM class with career preparation), Rotary Student of the Month, Junior Achievement, Private Piano lessons on-site, Pilot programs for Tyrrell Museum, Salvation Army Food Drives, Terry Fox School Run, and all our sponsors for supporting our students with scholarships and awards (your financial support is a significant contribution to the ongoing education of our youth).
As I go into retirement, I look forward to spending more time with my husband, my mother, my children and my grandchildren. You have all been my family for the last nine and half years, and for that, I am blessed and thankful. This has also required the majority of my time and energy and so I leave you in the loving and capable hands of the new team of administrators. I may be leaving but I will always have all of you in my heart and in my prayers.
