News Archive

CTR congratulates our newly-elected trustees following the 2025 election: • Jacqui Vanderfluit has been elected as the High River Trustee, receiving 55% of the vote. • Michelle Gietz has been elected as the Brooks Trustee, with the following results: o Gietz, Michelle – 279 votes o Grove, Shane – 208 votes o Neeser, Chris – 124 votes These are unofficial results as of 9 am this morning. Official results will be shared when provided by the municipality. We thank all candidates for their commitment to Catholic education and for their willingness to serve their communities. Congratulations to our new trustees and thank you to all who took the time to vote.

Make Your Voice Heard in the 2025 School Board Election! Residents of Brooks and Area: It’s time to have a say in the future of Catholic education in our communities. Candidates for school board trustee for the Brooks and area ward are Michelle Gietz, Shane Grove and Chris Neeser. You can Meet the Candidates here: https://shorturl.at/gfpTQ A Brooks Candidates' Forum will be held on Sunday, October 19 at St. Mary's Church from 2 pm to 4 pm. Election Day is Monday, October 20, 2025 10AM to 8PM Brooks Polling Station: JBS Canada Centre in the Cenovus Flexhall (323 1st Street East) Advance Poll Days: • October 4, 2025 12 pm to 6 pm • October 18, 2025 12 pm to 6 pm What do I need to vote? To be eligible to vote for a Catholic school board trustee you must: - be at least 18 years old; - be a Canadian citizen; - resident in the applicable school board ward; and - declare you are of the Catholic faith A valid government-issued ID showing your name and current address is required to vote. For details on acceptable ID, visit Elections Alberta. https://www.elections.ab.ca/voters/id-required-to-vote/ Your participation ensures Catholic education in our communities continues to thrive. Mark your calendar, bring your ID, and make your voice heard!

Make Your Voice Heard in the 2025 School Board Election! Residents of High River & Area: It’s time to have a say in the future of Catholic education in our communities. Candidates for school board trustee for the High River and area ward are Christopher Lauzon and Jacqueline Vanderfluit. You can Meet the Candidates here: https://shorturl.at/gfpTQ Election Day is Monday, October 20, 2025 9am to 8pm High River Polling Station: BSRC Cargill Field House – 228 12 Ave SE Advance Poll Days: • Thursday, October 9, 2025 | 9AM to 8PM • Wednesday, October 15, 2025 | 9AM to 8PM • Saturday, October 18, 2025 | 10AM to 6PM What do I need to vote? To be eligible to vote for a Catholic school board trustee you must: - be at least 18 years old; - be a Canadian citizen; - reside in the applicable school board ward; and - declare you are of the Catholic faith A valid government-issued ID showing your name and current address is required to vote. For details on acceptable ID, visit Elections Alberta. https://www.elections.ab.ca/voters/id-required-to-vote/ Your participation ensures Catholic education in our communities continues to thrive. Mark your calendar, bring your ID, and make your voice heard!

We wish all of our families a beautiful Thanksgiving weekend. We continue to lift you up in prayer and give thanks for the gift you are to our Christ the Redeemer community. May this weekend bring you comfort, joy, and meaningful time with family and friends. Loving God, We thank You for the gift of family, for the food we share, and for the blessings You pour into our lives each day. Help us to see Your goodness in one another and to share Your love with all we meet. May our hearts remain grateful and our spirits joyful, not just today, but always. Amen. #ctrcatholic #weareCTR

Over the weekend our Superintendent Dr. Andrea Holowka co-hosted the diocesan Worship Conference, “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, Lex Vivendi: Renewing the Heart of Liturgical Ministry,” in collaboration with the Diocese of Calgary. Held at St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Mary’s High School in Calgary, the conference invited priests, lay ministers, and parish leaders to explore how prayer shapes how we live as disciples of Christ. The conference focused on deepening our understanding of the Church’s liturgical worship through prayer and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Dr. Holowka shared that co-hosting the event and being present among members of our larger Catholic community reaffirms CTR’s deep commitment to strengthening liturgical life across our schools and parishes. “Let the beauty of Christ’s worship draw us deeper into faith, service, and unity.” Read full article here: https://www.catholicyyc.ca/blog/lex-orandi-lex-credendi-lex-vivendi-renewing-the-heart-of-liturgical-ministry #ctrcatholic

Get to know your school trustee candidates! For our Drumheller community, there has been an acclamation of a new trustee. You can read about our new Drumheller trustee on our website. In High River, there will be an election with two candidates running. In Brooks, there will be an election for with three candidates running. You can read more about all school trustee candidates by visiting our website! https://www.redeemer.ab.ca/meet-the-candidates-2025-election?hash=wwL21lZXQtdGhlLWNhbmRpZGF0ZXMtMjAyNS1lbGVjdGlvbg==

Congratulations St. Francis of Assisi Academy on 10 years! #IBelieveinCatholicEd

Every other month, CTR's Board of Trustees has their monthly board meeting in one of our eight communities. This month we met in Oyen and celebrated our last meeting with this group of eight trustees together. We have been blessed to have such strong leadership by Mark McDonald, Mark Chung, and John de Jong who will be retiring from their positions next month! #selfiewiththesuper #ctrcatholic #weareCTR

Selfie with the Super from Assumption Roman Catholic School in Oyen - one of the few places where Dr. Holowka could fit the whole school into one selfie! 😄💙 She had a wonderful visit, engaging with students, staff, and parents to hear about their experience with our Catholic faith at ARC. The visit also included a Board of Trustees ward meeting and regular Board meeting both hosted at the school last Friday and Saturday demonstrating the Board’s commitment to all communities across our vast geography in CTR. #selfiewiththesuper #ctrcatholic #weareCTR

CTR Catholic is grateful for the hard work of our amazing Custodians and Maintenance staff! Your care keeps our schools and offices clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. Thank you for all you do behind the scenes to support our students and staff! #weareCTR #ctrcatholic

Today is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. For the children who died in residential schools throughout Canada and for all those who continue on a journey through the darkness, that there may be healing founded on truth and that the Spirit will inspire our ongoing commitment to reconciliation. Amen. 🧡🙏

Throughout next week, CTR schools across the division will focus on age-appropriate student learning, raising awareness of the impact of residential schools, honouring the experience of survivors, their families and communities, and building cultural awareness. Staff and students are also encouraged to wear orange on Monday, Sept. 29 A reminder there is no school on Tuesday, Sept. 30. Be sure to check your local community for opportunities to engage in commemoration of this day. May God bless Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation process. 🧡

Today, CTR Catholic superintendents and senior staff gathered to celebrate the Site Blessing of the new École Good Shepherd School in Okotoks. The afternoon was a beautiful tribute to the dedication and advocacy of our trustees, school leadership, parish, parents, government partners, and the wider community. Rooted in faith, the celebration included a blessing from Father Vijay and a traditional blessing and fancy dance from our Indigenous partners Elder Sa’akokoto, Tyler Heavenfire, and Kyle Young Pine, a former Good Shepherd student. We also heard from Highwood MLA R.J. Sigurdson, CTR Board Chair Andrea Keenan, Superintendent Dr. Andrea Holowka, and Good Shepherd Principal Melissa Baxter. As we begin the next chapter for École Good Shepherd School as a place where generations of students will continue to grow in faith, wisdom, and love, we look forward with gratitude. When we open these doors in the fall of 2027, it will stand as a visible symbol of the priority we place on Catholic education in Okotoks. #weareCTR #iBelieveinCatholicEd

When we meet with our senior and school based leaders each month, we have the opportunity to establish coherence across CTR while also hearing from our outstanding principals and vice principals. So blessed to work alongside a phenomenal group of leaders in Catholic education who serve with faith, heart, and purpose. #selfiewiththesuper #ctrcatholic #weareCTR

The position of School Board Trustee for the High River Ward with Christ the Redeemer Catholic Schools (Ward 3 – St. Thomas Aquinas-Foothills) remains open. Nominations will close Monday, September 29. Eligible candidates must be Catholic, at least 18 years old, Canadian citizens, and residents of the High River electoral subdivision. Employees of any school division are not eligible. For more information, boundary maps, or nomination forms, please contact Returning Office Michael Kilcommons at 403-923-9507 or mkilcommons@redeemer.ab.ca. Nominations forms are also available on the CTR website at www.redeemer.ab.ca

As of 12:00 noon yesterday (Sept. 22), nominations for municipal elections, including Trustee positions for Christ The Redeemer Catholic Schools, ceased. We expect to hold one election, in Brooks, on October 20. It also appears at this time that there will be six acclamations announced and one vacant position. All Wards are currently represented as follows: - Foothills: Andrea Keenan (incumbent) is the sole nominee. - Oyen: Michelle Rude Volk (incumbent) is the sole nominee. - Drumheller: Louise Henrickson is the sole nominee. - Brooks: three nominees: Michelle Gietz, Shane Grove, and Chris Neeser - Strathmore: Harry Salm (incumbent) is the sole nominee. - Okotoks: Andrew Gustafson (incumbent) is the sole nominee. - Canmore: Matt McIsaac (incumbent) is the sole nominee. - High River: no candidates have been nominated. Nominations will remain open until September 29. Please contact mkilcommons@redeemer.ab.ca for details.

📸 Selfie with the Super - Saturday edition from St. Joseph’s Collegiate in Brooks! Dr. Holowka joined principal Andrea Schell for a meaningful gathering focused on storytelling, history, and community. She connected with Ahmed Kassem from Global Village and documentarian Tyler Duffy for the filming of "Lessons Learned", a powerful documentary capturing the history of Brooks and Newell County. Dr. Holowka was grateful for the opportunity to witness how education and community come together to preserve stories that shape our shared future! #selfiewiththesuper #ctrcatholic #weareCTR

Our connections to our parish are so special! Check out why at St. John Paul II Collegiate in Okotoks! #IBelieveinCatholicEd

A beautiful space for prayer at Holy Spirit Academy in High River! #ibeleiveincatholiced

Selfie with the Super from the Centre for Learning@HOME Edmonton site! Dr. Holowka had a wonderful visit connecting with dedicated team members who support students in unique and meaningful ways. She was grateful to spend time with Nouchik Taslakian, Sherwaine Arthurs, and Lynn Cooper, as well as other CFL staff who bring care, creativity, and commitment to online learning every day. Thank you for the incredible work you do to help students thrive, no matter where they are learning from! #selfiewiththesuper #ctrcatholic #weareCTR