<p class="editor-paragraph"><figure><a href="/documents/5da7813f-0160-4a4f-9e87-a8ad3c01d3a7/April-2026-NEWSLETTER.pdf" target="_blank" title="flowers"><img src="/images/c239f26d-c615-457d-8427-c6f22faba240" alt="flowers" width="100%" height="inherit" style="width:100%;height:inherit;display:inline-block"></a></figure></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">As we enter into the joy of the Easter season, Holy Spirit Catholic School Division is pleased to share a special message from Superintendent Chantel Axani.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Easter is a time of renewal, hope, and celebration of the Resurrection of Christ. It reminds us that even in moments of challenge, new life and light are always possible through faith.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We extend our sincere thanks to all members of our Holy Spirit community for the care and support you show one another each day. May this Easter season bring you and your loved ones peace, joy, and the blessings of Christ’s love.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Wishing you a blessed and joyful Easter.</strong></b><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p><iframe data-lexical-video-id="Hwr3SA5_coE" width="640" height="480" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Hwr3SA5_coE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="true" title="Youtube video"></iframe><p class="editor-paragraph"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" style="text-align: left;"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/566913df-0609-4fa6-b25d-2ed745d1fdc5" alt="Untitled 1" width="336" height="193" style="width:336px;height:193px;display:inline-block;float:left"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Holy Spirit Catholic School Division is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Matthew New as Principal of Our Lady of the Assumption Elementary School. Mr. New will assume his role in August 2026. Bringing a strong background in teaching and administration, he is excited to return to the Our Lady of the Assumption community and continue supporting student success through faith-filled leadership and collaboration.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mr. New holds a Master of Education in School Administration, a Bachelor of Education with a major in CTS Business, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics with a minor in Management. His experience in Kindergarten to Grade 12 education has allowed him to develop a collaborative and community-focused leadership style grounded in service across multiple school settings within the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division. He has led and supported initiatives aimed at strengthening student attendance, engagement, and well-being, while working alongside staff to implement school-wide frameworks such as Response to Intervention and the Collaborative Response Model.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Superintendent Chantel&nbsp;Axani&nbsp;shared,&nbsp;</span><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“I am pleased to announce that Matthew New will serve as the Principal of Our Lady of the Assumption Elementary School beginning August 2026. Matthew is a visionary leader with experience that spans Kindergarten through Grade 12. He has expressed enthusiasm about returning to the elementary level and to OLA, where he will work alongside Associate Principal Caryn&nbsp;Swark&nbsp;to continue serving the students and staff. I am confident that Matthew and Caryn’s skills and talents will complement each other well.”&nbsp;</em></i></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Rooted in faith, Mr. New’s leadership is inspired by the scripture,&nbsp;</span></p><blockquote class="editor-quote" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“Be strong and steadfast; do not fear or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”&nbsp;— Joshua 1:9&nbsp;</span></blockquote><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This passage reminds him that&nbsp;faith guides his work, courage strengthens his leadership, and joy shapes his journey in Catholic education.&nbsp;He is committed to building strong, respectful relationships with staff, students, and families, and values creating a positive and responsive learning environment through instructional leadership, meaningful collaboration, and active involvement in extracurricular and student leadership opportunities. His approach focuses on fostering student growth while strengthening a supportive and inclusive school culture.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Mr. New shares his enthusiasm for the role:&nbsp;</span><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span><br><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“I’m&nbsp;so excited to be coming back to the Our Lady of the Assumption School community. Becoming a principal has been a dream of mine for a long time, and&nbsp;it’s&nbsp;such an honor to start this journey at a school with&nbsp;a dedicated&nbsp;staff, wonderful families, and a strong tradition of putting students’ needs first. I&nbsp;can’t&nbsp;wait for the 2026–2027 school year and to reconnect with everyone at OLA.”&nbsp;</em></i></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The Holy Spirit Catholic School Division looks forward to Mr. New’s leadership as Our Lady of the Assumption Elementary School continues to nurture faith, learning, and community for students and families.</span></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">On Friday, March 13, 2026, staff from across Holy Spirit Catholic School Division gathered together as one community to celebrate the Sacred Liturgy and deepen their understanding of the structure of the Bible.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This year marks the first of the division’s three-year faith plan, </span><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Open Wide the Doors – Sent to Share Christ’s Love</em></i><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. Through this initiative, staff from all roles within the division are invited to grow together in faith by encountering God through His Word.</span></p><blockquote class="editor-quote" dir="ltr"><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”</em></i><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> — Matthew 11:29</span></blockquote><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The day began with a meaningful message from Father Santiago, who emphasized the importance of rest, renewal, and lifelong learning in our relationship with God. He reminded those gathered that faith calls us to humility and openness of heart.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“No one stops learning in relationship with God. We are called to walk humbly,” he shared, encouraging staff to remain receptive to the ways God continues to teach and guide us.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This message echoed the Words of Scripture:</span></p><blockquote class="editor-quote" dir="ltr"><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”</em></i><br><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> — Micah 6:8</span></blockquote><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The virtues of humility, justice, and kindness were recurring themes throughout the day—reflected not only in the Word of God, but also in the spirit of collaboration and fellowship shared among staff, Father Santiago, and guest presenter Katie Patrizio.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph"><img src="/images/67b318aa-a2f3-4d9b-b6c8-be0002056ba1" alt="Spiritual Development" width="458" height="305" style="width:458px;height:305px;display:inline-block;float:right"></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Katie Patrizio delivered an engaging presentation that helped staff better understand the structure and context of the Bible, encouraging participants to rediscover Scripture as a living guide in their faith journey.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">“It is an important day—a chance for us all to be together,” shared Aaron Skretting, Associate Superintendent of Faith and Learning. “Hopefully it’s a day to rest, connect with colleagues, and reflect on how each of us comes to know God.”</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Superintendent Chantel Axani expressed her gratitude to Holy Spirit staff for their commitment to faith and service, recognizing them as the heart of the division. Alongside, Board Chair Linda Ellefson, she reaffirmed the importance of remaining humble, faithful, and renewed, while extending grace to one another during the challenges of daily work and ministry.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The day served as a meaningful reminder that within the Holy Spirit Catholic School Division, faith formation is not limited to classrooms alone—it is lived and shared through community, service, and a continual journey of learning with Christ.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Join us for our Budget Town Hall conversations and be part of shaping the future of our schools.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">This open forum is an opportunity for parents and guardians to hear directly from school leadership about financial realities, priorities, and projected needs — and to ask questions, share feedback, and help guide strategic decisions for Holy Spirit Catholic School Division.</span></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">You will have three opportunities to participate in one of our Town Halls:</span><br><br><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Wednesday, March 11, 2026 @ 6:00 PM – CCH Campus West</strong></b><br><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Wednesday, March 18, 2026 @ 6:00 PM – CCH Campus East</strong></b><br><b><strong class="editor-text-bold" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Monday, March 23, 2026 @ 5:00 PM – Virtual </strong></b><a href="https://zoom.us/j/97858129339" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">https://zoom.us/j/97858129339</span></a></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><a href="/documents/3834d508-e4a0-4904-a7fa-f7ac9b83e650/March-2026-NEWSLETTER.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold editor-text-underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">March 2026 Newsletter</strong></b></u></a></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We want to thank our communities for their questions, feedback, and patience as we conclude the processes of boundary change and registration. We have received our registration updates and new registrations at a much higher rate this year than in previous years. We have been analyzing the data, consulting with our principals, and weighing out how we can best serve our students and families through this process of change. We committed to providing clear communication to families about their requests on or after March 9, and feel confident that we can adhere to that timeline. Families will be hearing about the status of their registration from schools shortly, if they have not already. As a reminder, transportation rules as previously communicated remain the same for parents making requests for out-of-boundary registration; no transportation will be provided, other than for grandfathered students. </em></i></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><i><em class="editor-text-italic" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">We are excited for the future of our schools in Lethbridge and across the division.&nbsp;</em></i></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><br></p>

<p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><a href="/documents/97146aca-7182-4759-8194-9d97af1e23e9/February-2026-NEWSLETTER.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" class="editor-link"><u><b><strong class="editor-text-bold editor-text-underline" style="white-space: pre-wrap;">February 2026 Newsletter.</strong></b></u><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></a></p><p class="editor-paragraph" dir="ltr"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Enjoy the break next week...We welcome students back on Monday, February 23rd.&nbsp;</span></p>