Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools
| Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools Greater St. Albert Roman Catholic Separate School district No. 734 |
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6 St. Vital Avenue St. Albert, Alberta, Canada Canada |
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| Coordinates | 53°38′14″N 113°37′57″W / 53.63722°N 113.63250°WCoordinates: 53°38′14″N 113°37′57″W / 53.63722°N 113.63250°W |
| District information | |
| Superintendent | David Keohane |
| Chair of the board | Rosaleen McEvoy |
| Schools | 16 |
| Budget | CA$70.2 million (2012/2013) |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 6,200 |
| Other information | |
| Elected trustees | Dave Caron Joan Crockett Jacquie Hansen Rosaleen McEvoy Cathy Proulx Noreen Radford Lauri-Ann Turnbull |
| Website | www |
Greater St. Albert Roman Catholic Separate School District No. 734 or Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools is a separate school board serving St. Albert, Morinville, and Legal, Alberta, Canada.
The oldest of the former school divisions was St. Albert Roman Catholic Public District No. 3, formed in 1885, and later known as St. Albert Catholic School District No. 3. A legacy of teaching began in the district when the Sisters of Charity (founded by Ste. Marguerite d'Youville in 1737 and more commonly known as the Grey Nuns) arrived in St. Albert from Lac Ste. Anne in 1863. Construction of a small convent that served as schoolhouse and hospital when needed was completed in 1864. Students were taught primarily by the Sisters of Charity. Instruction in French, English, grammar, mathematics, and Catechism was carried out however it was their philosophy of practical, moral, and religious learning that was emphasized. Boys learned agriculture, woodworking, and carpentry while girls concentrated on sewing, cooking, and gardening.
The Thibault Roman Catholic Public School District No. 35 dates back to the late 1800s. The district was named after Father Thibault who established a mission and school near Morinville. In 1892, the first Board of Trustees administered a humble school that, unfortunately, closed after just a few months. Seven years later, Father Jolicoeur revived the district, and it operated in a modest form until 1904. The Thibault district began to thrive when the Filles de Jesus congregation established its order in Morinville. The close relationship between the school district and religious order continued for many decades. Just a couple of years before the regionalization, Thibault School District opened Morinville Community High School.
Legal School District No. 1738 was established in 1907, and the first school was built just south of the town. The influence of the Grey Nuns was evident in the district. Sister Marguerite Marie Côté served many years as principal and sole high school teacher. Tragedy struck in the mid-1940s when the school house burned to the ground. in 1952, the school building still in use (after numerous additions and renovations) was erected. Although French immersion was offered for the first time in 1980, Legal had been offering special advanced French classes in the decades prior. In 1993, the district dissolved its high school and bused students to Morinville.
In 1994, discussions began among the three school districts on regionalization. On January 1, 1995 all three formerly independent school jurisdictions began to operate under the corporate name Greater St. Albert Catholic Regional Division No. 29.
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