Catholic Education Week is from May 6-10 and the Prince Albert Catholic School Division board celebrated the occasion by announcing the 2023-2024 Catholic Education Service Award winners.
Ecole St. Mary High School staff member and Prince Albert Catholic School Division Religious Coordinator Deacon Harold Shalahub was one of two winners announced. He was shocked to be chosen among many strong candidates for the award.
“I was surprised and also very humbled by that award,” Shalahub said. “There are so many excellent faith role models in our school and I’m just honoured to be one of the recipients this year.”
Shalahub said Catholic Education is important because it emphasizes faith in the division.
“It’s a real blessing to work in a school division where faith is front and center,” he explained.
“The work that we do, educating the students trusted into our care, it’s so wonderful knowing that faith is our core element. (It’s) the one thing that we focus on first, so for that reason I think Catholic education is just amazing because we are able to keep faith front and center and everything that we do.”
Salahub was ordained as a Deacon about 14 years ago and that is another way he shows his faith. As part of that role, he does sacramental work like visiting the sick, bringing communion, and working with the poor.
Along with being a teacher he is also the division’s Religious Coordinator, a role where he supports teachers and helps them with any questions about the new curriculum. He alsoassists them in finding ways to promote their faith.
One recent initiative Shalahub brought forward in this role is a staff retreat to begin next school year.
“I’m the guy who brings kind of ideas to the staff to see how they can further implement faith within their classrooms,” he said.
Shalahub was one of two people to win Catholic Education Service Awards this year. The other was Krysta Lambert of St. Catherine School.
The Board of Education established the Catholic Education Service Award in 1998 to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to Catholic education in Prince Albert. Both recipients have been nominated due to their significant contributions to
Catholic Education, and their faith community.
The Board is confident that the public will agree that these faithful and dedicated individuals have positively impacted the Catholic Educational Community, the school division and the schools they have worked in.
The board of education congratulates both award winners.
“Our Board is truly grateful to this year’s recipients of the Prince Albert Catholic Service Awards,” board chair Suzanne Stubbs said in a press release. “We are proud that Krysta and Deacon Harrold call our school division and Catholic education community home. Their
involvement in our schools, parishes, and greater Catholic community is exemplary, and we are blessed to have these individuals working with our staff and student.”
The Prince Albert Catholic Division invites everyone to join in celebrating World Catholic Education Week as we strive to provide a supportive atmosphere that makes Catholic schools nurturing environment for students to thrive academically, spiritually, and socially.
Shalahub was not sure who selected him for the honour.
“That’s always one of our joys that we are not sure, so it’s a cool thing,” he said.
The Board of Education thanked everyone for the submissions received.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
