Fine Arts Academy

The Fine Arts program at St. Mary’s School offers an intense Fine Arts experience delivered by highly trained staff. In addition to their core subjects, students are immersed in Band, Choir, Dance, Drama, and Art and are ambassadors of the school, the division, our city, and of the Fine Arts. Students are continuously in the community; they are frequently asked to perform and are often learning from professionals in the field by taking in shows, going on field trips, and learning from special guests. This program meets the needs of many students: those students who have a keen interest in the arts and enjoy working in them, and those students who see themselves pursuing a career in the Fine Arts.

Furthermore, students also have additional opportunities to experience Regular-stream option programming such as computers, foods, shop, etc.

This program attracts students from all over the city and surrounding area and continuously receives recognition and awards on local and provincial stages (check out our trophy case next time you’re in the building, or, check it out virtually here).

Check out the video above.

To protect the integrity of the program, class sizes are capped and therefore often operate at full capacity. In these situations, students wanting to enter the program are placed on a waiting list and currently enrolled students must meet certain standards. Therefore, to maintain the integrity of the Fine Arts program, parents and students must continuously strive to meet the following:

Fine Arts Program Standards

1. All Fine Arts fees must be paid in full or be arranged to be paid in installments. In
   extenuating circumstances, arrangements may be made to have fees waived but these arrangements need to be made in advance.
2. Students must maintain regular and punctual attendance at school including Fine Arts engagements which take place outside regular school hours.
3. Students must be an active participant in all Fine Arts subjects. Active participation is considered to be the regular and ongoing participation in the activities of the Fine Arts classes, including engagements which take place outside of regular school hours.
4. Students must maintain an exemplary attitude, effort, work ethic, and interest in the Fine Arts.
5. Students will maintain positive behaviour in accordance with the MHCBE Student Code of Conduct. This includes the responsibility of being an ambassador of St. Mary’s School.
6. Students must maintain a level of good academic standing or show evidence of academic accountability and improvement.

Student performance in the Fine Arts program will be reviewed at the end of each reporting period, including the end of the academic year. Students found to be struggling with any of the above criteria may be required to meet with Fine Arts faculty, meet with administration, put on a period of probation, and/or be removed from the program. The implementation of this process and interpretation of these standards are subject to the discretion of the Fine Arts Faculty and administration. Administrators reserve the right to have the final say in student programming.

Selection Process

In the event that the number of students enrolling in a particular grade exceeds the capacity of the program, students in good standing (see Fine Arts Program Standards) will be selected in the following order:

1. Current Grade 6, 7, & 8 St. Mary’s School Fine Arts Academy students 
2. Current Grade 5 students registered at and attending a Medicine Hat Catholic school
3. Current Grade 6, 7, & 8 non-academy St. Mary’s School students
4. Current Grade 6, 7, & 8 Notre Dame students
5. New Catholic students to Medicine Hat Catholic once accepted into the division
6. All other new students to Medicine Hat Catholic once accepted into the division 

Once a class has reached capacity, all remaining students will be placed on a waiting list. In order to maintain a spot on the waiting list, students must be registered at St. Mary’s as a non-academy student. As spots become available, students will be transferred into the Academy Program.

Registration opens on February 1. All selection process criteria (see above) remain in force during open registration. On March 1, any further registrations will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Administrators reserve the right to have the final say in student programming. Parents will be notified by email regarding acceptance into the Fine Arts Academy program each spring.

Class Load 

Core Subjects: Religion, Language Arts, Math, Social Students, Science
Wellness: Physical Education, Health, Computers, additional option experiences
Fine Arts Academy Program: Art, Band, Choral, Dance, Drama

Fee Schedule / Payment Plans

The Fine Arts Academy is a program of choice, therefore a fee will be charged to be in the program. All fee payments and arrangements are processed through School Cash Online. Payments can be lump-sum or scheduled up to 10 monthly payments. More information regarding payment plans will be provided at the beginning of the school year.

2024-2025 Approved Academy Fees

2025-2026 Academy Fees (Pending Board Approval)

Should unforeseen circumstances arise and schools experience a temporary closure, scheduled payments will not be stopped. Refunds (if applicable) will be calculated depending on the length of closure, the academy expenses and revenue collected. Refunds would only be issued at the end of the school year after all factors have been taken into account and have been approved by MHCBE Senior Administration.

Kayla Lukacs is thrilled to be the drama teacher at St. Mary’s School, where she has taught since 2015. She is passionate about sharing her expertise and love of the theatre and the arts with students. Kayla received extensive training throughout her post-secondary education. During this time, she worked at an acting studio running theatre camps and coaching a range of ages from preschoolers to teenagers. She has earned recognition at the Alberta One Act Play Festival where she won in the “Actor” category. Kayla notably trained with professionals in Calgary, Vancouver and New York, where she was exposed to different teaching styles and techniques. Time spent in Vancouver connected Kayla with rigorous voice and acting classes. Calgary allowed for exposure opportunities with casting directors, as well as a greater understanding of the inner workings of the film and tv industry. She is dedicated to improving her craft, regularly attending workshops and conferences to grow as both a performer and teacher. Kayla’s teaching philosophy centres around helping young individuals build their confidence on stage and in their everyday lives. She emphasizes the importance of life skills such as empathetic listening, public speaking and collaborating. She continues to direct the school-wide musical at St. Mary’s, with the most recent two being “Finding Nemo Jr.” and “High School Musical Jr.”. She enjoys inspiring the next generation of performers, and is excited to be a part of the Fine Arts Academy at St. Mary’s School.

Whole package alert!  “Why fit in one box when I can be everything?” From Fine Arts Dance Teacher to sporty Volleyball Coach by school day, to being an Aerial Circus Dancer and Martial Arts finatic by night, Miss Kerr embraces every passion and opportunity that comes her way. Challenge her to a handstand competition or holding a yoga pose the longest…she says, game on! Miss Kerr tries to spread joy one dance step at a time and inspire the next generation to
move and groove, creating confidence and magic on the dance floor together!

Miss Kerr's involvement with sports and dance/theatre go back to her early days where she wanted to be every sort of athlete and dork at the same time! Proving to everyone that you don't have to fit into one category. Today, that love has not stopped her from winning sports medals, dance/theatre awards, and writing competitions for creative and new stories and ideas. Her
involvement beyond her personal life within the school walls is just as busy, and goes to show how much she truly cares for her students; her ability to make fun projects within her classes (blacklight dance shows, puppet dances, and fun choreography for everyone) helping out with the school musicals, and coaching is a clear sign of her dedication. Her frightening ability to turn any negative thought, experience, or day into a positive one for others is what draws students in. The moment students step into her room they feel welcomed and heard without judgment. Furthermore, she is a true globe- trotter who integrates cultural richness into her classroom with diverse activities and projects she creates from travelling…it's no wonder Miss
Kerr was nominated for Best First Year Teacher in all of Southern Alberta!

Not only will Miss Kerr's positive energy and spirit put a smile on your face, but you will also have good laughs, learn or improve new skills while having fun, and be around someone who will always tell students to take risks in life and be good because in the end, “all we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us,” and if you can be anything in this world, be good and embrace life. So come join Miss Kerr for rhythm, fun, and a whole lot of shimmies!

Braydon Gordon is a passionate music educator and performer with a diverse background in instrumental music. His musical journey began at the age of seven with piano, followed by the alto saxophone at eleven, and percussion at thirteen.

Throughout his career, Braydon has had the privilege of performing with esteemed ensembles, including the Calgary Round Up Band, Calgary Stetson Show Band, Calgary Stampede Showband, and Band of Outriders. These experiences have taken him across the world, with performances in South Korea, the Netherlands, England, and the United States.

In addition to concert and marching band performances, Braydon has contributed to the theatrical world as a percussionist and drummer in productions such as Fiddler on the Roof, SpongeBob the Musical, Shrek the Musical, and The Little Mermaid.

He earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance and Education, during which he had the opportunity to premiere several new compositions with the University of Calgary Wind Ensemble. He furthered his expertise by completing a Bachelor of Education in Secondary Music at the University of Calgary.

Since 2019, Braydon has been teaching at St. Mary's School, where he shares his passion for music with young musicians. In addition to his teaching role, he has served as the Musical Director for Frozen Jr., Finding Nemo Jr., and Matilda Jr., bringing musical theatre to life for his students and the school community.

Currently, Braydon continues to inspire the next generation of musicians while performing with the Medicine Hat Concert Band Society Allegro Band. His dedication to music education and performance remains at the heart of his career.