A celebration at St. Nicholas Catholic School on May 26, 2026, marked 45 years of the Ukrainian Bilingual Program in Sherwood Park, a program that has been teaching students Ukrainian language, culture, and faith since 1980.
The program, run by Elk Island Catholic Schools, welcomes students from preschool all the way to Grade 12. It does not require any Ukrainian heritage or prior language experience. At the elementary level, children at St. Nicholas spend up to half their day learning in Ukrainian, covering subjects like Ukrainian language arts, religion, social studies, music, and art. Core subjects such as English language arts, math, and science are taught in English.
After Grade 4, students continue at St. Theresa Catholic School for middle school, and then move on to Archbishop Jordan Catholic High School for senior high. This creates a complete pathway from early childhood through graduation. The program is a bilingual model, not immersion, meaning no more than 50 percent of the school day takes place in Ukrainian.
Alberta is home to the largest Ukrainian population in Canada. According to the 2021 census, over 340,000 Albertans reported Ukrainian ancestry. The program has long been supported by the Bilingual Ukrainian Catholic Parents Society, which advocates for and helps sustain the program.
Alongside academics, students take part in cultural traditions such as making pysanky, singing traditional songs, dancing, and attending liturgies. These activities are woven into the school experience, offering a connection to Ukrainian heritage for children from all backgrounds.
