The Formation Team
At Clear Water Academy, in addition to our on-site chaplain, we are blessed to have a dedicated Formation Team made up of faculty members and Legionaries of Christ who uphold and guide the principles of Integral Formation. Working closely with school leadership, this team ensures that our educational mission is lived each day, nurturing the intellectual, spiritual, human, and apostolic growth of our students.
Formation Team Members
Fr. Anthony Sortino, LC
School Chaplain / Director of Formation
Fr. Michael Picard, LC
Assistant Chaplain
Desmond Sanesh
Dean of Students / Secondary Teacher
Irene Sarmiento
Secondary Formation Instructor
Rossana Moya
Elementary Dean of Catholic Formation
Elementary Formation
As part of Elementary Formation, the Dean of Catholic Formation plays a key role in supporting students and faculty in their growth across three essential dimensions: human, spiritual, and apostolic. This formation unfolds naturally within daily school life. Throughout the year, students encounter both joyful and challenging moments, each offering an opportunity to deepen their faith and to grow in love, hope, humility, and resilience.
Elementary Formation Activities:
- Daily Prayer
- Weekly Masses
- Faculty Gospel Reflections
- Celebration of Saint Feast Days
- Rosary Campaign at Mary’s Shrine
- Monthly Adoration and Reconciliation for students
- Family Adoration
- Detective Tidy Campaign
- Sacrament Presentations
- Advent and Lenten Service Projects
- Retreats for Parents and Students
Leadership Program for Grades 5 & 6
The Roses of Grace and Rays of Mercy programs are Elementary Leadership initiatives designed for students in Grades 5 and 6. Through these programs, students are invited to grow as young apostles, serving as the hands of Jesus within our school and the wider community.
Participants raise funds in support of Mano Amiga Schools, our sister schools around the world with fewer resources, and visit seniors at Carewest, sharing compassion, joy, and the love of Christ. Through these experiences, students develop essential Christian leadership skills, living out our mission as a Regnum Christi school to form Christian leaders who will transform society.
Secondary Formation
The Formation Instructors in Grades 7–12 accompany students during some of the most important and formative years of their lives. This role focuses on walking closely with students in their personal growth, helping them develop self-knowledge, emotional maturity, strong habits, and a healthy understanding of who they are and who they are called to become. Through mentoring and formation, the instructor supports students as they navigate friendships, family relationships, academic demands, and their spiritual life. The emphasis is not only on what students do, but on who they are becoming — fostering confidence, inner freedom, responsibility, and a strong sense of purpose.
Secondary Formation Activities:
- Formation classes and workshops in Grades 7–12 on topics such as identity, virtues, emotional health, self-discipline, healthy friendships, boundaries, leadership, and vocation.
- One-on-one mentoring sessions to help students set goals, reflect on challenges, and develop practical strategies for growth in school and in life.
- Retreat preparation and follow-up, helping students integrate spiritual experiences into daily habits and decisions.
- Faith and community initiatives, such as Rosary groups and small formation projects that strengthen friendship, faith, and a sense of belonging.
- Encouraging a spirit of service and generosity in everyday life, helping students understand that true growth is always connected to serving others.
- Ongoing collaboration with parents and faculty to ensure consistent and integrated formation.
- Apostolic Visits: Older students lead short, engaging sessions with younger grades focused on a specific virtue, using small-group discussions, games, activities, and short talks to build mentorship, school spirit, and a unified virtue culture across the school.
- Apostolic partnerships and hands-on outreach: Students volunteer at local organizations (e.g., Brenda’s House, The Mustard Seed, Drop-In Centre, Salvation Army) and fundraise for causes such as Elizabeth House and Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids, giving them concrete experiences that form them in active charity.
- Educational field trips: Students participate in events such as the Calgary Prayer Breakfast and tours of local Catholic churches and shrines, bringing faith to life through immersive experiences.
- Student Council: Formation in action. With more than 40 students involved, they gain hands-on experience in human formation every day—planning school events, working as a team, promoting formation activities, making group decisions, solving problems, leading their peers, organizing service projects, and strengthening the sense of community across the school.
Regnum Christi Missionaries
Clear Water Academy is fortunate to host missionaries from the Regnum Christi Mission Corps, who dedicate a year of their lives to serving our community with their particular gifts, skills, and apostolic methods, enhancing our identity as a Regnum Christi school.
