Thunder News Flash – April 24-28

St. James & St. Ann’s School’s Parent Fundraising Association (PFA) will be having its first ever Pub Night on Friday, June 2nd.  It will be held at Finnegan’s Pub & Grill in Abbotsford.  Invite your family and friends for a fun-filled evening.  We hope to see you all there!

This Thursday, April 27th, will be a Thunderwear Thursday and students are encouraged to wear their Thunderwear to school.  Your child may replace pieces of their school uniform with their Thunderwear.  So, if they have a Thunderwear t-shirt, they may wear this t-shirt instead of their school shirt.  If they have a pair of Thunderwear sweatpants, then they may wear these instead of their school pants.  If your child has multiple pieces of Thunderwear then they may replace multiple parts of their uniform with their Thunderwear.  Please note that this does not mean that your child may wear jeans with a Thunderwear t-shirt.  This is not a dress-down day, but a day to celebrate school spirit by wearing Thunderwear.

St. John Brebeuf is running a toy drive in the month of May in support of the Prison Ministry, and we would like to help by collecting toys as well.  These toys are used by children who are visiting their mom or dad for an hour or two in prison, or if they are having a weekend visit.  The ages of the children are from 2 – 10 years old, and toys may be new or gently used.  In particular it would be wonderful if we could collect colouring books, crayons, dolls, trucks, toy tools or toy kitchen items, books, balls, sandbox toys, children’s DVDs and bubbles.  We will be collecting these toys from May 1st to May 18th, and they may be dropped off in the large collection box by the office.  We thank you in advance for your generosity.

It seems that there are more and more students being picked up quite late after school each day.  Please note that the Parent Handbook clearly describes the procedures for students who are picked up late:  “Student and traffic supervision will take place until 2:45pm.  After 2:45pm students who have not been picked up are brought into the main lobby of the school by the supervisor to call their parents, and are to sit quietly and remain in the main lobby of the school until they are picked up.  Students who are not picked up by 3:00pm will be taken to The Thunder Club and their parents will be billed for that time.”  Please note that the drop-in rate for The Thunder Club is $20 for one child, $25 for two children, and $30 for three or more children.  The Thunder Club is open each day until 5:00pm and is an excellent service to utilize if you know there are going to be days that you are late for pick up, or for those days when an emergency comes up.

On Tuesday, May 16th St. James & St. Ann’s School will be hosting a Ready, Set, Learn event in the Kindergarten classroom from 1:00 – 2:20pm.  This early literacy and numeracy event is for 3 and 4 year olds, or 5 year olds who have not yet entered Kindergarten.  Come and learn how you can support your child with early literacy and numeracy skills, and help your child develop a love of letters and numbers.  You certainly won’t be disappointed!

On Tuesday, April 25th our students will be participating in the St. Bernadette’s Track Meet.  While we encourage students to pack healthy snacks and lunch foods, we also know that the concession is a place that the students love to visit!  Please click here to see the menu for the concession on April 25th.

Confirmation will be celebrated at St. James Parish this year on Wednesday, May 10th.  Please note that there will be a rehearsal on Tuesday, May 9th at St. James Parish at 6:30pm.  It is very important for all of the students as well as their sponsors to attend this rehearsal.

There is still room for students in Grades 3 and 4 to sign up to participate in the Art Club.  The Art Club will take place on the following Mondays from 2:45 – 4:00pm:  May 8th, 15th and 29th and June 5th.  Please note that students are permitted to miss the Track & Field practices on those four Mondays to participate in the Art Club.

• We hope everyone is busy collecting Walkathon pledges.  If EVERY student raises just $125, we can reach our goal of $25,000 easily! 
• Don’t forget that pledges can also be made through our school website or by using the Walkathon Pledge Sheet.
• Our second Walkathon Pep Rally will be held this coming Friday.  Along with enthusiastic cheering and dancing, the Leadership Team will show students a variety of skits that focus on how to ask for pledges.  We will also be talking about PRIZES!
• On Friday, April 28th, each family/student is encouraged to bring in their pledge sheet(s) (no money yet please) so that the pledges can be added up.  Then at the pep rally, the Leadership Team will unveil to the students how close we are to our goal of $25,000!  Students will be given back their pledge sheets to bring home after the pep rally, so they can continue to collect more pledges.
• If you still need to fulfil your fundraiser commitment this year, you will have already received an email directing you to sign up to assist with the Walkathon.
• In keeping with the “Give Without Getting” philosophy of our school, every student who brings in their Walkathon pledge sheet and money raised on the Early Bird Day (May 9th) will have helped someone in need through NightShift Street Ministries instead of receiving an extra prize.  Instead of an Early Bird prize this year, students will have helped NightShift feed all those in need who come through their doors that day.