Thunder News Flash – December 19, 2020

On behalf of the school staff I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.  While this year is very different, hopefully you will still be able to find opportunities as a family to celebrate the birth of Jesus and make some special memories together.  Thank you for all of your incredibly generous donations to our Virtual Giving Tree – due to your amazing thoughtfulness you have made Christmas special for many families in the Abbotsford area.  Thank you also for your generosity towards the staff.  Your Christmas gifts, cards, kind words and good wishes are most appreciated.

As we get closer to a new calendar year, our hope is that 2021 is a year filled with many special blessings for all of us!

Do you know any new families who would like to apply to join our school community for the 2021-2022 school year?  If so, please let them know that we will be hosting a Virtual Open House on Wednesday, January 20th.  This will be a Zoom meeting that will take place starting at 6:30pm, and go until approximately 7:30pm.  This meeting will include a virtual tour of the school, some student testimonials, information about the application process, as well as a Q & A session.  Any interested parents should email the school office in January at office@stjameselementary.ca, or by clicking here, so that they can receive the link to the Zoom meeting.

Thank you to all of the families/students who purchased tickets for the Big Book and Basket Raffle, and to the Grade 3 class who put their class donations together with the school donations to have a larger effect.  Your generosity means that in January we will be making a donation to Chalice to purchase not just one goat, and not even two goats, but with a little over $1000 collected we will be able to purchase an entire stable of animals, which will have a huge impact on the lives of several families.  This type of donation gives families in the third world not only a source of food, but also a way to earn money to purchase other items to provide for their families.  We will never know how many families we have helped with this incredible donation, but we can be assured that we have touched the lives of many people.

Please click here to read an update letter from Fraser Health to explain how they will inform parents of any potential school exposures during the Christmas Break, should it be necessary to do so.

Please click here to read a letter to parents and caregivers from our new Minister of Education, Jennifer Whiteside.

During this time of pandemic, the escalating level of anxiety in our children begs for an explanation as well as a solution.  Dr. Gordon Neufeld sheds light on this age-old problem, providing tools for parents, caregivers and teachers to be able to navigate and support children during this alarming time.

Join us for a Dr. Neufeld video course followed by Q & A with Kevin Bredeman, an authorized Neufeld Institute Course Facilitator.

This will be offered online:  Wednesdays from January 6th to 27th from 7:30pm – 9:00pm.  Pre-registration and a fee of $10 is required.  For more information and registration, click here.  

This course is hosted by the Ministries and Outreach Office at the Archdiocese of Vancouver.