Thunder News Flash – January 11, 2020

We will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, January 23rd from 6:30pm – 8:30pm to showcase what an amazing school we have at St. James & St. Ann’s.  Please join us for exciting activities in each room of the school and to see all the amazing learning that takes place on a daily basis.  The Open House will begin at 6:30pm with a presentation about the school in the gym, and Application Packages will be handed out to new families who are interested in having their children attend St. James & St. Ann’s School.  Beginning at approximately 6:50pm senior students in the school will take prospective families on a guided tour of the school, and will share what they have enjoyed about their time at St. James & St. Ann’s School.  Whether you are hoping to join this school community, or have been here for many years, come and experience all that we have to offer!

As you know the weather is very variable across the Fraser Valley, and as a regional school we have students who come to our school from many different locations.  It is very difficult to determine the safety on the roads in all areas, and so our school, in conjunction with SJB, has to make a decision that takes many factors into consideration.  While we do our best to make a decision about school closures as early as we can, that is not always possible.  In the event of a school closure, the information will be posted on the school’s website, and on CKNW and Global News.  If the decision to close the school is made later than usual, as was the case on Friday, an email will be sent to all school families.  The safety of the students, staff and parents is our primary concern.

As part of our Physical Education and Fine Arts Programs, the students will be receiving instruction in Hip Hop dance this week at the school.  Once again we are inviting the parents to a presentation to showcase what the students have learned in the afternoon of Friday, January 17th.  Parents are asked to be at the school by 1:15pm, as it is very hard to find a good spot to see the dancers once the performance has started.  You won’t want to miss this!

The forecast for the coming week is for colder than normal temperatures for the south coast.  While our friends and relatives in the rest of Canada may be laughing at our definition of cold weather, we do need to remember that if the forecast is correct we need to take extra precautions.  Even with a temperature of -10 Celsius, if there is a wind, frostbite can occur in less than 30 minutes.  So, please make sure your children are bundled up for the weather next week – good winter jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, boots, and no exposed skin.  If there is snow on the ground we want to take advantage of all that fun, so dress accordingly!

This is a reminder that we will be hosting the Red Cross Babysitters’ Course at our school.  The dates of the course are as follows:

• Monday, February 3rd
• Monday, February 10th
• Monday, February 24th
• Monday, March 2nd

The classes will run from 2:45 – 4:45pm each Monday, and will cost $65 per participant.  Students must be at least 10 years old when the course begins, must attend all four classes to receive a completion certificate, and we must have a minimum of 16 students sign up to take the course for it to go ahead.  Once again Mrs. Filiatrault will be the sponsor teacher for this course.  Registration forms are available at the school office for all those who meet the criteria and are interested in taking the course.  The completed registration form, with payment, is due back at the office by Thursday, January 23rd.

Our next Work Bee is taking place at the school today, Saturday, January 11th from 9:00am – 2:00pm.  Please come and help with much needed cleaning and light maintenance – your help is most appreciated!

Here are some upcoming events that are taking place at St. John Brebeuf in the near future:

• Big Bear Classic – January 30th – February 1st – The SJB Gym transforms into Bear Country for the biggest, most exciting basketball tournament of the year!  Come cheer on the Bears – you won’t want to miss it!
• Open House – February 6th – Your chance to come experience what SJB has to offer!  Meet the teachers, tour the school and see some of our programs in action.  Find out for yourself why this is where you want to be!

Do you know an amazing teacher or early childhood educator?  Why not start the New Year off on a high note by nominating them for a Prime Minister’s Award?  Past recipients have said that winning a Prime Minister’s Award was the highlight of their teaching career.  So help make some memories and nominate a terrific teacher today!  To access a nomination form, please click here.

Hello St. James and St. Ann’s School Parents.  Happy New Year to you!

This is a reminder to please log your Parent Participation Hours on the Parent Participation Portal ASAP.  You must complete at least 10 hours by January 31st to avoid having your first Parent Participation cheque of $200 cashed.

The Parent Participation Portal can be found on the school’s website and on the weekly Thunder News Flash emails (scroll down in this email).  If you do not remember your login information, please email Mrs. Dlugan by clicking here. 

If you have questions regarding completing your hours or logging your hours, please let Hannah know ASAP by email by clicking here.