Thunder News Flash – January 16-20

If you already have children in the school, and would like to have a sibling come into Kindergarten or any other grade for the 2017-2018 school year, you must complete an Application Form. The Sibling Application Form is now available at the school office.  These applications must be filled out and returned to the school office with all the required supporting documents no later than January 27th. We will be having our information session for new families on Wednesday, February 8th and we would like to be able to tell the new families approximately how many spaces are available in each grade.

We are happy to report that the students shared $173.71 of their Christmas gift money to go towards Chalice.  While we did not collect enough to purchase a clean water system for a village in a third world country, this is still a wonderful amount that was brought in, and means that so far this year as a school the students have raised over $500.  However, we do believe that we can do even more, and we challenge the students to really embrace in their hearts the message that we are so blessed while others are not, and continue to “give without getting”.

St. John Brebeuf High School’s Open House is Thursday, February 16th from 6-8pm (2747 Townline Road, Abbotsford).  This is a chance for prospective families to tour the school and see what St. John Brebeuf has to offer its students.  Spend your evening exploring the campus, talking with students and staff, and see what quality education within a Catholic setting looks like at the high school level.  For more information visit http://www.stjohnbrebeuf.ca or call 604-855-0571.

There are a number of Parenting Workshops and Events taking place in the Archdiocese in the next while, including the following:

• ALPHA’S – The Parenting Children Course – January 11th – April 5th at Precious Blood Church, Surrey
• Positive Parenting Workshops – January 19th – March 9th at Queen of All Saints School, Coquitlam
• Why your child says NO! … to everything – January 25th – February 15th at St. Nicholas Parish, Langley
• Couples Connect: A Deeper Bond – February 1st – March 8th at St. John Paul II Pastoral Centre
• Worldwide Marriage Encounter – in Deroche on February 24th and West Kelowna on April 21st

For more information visit the RCAV website by clicking here.

We will be hosting a New Parents’ Information Session on Wednesday, February 8th from 6:45pm – 7:30pm in the Library at St. James & St. Ann’s School.  This will be an opportunity for new families who are interested in enrolling their children at St. James & St. Ann’s School for the 2017-2018 school year to come and learn all about the school, the application process and have a guided tour of the school.  If you are aware of any families who are interested in having their children attend our school for 2017-2018, please encourage them to attend this meeting.

All students and their families are welcome to join us at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital for the Hospital Outreach Mass on Sunday, January 22nd at 4:00pm.  The Mass takes place in the Chapel on the main floor.  Students in Grades 6 and 7 are invited to be the readers.  If you would like to be a reader, please arrive at 3:45pm. Mrs. Dos Santos will be there to help supervise and prepare the volunteers.  We also appreciate lots of young voices to help with the singing!  We hope to see many of you there.

Just two more weeks to complete and enter your 10 hours for Parent Participation or your first cheque of $150 will be cashed.  If you do not know how you log in information, please contact Marilyn at the school office.  If you have questions or concerns please contact your group leader or Shannon Maddalozzo Tou.