Thunder News Flash – June 4, 2022

As we move from Public Health Orders to being “Health Aware”, here are some important reminders:

• complete a daily health check with your child – please click here to see the most up-to-date information regarding this
• monitor your children regularly for symptoms of illness – if they are sick, they should stay home.  Please click here for information about testing for COVID-19
• follow all of the provincial restrictions that are currently in place – please click here for the latest information
• follow all of the travel guidelines put in place federally – please click here for the latest information
• if you would like your child to wear a mask at school, please ensure they bring at least one mask with them to school each day
• seek reputable sources of information about COVID-19, such as the BCCDC, including how to protect yourself, your family and your community, and what to do if you suspect you have the virus by clicking here

This is a reminder to please log all of your Parent Participation hours through the school’s portal.  This can be found on the website by clicking here, or at the bottom of this News Flash.  There are a number of parents who have not yet logged hours for Work Bees as well as other tasks throughout the year.  Please note that June 15th is the deadline to complete your 20 hours of Parent Participation for the 2021-2022 school year.  If you are having trouble completing your Parent Participation hours, please continue reading below for some opportunities to help.

There are a number of tasks that require parent assistance coming up soon.  This is a great way to earn some Parent Participation hours for those who are still trying to complete their 20 hours, or a fantastic opportunity to volunteer at the school if you are available:

• Outdoor Kindergarten still requires volunteer help to supervise the students to be able to go off site.  If you have a valid Criminal Record Check on file with the school, and you are available from 8:45 – 10:00am on school days, please contact Mrs. Di Palma by email by clicking here
• Cutting out some laminated bookmarks that the students have created to promote our school – this can be done at home.  If you are able to help with this, please contact Mrs. Magel by email by clicking here 
• A beautiful promotional flyer has been created to help let people in the Abbotsford area know that we have some space available for next school year.  We would like the flyers delivered to local preschools, and to neighbourhoods around the school.  For more information, please contact Mrs. Sask by email by clicking here 
• The plaque is now ready to be installed near the beautiful dogwood tree in memory of Mrs. Ni Lorcain’s son – if you are available to help with digging a hole and cementing in the wooden beam the plaque is attached to, please come to the next Work Bee on June 11th at 9:00am, and let Mrs. Sask know that you are able to help with this by email by clicking here 

Thank you for your help with these volunteer opportunities.

As most Public Health Restrictions have been removed, we are now getting closer and closer to what we considered our pre-COVID “normal” routines at school.  We would like to spend the last few weeks of school following our previous dismissal procedures, beginning on Monday, June 6th.  Only those students who are being picked up by their parents in the Pick Up Lane will be required to stay in our “Waiting Area”, and we are reducing the number of school Supervisors who are outside each day.  For more information and specifics, please click here.  As we anticipate a “normal” start to the 2022-2023 school year, it will be good to review many of these procedures so they are fresh in everyone’s minds for September.

It is hard to believe that we are now in the final month of the school year.  As always, June is a very busy month with many activities and events planned.  Here is some information to help you plan:

Panoramic Photo – Monday, June 6th:

• Assuming that the weather cooperates, we will be having our outdoor panoramic photo of the whole school at approximately 11:00am

Early Dismissal Day – Wednesday, June 8th:

• Our next early dismissal day for our monthly staff meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 8th.  As always, the students should bring a snack and lunch to school that day, and they will be dismissed at 12:55pm

Sports Day – Friday, June 10th:

• The students will be participating in many fun stations run by our Grade 7 students.  Students should come to school dressed either in their gym strip or their Thunderwear, and may add some accessories to represent the team they are on.  More information will be coming home next week regarding how to accessorize to show their team spirit
• The long range weather forecast is calling for rain on June 10th; however, we know how challenging forecasting the weather can be.  Please remember to send your child to school on June 10th with a jacket and footwear that will allow them to be active while keeping dry.  Please also ensure that they have a water bottle to help keep them hydrated
• The students will be provided with a freezie at the rest station, as well as a hotdog lunch that includes a small bag of chips and a juice box
• Please note that the students will be dismissed at 12:15pm, and parents and siblings are welcome to come and cheer on the competitors!

Planning Day – Monday, June 13th:

• There will be no school for the students on Monday, June 13th, as the staff gathers to plan for the 2022-2023 school year

More information will be in next week’s News Flash about the remaining events and activities taking place in June at the school.

While we had a very successful re-registration of our existing students, and will be welcoming many new students to the school in September, there are still some spaces available for the 2022-2023 school year.  If you know of any families who are considering sending their children to St. James & St. Ann’s School, we have a few spaces available in Kindergarten and Grades 5 and 6, and limited space in Grades 2 and 7.  The Application Package can be found on our school’s website or by clicking here. 

The next Work Bee will take place at the school on Saturday, June 11th from 9:00am to 2:00pm. This is a great way to earn five hours towards your Parent Participation commitment.  Hopefully the weather will be good, so please bring gloves for both indoor and outdoor work, as well as any small cordless garden tools that you have.  Please remember to complete a daily health check before coming to the Work Bee, and stay home if you are unwell.  We are very grateful for all of your hard work around the school.

Do you have school uniform pieces that your children have outgrown, and you don’t know what to do with them?  Please consider donating them to the school to go into our consignment cupboard.  We will be having a huge sale of used uniform pieces on June 23rd and 24th – some items will be marked down to very affordable prices, and other items will be for sale by donation.  As you do your spring cleaning, we will happily take uniform pieces that are clean and in good condition.  You can simply drop them off at the school office and we will take care of the rest!

There are two positions available on our Regional Education Committee (REC) for parishioners from Sts. Joachim & Ann Parish, as well as one position available for parishioners from St. Joseph’s Parish, Mission.  These positions are for two year terms, and fulfill your Parent Participation hours.  If you are interested in learning more about becoming a member of the REC, please contact our Chairperson, Tasha Mijinke, by clicking here.  

Our Zumbathon Prize Rally will be held on Wednesday, June 8th.  Students will receive a bag of all the prize raffle tickets they earned and their teacher will take them to the Gym to put the raffle tickets into the Raffle Prize Draws of the student’s choice(s).  Mrs Sask will draw the winners later that day at the Prize Assembly.  As well, the Top Primary Student, Top Intermediate Student and the winner of the Karaoke Machine will be drawn.

We are so fortunate to have so many prizes to be won.  Please review the prizes with your children by clicking here ahead of Wednesday.

Thank you to Big Box Outlet, Canadian Tire, Chalo FreshCo, Cineplex, Clayburn Village Store, Columbia Business Systems, Knights of Columbus- St. James Parish, Original Hot Yoga, Pet Lovers, Save On Foods Clearbrook, Starbucks- Blue Jay, Superstore, Valhalla Pure, Westlynn Meats & Seafood, Andrew Greatbanks, the Laflamme Family, the Humphreys Family, the Legaspi Family, the Rauch Family, Mrs. Sask and many more anonymous people and businesses for donating some awesome prizes and items for our event!

Our final fundraiser, ShopFunds Gift Cards, is underway.  This is a wonderful way to support St. James & St. Ann’s School while shopping AND with no extra cost to you!

• You pay face value for the gift cards!
• Many different participating retailers:  grocery stores, entertainment options, gas stations and so many more!  Check out the order form!
• For each gift card purchased, retailers offer a kickback to our school (the kickback percentage can be found in brackets beside the merchant name)
• Many ways you can use gift cards:  purchase them to use at your favourite grocery store, purchase them for the retailers you shop at, or use them as gifts!

Please complete the order form online by clicking here with selected payment option by 12:30pm on Friday, June 10th.  Cards will be ready at the school sometime during the week of June 20th – 24th.

Thank you for your support with this opportunity to raise money for our school!