Thunder News Flash – March 27-31

We are happy to welcome everyone back to school tomorrow, as we reopen after our Spring Break.  Back to getting up on time, packing lunches and the routines that we are familiar with.  Spring has arrived, and even though it is getting warmer outside, please remember to send your children to school dressed for the unpredictable weather.  Boots are a good idea as our soccer field is probably quite muddy with all of the rain, and a warm jacket with a hood is ideal.  Now we begin what is inevitably a race to June!

Holy Cross Regional High School in Surrey will be hosting a screening of the documentary Over 18 this Tuesday, March 28th. Doors open at 6:30pm, the screening will start at 7:00pm and the cost is by donation. This is an excellent documentary about pornography addiction, how easy it is to access it online and is a movie that every parent should see. The recommended audience is aged 16+. Free babysitting will be provided by Holy Cross students.

Track and Field will begin this week, with practices on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:40 – 4:00pm.  The Sports Contract for students to join this team went home before Spring Break.  If your child would like to join the team, but for some reason did not bring home this contract, please click here to get a new contract.  Please read through this contract with your child, carefully going through each item, and ensure that both you and your child can make this commitment to the team.  Please return the signed contract to the school on March 27th.

St. Ann’s Parish will be hosting an event called “Raising Children in a Digital World” on April 8th from 7:00 – 9:00pm.  The speaker is Deborah MacNamara from the Neufeld Institute, and she comes highly recommended by Sr. John Mary Sullivan from the RCAV.  Admission will be by donation and they will be offering childcare for children 3 years of age and older.  Please click here to reserve your spot(s).  For more information, please see the posters at the school on the parent board.

St. Ann’s Parish invites all parents and caregivers to join them for “The Parenting Teenagers Course” (produced by ALPHA).  Enjoy dinner and a first-class parenting video-and-discussion program to build our parenting skills.  This course is for anyone involved with children aged 11-18.  Those with younger children are also welcome.  A preview of the course can be viewed online by clicking here.  Topics include:

• Keeping The End in Mind
• Meeting Our Teenagers’ Needs
• Setting Boundaries
• Developing Emotional Health
• Helping Them Make Good Choices

Dates:  April 21st & 28th, May 5th, 12th & 26th

Time:  6:30 – 9:00pm

Cost:  $20 per person (This fee includes all five sessions)

To register click here.  To email for more information click here, or call 604-683-0281 ext. 50221.

If you have children in Grades 4 – 7, there will be a mandatory parent evening called “Sexuality and Your Child”, on Wednesday, April 5th, 6:45 – 8:45pm.  The speakers will be from Signal Hill, and they will be sharing information about how to discuss many crucial topics with your child as they get older and get curious as they approach the teen years.  Please note these presentations are for adults only!  More information will be sent home this week, including a letter from Archbishop Michael Miller strongly encouraging you to attend this presentation.  Please note that this will be the last year these presentations will be offered, as the Archdiocese and our Superintendent’s Office will be changing the format significantly for next year – you will definitely want to attend on April 5th.

All students and their families are welcome to join us at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital for the Hospital Outreach Mass today 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. Wakely and 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.

The BC Council for Exceptional Children is putting on a Spring workshop called “Managing Big Feelings For All Ages” on Friday, April 7th, with speaker Michelle Srdanovic.  The workshop begins with registration at 6:30pm, and then the presentation is from 7:00 – 9:00pm at the Holiday Inn at 711 West Broadway in Vancouver.  This presentation will introduce the concept of emotional regulation as well as offer strategies for parents who wish to more easily support their child’s transition from “melt-down” to “cool-down”.  In a nutshell they will discuss ways to support our children to better manage their big feelings while at the very same time, we try to manage our own feelings in response.  This workshop is for both parents and educators and the fee is $25 for one ticket, or $40 for two tickets.  For more information, please see the poster on the parent board at the school, and to register and pay online click here.  

This Thursday, March 30th, 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.