Thunder News Flash – September 10, 2022

We have been so excited to welcome the students back to school for the start of the 2022-2023 school year! There have been many smiles and wonderful experiences in just a few short days.  We had some chicks and ducks visit our school, on their way home from the PNE.  Then we honoured Mary on her birthday and we also celebrated Mass in person on Friday with Father Richard.  Lastly, we hosted Meet the Teacher Night, otherwise known as, “Beans and Jeans” night. And it is only September 10th!  Special thank you to all the parents who work so hard in the school community and a special shout out to the Baking and Cooking Group who were able to feed a large crowd with ease and joy.  As a school community, we are looking forward to many more opportunities where we can gather together and bond with one another.  Lastly, I would like to extend a personal thank you to everyone who has made me feel welcome and part of this warm community.  I am looking forward to getting to know all of you over the next few weeks and months.

Attention all parents, we will have 2 Rosary Prayer Groups this year.  Please feel free to join.

1. Weekly Rosary in the SCHOOL LIBRARY @ 8:30 beginning September 15th.  Please come pray the Rosary after you drop off your children.
2. Morning Rosary prayer before and after school at 8am and 2pm.  Please meet at the Mary garden in front of St. James Parish.

If your child has any allergies or medical concerns, and these were noted on your Registration form, you would have received a Care Plan to complete.  In the case of any anaphylaxis, there would have been a portion of your form that required your doctor to complete and sign.  Please note that these forms should be returned to the school as soon as possible.  The health and safety of your child is our primary concern.

The September Work Bee will take place at the school today, September 10th.  If you are scheduled to be at the Work Bee, or will be attending, you may want to bring gloves for outside work. It would also be greatly appreciate if you could bring any small gardening tools, particularly a rake.  Thank you once again for all of your hard work.

We will have our first early dismissal day this year for our monthly staff meeting next week, on Wednesday, September 14th.  Please send your child to school with a snack and lunch, and they will be dismissed at 12:55pm.  

Last week your children brought home two important items to help us with our emergency planning.  The first was a Ziploc bag with a list of the items required to create a personalized “comfort kit” for your child, and the second was their Id. tag to either complete or update.  Please note that these two items are due back to the school no later than Friday, September 16th.  The comfort kits will then be taken out to our shipping container where we store our emergency supplies, and the Id. tags will be placed in the classroom emergency backpack.  Thank you for helping us ensure that we are prepared in the event of an emergency.

Thank you parents for all you do! Please remember to log in your hours.  The link can be found on our school website.  

Just a reminder that Thunderwear can be worn every Thursday for Thunderwear Thursdays!  The Thunderwear link to the form was emailed on September 6th.   A fundraising direct debit form was completed with your registration package and is on file with the school bookkeeper.  This is used for payment. 

Please complete a Daily Health Check with your child each day before they come to school.  If your child is sick, please keep them home.  

St. James Mom’s Study Group

All moms are invited to join the St. James Mom’s Study Group this fall as we journey together studying the book, Becoming Women of the Word: How to Answer God’s Call with Purpose and Joy, by Sarah Christmyer. Breaking open the scriptures to reveal the context in which Old Testament women lived, Sarah Christmyer breathes new life into their stories and makes their lives surprisingly relatable. In the process, she shares stories from her own faith journey and the lives of family and friends to show how the same principles that turned ordinary women into heroines of the faith are true for our lives today. Sarah is a codeveloper of The Great Adventure Catholic Bible Study program.

 

We will gather on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. in the St. James Church Sons of Thunder meeting room, beginning on September 28th and ending on December 14th. Cost is $25 for the book. Spaces are limited. For more information contact Eileen Gaudet at eileenmgaudet@gmail.com.

 

Making Sense of Anxiety in Children and Youth

Join parents across the archdiocese for a Dr. Gordon Neufeld video course with discussion facilitated by Kevin Bredeman, M.A. The escalating level of anxiety in our children begs for an explanation as well as a solution. Dr. Neufeld sheds light on this age-old problem, paving the way for natural interventions that can actually get to the root causes as opposed to just managing symptoms. Although the focus is on children, this enlightening material will benefit anyone suffering from anxiety. Sessions are online on Thursdays from Sept. 15th to Oct. 13th, 7:30 – 9pm. Visit beholdvancouver.org/events.

Your children are invited to spend time with our very own Sister Elizabeth on Saturday mornings from 10-12.  The Kids for Jesus (K4J) program will start today and run every 2nd and 4th Saturday at St. Ann’s Parish from September to June.

Kids for Jesus is a program where children learn to share the faith in a Gospel-based approach.  Activities include Gospel reading, prayer, arts and crafts, snack, religious videos, games and surprises.