Thunder News Flash – September 18, 2021

Our lives are a mosaic of people we have encountered during our lives – the experiences we have had with these people have helped to shape us into who we are as a person.  Jesus experienced many different people during his time on Earth, and they also helped to create the mosaic of his life, while he in turn had a large influence on theirs.  During the month of September we are focused on the woman at the well.  While she was a Samaritan and someone that Jews did not associate with, Jesus had one of the longest encounters with this woman that is recorded in the Gospel of John.  This in and of itself shows the significance of this encounter.  While there are so many lessons that we can take from this account, our focus is going to be on the characteristics of being welcoming and accepting others.  Ask yourself, who has been like this woman in your life?  Or, how have you welcomed and accepted others like Jesus did in this story?  While we hope that we have many encounters which add to the beauty of the mosaic of our lives, we can take comfort in knowing that all are welcome and accepted in the Kingdom of God.

Things have been going quite well with our new before and after school procedures.  Just one reminder – please remember to pull up as far as you can in the lane before stopping your vehicle.  Pulling up right to the old white flag pole would certainly help with the back up of vehicles on Townline Rd.

A continued big THANK YOU to all of the parents who are using their signal lights when they are in either the drop off or pick up lane.  Your left signal light indicates that you are dropping off or picking up your children, and your right signal light indicates that you are ready to leave the lane.  This is a huge help to the supervisors who are directing traffic!

Individual pictures will be taken on Tuesday, September 28th.  Please note that our photography company, Lifetouch, has very strict health and safety protocols they will put in place to ensure the safety of everyone.  After picture day, parents may order pictures online using the information found on your Picture Day order form.  School sweaters should be worn for these photos, but may be removed after the photo is taken if it is a warm day.

In the Welcome Back letter that was emailed to families on August 31st, we asked that each child bring in a container of disinfecting wipes as well as a package of 10 disposable masks.  The wipes and masks are very important, and we hope that families are still able to supply these items.  It isn’t too late to send these supplies in, and we are very grateful for your assistance.

The Consignment Store is changing how they will be operating for the 2021-2022 school year.  If you are looking for a particular uniform piece, please email the parents who run the store at consignment@stjameselementary.ca, or by clicking here, letting them know what the item is and the size that you need.  The parents will then look to see if they have that item in stock, respond to your email, and meet you at the school at a designated time.

The rain storm we just experienced provided us with our first indoor day, as many students did not come to school dressed for the weather.  We are committed to taking the students outside as much as possible, but we need your assistance.  Please ensure that your children have good outdoor footwear, preferably boots, on days when it is rainy.  While umbrellas seem like a good solution for the rain, they create problems when the students are running around, as well as lining up.  The people around them often get soaked from the water running off of them, and accidentally hit with the edges.  A good waterproof jacket with a hood is a great investment to help us with our “Wet Coast” weather. 

Fraser Health is changing the way that they communicate with schools, and therefore with parents, regarding COVID-19 in schools.  Here is the latest information provided to schools from the Medical Health Officer for Fraser Health, Dr. Ariella Zbar:

“As per provincial direction, Public Health will notify staff and students who need to take a specific action, such as self-monitoring or self-isolation, as a result of a COVID-19 exposure.  The school community will be notified when appropriate, such as in the case of an outbreak, and this will be posted to our website.  Public Health will continue to provide contact tracing for all positive cases of COVID-19 in schools:

• if a student or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19, and were potentially infectious while they were at school, Public Health will investigate to determine if there were any potential close contacts within the school
• if it is determined that there are close contacts within the school, Public Health will notify the school administrators and request information to assist with contact tracing and provide guidance on what steps should be taken
• Public Health may then:  recommend 14-day self-isolation if necessary; recommend self-monitoring for symptoms if necessary; or provide follow-up recommendations if necessary
• Schools will ensure students who are required to self-isolate are able to continue their educational program.  Together, schools and Public Health officials will determine if any other actions are necessary
• Parents, caregivers and families will be notified by Public Health if their child is determined to be a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person”

Fraser Health’s practice of notifying the entire school community when there is a COVID-19 exposure, as was done last school year, is no longer going to take place, and as stated above, only those directly affected will receive notifications.

St. Ann’s Parish will be having an intense prayer Adoration on September 26th from 3:00pm – 6:00pm.  A small gathering will follow with a maximum of 50 people.  Please click here to see the poster that contains more details about this prayer opportunity.

Attention moms of young, school-aged children!  Have you wondered what Catholic Social Teaching is, exactly?  A beautifully written new Endow study unpacks the history and meaning behind the phrase, helping us understand this important part of Church teaching.  Journey with us every second and fourth Wednesday 12:15pm – 2:15pm in the Mount Joy Chapel starting September 29th until January 26th.  $25 for a digital copy of the study or $50 for a bound copy.  Please arrange for your own childcare as there is none provided.  Pre-registration is required and limited spots are available.  Contact Winsome Rauch by email by clicking here for more information, and click here to learn more about Endow studies.

The Comfort Kits and Id. tags, which are an important part of our emergency planning, are now overdue.  The Comfort Kits will be moved out to our storage container next week, so if you haven’t sent in your child’s yet, please ensure that you do this before September 22nd.

This is just a reminder that Thursday, September 30th is now a national holiday for Truth and Reconciliation.  As such there will be no school on September 30th.  School will be in session as normal on Friday, October 1st.

Please complete a Daily Health Check with your child each day before they come to school.  The easiest way to do this is to go to the BC K-12 Health Check website by clicking here.  Please also remember that adults and children in Grades 4-7 are required to wear masks in indoor spaces, and children in Grades K-3 are strongly encouraged to wear masks as well.  These proactive steps will help us all remain safe and healthy.