• Nov. 5th – AGM – 6:30pm via Zoom – Registration required (see below)
• Nov. 11th – Remembrance Day – No School
• Nov. 13th – No School – Pro-D
• Nov. 15th – Open House – Cancelled
• Nov. 24th – PJ Day for Covenant House
AGM NOVEMBER 5TH @ 6:30PM
We are hosting our AGM online this year. Unlike our other online meetings, this one will be more interactive and allow for participants to join with or without video. Upon entry, everyone will be muted. During the Q&A at the end of the meeting participants can unmute themselves to ask a question. You will need to register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
PARENT/TEACHER STUDENT CONFERENCES
This year we are doing our student conferences online. To register for a conference time K, Gr. 2 – 5 please go to:
Gr. 6 and 7 will be notified by the teachers of how to register for their conferences.
We are spreading out our conferences over a series of days to better serve our community. Registration is first come, first serve.
LAST CALL FOR ORDERS FOR OUR CUSTOM SCHOOL MASK
This is the last week to purchase a school mask and the only time we will be selling them to families. We are not treating this as a fundraiser, but a desire to see everyone in masks so that we are all adding an additional layer of protection to our daily lives. There are 2 sizes to choose from and both cost the same amount.
1 mask = $16
2 masks = $30
3 masks = $40
Orders are through Munchalunch and can be purchased up to October 30th. Masks will arrive the week of November 9th – 13th.
A letter went home yesterday informing families of additions we have made to our school uniform. In an attempt to maintain our commitment to our health and safety plans and to provide children with a comfortable work environment, the PEC has agreed to extend our uniform to allow children to wear the school hoodie and sweatpants during class time. All other jackets and outerwear is to be worn to and from school and during recess times.
2021-2022 SCHOOL ADMISSIONS
Admissions are now open for the 2021-2022 school year. We have 20 spots available in Kindergarten next year and roughly one spot in a couple of the other grades. Please go to our website to download a form. Siblings of students currently attending St. Bernadette’s will be automatically enrolled during re-registration.
The pandemic will not afford us the opportunity to reach out to parishioners as we have done in the past. More than ever, we need your help to reach those who want to send their child to our school so that they receive the message that admissions are open. We have already had good response from the community without any advertising, however we want to ensure that all parishioners who want to send their child to our school knows to get in their application as soon as possible.
We will not be hosting an Open House this year. Arrangements will be made with new families to the school to tour the school through an appointment.
FAMILIES WITH SIBLINGS ENTERING KINDERGARTEN FOR 2O21-2022
Our records currently show 10 children of families currently attending our school will be entering into Kindergarten next year. If you think your child might not be on our list, please contact the office. We want to ensure all siblings entering Kindergarten are registered for next year prior to opening up spots to the general public.
HALLOWEEN
On Friday October 30th, the school will honour its tradition and permit students to dress up for Halloween. Parents and students are reminded that costumes must be appropriate (no gore, nothing intensely frightening or satanic, etc) and the principal reserves the right to ask a student to remove their costume for any reason. Students who wish not to dress up can come to school in Halloween colours or their school uniform.
Traditionally we would have a parade during the day where students can move from one classroom to the next to show off their costume. For health reasons, this will not happen this year. If the weather permits, we may try to coordinate an outdoor event for students only, that promotes physical distancing between classes.
Students are still highly encouraged to wear a protective mask with their costume when appropriate
St. Bernadette Elementary School Newsletter October 21st, 2020
HIGHLIGHTS • Ordering School Masks • Parent/Student Conferences • Admissions and Annual Open House • Parish Parking Lot • Spanish Interpreter Needed
THE MONTH AT A GLANCE • Oct. 30th – Halloween Non-Uniform Day • Nov. 2nd – 27th – ongoing parent/student conferences • Nov. 5th – AGM – 6:30pm via Zoom Webinar • Nov. 11th – Remembrance Day – No School • Nov. 13th – No School – Pro-D • Nov. 15th – Open House – Cancelled
NOW ACCEPTING ORDERS FOR OUR CUSTOM SCHOOL MASK
St. Bernadette’s is now allowing families to purchase our custom school mask. Each student was given one mask, however families were asking if they could purchase more for their child and themselves. We are not treating this as a fundraiser, but a desire to see everyone in masks so that we are all adding an additional layer of protection to our daily lives. There are 2 sizes to choose from and both cost the same amount.
1 mask = $16
2 masks = $30
3 masks = $40
Orders are through Munchalunch and can be purchased up to October 30th. Masks will arrive the week of November 9th – 13th.
Parent/student conferences will not be in person this year. Teachers will be creating their own schedule to accommodate parents as best as they can. This might be over a series of days or weeks depending on the teacher. Conference Schedules will be out next week. Conferences will start in November.
2021-2022 SCHOOL ADMISSIONS AND OPEN HOUSE
Admissions are now open for the 2021-2022 school year. We have 20 spots available in Kindergarten next year and roughly one spot in a couple of the other grades. Please go to our website to download a form. Siblings of students currently attending St. Bernadette’s will be automatically enrolled during re-registration.
The pandemic will not afford us the opportunity to reach out to parishioners as we have done in the past. More than ever, we need your help to reach those who want to send their child to our school so that they receive the message that admissions are open. We have already had good response from the community without any advertising, however we want to ensure that all parishioners who want to send their child to our school knows to get in their application as soon as possible.
We will not be hosting an Open House this year. Arrangements will be made with new families to the school to tour the school through an appointment.
PARISH PARKING LOT
We are seeing a growing number of people using the parish parking lot for pick up and drop off. We support the dual use of our school and the parish parking lots. To help with traffic flow and proper use, Fr. Paul has moved morning Mass to 9:15am and we will now have one to two parent supervisors located at the parish to ensure proper safety is being followed. I would like to remind parents of the following:
– All adults on our grounds (parish and school) during school hours (7am – 6pm) must wear a mask when they exit their car and must maintain 2 metres of distance between other adults and children.
– Parents are encouraged to stay in their car
– Parents are not to gather or congregate while on school property.
– Parents must arrive on-time. Please do not drop off your child early.
– Only Kindergarten and grade 1 parents may accompany their child to the door. All other children are to make their way into the school independently.
SPANISH INTERPRETER NEEDED
We are very excited to be welcoming 2 boys from Peru to our school in December. They have been adopted by a family in our community and will be attending Grade 3 and 4. We have an interpreter for the Grade 3 class but we are still in need of someone who is able to speak Spanish to be with the boy in Grade 4. If you speak Spanish and would like to assist in helping our new students adapt to our school and teach them basic English, please contact me at principal@stbernadette.ca.
St. Bernadette Elementary School Newsletter October 14th, 2020
HIGHLIGHTS • School Evaluation • Ordering School Masks • Parent/Student Conferences • Admissions and Annual Open House • A Great Start to the Week • Growing Number of School Exposures • Walkathon Update • Spanish Interpreter Needed
THE MONTH AT A GLANCE • Oct 21st – 22nd – Ministry of Ed. School Evaluation • Oct. 30th – Halloween Non-Uniform Day • Nov. 2nd – 27th – ongoing parent/student conferences • Nov. 5th – AGM – 6:30pm via Zoom Webinar • Nov. 11th – Remembrance Day – No School • Nov. 13th – No School – Pro-D • Nov. 15th – Open House – more information to follow
SCHOOL EVALUATION
Every independent school is on a six year cycle for an evaluation from the Ministry of Education. The evaluation looks at all functions, programming, policies, guidelines and protocols for the school to determine if the school is in compliance with Ministry of Education standards and practices.
Due to the current pandemic, the nature of the evaluation will not follow typical functionality. All members of the evaluation committee will not be permitted to enter any part of the school except for the office area. They will not be visiting classrooms, meeting with teachers or any other activities that do not align with our health and safety plans. The evaluation team has agreed to these conditions and will be primarily working from one of the rooms in the parish hall. The school will maintain its strict protocols around all visitors to ensure the health and safety of the staff and students.
NOW ACCEPTING ORDERS FOR OUR CUSTOM SCHOOL MASK
St. Bernadette’s is now allowing families to purchase our custom school mask. Each student was given one mask, however families were asking if they could purchase more for their child and themselves. We are not treating this as a fundraiser, but a desire to see everyone in masks so that we are all adding an additional layer of protection to our daily lives. There are 2 sizes to choose from and both cost the same amount.
1 mask = $16
2 masks = $30
3 masks = $40
Orders are through Munchalunch and can be purchased up to October 30th. Masks will arrive the week of November 9th – 13th.
Parent/student conferences will not be in person this year. Teachers will be creating their own schedule to accommodate parents as best as they can. This might be over a series of days or weeks depending on the teacher. Please be on the look out for a schedule in the next week or so. Conferences will start in November.
WALKATHON
Our walkathon raised $14,010.00!!!
Thank you to all the families who participated. It was one of our most successful walkathons in recent history at a time when the school needs it the most. We are very appreciative of all the support, kind words of affirmation, and enthusiasm we have received. I feel that every week I say this and it is going to be said again, we are so blessed to have such a supportive and caring community of parents and extended family members. We are a family and the overwhelming support we have received shows how great of a community this is.
2021-2022 SCHOOL ADMISSIONS AND OPEN HOUSE
Admissions are now open for the 2021-2022 school year. We have 20 spots available in Kindergarten next year and roughly one spot in a couple of the other grades. Please go to our website to download a form.
The pandemic will not afford us the opportunity to reach out to parishioners as we have done in the past. More than ever, we need your help to reach those who want to send their child to our school so that they receive the message that admissions are open. We have already had good response from the community without any advertising, however we want to ensure that all parishioners who want to send their child to our school knows to get in their application as soon as possible.
A GREAT START TO THE WEEK
Thank you to families for ensuring that students are dropped off safely to the school. I spoke with the primary teachers and they were very satisfied with how the new drop off routine is workings. Just a few reminders:
– Only Kindergarten and grade 1 parents can drop off their child to the school. All adults must be physically distant from each other and wear a mask when on school grounds.
– Families are not permitted to arrive early, especially when parents are escorting their child in Kindergarten and grade 1. The goal is to eventually have students enter and exit the school on their own. We want to avoid congregating and contact with other families while on school property.
GROWING NUMBER OF SCHOOL EXPOSURES
As you might be aware, there are a growing number of school exposures in BC. As of writing this there are no outbreaks or clusters in schools. The rate of transmission among children is currently at 7 for every 1000 children or 0.7% infection rate.
St. Bernadette’s believes strongly that a multilayered approach is essential to reducing risk at our school. We have identified 4 areas that will keep everyone safe:
1. Physical distancing – it is especially important that adults maintain physical distancing from each other and other children, especially when on school property. Children must maintain physical distancing from other students outside of their Learning Group
2. Masks – Mask wearing is mandatory for visitors and adults while on school property. Masks must be worn properly and have a minimum of 2 layers of protection. Students are encouraged to wear a mask as much as possible throughout the day. We have had great compliance with mask wearing in the school.
3. Washing Hands – Children will wash their hands anywhere from 6 – 10+ times per day. Every time a student transitions, they will wash their hands. We encourage families who leave their car, to sanitize their hands when possible.
4. Health Checks and testing – Ensuring we are healthy on a daily basis is very important. Families have shown excellent compliance thus far. If a child is unwell, they cannot return to school until they are well again and symptoms have subsided. If your child is unwell and has COVID like symptoms, you must call 811 and they will give you further guidance.
With everyone in our community working together and adhering to these 4 layers of protection, we can keep each other safe and healthy as we head into the winter months.
SPANISH INTERPRETER NEEDED
We are very excited to be welcoming 2 boys from Peru to our school in December. They have been adopted by a family in our community and will be attending Grade 3 and 4. We have an interpreter for the Grade 3 class but we are still in need of someone who is able to speak Spanish to be with the boy in Grade 4. If you speak Spanish and would like to assist in helping our new students adapt to our school and teach them basic English, please contact me at principal@stbernadette.ca.
St. Bernadette Elementary School Newsletter October 7th, 2020
HIGHLIGHTS • Walkathon Update • New Drop Off for Grade 3 and 2 Students Starting Oct. 14th • New Staggered start and end times for Grade 4 starting Oct. 14th • Remind App Test • Spanish Interpreter Needed • Is it COVID-19, a Cold or a Flu Chart
CALENDAR • Friday Oct. 9th – Walkathon • Monday Oct. 12th – Thanksgiving (No School) • Tuesday Oct. 13th – No School – Ministry of Ed. evaluation prep day for teachers.
WALKATHON DONATIONS As of writing this we have raised just over $6,500! Tomorrow is the last day to submit donations that will count towards your child’s total and the class total. We are so thankful for the contributions thus far. Although we don’t expect to hit last year’s target of $13,000.00, we do hope that every family takes the opportunity to donate. All money will go towards the purchase of Chromebooks so we can have 1:1 devices for every child in the school. Please go to https://www.stbernadette.ca/donate to make a donation and select the designation “P93 Walkathon”. In the comment area please put your child’s name and grade. If you are not part of the parish, please also include your address if you would like to receive a tax receipt. Anyone can use this site to make a donation, so please pass this website onto your family and friends. We are so excited to be afforded the opportunity to bring some normalcy back for our students by offering this fun and important event. The walkathon is one of the biggest fundraisers for the school and it is also a very enjoyable experience for the children. It allows them to have fun while making a difference for their School. I would like to thank parents for their understanding that we cannot have parent supervisors for this event. I also want to thank parents for their contributions to this important fundraiser. We don’t know what the future brings and we hope we can still do the Lights of Hope and Purdy’s chocolate fundraiser, but for now, this is the only fundraiser for this school year.
NEW DROP-OFF FOR GRADE 2 AND 3 Starting Wednesday October 14th, Grade 2 and 3 students will independently make their way to the door of their classroom on the east side of the building. Gr. 2 and 3 parents are not allowed to escort their child to the door. Please continue to drop them off at the school as you usually do. Mr. van der Pauw will be there to help students find their way for the first few days and teachers will rehearse with the students prior to Oct.14th. This is a reminder to Kindergarten and Grade 1 parents to please not arrive or line up early. Please allow grade 2 and 3 students to make their way into class first and then you can exit your vehicle and walk your child to class. A letter was sent home today with your child that provides more details.
NEW START AND END TIMES FOR GRADE 4 Starting Wednesday October 14th, Grade 4 students will have the start time of 8:55am and the end of the school day will be 3pm. Wednesday dismissals will be at 2:15pm. Please make note of this change on your calendars. A letter was sent home today with your child that provides more details.
CROSS COUNTRY Congratulations to all our participants in our first ever St. Bernadette Cross Country Meet. Mr. Barber worked hard to ensure a safe and fun route for our athletes to run. We had roughly 70+ runners this year. Each LG was given a separate start time and we had various classes out in the parking lot cheering the students on. It was a great event!
REMIND APP TEST Recently a Remind App test message was sent out. If you did not receive it please sign up right away (codes are below).
In the event of an emergency closure (snow days, etc), power outage or for any other urgent notices we need to send home, messages will be sent through the Remind App by the principal. Teachers will continue to use the remind app for other reminders and information that pertain directly to their class. Please note: • You must sign up every year. • If we lose power this is the only method we can use to send out a message.
SPANISH INTERPRETER NEEDED We are very excited to be welcoming 2 boys from Peru to our school in December. They have been adopted by a family in our community and will be attending Grade 3 and 4. We have an interpreter for the Grade 3 class but we are still in need of someone who is able to speak Spanish to be with the boy in Grade 4. If you speak Spanish and would like to assist in helping our new students adapt to our school and teach them basic English, please contact me at principal@stbernadette.ca.