• Updated Ministry of Education Health and Safety Plans
• Scholastic Book Fair and Virtual Book Fair
THE MONTH AT A GLANCE
• February 24th – Pink Shirt Day – Non-Uniform Day
• March 1st – 5th – Annual Book Fair
• March 3rd – 6pm-8pm Virtual Book Fair “Family Night”
• March 12th – Early Dismissal (No Stingers Club after school)
• March 13th – 28th – Spring Break
• April 1st – Holy Thursday – Early Dismissal (No Stingers Club after school)
• April 2nd – Good Friday – No School
• April 5th – Easter Monday – No School
UPDATED MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HEALTH AND SAFETY PLANS
On Thursday February 4th the Ministry of Education announced updates to the health and safety plans for all BC schools. St. Bernadette’s is currently working on updating our plans based on the updates from the ministry and the BCCDC. Once our plans are updated, we will post them on our website and notify parents of the updates.The new updates focus mainly on:- prevention of crowding, especially at the start and end of the day- mask wearing, physical distancing and other preventative measures.- new mask mandate for staff- new requirements for Physical Education classes Many of the updates we are already doing. We are proud of our plans and the work we have done to keep everyone safe and healthy. We understand that there is no guarantee that with all measure in place we can prevent an exposure. However, we do believe that due to everyone’s vigilance we can keep it as that, an exposure, and not allow the virus to transmit within our school. Continued cooperation is needed from everyone in our community. Please see below in ways that you can help by monitoring your family’s health and practicing physical distancing and mask wearing on school property.We also want to remind parents that families are not to allow their child(ren) to play in the courtyard after school, families are to collect their child(ren) and immediate vacate the school grounds, families are not to gather on school property, and all families and visitors must wear masks at all times when they are out of their vehicle and on school property.More updates are to come.
DAILY HEALTH CHECKS
We would like to remind families that health checks are part of the school’s health and safety plans. Health checks must be done by families every school day. If your child is home from school because they are sick or not feeling well, it is important that you check for any symptoms that might be related to COVID-19 and call 811 to see if a test is needed.
NEW HEALTH CHECK APP
There is a new daily health check app that the BC government has recently put out. Please go to https://www.k12dailycheck.gov.bc.ca/healthcheck?execution=e1s1 It is essential that families do a health check every morning prior to leaving for school and that students stay home if they show any signs or symptoms listed on the health check or if they are feeling unwell. Health checks are a vital part of our health and safety plans. It is important that families do a health check every day and get tested if necessary.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR MARCH 1ST – 5TH
We are happy to announce that we will be having our annual book fair again this year. There will be some changes made so that the fair can run safely for all students and staff:- The book fair will only be open during class time. – School staff will be running the cashier and monitoring the students- Each class has signed up for a time and teachers will inform parents which days their class will go down to the book fair- The book fair is being held on the larger side of the Library Learning Commons to accommodate more spacing between students- The book fair will be closed before school, during recesses and after school. Students can only attend the book fair with their class and classroom teacher- There is an online option too. See below for more details.
SCHOLASTIC VIRTUAL BOOK FAIR
On Wednesday March 3rd from 6-8pm, our book fair will have a “virtual family night”. Any books purchased during this time will receive free shipping regardless of the amount spent. All other times shipping is a flat $6.00. All throughout the week you can purchase books online, however, it is during our “virtual family night” that you will receive free shipping. Anyone can purchase virtually so please pass this along to the book lovers you know and help support our school and literacy initiatives for our children. The link will be in next week’s newsletter.
REMINDERS
ADMISSIONS UPDATE
We would like to thank all the families who promoted our school through word of mouth over these past few months. Once again we experienced a tremendous response from the community to be a part of our school. Although enrolment was slow at first, January was very busy and we are now full in almost all of our classes. Below are the space that are left in our school:
Kindergarten – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 1 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 2 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 3 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 4- Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 5 – 3 spots available
Gr. 6 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 7 – 4 spots available
PARISH TAX RECEIPTS
Tax receipts for donations in 2020 to the parish and Project Advance are now available for pickup from the parish office. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4pm this week. If you are sending someone to pick up on your behalf, please contact the parish office by email (parish@stbernadette.ca) or by phone (604-596-0566) to provide us with the name of the person you wish to release your tax receipt to; we will not release this very private information without your permission.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
As the weather continues to bring rain, cold temperatures and the possibility of snow, it is important that children come to school dressed for the weather we are expecting on that day. As part of our health and safety plans, it was stated that:
“As much as possible, classes will be held outdoors, and students will be required to be outdoors during recess times.”
• Students need to be prepared for the weather when going outside for recess. Sunscreen and hats are recommended for the warmer months, while winter/rain jackets, gloves, toques, rain boots, umbrellas and other similar items are recommended for the rainy, snowy and cold months.
• “Indoor recess will only occur if the outdoor conditions are unsafe for the students.” – STB Family Planning and Return to School September 2020 document
Children will be going outside during rainy and cold weather. Having an umbrella and/or a good rain jacket is essential. Being outside for recess is healthy for the student and the classroom. Your child needs fresh air and recess times allow the air in the classroom to cycle quicker and bring more fresh air in.
WEARING MASKS IN SCHOOL
St. Bernadette School has excellent compliance with mask wearing. With recent mask wearing orders coming to public spaces, questions were asked about if schools were going to make masks mandatory too. As of now, masks are still not mandatory. However, you will see calls from the BCTF and other educational groups asking parents to speak with their children about wearing masks in class.
There is significant credible research that speaks to the importance and effectiveness of wearing a mask. In addition, in the U.S., the director of the CDC stated that face masks are “the most important, powerful public health tool we have.” Face masks reduce the amount of droplets and aerosols in the air, reduce the viral load, and creates a “form of ‘variolation’ that would generate immunity and thereby slow the spread of the virus while we wait for a vaccine” as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.
We are asking students to treat masks as part of their uniform, to wear them in class, to take breaks from wearing them when they are outside or eating, and to ensure that they are wearing them properly (over the mouth and nose).
We continue to view masks as one layer of a multilayered approach to our health and safety plan. It is not a be all, end all method, in the same way that physical distancing, health checks and hand washing are each not effective on their own. However, as we learn more about the virus, its infection through droplets and aerosols, its contagion rate, the short and long term health effects, and other aspects, mask wearing is important and will continue to be effective.
Please continue to speak with your child(ten) about following the health and safety plans of the school, and if they share the fantastic work they are doing to keep themselves and others safe and healthy, please congratulate them on doing a great job in following the health and safety plans of the school.
PREPARING FOR UNEXPECTED CHANGES TO LEARNING
St. Bernadette School wants to ensure that we are all prepared for unexpected directives from Fraser Health or the Ministry of Education due to the changing public health landscape as a result of rising COVID-19 cases in our community. There are several scenarios that could impact in-class learning:
– Fraser Health ordering a student/teacher/staff to self isolate due to a school exposure
– Fraser Health ordering a class to self isolate due to a school exposure
– Fraser Health ordering a Learning Group (Cohort) to self-isolate due to a school exposure
– Fraser Health ordering our school to close due to an outbreak
– Ordering of us to close due to staff shortages
– The Provincial Health Officer ordering a shift to remote learning or hybrid learning
We are mindful that COVID-19’s prevalence is growing in our community exponentially and we have to be prepared to respond accordingly. This notice is written to provide you the assurance that we got this. We are on top of it. We are responding to it. We are well prepared for all the possible scenarios.
Since the beginning of November, the staff has been working on plans and preparations for a possible disruption to in-class learning. It is our intention to ensure that every student is prepared with the necessary skills and resources if a disruption would occur. You may notice that students are beginning to transport more resources back and forth from school each day. This is so we are prepared to move to another stage of learning if we are asked to suddenly pivot overnight. Teachers are also transporting more items back and forth from school each day so they too can pivot quickly and effectively.
St. Bernadette students are in good hands, we are well prepared and as always, are ready for all possible scenarios. We are on top of it and are working collaboratively to ensure that we will continue to provide a sound and meaningful education if we need to quickly move to another stage of learning. With your ongoing support and community buy-in, we can continue to do our best to keep everyone safe and healthy as we move closer to Christmas break.
IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING PROPER HEALTH AND SAFETY
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. Families should not be getting together and students should not be having playdates.
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. Teachers will suggest to students they should put on their mask if physical distancing cannot be maintained. We continue to have 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. Students should wash their hands prior to leaving their house.
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.
Used Uniforms – If you have used uniforms to donate or need a uniform for you child, please email useduniforms@stbernadette.ca. You can also drop off your used uniforms at the box located outside of our front doors at any time.
Stingers Club – For inquiries for registration or other questions regarding before and after school care, please email stingersclub@stbernadette.ca To pick your child up, please call 236-518-6402
Shout Out Submissions – if you would like to recognize someone or a group in our community please email shoutout@stbernadette.ca
PEC Chair – If you have questions, concerns or comments for our Parish Education Committee, please email pec@stbernadette.ca
• February 5th – Last day for late re-registration
• February 10th – Non-Uniform Day – Animal Appreciation Day
• February 11th – Valentine’s Day at school
• February 12th – No School (CISVA wellness day)
• February 15th – No School (family day)
• February 17th – Ash Wednesday
• February 24th – Pink Shirt Day
• March 1st – 5th – Annual Bookfair
ADMISSIONS UPDATE
We would like to thank all the families who promoted our school through word of mouth over these past few months. Once again we experienced a tremendous response from the community to be a part of our school. Although enrolment was slow at first, January was very busy and we are now full in almost all of our classes. Below are the space that are left in our school:
Kindergarten – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 1 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 2 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 3 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 4- Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 5 – 3 spots available
Gr. 6 – Full (Waitlist only)
Gr. 7 – 4 spots available
SCHOOL MASSES AND ASH WEDNESDAY
Under current restrictions, school Masses are permitted to happen as long as they are not conducted in the church, are limited to the learning groups, masks are worn and physical distancing is practiced. We have had very good success hosting Mass thus far and will continue to do so on a weekly basis for different learning groups.
With Ash Wednesday fast approaching, we are in discussion with the parish and the archdiocese on how we can safely have Mass for everyone on that day. We will wait to hear if there are any changes to the current restriction prior to making an announcement.
PARISH TAX RECEIPTS
Tax receipts for donations in 2020 to the parish and Project Advance are now available for pickup from the parish office. The office is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4pm this week. If you are sending someone to pick up on your behalf, please contact the parish office by email (parish@stbernadette.ca) or by phone (604-596-0566) to provide us with the name of the person you wish to release your tax receipt to; we will not release this very private information without your permission.
ANIMAL APPRECIATION DAY
The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club would like to announce our 13th annual HEARTS FOR ANIMALS APPRECIATION DAY 2021. It will be held on Wednesday, February 10th, 2021. This special day we will be dressing in red, white, and/or pink. We will be collecting a minimum donation of $2.00 with all proceeds going to the BC SPCA Medical Emergency Program. This year we will be sponsoring animals who are in need of emergency care. We ask students to please remember to enter the club’s contest which will be held at the school from Monday Feb. 1st to Friday Feb. 5th. Lucky winners will be announced on February 10th. The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club appreciates your support and we hope that students will enjoy the contest week and our special appreciation day for our animal friends.
VALENTINE’S DAY
On Thursday Feb. 11th, students will be allowed to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their classmates. We ask that families adhere to the following:
– Only Valentine’s Day cards, pencils, and/or trinkets can be exchanged on Feb. 11th
– Students are not allowed to bring in treats, candy or other food items.
– Teachers, as part of a controlled and monitored system within our covid-19 protocols, may elect to bring in a treat for the students. If they do so, items will be individually wrapped and proper health and safety measures will be in place.
• January 29th – Last day for re-registration without penalty
• February 5th – Last day for late re-registration
• February 10th – Non-Uniform Day – Animal Appreciation Day
• February 11th – Valentine’s Day at school
• February 12th – No School (CISVA wellness day)
• February 15th – No School (family day)
• February 17th – Ash Wednesday
• February 24th – Pink Shirt Day
REGISTRATION AND RE-REGISTRATION
All registration forms are now required to be submitted electronically. This is our first year piloting this new way of registering. No longer will you need to come into the school to register. The forms have now been sent out and they will need to be returned via email to the school by Friday January 29th to avoid late fees. Any family not re-registered by Friday February 5th, will have their place in the school given to the next family on the waitlist.
All registration forms are to be emailed to registration@stbernadette.ca with your child’s name and grade in the subject line. They are to be emailed back in the format in which it was sent. Do not scan, do not print, and do not take a photo of the forms.
A few tips to help you complete the online forms:
– These forms require digital signatures. We highly recommend you open the document on your computer and use Acrobat Reader (free edition) or Acrobat Reader Pro. Do not try to fill out the forms using your phone or other device.
– If you have not done so already, you must create a digital e-signature. Here is a YouTube tutorial that will guide you through creating a digital signature using Acrobat Reader:
or you can watch
– e-signatures (digital signatures) are legal in Canada.
– Please give yourself plenty of time to fill out the form as you may run into difficulties and/or challenges.
ANIMAL APPRECIATION DAY
The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club would like to announce our 13th annual HEARTS FOR ANIMALS APPRECIATION DAY 2021. It will be held on Wednesday, February 10th, 2021. This special day will will be dressing in red, white, and/or pink. We will be collecting a minimum donation of $2.00 with all proceeds going to the BC SPCA Medical Emergency Program. This year we will be sponsoring animals who are in need of emergency care. We ask students to please remember to enter the club’s contest which will be held at the school from Monday Feb. 1st to Friday Feb. 5th. Lucky winners will be announced on February 10th. The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club appreciates your support and we hope that students will enjoy the contest week and our special appreciation day for our animal friends.
VALENTINE’S DAY
On Thursday Feb. 11th, students will be allowed to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their classmates. We ask that families adhere to the following:
– Only Valentine’s Day cards, pencils, and/or trinkets can be exchanged on Feb. 11th
– Students are not allowed to bring in treats, candy or other food items.
– Teachers, as part of a controlled and monitored system within our covid-19 protocols, may elect to bring in a treat for the students. If they do so, items will be individually wrapped and proper health and safety measures will be in place.
• January 29th – Re-registration (last day to register without penalty)
REGISTRATION AND RE-REGISTRATION
All registration forms are now required to be submitted electronically. This is our first year piloting this new way of registering. No longer will you need to come into the school to register. The forms have now been sent out and they will need to be returned via email to the school by Friday January 29th to avoid late fees. All registration forms are to be emailed to registration@stbernadette.ca with your child’s name and grade in the subject line. They are to be emailed back in the format in which it was sent. Do not scan, do not print, and do not take a photo of the forms.
A few tips to help you complete the online forms:
– These forms require digital signatures. We highly recommend you open the document on your computer and use Acrobat Reader (free edition) or Acrobat Reader Pro. Do not try to fill out the forms using your phone or other device.
– If you have not done so already, you must create a digital e-signature. Here is a YouTube tutorial that will guide you through creating a digital signature using Acrobat Reader:
or you can watch
– e-signatures (digital signatures) are legal in Canada.
– Please give yourself plenty of time to fill out the form as you may run into difficulties and/or challenges.
SCHOOL CLOSURE PROCEDURES
This is a good time to remind everyone of our school closure procedures as snow is being predicted for next week.
In the event of weather conditions, or unforeseen circumstances, the Principal will decide whether or not the school will be open on that day or remain open if the school needs to close part way through the day. Notice of school closures will be announced through social media (snow days only), through the Remind App and if possible, the school website. Please do not call the school; it is important that we keep all lines free in case of an emergency.
When it comes to snow days, several factors go into making the call to close the school and the call must be made prior to 6:45am to ensure Stingers Club parents receive timely notice. The factor(s) that go into making the call to close the school include, but is not limited to, any one of the following or a combination there of:
• Information on current road conditions (Conditions are monitored throughout the night, and again at approximately 6:00am by the Principal) including the side street accessibility to the school from 65B Ave
• Amount of snow and ice accumulated and/or predicted to accumulate
• Duration and timing of the snow and/or ice event
• Temperature and wind chill (for safety of walkers and students at bus stops) – we will receive direction when it comes to closing school due to extreme temperatures
• School building conditions (electricity, heat, water)
• School parking lot conditions (safety, accessibility)
• Current weather conditions, along with predicted weather, but closures cannot be determined solely on predictions.
• Consultation with the pastor, PEC chair, other nearby staff members and Catholic schools, including Holy Cross Secondary.
As a reminder, although we do our best in the decision-making process for keeping school open or closed, if the school is open and you, the parent, feels as though it is not safe for your child to attend school, you have the option of keeping your child at home.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
As the weather continues to bring rain, cold temperatures and the possibility of snow, it is important that children come to school dressed for the weather we are expecting on that day. As part of our health and safety plans, it was stated that:
“As much as possible, classes will be held outdoors, and students will be required to be outdoors during recess times.”
• Students need to be prepared for the weather when going outside for recess. Sunscreen and hats are recommended for the warmer months, while winter/rain jackets, gloves, toques, rain boots, umbrellas and other similar items are recommended for the rainy, snowy and cold months.
• “Indoor recess will only occur if the outdoor conditions are unsafe for the students.” – STB Family Planning and Return to School September 2020 document
Children will be going outside during rainy and cold weather. Having an umbrella and/or a good rain jacket is essential. Being outside for recess is healthy for the student and the classroom. Your child needs fresh air and recess times allow the air in the classroom to cycle quicker and bring more fresh air in.
ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF ABSENTEE FORM
Our Absentee Form can now be filled out on your laptop or device. Submissions are to be sent to admin@stbernadette.ca. Please submit your form upon your child’s return to school. You can find the form in the news section of our website.
ANIMAL APPRECIATION DAY
The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club would like to announce our 13th annual HEARTS FOR ANIMALS APPRECIATION DAY 2021. It will be held on Wednesday, February 10th, 2021. This special day will will be dressing in red, white, and/or pink. We will be collecting a minimum donation of $2.00 with all proceeds going to the BC SPCA Medical Emergency Program. This year we will be sponsoring animals who are in need of emergency care. We ask students to please remember to enter the club’s contest which will be held at the school from Monday Feb. 1st to Friday Feb. 5th. Lucky winners will be announced on February 10th. The St. Bernadette BC SPCA Club appreciates your support and we hope that students will enjoy the contest week and our special appreciation day for our animal friends.
THANK YOU’S
We would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to Mrs. Sheila Vader and her crew of helpers who decorated our school this year for Christmas and then came back after the break and put it all away again. We are grateful for her and her team’s effort in making our school special for the month of December.
We would also like to thank Mr. Victor Naval and his crew who set up and took down all the lights for our annual lights of hope campaign. We are very thankful for the hard work that went into making our light display once again a special site to see.
2021-2022 ADMISSIONS
We are seeing a renewed interest in admissions for next year. Thank you to all the families who contacted family and friends to let them know we had space. That space is now quickly filling up. We only have a few spots left. If you know of someone who would benefit from a Catholic education by attending St. Bernadette School, please inform them that they need to submit their application form early. Application forms can be found on our school website.
• January 29th – Re-registration (last day to register without penalty)
GRADE 4/5 CHESS CLUB
Thanks to the ambition and resourcefulness of Mr. Issac Palm, we have created a chess club for grade 4 and 5 students. Hopefully, when we no longer need to be in learning groups, we can expand the club to other grades. If your child is in grade 4 or 5 and wants to join the chess club, they can get a permission form from their teacher. If they have already joined, they can go to the chess club google classroom page to see some of the resources we have there to help them learn the game.
We are also in need of chess sets. The school has purchased 3, but we could use more. If you have a set at home that you would like to donate, please have your child bring it with them to school.
REGISTRATION AND RE-REGISTRATION
All registration forms are now required to be submitted electronically. This is our first year piloting this new way of registering. No longer will you need to come into the school to register. The forms will be sent tomorrow, Thursday January 14th and they will need to be returned via email to the school by Friday January 29th to avoid late fees. All registration forms are to be emailed to registration@stbernadette.ca with your child’s name and grade in the subject line.
A few tips to help you complete the online forms:
– These forms require digital signatures. We highly recommend you open the document on your computer and use Acrobat Reader (free edition) or Acrobat Reader Pro. Do not try to fill out the forms using your phone or other device.
– If you have not done so already, you must create a digital e-signature. Here is a YouTube tutorial that will guide you through creating a digital signature using Acrobat Reader:
or you can watch
– e-signatures (digital signatures) are legal in Canada.
“Most Canadian provincial and territorial jurisdictions have enacted electronic commerce and transaction laws that provide electronic equivalents to paper-based signatures, along with other requirements, by adopting the principles established in the Uniform Law Conference of Canada’s model law (the Uniform Electronic Commerce Act (UECA)).Footnote 11 The UECA is technology-neutral and defines an “electronic signature” as electronic information that a person creates or adopts in order to sign a record and that is attached to, or associated with, the record. An e-signature, defined in this way, functions as a signature in law.” – https://www.canada.ca/en/government/system/digital-government/online-security-privacy/government-canada-guidance-using-electronic-signatures.html#toc5
– Please give yourself plenty of time to fill out the form as you may run into difficulties and/or challenges.
2021-2022 ADMISSIONS
We are seeing a renewed interest in admissions for next year. Thank you to all the families who contacted family and friends to let them know we had space. That space is now quickly filling up. We only have a few spots left. If you know of someone who would benefit from a Catholic education by attending St. Bernadette School, please inform them that they need to submit their application form early. Application forms can be found on our school website.
