• 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.
• January 29th – Re-registration (last day to register without penalty)
CHALICE FUNDRAISER
A big Thank You to all who supported the CHALICE sale last month. Thanks to your generous donations and support, Grade 6 raised almost $1200 for CHALICE, a record amount! The sale proceeds will be sent to the CHALICE head office in Nova Scotia to be used to support the education and well being of children all over the world.
TAX RECEIPTS
Tuition tax receipts will be sent home within the next week via your child’s agenda. A reminder email will be sent out the day the tax receipts go home.
SIBLINGS ENTERING KINDERGARTEN
This is a final call to current families who have a child entering Kindergarten to inform the school so that we can reserve a spot for them for the 2021-2022 school year. Currently we have 11 siblings on our list and we would like to ensure that no one is missed. Please email the office at admin@stbernadette.ca
2021-2022 ADMISSIONS
We are seeing a renewed interest in admissions for next year. 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
REMINDERS
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.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
We have noticed that children are coming to school unprepared for the incremental rainy and cold weather. 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.
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.
• Dec. 14th – 18th – Spirit Week and Chalice Toy Sale
• Dec. 18th – Early Dismissal (11:50 LG2 and LG4, 12pm LG1 and LG3)
• Dec. 18th – Reports go home
• Dec. 18th – Stingers club after school until 2:30pm. This is only for families who are registered for Stingers club and they must contact Sheila Vader prior to Dec. 18th to attend.
MASS FOR STUDENTS ONLY
On Monday Dec. 7th, the school received the following message from the Superintendent of Catholic Schools:
Regarding our inquiry about faith-based services, the document specifically states that “faith-based services for students are allowed to continue in independent schools as they would be considered part of students’ educational program. However, all religious in-person gatherings and worship services for the broader community are currently suspended under the updated provincial order.” Therefore, Masses and other faith services within a cohort in school facilities, while observing all safety and health guidelines, are permitted.
Based on this news, we are happy to announce that all students will attend Mass during the last week of school. Fr. Paul and Fr. Sajy have agreed to host Mass for each Learning Group (Cohort) from Monday to Thursday. We understand that this is also Spirit Week, a time when students can dress up. We ask that on the day that your child attends Mass, if they can have a jacket to wear overtop of their spirit wear.
Monday – Gr. 6 & 7
Tuesday – Gr. 4 & 5
Wednesday – Gr. 2 & 3
Thursday – K & Gr. 1
SPIRIT WEEK
We will once again be hosting our annual Spirit Week from December 14th – 18th. Similar to all other aspects of schooling this year, Spirit Week will be done to comply with our health and safety plan. Students will have opportunities to partake in decorating contest, trivia and an elf scavenger hunt. Here are the themes for each day (all days are non-uniform):
Monday Dec. 14th – Christmas PJ Day
Tuesday Dec. 15th – Class Colour Day – teachers will notify families of which colour they will be wearing
Wednesday Dec. 16th – Favourite Christmas Character Day
Thursday Dec. 17th – Ugly Sweater Day
Friday Dec. 18th – Christmas Colour Day – wear Red, Green and/or White
CHARITABLE DONATIONS
Thank you for the generosity you have shown to those less fortunate. To dates we have donated to three organizations – St. Vincent De Paul Society, Holy Childhood Association and Covenant House. We have already reported on the tremendous outpouring of donations for St. Vincent De Paul Society. You also contributed $1155.30 to the Holy Childhood Association and $433.35 to Covenant House. Thank you for your donations and support. Our last charity campaign for 2020 will be Chalice.
CHALICE SALE
Grade 6 students are once again sponsoring the annual gently used Christmas sale from December 14 – 18. All items will be priced from $0.50 to $5.00. This is a great time for students to buy Christmas presents for family and friends. All proceeds will benefit Chalice, a Catholic charitable organisation based in Nova Scotia with sites all over the world devoted to the health, education and well-being of children.
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
We are excited to have our annual Christmas Concert happen virtually tomorrow at 6pm on our YouTube Channel. It is our hope that you are able to make it a special event for your child. Get together on the couch, pour some hot chocolate, make some popcorn and enjoy the concert. Please make sure you bookmark our YouTube channel so it is easy for you to access tomorrow at 6pm – https://youtu.be/EVhri8SNWkM
ST. BERNADETTE PARISH – CONFESSIONS
Saturday, Dec. 12 10:00am – 11:30am and 2:00pm – 5:00pm. Please wear a mask and maintain social distance at all times. Confessions are also available by appointment at this time. Please contact Father Paul at 604-596-0566 to schedule a convenient time to receive this sacrament.
ST. BERNADETTE PARISH – RECEIVE COMMUNION
Even though the church may be closed, we invite parishioners to come to the church parking lot, by car, immediately after participating in the livestream Mass on Sundays from 11am to 11:30am. at home. Everyone wishing to receive is asked to follow these instructions:
• Follow the direction of the ushers who will be monitoring the flow and show you where to go
• Stay in the car
• Wear a face mask
• Sanitize your hands
• Roll down your window when you get to the station for Holy Communion. Extend your arm toward the priest or EMHC and prepare to receive the Holy Eucharist in your hand. Pull your mask down and consume the Host before driving off.
• Feel free to drive to a parking spot for a time of thanksgiving.
• Dec. 10th – Christmas Concert (posted on our YouTube Channel at 6pm)
• Dec. 14th – 18th – Spirit Week (TBA)
• Dec. 18th – Early Dismissal (11:50 LG2 and LG4, 12pm LG1 and LG3)
• Dec. 18th – Reports go home
• Dec. 18th – Stingers club after school until 2:30pm. This is only for families who are registered for Stingers club and they must contact Sheila Vader prior to Dec. 18th to attend.
ADVENT
This week marks the first week of Advent. It is an exciting time as it marks the start of a new liturgical year and also the count down to the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. In a typical year we would be attending Mass every week, however, at this time, we are told that this is not possible. Mass is a large part of who we are as a Catholic School. We take direction from the Archbishop and the Superintendent when it comes to our involvement in Mass and para-liturgical celebrations. Until new directions are given, we will not be allowed to celebrate Mass in the Church or the school. I ask that you find opportunities at home to celebrate the coming of Christ and to find opportunities to join Mass online. St. Bernadette’s has a feed that you can join every Sunday.
LIGHTS OF HOPE UPDATE
Many thanks to Mr. Victor Naval and his band of merry men who worked very hard on creating this year’s Lights of Hope Display.
We are into the third week of our Lights of Hope campaign and we are currently just over $2000 in donations. This is once again an amazing outpouring of generosity. Our school is so thankful for all the donations and pledges that have come our way. We are so blessed to have such a supportive and generous school community.
The deadline for lightbulb purchases is Wednesday, December 9, and all donations received prior to December 2nd will be represented in our video of the Lights of Hope Celebration. Donations received after December 2nd will still have their light bulb put up, prayer intentions blessed by Father Paul, but they will not appear in the video.
This year, we are doing things a little different to ensure everyone’s safety. Instead of each student getting prayer cards to sell, donations can be made through the parish’s online platform similar to our Walkathon. Christmas light bulbs can be purchased for $5.00 each and represents your prayer intention. Students do not have to keep track of their sales as there is no minimum or maximum for how much you are to sell. Tax receipts will not be provided for this fundraiser. Please ensure that your billing address matches that on your credit card or the payment will not go through. All we ask is that you please participate in this event to your best ability and support it in the best way you can.
2) Select or type in the amount you’d like to donate
3) Select Designation: P93 School Lights of Hope
4) Type in your prayer intentions in the comment box
We are thankful for the donations that have come in thus far. This might be our last major fundraiser for the school year. All proceeds will go towards a last push to get the much needed Chromebooks in the hands of our students. We are very close to our goal and we hope to reach it through this fundraiser.
Thank you again for all your support in this meaningful and blessed event.
