St. Bernadette Elementary

School Newsletter

March 21st – 27th,  2016

Highlights

• School Structural Updates

• Track and Field Start Up

• Holy Thursday Retreat

March 21st              –           Track and Field Practices Begin

March 24th              –           Holy Thursday Retreat

March 25th              –           Good Friday (No School)

March 28th              –           Easter Monday (No School)

March 31st              –           Ready. Set. Learn. @ 6:30pm

April 5th – 6th           –           St. Bernadette Speech Arts

April 7th – 8th           –           Student Led Conferences

School News

VIRTUE OF THE MONTH

The virtue for the Month of March is generosity.  We are instilling this virtue in our students by showing the variety of ways one can be generous to others.  We want students to know that generosity is not just limited to objects and money.  Although it is an important character trait to share and give of their possessions and money, we also want students to understand that we can do the same with our time, talents, and just being ourselves.  It involves discernment and balance.  We as a school community will strive to demonstrate to our children what generosity means as an individual and also as a Christian school community.

SCHOOL UPDATES

Over Spring Break the school saw three major school improvement initiatives occur.

1. New School Furnaces – Out with the old and in with the new.  The final testing of the new furnaces was done on Saturday March 19th.  The installation was a success.  If you are in our building over the next few days you may experience a smell coming from the furnaces.  It is not harmful and is a result of the initial usage for the brand new furnaces.

2. New Whiteboards in all the Classroom – In the first week of Spring Break we had new whiteboards installed at the front of all the classrooms.  Thank you to the several parents who came out to help take down the old chalkboards.

3. New Interactive Projectors – The PSG has kindly agreed to purchase 4 new projectors to go into the primary classrooms.  This will mean that every classroom will have access to state of the art technology on a daily basis.  The new projectors will allow students to use their fingers to move objects that are projected onto the whiteboards!  If you would like to see it in action, please go to their website http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Product.do?sku=V11H599022 to watch some videos.  The hope is to have these projectors in every classroom over the next few years.

Pao Chiang and Brendan Borba spent several hours wiring the school for the projectors.  Currently we have one installed in the Gr.1 classroom and hope to have the other 3 installed after the Easter Break.  Teachers will have ongoing training in how to incorporate this technology to improve student learning. If you have experience with installing technology or electrical work, we could use the extra help!

TRACK AND FIELD STARTS MARCH 21ST AT 8:10AM

Notices went home on Wednesday and we would like them returned to the teachers at the first track practice.

We encourage all students to attend track in one form or another. Track and Field is open to Grade 3 – 7 students and there are practices every day depending on what events your child signs up for.  We have 11 teacher coaches and are in need of 4-6 parent coaches to help out (especially with conditioning and shot put/discuss).  Please let Mr. van der Pauw know if you are able to lend a hand.

We are looking for a parent to help with managing the track program.  This work could be done from home and would require one to organize drivers to and from the various track meets and help with the overall organization of the track and field program.

HOLY THURSDAY

(A copy of the following will be sent home this Monday, March 21st with your child):

On Holy Thursday, March 24th, we will have a Lenten Lunch as a sacrifice and to remind us of all the hungry children in the world. On this day teachers and students will share in a simple meal of bread and water.  Students do not bring their lunches on this day but should bring a water bottle. It is strongly suggested that your child(ren) eat a good breakfast and bring a healthy snack on this day.

We also suggest that on Thursday students bring in a $1 donation to cover the cost of the bread. Any surplus money will be given to Holy Childhood.

Thank you for your support of this event.

REMINDERS

READY, SET, LEARN

It’s not too late to register for Ready, Set, Learn.  This fun and educational evening is designed for Parents to attend with their preschoolers (age 3, 4 & 5).Please register by email or by calling the school office.  Invite your friends and neighbours!    March 31 at 6:30pm in the school library.  **Gift bags for every child.

APPLICATION FOR NEW FAMILIES

We are currently accepting applications for new families.  The response from new families that have already applied has been extremely positive.  Many of the families have applied due to the positive and affirming feedback they have received.  All of the families we have interviewed are very excited to join our community and are eager to get involved.

We are very thankful to have such amazing families in our school.  Thank you for sharing your experiences with your families, friends, co-workers, and neighbours.  It makes us stronger as a community and it ultimately benefits the education of your child and the new families that join us.

If you know of someone who would benefit from having their child(ren) at our school, please have them contact us or direct them to our website to download an application form.

Links

School Calendar
Absentee Forms
Stingers Club

St. Bernadette Elementary Catholic School
13130 65B Ave
Surrey, BC V3W 9M1
phone: (604) 596-1101
fax: (604) 596-1550
stbernadette@telus.net