February 4th, 2015
GOING HOME TODAY
Letter from the Principal
EVENTS
February 2nd-6th – Catholic Schools Week
February 3rd-6th – Book Fair
February 4th – Le Carnaval
February 4th – FHC Reconciliation Parent Meeting 6:30pm
February 5th – Literacy Night 6:30-8:30pm
February 6th – Casual for Covenant House – Non-uniform day
February 9th-13th – No School
VIRTUE OF THE MONTH
For the month of February, the students will be learning about the virtue of unity. The virtue of unity is essential for character development. It is through unity that we can foster cooperation, acceptance, compasion, and understanding. Unity is having a sense of connectedness eventhough we might be miles apart. The virtue of unity is highly valued at St. Bernadette’s. We desire to be united with our families, our parish and the wider community in order to provide the best education for our children.
As we focus on the virtue of unity this month, our actions, words, and overall attitude must reflect this virtue. How do we treat others, especially those that do not share our same values? How do we speak and treat those who are different from us? In what ways are we creating opportunities to foster a sense of unity at home, at work, on teams, in clubs, at school? Together, in unison, we will work towards a culture of acceptance, cooperation, understanding and compasion at St. Bernadette’s.
TUITION TAX RECEIPT
Income Tax receipts will be available for pick-up starting tomorrow, Thursday, February 5th at the school office. You must sign for the receipt. If you are having someone else pick it up, they must have a signed note from you requesting that they have your permission to pick up your Tax receipt. Please make a copy of the receipt in the event that you loose or misplace your original receipt, replacement receipts will NOT be issued. Parents are reminded to submit this tax under “Charitable Donations” section of their income tax return.
BOOK FAIR/LITERACY NIGHT
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school!
Tuesday, February 3rd (12:15pm) to Friday, February 6th 8:45-9:15am,
12:00 -1:00pm, 2:45-3:30pm daily (2:00-2:45pm Wednesday only)
If you cannot attend, you may use the Student Wish List order form and send it back to school with your child, along with payment in the correct amount (cash or cheque) and one of our volunteers can assist you child with their purchase.
Our annual Family Literacy Night will be held on Thursday February 5th 6:30-8:30pm. There will be a read-a-long with librarian Julianne Newton for the primary students. There your family can shop together, participate in literacy activities and enter our Book Fair Draw. You could win $50 worth of books – $25 for your family and $25 for your child’s teacher. During the event, we also invite you to help build up our library by purchasing books and donating them to the school through the Classroom Wish List program, which will be displayed in the library.
CASUAL FOR COVENANT HO– USE – NON-UNIFORM DAY
On Friday February 6th, the school will be hosting Casual for Covenant House. Students are bring in a minimal donation of $2.00 to help children who are homeless in the Lower Mainland. It is a non-uniform day for students who bring in a donation. Covenant House began as a Catholic organization that focused on helping marginalized youth in Vancouver.
CATHOLIC WEEK SCHOOL
Please join us as St. Bernadette School celebrates Catholic Schools Week February 1-6.
Please see the Catholic Schools Week attachment for more information. We have events planned for each day such as Open House, Line Dancing and Literacy Night. We extend a warm welcome to all. Bring your family and friends to join in and learn more about our school. Please visit us on FaceBook or the school website for more information.
APPLICATION FORMS
Application forms for new students for the upcoming school year 2015-16 are now available and can be picked up from the school office. Families who have children entering Kindergarten will be given the application form with the Re-registration package. If you haven’t notified the office that you have a pre-school child applying for admittance for the 2015-16 school year, please do so as soon as possible.
Promotional Event: Current families get their re-registration fee for the following year (currently $150) waived if they refer a family that stays the year.
February 3rd, 2015
Dear Parents,
As I write this letter, I am reminded of the African Proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child”. I believe this to be true in many families and I think it aptly applies to our school. We are a strong village dedicated to the education of all our students. This could not be more apparent than in the two events held this past week – our annual AGM and our annual Open House.
It was such a blessing to see how many families attended both events. The AGM was an opportunity for the school to share with the families its successes and challenges moving forward. What resulted were constructive, positive, and creative suggestions and recommendations of how the school can better move forward. It was very encouraging to listen to the care and dedication that our parents show towards the school. This attitude, coupled with the desire to see our school succeed in every possible way, will allow us to move in directions that are creative, bold, and attends to the needs of every student.
The Open House was very successful. It is one of many events that showcase our school to the community. New families were impressed with our educational program, the variety of extra-curricular activities, the sense of community and family, and the overall presentation of the school. It was a delight to see so many parishioners coming to the open house to share stories of their connection, past and present, with the school. It was very special to see so many current families attending our Open House, as this adds to the positive experience for the new families.
In the months and years ahead, we will be challenged to maintain the enthusiasm and energy that was shared at the AGM and Open House. It is our responsibility as a “village” to raise the school to its optimal level. You deserve a school that is works to deliver the best education for your child. Together, with your energy and support, we will continue to work to make this happen.
Yours in Christ,
Michael van der Pauw
Principal
Annual General Meeting
Thank you to all the families that attended the AGM. We thank you all for your suggestions and comments. As we move forward as a community we look forward to working together.
Parent Participation
REMINDER: Do not forget to record all parent participation hours in the binder located in front of the office.
If you have any questions on parent participation, and/or would like to volunteer, please contact Sonja Rematore via email at srematore@gmail.com.
UPCOMING EVENTS
February 20th
Movie night
April
Clothing drive
YOUR P.E.C.
Greg Palm
Chair & CISVA Delegate
Giuliana Lanci
Vice-Chair & Maintenance
Claudia Martinelli
Secretary & Social Committee
Sonja Rematore
Parent Participation
Cheryl Chiang
Treasurer
Evelyn Urrutia
Communications
Ashley Hartnett