READERS CHOICE WINNER
St. Bernadette School was voted “Best Elementary School” in Surrey. This is a great honour and we as a school community should be very proud that several Surrey community members took upon themselves to cast votes for our school as the best out of all the independent and public schools in the city.
On Feb. 23rd you will see our school listed in the Best of the Surrey Now section of the paper. Please share this recognition with family and friends as we are all proud and lucky to be apart of this wonderful school community!
SCHOOL RANKINGS
Once again the Fraser Institute published their school rankings for all schools in British Columbia. Out of 956 schools, St. Bernadette Elementary was ranked 52nd. This puts us into the top 5% in all of BC and establishes us as one of the top schools in Surrey. We are very proud of our ranking:
http://britishcolumbia.compareschoolrankings.org/elementary/St_Bernadette/Surrey/Report_Card.aspx
We should be proud of our school, however I do caution putting too much celebration and weight into our ranking defining us as a great school – we are more than just a ranking. These rankings are primarily based on an assessment called the FSA that is written in Grade 4 and 7 each year. This ranking is based on a sets of assessments that are a snapshot of a particular group of children at a particular time in the year. Although we are excited about our ranking this year, next year our ranking may go up or down based on how students wrote their assessments this year. I believe as a school we are much more than an assessment. I look at what we offer our students and families in their overall development and growth. I believe we are a school that values the whole child, promotes a family centred community that is safe and welcoming, values preparing our children for excellence academically, socially, emotionally, physically and spiritually, and ensures that all that we do is Christ centred.
I am very pleased with all teachers and staff in the school and their attention to preparing our students for this assessment. Please congratulate them and thank them for their excellence in providing one of the best educational experiences for your children that the province has to offer. That pride is not tied to a ranking, but tied to the work we all do – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, parishioners, school staff – for our children in our school community.
BOOK SHARE TABLE
If you have any gently used children’s book for the Book Share Table it would be greatly appreciated if you could please drop them off at the school no later than March 1st.
STINGERS CLUB
Thursday, March 9th is early dismissal (12:15) Stingers Club will be available until 6:00pm.
If your child(ren) are going to be making use of Stingers Club on this day, please advise Sheila Vader
stingersclub@stbernadette.ca.
PARENT SURVEY
We are conducting a satisfaction survey to gain important feedback as to the success and challenges that lie ahead for our school. We hope you are able to take the time to complete this survey so that we can provide the best education possible for your child.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/stbstingers
SHOE BOXES WITH LID ATTACHED
Grade 6 is in need of shoe boxes WITH THE LID ATTACHED, that is, the lid only opens on one side for STEM/Literacy night on March 2. If you have any of these, please send them in with your child. Thank you so much.
PARISH TAX RECEIPTS
Tax receipts for 2016 donations to the parish and Project Advance are now available. Please pick up your receipt in the Gathering Area at mass, or through the parish office during office hours. Tax receipts will not be mailed.
