HIGHLIGHTS
• *NEW* Alignment with provincial health and safety plans
• Gathering over Spring Break
• Holy Thursday School Retreat – lenten lunch
• Come Read With Me – for parents of primary aged children – tomorrow at 7:30pm
THE MONTH AT A GLANCE
• 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
ALIGNMENT WITH PROVINCIAL HEALTH AND SAFETY PLANS
On Friday March 5th, all CISVA schools received the following message from Deacon Henk Luyten, Superintendent of the CISVA:
“The revised public health guidance for K-12 schools and Provincial COVID-19 Health & Safety Guidelines for K-12 Settings were released on February 4, 2021. It is critically important that all CISVA schools not deviate from these guidelines, especially in areas such as mask usage for elementary aged students, temperature checks, and written confirmation of student daily health checks. “
In further discussions, it was made clear by Deacon Henk Luyten that all CISVA schools must stop doing temperature checks as part of their health and safety plan. Upon the return to classes on March 29th, 2021, St. Bernadette School will no longer perform temperature checks prior to the start of the school day. Temperature checks will still be done as they were prior to COVID-19 as part of our medical room procedures when a child is visibly unwell and showing fever-like symptoms.
We would like to remind parents that fevers are considered one of the most common signs of COVID-19 in children. Parents must perform a health check prior to sending their child to school. Health checks can be done online or using the form provided towards the bottom of this newsletter.
GATHERING OVER SPRING BREAK
In preparation for the upcoming Spring Break, we are encouraged by the Ministry of Education to remind students and families of existing province-wide restrictions and advisories, and the actions you can take to support a safe return to school for students and staff. The Provincial Health Office has stated the following:
No social gatherings of any size at your residence with anyone other than your household or, if you live alone, your core bubble. For example:
• Do not invite friends or extended family into your residence or vacation accommodation
• Do not gather in your backyard, patio, driveway or anywhere else on your property
• Do not host playdates for children
For most people, their core bubble is their immediate household. An immediate household is a group of people who live in the same residence. For example:
• If you have a rental suite in your home, the suite is a separate residence
• If you live in an apartment or house with roommates, you are all members of the same household
For people who live alone, a core bubble is a maximum of two people you see regularly.
These activities are not considered a social gathering:
• Going for a walk or hike. You must make sure a walk or hike does not turn into a group of people meeting outside
• Parents carpooling kids to and from school
• Grandparents providing child care
For more information please go to:
HOLY THURSDAY SCHOOL RETREAT – LENTEN LUNCH
Upon return from Spring Break, the school will be celebrating Holy Week. For Catholics, Holy Week is a very sacred time of the year as we commemorate and remember the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. Our Lenten journey is one of sacrifice and self-denial. Many children during this time give up candy, treats, video games, screen time or do other sacrifices to help them be a better person and to remind them of the suffering that Jesus endured while in the desert and on the cross. The great focus for this week leads to the Last Supper on Holy Thursday and the Passion (suffering) of Jesus on Good Friday (part of the triduum).
In the past, we have had the entire school participate in a retreat on Holy Thursday. This year, due to the current restrictions, the retreat will look different. One of the highlights of the retreat is the Lenten Lunch. Prior to the pandemic we would gather in the gym in our family groups and eat a lunch of breads from around the world. The Gr. 6s would introduce each bread with a social justice story from that country. Unfortunately, we will not be eating together in the gym, but the Gr. 6s will still be offering their prayer service over our PA system and the Gr. 5 class will be filming the Stations of the Cross and putting it on YouTube to be shared with the school and its community.
This year, in lieu of the school providing and sharing food, we ask each student to bring a simple snack of their choice. Holy Thursday is a half day, and so students who need to eat more, can eat a larger meal after they leave school.
We also wish to remind you that, for safety reasons, the school does not offer after school care on days when school is dismissed early.
COME READ WITH ME – THURSDAY MARCH 11TH, 7:30PM
These pandemic times have been challenging for many parents and teachers. As a result, your child(ren) may benefit from extra support on their way to becoming confident, joyful readers. The Come Read With Me workshop can support you by equipping you with the knowledge, strategies, and inspiration you need to get reading with your kids.
There is no cost to participate and you will receive a resource package including a handbook for parents called “Reading Success at Home”. This program has been made available to families in British Columbia through the generous support of our donors. Come Read With Me was developed by our partners, Literacy in Kamloops.
While we welcome parents and caregivers with children of all ages, the workshop will include content that is best suited to students in the primary grades.
To register please go to: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/come-read-with-me-tickets-139807731689?aff=eand