St. Bernadette Elementary
School Newsletter
November 16th, 2016
Highlights
• Volunteers needed – Work Bee to bring new flooring into the school
• Whistler Ski Trip
• Lights of Hope – selling after mass
November 17th Student Conferences (3:15-8:00)
November 18th Student Conferences (8:00-12:00) (NO CLASSES FOR STUDENTS)
Looking Ahead – Dec. 9th is a professional development day – NO SCHOOL
School News
WE ARE GETTING NEW FLOORS!!!
That’s right! Out with the old and in with the new! The carpets in all the classrooms and down the main hallways is being replaced with new vinyl flooring. The flooring will brighten up the school and provide a healthier environment for everyone in our school. We are very excited to get this done and marks the first stage of several updates to the school thanks to the efforts of all the fundraising happening in our school – lighting and new furniture are on the horizon.
To keep costs down and to build school community we need as many volunteers as possible to move desks, bookshelves, chairs and other items out of the classrooms so they can get at the floors. It is going to be done over a series of days. I remember helping my father move desks, books and even help paint at my elementary school and that was 30 years ago! It is a special time to bond with your children (I suggest they be in grade 5 or older) and other families in the school. It is part of leaving a lasting legacy for all children to enjoy – to know that you are part of something meaningful and bigger then all of us.
FRI. DEC 9TH – Chalkboard Removal – 15 ADULTS NEEDED – The remainder of the chalkboards will be removed on this day. Please arrive at 9am. There will be some heavy lifting and cutting up of the boards. This is not recommended of young people.
SAT. DEC 17TH – Emptying Classrooms – 20 – 30 PEOPLE NEEDED – There is something for everyone to do. This is a big task and the more people helping out the better! They will start working on the floors the next day. Even if you can only spare a couple of hours, we need the help! Lunch will be provided!
MON. JAN 2ND – Putting it all back – 20 – 30 PEOPLE NEEDED – The next day your children are back at school and their classroom needs to be ready to go. Please consider coming out to help get everything back in order.
I would like to thank everyone who in advance who is able to support the school in these efforts. Our school is better because of it!
Michael van der Pauw
Principal
STINGERS CLUB
Stingers Club will be available on Friday, December 16th from 12:15 – 6:00. If you will be using Stingers Club on this day, you must pre-register, as they need to know numbers, so that they can be adequately staffed. The rates are $30.00 for the half day for one child, $50.00 for the family rate. Stingers Club e-mail is: stingersclub@stbernadette.ca
PEC Newsletter
taste-of-the-nations-committee-letter
PEC Newsletter
2016-11-15-pec-sped-nl-onvolunteers
Whistler Ski Trip
Dear Parents, I am pleased once again to be offering a unique opportunity for grade 5 – 7 students to participate in a club that focuses on connections with nature, development of life skills, and character building. The Outdoor Adventure Club combined with the PE department, took the grade 5 – 7 students Dragon Boating at the beginning of the …
LIGHTS OF HOPE
SELLING AFTER MASS
We are very appreciative of all the families who will be selling bulbs after the Masses. It provides an excellent opportunity to connect with the parishioners and allows them to make connections with our students.
If you are selling after mass, there will now be a table set up with a poster, lights and pens for you. You are to bring your own sheets and intention cards along with some change for those who only have larger bills (hopefully you have sold a couple of bulbs this week and are able to use that money to make change). There is no need to check in or clean up the table as the next group will use it. We hope this simplifies the process.
We also ask that students come in full uniform so that they are easily identifiable. We will have students speaking after all the masses to ensure parishioners are aware that the sale is happening (we are currently looking for volunteers).
Thank you again for all your support in this meaningful and blessed event!
WHAT ARE THE LIGHTS OF HOPE?
The Lights of Hope Fundraiser is a special and unique event that combines the needs of the school with its spiritual direction. Students will be selling Christmas light bulbs in the form of a prayer card that will represent a prayer intention and our connection with Jesus. The light bulb itself will be part of our light display in the court yard. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”. – John 8:12
The Lights of Hope fundraiser not only helps our school, but also allows for those donating to make intentions that will be brought to our Christmas concert where it will be blessed by Fr. Paul. The card is associated with a light bulb on the tree that will remain lit in the court yard as a symbol of their intention. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”. – Matthew 5:16
Last years intentions and bulbs have been saved and those bulbs purchased for those intentions will also be lit once again.
HOW CAN WE PARTICIPATE?
Every student will be given 25 prayer intention cards. The prayer cards are filled out every time you sell a Christmas light bulb for $5.00. Students (along with their parents) are to fill out the seller’s sheet to keep track of their purchases. When all 25 bulbs are sold, the student brings in the seller’s sheet, the intention cards, and their money to school. At that time the student can pick up another 25 prayer intention cards. There is no minimum or maximum for how much you are to sell. All we ask is that you participate in this event to your best ability and support it in the best way you know how.
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE LIGHT BULBS THAT WE HAVE SOLD?
The purchaser of the bulb will not get to physically hold the bulb. When all the bulbs are sold (our goal is to sell over 4000 bulbs!) they will be strung up on the trees in the court yard between the church and the school. Their they can find their bulb as part of a larger display.
On December 8th, the night of the school Christmas Concert, there will be a small celebration before the concert and Christmas play begins in the Church. During the celebration the choir will sing while families enjoy hot chocolate and cookies provided by the CWL. Then, Fr. Paul along with Mr. van der Pauw will lead everyone in the blessing of all the intentions that were collected over the past month and also bless the lights that are strung up in the court yard. Immediately after the blessing the Christmas lights (representing the intentions and prayers) will be turned on for the first time. The lights will be on from December 8th to January 8th.
After the lighting ceremony, everyone is invited into the church for the school concert and Christmas play. A beautiful way to end an unique, spiritual and special fundraising event in our school.
HOW DO I SELL THIS TO THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE RELIGIOUS?
This is a valid question. There are several ways families have done this. Some use this as an opportunity to share their faith with others. Others present the prayers cards in a similar way fundraising is done for St. Paul’s and Children’s Hospital. Families have used the cards as an “in memory” or “in honour” or a dedication to someone close to them. Both are acceptable and we ask you become involved as best as you see fit in order to support the school.
WHERE IS THE MONEY GOING?
This year we are allocating funds from the Lights of Hope to go towards school improvements that will increase student learning. Much research has been done in the area of creating environments that enhance student learning. Based on that research, we are currently in the process of looking at how we are able to transform the spaces in the school to be more conducive to meet the needs of all our students.
The school is also raising money throughout the year to reconfigure the library into a Learning Commons. A Learning Commons is a dynamic learning environment that combines unique learning spaces, with library resources, maker spaces (robotics and coding), and other various forms of technology. We are very excited to take this next step and your support in this and all fundraising efforts will help us achieve this goal.
Reminders
CHRISTMAS EVE CHOIR
Dear Parents,
It is almost that time of the year again….
St. Bernadette Parish will once again have a Christmas Eve Children’s Choir Mass on December 24th at 6:30 PM. We would like to open this invitation to St Bernadette Elementary students and to PREP students to join us for this very exciting and entertaining service.
Practices will be Saturdays (6:30-8:00 PM) starting on November 12th at the Parish Church.
In addition, the same group will also be performing for our Parish’s Senior Dinner to be announced at a later date.
Looking forward to seeing your kids on Saturday Nov 12th….
If you have any questions at all or to confirm your child/children’s participation, please email us at jblnavoa@gmail.com.
In Christ,
John and Brenda Navoa
Children’s Choir Lead
PS Every year, we are not only growing, the kids are getting better and better. Come join us.
KINDERGARTEN 2017
If you have a child that was born in 2012 and will be attending kindergarten in September 2017, please call the school office.
SCHOOL E-MAIL ADDRESS
We have a new e-mail address, please make note of it:
admin@stbernadette.ca
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
admin@stbernadette.ca
