Community

Update for Week Ending February 6th

Our School Directory has been updated. Please find it on the School Information page of our website.

Workshop Series, Digitizing Ourselves to Death, January 13th: The Richmond Addiction Services Society is hosting a four-week workshop series on problem video gaming. The first night of the series will be January 13, 2015 – shortly after school resumes. Please share this information with parties who might benefit from attending. The four evening of events will be held at the Richmond Public Library Brighouse Branch. Participants are to register directly at www.yourlibrary.ca .

Wine-and-Cheese “Young at Art” Auction: Evening of February 13th, 5pm to 8pm: This event is open to our entire community. We will be showcasing original pieces by Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary and Adolescent students. There will also be a raffle including a one-night stay at the Renaissance Hotel (breakfast included) and a gift certificate to Leone! All proceeds will go towards MMUN as well as school enrichment activities. Hors d’oeuvres by Chef Abdel Elatouabi will be served. This event is BYOB, thus we are asking each family to bring a bottle of wine of your choice for us all to enjoy. Please RSVP by Tuesday, February 10th to office@lionsgatemontessori.org if you will be attending.Come and bid on a masterpiece!

Elementary Workshop for Parents by AMI Elementary Montessori Trainer, Greg MacDonald – Montessori Across the Planes: From Birth To Adulthood, March 2nd, 4:30pm: Join us for an afternoon of insights on child development with Greg MacDonald, Director of Elementary Training at the Montessori Institute of San Diego .

Hot Lunch Program: Our February menu is now up! you have never tried the hot lunch program, why not order a few meals to check it out? Food is supplied by #e Food, a local eatery that prides on healthy cuisine with ingredients that are locally sourced and sustainable. Each meal comes with a side salad or soup. 2 sizes – Small $5, Large $7.50. Tax included

Kindly note that orders must be placed at least 24 hours in advance. Just a reminder that hot lunches can be ordered anytime during the month. Please make payments as soon as you have a confirmed order. To order online, please visit https://lionsgate.hotlunch.com/plogin.php. If your child has recently transferred from Mole Hill/North Creek to Anchor Point, please remember to update your profile to ensure that lunch is delivered to the right location. If you have any questions, please let us know.

ADOLESCENTS

Valentine’s Day Celebration: The students have secretly drawn names and are planning to bring a personalized $10 Valentine’s gift on Friday, February 13th. After the students open their gifts, we plan to take the Canada Line to Broadway, where we will have a nice Valentine’s inspired dessert at Menchies. Permission forms are due Tuesday, February 10th.

Trip to Victoria – Friday, March 6th: We are currently planning a day trip to Victoria, BC. As the field trip will take place on the last day of school before spring break (March 6th), please let us know by e-mail to office@lionsgatemontessori.org if your child will not be attending.

Student-Led Conferences, February 20th PD Day – In keeping with our goal of guiding your son or daughter toward effective introspection and a strong sense of personal value, we have implemented a Student-Led Conference this year to complement Mid-term Reports. The conference will be held on our upcoming Professional Development Day on Friday, February 20th. A sign-up sheet will be posted by the front door or you may email us letting us know your preferred time block.

ANCHOR POINT

Upper Elementary Valentine’s Day Celebration: On Friday, February 13th, the Upper Elementary students are invited to celebrate Valentine’s Day through an exchange of cards collected in boxes that they have made. Each student that has chosen to participate is responsible for decorating one box to give to one classmate that has been chosen from a random draw. The boxes are presented to their recipients in a special ceremony, and they are designed to hold students’ Valentine’s cards. Some students have begun work on their box, but some students are still working on their designs and are in need of a container. If you have a LARGE Kleenex box, a small shipping box, or a cereal box at home to donate, please bring it to school on Tuesday. Thanks in advance for your contribution!

Kindly keep in mind that that in order to promote inclusion and acceptance, we request that students bringing in cards make sure they create a card for each of his/her peers. Please feel free to refer to our School Directory 2014/2015 found on our school website for names of students should you wish to hand out personalized cards. Once you log in, it is possible to locate the form from the blue drop down menu on the right, under the heading School Information.

Lower Elementary Valentine’s Day Tea Celebration: On Friday, February 13th, the Lower Elementary will celebrate Valentine’s Day by learning about the origins on the holiday, and using this as an opportunity to show appreciation and gratitude for each other through compliments and the sharing of tea and fresh baked goods.

Photos for January Starts and Retakes, Wednesday, February 18th, 2014: Our photographer will be in on Wednesday, February 18th to take photos of new students who started in January as well as students who have signed up for re-takes

Return-It School Recycling Program: Beginning this month, the Anchor Point students will be collecting drink containers as part of the Return-It School Recycling Program. All deposit refunds will be placed in the Student Enrichment Fund, to be used towards school enrichment activities. Furthermore, our school will have a chance to win bonus cash prizes! We invite you to contribute to this endeavour, by bringing in clean beverage containers (no dairy products) from your home or workplace. Please visit http://www.returnitschool.ca/students/ for more information on the program and a list of accepted containers. Log in as Anchor Point Montessori to track our progress and compare our efforts to those of other schools enrolled in the program. Thank you for your support, and for helping us reduce our school’s ecological footprint! Special thanks to Anchor Point Student President Emma and her mom, Andrea for helping kick start this program!

Swim Lessons: We started our first swimming lesson on Wednesday. Swimming will continue every Wednesday until February 18th, 2015. Please be sure your child brings a winter hat to wear on the walk back to school.

Hip-hop Lessons: Hip-hop Lessons for the Lower Elementary starts on Monday, January 19th at 9:00 a.m. The students will be walked together to The Dance Centre. Hence, please drop off your child/ren no later than 8:45 a.m. to ensure a full hour of class with Mr. Yoshi Hisanaga.
Yoshi is a versatile and innovative dancer who brings a fresh and energetic flavor to dance where ever he goes. Yoshi is a passionate teacher who believes in passing down his knowledge to the next generation and giving back to the Vancouver hip-hop dance community. He focuses on old school hip-hop basics and fundamentals. His classes include everything from popping, bboying, locking, to street jazz. His passion and dedication to the art has caught the attention of the renowned hip-hop group, Over the Influence, which Yoshi has become the latest member of. He also embraces the competitive element of hip-hop. He is an award winning choreographer who specializes in a unique and abstract blend of hip-hop and break dancing. He was the choreographer and dancer for the 2005 Senior Canadian National Dance Competition Champions, and the choreographer for the 2005, 2006, 2007 Junior Canadian National Dance Competition Champions (Elktrik). He also represented Canada at the Hip-hop International Championships in the summer of 2007 in L.A and 2008 in Vegas.

Pizza Fridays: On February 13th, we are will offer Pizza Fridays! Pizza will be ordered from Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. All of the flatbread pizza bases are 100% organic, made fresh daily with a blend of organic, unbleached white and whole wheat local flours, and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. Pizza will be served with a salad, prepared by the children. For more details, please see the attached form. Please submit your order form with payment no later than Friday, January 30th.

Speed Skating Meet: The Vancouver & Richmond Speed Skating Clubs are hosting a speed skating photo competition on Saturday, Feb 7th at the Richmond Oval. Those interested in this sport are invited to come out to learn about it and cheer our two students, Avery (adolescent) and Aaron (Upper Elementary) on in their races!
Event: V-Rrooom Challenge – an inter-club speed skating meet for beginners to masters
Date and Time: Saturday February 7th, Races from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Opening Ceremony: 8:45 a.m. Mayor Malcolm Brodie & Councillor Alexa Loo (two-time snowboarding Olympian) will be in attendance!

Richmond Youth Honour Choir Benefit Gala – Saturday, February 6th at 6:30pm: Right after watching Aaron and Avery speed skate, replenish your energy later that evening in Richmond. If you have a sweet tooth, great taste and wise shopping-sense (there will be good deals on fundraising gadgets), you are invited to a Benefit Gala with sacred and secular choir pieces featuring 4-part harmony. Anchor Point students Alice, Irvin and Curtis will be singing and serving. The event includes a high-tea style, dessert gala. Cecilia Wong, Irvin and Curtis’s mother, can order tickets or you can order online or at door. The fundraising proceeds will support the choir’s Japan spring tour of which Richmond’s mayor will join! Please see the attached invite for more details.

NORTH CREEK
Tuesday, February, 17th – Photos for January Starts and Retakes: Our photographer will be in on Tuesday, February 17th to take photos of new students who started in January as well as students who have signed up for re-takes.

Safety Reminder: For safety reasons, please be cautious during drop-off and pick-up and encourage your child to walk and not run on the sidewalk.

General Parking Reminder: Please be alerted that parking in front of the school is metered. Ticketing officers are quick in giving out tickets during drop-off and pick-up times!

Labeling Reminder: This is a friendly reminder to please label all of your child’s clothing, including scarves, mittens, hats, jackets, and shoes. Thank you!

COMMUNITY NOTICES
Wondering what to do on weekends with your children? Here are some ideas below:

The Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival – January 17th to February 14th, 2015: This is the fifth year of the popular event that has local cafés and restaurants serving up all sorts of varieties of the chocolatety cold weather treat. For 29 days, 24 participating “chocstars” will have a combined 57 crazy hot chocolate flavours available for purchase. For a list of participants, please click here.

Winter Warmer at Vanier Park this weekend: This Family Day weekend, bring your family down to Vanier Park for a day of music, history, science, and art – with live performances by Vancouver Academy of Music students and Bard on the Beach’s Young Shakespeareans. Plus, enjoy face painting, local food vendors and enter to win prizes. Best of all? Your $5 admission includes entry to: Museum of Vancouver, the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Vancouver Maritime Museum, Vancouver Academy of Music and the City of Vancouver Archives. Kids under 5 years old are free!
How it works: Purchase your Winter Wander Passport at Museum of Vancouver, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, or Vancouver Maritime Museum on the day of the event. Take your Winter Wander Passport with you to each location to receive a stamp. Enter to win prizes at all of the attractions! From more information, please visit their website.

VSO Kids’ Koncerts: Latin Beats, Heroic Feats! February 8th from 2:00pm to 3:15pm: Vancouver Symphony Kids’ Koncerts presents: Latin Beats, Heroic Feats! After an unsuccessful attempt to impress his friends with his musical talents, young Max unrolls an ancient scroll and is sent tumbling through time to a distant and vibrant Latin American world where an evil force is sowing discord and disharmony. With the help of the audience and the orchestra, Max must unravel the mystery and collect the musical clues that will bring the people together in song. Suitable for children 4 to 11 years old.

Platypus Theatre and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra bring you this musical adventure. For more information click here!

Family Day at ArtStarts – Monday, February 9th from 10am to 4:30pm: Join ArtStarts on Family Day as they come together as a family and as a community! We will be open from 10am to 4:30pm on Monday, February 9 with lots of special family activities taking place throughout the day, including yoga, storytelling, art-making and a movie. From the tiniest to the full-grown in your pack, come and stretch as a family! Once you’re all invigorated from yoga, engage in arts based activities that explore family identity, explore your imagination for some storytelling and finally unwind and laugh together with a movie screening! Ideal for families with children age 5 and up, but children of all ages are welcome with parental supervision Admission is free.

Robson Square Ice Rink Open for Free until February 28th, 2015: The rink will be open all through the Christmas Holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Skating is free with your own skates, otherwise, rentals are available. The rink also features a concession stand with snacks and warm drinks. Click here for more information.

Dwellings – From Seabeds to Cityscapes: This exhibition of young people’s art explores where we live and how we inhabit space shapes our experiences, our culture, and even who we are. Investigate how creatures in different habitats interact with the spaces they inhabit, envision the human body as a dwelling space, imagine habitations for people in the future, and delve into many other creative contemplation on where we dwell. The exhibition will take place at 808 Richards Street until March 25th, 2015. For more information visit ArtStarts in Schools.

Update for Week Ending January 30th

Our School Directory has been updated. Please find it on the School Information page of our website.

Thank You! A hearty thank you to all who helped and contributed to our Bake Sale on Monday.Thanks to all of the contributions and efforts, it was a huge success! We were able to raise close to $700 for school enrichment activities! The students were all very enthusiastic about the event, and due to the combined effort of all students and staff, many visitors were attracted to the table of treats and were warmly welcomed by the students.

Primary Parent Workshop: Warm thanks to all those who attended our workshop. We trust you found it informative! Special thanks to adolescents, Scott and Avery as well as PSG parents, Katherine and Linh for helping with childcare supervision for this event.

Wine-and-Cheese “Young at Art” Auction: Evening of February 13th: This event will showcase Upper Elementary and Adolescent artwork. Come and bid on a masterpiece!

Elementary Workshop for Parents, Evening of March 2nd: Greg MacDonald, Director of Elementary Training at the Montessori Institute of San Diego will be at our school to speak to parents about Montessori education with a focus on the needs of the child at the elementary stage of development.

MONTESSORI MODEL UNITED NATIONS DELEGATES
Monday, February 2nd, 4:00pm – Talk with Dr. Marlene Asselin, UBC Language and Literacy Education (Upper Elementary MMUN students only)
Dr. Asselin will be speaking to the Upper Elementary MMUN students about her work in Ethiopia with the Canadian Organization for Development through Education (CODE). Please see attachment for more information on Dr. Asselin and her work. Parents of Upper Elementary MMUN students are welcome to attend. Kindly RSVP to coordinator@lionsgatemontessori.org with “Dr. Asselin Talk” in the subject line.

Monday, February 2nd, 1:00pm – Talk with Dr. Abdel-Azim Zumrawi, UBC Forest Resource Management (Adolescent MMUN students only)
Dr. Zumrawi will be speaking to the Adolescent MMUN students about deforestation and biodiversity in Sudan. Parents of Adolescent MMUN students are welcome to attend. Kindly RSVP to coordinator@lionsgatemontessori.org with “Dr. Zumrawi Talk” in the subject line.

Thursday, February 5th – Ethiopian Lunch Outing (Upper Elementary MMUN students only)
As part of their research on Ethiopia, the Upper Elementary MMUN students will take part in a lunch outing to Harambe Ethiopian Restaurant (2149 Commercial Drive). Students will depart from the school at 11:00am and travel to and from the restaurant via public transit. Please return your permission form and payment ($10.25) by Monday, February 2nd, 2015. Transportation fees are covered with thanks to the Students’ Enrichment Funds.

ADOLESCENTS

Farm Update: The students have been working hard this week to set up and organize their new space to their liking and in such a way that will provide optimum learning and efficiency. Aside from working on the interior of the space, the group has also been learning how to properly dispose of materials via recycling and composting- they even built their own composts and strategically decided where to place them with the help and guidance of Mr. Lyle.

First Nations Elder Talk for Adolescents – Friday, February 6th, 1:45pm: Kim Soo Goodtrack, will be speaking to the adolescents on the impact on this continent’s First Nations peoples of the early European settlement in North America. An artist, author, and educator, Kim worked as a teacher for the Vancouver School Board for 24 years until her recent retirement. She shares with her sister, award-winning artist and UBC professor, Dana Claxton, a passion for the preservation of their Lakota heritage through education and art.

ANCHOR POINT

General Anchor Point Reminders:
– Please remember to advise our staff, via email or phone, if your child/ren will be absent or late for the day.
– The weather in Vancouver can be quite unpredictable! Please dress your child/ren for the appropriate weather conditions. We’ll be taking our students out for their Daily Physical Activity and fresh air – rain or shine, so don’t forget to send them to school in waterproof jackets/raincoats!

Return-It School Recycling Program: Beginning this month, the Anchor Point students will be collecting drink containers as part of the Return-It School Recycling Program. All deposit refunds will be placed in the Student Enrichment Fund, to be used towards school enrichment activities. Furthermore, our school will have a chance to win bonus cash prizes! We invite you to contribute to this endeavour, by bringing in clean beverage containers (no dairy products) from your home or workplace. Please visit http://www.returnitschool.ca/students/ for more information on the program and a list of accepted containers. Log in as Anchor Point Montessori to track our progress and compare our efforts to those of other schools enrolled in the program. Thank you for your support, and for helping us reduce our school’s ecological footprint! Special thanks to Anchor Point Student President Emma and her mom, Andrea for helping kickstart this program!

Hip-hop Lessons: Hip-hop Lessons for the Lower Elementary starts on Monday, January 19th at 9:00 a.m. The students will be walked together to The Dance Centre. Hence, please drop off your child/ren no later than 8:45 a.m. to ensure a full hour of class with Mr. Yoshi Hisanaga.
Yoshi is a versatile and innovative dancer who brings a fresh and energetic flavor to dance where ever he goes. Yoshi is a passionate teacher who believes in passing down his knowledge to the next generation and giving back to the Vancouver hip-hop dance community. He focuses on old school hip-hop basics and fundamentals. His classes include everything from popping, bboying, locking, to street jazz. His passion and dedication to the art has caught the attention of the renowned hip-hop group, Over the Influence, which Yoshi has become the latest member of. He also embraces the competitive element of hip-hop. He is an award winning choreographer who specializes in a unique and abstract blend of hip-hop and break dancing. He was the choreographer and dancer for the 2005 Senior Canadian National Dance Competition Champions, and the choreographer for the 2005, 2006, 2007 Junior Canadian National Dance Competition Champions (Elktrik). He also represented Canada at the Hip-hop International Championships in the summer of 2007 in L.A and 2008 in Vegas.

Pizza Fridays: On February 6th and 13th, we are will offer Pizza Fridays! Pizza will be ordered from Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. All of the flatbread pizza bases are 100% organic, made fresh daily with a blend of organic, unbleached white and whole wheat local flours, and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. Pizza will be served with a salad, prepared by the children. For more details, please see the attached form. Please submit your order form with payment no later than Friday, January 30th.

Upper Elementary Students Skating at Robson Square Ice Rink on Monday, February 2nd: The Upper Elementary students will be going to the Robson Square Skating Rink on Monday, February 2nd. Students may bring their own helmets and/or skates. Please fill out the attached form and submit it by Thursday, January 29th.

NORTH CREEK
Safety Reminder: For safety reasons, please be cautious during drop-off and pick-up and encourage your child to walk and not run on the sidewalk.

General Parking Reminder: Please be alerted that parking in front of the school is metered. Ticketing officers are quick in giving out tickets during drop-off and pick-up times!

Labeling Reminder: This is a friendly reminder to please label all of your child’s clothing, including scarves, mittens, hats, jackets, and shoes. Thank you!

COMMUNITY NOTICES
Wondering what to do on weekends with your children? Here are some ideas below:

29th Annual Brackendale Eagle Festival – January 2nd to 31st: Celebrate the 29th Annual Brackendale Eagle Festival, a month long festival featuring a special line up of concerts, lecture series, art shows, and group tours. For more information, please click here.

Dine Out Vancouver 2015 – January 16th to February 1st: Canada’s largest food and drink festival dishes up unlimited ways to enjoy the flavours of the city. Choose from a 17-day calendar of culinary events and experiences, hundreds of restaurants throughout the city and dozens of hotel options to create delicious dining experiences. Click here for more details.