What an eventful third term this has proven to be! Stay tuned for new posts on our Full Monte page. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out new posts on the benefits of multi-age classrooms, why nature’s a balm for us, and how babies might just be born to be good on our Facebook page!

The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori

GENERAL NOTICES

Upcoming Dates to Remember

Friday, April 22 │PD Day NO SCHOOL for students

Friday, May 6 │Mother’s Day Celebration

Thursday, May 19 │ Parent/Child Workshop

Friday, May 20 │ PD Day NO SCHOOL for students

Monday, May 23 │ Victoria Day NO SCHOOL

Friday, May 27 │ Art Auction and Live Entertainment

Summer Enrollment: The Summer Program is divided into two three-week sessions. Students will continue to work in the Montessori environment with enriched activities in Arts and Crafts; Music and Drama; and Science and Nature. They will also participate in excursions to places and events that are related to the above themes. We intend to have 2 sessions for both preschool and elementary students as follows*:

Session 1 │ July 11^th to July 29^th

Session 2 │ August 1^st to August 19^th

*Sessions are subject to minimum enrollment numbers.

Hot Lunch Update: Orders are open for May and June!

May orders closing date │Wednesday, April 27^th 4pm

June orders closing date│Wednesday, May 25^th 4pm

ANCHOR POINT COMMUNITY

FSA Results: These were emailed to parents last week. Once again, we were very pleased with our students’ results. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you have any questions!

Spring Tennis Lessons: All students will be walking to the David Lam Park tennis courts at 1300 Pacific Boulevard to participate in tennis lessons the following Wednesdays: May 18^th, May 25^th, June 1^st, June 8^th, June 15^th and June 22^nd. The students will be grouped according their skill levels. Your child will need to come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear, water, and, if possible, their own tennis racquet. Please submit the permission slip to school no later than Friday, April 29^th.

** Please note that due to the 4-20 protests that will be happening at Sunset Beach on Wednesday, April 20^th, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre will be closed for the day. Therefore, we won’t have swimming lessons on that day. We were just informed of this closure and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Upper Elementary │ Fly Over Canada │ Friday, April 29th: The Upper Elementary students of Anchor Point will be attending a showing of Fly Over Canada on Friday, April 29th 2016. We will be going as part of our ‘Studies on Canada’ class project. This “virtual flight over Canada” showcases some of our country’s most spectacular sights, in a 25 minute ride. Fly Over Canada is located at 201-999 Canada Place. We will be walking to Canada Place for this field trip and depart from Anchor Point after lunch. The show will start at 1:15 and is approximately 30 minutes long. We will return to the classroom by 2:15pm. Please check the weather on the day of the field trip and send your child to school with the appropriate clothing and footwear. The fees for this field trip are being paid out of the Student’s Enrichment Fund. Please submit the  permission slip no later than Thursday, April 21st.

Farm Visit Update: As you may know, we are scheduled to go on the following dates: April 18^th, April25^th, May 2^nd, May 9^th, May 16^th, May 30^th, June 6^th, June 13^th and June 20^th. On these days, students will leave Anchor Point at 11:15am and will depart Richmond at approximately 4pm. They are expected to arrive back at Anchor Point approximately 5pm. You’re welcome to pick up your child directly from the site in Richmond at 4pm, if you wish. If this is the case, please let us know. PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD HAS A COMPASS CARD.

CASA COMMUNITY (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY)

Montessori Practicum Students: We will be welcoming two practicum students from the Montessori Training Centre of BC for their final Montessori Observation from April 20 to April 25; and final Practicum from May 16 to June 3. Ms. Carolina Tellini will be in the AM classroom under the supervision of Ms. Julia; and Ms. Sandra Garcia will be in the PM classroom under the supervision of Ms. Priscilla. Their bios will be displayed by the door when their practicum schedule commences.

Healthy Snacks, Please: This is a friendly reminder that the school offers healthy organic fruits, veggies and crackers to students. However, families may send personal snacks as well. When sending your child to school with snack, we strongly recommend you pack natural, nutritious and healthy snacks rather than candied or processed treats. Please do not send snacks that contain nuts as we need to maintain a nut free facility for student safety.

COMMUNITY NOTICES Wondering what to do with your family over the weekend? Check these out!

Abbotsford Tulip Festival  │Friday, March 25, 2016 to Sunday, May 1, 2016: Spring has arrived and tulips are in bloom! The Abbotsford Tulip Festival welcomes everyone to join in the celebration of spring! Pack a picnic or visit one of the food trucks and enjoy a fun filled day with family and friends. With photo cut out boards, a covered picnic area and a children’s play area, there is something for everyone! For those looking to bring some of the beauty home, bouquets of fresh cut tulips will be available at the on-site flower market. For those who want the full farm experience, wander through our designated u-pick area and build a bouquet of your own. For the beginner or avid gardeners, bulbs may be ordered at the market and will be delivered in the fall.

Blossom Barge │April 16 & 17, 2016: In celebration of Vancouver’s 10th annual Cherry Blossom Festival, a barge filled with 40 blooming cherry trees will sail our waterways. The barge will depart from Crab Park, sail past Canada Place, Stanley Park, English Bay, Granville Island, Science World and finished at Dock 7 by Granville Island Market. Some of the best viewing spots will be Canada Place, The Pier, Jack Poole Plaza, and Harbour Green Park. After the Blossom Barge docks, everyone can enjoy FREE performances on the Blossom Barge stage (noon – 2pm). Performances include Tetsu Taiku & Tzo’kam collaboration, Langley Ukulele Ensemble, Kutapira, Chibi Taiko, and the international yoyo superstar – Harrison Lee.

Family History with a Smartphone. Sunday, April 17th: A project offered by the Pacific Canada Heritage Centre in partnership with UBC Asian Library that will teach how family stories and oral histories are gathered, and how they can be exhibited as an heirloom for generations to come. The first of two workshops of “Family History with a Smartphone”, a , . Our second workshop is May 14th, with a Community Showcase on June 4th. To register, click here.

Raffi @ The Orpheum April 23, 2016, 2pm │Many parents are what Raffi calls “Beluga Grads”. They grew up listening to Baby Beluga, Bananaphone, and so many others of his great hits. We are in luck, the gold and platnium-selling artist is returning to the stage…though this time it is the Orpheum Theatre. Get your tickets now because they are going to sell out!

Vancouver Sun Run │Sunday, April 17, 2016: The Vancouver Sun Run has been Canada’s largest 10 km road race since its inception in 1985. Still Canada’s largest 10 km road race, the Vancouver Sun Run is now the 2nd largest timed 10 km in the world. Runners, joggers, walkers, & wheelchairs make their way around the route along the streets of downtown Vancouver. The Vancouver Sun Run has truly become one of Vancouver’s traditional rites of spring and is preparing for its 31st year running.

Family Day @ the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art│ Saturdays until May 28, 2016: Bring your kids to the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art on Saturdays. Kids can explore exhibitions, take part in art discoveries and use interactive ‘Discovery’ tables where they (and you!) can participate and learn more about the amazing art in the gallery. Staff are on site to get young people started, and keep them going, as they explore the world of Canadian art. Event Dates: Weekly on Saturday until Saturday May 28, 2016.