We enjoyed festive Thanksgiving lunch celebrations with our extended-day and elementary students – Blogs for this will be up soon on our Full Monte page! We have also been updating our Facebook site on a regular basis with thought-provoking articles and insights on education in Montessori and beyond, so don’t forget to check in!
Wishing you a wonderful long weekend and a Very Happy Thanksgiving!
The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori
GENERAL NOTICES
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12th: NO SCHOOL – Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
DRIED FRUIT & NUT FUNDRAISER: Back by popular demand! We are pleased to hold our annual Dried Fruit & Nut Fundraiser again this autumn. The students will be scooping the treats into beautifully decorated 1 lb or 2 lb bags that make these the perfect hostess gifts, Christmas gifts, family gifts – even client gifts. Keep some for your cupboard too, as they make great snacks for the children and when company comes. Kindly note that hygiene and food safe lessons will also be presented, and the the orders will be distributed in sealed bags and handed to parents directly! Items are available on a first come, first served basis… once they are gone, they’re gone! So if you want something badly, do order fast. Please join us in making this fundraiser a success! Kindly fill return your order form to school with payment no later than Friday, November 6th.
Recycling Unwanted Electronics: The Electronic Recycling Association is hoping we might be able to help with their mission for reducing electronic waste! A not-for-profit organization, they reduce electronic waste through the re-using and recycling of unwanted electronic/IT equipment. All kinds of equipment (computers, laptops, printers, telephones etc.)are collected, refurbished and then donated to various charities and other non-profit organizations. ERA representatives will be leading a drive to collect unwanted electronics from our community. If you would like to participate, please drop-offyour e-devices at your child’s respective location byWednesday, 21st. They also offer free of charge data wiping service with accompanying certificates of data wiping. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions!
Supporting Our School Through Amazon Purchases: Our book store page provides a direct link to Amazon! Any purchases that are made on the Amazon site through this link will generate revenue towards scholarships and our Student’s Enrichment Funds. This is true for any purchase (not just books!) so long as the entry is from our school’s link. Please let your friends and family know that they can help support our schools through their Amazon purchases through the link on our site as well! They can access the bookstore without needing to login to the site with a password.
SCHOOL DIRECTORY: There have been recent updates to the school directory. Please find the updated directory here. (Log in to the website required.) Kindly look through your listing and let us know if there are any misprints!
HOT LUNCH PROGRAM: Our Hot Lunch Program is optional and available to Extended-Day and Elementary students attending our downtown North Creek and Anchor Point facilities. Information about the program, menu, caterer and how to order can be found here. Please note we can no longer accept orders for October but the site is now open for November and December orders.
NEEDLE SAFETY PETITION – Our students, not unlike other children throughout the city, use public parks regularly. Sadly, we continue to find needles and other paraphernalia strewn on the grounds. Although we applaud our city’s efforts in providing safe needles to those in need, there is a lack of safe needle disposal units in places frequented by the most vulnerable – our children. Sign our petition for needle safety in Vancouver. Let’s keep our parks, beaches and playgrounds safe for all!
ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY
Parent/Child Workshop - Thursday, October 22, 4:15pm to 6:15pm: Mark in your calendar!
This is a special time for your child to show you some of the work they have been doing at school. Sign-up sheets will be posted by the entrance on Tuesday, October 13th, when we return from this Thanksgiving long weekend. Kindly select the most convenient time slot for you. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if you need to re-schedule another date and time for this if necessary!
Extra Set of Clothes: Please send an extra set of clothes placed in clear, ziploc bag with your child’s name labelled in front to school by Tuesday, October 13th for your child/ren if you have not done yet. The set should contain the following labelled items: t-shirt, pants, socks and underwear. Thank you! Also, make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather!
Pumpkin Patch – Friday, October 16th: Elementary students will be visiting the pumpkin patch at Richmond Country Farms (12900 Steveston Hwy, Richmond) on Friday, October 16th, 2015 as well as Richmond Nature Park. The school bus will depart at 9:00am sharp, so please ensure your child is dropped off by 8:45am. Don’t forget to pack a picnic lunch for your child that day!
Upper Elementary – WE Day, October 21st: Our Upper Elementary students (grades 4 to 7) are invited to attend this year’s WE Day on October 21st at Rogers Arena. WE Day is an educational program that empowers young people to become active local and global citizens. An unparalleled stadium-sized experience, WE Day brings together world-renowned speakers and performers with stands packed with young social innovators to honour their contributions and kick-start another year of change. Thanks to generous sponsors, the event is free for schools enrolled in the WE Schools Program. The show starts at 9:15am. On that day, kindly drop off your child/ren at 8:30am at Anchor Point and pack your child a picnic lunch. If you prefer to drop-off/pick-up your child at Rogers Arena (800 Griffiths Way) directly, please let us know. Kindly return the permission form as well as a copy of the We Day Media Release Form to the school no later than Thursday, October 15h. For more information, click here.
Physical Education: Our physical activities held on Monday mornings are underway! Kindly drop off your child as the follows:
Lower Elementary (Grades 1 to 3, Ages 6 to 9): Directly at the Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street) If this is inconvenient for your family, please drop off your child no later than 8:45am at Anchor Point and a teacher will walk with them to the Dance Centre.
Upper Elementary (Grades 4 to 7, Ages 9 to 13): Regular drop off at Anchor Point (9:00am).
CASA COMMUNITY (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY)
University of Oxford, PhD Research Project: PhD candidate, Ms. Hanako Shimamura has started to prepare her research work at North Creek Montessori. Ms. Hanako is a certified AMI (3-6) Montessori teacher who completed her training at the Montessori Training Centre of British Columbia. Her research topicis Schooling Effects on Promoting Children’s Self and Social Emotional Development.
Casa Parent Discussions @ North Creek, Thursday, October 15th, 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm, hosted by Ms. Priscilla, Topic: Festivities and Celebrations: Have you ever wondered what’s behind our approach to festivities and celebrations? One’s coming up soon! We invite all parents to join us at our first Casa round-table discussion. Kindly RSVP us by Tuesday, October 13th with Casa Discussion on the subject line if you plan to attend. We look forward to learning together! We will also be offering child care for that evening, thanks to the PSG. When RSVPing, kindly add that you will need child care for your child/ren. Childcare will be provided at our Anchor Point facility.
Pumpkin Patch – Friday, October 16th: Students will be visiting the pumpkin patch at Richmond Country Farms (12900 Steveston Hwy, Richmond) on Friday, October 16th, 2015 as well as Richmond Nature Park. Our bus is scheduled to depart at 9am, so please ensure your child arrives at school on time!
Preparation for Emergency: North Creek asks each family to prepare a personal letter for your child to be kept in our emergency kit. In case of an earthquake, a letter from home will be a very special and personal item to have in hand for comfort.
Please bring containers for leftovers on the days when your child has ordered a hot lunch –Thank you!
COMMUNITY NOTICES Wondering what to do with your family over the weekend? Check these out!
UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival – Saturday & Sunday October 17th & 18th 11am to 4pm: A family event for all ages, the UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival celebrates one of BC’s favourite fruits with tastings, demonstrations, activities and sales of tasty apples and apple trees. Admission $4 (cash) includes free Garden entry. Children 12 and under free. Please leave dogs at home. 604-822-4529.
Night Science for Kids @ VanDusen Gardens – Friday, October 23 6 pm to 7:30 pm: Explore VanDusen Gardens in the evening, when an entirely new host of creatures come out to welcome you. Learn about our resident barred owls, visit the bat houses and tour the gardens with the help of your guide looking for signs of nocturnal life. Experiment with collecting and identifying nocturnal pollinators like the moth and learn which plants you can grow to invite these pollinators to your own backyard.
Vancouver African Children’s Festival - Saturday, October 24, 2015: Come discover Africa through different artistic performances which include dances, storytelling, and a fashion show and enjoy activities such as games, food, dancing for kids and artwork.
ArtStarts presents: Free Workshop for Children – Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 11am and 1pm (2 sessions): Did you know bees help plants make seeds? Did you know seeds help make plants that feed bees? Join artist and beekeeper Lori Weidenhammer to explore the fascinating world of seeds and seedpods. Make seedy care packages for the bees in your garden or as a gift for your favourite gardener. Use your imagination to create your own inspiring seed packet designs to celebrate and feed the bees!
Heart of the City Festival – Wednesday October 28 to Sunday November 8, 2015: Featuring over 90 events at over 25 locations throughout the Downtown Eastside, the annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival is a cultural and heritage event that serves as a high impact, bridge building force that gives voice to the Downtown Eastside and its low income residents, cultural communities and neighbourhoods. The Festival takes inspiration from the words of the late much beloved Downtown Eastside poet and activist Bud Osborn: Our purpose is to live in community, and community is care, care for one another, care for those least able to care for themselves, care for all, care in action. The 2015 Festival features a feast of twelve days of music, stories, songs, poetry, cultural celebrations, films, theatre, dance, processions, spoken word, panels, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibitions, multi media, art talks, history walking tours, and a diverse array of artists.
Diwali Fest – November 3rd to November 15th: Diwali Fest (formerly Vancouver Celebrates Diwali) is an annual South Asian arts & culture festival celebrating the universal light that exists in everyone. Each year’s festival engages dozens of artists in events across the city, the majority of which are open and free to the general public, by suggested donation, or at very affordable ticketed prices. Click here for this year’s events!
LEAP – Mid-November 2015 to April 2016: “LEAP is a dynamic, interactive program for young playwrights. Participants learn the basic principles of playwriting, share their work with classmates, and provide feedback for one another in a safe and supportive environment. Students also receive feedback from theatre professionals and have their plays workshopped and presented to the public in staged readings.” LEAP offers 3 different courses for students at diferrent levels. Any student with an interest in writing of any kind is encouraged to apply. The program is designed both for those interested in theatre-making and those with a creative writing background who want to learn to write in a different genre.