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 . Mr MacDonald will be delving into the four planes of development and how adults can aid children reach their fullest potential in each plane. RSVP office@lionsgatemontessori.org if you wish to attend. Child-minding is also available. This event for all Lions Gate community, including parents of children enrolled at North Creek.

​Book Sale & Swap at North Creek and Anchor Point – Thursday, March 5th: We have been gifted and garnered precious books over our school’s history. On Thursday, March 5th, we are going to host a book sale table, for classics and rare gems, as well as a table of books to be swapped out, or taken by donation. Please bring any books or resources (board games, puzzles, etc) you would like to swap or donate. Thank you for your interest and we hope you find fun tales to share and enjoy over Spring Break! Here are the times of the sale:
North Creek Table: 11:30am to 12pm and 12:30pm to 1:00pm with Ms. Candice
Anchor Point Table: 3:45pm to 4:30pm with Ms. Candice
Anchor Point students in Upper and Lower elementary have browsed through the books for the upcoming swap, and have written down which books, as well as how many, they would like to swap. Kindly discuss this with your child/ren.

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 launch this program!

Pizza Mondays: We are bringing back the Pizza days to Anchor Point after Spring Break! As usual, pizza will be ordered from Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. All of the flatbread pizzas as 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 side of salad or veggies, prepared by the children. For more dates, please see the attached form. To order, please submit the form with payment no later than Monday, March 23rd.

​MMUN​ REMINDER​ – Forms and fees are due Friday, March 6th.

ADOLESCENTS​

​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.

ANCHOR POINT

​​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.

Hip-hop Lessons​ – Upper Elementary​:​ Upper Elementary will begin their dance lessons on Monday, February 23rd. ​The students walk together to the Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie Street, at Granville)​. To ensure students receive a full hour of class, please drop off your child/ren to school no later than 8:45am. Alternatively, you may also drop your child/ren at the Scotia Bank Dance Centre directly. Please be sure to send a water bottle with your child/ren and ensure they dress appropriately as it is quite warm inside the dance center.

NORTH CREEK

​Looking for Garden Volunteers: One of our parents, Christine Spreter, has invited the Casa children to help develop her garden plot. The plot is located under the Burrard Bridge just down the road from our school. We are looking for volunteers to help prepare the soil for spring gardening. If you are interested, please email northcreek@lionsgatemontessori.org.

Progress Reports: Progress reports will be handed out on Monday, March 2nd. We will not be holding conferences in connection with these reports, however any parent who would like to have a conference prior to Spring Break, please email teachers at northcreek@lionsgatemontessori.org​ to arrange a time.

Kindly asking for donation of eggshells: We are in need of eggshell donations for Crushing the Eggshell exercise. It is one of the most beloved exercises by the children, and is important in the preparation of the hand for writing. If you have extras at home, please wash the eggshells, dry them and send them in with your child. We appreciate your cooperation. ​

Please return the work folders: Please be sure to return your child’s work folder to school so that he/she may carry their new work home inside the waterproof pocket.

Punctual Arrival Reminder: Please make sure the punctual arrival during drop-off otherwise late arrival really becomes an interruption of the work for the whole class as an huge obstacle for our children’s development. Thank you for your cooperation. ​

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 Little Prince with Monster Theatre at the ArtStarts Gallery – Saturday, February 28 at 11am and 1pm: “All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.” Meet talking roses and foxes! Experience interplanetary travel! Learn about true love and loyalty! Join The Little Prince on a spectacular adventure as he celebrates open-mindedness, open-heartedness and the beauty of imagination. With puppets, masks, original music and a little theatre magic, the storytelling experts of Monster Theatre will capture your hearts and your funny bones as they bring Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s cherished novella to life before your eyes. Free! No pre-regestration necessary. The event will be held at the ArtStarts Gallery, 808 Richards St, Vancouver. For more information, click here.

Spring Break Camps at Van Dusen Gardens: Van Dusen Gardens is offering multiple Spring Break Camps for children of varying ages, with programs ranging from Botanical Art to Rainforest Adventure. Please visit their website for more details.​

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.