Friday, January 1, 2016

NY 2016

Dear Families,

We hope you’ve enjoyed a cheerful, relaxing and safe holiday season!  ​Please find below​,​ ​our general notices ​and back to school reminders​. See you all back on​ Monday​ January 4th!​​

Warm regards,​
The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori

General Notices​​
​RE-REGISTRATIONS SEPTEMBER 2016 are due on Friday, January 15th. ​Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.​​ ​

​AFTER SCHOOL CLUB REGISTRATION: Please let us know if you are interested in registering your child for our After School Club Winter Session. Kindly submit form and payment no later than Tuesday, January 5th.

LATE ARRIVALS AND DISMISSALS​ REMINDERS: Classes begin promptly at 8:45 am for morning preschool, 12:45 pm for afternoon preschool,​ ​and 9:00 am for elementary. Students who do not arrive promptly often miss important​ lessons and begin their days harried. Late arrivals and repeated tardiness are recorded for​ all kindergarten and elementary children. ​Please call or email us to let us know if you are going​ ​to be late for arrival. It is essential to let us know that you are going to be late for pick-up​. This greatly relieves your child’s anxiety while waiting and prevents​ your emergency contact person being contacted unnecessarily.

HOT LUNCH JANUARY, FEBRUARY & MARCH:​​ Hot lunch orders are now open for​ our​
upcoming term​! Kindly note the month(s) for which you are paying for on the memo line of your cheque(s). Please also note the following deadlines dates for ordering with Choices:
Orders for January -​ CLOSED​
Orders for February – Deadline: Wednesday, January 27th 4pm
Order for March – Deadline: Wednesday, February 24th  4pm
​These deadlines must be followed without exception in order for Choices to organize themselves and deliver the correct number of lunches.  There is, however, flexibility when ordering pizza. Please let us know by Thursday of any week for an upcoming Pizza Mondays and we’ll be happy to add/modify your child’s/children’s orders​.​​ Kindly let us know if you are ordering for your child a small (single slice) or a large (2 slices) as well as the type he/she would like (pepperoni or mozzarella)​.

ELEMENTARY COMMUNITY​
Friday, January 15th​, 8:15am​ – Grouse Mountain Field Trip: Students will ​learn about wildlife,​ and​ have​ fun in the snow​!​ We will be taking the a school bus for this field trip​, departing from school promptly​ at​ 8:45am (students must be dropped off at 8:15am that day) and will be leaving the mountain at 2:30pm. Please check the weather on the day of the field trip and send your child /children to school with appropriate clothing and footwear​ such as waterproof apparel that is also removable for the indoor curriculum portion of​ they day.​ (Students will be spending time indoors and out.) Students should also bring a bagged lunch and a light snack. Please note that half of the admission of this field trip and transportation is being covered by the​ Students​’ Enrichment Fund (children’s fundrais​ing​ efforts).  Kindly return your child’s/children’s form(s) with payment no later than Friday, January 8th.

​CASA COMMUNITY​ ​ (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY)

​Montessori Practicum Students: Ms. Vicky Liu and Ms. Soma Keo from the Montessori Training Centre of BC have completed their first assigned practicum session in the classrooms under the supervision of Ms. Julia and Ms. Kelly. Their next practicum session will be from February 22 to March 4.
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​​COMMUNITY NOTICES​​ ​Wondering ​what to do with your family over the weekend? Check these out​!​​
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Capilano Canyon Lights until January 3, 2016: Celebrate Canyon Lights until January 3, 2016. Re-capture the feeling of wonder and excitement of the holiday season and be amazed by the hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the park. The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon are transformed into a world of festive lights and visual enchantment. See the world’s tallest living Christmas tree (153 feet tall!), go on a Snowy Owl Prowl, decorate gingerbread cookies and make your own Christmas card in the Winter Pavilion, and sing-along with the holiday band. New this year? Canyon Lights illuminating the river and cliff face! Park hours are 11:00am – 9:00pm. Canyon Lights tickets are valid all day with holiday activities beginning at 4:00pm.​​

Robson Square Ice Rink and Plaza​, ​Tuesday, December 1, 2015 – Sunday, February 28, 2016: The Government of British Columbia’s Robson Square Ice Rink, located in downtown Vancouver, is opening on the afternoon of December 1, 2015 and 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. Find more about this great opportunity here.

BodyWorlds – Animal Inside Out! @ Science World – Tuesday, November 3, 2015 – Monday, March 28, 2016: Body Worlds creator and anatomist, Dr Gunther von Hagens takes you on an anatomical safari with Animal Inside Out! As you explore this captivating exhibition, you will experience the intricate biology, zoology and physiology of a variety of the world’s most spectacular creatures. Animal Inside Out contains more than 100 specimens that have been painstakingly preserved by the remarkable process of Plastination, invented by Dr von Hagens. Students will be able to examine the anatomical intricacies of familiar and exotic animals like giraffes, camels and octopuses. This exhibition is an unforgettable way for students to learn about animal science.

​​​CommonGround: An Exhibition of Young People’s Art Saturday, October 17, 2015 – Sunday, March 27, 2016: Common Ground is an exhibition featuring a variety of projects that present how students in schools across British Columbia explored their local landscape and its relationship with the people, animals and plants who live there. Dynamic environments and ecosystems became hubs for artistic investigations. Experiential learning provided opportunities for students to engage in diverse art forms such as drawing, weaving, felting, printmaking and embroidery. Students gained an enhanced understanding of native and invasive plant species and the animals that depend on them. They cultivated an appreciation of the relationships between natural resources and the traditions of local Aboriginal cultures that have maintained a strong connection to the land from ancestral times. ArtStarts Gallery is located at 808 Richards Street (at Robson) in downtown Vancouver. The ArtStarts Gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10am to 4:30pm. Admission is free and all ages are welcome.