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.
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 .
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.
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.
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!
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 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.
Speed Skating Meet: The Vancouver & Richmond Speed Skating Clubs are hosting a 
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!
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.