We enjoyed a busy week from student-led conferences, attending ballet to preparing for our MMUN trip! Our MMUN students are very excited to represent the school as the Cuban delegation in NYC!
Second Term Progress Reports have been sent home! If you would like to discuss your child’s progress, please feel free to email us to schedule a parent-teacher conference.
– The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori
GENERAL NOTICES
Upcoming Dates to Remember
March 4 to 11 │ MMUN NYC Trip
March 7 | Call for Fabrics deadline
March 9 | What a Wonderful World VSO Concert
March 10 | LE HR MacMillan Space Centre
March 11 to 26 │ March Break NO SCHOOL
March 28 | LE Mike’s Critters
March 30 | Science World Field Trip
April 3 | UE Reel2Real Film Festival
The Children’s Quilt Project – Call for Fabrics: Anchor Point and North Creek students will design and sew a handmade quilt from each campus for a school auction in May. The project invites each family to bring a square of meaningful fabric from home to contribute in building the parts of the complete creations. Each square of fabric is required to be 20cm x 20cm. All fabrics must be received by March 7th for the teachers to organize and prepare the work for the next step. Our goal is to have both quilts finished and ready for auction in May.
Hot Lunch: We are now able to accept credit card payments for Hot Lunch orders as well as payments through your personal PayPal accounts! Log-in as usual follow the prompts at checkout. While we prefer online payment going forward, for the rest of this month (and including hot lunch orders for the month of March), we will continue to accept cheques.
For hot lunch orders for April and beyond, online payment will be required. Please email us with any questions! Kindly note our order deadlines below:
April Order Deadline: Wednesday, March 29th, 3pm
May Order Deadline: Wednesday, April 26th, 3pm
June Order Deadline: Thursday, May 25th, 3pm
ELEMENTARY & ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY
The Elementary community has scheduled several going-outs for the coming weeks. Please arrive to school on time since we have to walk to our destination.
Birthday Celebrations: We celebrate birthdays on the Friday of the child’s birthday week. You are invited to bring some treats for everyone to share. Please bring enough for 42 students in the community. If your child would like to share some pictures, he/she may bring some for everyone to see!
MMUN NYC Trip | March 4 to 11: MMUN uniforms have been sent home. Please don’t forget to pack them too! See you at the airport Saturday, March 4, 7:30 PM!
What a Wonderful World │March 9: The Extended-Day and Lower Elementary students will join the VSO on a musical trip around the globe! We will explore the sounds and musical traditions of many countries and cultures around the world to learn about what makes them unique, as well as what makes music a truly universal language. Permission forms and payment were collected earlier in the school year. We are leaving the school at 9:15 AM.
HR MacMillan Space Centre | March 10 at 10:15 AM: The Lower Elementary students will visit the HR MacMillan Space Centre for a Planetarium Show, GroundStation Canada, Workshop & Cosmic Courtyard Gallery. We are leaving the school at 9:30 AM. Please return your child’s permission slip to the school.
Mike’s Critters | March 28: Mike’s Critters will be visiting the Lower Elementary students. Mike’s Critters is a collection of over 300 animals from about 70 species. Reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects, arachnids, crustaceans and mammals populate this fascinating collection of weird and wonderful creatures from around the world. The PSG has generously funded this activity for our children. Please return your child’s permission slip to the school.
Science World Field Trip | March 30: Grades 3 to 7 students will be visiting Science World to attend a Chemistry workshop. This workshop will extend our students’ knowledge of the states of matters, using indicator chemicals that distinguish acids from bases, carry out safe chemical reactions while looking for signs of chemical and phase change. This will be a great way for students to observe demonstrations and carry out hands-on activities to relate the properties of familiar (and more exotic) substances with the atoms that they’re composed of. The PSG has generously funded this activity for our children. Kindly submit the Permission form by Monday, March 27.
Real2Reel Film Festival | April 3 at 9:40 AM: Grades 3-7 students will be watching “Indigenous Spotlight” featuring some of the most interesting filmmaking around the world coming from the resilient Indigenous communities that are making themselves heard from the Andes to Canada. Students will also attend a storyboarding workshop. Warm thanks to the PSG for generously funding this activity for our children. Please return your child’s permission slip to the school.
HEALTHY MEALS REMINDER: To keep our children’s brains active and engaged, please have your child/ren bring healthy lunches to school.
CASA COMMUNITY (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY)
The Children’s Quilt Project – Call for Fabrics: A big THANK YOU to the families who have brought in a piece of meaningful or cultural fabric to contribute to the making of the collective quilt. If you have not done so, the deadline is Tuesday, March 7th!
What a Wonderful World │March 9: The Extended-Day and Lower Elementary students will join the VSO on a musical trip around the globe! We will explore the sounds and musical traditions of many countries and cultures around the world to learn about what makes them unique, as well as what makes music a truly universal language. Permission forms and payment were collected earlier in the school year.
Parents who have tickets and are joining the concert, please confirm with your child’s teachers to inform us if you would like to meet us at the door in front of the Orpheum Theatre (on Granville Street) at 9:45am or walk from school to the theatre with the other students. Teachers and students will leave school at 9am sharp. Concert starts at 10am.
ANAPHYLAXIS ALERT! We have been notified that a child in our Casa community has a life-threatening allergy (anaphylaxis) reaction to dairy. The school is following the VCH guidelines, the family is working with the school, and all AM and PM Preschool and Extended Day are learning about it. Starting in January 2017, teachers and students will be asked to wash their hands vigilantly and regularly, both at North Creek and in the Extended Day classroom at Anchor Point. Please refrain from bringing dairy to the school environment as you introduce your child to anaphylaxis awareness. If dairy is not avoidable, please inform the teachers of the items at the door. It will help us coordinate the classroom to protect all the children. For more information, please visit www.foodallergycanada.ca.
Label Belongings: Please remember to label your children’s shoes, scarves, gloves, hats, jackets, and food containers. Thank you!
COMMUNITY NOTICES Wondering what to do with your family over the weekend? Check these out!
Haiku Invitational | March 1 – June 1, 2017: Canada celebrates its 150th birthday in 2017. Vancouver will contribute to this anniversary by celebrating the country’s strength, pride, and freedom. Accordingly, the theme for the 2017 VCBF Haiku Invitational will be freedom. Please write your cherry blossom haiku in a context of freedom in all its manifestations. Please submit your 2017 Haiku Invitational entry here.
Seedy Saturday | Saturday, March 4, 2017: The 8th Annual Richmond Seedy Saturday is on Saturday, March 4th, 2017 at Thompson Community Centre, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is by donation. For more information please see the event page or contact us. Spend the day at Seedy Saturday and get ready for the upcoming gardening season with local seed, garden, and plant companies. Bring seeds for the seed exchange and your gardening questions to ask a Master Gardener. This is a family-friendly celebration so bring the whole family and enjoy the kid’s activity area, live music, baked goods, and tea and coffee. The event brings together community members, local seed, garden & plant companies, non-profits, and community groups to recognize the importance of, and increase access to, locally-grown and adapted seeds.
Workshops with organic farmer and seed producer David Catzel:
10:30 a.m. – Home-Scale Seed Saving
12:30 p.m. – GMO vs Hybrid vs Open Pollinated: What’s the Difference?
Busytown, The Musical | Saturday, March 4, 2017 – Sunday, March 5, 2017: Vancouver Performing Stars is excited to present Busytown! the Musical based on the book, What Do People Do All Day, by Richard Scarry. The best-selling book is being brought to life by 40 young performers (ages 7-12) in a genuinely comical and a fun-for-the-whole-family production. Busytown! – The Musical runs March 4th-5th, 2017 with a 2:30pm matinee and 6pm evening show on Saturday, March 4th and 11am and 2:30pm shows on Sunday, March 5th at the Jules Verne Theatre. Tickets are available through brownpapertickets.com or by calling the Box Office: 1-800-838-3006. Tickets are $20 for Adults and $12 for children under 12.
The Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show | Saturday, March 4, 2017 – Sunday, March 5, 2017: OVER 250 EXHIBITORS offering the latest camping gear, paddle sports, outdoor clothing, scuba diving & ultimate adventure travel destinations! PLUS – over 60 adventure presentations to help you plan your next adventure.
Vancouver Bike Show | Saturday, March 4, 2017 – Sunday, March 5, 2017: C’s Ultimate Cycling Event to Kick off Your 2017 Riding Season! See the Best in Bikes, Accessories, and Apparel. New Outdoor Demo Track! Cycle Stage Presentations. Meet Pro Riders. Awesome Interactive fun for the Kids!
Night Quest | Saturday, March 25, 2017: Nature at Night is a magical experience. Wander 2 km of lantern-lit trails and explore like owls, squirrels, coyotes and other nocturnal creatures. Bring a flashlight or lantern and a mug for the cash-only concession. Trails are wheelchair and stroller accessible. Allow 1.5 hrs to complete. Presented by Metro Vancouver and Pacific Spirit Park Society.
Snow Cave Adventure | Available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday hroughout the winter: Snowshoe your way to a pre-made igloo that serves as a source of inspiration as your group begins building your own snow cave or igloo. The experience lasts four hours and includes a celebratory hot chocolate.
Dates & Times:
Bookings available starting February 3, 4, and 5.
Available Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout the winter.
(May be available other days by request.)
Afternoon (12pm-4pm)
Evening (5pm-9pm)
Full Moon Drop-in Experience
Friday February 10th – Evening tour (5:00-9:00pm)
Sunday March 12th – Evening tour (5:00-9:00pm)
Member Rate – $88 per person*
Non-Member Rate – $110 per person*
Includes: Skyride Alpine Experience Ticket, snowshoe rentals, required equipment for cave construction, headlamps and hot chocolate.
After School Nature Explorers | February 8th- June 7th (Except March 15th, 22nd, and May 3rd): Fuel your child’s natural curiosity with VanDusen’s NEW Afterschool Nature Explorers program! With an engaging blend of hands-on activities, dissections, crafts, and games, afternoons will be spent both outside and indoors. Kids will explore the Garden, and use tools to further investigate their garden discoveries using the microscopes and our classroom SmartBoard. Sign up for a single session, or buy a 5 session pass.
Register here or contact the Education Department at 604-718-5898 for information.
Wednesdays, 4 – 5:30 pm (drop off available from 3:45pm)
Playdome | Wednesday, March 22, 2017 – Sunday, March 26, 2017: Western Canada’s largest and most anticipated indoor carnival is back for spring break 2017 as PlayDome returns to BC Place. PlayDome features more than 45 rides and attractions, plus your favourite carnival snacks and games, all under one roof! Once you’ve taken a turn on all the rides, snack on all your favourite fair foods like cotton candy and mini donuts and play the always-entertaining Carnival Games.
Rates:
$29 Dome Pass (valid for full day, all rides)
$49 Ultimate Pass (5-days, all rides)
$8 Guest Pass (required to enter as a spectator)
Book signing and reading for children’s book “Chester Gets a Pet” | Saturday, March 25, 2017: Meet author Judson Beaumont and voice actor Kelly Sheridan for a book signing and reading event for the new children’s book “CHESTER Gets a Pet!”
ELMACON 2017 | Saturday, May 6, 2017: Students from grades 5, 6, and 7 compete in separate divisions. Each division is comprised of three rounds Sprint, Target (both written) and Countdown (a verbal one-on-one competition). The top 25 participants in each grade are acknowledged and the top ten participants from each grade advance to the CountDown Round (oral contest).
Registration for the ELMACON is now open and will close on April 7th, 2017. The registration fee is $25 per student.
Sign up your child/ren for these fun and exciting Spring Break Camps. Register early as spaces are filling up fast!
Jump Gymnastics Full-day or Half-day Camps: Stories, games and play for the under-eight crowd. Daily themes include robots, winter sports, Arctic animals, knights and castles, mini chefs, fun on the farm, and pirates. Half- or full-day options available.
ArtsUmbrella: Intensive art experiences for children ages 3-19. Half- and full-day programs include classes in dress-up drama, creative movement, drawing, painting, acting for the camera, hip hop dance, Shakespeare, computer arts, show choir, classical animation, and more. For a preview of our Granville Island programs view our Spring Break 2017 Guide!
Spring AquaCamps: Children ages 5-12 learn about local and exotic animals through hands-on activities, animal observations, crafts and indoor and outdoor play.
Summer Camp Fun at the Circus! | Kids ages 5-14 learn how to juggle, ride unicycles, jump on trampolines and build human pyramids. Camp concludes with a showcase for friends and family.
City of Vancouver Camps: Vancouver’s 24 community centres offer an array of half- and full-day programs for the Spring Break period.
Culinary Camp: Young chefs get an introduction to world cuisine thanks to the fine folks at PICA. Each day is themed around the cuisine from a different region, including Italy, South America, France, and Southeast Asia. Also included: a tour of the Granville Island Public Market, lunch at Bistro 101 and an Iron Chef Challenge. No need to pack a lunch: participants will work together to cook the entire meal.
CSI Kids Camp: CSI Junior Detectives Camp is a three-day crime-solving camp which features unique and exciting opportunities for youth to get involved in criminal investigation and forensic science activities. Designed especially for Junior Detectives aged 9-12, CSI Camp offers the chance to get involved in a series of hands-on forensics investigations, following a trail of clues to solve exciting mysteries. Highlights of the program include learning from Museum experts, trained VPD officers, and others who follow crime clues in real life!
YMCA Camps: At YMCA camps, the emphasis is on play. Through fun physical activities, kids ages 6-12 learn about themselves and grow in self-confidence as they develop new skills and meet new friends.
KiddoButtons Camp: Five-day camp encourages playful imaginations and active bodies through yoga, crafts, stories and games. For kids ages 2-8.
Vancouver Performing Stars Camps: In this intensive “create-a-musical” full day camp, students will be immersed in the world of musical theatre. Sing, dance, act with our energetic instructors leading the way to create a mini production. Students will create their own costumes and props for a “Friends and Family” performance on the last day. For kids ages 7-14.