Happy New Year! Welcome back to school! We hope you and yours enjoyed a lovely holiday break. It’s wonderful seeing our students ready and eager to get back to work. We look forward to another term filled with joyful work, fun and discovery!
– The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori
GENERAL NOTICES
Upcoming Dates to Remember
Monday, January 9│ MMUN After School Club commences
Thursday, January 19│Re-registration 2017/2018 School Year Deadline
Thursday, January 26 │February Hot Lunch Orders Deadline
Friday, January 27 │PD Day (NO SCHOOL for students)
Parent Seminar with Greg MacDonald, AMI Montessori Teacher Trainer │POSTPONED! Mr. MacDonald regrets the need to postpone this seminar due to unforeseen circumstances.
Re-registration 2017/2018 School Year: Please find attached, the Re-Registration packages for the 2017/2018 School Year. Please note that the due date for submission is Thursday, January 19th. After that, your child will be placed on the wait list with the prospective students seeking admission.
Hot Lunch:
Orders for February – Deadline: Thursday, January 26th, 3pm
Order for March – Deadline: Thursday, February 23rd, 3pm
ELEMENTARY & ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY
Foundation Skills Assessment (FSAs): Our grade 4 and 7 students have begun practicing the Foundation Skills Assessment (FSA), a province-wide test assessing students on reading, writing, and numeracy and will begin testing at the end of the month. A separate email has been sent home to grade 4 and 7 parents about this.
MMUN After School Clubs│Mondays, Starting January 9: MMUN After School Club led by Ms. Leah and Ms. Riza will begin when we return from Winter Break, meeting every Monday, starting January 9. There is no extra fee to attend the club and attendance is mandatory for all MMUN participants.
MMUN Team Contracts: These forms are now overdue! To ensure safety and success, we ask that both students and parents/guardians acknowledge and sign the attached MMUN Team Contract. Also attached is a Medical Release for all participants to fill in. Kindly returned the signed forms back to the school ASAP if you haven’t done so already. Forms can be found here.
Physical Education│Functional Fitness Training│Wednesdays, 1pm to 2pm: Our first session will begin January 11th. Please sign and return the Gym’s waiver that was sent home with your child this week. If you didn’t receive a copy, please let us know asap. Dynasty Gym requires this waiver to allow the children to participate in their lessons.
CASA COMMUNITY (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY)
Kindergarten Vision Screening│Wednesday, January 18th: A letter has been sent home this week to inform each family that a Public Health Staff will be visiting our school to provide vision screening. If you have not received it, please notify your child’s teachers. If you have any questions or do not wish your child to participate, you may contact Vancouver Community Early Childhood Vision Screening Program directly by phone or email: Belva See at 604-654-2643 or belva.see@vch.ca
ANAPHYLAXIS ALERT! We have been notified that a child in our 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 the child is learning about it. Starting in January 2017, teachers and students will be asked to wash their hands vigilantly and regularly. Please refrain from bringing dairy to the school environment and 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.
COMMUNITY NOTICES Wondering what to do with your family over the weekend? Check these out!
STOMP │ January 13 – 15, 2017: The international sensation that started as a street performance in the UK, is returning to Vancouver. STOMP has toured more than 50 countries and performed for more than 24 million people. So what exactly is all the noise about? What is STOMP? Rather than using traditional percussion instruments the performers turn to found objects. Items that are part of our everyday lives are turned into musically percussive sound creators. Get ready to be awed by the amazing sounds from a garbage can, trash can lids, brooms, inner tubes & more. The production is a multi-media show where 8 performers go full-out to dazzle the audience. Tickets are available from Tickets Tonight and range in price from $55 – $82 (service charges included).
Time: 2pm & 3pm matinees & 8:00pm evening shows
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Address: 630 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Website: www.ticketstonight.ca
Skate on a Pond! Trout Lake is Open for Skating! This almost never happens in the Lower Mainland! Vancouverites may be less than enthusiastic about the ongoing snow & ice, but on the upside Trout Lake has frozen sufficiently to allow skating. Talk about a quintessential Canadian experience. The Vancouver Park Board officially announced yesterday that Trout Lake is open for skating. The Lake has 12cm of ice which means it is safe to skate. The last time this winter miracle happened was in 1996. So if you own skates, don’t miss out on this once every TWO decade experience of getting to skate on an outdoor lake.
Capilano Canyon Lights │ Last day is Sunday, January 8, 2017: Be amazed by the hundreds of thousands of lights throughout the park. The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest, and the 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 (by donation) in the Winter Pavilion, and sing-along with the holiday band. New this year is ‘Fireflies’, an interactive lighting display in the rainforest. Using giant flashlights, guests can magically awaken waves of tiny lights that glimmer and twinkle like fireflies.
Skate at Robson Square Ice Rink │Thursday, December 1, 2016 – Tuesday, February 14, 2017: This winter, renew a classic Vancouver tradition and enjoy some old-fashioned fun. Robson Square’s outdoor skating rink is open, so celebrate winter in style with skating in the heart of downtown Vancouver. It’s a magical place to enjoy the holidays with your friends, family and loved ones.
Hours of Operation:
SUNDAY to THURSDAY: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM
FRIDAY and SATURDAY: 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM
*Skate rental ends 30mins prior to close
Rates
$2.00 Admission Fee
$4.00 Skate Rental Fee
Cash only
Snow Tubing at Mt Seymour │Saturday, December 3, 2016 – Tuesday, January 31, 2017: The Snow Tube Park guarantees fun and laughter with your friends and family. Besides the thrill of sliding down a hill in one of our specially designed tubes, you’re sure to enjoy the easy ride back up by our custom tube tow. Enjoy the best tubing Vancouver has to offer at Mt Seymour! New to Snow Tube Park is the Enquist Lodge. The Lodge offers a warm seating area where you can relax by the fireplace, take in the views, or enjoy a light snack in Harold’s Cafe. Please note: Participants must be 48″ (122cm) or taller to use the SnowTube Park. Please note: Hours of operation are subject to change based on weather conditions. Call Guest Services at 604.986.2261 to confirm our hours of operation.
Family Literacy Day│Friday, January 27, 2016: For the 16th year in a row, the province of British Columbia has proclaimed January 27 as Family Literacy Day. Local libraries have a host of terrific events lined up to celebrate Literacy Day. Bring a flashlight, grab a book, and snuggle in a fort! The Vancouver Public Library is going old school to celebrate this important day. Who doesn’t love to read in the dark? Family Fort Night is happening at the following branches:
Britannia Branch Library (1661 Napier Street) on January 23rd, 2017 from 4:45 – 5:45pm
Terry Salman Branch Library (4575 Clancy Loranger Way) on January 23rd, 2017 from 6:30 – 7:30pm
Central Branch (350 West Georgia Street) on January 23rd, 2017 from 6:30 – 7:30pm
Marpole Branch Library (8386 Granville Street) on January 24, 2017 from 3:30 – 5pm
Hastings Branch Library (2674 East Hastings Street) on January 24th, 2017 from 3:45 – 4:45pm
Kitsilano Branch Library (2425 MacDonald Street) on January 24th, 2017 from 4 – 5:30pm
Mount Pleasant Branch Library (1 Kingsway) on January 25th from 5:30 – 6:30pm
Fraserview Branch Library (1950 Argyle Drive) on January 25th from 6 – 7pm
Oakridge Branch Library (191 – 650 West 41st Avenue) on January 25th from 6 – 7pm
West Point Grey Branch Library (4480 West 10th Avenue) on January 25th from 6 – 7:30pm
Dunbar Branch Library (4515 Dunbar Street) on January 25th from 6:30 – 7:30pm
Renfrew Branch Library (2969 East 22nd Avenue) on January 25th from 6:30 – 7:30pm
Kensington Branch Library (1428 Cedar Cottage Mews) on January 26th from 4 – 5pm
Joe Fortes Branch Library (870 Denman Street) on January 26th from 6 – 7:30pm
Kerrisdale Branch Library (2112 West 42nd Avenue) on January 26th from 6 – 7pm
Champlain Heights Branch Library ( 7110 Kerr Street) on January 26th from 6:30 – 7:30pm
South Hill Branch Library (6076 Fraser Street) on January 27th, 2017 from 3:30 – 4:30pm