What a contrast this November has been to last year, when we had the Atmospheric River causing the flooding! I believe there is rain on the way, so encourage you all to make sure that your children have proper outerwear, as they will go outside most days. Our damp BC climate makes it feel extra cold on rainy days at this time of year.

THANK YOU

• to all families for being so diligent about keeping sick children home. At my principals' meeting last Thursday I heard that a lot of schools are experiencing the same high absentee rate - we are starting to see our numbers back up again, which is wonderful. May we have a healthy winter!

• to families of students receiving First Communion this year for bringing your children to the Mass this morning. What enthusiasm during the homily!

  
  

INFORMATION:

• Food Drive Need of the Week: canned soup

• Now that people are coming into the school more often than in the past few years, a reminder that you should always check in at the office. If you are going to stay for any length of time (i.e., working in a classroom, on supervision) we would like you to wear a visitor's badge, which we will give you at the office. Thank you!

• As in previous years, each class has been given a specific family to support for our Christmas Hamper program. The information for your child's class would have been, or will be, sent home from the classroom teacher

• Absence Notes - if you receive one of these from the school, please fill it out, sign and return. These are dates from the school year where your child(ren) were absent and we do not have an email or written note excusing them, so they can extend back as far as September.

• Christmas Shop - every year we set up a shop for our students so they can buy gifts for their parents (at the amazing bargain of $1/item!). However, we are in need of gently-used (or new, that you won't be using) items to stock the shop. If you have anything at home that you could send, please do so as soon as possible so our shopkeepers can see what we have and make plans for display. We also welcome donations of Christmas themed gift bags and wrapping paper (the gifts will be wrapped for the children to take home).

REMINDERS

• We are collecting orders for the poinsettia and Purdys fundraisers at this time.

• St. Mary's BIG RAFFLE

  • We are excited to announce we are embarking on a new fundraising effort- and a little friendly competition with the Parish, to try and raise $20,000 for our school with our BIG RAFFLE fundraiser!

• What is the BIG RAFFLE? It’s super easy and simple – we have 1000 raffle tickets for sale in total and cash prizes to be won, with a fun “Bash before Ash (Wednesday)” event at the end to draw the winning tickets.

• Here’s where the friendly competition comes in- as a school community, we have 100 books of raffle tickets (5 tickets at $20 each per book) that we need to sell by the end of January in an effort to raise $10,000 for the school! Father Wilfred has sold all 100 books at the parish, and is taking more from us - let's get caught up to him!

• If every family takes one book of tickets (to either keep for themselves or sell to friends and family) we can easily sell out our books!

• To get your tickets, either stop by the school office, or request them at www.saintmarysschool.ca/big-raffle today!

MONDAY:

TUESDAY:

• Hot Lunch - Pizza

• Grade 4/5 Girls Volleyball Practice, 3:00 - 4:00

• Grade 6/7 Girls’ volleyball tournament at Cornerstone Christian in Abbotsford 3-5 pm

WEDNESDAY:

• Mass, Grades 2 - 7 (please wear sweaters) - all families welcome!

• Grade 4/5 Boys Volleyball Practice, 3:00 - 4:00

• PEC Meeting, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY:

• Deadline for Poinsettia Orders - must be submitted to the school office by the end of the school day

• Grade 7 Girls/Boys Basketball Practice, 3:00 - 4:00

FRIDAY:

• CISVA Networking Day for Schools - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

SATURDAY:

SUNDAY:

• First Sunday of Advent

  
  

LOOK-AHEAD to MONDAY, November 28th - we will be having an Advent Assembly at 10:00 - all families are welcome. Also please note - St. Mary's Parish will be having an 8:00 a.m. weekday Mass during Advent - you are encouraged to bring your children to Mass during this special time of year.

Enjoy this last week of Ordinary Time before we enter the penitential season of Advent!