I am grateful to God for the many blessings he has bestowed on this community.  What a wonderful weekend of celebration for our school.  

THANK YOU

• To the choir members who sang the national anthem at the Chilliwack Chiefs game on Saturday night - you looked and sounded wonderful!  Thank you to family members for getting the children there.

• To the multitude of volunteers who made our Walkathon, Mass and 75th anniversary such a success.  Particular thanks go to our PEC Fundraising Coordinator, Elaine Monteiro and to the Walkathon Coordinator, Karthey Saravanan.  

INFORMATION

• Fall Sports programs began last week. If your student brought home a permission slip, please sign and return it as soon as possible.  Please note that practices always run from 3:00 - 4:00.  We remind you of the following things:

• practices are open only to the grades specified.  Younger or older siblings are not permitted to attend the practice.  They must be picked up at the usual dismissal time.

• please make sure that your child knows in the morning that he or she is able to stay for practice.  We always get a number of students trying to phone home right when we are trying to do end-of-day prayer and announcements.  You can always write practices and games in their school planner!

• please pick up promptly at 4:00.  Our coaches are putting in this extra effort after school and often still need to prepare for teaching the next day.

• we do not provide transportation to and from away games. Parents must make those arrangements themselves.  If you have arranged for another family to transport your child, please always inform the coach and classroom teacher.

We have often been told how sportsmanlike our students are, in addition to being talented athletes.  I am looking forward to another great year of athletics.  Thank you to our talented coaches!

REMINDERS

• Coupon books are available in the office - $15 each, with $7.50 coming to the school.  Please promote these to friends and family.

• Walkathon pledge sheets and money should now be submitted to the school.  Please make sure that you have the pledge sheet and money together in an envelope or ziplock bag, so we know which money goes with which sheet!  Please do not send the sheet and money until you have all of the money collected.

• Terry Fox donation sheets and money should also be returned this week.  Thanks to our kids for doing a great job with running on Friday, and to Miss Gillespie for organizing this campaign.

• School sweaters that ARE labelled are going missing - please check your child's sweaters to make sure that they don't have someone else's name in them.  At the same time, please make sure names are in ALL uniform items (and cross off names of former owners if you have bought used items).

• Our Lost and Found is already quite full after just 3 weeks of school.  Feel free to come in any day to check it out - it is located by the main door of the school.

MONDAY

• Leadership Team speeches and voting

• Deadline to order Great Little Coupon Books

• Cross Country Practice - Girls and Boys, Grades 3 - 7.  3:00 - 4:00. 

TUESDAY

• Grade 4/5 Soccer Game at Central Elementary (9435 Young Road)., 3:00 p.m.  Families are responsible for transporting students to and from the game.  Please let the coach or office know if your child will be traveling with another family.

WEDNESDAY

• Mass for Grade 1 to Grade 5, 9:00 a.m.  Please wear complete uniform, including sweater.  All families are welcome to join us at this Mass.

• Hot Lunch: Pizza

• Grade 7 to Camp Squeah.  

• Grade 5/6 to Fishing Trip.  Bus leaves at 9:15 a.m.  Hot lunch will be served upon return to school.

• Soccer Practice - Girls and Boys, Grades 4 and 5.  Practices are from 3:00 - 4:00.  

• Floor curling at Evans Elementary for those who signed up, 3:15 - 3:45 p.m.

THURSDAY

• Grade 3 - 5 Cross Country Meet at Townsend Park. Families are responsible for transporting students to and from the meet.  Please let the coach or office know if your child will be traveling with another family.

FRIDAY

• Orange Shirt Day to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

• please note that this is NOT a free Colour Day.  Students not wearing orange shirts should be in regular uniform.  

• If you are purchasing an orange shirt with a design especially for this day, it is important that it be purchased from a reliable source, where the local artist has been commissioned and compensated.

• If you are uncertain of design integrity, community elders have shared that it is okay to purchase plain orange shirts, bracelets, socks, hair ties, etc. from commercial stores.  These could be worn with school uniforms.  They state, "it is not what you are wearing it is why, and the good things you carry in your heart."

SATURDAY

• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

• Although we will be commemorating this in school on Friday, we encourage families to participate in local community events.

SUNDAY

• School-led Sunday Mass, 9:30 a.m.. 

• Choir members and lectors are asked to arrive at 9:15, in neat and tidy uniform

• All students are invited to attend Mass in uniform, to help bring attention to St. Mary's School

LOOKING AHEAD

• Monday, October 2:  NO SCHOOL (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Stat Holiday)

• Tuesday, October 3 - Friday, October 6:  Scholastic Book Fair

• Thursday, October 5: Parent-Teacher Interviews, 5:00  - 8:00 p.m.

• Friday, October 6:  Parent-Teacher interviews, 9:00 a.m. - noon  (NO SCHOOL)

• Monday, October 9:  NO SCHOOL (Thanksgiving Stat Holiday)

• Thursday, October 12:  Photo Retakes (also for those students who were absent for Photo Day)

Have a wonderful week everyone!

-Mrs. Sallos