Once again our schools are gathering non-perishable items to donate to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Please feel free to drop off your donation at any of our locations. We will have a marked box by each entrance. Please note that the GVFB is on the lookout for the following high protein, whole grain, lower sodium (salt), lower sugar items such as:
- Canned fish or meats; Canned beans, kidney, black bean, chickpeas; 100% nut butters; Pasta and rice; Canned vegetables, pasta sauces; Canned fruit, packed in its own juice or water; Whole grain breakfast cereals; and Hearty soups, stews and chili.
Kindly note, due to health and safety issues the food bank will not be able to accept the following items: homemade items, expired food, products containing alcohol, and open packages of food.
Before we go for our break, we are pleased to invite our parent community to attend a seminar by Yael Klass, a homeopathic practitioner, who will present tips on how to stay healthy over the winter! (See details below.)
As always, don’t forget to check out new articles on our Facebook page and have a great weekend,
The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori
GENERAL NOTICES
Upcoming Dates to Remember
Wednesday, December 7 │Hansel and Gretel Opera for Ms. Frances’s Students
Friday, December 9 │Parent Conferences (no school for students)
Monday, December 12│Round Table Group Discussion, 4:30pm
Wednesday, December 14 │Winter Performance Party and Craft Fair (no school for students)
Friday, December 16 │Arts Umbrella Dance Company: Mixed Nuts for Extended-day/Kindergarten Students
Friday, December 16 │After School Club Winter Session Payment Due
Monday, December 19 to Monday, January 2│ Winter Break (no school for students)
Monday, January 9│ MMUN After School Club commences
Homeopathic Practitioner visit │Thursday, December 15th, 4:30-5:15pm: Prepare and care for yourself and your family during flu season! All members of the community are invited. Please come and join Yael Klass , B.Sc., D.H.M.H.S, a licensed Homeopathic Practitioner, who is dedicated to disease prevention and health promotion strategies. She is going to cover topics on flu-fighting foods and how to use natural, safe, and preventative health care. Limited childcare is available for children over 5 years old. Please RSVP us if you’d like to attend and specify if you need child care.
Photos: kindly let us know if you’d like your child to participate in photo retakes in the new year.
Round Table Group Discussion│Monday, December 12, 4:30pm to 5:30pm @ North Creek: We invite all members of the community to join us for a Group Discussion on an overview of Montessori Pedagogy. This provides us with a great opportunity to answer any questions you may have after your Parent Conference. Limited childcare is available for children over 5 years old. Please RSVP us if you’d like to attend and specify if you need child care.
Winter Performance Party and Craft Fair 2016│Wednesday, December 14th, 1:00pm: This will be held at the Roundhouse Community Centre. There are no regular classes scheduled for students that day. Please find more information, as well as the seat reservation request. There is no fee for attending the Winter Party. Initially, we are reserving 2 seats per family. On Monday, December 12, the week of the performance, we will know if there are additional seats available. Please email us if you are interested in more seats, should they become available.
Yoga and Resource Staff Update: Ms. Sara will be traveling in India and Nepal for the next 4 months. Ms. Leah Harms, the newest addition to our staff will be acting as her sub. Ms. Leah was born and raised in BC. She has had a life-long love of learning, leading her to take a BA in Anthropology at the University of Victoria and an MA in Librarianship at the University of Toronto. Her First Nations roots have lead to an interest in world cultures and literature. She recently finished her 200 yoga teacher training and brings her love of movement and learning to the classroom as a resource person.
ELEMENTARY & ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY
Parent Conferences│Friday, December 9th: Please note that the sign-up sheet has been posted by the entrance to Anchor Point. Choose a time slot that is convenient for your family. There will be no regular school for students that day. Kindly email us If you are unable to attend and would like to reschedule. Note that Ms. Sharmeen and Ms. Carmen will also be available to talk about your child’s progress within their respective programs. Feel free to have a meeting with them after your scheduled time with the main teachers.
Skating Lessons│Thursday, December 15th, 12:30pm to 2pm: The Anchor Point Elementary students grades 1-7 will be spending the afternoon at Vancouver’s only outdoor ice rink located at Robson Square. The children will be skating with friends, and having winter fun! Ice rink instructors will be teaching the children basic skating skills and safety tips. We will be continuing with our regular day to day activities, just with an early lunch. We will be walking to the rink from Anchor Point and will be departing from school promptly at 12:10pm. Robson Square is located at 800 Robson St. Please check the weather on the day of the field trip and send your child to school with the appropriate clothing and footwear. The children will also be given rental skates during the session, but are welcome to bring their own if they have any. There will be no cost to this field trip. Please fill out the permission slip and return it signed by Thursday, December 8th.
Physical Education│Functional Fitness Training: We are pleased to offer Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary students the opportunity to participate in functional fitness training lessons at Dynasty Gym. Dynasty Fitness for Kids uses a combination of skill practice, workouts, and games to build strength and conditioning in children. These classes include elements of gymnastics, weight lifting, body weight movements, running, jump roping, and more. Using activities that kids naturally enjoy, the program provides a fitness training that is safe, fun and energetic. The program uses a combination of skill practice, workouts, and games to build strength and conditioning in children. The lessons will take place at the Dynasty Gym (1449 Hornby St.) by professionals equipped to teach students and to adjust their program accordingly to our age group. Although the groups are not yet divided, our meeting dates are the following: Wednesdays, from 1pm to 2pm: January 11th, 18th, and 25th; February 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and March 1st. Should you wish to enroll your child in the above lessons, please return your signed permission slip signed to the school by Thursday, December 8th.
MMUN After School Club: 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.
CASA COMMUNITY (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY)
Parent Conferences│December 9th: Sign-up sheets have been posted beside the downstairs door at North Creek. If you are unable to attend and would like to reschedule, please let a teacher know and we will do our best to accommodate you. There is no school for the children on this date. Please refrain from bringing your child to the meeting. Thank you.
Winter Performance Party and Craft Fair 2016│Wednesday, December 14th: There is no school for students. Please drop-off your child at the Roundhouse Community Centre at 2pm. Preschool and Ex-Day students will go on stage at 2:30pm and performance begins at 2:40pm. The duration of the Casa performance is 15 minutes. Your child will be dismissed to you after the performance. You are welcome to stay and enjoy the Elementary performance or browse in the Winter Market and Silent Auction with your child. Please let us know if you have any questions.
COMMUNITY NOTICES Wondering what to do with your family over the weekend? Check these out!
Enchant: The World’s Largest Christmas Light Maze | November 25th – December 31, 2016 (closed Mondays & Tuesdays until Dec 19; closed Dec 25), 4pm to 10pm: Vancouver has so many wonderful holiday events & activities. Enchant is brand new for 2016 and it is billed as being the world’s largest Christmas light maze. More than 55,000 sqft of illuminated sculptures will be arranged to create a twinkling maze. Inside the maze guests meet Santa Claus and help find his missing nine reindeer who have gone missing inside the twinkling pathways. Wander through the seven zones and help Santa find those curious reindeer. Kids will love the HUGE reindeer (we’re talking 23ft) and snowy caves. The piece de resistance is the 64 foot Christmas tree in the middle of the maze boasting 85,000 LED lights. Allow your family 20 – 30 minutes to complete the maze. Beside the Christmas Maze, there will also be a market with 40 local vendors, 12 food trucks and a licensed area for the grown ups to enjoy their favourite holiday drink. For more info, please click on the link above.
An East Van Panto – Little Red Riding Hood | November 23 – December 31, 2016, 2pm Matinee Performances and 7pm Evening Performances: The hilarious English panto tradition returns for the 4th year to East Vancouver. Take a classic fairy tale, add in gobs of sarcasm, singing, and a cross-dressing character and you’ve got yourself a British Christmas tradition. This year the East Van Panto group is performing Little Red Riding. Our fair heroine will be seen bombing down the Adanac bike trail to deliver a basket of goodies to her sweet little granny while battling bike thieves, distracted drivers, and, of course, the Big Bad Wolf. And can someone please explain why the Three Little Pigs are here? Yes, pantos are full of over-the-top insanity but I can guarantee you will laugh like never before. If you haven’t experienced a proper panto, be sure to add it to your bucket list. Tickets are available online and start at $20; all children’s tickets, regardless of location in the theatre, are just $20. The Clutch recommends An East Van Panto’s production of The Little Red Riding Hood for kids ages 6 and up.
The 7th Annual Vancouver Christmas Market | Saturday, November 26, 2016 – Friday, December 30, 2016: The 7th Annual Vancouver Christmas Market will make days merry and bright at a new seaside site – Jack Poole Plaza, home of the Olympic Cauldron. Since 2010, the Vancouver Christmas Market has delighted Vancouverites and visitors to the city with authentic German inspired festivities. Combining colourful décor, authentic gifts, savoury food and drink and family entertainment, the yuletide celebration creates the perfect atmosphere to mix and mingle with friends and family, take in a quick drink after work, and observe a wide variety of cultural activities and entertainment. Open 7 days a week from 11:00 am-9:00 pm. Early 6:00 pm close on December 24. Closed December 25. Daily from November 26, 2016 to December 30, 2016.