The Patriot Report – October 2

“Success travels in the company of very hard work. There is no trick, no easy way.” – John Wooden

I can recall being a young teenager and working for my uncle in landscaping. My uncle had started the business when he was young and my grandad had recently retired as a golf course superintendent to help his son with his newly founded business. While working for my uncle, I experienced many early mornings and I learned some very important life lessons.

By the time I was a young teenager, my grandad was in his 70’s and he was still showing up to the job sites to assist. I was always amused as a teenager that my grandad would be seen with a rake in hand, sweat dripping from his forehead, while wearing dress pants and a collared button up dress shirt. On one particular job site in Richmond, I can recall a moment with crystal clarity.

My grandad and I were planting small shrubs and plants around the newly constructed Riverport SilverCity. I soon realized that though I was young and playing various sports, I could not keep up with his pace. He moved with grace and he never once complained about the work. Finally it was time for lunch and I was looking forward to a 30 minute break. As we sat to eat lunch, my grandad didn’t say much. I did most of the talking. When we were finished eating, I was about to kick back and relax for the next 20 minutes or so. But my grandad had other ideas. He looked at me and said “Come on. Back to work.” That was it and as a 13 yr old it is hard to argue with your grandad. I was a little bit stunned and I somewhat begrudgingly followed him back to work. 

My grandad passed away in 2008. He had lived a full life. He had fought in World War 2 against the Nazis. He immigrated with his wife to Maple Ridge in 1957 when my dad was 8 years old, my aunt 6 years old, and my uncle was just 3 years old. With a family of five they lived in his brother’s garage until they were able to get their own place. My grandad, like many immigrants who moved to Canada, found work where he could. He tried being a door to door salesman and failed miserably at it, he worked at a lumber mill, and then he got a job at a golf course and he eventually moved up to being the course superintendent. When I think about his life, laziness was not an option. He had to work hard or his family would not make it. He sacrificed tremendously for his children. His eldest son, my dad, went on to become a principal in our CISVA. His daughter became a real estate agent. His youngest son started his own landscaping business that continues to this day. All experienced success. 

The model he set for me and his family was that of hard work and effort. It is a lesson I am grateful for. It is a lesson I hope I can pass on to my own children. It is a lesson I hope we can instill into the students of St. Jude School. 

Patriots Spirit Wear is now available for order through Cambridge Uniforms. 

See the attached flyer for our code to access the ordering page. 

Today your child received a document explaining that we will be doing an EFT for October 16, 2020. The amount is $18.00. Please notify the school if you do not want us to withdraw the money. 

Yesterday students in Gr. 2 to 7 were given permission forms for a in-house mini meet we are running for cross-country. The event is only for our students and races will be run during the school day and in their cohorts. Parents are not allowed to attend due to restrictions on gatherings. These forms need to be returned to the school no later than Tuesday, October 6. Click here for a copy of permission form. 

Category placements are complete. If you are participating and have not been contacted, please contact the Participation coordinator at eparticipation@stjude.ca  Please remember to use the online reporting form to record your hours as this is the only way you will receive credit for hours worked.  You can go to the St. Jude website at www.stjude.ca, click on the Parents tab and then click on Parent Participation Online Reporting. 

We are looking to fill the following positions.  Please contact the Participation coordinator if you are available to help with any of the shifts below.

Supervision – Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 8:15 – 9:00 am

Supervision – Thursday and Friday recess from 10:05 – 10:50 am

We are also looking for assistance to help create promotional brochures, flyers and ads for the school.  If you have Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop and can help with this, please contact the Participation coordinator.

Gr. 1 students took their learning outside this past week. Here students are learning about the difference between living things and non living things. Students were given the task to draw pictures of what they thought were examples of things that were alive or not alive. At the end of searching for various objects, the students were presented a challenge of deciding whether a tree log that was recently cut down was alive or not. They had to list their arguments for and against. They then used their power of observation and their criteria for determining if a object is living or non-living the students determine that the log was once alive when it was a tree but since being cut down it was no longer living. It was a great way to take the learning outside! 

One of the joys of being back at school is seeing the students interact and play together. Here we have pictures of students staying fit by playing soccer and basketball. 

If your child has life threatening allergies, we need to have the Student Emergency Response Plan completed by your family doctor.  If you have not submitted the form back to us, please do so as soon as possible.

This is a reminder that parents need to take the time to do the Daily Check every day. It is important that we remain committed to taking our COVID19 procedures seriously. Click here to access the form.