The Patriot Report – September 03

TO HELP OR NOT TO HELP

In his encyclical, FRATELLI TUTTI, Pope Francis reminds us that all of humanity is a family of families. On a smaller level, our school community is itself a family of families. As with any family, there are bound to be differences of opinions and various hardships. However, when families are united in the desire to help one another, almost any hardship can be met. 

Perhaps the strongest or most impactful paragraph in his encyclical, comes in paragraph 70. After referencing the Parable of the Good Samaritan (it is a story of people ignoring those in pain and suffering and one who chose to help a person in need), Pope Francis states the following, “Now there are only two kinds of people: those who care for someone who is hurting and those who pass by; those who bend down to help and those who look the other way and hurry off. Here, all our distinctions, labels and masks fall away: it is the moment of truth.”

Notice that Pope Francis boils everything down to a single choice, either you help or you don’t. There are no excuses. All labels are stripped away. Ethnicity, gender, age, religion, orientation, wealth, culture, and any other label does not matter. All that matters is whether you are a person that cares for others and tries, despite your shortcomings, to bring comfort to others. That is a hard lesson and one that I do not always follow. Sometimes we get too caught up in ourselves that we fail to notice that others may need our help. 

The challenge Jesus gives to us, and the challenge Pope Francis reminds us of, is to be helpful and caring – always and towards everyone. I believe that if we, at St. Jude School, start with being a caring and helpful community, then our school will be a school in which your child(ren) will thrive. But it needs to first start in your home. Make your home a place where each person seeks to be helpful and caring. While that is no easy task, if you work towards it, you will find that the good you create in your home will spread outward. 

I look forward to welcoming our students back to school on Tuesday, September 7th. May the upcoming school year bring much blessing and success to each and everyone of us.  

Due to the amazing success of our Walkathon this past school year, we were able to renovate all of our remaining washrooms in the building. Once again, Above and Beyond Concepts provided excellent service and the project was completed on time and without issue. 

In August, school administrators were informed that we needed to transition from a Covid19 Plan to a Communicable Disease Plan. Last week, I communicated some of the changes in my newsletter. I would like to prioritize 3 main things for you in order to keep our staff and students as safe and healthy as possible:

1. Get vaccinated. Being fully vaccinated is the best defence we have. Archbishop Miller and Pope Francis have both spoken about the moral obligation to get vaccinated. Right now the overwhelming majority of cases are with the unvaccinated. So please ensure you are fully vaccinated and all members in your household (12 and older) that are able to be vaccinated are in fact fully vaccinated. 
2. Keep sick children at home. If your child says they do not feel well you need to respond and have plans in place to keep your child home. Speak to your employer about contingency plans if your child becomes ill. Do not send your child to school if they are sick. 
3. Wear a mask. Students in Gr. 4 to Gr. 7 are to wear masks. Its is strongly encouraged that students from Kindergarten to Gr. 3 also wear a mask. Staff will be wearing masks as well. Wearing a mask outside is a personal choice. 

Frequently asked questions:

• Will children by required to socially distance from each other?
  • As of now, the guidelines state that there are no physical or social distancing requirements for staff and students.
• Will schools enforce daily health checks?
  • The PHO has stated that parents and staff need to do daily health checks. However, schools have been instructed not to track daily health checks. Health checks can use the government provided health check: https://www.k12dailycheck.gov.bc.ca/healthcheck?execution=e1s1
• Why is the entire school going over to the church for mass when there are limits on the size of gatherings?
  • The health order limiting the size of gatherings is currently not applicable to religious services or to learning activities in a school. Please read about religious service guidelines at the BCCDC website: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/community-settings/faith-based-spiritual-and-worship-practices
• Will school sports happen?
  • As of now, school sports is allowed to happen with inter-school competitions. For indoor sports like Volleyball we will not allow spectators. For outdoor sports like cross country, spectators will be limited according to PHO orders and guidelines. CISVA sports follows Via Sport guidelines. You can read about the guidelines here: https://www.viasport.ca/return-sport
• Will Meet the Teacher night be in person or virtual?
  • This year we will send home a video message from each teacher that parents can watch at their leisure. If you would like to schedule a more in depth conversation with your child’s teacher please arrange for a time through email. 
• Will Outdoor Education happen for Grade 7?
  • Camp Elphinstone has cancelled all Fall 2021 sessions. We have booked a Spring session for May 16, 17, and 18, 2022.
• Will Orchestra happen?
  • Yes Orchestra will happen. Watch your email for sign up information. In person concerts will have to follow the PHO Orders and Guidelines for public events. More information will be provided closer to the date. 
• Am I allowed to buy treats for classmates on my child’s birthday?
  • We are not allowing parents to bring in home baked goods. If you want to buy treats for your child’s classmates, always check first with the classroom teacher. We strongly suggest that instead of buying consumable treats you consider other things such as birthday pencils or even a donation to a charity in the name of the classroom. 
• Will parent participation happen?
  • Yes. Parent supervisors are able to work shifts outside and we need their assistance in keeping kids safe. Maintenance is also needed. There are always lots of projects on the go. Coaches will also be needed for the sports teams. Please connect with Mr. Campanile if you can provide coaching. All parent volunteers need criminal record checks (please see post further down in the newsletter).
• I have a question that was not answered above. Who can I speak with?
  • Mr. Chris van der Pauw is here to talk through any concerns you may have. Please email him any questions you have. The following documents were used to inform decisions at the school:
    • https://www.worksafebc.com/en/law-policy/occupational-health-safety/searchable-ohs-regulation/ohs-guidelines/guidelines-for-workers-compensation-act#SectionNumber:G-P2-21
    • https://www.worksafebc.com/en/resources/health-safety/books-guides/communicable-disease-prevention-guide-employers?lang=en
    • https://www.worksafebc.com/en/covid-19/bcs-four-step-restarthttp://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Info-Site/Documents/COVID_public_guidance/Guidance-k-12-schools.pdf
    • https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/administration/kindergarten-to-grade-12/safe-caring-orderly/k-12-covid-19-health-safety-guidlines.pdf
    • http://www.bccdc.ca/schools/Documents/Health_Safety_Checklist.pdfhttp://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/childcare-schools/camps
    • http://bccamping.org/resources/Documents/BCCA%20Overnight%20Camps%202021.07.09.docx.pdfhttps://www.viasport.ca/sites/default/files/Return_to_Sport_Restart_2.0_07-01.pdf
    • http://www.bccdc.ca/health-info/diseases-conditions/covid-19/community-settings/faith-based-spiritual-and-worship-practices

Hot Lunch will start on September 14, 2021. All orders must be submitted 7 days in advance. For example, if you would like hot lunch for your child on September 14, the order must be placed by September 7. 

This year we are offering the following:

Tuesdays – alternate between Pampanga’s (Filipino) and Riz Sushi

Wednesdays – Pizza Hut

Thursdays – alternate between Church’s Chicken and Ba Le (Vietnamese)

Participating in hot lunch is completely optional and you can participate as much or as little as you would like to. 

Please be aware that we use Munchalunch for all of our ordering. This program ensures that orders are accurate and you can pay online.  

New parents will need to follow this link to order hot lunch: https://munchalunch.com/schools/StJude

Existing parents can follow this link to order hot lunch: https://munchalunch.com/login

Thank you to our Hot Lunch Parent coordinators for making this possible. 

A valid Criminal Record Check (CRC) must be on file for parents who will be volunteering in our school in any of these parent participation categories:  

• Library
• Coaching Assistance / Refereeing / Extra-Curricular
• Playground / Parking Lot Supervision
• Hot Lunch helper
• Classroom / Office helper

For existing families:  the office will email you if your CRC is expiring or expired.  

New families:  If your parent participation involves any of the above, you will need to complete a Criminal Record Check as soon as possible.  This check is free and can be completed online. Simply click on the link below and follow the on-screen instructions. You will need to enter the Access Code to be identified as a volunteer at St. Jude School.

Online Link: https://justice.gov.bc.ca/criminalrecordcheck

Access Code: KVLB9GCYEW

Parking lots procedures exist for the safety of all students and to allow for efficient pick up and drop offs. We recognize that our parking lot may present unique challenges.

The picture (below) attempts to show you how the parking lot operates. Please do not stop or park in front of the school on East 15th. When using the drop off lane, please be sure to pull up to the front of the lane to allow for more cars behind to use the drop off lane. Please be very careful when pulling out and when backing up. Remind your children to always watch for cars. Absolutely no speeding or aggressive driving should occur in the parking lot.

Please use great caution when entering and leaving the parking lot. Please also note that it is illegal to park your car directly in the entrance of the school on 15th Avenue.

A reminder that the parking lot is always very busy on the first day of school and as such parking spots may not be available. If you are parking on the street, please obey all no-parking signs.

One of our summer projects was installing an irrigation system for our plants and grass along East 15th Avenue. We also planted shrubs along the brick wall as way of continuing to build pride in our school and making our common spaces beautiful. The areas along East 15th Avenue that have recently been seeded and fertilized are off limits and roped off. We appreciate your cooperation in making sure we do not walk on these areas. Thank you. 

In 2018-19 St. Jude School cancelled its contract with Neat Uniforms. In 2019-2020 we introduced our new Cambridge Uniforms. Notable changes were made to the PE strip and we made changes to our polo shirt and school sweaters. We also added a sweater vest and we added a Patriots Spirit Wear. In 2019-2020 we announced that families would have 2 years to transition to the new Cambridge Uniform. 

As we enter 2021-22, the two year warning has passed. The old school sweater (handwritten St. Jude) is no longer considered part of our uniform. White polo shirts with no St. Jude School on it are also non-uniform. The old PE strip is also outdated and no longer considered part of the uniform. 

We understand that this may cause you a financial hardship if you need to replace all the items. If this is the case, please contact Mr. van der Pauw so that a win-win solution can be had. 

We also understand that it may take some time for families to get the correct items from Cambridge Uniforms as this is the busiest time of the year for uniform stores. As such, we will give families until the end of October to be in compliance. Those families who need more time are reminded to contact Mr. van der Pauw. 

We currently have the following items available for sale in our Consignment:

1 – Gym Shorts – size small – $10

3 – Girls Tunic – size 5 – $10 

If you would like uniform items to be sold in consignment, they must be in good to excellent condition. They need to be the current uniform and not the old one. You will need to set a price and fill out a form. Please contact Mr. van der Pauw if you would like an item to be sold. From time to time we will post what is available for sale in consignment. 

Reminder of Uniform Schedule:

Monday to Thursday – Uniform

Fridays – Patriot Spirit Wear (gym strip is a part of Patriot Spirit Wear)

Morning drop off routine will be similar to last year. Classroom doors will open at 8:30 am (a tone will signal that doors will open). Students have until 8:40 am to arrive at school without being considered late. At 8:40 am the tone will sound and teachers will usher students in and then shut their doors. Students arriving after 8:40am are considered late. They will need to come to the front office as we do track lateness.  

Primary students will need to be escorted by their parents to their classroom exterior doors (faces East 15th). Many primary parents understandably park along East 15 in the morning to cross the street and drop off their child. I ask that you ensure you obey city parking signs that say no parking and exercise caution when crossing the street due to increased car traffic. However, parking in the lot and walking your child to the grass area outside their classroom door is a great way to get in some steps 🙂

Students are dismissed at 3pm from their classroom doors. Gr. 4 to 7 students walk to the parking lot independently. Kindergarten to Gr. 3 students are dismissed to their parents from their classroom exterior door. 

For after school, there is more parking available in the lot as we do not have a drop off lane. However, the lot can become quite full and I ask that you exercise patience and caution in the parking lot at all times. 

After School Club (Patriots Club) is operational on September 7, 2021 from 12pm to 6pm. Miss Vanessa will be on site to help train Miss Stevenson. To register for After School Club parents must complete the form on our school website. Please click here: After School Club

In order to have a successful first day of school please ensure the following:

1. Students to be in proper school uniform
2. Students to arrive between 8:30-8:40 am and head directly to their outside classroom door
3. If you did not have your child’s supplies delivered to the school ensure that they come with their school supplies
4. Send your child to school with a snack and refillable water bottle
5. Pick up your child at 12:00pm or register them for After School Club  

Please understand that Morning Drop Off on the first day is always a challenge and we ask parents not to linger in the parking lot as we need to ensure that there is a proper flow of cars. 

The school supplies list for next year is available to purchase at School Start.  Please select your child(ren)’s grade for 2021-2022 to purchase the supplies directly from them and it will be delivered to our school. 

To view the list, please click on the desired grade below: 

Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3 
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7