OLGC e-Newsletter- December 6th, 2023

December 6th, 2023

Dear Parents,

Happy St. Nicholas Feast Day!  St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra, is the patron saint of Russia and Greece, of sailors and children, and was noted for his generosity. In one story he was known to have given bags of gold to poor families needing a dowry for marriage as was custom during the 4^th century.  Today, all students received a gold coin/or a nut free option from their teacher to recognize the spirit of giving and as Father John Lewis encouraged all at our Advent Prayer service yesterday to give happiness away freely to others.

In December in keeping with our yearly theme: Living, Celebrating and Proclaiming our Faith we focus on the Preferential Option of the Poor & Vulnerable.  In doing this OLGC School has encouraged students to help “Fill the Crib” and bring in food items for the Food Bank on Advent Prayer service days.

Congratulations to our Grade Two students who made their First Confession last week.

Our Salesian priests heard confessions for all students in Grade 3 to 7 today in preparation for Christmas.

On Friday we will celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception as a school community at 9:00 a.m. in our OLGC Parish Church and the Ordination Anniversary’s for Father Jon Cosgrove (21) and Father Junji (33). Thank you to our Grade 4 class for leading this celebration. The Immaculate Conception is the Doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church that states that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. Sister Mary Fey will be holding her inaugural meeting of the OLGC Marian Club for students during lunch on December 8^th.  Interested students will meet in the Library following the 12:15 p.m. bell. Mary Immaculate, pray for us.

Next Tuesday we celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe. Official Catholic accounts claim that the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego, a native Mexican peasant, and asked for a church to be built in her name in Guadalupe, Mexico. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us.

Kindergarten 2024 Sibling Registration-Due December 8^th

Our sibling 2024 Kindergarten registration is open and due this Friday. If you have a child who was born in 2019 fill out this Sibling Kindergarten Registration or go to the front page of our olgcschool.ca website to secure your spot in next year’s Kindergarten class. 

Neufeld Farms order pick-up- December 8^th   

Neufeld Farms orders can be pick-up at the front of OLGC School at 2:30 p.m. this Friday. We

are unable to store items not picked up so please be here to do so. Thank you for your support!

Advent Prayer Services 2023

Thank you to our Grade 7 and Grade 2 classes for leading our first week of Advent Prayer Service yesterday. It was spectacular! Our students will participate in weekly Advent Prayer services in our OLGC School Auditorium. The schedule is as follows:

• 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 12^th –Grade 5
• 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, December 19^th – Kindergarten and Grade 6

At each Advent Prayer Service students are encouraged to donate to our Food Bank+ Tiny Tots Food Drive. Classes are competing for a class pizza party for the class that brings in the most food items during the season.

Funscrip Gift Cards

If you ordered Funscrip Gift Cards they are ready for pick up at the school’s front office.  Thank you for your support.

Christmas Concert 2023-December 20^th

We are busy practicing for our OLGC Christmas production this year. Our OLGC School Christmas Concert is Wednesday, December 20^th at 1:00 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.  Special thanks to our OLGC staff, especially Mrs. Robson, Mrs. Spagnuolo, Mrs. Garcia and Mr. Pekhonen for all their hard work. A suggested minimum admission of $5.00 per person is requested to assist with paying for the items needed for putting on the play.  Thank you for your support. Each grade has been assigned a song and a costume for the concert. Pants for dress below should be baggy and Persian style if possible.  All students will have a school supplied vest provided to be worn over the assigned costume for their class as listed below:

Grade 7 -Play Costumes (Costumes School Provided)

Grade 6 –Lime Green Clothing with Lime Green Belt/Sash or Animal Costumes

Grade 5 –Baby Blue Clothing with Baby Blue Belt/Sash  

Grade 4 –Red Clothing with Red Belt/Sash

Grade 3 –Navy Blue Clothing with Navy Blue Belt/Sash & Battery Run Christmas Lights

Grade 2–Yellow Clothing with Yellow Belt/Sash and Plastic Instruments (Dollar Store)

Grade 1 – Light Grey Clothing with Light Grey Belt/Sash

Grade K –White Clothing with White Belt/Sash

OLGC Hot Lunch-Next Santa Breakfast- December 21^st 

Thank you to those who made our Hot Lunch today a success. Our next breakfast/lunch event is our Santa Breakfast/Lunch on Thursday, November 21^st. Thank you to Mrs. Kirchner for organizing the event and special thanks to our in-house parent Chef Mr. Manuel Valdeavilla who will be cooking up a pancake breakfast for us.  The order form was sent out last Friday, December 1^st. Orders are due by this Friday December 8^th. This will be a cash only payment event. Pease call the office if you can assist with this event.

OLGC School Extra-curricular Sports

Basketball Season started last Thursday. Please see the practice schedule sent home with your child if they have joined basketball. Go Knights Go!

Christmas Concert Front Row- $5.00

We are selling spots on our raffle board for our OLGC Christmas Concert Front Row. Bring in your $5.00 to win the best seats in the house.

Principal for the Day – Spirit Week 2024

You can purchase a $5 square that will give your child the chance to be the Principal of OLGC for the day- Wednesday, January 31^st, 2024.

OLGC Choir 2023-2024

Our OLGC School Intermediate and Primary Choirs are preparing for our Christmas concert. Special thanks to Mr. Pehkonen, Mrs. Garcia and Miss Sofia for continuing to offer our choir program that keeps the soul strong at OLGC Best in BC!  Choir members are reminded to arrive for 8:10 a.m.

OLGC Sun Run Team

Sun Run practices are held on Tuesday mornings at 8:00 AM. Mrs. Kirk is accepting online registrations until Feb 16.  Please sign up with our school team: Our Lady of Good Counsel with Team Access Code: HBJOOC

Stage Set Up- December 13^th

Our Christmas Concert Stage set up will be December 13^th starting at 2:00 p.m. Please contact the school if you plan to assist. If you want double hours and can help, please contact Brian at

778-863-1874.

Christmas DVD or Blue Ray

As in previous years, a DVD and Blue Ray will be made for purchase now and delivery in the New Year.  If you are interested in ordering please fill out the order form sent home and on website front page of our olgcschool.ca website or here by Friday, December 16^th.

Children's Christmas Party- December 15^th

We will have our Children’s Christmas Party on Friday, December 15^th in the afternoon. Students will wear Christmas sweaters in return for bringing in canned food or “Fill the Crib” item.  If you would like to help during the event please contact the office so your name can be forwarded to the event organizers.

Christmas Play Stage Take down-December 21^st

Brian is looking for a few volunteers to help take down the stage Thursday, December 21^st at 12:00 p.m. If you want double hours and can help, please contact Brian at 778-863-1874.

Winter Adult Clothing Drive

Mr. Egitto in conjunction with his fellow PE teachers in the Fraser Valley CISVA are collecting adult clothing winter clothing for those in need on the streets of the  downtown East Vancouver. Please bring used winter clothing like jackets, gloves, toques and more.  Please bring in lightly used items before Monday, December 18^th.

2023-24 Google Form for Work Hours

Thank you for continuing to support our school with your time and talents. Please submit your work hours via the OLGC Work Google forms on-line. The link is working again. Here is the link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeJ81uzUoKxoAVwA1BmFH-mK6NsvMACgDN1u5_r2xOD3U19kw/viewform

School Communicable Disease K-12 Guidelines

If you are sick stay home until you are able to participate in regular activities.

Absentees

It is very important that you call the school office by 8:30 a.m. if your child will be absent or late. Please refrain from contacting the classroom teacher of absenteeism. This will save us calling you to check if your child is home.  Upon returning to school, your child must bring a note to the classroom teacher explaining the reason for the absence and stating the day(s) absent.  This information is required for our annual attendance audit that determines our government funding for the year.

Pick up/Drop Off

Thank you for adhering to our OLGC School drop-off and pick up protocols. See the student planner for more details. Please be aware of moving vehicles in our parking lots and please slow down when driving on the church and school property. Students may not arrive prior to 8:15 a.m. as parent supervisors are not available to supervise prior to this time. Our morning bell rings at 8:45 a.m. to start our day and our Salesian priests’ morning message. Please have your child here at school for this time. Pick up is at 2:50 p.m. and prompt pick up is required unless your child is involved in our extra-curricular sports.

Student Supervision

Students must not be left on the school campus before 8:15 a.m. or after 3:15 p.m. as there is no supervision.  Students left before and beyond these times may be sent to the OLGC Before and After School program and be charged the daily drop in fee. Please consult your school policy manual located in the front pages of the student planners.  Please ensure that you have made arrangements prior to coming to school for your child to be promptly picked up!  If there is an emergency, please call the office.

Supervision Duty Days

Parents are required fulfil their school commitment by showing up to supervise on their assigned days.  Please ensure you are here to do so as last year a number of no shows occurred. 

One of our volunteer parents has scheduled all the parents supervision hours of students for before, during lunch and after school times. The times of supervision are 8:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Then 11:50 a.m. to 12:55 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. You will also receive a list of substitute parents willing to do your duty days for a fee.  Please be aware that the substitute fee has been raised from $30.00 to $40.00 per day and a now show fee of $60.00 will be charge in the event you do not show up for supervision duty.

Visitors &Visitors Tags

For the safety of our students and staff, all visitors and parents are required to report to the secretary’s office where a “Visitor” tag will be issued.  Parents are NOT to go to their child’s classroom during instructional times.  Supplies and lunches should not need to be left at the office. Please encourage your children to bring all needed items to school daily.

Parent Participation

Thank you for helping to keep OLGC School great. Just a reminder that parents are responsible for keeping an account of the number of hours worked.  We have moved to full use of our Google forms work hours tracking, submission and approval of hours. It is important to note that parents complete their own work hours. Nobody else can do your work hours unless approval is given by the PEC.  Also, 30 is the minimum. Many parents do much more, and we thank you all so much for your commitment to our children and OLGC School. Thank you.

OLGC Preschool

We currently have 47 Preschoolers registered.  Preschool is for 3 and 4 year olds.  If you have questions about the Preschool and would like to register for January please contact Mrs. Martins at 604-581-3225.

OLGC Out of School Care

If you need before or after school care call Mrs. Martins at 604-581-3225.

OLGC Knights in Action
For those students doing acts of kindness we at the school like to recognize the efforts of those who do good throughout the year. If you notice a kind act please feel free to communicate this to staff so they may be recognized. This week’s Knights in Action are: Grade Seven Riser Transport Crew, Liliane (6), Hugo (6), Kyle (6), Riya (6), Raphael (5), Rebecca (2), Francine (2), and Andre (2),

Community News: Holy Cross Christmas Basketball Camp

Who: Boys and Girls in Gr. 4-7. When: January 2nd-5th Each Day 9am-11am

Where: St. Matthew’s Elementary School Gym. 16065 88 Ave, Surrey, BC V4N 1G3

Why: To improve overall shooting skills, meet future classmates and have fun.

How: email Coach/Teacher Matthew LeChasseur hcboysbasketball@gmail.com

to confirm your child’s spot in the camp. It is limited space and first come first serve.

Fill out the form at the bottom and bring a cheque or cash on the first day of the camp.

Cost: $100.00 includes daily prizes and Gatorade.

Cash or Cheque. Make cheques payable to CRUSADER BASKETBALL CLUB.

Exciting News!!! Don Bosco Spring Break Sports Camp

Mr. Egitto will be running a sports camp during spring break for the first time for students in Grades 3 to 7. The camp will run March 18^th –March 22^nd from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

More info to come in the New Year.

Important dates:

• December 8^th   -IC Mass 9:00 a.m.
• December 8^th   -Preschool Christmas Concert
• December 8^th     -Kindergarten Sibling Registration due
• December 12^th   -Advent Prayer Service 2

                                      -Food Bank Drive + Tiny Tots

• December 15^th   -Kids Christmas Party in PM in Auditorium

                                      -Christmas Sweater Day

• December 19^th   -Advent Prayer Service 3

                                      -Food Bank Drive + Tiny Tots

• December 20^th  -OLGC Christmas Concert
• December 21^st   -Santa Brunch in DBYC

                                      -Christmas PJ’ Day

• December 22^nd  -Christmas Break-12:00 p.m. Dismissal
• January 8^th       -School re-opens