News

It’s time to book your Parent–Teacher Conference!  This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate your child’s learning and to discuss strategies for continued success. P-T Conferences are scheduled for Thursday, November 19 between 10:00am – 7:00pm.  Each Parent-Teacher conference will be 12 minutes in length and we will have a 3 minute transition time between meetings for parents who have multiple children attending the school.   Please follow the link below to book a time as soon as possible.  The online sign up is available immediately and will continue until Wednesday, November 18th. Please contact the school office if you have any questions or need support in booking your Parent Teacher conference.  We look forward to meeting with you and partnering together in your child’s growth.

Our Scholastic Book Fair is coming next week, November 16-20!   It is a great chance to start your Christmas shopping early! Time are listed below:

Students will have the opportunity to browse and purchase books throughout the week. While we have done our best to carefully screen titles and content, please note that the fair will offer a wide variety of books similar to what you would find in a regular bookstore.  Once again, we do our best to look through all books for appropriate content, but cannot guarantee that we do not miss something subtle. Books will be organized into Primary and Intermediate sections to help students browse age-appropriate selections. In addition to books, there will also be small trinkets available for purchase, such as pencils, erasers, and bookmarks. All students will have a chance to visit the fair during school hours; however, we recommend you shop with your child so they are choosing books that you agree with. Last year we earned over $1500 for books! This is a great way for us to update the library and classroom book sets! 

Please think about participating in one of these wonderful School Fundraisers: 

Poinsettia Fundraiser – November 2–27

St. James & St. Ann’s School PFA is pleased to offer a Poinsettia Fundraiser this holiday season in partnership with Windsor Greenhouse in Abbotsford, offering beautiful poinsettia arrangements.

Order Here: https://munchalunch.com/ and click on the Poinsettia Sale!

Orders can be placed for your household, friends, or family. If ordering through a student, please include their name and grade so orders can be grouped together.

Orders close November 27, 2026.

Poinsettias will be delivered to the school on December 4, 2026,

Prices include taxes and a decorative pot cover.

• Orders Open: November 2–27
• Pickup: Friday, December 4, after the final bell in the school gym

Pricing:
4″ Poinsettia: $5.00 (23% to school)
6″ Poinsettia: $13.00 (39% to school)
10″ Poinsettia: $31.00 (25% to school)
10″ Poinsettia Garden: $30.00 (30% to school)

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Shopfunds Gift Card Fundraiser is ready to be ordered! 

Our current fundraiser, ShopFunds Gift Cards, is underway.  This is a wonderful way to support St. James & St. Ann’s School while shopping AND with no extra cost to you! 

• You pay face value for the gift cards!
• Many different participating retailers:  grocery stores, entertainment options, gas stations and so many more!
• For each gift card purchased, retailers offer a 3-15% kickback to our school.
• Many ways you can use gift cards: purchase them to use at your favourite grocery store, purchase them for the retailers you plan to buy Christmas gifts from or use them as your gifts!

To order your gift cards go online to Munchalunch (https://munchalunch.com/) and a list of participating merchants will be sent home shortly.  Please complete your order by 5 pm Monday Nov 30.  Gift Cards will be ready at the school sometime between December 8-12.

So share this fundraiser with your friends, family and even coworkers!

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Christmas Bazaar Bake Sale – Sunday, November 22

The PFA is hosting a bake sale at the St. James Christmas Bazaar on Sunday, November 22!

• Time: 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Location: School Gym
• Treats: A selection of homemade cookies, brownies, cupcakes, muffins, and more!

This year, our school is excited to host a Christmas Shop on Friday, December 11th, in the gym. Students will have the opportunity to choose two special gifts for a parent or grandparent. Each gift will cost $1, be wrapped, and sent home. Children are asked to bring $2 for their gifts on this day. While more money can be brought in to purchase additional gifts if available, everyone will be guaranteed to get two items. All proceeds will support a school-selected Advent project.

To make our shop a success, we are asking families to donate new or gently used items, such as jewelery, candles, books, soaps, games, puzzles, accessories, trinkets, crafts, religious items, kitchen items, and other small treasures. We will begin collecting donations at school in mid-November, so please start gathering items at home and consider asking family and friends to contribute as well. Students always love choosing the perfect gift for someone special, and we look forward to making this a wonderful new school tradition! Thank you for your generosity and support. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Choboter. kchoboter@stjameselementary.ca

As a special service project, our Grade 7 class will be making scarves and toques to donate to migrant workers and people in need in our community.

To help make this project a success, we are kindly asking for donations of yarn, with thicker yarn preferred if possible.  Donations can be brought to the school office. Thank you for supporting our students as they put their faith into action through kindness, generosity, and service to others.

The next Work Bee will take place at the school this Saturday, November 14, 2026.  This is a great way to earn five hours towards your Parent Participation commitment.  Hopefully the weather will be good, so please bring gloves for both indoor and outdoor work, as well as any small cordless garden tools that you have. We are very grateful for all of your hard work around the school!

Students and families of the St. James and St. Ann’s School community are invited to the Hospital Mass at Abbotsford Regional Hospital on Sunday, November 22, at 4pm.  It will take place in the Sacred Space on the main floor.  This is a great opportunity for grade 7 students as they begin their service hours for Confirmation.  Mass at the hospital takes place every month on the 4th Sunday.  Hospital Masses will resume in January.

Meet Mrs. Wakely @ 3:45 at the Sacred Space to see how you can help!

Clothing Drive for Outreach Ministries

We are reaching out to ask for donations of essential clothing items to support the outreach ministries of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.

These donations will assist individuals served by the Catholic Men’s Shelter, The Door Is Open, the Migrant Farm Worker Ministry, and our ministry supporting those released from prison.

 Items requested (New Only Please):

• Undershirts
• Underwear
• Socks
• Tuques
• Gloves
• Scarves

Please bring all items in by the last week of November. These can be dropped off at the front office. 

  Thank you for considering this request and for helping us support those in need in our community. Your generosity makes a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

St. James and St. Ann’s school offers a variety of fun sports and events. The dates of upcoming practices include:

Volleyball for Grade 5

• Monday, Nov. 16 – practice at noon – Grade 5
• Tuesday, Nov. 17 – 2:45-4:00pm – Grade 5 – practice
• Thursday, Nov.19 – 3:00-4:00pm – Grade 5 – Game @ Blue Jay

Thank You, Grade 6/7 Volleyball!

As a very successful Grade 6/7 volleyball season comes to a close, we want to extend a massive thank you to our athletes for their hard work, positive attitudes, and great teamwork. An equally big thank you goes to our amazing coaches for their patience, guidance, and dedication to the team. Thank you as well to all the parents and supporters who cheered from the sidelines—congratulations on an unforgettable season!