Thunder News Flash – February 7, 2026

The Daughters of St. Paul will be visiting SAINT JAMES & ST ANN’s on FEBRUARY 10TH with a Catholic book fair. 

We are pleased to host the Pauline Book Fair, which will be open all day during school hours and after school on February 10. This Catholic book fair will offer a wonderful selection of faith-filled books and resources for children, teens, families, and teachers, supporting spiritual growth and a love of reading.  For a comprehensive selection of books published by Pauline Books & Media, as well as titles from other Catholic publishers, families may also visit paulinestore.ca. On the day of the book fair, purchases may be made using Visa, MasterCard, Debit Interac, or cash.

As we continue to thank our parents and their support of Catholic Education, on Tuesday Feb 10 we would like to offer coffee and a sweet treat while you peruse the book fair. No time to stay and shop, feel free to come grab coffee to go! This will be available all day so feel free to pop in any time. 

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we will be celebrating kindness, respect and friendship!  As such, the Grade 7 class will again be organizing a Candygram sale.  Candygrams are a unique way to show you are thinking of a special friend!

The Leadership Team as well as the Grade 7 class will be selling Valentine candy grams at lunch on Monday the 9th and Tuesday the 10th.  One candy gram costs $0.50, and $1 will get you 3 candy grams.

On Wednesday February 11 we will be having a colour day to celebrate Valentines day. We encourage the students to dress up in red, white, and pink. Please remember to bring a $2 donation. All the money collected will go to a Catholic charity.  We will also be having a sock hop at recess for primary, and at lunch for intermediate.

Our school is excited to host a Community Skate next week on February 12 from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. at the Matsqui Recreation Centre. This free event is open to students, parents, family members, and other caregivers, and light refreshments will be provided. Please note that skates and helmets are not supplied by the school; however, rentals are available on site for $3.80 per pair of skates and $2.55 for helmets (tax included).

While an RSVP is not required, families are kindly encouraged to respond with the number of attendees so we can better plan for refreshments. This event is organized by the Regional Educational Committee and is not supervised, therefore adult supervision is required.  For more information contact:  community@stjameselementary.ca

Please note that the school will be closed for the following dates: 

Catholic Educators’ Conference – Thursday, February 12th and Friday, February 13th:

• There will be no school for students on February 12th or 13th, as teachers will attend the annual Catholic Educator’s Conference.

Family Day – Monday, February 16th

• No School.  Have a wonderful Family Day weekend!

The February Work Bee will take place at the school Saturday, February 21, from 9am-2pm.  Please note that this is a change in schedule.  The workbee has been delayed to the third Saturday of the month because of the Family Day long weekend. 

You may want to bring gloves for outside work. It would also be greatly appreciated if you could bring any small gardening tools, particularly a rake.  Please also bring a lunch for the mid-day break.  Thank you once again for all of your hard work to keep our school well maintained and beautiful!  

All remaining Work Bee dates for this year have been uploaded to the School Calendar. 

Friday, February 27 – Movie Night! 

We will be presenting the classic Iron Giant this upcoming Movie Night! It’s the perfect way to relax and enjoy a movie night with our amazing school community.

• Date: Friday, February 27
• Time: 6:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
• Location: School Gymnasium
• Cost: $5 per person | $25 per family (5 or more)
• Refreshed Concession Menu: Offering popcorn, hot dogs, candy and soda

Sponsors: Want to Sponsor our event and be advertised? Email Jasmin at 8617jcl@gmail.com

Stay tuned for more exciting details coming soon! 

Basketball Schedule for February 9, 10 11,& 12, 2026

• Monday, Feb. 9 – 7:45 – Boys 6/7 Practice – Cancelled (as we will be setting up for the school Olympics in the gym)
• Monday, Feb. 9 – 12:15 – Grade 6/7 Girls practice – Cancelled (due to the school Olympics in the gym)
• Monday, Feb. 9 – 3:00 –  Knights of Columbus Free Throw 
• Tuesday, Feb. 10 – 7:45 – Grade 5 Boys & Girls practice 
• Tuesday, Feb. 10 – 2:45-4:00 – Boys 6/7 Practice 
• Tuesday, Feb. 10 – 3:00-4:30 – Girls 6/7  tournament @ Cornerstone
• Wednesday, Feb. 11 – 3:00 – Grade 5 Boys tournament @ Rick Hansen
• Wednesday, Feb. 11 – 3:00-4:30 – Boys 6/7 tournament @ Cornerstone
• Thursday, Feb. 12 – 2:45 Grade 5 Girls tournament @ MEI

St. Ann’s Parish would like to invite you to a special family and friends Spagetti Night dinner and dance!   See the attached poster for more information:  Spaghetti Night

Date:  February 13th   

Doors Open 6:30pm

Dinner 7pm | Dance 9pm – 11pm

Adults (13+): $25 | 6-12: $20 | Under 6: Free

Summer at Zajac Ranch is more than just camp, it’s a place where everyone belongs.

From first-timers to returning campers, children to young adults, our summer programs are thoughtfully designed to create a safe, inclusive, and empowering experience for individuals of all abilities.

Our goal is to ensure that all children with special medical needs in British Columbia and across Canada can participate in a camp experience. Mindful that many families with children or young adults with medical conditions are burdened by significant expenses for specialized care, treatment, and education for their child, we established the Zajac Camper Allowance to help families in need of support. This Allowance offsets the cost of registration and is made available to all campers. Our long-term goal is to someday be able to offer a camp experience to any child, regardless of medical condition or financial situation, free of charge.

Whether it’s our ASD Camp, Mixed Medical Camp, or Young Adult Camp, participants get to enjoy classic camp adventures like horseback riding, canoeing, ropes courses, climbing, and swimming, all within a supportive, sensory-aware, and fully accessible environment. With experienced, compassionate staff and programs adapted to individual needs, campers build confidence, independence, and genuine connections while being celebrated for who they are.

Ready to create a summer filled with joy, fun and friendship!  Registration is now open and space fills up quickly!  Register Roday!

Follow this link for more information or to register: APPLY TODAY!  Or go to our Website:  https://zajacranch.com/camps/schedule/ 

The Royal Soccer Club, a registered non-profit organization that has been delivering high-quality summer soccer day camps for children across Canada since 1993. Today, we are proud to be the largest grassroots summer soccer camp program in the country.

We are preparing for our upcoming summer day camps for children ages 5 to 13, running at a nearby location throughout the summer. Our programs focus on skill development, teamwork, confidence-building, and fun in a positive, supportive environment.

A brief overview of our program:

• Program Name: Royal Soccer Club Summer Day Camps
• Ages: 5-13 years old
• Dates: Weekly sessions from June 29 to September 4, 2026
• Locations: Click here for our Langley location details
• Activities: Life and social skill development, soccer skill development, team games and more
• Registration: Now open at https://royalsoccerclub.com/registration/

If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to contact us at info@royalsoccer.com or 1-800-427-0536.