Thunder News Flash – May 9th, 2026

A huge thank you to everyone who danced, donated, and supported our Zumbathon on Friday!  Students alternated between Zumba and walking to raise money for our new playground.  Watching the students bop around to the high-energy music was truly heartwarming.  The whole event was energizing and fun!  

 We would like to thank all our families for their generous pledges and support.  We thank all our volunteers who worked so hard to contribute to the success of this very special event!  A final thank you to our wonderful staff, especially Mrs. Lavrikova, for their hard work, dedication and commitment!  The entire St. James community worked together to help make Zumbathon a great success! 

There is still time to donate and pledge!  We will continue accepting pledges and prize donations throughout the week!

IMPORTANT

When donating, please make sure that you share your name with Admin. and add a “Message for the giving group” with the name(s) and grade(s) for the students you are supporting so that we can ensure your donation is credited to the correct child/children.  https://link.charitableimpact.com/2RB9gurpW1b

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the Moms, Grandmas, Aunties, Godmothers and friends of the school!  Thank you for entrusting your children into our care.  We pray that God will continue to bless you and we hope your Mother’s Day is as fabulous as you are!

“Almighty God, we ask Your blessing on each mother today. Fill their hearts with laughter and joy. Surround them with love from family and friends. Grant them health, peace, and fulfillment as they pursue their calling. Let them know their value and worth in Your eyes and ours. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Thank you to everyone who generously donated flowers for Mary. Due to unexpected circumstances, a priest was unable to join us for Mass; however, our Kindergarten students beautifully led the school in a special prayer service, offering readings, prayers, and hymns in honour of Mary. Thanks to the generosity of our school community, we had a wonderful flower procession, with four students from each class bringing flowers to Mary at the altar.

The flowers were then used to decorate and honour the mothers in our community during our Mother’s Day Tea the following day. Both celebrations were faith-filled and meaningful opportunities to honour our Holy Mother and the mothers of our community.

The May Work Bee will take place at the school this Saturday, May 9th, from 9am-2pm.  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. 

Inviting all parents of 3-5 year old children who have not yet attended Kindergarten to Ready, Set, Learn!

Ready, Set, Learn is a fun and informative evening where you will learn ways to support your child’s early learning and development. Parents will be actively involved in creating games that can be played at home to help foster a love of learning and develop important early literacy and numeracy skills.

Ready, Set, Learn is scheduled for May 12, 2025 from 6:00-7:00 pm in our School Gym. 

This evening session is for parents of 3-5 year old children who have not yet attended Kindergarten. Your 3-5 year old child is welcome to attend and play learning games with you. 

It is not too late to reserve your spot!  Please email the office at office@stjameselementary.ca if you would like to attend! Please include your name, the number of adults/children attending, and the title “Ready, Set, Learn!” in your email.

We look forward to seeing you there!

For Catholic moms seeking a deeper faith through study, in a community of prayer and support, you are invited to join the LYNAY group.  Meetings will take place every other Thursday from 9-11am, and run during the school year, beginning May 21st.  Please contact Shannon White for location details and more info at shanwhite@shaw.ca

Get outside and play!

Physical activity is a necessary requirement for optimal health. Regular physical activity in childhood and adolescence helps to develop cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength, supports positive social connections and improves mental well-being.  

There are many benefits to unstructured play. These benefits are even greater when engaging in physical activity outdoors. When children and youth spend time outside, they: 

1. Sit less, move more and play longer – key to cardiovascular health and fitness. 
2. Have healthier eyes – spending more time outside reduces nearsightedness risks. 
3. Sleep better – sunlight helps regulate sleep hormones and sleep patterns. 
4. Enjoy improved mood – physical activity can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
5. Feel more connected to nature – appreciation of the environment and being in nature can support healthy and balanced emotions.

Planning active outings doesn’t have to be challenging or costly. Here are some fun ideas you can try: 

• Try a new activity – check out geocaching or attend a local explorer day with NatureKidsBC. 
• Unplug and connect – ideas to decrease recreational screen time. 
• Go for a scavenger hunt – try this nature scavenger hunt. 
• Go for a walk or hike – try these 10 hikes to take your kids on this summer. 
• Play in a forest or park – try a new regional park every day for a week.  
• Explore a local stream – check these beautiful watershed walks in the region. Learn about water safety for children. 
• Swim at the pool, waterpark or beach – check beach safety conditions first or stay cool at a local spray park. 
• Ride a bike or scooter – explore the Hope Bike Park or check out these rides along Boundary Bay, Pitt Meadows or Vedder Greenway. Learn more about cycling safety on Fraser Health’s website. 
• Visit farms, fish hatcheries and bird sanctuaries – try this local family fun guide for unique ideas.  

Find more ideas to keep your kids active through the year on Fraser Health’s Keeping children active page.