Thunder News Flash – October 18th, 2025

Did you know that Halloween has roots in our Catholic tradition? The word “Halloween” comes from “All Hallows’ Eve,” which means the evening before All Saints’ Day—a special feast when we honour all the saints in heaven. In the early Church, people would prepare for All Saints’ Day with prayer and reflection the night before, much like how we prepare for other holy days.

Over time, cultural customs like costumes and treats became part of the celebration, but the Christian meaning remains: it’s a time to remember the victory of good over evil, and to celebrate the saints who show us how to live holy lives.

As a Catholic school, we encourage our students to enjoy Halloween in a spirit of fun, gratitude, and faith, while keeping our focus on the deeper meaning of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days that follow.

On Friday, October 31, students are invited to come to school dressed in their Halloween costumes. We ask that costumes be fun, positive, and appropriate for our Catholic school environment — please avoid scary, gory, or violent themes, and no weapons or masks that cover the face.  If your child has a mask that they would like to bring for the halloween parade, they may wear it for that time and then take it off for the remainder of the day.  Students may also choose to wear black and orange if they prefer not to dress in costume. 

The following week, on Wednesday November 5th we will celebrate all Saints Day and invite the students to dress as their favourite saint. This will be in conjunction with our Mass and gives us a great opportunity to pray for all souls and saints gone before us. There will be a prize for the best saint costume! We look forward to seeing what Saint you choose!

Please be aware that Friday, October 24, 2025 is the annual provincial professional development (Pro-D) day for teachers and educational staff in British Columbia. On this day, schools will be closed for students so that our educators can take part in professional learning, collaboration, and growth activities.

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, October 26 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.  The schedule for upcoming masses is:  October 26, and November 23.

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

Photo Retake Day Reminder:

A friendly reminder that photo retakes will take place on Monday, October 27. Students who were absent on the original photo day or who would like a retake will have the opportunity to have their pictures taken. Please ensure your child comes to school prepared and dressed appropriately for photos.

Friday, November 14, 2025 – Movie Night! 

Join us for an epic evening as we watch Kung Fu Panda 4 on our big 16 x 9 screen! Expect plenty of snacks, popcorn, and fun. It’s the perfect way to relax and enjoy a movie night with our amazing school community.

Date: Friday, November 14, 2025
Time: 6:00 PM (Doors open at 5:30 PM)
Location: School Gymnasium
Cost: $5 per person | $25 per family (5 or more)

Our concession stand will have pizza, hot dogs, smokies, popcorn, and more!

Stay tuned for more exciting details coming soon! 

The next Work Bee will take place at the school TODAY-  Saturday, October 18, 2025.  It was delayed 1 week because of the Thanksgiving weekend.  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!

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

Soccer

• Monday, Oct. 20 – Practice 2:45-3:30
• Tuesday, Oct. 21 – Tournament @ Rotary 3:00-4:15

This will be the last Soccer event.  We wish all the best to the team at the tournament and thank them for their hard work this season!  Well Done!  An extra special thank you to all the coaches who helped the team develop their skills, enthusiasm and sportsmanship.  Mrs. Wakely would like to express her sincere gratitude for Roberto Cobo who took the lead in coaching the soccer team this year! 

Volleyball

• Monday, Oct. 20 – 7:45-8:20 – Grade 6/7 Boys Practice 
• Monday, Oct. 20 – 2:45 – 4:00pm – Grade 6/7 Girls Practice
• Tuesday, Oct. 21 – 7:45-8:20 – Grade 6/7 Girls Practice 
• Tuesday, Oct. 21 – 2:45 – 4:00pm – Grade 6/7 Boys Practice 
• Thursday, Oct. 23 – 2:45 – 4:00pm – Grade 6/7 Boys and Girls Practice 

Dance Squad

• Tuesday, Oct. 20 – 12:00-12:30 – Grade 7 Dance Squad 
• Thursday, Oct. 23 – 12:15 – 12:45 – Dance Squad Practice