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Back to School BBQ and Meet the Teacher Night
The Back to School BBQ & Meet the Teacher Night is scheduled for this Thursday, September 24, 2026. This event will be hosted by your Regional Education Committee and our staff. This is a wonderful opportunity to come together in fellowship and celebrate our wonderful St. James and St. Ann’s community!The BBQ is scheduled from 5:00-6:25. We will start in the gym with introductions and a brief presentation. Families can then head outside for the BBQ. Hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and a drink will be available free of charge for all families! We ask that you please limit your food order to one hot dog or one hamburger per person. At 6:25pm, we would like all parents to proceed to their child’s class for Meet the Teacher Night. School age children may stay on the playground and will be supervised by our EA team. We ask that any toddlers under 4 years of age remain with their parents. Meet the Teacher Night will be composed of 2 sessions of 15 minutes each to accommodate families with multiple siblings. To ensure that parents and teachers are able to focus on the important information being shared at these sessions, we ask parents to remind their children to enjoy playtime outside, and not to come into classrooms during the Meet the Teacher sessions. The evening will end at 7:00pm, We would appreciate if all parents could pick up your children promptly on the playground at the end of the evening.
To organize supervision for the children and make the ordering of food easier, we would like you to RSVP through the link below. We need to know if you plan to attend by Sunday, September 20th, so we can finalize numbers and purchase food.If you have not yet done so, please RSVP today!***We are still looking for parent volunteers to help with set up (beginning at 3:30), food service (from 5-6:30), and clean up (from 6:30-7:00). Please contact the office if you are able to help. office@stjameselementary.caThis event is an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow parents and meet our dedicated staff and REC members. You can meet the Parent Fundraising Association, the Parent Support Group as well as ask any question that you may have about the One Campus Initiative.We look forward to seeing you and your families there, as we embark on a new school year filled with faith, celebration, and living out the values that define our Catholic school community!
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Important Morning Routines
Establishing a consistent morning routine plays a vital role in helping students build confidence and independence as they start their day. We welcome parents to walk their children to the outside school doors each morning and say goodbye; but please allow your children to enter the school walk to their classrooms independently. If your child arrives a little late, please check in at the school office, say goodbye in the front hall, and allow your child to walk to class independently. Allowing children to enter the school and walk to their classroom independently is a simple yet powerful way to build their confidence, self-reliance, and sense of responsibility. When students complete this morning routine on their own, they develop ownership over their school day—learning to navigate the hallways, manage their belongings, and transition into learning with pride. Taking those daily steps independently reassures children that they are capable and trusted,
while also helping the classroom community begin the morning in a calm, focused manner. By stepping back at the school doors, parents give their children a valuable opportunity to practice resilience and grow into self-assured learners.If your child is struggling with this morning transition, please reach out to their teacher so we can work together on a supportive plan tailored to their needs. For safety, any parents or guests visiting the school must check in at the main office. While we take pride in maintaining a warm, welcoming environment, tracking who enters and leaves our building is essential to keeping every student safe. Thank you for your partnership and support in fostering a secure, empowering environment for our school community.
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A Friendly Reminder: Please Keep Toys at Home
We kindly ask that students do not bring toys from home to school. While we understand how much children love to share their favorite items, toys can easily become a distraction during class time and may be lost or damaged throughout the day.Keeping toys at home helps us maintain a focused and safe learning environment for all students. If a special item is ever needed for a classroom activity or show-and-tell, your child’s teacher will let you know in advance.
Thank you for your cooperation and support in helping us create the best learning space possible for our students!
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Terry Fox Run
Terry Fox was a young Canadian athlete who lost his right leg to cancer when he was 18 years old. While recovering, he was inspired to help others facing cancer. In 1980, Terry began his Marathon of Hope — a cross-Canada run to raise money and awareness for cancer research.Terry ran an average of 42 km (a full marathon) every day for 143 days, covering more than 5,300 km, before his cancer returned and forced him to stop. He passed away in 1981 at the age of 22. Terry’s courage, determination, and hope continue to inspire millions of people around the world!
Join us for our Terry Fox Run!This year we will host a Terry Fox run in support of cancer research on Tuesday Sept 22.We will have a short but special assembly in the Gym at 1:00pm, followed by a 42min run/walk on our back field.We encourage each child to bring $2 or more to donate to the Terry Fox Foundation.For more information on Terri Fox and actvities to do at home, please visit the Terri Fox Kids Corner – https://terryfoxschoolrun.org/kids-corner/Parents and siblings are welcome to join for the assembly at 1pm and walk/run but please avoid using the playground until the run is over.
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School Photos
A gentle reminder that School Photos will take place this Monday, September 21st, 2026. Ensure your child is wearing a proper uniform and looking their very best!
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Workbee - this Saturday!
The September Work Bee will take place at the school this Saturday, Sept 19th, 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.
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Parent Support Group
PSG Meeting – Date & Time ChangePlease note the change of date and time for our upcoming Parent Support Group (PSG) meeting.- Tuesday, September 23
- 1:45 p.m.
- St. James Parish Library
We will be holding our first PSG meeting of the school year, and we welcome parents and guardians who would like to attend, learn more about the PSG, or get involved.What is the PSG?The PSG’s purpose is to apply for and manage the annual BC Community Gaming Grant, which supports student activities and experiences throughout the school year. Our fiscal year runs from the receipt of the grant funding through to June 30. Our mission is to enrich student life beyond the classroom by supporting faith enrichment, extracurricular activities, school initiatives, sports and meaningful student experiences.We currently have two vacant PSG positions:Vice-Chair
-Supports the Chair with PSG responsibilities and initiatives-Assists with special projects-Provides leadership support when the Chair is unavailable-Helps ensure the PSG operates effectively throughout the yearSecretary-Prepares meeting agendas with the Chair-Records and distributes meeting minutes-Sends thank-you letters and acknowledgements-Manages PSG correspondence and maintains meeting recordsThe PSG typically meets 4–6 times per year, depending on the volume of funding requests. We also maintain regular communication throughout the year via Signal.Interested in getting involved?We would love to welcome new parents to the PSG, whether you are interested in one of the vacant positions or simply want to learn more and support our school community.We hope to see you on September 23 at 1:45 p.m.! Together, enriching the student experience.Carmen Arruda, SJA PSG Chair — psgsja@gmail.com
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Parent Fundraising Association
The Parent Fundraising Association (PFA) is inviting interested families to join! Joining the PFA is a fun and rewarding way to get involved in our school community, connect with other families, and help plan and deliver special events and activities for our students. Please email Kristine – krienxx@yahoo.com or Jasmin – jasminchantals@gmail.com for more information.
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Mabel's Labels
Mabel’s Labels Fundraiser
Create your own Personalized Labels for everything that goes back and forth between home and school, and more! Just think about all of the items you will soon have to put a label on – what an incredible time saver!Go to https://mabelslabels.ca/en_CA/fundraising/support/ and choose St. James & St. Ann’s School from the list. Then shop and your labels will ship directly to you, and the shipping is FREE! St. James & St. Ann’s School earns a commission on every order. This fundraiser is available year round. Please support our school as every fundraising dollar we raise helps out.
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Hospital Mass
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, September 27 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. Meet Mrs. Wakely @ 3:45 at the Sacred Space to see how you can help!
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Sports
St. James and St. Ann’s school offers a variety of fun sports and events. The dates of upcoming practices include:Cross Country
- Monday, Sept. 21 – 2:40 – 3:30pm
- Tuesday, Sept. 22 – 2:40 – 3:30pm
- Thursday, Sept. 24 – 2:40 – 3:30pm
Cross Country Meet
We will be having a Cross Country Meet at St. Catherine’s School on Friday October 2, 2026 We wish our Cross Country Team the best of luck in their meet. Please join us in cheering them on! Soccer
- Tuesday, Sept. 22 – 2:40-4:00pm
- Thursday, Sept. 24 – 2:40 – 4:00pm
- There are no upcoming events.
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Sports
There are no upcoming events.
