Veritas Newsletter January 2025

What's Going On At Veritas!

Happy New Year! We hope that all of you had a wonderful and peaceful Christmas filled with joy and celebration with your families!

Thank you for your support during the busy month of December. Our grade 6-9 Christmas Showcase was presented before a packed gym and a link of highlights was shared in December on Seesaw. Our kindergarten to grade 5 Christmas Concert at the REM Lee Theatre was fabulous! Thank you for supporting of our students through your attendance. Read to the end of this newsletter to enjoy pictures from all celebrations and events in December!

There are many events happening in term 2, which runs from now to Spring Break! Watch for more information on Shames ski days, movie nights, fundraisers, and Catholic Education Week!

January Dates

Monday, Jan 6 - First Day back at School!

Monday, Jan 6 - Pizza Hut Hot Lunch

Wednesday, Jan 8 - McDonald's Hot Lunch

Thursday, Jan 9 - Council Meeting at 7 pm

Monday, Jan 13 - Pizza Hut Hot Lunch

Tuesday, Jan 14 - VPSG Meeting at 7 pm

Wednesday, Jan 15 - Boston Pizza Pasta Hot Lunch

Wednesday, Jan 15 - School Mass Led by Grade 8

Friday, Jan 17 - Grade 6-9 at Shames Mountain

Monday, Jan 20 - Pizza Hut Hot Lunch

Wednesday, Jan 22 - Hot Dogs Hot Lunch

Friday, Jan 24 - Professional Development Day (No School for Students)

Monday, Jan 27 - Pizza Hut Hot Lunch

Wednesday, Jan 29 - Pita Pit Hot Lunch

Pacific Northwest Music Festival

Veritas School’s kindergarten to grade 6 classes have participated in the annual Pacific Northwest

Music Festival (PNMF) for many decades in a variety of forms, including poems, choral singing, band selections, and speeches. The benefits experienced by our students participating in the PNMF are plentiful. Many competencies in BC’s curriculum are met through preparation and performing in the PNMF, including oral language, presentation, speaking, and collaboration. Students in Veritas School’s kindergarten to grade 6 classes will be preparing an entry for the PNMF and, through the practice and preparation process, growing and developing as both individuals and as a team.

All students will be registered as participants by Veritas School. In the coming months, please watch Seesaw and your child's agenda or communication folder for selections that can be practiced at home. PNMF performances will occur in April; exact dates, times, and locations of your child's performances will be shared closer to the performance date.

Veritas is always very proud of our student's participation at the PNMF! Thank you, in advance, for your support of their hard work and final products!

Veritas Parent Support Group

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Silvia Barg and Sabrina Moniz for their commitment to the VPSG's Hot Lunch program! Silvia and Sabrina will be stepping down as the Hot Lunch Program coordinators at the end of this school year. As such, we are looking for a new Hot Lunch Coordinator! Silvia and Sabrina are willing to provide support and training over the next few months to facilitate a seamless handover. If you are interested please contact the school office.

A message from Birke Schemmerling-Araujo, VPSG Chair . . .

Thank you to all the volunteers in all the ways that you contribute. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone!! $640 was made from Dessert Trays - thank you for purchasing and for all the bakers who contributed!

VPSG Executive: The VPSG Executive includes a Chair, Vice-Chair, Treasurer and Secretary. Birke Schemmerling-Araujo is our Chair, Ashley Medeiros is our Vice-Chair, Gillian McCutcheon is our Secretary, and Joan Iamele is our Treasurer. If you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to reach out to me (Birke) via text (250-615-1491), Facebook, or email (birkepferd@hotmail.com).

VPSG Meetings: School / class activities are discussed at each meeting, which enables parents to feel more connected to the school and interact with other parents. We are always looking for more parents to join us - many hands make light work. The more input, the more ideas that can be generated. The next VPSG meeting will be on Tuesday, January 14th from 7 to 8pm. There will be coffee and tea available. Childcare will also be provided in the gym by a few of our dedicated grade 8/9 students. I look forward to seeing everyone.

Hot Lunch: The next Hot Lunch session runs from mid-January to March. The grade 5 parents are responsible for Wednesdays in the month of January and the grade 4 parents are responsible for Wednesdays in the month of February. The site to order Hot Lunch is https://munchalunch.com/login.

Items of Interest

PE Position: We are pleased that Mr. Talstra will be sharing the PE position with Mr. David Arnold for the remainder of this school year! Mr. Arnold has a wide breadth of experience teaching in BC, Alberta, and Australia, and has been working part time at Veritas in this first term of this school year. Mr. Talstra and Mr. Arnold will alternate teaching weeks and can be contacted via Seesaw messaging.

After School Care: There are some open ASC spots for students! If you are interested in registering for or learning more about ASC, please contact the school office.

Dressing for the Weather: Please remember to ensure your child comes to school properly dressed for the weather, whether that be rain and wind or snow and cold! Students go outside, unless the wind chill is colder than -20 degrees Celsius.

Sick Children: If your child is unwell, please keep them home until their symptoms have improved!

School Council: The fifth School Council meeting is on Thursday, January 9 at 7:00pm at the school. The meeting begins with an open invitation to all, before we move to the in-camera portion of the meeting. The mandate of School Council is to oversee the operation of Veritas School.

Absentee Notes: Please contact the school explaining your child's absences with a Seesaw message to Office Staff and your child's teacher. Absentee reports are crucial to our school's funding, as numerous unexplained absences throughout the school year can mean less government funding for your child.

Catholic Corner

The Catholic Church dedicates the month of January to the Holy Name of Jesus. On January 6th, the Catholic Church celebrates the Epiphany, which is when the Magi (also referred to as the Three Wise Men or Three Kings) traveled from the East to visit the newborn King, Jesus Christ.