Dear Parents,

Welcome back, we hope everyone had a restful and a great Olympic break.  We have a very busy four months left in school and we must remember we are in the Lenten season.  Our students will be involved with the rituals of this season and our next Mass will be on March 16.  Our class photos will take place on Friday, March 26.

Re-registration packages will be coming out soon and please note the changes to our Parent Participation Program.  It is vital to the success of our school that parents get involved in the many different volunteer jobs we have to be done.

Our International Program is growing with three students here now and eight in total to start in September. 

We had a very successful Open House and our Kindergarten numbers continue to grow.

We have many challenges ahead but none too big for us.  Thank you for your support and please continue to communicate with your child’s teacher.

Wendell MacCormack

Principal

Yearbook Photos Needed:  We now have a group of parents working on assembling a yearbook for the 2009/2010 school year. We would love to have any photos that you have taken of school activities (Sports, Academic, and Spiritual Celebrations). Please deliver to Mr. Rapier in the library. They are best sent in via flash drive, CD or emailed to yearbook@shsdelta.org. Thanks.

Walkathon:  Preparations for this year’s walkathon are in full swing.  The organizing committee is looking for prizes for the walkathon rallies as well as parents who would like to help canvas for prizes.  Have an item to donate or interested in helping canvas?  Please contact Erika or Gus Yep at 604-940-8688 or email at yeppies@dccnet.com.  The volunteer sign up book will be available next week at the office.  Remember we need everyone’s help to make this year’s event a success! If you have any questions please contact Tracey Derrheim at 604-948-9048 or bderrheim@dccnet.com.

Noon Hour Supervision:  We are in need of noon hour supervisors to help from March 1 to June 30.  The time is from 12:00 noon to 12:45 p.m.  Please sign up at the office.  Thanks.

Parent needs assistance for picking up a grade 4 student weekly on Mondays and Tuesdays only from Sacred Heart School for drop off at the Boys and Girls club.  Contact: Sandra at 604 837-1935 or 604 940-8844.

Thank You From Guatemala:  Here is a thank you note we received from the school in Guatemala for the school supplies we collected in June 2009.  “I just wanted to take this opportunity once again to thank you and all the children and teachers who collected school supplies for our school.  Our children are already using them and, as you know, having supplies helps them a lot to learn what they need.  With these school supplies, our children will be able to give colour to pictures using all the crayons, markers and pens you sent us.  The glue sticks are perfect as the children can use then easier than liquid glue.  We’ll use the little toys as prizes for the children and the books will be used for English class.  Thank you very much for all your efforts.  We really appreciate the help.”  Want to feel even better about what we are doing?   Check out the pictures and stories sent about the school and students that have been placed on the bulletin board in the front lobby of the school.  Thank you so much for your generosity. 

St. Francis of Assisi: Many of you may remember the Moeller family that lost two children and had a third child paralyzed in a car accident on Highway 1 in November 2008.  The Sacred Heart community donated funds to help make St. Francis of Assisi wheelchair accessible.  One of our parents, Carla Merrin, recently met the family and was deeply touched by the strength and faith that has kept them going after this most difficult event in their lives.  The father, Geoff, has written a book of poetry and has published an e-version with a hard copy version to be published shortly.   Partial proceeds are going to St. Francis of Assisi school.  The poetry book can be purchased on line at www.ireadiwrite.com and the name of the book is, "All in God's Time, My Sons" by Geoff Moeller, $4.99.

Special Memories?:  Do you or your child have a favourite Sacred Heart memory or experience that you would like to share with the Parish community?  If you do, please write it down and email it to the attention of Erika Yep at yeppies@dccnet.com) and it may be published in our Parish bulletin.  We are hoping to include some of these testimonials on a monthly basis.

PARISH NEWS

3-Day Lenten Parish Mission takes place March 22, 23 & 24, from 7-9 pm in the church.  This year’s Mission leader is Father Augustine Obiwumma, the pastor of St Matthew’s Parish in Surrey.  Each evening session will begin with Mass in the church, followed by three talks: 1. God’s Love, 2. Prayer and 3. Faithfulness.  Refreshments will be served following each session.  We would like to invite the whole community to come together to reflect on these essential issues of our faith.  Please notify us if you require daycare.  For more information, contact Martin or Erin at 946-2618 or mgrund@shsdelta.org

Grade One Parents:  Please remember that we are responsible for hosting the First Communion reception and celebration on April 17.  A notice will go home after the Olympic break outlining the food items that will be needed for the reception that follows this Sacrament.  Reminder: It is mandatory for all families to supply a food item and be involved in some capacity, and will count for parent volunteer hours.  If you have any questions, please contact Megan Dunsdon, Food Coordinator, at megandk@telus.net.

Sacrament of Confirmation: will be celebrated on Saturday, May 1 at 7:00 PM in the church. We will welcome the Archbishop of Vancouver, Michael Miller, to preside over this special liturgy. We ask the candidates and their families to continue their special preparations required for the reception of this sacrament of initiation. For more information please contact Martin Grund, Religious Education Coordinator, at mgrund@shsdelta.org.

Altar Servers Monthly Schedule: It is conveniently located at the school’s website under the “Parish” tab (or click: http://www.shsdelta.org/pdffiles/AltarJanFeb.pdf). For more information please email Martin at mgrund@shsdelta.org.