St. Michael's News
April 11th, 2025
Holy Week
The season of Lent gives way to the celebration of Easter in Holy Week, the most sacred period of the liturgical calendar.
Holy Week includes both the Church’s most solemn observances and joyous feasts. Unique, beautiful liturgies fill the period of time that begins on Palm Sunday and culminates with Easter Sunday. It is a great time to recommit to prayer and draw close to God.
To mark Holy Week and prepare for Good Friday, the students at St. Michael's school will take part in a school-wide retreat in class on Holy Thursday, April 17th with the Grade 5 class sharing a special assembly at 2 PM. Parents are welcome to come and pray with us during this assembly.
Upcoming Events and Activities
Stations of the Cross
Throughout the season of Lent, we will gather as a school for Stations of the Cross on Tuesday mornings at 9 AM. Parents are very welcome to join us.
Grade 5 Passion Play
As part of our School-Wide Holy Thursday retreat, the Grade 5 class will be leading a special assembly. All parents are welcome to join us in the school gym from 2 PM to 3 PM.
Thursday, Apr 17, 2025, 02:00 PM
Holy Week Altar Server Practices
Please take note of the following Altar Server practices for Holy Week. Altar Servers must attend the practices to serve the Holy Week Liturgies.
For Palm Sunday: Saturday, April 12th at 10 AM
Holy Thursday: 6:30 PM (Mass at 7:30 PM)
Good Friday: 1:30 PM (Sacred Liturgy at 3 PM)
Holy Saturday: 11 AM (Easter Vigil at 9 PM)
Emergency Release Drill - WEATHER DEPENDENT
Our annual Emergency Release Exercise will take place on Wednesday, April 30th starting at 1:20 PM. This event is crucial to ensure we are prepared in the case of an emergency. Please arrange to pick up your child between 1:30 PM and 2:15 PM.
To alleviate long line-ups and to spread out the release of the students, pick-up times have been divided by family house colour:
- 1:30 – Yellow: last name beginning with letters R - Z
- 1:45 – Red: last name beginning with letters A - C
- 2:00 – Blue: last name beginning with letters D - K
- 2:15 – Green: last name beginning with letters L - Q & After School Program Students
After School Club will run this day. Any student registered in after school for the day will be released to the club leaders at 2:15 PM as part of the drill.
If you know in advance that you are not able to pick up your child, please notify one of your designated alternate care providers, whose name you have listed on the Emergency Release Forms submitted to the office, to pick up your child at that time.
REMINDER: Please be prepared to show proper identification (i.e. BC Driver’s License) when reporting to the Student Release Centre. This will be critical in the event that the staff member in charge of this area does not recognize the individual.
Wednesday, Apr 30, 2025, 01:00 PM
After School Club Registration 2025-2026
St. Michael's Before and After School Club will be running for the 2025-2026 school year.
Registration will open on Monday, April 14th. Forms will be available on the school website on Friday evening and hard copies will be available in the office. To register your child, you must complete the form and submit it to the office with the $50 registration fee (cheque or cash only).
Spots will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis following the categories below:
- Students enrolled full-time in the program for the entirety of the preceding school year (2024-2025) who return their form by April 25th.
- Students enrolled full-time in the program for at least 4 months of the preceding school year (2024-2025) who return their form by April 25th.
- New Kindergarten full-time applicants.
- New Grade 1 to Grade 7 full-time applicants.
- Drop in applicants. Drop-in will be based on availability and first-come, first-served spaces.
Please note that $50 registration fees are per child and will be refunded if we are unable to provide a space for your child.
Spring Musical T-Shirt Sale & Raffle!
As you may have heard, our school will be presenting a production of Aladdin in May for our Spring Musical! To build excitement and promote our production, we will be selling white souvenir t-shirts for $15 with a logo on the front, and the school name and year printed on the back. Starting May 1st, the t-shirt may be worn in place of the regular polo shirt leading up to the Spring Musical (with the exception of Mass days).
If you would like to order a t-shirt, or purchase a raffle ticket for a hat signed by Conor Garland of the Vancouver Canucks, please complete the order form below (paper copies were distributed on Tuesday) and send it to school by Thursday April 17th. This is a firm deadline, as no late orders will be accepted, and no extra t-shirts will be ordered. If your child will not be at school before the due date, please email aalberti@smeschool.ca with the details of your order by Wednesday April 16th.
Extra-Curricular
School Choir
A reminder to all of our Choir members - Practices are on Tuesday mornings at 8 AM in the music room. With special feast days and events coming up in the Spring term, there is lots to practice for!
Track and Field
Track and Field is underway for our Grade 5, 6, and 7 students. Practices for students in Grade 3 and Grade 4 will start on Tuesday, April 22nd.
Please note - practices will take place come rain or shine. All practices and track meets have been posted on the Athletics Calendar. We will confirm the roster for each track meet by the first week in May.
Community News
Spring Photographs
Spring Photograph Fundraiser for families in our school!
On Sunday, April 27th, our photographer will be available for family portraits after the 8:30 AM and 10 AM Mass.
For $20, our photographer will take, edit, and send one digital photograph directly to the email address given.
To sign up for a time, please follow the link below. Your time will be confirmed with you via email by Wednesday, April 16th, at 3:30 PM.
Save the date:
For our First Communion families, we will hold a second session on Sunday, May 25th, from 1 - 2:30 PM. Interested families will be able to sign up for a time in advance.
Thank you for supporting our school!
Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed
The Hot Lunch program is in need of volunteers for the following shifts:
April 15, 11AM-1PM
April 29, 9AM-1PM
May 1, 11AM-1PM
May 6, 9AM-1PM
May 8, 11AM-1PM
Tasks include minor veggie prep, assembling sandwiches, assisting the chef, packaging, labelling and delivering food to the classrooms. No cooking skills are required!
To volunteer, please email pa@smeschool.ca
Your assistance is crucial in keeping the Hot Lunch program running!
Summer Camp
Mrs. Lepore will once again be offering a summer camp in early July and late August. Please see the documents below for further information.
Apr 13th: Palm Sunday
Apr 15th: Stations of the Cross 9 AM; Confession for Gr. 4
Apr 17th: Holy Thursday; Passion Play by Gr. 5 at 2 PM
Apr 18th: Good Friday: No School
Apr 20th: Easter Sunday: Family Mass with school choir 8:30 AM
Apr 21st: Easter Monday: No School
Apr 22nd: Confession for Gr. 3; PEC meeting after 7:30 PM Mass
Apr 23rd: Badminton doubles finals
April 24th: Kindergarten Assembly 9:15 AM
April 25th: School Mass 9 AM; Archangel Cup Floor Hockey Tournament
Apr 27th: Divine Mercy Sunday
Emergency Preparedness Week
Apr 28th: Fire Drill
Apr 29th: Confession Gr. 7; Lockdown Drill; Confirmation Rehearsal 6:30 PM
Apr 30th: Emergency Release Drill 1:20 - 3 PM; Sacrament of Confirmation 7 PM
May 1st: Non-Uniform Day: Favourite Literary Character
May 2nd: School Mass 9 AM; Used Uniform Store 3 - 3:30 PM
Eternal God, may we always welcome Jesus into our hearts with joy. Help us to see Christ in all people and to make them feel welcome. We make this prayer to you through Christ our Lord. Amen