Merry Christmas + Concert Photos

Merry Christmas to everyone from the Dr. A. R. Lord PAC! Click for some photos of last week's concert:

Dr. A. R. Lord and Eastside make the District News!

Check out this article on VSB District News about Ms. Bains' class visit to our Eastside program neighbours, where our Grade 1 and 2 students made gingerbread houses with the Grade 9s and 10s.

http://www.vsb.bc.ca/district-news/eastside-and-lord-partner-construct-gingerbread-houses

Snow Day!

Friday was our first big snow day of the year - what a treat for the last day of school before the Christmas holiday! School was on, but rest assured that our kids got lots of time out in the snow with their friends.

Pictures from Thursday's DARLAA visit

The Dr. A. R. Lord Alumni Association, or, as we prefer it, Awesome Alumni, came to our school on Thursday to help our students with cookie decorating and other Christmas crafts. Click the photo to see their whole album on facebook!

Christmas Concerts TOMORROW!

Our school Christmas Concerts are happening tomorrow, Wednesday December 18. There will be two concerts, at 1:30 pm and 6:30 pm. Students are asked to arrive at the school at 6 pm in time for the evening concert.

We can't wait!

Reminder: Hot Lunch Day Friday, December 13

This is a reminder to students that Friday, December 13th is Hot Lunch Day!  Students who have pre-ordered will receive a slice of cheese or pepperoni pizza, along with milk or water, a fresh fruit or vegetable and a tasty dessert.

Lost & Found Items to be donated on December 18

The Dr. A. R. Lord Lost & Found still contains many lovely items of clothing and lunch containers! Stop by and have a look soon - left over items will be donated to charity after December 18.

LiFE:Vancouver coupon books: Thursday, December 12 is the last day

LiFE:Vancouver coupon books are our latest PAC fundraiser. Formerly known as Green Zebra/Greenster, the book offers savings on many local businesses that families actually use. Here are some examples:

• up to $20 off at Donald's
• up to $15 off at Famous Foods
• buy one get one 50% off at Roundel Cafe
• $10 off at Scandinave Spa
• 1 game free at Planet Lazer

And there are lots more, locally and around the Lower Mainland. The books cost $30, and the PAC gets $14.50 for each book sold.

Buy one in time for your Christmas shopping, or buy more to give as gifts.

To get your books, or to have a look at one, see Lisa, send us an e-mail, or drop a note in the PAC box and we will get them to you ASAP! December 12 is the last day to buy books.

REMINDER: PAC Meeting Thursday, December 12

PAC Meeting
Date: THURSDAY, December 12th

Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: School Library



As a parent of a child at Dr. A. R. Lord, you are part of the PAC! As such, all parents are welcome to attend our upcoming school PAC meeting.

We have a very short agenda for this month's meeting, followed by a potluck social! Please bring a dish to share, and your own plate and eating utensils if possible.

Free childminding will be provided.

For further information please contact the PAC Executive by e-mail or with a letter to the PAC Box in the school's front office.

Café Ético coffee and tea orders due Tuesday, December 10

Remember that Café Ético tea and coffee orders are due on Tuesday, December 10. There are some special holiday gift packs available for December. See here for details.

Good news keeps growing in our school garden program

Earlier this year, we applied for a grant offered jointly by the VSB and the Vancouver Park Board to provide fruit tree for schools. We were approved, and recently received two young Italian Prune Plum trees which were planted in the schoolyard this week!

In related news, the Environmental Youth Alliance continues to visit our school every other Thursday to lead the classes in a garden-related activity. Today, they discussed the importance of trees with Divisions 4 and 5, and helped them write a little note to our new trees telling them how much they loved them. Then the students hung their notes on one of the trees and maybe even gave it a little hug.

talking about trees

starting our drawings

singing around our decorated tree

Fruit & Vegetable Program

This week the students will receive another delivery from the BC School Fruit & Vegetable Nutritional Program.

Kindergarten to Grade 2 students will also be receiving cow's milk or a fortified soy beverage as part of the new +Milk program. Here's the third scoop on MILK.

MANDARIN ORANGES

Mandarin oranges are grown on small (10 ft high), slender-twigged deciduous trees.

The tree is more drought-tolerant than the fruit. The mandarin is tender, and is damaged easily by cold.

Compared to other citrus fruits, Mandarin oranges have 6 to 7 times the amount of synephrine, a naturally occurring decongestant to help with flu season!

For further information, fascinating facts and interesting history on this delicious fruit please read the scoop and double scoop on ORANGES.

Students will receive their delivery during class time. This snack is not meant to replace the foods students normally eat at school. Students can make their own decisions on whether to taste the fruits offered.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the PAC via e-mail or contact the school administration at 604-713-4620.

D.A.R.L.A.A. Poinsettia Sales at Dr. A. R. Lord on December 4

Our enthusiastic alumni association, D.A.R.L.A.A., will be at school next week, on Wednesday December 4, to sell poinsettias to help raise funds for the great things they do. They will start selling at the front office at 8:30 am and will be there until they run out! Plants will be $12 each.

What does D.A.R.L.A.A. do for us? The group has funded and provided volunteers for Pumpkin Patch and Christmas events, given money for equipment and field trips, provided a $500 bursary for a Lord alumnus graduating from Templeton each year, and volunteered at Sports Day, among other things.

Café Ético Holiday Gifts

This month, Café Ético has made some special holiday gift packages available, in addition to their fair trade organic coffees and teas. Remember, Dr. A. R. Lord PAC receives a percentage of all proceeds - give to your family and friends, give to the PAC, give to human rights support in Latin America, all with one purchase.

Stocking Stuffers $10
200 g coffee + Cocoa Camino Snack Bar

Coffee Tin, Re-useable $15
Limited Numbers!! 300 g coffee tin of either Espresso Blend or Cuban Dark Roast with a Fair Trade ornament

Coffee & Chocolate $18.50
400 g coffee + 100 g Cocoa Camino chocolate bar

all packages are festively wrapped with a fair trade holiday gift ornament

Or order coffee by the bag, whole bean or ground:

Nicaraguan Dark: A bold dark aromatic coffee with citrus and dark plum notes
Nicaraguan Full City: An aromatic, mellow medium roast with a bittersweet finish
Guatemalan Dark: A sweet, smooth dark roast with hints of chocolate and nuts
Cuban Dark: A smoky, sweet dark roast
Chiapas Swiss Water Decaf: A medium roast with hints of cinnamon - all of the flavour, none of the caffeine - chemical-free decaffeination process
Espresso Blend: A delectable dark blend with hints of dark plum, caramelized honey and a velvety smooth finish

Fair trade teas from India, loose leaf or in bags, are also available.

To order, print out a holiday form here or a regular form here, or get paper forms at the front desk. Deadline for orders is December 10.

100% of Café Ético's profits support human rights in Latin America through CoDev Canada

Photo orders due

Please note that due dates are coming up for both family photos and individual student retakes. The family photo orders are due tomorrow, Thursday November 28, and student photo retakes are due this Friday, November 29. An extra $10 will be charged for late orders in both cases.

Hot Lunch Reminder

This is a reminder to students that Friday, November 29th is Hot Lunch Day!  Students who have pre-ordered will receive an order of sushi, along with milk or water, a fresh fruit or vegetable and a tasty dessert.

Introducing LiFE:Vancouver coupon books

LiFE:Vancouver coupon books are our latest PAC fundraiser. Formerly known as Green Zebra/Greenster, the book offers savings on many local businesses that families actually use. Here are some examples:

• up to $20 off at Donald's
• up to $15 off at Famous Foods
• buy one get one 50% off at Roundel Cafe
• $10 off at Scandinave Spa
• 1 game free at Planet Lazer

And there are lots more, locally and around the Lower Mainland. The books cost $30, and the PAC gets $14.50 for each book sold.

Buy one in time for your Christmas shopping, or buy more to give as gifts.

To get your books, or to have a look at one, see Lisa, send us an e-mail, or drop a note in the PAC box and we will get them to you ASAP! Buy your books from now until December 12.

PAC Meeting Minutes November 14, 2013

The minutes of the PAC meeting held on November 14, 2013 can now be found online here. Please contact  the PAC with any questions or clarifications.

Action Schools BC

Did you know that our school is part of the Actions Schools! BC program?

Action Schools! BC contributes to the overall health and physical literacy of children and youth by integrating daily physical activity, physical education and healthy eating practices into the school community, with a goal of providing a foundation for life-long healthy living.

For lots of great information on this program, visit their website: http://www.actionschoolsbc.ca/

Movie Night - Tomorrow!

Don't forget, our school movie night is coming up tomorrow, Thursday November 21!

 

Monsters University

Rated G. Running time 104 minutes.

Doors Open 6:15 pm
Movie Starts 6:30 pm

ADMISSION FREE
Dr. A. R. Lord School Gym

 
Baked Goods & Drinks  $0.50-$1.00 each
Popcorn                        $1.00 per bag

Family Room - available for younger children (with their parents)
                        who aren’t able to sit quietly through the movie

Raffle - 1 Ticket = $2 or 3 Tickets = $5 (proceeds to PAC)

Children must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult who stays for the duration of the movie (no drop-offs).

For more information contact the PAC executive via e-mail or leave a letter in the PAC box in the school’s front office.

Historical Hastings-Sunrise

Here's a really neat aerial photo of our neighbourhood, taken in 1957. Click to zoom in. In the upper middle of the photo, you can see the brand-new Hastings Community Centre. To the left of that you can see the original school building on the Dr. A. R. Lord property that is now home to the Eastside and Sunrise East programs.

http://vintageairphotos.com/57-51/

NO SCHOOL Friday, November 22

Please note that Friday, November 22nd is a Professional Development Day for teachers and there is NO SCHOOL for students on that day. See you on Monday!

Fruit & Vegetable Program

This week the students will receive another delivery from the BC School Fruit & Vegetable Nutritional Program.

Kindergarten to Grade 2 students will also be receiving cow's milk or a fortified soy beverage as part of the new +Milk program. Here are some more fun facts about MILK.

CARROTS

Carrots grow in the ground.

The root is the part we eat, it grows downwards into the soil and swells.

Carrots come in many sizes and shapes: round, cylindrical, fat, very small, long or thin.

Carrots are the second most popular vegetable in the world, next to the potato.

Carrots truly do improve eyesight.

For further information, fascinating facts and interesting history on this crunchy vegetable please read the scoop and double scoop on CARROTS.

This snack is not meant to replace the foods students normally eat at school. Students can make their own decisions on whether to taste the vegetables offered.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the PAC via e-mail or contact the school administration at 604-713-4620.

Café Ético coffee and tea orders extended to November 21

The Café Ético coffee and tea order deadline will be extended this month, to November 21. A number of different roasts are available, and the coffee is sold as whole bean or ground. Organic orange pekoe tea is also available, loose or in bags. Special gift packs will also be available in December for Christmas orders - watch this space!

To order, pick up an order form from the front desk or print one out here, then drop it in the PAC box with your payment.

Paperless School Newsletters

The administration at Dr. A. R. Lord is committed to reducing the amount of paper that gets sent home with students. To help with this, the school is collecting e-mail addresses and hoping to distribute all future newsletters electronically only.

Last week, a green piece of paper went home with each student. If you would like to receive a notification by e-mail when the latest newsletter is ready, please return this to school ASAP!

The November school newsletter is available here:  http://go.vsb.bc.ca/schools/lord/Publications/Newsletter%20November%202013.pdf

If you would prefer a paper copy of the newsletter, there will still be some available at the front desk.

Christmas Concert December 18

Mark your calendars! The school Christmas Concert and sing-a-long will be happening on Wednesday, December 18. More details to come.

Visit our Lost & Found today!

The Dr. A. R. Lord Lost & Found stocks the latest in popular brand names: Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap, North Face, Lululemon, and Joe Fresh, among others.

But seriously, folks, our school Lost & Found is filling up again, with many lovely hoodies, jackets, shirts, and pants. Drop by and have a look - you may find something that you didn't even know you lost!

Map of Vancouver's Lost Streams

There's been a lot of babble lately about Vancouver's historical waterways! If you're interested because you've been following the story about salmon spawning in Still Creek, if you can't make it to Sunday's Historical Creek Walk, or if you would simply like to learn more, there are few good resources on the Internet.

Click on the picture to go to a great article with links to a larger version of this map, produced by the Vancouver Aquarium in the 1970s.

Recently, someone at UBC has fully digitized this map and also made it available as a layer in Google Maps. A PDF file and the Google Maps version can be found here:
http://koerner.library.ubc.ca/services/gis-services/secret-waterways/

We have a raffle winner!

Congratulations to Joanne M., who won the tickets to next Friday's hockey game.

Thank you so very much to all of the people who bought raffle tickets, who made the effort to sell raffle tickets, and of course the family who donated the Canucks tickets to support our school. We raised over $1000!  We are all what makes this school a better place.

Movie Night - Thursday November 21

Monsters University

Rated G. Running time 104 minutes.

Doors Open 6:15 pm
Movie Starts 6:30 pm

ADMISSION FREE
Dr. A. R. Lord School Gym

 
Baked Goods & Drinks  $0.50-$1.00 each
Popcorn                        $1.00 per bag

Family Room - available for younger children (with their parents)
                        who aren’t able to sit quietly through the movie

Raffle - 1 Ticket = $2 or 3 Tickets = $5 (proceeds to PAC)

Children must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult who stays for the duration of the movie (no drop-offs).

For more information contact the PAC executive via e-mail or leave a letter in the PAC box in the school’s front office.

Local Historical Creek Walk - Sunday, November 16

This free community event will start at 1 pm at the corner of Kaslo and Charles and will follow the historic path of Renfrew Creek through Hastings Park to New Brighton Park. Bruce MacDonald, author of Vancouver: A Visual History, will lead the walk with a discussion about the ecological history of the watershed. The walk will end with warm drinks and snacks and an informal discussion about the future of Renfrew Creek and New Brighton Park. Come prepared for walking and weather!

New official VSB website for Dr. A. R. Lord now available!

The new VSB website for Dr. A. R. Lord is now available. It includes photos, announcements, messages from the principal and the latest school newsletter. It can be found here:
http://go.vsb.bc.ca/schools/lord/Pages/default.aspx

REMINDER: PAC meeting Thursday, November 14

PAC Meeting
Date: THURSDAY, November 14th

Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Location: School Library




As a parent of a child at Dr. A. R. Lord, you are part of the PAC! As such, all parents are welcome to attend our upcoming school PAC meeting. Free child minding will be provided.

For further information please contact the PAC Executive by e-mail or with a letter to the PAC Box in the school's front office.

PAC Meeting Minutes October 10, 2013

The minutes from the PAC meeting held on October 10, 2013 can now be found online here. Please contact the PAC executive with any questions or clarifications.

NO SCHOOL Monday, November 11

There will be no school on Monday, November 11 for the Remembrance Day holiday. Take the time to think about peace in our world. See you Tuesday!

Photo retakes Friday, November 8

For those who require them, individual student photo retakes will take place this Friday, November 8. As green screen technology will be used, the photographer advises that students do not wear green.

If you do not require retakes, note that Friday is also the deadline for original photo orders.

One week left to buy Canucks Raffle Tickets!

There is only one week left to buy tickets for our Canucks raffle. The grand prize is two lower bowl tickets (value $500) to the November 22 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Tickets are $10 or 3 for $20. Bring your tickets and money to the office by November 13! Proceeds go to excellent PAC initiatives such as funding for sports equipment, field trips, and special activities for our students.

Remembrance Day Ceremony - Friday, November 8, 11 AM

Our school's Remembrance Day ceremony will be taking place this Friday, November 8, at 11 AM in the school gym. Family members are welcome!

Early Dismissal Tuesday & Wednesday this week

Remember that all students will be dismissed at 2 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, November 5 & 6, for Parent-Teacher conferences. Please make arrangements to have your children picked up at 2 pm on both days.

The Clay after-school program will not take place on Tuesday due to the early dismissal.

Don't Forget about the Big Night with the Giants - November 9

This great fundraiser for the Templeton Community Schools Team is coming up on Saturday, November 9. There will be plenty of kids' events starting at 5 pm, plus a meal included with the cost of your ticket! See Mrs. Car to buy tickets. 

Remember that supporting the Templeton Community Schools Team supports the great afterschool programs that they put on for us at the school.

Kindergarten Registration Begins TODAY!

If you have a child who was born in 2009 and would like to register them for Kindergarten, registration begins today across the district, and closes January 31.




New this year, you must register your child first at your neighbourhood English-language catchment school, although many other eventual options are available. You can find out what your catchment school is on the VSB website.

See the VSB information on Kindergarten registration, including a handy step-by-step video and a link to finding your catchment school, here: http://www.vsb.bc.ca/kindergarten.

Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday

Spring forward, fall back! Remember to set your clocks back one hour on Sunday morning.

Fruit & Vegetable Program

This week the students will receive another delivery from the BC School Fruit & Vegetable Nutritional Program.

D'ANJOU PEARS

B.C. orchards produce all of the D'Anjou pears grown commercially in Canada

D'Anjou are the only variety of pear that can be stored through the winter

Pears' skin colour ranges from green and light yellow to red and brown.

If you pull on the stem and it comes out easily, the pear is ripe.

For further information, check out the scoop and double scoop on pears.

This snack is not meant to replace the foods students normally eat at school. Students can make their own decisions on whether to taste the fruits offered.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the PAC or the school administration at 604-713-4620.

DARLAA Pumpkin Patch is coming!

DARLAA, the Dr. A. R. Lord Alumni Association, will again be bringing a pumpkin patch to the city on Tuesday, October 29!

The DARLAA volunteers will be on site for the entire school day spending time with students and teachers. They will be setting up a fantastic pumpkin patch at the school with enough pumpkins for every student to be able to take one home. DARLAA volunteers will spend the rest of the day helping with pumpkin activities in the classrooms.

We are very lucky to have such dedicated and enthusiastic past students who are great role models and inspiration for the current student population.

EYA Growing Kids Partnership with Dr. A. R. Lord

Dr. A. R. Lord is now part of the Environmental Youth Alliance's Growing Kids program! Educators will be visiting the school bi-weekly and working with students both in the school food garden and in the classroom. Their first visit was on Thursday; ask your kids about the "Sun, Soil, Water and Air" song.

Here's what Growing Kids has to say about themselves:

Growing Kids imagines schools as much more than the 4 walls of a classroom. We work with 10-12 schools in the Vancouver School Board every year to offer a free service that provides:

• experiential workshop delivery in classrooms from K-12
• garden expertise and consultation
• plants, seeds, soil, tools, and human energy
• community engagement
• garden sustainability planning
• professional development opportunities
• support for student lead garden clubs
• curriculum support and development

Food gardens and green spaces on school grounds provide powerful lessons about natural and human created systems. Healthy garden ecologies support an understanding of reciprocity, stewardship, balance and harmony. Outdoor learning grounds provide students with opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to the realities that shape their community. The circular journey a school grown salad takes from seed, to food, to soil serves as a metaphor for another way of knowing the world, one that is based upon ecological, integrated cycles rather than linear, isolated throughputs.

Check out the Growing Kids blog for updates on school projects, garden clubs, inspiring stories and more!

Fall Raffle

The Dr. A. R. Lord School PAC is proud to present our fall raffle! Tickets will be going home this week. The grand prize is two tickets to the Vancouver Canucks vs. Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game on Friday, November 22, donated by generous members of our school community.

Tickets are $10 each or 3 for $20. Submit your money and your tickets to the PAC box by the office. The deadline to buy tickets is Wednesday, November 13 at 3 pm. Winners will be notified at school or by phone/e-mail.

Encourage your friends and family to support a great cause and win an awesome prize. More tickets are available from the office.