“Mary is not only the bridge joining us to God; she is more. She is the road that God travelled to reach us. Whenever we look to Mary, we come to believe in love and tenderness. Mary is close, she can hear us, she can help us, she has a heart as great as the heart of God.”

Pope Francis

Parking Lot Safety

Parking at the front of the school is for staff only. There is no parking, drop-off or pick-up at the front door between 7:45am – 3:30pm. If you are coming in to volunteer or to pick up or drop off your child, please make sure to park in the designated area between the church and school. Thank you for your cooperation.

Student Drop Off Procedures

Listed below are procedures that should be followed when dropping your child off at school:
1. Be extremely cautious and patient.
2. Follow directions of playground supervisors on duty. Be respectful of the supervisors.
3. Pull as far forward along the drop off area as possible before stopping your vehicle.
4. Allow room for as many vehicles as possible to pull in behind you.
5. After stopping, be certain it is safe for your child to exit your vehicle on the passenger side only.
6. Say your goodbye’s before your turn to unload. Traffic will move more quickly for everyone.
7. Never leave your vehicle unattended in the Student Drop Off area.
8. Be cautious when driving out of the parking lot and out of the school zone.

Crosswalk Safety

Unfortunately, this year we are very lean on outside supervision parents. Therefore, we want to ensure that parents teach their children crosswalk safety procedures and have a discussion with their children about safety on the school grounds.

No Right Turn on Henley From 3:00pm

Please note that you cannot turn right onto Henley from 10th Avenue from 3:00pm – 6:00pm. Police will issue violation tickets.

List of Important Dates:

May 2022

May 16-19 & 24- 26 Tennis – Grades 1-7
May 18 Mercer Stadium Meet for OLM Track Team
Friday, May 20 School and Office Closed
Monday, May 23 Victoria Day, School and Office Closed
Sunday, May 29 Grade 2 – First Communion
Monday, May 30 An Afternoon of Music with the OLM and STM choirs

June 2022

June 1 and 8 Swangard Track Meet for OLM Track Team
Friday, June 3 Walkathon Noon Dismissal
Friday, June 10 Celebrating Mary 2:00pm Dismissal
Friday, June 17 Activity Day Noon Dismissal
Friday, June 24 Gr. 7 Mass, School Leaving Ceremony, Luncheon and Activity 3:00pm Dismissal
Tuesday, June 28 Last Day of School Noon Dismissal

“The Lord is always there waiting to give us his love: it is an amazing thing, one which never
ceases to surprise us!”

-Pope Francis

Good afternoon, Parents, 

I hope you had a blessed Easter and are looking forward to May flowers! As we continue to experience the ebb and flow of Covid-19 as well as the flu season. We want to assure parents that we continue to be diligent about the school cleaning, OLM’s Safety Protocols and following the advice of Fraser Health, the CDC and the PHO. The staff and I are so grateful for the support of parents in helping us a reduce the spread of infection.

Not every illness is Covid-19:

Typical winter/spring illnesses have not disappeared! In fact, a wave of stomach flu is currently making its way through the Lower Mainland.

Although there are a lot of similar symptoms, Covid-19 and the flu are not the same.

Covid-19 is mainly an upper respiratory tract infection. Therefore, key symptoms of Covid-19
may differentiate it from influenza. Those symptoms include:

• shortness of breath
• cough
• loss of smell and taste

BOTH Covid 19 and the Stomach flu may include:

• sudden onset of nausea
• vomiting
• non-bloody diarrhea
• stomach cramps

Other symptoms may also include:

• fever
• chills
• headache
• muscle aches
• fatigue

How do I know for sure if it’s Covid-19?

• use the mandatory Daily Health Check as a screening tool
• take a rapid test provided by the government and obtainable at most pharmacies.

***please note that a negative test does not guarantee that a person is not infected. Rather, it functions to detect whether a contagious amount of the virus is present in their system.

I’m still not sure. What do I do now?

If your child is experiencing any symptoms of illness, regardless of their cause, the best practice is to keep them at home. Make sure that they get plenty of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take appropriate medication for fever and symptom relief if needed.

Your child should remain at home until their symptoms have significantly improved, and they
feel well enough to go about their regular activities without difficulty.

Covid 19 is not the only illness that affects our community health and wellbeing. If your child
feels sick or unwell, they should stay at home. This is important to stop the spread of all
illnesses.

We thank all of our families for doing the incredibly vital work of helping to keep our OLM
community safe by following best practice for the management of illness.

Although the life of a person is in a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. Let us pray for peace: peace in the world and in each of our hearts.”

-Pope Francis

Good Morning Parents,

Welcome back to the last term of the year! I can hardly believe that to be true. I trust that all our families and staff had a wonderfully relaxing vacation and are ready to start school with renewed excitement and energy. As stated in the last newsletter, although Dr. Bonnie Henry and the Province have made changes to the Covid-19 protocols, OLM will remain the same over the next two weeks (please see March 14th Newsletter).

Here’s what you need to know about the new Provincial COVID-19 Communicable Disease Guidelines for K-12 Settings.

1. Daily Health Checks will be continued. If you feel unwell, please follow the DHC guidelines.
2. Masks are no longer required in indoor settings. However, many students and staff may continue to wear a mask as a personal choice. This choice will be supported and respected by everyone in our OLM community.
3. For those that have travelled outside of Canada, please ensure you follow Federal Travel Guidance, including a mask when in public places, both indoors and outdoors for 14 days following entry into Canada.
4. OLM staff and students will continue to practice good hygiene including diligently washing of hands with soap and water or the use of hand sanitizer.

Here is what you need to know that is specific to OLM:

1. Teachers will continue to use plexiglass for small group instruction.
2. OLM will continue to restrict visitors.
3. OLM will continue to use grade cohorts.

“May the blessing of each day be the blessings you need most.”
“May the light always find you on a dreary day.”

-Saint Patrick

March 17th is St. Patrick’s Day. This Irish Saint was known for his quotes on life and God and inspired
many people with his beautiful words. Saint Patrick’s Day commemorates his life, and it also celebrates
the Irish culture.

Yesterday, Dr. Henry updated the new Covid-19 guidelines. As promised, OLM will not be changing our
protocols except for the use of the Personal Protective Equipment. In April, we will review the OLM
protocols such as play spaces, the use of plexiglass for small groups, assemblies etc.

In terms of the Personal Protective Equipment, the decision to wear a mask or face covering is a
personal choice. We are a Christian environment and will respect and support each student and staff
member’s choice to wear a mask or not.

Many people, weary of the pandemic and its restrictions, gratefully welcomed the news Dr. Henry
stated yesterday, however, the sense of relief is not universal.

In particular, children may worry about yet another change in the “rules.” After all, children have been
consistently spoken to about the importance of mask wearing. Younger children may even have trouble
recalling a mask-free world.

Here are some tips for establishing the new social rules that can help you and your children reduce
stress and anxiety.

1. Help children anticipate that mask protocol will differ based on the situation and the people
   involved. There will still be places where kids will be required to wear masks, like a doctors’ or
   dentist office. However, masks will be optional in other places such as schools, sports and other
   social venues. Knowing what to expect can reduce stress.
2. Help your child anticipate times when he or she may feel uncomfortable. Decisions about mask
   wearing are personal, so it makes sense that different situations may feel uncomfortable for
   different people. The key to each is to anticipate problems by asking ahead and searching for
   solutions such as physically distancing, masking for a short time or excusing yourself from the
   event or situation.
3. Emphasize that circumstances change but the principles remain the same. To help children feel less anxious about changing guidelines, emphasize that we all need to observe the same consistent rules: a) Do what’s safe for you and others,
   b) Think ahead about different situations,
   c) when unclear ask for guidance. Even if the rules about mask wearing change again, the process of following these three key steps can remain stable constant in the lives of children.
4. Be respectful, kind and caring about others’ decisions regarding their comfort and safety.
   Remind your children that mask decisions can be personal and context-driven. Avoid language
   that is judgmental.
5. Monitor your children’s anxieties. It’s the cascade of changes that takes its toll on a person. Take
   time to check in with your children about their feelings.

May God bless you and keep you safe. Have a wonderful Spring Break!