Friday 18 December 2015

Merry Christmas! December 2015

 A note from Jen - Coordinator

What a special time of year this is. We have had a busy November and December and I'm sure you are all ready for a break and lots of festive fun with your families.
Jen and Marion's special Christmas board!

I want to say a HUGE thank you to both Rachel and Marion for getting everything organized for the Christmas Services, it is a lot of work and these ladies did a phenomenal job! I also want to say thank you to our teachers who made sure that our preschoolers had learnt all the songs and actions and who help to make sure that everyone feels comfortable during the performance. I think you will all agree that our 3's and 4's were adorable up there and did a fantastic job! Thank you to our parent photographers - we really appreciate you helping us out at events such as these.

Thank you to everyone who made a donation to our hamper. Marion and I delivered it on Thursday morning and we just know that you will have made this family's Christmas very special.

I will leave you with the quote by Burton Hillis which I just wrote on my family's big chalk board in our kitchen:

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family, all wrapped up in each other".

Merry Christmas!

Important Upcoming Dates:

Sat Dec 19th - Sun Jan 3rd - Christmas Break.
Mon January 4th - Back to preschool.
Thurs January 14 - Open House for new families.

For general information about our programs please contact Jen or Tina:

Tel: 604-980-1326
Fax: 604-982-3277
Email: stcpre@telus.net
Website: www.stcatherinespreschool.com
Please "LIKE" our facebook page "St. Catherine's Child Care Society" Thank you!

A note from Marion - Developmental Resource Educator


Dropping the Christmas Hamper!
I find that after the Christmas Break the children all seem taller and more eager to learn new skills. The 2's and 3's ability to play in small groups will increase and they will be able to sit longer at circle time. The 4's will be working on their Kindergarten readiness skills with a focus on letters, numbers and communicating with teachers and peers. 

This Christmas will be special for our family as it will be the first time in three years that my two boys from Winnipeg will be home during the Holidays. We are so looking forward to having all three boys together. Our place is smaller this year after our move but as the boys always say, “Home is anywhere where we are all together”. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and All the Best for 2016.





A note from the Discovery 2's - Vibha, Danielle, Susan, Karen, Sali and Stephanie

For the month of November we learned about different modes of transportation in a variety of ways - from artwork, stories and rhymes to imaginative play in the dramatic play area. Next it was time to move on to our Christmas activities! We made angels and puffy paint snowmen. We decorated gingerbread, sang lots of Christmas songs and read some fun stories. We also created a special surprise for our moms and dads - no peeking until Christmas morning! We finished off with a party - thanks to our parents for providing some special party treats.

Thank you to all our families for the kind words and gifts, we truly appreciate your kindness. We wish you all a very Merry Christmas with your wonderful children and we look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 301 - Estelle and Gabi

November and December have been busy months for our class. In November our home corner became a soup café and then a grocery store. We talked about healthy foods and keeping our bodies healthy by brushing our teeth and hair, using a tissue, coughing into our elbows and how it is important to wash our hands often.

We talked about being kind to our friends. We also talked again about our number one rule in class “No one gets hurt”; to use our words instead of our hands to talk to friends and sometimes we just have to wait our turns for something.

For Remembrance day we read a story and did a group art project and spoke on the importance of Remembrance day.

Starting in December we began practicing for our Christmas concert. The children did very well in remembering their songs and actions. Gabi and I are very proud of them.

Next our home corner became Santa’s workshop with a sleigh, which has been a hit with the children. We talked about the Nativity story and the reason for celebrating Christmas. The children have been hard at work working on their surprise for you and making other arts and crafts. Have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 302 - Gabi and Susan

What fun we have been having in our class! After learning about health and body in November we were very excited to begin our Christmas fun! We spent time learning our songs and actions for the Christmas Service and we were so proud of everyone on the night! We especially loved them singing and doing the sign language to Silent Night - just beautiful!

Apart from Christmas artwork, stories and songs we also made a special gift for our family - and finished up with a party - thank you to all the parents who provided party snacks - they were delicious! We also want to say thank you to all our families for their kind words and gifts, we are very blessed to work with such wonderful children and families. We wish you all a happy, relaxing and festive Christmas and we will see you all back in the New Year!

A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 304 - Stephanie and Gabi

We have been having a lot of fun in our class over the past month and a half. We really enjoy spending time together playing in the dramatic play area and and working on our art projects. Our class also loves to go to the gym and outdoor time and we hear some really fun games and imaginative play happening during these times.

We were really proud of our little ones for learning all the songs and actions for the Christmas Service. It was great to see them up there performing for you!

We have had a great deal of fun over the Christmas season. We have been singing, listening to stories and creating lots of fun artwork. We hope you enjoy the special surprise your children created for you for Christmas! We finished off with a Christmas celebration - thank you to all our parents for providing some special party food for us to enjoy!

Thank you for all the kind words and gifts - we really appreciate your kindness. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


A note from the Sunflower Room - Class 401 - Sali, Stephanie, Karen and Susan


This month, we introduced Echo, a whale we adopted from the Vancouver Aquarium.
Our class has a stuffy of Echo and the children will take turns taking him home on the weekends and recording their adventures. 
This led us into a theme on sea life when we created arts and crafts of Echo and other sea creatures. We also loved singing the song ‘Slippery Fish’.

Recently, we started creating a special surprise to bring home for Christmas. We also enjoyed writing letters to Santa.... We also spent time learning our songs for the Christmas Service and we think you will agree that they all did a fantastic job on the night! 

Thank you for providing yummy treats for our party as well as the kind words and gifts - we really appreciate it!


Wishing you all a very happy Christmas season and New Year!

A note from the Sunflower/Rainbow room - Class 402 - Danielle, Arsi and Sousan

As always we have been very busy in the extended program. We began November with a theme which will stretch through the entire year in a variety ways. We read the book "How Full is Your Bucket?" and realized that you have the power to make yourself and those around you feel "full" of happiness -  bucket filling, or "empty" of happiness - bucket dipping. This is a very important concept to learn at this age because we are just beginning to realize that it's not ALL about me... That can be a tough lesson to grasp but our class is doing a very fine job at it (most of the time!!).


With Christmas around the corner we began to learn about the great children's author Hans Christian Anderson. We read the stories "The Little Mermaid", "The princess and the Pea", "Thumbelina" and "The Ugly Duckling" (just to name a few!) and found out that some of these stories did not end with the "Happily Ever After" we may have come to expect - for instance, Ariel from the Little Mermaid does not end up marrying the prince in the original story! During this theme we got to practice our acting skills and this was so much fun as we acted out the scenes from some of the stories - we definitely have some future stars in this class! The final Hans Christian Anderson story we listened to was "The Fir Tree" and this was a perfect transition into Christmas.

During our Christmas preparations we read the Christmas story and created artwork of the Nativity to go along with it, we also spent lots of time practicing for the Christmas Service - we were very proud of everyone on the night as they all did a fantastic job. Next we baked gingerbread and decorated it and of course ate it right up after! We also awoke our sense of smell with mason jars filled with peppermint, cinnamon, hot chocolate powder and cedar! Of course we are always continuing with our Kindergarten Readiness skills of cutting with scissors and threading beads (fine motor), writing our own names and remembering our friend's names too (pre-reading); pattering, sorting and matching (pre-math skills) and continuing to learn how to be a good citizen (manners, taking turns, listening and asking questions!).

We finished up with a party (thanks to parents who provided snacks!) and we would like to thank all our families for their kind words and gifts. Have a wonderful Christmas with your lovely children and we look forward to seeing you all in the New Year!

A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 403 - Estelle, Stephanie, Gabi and Karen

November and December have been busy months. First we talked about Remembrance day and why we celebrate it. We had visits from the dentist and Elmer the safety elephant as well as a trip to the library.

We had themes around two stories, “Goldilocks and the three bears” and “Stone Soup”. The children did art centered on both books, got to act out the stories with props, make a stone soup and eat porridge.

Lastly we had a our Christmas concert,  in which the children worked hard at learning their songs and actions. The children did great and we are proud of them!

The children are excited about Christmas and have been hard at work on their gifts for you as well as other art projects.They are enjoying the Santa’s workshop and sleigh in the home corner and all the decorations in the class.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you in 2016!




Thursday 19 November 2015

Laughter and Fun - October 2015

A note from Jen - Coordinator

What a busy couple of months we have had around here! Everyone is settling in to the program very nicely, making friends and learning lots! We had so much fun over Halloween and it was so cute to see all of our little 2's in their pajamas for their parties and our 3's and 4's dressed in their costumes!
Cakes from last years cake walk!! YUMMY!

This month our 3's and 4's have had their photograph taken (we do re-takes if you were away on that day - we will let you know when that will be in the next little while). We also have pizza night TONIGHT. This is a very fun night and a great way to meet other preschool families!

Please chat with your classroom teachers, Marion, Jen or Tina if you have any questions or concerns about the program or your child's social, emotional or developmental needs, we are always here to help in any way that we can!

Important upcoming dates

Thursday, November 19th - Purdys orders due.
Thursday, November 19th - Pizza Night and Cake Walk 5:30-7:30pm.
Tuesday, November 24th - Christmas Scholastic Orders due.
Thursday, November 26th - Messy Church.
Wednesday, December 9th - Christmas Services - 6pm - 301/401 7pm - 304/403
Thursday, December 10th - Christmas Service - 6pm - 302/402
Friday, December 11th - Wine raffle draw!
Wednesday, December 16th - Christmas party - 201
Thursday, December 17th - Christmas parties - 202/302/304
Friday, December 18th - Christmas parties - 301/401/402/403
Sat Dec 19th - Sun Jan 3rd - Christmas Break.
Monday January 4th - Back to preschool.

For general information about our programs please contact Jen or Tina:

Tel: 604-980-1326
Fax: 604-982-3277
Email: stcpre@telus.net
Website: www.stcatherinespreschool.com
Please "LIKE" our facebook page "St. Catherine's Child Care Society" Thank you!

A note from Marion - Developmental Resource Teacher


It is so wonderful to walk into the classrooms and see the children engaging in play. The 2’s are learning the daily routines and are working hard at mastering new skills, like walking up and down the stairs. Each week I see improvement. The 3’s are moving from solitary play to parallel play and some even are engaging in co-operative play.  The 4’s are becoming more independent and are working on their pre-kindergarten skills. The children are learning to be responsible, caring and respectful of others.

We can help them feel good about themselves by talking to them in an encouraging, positive way. Look at your child while you are speaking to them and encourage them to look back at you. It is important to make eye contact, as facial expressions are as important as the spoken word. Use short sentences and simple words. This helps your child understand what you are saying. A young child is confused by a long explanation. Listen carefully and help your child to talk about feelings. Children learn by watching us and listening to what we say and how we say it. Take time to listen to your children and give them time to respond to your questions. It sometimes takes them a little longer to collect their thoughts and verbalize them.

A note from the Rainbow Room - 2's - Vibha, Karen, Danielle, Susan, and Sali

Our youngest members of the preschool are beginning to settle in nicely to the program and are getting more comfortable to stretch their boundaries. A few still need a little more time to feel secure with mom and dad leaving; such is the nature of two year olds. Often this is their first experience away from family. They love to explore their surroundings, but still need to stay close to their primary base of support and trust. Separation anxiety can be quite strong at this stage, but often it is only the "goodbye" which is difficult. For this reason we encourage you to make your "good-bye's" short and reassuring.


We set up the rooms in a way that facilitates exploration and discovery through play. A great deal of time is spent exploring, pushing, pulling, filling, dumping and touching. Toddlers feel secure in environments which are secure and familiar and for this reason you may see the same toys and equipment out for several weeks. What we do, is present these familiar toys in differing configurations, for example adding a set of wooden blocks to the cars and garage. Two's love painting, splashing in the water table, housekeeping, singing songs and dancing at circle time. Although, play tends to be more solitary they do enjoy being in each-others company and are beginning to spend more time playing side by side. We hope to be able to catch many of these special moments on our camera.


Please encourage your child to walk up and down the stairs holding on the railing when coming to and leaving preschool. Each day we will be going outside or to the gym, therefore it would be nice for the children to feel comfortable with walking up and down the stairs on their own - and it's a great way to increase those gross motor skills! Also please make sure to check your child's cubby for beautiful artwork to go home as well as checking the board outside the classroom for a synopsis of our day. We look forward to an exciting year of tremendous growth in both confidence and abilities. We hope that this first group experience will be a positive one for both you and your child.

A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 301 - Gabi and Estelle

What a great group of little people we have to work with! Gradual entry always has its challenges but we felt that overall our class was able to come together quickly and relatively easily. The children have adjusted well to preschool, they know the routines and are very cooperative at transitions.They all find their name-tags at the tables, and it took them a very short time to find their way to their cubbies. They are getting more independent day by day!

We learned everybody’s name by singing a number of name songs, and playing games at Circle Time. We learned about families and friends, while discussing feelings and manners too.
We celebrated Thanksgiving and had a discussion on what we are thankful for. We observed leaves and the changes in the environment that fall brings.

The second half of October was spent on Halloween fun projects, spooky stories, silly songs, and of course the preparation for the well anticipated first party. We had a wonderful time in our costumes, sharing some yummy food. Thank you for your thoughtful treats!

We have been discussing ways to keep our bodies healthy, and will be continuing with the theme until the last week of November. With the cold weather on the way, please dress your child appropriately, we try to spend time outside as much as possible!

A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 302 - Susan and Gabi

It is hard to believe that we have been in the classroom for over two months now! We are very lucky with some very special children and very supportive adults in their lives. Gradual entry went well, and the little ones are now nicely settled in in our daily routine.

In a short amount of time they transformed the Treehouse room with vivid, brightly coloured, happy art. In the first few weeks we got to know each other by discussing family, friends, likes and dislikes, manners and sang name songs to remember each other’s names.

Autumn came quickly; we talked about the colours of the leaves and other changes in the new season. We celebrated Thanksgiving, and the children gave us some great ideas of why we should be thankful.

Halloween is always an exciting time of the year, we practiced some silly songs and rhymes, carved a pumpkin, created some spooky art pieces, and of course the highlight of the month was to put on a costume and celebrate with a party. Thank you for the generous food/drink supply!

Marion had a Fire Safety session with the children when they learned how to stop, drop and roll as well as how to crawl low under smoke. Health and Body is the next topic we will be learning about.

A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 304 - Stephanie and Gabi

It has been a pleasure getting to know the children of this class. They have all come together so well. For the first couple of weeks of October we talked about Thanksgiving. At circle we sang some turkey songs and read books about things people were thankful for. For art we made coffee filter turkeys, leaf prints with glitter, Thanksgiving collages, and diffusing paper leaves with watercolour. 

Next we talked about a very exciting day that was coming up; Halloween! With all the decorations the children were seeing all around the community and all the songs and stories we read, they were becoming more and more enthusiastic about this day. We carved a pumpkin and made a happy face for it. For art we made splatter paint bats, paper plate spiders, jack 'o' lanterns, and puffy paint ghosts. We ended the month off with a bang at our Halloween party. We all came dressed up to school and have lots of fun playing and dancing with our friends. Thank you to all of the parents who brought the delicious snacks for our party. 

Next month we will be learning about colours and shapes. 

As the weather is getting colder, we would like to remind parents to dress your child in appropriate clothing as we will be going outside if it is not raining. 

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak to one of the teachers.

A note from the Sunflower Room - Class 401 - Stephanie, Sali, Karen and Susan

What an exciting month it has been! To start things off we talked about Thanksgiving. During circle we went around and found what everyone was thankful for. It was so nice to hear all of the different ideas the children had. For art we made hand-print turkeys, watercolour diffusing paper leaves, and Lego stamping corn. One of the activities the children really enjoyed was bringing in a fruit and helping to cut it up into small pieces to put into an ice cream cone to resemble a cornucopia. It was a lot of fun to make and to eat! We also talked about who Johnny Appleseed was and why we sing his song at grace. To end things off, we made apple muffins. They were delicious! 

Next it was on to Halloween! With all the candy that was going to be around for this special day, we decided to have the dentist come in to talk to us about how we can keep our teeth healthy. We learnt a lot about what things were good and bad for our teeth and how we can keep them nice and clean. 

We did a lot of neat art activities for Halloween such as marble painting spider webs, hand-print spiders, Frankensteins, puffy paint jack o lanterns, bright bats, and Halloween collages. At circle we talked about what things we see during Halloween that are real and which things are pretend. The highlight of the month was our party day. It was so exciting seeing everyone come to school dressed up in their costumes. Thank you to all of the parents who contributed a snack for our party! 

As the weather is getting colder, we would like to remind parents to dress your child in appropriate clothing as we will be going outside if it is not raining. Next month we will be introducing our killer whale, Echo and focusing on the topic of sea life. 

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak to any of the teachers


A note from the Sunflower Room - Class 402 - Danielle, Arsi and Sousan

What a great start to the beginning of the new preschool year. It was awesome to meet some new faces and welcome back some familiar ones. Everyone has settled in quickly. 
We spent the first few weeks getting reacquainted with each other and our number one rule – No One Gets Hurt. We read the book “Stone Soup” by Jon J Muth and learnt how to work as a team, working together. We used the vegetables from the soup (carrots, corn, celery, stones and pototoes) to make prints for our own `soup bowls`. We also spent some time talking about sharing with our friends and learning our friends names.

We explored “Me, Myself and I” and it was interesting to see how the children pictured themselves. We used pencils to make our own self portraits and then used popsticks and coloured paper to make 'My family” in our own houses. We read the stories “I like Myself" & "Families are Different”.

We introduced a 'new friend' to our classroom when we read “Franklin get's a new pet”.  We even came up with name for our classroom pet.  We made goldfish prints with bubble wrap. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us, as is our 'other new friend'...We have decided to not get any more fish for the moment...

We spent a week looking at fall; how the leaves change colours, why do they change and that we have so many different types of leaves. We experimented with colours by mixing orange, red and yellow water colour onto diffusing paper. We watched it spread over the paper and change colours, just like the leaves that fall from the trees. We also used real leaves to make 'leaf prints rubs'.  As we used our hands to smooth the paint, we could feel the veins of the leaves and hear the crackle of the dry leaf. We also tried our hand at tracing, cutting and decorating our own leaf...We are very quickly using our 4 Year Old hands to learn.

Next on the agenda were Skeletons, witches, and ghosts!! Oh my! October was such a fun month!

We got right into it starting with fall, Thanksgiving, and of course Halloween!!!  We all enjoyed listening to the variety of Tom Turkey's stories of his/her disguises and talked about what we were thankful for. We even made cornmeal muffins and painted with corn on the cob.

The excitement leading to Halloween brought us to springy Witches, broomsticks, paper bowl spiders, ghosts, and much more. With each art, the children got a chance to use their fine motor skills by practicing their cutting and tracing. We ended Halloween with our fun filled party day. We danced to Halloween music and ate yummy treats. Thank you to those parents who volunteered this time!!!

In November, we will be focusing on the work of Hans Christian Anderson and also learning about Bucket Filling. We will also touched on Remembrance Day.


Just a little reminder that we are here for 4 hours, so it is better to pack more food than not. Extra food can always be taken home. Please continue to send extra clothing as there are some very enthusiastic painters and children who enjoy water play. With the cold weather here, please remember to send warm coats and hats. Our playground is shaded and tends to be cooler earlier in the day, thank you!


A note from the Treehouse Room - Class 403 - Stephanie and Gabi

Time sure flies when you are having fun! There was so much going on this month that it seemed like the month was over in no time. First we started to talk about Thanksgiving. We made pine cone turkeys that said what we were thankful for. We talked about who Johnny Appleseed was and why we sing his song at grace. We also watched a video to show us how he planted Apple seeds all around and how nice of a man he was. To celebrate being thankful for the food we have, we used apples to make muffins. The children were great helpers at adding all the ingredients and taking turns with each other. 

Next it was onto Halloween. At circle we talked about things that are real versus pretend. The children knew that most things that looked scary weren't real. For art we marble painted spider webs, made handprint spiders, candy corn, made faces on pumpkin cut outs, put together our own version of Frankenstein, made mummies with masking tape, and created monsters. It was so exciting to see all of the children come dressed in their costumes on our party day. We all had so much fun that day. Thank you to all of the parents who contributed party food. 

We also had a special guest come to our school this month; it was the dentist! She came and taught us about how we can keep our teeth healthy. We learned about the good and bad things for our teeth and how we should brush our teeth so they stay clean. 

This month we will be talking about Echo, the Orca whale we adopted and we will be focusing on certain books and bringing them to life by expanding them into all areas of the classroom. 

As the weather is getting colder, we would like to remind parents to dress your children in appropriate clothing as we will be going outside if it is not raining. 

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to speak to any of the teachers. 




Friday 2 October 2015

Welcome to Preschool! September 2015

A note from Jen McEneany - Coordinator

A very warm welcome to all of our families for the 2015/2016 preschool year! Most people think of new year as happening on January 1st, but as educators we know that the real new year happens in September! Every new year is filled with so much potential - friendships that have yet to form, fabulous artwork which will soon be proudly displayed and so many lessons to learn, laughter and fun to be had.... We are so excited to share this year with you and your children and hope to make it a year filled with special memories that will last a lifetime!

Housekeeping:

L-R Karen, Susan, Danielle, Arsi, Stephanie, Sali, Gabi. Sousan and Rachel
Please make sure to fill in all forms and return to the office as soon as possible. This information is required by licensing to be updated every year - even if nothing has changed - because the forms need to have the current dates on them. As the year progresses you will also need to update them if anything does change, especially with regards to anyone new picking up your child/emergency contacts. The last thing anyone wants in an emergency situation is not to have a current number for a parent/caregiver.

Please make sure to send your child to preschool with snacks that are NUT FREE, we have a number of children with severe, life threatening allergies. We will let you know about other allergies on a class by class/need to know basis. 

Please  make sure that your children come to preschool in clothing and footwear suitable for playing, painting, climbing and dancing because we want all our preschoolers to be able to fully participate in all the fun of preschool without restriction. We also ask that in case we do need to change your child at some point during their time here, that you send a change of clothes that your children will be happy to change into - we do have spares at preschool but sometimes little ones just want their own outfit!
L-R Tina, Marion and Jen

Parking is limited and we ask that you make sure to be extra vigilant and patient when entering and exiting the parking lot. We have no problem with you running a few minutes late as you try to find parking, we just want everyone to be safe as they make their way through the lot.

Please talk to your teachers, Marion, Jen or Tina in the office if you have any questions or concerns about anything with regards to the program here at St. Catherine's or your child's progress, we are always here to help in any way that we can.

Important upcoming dates:

Monday, October 12 - Thanksgiving - Preschool Closed.
Friday, October 23 - 4's Elmer Visit.
Wednesday, October 28 - 201 Halloween Party.
Thursday, October 29 - 202/302/304 Halloween Party.
Thursday, October 29 - Messy Church! 5:00-6:30pm in the gym.
Friday, October 30 - 301/401/402 Halloween Party.

For general information about our programs please contact Jen or Tina:

Tel: 604-980-1326
Fax: 604-982-3277
Email: stcpre@telus.net
Website: www.stcatherinespreschool.com
Please "LIKE" our facebook page "St. Catherine's Child Care Society" Thank you!

5 things you may not know about...

Tina Spencer - Administrator

1. I was born as Deborah Lee Sky but was adopted at 10 days old and renamed Christina     Marie Spencer.
2. I got 100% in Algebra in high school.
3. In my spare time you can find me singing, dancing and acting on the stage!
4. I am now living the "Empty Nest Syndrome" and LOVING IT!!
5. My oldest son's first name is my last name.

Jen McEneany - Coordinator

1. I have 2 daughters, Ayla who is 12 and Kaitlyn who is almost 9.
2. I recently bought a townhouse on LOLO!
3. I love design shows and decorating my home and my friends often ask my advice on design.
4. I love to read and write and my nightstand is stacked with books, notepads and journals.
5. I am a big daydreamer and it sometimes gets me into trouble!

Marion Porter - Developmental Resource Teacher

1. I have 3 boys  (32, 31 and 29).
2. lived in Montreal, St. John’s, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
3. Just moved after 19 years from a house to a townhouse in C-Lo.
4. Youngest son is getting married in April in Campbell River.
5. Been at St. Catherine’s 18 years and love my job.

Rachel and her parents!
Rachel Buttress - Music Teacher

1. My last trip was a choir tour to France.
2. I go to yoga every week.
3. To Kill A Mockingbird is my favourite book.
4. My favourite type of food is Mexican.
5. I have two cats and really wish I had a dog!

Arsi Amirians - Teacher Class 402
  
1. I have a 3 year old son named Luca & a 9 year old daughter named Lara.
2. I don't know how to whistle even though I've tried.....
3. When I was a little girl, I played with Barbies all the time.
4. I have a fear of any sized spiders (especially the bigger ones, eww!)
5. Dream travel destination: anywhere in Italy!!! 

Karen - Teacher Class 202 Aide Class 401/403

1. I still have my childhood stuffy from when I was in grade 1!
2. I have 3 children and they all came to St. Catherine's.
3. My favourite tea is peppermint.
4. I am a Girl Guide leader.
5. I have lived in North Van my whole life!

Susan Morgans - Teacher Class 201/302 Aide Class 401

1.  I was born in the city of Vancouver but have lived my whole life on the North Shore.
2.  My favourite part of a meal is dessert.
3.  I have backpacked in South East Asia with my boyfriend.
4.  I like baking better than I like cooking.
5.  I have a dog named Bentley who is in an agility class. 

Sali Chippet - Teacher Class 401/202

1. I have a house-trained rabbit named     Flipples.
2. I love to grow vegetables.
3. I enjoy hiking up mountains and swimming in Glacier lakes.
4. I never kill bugs or spiders.
5. I like to watch scary movies!

Estelle Stojcic - Teacher Class 301/403

1. I am married with two daughters ages six and nine.
2. We are a bilingual household. We speak French and English.
3. I have lived in France and Germany.
4. I am afraid of heights.
5. I have worked with children for over 20 years.

Danielle Moore - Teacher Class 201/402

1. My favourite Colour is Purple
2. I like the number 3.
3. I have a brother and a sister.
4. My favourite animal is a horse
5. I would like to visit Egypt one day.

Stephanie Mah - Teacher Class 202/401/304/403

1. I have a Pomeranian named Chi Chi.
2. I enjoy baking on my free time.
3. My favourite food is French fries.
4. I like to read Nicholas Sparks books.
5. I try to change the colour of my nail polish every week!

Vibha!
Vibha Sisodraker - Teacher Class 201/202

1. I grew up in the Fiji Islands.
2. I dislike participating in winter sports.
3. I love travelling.
4. I really love to get a shellac manicure!
5. I have four sisters and one brother.

Gabi Pasek - Teacher Class 301/302 Aide Class 304/403

1. I am a compulsive reader, I read everything! Street signs, transit ads, flyers, ingredients lists on boxes. (I've just wasted some time to re- read what I wrote!)
2. I had a magical childhood, I believed in Santa until I turned almost 13 (and I had my first boyfriend in the same year. Go figure...)
3. I was sick and tired to read "The little red hen" for the millionth time so I made up silly stories to my toddler, who loved them so much, she never again asked for that worn book again. Hopefully I will have some time and energy left to write at least one book and get published. (should I sign it as The Little Red Hen? )
4. I'm a bit crazy - I teach preschoolers, need I say more?! I am a late bloomer too, I learned how to bike when I was 12, how to snowboard and swim in my early 40's, my most recent career change happened in my 40’s as well.
5. I’ve always been a big fan of literature, drama, arts, and fell in love with acting in grade one when I wrote a play and my classmates and I performed it for our parents. I am a treasurer for a non-profit theater and I do some acting too.

Sousan Hakimy Kashany - Aide Class 402

1. I have 3 children. 1 son and 2 daughters.
2. My son graduated from UBC where he studied International Relations and Economics. My eldest daughter has a masters degree in Civil Engineering and Building Science from UBC and my youngest daughter is in grade 11 at Handsworth with plans to become a psychiatrist.
3. I have worked in ECE since 2003 and believe that each child is a unique individual with the potential to learn in a comfortable atmosphere full of love and support.
4. In my spare time I enjoy walking, yoga and reading.
5. I love to spend time with my family and friends.










Thanks for reading!