Buy a Ukulele at a Discounted Group Rate!

Dickens PAC is offering you the opportunity to buy a Ukulele at a group discounted rate! 

Details are on the poster below. The three types of Ukuleles will be available for order (and for viewing) at the DUO Table at the Dickens main school from 8:30-9am, on Monday, Dec 11 or on Tuesday, Dec 12. Orders can also be emailed to dickensukuleles@gmail.com by the Dec 13 deadline.  

Charles Dickens Book Fair – VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

We are still in need of Volunteers for WEDNESDAY, December 6 for the Dickens Book Fair! 

BOOK FAIR at the Dickens Main School - December 6 / 7 / 8

Due to the teacher shortage, Miranda, our teacher librarian at Dickens Main can only open the Library 3 days a week. The library is closed two days a week, as she was assigned to assist with prep work instead.      

It's therefore up to Dickens PARENTS & GUARDIANS to run the BOOK FAIR this December!

The Book Fair brings in much needed resources for the school library ($2,000 per fair to buy new books) so we are pulling together to run the Fair with Volunteers.

If you are able to volunteer on Wednesday, December 6 it would be MOST appreciated!

We need:

• 4 people from 1:45pm to 4pm
• 1 person from 4 to 6pm
• 1 person from 4:15 to 6:15pm 

Sign up to volunteer, by emailing Christy at christy@ctpost.ca

PLEASE also forward this message to any Dickens Parents/Guardians who may also be able to help.

Thanks very much in advance!
Dickens PAC

* It's time for Holiday Hampers again! *

The following hand-out and a small envelope was sent home with all students this past week!

If you have any questions, contact Heather or Daniela at dickens.div5@gmail.com

SCREENAGERS - Growing up in the Digital Age

Bring your kids (Age 10+) and start the conversation!

Reserve your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/screenagers-tickets-39383997597?aff=erelexpmlt (suggested donation at the door $10/person)  

How to apply for Funding for Parent-led Clubs & Activities at Dickens

Successful clubs over previous years have included Chess Club, Ultimate Frisbee, Sewing etc. New ideas are always welcome too!

If you'd like to apply for PAC Funding for a Parent-led Club or Activity for the 2017-18 school year at either the Dickens main school or annex, go to the following link: goo.gl/ykQJ67

Thank you,
Dickens PAC Exec

PAC Exec Meetings - April, May, June 2017

Apr 11, 2017 Minutes: goo.gl/oJi653

May 8, 2017 Minutes: goo.gl/rBxu47

Jun 12, 2017 Minutes: goo.gl/3B98Xk

Invitation to Soccer Sundays for Dickens Kids

Dickens parent, Andy Johnson, is hosting four Soccer Sunday mornings for kids in Kindergarten & Grade 1 (Main & Annex). See details on poster below - there is no cost. For more info, contact Andy at andy@brc.ubc.ca

Tuesday - September 5, 2017

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, September 5 - note that school ends at 9:30am that first day for Grades 1 to 7. 

- Charles Dickens PAC 

What to do if you find Hazardous Garbage at Sunnyside Park or on the Dickens School Playgrounds

For Needles:

Parents/Guardians should contact the Needle Hotline at 604.657.6561 to report a discarded needle on school property or Sunnyside Park, and it should be picked up in about an hour.  

More details on the Hotline can be found here:

https://www.phs.ca/index.php/project/mobile-needle-exchange/

The VanConnect App can also be used (click on Garbage and Litter, then Abandoned Garbage, then Discarded Needle) to report a discarded needle.  The City will share this information with the Needle Hotline. However, this option may take more time before the needle is picked up. 

For Condoms:

Condoms can be carefully placed in a garbage bin by an adult.  

Alternatively, condoms can be reported on VanConnect as abandoned garbage (click on Garbage and Litter, then Abandoned Garbage, then Garbage/Miscellaneous Junk) on City Property such as Sunnyside Park. If found on the school playgrounds over the summer break, the Vancouver School Board (VSB) should be contacted. 

Have a wonderful summer! We look forward to seeing you again in the new school year on Tuesday, September 5.

© Charles Dickens PAC

FOR SALE - Nine Silent Auction Items

If you did not get a chance to bid on these 9 items at Spring Fling's Silent Auction, NOW’S YOUR TO BUY THEM!

These items did not have a winning bid at the Silent Auction.

If you are interested in purchasing any of these 9 items now, here are the rules:

1.     The item can be purchased for the purchase price listed.

2.     To purchase the item, send an email to dickens.pac@gmail.com with your name, a contact number (preferably a cell number), item number, and item name.

3.     Items will be open for purchase starting at 12pm on Saturday, June 24 until 12pm on Monday, June 26.

4.     Items will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis - the first person to email about an item after 12pm on Saturday will win that item for the purchase price.

5.     We will contact the winners by the end of the day on Monday, June 26. All items must be paid for and picked-up by Thursday, June 29.

To see the items, click on this link: Silent Auction Items For Sale

The image below shows Item #255 Handmade Shelving System

PAC AGM & Elections

Our financials for this year, and a proposed budget for next year will be presented. 

If you'd like to know more about how PAC works and what we do, or are interested in possibly joining the PAC Executive for the next school year, contact Tamara Shand (Main) and Carol Duffy (Annex) our current Chairs, at dickens.pac@gmail.com to ask your questions - thank you!

Our SPRING FLING Photos & Videos are up!

To see our SPRING FLING photos and video clips go to

Facebook.com/dickensspringfling

Instagram.com/dickensspringfling/

"Solo Georgia Strait Crossing" Fundraiser

Division 9 parent, Don Urquhart, successfully completed his OC1 (Single Outrigger Canoe) crossing of the Georgia Strait, and raised $3,340 for Charles Dickens Elementary School. Bravo and much appreciation to Don! 

Don will also revisit select classrooms at Dickens Main to share his motivational experience of goal setting and execution. 

In his own words:
"The crossing went well. I did a fair amount of research on the Strait and trained as much as possible. I was really happy with respect to how everything unfolded and also learned a lot while I crossed. I set my schedule to the tides, flows and winds but underestimated my average speed in the first 22 miles and arrived an hour too early at my 25-mile waypoint. This made the next 1.5 hours of paddling brutal and it took a lot out of me. 

Once the hour passed and the tide went slack and turned, I was off again at good average speeds. I crossed in 8 hours which included my resting times: 3 to 5 minutes every hour and two 15 minute breaks.

I was really looking forward to seeing some wildlife along the way and maybe have porpuses or white-sided dolphins swim alongside me but I did not see anything except a couple of seagulls and a harbour seal - Lol!

I was a bit of a 'deer in headlights' experience on this crossing because I really had no idea how my body would respond physically. I had another mishap the night before I took the Ferry to Nanaimo. I was setting up my OC1 for Sat Nav and checking all the vulnerable areas of the canoe, when I noticed a slight fracture in my rudder cable. A friend came over to replace the part but when doing so, the internal cable housing broke which rendered the OC useless. 

I have a second OC1 but it's not a racing hull and weighs about 4 to 5 pounds heavier and was not properly fitted to me. I was crushed at this mishap and beside myself. Six months of prep and all of a sudden I am staring at my broken OC that cannot be fixed inside of two weeks. I got up at 6am the next morning and brought my other OC back to my home and did a refit of the OC plus an install of the brackets for the navigation devices. 

The OC performed perfectly and was a touch more work to paddle but I had a lot of sizable swell and wind in the first 22 miles so this made up for the extra weight.

Arriving at the Vanier Park boat launch at Kitsilano was a great feeling but once I stepped off the OC I kinda had to learn how to walk again for the first few meters. There was also a small welcoming party which was completely unexpected but so appreciated...Thank you!" www.facebook.com/Solo-OC1-Georgia-Strait-Crossing

17th Annual SPRING FLING at Charles Dickens Elementary

Thank You to everyone who came on Thursday, June 1 to celebrate with us! And a heartfelt Thanks to all our Donors, Entertainment Teams, and the 200+ Volunteers from our Dickens Community!

We are currently still in process of setting up photos & video clips on our SPRING FLING Facebook and Instagram, and will be sending out notes of thanks in the near future. 

See you at SPRING FLING this Thursday!

We're looking forward to seeing you on Thursday, June 1 at SPRING FLING! Remember that you can share your pics with us on Facebook and/or Instagram at the following hashtag — #dickensspringfling — we'd love to see them! 

We're looking for PAC Chairs for the 2017-18 School Year!

In past years, two PAC Chairs have been elected: one to represent the Main school and one for the Annex.

The two sites operate as one PAC, but it is helpful to have one person “assigned” to each school to maintain a PAC presence. 

Although one person has typically filled each position, the role can be performed in partnership, where the parties could serve as Co-Chairs.

The position is comprised of four core functions, which can be viewed at the following link: goo.gl/fxUZ9z

If you are interested or know parents/guardians who may be interested in Chairing or Co-chairing the PAC, please contact dickens.pac@gmail.com Questions/comments can also be submitted to this email.

Thank You.

Donations for Plant Sale

Donations for the Plant Sale (plants, bulbs, seedlings, seeds etc) can be dropped off at the Plant Sale tables in the Red Court on Thursday, June 1 – any time from 12 noon to 3:30pm.

Donations for MADE IT

Donations for Cake Walk

Cakes for the Cake Walk can be dropped at the following venues and times on Thursday, June 1 (See posters below) - the best 3 cakes will get ribbons!

Dickens Annex:

Dickens Main School:

A Big THANKS & PHOTOS re: Staff Appreciation Luncheon

An Enormous THANK YOU to Lee Bensted and to Dickens Parents & Guardians, who donated towards the Staff Lunch and/or volunteered with preparations, setting up, serving, or tidying up for the event! 

With your generous assistance, we were once again able to host a superb meal for all Dickens Staff to show our heartfelt appreciation of their work. Due to the cooler weather on May 12, the event took place indoors this year. However we managed to maintain our delightful Spring Garden theme! Browse through some of the pictures below: 

New this year - Eventbrite and Credit Card Payments at SPRING FLING!

Credit Cards 

We will be accepting credit cards payments using "Square" this year for Tickets and for Silent Auction items. Note though that only the Ticket Booths indoors, and at the Red Court will be equipped with Square devices, as WiFi does not reach the ticket booth on the field.

Eventbrite    

To pre-purchase tickets for activities and some of the food/drink items at SPRING FLING, go to: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/charles-dickens-elementary-school-spring-fling-tickets-31950439625

Remember to bring your ticket print-out from 4pm onwards, when collecting your tickets from the Will Call table at the Red Court!  

This is one of the ways we’re working to improve line-ups. We’re also doubling up on ticket sales volunteers from 4-5pm. 

As in previous years, we’ve kept ticket and activity prices as low as possible to make everything accessible to our community, while still covering costs for the event.

Reminder: Bake for the Cake Walk at SPRING FLING!

Cakes for the Cake Walk can be dropped at the following venues and times on Thursday, June 1 (See posters below) - the best 3 cakes will get ribbons!

Dickens Annex:

Dickens Main School:

Volunteering and/or Donating at SPRING FLING

Please do take the time to read through this second SPRING FLING notice that was sent home last week, to see how you can assist with this year's SPRING FLING fundraiser & celebration of our school. Thank you!

Silent Auction Sneak Peeks!

If you'd like to get a head start and see some of the items at SPRING FLING's Silent Auction, keep a look out all through May for "Silent Auction Sneak Peeks" on our Facebook at: Facebook.com/dickensspringfling/

17th Annual SPRING FLING at Charles Dickens Elementary

It's only 2 weeks to go! Remember to invite your Family & Friends! 
Come and enjoy some fun-filled activites, and join us for a bite to eat! 

Like us on facebook.com/dickensspringfling and follow us on instagram.com/dickensspringfling and keep looking out for our Silent Auction Sneak Peeks through May!

Classroom Basket Themes for Silent Auctions

Notices about Classroom Baskets for the Silent Auction at SPRING FLING have been sent home this past week. Thanks for participating! Here are the themes for both the Main & Annex Schools: 

Dickens Annex: 
Division 1 – Pokemon
Division 2 – Summer Fun
Division 3 – Family Game Night 
Division 4 – Harry Potter
Division 5 – Baking
Division 6 – Coffee Basket

Dickens Main: 
Divisions 1 & 2 – Gardening
Divisions 3 & 4 – The Thrill of the Grill
Divisions 5 & 6 – Family Picnic
Divisions 7 & 8 – Craft Brewery
Division 9 – Movie Night
Division 10 & 11 – Spa, Soaps & Everything to Pamper Yourself
Division 12 – Movie Night
Division 13 – Camping
Division 14 – Chillax Box
Division 15 – Board Games & Treats
Division 16 – Games
Division 17 & 18 – Arts, Crafts and Fidget Toys
Division 19 – Canada 150

Reminder: Volunteer at SPRING FLING!

We still need several helpers for the following areas (see below):

Most shifts are 1 to 1.5 hrs onsite on Thursday June 1, from 4 to 8pm or a few hours prior to the Fling. 

Contact Mariko at dickens.spring.fling@gmail.com to volunteer or if you have any questions. 

The number (in brackets) are the number of volunteers still needed:

• Pre-event Setting Up (27) 
• Face Painting (27)
• Games - gym/outdoors (20)
• Silent Auction (12)
• Tearing Down (12)
• Tidying up/recycling (6) 
• Bake Sale (5)
• Food Tent (5)
• Volunteer/Info Centre (3)
• Games - prize table (3)

• Cake Walk (2) 

• Dunk Tank (2)

• Photo Booth (2)
• 50/50 Raffle (2) 

Please also share this info with any other parents/guardians who may be able to assist - Thank you!

Reminder: Staff Appreciation Luncheon is on May 12 - Can you help?

The following notice was sent home last week - If you can assist with any food items or volunteer shifts, please contact Lee Bensted at leebensted@gmail.com Thank You!

17th Annual SPRING FLING at Charles Dickens Elementary

Invite your Family & Friends! Come and enjoy some fun-filled activites, and join us for a bite to eat! 

Like us on facebook.com/dickensspringfling and follow us on instagram.com/dickensspringfling and keep looking out for our Silent Auction Sneak Peeks through May!

Staff Appreciation Luncheon is on May 12 - Can you help?

The following notice was sent home this week - If you can assist with any food items or volunteer shifts, please contact Lee Bensted at leebensted@gmail.com Thank You!

Donate to our Silent Auction at SPRING FLING!

Calling all professions! Do you own a business or work at a business providing products that could benefit those in our Dickens Community? Or can you donate 1-2 hours of your services as a Silent Auction item?

Support our kids by helping us raise Silent Auction funds at the Fling! 

Contact Amy Stanley at amy@amystanley.com by Friday, April 28 if you’d like to donate products, services or a gift card or have any questions in this regard.

Volunteering and/or Donating at SPRING FLING

Please do take the time to read through the notice that was sent home last week, to see how you can assist us with this year's SPRING FLING fundraiser & celebration of our school. Thank you!

Volunteering and/or Donating at SPRING FLING

Hello Dickens Parents & Guardians, 

The following Handout - a bright blue page - was sent home this week with your child(ren). Please do take the time to read through the info on the Handout to see how you can assist us with this year's SPRING FLING fundraiser & celebration of our school. Thank you!

PAC Exec Meeting - Mar 2017

Mar 6 2017 Minutes: https://goo.gl/87FPpd

Donate towards our Silent Auction at SPRING FLING!

Calling all professions! Do you own a business or work at a business providing products that could benefit those in our Dickens Community? Or can you donate 1-2 hours of your services as a Silent Auction item?

Support our kids by helping us raise Silent Auction funds at the Fling! 

Contact Amy Stanley at amy@amystanley.com by Friday, April 28 if you’d like to donate products, services or a gift card or have any questions in this regard.

Secure Silent Auction Donations from Local Businesses

Canvassing for donations is a vital role as it contributes to a significant part of our fundraising! Think you can help us with contacting previous donors and/or with creating some new leads? If yes, contact Amy Stanley at amy@amystanley.com

Volunteer at SPRING FLING!

We need over 200 Volunteers to bring this event to life! 

Thanks to those who've already signed up to assist. However, we still need several helpers for the following areas (see below):

Most shifts are 1 to 1.5 hrs onsite on Thursday June 1, from 4 to 8pm or for a few hours prior to the Fling. Contact Mariko Kish at dickens.spring.fling@gmail.com to volunteer or if you have any questions. 

• 50/50 Raffle

• Bake Sale

• Cake Walk

• Cotton Candy

• Dunk Tank

• Face Painting

• Food Tent

• Games

• Games (Prize Table)

• Plants Sale

• Photo Booth

• Setting Up | Tearing Down

• Silent Auction

• Recycling/Garbage

• Reptile Room

• Volunteer/Info Centre

Create Home-made Handiworks, Arts & Crafts for the "MADE IT" Table!

Please also forward this message to friends and family of the Charles Dickens School & Annex who may like to assist in this way - Thank You!

Charles Dickens Book Fair – Volunteers Needed!

More volunteers are needed for our bi-annual school Book Fair to work 1-hour shifts from April 5 – 6. The Fair takes place during the week of the Parent-Student Conferences at the Main School.

1-Hour shifts that still require volunteers: 

April 5

• 4-5 pm (3 volunteers)

• 5-6 pm (1 volunteer)

April 6

• 3-4pm (3 volunteers)

You are welcome to bring your kids if you'd like to do so. Please email dickens.pac@gmail.com if you're able to volunteer for any of these shifts.

What you will do 
Process payments for books as kids/parents come to the counter to purchase; this involves taking cash, cheques or setting up payment through visa machine. 

The school librarian, Miranda, or parent working the shift prior to you will show you what to do, including how to work the visa machine. And you have to be able to do simple math too of course.

Shift parents will also write 1 to 2 slips for books that have run out, but can still be purchased if prepaid. Miranda then orders the books and they'll arrive before the Fair ends.