PDF Version (click here) - English Montreal School Board

EMSB
Movie Premiere,
Page 2
Dates to
Remember,
Page 3
EMSB
Scenes
Photo Montage
Pages 4 &5
Making Impact
Page 7
Honouring
Volunteers
Page 8
www.emsb.qc.ca for a comprehensive look at EMSB schools and services log on !
EMSB introduces occupational therapy in schools
By Clarise Samuels
Special Education Correspondent
Occupational therapy is a field that
came into existence after World War I,
when returning veterans who had been
injured in battle were in need of
rehabilitation. The first professional
society for occupational therapists (OTs)
was established in 1923. Today a
significant number of all OTs work with
children, many of them in the school
systems, typically working with
children with disabilities. The purpose
of the therapy is to help people “reenter” the community. For children,
this concept is applied to their school
work and play activities.
The English Montreal School Board
(EMSB) has introduced a pilot project
for the 2005-2006 academic year, where
about 15 elementary schools are being
visited by OTs Claudia De Luca and
Ann Zilberbrant for one day every
other week. This project is taking place
as part of a partnership between the
EMSB and Jewish Family Services (JFS).
The two organizations already enjoy
an ongoing partnership with other
projects, such as the B.E.A.T. Program
(Building Educational Assets Together)
and the Winning Combination
Gambling Prevention Program.
The program is stressing early
intervention, and is therefore focusing
on students in pre-kindergarten,
kindergarten, and Grade 1. The OTs
concentrate on various therapeutic
activities, such as showing children the
proper way to sit at their desks and the
proper way to grasp a pencil. Other
activities include handwriting
exercises, shoe-lace tying and zippering
coats, and more specific exercises such
as the “snowflake” exercise. This is a
paper-cutting exercise that focuses on
following instructions, and using
scissor skills and pencil skills.
“We take a universal approach by
working with the whole group,” Ms.
De Luca explained after a session at
Sinclair Laird Elementary School in
Park Exension. “That way we avoid
singling out any one child and causing
stigma. While we work with the group,
we screen for problems, and then
Occupational therapist Claudia De Luca leads a number-recognition exercise for a kindergarten class at Sinclair Laird Elementary School
in Park Extension.
target individual children for
therapeutic exercises while keeping
them in their natural environment.
This works better, since sometimes
children master a task one-on-one with
a therapist, and then cannot perform
when they return to the classroom.”
EMSB Director of Student Services
Lew Lewis noted that providing OT
services at the elementary school level
Bibliothèque rénovée
L’école primaire Honoré Mercier
de Saint-Léonard a amorcé l’année
2006 par l’inauguration de sa
bibliothèque récemment. Après
de nombreuses heures de travail
acharné des parents bénévoles, la
bibliothèque a été transformée en un
havre nautique. « Félicitations à nos
parents dévoués et déterminés qui
ont réalisé leur rêve » déclare la
directrice Connie Primiano.
Toute la bibliothèque a été
repeinte. Divers articles ont été
recueillis auprès de plusieurs
croisiéristes et placés sur les murs.
Plusieurs peintures murales décrivent différentes scènes maritimes,
dont une sirène géante portant
un collier en trois dimensions,
un aquarium, un pirate géant et
un vrai aquarium. Les parents ont
même déplacé les étagères et
réaménagé le coin de lecture. « Ils
ont suspendu un grand filet rempli
de livres et ils ont pu obtenir
plusieurs horloges qui donnent
l’heure de divers pays » souligne
Mme Primiano.
AARON and TASSO in the morning
and
The Most Music all day
www.q92fm.com
is widespread within school districts
in the United States.
“The emphasis will not be on a
medical model,” he said, “but on a
collaborative/consultative model
including parents and teachers, a
model that appears to maximize the
effectiveness of the OT’s services. The
OTs will also provide workshops for
parents, and presentations and inservice to teachers.”
The goal will be to improve student
performance in activities that are
important for successful functioning
at school. This covers a broad spectrum
of problem areas, such as gross motor
skills, fine motor skills, sensory motor
skills, cognitive perception, social and
emotional development, and life skills.
The OTs will be doing screening,
intervention plans, and consultations
with parents and teachers, as well as
the much needed therapeutic activity
that leads to developmental progress
in the targeted areas.
Page 2 EMSB Express Vol. 7 Nº 2 Spring 2006 w w w. e m s b. q c. c a
IN MEMORIAM
John F. Kennedy
High School in
St. Michel has
paid tribute to its
late principal. The
Antonio Colannino
Auditorium was
being named after
the gentleman
who lost his life
Antonio Colannino
to a brain tumour
earlier this year. Mr. Colannino had
a lifelong connection to the school.
He graduated from there in 1968 and
then went on to serve as a teacher,
assistant to the principal, fine arts
program coordinator, vice-principal
and principal for six years until falling
ill … Layla (Imane) Khaled, a student
at Perspectives I Outreach High School
in St. Michel for
the past two years,
died tragically
over the Christmas
holidays in a fire.
On the morning
of December 31.
Layla awoke to the
smell of smoke,
got her friends up
and out, but was
Layla Khaled
unable to get out
of the burning building herself.
According to Principal Don Houston,
she is being credited for saving their
lives – she clearly died a heroine!
Layla was 16 years old. She attended
Dalkeith Elementary School in Anjou
and then Lester B. Pearson and Laurier
MacDonald High Schools, before
coming to Perspectives I. A memorial
service was held at the school on
Jan. 16 to honour Layla ... Brigitte Serre,
the young girl who was murdered
while on the job at a Shell gas station
in St. Léonard, did her elementary
school studies at Our Lady of Pompei
in Ahuntsic.
EMSB EXPRESS
Produced by the Communications
and Marketing Services Division of
the English Montreal School Board
6000 Fielding Avenue
Montreal (Quebec)
H3X 1T4
Phone: (514) 483-7200, ext. 7245
Fax:
(514) 483-7213
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.emsb.qc.ca
Editor
Michael J. Cohen
Communications &
Marketing Specialist, EMSB
Copy Editor
Stuart Nulman
Translation
Aline Zerounian
EMSB Photos
Michael J. Cohen
Legal Deposit
Bibliothèque Nationale
du Québec
National Library of Canada
ISSN 1488-416X
Layout and design
Ponctu@tion Grafix Inc.
www.ponctuation.com
PROJETS DE
CONSTRUCTION
La CSEM a engagé des professionnels pour la réalisation de trois projets
majeurs. Les travaux de construction
d’un nouveau gymnase à l’Académie
Royal West et de nouvelles salles
de classe à l’école primaire Dunrae
Gardens et à l’école primaire East Hill,
devraient commencer au printemps.
Les firmes d’architectes et d’ingénieurs
qui entreprendront ces projets ont été
choisies par le biais d’appels d’offres.
DISTINCTION
Congratulations are due to Merton
Elementary School of Côte Saint-Luc
Cycle 2 teacher Liliane Yiptong and
the students who participated in
the 2004-05 version of the Quebec
Entrepreneurship Project –ExotiKids
Exotic Recipes. Merton has been
awarded $750 by the Ministry of
Education. And hats off to Grade 6
student Alisa Knezevic who submitted
a winning entry in the Literacy
Partners of Quebec competition Come
Read With Me! Alisa has received a gift
certificate from Babar’s Book Store and
Merton received a gift certificate of
$400 toward the purchase of books for
the school library.
SWAT
Les élèves de 6e année de l’école
primaire Willingdon de N.D.G. ont eu
un excellent aperçu du travail de la
brigade de choc SWAT du Service de
police de Montréal. La présentation de
l’agent Pat Bourgeois était axée sur la
sensibilisation des élèves à la vraie
nature de l’équipe SWAT, contrairement
à celle qui est présentée par les médias.
METTRE FIN AU RACISME
Des membres de la Commission des
étudiants d’Ottawa ont visité récemment l’école secondaire John Paul I et
se sont joints à l’animateur spirituel
Rocco Speranza pour parler à plus de
300 élèves des façons positives et
constructives de réduire et de mettre
fin au racisme. Des ateliers ont été
organisés et la discussion a porté sur
le racisme et sur la façon dont les
élèves peuvent participer au programme « Mettre fin au racisme » offert
par le ministère de l’Héritage canadien.
Au cours de leurs classes d’art théâtral,
les élèves travailleront à la production
des sketchs et à des annonces d’intérêt
public qui serviront à faire parvenir
un message au sujet de l’acceptation
de l’unité et la diversité. Les 6 et
7 décembre, les élèves de l’école
secondaire John Paul I ont pris part au
projet de distribution de jouets des
pompiers de la Ville de Montréal et des
Forces armées canadiennes. Plus de 20
élèves accompagnés par M. Speranza
se sont offerts bénévolement pour
aider à trier, réparer, nettoyer,
envelopper et empaqueter des jouets
pour les enfants démunis de Montréal.
Le bénévolat des élèves a permis de
préparer plus de 346 cadeaux.
A scene from Ripples of Time.
MOVIE PREMIERE AT LAURIER MAC
To coincide with the publication of a sixth extraordinary book that uses
photographs, artifacts and stories to discover their families’ cultures and
histories, the students and faculty of Laurier Macdonald High School in
St. Léonard have launched an unprecedented companion docu-drama on the
subject. Ripples In Time, an LMAC Media Film Production, was screened before
a capacity crowd on Feb. 1 at the Leonardo Da Vinci Cultural Centre. Mose
Persico, the host of a number of popular local CTV entertainment shows, was
a special guest speaker. The book and film is the latest in a series which
already includes Faded Memories, Rainbow of Dreams, Memories in Black and
White, Once upon a Journey and Whispering Dreams. Each publication was
dedicated to the memories of past generations; each an inspirational collection
of stories about love, hope, death, change and above all, dreams. Principal
Pat Buttino served as the executive producer. Media education teachers
Frank Tiseo, Leon Llewellyn and Audrey Berner headed this project, serving
as editors of the book. Mr. Tiseo directed the film, with Michael Penning
and Alan Taylor responsible for cinematography. Multi-talented student
Giancarlo Scalia wrote the musical score.
STUDENT
AUTHORS
Some students
at Lester B. Pearson
High School in
Montreal North
and at Laurier
Macdonald High
School (LMAC) in
St. Léonard have
The Pearson poets.
become prolific
authors. Fifty-five Grade 9 students at Lester B. Pearson have launched their
very own book of Wanting to both fulfill the curriculum and make a positive
community impact, teacher Michael Sweet, himself a published poet,
conceived this idea as a way to raise funds for the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
DOMN ET CAVALLARO
HOCKEY EXPANSION
Les élèves de deuxième année de
l’école primaire Our Lady of Pompei ont
reçu la visite de l’auteure canadienne
Kristen Domn. Elle a exposé ses livres
et a demandé aux élèves de donner leur
avis au sujet du livre qu’elle écrit présentement. Elle a aussi lu des passages de
son livre « Atlantic Puffin » et a expliqué
que son mari, Jefferey Domn, illustrait
ses livres. Elle a partagé quelques unes de
ses stratégies de rédaction avec les
élèves qui les utilisent maintenant pour
leurs propres travaux. Ce fut une expérience très agréable qui a été fortement
appréciée par les élèves et les enseignant(e)s. Frank Cavallaro, météorologue
très connu du réseau CTV, s’est adressé
à quelques élèves de l’école Our Lady of
Pompei. Les élèves travaillent actuellement au thème « Ouragans et tornades » et ils ont été heureux de partager
avec Frank ce qu’ils avaient appris en
classe. Ils lui ont posé aussi de nombreuses questions au sujet de son travail.
Hockey Specific
Training (HST) and
the EMSB have
announced that
they will allow
Grade 4 students
to join the hockey
component of the
Student Athlete
Program at Holy
Cross Elementary
School in St.
Laurent for the
Shawn Anderson
2006-2007 academic year. Former National Hockey
League (NHL) defenceman Shawn
Anderson, the director of HST, says
the Grade 4 students will participate
in a modified hockey program where
the main focus will be ice training. Log
on to www.hockeyspecifictraining.com
for all of the details, including the
price structure.
w w w. e m s b. q c. c a Spring 2006 EMSB Express Vol. 7 Nº 2 Page 3
DATES TO REMEMBER
March 25, 2006
May 19-20, 2006
The Franco DiGiovanni
Brain Tumour Awareness
Fundraising Social
Québec Robocup Junior
6:30 p.m. – Buffet Villa Italia
8600 Maurice Duplessis Boulevard
R.D.P.
Paul VI High School
17th Annual Fundraiser
Dinner Dance
6 p.m. – Salle de Reception
Le Châteaubriand
7985 Maurice Duplessis
R.D.P.
March 26, 2006
Bell Montreal Regional
Science and Technology Fair
Centennial Regional H.S.
880 Hudson Ave., Greenfield Park
www.exposciencesbell.qc.ca
April 19, 2006
EMSB Volunteer
Appreciation Evening
April 26, 2006
Secretaries Day
April 28, 2006
Terry Fox Run
Lester B. Pearson High School
Montreal North
École Secondaire Père Marquette
6030, rue Marquette, Montréal
www.sciencetech.ca
LaurenHill Academy
Annual Dance Show
Theatre Denise Pelletier
May 25-27, 2006
Canadian School Boards
Association Congress 2006
Hosted by QESBA
Delta Centre-Ville
May 30, 2006
In-School Administrators
Fashion Show
Fashion for Compassion
EMSB in Vogue Act II
7 p.m. – Hellenic Community Center
5777 Wilderton
Tickets: $20 each
Emcees - Eramelinda Boquer and
Al Gravelle from CJAD Radio
EMSB COMMISSIONERS
LES COMMISSAIRES DE LA CSEM
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 16 (St. Léonard)
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 12 (Ahuntsic)
DOMINIC SPIRIDIGLIOZZI
JOSEPH PETRAGLIA
Chair
Président
Vice-Chair, Finance and
Legislation Committee
Vice-Président, Comité des affaires
financières et législatives
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 3 (N.D.G.)
ELIZABETH FOKOEFS
Vice-Chair
Vice-Présidente
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 1 (Côte Saint-Luc)
SYD WISE
Vice-Chair, Education and
Facilities Committee
Vice-Président, Comité des affaires
pédagogiques et des services éducatifs
ROCCO BARBIERI
Chair, Education and Facilities Committee
Président, Comité des affaires pédagogiques
et des services éducatifs
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 2 (Montreal West)
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 15 (Montreal North)
DR. JOHN SIMMS
SYLVIA LOBIANCO
Immediate Past Chair
Président sortant
Chair, Executive Committee
Président, Comité exécutif
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 4
(Hampstead - Côte Saint-Luc)
Electoral Division/
Circonscription 17 (St. Léonard)
MARVIN HELFENBAUM
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 5
(N.D.G. - St. Henri - Ville Émard)
Info: (514) 483-7200, ext. 7379
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 6
(St Henri - Pointe St-Charles Westmount - Downtown)
MICHÈLE CIAMPINI
Board of Trade
of Metropolitan Montreal
Outstanding Student Awards
DANIEL ANDRELLI
Fairmont Queen Elizabeth
(Rosemount H.S., J.F.K. H.S.,
Laurier MacDonald H.S., Royal Vale)
7 p.m. – Leonardo Da Vinci Center
8350 Lacordaire Boulevard, St. Léonard
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 7 (Westmount)
June 29, 2006
GINETTE SAUVÉ-FRANKEL
EMSB Scholarship
Golf Tournament
May 6, 2006
Lachute Golf Club, 355 Bethany Road
Info: (514) 483-7200, ext. 7379
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 8
(Côte des Neiges - Snowdon Outremont)
May 3, 2006
Brain Waves Gala
EMSB Chorale
Spring Gala Concert
7:30 p.m. – Oscar Peterson Hall
Tickets: $10 (adults)
$5 (students and seniors)
May 11-13, 2006
Canadian Association
of Principals Conference
Quebec City
www.cap2006.ca
Bell Montreal Expo Sciences
Regional Finals (Primary),
Aréna Etienne-Desmarteau
3430 Bellechasse
(www.exposciencesbell.qc.ca)
May 16, 2006
National Denim Day
Chair, Transportation Advisory Committee
Président, Comité consultatif du transport
ZEV NEUWIRTH
Board Meetings
The EMSB council of commissioners meet
in public once a month. These sessions
begin at 7:30 p.m. and are held in the
Laurence Patterson Conference Room of
the administration building at 6000 Fielding
Avenue. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Please note that occasionally during the
year special meetings are called. Parents
are urged to bookmark the EMSB website
(www.emsb.qc.ca) to access Board
meeting agendas and to be advised about
special meetings. To register for question
period please call 483-7200, ext. 7264. The
meetings scheduled for this academic year
are as follows:
March 29, 2006
April 26, 2006
May 24, 2006
June 21, 2006
GEORGE VOGAS
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 14 (St-Michel)
Cheques can be forwarded to Tina
Lavranos, Gardenview Elementary
School; Connie Primiano, HonoréMercier Elementary School; Paul
Saunders, central head office
All proceeds will go to the autism clinic
of the Montreal Children's Hospital
Electoral Division/
Circonscription 13
(Park Extension - The Plateau)
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 9
(Mount Royal - Saint-Laurent)
RON PATERSON
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 10 (Saint-Laurent)
BERNIE PRAW
Vice-Chair, Adult Education and
Vocational Services Committee
Vice-Président, Comité consultatif
de l’ éducation des adultes et de
la formation professionnelle
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 11
(Saint-Laurent - Cartierville)
JAMES KROMIDA
2006-2007 Youth Calendar
Parents and students wishing to consult or download the
2006-2007 EMSB Youth Sector calendar can do so by going to
www.emsb.qc.ca and clicking on Schools. You will find the calendar
at the top left corner. Classes will commence on Tuesday, August
29. The Christmas Holiday Break is scheduled for December 25
through January 5, with March Break occurring March 5-9.
FRANK VERRILLO
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 18 (Rosemount)
AGOSTINO CANNAVINO
Chair, Finance and Legislation Committee
Président, Comité des affaires financières
et législatives
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 19
(Rosemount - HochelagaMaisonneuve - Downtown The Plateau)
ANGELA MANCINI
Electoral Division /
Circonscription 20
(St. Léonard)
FRANK DICESARE
Chair, Adult Education and Vocational
Services Advisory Committee
Président, Comité consultatif
de l’ éducation des adultes et de
la formation professionnelle
Electoral Division/
Circonscription 21
(Anjou - Pointe-aux-Trembles Montreal East)
LUCIANO D’IORIO
Electoral Division/
Circonscription 22
(Rivière-des-Prairies)
ROSA CERRELLI
Vice-Chair, Executive Committee
Vice-Président, Comité exécutif
Electoral Division/
Circonscription 23
(Rivière-des-Prairies)
MARIO CAGGIANO
Vice-Chair, Transportation
Advisory Committee
Vice-Président, Comité consultatif
du transport
Parent Commissioners
Commissaire représentants
de parents
LIZ LEAMAN
VIKY KELLER
*For a complete list of which
committees EMSB commissioners
sit on, please log on to the governance section at www.emsb.qc.ca
Page 4 EMSB Express Vol. 7 Nº 2 Spring 2006 w w w. e m s b. q c. c a
The local Olympic competition in
Hairdressing was recently held at
Laurier Macdonald Career Centre
in St. Léonard. Three finalists
were selected to represent the Centre
at the Regional Competition : Melissa
Pietrunti (left), Yu Na Fu (right) and
Daniel Marin (centre).
1
EMSB S
Robert Vairo of the Montreal
Radio and TV School gave
students a chance to audition
in front of the camera at last
fall’s EMSB Career Fair. Next year’s event
is scheduled to take place Oct. 24-26 at
St. Pius X Adult Centre in Ahuntsic. St.
Laurent Adult Centre Guidance Counsellor
Lizette Gilday is the event’s new chair.
2
3
1
2
Students at Dunrae Gardens in
TMR enjoy a pizza lunch.
The Robert Alfred Peck Prize
for Excellence in French was
presented for the fourth time at
the November EMSB Council of
Commissioners meeting. Alysa Alexandra
Pompeo, a June 2005 graduate of Royal
West Academy in Montreal West, was
the recipient. She received 99 percent in
French 634. She is seen here with her
former Principal, Mary Reynolds.
4
5
Schools, centres and the head
office of the EMSB did their part
to assist the victims of Hurricane
Katrina in the U.S. Gulf States. A
special Kookies for Katrina fundraiser was
part of the program, with Cantor’s Bakery
Outlet underwriting the initiative with the
help of Smucker’s Canada. Pictured left to
right are: Guy J. Bedar of Smucker’s, Bernie
Lash of Cantor’s, Karl Etienne of Smucker’s,
EMSB Director General Antonio Lacroce
and Chairman Dominic Spiridigliozzi.
5
In a society where being thin is
in – and allegations about the
health of young celebrities continue to swirl – eating disorders
are a fact of life for many of today’s
teenagers. As a follow-up to National
Eating Disorder Awareness Week (Feb. 5 –
11), CTV provided some English Montreal
School Board (EMSB) students with a special screening of a dramatic, two-episode
story arc in Degrassi: The Next Generation
that draws attention to this pervasive
problem. It took place at Lauren Hill
Academy Junior Campus. EMSB Nutritionist
Giuliani Di Quinzio was on hand to give a
brief introduction before the two episodes
(a combined 44 minutes with no commercials). Sophie Grégoire, the Quebec correspondent for CTV’s eTalk Daily, was also
on hand to cover the premiere and say a
few words. She has previously worked with
a Quebec organization that raises awareness on eating disorders and it is a cause
that she is very passionate about.
6
Students from St. Raphael High
School in Ahuntsic, which caters
to youth with behavioral problems, visited Share the Warmth
in St. Henri to do some volunteering and
to learn more about a new program which
serves as an alternative to school suspensions. The suspension alternative involves
spending the day volunteering at Share
the Warmth. Westmount High School and
Marymount Academy have also adopted
this program.
8
10
9
7
At an EMSB Board meeting,
officials congratulated FACE
School Symphony Orchestra
Director Theodora Stathopoulos
(second from the right) and her students
for winning the prestigious Canadian
Music Educators Association Christopher
Gledhill Award for Orchestra.
8
Log on to www.emsb.qc.ca
Stay in Focus
Go to “Press Room” and click on
Fielding Focus to read the EMSB’s
monthly newsletter.
w w w. e m s b. q c. c a Spring 2006 EMSB Express Vol. 7 Nº 2 Page 5
Scenes
The John F. Kennedy Business
Centre in St. Michel has introduced a new hotel reception
program which will prepare
students to operate hotel computer systems,
efficiently handle reservations, perform
daily tasks, sell hotel products and services
and communicate effectively in both
languages (English and French).
At the recent official opening pictured
here, Centre Director Keith Imhoff (the
“i” in iWorld) and project coordinators
Robert Valentino and Silvana Crigna
unveiled their association with Sol Melia
Hotels and Resorts. Sol Melia, is the
largest resort hotel chain in the world.
9
4
3
Gerald McShane Elementary
School in Montreal North is
thinking green, and it’s paying
off. The school was recently
recognized with a cash reward of $1,500
for finishing first in Canada in a fundraising program called ThinkGreen, a
division of Greentec which involves over
1,100 schools. Pictured here, student
Stephanie Sodano demonstates how the
program works.
10
7
Eighteen participating EMSB
schools managed to collect over
3,000 new toys for the 14th
annual Christmas and Chanukah
Toy Tea, which was held at Tudor Hall
11
6
The Marymount Adult Centre
officially opened the doors
of its new home, the former
premises of Wagar High School
in Côte St. Luc. Pictured left to right:
Centre Director Nick Furfaro, EMSB
Commissioners Syd Wise and Marvin
Helfenbaum. The building itself, which
also houses John Grant High School, will
soon be renamed the Giovanni Palatucci
Educational Centre.
12
14
Left to right: the EMSB's
Daniel Sup, Irene Miller, Claude
Dansereau and Dora Cesta along
with Dr. John Carsley, Martine
Fortier and Elysabeth Lacombe of the
Direction de la Santé Publique at the
launch of the resource kit on sexual orientation for educators and youth workers.
13
13
The EMSB marked its third
annual Heart Week, with a
launch at General Vanier
Elementary School in St.
Léonard. Coordinated by the Heart of Life
Fund, with the support of The Montreal
Children's Hospital Foundation of the
McGill University Health Centre (MUHC),
the program involved children wearing red
on a designated day during the week of
February 13 to 17 and making a donation.
CTV's Randy Tieman (pictured here with
the students) was on hand and filed a report.
14
11
12
Page 6 EMSB Express Vol. 7 Nº 2 Spring 2006 w w w. e m s b. q c. c a
EMSB
Alumni
SHELDON GOLDFARB
Author
What personal safety means to me
By Christopher Vigneux-Rodney
Grade 6 student
Our Lady of Pompei Elementary School
Personal safety is something every
individual needs to keep in mind. For
me, personal safety means to always
be cautious and alert. Always being
alert does not mean that you can’t
have fun. It just means that before
doing an activity, you must make sure
that it is safe all around you.
pas et signaler leur présence à un
enseignant ou à un superviseur. J’essaie
également d’encourager mes amis de
jouer de façon sécuritaire afin d’éviter
les blessures.
While using the computer, Internet
safety is an important issue. One
should never give his/her full name,
home address, phone number, or
e-mail address without the parents’
consent. Beware of chatting with
sur une feuille. Ensuite, la technicienne
responsable du comportement discutait
de sécurité avec l’élève.
Last fall’s Child ID Day was a very
important day. When I was four years
old, I participated in the McDonald’s
ID Day and I remember having my
fingerprints taken along with my
picture. I received my Child ID
booklet, which is a key to finding
someone who has been kidnapped.
A
uthor Sheldon Goldfarb returned to
his former elementary school,
Carlyle in Town of Mount Royal to talk
to students about his career. Goldfarb,
who now lives in British Columbia,
recently completed a new book called
Remember Remember. Set in Victorian
England, it is the story of a 14-year-old
schoolboy who gets swept out of his
peaceful existence at a British boarding
school and finds himself forced to solve
first a case of blackmail and then
a murder.
ANDREW PHILIPS
Gazette Editor
Christopher (second to the left) joins his classmates in a pose with Ronald McDonald during this year’s Child Safety Day.
M
ontreal Gazette Editor in Chief
Andrew Phillips (center), shown
here with some students, visited
Westmount High School on the first
day of classes. Phillips graduated from
there in 1970.
LINDA FRARACCIO
Global TV
When I go to and from school,
I make sure to look both ways when
crossing the street. I look around and
keep my senses about me. Should
something appear unusual, I would
seek help by going into a store, a
home or approach the crossing guard.
As a matter of fact, walking to and
from school with a couple of friends
is a good idea because it increases my
personal safety as well as theirs.
Une fois que je me retrouve dans la
cour d’école, je dois penser à ma propre
sécurité personnelle ainsi que celle des
personnes qui se trouvent autour de
moi. Ceci veut dire que je dois remarquer
la présence d’individus que je ne connais
DAVID ACER
Comedian and
KARIN MARKS Mayor
L
inda Fraraccio recently returned to
visit her old elementary school,
Honoré Mercier in St. Léonard. She
is presently the promotions director
at Global Television and the manager
of CH Television. Ms. Fraraccio is
presently working on a number of
interesting promotions that will
involve EMSB schools.
people you don’t know and never
arrange to meet with someone you’ve
chatted with on the Net. Though this
is such a simple and important
measure, yet, some people don’t
apply it.
La sécurité a toujours été importante
pour moi. Lorsque j’étais en quatrième
année, j’étais moniteur de passage. Avec
cette responsabilité, je devais m’assurer
que tous les élèves qui empruntaient
les couloirs de l’école, pendant la
récréation et la pause du midi, le
faisaient en toute sécurité. Lorsqu’un
élève courait dans le couloir ou faisait
des bêtises afin de gaspiller du temps
dans les toilettes, j’écrivais son nom
O
n the occasion of Family Literacy
Day and as part of English
Montreal School Board Library Week,
Roslyn Elementary School launched its
new Born to Read initiative. Comedian/
television personality/magician David
Acer and Westmount Mayor Karin
Marks, both Roslyn grads, were among
the special guests. Best known for his
role as Snowflake #2 in Mrs. Vineberg’s
Grade 3 Roslyn production of "Hey
Kids: It's Winter!", Mr. Acer is currently
the co-host and co-writer of Discovery
Kids’ Gemini-Award nominated series,
Mystery Hunters! Ms. Marks was elected
mayor of Westmount last November.
Prior to that she spent four years as
borough mayor and as a member of
Montreal city council.
Safety is the responsibility of
everyone; children, parents, and
teachers.
La sécurité est la responsabilité de
tout le monde, c’est à dire des enfants,
des parents et des enseignants.
Ensemble, nous pouvons faire une
différence.
Keep safe!
Restez en sécurité!
The EMSB Express welcomes
submissions from students
like Christopher.
PAUL KARWATSKY
CTV News
P
aul Karwatsky
is a graduate
of Vincent Massey
Collegiate and
Nesbitt Elementary School, both
in Rosemount.
He’s been working as a reporter
for the local CTV
News for the past year now. He is also
a freelance writer, editor and layout
artist. His proud mother, Maryann,
is a guidance counselor at St. Pius X
Adult Centre.
w w w. e m s b. q c. c a Spring 2006 EMSB Express Vol. 7 Nº 2 Page 7
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
DIRECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT
Dominic Spiridigliozzi
A n t o n i o La c ro c e
The renaming
of Wagar
A system to
be proud of
The Côte Saint-Luc facility which
was home to Wagar High School
for 40 years and presently houses
John Grant High School and the
Marymount Adult Centre will soon
be renamed the Giovanni Palatucci
Educational Centre. According to
our research, this will mark the first
time in Canada that a public school
building has been named after
someone who saved lives during the
Holocaust. There are a number of
public schools in the United States
and Europe named after Raoul
Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat
who saved 10,000 Hungarian Jews
from the Nazis.
I am delighted to report that the
first English Montreal School Board
(EMSB) Town Hall meeting, held in the
fall at St. Pius X in Ahuntsic, was a
resounding success. More than 200
people were in attendance at what
was the third in a series of such
community forums spearheaded by
the Quebec English School Boards
Association (QESBA).
I am pleased to be spearheading
this initiative along with Dr. Syd Wise,
the commissioner for Côte Saint-Luc
and a former Wagar principal. We are
particularly pleased to be including a
significant educational component
attached to the project.
Our plans call for the twinning of
two schools: Laurier Macdonald High
School in St. Léonard and Bialik High
School in Côte Saint-Luc. Students from
John Grant and the Marymount Adult
Centre will be implicated as well.
Together, they will learn about the
heroics of Giovanni Palatucci and
others who saved lives during the
Holocaust. The Montreal Holocaust
Memorial Centre (MHMC) has agreed
to play a central role in the programming aspect. Over the last two
years, the EMSB and the MHMC
teamed up on a Holocaust sensitization
program which brought students to
the museum for visits and meetings
with Holocaust survivors. This was an
especially eye opening experience,
particularly for the non-Jewish students. Museum visits for the EMSB
students will be incorporated into this
year’s project.
Plans call for the Bialik students to
visit the Laurier Macdonald campus,
where they will get a screening of the
docu-drama Ripples in Time. This
riveting 48 minute film was produced
by staff and students at Laurier
Macdonald as a companion to the
publication of their sixth book
describing the route their parents and
grandparents took to come to Canada.
The students will all gather at the
Wagar building at a date to be
determined this spring where they
will view the critically acclaimed
documentary Paper Clips and
participate in the official renaming
ceremony. Paper Clips is the moving
and inspiring documentary film that
captures how students from the small
American town of Whitwell, Tennessee
responded to lessons about the
Holocaust-with a promise to honor
every lost soul by collecting one paper
clip for each individual exterminated
by the Nazis. Despite the fact that they
had previously been unaware of and
unfamiliar with the Holocaust, their
dedication was absolute. Their plan
was simple but profound. The amazing
result, a memorial railcar filled with
11 million paper clips (representing
six million Jews and five million
gypsies, homosexuals and other
victims of the Holocaust) which stands
permanently in their schoolyard, is
an unforgettable lesson of how a
committed group of children and
educators can change the world one
classroom at a time.
It is our wish wish is to illustrate
the important role so many brave nonJews played in saving lives during the
Holocaust. This is why we came up with
the name Giovanni Palatucci. Between
1938 and 1944, he was in charge of the
Foreigners Office and later Chief of
Police in Fiume, located in Northern
Italy. He is credited with saving the lives
of 5,000 Jews destined to concentration
camps. Sadly, he was condemned to
death, but the sentence was later
commuted to deportation to Dachau,
where he died in February 1945. For
more information, please log on to our
website at www.emsb.qc.ca
"We keep focusing
on surviving
and we excel"
The evening represented an important opportunity for EMSB commissioners and the QESBA to learn more
about the concerns of our stakeholders, take suggestions and hear
about success stories regarding English public education in Quebec. The
QESBA, in fact, provided us with a
valuable template. I hope that in the
not too distant future we will organize
such a gathering again. At this most
Making impact!
T
he EMSB and the Montreal Impact announced the creation of a new
stay-in-school program called All the way with the Impact, designed to
promote the importance of persevering in school. The official launch
took place at Edward Murphy Elementary School in Hochelaga Maisonneuve.
During the month of February, Impact players visited EMSB schools and
discussed with the kids the importance of staying in school and striving
for excellence. As part of the partnership, the Impact’s June 14 game against
the Atlanta Silverbacks will be dedicated to the school boards. Stay tuned to
the EMSB website at www.emsb.qc.ca for details on how to get tickets.
Pictured here at the launch, along with some Edward Murphy students are:
(middle row) assistant coach Lloyd Barker and players Adam Braz and
Marymount Academy alum Mauro Biello; and back row, Edward Murphy
Governing Board Chair Mario Bentrovato, Principal Joseph Marra, EMSB
Director General Antonio Lacroce, mascot TAC-TIC, Commissioner Angela
Mancini and Regional Director Patricia Moffa.
recent session the focus was on
complementary services, range of
education programs and responding
to an increasingly multiculturalmultiracial population. It was
wonderful to see the ideas which
flowed from the different tables and
at the final open mike plenary session.
This was a unique opportunity for
parents, staff, commissioners and some
representatives from other boards to
come together as one. Pedagogy was
the only subject on the agenda and
I think when proceedings concluded
we all walked about how very proud
of our system – and justifiably so.
The English community is getting
smaller by the day. As we become
smaller, we depend more and more on
one another. The Town Hall meeting
permitted us to talk about the things
that are of importance to the English
community.
As the Director General of this
Board, I still see my role as that of an
educator. At the Town Hall I heard a
lot of things in terms of what happens
in our schools and what is lacking.
People are absolutely right. Our buildings could be in better shape. But we
have parents and staff that come
together and make that place, in spite
of the way it looks, a learning environment. We keep focusing on surviving
and we excel. That is certainly the case
for our students when they reach the
CEGEP level.
I’m here to defend the public system.
We talk about the private schools as
if nothing is happening in our system.
I beg to differ. Within any one of our
high schools, we have enriched programs that are the envy of some of the
private schools. We have a system that
is all inclusive. And yes, we have
special needs children and their needs
are increasing. But do you know that
in the English sector, our success rate
is 80 percent? That’s something to be
proud of – not to put down. And we
don’t choose our students. We take
them and educate them all. That’s
what our role is.
All of our schools are dedicated to
preparing citizens for tomorrow in
Quebec. I was at a ceremony recently
for new Canadian citizens. All you had
to do was to listen to the kids talk. On
another occasion, I was in one of our
schools and you should have heard the
French that came out of the mouths
of our 11 and 12-year-olds. The students who leave our system can go
into French CEGEPs and later excel in
French universities. That’s the system
that I’m proud of. Let’s not put down
what we do. If you want to take something to the government, we need
more resources, no question. But there’s
an attitude and an empowerment
that we have that will take us far.
Page 8 EMSB Express Vol. 7 Nº 2 Spring 2006 w w w. e m s b. q c. c a
2006 Volunteer of Distinction
“Showers of Kindness”
Thora Riviere Trocard,
Coronation Elementary School,
Côte des Neiges
EMSB to mark volunteer appreciation week
The English Montreal School Board
(EMSB) will hold its fifth Volunteer
Appreciation Evening on Wednesday,
April 19 at the Centre Renaissance in
Anjou This will precede National
Volunteer Week, which occurs nationwide April 23-29. The FACE Orchestra
has been confirmed as musical guests.
Global Television anchor Jamie Orchard
and 940Montreal newscaster Luciano
Pipia will be the emcees. Ms. Orchard
has been on maternity leave for the
past year and actually returns to work
that same week. She has co-hosted
three previous Volunteer evenings.
Mr. Pipia is, in fact, a devoted EMSB
volunteer. His daughter attends Dante
Elementary School in St. Léonard and
he sits on the governing board.
First Canadian Financial Services
(www.fcfs-inc.com), specialists in
Registered Education Savings Plans
(RESPs), will once again be the title
sponsor of event. The theme is “Showers
of Kindness.” First Canadian’s president,
Joseph Afshar, will serve as the
evening’s honourary chairman. An
Education Savings Plan (ESP) is a vehicle
generally used by parents to save for
their children's post-secondary education. Mr. Afshar and his team meet
regularly with EMSB parent groups and
provide free consultations.
A community-minded company, in
addition to RESPs, First Canadian
Financial Services specializes in the sale
of: retirement, estate and tax planning;
mutual funds; life, disability and critical
illness insurance; annuities; Registered
Retirement Income Funds (RRIF), savings plans and mortgages. Parents
who would like to reach Mr. Afshar
directly can call 484-1867 or log on to
www.fcfs-inc.com.
Time and space will not allow the
EMSB to honour all of its nearly 1,500
volunteers in person. Therefore, only
those individuals who have volunteered
for more than five years will attend the
reception, representing some 500
people. However, several thousand
copies of a commemorative program
book will be distributed to each school.
Please log on to the Parent
Info section of the EMSB website
(www.emsb.qc.ca) to review the list
of volunteers.
Interested in seeing
student photos?
Log on to www.emsb.qc.ca
and go to the Press Room
Honoré-Mercier Elementary School in
St. Léonard began 2006 with the inauguration
of its recently renovated library. Not only
did parents do the painting. Items were
collected from various cruiselines and put
up on the walls. Many different murals
were painted, depicting different ocean
scenes such as a giant mermaid with a
3-D pearl necklace, an aquarium with fish
and a real aquarium and a giant pirate.
Parents even moved around the shelves
and re-arranged the carpeted reading
corner. They hung a large net filled with
books and via donations they were able
to obtain several different clocks with the
times of different countries.
Visually impaired student receives
EMSB golf tournament scholarship
By Stuart Nulman
When Sharie Amanda Clarke got
the news that she was going to be
one of the 22 students to receive a
$500 cash scholarship from the
English Montreal School Board
(EMSB), her reaction was what one
that she is visually impaired. Ms. Clarke
was born prematurely, which resulted
in glaucoma and further complications
that went along with it. And two
subsequent eye operations did not help
to improve her vision.
However, being visually impaired
did not affect her academic perfor-
“It was difficult at the beginning, but
I succeeded in finding the proper
school materials, I adapted quickly to
my new surroundings at Marymount
and the students and teachers were
very accommodating.”
Ms. Clarke is planning to use the
scholarship money towards continuing
her studies at Dawson College, where
she is studying Arts and Culture.
The cash scholarships were awarded
to high school students who had
applied and been accepted to postsecondary educational, technical or
vocational programs. The proceeds
came from the first EMSB Scholarship
Golf Tournament, which took place at
the Lachute Golf Club in June of 2004.
Recipients from the 2005 event will be
recognized next fall.
2006 Tournament
Sharie Amanda Clarke is presented with her scholarship by (left to right) EMSB Regional
Director Mario Tirelli, Director General Antonio Lacroce and Chairman Dominic Spiridigliozzi.
would expect from someone who is
about to receive a financial boost for
their post-secondary studies.
“I was shocked and surprised when
I found out,” said the 18-year-old
graduate of Marymount Academy
in N.D.G.
But what makes this honour so
special is that Ms. Clarke was one
of the six students chosen for
their perseverance in the face of
overwhelming odds and personal
difficulties. In her case, it’s how she
succeeded in school despite the fact
mance in school. And when she was
about to enter Marymount Academy,
she did not require to undergo any
major social re-adjustments. What was
important to her was that she would
be able to get herself familiar with her
new surroundings, so that she could
easily find her way around the school.
“A year before I started at
Marymount, I visited the school on
three separate occasions so that
I could get a feel of the classroom
set-ups and familiarize myself with
my new teachers,” said Ms. Clarke.
Plans are well underway for the
third annual golf tournament on
Thursday, June 29 at Lachute Golf
Club (355 Bethany Road) in Lachute.
The cost for participating is $175
per person, which includes 18 holes
of golf (shotgun start, Vegas style),
brunch, cocktails and dinner, plenty
of fabulous door prizes, plus prizes
for longest drive and closest to pin.
Anyone wishing to sponsor a hole or
donate a prize at the tournament is
invited to contact the EMSB Golf
Organizing Committee. Sponsors of
holes will have their organization
recognized on the tee boxes. Info:
(514) 483-7200, ext. 7434.