pearson news - Lester B. Pearson School Board

PEARSON NEWS
LESTER B. PEARSON SCHOOL BOARD
Volume X, No 5
FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL & THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
January 28, 2008
Tragédie survenue à Bathurst
Au nom de toute la Commission scolaire Lester-B.Pearson, le président et moi-même avons écrit à Mme
Karen Branscombe, directrice de l’arrondissement
scolaire n o 2, pour offrir nos condoléances à la
population de Bathurst.
Bathurst Tragedy
On behalf of the entire Lester B. Pearson community,
the Chairman and I wrote to the Superintendent of
School District No. 2, Karen Branscombe, extending
our sympathies to the people of Bathurst on their
tragic loss.
J’aimerais rassurer les parents : les véhicules du type
de celui qui a été impliqué dans l’accident ont
rarement été utilisés par notre commission et sont
maintenant totalement interdits.
I wish to assure parents that vehicles such as that
involved in the accident were seldom used within
our system and are now prohibited totally.
En vélo pour les enfants disparus
Nous sommes extrêmement fiers de l’exploit de trois
de nos enseignants retraités qui ont traversé le
Canada à bicyclette en appui à l’organisme EnfantRetour. Brian Potter and Tom Ropeleski ont pédalé
du Pacifique à l’Atlantique sous la surveillance de
Wayne Clifford qui les accompagnait à bord de son
véhicule.
Cycling for Missing Children
We are extremely proud of the accomplishment of
three of our retired teachers who cycled across the
country in support of the Missing Children’s
Network. Brian Potter and Tom Ropeleski pedalled
from Pacific to Atlantic under the careful watch of
support driver Wayne Clifford and proved the old
cyclists’ adage that there is never a wind at your
back!
Le trio, dont tous les membres se sont toujours
impliqués dans les activités scolaires pendant leurs
carrières, s’est arrêté dans des écoles de chaque
province pour s’adresser à des groupes d’élèves et
leur faire connaître Enfant-Retour. En plus d’avoir
recueilli beaucoup de dons, Brian, Tom et Wayne
sont la preuve vivante que les enseignants ne
s’arrêtent jamais de donner. Nous attendons avec
impatience leur prochain projet !
...DU DIRECTEUR GÉNÉRAL
The trio, all of whom had been extremely active in
student life activities throughout their careers,
stopped in schools in every province to address
student groups and to increase awareness of the
Missing Children’s Network. In addition to raising
significant funding, Brian, Tom and Wayne are vivid
proof that teachers never stop giving. We are
awaiting anxiously news of their next project!
...FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
Défilé de mode
Félicitations aux élèves du Centre Gordon-Robertson
pour leur soutien à la Fondation Pearson pour
l’éducation. En collaboration avec quelques
designers de la région, dont Hollie D. Forest, le 3e
défilé de mode annuel s’est tenu récemment. Les
élèves et le personnel des écoles primaires se sont
comportés comme les plus élégants mannequins.
Un total de près de 17 000 $ a été amassé grâce à
cette initiative pour soutenir toute une gamme de
projets dans les écoles.
Fashion Show
Congratulations are extended to the students of the
Gordon Robertson Centre for their efforts in support
of the Pearson Educational Foundation. In
cooperation with a number of local designers and
Hollie D. Forest, the third annual fashion show was
held recently. Students and staff members from
elementary schools acted as most glamourous models.
A total of almost $17,000 has now been raised through
this initiative to support a variety of school-level
projects.
Inscriptions
Veuillez noter que les inscriptions à la maternelle pour
l’année scolaire 2008-2009 se feront dans les écoles
du 4 au 8 février prochain. Veuillez contacter l’école
de votre quartier pour de plus amples renseignements
ou le Bureau des admissions au 514-422-3022.
Registration
Please note that Kindergarten Registration for the
2008-2009 school year will take place at the local
school from February 4 – 8, 2008. Please contact your
local school for further information or contact our
Registration Office at 514-422-3022.
Des formulaires de réinscription seront distribués à
tous les élèves présentement en 6 e année à la
Commission scolaire Lester-B.-Pearson pendant la
semaine du 28 janvier prochain. Pour les élèves de la
maternelle à la 5e année du primaire et de la première
à la quatrième du secondaire, les formulaires seront
distribués au cours de la semaine du 18 février.
Re-registration forms for all current Lester B. Pearson School Board Grade 6 students will be distributed
during the week of January 28, 2008. Re-registration
forms for all current Kindergarten through Grade 5,
and Secondary 1 through 4 students will be
distributed the week of February 18th, 2008.
istrations:
New Registrations
Nouvelles inscriptions
Les nouvelles inscriptions pour l’année 2008-2009
se feront dans les écoles de quartier. Veuillez les
contacter directement pour toute information
concernant l’inscription de votre ou de vos enfants.
Pour la maternelle, l’enfant doit avoir 5 ans au 30
septembre. Pour la 1re année, l’enfant doit avoir 6 ans
au 30 septembre.
Les parents doivent apporter le certificat de
naissance intégral (indiquant le nom des parents), le
certificat d’admissibilité d’un frère, d’une sœur ou
d’un des deux parents, et une preuve de résidence.
La demande de certificat d’admissibilité de cet enfant
se fera au moment de l’inscription.
...FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
Registrations for the 2008-2009 school year will take
place at your local school. Please contact them
directly for information regarding the registration of
your child(ren).
For Kindergarten, the child must be 5 years of age on
or before September 30th.
For Grade 1, the child must be 6 years of age on or
before September 30th.
Parents must bring child’s original long form birth
certificate (contains parents’ names), the eligibility
of a sibling or parent, and proof of residency. The
eligibility certificate for your child will be applied for
at the time of registration.
...FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL
2
Media Centre Relocates to Christmas Park School
I
t’s a New Year, and the Lester B. Pearson School Board Media Centre has moved to their newly renovated
location. The move, which required two semi trailers and a ten-man moving crew, took place on December
10th. Partial services restarted on December 18th, with full operations beginning on January 7th. The Centre
is located on the east side lane way at Christmas Park School, 422 Beaconsfield Boulevard in Beaconsfield.
Many thanks to Steve Swailes and his
department for organizing and
constructing the new space, and to Bill
Ingoldsby and Kathleen Campbell for
their hard work helping with and guiding
the move, and setting up the working
space. All schools and centers are
invited to make full use of the Media
Center’s services. On the web you can
visit them at http://www.lbpsb.qc.ca/
mediacentre/
Ken Elliott
Director of Educational Services
3
Did you know that in 1958...
T
he monarch was Queen Elizabeth II, John
Diefenbaker was Prime Minister, Canada-wide
television broadcasting started, the Montreal
Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, Paul Anka had
four hit singles, Terry Fox was born, Johnny B. Goode
was the #1 song, the top T.V. shows were
Gunsmoke, Rawhide, The Red Skeleton Show,
American Bandstand, Lassie and The Ed Sullivan
Show, the best candy was Dubble Bubble Gum,
Candy Necklaces, Chiclets, Jujubes, Pixy Stixs and Wax Lips, the top movies were Gigi,
Separate Table and I Want To Live, Lego launched sloping roof-tile bricks, Crayola debuted
a 64 coloured box of crayons with a built-in sharpener, the hottest toy of the year was the
Hula Hoop and Dorset opened it’s doors!
Do you remember Dorset’s hallways, the playground, the lilac bushes in May, the gym
and the stage?
Were you in a play or a Christmas concert?
Did you visit the principal’s office?
Did you play intramural sports?
Did you play hopscotch?
Did you walk to school or take the bus?
Did you watch the new Canadian flag raised in front of the school?
Do you remember the big snows of 1971?
Did the boys have long hair?
Did you talk about the Canada/Russia series?
Did you and your friends have a Grad dance?
Who were your best friends, your great teachers??
Would you like to see them again?
Join us for Dorset’s 50 Reunion, May 16-18, 2008! Some of the events happening will be a
Wine & Cheese, school tour, family BBQ and a golf tournament. Register for this trip
down memory lane at http://dorset.lbpsb.qc.ca/
Hope to see you there!
4
St. John Fisher Junior Holiday Concert
S
t. John Fisher Junior had its second holiday concert
on December 19, 2007. The concert was put together
by our music teacher Tara Shaughnessy with the help of
the staff and many parent volunteers. This was also the
first time that the Junior choir had the opportunity to
perform in front of a live audience. We had 3
presentations of our holiday concert. Over 900 people
came to see our performance. Thank you to all who help
make this event such a great success!
Steven Colpitts
Principal
5
Margaret Manson School News
Margaret Manson Students, part of “On the Ground in Afghanistan”
In November, Margaret Manson Cycle 2 students undertook a special assignment to write letters to Canadian
soldiers presently serving in Afghanistan. Listen Up T.V. (Global) from Burlington, Ontario, came to our
school to film a special Remembrance Day Assembly and to interview students who had written personal
letters to the soldiers. This show which profiles current events arranged for special delivery of over 100 letters
from our students.
On December 16th, the show, “On the Ground in Afghanistan,” included
a wonderful segment of Margaret Manson students’ initiative to let our
soldiers know that they are not forgotten. Coming up on Sunday,
February 3rd, Listen Up will feature a show called, Urban Struggles
(11:00 a.m. on Global). Included in this feature will be fresh footage of
our students and a segment filmed in Afghanistan, of our Canadian
soldiers reading their letters.
Major Georges Garrard was our first military contact who wrote several
letters to our Grade 3 students. Grade 4 students also received letters
from Afghanistan last week. What a thrill to receive letters all the way
from Afghanistan, and to know that we had connected with our brave
soldiers so far away!
Thank you to Lorna Dueck, Lesley Delmar and their great team at
Listen Up T.V.!
Compassion in Action at Margaret Manson - Shoes for Afghani Children Project
Several weeks before Christmas, we learned that a Major Pierre Huet of Valcartier had intitiated a “Shoes for
Afghani Children Project.” After noticing that most children in his district were barefoot, Major Huet started
raising money with the hope of helping the children in his district of Afghanistan. We learned from Kerry Ann
King of the Ethics and Religious Culture Network, that a substantial donation from the Canadian Legion in
Lachute, and donations from two Quebec schools, had given Major Huet the impetus to get his project off the
ground. At Margaret Manson, Cycle 2 students and their families donated $400 at Christmas, and with the
collaboration of Music Teacher, Phyllis Orofino, will be holding a Spring Concert to raise more money for
shoes for Afghani children.
On Sunday, January 20th, a week after losing soldier, Richard Renaud, one of his men, Major Huet organized
a Village Medical Outreach Day, where the population of his district came for medical care. For six hours,
Major Huet and his team distributed 800 pairs of shoes to Afghani children accompanied by their mothers.
Margaret Manson Cycle 2 teachers and students are proud of participating in a project which will directly help
improve the lives of young children. Brenda Branswell of The Gazette featured this story on January17th, “I
must do something for these children.”
6
At Margaret Manson School, students are evolving as Global Citizens through our special efforts to connect
and touch the lives of others far away. Although Canada’s role in Afghanistan is an important debate going
on throughout the country and in our Parliament, we can nevertheless show our support for our Canadian
soldiers and their humanitarian efforts in a real way. At Margaret Manson we call our projects: Compassion
IN ACTION because we move from intention to action.
We invite teachers and students across the Lester B. Pearson Board to consider supporting Major P. Huet
in his efforts. He has 20 thousand poor children in his district!
Donations can be sent directly to the attention of: Claire Groulx –
Shoes for Afghanistan, 1248 Chemin Ste-Foy, Suite 101, Quebec City,
QC G1S 2M5
You are also welcome to contact us at Margaret Manson School to
start a network of involved teachers and students.
Sammy’s Day at Margaret Manson School
Three years ago, when Sammy Cavallaro visited our school for the first time with his parents before starting
Kindergarten, he came in bright eyed and smiling, like most five year olds. But Sammy was a special student,
he came in a wheelchair, a victim of Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a debilitating children’s disease. Like all parents,
Sammy’s parents were worried about their son, and how he would adapt and be accepted in his new school
That year, Grade 3 students surprised Sammy and his family with a special “Giant Cake Event,” on Valentine’s
Day. Each student in Grade 3 made a cake or icing and a Giant Cake was assembled by their teacher decorated
with the school logo and red hearts. Students sang, “We want to hold your hand,” and Sammy’s Kindergarden
classmates sang, J’ai un coeur qui bat… It was our first fund-raising event for SMA and we have continued
to support Sammy by raising money for a cure with this event. Last year, a Power Hour of Fun, was created by
Dance Teacher, Meghan Kirby, and once again, the whole school came together in a spirit of fun to raise
money for SMA.
This year, Sammy’s Day will take place
on February 7th. Cycle 2 students will
bake cakes and make icing following a
special recipe. Sammy’s Aides, Allison
Provost and Maria Sciortino, teachers
Ms. Renee and Mrs. Raposo, will work
together, to create another beautiful
Giant Cake. Cake will be sold for $2 a
piece and the whole school will
celebrate our efforts to find a cure for
SMA.
Lucy Rinaldi
Grade 3 teacher
7
CAPTAIN TARDIF AND DECORATED WAR VETERAN
VISIT BEURLING ACADEMY
O
n January 9th, our Sec 4 and 5 students had the privilege of being visited by some true life heroes.
Decorated war veteran Robert Feldstein, member of the Black Watch and Legion Branch 97 President;
and Captain Guillaume Tardif, 12th Canadian Armored Regiment, were at the school to speak about their
experiences.
Capt. Tardif, who, by this time, should have arrived in
Afghanistan, spoke about his early days in training
and why Canada is in Afghanistan and showed a slide
show of some of his experiences.
Robert Feldstein, who couldn’t say how many medals
he had, but there were numerous, told the students
about why he joined the army in 1942, and told the
students how they tricked the Nazis into thinking they
were going to land in Calais, but as the students found
out they went to the beaches of Normandy instead on
June 6, 1944, which became known as D-Day.
The Beurling Team
Seen above is student Susan
Young lighting the peace candle
during the visit of Capt. Tardif.
Pictured here are Beurling
Academy senior students with
veteran Robert Feldstein to the
far left and Captain Guillaume
Tardif, second from far right.
Pastoral animator William Grant
is at the far right.
8
HARAMBEE – Orchard Elementary
Celebrates Kwanzaa at Allion School!
O
n Thursday, December 13, students of Mme. Fontaine’s Grade 5/6 class at Orchard Elementary School
traveled to Allion School to unveil a specially-prepared Kwanzaa performance. Students had been working
with their teacher, spiritual animator, and Suzanne Bruneau, a Kwanzaa expert from the community, to create
an entertaining and informative presentation involving song, dance and spoken word, as well as presentation
of some symbols of Kwanzaa. Orchard students had first researched the history and rituals of Kwanzaa and
then created an educational and enlightening presentation which they were asked to perform for several
different groups of Allion students. The Orchard performers received rave reviews from Allion students. The
Grade 5 class at Allion provided a special welcome and a tour of the school to their Orchard visitors. Harambee
– Let us all pull together!!
Mary Rutherford
Spiritual Animator
9
Forest Hill School (Junior Campus)
C
hristmas at a junior school is always a special event. The magic of the season is welcomed wholeheartedly
by our students. However, the true meaning of Christmas is sometimes hard to explain to our young
students. We have several projects that involve helping others such as collecting for Christmas baskets and
gathering toiletry items for homeless youths. The project that brings our whole community together is a
fundraiser for LEUCAN. Now in its 4th year this fundraiser includes a bazaar where all the items are made
either by our students or their parents. All items are sold at very low prices. The items for sale include among
other things Christmas decorations, book markers, special treats for reindeers and home baked goods. A few
days before the bazaar, a representative from LEUCAN visits each classroom to talk about the work the
organization does with families with children with cancer. LEUCAN representatives also explain how cancer
is treated and what could happen when the children are undergoing chemotherapy.
On the day of the bazaar, students take turns being the salespeople and the buyers. Forest Hill is fortunate
to have many parent volunteers who help our students on this very busy day. Our bazaar raised $2236.00 for
LEUCAN this year. Below is letter from a parent that describes the special feeling at the junior school on
Bazaar day.
Maria De Wolfe
Principal
Dear Forest Hill Staff,
I wish to share with you a few of my personal thoughts regarding the Bazaar I attended at your school
yesterday morning.
Since it is such a busy time of year, it is not always easy to make time for all the “extras”. At the request
of my daughter, however, I rescheduled a few meetings, put aside a few important projects and last minute
errands and I made my way to the school.
Upon entering my daughter’s classroom, I could tell immediately that the students were giddy with
excitement. Walking in the hallway on the way to the gym took much self control! You could see the
children could not wait to get there!
I thought it was incredible to see that every item for sale was either handmade or homemade. After
much browsing, my daughter and I ended up with a bag full of Christmas crafts and delicious goodies.
More importantly though, I left the school with a heart full of cheer and a rejuvenated sense of what this
holiday season is all about.
It was heartwarming to hear the students sharing how they had
worked so hard on their crafts – yet they were willing to give
them up! It brought tears to my eyes to see children purchasing
gifts for their family members and friends – not necessarily for
themselves. The buzz in the gym encompassed what joy really is
all about! Congratulations!
You have taught my daughter and all of the other Forest Hill Jr.
students a lesson even more important than reading, writing and
‘rithmetic! This truly was a superb life lesson in the spirit of
giving!
Deborah Pharand
Forest Hill Parent
10
Albert…. A Very Special Bus Driver
D
uring our lifetime, if we are lucky, we are sometimes touched by people who are a true gift. These people
come from all walks of life and we encounter them sometimes when we least expect it. In our case, the
individual who has touched our lives and the lives of many of our students and family members is Albert,
one of Westpark School’s bus drivers.
From the moment that the school bus door swung
open and the kindly gentleman driving the big
yellow bus flashed his warm smile and said good
morning, we knew that this man was a special
person. For the last four years, day after day,
Albert has greeted us with his kind words,
winning smile and treats.
It has been such a pleasure for us to hear a bus
full of singing children pull up to the school and
who continue to sing as they step off the bus,
grinning from ear to ear. Because of Albert’s love
of children, he understands how important it is
for them to start their day off on a positive note.
For special holidays, Albert always decorates the inside of his bus and to the delight of all of us, he gives out
treats while dressed in a costume – he was the best Santa!
Yes, we have been fortunate to have been touched by a truly special person. We wish Albert a healthy and
happy retirement as he drives his big yellow bus for the last time at the end of January. Albert, thank you and
we will always remember you with love.
Mrs. Solman - Teacher
Ms. Bindner - Principal
Westpark School
You would like to submit an article for the
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Les articles en français sont toujours appréciés !
11
THE VIRTUES PROJECT
COMPASSION
... AT EVERGREEN
In a December assembly, the theme of which was Compassion, Grade 3 students acted out small vignettes which
demonstrated how to treat each other compassionately in
different situations. Grade 5 students performed a skit
which showed that compassionate acts often involve sacrifice, such as time or money. Delegates to the 4th Annual
PSI Student Summit, Philippe Hachez and Alannagh
Maciw, spoke of what they had learned about empowering
the bystander and
ways to ‘stand by’ a
friend or classmate in
need of help. A cheque for over seven thousand, five hundred dollars was
presented to Peter Sheremeta of the Terry Fox Foundation who thanked
the children for their exceptionally generous contribution. Principal Kim
Meldrum concluded with a reading of the beautiful story, Lord of the
Cranes, and a dialogue with the children about what they had learned
about this virtue.
…AND AT BEACON HILL
The Beacon Hill school community is engaged in a year long
project called The Kenyan Water Project. The goal is to raise
$5000, of which 90% has been achieved, for the Free the Children
organization in order to build a water collection system for a
Kenyan school. In November the project was launched with an
assembly during which students learned that accessible water
means accessible education, as currently children must spend
much of their day transporting water. Every student designed a
seasonal card, with one chosen and printed from each cycle
and sold during parent teacher interviews. As teachers opted to
forgo gifts in favour of a donation, students gave them these
cards as Christmas gifts.
The husband of one of our Daycare Educators has been stricken with Lou Gehrig’s disease. In support of
their colleague, Daycare Co-ordinator Cindy Patino initiated a year long school fundraiser, the proceeds of
which will be donated, on his behalf, to the Tony Proudfoot ALS Foundation. Fundraisers created by our
Daycare Staff have included the sale of blue bracelets, a first for this charity, an appeal for contributions at the
Daycare Christmas Concert, and a request by Daycare Staff for donations to this cause in lieu of presents.
12
…AND AT ST PAUL
For five years, during the Christmas season, First Cycle Teacher Paula Sullivan has been teaching the
children about Compassion in a unique way. In support of the ‘street kids’ of Dans la rue, the students go
carolling to homes around the school. The project begins in November with all the planning steps integrated
into the curriculum. Students write letters to the city and Dans la rue requesting permission, deliver their
requests for the items to the families they will be visiting beforehand and promote the event in school with
posters and announcements. In addition, they organise a muffin sale to raise funds for their own contributions. This year, they collected a very large assortment of sweaters and pyjamas, prompting Dans la rue’s Sue
Medleg to come out and give a special thanks to our ‘compassionate carollers’.
Through assemblies, charitable works, stories and dialogue, we strive to instill in and to teach our students
the nature, language and behaviours of this virtue. In so doing, we hope they will learn the wisdom in the
words of no less a sage than Dr Seuss:
“Unless someone like you cares an awful lot, nothing is going to change, it’s not!”
Linda Choinière
Spiritual Animator
Below, Teacher Paula Sullivan with students
13
The Jubilation Choir?
No, the Jubilee Carolers!
The grade six students of Jubilee Elementary braved the snowy skies of December to help out the children
of Father Emmett Johns’ Dans la Rue, through an old-fashioned evening of caroling.
Over fifty students and parents strolled the streets of Pointe-Claire bringing holiday cheer to unsuspecting
residents. Over 150$ was collected for this worthy cause. The students experienced the joy of ‘giving back’
and a wonderful time was had by all!
Nancy Stokes
Grade 6 teacher
14
Beurling Academy Christmas Concert
O
ur music department, under the direction of music teacher Mr. Gary Lindner held its Annual Christmas
concert on December 14th and it was another smashing success with about 350 parents, relatives and
friends in attendance.
The concert showcased the vocal talent at our school singing timeless Christmas classics such as: Oh Holy
Night, O Come All Ye Faithful, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
All 4 of the school’s bands showed their amazing progress musically playing various pop and jazz classics
like Louie Louie, Stand by Me, Thriller, and as usual the senior band’s experience came through. They
breezed through with aplomb such standards as Chicago’s 25 or 6 to 4, the well-known blues song Boom
Boom, and an amazing jazzed-up version of Metallica’s Enter Sandman. It was also a special night for many
of the Secondary 5 students who having played together
for all these 5 years and having entertained audiences
throughout the years, were in their last Christmas concert. We now look forward to the end of year concert, and
it should be a special one.
The Senior Band is shown above playing Chicago’s hit,
“25 or 6 to 4”
Sec 5 rhythm section during the Beatles classic,
“Come Together”
Sec 5 student Brittany Williams, emcee for the evening, along
with fellow students, opening the evening’s proceedings
Sec 5 student Susan Young accompanied by
music teacher Mr. Gary Lindner, during the
singing of The Wizard of Oz timeless song,
“Over the Rainbow”.
15
Bonsai Master David Easterbrook visits Greendale
G
reendale students were treated to a rare visit from horticulturalist David Easterbrook. David has managed
the bonsai collection of the Montreal Botanical Gardens for close to two decades. He is considered by
his peers to be one of the foremost experts of bonsai in the Americas. Organized by Greendale’s principal Otis
Delaney and Spiritual Animator Jason Cordery, the goal set at the start of the year, was to expand the
student’s cultural awareness through various means.
In late November Mr. Easterbrook entertained the students
with information about bonsai trees, traditional Japanese
culture, and peppered it with anecdotes from his time spent
in Japan training under the tutelage of a Japanese Master.
The specimens he brought with him were impressive. Some
bonsai trees were already in a dormant state, and others
still had their leaves changing colour and falling from their
branches: a revelation for those of us who had never seen
bonsai go through their seasonal change. He
supplemented this with six or seven, yet un-potted trees.
Clearly watching him work at bending and pruning the
trees into shape was a case of “this is much harder than
he’s making it look”. Still, one is left in awe of the precision in the transformation from tree to work of art.
Next time Greendale should happen to visit the botanical gardens, we’ll be sure to take an extra moment or two
in appreciation of this unusual art form, and the person behind it all.
Jason Cordery
Spiritual Animator
The World of Math at Thorndale School
n Tuesday January 15th, a group of dedicated Grade 6 students began intense training for several Math
competitions to be held later this year, including Pythagoras. On Wednesday January 16th another
group of motivated Grade 6 students had the privilege of participating in an advanced Math workshop held
at Vanier College.
O
Congratulations to all and keep up the hard work!
Proud to be part of the Thorndale Community.
Stephanie Hérault
Teacher
16
St. John Fisher Says Goodbye
The students and staff of St John Fisher Senior said goodbye to the Chinese students who
spent the first half of the school year with them. The students were integrated into the grade six
program as part of the School Board’s International Language Centre. Both our visitors and our
students learned much during this period and lasting friendships were made. Here the students
wave farewell in the sweatshirts presented to them by the St. John Fisher Home and School.
Les élèves et le personnel de l’école St. John Fisher Senior ont dit au revoir aux élèves chinois
qui ont passé la première moitié de l’année scolaire avec eux. Ces élèves avaient été intégrés
au programme de 6e année dans le cadre du Centre linguistique international. Tant nos
visiteurs que nos élèves ont appris beaucoup durant cette période et des amitiés durables se
sont nouées. La photo ci-dessus montre les élèves chinois dans leurs “kangourous” offerts par
l’association Foyer-École de St. John Fisher.
17
FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
J
ust before the winter break, Westpark students and staff celebrated Divali, Hanukkah, Christmas and
Kwanzaa by holding a Festival of Lights assembly. The students sang songs in several languages and
spoke about each of these holidays. The readers highlighted how these holidays were celebrated around the
world in similar ways: the use of lights, the coming together of family and friends to share food and sometimes
exchange gifts. The students lit dipas, a hanukkiyah, Christmas tree and Advent wreath, and a kinara which
were on the celebratory table. To conclude the assembly, the grade 6 students gave us a rousing rendition of
Jingle Bell Rock. It was a true celebration of our multiculturalism.
Mary Anne Bindner
Principal
18
Canadian Idol Contestant Visits St John Fisher Senior
K
ahalila Glanville, a resident of Dorval and a recent
Canadian Idol contestant, paid a visit to the grade
five classes at St John Fisher Senior Campus. Kahalila
spoke to the children about her experiences and the
importance of working toward a goal. The children were
very impressed with her presentation and extremely excited
with the autographed photos they received.
At Westpark School
Teddy Bears have been “Falling from Heaven”
I
n 2003, the children of my grade three class thought it would be a good idea to share with others at this
special time by bringing a Teddy Bear to give to children less fortunate than themselves. We wanted these
children to have a Teddy Bear friend, so we decided to write a creative story about where the bear came from.
This was a rewarding experience for all of us.
Every year since then, on a voluntary basis, I ask each student to bring
a new Teddy Bear to school. Each child prints out the story of “The
Teddy Bear that Came from Heaven” from this Internet site
(www.lbpearson.ca/~fturcotte/Teddybear). Thanks to the Westpark
community, we collected 250 Teddy Bears this year.
These CAREfully packaged bears made the donors feel that they, as
children, had made a personal difference in the lives of other children
who are not as fortunate as themselves. But most of all, such a lovely
gesture shows that they CARE very much for others. For the children
that received these treasures, their smiles of appreciation said it all.
I believe that every child should have a Teddy Bear friend to hug and
cuddle when the going gets tough. Let the magic of these Teddy
Bears, given by a special friend, live forever in the children’s hearts.
France Turcotte
Westpark Teacher
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Overcoming Our Fears
M
r. David Liebman is my Secondary 5 Economics teacher at Lindsay Place High School. He’s one of the
only teachers that bring guest speakers to class, once or twice per month. He told us that it’s important
to meet and speak to a wide variety of people. He said that “Not all worthwhile learning comes out of a
textbook.” Some of our guests taught us how to start businesses. A financial advisor (Garen Lewis) taught
us how to save and invest money. The guest that I’ll
remember the most was Pat Benatar, a man who runs a
small business called “Fine Line Serpents”. I not only
learned about entrepreneurship, I also got over a lifelong fear of snakes.
Like many other people, I loved all kinds of animals.
Snakes were a different story. When Mr. Liebman picked
up a huge (10 feet long) yellow and white boa constrictor named “Fire”, a shiver ran up and down my spine.
Saying that I was terrified is not an exaggeration. Mr.
Liebman held the snake. Pat told us about the boa
species and told us it was harmless.
After the presentation, all my classmates were
taking photos of each other while they were
holding Fire. I decided to be brave and hold
the snake too. When the period ended, I
realized that my fear of snakes wasn’t a fear
anymore. I can actually say that I love snakes
now!
I’m very happy to have had the opportunity
of meeting so many amazing people in my
Economics class this year. Conquering my fear
was an extra benefit. I want to be a firefighter.
I’ll have to meet and deal with many fears in
my future.
Alison Kilpatrick
Secondary 5 Student
Lindsay Place High School
The first picture shows Alison with Mr. Benatar,
the second one with Fire and another brave!
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StoryFest 2007
Westwood Senior Students meet Bestselling Canadian Authors at
StoryFest 2007 - Playing with Words
S
toryFest is a community effort, spearheaded by Hudson’s
Greenwood Centre for Living History that pays homage
to writers, readers and storytellers everywhere. In partnership
with Westwood Senior, activities began on October 16th with
a presentation by Canadian favourite, Roy MacGregor. Mr.
MacGregor (pictured at right) was welcomed at the front
entrance by a large mural created by Westwood art students.
StoryFest continued at Westwood Senior throughout
November with excellent and stimulating presentations by
bestselling authors: Noah Richler, Gil Courtemanche, Claire
Mowat, and Karen Molson. The result was a dazzling
cornucopia of things literary that poured out into the
community around Hudson.
Gwen Murray, Librarian
Gil Courtemanche
Claire Mowat
Karen Molson
Noah Richler
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RAPPORT DU PRÉSIDENT
ORIENTATIONS FUTURES
Le Conseil et l’administration de la CSLBP ont commencé une étude approfondie des services et des programmes
offerts par la Commission scolaire. Trois comités ont été créés pour examiner les services offerts, évaluer leur
efficacité dans chaque domaine, faire des comparaisons avec d’autres commissions scolaires ou juridictions,
et offrir des suggestions de changements ou de nouveaux services.
Les trois domaines soumis à l’examen sont :
1) Le programme d’immersion précoce en français et le programme bilingue
2) La prestation de services aux EHDAA
3) Les programmes spéciaux/ Les écoles à vocation particulière
Chaque comité a établi un calendrier de travail se terminant à la fin de l’année civile 2008. Le Conseil rendra son
rapport public en décembre 2008 ou janvier 2009 et donnera les détails des trois études.
Si des changements ou de nouveaux programmes sont jugés souhaitables, nous en évaluerons la faisabilité et
si nécessaire nous procéderons à une consultation de toute la Commission scolaire, incluant la possibilité
d’une consultation sur un remaniement majeur des écoles qui débuterait en avril 2009, afin d’implanter les
changements éventuels au début de l’année scolaire 2010-2011.
CONSULTATION SUR LE BUDGET
Comme d’habitude, la CSLBP consultera tous les groupes concernant l’élaboration du budget de la commission scolaire pour 2008-2009. Un document de consultation sera distribué et chaque conseil d’établissement
devra avoir une discussion sur le budget le plus tôt possible. Les commentaires reçus formeront une partie de
l’information que la Commission utilisera pour préparer son budget de fonctionnement. Ce processus devrait
se terminer par l’adoption d’un budget d’opération au plus tard à la séance ordinaire du Conseil du mois de
juin 2008.
L’ACSAQ (QESBA) NOMME UNE NOUVELLE PRÉSIDENTE
Lors de son assemblée générale annuelle tenue les 25 et 26 janvier, l’Association des commissions scolaires
anglophones du Québec a voté pour Mme Debbie Horrocks de la Commission scolaire Riverside comme
présidente. Elle remplace M. Marcus Tabachnick qui a terminé son mandat de deux ans, la limite imposée par
les statuts de l’ACSAQ. Mme Carolyn Curiale de la Commission scolaire Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier est nommée viceprésidente.
La ministre de l’Éducation, Mme Michelle Courchesne, s’est adressée aux 125 représentants de toute la
province. C’est la présidente du comité central des élèves de la CSLBP, Nadia Kadri, qui l’a remerciée.
La CSLBP se réjouit de collaborer avec l’ACSAQ et sa nouvelle présidente, qui a une réputation bien méritée
de défenseur passionné des enfants et de l’instruction publique.
POLITIQUE DE SÉCURITÉ SCOLAIRE
La Commission scolaire a reçu un certain nombre de demandes visant à retarder la date de réponse à la
consultation sur la politique de sécurité scolaire. Il y a eu beaucoup de discussions à tous les niveaux à ce
sujet, et afin d’allouer suffisamment de temps à nos communautés pour participer pleinement à l’élaboration
de cette politique, la Commission scolaire a décidé de retarder la date limite de réponse au 10 mars prochain, la
décision finale étant remise à la séance ordinaire de juin 2008.
...DU PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL
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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
The Council and Administration of the LBPSB have started an in depth study of the services and programs
provided by the Board. Three committees have been struck to review the services provided, the effectiveness
in each area, comparisons with other Boards and jurisdictions, and suggestions for changes or new services.
The three areas being studied are:
1) French Early Immersion / Bilingual programs
2) Delivery of Special Needs Services
3) Magnet Programs / Magnet Schools
Each committee has set a work schedule that will be completed by the end of the 2008 calendar year. The
Council will make a report public in December 2008 or January 2009 with the details of the three studies.
Should changes or new programs be considered desirable, an assessment will be made on the feasibility and
the need for Board-wide consultation, including the possibility of a Major School Change consultation
beginning in April 2009, for changes that would be implemented at the start of the 2010/2011 school year.
BUDGET CONSULTATION
As usual, the LBPSB will be consulting all groups on the development of the 2008/2009 school board
budget. A consultation document will be sent out and each school and center Governing Board is asked to
have the Board-wide budget discussion as soon as possible.
The input received will form part of the information base the board will use to prepare its operating budget.
The process should conclude with the adoption of an operating plan no later than the June 2008 regular
meeting of the Council.
QESBA NAMES NEW PRESIDENT
At its Annual General Meeting on Jan 25 & 26, the Quebec English School Boards Association general
assembly voted Debbie Horrocks of the Riverside School Board as their new President. She replaces Marcus
Tabachnick who completed his second two-year mandate, the limit allowed by the QESBA constitution.
Carolyn Curiale of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board was elected Vice-President.
Education Minister Michelle Courchesne addressed the 125 representatives from across the Province. She
was thanked by LBPSB Central Students Committee President, Ms. Nadia Kadri.
The LBPSB looks forward to working closely with QESBA and the new President, who has a well-earned
reputation as a hard working, dedicated, and passionate defender of children and public education.
SAFE & CARING SCHOOL POLICY
The Board has received a number of requests to delay the response date of the Safe & Caring Schools Policy
consultation. There has been a lot of discussion at all levels on this topic and in order to allow our communities
the time they need to fully and properly input into the policy, the Board decided to delay the return date until
March 10th, 2008 and the decision date until the regular Council meeting of June 2008.
...FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
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Commissioners’ Phone Numbers
Below is a list of Commissioners along with their home telephone numbers and school board locals.
Ward
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
CPC
CPC
Communities
Verdun/Nuns’ Island
LaSalle South
LaSalle Northeast
LaSalle West/Ville St-Pierre
Lachine
Dorval
Dollard-des-Ormeaux East
Roxboro/Pierrefonds East
Pointe-Claire East
Pointe-Claire West
Dollard-des-Ormeaux Center
Pierrefonds/Île Bizard
Dollard-des-Ormeaux Center/West
Dollard-des-Ormeaux W./Kirkland E.
Beaconsfield North
Kirkland West
Pierrefonds West
Ste-Anne/Baie d’Urfé/Beaconsfld S./Senneville
Île Perrot
Les Cèdres/Vaudreuil-Dorion
Hudson/St-Lazare
Elementary Representative
Secondary Representative
Commissioner
Douglas Flook
Sergio Borja
Ruben Fazio
Frank di Bello
Patrick Whitham
Barbara Freeston
Rosemary Murphy
Craig Berger
Allan Levine
John Killingbeck
Marcus Tabachnick
Sylvia Di Donato
Martin Sherman
Joe Zemanovich
Ralph Tietjen
Suanne Stein Day
Louisa Bulgarelli-Vero
Judy Kelly
Susan Bartlett-Lewis
Angela Nolet
Daniel Olivenstein
Conny Held
Jerry Moretto
Home
Phone #
514-293-2417
514-368-1001
514-365-1638
514-951-5834
514-637-5209
514-636-9315
514-620-8012
514-421-6570
514-683-6671
514-695-3787
514-684-6429
514-233-9393
514-684-2742
514-624-2376
514-630-5909
514-630-9824
514-694-0475
514-697-7619
514-453-6650
514-453-5462
450-458-1413
514-630-0047
514-365-3582
422-3000
Local
4001
4002
4003
4004
4005
4006
4007
4008
4009
4010
2322
2299
4013
4014
4015
4016
4017
4018
4019
4020
4021
4026
4027
DATES TO NOTE
PUBLIC MEETINGS –
FEBRUARY 2008
The following meetings will take place at 1925 Brookdale, Dorval (unless otherwise indicated)
Central Parents’ Committee
Annual Networking Event
Executive Committee
Special Needs Advisory Committee
Council of Commissioners
Marcus Tabachnick
Tel.: (514) 422-3000 ext. 2322
...FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
January 31, 2008
7:15 p.m.
Board Room
February 18, 2008
February 20, 2008
February 25, 2008
7:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Board Room
Room 219/221
Board Room
Fax: (514) 422-3016
Email: [email protected]
24