Happy Thanksgiving!

Whatever your plans may be for the long weekend, we hope it is a good one. Professionally, I'm very thankful for the continued support of our community and the tireless efforts of our staff as we do the challenging work of educating the next generation of Canadians. 

 

Athletics 

Soccer wrapped up this past week with a second place finish for the girls and a third place finish for the boys. A short but fun season for all! Basketball games are now underway and we'll be kicking off wrestling with a meeting for interested students next Wednesday (October 14) at lunchtime. Wrestling is a 'no cut' team, so it's a great opportunity for students to try something a little different, and we have some very skilled and enthusiastic teacher-coaches who ensure a safe and positive experience for everyone. The first practice will be on Thursday, October 15 from 4:00-5:00pm. 

 

Extracurriculars 

Yesterday, I was able to make a quick trip down to Edworthy Park and spend a little time in the fall leaves with the many students trying out the outdoor leadership program. Students quickly understood that outdoor education isn't just about hiking and biking – more importantly, it's about personal challenges, teamwork, and leadership. 

I also dropped in on our first Dungeons & Dragons lunchtime sessions. There are now many groups overflowing into a couple of different classrooms. Any activity that requires creative story-telling, critical thinking, communication, resilience, and a little bit of math fits right in with our overall approach to middle years learning. 

 

Reminders 

With all of those celebrations, I also have to do the less exciting part of my job as principal and provide two reminders around student behaviour. The first is that students in the community at lunch time need to respect that community and be good ambassadors for Vincent Massey. This means that the bus shelters cannot be used as lunch spots. Also, students using the Rosscarrock community park across from the school need to clean up after themselves. While we don't provide direct supervision of students who choose to leave campus at lunchtime, we will be leading a community clean-up crew of any students that are abusing these public spaces.  

The second reminder is around food and drinks purchased off-campus at lunch. These should generally be consumed during the lunch break before returning to school. In particular, we do not allow slurpees, milkshakes, frappucinos, etc. into the school due to issues with spills and beverages being left in lockers. Similarly, students are not allowed to consume energy drinks at school at any time, due to the negative impact on learning of very large volumes of sugar and caffeine. These policies are aligned with current research and with the CBE's commitment to provide students with the skills, opportunities and encouragement they need to adopt healthy eating patterns. Thank you for your support in both of these areas. 

 

Next 2 Weeks 

Here are your key events for the next two weeks. We have had a few last minute changes to sports schedules, so student athletes should check with their coaches for the most up-to-date information. 

  • October 12 – Thanksgiving – School closed 
  • October 13 

o    Grade 9 Outdoor Leadership Parent Meeting 7pm 

  • October 14 

o    Girls' Basketball @ West Ridge School 

  • October 15 

o    Picture Retake Day 

o    First Wrestling Practice after school 

o    Boys' Basketball @ TB Riley School 

  • October 16 – Ernest Manning feeder school tournament 
  • October 19 – PD Day – no school for students 
  • October 20 to 22 – Grade 8 and 9 Band Camp 
  • October 20 – Boys' Basketball @ Bishop Pinkham School 
  • October 21 – Girls' Basketball @ TB Riley School 
  • October 22 – Grade 8 Outdoor Leadership Skills Camp #2 


All the best, 

David Pugh, Principal