What a wonderful morning we had on Thursday, December 16th, when Mayor Jim Watson, Counselor Jan Harder and our Trustee Alison Baizana joined us for a pancake breakfast hosted by our Chaplain, Martha Dougherty, to honour the three winning homerooms that brought in the most money for our Christmas Outreach Project. As a school we raised over $6500 in cash and over $1500 in Canadian Tire money. Many thanks to all of you for your support! Congratulations to Mrs. Jewitt, Mrs. Bell-Dagenais and Mr. Linke's homerooms for raising the most donations. We are honoured to be the first school visited by Mayor Watson since being elected to his position in the fall Municipal elections.
It is with mixed emotions that I also share with you the departure of our Head Office Administrator, JoAnne Andrechek, who has been promoted to Executive Assistant for the Superintendent of Student Success Elementary effective January 3rd, 2011. We wish JoAnne all the best and thank her for her years of dedication to the Mother Teresa community.
On behalf of the staff at Mother Teresa High School I would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very blessed and happy Christmas. May you and your family share the joy of each other's presence and take time to reflect on your blessings as we head into a new year. Thank you for your support for the Mother Teresa school community and we look forward to serving our parents and students throughout 2011.
Updates from our High School Departments
Business Studies:
The Business Education Department has had a busy semester to end the 2010 calendar year. The junior classes were busy running the school Tuck Shop; learning about customer service, cash and inventory control. The senior classes planned their import/export endeavour with a high school in Spain. During the second semester, our school will export a product to Spain which the Spanish students will market within their school community. We will, in turn, import a product from Spain which we will offer for sale here. Mrs. Morency's Business Management Class will be the project leads and are tasking out duties to the International Business class, the Marketing class, and the Accounting class. Why not learn from a valuable "hands on" experience?? Look out for a product from Spain in the second semester.
Science Department
The new Environmental Studies Course was introduced by Ms. Soprovich this semester. The Grade 11 and 12 participants have been busy around the school collecting data from each classroom. The waste audit information will be submitted to the Center for School Innovation. As a Certified Gold Eco Friendly School, the students understand the relevance of environmental stewardship. The students have also investigated the benefits of converting methane gas into energy at the Carp Landfill and have visited a dairy farm in Cobden where brothers Paul and Fritz Klaesi are using a bio-digester to harness the energy from animal waste. The farm is actually returning energy to the grid and providing heat and electricity to the local community!
Student Services:
The MT Study Survival Guide is posted on the Student Services website. This is a two-page brochure that offers useful tips as students begin to prepare for exams. Students applying to College and/or University should try to complete their applications over the holiday. Deadlines and related info are posted on the website.
The website is found at:
www.mths.ca --> Departments --> Student Services
Religion Department:
The Grade 11 students taking World Religion this semester will be visiting four houses of worship on Wednesday, January 5, 2011. This all-day visit reflects the different religions they have studied: Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Catholicism. Today, with the increase in the speed of travel and pluralism in our neighbourhoods, we have a great need to become aware of the traditions, responses and aspirations of all people. To understand the world through an understanding of our fellow human beings must be one of the aims of education.
English Department:
Say it Out Loud Writing Contest -- 500 word short story -- Due week of January 3, 2011
Shakin' It With Shakespeare Dramatic Presentations -- December 16 -- Grades 9 & 11; January 21 -- Grades 10 & 12
Updates from our Grades 7&8 Curriculum Areas
Intermediate English
All Grade 7/8 students will begin, with assistance from their teachers, planning their speeches in January. Some of the Grade 8 classes will be participating in Literature Circles in the new year as well. In Literature circles, small groups of students gather together to discuss a piece of literature. Literature circles provide a way for students to engage in critical thinking and reflection as they read, discuss, and respond to books.
Intermediate Mathematics
Select grade 7 and 8 students who excel at math will be competing in the Mathematica Centrum National Contest in April.
Teachers are integrating SMART technology into their classes and, as time passes, are becoming more effective at using the technology to enhance student learning.
The four Grade 8 Immersion Classes were fortunate to have the opportunity to celebrate a Mass in French thanks to the efforts of our chaplain Martha Dougherty who arranged to have Père Albert come and celebrate with the students. The students did us proud with their behaviour, participation and readings. While preparing for the Mass it was discovered that the students of these classes are good and willing singers. They can count on more opportunities to let their voices rise in song in French class in the New Year.
Madame Delorme's Immersion History students were able to practice their speaking skills by preparing and presenting dialogues based on aspects of life in the Colony of British Columbia in the years prior to Confederation. They'll be debating the pros and cons of Confederation in the New Year.
Intermediate Geography
This January in Geography the students will be completing work on Natural disasters. They will be completing a natural hazards brochure as a culminating task.
Intermediate Science
Grade 7: In January, students will be working on building solar heaters using recycled pop cans.
Grade 8: Mid-December, some Grade 8 students had the opportunity to participate in an interactive workshop on "Organ Systems" from Let's Talk Science presenters.
All Grade 7 and 8 students will also begin the planning stage of their Science Fair Project. Science Fair will take place during Education Week in May. More details to follow on Science Fair in the New Year!
Remembrance Day Contest Winners
For over 50 years, the Royal Canadian Legion has sponsored an annual Poster and Literary Contest that is open to all Canadian students. The youths that participate in the contest help to foster the tradition of Remembrance amongst Canadians. For the past several years, Mother Teresa students have participated and excelled in all categories. Due to this tradition of excellence, this year we had more entries than ever. Mother Teresa students were once again in the winner's circle.
The poster contest has two divisions: Colour and Black & White. Zone winners for Branch 641 were:
Senior Colour Posters:
1st place: Sony Subedi
2nd place- Raechel Padua
3rd place - Toni Spinella
Intermediate Colour Posters:
1st Place - Anna Ryt
3rd Place - Madelaine Migrino
Senior Black and White Posters:
1st place - Maria Rokita
Intermediate Black and White Posters
1st place - Sabrina Ducharme
2nd place - Raquel Oleskin
3rd place - Drew Finlay
Senior Poetry:
1st place - Katherine Barker
2nd place - Alicia Roy
3rd place - Shannon Kettles
Intermediate Poetry:
2nd place - Matthew Fernandez
3rd place - Mark Pharoah
Winners have been invited to an awards ceremony at the Royal Canadian Legion. The first place entries will now progress to the Provincial level. Thanks to ALL students who put in an entry, to the teachers who participated, and congratulations to all of this year's winners. We thank you for placing the importance on spreading this important message and taking the time to remember those who have served our country.
7/8 Play "Paper or Plastic"
Mr. Todd Stuart successfully brings together three generations for a night of hilarity in his directorial debut of "Paper or Plastic".
Play Review by: Richard J. Burns
The evening opened with an upbeat, fully choreographed dance routine, followed by an all-girl quartet. Sorry Britney and Lady Gaga - there was no lip synching here. And to say these young women had genuine talent and a natural flair is a gross understatement.
The two-pronged opening act set a jovial tone and the audience was left brimming with anticipation of what was to come. The laughs were genuine, plentiful and continued whole-heartedly throughout the show. Even more impressive was the talent and nerves of steel of the young performers. Despite technical glitches early on, these young adults were professional through and through. If they were nervous, they definitely were not showing it.
The play opened with the lead actress landing a job in a local grocery store under the guise of an indifferent and obnoxious store manager. From here, hilarity ensured and did not stop until the curtains were closed a little over an hour later. What wonderfully colourful characters we were introduced to, from the "Boy with the Dog" to the "Burnout Kids", and of course the rather strange young man who enjoyed taunting cashiers by purchasing one grape at a time. And who could forget the unfortunate woman in need of a box of Listerine. The highlight of the play for many was the "Dancing Gorilla Wants a Porkchop" scene. Did it make sense? Absolutely not. Did it make the audience (including this author) break out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter? Indeed.
Christmas & New Year's Day Masses
St. Patrick of Fallowfield
Christmas Eve:
4:00pm
6:00pm
7:45pm
9:30pm
Midnight
Christmas Day:
10:30am
12:00Noon
New Year's Eve:
5:00pm
New Year's Day:
11:00am
St. Andrew Parish
Christmas Eve:
5:00pm
7:30 pm
Christmas Day
10:30 am (no 5:00pm Mass)
New Year's Eve
5:00 pm
New Year's Day
10:30am (no 5:00pm Mass)
Sincerely,
Mrs. Norma McDonald
Principal
Mother Teresa High School