Wow, I can't believe I have been at Mother Teresa for a month. Where does the time go? As we head into the month of March and the days get longer - not only is spring fever approaching, but so is our journey into one of our most important liturgical seasons - Lent. Wednesday, March 9, 2011 marks the beginning of Lent and we will host our Ash Wednesday services at Mother Teresa in the morning during periods 1 and 2. I look forward to my Lenten journey with the Mother Teresa community.
Kindness Week: February 18-25, 2011
We ended our last week of February on a great note as it was Kindness Week. What a great week to be at Mother Teresa High School. Students and staff experienced random acts of kindness from a Secret Kindness Pal. Examples of random acts of kindness included: nice notes left on desks or lockers, smiles, compliments, and just nice deeds. Doors were decorated and winners were declared.
Our week ended with a very successful Grade 7 & 8 Dance and a High School Dance on Friday, February 25th. Thanks to Student Council and their teacher leaders for organizing these events.
How Do I Live a Strong Fulfilling Life?
This question was posed in Mrs. Grainger's Grade 12 Advanced Learning Strategies Class (GLS4O). This course strives to improve students' learning and personal management skills, preparing them to make successful transitions to work, training, and/or post-secondary education destinations.
The students took the test developed by Marcus Buckingham, a social scientist who has pioneered research into personal strengths and consulted with companies such as Best Buy, Disney, Microsoft and Gap. He has devoted his life to helping other people decide what to devote their lives to. There are nine Life Roles and everyone has a Lead Role and Supporting Role which show patterns that cause you to feel love and joy and fear and pain: Advisor, Creator, Caretaker, Equalizer, Influencer, Motivator, Pioneer, Teacher and Weaver. Possible future careers were suggested which matched the students' results.
The test is found at: www.stronglifetest.com
GRADE 7 & 8 PUBLIC SPEAKING
Grade 7/8 students had the opportunity to showcase their public speaking skills throughout the month of February. On Thursday, February 24, winners of each homeroom class competed against each other in our school library. The topics ranged from Lady Gaga to Women's Hockey.
Grade 7 Winners: In third place was Gil-Patrick Finn with a speech on Environmental Protection. Second place went to Taylor Crites with a speech on Bella and Edward of Twilight. The first place winner was Riley Carson with the topic of, Is the World Ending in 2012?
Grade 8 Winners: In third place with a rousing speech on Women's Hockey, Kristyn St. Charles. A speech on April Fool's Day resulted in a second place win for Kevin Roy. The first place winner was Sam Turgeon-Brabazon delivering a knockout speech on Zombies!
The winners from Grade 7 and Grade 8 will have the opportunity to participate in the Barrhaven Legion Public Speaking Competition on Saturday, March 5. We wish our speakers the best of luck!
STUDENT SERVICES
Option Sheet contracts are due Friday March 4. Important information is posted on the Student Services website at www.mths.ca -> Departments -> Student Services
Grade 12's: Marks have been sent to colleges and universities. Students should log onto the application sites to verify accuracy.
Reminder: Community Service Hours must be completed by May 13 in order to attend the Prom on May 20 or completed by June 10 in order to attend the Graduation Ceremony.
ENGLISH STRATFORD TRIP
All Grade 9-12 students will have an opportunity to participate in a trip to Stratford next September 15-17 to attend the following plays: Twelfth Night, The Grapes of Wrath, Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Misanthrope and to participate in a tour, workshop and pre-show presentation. The cost of this trip is $410. A deposit of $200 is due to Mrs. Simpson by March 7, 2011, if you are interested in experiencing this wonderful opportunity.
OSSLT
The month of March will be a busy one for our Grade 10 students as they continue to prepare for the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test which will be held March 31, 2011. Parents, please look for a letter that will go out next week with valuable information and resources. Students writing will also experience intense preparation after the March Break.
PASTORAL PERSPECTIVES
The past two weeks have been remarkably busy with student-led conferences. On Friday February 18, students in the DESI Group led a Grade 8 program called Desi Day. Desi is a Hindi word that means traditional. These students, whose heritage is South Asian, introduced the Grade 8 students to the dances, languages, cultures and religions of the various regions of South Asia. It was an active, vibrant and musical day. Thanks to the students who led the day and to all the Grade 8 students who participated in the workshops.
In the past week, a new girls group has been formed. It is called "B.U." (Be Yourself) The objective of this group is to identify some Grade 8 girls who have demonstrated leadership potential and build on this leadership potential through the lens of self-care and self-image. The main goal of this group is to transform into a restorative justice group that will assist younger students with conflicts and communication. These girls will work together towards a strong sense of self and then they will become role models for intermediate students. Please keep this important group in your prayers as the program develops.
This past Friday, February 25, a selection of students from the ACTS group, B.U and Just Youth (formerly known as Youth Ministry) attended a conference at the University of Ottawa called Day of Information for a Lifetime of Action (DILA). This conference was an opportunity for students to learn about a myriad of NGO's (Non Government Organizations) that exist to raise awareness about significant global issues that impact people right here at home. The students left the conference feeling inspired to work for justice everywhere.
GRADE 7&8 ACTIVITY DAY
Grade 7/8 students will be participating in a Winter Activity Day on Thursday March 10.
Students have the option of choosing from four activities:
- Skiing/Snowboarding
- Tubing
- Bowling/Movie
- At-School Winter Games/Movie
Forms have been distributed to all students and they should be returned as soon as possible to their homeroom teachers.
STAYING IN TOUCH WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING AT SCHOOL
We have all had this experience I am sure. At supper or the end of the day you ask your child what happened at school and you get the same answer as always, "Nothing". If you ask if there is any homework, you get "No". Strange how they can be stuck in a school for six hours every day and never do anything and never have any homework!
Finding out what is going on at school has been an eternal problem. We also realize this and are trying to help. In the modern age of digital communication, finding a crumpled note at the bottom of a school bag (two days after it was due!), just seems a little archaic. So what are your options?
Sign into www.mths.ca and
- read the daily announcements
- view the school calendar
- visit Grade 7 & 8 homeroom websites
- visit High School course websites
- subscribe to Constant Contact (this newsletter)
- download our new IPhone App
iPhone App - Yes, that's right! Mother Teresa has its own iPhone app, now with Push Notification. All the above can also be accessed on your iPhone in its own app. We also send out push notifications (those pop up reminders) to tell you about special events that are happening at the school. If you or your child have not downloaded the app yet, just go to apps.mths.ca and stay up to date.
ST. ANDREW PARISH NEWS
All Parish Masses take place at St. Joseph High School (Gym) 3333 Greenbank Road.
Regular Mass Schedule at St. Andrew Parish:
Saturday: 5:00 p.m.
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
Lent:
March 9 (Ash Wednesday) Mass at 7:30 p.m
UPCOMING EVENTS & DATES
March 7th Parent Council Meeting -7:00pm -Library
March 9th Ash Wednesday - Lent Begins
March 10th Letters of Concern Mailed
March14th- March 18th March Break
March 20-22nd OSSLT Literacy Prep Grade 10s Period 2
March 24th High School Parent Interviews - Early Dismissal for all
MOTHER TERESA DRAMATIC PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS...
Break a Leg!
Written by, John O'Brien
March 3rd, 4th & 5th, 2011
General Admission, $7
7:00pm - Doors open at 6:30
Synopsis
The traditional opening night cry of "Break a Leg!" really means "Good luck," but in this comedy send-up of every possible theatrical disaster, breaking a leg is the only thing that doesn't happen. Tilton High School is having their last dress rehearsal for their senior class play, Teenage Terror, but with so many interruptions they can't seem to get to the actual rehearsal. Then the leading actress gets upset because her mother's boyfriend eloped with her boyfriend's mother, on a houseboat and the stage manager has left to attend the wedding. Break a Leg! is a laugh out loud comedy that is sure to entertain and even includes a few cameos from your favorite Shakespearean characters.
LIBRARY LINK...TO DATABASES
With so much information available on the internet it can be difficult to find authentic, scholarly resources. Two excellent databases are available for students to use in their homework and research both at school and from home.
Knowledge Ontario and EBSCO are available to all Mother Teresa students. (There is French content in some of the databases.)
Mrs. Mary Ellen Agnel
Principal
Mother Teresa High School