November - Lester B. Pearson School Board

The Pearson News
FROM THE
Volume XV, No. 4
Director
General’s
Report to
Council
DIRECTOR GENERAL & CHAIRMAN
OF THE BOARD
November 2012
LBPSB First in Quebec to Appoint
Student Commissioners
er. “A vote was held to elect the Gabrielli who plans to become
second commissioner and Sam a teacher. “Hopefully, that will
make a difference.”
won.”
For her part, Brady said she was
Just as parent representatives,
by Alycia Ambroziak
the two student commissioners pleased to have been chosen by
The Lester B. School Board has do not have voting rights but are her peers.
“I look forward to the next
appointed two students to its able to bring their perspectives to
council meeting,” she said.
Council of Commissioners – a council.
Stein Day noted that the LBPSB
“My goal is to make the counfirst in Quebec .
“Last night was another ‘first’ cil aware of what students at our was also the first board in Quefor the Lester B. Pearson School high schools have to say about bec to establish a Central Stuby R. T. Mills
Board … and a first in the prov- topics that concern them,” added dents Committee and the first to
ince,” LBPSB chairperson Suanne
Stein Day said Tuesday (Nov. 27)
of the decision by council to allow two senior high school students to represent their commuCareer Fair – Nov. 20
nities as Student Commissioners.
The two new Student ComHundreds of students got a
glimpse into their future at the missioners are Daniel Gabrielli,
Lester B. Pearson’s annual Career a grade 11 student at Beaconsand Education Fair, held Nov. field High and also president of
20 at Pierrefonds Comprehensive the Central Students’ Committee
(CSC), and Samantha Brady of
High School.
Representatives from more than Westwood Senior High in Hud70 organizations were on hand son.
“It’ll be a lot of work but I’m
to help students explore varilooking
forward to it,” said Gaous career possibilities and the
brielli, noting that as president
educational pathways required to
of the CSC, he was automatically LBPSB’s new Student Commissioners are Daniel Gabrielli
achieve those goals.
chosen as student commission- and Samantha Brady
Delegates from cegeps, universities and vocational adult centers, as well as members from the
business and sports communities,
were available to answer questions students had about specific
fields of interest.
Once again, I extend my thanks
gagement at Place des Arts.
when Ms. Blondin heard me,” she
to everyone who helped make the
“We’ll be rehearsing every Sun- said. “She asked the class who it
day a valuable experience for studay,” said Brianna.
was that was singing but I didn’t
dents, delegates and staff.
Both
girls
credited
Joann
Blonwant to answer…
by Alycia Ambroziak
din, their music teacher at Lake“But when she said it was really
Pearson Educational FoundaHigh School students Brianna side Academy in Lachine, for good, then I told her it was me.”
tion Gala – Nov. 8
Percell and Ezra Lewis are lookThat’s when she joined the
The third annual Pearson Edu- ing forward to a lot of rehearsals their success.
Brianna
said
that
although
she
school
choir.
cational Foundation’s Gala on with the Montreal Jubilation Goshad
been
part
of
a
church
choir
Brianna
said that she recently
Nov. 8 wasn’t only an evening to pel Choir.
from the ages of seven to nine, auditioned for the Quebec verremember, it helped raise funds
The Lakeside Academy teens
to enrich the lives of students are the newest members of the she had stopped singing alto- sion of the singing competition
in the Lester B. Pearson School world-renowned choir, founded gether by the time she got to high The Voice but has yet to hear
back from them.
Board family. The funds that and directed by Dr. Trevor W. school.
“And
one
day,
I
was
in
the
com“It doesn’t matter now that
were raised will be used to sup- Payne.
puter lab, singing along to a song, I’m with the Jubilation Gospel
port initiatives beyond the scope
The girls said they didn’t even
of regular government fund- know they were auditioning
ing. Congratulations to Barbara when they rehearsed with the
Freeston and her organization Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
for organizing a great fundraising for an Oct. 25 fundraising gala
event and an enchanting evening with the Lachine school’s All Star
of dining and dance.
Band and Choir.
That very night, Dr. Payne
Workshop for New Teachers –
asked them to become part of the
Nov. 1
choir that has performed for such
Forty new teachers took part
heads of state as Nelson Mandela
in a very informative workshop
and Queen Elizabeth II, and with
aimed at helping them prepare
such performers as Ray Charles
for upcoming parent/teacher inand Celine Dion.
terviews. The Nov. 1st presenta“We were surprised,” 14-yeartion by Dr. Cindy Finn, Director old Ezra said of the invitation.
of Student Services and a member “And really excited,” added Briof the Lester B. Pearson School anna, 16.
Board’s New Teachers’ CommitThe girls are hoping that they
tee, focused on how to deliver the will have learned enough in time
sensitive message to parents that to take part in the Montreal JubiLeft to Right: Brianna Percell, Lakeside Academy Music
their children were experiencing lation Gospel Choir’s Dec. 2 enTeacher Joann Blondin , Ezra Lewis
difficulty. In her presentation,
entitled “Communicating Effectively with Parents”, Dr. Finn
As you read through the Pearson News, you’ll notice that some of the
spoke of fostering parent involvearticles have the numbers one through four next to them. These numbers
ment, on the importance of being
are associated with the LBPSB’s 2010-2015 Strategic Plan and its four
proactive and of the three C’s in
main directions. Each month, you’ll see these numbers next to the articles
communicating a difficult mesfound in the pages of the Pearson News and it will give you an idea of what
sage: Caring, Concern and Conthe board’s schools and centres are doing in line with the Strategic Plan.
fidence. She also emphasized the
Strategic
Direction 1
necessity of speaking the language of hope. The enthusiasm
Maximizing Student Success in a Culture for Learning
for Dr. Finn’s presentation was
evident as the young teachers
Strategic Direction 2
spoke on how they would now
Fostering and Supporting a Commitment to Professional Growth for All
be much more prepared, relaxed
and confident during the Parent/
Strategic Direction 3
Teacher sessions.
include this committee as a full
consultation partner.
“What a wise decision that
turned out to be as the students
never fail to impress us with their
well-considered input on our policies,” she added. “The president
of the Central Students’ Committee has been reporting to Council
every month – it seemed natural
to include him and another student at the table to allow them to
input on all agenda items.”
As well, Nan Beaton and Domenic Pavone were sworn in as
parent commissioners at Monday
night’s council meeting.
“Their dedication and commitment is truly appreciated,”
said Stein Day, noting that both
are members of the regional parent and central parent committees and take part in workshops,
council meetings and many committees.
“And I imagine they’re volunteering at their childrens’ schools
in other ways as well,” said Stein
Day.
“They are tireless in their contributions to the benefit of our
students.”
Lakeside Academy Students Recruited by
renowned Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir
Choir,” she said.
Ezra said she has been singing
since she was six-years-old, starting off with Calypso music and
then into other styles, but she too
had stopped by the time she got
to high school – until she met up
with the music teacher, a musician in her own right.
“I was shy,” she said. “But then
the choir became part of my life
at school.”
For her part, Blondin said she
was very proud of the two girls –
just as she is of the music department at the school.
“When I first joined here three
years ago, students thought you
were a loser if you were part of
the choir or band,” she said. “But
with the support of our principal,
Michelle Harper, and my colleagues, we’ve been able to turn
that around.”
So much so that the school’s All
Star Band has won several awards
and even performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival last summer.
Both Ezra and Brianna said their
fellow students have had nothing
but praise for them – and they
also help to keep them humble.
“They tell us not to forget the
little people…,” Brianna said with
a laugh.
Strategic Directions in the Pearson News
Enhancing School Collaboration and Community Partnerships
Winter Safety for Students and
Staff
Winter is on its way and with
See MILLS page A2
Strategic Direction 4
Promoting Wellness in a Safe and Caring Community
FINAL
To learn more about the
Lester B. Pearson
School Board’s
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Centre of Excellence, visit:
www.lbpsb.qc.ca/eng/asdn
FREE
Chairman’s
Report
to Council
by Suanne Stein Day
Tonight will be a special night.
Tonight, Lester B. Pearson School
Board will announce another
“first”. On our agenda is a vote
on a policy allowing two senior
high school students to represent their communities at Council as Student Commissioners.
Lester B. was the first to have a
Central Students Committee and
the first to include this committee as a full consultation partner. What a wise decision that
turned out to be as the students
never fail in impressing us with
their well-considered input on
our policies. The President of the
Central Students’ Committee has
been reporting to Council every
month – it seemed natural to include him and another student at
the table to allow them to input
on all agenda items. I know we
are all looking forward to having
them join us.
Tonight we have also sworn
in our Parent Commissioners.
The dedication and commitment shown by Nan Beaton and
Domenic Pavone is truly appreciated. To be a parent commissioner, Nan and Domenic have to
be members of their Governing
Boards, members of the regional
parent committee and members
of the central parent committee.
As commissioners they both attend council meetings, workshops, executive committee and
split the other standing committees between them. They also
participate on sub-committees at
CPC and for Council. I imagine
they are volunteering at their childrens’ schools in other ways as
well. They are that kind of people. They are tireless. Thank you
both for all your contributions to
the benefit of our students.
Congratulations to the Pearson Educational Foundation on
a beautiful evening at Gala 2012.
The venue was beautiful, the
food, delicious, the robot centerpieces were cool and everyone
seemed to be having a wonderful
time on the dance floor. Many
thanks go out to Sheldon Kagan
and his team for keeping the evening moving, to our benevolent
partners, to all the LBPSB folks
who joined us for the evening
and to the PEF Gala team, under the leadership of Antoinette
Scarano and Barbara Freeston for
making this a huge success. Your
contributions will allow dozens
of teachers to creatively engage
our students in some exciting
projects. This is where real learning happens.
Congratulations to the Light a
Dream team for another wonderful Casino Night and Auction.
You’re going to have to get that
auctioneer on contract – he was
great! Light A Dream is part of
the LBPSB Cooperative Education
See STEIN DAY page A2
A2Pearson News
Mills, from page A1
November 2012
Pearson School of Culinary Arts: Gold Medal Plates
it comes a reminder to everyone
to drive carefully and make sure
that our children are appropriately dressed for cold weather as
they will be going outside during recess. Also, both sidewalks
and roads can get slippery, so be
extra careful when driving, especially near bus stops and in the
morning and late afternoon when
students are on their way to and
from school.
by Alycia Ambroziak
Park, formerly of Restaurant
Kaizen and now owner of Restaurant Park in Westmount, has
been a long-time supporter of
the culinary school through the
hiring of students as interns and
being a guest chef in the school’s
Cuisine du Marche Program.
“I’ve hired many people from
Pearson – they’re well-trained,”
said Park, one of eight local chefs
invited to take part in the competition which, besides raising funds
for Olympic athletes – more than
$6 million has been raised since
the Gold Medal Plates competition began in 2004 - gives chefs
across Canada the chance to show
off their talents. The top winners
across the country – ten in all –
will compete in a national contest
next February in Kelowna, B.C.
For Park, who was also accompanied by his sous chef, Olivier
Vigneault, the only good thing
about winning silver is that it
For a couple of students and
a cooking teacher at the Pearson
School of Culinary Arts, the silver
medal their team won at the recent Gold Medal Plates competition in Montreal may have just as
well been gold.
“It was very exciting, a different
November 15 meeting with
kind of dynamic – I enjoyed it a
the Conseil superieur de
lot more than anything I’ve done
l’éducation
so far in my cooking career,”
Representatives from the Les- said Adam Rulli who, who along
ter B. Pearson School Board were with student Stephanie Morales
among 150 Montreal-area edu- and professional cooking teacher
cators, community leaders and Nancy Gagnon, were invited to
government officials who took be part of Chef Antonio Park’s
part in a meeting with the Conseil team at the Montreal edition of
Superieur de l’éducation on Nov. the Gold Medal Plates 2012 held
15th. In a frank exchange, del- earlier this month at the Montreal
egates from area school boards, Science Centre.
cegeps, universities and the community spoke about the challenges they face in offering educational services to a multi-ethnic
and economically diverse population. At the meeting, called
“Réussir ensemble à Montréal”,
educators also described some of
the programs they’ve implemented to ensure that all students be
given the opportunity to acquire
a good education. Conseil President Claude Lessard welcomed
the various programs offered at
elementary, high school and even
college levels that have been specifically adapted to the particular
needs of the Montreal population
and applauded the collaboration
between school boards, cegeps
and universities working at various research projects and proL-R Adam Rulli, Chef Antonio Park, sous chef Olivier
grams aimed at improving educaVigneault, Stephanie Morales, teacher Nancy Gagnon
tional services for all.
qualifies him to take part in next
year’s competition.
“I come from an Asian culture
where it’s first-place or nothing,”
he said, adding that he already
has next year’s menu in mind.
“I know exactly what the judges
want…”
His Silver medal entry at the
competition, a dish called Iqaluk
O-Nigiri, consisted of a combination of different rices and quinoa mixed with Japanese vinegar
topped with torched Quebec
Arctic char lacquered with maple
syrup – and that was topped with
a puree of tofu and cauliflower
mixed with black Spanish caviar
and finished with shreds of daikon kimchi (fermented white
radish) and crispy nori (edible
seaweed), along with fermented capers and homemade soya
sauce.
Morales, who is in the professional cooking course at the Pear-
son School of Culinary Arts, said
she had never before taken part
in anything like the Gold Medal
Plates competition. “It was great more fun than stressful,” she said.
For teacher Nancy Gagnon, the
evening - which included music
by Sam Roberts and The Great
Big Sea - could not have been better.
“We served eight VIP plates
to the judges and then pumped
out 350 plates to Olympians and
guests in one-and-a-half hours,”
she said.
“And when Chef Antonio Park
was awarded the silver medal, we
were all so proud and thrilled that
we had the opportunity to take
part in this memorable event,”
she said adding that Park has already requested that the Pearson
School of Culinary Arts be part of
his team in 2013.
“There’s no doubt we’ll be
there,” she added.
Chef Antonio Park, sous chef Olivier Vigneault,
Stephanie Morales
Stein Day, from
page A1
Program that allows our young
adult students with intellectual
delays to learn business and life
skills. They operate a lovely
candle shop at 475 Dumont in
Dorval – a definite go to place
for holiday gifts. And whenever
Steve Balleine is ready for another
few hands of Hold ‘Em, we can
get a game going!
I joined hundreds of our students at the Montreal We Day,
where the kids were inspired by
Craig and Marc Kielburger, Romeo Dallaire, Shawn Desmond,
PK Subban and many others.
This organization and the Kielburger brothers have come up
with a formula that truly motivates our students, from a very
young age, to contribute to the
global community. We are proud
of our partnership with them.
Lindsay Place Students are busy
with new Health and Wellness
programs. A program bringing
Grade 12 International students
together with students in the
Genesis program to learn about
nutrition and exercise recently
won a grant of $1000 from the
Metro Green Apple School Programs. The project has also been
submitted to the Aviva Community Funding organization. The
last group of semi-finalists will
be announced on Wednesday.
Then we’ll need your support
in voting for project. There is a
link to the project on the Lindsay
Place Facebook page. I hope we
can count on community support
for the next face of this initiative.
Good luck Lindsay Place!
Follow me on Twitter
@suannesteinday
The LBPSB Career and LBPSB Administrators
Awarded by AAESQ
Education Fair a Success
y Alycia
y Ambroziak
by
At one point in most young
people’s lives, they have to think
about what career would suit
them - and it’s often not an easy
decision for a high-schooler to
make.
But on Nov. 20, students at the
Lester B. Pearson School Board
had some help in exploring career
paths at the board’s annual Career
and Education Fair, held at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High.
The theme of the day was A
Glimpse Into Your Future and
that’s exactly what the fair was
designed to do; representatives
from more than 70 organizations
- Cegeps, Universities, Vocational, Adult Centers, as well as members from the business and sports
communities – were on hand
with information about possible
career choices, all while exploring the educational pathways required to achieve those goals.
Guidance Counselor Sheila
Scenes from the LBPSB Career Fair
Southon noted that the fair was
not only aimed at students who
plan to go on to university.
“In today’s changing job market – with much emphasis on
the world of technology and the
need for skilled trades people –
students have the opportunity to
learn about the value of these interesting careers,” she said.
Secondary students from Grade
11 and Grade 9 POP (Personal
Orientation Program), as well as
students from the Adult Centers
were invited to the event, which
was also open to the public.
by Alycia Ambroziak
Robert T. Mills, director-general
of the Lester B. Pearson School
Board, was among five LBPSB officials recently honoured by the
Association of Administrators of
English Schools of Quebec.
“What greater honour does a
person have in his or her profession than to be honoured by your
colleagues,” said Mills, the recipient of the AAESQ’s 2012 Distinguished Service Award.
Gaye Meredith, director of the
LBPSB’s Gordon Robertson Centre and Joanne Simoneau-Polenz,
former LBPSB assistant director
of Student Services, received Outstanding Achievement Awards.
Clearpoint Elementary Principal
Sam Bruzzese was given the Distinguished Service Award and retired LSBPSB principal Mary Anne
Bindner received the organization’s Honourary Life Membership Award. As well, the English
Montreal School Board’s Tony Pita
accepted an Honourary Life Membership Award on behalf of retired
principal Maria De Perna.
The awards ceremony took place
Thursday, Nov. 22.
The AAESQ is a professional association representing 475 school,
centre and board level administrators of English schools in Quebec.
The organization is dedicated to
promoting excellence in administrative leadership in public education.
Left to Right: Sam Bruzzese (Distinguished Service Award); Joanne Simoneau-Polenz (Outstanding Achievement Award); Gaye Meredith (Outstanding Achievement Award); Mary-Anne
Bindner (Honorary Life Achievement Award); Robert Mills (Distinguished Service Award);
Ron Silverstone AAESQ Executive Director
November 2012
On Trial at Thorndale Elementary
by Mara Frost,
Grade 5 French and Grade 6
English Teacher, Thorndale
Grade six students at Thorndale were in for a real treat when
Lawyer Mr. Zeppilli came to their
class to facilitate a mock court trial. The trial, based on a bullying
situation that had gone too far, allowed the students to explore the
possible consequences of such
situations. The children learned
how such issues are solved
through a trial using discussion
and negotiation skills. Through
role play, the students learned
about the responsibilities of the
judge, the jury, the prosecution,
the defence and the witnesses.
Students had the opportunity to
ask law-related questions, use
the Quebec Criminal Code, and
challenge their classmates’ statements. The presentation is in
conjunction with the Barreau de
Montreal’s “Write for Justice” contest in which the students will be
taking part. The contest asks that
students give thought to the issue of bullying and violence in
schools, and write a creative essay explaining what they could do
to try and eliminate the problem.
The grade six students had a fantastic time taking on their roles,
and got to participate in a fabulous
experiential learning activity. This
is what school is all about!
Pearson NewsA3
LBPSB teams participate in
10th Annual Boreal XC
by Denis Bernicky
ners an equal shot at the podium
though it is rare that an older runner actually wins a medal outside
of their age group.
The St. Thomas team was made
The Admin team
New LBPSB-Based Centre of Excellence for
Mental Health Website an Important Resource
by Alycia Ambroziak
A grade four teacher in Chateauguay notices that one of his
students appears to suffer from
anxiety; a social work technician
in Pointe-Claire is worried about
one of her students who may be
experimenting with substances
and appears very depressed. A
principal in Gaspé worries about
a student whom she fears could be
suicidal.
In the Hudson area, a group of
resource teachers have expressed
the need for professional development as to strategies that promote
resilience and healthy living in
youth.
Those are just some of the realities educators face in classrooms
across the province.
But help is available, thanks to
a newly-launched website by the
Centre of Excellence for Mental
Health (CEMH) which was created last year to serve as a provincial resource to all English school
boards across Quebec.
According to the Canadian
Mental Health Association, one in
five people will experience a mental health problem in the course of
his or her lifetime – and only one
of five children who need mental
health services actually receives
them, according to the Mental
Health Commission of Canada.
But that could change, with help
from the CEMH.
“The main goal of the website is
to reach as many people as possible: teachers, families, and youth,”
said Dr. Elana Bloom, CEMH Coordinator. “We want to increase
mental health literacy, decrease
stigma and provide a resource that
can be easily accessed by all.”
Housed at Lester B. Pearson
School Board, the CEMH is made
up of a multidisciplinary team
of professionals whose mandate
includes assisting schools in the
implementation of best practice
approaches in prevention, intervention and research in the field
of mental health.
Although aimed at school officials, teachers, support staff and
professionals, the website also has
a section for youth and parents as
well.
To access the website, go
to http://cemh.lbpsb.qc.ca or
click on the tab on the right
hand side of the board’s website
www.lbpsb.qc.ca
Below is a list of Commissioners along with their home telephone numbers
and school board locals.
Home
422-3000
Ward
Communities
Commissioner
Phone #
Local
1
Verdun/Nuns’ Island
Douglas Flook
514-293-2417
4001
2
LaSalle South
Sergio Borja
514-366-1611
4002
3
LaSalle Northeast
Ruben Fazio
514-365-1638
4003
4
LaSalle West/Ville St-Pierre
Frank di Bello
514-951-5834
4004
5
Lachine
Patrick Whitham
514-800-9240
4005
6
Dorval
Barbara Freeston
514-636-9315
4006
7
Dollard-des-Ormeaux East
Rosemary Murphy
514-620-8012
4007
8
Roxboro/Pierrefonds East
Craig Berger
514-421-6570
4008
9
Pointe-Claire East
Linton Garner
514-696-7892
4009
10
Pointe-Claire West
Marc Lalonde
514-426-7124
4010
11
Dollard-des-Ormeaux Center
Ruth Dangoor Gdalevitch 514-906-7320
4011
12
Pierrefonds/Île Bizard
Susan Williams
514-620-4745
4012
13
Dollard-des-Ormeaux Center/West
Martin Sherman
514-684-2742
4013
14
Dollard-des-Ormeaux W./Kirkland E.
Joe Zemanovich
514-624-2376
4014
15
Beaconsfield North
Don Rae
514-697-9878
4015
16
Kirkland West
Suanne Stein Day
514-887-8876
2322
17
Pierrefonds West
Luisa Bulgarelli-Vero
514-694-0475
4017
18 Ste-Anne/Baie d’Urfé/Beaconsfld S./Senneville
Judy Kelley
514-697-7619
4018
19
Île Perrot
Susan Bartlett-Lewis
514-453-6650
4019
20
Les Cèdres/Vaudreuil-Dorion
Angela Nolet
514-453-5462
2299
21
Hudson/St-Lazare
Daniel Olivenstein
450-458-1413
4021
CPC
Secondary Representative
Nan Beaton
514-713-3892
4026
CPC
Elementary Representative
Domenico Pavone
514-566-8869
4027
Executive Committee
Council of Commissioners
December 10, 2012 5:30 p.m.
December 17, 2012 7:30 p.m.
Board Room
Board Room
The 10th annual Boreal XC, IleBizard race was held on a cool
and sunny Saturday morning on
November 10th. This is the seventh year that employees of the
LBPSB have participated in the
event but this year was by far the
best attended. Joining the veteran
St. Thomas staff this year were
three new teams, two comprised
of Lakeside Academy teachers and
friends, and another of administrative staff.
The Boreal XC is unique among
local races for the way in which
times are measured. The race
is handicapped using a method
called WAVA Adjusted Time
which takes the finishing time of
a runner and applies a formula
created by the World Association
of Veteran Athletes to adjust the
times for all runners to the same
age. This method can add time
to younger faster runners finishing times and subtract time from
older runners finishing times. The
method is used to give all run-
The Lakeside teams
up of support staff Helen Glenn,
Denis Bernicky and teachers
Pierre Doyon, Lauren Enright and
Kevin McRae are all veterans of
10K made all the more surprising
by having not yet fully recovered
from qualifying for the Boston
Marathon a few weeks previous.
The team came in 18th over all in
a field of 31 teams.
New to the line up this year
were the Lakeside and Admin
teams. Lakeside 1 was made up of
Cheeka Mitchell, Gavin Musgrave,
Dave Preston and Kathleen Saba
who, like the Lakeside 2 team, had
never run a competitive XC race
previously and some of whom had
never run a 10K previously. The
team turned in a strong freshman
performance finishing well ahead
of some far more seasoned teams
coming in 26th overall. The Lakeside 2 team of Lana Burton, Jonathan Kyffin, Jessica Godin and
Katherine Baker trailed their peers
in the team standings but made off
with a bronze medal in one of the
age categories. Katherine Baker
finished 3rd in her AG bringing
Part of the St. Thomas team
the Boreal XC. Lauren Enright an- home hardware for Lakeside on
chored the St. Thomas team with their first Boreal experience.
an impressive 5th place age group
The Admins team (that was their
finish. Helen Glenn ran an im- name) turned in a solid effort compressive personal best time for the
ing in, in 28th place just ahead of
Lakeside 2. Pat Delage turned in a
strong personal best performance
in the 10K with Adrian Geller finishing only seconds behind him.
Chris Fussezy was only a few minutes off his team mates finishing
pace. Mark Massarelli filled in for
an injured Doug Stewart to fill out
The Admins.
The festive atmosphere at the
start of the race carried over to the
post race medal ceremonies and
meal. All the LBPSB contingent
had a great time with almost all of
them vowing to return and better
this year’s performance.
Beacon Hill Terry Fox Run
Result is a Bit of a Drag
by Alycia Ambroziak
Life can sometimes
be a drag – and for
the principal and
male teachers at Beacon Hill Elementary, it literally was on Friday, (Oct. 26) when they had to
respect their side of a challenge
they had made with the school’s
326 students.
The six male teachers at the
school, led by phys. ed. teacher
Derek Lagimodière, had told students that if the school could raise
more than $15,000 at this year’s
Terry Fox Walk – that’s $5,000
more than last year’s event - they,
along with Principal Pat Delage,
would dress up in women’s clothing for a day.
Apparently, it was a dare the
students couldn’t pass up.
This year’s walk, which took
place Sept. 28, ended up raising
$15,965.75.
“We’re all proud of how much
the students worked to raise that
much money,” Delage said noting
that he foraged through his wife’s
closet to find his outfit for the day.
“We had no choice but to make
good on our dare,” he said with a
laugh.
A4Pearson News
Evergreen Slides into Pride
by Ingrid Farkas
Step into Evergreen on a Friday afternoon and you’ll soon be
sliding... doing the Cha-Cha Slide
that is!
Grade 1 teacher, Linda Cregan
decided to bring her passion for
music and movement into the
classroom and has inadvertently
begun a new ritual: at exactly
2:05 P.M. every Friday, her students get up, walk into the hall
and the music begins – the students sing along and dance, smiles
plastered on their faces. Some
concentrate very hard, listening
and following directions, while
others let the music guide them.
Whatever method they use, the
results are wonderful; children
actively working together, moving their bodies, exercising their
minds and having fun!
The idea came to Ms. Cregan
while she was on vacation this
summer. She observed camp
councillors leading kids in the
Cha-Cha Slide and was struck by
how much fun they were having.
The best part was that they were
practicing following instructions,
working on their coordination and
keeping physically fit! Ms. Cregan
thought it would be a wonderful
idea to bring into the classroom.
Along with getting the kids
moving, the goal is also to foster a
sense of school pride.
“Pride in your school is important. I am so proud to be a teacher at Evergreen.” says Ms. Cregan
and she wants her students to feel
the same way. Her belief is that
if they have school spirit and a
sense of belonging, they will push
themselves to do well in all areas.
The result will be a positive learning environment for students and
teachers.
“I love music. It’s a great way
to bring everyone together!” Ms.
Cregan said.
And that is exactly what it has
done. Since September, the other
grade 1 classes have joined in, and
recently grades 2 and 3 as well.
The entire junior wing now ends
every week on a very happy note,
dancing and Cha Cha sliding their
way out of school!
Dorset
Remembers
by Ann Tellier
We had a touching Remembrance Day assembly on Friday,
November 9th. Our guest, former World War II WREN, Mrs.
Helen Newton described her time
in service to our students. Each
class created a poster of Remembrance and Peace. The message
was clear-we will always remember and honour the day and our
veterans.
Christmas Park
Remembers With
Meaning And
Music
by Linda Choinière
CASCA (Community and
Spiritual Care Animator)
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There were many unique and
special moments during our
Christmas Park Remembrance
Day ceremony. We were honoured to have the presence of
two of our students’ fathers, army
Captain Derek Ho and Police Officer/Bagpiper Stephane Chamberland to help us pay tribute to
and commemorate the memory
of our serving men and women.
The grade 5/6 students of Barbara
Viola were exceptional in hosting the assembly and we were all
privileged to listen to the great
variety of songs our students sang
under the direction of our music
teacher, Maria Martinez.
The ceremony began when Officer Chamberland piped our
students, class by class, into the
assembly with his stirring music.
Under the guidance of Daycare
Educator, Miss Lana, our students created a beautiful wreath
for the occasion. The students’
readings were interspersed with
their songs, two of which, Bless
Our Troops and Shalom were
particularly touching. Captain
Ho gave a personal account of
what Remembrance Day meant
to him, noting that some among
the more than one hundred and
fifty fallen soldiers in Afghanistan
were his friends. His very moving
remembrances, the inspirational
music of the bagpipes and the
sweet songs of our students all
combined to make us remember
the debt of gratitude that we owe
to our Canadian forces.
November 2012
School Times
Thorndale’s
Lakeside Hosts
Special Week Of Hema-Quebec
Remembrance
Blood Drive
by Linda Choinière
CASCA (Community and
Spiritual Care Animator)
To commemorate Remembrance Day, Thorndale students,
under the guidance of art teacher
Giulia Carosielli, gave a heartfelt
thank you to our servicemen and
women. Captain Joe Nunez, Canadian Bosnian Peacekeeper, and
three colleagues made a special
visit to attend an assembly during which grades 3-6 students
presented to them Remembrance
Day artwork to post in their
headquarters. The soldiers gave
a great deal of attention to examining the variety of pictures and
banners with the students and as
their thank you, gave to each a
souvenir Forces marker.
Our grade 5/6 students very
skilfully hosted our Remembrance Day ceremony a week
later, during which we were
privileged to have Captain Nunez
and Lieutenant Doran Skryzpinski, Afghanistan veteran, return.
Each gave especially moving slide
presentations: Captain Nunez on
the effect that the death of his
close friend in Afghanistan had
on both him and his friend’s family, and Lieutenant Skryzpinski
on the daily effects of war during
his deployment in that country.
During the minute of silence, we
reflected on these images and
the sacrifices that our forces and
their families make on our behalf.
Captain Nunez closed this special assembly with the message
to our students that within them
resides our future and our hopes
for peace.
by Victoria Pinnell
CASCA (Community and
Spiritual Care Animator)
VISIONS 2000,
Lakeside Academy
VISIONS 2000, Lakeside
Academy’s Community Service
department has just recently
hosted its 4th Annual Hema
Quebec Blood Drive.
Lakeside students recognize
and appreciate the needs of
Hema-Quebec, where 1000 donations must be collected daily.
In order to maintain the blood
supply required by the Quebec
population, great efforts must be
made to recruit donors and encourage the generosity of all who
are in a position to share ”the
gift of life”. In response to this
demand, our students welcome
the opportunity to take on this
initiative every year.
Unlike in previous years, where
it was a major undertaking to set
up a clinic in the schools lobby,
we now enjoy the simplicity and
efficiency of the Mobile Blood
Donation Unit. Donations are by
appointment only, thus avoiding
any unnecessary wait times for
donors
Our objective this year was 65
pints and we collected 70. This
means that we were able to support some 300 patients. Another
successful year.
Dorset
Participates in
“We” Day Event
by Ann Tellier
Margaret
Manson
Music News
by Phyllis Orofino
We wasted no time in getting rehearsals underway for our Broadway production of “The Wizard of
Oz”. Seventy-five grade 5 and 6
students have been learning songs
and getting ready to audition for
roles in the production. A few of
the songs are proving to be quite
challenging, however, the students sound great. Watch future
newsletters for more details about
our progress and our show dates!
Here is what else is brewing in
our music classes:
Kindergarten: We are learning
to name and play our percussion
instruments. We have learned that
some instruments are “frottés”,
others are “frappés” or “secoués”.
We will soon begin to play the xylophones.
Cycle 1: They have been assigned their xylophones and we
have been playing short, well
known melodies. Soon, they will
start on a brand new musical
piece. We are also singing Halloween songs and have learned a Halloween dance.
Cycle 2: The grade 3s are progressing quite rapidly on the recorder. The grade 4s are learning a
song on the recorder called “Hairy
Scary”. They have also learned a
dance for Halloween.
Cycle 3: We have begun our
percussion ensembles. Some of
our ensembles include guitars
that our students (or I should say
their parents) have kindly brought
to school. We also have included
the piano and the drum set. Our
first musical pieces consist of creations by the students. It truly is a
collaborative effort demonstrated
through the sharing of ideas and
by implementing them through
trial and error.
On November 14th and 16th,
the grade 6s will experience the
art of creating a soundtrack for
film. With the help of a cultural
grant provided by the Quebec
government through a program
called “Culture in the Schools”, an
artist will visit and present a lesson
about film and then the students
will realize their own soundtrack
(special effects, music etc.) to accompany an animated film.
Thirteen of our students will
participate in the Montreal “We”
Day Event with other ‘Free the
Children’ participants. Our parent/teacher interviews and portfolio presentations will take place
this week. On Wednesday, November 21st we will host a storytelling presentation for all students. Our Home and School
by Ann Tellier
will host a fund raising event on
We had our monthly CelebraNovember 27th at Dix Milles Viltion of Excellence assembly to
lages in Pointe Claire village.
recognize students and share talent.
LBPSB Tournament Schedule 2012-2013
We congratulate Mrs. Harwood
Activity
Dates
Location
and Mrs. Laframboise on their
Sept.
25
Greendale,
Edgewater
25 years of excellent service and Ultimate Frisbee
Rain
Day
Sept.
26
Dorset
they will be fêted at our school
board tonight. Kindergarten cel- Handball
Oct. 9 & 10
Dorset –
ebrates the season of Hibernation Two Sections
Rain Days – Oct. 11 & 12 Both sections
and Migration and their stuffies
Cross Country Run Oct. 23 & 24
(teddybears et al) will sleepover
Morgan Arboretum
Two sections
Rain Days – 25 & 26
tonight.The Teddybear sleepover
is an annual Kindergarten affair at
Volleyball
Jan. 8-9-10
John Abbott
Dorset.
The kids bring their stuffed
Months of February &
Various Locations
animals to school to “ostensi- Curling
March
bly” sleepover, but in the night
Feb. 20
the stuffies come alive, party and
Les Cedres
make a bit of a mess. When the Cross country Ski Possible back up day –
Feb. 27
kids come in the next day they
are surprised by the shenanigans
Basketball
April 19
To be determined
and, of course, have to clean it
up! We videotape the “party” and
Cycle One
May 15
show it to the kids sometime that
To be determined
Cross Country Run Rain Day - May 16
day, which gets them ready for
June 4 & 5
the magical belief of Christmas.
Track & Field
Riverdale High School
Rain Days – June 6 & 7
We hope they are well-behaved!
“Stuffies” Come
Alive at Dorset!
Pearson NewsA5
November 2012
Lindsay Place Totem Permacon Makes Large Donation to St. John Fisher Sr.
Pole Project
there were posters on the wall,
books on the racks, sculptures on
Mrs. Russell’s class
the sides and many more. What
is always filled with
mostly filled the room were the
projects done by her
special totem poles.
students. We don’t get a lot of
At the beginning of the year,
work, but we do get big projects the grade 8 classes got assigned a
that we’re supposed to work on project. It is linked to the book
at least half an hour a day. These ‘Touching Spirit Bear’ by Ben Miprojects are always different and chelson. We got a list of animals
fun to work on. At the end of the and their qualities. We were supyear last year, when all the things posed to pick five animals that
got off the walls and went home, have qualities similar to us. We
we all thought that the class had two parts to this project: the
looked empty. At the beginning, physical part and the written part.
By Dushaani Manickam
physical education teacher to decide what we’ll get.”
Di Vittori said the $10,655
donation came through the fiveby Alycia Ambroziak
member cycling team from the
Students at St. John Fisher Permacon Co. that took part in
Sr. elementary school in Pointe the Grand Defi Pierre Lavoie, an
Claire will soon be getting a lot annual cycling event that began
of new sports equipment, thanks in 1999 as a one-man fundraising
to a more than $10,000 dona- project in the Saguenay region aftion from the Permacon company ter two of Lavoie’s children died
cycling team and the Grand Defi of lactic acidosis, an illness which
Pierre Lavoie.
is caused when lactic acid builds
“It’s a jaw-dropping amount,” up in the bloodstream faster than
St. John Fisher Sr. principal Tony it can be removed.
Di Vittori, said adding that exDi Vittori explained that each
actly what kind of equipment the year, one of the cycling team
424-student school will purchase members at the Permacon comhasn’t yet been decided. “We pany – which deals in paving
haven’t settled down yet over and decorative concrete prodthe amount – we’ll meet with the ucts for masonry and landscap-
ing - can choose a school of his
or her choice and whatever the
team raises over $10,000 goes
to that school. The first $10,000
goes towards research into lactic
acidosis.
And, as it happens, one of the
members of the Permacon team
was Gary Belisle whose son, Jacob, attends St. John Fisher Elementary Sr.
“And that’s how we came to get
such a great donation,” said Di
Vittori.
Belisle said he was happy the
Permacon team could raise the
funds.
“I know the school will put it to
good use,” he said.
Di Vittori said the Defi, which
has grown into a province-wide
event, also has a Get Up and
Move! challenge in which students and their families accumulate energy points by doing
physical exercises. And more recently, the organization added a
Sharpen Your Minds challenge in
which students accumulate energy cubes for every 15 minutes of
brain exercises, such as reading,
homework and even some computer games.
“We’ve participated in the Get
Up and Move! challenge for the
past two years and will be doing
it again in May.” Di Vittori said.
“And for the first time, we are
doing the Sharpen Your Minds
challenge throughout the month
of November.”
St. Charles Elementary’s Young Achievers
ty, on the athletic field or simply amongst its alumni, 3 Young
Achievers in the last 2 years.
lending a hand when needed.
We are proud of all our stuSt.
Charles
is
proud
to
include,
This
year,
St.
Charles is proud to
have a recent graduate place 2nd in the
prestigious 2012 Pfizer Canada
Young Achievers. Aidan Matthews
(2012 graduate) was recognized
for his community involvement
both in and out of school and his
academic achievements. A heartfelt
congratulation to Aidan Matthews
for placing 2nd in his age category,
what an accomplishment!!!
The Young Achiever event is
spearheaded by The Chronicle
and Cités Nouvelles in collaboration with many corporate sponsors including Pfizer Canada. The
program was conceived as a way
to celebrate outstanding young
people (ages 10 to 17) for their
achievements in and around the
West Island – whether it’s in the
classroom, within their communiMme Coiteux,
Principal, St. Charles School
dents (current and alumni) as
you “reach for the stars” and continue to achieve great things.
Movember at Westpark
Westpark School
raises funds for a
number of worthy
causes. Last year our
male teachers and caretaker started
a new project to raise awareness
and funds for research into prostate cancer. Our school community thanks Steve Santella, Marc
Wettering , Serge Bouchard and
Steven Scheer for this initiative and
their good humor as they grow the
moustaches. On November 30 we
will hold a special Movember Dress
Down day. Donations will be collected at school and at the Movember website. (http://ca.movember.
com/) Search: Westpark
Aidan (1st from right standing) took part in the St. Charles Grade 6
students “Used Book Sale” during the 2011-12 school year.
Beechwood Collects Snowsuits
for “Share the Warmth”
by Ariella A. and Jasmine B.,
the Grade 5 Enviro Club
Left to right: Steve Santella, Serge Bouchard,
Marc Wettering, and Steven Scheer
The Grade 5 students of the Enviro
Club at Beechwood
Elementary School
have decided to collect snowsuits
to donate to ‘Share the Warmth’,
an organization that collects
snowsuits and gives them to people who can’t afford them. Many
children have to wear snowsuits
that are too small, or ripped with
the stuffing poking out. Just
imagine if winter was coming
and you didn’t have a nice warm
snowsuit. We feel this is a huge
problem. It would be perfect if
you can bring in old snowsuits
that have been gently used before
November 19th.
Find out more about
the Lester B. Pearson
School Board’s
International
Studies Program:
www.lbpsb.qc.ca
/eng/intlstudies
A6Pearson News
November 2012
Rennie to Perform “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
A madcap world of whimsy
is sure to enchant on Dec. 13,
14 and 15 as Oompa-Loompas,
children inflating into blueberries and a chocolate waterfall take
over the stage at the John Rennie High School Actors’ Studio
presentation of Charlie and the
Chocolate Factory.
The chooey-gooey family classic based on the 1964 book by
Roald Dahl will come to life as a
cast of more than 45 characters –
all students from grades 9 to 11 –
bring all the classic elements and
songs that generations of children
and their parents have come to
enjoy.
In the book, a young lad named
Charlie Bucket is among five winners of golden tickets that allow
them to enter into the weird factory of the even weirder Willy
Wonka. But not everything is as
sweet as it first seems as Wonka
puts them through very unusual
tests of character.
Director James Colley’s passion
for his job was obvious last week
during a rehearsal that included
the boat scene with OompaLoompas, and the always entertaining “greedy girl turns into a
floating blueberry” scene.
“The talent we have here is incredible – the characters are com-
ing through clearly,” Colley, head
of the John Rennie’s renowned
Actors’ Studio, said while reminding the students – who have
been rehearsing every school day
as well as Saturdays – to remain
in character at all times.
“You’re not watching the play,
you’re in it,” he pointed out.
Colley also praised the studentled production team as well as
parent volunteers who are work-
ing on everything from costumes
to producing realistic chocolate
syrup for the waterfall.
“The production team is introducing intricate set designs, advanced technology and optical
and mechanical effects not typically taken on by a high school,”
he said.
For example, the stage will have
real chocolate waterfall and don’t
be surprised when a cast member
blows up into a blueberry.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be presented Dec. 13
and 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 15
at 3 p.m. at the Louise Chalmers Theatre, John Rennie High
School, 501 St. Jean Blvd. in
Pointe Claire.
Tickets can be purchased at the
door or online at http://www.
jrhactorsstudio.com .
The cost is $12 for adults, $6
for students and seniors.
When was the last time you witnessed
children inflating into floating blueberries or
travelled down a chocolate river in a boat paddled by Oompa-Loompas?
Actors’ Studio
JRHS
presents
a sweet chooey-gooey family classic!
Dec. 13th and 14th at 7:30 pm
Dec. 15th at 3 pm
Louise Chalmers Theatre
John Rennie High School
501 boulevard St. Jean, Pointe-Claire
Tickets: purchase online at http://www.jrhsactorsstudio.com
Or at the door
Adults - $12
Students & Seniors - $6