sts express › file › sts-express-april-21-2017.pdf · buy your tickets before midnight, april...

APRIL 21, 2017

STS Express Weekly Newsletter

CONTENTS MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL........................................................................................... 3

HEALTH AND SAFETY AT STS ....................................................................................................................... 3

FINE ARTS EVENTS THIS WEEK .................................................................................................................... 3

IMPORTANT DATES ........................................................................................................................... 4 APRIL ........................................................................................................................................................... 4

MAY ............................................................................................................................................................. 4

SCHOOL CALENDARS ................................................................................................................................... 4

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDAR! .............................................................................. 5 VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION ........................................................................................................................ 5

MOMENTUM: CELEBRATING THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE – APRIL 29, 2017.................................... 5

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE POSTS AGM – MAY 16, 2017 ............................................................................ 6

FULL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS .................................................................................................... 7 LAST CHANCE! MOMENTUM TICKET SALES CLOSE ON APRIL 24 ............................................................... 7

ETHNICALLY DIVERSE BUFFET LUNCH ......................................................................................................... 8

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION ........................................................................................................................ 8

NUT ALLERGY POLICY .................................................................................................................................. 9

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS .................................................................................... 10 IMPORTANT UPDATE ABOUT UPCOMING ELEMENTARY ASSEMBLY DATES ............................................ 10

WALK FOR WILDLIFE ................................................................................................................................. 10

PYP CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS LAUNCH PAD ...................................................................................... 11

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS ........................................................................ 12 PARENTS OF GRADE 8 STUDENTS – CANOE TRIP PARENT BRIEFING ........................................................ 12

OE15 ROGAINE PARENT BRIEFING ............................................................................................................ 12

ATHLETICS UPDATES ................................................................................................................................. 12

MESSAGE TO GRADE 12 PARENTS AND STUDENTS – CLASS OF 2017 GRAD BREAKFAST ........................ 13

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ..................................................................................................................... 14 MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD MEET – MAY 3, 2017 ....................................................................... 14

GRADE 5 SPARTATHLON - FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2017 ..................................................................................... 14

GRADE 10 TRIATHALON - TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 (NEW DATE) ............................................................. 14

THE POSTS EXECUTIVE NEEDS YOU! ......................................................................................................... 14

RECENT EVENTS .............................................................................................................................. 16 FIRST ANNUAL GREEN WEEK AT STS ......................................................................................................... 16

______________________________________________________________________________________________________ STS EXPRESS – Weekly Newsletter Page | 1

VIVA LA SALSA! .......................................................................................................................................... 16

DIVERSITY WEEK 2017! ............................................................................................................................. 17


MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

HEALTH AND SAFETY AT STS As part of our efforts to ensure the safety and wellness of our students, employees and school visitors, STS undertakes annual safety audits conducted by the Alberta Association of Safety Partners (AASP). Every second year, an external auditor spends a week in our school analyzing health and safety practices to determine our eligibility for a Certificate of Recognition (COR). During the visit, the auditor randomly selects and interviews approximately one third of our employees to evaluate their knowledge and understanding of our health and safety practices and policies. He/she also does an inspection tour of all facilities and examines documentation including things such as accident/incident reports, emergency response procedures and so on. The audit process examines eight different aspects of our health and safety programs including: 1) management, leadership and organizational commitment; 2) hazard identification and assessment; 3) hazard control; 4) ongoing inspections; 5) qualification, orientation and training; 6) emergency response; 7) accident and incident investigation; and 8) program administration. The final audit report provides a summary of strengths and weaknesses in each area, suggestions for improvement, detailed findings including photographic evidence, and a final score out of 100. I am pleased to report that our score this year was the 95% and we showed improvement in each of the eight categories since our last audit. Our auditor, who is a veteran in her field, reported that this is the highest score that she has ever awarded to any organization. STS is one of the few schools (probably the only independent school) to submit to such rigorous assessment of health and safety standards and we should be very proud of this level of achievement and the measure of safety and risk management that it provides for our community. Maintaining a culture of safety at this level requires the continuous effort and commitment of every employee and I wish to thank and recognize all of our employees for their ongoing diligence and vigilance in this important component of school operation.

FINE ARTS EVENTS THIS WEEK This week featured our talented musicians and artists at two events. On Tuesday evening, Hot Art, Cool Jazz showcased the visual art produced by Ms. Carlson’s Grade 8 through 12 students in a wide range of mediums. We were also entertained by a great variety of jazz music performed by our five different jazz ensembles under the capable direction of Ms. Willmon and Mr. Uzick. On Wednesday, the Spring Choral Concert featured our five choirs performing a very diverse repertoire of pieces. Ms. Willmon and Mrs. Dickson conducted their own choirs and also stepped in to direct Mrs. Provencher’s groups in her absence. I am always amazed by our teacher’s abilities to inspire our students to produce music and art that demonstrates such a high level of accomplishment, maturity and skill. Congratulations to our students and teachers for their impressive dedication and talent. The outcomes certainly reflect the depth of your talents and your efforts. Dr. William Jones Head of School


IMPORTANT DATES Be sure to check for new events throughout the year online.

APRIL

April 27 Volunteer Appreciation April 29 Momentum – Telus Spark (7:00 pm)

MAY

May 22 Victoria Day – School Closed May 26 Casual Dress Day

SCHOOL CALENDARS For more important dates and upcoming events, the following school calendars can be found on the STS website: 2016 – 2017 School Calendar 2017 – 2018 School Calendar Upcoming Events Calendar


https://www.sts.ab.ca/mysts-parents-calendar

http://www.sts.ab.ca/document.doc?id=1411

https://www.sts.ab.ca/document.doc?id=1744

https://www.sts.ab.ca/mysts-parents-calendar

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDAR! VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation's compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for one another. -Erma Bombeck National Volunteer Week is April 24-28, 2017 and we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our volunteers. We appreciate your hard work, ongoing support and generous time commitment which greatly enriches our STS community and the learning experience of our students. All STS volunteers are invited to attend a Volunteer Appreciation here at STS on Thursday, April 27 from 2:30 – 3:15 p.m. in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library. Please RSVP to Mrs. Jana Wager ([email protected] or 403-938-8301) no later than April 25 at 12:00 noon.

MOMENTUM: CELEBRATING THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE – APRIL 29, 2017

In light of this being such a unique and momentous year in our school’s history, the decision has been made to hold a one-time event for all STS community members – past, present and future. This special event is called Momentum, and will be hosted in partnership by the Parents’ Organization of STS (POSTS) and the STS Alumni Association. Momentum is defined as the force that allows something to grow stronger as time passes. The force that has always made our school stronger is our incredible community. Momentum will be held in lieu of the annual Alumni Dinner, and the bi-annual Black Watch Gala, and will bring alumni, and current and former parents and employees together for one special night. Together, we will celebrate where we have come from, and where we are going. As we enter the final phase of our $27 million Inspiring Possibilities campaign and watch our new inspiring facilities rise from the ground, this seemed like the perfect time to bring everyone together to acknowledge the incredible progress that has been made due to the immense generosity of parents and alumni, and to help bring the school to the finish line with this campaign. It is time to bring our “strongest force”, our community, together – in other words – it’s time to party! We invite you to join us at Momentum, Saturday, April 29, 2017, at TELUS Spark. To purchase tickets visit www.sts.ab.ca/momentum.


mailto:[email protected]

https://www.sts.ab.ca/InspiringPossibilities

http://www.sts.ab.ca/momentum

Please contact our Momentum co-chairs if you have any questions: Shelley Woloski el Baroudi ([email protected]), Faye Sidorsky Steinberg ’89 ([email protected]) and Aimee Jo Benoit ’97 ([email protected]). YOU ARE INVITED TO THE POSTS AGM – MAY 16, 2017 The Parents' Organization of Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School (POSTS) will be holding its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 at 1:00 pm in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library. The new POSTS executive for 2017-2018 will be announced. All members of POSTS (parents and guardians of students at STS) are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Sloan Pipella-Clark '81.






FULL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

LAST CHANCE! MOMENTUM TICKET SALES CLOSE ON APRIL 24

You don't want to miss the party! More than 300 STS community members have already purchased tickets! Check out who’s coming! Buy your tickets before midnight, April 24, 2017. Our auction items are outstanding: all price points! Here is a sneak peek of some of the packages you can join us to bid on…

• Your very own David Pierce ’90 / Adam James recording. Emmy and Grammy award winning composer, and Nil Nisi Optimum alumnus Dave Pierce ’90, will work with you to create a fully produced recording of your own customized song. This package includes a creative vision session, a partial demo track for your approval, lyric sheet development, and finally a fully produced full length three to four minute recording.

• Shaw Classic Experience, Extraordinaire. This item includes an Official Team

Canada Olympic Bag signed by Team Canada, an Inside the Ropes Pass (Honorary Observer), skybox and club access 3 and Anyday passes.

• Four Lady Gaga tickets with hotel accommodation.

• “Mantracker” Package. The famous TV personality, “Mantracker” will lead a

group on a wilderness adventure where they will learn tracking and survival techniques. The package includes six pieces of amazing outdoor wear provided by ProLook.

Tickets are selling fast: Buy your tickets before midnight, April 24. ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ STS EXPRESS – Weekly Newsletter Page | 7

https://www.sts.ab.ca/file/LOOK-WHOs-COMING-2017-poster-Apr-19.pdf

https://www.sts.ab.ca/momentumtickets

https://www.sts.ab.ca/momentumtickets

ETHNICALLY DIVERSE BUFFET LUNCH

POSTS would like to thank all that contributed items for and dined at the Ethnically Diverse lunch buffet on Wednesday, April 19, which was coordinated by the Diversity Week committee! It was a wonderful event!

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation's compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for one another. -Erma Bombeck National Volunteer Week is April 24-28, 2017 and we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all of our volunteers. We appreciate your hard work, ongoing support and generous time commitment which greatly enriches our STS community and the learning experience of our students. All STS volunteers are invited to attend a Volunteer Appreciation here at STS on Thursday, April 27 from 2:30 – 3:15 p.m. in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library. Please RSVP to Mrs. Jana Wager ([email protected] or 403-938-8301) no later than April 25 at 12:00 noon.



NUT ALLERGY POLICY

Although we do our best to ensure that STS remains a nut-free school, we cannot guarantee this. We continue to educate our students and communicate with parents regarding the serious threat posed by nuts to a significant number of our students.

We ask students to not bring nuts or products containing nuts to school. It is also important that your child not transport or consume nuts or products containing nuts on the bus to and from STS. Please make the necessary dietary adjustments and changes to your lunch packing habits to reflect this important policy. Thank you for your cooperation and support.


ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

IMPORTANT UPDATE ABOUT UPCOMING ELEMENTARY ASSEMBLY DATES

Please note the following dates for our upcoming Elementary School Assemblies. As always, families and friends are welcome to attend to help us celebrate the learning and achievements of our students in the Primary Years Programme.

Friday, April 21 Elementary School assembly at 2:50 pm.

Friday, April 28 No Elementary School assembly. Friday, May 5 Elementary School assembly at 2:50 pm.

WALK FOR WILDLIFE

On Thursday, April 27, 2017, the Elementary HOP Club and the Elementary Nature Club will be holding a special OPTIONAL lunchtime event called “Walk for Wildlife” for interested students in Grades 1 through 6 as well as faculty and staff. HOP and Nature Club members have been inspired to support the Canadian Wildlife Federation by hosting a campus walk and picnic lunch for interested Elementary School students and faculty. Our mission is to enjoy our country campus while teaming together to support local wildlife and the people in our school community. Participating students will bring their lunch and meet at the entrance to the Forever Woods at 12:00 noon on Thursday, April 27, where the HOP and Nature Club students (and supervising teachers) will lead them on a nature walk on campus. A variety of nature games will be played on the trails, and students will stop for a picnic lunch. We will be back in the building by 12:50 pm in time for regular afternoon classes. Participating students will not be able to visit the Black Watch Bistro during this time, so must bring a lunch in order to participate. The electronic consent has been distributed to families and is due at 12:00 noon on April 25. Please respond so we know who is planning to come.


PYP CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS LAUNCH PAD

Welcome to the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School PYP Curriculum Connections Launch Pad. What is happening in our PYP? Please click on the links below to access information about the inquiries taking place within many different aspects of our Primary Years Programme.

Primary Years Programme

A whole school approach to curriculum design

Click here for our Programme of

Inquiry: an overview of our

Units of Inquiry from Grades 1 to 6

Grade 1 Unit of Inquiry







https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qc25CUmhvRFllS3M/view?usp=sharing



https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qd3N6R0RwUzNXQnc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qd3N6R0RwUzNXQnc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qNmhhQXIyRV9GVEE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qNmhhQXIyRV9GVEE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qdm5HRmhZSGN3SlE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qdm5HRmhZSGN3SlE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qdEd5Q1ZUWXY0Um8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qdEd5Q1ZUWXY0Um8/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qMGJZa21hZlRYYjg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qMGJZa21hZlRYYjg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qUmFHR0tadV9yVFU/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9My_XsrxS0qUmFHR0tadV9yVFU/view?usp=sharing

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

PARENTS OF GRADE 8 STUDENTS – CANOE TRIP PARENT BRIEFING

We will be doing our Grade 8 Canoe trip parent briefing on Wednesday, April 19 at 6:00 pm in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library Come join us to get an overview of this outdoor trip that is delivered as part of the Physical Education curriculum. We will go through trip location, preparation tips, risk management strategies, food, accommodation, etc. We’ll have lots of photos that give you a visual idea of what the location and the activities looks like. The briefing is a great place to ask questions or get needed clarification. I hope to see you there.

OE15 ROGAINE PARENT BRIEFING

Our final trip of the year is a culminating trip that is intended to bring together and further develop the various skills, knowledge and attitudes we have been studying and applying during the year. The parent briefing takes place on Tuesday, April 25 at 7:00 pm in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library. Our time together should give you a clear picture of the trip’s intended outcomes, the supervision set-up of this trip (which is quite different than our other OE15 trips), the location and safety management strategies as well as preparation tips for success. I hope to see you there.

ATHLETICS UPDATES

Our new fields (across the ravine) are turning out to be quite awesome for all our spring sports due to our incredible on-campus staff! It is amazing what this community can pull off. We have all our PE classes, rugby, field hockey, and track and field up and running with new rugby uprights, field hockey nets and an eight lane 400m grass track in place. Our facilities crew are amazing! Track & Field News It is turning out that we are going to have another great season with our Track and Field teams! In Middle School physical education, classes have been going through all the events and the chatter amongst the PE teachers is we have some athletes that will perform very well! In Senior School, the “runners” have been running for a few weeks now. Overall, Track and Field is one of the sports that allows for mass participation due to the multiple events and meets. Please see below for specifics on practices and meet dates: Practices (all after school - all athletes): Monday/Wednesday = Running events Tuesday/Thursday = Throwing and Jumping events Lunch = High Jump – in the Sandy Heard Sports Hall


Middle School Dates: May 3 = In-school meet May 24 = Divisional meet at Holy Trinity Academy (Okotoks) May 30 = Zone meet at Foothills Athletic Park Senior School Dates: May 16 = Foothills Athletic Council Divisional meet May 23 = Zone meet – more details to follow June 2-3 = Provincial meet in Edmonton

MESSAGE TO GRADE 12 PARENTS AND STUDENTS – CLASS OF 2017 GRAD BREAKFAST

Every year, STS graduates and their families are welcomed as incoming members of the STS Alumni Association a few weeks before Prizegiving. The STS Alumni Association cordially invites the graduates from the Class of 2017 and their families to the annual Graduation Breakfast: Date: Thursday, June 1, 2017 Time: 8:00 am Location: Black Watch Bistro, STS The program will begin with a continental breakfast in the Black Watch Bistro followed by a slide show in the C.A. Smith Arts Centre featuring our graduates. Be sure to make time to take advantage of our fun photo booth set up in the Black Watch Bistro, to ensure you have a memorable keepsake of your child in uniform. RSVPs are not required. We look forward to seeing you there!


VOLUNTEERS NEEDED POSTS welcomes all new and returning volunteers! Email [email protected] to indicate your interest to volunteer as soon as possible or if you have any questions.

MIDDLE SCHOOL TRACK AND FIELD MEET – MAY 3, 2017

Date: May 3, 2017 from 9:00 am - 3:30 pm Volunteers are needed to time track events, take photos and assist teacher coordinators. Morning and afternoon shifts available. Sign-up sheet and more details available at: https://www.volunteersignup.org/EDL9H

GRADE 5 SPARTATHLON - FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 2017

If you have a Grade 5 student, or love active, outdoor events, your help is needed with the Grade 5 Triathlon to be held at the Okotoks Recreation Center (99 Okotoks Drive, Okotoks, AB). The fun will commence around 10:00 am and wrap up by 2:30 pm.

GRADE 10 TRIATHALON - TUESDAY, MAY 30, 2017 (NEW DATE)

The Grade 10 Triathalon will need 40-50 parents to help with marshaling, pool officials, finish line support, record keeping, set up and take down. Please sign-up online at https://www.volunteersignup.org/737KJ

THE POSTS EXECUTIVE NEEDS YOU!

Would you like to share your skills and learn new ones, make a difference in the School community and meet some new friends? Then please consider joining the Parents' Organization of STS (POSTS) executive. POSTS is coordinated by an executive of parent volunteers, who organize many activities for the School. They meet monthly throughout the year to plan and promote volunteer efforts at STS.

The POSTS Nominating Committee is now accepting names of interested STS parents for available positions on the POSTS executive for the 2017-2018 year. If you are interested in a committee leadership position or would like to know more about them, please submit your name to Deb Marshall Shopperly, the POSTS Nominating Committee chair, at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you! The new executive will be announced at the POSTS Annual General Meeting on May 16, 2017.


https://www.volunteersignup.org/EDL9H

https://www.volunteersignup.org/737KJ


Please fill in and return this year's volunteer registration form prior to any volunteer duties. Details about all volunteer opportunities are available in the Volunteer Handbook.


http://www.sts.ab.ca/file/Volunteer-Handbook-2016-2017.pdf

RECENT EVENTS

FIRST ANNUAL GREEN WEEK AT STS

The week of March 20 marked the first annual Green Week at STS. We hosted a number of fun events, including Speech Day topics centered around the environment and a swap/donation of clothes, books, and other knick-knacks on Thrifty Thursday. The monetary donations were given to Weaselhead Preservation Society, and the object donations were given to a few local charities. We hope next year we can introduce even more activities and speakers. In the next few months, keep your eye out for other Environmental Sustainability Club initiatives.

VIVA LA SALSA!

On Wednesday, April 12, our Grade 8 Spanish students had the opportunity to learn some basic salsa steps and moves from two professional dancers, David and Olga. The students put forth an excellent effort as they tried out doing the moves from a leisurely pace all the way up to caliente speed! David and Olga also taught the students the name of the iconic salsa song we danced to, Ran Kan Kan, by Tito Puente. The style of salsa we learned this year was slightly different from previous years, to better suit our upcoming trip to Mexico City. While in previous years we learned Cuban salsa, this time we learned LA style salsa which is more frequently practiced in Mexico. Now with this experience under their belts, our Grade 8 Spanish students should feel confident dancing up a storm in another salsa lesson in Mexico City. Viva la salsa!


DIVERSITY WEEK 2017!

This past week our students have been immersed in a wide variety of activities celebrating the diversity within our school community and our society as a whole. Diversity Week Highlights: Elementary School All of our Elementary School students, during their library periods, read stories about diversity and inclusiveness and made buttons to illustrate diversity. Our Grade 4 and 6 students enjoyed Ms. Shirley Hill’s shawl dancing and her First Nations stories. Our Grade 5 and 6 students also enjoyed the presentation from Mr. Stephen Deng about his journey as a refugee from Sudan to Calgary as a Calgary Police Cadet and his transition into Canadian society. The final event was a cultural fashion show during the assembly. Middle and Senior School Mr. Derrick Shirley spoke to students about the impact of the racism he has experienced in Canada and how he turned these negative experiences into positive change. Mr. Tom Melvin’s presentation to our Senior School students about how religion and sexual diversity can co-exist sparked some lively discussion. Mr. Stephen Deng, one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” spoke about his journey as a refugee from Sudan to Calgary where he is now a Calgary Police Cadet and his transition into Canadian society. On Tuesday, POSTS along with a number of generous parent volunteers, provided a fabulous buffet lunch featuring a dizzying array of ethnic foods! Everyone who participated in this event walked away satisfied and more aware of some new delicacies! Many of our Grade 8-11 students participated in a panel discussion where five speakers shared views regarding First Nations contributions to today’s society the effectiveness of reparations as a solution to the problems they have witnessed in the Aboriginal society. To wrap up the week the entire school had a Diversity Week themed casual day where our students wore cultural clothing, their Diversity Week t-shirt or rainbow themed clothes! Special thanks to Maddy el Baroudi ’17 and Tom Melvin-Smith ’17 who co-chaired our student committee along with all the committee members for their valuable work.


Interested in more photos, stories and celebrations? Click here!


https://www.sts.ab.ca/my-sts/RecentEvents

https://www.sts.ab.ca/my-sts/RecentEvents

sts express › file › sts-express-april-21-2017.pdf · buy your tickets before midnight, april...

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