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STS EXPRESS – Weekly Newsletter Page | 1

NOVEMBER 1, 2019

STS Express

Weekly Newsletter

CONTENTS

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

IMPORTANT DATES .................................................................................................... 4 NOVEMBER .......................................................................................................................................4

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

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARs ....................................................... 5 RSVP TO YOUR GRADE SOCIAL(S) ........................................................................................................5

POSTS VOLUNTEER COFFEE MORNING ................................................................................................5

NOTICE OF 2019 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING .....................................................................................6

SENIOR SCHOOL MUSICAL: ELF THE MUSCIAL – DECEMBER 4-7 ............................................................6

WINTER CHORAL CONCERT ................................................................................................................6

FULL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENts .............................................................................. 7 COLD WEATHER BUSSING PROCEDURES..............................................................................................7

REMINDER: DAYLIGHT SAVING ENDS THIS SUNDAY..............................................................................7

PEER TUTORING FOR ALL DIVISIONS By: Alia Kanji ’22 ..........................................................................7

PERFECTIONISM VS. BEST: PRODUCT VS. PROCESS...............................................................................7

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS .............................................................. 10 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE..................................................................................... 10

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS ................................................. 11 UPCOMING REPORTING PERIODS IN THE MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ............................................. 11

CLASS OF 2020 – BABY PHOTOS NEEDED!.......................................................................................... 11

UNIVERSITY PLANNING ........................................................................................... 12 APPOINTMENT REQUESTS ................................................................................................................ 12

UNIVERSITY COUNSELLING OFFICE .................................................................................................... 12

UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVES VISITING STS ..................................................................................... 12

2019-2020 UNIVERSITY PLANNING PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS.................................................... 12

UNIVERSITY PLANNING OPPORTUNITES IN THE COMMUNITY ............................................................. 13

2019-2020 UNIVERSITY TOURS ......................................................................................................... 13

REFERENCE INFORMATION............................................................................................................... 13

WHAT’S HAPPENING ............................................................................................... 14 JUNIOR A BOYS VOLLEYBALL TEAM WIN GOLD IN DEWINTON ............................................................ 14

SPEECH STUDENTS PERFORM AT RENERT SCHOOL SPEECH TOURNAMENT.......................................... 14

STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS PUBLIC SPEAKING

COMPETITION (IISPSC) IN BOSTON – OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 3 ........................................................ 15

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Happy Friday!

I hope that everyone has recovered from a wonderful night of treats, friendly frights, and

laughs. Festivities were in full swing at school yesterday with the all of the beloved STS

Halloween traditions including the Elementary School costume parade, student-led

haunted house, pumpkin decorating contest, and Grade 9 concert. Thank you to the

Grade 12 Prefects for organizing so many special moments for our students of all ages – I

saw many excited, smiling, costumed faces in halls!

This week I also had the privilege of attending the annual Donor Appreciation Evening to

celebrate and thank many in our community who support our incredible school through

philanthropy. It was a proud moment for me to be in a room brimming with the

generosity of our community. I was also so impressed by our two students, Roxy Taylor ’22

and Cooper Perron’20, who spoke at the event, thanking donors directly for the immense

impact they make on students’ learning. What an inspiring pair of young people! I also

want to extend big kudos to the jazz ensemble for their spirited performance including:

Mr. Van de Reep, Kaiya Wolfson ’22, Austin Petryk ’21, Onelli Yapa-Abeywardene ’20, Rex

Armor ’20, Alix Tucker ’21, Matthew Baker ’20, Justin Chanut ’21, and Kyle Patry ’21. And

last but definitely not least, thank you to Abigail Prevost ’20 for wowing us with her

performance of the song, Never Fall in Love with an Elf. Abigail is playing Jovie in the

upcoming school musical ELF. What talent!

As we now look towards this year’s annual giving appeal, I invite you to join me in

supporting our School’s important work with a contribution. The strength and

permanence of an independent school depends on the support of families, community

members, and alumni. We are all co-creators of the School, and our collective generosity

ensures that we maintain our high standards of excellence in all areas, and continuous

improvement is sustained. Even more compelling, you and I can ensure we change the

world for the better by investing in our children. If you are inspired to join us in this quest,

please consider supporting this year’s annual giving appeal by clicking here:

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

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Carol Grant-Watt

Head of School

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IMPORTANT DATES In addition to the listed dates below, be sure to check for new events throughout the

year online – the following calendar can be downloaded in an iCal format.

NOVEMBER

November 5

Middle and Senior School Parent-Student-Teacher conferences

November 7

Middle and Senior School Parent-Student-Teacher conferences

November 11

Remembrance Day – Formal Uniform

November 13

Middle and Senior School Parent-Student-Teacher conferences

November 14

Elementary School Family Fun Night

November 18-21

Bullying Awareness week

November 19

STS Giving Day

SCHOOL CALENDARS

For more important dates and upcoming events, the following school calendars can be

found on the STS website:

2019-2020 School Calendar

Upcoming Events Calendar

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UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS

RSVP TO YOUR GRADE SOCIAL(S)

Joins us for an evening of delightful conversations

and cocktails, 7:00 – 9:00 pm. You should receive

an e-invitation from your grade’s parent host four

to six weeks prior to each grade social.

If you have any questions regarding the socials,

please contact Caroline Banadar at 403-938-

8344, banadac@sts.ab.ca

Grade 6

Maria and Tim Garfoth-Bles

November 15

Grade 7

Jill Angevine and Jay Simmons

November 14

POSTS VOLUNTEER COFFEE MORNING

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NOTICE OF 2019 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Notice is hereby given of the 2019 Annual General Meeting for the members of Strathcona-

Tweedsmuir School which will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 7:30 pm.

All parents and legal guardians of children currently attending the school are members and

are invited to attend and convene in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library.

SENIOR SCHOOL MUSICAL: ELF THE MUSCIAL – DECEMBER 4-7

We are looking forward with great anticipation to the upcoming

performances of “Elf the Musical”, December 4-7 in the C.A.

Smith Arts Centre. Join Buddy as he embarks on a journey to

New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity

and spread Christmas cheer by singing loud for all to hear! This

family friendly production is a perfect way to launch your holiday

season. Tickets are available at

https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/student-life/fine-

arts/tickets/ . You won’t want to miss it!

WINTER CHORAL CONCERT

Please mark your calendars for our annual Winter Choral Concert, Wednesday, December

11 at 7:00 pm. Featuring our Elementary School choirs and hand bells, let us share our joy of

singing with you.

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FULL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

COLD WEATHER BUSSING PROCEDURES

With winter approaching we would like to remind you of what you need to do before heading

out to meet your bus. Please read this notice from First Student Canada and become familiar

with the procedures.

REMINDER: DAYLIGHT SAVING ENDS THIS SUNDAY

Daylight savings ends on Sunday, November 3. This is a friendly reminder to all

members of the STS community to set your clocks behind by one hour.

PEER TUTORING FOR ALL DIVISIONS

By: Alia Nanji ’22

In 2008, Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School began running the Peer Tutoring Program. It was

designed to establish a connection between grades, help share knowledge, and provide a

fantastic opportunity for both tutors and tutees. The program has been running smoothly for 11

years and has resulted in great outcomes. Elementary, Middle, and Senior School students can

request a tutor for any subject, or for skills such as homework, organization, note-taking skills, and

study skills.

One-on-one tutoring is not the only kind of tutoring that is done through this program. The Peer

Tutoring system is also involved with group tutoring, Middle School popcorn club, Elementary

School reading buddies, and Grade 6 math help.

Peer tutoring has already proven that it produces positive results with both the tutor and tutees.

The STS sense of community grows, as it gives you a few extra people to smile at in the hallway!

School is not the only thing tutors and tutees connect over, Peer Tutoring is a great way to make

friends. Peer Tutoring has been one of the highlights of my year so far, so I highly recommend

students get involved!

If being a tutor, getting a tutor, or joining in any of the programs above is of interest for you, email

Ms. Kennedy at kennedt@sts.ab.ca.

PERFECTIONISM VS. BEST: PRODUCT VS. PROCESS

On Wednesday, Dr. Brent Macdonald spoke with faculty about perfectionism and how it can

impact student learning. This brought to mind the language we use and messages we give

ourselves and our students about achievement. Too often, we associate being “perfect” with

doing our best when, in fact, one has very little to do with the other. The need to be perfect

comes from a need to not be uncomfortable, a need for approval, and/or a need to be better

than others. In contrast, doing our best is about striving towards learning, towards improvement,

towards challenge - “best” is very personal and varies depending on the unique set of skills and

experiences we bring to any given task. Perfectionistic thinking and behaviours are quite

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restrictive because there’s only one possible outcome; they are also quite inefficient because

nothing is ever “good enough.” Striving towards one’s best is a much healthier, adaptive and

progressive approach to achievement: “My best today may be different than my best tomorrow

and that’s not only okay, but to be expected.”

At the end of this week, Middle and Senior School report cards will be made available to

parents, followed by Parent-Teacher Interviews (PTIs) next week (November 5, 7, 13). This

reporting time is a great opportunity for the adults to think about the language we use to

communicate messages that focus on learning, improving and growing rather than some elusive

notion of perfection. Instead of focusing on the singular numbers reported on report cards, let’s

speak with our children and students about the processes which brought about those numbers,

and then celebrate those processes rather than a product which is simply a snapshot of a

moment in time.

Here are some questions you can ask your child to initiate conversations which focus both of you

on the process of learning:

What were some of the learning tasks you did in this class since September?

Which parts were the easiest? Which parts were the most challenging?

The answers could lead to a discussion of how we all have strengths and areas which

require more of us.

How did you deal with the challenging parts? How did you address them with the

teacher? How did you feel about them? How do you feel about the changes you made?

What were the moments where you felt like you were not functioning at your best?

Are there some barriers that get in the way of your best work, and how can we remove

those barriers?

What were the moments where you felt like you learned the most?

What skill or concept will you focus on developing over the next couple of months? How

can I help with this?

Here are some questions you can ask your child’s teacher during PTIs to focus on the process of

learning:

What are your three main learning goals for the students in this course this year?

Over the last couple of months, in what ways did you see my child grow and improve?

What are your goals for my child’s growth and development in your course this year?

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I want my child’s learning to be about more than answering questions correctly. How can

we work together to help my child be courageous in their learning so that they are

regularly challenging themselves?

Learning is such an exciting journey! Unfortunately, it can become derailed if the student is too

focused on the end result of their work, the destination, rather than the process and journey itself.

Our words and our messages need to match our beliefs that true success and achievement will

naturally occur when we teach our students to get every ounce of learning they can out of the

process, because they do their best rather than try to be perfect. For more explorations around

learning mindsets, please check out past STS Express articles at

https://www.sts.ab.ca/mysts/student-services/tips-and-resources.

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE

November 15

December 6

December 20

January 24

February 7

February 28

March 13

April 17

May 1

May 15

May 29

June 12

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MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

UPCOMING REPORTING PERIODS IN THE MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL

In the Middle and Senior Schools, we issue formal report cards twice a year, once in

February and the second at school end in June. During the fall, we issue an interim report

card to complement the live task based feedback viewable on Managebac. This report

focuses on tasks assessed this far and learning skills. This report will be issued via Managebac

on the afternoon of November 1.

The Middle and Senior Schools will be hosting student-parent-teacher conferences on the

following dates:

November 5 - Parent-student-teacher conferences from 4:00 to 8:00 pm

November 7 - Parent student-teacher conferences from 1:00 to 6:00 pm

November 13 - Parent student-teacher conferences from 4:00 to 8:00 pm

Booking for these interviews opened prior to interim report cards being published – on

October 28 at 9:00 am. The booking tool we use is called Meet the Teacher, which

integrates with Managebac. Instructions for how to use this tool can be found here. You will

also find it helpful prior to booking interviews to locate the teachers you desire to meet with

on this map so that you can plan your travel accordingly within the building.

Should you need any assistance or have any questions regarding the above items, please

contact our Direction of Learning Innovation, Mrs. Alanna Wellwood at 403-995-5464 or

wellwoa@sts.ab.ca.

CLASS OF 2020 – BABY PHOTOS NEEDED!

In preparation for June’s Grad Breakfast slide show, we are asking

parents of Grade 12 students to search their photo albums for two

photographs of their graduate - one as a baby and the other in their

early school days. Please scan and forward both photos to

GradBabyPics@sts.ab.ca by December 20.

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UNIVERSITY PLANNING

APPOINTMENT REQUESTS

Parents and students are welcomed and encouraged

to book an appointment with Ms. Caines to discuss

the university planning process. Parents, please email

universityadvising@sts.ab.ca to set up an

appointment. Students can book appointments

directly through their STS Outlook account by using

the “Scheduling Assistant” feature.

UNIVERSITY COUNSELLING OFFICE

The student area of the University Counselling office offers resources about post -secondary

planning and program information from around the world. Please feel free to stop by and

check it out anytime.

UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVES VISITING STS

In the next several weeks, the following universities will have a representative visiting STS. All

Senior School students and parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend as many as

possible to gain insight into a variety of programs. Unless otherwise announced, these

sessions will be held in room 51, across from the University Counselling office.

Date Time University

Tuesday, November 12 12:45-1:10 pm University of V ictoria

Thursday, November 14 12:45-1:10 pm Acadia University

2019-2020 UNIVERSITY PLANNING PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS

University Planning (for Grade 11 Parents): Tuesday, November 19 at 7:00 pm in the

Peter B. Ditchburn Library. All Grade 11 parents are encouraged to attend.

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Academic, Career, and University Planning (for Grade 9 and 10 Parents): Tuesday,

January 28 at 7:00 pm in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library.

U.S. Colleges Information Session for Students & Parents (Grades 8-11): Tuesday, May

5 at 7:00 pm in the C.A Smith Arts Centre (theatre).

UNIVERSITY PLANNING OPPORTUNITES IN THE COMMUNITY

Please note, the information below is provided for information only. These are not STS

sponsored events and, as such, there will be no STS supervision provided.

The University of Calgary has many information evenings planned, including faculty -

specific events. Please check their website regularly for updates at https://live-

ucalgary.ucalgary.ca/future-students/undergraduate/tours-and-events

Your Degree at UBC – Saturday, November 16 at 10:00 am at the Telus Convention

Centre. Register at http://bit.ly/2JbVNH5

2019-2020 UNIVERSITY TOURS

Each year, the highlights of the University Planning process are the tours Ms. Caines takes

with students to visit universities across the country. The purpose of these tours is to explore

facilities and social climates, and to gather information about programs, admission

requirements, scholarships, etc.

Eastern Universities Tour – This extensive tour of Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec

visits 15 campuses over eight days and is open to Grade 11 students. For the 2019-

2020 school year, we have decided to move the tour out of the usual week in

February and into the last week of June, after Prizegiving. This change is due to the

increasingly unpredictable and extreme winter weather we have encountered over

the past few years. This has resulted in missed tours due weather conditions and

university closures. This will also have the benefit of students not missing school days

for the tour. The approximate cost of this tour is $2,400.00.

REFERENCE INFORMATION

My Blueprint Access

All Senior School students have access to a powerful educational planning tool through our

school subscription. Please visit www.myblueprint.ca to utilize this application.

University Search Tools

Canadian Universities: http://www.universitystudy.ca/search-programs/

American Universities: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search

U.K. Universities: http://search.ucas.com/

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WHAT’S HAPPENING

STS has a blog! V isit https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/blog/ for stories and what is

happening on campus. Be sure to bookmark this page! In addition to the blog, here are

some highlights this week:

JUNIOR A BOYS VOLLEYBALL TEAM WIN GOLD IN DEWINTON

Congratulations to the Junior A Boys Volleyball team for winning gold at their tournament

last weekend in DeWinton.

SPEECH STUDENTS PERFORM AT RENERT SCHOOL SPEECH TOURNAMENT

Last Friday, 25 students from both the Middle and Senior Schools participated in the Renert

Speech Tournament. Renert School is relatively new to the Speech community in Calgary

and we appreciated their offer to host the second tournament of the year. This tournament

showcased a new ADSA Speech category, Self-Authored Poetry. In the past, many students

have voiced their desire to deliver poems that they have written and the Speech coaches

recognized the students’ desires as valid and we were pleased to see a large number of

students across Calgary enter this category presenting a wide range of different types of

poetry. Congratulations goes to Kailee Meckelborg ’22, who in the Senior category, placed

3rd overall in this new category! Also, special congratulations go to the following students:

Karissa Myers ’23 placing 3rd in Oral Interpretation of Prose

Kailee Meckelborg placing 3rd in Self Authored Poetry

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Armaan Sandhu ’22 placing 3rd in Original Oratory

or Persuasive Speech

Kessia Varkey ’22 placing 3rd in Oral Interpretation

of Poetry

Sophia Lakhani ’23 placing 1st in Oral Interpretation

of Prose

Emma Mason ’23 placing 1st in Oral Interpretation

of Poetry

Bolu Kasumu ’23 1st in Original Oratory or Persuasive

Speech

Stephanie Picioreanu ’20 1st in Impromptu

Speaking

Alia Nanji ’21 1st in Oral Interpretation of Prose

Although not always do students earn medals in

the tournaments, the ability to speak confidently

and in a wide range of events promotes

confidence and poise, qualities that cannot be

understated. All of our students’ effort and

preparation is greatly appreciated and acknowledged. A special thank you to our parent

judges who braved the tremendous winds and heavy traffic driving to the far north west of

the city.

STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS

PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION (IISPSC) IN BOSTON – OCTOBER 31-NOVEMBER 3

Three students, Max Christie’20, Kirk Steinberg’20 and Arbaz Quershi’21 will represent STS at

the IISPSC in Boston, MA beginning Thursday, October 31. Each student must compete in

three categories out of a possible nine. Max will be competing in Extemporaneous

Speaking which is an impromptu topic on a significant current event. He has 30 minutes to

prepare his speech and then will deliver before a panel of judges for up to five minutes. He

will also compete in Persuasive Speech where he will present the problem associated with

vaping and he will then offer solutions to this current issue. His final category is Cross

Examination Debate on the topic, ‘is populism a benefit to democracy?’

Arbaz will compete in Persuasive Speech where he will discuss the problem of loneliness

and how this problem can effectively be resolved. He will also compete in Impromptu

Speaking where he will be given three topics with only two minutes preparation, after which

he must select one of the three topics and present a five minute speech. His last category is

cross examination debate.

One of Kirk’s categories is Radio Broadcasting. In this event, he is given a Boston newspaper

and he will prepare for 30 minutes. Then with his back to the judges, simulating a radio news

cast, Kirk will present a four minute radio broadcast at the top of the hour. In addition, Kirk

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will perform in the category of After Dinner Speaking. In this category, students are to

simulate an event where a key note speaker will present a speech after a dinner. The intent

is for humour, so Kirk will be addressing a group assembled to overcome the fear of flying.

His final category is solo acting. STS has been a long standing member of the International

Independent Schools Public Speaking League and we are looking forward to a rewarding

event.