MARCH 15, 2019

STS Express

Weekly Newsletter

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CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL ........................................................................ 2

IMPORTANT DATES ........................................................................................................... 4 MARCH ................................................................................................................................................................ 4

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

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS ........................................................... 5 GARDEN GALA EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE UNTIL MARCH 22! ...................................................................... 5

COFFEE TALK WITH DR. BRENT MACDONALD AND MS. TASHA BELIX ............................................................... 6

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS .................................................................... 7 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE 2018-2019 .................................................................................. 7

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS ....................................................... 7 MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR ........................................ 7

UPCOMING GRADUATION EVENTS FOR THE CLASS OF 2019 ............................................................................. 8

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON CAMPUS ................................................................................ 10 OPEN YOUR ARMS TO MENTAL HEALTH .......................................................................................................... 10

STS COMPETES AT THE OXFORD UNION By: Mr. Scott McKay, Senior Debate Coach .................................... 11

THE CALGARY OPERA PERFORMS AT STS.......................................................................................................... 13

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Let’s party!

I am so excited to attend my first Black Watch event this April, and hope you will all join me.

Black Watch events are a beloved biennial tradition in the STS community, which started in

1989. Every two years, parent volunteers organize a wonderful evening where members of

our School community come together, connect, relax and have some fun – all while raising

funds for specific projects that otherwise may not be fulfilled for students at STS.

This year’s Black Watch event is called Garden Gala, and fitting to the theme, will be held in

the beautiful tropical oasis of the Devonian Gardens. Proceeds of this event will go to

building amazing outdoor learning enhancements including an Outdoor Education learning

campsite, educational trail signage, athletic bleachers, and an outdoor scoreboard.

Garden Gala 2019 is Friday, April 26, 2019. Please join me in celebrating the outdoors,

welcoming spring, and building our community spirit. Click here to purchase your early bird

tickets and please invite your fellow parents to join you.

Mental wellness in a digital world

On a more serious note, I am so proud of the honest and genuine work, sharing, and support

exhibited this week by our students and teachers as part of Open Arms Week this week. The

goal of Open Arms Week is to encourage all members of our community to be more open

about their mental health challenges. As we heard as part of the activities and

presentations, it is all about starting a conversation.

With this in mind, I wanted to follow up on our recent message regarding potentially

dangerous social media phenomena targeting young people.

We are in unchartered territory with new digital scams, campaigns, news stories, etc. coming

at us – and our kids – every day. Some of these are genuine risks, and some are fake rumors

perpetrated to create fear or media attention. It is impossible to know sometimes, but in the

end, the potential negative impacts to young people’s mental wellness, either way, are very

real. As educators and parents, we are the adults that our children and students look to for

support and guidance, and we have an extremely important role to play in protecting the

children in our lives.

It is our commitment as a School to keep our community members safe and informed

regarding social media and digital risks your children may be facing. In some of these cases,

there is evidence to suggest the threat is fictitious, alongside trusted professionals and

community leaders assuring us that the danger is real. As you can imagine, this presents a

significant challenge. While we endeavour to discern the legitimacy of these claims, and

always look to larger authorities like the Calgary Police, at the end of the day, we choose to

take a proactive approach to protect our families by providing the power of knowledge

and information, regardless of the cyber threat at hand.

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What we do know is that there is a trend of social media phenomena or campaigns

targeting young people. These “attacks” can lead to feelings of isolation, missing out,

emotional angst, and fear, which can directly impact mental wellness. Families are

encouraged to take charge, do their own research, and play an active and positive role in

helping their children navigate these tricky waters.

Parents are also encouraged to have open, ongoing, and direct conversations with their

children about this. Ask if they have been exposed to negative online content. Tell them that

they are safe, are not alone, and that they can always talk to you. Reassure them that while

you may not fully understand the complexities of the rapidly evolving digital world, you

understand them as people, and will do everything in your power to protect them, and to

help them solve an issue if they get themselves in a negative situation. Remind them that for

that to happen, they need to tell you what’s going on. Also, closely monitor your child’s

activity online to ensure they remain safe. The most important actions we can all take are to

be aware, diligent, caring, and discerning.

Students are also encouraged to speak with Mr. Clark or Ms. Belix, our School Counselors, or

any adult they feel comfortable with at STS, if they have questions, feel at risk, or know of

other students whom may be at risk. Parents are also welcome to contact any employee or

administrator. Again, it’s all about starting a conversation.

I also highly recommend you make use of our new online wellness resource, Lifespeak.

Lifespeak offers short online seminars and tip sheets to help guide parents navigate a wide

range of issues facing children and families. Relating to online issues specifically, you can

search for topics including: social media, online safety, internet safety, cybersafe, phones

and manners, and parenting. For more information on Lifespeak and how to create an

online account, visit the MySTS portal. If you are experiencing difficulties with your Lifespeak

account, please email support@lifespeak.com.

Together, we can keep our kids safe while helping them to become responsible and savvy

digital citizens.

Sincerely,

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.

MARCH

March 19

Elementary School Report cards published on Managebac

March 20

Speech Day – Formal Uniforms

March 23 – April 7

Spring Break

SCHOOL CALENDARS

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

found on the STS website:

2018-2019 School Calendar

2019-2020 School Calendar

Upcoming Events Calendar

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UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS

GARDEN GALA EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE UNTIL MARCH 22!

Get your tickets now and invite your friends to Black Watch 2019: Garden Gala! This fun

social event is being held at Devonian Gardens on Friday, April 26 at 7:00 pm to

celebrate spring and the outdoors.

Event highlights:

valet parking

complimentary first drink

International food catered by Hotel Arts

desserts provided by Cōchu Chocolatier and Jelly Modern Donuts

jazz entertainment,

emceeing by our own retired faculty, Mr. Brian Uzick, and much more.

This a great chance to connect with your STS friends!

What is Black Watch? Black Watch events are a biennial occasion organized by the

Parents’ Organization of STS (POSTS) that have become a beloved tradition in the STS

community since 1989 (that’s 30 years!). Black Watch events are designed to be a social

occasion for parents and members of the School community as well as to help raise

funds for the School. Black Watch events have raised almost one million dollars for

specific needs that otherwise may not be fulfilled for students at STS. To learn more about

the history of Black Watch events click here

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COFFEE TALK WITH DR. BRENT MACDONALD AND MS. TASHA BELIX

Part 1 - Friday, April 12 9:00 – 10:00 am in the

Peter B. Ditchburn Library

Part 2 – Friday, May 3 9:00 – 10:00 am in the

Peter B. Ditchburn Library

Many students – and parents - struggle with

perfectionism. The idea of being good enough

is, for many, a very difficult concept to

accept. In this discussion, we will identify some

of the most common causes of perfectionism,

identify how perfectionism is

counterproductive, and share some strategies

to move past perfectionism into more realistic

expectations.

We will have coffee and tea available in the

Peter B. Ditchburn Library.

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ASSEMBLY SCHEDULE 2018-2019

Please see the updated dates for our upcoming Elementary School assemblies which will

take place in the C.A. Smith Arts Centre (theatre) (unless otherwise indicated) at 2:50 pm

March 22

April 12

April 26

May 17

May 31

June 14

June 18

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

MIDDLE SCHOOL COURSE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR

In preparation for our current Grade 6 students to have a smooth transition into the Middle

School next year, we have a number of key events parents should be aware of:

1. Monday, March 18, 2019 at 11:45 am: Grade 6 faculty will be bringing their students

to the band room for presentations from our Middle School faculty about the nature

of the Grade 7 Modern Language and Fine Arts Programs.

Presenters:

Mrs. Christie Smith, Curriculum Leader for Modern Languages: presenting for French

and Spanish

Mrs. Brianna Dawe, Curriculum Leader for Fine Arts: presenting for Visual and

Performing Arts

Mr. Van de Reep, Instrumental Music: presenting for Band

2. Tuesday, March 19, 2019: Parents of current Grade 6 students will receive course

descriptions and instructions on how to make course selections for next year via our

electronic consent. These forms will be due on Friday, May 24, 2019. After that date,

Mr. Van de Reep will be contacting families with children who have chosen

Instrumental Music 7 (i.e. Band) regarding instrument selections.

3. Wednesday, April 10, 2019: Middle School Principal, Mr. Carlson and Guidance

Counselor and Director of Student Services, Mr. Clark will visit homerooms 6A, 6B, and

6C to do Q&A sessions with the students and take them on guided tours of key

Middle School areas.

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4. Tuesday, June 4, 2019 at 6:00 pm: “New to Middle School” Parent Information

presentation will take place in the C.A. Smith Arts Centre (theatre) with Mr. Carlson

and various members of the Middle School faculty who will speak about the

structure of the Middle School and specific curricular areas (This presentation is for

parents. Students are also welcome; though much of this information will be a repeat

for them).

This is to be followed immediately by the Band Instrument Selection Rental Process at

7:00pm. Staff from STS’ Band program and St. John’s Music will be on hand. The band

instrument decisions will be due after this point.

To attend:

Mrs. Christie Smith, Curriculum Leader for Modern Languages: presenting for French

and Spanish

Mr. Van de Reep, Instrumental Music faculty: presenting for Instrumental Music (i.e.

Band)

Mr. Andrew Chalmers, PE and Health Faculty and organiser of Grade 7 Orientation

Camp: presenting for PE

Mrs. Brianna Dawe, Curriculum Leader for Fine Arts: presenting for Visual and

Performing Arts

Mr. Hendricks, Director of Outdoor Education: presenting for OE

Mr. Gabe Kemp, MYP Coordinator: presenting for MYP

Mr. Larry Clark, Director of Student Services: presenting for guidance and student

services

Mr. Cole Carlson, Middle School Principal: presenting general overview

UPCOMING GRADUATION EVENTS FOR THE CLASS OF 2019

Graduation Dinner and Dance

Graduates, parents and other family members are invited to celebrate an

important milestone in the lives of our young graduates with a dinner,

program, and dance. The program includes various toasts to the

graduates, their families, and the staff of STS.

Date: Friday, May 24

Time: 6:15 pm (Class picture). 7:00 pm (Dinner). Dance to follow dinner and program.

Location: Sheraton Suites Eau Claire, Wildrose Ballroom

Ticket order/table reservation forms will be handed out to the students at school on April 11

during their University Planning Class. If students are absent for this class, they can contact

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Ms. Harrison for a form. The form outlines all of the information needed to purchase tickets.

Completed forms and monies should be returned to Ms. Harrison by Friday, May 10.

Invitations for this event will be mailed to all parents/guardians of the graduates to use for

information purposes and keepsakes. All questions regarding this event can be directed to

Ingrid Harrison either via email (harrisi@sts.ab.ca) or phone (403-938-4431, ext. 226).

STS Alumni Association Graduation 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

invite the graduates from the Class of 2019 and their families to the annual Graduation

Breakfast:

Date: Thursday, June 6

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 (theatre) featuring our graduates. Be sure to make

time for 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. For questions regarding this event, please contact Mrs. Brenda Thompson

at Brenda.Thompson@sts.ab.ca.

Senior School Prizegiving - The final and formal graduation occurs during the Senior School

Prizegiving. Graduates are asked to be in formal uniform and lined up alphabetically in the

rotunda by 6:00 pm. There are no tickets for this event, but please keep in mind that there is

limited seating; so seating is available on a first come first served basis. For questions

regarding this event, please contact Mrs. Jana Wager at Jana.Wager@sts.ab.ca.

Date: Friday, June 21

Time: 6:00 pm

Location: Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School

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WHAT’S HAPPENING ON CAMPUS

STS has a blog! Visit 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:

OPEN YOUR ARMS TO MENTAL HEALTH

This past week we continued the

work of two STS alumni, Scott Wilson

’15 and Myles Chase ’15, who

created Open Arms to promote

mental health awareness. We had

many activities throughout the

week but a few highlights were:

a mindfulness workshop lead

by Mrs. Chapman

an Open Arms assembly for

Middle and Senior School

students featuring a powerful

keynote address by Ms.

Tasha Belix, followed by two

of our STS alumni, Geoff Evamy-Hill ’10 and Kate Koplovich ’10 sharing their journey

dealing with their mental health challenges

students making and displaying their “Flags of Support”

students and teachers posting notes to complete this statement, “I wish my (parents,

friends, students) knew…”

Please talk to your child(ren) about the message they took away from the week’s activities!

A special thanks to our student committee that worked so hard to make this event happen:

Co-chairs: Abby Stanick ’19 and Megan Evans ’19

Committee: Carly Black ’20, Amanda Button ’19, Nyah Chernoff ’20, Martha Valmana

Crocker ’20, Maddie German ’19, Ruby Nerbas ’20, Louisa Pittman ’20

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STS COMPETES AT THE OXFORD UNION By: Mr. Scott McKay, Senior Debate Coach

STS qualified as one of four Canadian teams to

compete at Finals Day in Oxford this past weekend.

The team of Zaki Lakhani ’20 and Chelli Shapiro ’19

were one of 116 teams to compete at the prestigious

tournament that plays host to the best debaters in

the United Kingdom (U.K.), Western Europe, Hong

Kong, and the United States. The tournament took

place on the hallowed grounds of the Oxford Union;

standing in the Union was a surreal moment and a

truly unique experience.

Oxford Finals Day, a British Parliamentary (BP)

tournament is stylistically different from what a

Canadian debater typically experiences. In the BP

style, there are four teams in each round, two in

favour of and two against the resolution. None of the

teams work together in preparing their arguments

and are in direct competition with each other

regardless of the side of the bench on which they sit.

The front half, both the first opposition and

proposition teams work to structure the debate, presenting the arguments that are essential

to the cleanliness of the round. The back half, on the other hand, provides arguments from

a unique lens, a fresh take on the round. This extension to the debate must not be

derivative, which means it needs to be new material from what is brought up in the front

half. Thus while preparing, teams need to consider what will be brought up and how they

can utilize their positions strategically. However, the biggest challenge is that only 15

minutes are allotted for preparation (at least five of which were spent searching for the

room in which the debate is set).

Despite the challenging topics, Zaki and Chelli certainly held their own. They took second

place in all four debates and earned a total of 8 points. In BP debate, you receive 3 points

for winning, 2 for second, 1 for third and zero for finishing fourth. This point total was not

enough to break into semi-finals, but it was good enough to finish 22nd overall. Despite not

making semi-finals, Zaki and Chelli felt tremendous pride in finishing so well at such a

prestigious tournament!

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For Chelli, this is an end to her high school

debate career – an excellent way to end her

career in debate, might I add. Chelli has been

an incredibly accomplished debater for STS. In

Grade 10 she was part of a team that qualified

for the Confederation Cup, a national

tournament hosted in Ottawa focusing on the

issues that face Canada as we entered our

150th birthday as a country. In Grade 11, she

was invited to try out for Team Canada, and

she also won the top speaker award at the

Churchill Cup competition in Calgary. In

Grade 12, not only did she qualify to Finals Day

with Zaki, but she also won the Janet Garten

Award for her contributions to debate in Alberta – an award voted on by coaches across

Alberta. She did all of this while helping to coach the junior debaters in Middle School this

year. Her contributions to the program, and her presence, will be missed when she moves

on to university next year.

In addition to the competition this past weekend, we also used our time in the U.K. as an

educational experience. By arriving earlier in the week, we were able to attend events and

museums in London and Oxford. London was highlighted by a visit to the Tate Modern to

experience the degenerate art exhibition, which included work by Otto Dix and others from

Weimar Germany. The other highlight was attending an Intelligence Squared Discussion

about Brexit where politicians such as Ian Paisley, Jr., a sitting member of the DUP, and Jess

Phillips, a member of the Labour Party, discussed how to move forward with Brexit. In

Oxford, we were able to meet up with STS alumna Maddie Milne-Ives ’13. The students

enjoyed hearing about her experiences studying in Oxford and the research that she is

completing for her program. Our Friday night ended with an invigorating lecture on

populism and its impact on liberalism by Matthew d’Ancona who is a columnist for The

Guardian and The New York Times. It was a truly unique experience to attend Finals Day in

Oxford, and I just want to reiterate how lucky I am to work with such amazing students in our

debate program.

I’ll use a final set of lines to say that if you wish to be part of the tradition of debate at STS,

we always have a spot for you. There is nothing more valuable than learning to listen

attentively to an argument, and then try to construct an answer to the contentions raised. It

certainly is not an easy task, but the skills and rewards obtained in the pursuit of truth are

worth the effort. Looking forward to a great 2019-2020 season, and many new faces!

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THE CALGARY OPERA PERFORMS AT STS

On Monday afternoon, thanks to the support of a generous donor, the Elementary School

was thrilled to host the Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artists and their performance of

“Nemorino and the Magic Potion”. Using the music of Donizetti with a modern twist, the

Calgary Opera presented a comical story of a young man who hopes for the special

power of being brave enough to talk to the girl he likes. Promises are made, potions bought

and it all ends on the dance floor where the young man demonstrates a new courage

never before seen. Thank you to our donor who has supported this program for many years,

bringing great music to young ears and hearts.