What's Inside? - St. James Collegiate

What’s Inside
WE DAY!
Take Your Kids To Work Day
Vow of Silence
Student Photography
My Friend’s Closet
Journal
December 2011
ST. JAMES COLLEGIATE
1900 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg MB, R3J 0J1
Phone 204-888-4867 Fax: 204-889-0830
D. L. Hicks - Principal
D. DeSerranno - Vice Principal

Administrators’ Message
We have a few weeks to Christmas Break and when students return to
school in January they will be busy finishing off Semester 1 course assignments
and final evaluation before exams. Please check our new Parent
Portal if you wish to have a current update of your son’s or daughter’s
progress. If you have concerns, please contact their teacher.
We Day!
WE Day Wows Winnipeg and St. James Collegiate students. 56 of our students (Grades 9 - 12) joined
15,950 other students from across Manitoba to celebrate WE Day and be inspired by the likes of Al Gore,
Mia Farrow, Paul Martin, Shawn Desman, Rick Hansen, Spencer West and Hedley. Students came away
pumped and ready to take on social justice issues in our local and global community. Check out
http://www.weday.com/event/winnipeg to find out more about this exciting event!
Our school sports teams have been quite busy with games and tournaments
this fall. Basketball is just starting and will be continuing after the Christmas
Break. The boy’s hockey team has been active, with lots of practices
and some great team action.
Our Student Council has been busy organizing some great activities to activate
school spirit and the Social Justice Student Group has been meeting
with other schools within Manitoba to begin planning their student activities
for the rest of the school year.
Please call us if you have concerns. Consider attending our next Parent
Advisory meeting on December 15 at 5:30 pm.
We wish you a pleasant, restful break and all the best in the New Year!
Ms D. Hicks, Principal
Mr. D. DeSerranno, Vice-Principal
Dates To Remember
What’s Happening
Ms. Kopetsky’s Gr. 11 English class attended MTYP’s Improv Shakespeare
Production on Monday, November 21st. There were alot of laughs and the
students hopefully cameth home with a better understanding of not only
improv but Shakespearean/Elizabethan language!
On November 25th, 48 Grade 9 students (from Ms Kopetsky’s, Ms Young’s,
Mr. Boville’s and Mr. McLeod’s classes) attended the MTC production of
Romeo and Juliet. This modern production was an exciting introduction to
our reading of the play next semester!
Four students attended the Divisional Gay Straight Alliance Committee
meeting on Friday, November 25th at the PSDC Centre with Ms. Tremblay.
They came back with tons of resources and plans for activities to be implemented
here at SJCI!
Dec
12-16
Dec 14
Dec 15
Dec 15
Dec 20
Dec 23
Jan 9
Jan 10
Jan 17
Jan 27
Feb 6
Christmas Classic
Basketball Tournament
Siloam Mission
Parent Advisory
Success Assembly
Winter Concert
Winter Break Begins
School Re-Opens
Early Dismissal
Early Dismissal
Exam Period Begins
Semester 2 Begins
The Youth in Philanthropy Group has been busy researching organizations
that meet their focus areas: Youth in Recreation, Health, Sexual Diversity and Equality, Homelessness & Poverty,
Animal Protection. The visits to identified organizations will take place in the New Year followed by the
difficult decision making of sharing $5000.00 with so many deserving sites.
The Human Rights and Holocaust Education Program is up and running again. Fundraising has been taking
place. Education classes will be starting on Wednesday, Dec. 7th. We still have a couple of spots for Gr. 9 students
open... Please contact Ms. Kopetsky or Mr. Halbert for more information.
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My Friend’s Closet
Vow Of Silence
What an incredible success! On Friday November 25th, approximately 1500 items of clothing were passed
along to our students through My Friend’s Closet over Friday and this morning. Some items were sold, some
were traded for non-perishable food items, many were given away free. Thank you to each and every one of
our staff and students who participated or purchased to help make this a successful event!
Hot off our “We Day” experience, students wanted to show they care by participating in The Vow of Silence
through Free the Children. The Vow of Silence is to show support for children whose voices have been silenced
through slavery (carpet mills), being a child soldier or forced into the sex trade. Students were silent
for 24 hours, no texting, Facebook, writing to communicate, or miming. 43 students participated in this event.
Donations have reached $275.00 and pledge forms are still coming in. Way to go Jimmies!
Take Your Kids To Work Day
On Wednesday, November 2, Grade 9 students
at St. James Collegiate participated
in “Take Our Kids to Work Day”. Students
spent the day at work with a parent, guardian,
adult friend or volunteer host to provide
the opportunity to view the world of work
and understand its demands and opportunities.
The day allowed students to see parents
or volunteer hosts in different roles and responsibilities
and understand what they do to
support a family.
Our students were involved in many different
activities. Dustin Tower spent the day with
his dad, Darren Tower, at Extra Foods on Roblin
Boulevard learning more about the food
industry while Rose Nigidja worked along
with her sister, Ms Ives, an Educational Assistant
at George Waters Middles School.
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There has been two meetings of the Safe Grad Parent
Committee – thanks to all the parents who came out. The
next SAFE GRAD parent meeting will be held in January,
date to be determined. Please show your support for your
graduating son/daughter by attending this meeting of the
parent committee. If you are unable to attend and would
like to be added to the parent email list for grad information,
please email Ms Tuchscherer (ttuch@sjsd.net).
Grad News
Student Photography
The photos below were taken by students enrolled in our yearbook class during their photography field trips to
The Forks and during their weekend leisure time. Check our newsletter each month for more student photography
samples!
The Fashion Show will be held on Thursday, March 1,
2012. Parental support will be required to ensure a successful
evening. A number of parents will be required
to pick up and drop off clothing the day before, the day
of and the day after and to provide refreshments. Please
attend the Safe Grad meeting in January if you can help
out. Anyone with donations for the silent auction can drop
them off anytime at the school. Letters are available for
any businesses who require them.
Graduation photos will be taken during exam week. Appointments
(on a first-come-first-served basis) must be
made with Ms Tuchscherer in the new year. Sitting fees
are paid to the photographer. More information will follow
in January.
Thank you for all the support in the seven fundraisers we
did over the last few months. Students can check their
accounts on the grad board across from Room 105. We
will do one or two more fundraisers in second semester in
addition to the Fashion Show in March and the Car Wash
in May.
Important Grad Dates
January 2012 – Grad Photos during exam week
March 1, 2012 – Grad Fashion Show – 7:30 p.m.
June 27, 2012 – Grad Ceremony, Dinner and Safe Grad
Photo By Francis Merto, Grade 11.
Band Notes
Photo By Paula Rufino, Grade 10.
Photo By Suah Cho, Grade 10.
Christmas Concert
Featuring all our GWMS & SJCI Bands and Choirs will
be held on Tuesday, December 20th at 7:00 p.m. in the
GWMS Concert Bowl.
Note: Students should arrive in concert dress with their
instrument and music you later than 6:30 P.M. SJCI
Band students are to meet in the library and GWMS
students in the Band Room.
Spring Concert
This will be your last opportunity to see and hear your son/daughter perform this year. The Concert
will take place in the GWMS Concert Bowl on Thursday, June 7th at 7:00 pm.
Photo by Kelly La, Grade 10. Photo by Danielle Bolo, Grade 10.
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