Fall - Stanstead College

school newsStudent art goes publicLast year was a banner year for Stanstead College student art, withnew murals installed in the student centre and gym. Not to beoutdone, this year’s students have taken their art out into thecommunity.Under the direction of Art teacher Christian Williams, Grade 12student Jose-Alfonso Alfaro Portillo (seen at left at work) createdthis mural for the wall of the Town of Stanstead fire station,located at the bottom of the town hall.Grade 10 student Brittany Sharman, meanwhile, created a fourpanelwork (seen here temporarily on display at Border Fest) thatwill be installed at the Stanstead College Arena.From flu to visas, Mexican families face headachesFor Mexican parents and students, it’sbeen a tough couple of months. First a fluoutbreak, then unexpected visa requirementshave left families anxious andStanstead College trying its best to findsolutions.In late April, the H1N1 flu outbreak inMexico set off fears of a global pandemic.Luckily, Stanstead College’s spring breakwas in March this year, ending prior to theoutbreak. Consequently there was virtuallyzero risk that our Mexican students hadbeen exposed during their visits home.This also helped to alleviate anxieties oncampus, although many students were concernedabout loved ones.With our students safe, the school wantedto ensure that they remained safe.Initially, the school imposed restrictions onvisitors arriving from Mexico, requiringthem to remain off-campus for a minimumof seven days after their arrival (theassumed incubation period at the time).Less than two weeks later, the school liftedall travel restrictions. This was based onrecommendations by health officials and,by then, the global prevalence and newunderstanding of the virus. Instead, theschool asked students travelling home forthe May break to contact the school if theywere suffering from flu-like symptoms orhad been in contact with anyone who was.Throughout this period, the school,under the guidance of school nurse MilèneBoudreau, encouraged preventive measuresand proper hygiene.To date, the student population hasremained virus-free.Then, in mid-June, the Canadian governmentunexpectedly imposed visa requirementsfor all Mexicans travelling toCanada. The reason for the change wasostensibly to curtail the ever-growing numberof refugee claims from Mexico, themajority of which are ultimately found tobe illegitimate. But it also had the effect of19causing headaches for legitimate travelers,such as students hoping to study atStanstead College and parents hoping tobring them here.In response, Stanstead College communicatedwith Mexican families offeringinformation and support. With theCanadian embassy in Mexico City overwhelmedwith visa requests, StansteadCollege assured parents that if they areunable to bring their children to school foropening day, the College would pick thestudents up at the airport.In addition, Headmaster Wolfe andDirector of Advancement Dugie Rosstravelled to Mexico City in August, wherethey hosted a reception for new parents,providing them with first-hand reassurancethat all would be well with their children.Regardless of these headaches, at thiswriting Stanstead College was anticipatingthe arrival of about 25 students fromMexico this academic year.