First World Café for SWLSB! - Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board

March 2012 ● Volume 3 ● Issue 3First World Café for SWLSB!Dans le cadre de sa consultation sur la planification stratégique, la CSSWL a tenu sontout premier World Café le 22 février dernier. Grâce à la vidéoconférence, les participanteset participants ont pu converser depuis Rosemère, Lachute, Joliette et Sainte-Agathe.Le World Café offrait un environnement propice à la créativité où parents, employés,élèves et commissaires ont pu participer à l’élaboration du plan stratégique 2012-2017en partageant leurs idées et leur vision par rapport aux orientations que la commissionscolaire devrait prendre pour continuer de grandir et de desservir ses élèves.Nous croyons fermement que les priorités établies lors du World Café guideront nosactions en vue d’assurer la réussite de nos élèves. Le projet de plan stratégique 2012-2017 sera soumis à une consultation le 29 mars prochain.As part of the strategic planning consultations, the SWLSBorganized its first World Café on February 22. Through theuse of videoconferencing, participants were able to participatein Rosemère, Lachute, Joliette and Ste. Agathe.The World Café offered a creative setting for parents, staff,students and commissioners to partake in the elaborationof the 2012-2017 Strategic Plan and offer input, ideas andvision of the direction our school board should take to continueto grow and serve its students.We are confident that the priorities established at theWorld Café will give us the direction needed to make sureall students achieve success. The 2012-2017 Strategic Planwill be available for consultation as of March 29 th .Le World Café, une première pour la CSSWL!SIR www.facebook.com/SWLSBWILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

IN THE NEWS…Message from the Chairman and the Director General Page 4Laurier Star Fest Page 5Autism Webinars Page 6Grenville Elementary Principal Wins Award Page 7SWLSB Material Resources Department Wins Award Page 8Early Intervention Attendants at Crestview Elementary Win Award Page 9Alan De Sousa Wins Award Page 10International Day Against Homophobia Page 11Emergency School Closures Information Page 13Bullying - It’s So Over Page 14Rosemere High and CDC Vimont Students Win Competition Page 15A Dream Come True Page 16News From Rosemere High Page 18Jules Verne Elementary Celebrates Page 19John F. Kennedy Elementary Celebrates Page 20Laval Junior High Artists and Student Council Page 21News from Sainte-Adèle Elementary Page 22Mother Teresa Junior High makes a difference Page 23Laurentian Elementary gets moving Page 24Drag racing at Laurentian Regional High Page 25One Spirit, One team, One Win at Mother Teresa Junior High Page 26Why Support the Inclusive Education Approach? Page 27News from McCaig Elementary Page 28Arundel Elementary Wins Writing Contest Page 29Learning Through Giving/Photography Contest at Mother Teresa Junior High Page 30Défi Climat 2012 Page 31ATOMS Program at Laval Junior High Page 32MOOT Court at Laurentian Regional High Page 33Hooked on School Days/CEC Goes Mobile Page 34More News from Rosemere High Page 35Terry Fox Elementary Positive Behaviour Initiative Page 36Cross Atlantic Musical Magic from Mother Teresa Junior High Page 37SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 2 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

IN THE NEWS…New Approach, New Solutions, (NANS) Page 38Spelling Bee at McCaig Elementary Page 39Sports News from Laval Liberty High Page 40Newest Masterpiece at Lake of Two Mountains High Page 41Laval Girl Talk News from Laval Junior High Page 42Comme à la Cour - Jules Verne Elementary Page 43OZ Comes to Laurentian Regional High Page 44A Day to Play at St. Vincent Elementary Page 45Triple A Days in Action at Laval Junior High Page 46Hooked on School Days 2012 at Laurentian Regional High Page 47Sports News from Laurentian Regional High Page 48What’s New at Arundel Nature and Science Centre Page 50Lake of Two Mountains High Titans Hockey Page 51CDC Lachute/CDC Vimont News Page 52Ski Loppet at Arundel Nature and Science Centre Page 53Mira Puppy Joins CDC Lachute Page 54Mardi Gras at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary Page 55Quand les élèves s’initient à la cuisine Page 56Recognition of Acquired Competencies (RAC) Page 57Community Organization Supporting Parents workshop Page 58Fundraiser at Mother Teresa Junior High Page 59Défi Santé Page 60Montréal Science and Technology Fair at Laval Liberty/Laval Junior High Page 61Hockey Night at Laurier Senior High Page 62Furniture for Sale Page 63To Publish an Article Page 64SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 3 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Dear Laurier News Readers,Here we are a few days before Spring Break. We can feel the excitementin our schools as students and teachers are looking forwardto this well-deserved mid-year break.Over the past few months, many new projects have come to life,new ones are being developed and planning for the next schoolyear is already underway. This edition of the Laurier News willgive you an overview of some of the wonderful things that arehappening in our schools and centres; recognition of employees,student testimonials, stories from our teachers, fundraisers, studentsuccesses and many inspiring and touching stories.Our administrators, teachers, support staff as well as our professionalsalways go the extra mile to ensure that our studentsreach their full potential and learn as much as they can. We commendtheir commitment which accounts for many of the successesyou will be reading about in the following pages. We thankthem for going out of their way and for supporting our students’day after day.Furthermore, we would like to take this opportunity to thankparents, employees and teachers for filling out the online surveysconducted in mid-February as well as the stakeholders who attendedour first “World Café” focus session on February 22 nd .Your comments and feedback will guide us through the elaborationof a Strategic Plan that will be tailored to the SWLSB’s specificneeds and aspirations. The Strategic Plan will be available fora 60-day consultation as of March 29, 2012. All related documentswill be posted on our website in the coming weeks. Weinvite you to consult these and give us your feedback.With your help, involvement and commitment, we will maintainSir Wilfrid Laurier’s tradition of quality and create a future of excellencefor all our students.May the Spring Break be restful and may you all enjoy this timewith your family and friends.Chères lectrices et chers lecteurs du Laurier News,Plus que quelques jours avant la relâche scolaire. On peut sentirl’enthousiasme des élèves et des enseignants qui attendent avecimpatience cette pause de mi-année bien méritée.Plusieurs projets ont vu le jour au cours des derniers mois, d’autresprennent forme petit à petit et la planification de la prochaineannée scolaire est déjà amorcée. Ce numéro du Laurier Newsvous donnera un aperçu des merveilleuses choses qui se déroulentdans nos écoles et nos centres : la reconnaissance du personnel,les témoignages d’élèves, les anecdotes de nos enseignants,les collectes de fonds, les bons coups de nos élèves et bien d’autreshistoires inspirantes et touchantes.Nos administrateurs, enseignants, professionnels et employés desoutien sont toujours prêts à en faire davantage pour que lesélèves atteignent leur plein potentiel et apprennent le plus possible.Ce louable engagement envers les jeunes contribue largementaux histoires de réussite présentées dans les pages qui suivent.Nous les remercions des efforts déployés pour soutenir lesélèves jour après jour.Nous souhaitons également profiter de cette occasion pour remercierles parents et les membres du personnel qui ont pris letemps de répondre aux sondages en ligne que nous avons effectuésà la mi-février. Merci aussi à tous ceux et celles qui ont participéà notre premier World Café le 22 février dernier. Vos commentairesnous aideront à établir les orientations et objectifs denotre plan stratégique qui sera soumis à une consultation de 60jours le 29 mars 2012. Tous les documents pertinents seront affichéssur notre site Internet d’ici quelques semaines. Nous vousinvitons à les consulter et à nous donner vos commentaires.Grâce à votre soutien, votre collaboration et votre engagement,nous pourrons préserver la qualité de l’éducation offerte par laCommission scolaire Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier et créer un avenir d’excellencepour tous nos élèves.Profitez pleinement de la relâche pour vous reposer et passer debons moments avec votre famille et vos amis.Steve BletasChairmanRobert VallerandDirector GeneralSteve BletasPrésidentRobert VallerandDirecteur généralSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 4 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 5 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Webinarsfor parentsAutism Spectrum Disorder(ASD)March 27, 2012May 8, 2012May 31, 2012LEARNGiant StepsSWLSBTo register: conference@learnquebec.ca7:00 p.m.Thomas Stenzel, LEARN With Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, a diploma in Art Education and Special Education andan M.A. in Educational Psychology, Thomas brings this varied background into play in his daily work. He has workedas a special education teacher at both the primary and secondary level, as a McGill instructor both in EducationalTechnology and Inclusive Education, as a School Board consultant supporting the integrated use of technology in theclassroom and as a Portfolio designer. He is presently working for LEARN as a pedagogical consultant and as RECIT,Service à la communauté anglophone.This webinar will look at various ways that technology can be used by students with special needs to develop writtencommunication competencies across their curriculum. We will explore how the writing process, information processingand production can be enhanced with the aid of technology.Lisa Levy, Giant Steps School, is currently the Behavior Management Specialist and member of the team ofNon Violent Crisis Intervention Instructors at the Giant Steps School. Her experience includes working with studentswith intellectual and physical disabilities, and behavioral, pervasive developmental and psychopathological disorders.Her workplace experiences include the Peter Hall School and the Sun Youth Organization. Her academic experiencesinclude applied behavioral analysis technician training, early intensive behavioral intervention training, certification inchild studies and inclusive education at McGill University. She also offers coaching services privately to familiesstruggling to increase positive behaviors at home.Have you ever felt frustrated when you and your child or students don’t agree? Have you ever said “Do it right now!”or heard the words “You can’t make me”? Lisa Levy’s webinar entitled “The Power Struggle” will help you identifysituations that place you in a power struggle and reactions to avoid in the battle for control. Various methods to disengage quickly andreasonably will be explained, and finally, easy tips for preventing power struggles from occurring in the classroom or at home will presented.Gail McCoubrey, Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, obtained her Master’s and Doctorate (pending) inSchool/Applied Child Psychology from McGill University. Her research interests include learning disabilities assessmentand intervention, specifically, for reading disabilities. She has been working as a Psychologist for the Sir WilfridLaurier School Board since 2007 and services the elementary schools. Throughout her training and career she workedwith children and adolescents with learning disabilities, behaviour disorders, and pervasive developmental disorders/autism spectrum disorder. (ASD) She also works in private practice conducting psycho-educational assessments forchildren, adolescents and adults.One of the most significant educational challenges for students with ASD is to develop reading comprehension skills.Many children with ASD will develop the decoding skills necessary to read text, although many will continue to strugglewith reading comprehension. A closely related challenge is for educators to apply effective instructional methods in order to help childrenwith ASD develop their comprehension skills in reading.My Webinar will first discuss why reading comprehension is especially challenging for children with ASD. Specifically, what types of cognitiveprocesses are related to weak reading comprehension among children with ASD? I will then discuss best practices for reading comprehensioninstruction for children with ASD, based on the most recent literature, as well as specific recommendations that teachers can use to help planinstruction in the general education classroom.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 6 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

photo by Nik SchnellDuring the week of January 26, 2012, the Learning Partnership, a national non-profitorganization, dedicated to championing a strong public education system in Canada,announced that Grenville Elementary School Principal, Nancy Bennett had been selected asone of Canada's Outstanding Principals for 2012. Nancy is the only Principal from Québecto have been chosen.Canada’s Outstanding Principal program is a collaborative partnership between the LearningPartnership and the Rotman School of Management in Toronto, Ontario. Each year leadingprincipals selected from Canada-wide nominations are honoured for their exemplary contributionsto quality public education. As one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals, Nancy willattend a five day Executive Leadership Training Program at the University of Toronto’s RotmanSchool of Management. There, she will have the opportunity to dialogue and reflect on leadershipissues with other renowned leaders from the educational, social, cultural and businesssectors.On February 28 th at a Gala Event in Toronto Nancy will be inducted into the National Academyof Outstanding Principals and participate in a year-long online forum and engage incollaborative deliberations about leadership issues in education.From all of us at Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, Congratulations Nancy!!!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 7 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

SWLSB Material Resources Department wins« Le Concours Énergia 2011 »At the request of the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) in 2008, threeschool boards participated in a pilot project on energy savings with the National ResearchCouncil (NRC). The project consisted in optimizing existing building systems by recalibrationin order to make them as efficient as possible. This process, called ''recommissioning'', wascarried out at Our Lady of Peace Elementary School in 2009-2010. Resulting savings were usedto pay back our investment within 2.1 years.At the 2011 Québec Association for Energy Control (AQME) Annual Énergia Gala, held onFebruary 1, 2012, the SWLSB and Bouthillette Parizeau, (the engineering firm for this project,)were presented with an award for the best 2011 project in the recommissioning category. Notonly are we one of the first three school boards to undertake such a project, we surpassedmajor private players province wide. This is quite an accomplishment for our board!We would like to recognize the hard and dedicated work of the Material Resources Department,and especially of Christian Soulières who assumed the leadership to take this project tosuccessful fruition.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 8 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Alan De Sousa awarded a National Assembly MedalDuring the final presentation of the 2011 Laurier Senior High Schoolfashion show “Final Destination” on November 26, Alan De Sousa waspresented with the National Assembly Medal by local Liberal MNA’sGuy Ouellette and Vincent Auclair. Alan is a Special Education Technicianwho was honored in recognition of his role as the driving force behindthe fashion show for so many years. It started out as the Blue andGold Revue and over the years was we added A Show with Fashionwhere all students could be involved. The more kids that are involved,the stronger the activity is Alan’s motto.Congratulations to Alan, and many more years of success at LaurierSenior High School.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 10 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Here at the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, we take pride in our efforts to create an inclusive atmosphere within our schools. Itis important that our students, parents and staff members feel welcome, appreciated and celebrated. Differences are viewedas something that we respect and honour. We are constantly trying to educate our students about the world so that they maybe well-informed, knowledgeable, and compassionate individuals. We make the effort to recognize that we all have differencesand those differences help to make us a unique, special, culturally rich community.This year, a group of teachers, Steve Narine, Laura Cardillo Marricco, Denise Boily, Vicki Fraser, Cassandra Dubois, PaqualeMachado, and Krystina Palladino and a principal, Darlene Miller, from four Sir Wilfrid Laurier Schools (McCaig, Souvenir, St. Pauland Mountainview) came together to work on a project, titled “Combating Homophobia in Elementary Schools.” We wantedto invite students to learn about pride, and celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17. Through ageappropriate activities, we hope to end bullying of students who are gay, who are perceived as gay, or do not fit into the“norm.” Our goals are to:KindergartenCycle 1 Year 1Cycle 1 Year 2Cycle 2 Year 1Cycle 2 Year 2Cycle 3 Year 1Cycle 3 Year 2Eliminate gender and play stereotypesEliminate gender and colour stereotypesExplore all types of families including same sex parent familiesEliminate career and gender stereotypesExplore the power of words, examine how words can hurt and discuss how each one of us can put astop to itExplore GLBT celebrities and discuss how someone’s successes and achievements are not based ontheir sexual orientationExamine the effects of gay bullying and explore those who have made strides to put an end to itContinued on next page…..SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 11 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

International Day against Homophobia...continued from page 11The project was presented to SWLSB’s Council of Commissionerswho support unanimously the International Day againstHomophobia on May 17, 2012.Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board's mission is based on therecognition of the dignity and worth of every person and onacademic success;The school board promotes a work and study environment freeof harassment and violence;Homophobia is a form of harassment that can lead to violence;Several studies have revealed that homophobic acts orlanguage can have a negative psychological impact on thepeople targeted;Homophobia can discourage students from persevering inschool and succeeding;The Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation;On December 11, 2009, the Minister of Justice released the Québec Policy against Homophobia;The Council of Commissioners encourages initiatives from its schools and centres to denounce homophobic acts, behaviors,remarks and attitudes.The school board is committed to working with unions and associations to adopt the appropriate awareness and actionmeasures aimed at preventing and combating homophobia in each of its schools and centres.After receiving support from SWLSB’s Director General and Assistant Director General, the SWLSB’s Council of Commissioners,McCaig’s Teacher Council, and McCaig’s Governing Board, the International Day Against Homophobia activities and assemblieswere piloted at McCaig Elementary on February 10 th , 2012. Teachers worked with their students on activities by grade level. Manyof the junior activities stemmed from picture books about respecting differences. The senior activities invited students to learnthrough media. All students learnt the significance of the colours of the rainbow and then proceeded to make rainbow friendshipbracelets. The day’s events culminated with both a junior andsenior assembly where students pledged to stand up againstbullying together. Mountainview Elementary will be the nextschool to celebrate this wonderful day of respect and acceptanceon March 16th. Principal, Darlene Miller, has been dedicated tothis project since the beginning, and she looks forward to sharingthe fruits of her labour with her own school community.On February 15 th , 2012, the project was presented to all elementaryand high school principals in hopes that together we can doour part to continue to spread the message that unkind words,homophobic actions, and bullying of any kind will not betolerated. We hope that this special day will be celebrated byelementary schools across the board on and around the officialinternational celebration date on May 17 th , 2012.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 12 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSURESFOR INCLEMENT WEATHER - INFORMATIONThe safety of our students is always a priority and decisions are made based on the recommendationsof the bus transporters as well as other school boards on our territory.Closure procedures are initiated as early as possible, but because the SWLSB covers a very largeterritory, we might do partial closures (by sector). Closures are usually done by 6:30 the latest.We strongly suggest you visit our website for the most recent updates about emergency schoolclosings. You can also listen to the following stations:Global QuebecCBC 88.5 - Radio OneThe Beat 92.5 FMCHOM 97.7 FMCJAD 800 AMVirgin 95.9 FMCIME FM 103.5CBC Radio CanadaPremière Chaine 95.1 FMRadio Circulation 730 AMCKOI 96.9 FM98.5 FMRouge FM 107.3NRJ 94.3 FMRythme FM 105.7Le Rythme des Laurentides 103.9 FMM103.5 LanaudièreTVAPlanète Luv 104.9 and 102.1CTVYou can also call the SWLSB at 450 621-5600 or 1 866 621-5600. The voicemail message will say ifthere are closures.DID YOU KNOW THAT?91% of our students are transported to school by bus every dayThe SWLSB covers 35,000 km 2The SWLSB territory covers 3 regions – LAVAL- LAURENTIDES-LANAUDIÈRESIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 13 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Source: http://irightthewrong.com/about-this-initiative/WHAT IS BULLYING?Bullying can take place in any setting. It can happen in school hallways, inclassrooms, on playgrounds, in the street or at the mall.Bullying can involve gestures, interaction or comments that are intended toharm, humiliate or upset another person.Bullying aims to make the victim feel distressed.Bullying is based on behaviour that is intentionally harmful. It is underpinnedby an unequal power relationship between two people and is repeated overtime. It is called harassment.Bullying is not a spat between friends, a one-of event or teasing whereeveryone is having fun.Bullying can transform simple things like a walk to school or a lunch in thecafeteria into nightmares that can make the victims physically ill.Bullying is a form of violence. Just like other forms of violence, it must not betolerated: it must be exposed. Something must be done about bullying.Bullying can be indirect, such as:Excluding someone from a group.Isolating someone, making the person less popular by spreading a rumourabout him or her.Telling secrets, talking behind someone’s back or writing hurtful graffiti aboutsomeone.This type of behaviour can be hard to detect, but is just as damaging as morevisible forms of bullying.Bullying can also take place in cyberspace (cell phone, texting, messaging, email, Internet, etc.) This is known as cyberbullying.Cyberbullying is especially harmful and may take different forms:Threats, insults, disparaging or defaming someone, spreading rumours , identity theft, video lynching (filming someone withouttheir knowledge while they are carrying out a questionable activity, often after having been provoked, then sharing the videoonline in order to make them look ridiculous).Cyberbullying has particular features depending on the medium used:The bully can remain anonymous.The bully can pretend to be someone else.The bullying can take place anytime, anywhere.The bullying can take on several forms within cyberspace.Words and pictures can be spread instantly and endlessly. Because the bully is in front of a screen, he or she might behave worsethan if he or she were face to face with the victim. The victim is powerless and the harm done is enormous. The harm done to thevictim never ends, because it remains online. The number of witnesses is unlimited and difficult to measure.WHAT CAN HAPPEN TO BULLIES?All forms of bullying and violence are unacceptable. Consequences generally depend on the severity of the incident(s) and theschool’s policy on bullying (ex.: removal from the classroom, making amends with the victim, internal or external suspension,expulsion from school, or even the school board). Bullying and cyberbullying may also be punishable by the law. The CanadianCriminal Code considers that communicating with someone repeatedly so as to make that person fear for his or her safety is acriminal act, as well as publishing or sharing false information about someone or information that can harm his orher reputation, expose the person to hatred, contempt or ridicule. Cyberbullying may also violate the Canadian Human Rights Act ifit spreads hatred or discrimination based on national or ethnic background, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, family situationand physical or mental disability. Individuals found guilty of bullying or cyberbullying could face a prison sentence.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 14 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Melissa Morin is a secondary 2 honors student at Rosemere HighSchool. Last October she entered a contest to be a “Model for aDay” through the Journal de Montreal. The contest wastelevised on TVA this past January. 25,000 girls entered in six agecategories. Melissa entered in the 14-19 age group and won inher category. She received about 20,000$ in prizes that includeda trip to Cuba where she went in January.Congratulations Melissa!Romina Gabrielle Avelino a student of CDC Vimont successfully landed inthe top 12 finalists of Miss Quebec 2012 which was held in January 2012.She was chosen from among thousands of aspiring candidates from all overthe province and succeeded several eliminations since July 2011.During the final eliminations in October 2011, Romina impressed theaudience with her grace in dancing , walking, poise and personality. Theprovincial grand finals were held from January 13-14, 2012 at the SandmanHotel. Although she did not win the title, she was amongst those chosen asone of the official candidates for the nationals at the Miss Canada 2012pageant , along with other provincial finalists. She still has the chance torepresent Quebec in other International pageants to be held in Las Vegas,Los Angeles, Mexico, Costa Rica, Barbados, and Guatemala since the titleholder will be representing Quebec in France and Belgium.Romina is the reigning First Runner up of the first Miss Teen FamasMontreal 2011 held on March 23, 2011 where she also bagged most of thespecial awards, namely: Miss Photogenic, Miss Talent and MissCongeniality.She will be doing a show for Le Château and other known boutiques. Romina will also be featured in two localnewspapers in the city of Laval as the only Lavalloise to represent the city of Laval in the Miss Quebec pageant.Congratulations Romina!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 15 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

A Dream Come TrueBy: Jessica Dionne, Graduate Sainte Agathe AcademyI've loved Paul McCartney ever since I saw him perform on television at the age of sevenand fell completely in love with him. I became obsessed with knowing everything abouthim and in 2005 my father took me to Toronto to see him perform live at the Air CanadaCentre. I was so excited that when he came out onstage I began to cry, and I cried formost of the concert. I was 15. I remember telling my father after the concert that I wasgoing to meet him one day. I didn't know how, but I began thinking about how to makean encounter with the person you love, respect, and look up to the most, last forever.An autograph on a record is one thing, but you can't carry it around anywhere, andbesides, Paul McCartney's signed millions of records during his lifetime. I wanted to bemore original than that. I'm not exactly sure when the idea came, but it was sometimeafter the 2005 concert. I just needed a perfect opportunity.At the concert in 2010, I was lucky because I was sitting in the 7th row, so I was veryclose to the stage. I have brought signs to concerts before and I know how much people hate when the people in front of themhold up their signs non-stop during the show. So, I was very considerate of the other people and only held up my sign aftereach song, while people were clapping. My sign read: "Paul, please sign my arm; I've already made an appointment for a tattoo"and it was painted in big white letters on a dark blue poster because having been an arts student my entire life, I realizedthat when the house lights hit a sign that has black writing on it, it goes virtually unnoticed, but white writing on a dark backgroundstands out more than anything. I wanted to eliminate the possible competition. It didn't take Paul a very long time tonotice it, I'd say that maybe after 3 songs he had already pointed at it and made some hand gestures towards me. At onepoint, after singing Blackbird he talked about how he finds it difficult when he's singing and tons of signs go up. He said that hismind wants him to read the signs, but he knows that he has to keep singing so it's difficult. He said, "Take that sign forinstance, Paul, please sign my arm; I've already made an appointment for a tattoo" and the crowd cheered, and I went towardsthe stage and he said, "Later, later, we'll do it later", so halfway through the concert Paul McCartney had basically told me thathe was going to do it. My heart started to race at the point.He asked me up right near the end. There were only 3 songs left. He played "Yesterday" and then, as he was switching hisacoustic guitar for his Hofner bass, Brian Riddle, who is one of his security guards, climbed over seats and people to get to me.I was a little afraid he was going to tell me to put my sign down, but he told me to hold it up because Paul wanted to call meup, but he couldn't see me. So he told me to keep it up there, and when Paul would call, I had to follow him. So maybe a fewminutes later, Paul called me up by saying, "Wait a minute, wait a minute. Do you really want me to sign your arm for a tattoo?C'mon!” And motioned for me to join him on stage. I'd liketo say to that I was smooth about it, but I was so high onadrenaline at the point that I forgot to follow Brian andended up taking a long time to get onstage. Finally,security guards from the Bell Centre had to lift me overthe front barriers and I finally made it to staircase thatwould lead me to Paul McCartney. There, I was greeted bya man who sounded a lot like Rod Stewart, and he tookmy sign, asked me if I had a pen (which I of course had),and told me that when I was finished on stage, I neededto come back down these same stairs. I nodded inagreement and he screamed "GO GO GO" and pushed meup the stairs.Continued on next page...SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 16 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

…..Continued from page 16When I ran up, I jumpedaround a bit and took thetime to look at the 17,000people in the audiencestaring back at me andcheering. I ran towardsPaul McCartney and hegave me a huge hug andkiss as soon as I reachedhim. I was so happy and Itold him that I loved him because I figured this may be the onlychance that I get to do something like this. I was shaking, andPaul asked me if I was okay, and if I was going to be okay, and Inodded and he brought me in close to him and had his armaround my shoulder and I had my arm around his waist. Iremember him asking me if my parents knew that I was doing thisand I responded that they did, and that they didn't mind. Heasked me what my name was and I screamed "Jessica" into themicrophone. We both stepped back from the microphone and hetook my pen and asked me where I wanted him to sign. I showedhim my left forearm, and he began to sign. He held the penawkwardly at first and that resulted in a weird looking "P" and hetook the pen away from my skin and asked me if it was okay. Helooked at me as though he felt a little bad. I just said, "NO! It'sfine, please, continue." He finished the signature, looked at me asif to ask for approval and then gave me another hug and kiss, andI was off. Before I left, I turned back one more time to look atPaul because I really couldn't believe what had just happened.There are a couple of things that I do remember, such as lookingout at the crowd, but there is one moment when I was standingnext to him and he was holding me tightly to his side (probably tostop me from shaking), that I smiled from ear to ear and turnedto my left and saw that Paul McCartney's face was inches frommine, and I remember having to stop myself from crying at thatpoint. I didn't want to cry onstage.I already had another tattoo before getting this one done. It's a"W" on my leg - the logo for Paul McCartney and Wings. I boughtmy ticket to go see Paul McCartney in May (the concert wasAugust 12th, 2010) and made my appointment with the tattooartist at the beginning of June. I told him that I wanted the firstappointment (which was 11:00 am) on Friday, August 13. Hebooked me in and asked me what I was planning on getting. I toldhim that I was going to see Paul McCartney, that he was going tosign my arm, and that I was going to get it tattooed on permanently.He laughed and probably thought I was a nut. The night ofthe concert, when Paul had signed, I was completely attacked bythe media. Everybody wanted to know everything. I finally gavemy exclusive interview to the Journal de Montreal because theypromised me a front page. The next morning, I appeared on CBCdaybreak, Q Mornings with Aaron Rand, then the Journal deMontreal interviewed over the phone and sent a photographer tothe tattoo parlor with me. CTV sent their cameras. Needless tosay, when I walked in with all those media people, the tattooartist was blown away. After some persuasion from the Journalde Montreal, I got my tattoo for free.I am a firm believer in ifyou talk too much aboutsomething, it won't happen,and I am also a bigbeliever in visualization.Only a few people knewabout my plan. Mymother, my grandmother,my sister, and afew people at work. Ididn't tell anybody whatwas written on my sign. Iplayed it very discreet,and it paid off. When Igot off the stage, I wasescorted back to my seatand I cried for a good 15minutes. Then, I took mycell phone, took a pictureof my newly signedarm, and called mymother first. I drovefrom Montreal to mygrandmother's house inVal-Morin and woke herup to show her the tattoo. She said she just knew that I would getit. My mother accompanied me to the tattoo parlor the next dayand was more than thrilled. The thought of tattoos never reallybothered her, especially not this one because she knew howmuch it meant to me.Since graduating from Sainte Agathe Academy, I got my DECfrom Marionopolis College and I studied for a year in theEducation program at McGill and taught at Rosemere HS duringmy stage. After my first year I realized that I wanted to pursue acareer in the arts and switched from McGill to the Theatreprogram at Concordia. I am in my last year there. I havestage-managed/ assistant-directed a couple of shows forMarianopolis. I am always keeping myself busy, and am nowworking towards a career in Radio Broadcasting. I work at TheBeat of Montreal as an ambassador.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 17 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

News from Rosemere HighIT’S OFFICIAL!RHS is delighted to announce that $9,000 wasraised at the 2011 Community Breakfast andMerryFest for The Children’s Wish Foundation.Thank you to everyone who supported the event.TOLERANCE CARAVANThe Tolerance Foundation brought their ToleranceCaravan to Rosemere High School from January 30 th toFebruary 3 rd to make presentations to all Secondary 3students. The Tolerance Foundation is a non-profitorganization whose mission is to educate young peopleand adults on the negative impact of discrimination in allits forms.DRAMA CLUB PRODUCTIONThe RHS Drama Club, under the direction of Mrs.Stephanie Cocking, is pleased to announce this year'smusical production: ANNIE!!Set in the depression in New York city, this musicaltells of the adventures of the eternally optimisticorphan: Annie (played by Alexina Choma). Theproduction will be presented in the RHS auditorium on April 19 and 20, 2012 starring an all-starcast of over 40 RHS students.LEADERSHIP WINTER CAMPThe RHS Sec 4 Leadership students are planning their annualWinter Camp at the Arundel Nature and Science Centrein the heart of the Laurentian Mountains from February27 - 29. A lot of organization and training goes intopreparing students for this very special activity. If weatherconditions are favorable, students will be buildingquinzees (snow shelters) for a memorable sleepover in thegreat outdoors and will be taking a midnight walk underthe stars.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 18 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Jules VerneCelebrates 1ooth day of school!!!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 19 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

What do you get when you put 100 pennies, 100marshmallows, 100 beans, 100 glass beads, and aschool full of eager learners together???? The 100 thDay of school of course! Big things were happeningat John F. Kennedy school the week of February13 th ! The Kindergarten, grade one and grade twostudents all celebrated the 100 th day of school onTuesday February 14 th . Our wee-ones in kindergartengot busy moving for the 100 th day with ten setsof ten movements such as jumping jacks, wiggles,and tummy taps followed by 100 seconds ofQUIET!!!! 100 handprints created a colorful rainbowto decorate our school lobby. Our grade oneand two students came dressed as 100 year oldsand some designed pictures of themselves as 100year olds. Some classes wrote about what theywould do with $100, and the classes from gradesone and two created 100 th Day projects andbrought them to school for an exhibit that parentswere invited to attend. Parents and students admiredcollections of pennies, buttons, beans, anddice, among other items. The projects were sooriginal! Students created an apple from 100 raspberry candies, a robot from 100 marshmallows,a house from 100 clothespins, a collage of 100 Muppets and a monster with 100 googlyeyes! So many wonderful creations! In the afternoon students estimated how far 100 footstepswould take them throughout the school, and played an estimation jar game, checking howaccurate their “guesses” were.It was a wonderful day of fun and learningfor all involved.John F. Kennedy Elementary Celebrates100 th Day of SchoolBy: Kelly Crowdis, Grade 1 TeacherSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 20 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Artists Express Their Creativity: Art Concentrationat Laval Junior High SchoolBy: Katya Santucci and Julia Graziani, grade 8 studentsAs student council members, we thought we would let you know howwonderful the “Art Concentration” program at Laval Junior High Schoolis for the students and teachers involved. We interviewed some “ArtConcentration” students and our art teacher, Ms. Catherine Aznar. Thestudents we interviewed all felt that this program gave them theopportunity to explore their love for the visual arts. Students in the “artconcentration” program have art six out of nine days. This allows themto improve the skills and learn new techniques. The students interviewedhave loved art from a young age and were happy to find aschool program where they can learn alongside other students whoshare their interest and passion for art. The students work on classroomassignments at a comfortable and yet enriching pace. Part of theprogram doesinvolve homeworkbut the kids don’t mind it all! One of their favorite homework assignments is called“visual pushups”. These pushups allow the students to choose from a list of things todraw or sketch. The students enjoy having the freedom to choose. These students,“love art because there is no wrong or right, just the freedom to be you.”Ms. Aznar shared with us her reason for being an art teacher. She has loved art,drawing and sketching, since she was young and the decision to become an artteacher was an easy one for her. She enjoys teaching the “Art Concentration”students because she embraces their love for art and brings them to a higher level.She said that “art is a form of expression that brings out the creativity in everyone.”“KIDS HELPING KIDS” – OUR STUDENT COUNCIL MISSIONThis year, Laval Junior High School students involved with “studentcouncil” have decided unanimously to help other kids in our community.Along, with planning dances and school activities, fundraising is alarge part of student council. As the holidays come closer, these studentshave decided to bring smiles to the faces of children who cannotbe home for the holidays, the children who have to spend the holidaysin the hospital. Our very first “book drive”, is one way our schoolwill help raise funds to purchase gifts for sick children. The “Buck-A-Book” drive will give our students an opportunity to purchase newbooks for their enjoyment while they bring in the ones they no longerneed. We hope that the love of reading will result in a wonderful contributionfor this cause. Books make a great holiday gift!We also held our annual food drive. We realize the need to fill ourChristmas baskets is important and the student council members lookforward to the rewarding experience filling these baskets will givethem.As an ongoing mission, student council has decided that 2012 will be the year they will also focus fundraising on helping send lessfortunate children to camp. Each year, Tim Horton’s send hundreds of children to summer camps across the country. LJHSstudent council knows that with hard work, the money they raise will make a difference in a child’s life this summer!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 21 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Mother Teresa Junior High School Makes a DifferenceFor the past two years, the students of Mother Teresa have worked diligently at fundraising to build a school in Haiti. At a school assembly, a cheque was presented to FREETHE CHILDREN, a charitable organization with the goal to provide education to children inneedy countries. This project under the guidance of Mr. Di Stefano (spiritual animator),Mrs. Indri (retired English teacher), and the students of MTJHS devoted their time andenergy in raising $10,000. through various fundraising activities like jersey day, hat day, bake sales,dress down days, etc… In addition to raising the money, the students also came away richer from theexperience. In working for this noble goal, the students became aware of the many hardships thatchildren in other countries experience. This cooperative effort among students, teachers andadministrators brought everyone closer together as a community with the realization that “We CanMake a Difference”.Free The Children believes in a world where all young people are free to achieve their fullestpotential as agents of change. We are a charity and educational partner that empowers youth toremove barriers that prevent them from being active local and global citizens. Our domesticprograms educate, engage and empower hundreds of thousands of youth in North America and theUK. Our international projects, led by our holistic and sustainable Adopt a Village model, has broughtover 650 schools and school rooms to youth and provided clean water, health care and sanitation toone million people around the world, freeing children and their families from the cycle of poverty.Special acknowledgements go to our governing board for their invaluable support in raising funds forthis worthy cause and to all MTJHS staff members for their tireless encouragement. Special thanks goout to Mrs. Indri, Ms. Kouros and our former students, now attending Laurier Senior High School (asseen in the photo) for their outstanding contributions, enthusiasm and tireless efforts in working onthis project.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 23 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Laurentian Elementary School Gets MovingBy: Tamara LeesStudents from grades 2 through 6 got moving in December, in the lunch hourgymnastics program. Many students and teachers volunteered their time twicea week to practice and perfect their moves so they could perform in front offellow students and parents. The students had many stations to show-off theirtalents, including the rings, balance beam, and springboard. The older studentscreated routines to music which incorporated cartwheels, handsprings, bridgesand rolls. There was certainly no lack of creativity! Another group of studentshad the opportunity to perform with ribbons. This required precision and synchronicity. The audiencewas truly amazed. Way to go L.E.S. Keep moving!Now that winter is upon us, the students are very fortunate to have an ice-skating rink in the schoolyard.This is used during physical education class, during lunch hour, and daycare uses it afterschool. Now we can keep moving and enjoy the great outdoors!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 24 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Drag Racing at Laurentian Regional HighThe students in the Work Oriented TrainingPath (WOTP) at Laurentian Regional HighSchool recently held their second Drag RacingDerby. The smaller of two cafeterias wasconverted into a temporary drag strip and thestudents challenged each other to one on onesprints. Their Hot Rods whipped across thestretch of floor held to the ground bymonofilament guidelines. These dragstersdidn’t have sophisticated parachutes to slowthem down, instead relying on “emergencycomfy cushions” to bring them to a halt!Ernie Robitaille, their shop teacher andspecialist in auto-mechanics and welding, gavethe kids free rein in designing their cars. Eachstudent started off with a similar block ofwood. It was up to them to design, carve and paint their vehicle. After a preliminary round of races the studentsquickly learned that weight was the key factor in determining speed. They returned to the woodshop where theracers tried to drill, trim and sand as much off their cars as they could while still maintaining some structuralintegrity. It’s unlikely that the Formula One safety panel would have cleared many of the cars!Their CO2 propelled cars reached speeds of +70 km/h. That might not seem fast until you realize they wereattaining those speeds in under 2 seconds. In the case of the eventual winner, Tyler Young, his modifiedYamaha convertible managed to break the 1 second barrier, speeding over the 66 ft course at 74 km/h!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 25 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Why support the inclusive education approach?Maria GuillenB.Ed.,Speech PathologyThe inclusive education approach recommends that a student with specific challenges and needs shares mostof his or her school time with peers of a similar age and, who, for the most part, are children without specialneeds.The approach of inclusion, however, involves more than just having the student with special needs evolvewithin a regular classroom with or without additional support. The implementation of an IEP, the involvementof an interdisciplinary team, the participation of an attendant, the efforts of a technician, the constant communicationwith parents and caregivers, and the use of different strategies and new technologies are integral andmust be a part of the multiple efforts used to accommodate a child with special needs.Why, then, should we support this approach, one that was not popular before the 1970’s but has become themost popular educational philosophy of the 21st Century? The inclusive education approach should be appliedwithin all sectors of the system for a variety of reasons.First, it is our social responsibility to ensure that all children experience acceptance and respect regardless oftheir socio-economic background, ethnicity, or intellectual challenges. This responsibility extends to every individualin our community. Second, given that most human behaviours are learned by imitation, there are clearsocial advantages for children with special needs to be able to learn from 'regular' children. Within this scenario,children with special needs are able to learn to communicate, play, and socialize in more effective waysas they observe and interact with 'regular' children, who essentially serve as their role models. Third, inclusiveeducation also has advantages for the child who does not have special needs. Compassion, acceptance, andrespect for children with limitations are more easily learned through interactions with them. In addition,‘regular’ children also become more aware and conscious of the fact that everyone, to some degree, has differencesand limitations.In a successful inclusive classroom, the child with special needs is embraced by teachers and classmates. Althoughmaking large changes in the classroom to accommodate children with special needs may be a dauntingtask for both teachers and professionals alike, remarkable success can be attained with even the smallest ofadaptations or modifications. For some children, for example, reducing noise levels by placing tennis balls atthe end of chair legs can have a tremendous impact on effective learning. In another case, the adaptationcould be as simple as providing proper lighting, or reorganizing desks within the classroom. Giving the specialneeds child the opportunity to learn alongside his/her peers within the optimum environment of an inclusiveclassroom can make a tremendous difference in a student’s life.Contribute to improving education by sharing the benefits of inclusive education with others.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 27 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

McCaig Students Get PublishedBy: Vicki Fraser, Grade 6 teacherAs a sixth grade teacher, I am regularly reminded how trulycreative and capable my students are as writers. They takechances with ideas and experiment with vocabulary. Theywrite from the heart and passionately share their experiences,dreams, thoughts and questions. This year I invitedmy students to enter the Poetry Institute of Canada’s,Young Writer’s Poetry Contest. There were more than6,000 entries from across Canada. Seventeen, sixth gradestudents from McCaig, have been chosen to have theirwork published in the 2011-2012 anthology. I am not sure who was more excited to hear the news; myself, theparents, or the students! One thing is for certain; these students did an exceptional job and deserve to be recognizedfor it. Hello, Mr. Moon will be published at the end of May 2012. The books should be available in bookstores by theend of July, 2012. Congratulations to all the winners!McCaig’s Trip to MontrealBy: Elizabeth Hua, Grade 6 studentFebruary 16, 2012, the grade six students of McCaig ElementarySchool went on a field trip to Montreal. We went to see a worldfamous orchestra called The Montreal Symphony Orchestra. We firstwatched and listened to La Boite de Joujou and then Peter and theWolf. The orchestra sounded spectacular with such a wide variety ofinstruments, and the brand new concert hall looked amazing! Theinstruments we heard were the flute, the clarinet, the piano, theviolin, the French horn, the trumpet, the double base and the obo.The orchestra told the two stories through music, and were accompaniedby ballet dancers and a storyteller.After the two great presentations we ate our lunches. Then, we wereon our way to a mosque. The girls all had to wear head scarves in themosque which was an interesting experience that inspired manyquestions. We learned plenty about Islam and were fortunate to havethe opportunity to hear a prayer call during our visit. After wethanked the kind Imam, we got onto the bus, and were off to asynagogue.The synagogue wasextremely grand andbeautifully decorated.The Rabbi whoshowed andexplained everything to us was very friendly, animated, and patientlyanswered our many questions. The boys got to try on kippahs andwe all got to see the authentic, hand written scrolls. After wethanked the Rabbi, we piled back onto the bus, and headed back toschool.It was a fun-filled day full of learning!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 28 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Arundel Elementary’s Grade 5 Chickadee ProjectWins Nationally in Writing ContestTerm one saw the students of grade 5 working as a team to tackle a research project that focusedon a bird that we see here in the Laurentians – the chickadee. The decision to focus on chickadeescame from an invitation by the Canadian Wildlife Federation which produces the popular naturemagazine Wild! CWF ran a contest encouraging students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 to do projectsthat would leave them with a greater wisdom and appreciationof our Canadian wildlife.The following letter was received by Mrs. Hodge.Dear Mrs. Hodge and class,I am pleased to write to you today to let you know that your grade fiveclass has been chosen as one of the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s WILDClasses of the Year for 2012. This has been an exciting project for us here atCWF, and we received quite a few high-quality entries to showcase – veryencouraging for our first year!Your class’s animal profile on the chickadee will appear in the May/June2012 issue of WILD Magazine. Each student in your class will be sent a copyof the issue to keep.Congratulations to you and your class, and thank you for helping to getthem engaged in conservation and literacy!Sincerely,Aaron KylieSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 29 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Learning Through Givingat Mother Teresa Junior High SchoolPHOTO: (right to left) Marc-Albert Paquette, Vice-Principal, Mrs. Paquette, representative of Air Canada, IrenePolitis, teacher, Mrs. Anna Villalta, PrincipalPhotography Contest at MTJHSWe are pleased to announce that ourChristmas Community Breakfast had agreat turn out this year. It has been agreat opportunity to meet our communitywhile sharing the HolidaySpirit. Thanks to the joined efforts ofMTJHS’ students, staff and MTJHSParent Participation Organization weare pleased to announce that we havefundraised over 4500$ to the profit ofThe Missionaries of Charity and Dansla rue!We would like to thank especially oursponsor Air Canada Maintenance andEngineering for their donation of airlinetickets opened anywhere in NorthAmerica, including Mexico and theCaribbean’s which were raffled offduring the Community Breakfast. Weare happy to announce that the winnerof those tickets is MTJHS’ ownMrs. Irene Politis, GHC teacher.This is yet another example of howstudents and staff at MTJHS exemplifytheir values of GIVING and CARING.Our Accelerated Learning Program Students participated ina Photography contest as part of their French class. Thetheme that their photos were based on was; BEAUTY. Studentsexplored the different hidden facets of beauty. Studentswere asked to use their photographer’s “eyes” to capturemoments and/or scenes of beauty in everyday lifefound in nature, within family circles, with friends, a lovedone of objects of sentimental value. In addition, the studentswere asked to write a caption describing the way theirphoto depicted beauty in their eyes. The following are thenames of the student winners in this contest:First Place Winners: Jamie Cecere, Abigail LalondeSecond Place Winners: Angus Legault, Simon ColettiThird Place Winners: Alexia Seguin, Isabelle LalondePhoto -First Place Winner, Abigail Lalonde« La photo représente la beauté d’être calme et la beauté dela couche du soleil. Les couleurs sont si belles et si relaxantque, dans cette photo, Je me suis presque endormit! »SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 30 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Le Défi Climat 2012, c’est reparti!Pour une troisième année consécutive à Laval, la campagne Défi Climat se tiendra du 1 er mai au 8 juin 2012! Une foisde plus, de nouvelles façons de participer, des gestes inspirants et des défis collectifs seront au rendez-vous. Ce seradonc l’occasion de sensibiliser les jeunes à la lutte aux changements climatiques et à la recherche de moyens pour s’yadapter. Afin de faciliter la tâche aux enseignants, cette campagne offre une multitude d’outils pédagogiques tels quedes fiches et des idées d’activités facilement accessibles sur le site internet du Défi Climat. Voilà une excellente façonde rendre les cours de sciences encore plus dynamiques et interactifs!Les élèves du 3e cycle du primaire et du secondaire pourront s’inscrire au Défi Climat en remplissant le questionnaire« Les gestes jeunesse » disponible en ligne et téléchargeable à compter du 1 er mai jusqu’au 8 juin 2012. En ce quiconcerne les membres du personnel, les enseignants et les parents, ils pourront participer à la campagne en remplissantle questionnaire « Les gestes citoyens ». Ces questionnaires proposent de nombreux gestes qui vous permettrontd’améliorer votre bilan carbone et contribuer ainsi à la lutte aux changements climatiques. D’ici là, la préparation à lacampagne 2012 peut s’amorcer et les écoles peuvent déjà s’inscrire!En tant que responsable du Défi Climat dans la région de Laval, le Conseil régional de l’environnement de Laval demeuredisponible pour aider les écoles à planifier leur campagne. Communiquez avec nous dès à présent pour connaîtrela marche à suivre!The 2012 «Défi Climat» Challenge Starts Soon!For the third consecutive year in Laval, Défi Climat, Québec's largest awareness and mobilization campaign in thefight against climate change will be held from the May 1 st to June 8 th 2012! There will be new ways to participate;inspiring gestures and collective challenges that await you. This is an opportunity to educate young people about thefight against climate change. To help teachers, this campaign offers a multitude of educational tools such as factsheets and activity ideas easily accessible on Défi Climat’s website. This is a great way to make science classesdynamic and interactive!Students from grades 5 to 11 can register by completing the questionnaire "Youth actions" available online. Staff,teachers and parents, can participate in the campaign by completing the " Citizens Actions" survey . These questionnairesoffer a wide choice of actions that will allow people to improve their carbon footprint and contribute the fightagainst climate change. In the meantime, preparations for the campaign can start and schools can already register!As the campaign coordinator in Laval, the Conseil régional de l’environnement de Laval is available to help schoolsplan their campaign. This year, make your school be a model for sustainability! Contact us now to know how to do it!Patricia Guérin-PadillaProject managerConseil régional de l’environnement de LavalT. 450.664.3503 F. 450.664.4054credelaval@deficlimat.qc.cawww.facebook.com/deficlimatSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 31 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

We launched our incredible A.T.O.M.S (Advanced TechnologicallyOriented Math and Science) program thisschool year. The A.T.O.M.S program offers its studentsa new and innovative technological approach to theteaching of Science and Math that is unlike any otherprogram available in Quebec. Some of the advantagesof the program include smaller classrooms, laptops foreach student, access to a video conference room as alearning hub, state of the art laboratory with a lab technicianpresent in every Science class, digital microscopesand i-pads. Each student also received his/hervery own white lab coat with their name printed on thefront. Students have experienced a more hands onapproach through journeys beyond the classroom in theform of field trips, student exchanges, and an emphasison expert guest speakers such as NASA scientist, BrianEwenson.Laval Junior High School’sA.T.O.M.S. ProgramMr. Brian Ewenson, a NASA representative from Texas,came to spend the day with the ATOMS students. Duringhis visit with the students Mr. Ewenson helped thestudents understand the vastness of space, freefall androcket propulsion with demonstrations. He brought back apart of the shuttle’s heat shield and different types of foodthat the astronauts eat during their missions. Mr. Ewensonplaced emphasis on education, hard work and its importancein order to turn our dreams into reality.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 32 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Laurentian Regional High: Make Way for the MOOT!By : J. Goerner, English TeacherThe Moot Court is in session! Friday, February 10 th , Laurentian Regional High School’s library was transformed intoa mock Supreme Court. Presiding over the case was the Honorary Justice Payette and his assistant Maitre Mallette.“All rise!” the bailiffs announced, and the audience and assembled guests stood up while the real judge and tenstudents acting as judges filed into the mock courtroom.Students have the opportunity to act out a real case, which has been tried in The Supreme Court of Canada. Thisidea was the brainchild of Superior Court Justice Mark Peacock when he was a Law student. He has been extremelysupportive, as have Justice Pierre C. Gagnon and the committee of lawyers whose membership changes from yearto year. Mrs. Goerner, an English teacher prepared her students for the event. She used the Citizenship and CharterProgram published in collaboration with the Quebec Branch of the Canadian Bar Association. There were fourAppellant lawyers and four Respondents.These roles are really the most fun because students get to debate and argue in public,” a task they enjoy,confessed Mrs. Goerner. Other roles included the bailiffswho kept order and announced the judges decision, journalists,who recorded the proceedings, and artists whosketched the action as the trial unfolded. It was interestingto see how a court worked,” said Kayliane Degray oneof the journalists. Another student member of the presssaid, “This was an exciting event. “I was very proud of mySecondary 2 classes, “stated Mrs. Goerner. They had toanswer any question the real judge sprang on them,which meant they had to know the case inside out.Student Lawyers for the Appellant left to right: Emma Beaudoin,Rebecca Bouchard, Emilie Vaillancourt, Carly Bennett, MadisonLa Gallee.Participating in the Moot Court is a valuable and rewardingactivity for students. Not only do students hone their public speaking skills, they learn that every Canadiancitizen has rights. “This is a lesson that lasts a lot longer than one class period,” Mrs. Goerner proudly adds.Superior Court Justice Daniel Payette, EnglishTeacher J. Goerner, Lawyer Ariane MalletteCourt Artists, from left to right. Sarah Lepine, Kira Valentine Devine,Samantha Beaulne-Meckay and Meghan Leblanc.Press group left to right: Sarah Fillippone, Kayliane Degray,Megara BarnesSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 33 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

PREL – Hooked on School DaysWe are proud to recognize our schools who participated in theawareness campaign in the Laurentians ‘Hooked on SchoolDays’ 1 KM Synchronized walk within the Laurentians.A green ribbon definitely goes out to these schools who mobilized their schoolcommunity. Laurentian Regional High School, Arundel Elementary School, Ste-AdèleElementary School, and Laurentian Elementary School. Each of these schools willreceive an honorary certificate signifying their active partnership during theawareness campaign for school perseverance. We want to thank all our LaurentianPrincipals, teachers, and school staff for all the other wonderful activities you did tosignify the importance of your students staying in school.The Career Exploration Centre goes mobile!First in Canada! First in Québec! First in the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board! First elementary school!We are very pleased to highlight our very first pilot project with the mobile Career Exploration Centre,in collaboration with, Our Lady of Peace Elementary School under the visionary leadership of the Principal,Marisa Goffredo.As of March, the Electronics, Digital Photography, Graphic Design, and Computer Animation career explorationmodules will be brought into the classrooms of OLOP. During a 5 to 6 week period, students will be ableto work on these modules in the comfort of their classroom, with the support of their teachers.They will explore and expand their knowledge and skills about the promising career opportunities in thesefields. The modules offer hands-on, dynamic, and interactive activities structured for the teacher in her/hisclassroom.We will keep you informed as we progress with this dynamic and innovative project!Bravo to Our Lady of Peace for going mobile!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 34 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

More News from Rosemere High SchoolVRAK TV at RHS!On Tuesday, January 31st, RHS student Kassandra Withnall (Sec. 4) got the surprise of her life whenYan England, presenter of the VRAK TV show, Fan Club, walked into her Science class along with acameraman and producer, to announce that she was being taken to meet her idol, actress AnneDorval. The Fan Club TV show gives young people the opportunity to meet their idols. Kassandra haswritten in to the show some time ago expressing her wish to meet Mme Dorval, but never thoughtthat it would happen.After a lot of excitement, photos and autographs, Kassandra left her science class and accompaniedYan England to Montreal where she met Mme Dorval at the Conservatoire d’Art dramatique onSherbrooke Street. The show will air on April 28 th .Students visit the CDC Open HouseOn February 8 th , a group of students and their teachers from Rosemere High Schoolattended the Open House events at CDC St-Eustache and CDC Pont-Viau.Students toured the well-equipped facilities which train learners in twelve distincttrades in the Administration, Health Services, and Buildings and Public Works sectors.They met with teachers and students in their classrooms and had the opportunity oflearning first-hand about course content, future career outlook and salary expectations.For many students, this was their first exposure to vocational training programs.Music Room RenovationRosemere High School is delighted with its newly renovated music room! The newroom offers a soundproofed, well lit and spacious area for the school’s music studentsto practice and perform.The renovation includes four soundproofed practice rooms attached to the main areathat are equipped for recording.Self Defense trainingFor the past six years, Secondary 4 students at RHS have received self-defense training as part oftheir Physical Education and Health course.Many people think of self-defense as a karate kick to the groin or jab in the eyes of an attacker.But self-defense actually means doing everything possible to avoid fighting someone whothreatens or attacks you. Self-defense is all about using your head — not your fists.Students take four classes under the expert instruction of Mme Chantal Vaillancourt, who is amember of the Shorin-Ryu Karate Club in Boisbriand. They are given information on securitymeasures, body language and how to react in difficult situations. They also are shown a numberof different self-defense techniques and get to practice in a controlled environment. Themajority of students really enjoy this unique course which has become a regular part of theSecondary 4 curriculum.SCIENCE FAIR 2012 NEWSThe 2012 edition of the RHS Science Fair held on February 7 was a huge success!Fifty six projects done by ninety four excellent students were presented to the RHS community.A record number of parents as well as principals, secretaries, and many members of theSchool Board visited.McCaig students also made an appearance! Organizers Mrs. Matton and Mrs. Delorme did asuper job! Next stop: Hydro Québec Montreal Regional Science and Technology Fair onMarch 18, 19 and 20, 2012. hosted by our own School Board at Laval Liberty & Laval JuniorHigh SchoolsSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 35 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Terry Fox Launches a New Positive Behaviour InitiativeOn January 9 th , 2012 after a well-deservedholiday break, the students at Terry Foxtook part in an assembly to launch theirnew Positive Behaviour Initiative. Studentsfrom Kindergarten to Cycle 3 have beendivided into four houses (Thunder,Fearless Foxes, Extreme Energy and theSpectaculars) and have opportunities towork both together and as individuals toearn points for their team. They wereeach given a silicone bracelet thatcorresponds with their team’s colourthat says “Proud Terry Fox Student”,which many of them wear daily. Whenthey are awarded aPositive BehaviourTicket, they cometo the office to adda coin to theirteam’s collectionbox. Twicebetween now andJune, a winningteam will beselected toparticipate ina rewardactivity.At the end ofJanuary, weaskedstudents tosport theirteam’s colouron our monthly dress-down day. During an assembly on that day,students broke out into groups to learn their teams’ cheers thatwere written ad created by the teachers. At the end of the assembly,each team had the opportunity to present their cheer to theirpeers. As of today, the teams are all doing exceptionally well, withmore than 200 points each! We look forward to seeing the smilingfaces visiting the office every day at recess andlunch to show us their Positive BehaviourTickets and deposit their coins in their teams’boxes.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 36 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Cross-Atlantic Musical MagicThree Secondary 1 Laval Junior High Schoolstudents (Peggy Koroneos, ChristinaKostarides and Marilena Papadopoulos) werehosted by Senators Pana Merchant and LeoHousakos (CPHS graduate from the class of’85) at the Government Conference Centre inOttawa on December 8 th and then again atLaval’s City Hall by City Councillor and Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee ofLaval Basile Angelopoulos. They are membersof an international team responsible fora DVD for children entitled: “E MayikiFloyera” (The Magic Recoder), a massivetrans-Atlantic production featuring 54Canadian children, 20 Greek children and a 55-instrument Canadian symphonic orchestra.More than 200 people collaborated on this unique cross-cultural project, the product of apartnership between Canada and Greece to unify the voices of two children’s choirs fromMontreal and Athens. Together with the Ensemble Sinfonia de Montréal conducted byrenowned Maestro Louis Lavigueur, the Chroma Musika/Socrates Children’s Choir recordedalongside the children’s musical group and Greek sensations, Ta Zouzounia. It should also benoted that the talent had by LLHS music concentration teacher, Mrs. Elaine Thomas, is alsofeatured as she plays the clarinet in the Ensemble Sinfonia de Montreal.The students sang excerpts from the Magic Recorder both in Ottawa and in Montréal. ChromaMusika Directors, Maria Diamantis and Dimitris Ilias presented a special behind the scenes “how-it-was-made” video. Ta Zouzounia founder, Mrs. Katerina Giannikou, flew in from Athens toparticipate at both the Ottawa and Laval DVD launches. These special presentations weresupported by the Embassy of Greece in Canada, AHEPA Canada and the Hellenic Community ofGreater Montréal. During the Laval presentation in the Council Chamber, as a Laval resident andmember of the Chroma Musika Choir, Peggy Koroneos spoke eloquently in French with respectto the pride all choir members have regarding to this massive audio-visual project and theeducational opportunities received.Congratulations, girls – You are international stars! We are very proud of your dedication andaccomplishment!!Info documentary leading up to December 8 th , 2011:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfX-l1c8uKEDecember 8th & 9th, 2011 Info documentary :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2m4m3_nehQ&feature=relatedSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 37 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

New Approaches, New Solutions(NANS)Five of our Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Principals and their lead teachersattended the annual NANS professional development session, heldover 1 ½ days at the Sheraton Laval this February.The NANS schools inthe Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board are Arundel, Joliette ElementarySchool, Joliette High School, Laurentian Elementary School, andRawdon Elementary SchoolOur five NANS schools face social, economic and cultural conditionsthat increase the risk of academic failure and social or behaviouraldifficulties. These factors are heightened and more numerous indisadvantaged areas than elsewhere.Even with these incredible challenges school leaders are rising to thechallenge with New Approaches and New Solutions. On February 14 th ,the principals of Rawdon Elementary and Joliette High School werechosen among 5 other schools of the English School Boards to sharetheir amazing approaches and best-practices that greatly impactstudent learning.Congratulations for the work that you do every day for our students.Thank you for taking the time to present and share your experienceswith the NANS community.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 38 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Spelling Bee at McCaig Elementaryby: Marina Delli Colli, Mandy Dubois and Alison SoulesGrade 6 studentsOn January 11, 2012, McCaig Elementary Schoolstudents from grades 4, 5, and 6 were invited toparticipate in the Can Spell Spelling Bee. Thecompeting students needed to spell challenging wordsfrom a grade 1 level of difficulty to a grade nine levelof difficulty.The M.C. was McCaig’s very own, vice-principal, Mrs.Sonia Busnardo. The judges were Mr. Mike Philbin (astudent teacher from Bishop’s University) and Mrs.Stephanie Julien (grade 4 teacher). The time keeperwas Mrs. Fraser (our grade 6 teacher). This activitytook place in our gymnasium, with an audiencecomposed of students from all grade levels as well asproud parents and teachers.There were 49 students who got top marks on thequalifying test. They were asked to compete in thespelling bee. Five students from our class competed. The winner from McCaig’s Spelling Bee wasfrom our class! Luca Nardi, won when he spelled the word “counterfeit” correctly!For Luca to continue on his successful spelling bee journey, he needed to write a test. Luca nervouslycompleted this task and soon after found out that he earned a spot in the top 50 regionalcompetition. He is now heading to Moryse Hall at McGill University, on Sunday, February 19, 2012.He will compete against 49 other students from different schools. His picture was recently publishedin the Montreal Gazette.We thank Miss Chantal for organizing theMcCaig portion of this great event andappreciate all the time given by all of theteachers to make it a success. We all wish Lucathe best of luck!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 39 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

United Student Sports Federation at Laval Liberty HighStelios Klapsis – Student Leadership - Grade 10During lunch, Laval Liberty High School comes alivethrough the U.S.S.F.. Over 300 students gather on thebalcony overlooking the gym in anticipation for our lunch time game while listeningto music played by one of our school DJs.The United Student Sports Federation is an organization composed of and runentirely by us the students. The purpose of U.S.S.F. is to bring students togetherthrough a common activity. U.S.S.F. members referee all the games, keep all of thestats, take pictures and coordinate all of the games. Using sports the U.S.S.F. canteach students how to be responsible and how to work on a team.Throughout the year we hold many different tournaments like “3 on 3 Basketball”,The Liberty Flag Football Championship, Liberty Indoor Soccer Tournament, PanthersWorld Cup of outdoor soccer, Panthers Cup ball hockey tournament, LIHF ice hockey,Gladiator Dodge Ball and other sports like staircase tobogganing.Using a common activity the U.S.S.F. in partnership with Chomedey en forme can keepstudents included in school and motivated for academics as well as encouraging us allto stay active.Setting The Foundation For FootballBy: Kishan Patel – Secondary 3The Laval Liberty Panthers Cadet AA (Gr. 8-9) and Juvenile AAA (Gr. 10-11) teams were given the privilege of visitingtheir former elementary schools. The purpose of these trips was to promote our wonderful Football Programs. Grade 5and 6 students were targeted specifically during their first period gym classes.A select group of skilled Panthers players were chosen to lead these workshops. We were able to describe the goal ofthe program and educate students about various football positions. “Helping the younger generation was really fun. It’snice to see what’s up and coming into our great football program,” said Nick Madimenos, 15, cornerback of the LLHSPanthers Cadet AA team.To end the workshops, footwork and receiving drills were set up to familiarize students with techniques and plays.Potential players were then able to accustom themselves with various positions they may want to play for as a LavalJunior Vipers Benjamin (Gr. 7-8) team member.Personally, as a Panthers player, I can say that these visits will definitely benefit our football squad. It brought us closerand focused our goals. It’s important to have students choose what sport they want to play so that they can developtheir skill and bodies accordingly. I had a lot of fun teaching the students. It made me reminisce about the days when Iaspired to be a Viper. At the rateour Cadet AA team is going, andwith the upcoming help ofpotential elementary students, it isalmost guaranteed that in theyears to come, we will bevictorious.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 40 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Our Newest Masterpiece at LTMHSby Annie Dutremble, Secondary 4During the week of December 5 th ,nearly twenty-five students assembledto help paint a mural in theSecondary 1 corridor. They wereaccompanied by Mrs. White and Mr.Giroux, who are both fantasticartists in their own right. Mrs. Whiteis a magnificent and inspirational artteacher who teaches multiple gradelevels at LTMHS; Mr. Giroux is quitea well-known artist, particularly forhis breathtaking landscapes. Withthe help of the teachers, the students were able to accomplish a beautiful landscape of atransfusion of seasons. They spent around three days on this masterpiece and had anexcellent time working on it.What is really interesting about this landscape is how the vibrant colours make the hallwaylook so much more alive and vivid. The landscape reveals abundant details, yet there is atranquil feel to it that soothes each passerby.Students who worked on the mural were chosenbecause of their excellent sense of leadership andartistry, and they all did an amazing job ofbrightening up the hallway. We hope to see moreof these murals around the school to keep theschool spirit alive and to help students becomemore involved with the arts in LTMHS.We are very lucky to have Mrs. White and Mr.Giroux in our school in addition to the opportunityto have beautiful murals covering areas of theschool. The stunning painting makes the Secondary1 students feel much more “cheerful”. This muralwill hopefully give the same vibes to all our currentstudents and new students who will grace thiscorridor.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 41 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

LJHS GIRLS BECOME PARTOF “GIRL TALK”A MAGAZINE BY GIRLS FOR GIRLS“Laval Girl Talk” is a project initiated by Lise Montagne, the coordinator of the Community Learning Centre (CLC). She created amagazine that was written solely by girls in our senior school in 2009. It was published, in collaboration with the Courrier Laval, inOctober 2010 and distributed to over 130,000 homes across Laval. This year, we are thrilled to have sixteen of our own junior highstudents become a part of this wonderful adventure. The project encourages the girls to work together as they come up withideas that eventually become the articles they publish. This group of girls, along with Betty Aliftiras , our student supervisor, meeton a weekly basis with Lise Montagne. The girls kicked off the new school year with the launch of the magazine at Maison desArts last October.Guest speakers are also invited to meet the girls. These speakers bring their expertise to the group. The students engage in activitiessuch as art design, photography, and journalism. Last spring, Maya Johnson, a CTV reporter, visited the school and met withthe girls. This visit became an actual broadcast and will be a lasting memory for everyone.An Intriguing Experience at CTV NewsBy: Joanne Gracioppo, Secondary 2, Laval Junior High SchoolOn January 30, 2012, the students of Laval Junior and Laval Liberty High Schools, the Career Learning Centre newspaper, and LavalGirl Talk, had the opportunity to embark on an adventurous trip to CTV News. This was courtesy of our coordinator, LiseMontagne, and assistants Betty Aliftiras and Christina Karamalis. Once we entered the building, we so graciously received a tourfrom Maya Johnson, a news reporter. Maya showed us everything that occurs behind the scenes of the shows. We had the goodfortune of being introduced to editors, producers, and many more people connected to the news and visited the control room.When I looked around at the other girls’ faces, they were just as astonished as I was about being exposed to a much differentenvironment than we’re accustomed to. Later, we witnessed Mutsumi Takahashi, and Paul Karwatsky, closing up the show, andwatched Lori Graham broadcast the weather. We took pictures with them, and got an explanation of the computers inside Pauland Mutsumi’s desk, and how the backdrop of the weather map works. On television, everything seems so simple but there is somuch work and effort that goes into putting on the news. The people involved make it look effortless when it really is not.After our long journey of touring, we hopped back on the buses, and drove back to school, with Maya Johnson tagging along, sowe could interview her. We learned thatshe knew very early on that her dreamwas to become a reporter. She wasinvolved in many activities, that made herlove for journalism grow stronger.I would like to thank everyone at CTVNews, and the coordinator and assistantsof Laval Girl Talk. That outing was a trulyexciting experience. Being exposed to thiskind of atmosphere only confirms mydreams of becoming a future newsanchor.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 42 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Comme à la courIsabelle PaquinEnseignante de françaisJules-Verne Elementary SchoolLes élèves de 5 e et 6 e année de Mme. Isabelle Paquin de l’école primaire Jules-Verne ont vécuune expérience particulièrement enrichissante le 30 janvier dernier. En effet, deux procureuresde la Couronne aux poursuites criminelles et pénales, Me Carolyne Paquin et MeDelphine Mauger, sont venues parler de leur travail et répondre aux questions préparées parles élèves.Suite à une discussion fort instructive, les élèves ont eu l’opportunité de recréer un vraiprocès avec une trame factuelle des plus parlante pour des élèves de cet âge: voie de faitdans la cour d’école. Après quelques instructions élémentaires sur la manière de procéder,deux témoins, un accusé, un juge, une victime et un jury composé de 12 jurés ont improviséet réussi à intéresser le public.Gageons que certains d’entre eux vont désormais s’intéresser davantage à l’actualitéjudiciaire véhiculée par les médias dans leur langue seconde.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 43 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Oz Comes to Laurentian Regional High SchoolMarch 22 nd and 23 rdBe sure not to miss The Wonderful Wizard of Oz put on by a fabulous cast ofyoung student actors and actresses at Laurentian Regional High School. You’ll betransported to another world when you see the digital sets simulating theemerald green of Oz.Students have been staying after school to prepare their characters and exercisetheir voices for the songs, which cannot be missed.The play is a whole school production with digital sets provided by Mr. TomForeman’s media class, props created by Ms. Chantal Scapino’s art class andcostumes designed by Ms. Lynn MacDonaldSo come out and see the play. Show times are at 7 p.m. on March 22 nd and 23 rd ,2012. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults. Tickets are available at thedoor. DVDs of the production will be available to order on the night of the show.There will be an Emerald City Bake Sale with all kinds of green goodies for youduring the intermissionSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 44 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

On Friday, January 20 th , 2012, Grade 6 students from St. Vincent Elementary School enrolled in a soccer/hockeytournament at Mother Teresa Junior High School. Each team got to play three games, and between each gamethe teams had the opportunity to have fun in the game room. They played various games such as air hockey,foosball, cards, the Wii, etc. Although none of the St. Vincent teams won medals, the girls’ hockey team made itto the semi-finals. After much perseverance and teamwork, and even though the St. Vincent teams didn’t win,their positive spirit was recognized and they became the first grade level at St. Vincent Elementary school, tobring back a plaque for Fair Play. Good job St. Vincent!A big thank you goes out to Mme Veronique for organizing this great trip, and to the leadership students at MTHSfor guiding us.Sincerely,Student Council:President, Athena CorreaVice-President, Veronica CampanelliSecretary, Victoria BelluscioTreasurer, Alessia MerandiA Day to PlayBy: The Student CouncilSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 45 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

TRIPLE ‘A’ DAYS IN ACTIONBy: Rhonda Steiner (LJHS teacher)Triple ‘A’ in ACTION is a concept that was created at Laval Junior and LavalLiberty High Schools in 2005 as a student-centered model to engage youngpeople in the daily learning environment. Our Triple ‘A’ in ACTION systemuses the student’s passion for Academics, Arts and Athletics as tools to help drive the students to reachtheir goals. The Triple ‘A’ system inspires lifelong earning .Triple ‘A’ Days take place on a board-wide pedagogical days for Cycle 3 students from elementaryschools. Laval Junior and Laval Liberty teachers, support staff, leaders and elite artists and athletes worktogether to fully engage each leader through each Triple ‘A’ Day.On October 7 th , grade 6 students spent the day at our school. They had the opportunity to participate inan “AMAZING RACE DAY”. These students participated in a full day of “AMAZING RACE” activities themedin First Nations culture while exploring science and soccer skills.The second Triple ‘A’ Day took place on November 24 th . Students participated in a full day of challengesand activities that push the mind, body and soul. They also had the opportunity to play in a ball hockeychallenge. A great time was had by all of those who attended.There are still two more days for students to look forward to. The “Winter Olympiad” will take place onFebruary 13 th , 2012 giving the students an opportunity to participate in a full day of Olympic styleactivities while exploring citizenship and volunteerism. On May 18 th , 2012, students will partake in a fullday of outdoor activities while exploring drama and the creative arts.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 46 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

This year’s edition of Hooked on School Days took placefrom February 13 th to the 17 th , 2012. In partnership withother organizations in Lachute, Laurentian Regional participated inseveral activities throughout the week reminding students,parents, employers, municipalities and all regional stakeholders ofthe importance of working together to meet the challenge ofstaying in school and achieving academic success. Over the week,students walked a kilometer for Perseverance Scolaire in theirphysical education classes. On Thursday, a special kiosk was set upat lunch time where volunteers from the area came to speak aboutthe importance of staying in school and distributed motivationalmessages. A community walk took place in the town of Lachute onFriday and ended at Polyvalente Lavigne-Laurentian Regionalwhere amongst many stakeholders, Sylvie Fréchette, OlympianMedalist, greeted the students.By Estelle Lizotte LRHS StudentSo many things should be mentioned when we talk about Perseverancebut, I will narrow it down to the word «effort» and thefamous quote: Never Give Up. As a senior student of LRHS, I haveseen that effort always pays off. In my head, I connect effort toresults. Students who have put effort to overcome the obstaclesand difficulties through high school truly show perseverance andwill get the results they wanted when they first started. It is easy togive up and procrastinate but, it might be a choice we will regret inthe future. Now is the time to work hard despite the obstacles thatare in our way.Unfortunately, in very rare cases, effort doesn’t pay off for somestudents. This brings in the hardest obstacle in your path as astudent: disappointment. I experienced it lately when I didn’t getthe part I wanted in a show production I had worked so hard on.Let me tell you that, as a student, you get a feeling of frustration,discouragement and disbelief travelling through your body. It wasjust like signals telling you that you are incapable and not goodenough to complete a task. This is where the quote Never Give Upcomes in to effect. For all students who have put effort and haven’tbeen rewarded the way they thought they would be I say stand upand work harder. For all of us who are facing this great disappointmentand get back up, ready to confront new obstacles ahead, I saywell done. Perseverance can only be achieved by a student’s will toaccomplish a goal. We have to remember that everything ispossible when you believe in yourself. We shouldn’t be questioningour potential because we are all capable of great things. Be braveand try new things. We should all remember that it doesn’t matterhow many times we fall. People will remember how well we stoodback up.By Mathiew Frigault, LRHS StudentBeing in high school for the past five years has taught me that timepasses by very quickly. With a little focus and hard work, we canaccomplish great things. When I was younger, I wasn’t thinking likethis. I remember when I was in grade one, I kept on thinking Iwould be in school forever. I couldn’t imagine all the hard work Iwould have to do to get to grade 11. It was like a huge mountain. Ifound a quote and it goes like this: «Nobody trips over mountains.It is the small pebble that causes you to stumble. Pass all theHooked On School Days 2012pebbles in your path and you will find you have crossed themountain». This year, I will graduate and I feel I have climbed themountain. All that hard work pays off when you are finally there. Iknow there is still more work to be done; however, I am proud ofwhere I am now and I now know that giving up is not an option.When the work is well done, you feel better about what you’veaccomplished. Perseverance is finishing what you have started,especially high school, knowing that it will bring you to betterthings in life. Perseverance is something different for all of us. Nomatter who you are, you should feel you have persevered whenyou look back at the goal you set for yourself and realize you haveaccomplished it.Every child needs encouragement, that much is obvious. For someodd reason, a simple thing like that tends to be forgotten. TheHooked on School week is there to remind all of us: parents,teachers, member of administration and the community of theimportance of supporting students throughout their education. Tomake a difference in the dropout rate, we need to send a positivemessage to students on a regular basis. To be successful, studentsmust feel supported; but most importantly, they must feel understood.They have to know that someone is there for them in orderto be able to develop their full potential. Being successful at schoolis a team effort which links the home, the school and thecommunity. The walk we have done here for the past few years is agreat way to show that we are ready in Lachute to make adifference. It also reminds us that we all have a role to play in theeducation of the next generation. Thank you for supporting thiscollective effort. Taking the time to support this event is a greatway to show that together we can make a difference. Don’t beafraid to talk with your children. Communicate with them; askthem how their day was. They want to talk about it. Their smile andtheir pride will be your thank you.Les journées de la persévérance scolaire -MessageChaque jeune a besoin d’encouragement tous les jours, cela va desoi. Par contre, une chose si simple à faire semble être facile àoublier. Les journées de la Persévérance Scolaire nous rappelle àtous : parents, enseignants, membres de l’administration et de lacommunauté, l’importance de soutenir chaque enfant dans soncheminement scolaire. C’est en envoyant un message constant etpositif que nous pourrons faire une différence pour le décrochagescolaire. Un étudiant doit se sentir soutenu mais surtout, comprispar ses proches pour pouvoir développer son plein potentiel. Uneréussite scolaire est un travail d’équipe entre l’école, la maison etla communauté. La marche que nous faisons ici à Lachute depuisquelques années est un excellent moyen de montrer que noussommes présents et prêts à faire une différence. Elle démontrebien notre support à la cause et nous rappelle que nous avons tousun rôle à jouer dans le cheminement scolaire de notre nouvellegénération. Merci énormément d’appuyer cet effort collectif, deprendre le temps de supporter un tel mouvement. Cela démontrebien qu’ensemble, nous pouvons faire une différence. Parler avecnos étudiants, communiquer avec vos enfants, demander leurcomment était leur journée. Ils meurent d’envie de le partageravec vous. Leur sourire et leur fierté seront votre reconnaissance.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 47 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Sports News from Laurentian Regional HighLRHS and polyvalente Lavigne Joinby Alex MawdrykFor the first time in Lachute’s history, Laurentian Regional High School andPolyvalente Lavigne have joined together to create one program open toboth the Anglophone students of LRHS and the Francophone students ofLavigne. LRHS and Lavigne hockey players are now skating together asteammates on the ice as part of the LRHS Hockey Option.The vision of having the students of the two schools together began sometime last year, and talks were supposed to begin this year. However,when the devastating fire hit Lavigne and forced the students to attendclasses in the evening with no time for extra-curricular activities such ashockey practice, the coaches of the two schools grasped the opportunityto accelerate the discussions and organizational details. The interested Lavigne students joined LRHS Hockey Option students on theice with two coaches from LRHS and two coaches from Lavigne. And so was the beginning of a program where Lavigne and LRHSstudents played and learned together in both English and French.Rugby NewsSince its inception 5 years ago, LaurentianRegional’s Rugby Program has expanded,and evolved, to accommodate thetribulations associated with being aregional secondary school; a vast regionat that.Created in 2007 – 2008, four LRHS teachers decided to create aninexpensive, and sustainable, extra curricular sport where bothgenders could participate fully and equally in either a mixed, orseparated environment. Moreover, they wanted to promotemore personal, self-motivated success which would lead to a healthier environment to develop their potential. A major spin off hasbeen that many students have become more involved in their own learning and actively participate in their own success.Many of our students have gone on to CEGEP and continued to play. Some went on to play at university; a goal they set out for themselvesin order to graduate high school. In all, 8 of our players have gone on to either represent Quebec in U16 and U18 nationalcompetition, or in the National Championship itself. We are very proud of these students and know they have taken away greatmemories and lessons that will be passed down as they grow.Next school year, LRHS is planning on adding its second sports concentrationoption: Rugby. It will be open for any Cycle Two student interested inplaying a highly physical sport that will challenge their physical and cognitivewill power. By having such a course, we hope that our success will notonly continue, but grow with the year round training schedule and longerpractice sessions.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 48 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

What’s New at Arundel Nature and Science Centre?By: Kelly FaheyKym Pedicelli has joined Kelly Fahey – making the ANSC educational team.Since the fall, ANSC has been extremely busy with visits from our SWLSB schools. Studentsfrom Kindergarten to Secondary 5 and for the first time, Adult Education groups, have beenexploring their field research site comprised of 155 hectares of forest here at ANSC.More specifically, students have been learning about biodiversity, ecology, geology, animaltracking, native art, team building, orienteering, dog sledding, developing leadership skills andteam building, just to name a few, and of course, outdoor physical education skills such ascross-country skiing and snowshoeing all with an experiential educational approach. New thiswinter, we have an orienteering course; students have been developing their map and compassskills to negotiate their way cooperatively through the forest. We also have a trapper’stent where students learn about early Québec and Canadian History. In addition, we have hadguest speakers meeting with our students to discuss our region’s watersheds and local history.The WOTP (Work Oriented Training Path) groups have been working incredibly hard. JolietteHigh School WOTP students are using ANSC as a training centre to hone their catering skillswith the support of Sharon St-Maurice. Together they have fed many hungry students deliciousmeals. Lake of Two Mountains High School acts as support to ANSC by compiling digitalphotos and producing professional quality DVD memories for visiting schools with the supportof Jennifer Abrantes.Please check out our website www.natureandscience.ca for the latest programming and helpwith trip planning. Also, take some time to explore our Blog postings, link to blog is on ourmain website, a great site for students to visit for the latest science discoveries.Many thanks to the Caisse Populaire Desjardins for their very generous gift; we are putting it togood use. A pond research area has been created, an outdoor classroom has been refreshedand several resources have been acquired for all students to use while in the field. We alsohave Rocky and Beatrice! Who are they? You’ll just have to visit!Remember, there is one free bus per school, logging and programming are free! Book early tosecure your preferred dates as the ANSC 2012-2013 calendar is filling up quickly! To reserveyour group’s trip call ESD at 450 621-5600. Elementary schools please reserve with ElisabethRossi at ext. 1360 and Secondary schools please call Despina Mardas ext. 1425. Then ANSC willprovide a proposal which is in-line which is in-line with the QEP and linked in with your classprojects.We are looking forward to working with you at ANSC!www.natureandscience.caSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 49 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

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Lake of Two Mountains High Titans HockeySydney Guindon, Secondary 5LTMHS has always been very interested andcommitted to its sports programs. This year hasseen that commitment expand. A new team hasbeen created, the LTMHS Titans Hockey Team.The school has had hockey teams in the past andhas had plenty of tournaments during lunchhours in the gymnasium. But this is the first yearthat LTMHS has a registered team thatparticipates in tournaments outside of theschool.The team consists of about seventeen boys fromsecondary 3 to secondary 5. Although, LTMHS isthe only team in their division that does not have any female players, girls are definitely encouraged to join as theteam plays in a no-contact league.The season started back in November and will last until the end of February. Over that time, the Titans will haveplayed in three different tournaments, have had plenty of time for practice, and still have one tournament left inwhich to compete. The entire team is also involved with the hockey program that LTMHS now offers, which meansthat when they have hockey class, they head over to the Olympia rink and take advantage of that time to improveas a team. There are many students involved in the hockey program, but the students who are on the LTMHS Titansteam tend to take it much more seriously because they all have a profound love of the sport.The team is led by two coaches, who are also our Physical Education teachers: Mr. Drouin and Mr. Plourde. Afterspeaking to Mr. Drouin, I discovered that even though the team might not always have a positive outcome after agame, being a part of the team in and of itself has been a positive influence on each of the players. He thinks thatthis team is a great thing to add to LTMHS, and it also provides an amazing opportunity for the students who love toplay hockey. The coaches have not implemented strict rules to follow or a necessary grade average, but they dokeep a good eye on all the players. The team is well aware of this, so they tend to avoid any trouble and maintainaverage to high grades. He also added that all the players on the team are hard workers, and he loves to see all theeffort and even the improvements that have gone on in the past few months. He hopes to continue having anLTMHS Titans hockey team in the years to come. He adds that these boys have left pretty big shoes to fill, especiallythe secondary 5 students who will be graduating in the coming months.At the moment, LTMHS is ranked in 4 th place with one tournament left to go. We have confidence in the team, andwe hope that all of those dedicated hockey players are very proud of themselves.Brandon Bonspiel, Amory Benk, Chad Bobula, Jonathan Duquette, William Hunger, Mathieu Hurtubise, Mavrick Klimas, OlivierLoyer, Anthony Marandola, Vincent Perron, Marc Pompei, Brandon Rice, David Rotondo, Troy Salberg, Matthew Silins, SamuelSilins, Michael Wright.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 51 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Hooked on School Days at CDC Lachute!By C harlene O’Hanley, TeacherFrom February 13 - 17 th , the Lachute community membersjoined forces to support learners and their efforts to stay inschool. Many activities were planned but one that stood out atour centre was a lunch hour kiosque which provided communitysupport pamphlets (services offered in the community) andpraise for being at school. This event was sponsored by thetable de la perseverence scolaire, and was held in many schoolsin the area. Students were encouraged to about many agenciesavailable to them. The challenge of keeping learners in schoolcontinued through the week with the viewing of a ‘Stay inSchool!’ video, designed and created by our centre.CDC Vimont Students Welcome Visitors to Their ClassesBy: Nancy Sher, TeacherStudents were very fortunate in semester 2 to have had the opportunity to attend four very differentpresentations at our centre. All four provided our students with information and inspiration that willstay with them long after they graduate. What could be better than that?!On January 11, 2012, Tania Gravel spoke to my Drug and Alcohol Awareness class. Alexandra’s classwas also our guests on that day. Tania was just 8 months into her sobriety when she registered at CDC Vimont in the fall of2009, and subsequently graduated in the spring of 2010. Since then, she has worked at an in-patient rehab centre and aCHSLD, as well as attended university. Tania talked very candidly about the many influences and experiences that led to heraddictions. Her genuine and approachable manner allowed the students to see how a person could sink into the depths ofaddictions, and then rise above it. This was a most inspiring and emotional visit.A week later, on January 18, Giovanna Taddeo, an R.C.M.P. corporal, also attended my Drug and Alcohol Awareness class. TheR.C.M.P. has a drug awareness program designed for presentation to young adults, and Giovanna shared this with the class.She also engaged the students with up-to-the-minute information about the dangers of some of the new drugs that are onthe streets these days. Information that is so crucial for making positives choices in one’s life. Knowledge is power! Giovannaalso took the opportunity to talk to my students about careers in police tech. and the R.C.M.P. Considering that we have anumber of students each year interested in attending police technology programs, sharing her knowledge and experiencewas invaluable!Then, on January 26, Dr. Tarik Razek, chief of trauma at the Montreal General Hospital addressed my English class. Dr. Razekis a multi-faceted individual, who not only is a surgeon on the MGH trauma team, but also travels to third world countriesspending months of his time helping communities in dire need of medical attention. He also finds time to give back to his owncommunity by presenting workshops in schools in order to teach our youth about the many hazards out there in the world. Ina frank and very engaging presentation, he communicated vividly how, with knowledge and aforethought, a lot of accidentsthat befall humans, and in particular young adults, could be prevented. Information so important for ensuring a long life, well-lived!Tara Grenier, a first responder, also attended the workshop with Dr. Razek. With the use of a teaching dummy which wenamed “Sad Sam”, she showed the students how an injured person is cared for at the scene of an accident. She also inquiredas to who knows how to do CPR, and sadly, we discovered that most of us don’t know how. Using “Sad Sam” she showedeveryone how easy it is to do and encouraged us to learn how. This ultimately inspired some students to request that wehave a workshop on how to do CPR at our centre......a fabulous idea!As a result of the generosity of these four individuals, our students have been inspired to think about some of their actionsand choices and reflect on the impact these will have on their lives in the present and in the future. Knowledge is definitelypower!!!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 52 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Annual Ski Loppet atArundel Nature and Science CentreBy: Kym PedicelliThe Arundel Nature and Science Centre 2012Loppet was an absolute success! The weatherwas warm, making it ever more enjoyable.With 93 participants, 12 volunteers, a snowmobilesafety on hand, and even a SocieteQuebec police car, flares and all for the roadcrossing, it was a very exciting event. Theparticipating schools were Arundel Elementary,Sainte Adèle Elementary, Sainte AgatheAcademy, Morin Heights, LaurentianRegional High School and Laurentian Elementary.,Rawdon and McCaig. The loppet trail,approximately 7 km, meandered acrossfields, through the beautiful mixed forestalong the Rouge River and uphill to the ANSCproperty, finishing, once again along thefields, lined by lush hedgerows. After all ofthis, the volunteers reported that every studentwho came through the finish had asmile on their face, laughing and having agreat time. There was also so much supportamong classmates, staying together and encouragingeach other!Now we are setting our sights on our crosscountryrunning event on June 1 st !A heartfelt thank you to the volunteers whoattended; this event could not have happenedwithout you.From the ANSC teamFinal placements:Level 5 Girls1st Sarah Urness, Arundel Elementary2nd Nadia Gauvreau, Laurentian Elementary3rd Katie Heatlie, Laurentian ElementaryLevel 5 Boys1 st William Ward, Ste-Adèle Elementary2 nd Jake Chartier, Arundel Elementary3 rd Gabriel Jean, Ste-Adèle ElementaryLevel 6 Girls1 st Jasmine Millaire, Morin Heights Elementary2 nd Grace Bennett, Laurentian Elementary3 rd Jessy Hutchison, Ste-Adèle ElementaryLevel 6 Boys1 st Samuel Zukowsky, Ste-Agathe Academy2 nd Erik Giard, Ste-Agathe Academy3 rd Jacob Melis, Ste-Adèle ElementarySecondary Cycle 1 Girls1 st Jade Bergstaller, Ste-Agathe Academy2 nd Emily Bates, Laurentian Regional High3 rd Sabrina Beverly, Laurentian RegionalHighSecondary Cycle 1 Boys1 st Hugo Giard, Ste-Agathe Academy2 nd Jonathan Pedicelli, Laurentian RegionalHighSecondary Cycle 2 Girls1 st Estelle Lizotte, Laurentain Regional High2 nd Jodee Henry, Laurentian Regional HighSecondary Cycle 3 Boys1 st Chaz Taylor, Laurentian Regional High2 nd Andrew Mawdryk, Laurentian RegionalSchools with the top ranking students:Elementary School Girls1st Place - Arundel Elementary2nd Place - Laurentian Elementary3rd Place - Rawdon ElementaryElementary School Boys1 st Ste-Agathe Academy2 nd Ste-Adèle Elementary3 rd Arundel ElementarySecondary All Levels Boys and Girls1 st Laurentian Elementary2 nd Ste-Agathe AcademySIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 53 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Mira Puppy Joins Adult Education in LachuteBy: Shannon Gravelle KennedyTraining a puppy from the Mira foundation is such anhonour. Not only does it benefit the foundation andthe puppy, but the school as well. Mira is anon-profit organization that raises and trainsdogs. These dogs are trained to guide the visuallyimpaired and the handicapped.When the dogs are puppies, the foundation turns tothe public for their help. People apply to be fosterpuppy families. The families socialize the puppieseverywhere they go for one year. From the age ofeight weeks, until the puppy is one year old, he isbrought to public places such as work, stores, malls,restaurants, post offices, schools, to name a few. Thepuppies come with strict rules that the foundationasks the foster owners to follow. There are alsotraining sessions which are mandatory for thefamilies. Once the year is up, the dog is then brought back to the foundation where the dogs will have more trainingdone at the facility. Many people find it heart breaking to raise a puppy for a year, and then have to give it back. I, onthe other hand, am finding it to be an amazing and rewarding experience and know I am doing a service for mycommunity.I had many reasons for becoming a foster family for Mira, the most important being a personal one. After havingbattled cancer twice, and having a lung removed, my father once again needed to tell me some bad news. He waslosing his eyesight to glaucoma. This is when my search began to find someone, something, or just some way to helpmy father. Then I heard about the Mira Foundation. My father is not a man who will ask for help. He is independentand will stay that way for as long as he can. After looking into the foundation, I was disheartened to learn that myfather, for his personal reasons, decided not to have the dog. I was still intrigued by what the foundation does forpeople, but didn’t have the confidence in myself to get involved.Many years later, I found myself going back to school at the age of thirty two, a mother of three and stepmother ofthree! I had made a decision that I wanted to become a dog trainer at the same time. Attending both academic andtraining schools brought me out of my shell and gave me the confidence I have needed for many years. After taking ajob-search course, I was convinced that I was going to pursue the career that interests me and that I have an aptitudefor. I also knew that the Mira Foundation was still somehow going to be a part of my life.After sending in my resume, I had a call from the foundation. To become a trainer, I have to start at the bottom of theladder by taking a puppy for a year to foster. This is when Trio came into our lives. After seeing the struggles andchanges my father has gone through, I am more than proud to take on a puppy, raise him and send him off the be thebest service dog that he can be.I have now had the puppy for two weeks. I have to admit that I was not sure if I was going to be able to handle havinghim with me all of the time. I am still a bit shy when having to deal with the public. With the time that has gone by, Ihave come to realize what a worthwhile experience it is to have Trio in my life. Where ever I go, people seem to glowwhen they see the puppy. It seems to make their day that much brighter. I find it to be the same at the adult centre inLachute. So many students seem to be really happy to see Trio and to help out with him. Having the puppy in theschool has brought up people’s morale. Students are interested in the foundation and it is showing them that theyhave to be responsible about having a dog in the school if they want to keep Trio here. The students are happy to saythat they go to a school that supports such an important community service as Mira. You can call me crazy or even tryto tell me I am wrong, but I strongly believe that Trio coming into my life and into the life of the school is somethingthat is meant to be and it is nothing but GREAT !I am sending a big “Thank You” to Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board, Ms. Persechino, the director of CDC Lachute, as wellas all staff and students!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 54 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Mardi Gras at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary !Mr. Thevenot and Mrs.Abramovitch’s Grade 5students celebrated MardiGras and life in New Orleanson February 21 st . In the weeksleading up to Mardi Gras,students learned traditionalsongs such as Take Me To TheMardi Gras and made masks inthe traditional purple, greenand gold colours as well asother decorations for their classroom. Each student received a gift of Mardi Gras beads and doubloons andenjoyed a traditional Mardi Gras King Cake. They will be completing this experience with a special project onthe Mardi Gras Krewes of New Orleans.Mrs. Daniels and Mrs. Pedroni’s Kindergartenclasses also participated in celebrating MardiGras by making pancakes and masks.SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 55 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

Quand les élèves s’initient à la cuisineLe 20 février dernier, des élèves de l’école St-Jude,située à Deux-Montagnes, ont présenté à leurs parentsle résultat de sept semaines d’apprentissage encuisine. Avec la bourse de 2 500 $ remise par la compagnieHellmann’s, le programme de cuisine qui aété mis en place se poursuivra au printemps.«C’est un programme qui permet de sensibiliser desélèves à choisir de bons ingrédients, de connaître leGuide alimentaire canadien, en plus de mesurer, convertiret cuisiner des plats équilibrés et de s’ouvrir àde nouveaux ingrédients», d’expliquer la directricede l’école, Christyne Legault.Dans la salle étaient réunis de nombreux parents quiont pu admirer le savoir-faire en direct de leurs enfantsregroupés par cycle. Les plus jeunes ont cuisiné des petites pizzas sur des muffins anglais, ceux dudeuxième cycle ont préparé une salade de macaroni et les plus vieux une brochette de fruits.C’est la deuxième fois que l’école met en branle son programme de cuisine. La session qui vient de se termineravec Kristine Gambino sera suivie par une autre série de cours qui seront donnés en français, cette fois-ci, parMarie-Lou Ratté. Le programme s’étale sur huit semaines à raison d’une recette par semaine. La dernière estconsacrée à la démonstration de certains plats choisis.Les cours qui durent 75 minutes comprennent des enseignements sur l’hygiène, la manipulation des aliments,les techniques de cuisine et le lavage de vaisselle. «Nous avons même intégré des élèves en difficulté d’apprentissagedans les cours», de spécifier la directrice.Toutes les créations culinaires des élèves ont été dégustées par les invités présents. Un diaporama montraitd’ailleurs les recettes réalisées au cours des dernières semaines. «C’est un plaisir de voir les élèves préparer desaliments avec de la bonne nourriture», d’ajouter Christyne Legault.Nancy Brisson, parent d’une élève de cinquième année, est enthousiaste des résultats. Sa fille lui demandemaintenant pour l’aider, comme couper les légumes pour la sauce à spaghetti. «Elle a appris beaucoup de choses.Ils ont fait des recettes qu’on ne mange pas à tous les jours. C’est une bonne initiative. Ils peuvent faire lesrecettes eux-mêmes. Ils ont le plaisir de préparer un souper à la maison facilement, puis ils sont fiers d’eux.»Subvention de la compagnie Hellmann’sPublié le 24 Février 2012Corinne Guimont, journaliste, Journal l’ÉveilL’événement a aussi été l’occasion de remettre officiellement à l’école St-Jude un montant de 2 500 $ dans lecadre du Programme de subventions pour les vrais aliments, financé par la compagnie Hellmann’s. «C’est ladeuxième année que cette école reçoit une bourse dans le cadre de ce programme qui existe à travers le paysdepuis quatre ans. En 2011, c’est un montant de 110 000 $ qui a été octroyé pour aider à financer 24 projets», depréciser Danielle Delaney, de DDMG Communications pour Hellmann’s.Stephanie Cox, chef de marque principale chez Hellmann’s au Canada, a souligné, par voie de communiqué, lapertinence des 400 projets reçus dans le cadre de la subvention en 2011. «Les bénéficiaires de l’édition 2011 duprogramme font preuve de passion lorsqu’il s’agit de présenter de vrais aliments à leur communauté, et cettepassion est ce qui inspire Hellmann’s. Les vrais aliments sont – et devraient être – accessibles à tous.»Source: http://www.leveil.com/Actualites/2012-02-24/article-2906631/Quand-les-eleves-s&rsquoinitient-a-la-cuisine/1SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 56 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

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For more information:Daniel Johnsondjohnson@swlauriersb.qc.ca450-688-2911 ext.9045SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 58 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

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Need an energy boost? Sign up for the Health Challenge!Adopting a healthy lifestyle by eating at least 5 servings of fruits andvegetables per day and by doing physical activity regularly mayprevent health issues, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesityand certain cancers.The health of our employees is dear to us and we are proud topromote the 5/30 Health and Wellness Challenge. Embark on a fun,six-week health adventure and take concrete steps towards eatingbetter, getting more active, and taking better care of yourself. You’llget free support and, what’s more, you’ll be entered to win a numberof prizes with a total value of close to $20,000!On your own, with your family, or as a team, sign up atHealthChallenge.ca before March 1 st !Besoin d’énergie? Relevez le Défi Santé!L’adoption de saines habitudes de vie telles que manger au moins 5portions de fruits et légumes par jour et faire régulièrement de l’activitésphysique contribue à prévenir une panoplie de problèmes de santéà long terme, telles que les maladies cardiovasculaires, le diabète,l’obésité et certains cancers.La santé de nos employés nous tient à cœur et nous sommes fiers depromouvoir le Défi Santé 5/30 Équilibre. Pendant 6 semaines, passez àl’action pour votre santé dans le plaisir en accomplissant des gestesconcrets pour manger mieux, bouger plus et prendre soin de vous. Enplus d’obtenir du soutien gratuit, vous pourriez gagner l’un desnombreux prix, d’une valeur totale de près de 20 000 $!Seul, en famille ou en équipe, inscrivez-vous sur DefiSante.ca avantle 1 er mars!SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 60 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

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TICKETS ON SALE:MARCH 12, 2012SIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 62 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012

STUDENTS, TEACHERS, PARENTS! DO YOU HAVE A STORY?Please send it to us in Word format,All accompanying photos should be sent separately in jpeg. formatE-mail stories and pictures to:sokeeffe@swlauriersb.qc.ca450 621-5600 extension 1351The LAURIER NEWS is published four times a year by the:Communication Services DepartmentJoin us on Facebook to get the latest information about SWLSBwww.facebook.com/SWLSBSIR WILFRID LAURIER SCHOOL BOARD Page 64 VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 3 · March 2012