Hello all and welcome to Week 4!  Among the many exciting events that will happen this week will be entering the month of October and celebrating this month’s virtue - Gratitude.  The quote of the month comes from Psalm 118:24,

 

This is the day, the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad.

 

Before I mention this week’s events, we must rejoice in the many activities that made us glad last week.

 

Thanks to all staff for helping make the transition to our Days 1 – 10 schedule appear effortless to the students.  We realize that work needs to be done in the halls to ensure students make the most of their time.  Antonella and Liz are doing a great job of focusing on problem areas but vigilance in our “adopted-areas” will do much to improve the unnecessary loitering.

 

Derek and his team of student volunteers did a superb job of orchestrating the entire school through Yearbook, ID Badges and TTC photos.  The ID Badges and lanyards have arrived and distribution will occur in the near future.

 

Our Grade 12 PHE students had an enjoyable and mostly dry camping trip to Sandbanks Provincial Park.  The group arrived back on Wednesday with many stories to share and thankfully none involving any bears.  Thanks to Tony, Fred, Meghan, Mike K. and Keith for giving of their time to allow our students to have this most worthwhile experience.

 

Our Opening School Mass was extra special thanks to Mary Louise, Peter and the great weather.  Fr. Dave gave us much to think about and George, Santo, and Andrea certainly reminded us of how blessed we are to be at Ward.

 

Thanks to the Student Council moderators, Michelle Albert, Mary-Lynn, and Sandra who ran on overdrive this week with the Grade 9 elections, Barbeque and “Q” activities.  The 3 on 3 basketball competition heated up the gym but those of us who experienced John’s make-shift dunk tank felt adequately refreshed.  Thanks to all of you who “willingly” succumbed to the cheers of the crowd and entered the contraption.  It really was for a good cause and worthy of getting a little wet.  Your hair still looked great, Wendy.

 

The Steering Committee members had their first meeting on Wednesday and had much to discuss, consider and suggest.  I look forward to a very productive year.

 

We are extremely grateful to Kara, Mary Louise, and Dana for their leadership with the Gr. 9 Sleepover and Camp Robin Hood day.  The energy, enthusiasm, and excitement that the three of you, along with the many staff volunteers and student leaders generated in our grade nine students, will hopefully stay with them throughout their years at Ward.  I hope you all managed to catch up on your sleep and enjoyed a relaxing weekend.  You certainly earned it!

 

Thirteen of our 2009 Graduates have won the Province’s Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarships.  Congratulations to Taraneh Azadeh, Kirk-Hai Chau, Christopher Choi, Elsa Chu, Emily Cockell, Robyn Laplante, Vincent Lee, Tsz Chun Leung, Henry Lin, Roxanne Melliza, Stuart Pritchard, Latisha Walter, and Carrie Wong.  This is a program of the Ontario Government that rewards students who graduate with top marks in their high school, and who plan to continue their studies at an Ontario college or university.  Students who maintain an 80 per cent average at the postsecondary level can receive these scholarships, which are worth up to a maximum of $3500 per year, for up to four years in total.  Congratulations to these students TAs, subject teachers, and guidance counsellors for helping them achieve this status.

 

Our TA Review Meetings begin this week.  All TAs should take some time to review students’ credit counselling summaries.  A reminder that accurate Gr. 9 credit counselling summaries are in your mailboxes and you are asked to return the inaccurate summaries to the main office.  Thanks to Violet, Nicole Powell and the “powers that be” at the Board, for their persistence and patience with the issues we encountered with Web Marks.  Please be kind and patient with Nicole who has taken on the Web Marks portfolio on top of her full teaching load.  All TAs are asked to connect with their SBAT Guidance Counsellors about meeting times with administration to discuss your advisees.

 

On Monday, we have two groups leaving Ward for northern adventures. 

 

The Gr. 11 PHE classes will travel to Sibbald Point Provincial Park for their Outdoor Educational Experience.  The students along with Fred, Tony, Meghan, Keith, and Nicole Powell will depart Ward at 10 a.m. and return by 2 p.m. on Wednesday.  Anne Marie and Maureen McAndrew will make guest appearances on Tuesday night. 

 

The Gr. 10 ACES students will travel to Muskoka for some academic and recreational activities.  Marion, Sylvia, Mike and Jen Hayes will accompany these students departing at 9 a.m. on Monday and returning at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

 

You will all be in our thoughts as we wish you warm, dry and sunny weather for your outdoor adventures.

 

Violet and Derek will be out on Monday at a Vice Principal workshop at St. Bonaventure Church hall focusing on Nurturing our Catholic Community through Word, Worship and Witness.

 

Amy Tsang and members of the Religion dept. are taking a bus of Gr. 10 students to the 25^th Anniversary of the Peace Garden Celebration at Nathan Phillips Square on Tuesday.  The group will depart Ward at 11 a.m.  Our school will be one of many TCDSB and other schools celebrating this event with our Director Ann Perron, Mayor David Miller and Guest Speaker Justin Trudeau. 

 

Kathy Saran and Patrick’s extra help sessions for Grade 9 students continue Tuesday after school with a focus on TA interviews.  Please encourage your advisees to attend.

 

Thursday is Meet the TA Night!  The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with a general welcome and presentation in the cafetorium prior to individual sessions with TAs in their set meeting areas.  Please ensure Violet has your correct TA location.  A detailed memo outlining procedures for TAs will follow.

 

We will have our third WARD day on Friday with guest speaker Michael Consul leading our students through a working session of the 7 Habits of a Highly Effective Teenager.  The presentation will last 2 hours with half the students attending the morning session and half the students attending the afternoon session.  A detailed schedule will follow.

 

Thanks to all staff who have submitted their Annual Learning Plan (ALP).  If you have not done so, please ensure this form is completed and submitted by October 15.  The ALP can be found on the Teacher Performance Appraisal (TPA) website on the Board’s Intranet.  When you enter this site you will see your evaluation year identified according to the 5 year cycle.  Those staff in their Evaluation Year will receive an email this week inviting you to participate in the TPA in-service at 3 p.m. on October 6. 

 

That’s all folks.

 

Have a great week!