DON ROSS EAGLE
Mrs. C. Perkins, Principal Ms. L. Stare, Clerical Assistant Website: www.drs.bc.ca
September 4, 2009
Mr. R. Massey, Vice Principal Mrs. S. Franchini, Clerical Assistant Office tel: 604-898-3671
Welcome back everyone, Don Ross Secondary is up and running and ready to “Welcome the World”. This year we are embarking on a year-long journey to embrace diversity and honour the many places we all come from. We will be hosting visiting cultural groups from as near and far as Canada, the U.S.A., Africa, India and Great Britain. You will be hearing more about this from our Leadership and Interact students as the year progresses. In addition, the year is starting out with some clear directions around how to handle the H1N1 virus (a separate instructional package will be sent home with each child), increased promotion of a “family atmosphere” at school reinforcing the Code of Conduct and anti-bullying expectations of all our school community members, and lastly, and unfortunately, tightening of budgets. By the time you get this newsletter we will have had Photo Day, are getting ready for Grade assemblies and the Grade 8s now know their locker combos! Serious learning is underway and we all look forward to meeting our parents on October 1sr at Parent/Teacher/Student Night. More information will follow shortly. These meetings are to update parents on student accomplishments and areas of concerns to date. Please be aware that due to start-up assemblies, Photo Day, and rotating English and P.E. classes this year, some of your teens’ teachers have met your child less than ten times. However, relationships are what we do best at Don Ross and this is still a good opportunity to meet your child’s teacher and let them know your dreams and concerns for the year. We expect all our students to try their best, give back, and move and act with dignity and honour. Please be sure to be in contact with the school as often as possible. Again, we invite you to attend the PAC meeting in the Library on the 15th and see how you can get involved and be part of the successes at Don Ross. Everyone is welcome. If you have any concerns, I can be reached by email at cperkins@sd48.bc.ca or by phone at 898-3671. Sincerely, Christine Perkins Principal Don Ross Secondary
42091 Ross Road PO BOX 299 Brackendale, BC V0N 1H0 604-898-3671 tel / 604-898-4672 fax Email Address: 1st letter of their first name AND full lastname@sd48.bc.ca i.e. cperkins@sd48.bc.ca
School Goals
by School Planning Committee (SPC)
1. Improved Numeracy/ Mathematics for all students 2. Improved Information Communication Technology (ICT) Literacy Comprehension across the curriculum 3. Improved Social Responsibility for all students 4. Improved Health, Fitness, and Nutrition for all students
Apples and Berries and Plums...OH MY!
The foods room is interested in any homegrown produce you can offer. This time of year many gardens are overrun with fruit. Time to be bear aware and keep your yard free of temptation! If you can donate garden goodies, please contact our Foods Teachers, Ms. Gordon or Ms. Murachi in room 129.
P.A.C. Meetings at DRSS
PARENTS ADVISORY COUNCIL All parents/guardians are welcome to participate in the first PAC meeting which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15th, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. in the school library. See our Don Ross website for all PAC dates for the 2009/10 year.
STUDENT VERIFICATION FORMS To all of you that have already handed in, thank you! We would greatly appreciate any changes and/or additions to STUDENT CONTACT VERIFICATION FORMS to be sent to office ASAP. Thank you
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The next Julia Child?
Does your family make a killer Mac n’ Cheese? Then bring your recipe to our Parent/Teacher Night October 1st and will make sure your recipe is added to our Don Ross Staff and Student Cookbook. For further information contact Ms. Kinzel at her school; mkinzel@sd48.bc.ca Cookbooks will be on sale during event nights at the school this fall.
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CELL PHONES ARE PROHIBITED IN CLASSROOMS. WHEN CAN YOU USE THEM? During breaks and at lunchtime. Failure to follow cell phone guidelines will result in cell phones being confiscated and given to Mr. Massey. They will not be returned to you until Mr. Massey has spoken to you and not until the end of the day. No exceptions! YOU CANNOT PHOTOGRAPH or RECORD any other STUDENTS OR STAFF without permission. This may also result in confiscation. DURING EXAMS AND ASSEMBLIES, electronic devices are not allowed. LOST OR STOLEN items will be the responsibility of student owner.
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Got Shoes?
Just a reminder to all the students that proper athletic shoes are required for P.E. class extra activities. Have some respect for your feet! They take a beating each and every day so make sure you have they are properly protected. Skateboard shoes are NOT ideal for P.E. activities often the laces are not tied and can often promote injury. Don Ross P.E. Department
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MATH DEPARTMENT with Ms. Henderson
Students taking Math this semester should be doing 1/2 hour to one hour of homework per day. Even if a student is "caught up" they should spend one 1/2 hour per day on review. Our Math room is open Mondays and Wednesdays at lunch with Mr. Fernandes and Tuesdays and Thursdays with Mrs. Henderson. All Math students are welcome in the Math study rooms at lunch regardless if their own teacher is there or not. To reach your child's Math teacher simply e-mail their first initial, followed by last name @sd48.bc.ca. Keep in touch. It is critical that your child not get behind. mhenderson@sd48.bc.ca
Student Leadership
Making a difference!
This year’s Student Leadership class is excited about all the ways they can make Don Ross an even better school this year. They met as a group before the first day of school to discuss how they could help welcome our new students to Don Ross. The Leadership class was then out in force on the first day of school to help our new grade 8 students find their classes and get into their lockers! The Leadership class volunteers their time weekly to help the school in any way they can. They help with pizza sales, special events like photo day, our recycling program, assemblies and even read the daily announcements over the PA. Many thanks to these students, who are providing a positive service to their school community. Upcoming events sponsored by the Leadership Class are: A Welcome Back Hot Dog BBQ during the second week of school (weather dependent), The Terry Fox Run on September 17th, a District Virtues Conference (Hosting) September 22nd, Our Parent Teacher Conferences October 1st and our first dance on October 15th.
PIZZA SALES & NUTRITION BREAK SALES
Please be aware due to the increase of costs to our school. Pizza, Milk and Cookie prices will increase as well: NEW PRICES EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY Pizza $2.00 Milk $1.00 Cookie $1.00 Please note all proceeds do stay in our school to reduce the cost of Yearbooks.
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Sports Talk with Mr. Massey
Don Ross Athletics this Month: We are starting up another great year in athletics at Don Ross. We encourage all of our students to get involved in extracurricular activities at the school and being part of a sports team is a great way to do just that. This fall, we will offering the following: volleyball, XC-running, mountain biking (fall rides) and our climbing club. Listen to the announcements to find out when each sport is starting up or talk to Mr. Massey.
Mountain Bike Team
Our mountain bike team will start riding this fall. The fall rides are casual and open to everyone. A great opportunity to stay fit and healthy, make new friends, discover new trails and improve you mountain bike skills. You don't have to be a racer to join the fall rides, but if you would like to race in the spring you should come to at least one fall ride. All you need is a bike with front and back brakes and a helmet. See Mr. Gendron for the paperwork or contact him ogendron@sd48.bc.ca for more information.
Subway and Sushi
SUBWAY and SUNRISE SUSHI are back for Wednesdays again this year. Thanks to the overwhelming success last year, we will once again make these delicious options available for Wednesdays at lunch. Proceeds go toward our outstanding Bike Team. See Mr. Gendron for further details if needed. ogendron@sd48.bc.ca
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10 ways to improve your reading by Ms. Kinzel
Top Ten Ways to Improve Reading Skills
Here is a list of ways to help your children become more effective readers. 1. Set aside a regular time to read to your children every day. Studies show that regularly reading out loud to children will produce significant gains in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the decoding of words. Whether your children are preschoolers or preteens, it will increase their desire to read independently. 2. Surround your children with reading material. Children with a large array of reading materials in their homes score higher on tests. Tempt your kids to read by having a large supply of appealing books and magazines at their reading level. Put the reading materials in cars, bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms, and even by the TV. 3. Have a family reading time. Establish a daily 15 to 30 minute time when everyone in the family reads together silently. Seeing you read will inspire your children to read. Just 15 minutes of daily practice is sufficient to increase their reading fluency. 4. Encourage a wide variety of reading activities. Make reading an integral part of your children's lives. Have them read menus, roadside signs, game directions, weather reports, movie time listings, and other practical everyday information. Also, make sure they always have something to read in their spare time when they could be waiting for appointments or riding in a car. 5. Develop the library habit. Entice your children to read more by taking them to the library every few weeks to get new reading materials. The library also offers reading programs for children of all ages that may appeal to your children and further increase their interest in reading. 6. Be knowledgeable about your children's progress. Find out what reading skills they are expected to have at each grade level. The school's curriculum will give you this information. Track their progress in acquiring basic reading skills on report cards and standardized tests. 7. Look for reading problems. Teachers do not always detect children's reading problems until they've become serious. Find out if your children can sound out words, know sight words, use context to identify unknown words, and clearly understand what they read. 8. Get help promptly for reading problems. Reading problems do not magically disappear with time. The earlier children receive help, the more likely they will become good readers. Make sure your children receive necessary help from teachers, tutors, or learning centers as soon as you discover a problem. 9. Use a variety of aids to help your children. To help your children improve their reading, use textbooks, computer programs, books-on-tape, and other materials available in stores. Games are especially good choices because they let children have fun as they work on their skills. 10. Show enthusiasm for your children's reading. Your reaction has a great influence on how hard they will try to become good readers. Be sure to give them genuine praise for their efforts.
A library is a hospital for the mind.
~ Anonymous ~
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Soccer Talk with Mrs. Geller
Squamish Youth Soccer Association is organizing 3 upcoming referee courses. A great part-time job that keeps you fit at the same time! Adults are welcome also to these courses. • Small Sided course to run Fri. Sept. 25. Details and registration at www.squamishsoccer.ca. Minimum age: 12 Entry-Level (formerly Level 5) course to run Thurs. Sept. 24, 6-10 pm, Fri. Sept. 25 9 4 pm, Sat. Sept. 26 9 - 2 pm. Registration through BC Soccer : https://ssl.hammersoccer.com/bcsa/ereferee/RefereeClinics.asp) Minimum age: 14. Referee refresher course (required yearly) to run Sat. Sept. 26, 2-5 pm. Registration through BC Soccer here: https://ssl.hammersoccer.com/bcsa/ereferee/RefereeClinics.asp
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Mrs. Diana Geller can be contacted for more information at dgeller@sd48.bc.ca
WB Ski and Snowboard Passes
Whistler Blackcomb Ski and Snowboard Pass Forms are available in the office. They have been stamped with our school stamp and are ready for you to fill in. Please return your applications directly to Whistler Blackcomb ~ not to Don Ross Secondary. Pass Admin Fax 1.604.938.7527 passadmin@intrawest.com
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JAZZ BAND
The Jazz Band with Mr. Thomson will be starting Wednesday September 9th. Please see Mr. Thomson for details.
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Mondays after school until 4:00 p.m. Wednesday mornings at 7:30 a.m.
THE SOUND YOUTH CHORUS
New to Squamish and Sea-to-Sky, The Sound Youth Chorus is a non-profit, a capella, auditioned community choir for girls aged 13-18. See Mr. Thomson for details.
Don Ross Band Concert
Keep your calendars free to attend our Fall and Christmas band concert this fall. Both concerts will be in the MPR and all welcome to attend. Parents, siblings and grandparents. Each concert will run from 7:00pm - 8:00pm. We can’t wait for you to hear us.
⇒ Thursday Oct 29 Fall Concert ⇒ Monday Dec 14. Christmas Concert ⇒
See you there!
Book Donations to Library
If you have any gently used books that are suitable for the Don Ross Library please see Ms. Wilson-Hughes or Mrs. Hoskin in the Library. We appreciated anything you may want to donate. Thank you, Don Ross Readers
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French Immersion News
Did you know that there is almost 10 million Canadians who speak French. 325 000 students are learning in French and almost 40 000 in British-Columbia alone. Wow! And the numbers keep growing every year.
Informative evening for French Immersion parents The French Department would like to invite you to an evening of information on Sept 23rd at 7:00pm in room 248 at l’Ecole Secondaire Don Ross. As promised last Spring, Madame St-Pierre would like to present a workshop on How can parents help their child with his/her homework? Trip Trip Trip Madame St-Pierre is willing to organize a trip to Paris and Tunisie for Spring 2010. All interested French Immersion 8 and 9 are invited to participate. I would like to know if there is interest. Please email me at mst-pierre@sd48.bc.ca if you are interested and would like to be put on my mailing list.
Thank you!
Dear Emily Bent, Thank you so much for taking such good care of me over the summer. I loved the way you rubbed my shell and allowed me to just sit and contemplate my thoughts. You’re a true friend. Miz Shelby Turtle Friend Extraordinaire
Hidden Treasures?
We have some amazing art students this year, and we're hoping to give them lots of fun projects to do, but we could use your help. We are always looking ordinary objects in which to create masterpieces mirror pieces, small boxes, jewelry, stationary, even toothpaste boxes are welcome. Ms. Riley can be reached at 604-898-3671 and kriley@sd48.bc.ca.
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Black Tusk Hike - Grade 9’s
Twenty lucky students will spend three days exploring the alpine area around Black Tusk. The trip will be from September 23 to 25 and will be hosted by Mr. Biln and Ms. Henderson. Applications are on a first come first served basis and the applications received will be numbered in sequence of returned, completed forms to office. Deadline for applications is Wednesday September 9th at 8:15 a.m. and the cost for this trip will be $75.00. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact dbiln@sd48.bc.ca or mhenderson@sd48.bc.ca.
Recycling Crew and Weekly Clean up
Keeping school grounds clean is a challenge for any school. Last year our students did an excellent job keeping the school looking great with a weekly cleanup program. We will continue to do this each Thursday for minutes when once class in the school will clean the grounds. Social responsibility is promoted and will show students they need to be aware of garbage around the school, their community and how they can change their environment with responsible practices. Student Leadership will be our Recycling Crew this year. Follow some simple tips. ⇒ Bottle recycle—take off caps before ⇒ Straws—must be removed ⇒ Find a garbage or recycling drop before you use the ground
“What we are living with is a result of human choices and it can be changed by making better, wiser choices” -Robert Redford, Actor & Environmentalist
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Terry Fox and his Marathon of Hope
Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and raised in Port Coquitlam, B.C. An active teenager involved in many sports, Terry was only 18 years old when he was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma (bone cancer) and forced to have his right leg amputated 15 centimetres (six inches) above the knee in 1977. While in hospital, Terry was so overcome by the suffering of other cancer patients, many of them young children, that he decided to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He would call his journey the Marathon of Hope. It was a journey that Canadians never forgot. An entire nation was stunned and saddened. Terry passed away on June 28, 1981 at the age 22. The heroic Canadian was gone, but his legacy was just beginning. To date, more than $400 million has been raised worldwide for cancer research in Terry's name through the annual Terry Fox Run, held across Canada and around the world.
The Don Ross Terry Fox Run will take place Thursday September 17th 2009.
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DON ROSS SECONDARY
UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 2009
7 9 10 15 17 23—25 Labour Day (school closed) OL Fundraiser Meeting Black Tusk Parent Meeting PAC Meeting in Library 7:00 p.m. Terry Fox Run Black Tusk Hike for Grade 9
OCTOBER 2009
1 12 13 15 21 23 29 Early Dismissal 1:36 p.m. Parent Teacher Meetings (More information to follow) Thanksgiving Day (school closed) HEC/TEC Comp 8 Rotation Change PAC Meeting / Elections (13) 7:00 p.m. Library School Dance Photo Retakes Pro D Day (school closed) Fall Band Concert MPR 7:00 p.m.
NOVEMBER 2009
1 10 11 18 Daylights Saving Time Ends Remembrance Day Assembly Remembrance Day (school closed) Report Cards Mid-Term mailed out
CONTACT US: lstare@sd48.bc.ca sfranchini@sd48.bc.ca
Please make sure we have an email address for you. Send any new or updated addresses to us ASAP. Go green. Go green. Go green. Thanks you, Ms. Stare and Ms. Franchini
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