Golden Receives Guitars

Golden Avenue Public School has expanded its music program with the addition of 15 new guitars. Students from grades 6 to 8 will benefit from learning to play guitar, bass guitars and various percussion instruments. The approach of learning music by contemporary means will allow students to relate to more modern day music styles. Students have already begun taking advantage of additional support time provided at recess and after school.

Students graduating from Golden Avenue, who are attending high school in the Fall, have already been approached to help with next year's after school music program. They will be able to gain valuable experiences and volunteer hours towards the acquisition of their high-school diploma. G.A.P.S. takes great pride in providing students with the tools to succeed!

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Junior Family Literacy Night at EPS

Englehart Public School recently hosted a Junior Family Literacy Night for students, parents, and other guests. Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 ran a reading conference with their parents to celebrate their improvements in reading and writing. Student groups modelled literature circle group discussion meetings for their parents to observe. Guests were also introduced to the SMARTboard and completed anonymous opinion polls about literacy using the SMART response clickers. Classroom teachers Cassandra Jenkins and Jennifer West discussed the importance of families in helping our children to become more literate and critical thinkers. Special Education Resource Teacher Holli Archer ran a Guided Reading session and had students demonstrate the use of assistive technology, such as Kurzweil and Dragon Naturally Speaking using a SMARTboard. Music Teacher, Tammy Card, also invited parents to come to her music room to celebrate the writing students have been doing during music class. Educational Assistants attended the celebration night in order to demonstrate some assistive technology in the classroom. Attendance draws were held and many books were given away as prizes. Students were also encouraged to bring in their used books for the evening's book exchange. The night was a huge success with over 100 people attending throughout the night. Thanks to Superintendent Jo-Anne Plaunt who attended.

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IFPS Student Wins Poster Contest

Bradie Peever, a grade 3 student at Iroquois Falls Public School, has won the annual Royal Canadian Legion Poster Contest at the district level. Bradie, whose poster won in the Primary category, will now proceed to the the Provincial competition. Congratulations and good luck Bradie!

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Students Celebrate Robbie Burns Day

Students from Charlton-Savard Public School had the opportunity to go to Elk Lake Public School on January 25th to celebrate Robbie Burns Day.It was a great day with students experiencing "Scottish pizza", oat squares, triffle and "haggis". The ceremony to pipe in the haggiswith Mr. Mark Milton of Elk Lake Public School, the Englehart Pipe Band and Mr. Kelly Church of the Englehart Pipe Band was definitely a highlight of the day. Demonstrations of Highland Dancing with Mrs. Ruel and students of Charlton-Savard Public School were enjoyed and students of Elk Lake Public School performed "Strip the Willow". We were honoured to have Board Trustee Mr. Brookfield and Superintendent of Schools Mrs. Plaunt join us for our celebration. It was a fun day!

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MP Charlie Angus Visits Elk Lake PS

Timmins - James Bay M.P. Charlie Angus paid a visit to Elk Lake Public School recently. He spoke to students about trustworthiness and reliability – the school's character focuses for January. He further explained that his job was to work for the people of the Timmins - James Bay riding, and how these virtues are very important in his job. He discussed the campaign Shannen's Dream, which was started by the dream of T.D.S.S. student Shannen Koostachin to have safe and comfortable schools for First Nations children.

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Reading Buddies at Elk Lake PS

Elk Lake Public School has a great reading program called "Reading Buddies" — where older students 'pair-up' with younger students and read to them. It has helped to create a love of reading for our students.

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TDSS Battle of the Blades

The Grade 12 Leadership Class from Timiskaming District Secondary School hosted a "Battle of the Blades" event on January 11th. The community and school gathered at the New Liskeard arena for the event, which featured 10 local Midget "AAA" hockey players paired with 10 outstanding female figure skaters. The students raised over one-thousand dollars. The money was used to purchase a memorial plaque, while the rest was donated to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

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IFPS Students Win Free Throw Championship

On Saturday, January 15th, Basketball Free Throw Champions from Iroquois Falls Public School competed in our local Free Throw Championship organized by the Knights of Columbus. Haley Gelinas, 11, and Tamara Langlois, 10, competed and placed first in their divisions.

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Field Trip For Bridges Students

Students from the Bridges program of District School Board Ontario North East recently went on a trip to the Elk Lake Eco-Resource Centre. They did a great deal of work in preparation for the trip and worked hard to raise money by selling poinsettias; with half the funds raised being donated to the Englehart Hospital Clinic. The kids had the most amazing experience. For some of them it was their very first time staying away from home. The students participated in leadership and self-esteem activities, and team building exercises, while having many opportunities to have fun. They went snowshoeing, tobogganing and ice fishing. They also prepared their own meals and tidied up. It was a very enriching and rewarding experience for all of them.

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Zumba at Flora Mac

Students from the Grade 4 to 6 dance program at Flora MacDonald Public School recently had a blast as the school played host to a Zumba fitness teacher. Thanks to all who participated!

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Skype Session with Dutch Students

A group of English students at Timmins High & Vocational School went "global" on January 13th by hosting a Skype session with Grade 9 students at Niftarlake College in Utrecht, Holland. It was an exciting session for both groups of students. The Dutch students, who say they think of snow and hockey when they think of Canada, learned a few things about our country with the discussion ranging from the age students can get their driver's licence to Tim Hortons coffee!

This club developed from email correspondence between Allison Timmins, an English teacher at TH&VS, and Joyan Pompier, a teacher at Niftarlake College. TH students were partnered with Niftarlake students, and together they have been corresponding on a website to help improve their language skills. The website is an international language forum that contains postings from all over Europe.

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TDSS Supports M.A.D.D.

Students from the Health & Wellness class at Timiskaming District Secondary School recently helped pack groceries along with members of the Timiskaming District Emergency Medical Services Program and the OPP Auxiliary. The event was in support of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Helping from TDSS were teacher Thomas McLean and students Brittany Ager, Alyssia Odo, Megan Robertson and Allie Savoie.

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Spreading Christmas Cheer at Cochrane PS

Cochrane Public School was busy spreading Christmas cheer during the month of December. On December 16th, staff and volunteers were busy preparing for their first-ever family turkey dinner. Over 550 students and their families attended the lunch to share a traditional turkey dinner. Other holiday activities included an afternoon of songs, skits and poems at a Christmas Concert on December 20th. The school's annual food and toy drive was once again a huge success with all items collected being delivered to the Cochrane Food Bank on December 21st.

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TDSS Vocal Ensemble

The Voiceover Vocal Ensemble from Timiskaming District Secondary School visited New Liskeard Public School on December 20th for a performance and carol sing. The results were truly magical! After their performance, members of the choir dispersed and joined the elementary students for spirited Christmas carols.

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Christmas Concert at JHKPS

Staff and students at Joseph H. Kennedy Public School organized and delivered a Christmas Concert to be remembered! Parents and members of the community were treated to a bilingual concert full of songs, skits, dances, videos, and even a special surprise from staff members. The concert opened with the Grades 4-8 French Immersion classrooms showing a video they created of themselves performing the song, Moi, J'aime Skier. This was quickly followed by such numbers as: Bonhomme, Bonhomme, Sais-Tu Jouer?, Santa Had Some Little Elves, 12 Days of Christmas and such skits as Santa Cows. The concert wrapped up with a slideshow and a special "Christmas Rap Video" delivered by our staff.

A special thank you to Jaden and Robert for being our Mistress and Master of Ceremonies. The school would like to extend a special thank you to everyone for their donations in support of the local food bank. We collected a total of 169 items. A special thank you to staff and students for organizing such a great performance!

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Christmas in Mexico!

Mrs. Lafontaine's Grade 1/2 class at Diamond Jubilee Public School in Kapuskasing recently finished a unit of study on traditions and celebrations from around the world. This year, their study took them to Mexico where they learned the way of life of the Mexican People. Through art, music and language, students learned many different traditions and celebrations. To bring the unit to an end, students made Mexican Ponchos and Pinatas. They also celebrated with a Mexican Feast of Tacos! A special thank you to Mrs. Clark, Mrs. Coombs and Miss Avery for cooking the delicious tacos!

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Christmas Read Alouds at JHKPS

Staff and a few community members pooled-together to organize our yearly Christmas Read Alouds at Joseph H. Kennedy Public School in Matheson. All classrooms were subdivided into smaller groups and had the opportunity to listen to favourite stories from three staff members. A special thank you to Mayor Mike Milinkovich and Miss Bette from Brighter Futures for volunteering to read stories to our students. Whether listening to such stories as It's Christmas David by David Shannon, The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg or Porcupine in a Pine Tree by Werner Zimmermann and Helaine Becker, students had a great time.

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ESCHS Participates in Food Drive

On December 15th, staff and students of École Secondaire Cochrane High School participated in the 5th Annual Cochrane Cares Food Drive. After collecting a substantial amount of food, all enjoyed a lunch followed by a concert featuring many talented students. A huge thanks to all!

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Turkey Lunch at Smooth Rock Falls SS/PS

The students and staff at Smooth Rock Falls Secondary School worked very hard on December 16th and 17th to make our 6th Annual Turkey Lunch a great success. Each year, students and staff dedicate hours to ensure that the meal is just perfect and that those in attendance have a pleasant, festive experience. The cafeteria is decorated, tables are set up, a holiday playlist is created, signs and posters are put up, and the food is prepared with care; all starting at 6:00 am! This year, there were so many people in attendance, that two settings were necessary. Secondary students and members of the community were invited to the 11:30 am setting, while the Elementary students and their families were invited to the 1:00 pm setting.

This year's lunch was a little different than previous years as there was no charge for the meal, however, donations for the local Lions Club Holiday Food Drive were requested. This proved to be a huge success. Members of the community were extremely generous as this year's food drive brought in more food than in recent years. We would like to thank the members of both the Lions and Lioness clubs for all their hard work throughout the holiday season to collect, wrap, sort and deliver gifts and food to those in need in Smooth Rock Falls. We would also like to thank Mr. Rochon and Ms. Bechard for volunteering their time to sort the non-perishable items!

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Christmas Activities at FPKWPS

December is a busy time at Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School. All JK to Grade 8 students and staff worked tirelessly to present a wonderful Christmas concert to our families and friends. Our Grade 7/8 Band, Grade 5/6 Recorder Group, and Choir visited the local Senior's Homes to provide entertainment during this festive season. Students were invited to a free turkey lunch with all the fixings put on by the Parent Volunteer Group. A visit from Santa, school carolling, a food drive, and a 2010 year-end assembly brings December to a close and starts a restful break to begin a busy start to 2011.

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Christmas Activities at Schumacher PS

Staff and students at Schumacher Public School recently celebrated the holiday season with plenty of activities. On Wednesday, December 15th, staff and students were treated to a fabulous turkey lunch that was made possible by the help of volunteers and the many donations received. Thanks to Trustee Bob Brush who stopped by to help serve lunch. After lunch, students in the primary classes visited with Santa Claus to share their wishes. On Thursday, December 16th, the school presented their Christmas concert with the primary classes presenting "Christmas in Candy Cane Land" to a packed house of parents and friends. Students and staff did a fantastic job at wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

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Megan's Mission Fundraiser

The goal of Megan's Mission is to raise $45,000 to purchase toys for needy children in Timmins this Christmas. R. Ross Beattie Senior Public School recently held a cookie bake sale and sports jersey fundraiser in support of Megan's Mission. One dollar was donated for every student and staff member that dressed up for the day in their favourite sports team. Founder Megan Rowe and her talented team of volunteers raised over $400 for the worthy cause.

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Holiday Concert at Iroquois Falls PS

All the right notes were hit at Iroquois Falls Public School recently as their Holiday Concert was presented on December 16th. The climax of the show was the entire school singing "The Song of Peace". A joyous holiday season and all the best for the new year from all students and staff at Iroquois Falls Public School!

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Learning Fun at JHKPS

Mrs. Maynard's Grade 4/5 students and Mrs. Macleod's JK and SK students recently joined together for a day full of learning fun at Joseph H. Kennedy Public School. Students had the opportunity to work on a variety of activities such as a drama representation of a different version of the traditional story "The Gingerbread Man" by Jim Aylesworth and Barbara McClintock. Students worked in multi-grade groups, prepared their props and delivered their story to various classrooms. Students also had the opportunity to create and decorate gingerbread cookies and houses. They also rotated through a variety of stations that supported them in their literacy and numeracy skills.

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Science Fair at Kerns PS

Students in Grades 4 to 8 at Kerns Public School recently took part in a Science Fair hosted at the school. Using the Scientific Method, students completed experiments on various curricular components. Along with the opportunity to see various projects demonstrated, younger students also had the opportunity to try several hands-on science activities. The fair was attended by the whole school, as well as parents.

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JHKPS Rocks Christmas Parade

Students at Joseph H. Kennedy Public School in Matheson totally rock! On December 3rd, they put in a float for the Matheson Dasher Dayz Celebration. School Council, staff, students and community members helped prepare and organize the float and participated in the parade. The theme was a Rock and Roll Christmas, so the school decided on a Charlie Brown Music theme.

A special thank you to the Dambrowitz family for allowing the school the use of their shed to decorate and store the float. Thanks as well to the Tremblay family for their truck, float and driver!

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RMSS Wins United Way Challenge

Roland Michener Secondary School was the big winner at the annual United Way Youth Challenge — an annual spirit and cheer competition between the five high schools in the Timmins area. The school "went tribal" to win the Best Overall award at the event held at RMSS on December 8th. The event raises money for the Porcupine United Way by collecting a $5 entry fee from each participant. When all was said and done, $1,900 was raised!

• View photos from United Way Challenge
• Read The Daily Press article from December 9th

Hot Lunch Served to Students at NLPS

Staff at New Liskeard Public School gave thanks to all their students on December 9th by serving up a hot lunch. Over 400 students were fed a traditional turkey dinner with all the fixings. Sue Knight spearheaded this event and students were extremely grateful for a hot lunch. NLPS staff want to wish everyone a very happy holiday!

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New Board Welcomed at Inaugural Meeting

District School Board Ontario North East welcomed three new trustees at the Board's Inaugural Board Meeting held on Tuesday evening. Bob Brush, Wayne Major and Doug Shearer (newly elected trustees) took the oath of office along with returning trustees. Director of Education, Linda Knight, congratulated all trustees, while stating she looked forward to working with them. Saunders Porter has been re-elected Chair of the Board, while Rosemary Pochopsky has been re-elected Vice-Chair.

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Breakfast With Santa at Bertha Shaw PS

On Sunday, December 5th, Bertha Shaw Public School held a "Breakfast for Santa". Although it's a very busy time of the year for Santa, students and staff were very thankful that he was able to put some time aside to join them for pancakes. Over 250 students and family members enjoyed a delicious breakfast. Each child was provided with the opportunity to sit on Santa's lap, have a "secret" chat with him and then have their picture taken. It was a great family event and a wonderful way to celebrate the upcoming holiday season!

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Science North Visits New Liskeard PS

Students from New Liskeard Public School were treated to an interactive experience in the Portable Science North Planetarium this week. Students went into the gigantic bubble and were treated to a 3D show of our solar system. Ashley Larose from Science North explained the universe, our planet and solar system. All students were in awe of this experience and could not get enough of this interactive opportunity. Each year New Liskeard Public School invites Science North to come to their school so that all students can experience firsthand the wonderful world of science through the eyes of Science North.

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Charlton-Savard PS Volleyball Team Wins Tournament

The Boys' Volleyball team from Charlton-Savard Public School won the B division volleyball tournament at NLPS/TDSS on Thursday, December 2nd. Not bad for our little school! We are very proud of these boys.

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Board Marks End of an Era

District School Board Ontario North East marked the end of an era at the November 30th Special Board Meeting. The Board bid a fond farewell to three trustees: Richard Knowles, Bert Schaffer and Jeurgen Leukert. "We're losing two very experienced trustees in Bert and Jeurgen," says Director of Education Linda Knight. "All three have made tremendous contributions to education in our region." Schaffer has served for 31 years, Leukert for 25, and Knowles for 4 years.

View photos from November 30th Board Meeting

Academic Awards Assembly at IFSS

Iroquois Falls Secondary School held its annual academic awards assembly on November 30th to honour students for the 2009-2010 school year. Staff paid tribute to students who achieved 80% or above in one or more courses, had excellent attendance or achieved the top overall grade-percentage for their respective grades (9-11). Special guest Holly Lachance from the Royal Canadian Legion attended the ceremony and presented to our high academic achievers.

Top Overall Grade-Percentage:

• Grade 9 – Adam Boucher
• Grade 10 – Simon Grottker
• Grade 11 – Nicholas Monahan

Outstanding Attendance:

• Morgan Leland (1 day missed)

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Name Chosen For New French Immersion School

It's official. The new French Immersion school in Timmins will be named Timmins Centennial Public School.

"We wanted to recognize Timmins embarking on its 100th anniversary," says Director of Education Linda Knight. "We had well over one hundred suggestions," adds trustee Heather Bozzer. "Many had centennial in the name... centennial just seemed to jump off the paper."

Work is progressing rapidly on the new state-of-the-art JK to Grade 6 school which is scheduled to open its doors to students in September 2011.

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• Read the November 30th Media Release

Board Welcomes New Trustees

District School Board Ontario North East will welcome 3 new trustees to the Board at its Inaugural Meeting on December 7th. Pictured left to right are:

• Wayne Major Representing Hearst and Kapuskasing
• Doug Shearer Representing Temagami, Cobalt and Haileybury
• Bob Brush Representing Timmins, Foleyet and Gogama

Literacy and Numeracy at FPKWPS

Over the past two years, The Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat has worked with 24 English district school boards to develop a job-embedded professional learning framework for numeracy. Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School is one of four District School Board Ontario North East schools selected to participate in this project. CIL-M (Collaborative Inquiry Learning - Math) is a research project to see what changes take place after using the three part lesson (before, during and after) involving the problem solving approach.

View Grade 6 and 7 students participating in project

TH&VS Student Gets "All Fired Up"

The first-ever Experiential Learning Week in Ontario is taking place this week from November 22nd to 26th. Experiential Learning Week celebrates the estimated 40,000 employers across the province that provide high school students with valuable work-related experiential learning opportunities, such as cooperative education, job shadowing, mentoring, classroom visits, workplace tours and career fairs. Timmins High & Vocational School co-op student Jeff Simpson has been taking part in the Pre-Firefighter course at Northern College. "I've learned a lot from this hands-on experience", says Simpson. "It gives you an insight as to how college life is. It has helped to make my career decision clear." Course coordinator Wayne Shippam says Simpson's experience, "...has integrated him into college life. About half of my co-op students come back as college students."

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Bullying Awareness at Diamond Jubilee PS

Diamond Jubilee Public School actively participated in Bullying Awareness Week from November 15th to November 21st. Each day in their classes, students were made aware of the effects of bullying. Several guest speakers visited throughout the week including Mona Nolet from the North Cochrane Addiction Services and Michel Brisson from the Ontario Provincial Police. They spoke to students about the impact bullying has and how to stand up to it. All classes presented a pledge and wore their blue shirts to represent DJPS taking a stand against bullying.

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TH&VS Stands Up to Bullying

Staff and students at Timmins High & Vocational School marked Bullying Prevention and Awareness Week (Nov 15-21) by wearing pink shirts to school. Prizes were awarded to both the homeroom and student wearing the most pink. The week of 'awareness' also included presentations in the theatre, and the filming of students' thoughts on bullying. These clips will be played during an Assembly on International Stand up to Bullying Day on February 23rd.

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Bullying Awareness at Federal PS

Federal Public School recognized Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week (Nov 15-21) with a special anti-bullying day on November 17th. Each class in the school had a chance to participate in a role-playing game on how to prevent and deal with bullying, and a variety of activities to increase awareness, including creating their own posters, acting out scenarios with puppets, and creating messages to share on our "Bully-tin Board." As well, Federal Public School has chosen to maintain bullying awareness by having a "Wear Pink for Anti-Bullying" day each month throughout the school year. We have also begun awarding "Bully Buster" cards for students who are "caught" preventing or dealing with bullying situations appropriately. Federal Public School says NO to bullying!

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Hearst High Students Attend Mining Show

Students from Hearst High School had the rewarding experience of attending the Mining in Society Show in Sudbury back on October 25th and 26th. On the way to the show in Sudbury, they made a stop in Timmins to tour the Goldcorp mine. Students had a half day tour of the operations including the reclamation activities recently undertaken by Goldcorp.

A huge thanks to Goldcorp for a most informative and educational day! Special thanks to both staff and students as well as Michelle Leigh at District School Board Ontario North East, Karen Prentice Oxby (SCWI), Peter Andrews (Goldcorp Inc.), Christopher Dinnes at Lively High School in Sudbury and Jen Cox at CIM for making this happen so smoothly.

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Schumacher PS Fundraises For Humane Society

The Grade 2 and Intermediate Development classes at Schumacher Public School joined forces recently to raise money for The Timmins & District Humane Society. Through a pajama day and a bake sale, $850.00 was raised along with numerous donations of pet food, blankets and other animal supplies. The Humane Society visited the school to share valuable information about their agency. This was part of the school's "pay it forward" initiative with each class being challenged by the Principal to transform $20.00 to make someone's or something's life a little happier.

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Students Enjoy Spirit Horse

On Friday, November 19th, ETFO and OECTA with funding from the Ontario Ministry of Education provided students with the opportunity to watch Spirit Horse. Spirit Horse is a play which incorporates dance, drama, music and visual arts. Spirit Horse helps to raise awareness about First Nations people and encourages students to be aware of prejudice and racism. The cast consisted of 4 people who played a total of 65 characters. It was an amazing play with a wonderful message that was enjoyed by all students and staff!

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Tupper Supper at RMSS

The staff and students of Roland Michener Secondary School hosted their annual Tupper Supper on November 19th. Open to the community, the evening consisted of a pasta meal with salad and dessert, as well as live performances by members of the school's performance club.

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Students Take Vow of Silence

Students at Temagami Public School took a "Vow of Silence" on November 19th to raise awareness and to educate people about children's rights. Each participating individual vowed to remain vocally silent for a 24 hour period, and some students even chose to avoid online communication. The secondary goal of the vow was to raise funds that will be used to help children around the globe to have access to their rights. All proceeds will be given to Free the Children, a Canadian-based organization of children helping children around the world.

• Read November 17th Letter from School
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National Child Day at DJPS

National Child Day is celebrated on November 20th each year. On November 18th, JK and SK students in Miss Doucet's class at Diamond Jubilee Public School travelled to the Kapuskasing Civic Centre to participate in making various Aboriginal and Christmas crafts. Students were treated to a delicious healthy snack, and at the end sang songs. Special thanks to the Early Years Center!

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Family Literacy Night at JHKPS

Joseph H. Kennedy Public School students from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 8 participated in Family Literacy Night on November 17th. Students had the chance to complete various board games and activities with their family members — practicing their oral language, phonological awareness and vocabulary skills. Students played such games as Scrabble, Sight Word Bingo, Headbanz, and Clowning Around. There were draws for three $25.00 Scholastic Gift Certificates and three draws for various literacy based board games such as Boggle and Scrabble. Lucky winners for the Scholastic Gift Certificates were Kelsie, Quinton and Ryan. Board game winners were Abbi, Kasey-Kahne and Ashley.

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Canadian Musician Roger Legacy Performs at TH&VS

Long-time touring Canadian musician, Roger Legacy, recently shared his talents and words of wisdom with Barry Promane's Grade 10 and 11 instrumental students at Timmins High & Vocational School. Legacy elucidated the trials and tribulations associated with having a career in music from the perspective of an entrepreneur who, over decades, plied his trade in the creative arts as a composer, performer and instrument builder. During his one-hour presentation, Legacy, whose solo show sounded like that of a full band, discussed and demonstrated the ways in which he used bass pedals, a drum machine, a guitar harmonizer on his voice, an old stereo amplifier and a speaker made from an oil pan, among many other handcrafted technologies, to embellish his mesmerizing performance. Promane was delighted to have such an inventive musical veteran share with his students an insider's viewpoint on the progression of the music industry and the evolution of performance practices in popular music. Legacy is 62 years old and continues to perform as a dynamic soloist at a range of social functions. Sincere appreciation goes to Jeff Frey, music teacher at RMSS, who helped to orchestrate this unique presentation.

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KDHS Kolts Win NEOAA Gold

The Kapukasing District High School Senior Girls basketball team heads to OFSAA next week after defeating both the O'Gorman Knights and RMSS Rebels to take the NEOAA 'A' Championship. The Rebels played hard in the final game but the Kolts triumphed by a final score of 41-21. Courtney Barbour scored 22 points for the Kolts and Leslie Clatworthy contributed 12. Earlier in the day in semi-final play, the Kolts defeated the Knights by a score of 48-14. Christy Vos led the way with 19 points, while Courtney Barbour added an additional 12 points. The Kolts will represent NEOAA at the OFSAA 'A' Basketball Championships held this year in Welland, Ontario from November 24-27.

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Diamond Jubilee PS Fills Shoeboxes

Students from Diamond Jubilee Public School in Kapuskasing have been doing a great job helping the less-fortunate around the world. Through Operation Christmas Child, they managed to fill 18 shoeboxes. Way to go students!

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Operation Christmas Child at TH&VS

Students and staff at Timmins High & Vocational School have been busy spreading Christmas cheer by participating in "Operation Christmas Child". They packed a variety of gifts in shoeboxes for needy children around the world. Teacher Roma Natolino calls it, "...an excellent way to get students working together for a very worthwhile cause."

For more information about Operation Christmas Child, visit Samaritan's Purse at the following address: www.samaritanspurse.ca/occ

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JHKPS Making Christmas Bright

Staff and students at Joseph H. Kennedy Public School recently pooled together to support a great cause. Operation Christmas Child is a "kids-helping-kids" project that uses simple gifts to let hurting children know they are loved and not forgotten. Kids, families, schools, churches and community groups participate by filling shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, candy and a letter of encouragement. The shoe boxes are then hand-delivered to hurting children around the world using whatever means necessary – sea containers, trucks, trains, airplanes, helicopters, boats, camels, even dog sleds.

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Central PS Brings Christmas Cheer

Students from Central Public School have been doing their part to help bring Christmas cheer to underdeveloped countries. Through Operation Christmas Child, shoeboxes are filled with gifts and distributed internationally to children who may not otherwise receive Christmas gifts. Over 100 shoeboxes full of gifts were collected at Central PS.

Pictured are Ella Fox and Sophie Larouche who helped to promote the cause with fellow students.

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Stone Soup at Haileybury PS

In the Kindergarten classroom at Haileybury Public School, students were introduced to the folktale, "Stone Soup", a story about an unhappy village that, with the help of stones in a pot of water, comes together as a community by working together and sharing what little they have. Students were invited to bring one ingredient from home for the classroom "Stone Soup" and, from the beginnings of 3 stones and a pot of water, made an enjoyable pot of soup complete with vegetables of all colours, meat, spice, noodles and couscous. Not only was stone soup good, it was, "yummy and I loved eating it with my friends and I loved eating it with Mrs. Bowes.", says Nicholas of Mrs. Noyes' JK/SK class. After the stone soup, students enjoyed "pumpkin pie in a baggie".

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Le Franco à GoGo at Bertha Shaw PS

Students at Bertha Shaw Public School were recently entertained by a wonderful French performance called Le Franco à GoGo, which was created and performed by the group "Gotta Love That French". It was a fun and interactive performance with the goal of not only introducing the children to the French culture, but helping them fall in love with it as well. The students were brought on a tour across the world and learned through games, songs and dances. The live music included a waltz, GoGo dancing, Cajun music and music from the Middle East. It was a lot of fun! For more information, just log-on to www.languagesonstage.ca

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KDHS Remembers

Students from Kapuskasing District High School played an integral role again this year as members of the Kapuskasing community remembered the sacrifices of those who participated in conflicts both past and present. The morning began with a parade from the school to the Legion and Cenotaph where students joined with veterans, dignitaries and members of the public to listen to speeches, to participate in the two minutes of silence and to assist in the laying of wreaths of remembrance.

KDHS students Veronique Piche, Elissa Laflamme and Katie Crump sang while the Act of Remembrance was read in Cree by DJPS student Jaden Iserhoff and in French by KDHS student Alexandria Crump. KDHS students, including Cadet leader Rachelle Theberge, also assisted in the ceremony as part of the Cadet Honour Guard and with the laying of the wreaths ceremony.

View photos from Remembrance Day Ceremony

Breakfast Program at IFPS

Iroquois Falls Public School has started a breakfast program for students from JK to Grade 8. Teacher Erin McMeekin decided to start the program as there are a lot of children coming to school hungry and she felt that the school would be able to help. From 8:30 to 8:50 am, Monday to Friday, the school offers cereal, oatmeal, fruit, muffins and smoothies on a rotation. A hot breakfast will be offered on Fridays. The program began on November 8th and the school is hoping to have it continue until the end of the year. Each day of the week there have been more and more students coming to eat. Students say they think it is fun to come to school to have breakfast with their friends.

The breakfast program serves the whole student population, is run by volunteers and funded by donations from parents and community businesses (Home Hardware, The Myna, Bloomers, Foodland, Dr. Vockeroth, Lynn's Variety and Family Care Pharmacy). Our most sincere thanks for all those who are helping out with this very worthy cause. Volunteers and donations will always be welcome!

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KDHS Kolts Win Second Title of Season

The Kapuskasing District High School Senior Girls' basketball team picked up their second tournament championship of the season at the Lady Gator Invitational in Sudbury. The Kolts defeated St. Charles College and Elliot Lake to reach the final, where they defeated a highly competitive club, the Sudbury Jam, by a score of 41-32 to capture the title. The tournament attracts teams from across the North, and the eight member Kolt's squad played four games, defeating all opponents on their way to the championship.

Previously the KDHS Senior Kolts defeated the Timiskaming District Secondary School Saints in a close fought game to win the Sister Fay Tournament of Excellence hosted by O'Gorman High School on October 15 and 16. The final score was 33-28. Christy Vos took home Tournament MVP honours and Julie Ramkumar was named to the tournament all-star team.

The Kolts, who are currently undefeated, will be testing their skills again during regular season and NEOAA Championship play in the next few weeks.

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TH&VS & RMSS Attend Santa Claus Parade

An estimated 14,000 people lined the downtown core of Timmins on November 6th for an annual tradition — the Santa Claus Parade. This year's parade featured 52 entries, and the weather couldn't have been better! Floats from both Timmins High & Vocational School and Roland Michener Secondary School were stand-outs along the route. Students at Roland Michener showed residents the meaning of school spirit! Meanwhile, for the third year in a row, Timmins High's float wowed the crowds. The school won first prize for its themed entry featuring a larger-than-life Thomas The Tank Engine. A big thank-you to both schools for amazing participation this year!

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Goldcorp Donates to Timmins High

The Music Department at Timmins High & Vocational School has become the grateful recipient of a $5000 donation from Goldcorp Inc. TH&VS Music Teacher, Barry Promane, says, "With their kind support, many new doors will open for students who wish to perform professionally and learn modern production techniques."

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Students Attend Mining Show in Sudbury

Grade 7 & 8 students from Cochrane Publc School discovered the importance of the mining industry in everyday life during their recent visit to the "Mining in Society Show" at Laurentian University in Sudbury. This field trip also featured an underground tour at Dynamic Earth and an all night science camp at Science North.

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Board Welcomes British Visitors

District School Board Ontario North East recently hosted 11 teachers from Yorkshire, England. The teachers spent one week visiting district schools to learn about our educational system and to share best practices with our teachers. "It is an honour for our district to be invited to host these educators," says Director of Education Linda Knight.

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• Read October 26th Media Release

Cochrane PS Participates in Blank-Fest

Blank-Fest is a national event where people generously donate blankets for the homeless and families who need help to keep warm during our cold Canadian winters. This year, Cochrane Public School participated in the event. Students from the junior grades walked around town, canvassing door to door for blanket donations. Other classes within the school brought blankets from home to add to the collection. In all, over 100 blankets were collected by the school. These blankets will be distributed to local facilities in need, and the remaining blankets will be sent to Toronto.

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Halloween at Diamond Jubilee PS

Students and staff at Diamond Jubilee Public School in Kapuskasing had a great Halloween by dressing up in their costumes and taking part in various classroom activities.

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A Spooky Time at W. Earle Miller PS

Staff and students at W. Earle Miller Public School in Timmins really got into the Halloween spirit this year! To the delight of family and friends, the students held an assembly in the gym where they sang songs, read poems, and showed-off their fabulous costumes. Thanks to Mrs. Wearing and staff for entertaining everyone with a wonderful song!

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Halloween Fun at Haileybury PS

Haileybury Public School recently held their annual "Halloween Parade" and "Mass Monster Mash". All staff members and students performed the Monster Mash led by four boys in Grade 8. Parents were on hand to watch and participate. Students at Haileybury Public School all wore their costumes and it was a spooky, fun day for everyone!

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Fall Events at Elk Lake PS

It's been a busy Autumn at Elk Lake Public School. Since September, students have enjoyed the annual Terry Fox Walk, a presentation by the Elk Lake Fire Department during National Fire Prevention Week, a visit to the Hilliardton Marsh and a visit to a local Pumpkin Patch!

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Friendship Soup Day at Queen Elizabeth PS

Fall is here! In celebrating the Autumn theme in the primary grades, students at Queen Elizabeth Public School in Timmins enjoyed a friendship soup made from fresh autumn vegetables. The event was made even more special with parents and grandparents joining-in during this festive time. Thank you to all who participated!

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Literacy Night at Kerns PS

Kerns Public School held a Literacy Night on October 21st to kick off their home-to-school reading initiative. Students participated in literacy stations in the gym, while parents attended a workshop with Principal Paula Walker entitled, "The Home-to-School Reading Connection". At the workshop, parents learned strategies to help their children with reading, including the 3 Ps (pause, prompt and praise). Parents were given a pamphlet as a resource with helpful prompts to assist them. After the workshop, parents joined their children in the gym to have fun with literacy based activities. Each student who attended received a free book as a prize, and all students in the primary division received a beautiful homemade Kerns Public School book bag (recycled out of t-shirts) to transport their home-to-school books to school each day.

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New Liskeard PS Participates in Student Vote

Students at New Liskeard Public School participated in Student Vote 2010 on October 21st. The Grade 5 and 6 classes are learning about government in social studies this term and were responsible for running their own election based upon the current elections in Temiskaming Shores. Grade 3 to 8 students voted for the mayor and councilors and all votes were tabulated and shared with the student body.

Kayla Matte, Sally Potter, Lauren Brazeau were at the polls receiving ballots while Tomas Bennett and Abigail Acland were voting for the first time. This was a great learning experience for the students of NLPS!

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Demolition of Coronation PS Continues

Construction crews continue with the demolition of the former Coronation Public School in Timmins to clear the way for the New French Immersion School scheduled to open for September 2011. Demolition began on October 14th with District School Board Ontario North East held a photo opportunity to update the local media on the progress of the new school being constructed.

• View photos from demolition
• Go to the New French Immersion School in Timmins page

Fall Open House at Federal PS

Federal Public School in Kirkland Lake recently celebrated their Fall Open House. Thank you to all those who participated and took the time to visit. There was an amazing turnout of more than 400 people! The school was happy to have the following community agencies represented at the open house: Brighter Futures, Child and Family Services, Temiskaming Health Unit, and the OPP D.A.R.E. program. Mr. Slote was also on hand with his display for Operation Christmas Child — one of the charities Federal Public School supports each year.

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Retro Bill Makes Visit to New Liskeard PS

Retro Bill, the official safety buddy of the D.A.R.E. program, came to New Liskeard Public School back on October 5 to present to Grade 3 to 8 students from New Liskeard, Haileybury, Kerns and Cobalt Public Schools. Retro Bill brought entertainment and comedy to the group of children and inspired them to stand up to bullies and to believe in themselves. Children were also taught to go for help when they are struggling, but also to use their own strengths in overcoming challenges in their lives.

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Good Character Shines Through at FPKWPS

Students from Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School made sure families using the Porcupine Food Bank did not go hungry over the Thanksgiving holidays. 1,800 lbs of non-perishable food items were collected for the local food bank by 141 students. We are very proud of our efforts and plan to hold more food drives throughout the school year.

FPKWPS has chosen to adopt the Porcupine Food Bank as part of our Character Education Program this year. It is our way of demonstrating how we can be good citizens. Thank you to all who helped make our food drive a success!

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Construction of New School Progresses

Construction is progressing at the site of the new French Immersion School in Timmins. On October 14th, District School Board Ontario North East held a photo opportunity to update local media on the work being done. Walls of the new school are going up, while work is being done to demolish the old Coronation Public School. A team of trustees and community members has been formed to decide on a new name for the school and the public will be welcome to submit their suggestions. The school's name will be announced at a special Board meeting on November 30th.

• View October 14th Photos
• Go to the New French Immersion School in Timmins page

Autumn Fun at Haileybury PS

This year, the Terry Fox Run at Haileybury Public School took place on the new STATO trail with students supporting cancer research by walking and running. The running club and cross-country team led the 175 students on a trail where students had the opportunity to count the number of times around a portion of the trail. Older students partnered with the younger students, and parents joined the endeavour, all participating as a school family.

Mrs. Langille's class (Grade 2/3) and Ms. Goddard's class (Grade 7/8) had the opportunity to visit the Hilliardton Marsh. Students performed pond studies, banded birds and had a fantastic day. Students also had an opportunity to focus on peer learning.

Students from HPS also participated in the annual cross-country meet at Cobalt Ski Village. The weather cooperated with 39 students representing our school. Our students garnered some outstanding results: Will Colvin (3rd), Nicholas Savoie (4th), Dominic Doupe (6th), Joseph Tardif (10th), Zackary Doupe (11th), Jesse Batisse (16th), Molly Burke (20th), Kathleen Savoie (22nd). Congratulations to all participants and their teacher/coaches, Mrs. Langille and Ms. Goddard.

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EHS Students Visit Kap-Kig-Iwan

The Grade 9 Geography class at Englehart High School recently visited Kap-Kig-Iwan Provincial Park. They spent the day looking at geological, fluvial, and vegetative features. They also had the opportunity to dig a soil pit and complete a soil analysis, examine varved clay deposits, identify fluvial features of the Englehart River and examine geological features in the park. The student were guided through the park using their GPS receivers.

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Meet the Teachers BBQ at IFSS

Many thanks to the School Council of Iroquois Falls Secondary School and M&M Meat Shops for hosting a Meet the Teachers BBQ on October 12th at IFSS. The BBQ was a great success as teachers and School Council members had the opportunity to mingle with parents. The food wasn't too bad either!

The School Council of IFSS continues to sponsor many fantastic school events and is currently recruiting more parents. The next School Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 26 at 6:00 pm in the library. We would love to see you at our next meeting!

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Awards Assembly at ESCHS

A big pat on the back for students at École Secondaire Cochrane High School! Academic achievement certificates were recently awarded to students who received the highest academic averages in selected subject areas. The following students received awards for the highest academic average in a specific grade:

• Kourtney Larose — Grade 9 Academic Award of Excellence
• Matthew Aubertin — Grade 9 Applied Award of Excellence
• Shawn Natera — Grade 10 Academic Award of Excellence
• Jeffrey Martin — Grade 10 Workplace Award of Excellence
• Austin Vachon — Grade 10 Applied Award of Excellence
• Jeffrey Yanta — Grade 11 University Stream Award of Excellence
• Devon Archibald — Grade 11 College Award of Excellence

Congratulations to students on a job well done!

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Cochrane PS Runs For Terry

Cochrane Public School would like to thank all those who donated money and participated in the 30th Annual Terry Fox Run. Despite the cool and wet weather, students and staff braved the elements to raise money and awareness for an important cause. The students are extremely proud to be a part of the Marathon of Hope and because of their efforts, a total of $3,033 will be donated to the Terry Fox Foundation.

A special thank you to our community partners: the OPP, Auxiliary Police, Fire Department, La Ruche, Empire Theatre and Pizza Pizza — who helped us make this event a success!

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Cobalt PS Celebrates Thanksgiving

The students and staff of Cobalt Public School prepared a traditional Thanksgiving turkey lunch for family and friends on Friday, October 8th. Students peeled (and mashed) over 50 pounds of potatoes and 15 pounds of carrots. They made salad, cranberry sauce and cookies. Staff helped with the turkey and the pumpkin tarts! Over 100 people sat down to enjoy the meal and companionship in the school gym. What a great team effort!

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NLPS students visit New Liskeard Fire Department

Primary students at New Liskeard Public School had the opportunity to visit the New Liskeard Fire Department during Fire Prevention Week. Ms. Laroque's JK/SK class had a great time at the fire department and most importantly learned about fire safety. Students at NLPS also practiced two school-wide fire drills and students were reminded about fire safety rules at the school.

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Fire Prevention Week at FPKWPS

For Fire Prevention Week, Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School in Porcupine invited firefighters to share their schoolyard. Both the Whitney and South Porcupine Fire Department brought three of their vehicles in for a demonstration. Students were able to walk through the back of two of the trucks and learn about their many different gadgets. They also saw how the aerial truck works to put out fires and rescue people from tall buildings. Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School thanks both Fire Departments for helping them learn about Fire Safety!

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Fire Safety at W. Earle Miller PS

Students at W. Earle Miller Public School in Timmins participated in learning about fire safety and our community firefighters in a 3-part lesson. One JK class learned about the equipment the firemen wear and the function of the specialized equipment. Another JK class had a tour of both the fire truck and emergency response vehicle. Meanwhile, Grades 1 through 3 experienced the "Fire Safety House", which emulates a real home and potential hazards that can be found in the living room, kitchen and bedroom.

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Walmart Adopts FPKWPS

Each year, Walmart chooses one school in the community to adopt for the year. This year's lucky recipient is Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School in Porcupine. Thank you to Mrs. Mavrinac and her team for working on the submission to Walmart!

Pictured are (from L to R): Mrs. Mavrinac, parent; Debbie Jones, Principal; Mr. D. Raji, Walmart Store Manager; Mr. S. Paquette, Walmart Assistant Store Manager; Kelly Voyer, Walmart Department Manager. In front are Kennedy, Primary Division; Shylo, Intermediate Division and Alex, Junior Division.

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Volunteerism: Teachers Teaching Teachers

Bruno Dallaire, a Special Education Resource Teacher from New Liskeard Public School, had the opportunity of a lifetime this past summer as a participant of the Project Overseas Program. Thanks to the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF), Bruno and three other teachers (from Alberta, Manitoba and another from Ontario) travelled to the West African country of Burkina Faso to give professional development in the areas of Assessment and Evaluation, English as a Second Language, Visual Arts, Mathematics and French.

From July 2nd to July 24th, there were a total of 54 participants from across Canada who traveled abroad as part of Project Overseas to share experiences with our peers from other countries such as Uganda, Sierra Leonne and Mongolia to name a few. The main goal of Project Overseas is to improve the quality of education in Canada and in the developing countries in which we work. Although the primary focus is teacher professional development, the primary goal is improved teaching and learning for students around the world.

This is a rare opportunity for these African teachers to receive professional development; therefore, they are all very eager to participate and to discuss new ideas and ways to teach in their classroom. Bruno, being a first time participant in Project Overseas, sums up his experience as follows:

"Traveling to Burkina Faso to help educators become stronger at their craft was an experience of a lifetime. Being able to share my expertise with the African teachers was very humbling. Not only was I able to provide insight and suggestions for new approaches to teaching, but also I learned much about who I am as a teacher and who I want to become. This was truly an unforgettable experience."

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RMSS Students Show Spirit

Students at Roland Michener Secondary School showed their school spirit by raising money for the Terry Fox Foundation. This year, students entered into a "house competition" in order to see which house could raise the most money for Terry Fox. Some students went door-to-door while other groups came up with more creative ideas such as throwing pies at other students and staff for a small donation. The amount of money raised this year was $5037.30 — a great job for a school with just over 300 students!

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Annual Terry Fox Walk at IFSS

Students and staff at Iroquois Falls Secondary School joined together with students at l'Alliance and Étoile Du Nord for the annual Terry Fox Walk. Thanks and appreciation is extended to all staff and students who participated as well as those residents of Iroquois Falls whose travels were slightly slowed down. This annual event is deserving of recognition in keeping Terry's memory alive and prominent in our minds.

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Construction Begins On New School

The shovel has hit the ground on Sterling Avenue - the site of the new French Immersion School in Timmins. The new school will consolidate the populations of Coronation, Flora MacDonald and Queen Elizabeth Public Schools, and will be able to accommodate up to 556 students.

"We are elated this project is moving forward. The tender process is complete and Ministry approval has been granted. We are delighted that local contractor Cy Rheault has been chosen to build our new school, as they have been responsible for many other projects within our Board."

— Linda Knight, Director of Education

• View September 28th Construction Photos
• Go to the New French Immersion School in Timmins page

Grade 9 Leadership Day at IFSS

Students and staff at Iroquois Falls Secondary School recently held their annual Grade 9 Leadership Day. All Grade 9 students were invited to spend the day building bonds with each other and with staff. Students were treated to voyageur canoe paddling, team building activities, and music. They also enjoyed a hot spaghetti lunch prepared by teachers and educational assistants. The day was great fun and a wonderful way to welcome students into the I.F.S.S. family.

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Welcome Back Carnival at RMSS

School spirit is extremely high at Roland Michener Secondary School this year. The school's Welcome Back Carnival was held on September 23rd where students gathered in their "houses", dressed in their house colours, and competed against one another for school points. The houses will compete throughout the school year with trophies and prizes to be given to the top house. Each week, a secret token is hidden somewhere in the school, and students often spend a portion of their lunches looking for it. The student who finds it will earn points for their house.

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Bertha Shaw PS Walks For Terry

Over 500 Timmins residents turned-out for the annual Terry Fox Walk around Gillies Lake on September 19th. Students and staff at Bertha Shaw Public School showed their enthusiasm for the annual event. Some walked while others ran. Principal Tanya Vincze was blown away by the participation of the Bertha Shaw community.

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Board Showcased at Welcome to Timmins Night

District School Board Ontario North East was once again a main attraction at the annual "Welcome to Timmins" night at the McIntyre Curling Club September 8th. The event has been running for the past 17 years. The evening brings out hundreds of residents to show-off clubs and services offered within the city. This year, the Board included robotics as part of the display.

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Bus Buddies in New Liskeard and Kirkland Lake

Organizers are very pleased with the outcome of the very first Young Rider Day in New Liskeard and Kirkland Lake. Bus Buddies was formed in 2002 and has helped to ensure the safety of all children who ride the bus to and from schools in Timmins. Buster the School Bus, a popular teaching tool for Bus Buddies, was a big hit with the kids! The Young Rider program in Timmins will take place on August 28th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the McIntyre Curling Club.

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