Stories from 2011-2012
"Robbie Burns Day" is a Scottish holiday named after poet and writer Robert Burns. On January 25th, students at Elk Lake Public School enjoyed celebrating Robbie Burns' birthday. They recited "Ode To The Haggis", said a Scottish prayer, performed a dance called "Strip the Willow", and enjoyed the haggis (or at least some did)! One of Robbie Burns' most famous songs was Auld Lang Syne (the song people sing at New Year's).
As Kirkland Lake celebrates 100 years in gold mining, students at Central Public School participated in a poster contest sponsored by Kirkland Lake Gold and Queenston Mining. Students were asked to design and create their own poster commemorating Kirkland Lake's proud gold mining history. Two lucky students were chosen as winners in their age category.
Pictured are grade 5 students Calvin Sorochan (first place winner receiving $200.00) and Holly Shaba (second place winner receiving $100.00).
Students in the Health Care class at Timiskaming District Secondary School recently held a skills demonstration. Students were able to showcase their patient care expertise to school administration, family, friends and the media. Among others things, the teens explained how to take a proper blood pressure, how to perform chest compressions, and how to resuscitate a patient.
Native elders have taught us that before a person can be healed or heal another, they must be cleansed of any bad feelings, negative thoughts, bad spirits or negative energy – cleansed both physically and spiritually. Trustees and Administration participated in a ritual "smudging" ceremony at the January 17th Board meeting. The traditional smudging involves the burning of special herbs (sage), and then fanning the smoke around a person or place. The spirit of the plant then purifies whatever is being smudged. Photos have been published with permission from the Elder
Grade 12 student Jessica Drouin-Contant from École Secondaire Cochrane High School has received recognition from Minister of Education, Laurel Broten. Jessica addressed Trustees and Administration at the January 17th Board meeting about her experience at the Circle of Light conference, held November 14-16 in Toronto. Circle of Light 2011 provided an opportunity for educators in both provincial and First Nation school systems to participate in joint professional development. Jessica's presentation was about the Métis people. Congratulations Jessica!
There were plenty of wide smiles on January 10th as the new Timmins Centennial Public School opened its doors. Board Administration and Trustees were on hand as the first students walked through the doors of their new school. The transition was smooth and went-off without a hitch according to Principal Maria Sheculski. The school consolidates the populations of Coronation, Queen Elizabeth and Flora MacDonald public schools.
The Get Active in Temiskaming Run/Walk Series recently had their end of the season banquet. New Liskeard Public School received honours as the winner of the School Challenge – having the highest percentage of participation in the running series. NLPS received an plaque and a cheque for $579.00. Pictured here are some of the students that participated in the runs.
Music Class Playing at The Manor
Residents at The Manor sang along to old fashioned carols while the Iroquois Falls Secondary School Grade 9 and 10 Music Class played band instruments. This is the first time in many years that IFSS has gone out into the community to play music. "We would definitely do this again," says Mrs. Cornthwaite, the IFSS music teacher. "It has been such a good experience for students. They really get a chance to see how music can bring joy to people of all ages."
"Flash Mob" at Tim Hortons
Iroquois Falls Secondary School music students surprised patrons at Tim Hortons in December with a "flash mob." Students were inspired to play their instruments in a public place after watching Handel's Messiah performed as a flash mob in a food court in St. Catharines. The show started at the donut shop when one student set her bass clarinet case onto a table in the center of the room and proceeded to assemble it. Once assembled, she played the Bb concert scale. On this signal, other students moved to join her and play Joy to the World. Patrons of Tim Hortons gave the students a round of applause when they were finished and called for an encore, which was a solo piece on flute. Speaking of the experience afterward one student said, "It was AWESOME! It was so much fun to surprise everyone, and they loved it!"
Drama Class Production of SUPER
Iroquois Falls Secondary School drama students hit the stage in December with their original play, SUPER. Bright costumes and action scenes delighted old and young alike, as characters such as Wonderwoman, Superman, Catwoman, Spiderman and the Joker fought and acted their way across the stage at the Dr. and Marie Boyle Auditorium.
Timiskaming-Cochrane MPP John Vanthof was moved by letters students at Timiskaming District Secondary School sent him regarding their concerns over the rising cost of post-secondary education. Students proposed a 1% education sales tax (EST) to pay for post-secondary programs. Vanthof came to the school and spoke with teacher Bruce Murphy's two Civics classes. Murphy says Vanthof's impact was dramatic. "The students feel far more connected with the political process and are beginning to realize that they can make a difference in our communities," says Murphy. "The students were quite curious about what his day is like at Queens Park, and he spent almost an hour answering their enthusiastic questions. Unfortunately he told them it is unlikely we will see a government that will take on the EST... but he's hopeful something can be done to help students out."
Iroquois Falls Public School held their annual Christmas Concert on December 21st. Students and staff organized a silver collection at the door and set a goal of $250.00 with the hope of purchasing a set of classroom essentials through Plan Canada for a school in a developing country. Friends and family donated a total of $229.00 and IFPS will donate the balance needed to stock a classroom with essentials such as desks, blackboards, books and pencils. All of these items will make learning possible. This $250.00 donation will be matched at a 3:1 ratio making our donation worth $1,000.00! The students and staff at Iroquois Falls Public School would like to thank everyone who donated to this worthwhile cause and to our family and friends for coming to our concert.
Students at R. Ross Beattie Senior Public School were treated to a surprise visit before the school holidays began. Brendan Colameco, the drummer for the band Neverest, surprised students by spending the day at the school. A former R. Ross Beattie graduate, Brendan graciously gave his time and energy to speak with the students and to perform with them in Mrs. Comand's music class. Brendan spoke about the changes to his life as a result of being in the band and touring North America with the Backstreet Boys and the New Kids on The Block. Despite the success and fame, Brendan remains a very humble individual who is true to his Northern roots. On behalf of all the students and staff at R. Ross Beattie, we thank Brendan for sharing his time and fulfilling several autograph requests, which included a surprise classroom visit to one of his biggest fans.
Christmas preparations and celebrations kept staff, students, and parents busy at Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School this December. The annual Christmas concert was enjoyed by all as students performed their hearts out in songs and skits. Food bank donations were accepted at the door, resulting in bags and boxes being filled to stock the shelves for our local families. Classrooms kept busy throughout the week creating decorations and gifts, and the whole school enjoyed a delicious turkey lunch together – all thanks to parent volunteers. We would like to extend a huge thank you to those who have volunteered countless hours of their time to help create lasting memories for our students.
Merry Christmas from everyone at Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School!
The Junior Choir from Federal Public School celebrated the holiday season by sharing their joy of singing with residents at seniors' residences and the Kirkland and District Hospital. Students have been practicing for months and were happy to bring the sounds of the season to the community. Congratulations to the choir for being such good ambassadors for the school and special congratulations to Mrs. Rosenthal and Ms. Clark-McTaggart for leading our choir to such success this year. The residents and patients enjoyed the music and the fun brought by our students.
The R. Ross Beattie Senior Public School Band and Glee Club put on a superb Christmas concert for the public. The band played several Christmas classics and the Glee Club entertained the audience with several selections including the hit single "Wavin' Flag." Under the direction of Mrs. Comand, Mrs. Copeland and Ms. Leonard, more than 80 band members and 40 Glee Club singers provided the packed auditorium with musical reminders of the spirit of the season. Congratulations to all musicians and a special thank you to our hosts for the evening for their dazzling display of humour and entertainment.
The R. Ross Beattie band and Glee Club also performed for the Georgian Residence and Golden Manor on December 22nd. Residents were able to enjoy the holiday classics performed to perfection by the band and glee club. Mrs. Comand would like to wish everyone a happy holiday season, especially to the parent volunteers that assisted the band to move the instruments and chairs.
Students at Queen Elizabeth Public School recently participated in a school-wide Christmas project. Each classroom adopted a child in foster care, and worked for one hour to earn $5 for this child. They donated their earned money and combined it as a homeroom total. With the money collected, each homeroom was able to purchase gifts for this child. The one-month project culminated with a final assembly with a rep from Child and Family Services. Each card on the Christmas tree in this photo highlights a chore a student did to earn the $5 he/she donated.
Schools in Kirkland Lake, including Kirkland Lake District Composite School, Central Public School and Federal Public School, decorated bags that will be given to LCBO customers throughout the holiday season. The "Don't Drink and Drive" message, artistically created by children from our community, send a powerful message to the customers about responsible behaviour throughout the holiday season. This initiative was sponsored by the Kirkland Lake Drug And Alcohol Coalition.
Students from Cochrane Public School collected 34 bags of toys and other Christmas materials for distribution by the Jeanne Sauvé Family Services Centre. Way to go students!
On December 15th, volunteers and staff of Cochrane Public School braved the weather to feed over 500 people (students and their families) a Holiday Turkey Lunch. Our thanks to the staff, volunteers and local businesses who made this event possible.
The JK to Grade 6 students at Smooth Rock Falls Public School really got into the holiday spirit this year! Students created over 80 Christmas cards! The cards were sent to patients and veterans who reside at a long term care facility in the area. Students made sure every resident received a card. More proof that it is better to give, than to receive.
Students at Central Public School have been pitching in to make the holiday season a little more enjoyable for the less fortunate. The school recently conducted a food drive, with approximately 300 non-perishable items being donated to the local food bank. The Ministry of Natural Resources partnered with the school to promote the food bank drive, sending Smoky the Bear to visit classrooms to thank students for their help. Well done Central families!
District School Board Ontario North East is once again pleased to be offering classroom embedded professional development in mathematics for teachers. This inquiry based approach facilitates teachers to work collaboratively and share their expertise as they explore and implement instructional strategies in classroom-based experiences. The power of CIL-M is its emphasis on student achievement by close investigations of student thinking and student learning.
As we enter our second year implementing CIL-M, and we are proud to announce we have expanded this opportunity from 5 schools in 2010-2011, to 17 schools for the 2011-2012 school year.
A grade 12 student from École Secondaire Cochrane High School recently received a special recognition. Jessica Drouin-Contant had the opportunity to address the plenary session of over 1,000 educators at the Circle of Light Conference in Toronto from November 14th to 16th. Jessica was one of the chosen students across Ontario to attend the conference. Circle of Light 2011 provided an opportunity for educators in both provincial and First Nation school systems to participate in joint professional development. The conference was designed to share best practices and effective strategies on Aboriginal initiatives in supporting student success, urban education models, and professional development for educators.
Pinecrest Public School has a Character Education Program and the theme for November was service – giving to others and making a difference in someone's life. Maureen Colasacco's Junior Kindergarten class and Sherri Blakey's Grade 1 class decided to help the less fortunate children in the community by organizing a PJ day. Staff and students wore their pyjamas on the last Friday in November and donated a loonie, toonie, or a toy. They collected $400.00 and a few toys to donate to the TD Canada Trust Toy Drive fundraiser. Kim Haapakoski, Manager of Customer Service for TD Canada Trust was at Pinecrest on Wednesday Dec,. 7th to receive the cheque and toys. She even brought a special guest – Santa Claus himself!!
For the month of "Movember", 7 staff members from New Liskeard Public School sacrificed their upper lips to raise awareness about men's health; specifically prostate cancer. These NLPS MoBros attempted to grow mustaches and were generously supported for their efforts. Due to some absolutely fantastic family, friends, and co-workers, the NLPS MoBros raised $1947.00. We did this for prostates, past, present and future. We did this for sons, dads, brothers, grandpas, uncles, and buddies.
Thank you to our honourary MoSista, Mrs. Paterson for her support to all endeavours involving healthy living and to our MoBro in the shadows, Mr. Manners. Thank you to our significant others for tolerating our new looks. Finally, a HUGE thank you to all our donors who supported us beyond our expectations. Although our self-esteem plummeted, we would all do it again for such a powerful cause.
It's all about children helping children. On Tuesday, December 6th, students at Bertha Shaw Public School in South Porcupine kicked-off their "Caring For Cancer" initiative. At a special school assembly, Senior Kindergarten student Maija McCord cut off 13 inches of her hair. The hair will be donated to A Child's Voice Foundation: Angel Hair for Kids, a program that provides wigs and hair loss solutions to financially disadvantaged children in Canada who have lost their hair due to a medical condition or treatment. Maija also presented a cheque for $1065.00 to the Canadian Cancer Society on behalf of the school.
On November 30th, the grade 5 and 6 students from New Liskeard Public School participated in the Free The Children's Campaign, Vow of Silence. Together with thousands of others around the world, students stood silent in in solidarity with children who are denied their human rights and denied their voice. In the process they have raised a total of $255.52.
34 students at Kirkland Lake District Composite School showed their commitment to being global citizens by joining the "Free the Children" Vow of Silence on November 30th. The students presented a "silent" assembly to teach their fellow students about the plight of children around the world. They challenged their peers to think about how fortunate they are to live in Canada and to compare their life to those of children around the world. Students learned about human trafficking, child labour, child soldiers, and the plight of children suffering from poverty, famine, and disease. They also raised $1,700 for Free the Children, a not-for-profit charity organization founded by Craig Kielburger. Their final message to their peers was "be the change," a rallying call to action.
The 34 students are part of a group that will be travelling to the "Me to We" conference in Montreal this spring. The conference challenges students to be an active participant in the change they want to see in the world. The students have made a commitment to raise money to help improve the circumstances for children around the world, and to raise awareness of children's suffering. In addition to the money raised through the Vow of Silence, students have also raised $500 to support local families in need.
Staff and students, twenty two in all, at Kirkland Lake District Composite School formed a Movember team to help raise awareness about prostate cancer. The team grew mustaches for the month of November and raised just under $1,500. Way to go team!
New Liskeard Public School had two teams participate in their recent Soccer Fun Day. Congratulations to Kerns Public School for winning the tournament! Pictured are the two teams combined.
Students from Iroquois Falls Secondary School received a special treat when members of the Ontario Provincial Police took over the IFSS Breakfast Program for the morning on Thursday, November 24th, serving up a delicious breakfast. The visit was arranged through the OPP's School Liaison Initiative, which aims to strengthen ties between the OPP and the youth of the communities they serve, as well as to provide them with support if needed. The Ontario Provincial Police reminds all Tigers to "Be Cool - Eat Breakfast at School."
More information about the Movember fundraising campaign can be found at the official Canadian website.
Staff at Flora MacDonald Public School recently held an assembly to raise funds for "Movember" – a fundraising campaign to "change the face" of men's health. $800 was raised and will go to the Timmins 'Stache and Dash' run to support research for prostate cancer. Doesn't everyone look dashing?
Students at Central Public School in Kirkland Lake have been doing their part to spread Christmas cheer to those who are less fortunate. Through Operation Christmas Child, shoeboxes are filled with presents and distributed to developing countries for children who may not otherwise receive Christmas gifts. 135 shoeboxes were filled thanks to the efforts of Central PS families.
Blank-Fest 2011, the annual blanket and warm clothing drive, organized by Cochrane Public School, has once again supported local shelters in the region. 17 bags of donations were collected and bagged by student volunteers. Pictured here are Mrs. Wiseman and the students who helped. Thanks to all who participated!
Photo credit: Mark Prior, Cochrane Times-Post
For more information about the World Sport Stacking Association Stack Up go to their official website
On November 17th, students from Federal Public School participated in the World Sport Stacking Association's yearly attempt at breaking the Guiness World Record for "Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations in One Day". Students have been practicing for weeks with Ms. Coombs and spent half an hour stacking to participate in the attempt at the world record. The school contributed to the cause by having 25 of its grade 2s, 3s and 4s STACK UP!
Grade 2 students in Mrs. Girard's class at Cochrane Public School read regularly with the grade 6 students in Mrs. Sylvestre's class. They've been improving on their French reading skills and developing new friendships at the same time. Great work!
On November 10th, Sonic Democracy, the music performance class of Timmins High & Vocational School, performed to a packed house for their season opener. For the duration of the group's one-hour dazzling show, audience members from Frank P. Krznaric Whitney, Golden Avenue and R. Ross Beattie Senior public schools heard impressive renditions of songs by popular artists ranging from Evanescence and Maroon 5 to The Dixie Chicks and Def Leppard. Sonic Democracy, with Party Marty, will perform to the general public in a few weeks at their first major fundraising event. Dates and details include:
Veterans of the Local Legion in New Liskeard came to New Liskeard Public School to speak to the children about Remembrance Day and its importance. Students heard about the sacrifice they made for our great country and had an opportunity to learn about their individual stories and medals. It was a memorable experience for both the veterans and students. Veterans handed out the Student of the Month certificates at the end of their visit. Certificates this month were rewarded for dedication.
Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School spent time together on Remembrance Day to remember the men and women who fought, and are still fighting, for our country. Students, parents, and staff assembled in the gym to honour those who lost their lives. Each grade from SK to grade 8 prepared a song, poem, or story to show their appreciation for those soldiers who have given their lives to keep our country free.
Lest we forget. Students at Central Public School in Kirkland Lake held a special assembly to mark Remembrance Day. The grade 6 students hosted the ceremony with readings, a slide show as well as a choir performance. An excellent presentation!
District School Board Ontario North East was well represented at the Cenotaph in New Liskeard on Remembrance Day. Students from Timiskaming District Secondary School were on hand to pay their respects. Students from the TLC program at the school were also there to lay a wreath on behalf of the Board.
On Remembrance Day, students at W. Earle Miller Public School in Timmins took the time to pay tribute to those who fought for our freedom. Their assembly consisted of songs sung by the school choir, poems, and the laying of wreaths by each classroom at the school. Family and friends packed the gymnasium for the special ceremony.
Students from Federal Public School were recently given the opportunity to participate in a DrumFIT day. DrumFIT is a program that combines music, dance, rhythm and learning. Students had an amazing time learning about rhythm, music, and movement – all while having fun and working together!
A classroom at Roland Michener Secondary School has been turned into a veritable Santa's Workshop for the season! The hard working Woodshop students at R.M.S.S. have been busy creating toys for Operation Christmas Child. Soon dozens of wooden trains, helicopters, animals and letters will be packed into shoeboxes and sent to children in third world countries. Thanks to Roland Michener for helping to make Christmas a little brighter for children around the globe!
Kerns Public School has started an exciting campaign to increase healthy food choices for students in conjunction with the Timiskaming Health Unit. A Healthy School Nutrition Environment (HSNE) means that a school promotes healthy eating through words and actions. Recently we began implementing 'Tasty Tuesdays' to help reinforce the message of healthy choices and also to introduce students to healthy snacks they may not have tried.
As part of the recent Tasty Tuesday, students learned about snap peas as a healthy food choice and enjoyed this crunchy treat. Teachers also linked lessons about letter-sound correspondence, adjectives, and math problem solving to our snack of the day. A special thank you to Freggie for joining us and helping to serve our delicious snack!
"The Music and Magic of Christmas" was the theme of this year's Santa Claus Parade in Timmins. Thousands of city residents donned their tuques and mittens to watch the nighttime event in the downtown core. Residents agree that the highlight each year is the float from Timmins High & Vocational School. Dino Colasacco and his students outdid themselves this season by replicating "The Magic School Bus". The school won "Best in Theme" for their efforts at this year's parade. Congratulations Timmins High!
Geography classes from Englehart High School had a full day tour of the Hillardton Marsh and visited Peter Grant's field in Brethour Township. At the marsh, students had the opportunity to net and band blue jays, red-winged blackbirds, robins and chickadees. Later at the field, students had a chance to see tile draining of a field including GPS layout and mapping, to the operation of a tile plow. A big thank-you to Mr. Bruce Murphy and Rod Inglis and Co. for their efforts.
On Halloween, the grade 3-8 students at Haileybury Public School dressed up and went through the neighborhood collecting donations for the Haileybury Food Bank. They collected over 600 donations. Event organizer, Mr. Hall, had parent volunteers help bring the canned goods back to the school. Thanks to all volunteers and students for helping the community!
The grade 4, 5 and 6 students at Haileybury Public School participated in a full day of problem solving opportunities that encouraged all students to engage in rich learning opportunities. Students began the day reviewing problem solving strategies, and then proceeded to the gym for the remainder of the day to further develop and deepen their concepts and skills by actively doing mathematics. Consolidation of the day included a celebration of the multiple approaches to the learning tasks as students applied their mathematical knowledge and understanding. Smiles and successes proved to be synonymous with deepening mathematical understanding through problem solving.
Students from Frank P. Krznaric Whitney Public School recently welcomed a visit by the Whitney and South Porcupine fire trucks. With a focus on fire safety and prevention for the month of October, the primary grades enjoyed learning about the different trucks. They were also treated to seeing music teacher, Mrs. Jamieson, enjoy a ride in the aerial bucket. A big thanks to both fire halls for volunteering their time!
Every 22 minutes someone dies from drinking and driving. Many others die from texting while driving. Students at Timiskaming District Secondary School held what they called a "Dead Day" on October 28th to raise awareness of those dangers. The day involved a mock vehicle collision that allowed the Health and Wellness students the chance to practice their skills. Thanks to our community partners, the Ontario Provincial Police, Timiskaming District E.M.S., M.A.D.D., Timiskaming Health Unit and the Temiskaming Shores Fire Department.
Englehart High School is running its first ever outdoor education program this fall. This double credit course features both a physical education and a environmental science credit. The semester began with planning for a canoe trip. In preparation for the trip, students learned safety, food preparation, river ecology, emergency evacuations, paddle strokes and skills, portaging, GPS mapping skills and first aid. The study ended with a 3-day trip through the Larder River system, starting at Raven Lake and ending at Wendigo Lake near Englehart. The students had an amazing experience and can't wait to for their next outdoor adventure!
"Think Pink" is a new school club at Timiskaming District Secondary School headed by grade 12 student Sabrina Beauchamp. The club has banded together to raise funds in the fight against breast cancer. The club kicked off their awareness-raising campaign by dressing (and painting) students pink for the annual Fall Fair Parade. Think Pink has since run several successful fundraising campaigns at TDSS, including a hat day, "Boob"-B-Q, and a marathon cupcake sale that left the organizing committee (and the school kitchens) covered in batter and icing. The team has raised over $600, and does not plan on stopping any time soon. A full line-up of activities are planned for the rest of the school year.
Students at W. Earle Miller Public School in Timmins celebrated Halloween in a spooktacular way. They were entertained in the gym by the school choir and dance group. Even the teachers (led by Vice-Principal Shawn Donovan) got involved by doing the "time warp". Thank you to everyone who put in a great effort for a fun day!
Becoming energy efficient is paying off for District School Board Ontario North East. On October 28th, Union Gas Account Manager Gerald Laforest presented Carole Horton and Amir Rahmani of District School Board Ontario North East's Building Services with a cheque for $14,000. The Board recently replaced old boilers at Timmins High & Vocational School with ultra high efficiency boilers to receive the rebate. Union Gas provides a variety of financial incentives to businesses for energy efficiency projects.
October was a busy month for the students and staff of New Liskeard Public School with the following events:
Twelve students in the Specialist High Skills Major Health and Wellness class at Timiskaming District Secondary School visited Esker Lakes Provincial Park recently. During the day, students were taught wilderness first aid and search and rescue techniques. They also learned about anatomy, physiology, pathology and practiced hands-on patient care skills.
Students from R. Ross Beattie Senior Public School are getting very involved in the community! Ms. Duval and Ms. Leonard's rooms made and donated 4 scarecrows and carved over 20 pumpkins for the Timmins Therapeutic Riding Association's annual "Spook Walk". They enjoyed walking the Spook Walk trail and visiting with the animals at Rainbow Stables, while learning about ponies, horses, mules and donkeys.
At Hawkfeather Farms, students picked over 500 lbs. of rutabagas, 300 lbs. of turnips and 200 lbs. of carrots.Those vegetables will be donated to the Lord's Kitchen. The ground was still too wet to pick potatoes. Thank you to all for a great afternoon!
On Saturday, October 22, 2011 teachers representing divisions from K-8 engaged in an Adobe Connect professional learning community that included educators from Sudbury and North Bay. This cross-divisional opportunity was a vehicle for building content knowledge and discovering activities and resources to support student learning in patterning and algebra.
Participants enjoyed a variety of models and teaching strategies in the continuum of learning for patterning (primary) and growing linear relations (junior/intermediate) and the role that all teachers, K-8, play in the development of mathematical conceptual understanding in students.
District School Board Ontario North East wants to ensure all students have a safe and happy Halloween. To keep kids safe, parents can consider some simple planning tips such as dressing their children in costumes that fit and don't pose a tripping hazard, choosing face paint instead of masks, planning a route and visiting familiar places, and disposing of all unwrapped candy.
Staff at Iroquois Falls Secondary School took the opportunity on Wednesday, October 19th to recognize high academic achievers for the 2010-2011 school year. Awards were given out to students who obtained 80% or higher in one or more of their courses and to pupils who obtained the top overall grade percentages for their respective grades, to name just a few. Congratulations to all students and staff for continuing to make us proud!
Top Overall Grade Percentages:
Every child has the right to feel safe at home, at school, and in the community. Students at R. Ross Beattie Senior Public School in Timmins have decided to launch "Pink Wednesdays" – an initiative designed to promote a bully-free environment and to support students who have been bullied. Students will be wearing pink each Wednesday to show their support for students that have been bullied in school. The idea for Pink Wednesday has been adapted from two grade 12 students, David Shepherd and Travis Price, from Nova Scotia. Students will be creating slogans, posters, newsletters and videos designed to promote anti-bullying behaviour and to explain what wearing pink means to them.
Principal Al McLean says the initiative was brought to him by students as a way they could support other students in the school and community. "Students have responded very favourably to the idea of Pink Wednesdays. The commitment and creativity from students has been amazing, and I look forward to releasing the anti-bullying projects around the school and on the school website."
The smell of cooked turkey wafted through the halls of Elk Lake Public School recently. On October 7th, the school held a turkey luncheon. Students prepared the turkey, along with all of the fixins' including potatoes, gravy, veggies and buns. It was a great day for the kids. Thanks to all who participated!
Students from Haileybury Public School recently did their part to support the Haileybury Food Bank. The school collected food for the entire week before Thanksgiving. For every canned good they brought in, students received a feather. This turkey is clothed with over 250 feathers! Thank you to all who helped make Thanksgiving a little brighter for area residents.
The weather in October has been great for outdoor activities! Students from Haileybury Public School met in Cobalt for their cross country running meet held on October 6th. Students and staff had an amazing day – the weather was perfect and the students had a fantastic time.
Timmins High & Vocational School held its annual Academic Awards Assembly on September 29th, giving top honours to a group of deserving students. Students on the Honour Roll (80% or higher) and Principal's Honour Roll (90% or higher) were awarded with plaques and certificates at the assembly. Congratulations students!
Students from Cochrane Public School braved the cold and wet on September 30th to participate in the Terry Fox Walk. The school raised $1831 for cancer research. Congratulations students!
Injury prevention champion Candace Carnahan visited students at Timmins High & Vocational School on September 28th to share how workplace injuries can be avoided. Her presentation explored the details surrounding the loss of her left leg and offered education and awareness in preventing needless workplace injuries and fatalities. Carnahan lives her life with the knowledge that "tomorrow isn't a guarantee for anyone" – a fact of life that motivates her to live each day to the fullest.
The Franco-Ontarian flag was unveiled for the first time on September 25, 1975. From then on, the Ontario French-speaking community has consistently used it as its emblem. On Friday, September 23rd, the students at Flora MacDonald Public School in Timmins marked the day with a special ceremony in the gymnasium. This photo shows students posing with the flag outside of the school.
Over 1000 high school students in Timmins participated in "Sharing Our Diversity: Aboriginal Awareness Day" events on September 23rd. Students from Timmins High & Vocational School, Roland Michener Secondary School, O'Gorman High School and the Aboriginal Alternative Secondary School Program learned about Aboriginal traditional culture and took part in a variety of ceremonies.
At the September 20th board meeting, District School Board Ontario North East welcomed its student trustees for 2011-2012, Shane Moore of Iroquois Falls Secondary School and Jessica Wert of Kirkland Lake District Composite School. With the ultimate goal of advancing the student vision, each school board's student trustee is elected by their peers to bring the student voice to district school board tables. Through a non-binding vote, student trustees in Ontario present the student perspective to improve the quality of education in schools across the province.
Students and staff from Iroquois Falls Public School joined other local schools on Tuesday, September 20th for the annual Terry Fox Walk. Many IFPS participants wore blue and green, our school colours, to show school spirit. The Dragons cross-country running team walked with the Junior and Senior Kindergarten students for a shortened route and then ran a longer route. Thank you to the Ontario Provincial Police and Iroquois Falls Fire Department for assisting with the walk. IFPS set a school fundraising goal of $1,500.00 and raised a total of $1,910.04. Great work, Dragons!
Federal Public School recently held their Terry Fox Walk at Civic Stadium in Kirkland Lake. They raised money for cancer research by having each student bring in a "Toonie for Terry". Students enjoyed their walk to the stadium. A big thank you to everyone who participated!
Staff and students at Central Public School in Kirkland Lake showed their support for the annual Terry Fox walk. Students learned about the history of Terry Fox as well as the work his foundation does in support of cancer research. Following this, all students participated in a walk to commemorate Terry's journey. $225.00 in donations were contributed by staff and students for the Terry Fox Foundation. Way to go Central!
New Liskeard Public School held its annual Terry Fox Run on September 14th. Students honoured Terry Fox by raising money for cancer research and participating in the event by running or walking. Many students ran over 6 kilometres after being inspired by a slideshow presentation of Terry Fox they viewed just prior to their run. A big thank you to Mr. Norris for organizing the run and slideshow and for Mr. Chartrand for organizing the fundraising!
Kerns Public School marked its 50th anniversary with a grand celebration on September 10th. The wonderful day was enjoyed by over 350 students, parents, staff and Board officials from both past and present. Happy birthday Kerns!
Welding students from Iroquois Falls Secondary School have been acknowledged in The World or Welding's Fall 2011 newsletter. IFSS has a special program where senior students can choose to take part in the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program: Welder 1. This enables students to receive dual credits toward college and high school plus earning 300 hours toward an apprenticeship program.
District School Board Ontario North East was well-showcased at the 18th annual "Welcome to Timmins" night held at the McIntyre Curling Club on September 7th. The event was attended by more than 100 exhibitors, and drew huge crowds wanting to learn about local organizations. The Timmins High Alumni Association was also on-hand for the event promoting its school reunion set for August 3-5, 2012.
Teachers embraced opportunities to engage in professional learning at this year's Summer Institute held in New Liskeard on August 29-31. The three day workshop was facilitated by District School Board Ontario North East's Literacy and Numeracy coaches. Participants explored formative assessment based on learning goals and success criteria in both literacy and numeracy through the lenses of supporting student success and home-school communication. Teachers worked collaboratively exploring resources, engaging in teaching strategies, sharing best practices, and developing resources for classroom use. Coaches continue to support teachers throughout the school year with classroom practices based on current research.
A big thank you to NorthernTel for donating backpacks for our students! Since 2003, NorthernTel and Bell Aliant employees have donated over 15,000 backpacks to schools - 3,400 last year alone - across the Atlantic Provinces, Ontario and Quebec. NorthernTel Account Executive Barb McCormick recently dropped by the Schumacher Board Office to deliver some backpacks, which will be sent to our schools. Board Chair Saunders Porter and Superintendent of Schools Steve Pladzyk were on hand to accept and model the backpacks.
