Dear Students and Parents,
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a restful and joy filled holiday break. As we look back on 2020, we see that it was an eventful, and for most of us, difficult year. It was a year that changed and challenged many aspects of our lives. We know change is often difficult, but hopefully we have learned and gained strength from these changes. One thing I have noticed in our Vanier community is the greater sense of care and concern that staff and students show for each other. Compassion for others usually grows through difficult experiences, and no one escapes difficult experiences in life. Let us always be mindful of the compassion needed with each other as we continue to make our way through a most unusual school year. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Week-at-a-Glance Monday January 4th
We are back in full swing at school. This week is review week and next week is exam week from Monday Jan 11-14. January 15 is a professional development day and Monday January 18 starts the new term for all students. Junior School News Next week is exam week. Students in grades 8 and 9 will have exams in the mornings and are asked to go home at mid-day if possible. We have checked with the transportation coordinator and we were told that grade 8 and 9 students can take the school bus home after their exams if they are already registered for that bus. There will still be distancing requirements, so it is a first come, first served situation for school busses. Of course, any student who has a city bus pass may use the city bus that day to leave after their exams. Senior School News Regarding our schedule for the new semester: as you may know, the decision to stay on the morning/afternoon shift for Semester 2 was made quite some time ago. This decision was not made at an individual school level. I have heard from a few parents who are frustrated with the shift system and would love to see their children be able to be in instructional classes all day. Currently, there is no option for full day classes at any of the Whitehorse high schools. We understand your concerns. We will continue to support students in the best way possible. Thank you for your continuing patience. Several students have asked about their timetable for next semester. For courses changes senior students can talk to Ms. Segriff, Ms. Campbell, or Ms. Brogdon. A waitlist has been created for students requesting a change for their scheduled shift time. This is not a simple request as we have many factors to consider. We should be able to let students know about shift change requests at the end of exam week. Help in the Senior skills room is available every day for students in grades 10-12. There will be an additional math/science specialist in the Senior Skills room on Tuesday and Wednesday this week for students who may need last minute help in these areas. The exam schedule for grades 10-12 is in the final stages of revision. We heard from several students about conflicts in their exam times and are working hard to revise the schedule so that there are fewer conflicts. The final schedule should be complete by tomorrow afternoon. Regarding the new semester and the Covid-19 vaccine: we will not be changing any operations of the school based on the vaccine. As mentioned above, senior students will still be in morning or afternoon shifts. As always, please contact us with any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful week! Katrina Brogdon, Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL
406 Steele Street, Whitehorse (YT), Y1A 2C8 Phone: (867) 667-2437 Fax: (867)667-7529 Email: [email protected] Web: www.sacredheartcathedral.ca CHRISTMAS MASSES Due to attendance being limited, you must sign up for Christmas Eve Mass and Christmas Day Mass. Please register on our website for the time you wish to attend if you are confident you will attend. There are several mass times available. If you would rather sign up over phone or email the parish office, please do so. Only those parishioners that have registered will be allowed to attend the mass. Christmas Eve will have 10 masses and Christmas Day will have 6 masses. • CHRISTMAS EVE - Thursday, December 24th, 2020 Cathedral 4:00 Full, 5:30 Full, 7:00, 8:30 & 10:00 pm CYO Hall ( Separate Priest) 4:00, 5:30, 7:00 (French), 8:30 & 10:00 pm • CHRISTMAS DAY - Friday, December 25th, 2020 Cathedral 9:00, 10:30 am, 12:00 pm (French) CYO Hall (Separate Priest) 9:00, 10:30 am, 12:00 pm NOVENA IN HONOR OF THE INFANT JESUS: We will pray the Novena every evening, from December 15th to December 23rd at 9 pm at Sacred Heart Cathedral. On December 20th, the Novena will be prayed at the 7pm mass. **CONFESSION SCHEDULE** · December 19, 2020 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM 3:00 PM TO 5:00 PM 6:00 PM TO 7:00 PM · December 23, 2020 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM 3:00 PM TO 5:00 PM 5:00 PM TO 7:00 PM 7:00 PM TO 9:00 PM Merry Christmas from Fr. Szwagrzyk and the staff at Sacred Heart Cathedral Dear Parents and Students, This is the third week of four weeks which make up the season of Advent. This week we reflect on the theme of Joy. In lighting the Advent candles, this is the week the pink candle is lit. This symbolizes a rejoicing or joy that Christ is almost here. In some traditions the third Sunday of Advent is also called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is a Latin word meaning “rejoice”. In his 2014 Gaudete Sunday homily, Pope Francis said that Gaudete Sunday is known as the "Sunday of joy", and that instead of fretting about "all they still haven't" done to prepare for Christmas, people should "think of all the good things life has given you”. Important reflections for all of us. From all of us to all of you, we hope that you have a peaceful and blessed holiday. We look forward to seeing students back at school on Monday, January 4th, 2021! Week-at-a-Glance: Monday Dec 14th
Saturday December 19th- Sunday January 4th, 2021 Enjoy your holiday break! 2021 Monday, January 4th - First Day Back at School! Review week for exams begins Exam Schedule Please see the exam schedules above. If you have questions or concerns, please let us know as soon as possible. Exam week is January 11-14, 2021. Friday, January 15th, is a professional development day. Semester 2 begins January 18th. School Council Meeting To Discuss Vanier Name Change Process You should have received an email last week inviting members of the Vanier community to attend tomorrow night's school council meeting. The invitation link is on the vcss.ca website and also listed above under Tuesday, Dec 15th. A name will not be decided on Tuesday, but the process that will go forward could be of interest to you. Aurora Virtual School for students unable to attend classes at Vanier If your child is unable to attend school next semester, please register with Aurora Virtual School as soon as possible. Aurora’s website is http://www.auroravirtualschool.ca/ As always, please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. In Peace, Katrina Brogdon, Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal News from Vanier - Week of December 7 - 1112/7/2020 Dear Parents and Students, This is the second week of four weeks which make up the season of Advent. This week we reflect on the theme of Peace. There are so many interpretations of what peace means: peace in ourselves, within our families and communities and across the nations of the world. Living in this tumultuous time can certainly disrupt our peace and cause anxiety. The Bible has something to say to us in this age of anxiety, and it is comforting to read these words: 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 Week at a Glance: Monday December 7th
Potential Failure Reports Teachers of students in grades 10-12 will be sending out emails to parents this week if a student is in danger of failing a course. If you do receive an email regarding your child’s potential failure in a course, please respond to the teacher if you have any questions. An Important Reminder: Students Who Need Home Schooling On a Long-Term Basis We have heard from a few parents that they will be keeping their child at home due to COVID-19 risks. Every family is different and only you know the best way to deal with our current situation. A reminder: We will not be able to accommodate students who will be gone for long stretches of time. If there is a reason your child cannot attend school on a long-term basis, please let us know and we will help you with the process of applying for Aurora Virtual School. Vanier students can attend Aurora Virtual School as a “cross-enrolled” student and still have Vanier as their home school. Exam Schedule We will send an exam schedule out before the end of the week. Exam week is January 11-14, 2021. January 15 is a professional development day. The new semester begins January 18th. Masks Thank you to all students and parents who have been so supportive with this new rule. If there are issues with individual students regarding mask use, the parents will be contacted. Lockers Grade 8 and 9 students still have the opportunity to sign up for lockers. Registration forms must be signed by parents and returned as soon as possible. Phones Grade 8 and 9 students should not have their phones out during class time. We will continue to enforce this rule. Thank you to parents for your support of this. Keeping Your Children Home On a Temporary Basis Several parents have contacted the school indicating that they are keeping their children home for health reasons. We support this decision. You are the expert on your children and on your situation. If you know your child will be out for several days, please do the following:
As always, please contact us if you have any questions or concerns. In Peace, Katrina Brogdon, Acting Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal News from Vanier - Week of November 30 - December 411/30/2020 Dear Parents and Students, Yesterday was the first day of Advent. The theme for the first week of Advent is Hope. We all need the gift of hope in our lives. Of all the hopes we have for ourselves and our world, we especially have hope for our youth. We recognize that our young people have suffered a lot through the past year, but I believe they can keep their hope of a bright future with the support of the adults around them. These words from Pope Francis inspire us: “Advent is an incessant call to hope; it reminds us that God is present in history to lead it to its ultimate end, to lead it to its fullness, which is the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 Special Announcement from Ryan Sikkes Dear Vanier staff, students, and families: I wish you all blessings as we enter this Advent season and, together, eagerly await the birth of Jesus Christ. This is a difficult message to write as it concerns one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever had to make. After much deliberation and prayer, I have accepted the position of Assistant Deputy Minister, Schools and Student Services at the Department of Education, effective December 17. Until that time, I will remain in my temporary assignment of A/Superintendent, Area 2 and so will not be returning to Vanier. I have spent 16 wonderful years at Vanier Catholic Secondary and consider those whom I have had to privilege to work with as more than just colleagues – they have become more like family. Similarly, the students who have come and gone over the years have given me so much in affirming my vocation as an educator. In my new role, I hope to support all those involved with the public schools in Yukon to give their very best in educating our children. I have an enormous amount to learn as I move into this new role and I will confess more than a little anxiety heading into it. As my responsibilities increase from overseeing 421 students and 57 staff in 1 school to more than 5700 students and over 1000 staff in 30 schools, I will very much need your prayers. The constant support of the Vanier community has been a major source of personal and professional inspiration and I fervently hope I may continue to count on it. I depart Vanier confident that our students are in good hands. I know our students have committed and enthusiastic educators working hard to support them. This goes beyond teachers, and extents to all our educational assistants, office staff, custodial staff, and all the other people who work “behind the scenes” in the service of our kids, including my own. Thank you for all you have given to the Vanier Catholic Secondary school community - it has been an honour and privilege to work alongside and support you as best I could. I continue to be grateful to Ms. Brogdon and Ms. Wallace for their leadership in my absence. I trust that Vanier’s superintendent, Paul McFadyen, the school council, and the Roman Catholic Episcopal Corporation will continue to work effectively together to ensure effective leadership continues during the coming days, months, and years. Sincerely yours, Ryan Sikkes Thank you for your many years of service Mr. Sikkes. You will be very missed here. Your legacy of strong and compassionate leadership will have a lasting impact on Vanier and we wish you all the best. Sincerely, Ms. Brogdon and Ms. Wallace and all the Vanier family Week at a Glance Monday November 30th
Masks - I Protect You, You Protect Me Starting December 1st, Vanier and many other schools in Yukon will implement mandatory mask rules. As lucky as we are to live in Yukon, we are not protected from Covid-19 by simply living here. We know that masks are not the only measure, but they are a measure we can control and a proven aid in the prevention of Covid-19 spread. The research is clear: individuals with Covid-19 can be symptom free for days, not realizing they are carrying the virus and possibly spreading it to others more at risk than themselves. At Vanier we believe in taking an educational approach in helping youth develop responsibility for self and others. We will continue to take this approach with the mask rules. Simple reminders will be all that is needed for most students. For students who refuse or find it too difficult to be compliant and wear a mask when required, there will be a progression of disciplinary actions. Parents will be contacted and consulted with if there is a problem. I am confident our students will respect this rule. If the past few weeks have been an indication, we have already had great cooperation from students. Lockers Grade 8 and 9 students still have the opportunity to sign up for lockers. Registration forms must be signed by parents and returned as soon as possible. Phones Grade 8 and 9 students should not have their phones out during class time. We will continue to enforce this rule. Thank you to parents for your support of this. Keeping Your Children Home on a Temporary Basis Several parents have contacted the school indicating that they are keeping their children home for health reasons. We support this decision. You are the expert on your children and on your situation. If you know your child will be out for several days, please do the following: Let the office know by phone or email of the absence and the anticipated number of days. That way we can mark your child “absent-excused” and you will not get attendance phone calls. If your child is well enough, have them contact their teachers through rapid identity to let their teachers know. Your child should be able to get the assignments and work they need. If not, please contact your child’s teacher through email or phone the school. Students Who Need Home Schooling on a Long-Term Basis At Vanier we are operating under a blended learning model. In that model we will not be able to accommodate students for long term continuous absences. If there is a reason your child cannot attend school on a long-term basis, please let us know and we will help you with the process of applying for Aurora Virtual School. Vanier students can attend Aurora Virtual School as a “cross-enrolled” student and still have Vanier as their home school As always, please contact us by email or phone if you have any concerns or questions. Have a great week! Katrina Brogdon, Acting Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal News from Vanier - Week of November 23-2711/23/2020 Dear Parents and Students, "May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you." Psalm 33:22 Sunday, November 29 is the start of Advent. In anticipation of this season, we will have our annual Advent Liturgy this Wednesday. The word advent comes from the Latin word adventus, which is translated as “to come to” or “to arrive”. In ancient Rome however, the word adventus was used to describe a “glorious arrival” of an emperor home from a successful battle, or a hero arriving to save a city. Advent is not simply an arrival, it is a glorious arrival, and so we celebrate the season as such. I have included a "good deeds and intentions" advent calendar for you to use with your family at home if you wish. There are many great ideas for gifts and connections that are not things, but actions of the heart and spirit. Have a blessed week and as always, please contact us with any questions or concerns you might have. Katrina Brogdon, Acting Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal Week at a Glance Monday November 23rd
End of Term Exams and Mid-term Assessments By the end of next week we will have a draft of the exam schedule ready to send out. For grade 8s and 9s the word "Exam" can sound pretty scary. For these students, the exams will be a mid-term assessment, and different teachers assess in different ways. Not all teachers have traditional paper and pen tests, but may have assessments that are more project, hands-on or skill based, depending on the subject and judgement by the teacher. The same can be said for the senior school teachers. The exams that senior students will take might be in the form of a final project, or a more traditional exam. These will take place in January. Parent and Student surveys The Department of Education is asking all parents and students to fill out a follow up survey on the effects of COVID-19 on learning. Please follow the provided links to fill out the surveys. This information is very valuable to all members of the education community. Parents: The Learning during COVID-19 survey is now available for you to fill out. The survey for parents and students has been sent directly to all families by e-mail. I wanted to follow-up with our school community to make sure that you received the survey. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes. You can fill it out at: https://survey.gov.yk.ca/SchoolFamilySurvey.aspx For those who may not be able to complete the survey online, they can participate by phone (in English) by calling the Department of Education at 867-667-8238 during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays during the survey period. It will be available from November 23-30, 2020. For more information on the Learning during COVID-19 surveys across this school year, please visit: engageyukon.ca/en/2020/student-learning-during-pandemic. Students: The Learning during COVID-19 survey is now available for you to fill out. The survey will take about 10-15 minutes. You can fill it out at: https://survey.gov.yk.ca/SchoolStudentSurvey.asp Filling out the survey will help us support you this school year and make sure we are doing a good job of protecting your health and safety. Your teachers will also be checking in with you to make sure you have time to fill out the survey during school hours. The survey is open until the end of day Monday, November 30. News from Vanier - Week of November 16-2011/16/2020 Dear Vanier parents and students, God is our refuge and our strength. An ever-present help in times of trouble. Psalm 46:1 This weekend we saw terrifying images and heard heart-breaking news about typhoon Vamco which poured torrential rains and caused massive flooding in the Philippines over the weekend. We are praying for our students and all their friends and families who are affected by this natural disaster. Our “wear a hat, have a heart” fundraiser on Thursday is earmarked for relief organizations working in the Philippines. Principal’s message Attendance, Uncertainty, and Mental Health There is a direct connection between attendance and school success. Some students are struggling right now with their attendance, for a variety of reasons. In reviewing the report cards, I noticed several of our senior students are struggling with their academics and their attendance. We want to work closely with parents to help students attend and succeed. We know it is difficult for students right now. We know that missing classes often leads to more missed classes because it becomes overwhelming to try to catch up. We want our students to be here. Any encouragement you can provide is helpful. Teachers and students are navigating through murky waters this year. No teacher at Vanier was trained to teach during a global pandemic, and students are trying their best to learn under conditions that none of them have any experience in. We are all feeling the pain of separation from family and friends, acclimating to half-day school days, and coping with abbreviated sports seasons. I miss the days of seeing grade 12s hanging around their lockers and reminding them to go to class! I think we are all grieving for the good old days of 2019, and grief takes time to process. The mental health of teens and adults is suffering all over the world, and we are certainly seeing this in our school family. To this end, we have applied for additional supports to help students cope with the complex tasks of juggling a blended learning school year. I am hopefully optimistic about this. As most of you know, we will be staying with the half day model for the remainder of this school year. I have received heartbreaking phone calls and emails from parents about this. You are very worried about your children, and so are we. There is no magic solution I can offer. I have no say or influence over what has been decided regarding the scheduling for the rest of the year. I can pass on your concerns; I can listen, and try my best to help parents, students and staff come up with solutions that will work best for your child. Regarding mental health, there is no doubt that anxiety and depression are affecting many adolescents right now. As a parent of two daughters doing post-secondary programs from the isolation of the kitchen table or their bedroom, I see how frustrating and difficult it is to stay motivated and work on courses for a very unpredictable future. Anxiety is very real for this generation of teens. Between social media pressures, uncertain futures and the isolation of living through a global pandemic, life is anxiety inducing right now. Acknowledging that their anxiety is real is an important support you can provide your child. Encouragement and hopefulness are good medicine at any time. Here is a great Canadian resource on mental health for you. Here to Help is a collaborative website supported by several B.C. and other Canadian mental health organizations. The website is easy to navigate and has resources for children, teens, adults and parents. As always, please reach out to us if you have concerns. Have a safe and happy week. As always, feel free to contact us by phone or email. Sincerely, Katrina Brogdon, Acting Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal Week at a Glance Monday November 16th
Student Led Conferences Thank you to all the parents who were able to come to our student led conferences last week. We realize that it is sometimes difficult to attend events such as these and appreciate those who were able to. For those who were not able to attend in person, please contact your child’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress. Report Cards A few parents have contacted the school with concerns about report cards which have not yet arrived. The mail seems to be slow right now, and if you have not received your child’s report card in the mail, we can send a pdf via email to you for any student in grade 10-12. Students in grade 8 and 9 did not receive report cards, but rather self-assessment and informal progress reports from teachers. If you did not receive these reports for your grade 8 or 9 child, feel free to contact their teachers. Emailing teachers is always the easiest way. New Safety protocols from Chief Medical Officer of Health’s office Last week I sent a letter to the entire school community regarding upcoming changes to school operations for Covid-19 safety protocols. As mentioned in the letter, the requirement to wear masks in the school in common areas will be implemented. There is some confusion regarding when these new protocols must be in place. This matter will be discussed at tomorrow’s school council meeting and I will send an update then. Currently, our plan is to implement these protocols starting on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. We remain open to being flexible on this deadline as we wait for further instructions. News from Vanier - Week of November 9-1311/9/2020 Dear Vanier Students and Families, This week is another busy one at Vanier. We are looking forward to seeing you during Student Led Conferences, and hope that you have a relaxing and reflective day on Wednesday for the observance of Remembrance Day. Thoughts on Peace: As we go out into the world, let us remember Jesus’ words “peace be with you” and carry them in our hearts. We ask the Holy Spirit for the courage to share Jesus’ gift of peace through acts of kindness, as a sign of his kingdom’s everlasting peace, where the Father has prepared a place for each of us, beloved sons and daughters of God. Tony Cosentino, Catholic Educator As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email [email protected], or call the school at 667-5901. Sincerely, Katrina Brogdon, Acting Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal Week at a Glance Monday November 9th · Senior School - Day 1 · Fire Drill @ 11:20 am · JR Social Justice Club @12:15 pm in Learning Commons Tuesday November 10th · Senior School - Day 2 · Remembrance Day Liturgy
· Junior Student Led Conference
· Remembrance Day – No School Thursday November 12th · Senior School - Day 1 · Board Games Club @ 12:15 pm in LC · Workout Club @ 3:30-4:30 pm · Senior Student Led Conference
· Senior School - Day 2 Remembrance Day Remembrance day is on Wednesday, November 11th. We are honoring Remembrance day on Tuesday, however our traditional ceremony will be different this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. Here is information about the Whitehorse ceremony and for a nice discussion around the dinner table, here is a link to the Veteran Affairs Canada “10 Quick Facts on the Poppy” webpage. Royal Canadian Legion WHITEHORSE The annual ceremony held at the Whitehorse Cenotaph near city hall will be carried live on the Royal Canadian Whitehorse Legion Facebook page. Veteran Affairs Canada Report cards mailed last week The office has processed and mailed out all report cards and interim reports. If you haven’t received yours by the end of the week please contact us. Student Led Conferences this week Student Led Conferences will occur this week on Tuesday (Junior school) and Thursday (Senior school). Please see the above schedules. After much thought and consideration, we have decided to keep a similar format as in years past – classrooms will be open for drop-in conferences during specific windows of time to limit the total number of students/families in the school. Each teacher will be assigned to a specific room which will, in most cases, allow for 3 conferences to occur simultaneously. There will be waiting rooms assigned to each teacher if their classrooms are full. We ask that all students and parents/guardians wear masks, especially when waiting or transiting between classrooms in hallways. Cell phones As we noted in previous Monday emails, we are extremely concerned at the cell phone use in the grade 8 and 9 classrooms during learning time. Grade 8 and 9 students should not have their phone out at any time during class time. Parents, we need your help on this. Please talk to your child about their cell phones and the importance of putting them out of hand and out of sight during class time. Each grade 8 and 9 teacher will be asking students to place their phone in a class “phone box” at the beginning of class time. The phones are distracting to your child and others and are taking away from important learning time. Grade 8 & 9 lockers assignments are coming! Due to the colder weather and the need to store coats and boots, we are planning to assign lockers throughout the school to Grade 8 and 9 students. Lockers will be spaced out with 2 lockers between each locker being used. This will mean that lockers may be some distance away from the student’s homeroom classroom. These lockers are only meant to store outerwear and boots, may only be accessed at the start and end of the day along with the start and end of lunch. All class materials will remain being stored in classroom bins. Lockers have always served as a gathering spot for students and this is precisely what we don’t want to have happen. New locker use agreements with Covid-19 rules and processes will be distributed and will be required to be signed prior to the issuance of a locker and lock combination (the school will supply locks – there is no need for students or families to purchase or supply one). Service Learning opportunities We are continuing with our service learning requirements as part of our Religion 8 through 11 requirements (which also help us meet the 30 hours requirement for graduation). We understand that it is more difficult, due to COVID-19, to engage in many of the service learning opportunities that students have engaged in previously. Here are some opportunities that can be done independently and logged/acknowledged by parents: · Babysit or pet-sit · Tutor siblings or sign up for our tutoring program · Do errands, cook for, or otherwise help someone out · Shovel snow · Do something helpful for extended family or your “double bubble” family · Shovel snow at school News from Vanier - Week of November 2-611/2/2020
Today is All Souls' Day All Souls' Day is marked on 2nd November directly following All Saints' Day and is an opportunity for us to commemorate those who have departed. Today’s prayer: God of Comfort, Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, And let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faith departed, Through the mercy of God, Rest in peace, Amen Today was a challenging day for travel in and around Whitehorse. We always urge families to stay on the safe side of things and make your best judgements for safe travelling. As a reminder, once students are safely at school on bad weather days, they should stay here at school. It is much safer for them to stay put and wait until the roads are cleared than to try to go home in unsafe conditions. As mentioned last week, our COVID-19 plan has been updated to reflect our expectation that students are wearing masks in common areas like hallways, bathrooms, etc. Many students are still not following the guidelines in the hallways and while we are reminding them and handing out many non-reusable masks, we ask that parents support this expectation and send your child with a reusable mask or have them pick up another reusable mask at the office. Our COVID-19 plan and related documentation can be found here: https://www.vcss.ca/covid-19.html As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email [email protected], or call the school at 667-5901. Sincerely, Katrina Brogdon, acting principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Week at a glance Monday November 2nd
Literacy Assessment this week All Grade 10 students are expected to write their Grade 10 Literacy Assessment this week and were given specific information on how to prepare during short assemblies and by email last week. There will be many opportunities to catch up or rewrite in the future. Grade 11 and 12 students who would like to write or re-write either the Literacy or Numeracy Assessments can see either Ms. Wallace or Ms. Brogdon to sign up for Wednesday’s catch-up/re-write day. Report cards mailed this week The office is the process of verifying and sorting academic interim reports (Junior school) and report cards (Senior school) and will be mailing packages to households with all reports included. Student Led Conferences coming next week Student Led Conferences will occur next week on Tuesday (Junior school) and Thursday (Senior school). After much thought and consideration, we have decided to keep a similar format as in years past – classrooms will be open for drop-in conferences during specific windows of time to limit the total number of students/families in the school. Each teacher will be assigned to a specific room which will, in most cases, allow for 3 conferences to occur simultaneously. There will be waiting rooms assigned to each teacher if their classrooms are full. We ask that all students and parents/guardians wear masks, especially when waiting or transiting between classrooms in hallways. Grade 8 & 9 lockers assignments are coming! Due to the colder weather and the need to store coats and boots, we are planning to assign lockers throughout the school to Grade 8 and 9 students. Lockers will be spaced out with 2 lockers between each locker being used. This will mean that lockers may be some distance away from the student’s homeroom classroom. These lockers are only meant to store outerwear and boots may only be accessed at the start and end of the day along with the start and end of lunch. All class materials will remain being stored in classroom bins. Lockers have always served as a gathering spot for students and this is precisely what we don’t want to have happen. New locker use agreements with Covid-19 rules and processes will be distributed and will be required to be signed prior to the issuance of a locker and lock combination (the school will supply locks – there is no need for students or families to purchase or supply one). OurSchool survey – a Yukon-wide student survey Dear Parent/Guardian, Vanier Catholic Secondary, along with all Yukon schools, will be participating in an online school perception survey for students called the OurSCHOOL Student Survey. Please find the details of the survey implementation below. Who: All students, grades 8 through 12 When: Week of November 2-6 Where: In classrooms using school technology Why: to measure student engagement, increase student involvement & sense of belonging at school About the OurSCHOOL Student Survey:
Survey measures include such topics as behaviours and attitudes linked to student success, emotional and social well-being and physical health. For more information about the OurSCHOOL Student Survey, please visit The Learning Bar’s website: www.thelearningbar.com. If you have questions or would like to request more information about Vanier’s upcoming implementation of the OurSCHOOL Student Survey, please contact the school or David McInnes [email protected] 867-667-5871. Sincerely, David McInnes Director- Technology and Student Information Yukon Department of Education Service Learning opportunities We are continuing with our service learning requirements as part of our Religion 8 through 11 requirements (which also help us meet the 30 hours requirement for graduation). We understand that it is more difficult, due to COVID-19, to engage in many of the service learning opportunities that students have engaged in previously. Here are some opportunities that can be done independently and logged/acknowledged by parents:
News from Vanier - Week of October 26-3010/26/2020 Dear Vanier students and families:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 Dear Lord, I trust in you. I may not understand but I know you are working things out for my good. Thank you for taking care of me. You never let me down. Amen. The next few weeks will be very busy! The end of this reporting period, Student Led Conferences, Literacy Assessment for Grade 10s (with catch up/rewrite Literacy/Numeracy Assessments for grades 11 and 12), and a Yukon-side student survey are just a few things that are coming up! Please make note of the important dates listed below. As mentioned on Friday, our COVID-19 plan has been updated to reflect our expectation that students are wearing masks in common areas like hallways, bathrooms, etc. Our COVID-19 plan and related documentation can be found here: https://www.vcss.ca/covid-19.html One of the things we have been working hard at developing in order to build and maintain our sense of community despite the limitations posed by the pandemic was developing a “house families” structure to safely allow for some fun interactions inside and outside of classrooms. We partnered with our Yukon First Nations partners to develop a system of 4 families within our school based on the medicine wheel:
Finally, this will likely be the last News from Vanier email from Mr. Sikkes for the next while as he is taking a temporary assignment at the Department of Education. Ms. Katrina Brogdon will be acting as principal during his absence. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email [email protected], or call the school at 667-5901. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal This week at a Glance...and then some! Monday, October 26th
Online bullying and sexting parent information session In response to the growing concerns of the cyberbullying that is occurring amongst youth in Whitehorse, FH Collins will be hosting a live webinar for parents presented by The White Hatter on Monday, November 2nd from 7pm to 9 pm. FH Collins is very kindly allowing Vanier parents/guardians to sign for this workshop. In order to access the parent presentation, we require your consent to provide The White Hatter with your email address. They will then send out a link and access code for the presentation. If you want access to this presentation, please email [email protected] or call the FH Collins main office at 667-8665 with your name and the email address you will be using for the presentation. We need confirmation of permission by October 28th. This session includes a 30-minute presentation on Monitoring, Filtering, and Other Tools for Parents & Caregivers. This company has been recommended by the RCMP to help educate parents and students on these topics. More information about this company can be found online at: www.thewhitehatter.ca A recording of the webinar will be available for those that cannot sign in on November 2nd. Teen Sexting, Nudes, Distribution of Intimate Images, and the Law (60 minutes + 30-minute Q&A) This program covers teen “sexting” based on academic peer-reviewed research, laws, and our investigative experience to help teens understand consent, choices, consequences and how they can take specific actions to reduce legal liability and reduce harm emotionally, psychologically, physically and socially specific to this subject. Monitoring, Filtering, and Other Tools for Parents & Caregivers (30 minutes) An overview of the various tools and resource available for families to help manage online connection and communication. No tool is 100% effective but learn about the products and resources that we recommend for families. Literacy Assessment 10 next week Literacy and Numeracy Assessments at the Grade 10 level are graduation requirements. These assessments are written online. Vanier usually has students write their Literacy Assessments in the fall and Numeracy in the winter during the weeks that are designated for the assessments determined by the British Columbia Ministry of Education. We will have short assemblies for the Grade 10 students who need to write their assessments on Tuesday, October 27 near the end of each shift. While these assessments are required for graduation, there is no minimum score required to graduate. Students who are unsatisfied with their score may choose to rewrite their assessments up to two more times. For more information about the Literacy Assessment, as well as links to practice assessments, visit: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/assessment/literacy-assessment/grade-10-literacy-assessment Report cards mailed next week Teachers are required to submit their academic interim reports (Junior school) and report card marks (Senior school) to the office by the end of this week. Students who have overdue or missed assignments need to get those handed in right away so teachers can mark them and include them in the report card mark. Student Led Conferences will happen on November 10 (Juniors) and 12 (Seniors) and will focus on the interims and report cards sent home. Due to COVID-19 most of these conferences will happen at home, but some students and families will have the opportunity to book an in-person appointment at the school, over the phone, or on Zoom during those days. Service Learning opportunities We are continuing with our service learning requirements as part of our Religion 8 through 11 requirements (which also help us meet the 30 hours requirement for graduation). We understand that it is more difficult, due to COVID-19, to engage in many of the service learning opportunities that students have engaged in previously. Here are some opportunities that can be done independently and logged/acknowledged by parents:
Halloween and All Souls Day Halloween is, of course, this coming Saturday and we do welcome students to wear appropriate costumes to school this Friday if they so choose. We will also pray in a special way as a school the following Monday, November 2 – All Souls’ Day – for all those who have died. School Handbook Our school council, at their recent AGM, approved our updated School Handbook. It was not completely overhauled to reflect the COVID-19 changes, but will still serve as a valuable resource for students and parents/guardians on many topics. The updated version can be found on our website: https://www.vcss.ca/school-documents.html Dear Vanier students and families:
This is a special edition Friday email with some important news and information:
Have a great weekend! Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Covid-19 operational plan adjustment Due to the colder weather which is causing more students to choose to remain indoors, the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in and out of Yukon, and our continued difficulties enforcing physical distancing outside of classrooms, the following update to our Covid-19 operation plan will be in place, effective Monday, October 26. It is recommended that students age 10 and older (Grade 4 and up) wear nonmedical masks in school settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained. Inside of classrooms, we can maximize physical distancing, therefore at this time masks are not required in classrooms. When students are not in their assigned classrooms, the following changes will occur:
Inappropriate/disruptive use of personal devices in classrooms We are continuing to struggle with technology use during class times. Of course, in the senior school there is more technology use in classes but less so in the junior school. We will be enforcing the following policy: Personal devices may not be seen, heard, nor used in classrooms during class time unless authorized by a teacher for a specific purpose related to the class. Students who are not able to adhere to this policy may have their device held by the teacher or in the office until the end of the day or, in repeat circumstances, until a parent/guardian comes to collect the device. We thank all parents/guardians for your support and cooperation regarding this issue. Also we gently remind parents that if you need to get in touch with your child during class time, please call the school at 667-5901 and we will make sure your child gets the message to return your call at their break time. Mr. Sikkes on temporary assignment starting November 2nd Dear Vanier students and families: I will be working away from Vanier for the next several weeks on a temporary assignment as an acting superintendent starting November 2 until a permanent superintendent is in place. Katrina Brogdon will be the principal while I am away. She has served as a vice-principal of Vanier for several years during my educational leave and has also previously been the principal of Takhini Elementary. I wouldn’t consider being away from the school if I didn’t think the school would be in good hands and I am confident that Ms. Brogdon and Ms. Wallace will do an excellent job leading and administering the school. I know there is never a good time to be away, and this is a particularly difficult time. I am confident that our school is very well positioned to continue its positive trajectory. Even under the circumstances of Covid-19, I absolutely believe this to be the case. Please pray for me as I undertake this assignment – it will stretch my professional and interpersonal skills – and I have very mixed feelings about being away from Vanier. Please pray for Ms. Brogdon and Ms. Wallace and all the staff as they adjust to this change. Sincerely, Mr. Sikkes Dear Vanier students and families:
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 Dear Lord, May you wrap a blanket of peace around me and my loved ones this day. Be our comforter, guide, and protector as we turn to you with all of our hearts. Amen A huge thank you to all students and families who were able to help with the food drive last week – several tens of thousands of dollars worth of food was donated to the Whitehorse Food Bank! These donations are an essential part of their winter food stocks. We are only about a week away from the mid-point of the first semester! Time is flying by and students will be receiving academic interims (Grades 8 & 9) and report cards with percentage marks (Grades 10-12) in the mail near the end of the first week of November. Let’s get those projects finished, overdue assignments handed in, and study well for unit tests and midterms! This week, we are also administering a short survey to our Grade 10-12 Senior School students to gather some self-assessment data on their skills and abilities in relation to the following aspects: setting goals, analyzing task requirements, planning, organizing, prioritizing, managing stress, notetaking, test preparation, persistence, resilience, utilizing resources, and self-evaluation. We will measure these skills throughout the year to see if they are improving. All students will be surveyed using the Our School national survey in early November which will also provide the school with some great data to inform our decision making, especially through our School Growth Plan process. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the school by replying to this email, emailing our general school email at [email protected] or phoning the school at 667-5901. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Week-at-a-glance Monday, October 19th •Senior School - Day 2 •Bookend @ 8:20 am •SBT @ 8:45 am Tuesday, October 20th •Senior School - Day 1 •Senior School survey •School Council AGM @ 7:00 pm in Learning Commons Wednesday, October 21st •Senior School - Day 2 •Alpha meeting – grade 8 @ 12:15 pm in Room 26 •X block = 2 Thursday, October 22nd •Senior School - Day 1 •Senior School survey catch-up Friday, October 23rd •Senior School - Day 2 Literacy Assessment 10 The week of November 2-6 will see our Grade 10 students writing their Literacy Assessment – more details will follow by email and will be shared with students in class. These assessments are graduation requirements and have multiple opportunities for re-writes. For more information on the Literacy 10 Assessment, please visit: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/assessment/literacy-assessment/grade-10-literacy-assessment Our Grade 10 students will write their Numeracy 10 Assessments in January. All students in all grades will have re-write opportunities in April 2021. November 2-6 will also be an opportunity for anyone to rewrite either the Literacy or Numeracy 10 Assessments – email Ms. Brogdon at [email protected] if you wish to be registered for a re-write. Phone Calls/Messages In the recent days and weeks, we have been noticing that more and more parents/guardians are making phone calls directly to students during class time. It is difficult for students to ignore incoming calls at the best of times, especially when they are coming from a parent. Every minute of class time is crucially important this year, so we would very much appreciate parents/guardians waiting until breaks to make calls or to simply send a message to a child requesting a call back at the next break time. We would also like to remind all parents that in truly urgent situations, please don’t hesitate to call the office and ask someone there to relay a message directly to a student. Yearbooks 2019-2020 The 2019-2020 yearbooks are in production at the Jostens Printing company. There was a delay this year because of Covid-19 and the late Class of 2020 Cap & Gown ceremony at the end of August. If you ordered a yearbook last spring, you will be contacted when the yearbooks arrive to the school. If the student who ordered one is no longer living in Whitehorse and do not have the means of having the yearbook picked up for you, please send a forwarding mailing address to [email protected]. If you are away at University, other Post Secondary, or working out of Territory, yearbooks will have to be picked up by a family member at the school. Dear Vanier students and families:
Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. –1 Thessalonians 5:18 Dear Lord, I am so thankful for your love, guidance, and protection from the storms of life. You are so good to me! Amen. We hope that all our students and families enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving long weekend filled with good food and lots of safe, appropriately physically-distanced gathering with family and friends. Last week, Ms. Gray led short Thanksgiving liturgies focused on the benefits of being grateful and extending that gratitude to others. In that spirit, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for all the wonderful, spirited students we are fortunate to accompany each day along their educational journeys. Through all the ups and downs of school, we benefit from the life and spirit that all our students bring to our school as much (or more) than we can sometimes give in providing educational opportunities and support. Today is our annual Whitehorse Schools’ Food Drive for the Whitehorse Food Bank! This year, we will not have students/families driving around to pick up food on a designated evening. Instead, tonight until 8 pm, food drop-offs will be accepted at the following locations:
The Whitehorse Food Bank heavily depends on these food drives to stock their shelves for the winter. We hope that students and families can think creatively and safely about how to encourage friends and neighbours to donate and drop off food tonight. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Week-at-a-glance Tuesday, October 13th
Phone Calls/Messages In the recent days and weeks, we have been noticing that more and more parents/guardians are making phone calls directly to students during class time. It is difficult for students to ignore incoming calls at the best of times, especially when they are coming from a parent. Every minute of class time is crucially important this year, so we would very much appreciate parents/guardians waiting until breaks to make calls or to simply send a message to a child requesting a call back at the next break time. We would also like to remind all parents that in truly urgent situations, please don’t hesitate to call the office and ask someone there to relay a message directly to a student. Blended Learning – how to help The first interim reports may indicate that students are not on track to earning the grades that they (or you) wish. Here are some suggestions to consider if their progress is not what was hoped for:
Dear Vanier Students and Families:
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 Dear Lord, thank you for the perfect peace that comes from you. I will rest in your love today and trust that you will take care of all of my needs. Amen Later this week, all households should start receiving interim reports from all teachers in the mail. At the Junior School (Grade 8 & 9) these only focus on Behaviours for Success (e.g. work habits and effort) as we do not have enough work to report on academic progress. At the Senior School (Grades 10-12), both Behaviours for Success and academic progress will be reported. Today, we discussed “lockdown” and “hold and secure” procedures with students but did not practice them as that would require students to come in to very close contact with each other. A letter containing more information about our school safety procedures is attached to this email. As we approach Thanksgiving, we would like to remind all our students and families of the Food Drive that will be happening next week. We will be distributing bags to households all across the city as usual, but we will not have students/families driving around to pick up food on a designated evening. Instead, between 8 am and 8 pm on Tuesday, October 13, food drop-offs will be accepted at the following locations:
Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Week-at-a-glance Monday, October 5th
Interim Reports As mentioned above, interim reports will be mailed home this week. At the end of October, a full report card will be written for all of our Senior School students that will include a percentage grade. At that time, another interim report for our Junior School students will be sent that will include information on academic progress. Blended Learning – how to help The first interim reports may indicate that students are not on track to earning the grades that they (or you) wish. Here are some suggestions to consider if their progress is not what was hoped for:
Skills Room Contest As a thank you to all our students who have been respectfully making good use of our Senior Skills Room, ten students will be rewarded with a surprise gift box just before Thanksgiving! The Senior Skills Room is open every school day from 8:15 until 3:30 in the basement of the Riverdale Baptist Church and Ms. Seloterio (our Learning Assistance Teacher) and Mr. Biss are available to provide help in all subjects. On that note, students who are not “on shift” in classes are not permitted to be in the school while the other shift is in class. The Senior Skills Room is the only permissible place to work unless specific permission has been granted by the school administration, a Learning Assistance Teacher, or counsellor. Please contact the school if you feel that you (or your child) needs this exception made to work either the Junior Skills room or Learning Commons. Dear Vanier Students and Families: The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Deuteronomy 31:8 Dear Lord, I don’t know what I would do without you. Knowing you are always with me gives me so much hope, especially when I’m going through rough times. Thank you for your love. Amen One of the unique features of Yukon’s public schools is our system of governance that includes school councils. These councils have a number of important roles and authorities in ensuring the voices of students, parents/guardians, and the wider community are represented in the operation of the schools. Vanier has always been fortunate to have supportive councils engaged in this work and we’re pleased that this is continuing with the election by acclamation of our new council. On Friday, our council released a survey to collect input from students, parents/guardians, staff, or anyone who is interested in providing their opinion on the school’s name. This survey is open until October 9 and we thank everyone for taking the time to provide their thoughts and opinions. Please see below to find out more and to for a link to access the survey. Finally, this Wednesday marks Orange Shirt Day across Canada. Orange shirt day is a day in the year where we use our clothing to express our desire to reconcile with Canada’s Indigenous peoples with regard to the destructive legacy of the Indian Residential Schools. However, our school’s commitment to the challenging work of reconciliation goes beyond wearing orange on one single day. We address this topic in a number of instances at various grade levels. In addition, we are constantly looking for ways to honour and incorporate Yukon First Peoples ways of knowing and doing, culture, and language wherever we can. The modern day treaty process that has resulted in Yukon’s land claims and self-government agreements requires all our students – Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike – to have a robust and authentic understanding of the historical and present-day realities of Indigenous peoples so we can work together in furthering and enhancing our democracy. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Week-at-a-glance Monday, September 28th
School portraits Students who did not have their school portraits taken when the photographer was at Vanier will have the opportunity to have theirs done tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29 at 3:15 at Christ the King Elementary School. Students need to come to Vanier’s office during the day to collect their bar-coded ticket to take to CKES with them after school. There may be other opportunities to have portraits taken at the photographer’s studio – details will be shared when available. Orange Shirt Day Wednesday, September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a day that has evolved in Canada to help citizens learn about and begin or continue the process of reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples with respect to Indian Residential Schools. More information about the day can be found here: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/ Vanier Catholic Secondary is committed to reconciliation and fully acknowledges the terrible aspects of Canada’s Indian Residential School system. We address this topic fully in a number of our courses at various grade levels. We encourage all our students and staff to wear orange on Wednesday. School Council News – elections update School council nominations closed on Thursday, September 24 and we’re pleased to report that five candidates put forth their names and were elected by acclamation. That means we have no vacant seats on our council. Thank you to the following people for demonstrating your support for our school community by returning to or joining our school council:
Our School Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be on Tuesday, October 20 – guests are welcome to attend either in person or through a Zoom meeting. Details of the meeting are available here: https://www.vcss.ca/meetings.html School Council News – survey As was shared by email to all members of our school community on Friday, September 25, there is an online survey regarding the Vanier name. For more details and to complete the survey, visit https://www.vcss.ca/vanier-name-survey.html Missing Books – please return! In the spring, we distributed a selection of novels and books to students, many of which have still not been returned. Please check your bedrooms and bookshelves for the following titles, each of which will have a “Yukon Education Resource Services” stamp inside the front cover if it belongs to us!
In addition, students who attended other schools last year are encouraged to check their homes for books that ought to be returned to those schools. Mail out– return updated verification form and all colour-coded forms to win $250 - Our start-of-the-year mailout packages should have arrived to all households by now – please contact the school if you have not received one. It contains important information about contact information for students/families, school policies, and school and religious education fees. As usual, all families who submit the forms and fees on or before our deadline on October 5 will be entered into a draw for a prize of a $250 pre-paid Visa gift card! Dear Vanier students and families:
But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. 1 Kings 5:4 Dear Lord, Thank you for the peace I have through you. I am holding on to you this day. I will rest in you. Amen. This week will see our first set of school liturgies of the year – instead of gathering the whole school together in the gym, we will have several throughout the day so that we can ensure each student has a full 2m of physical distancing in place while in the gym. Liturgies are an important part of our school culture and we are pleased to be able to continue them in a manner that respects the Covid-19 public health requirements. One particular thing we would really appreciate your help with this week is tracking down some novels and books that were loaned to students in the spring. Please see below for the list of titles we hope that you can all search your bedrooms and bookshelves for! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email [email protected], or telephone the school at 667-5901. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Week-at-a-Glance Monday, September 21st
Missing Books – please return! In the spring, we distributed a selection of novels and books to students, many of which have still not been returned. Please check your bedrooms and bookshelves for the following titles, each of which will have a “Yukon Education Resource Services” stamp inside the front cover if it belongs to us!
Mask Wearing Reusable masks were distributed to all students in classes with fabric marking pens so students could personalize their own mask. Students are strongly encouraged to wear them as much as possible, especially in situations when physical distancing is not possible (such as in the hallways). On buses/transit: Students are reminded that masks are also strongly recommended by the Chief Medical Officer of Health on school buses and city transit. The City of Whitehorse is also asking for transit riders to wear masks on their buses: https://www.facebook.com/cityofwhitehorse/posts/3776244162405702:0 Mail out coming – return updated verification form and all colour-coded forms to win $250 - Our start-of-the-year mailout packages should have arrived to all households by now – please contact the school if you have not received one. It contains important information about contact information for students/families, school policies, and school and religious education fees. As usual, all families who submit the forms and fees on or before our deadline on October 5 will be entered into a draw for a prize of a $250 pre-paid Visa gift card! School Messenger text opt-in Our school utilizes the School Messenger system to deliver student absence notifications, events notifications, safety alerts, and other informational messages to phone numbers and email addresses. You may also receive these notifications as SMS text messages delivered straight to your mobile phone through a simple opt-in process. You can participate in this service just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number: For CANADA-BASED numbers: 978338 School council elections information Nominations are currently open for school councils throughout Yukon. Nomination packages are available from the Vanier office or the returning officer, Chris Nemeth, who can be contacted at 336-1242 or by email at [email protected]. Yukon’s Catholic Schools have some additional regulations for those wishing to run for school council positions or those wishing to vote. General information about school council elections can be found at electionsyukon.ca and information specific to the Catholic schools at ceayukon.ca Senior School – parents/guardian access to MS Teams Unfortunately, MS Teams does not offer weekly summary emails like Google Classroom does. Parents/guardians of Senior School students who wish to know what is being assigned in Grade 10-12 classes are encouraged to either:
Senior Skills Room The Senior Skills Room is available every school day between 8:30 and 3:15 and has digital (and now internet connected!) devices for students to use to complete their work. It is not a social space nor can the wifi be used for non-school related purposes. Many tutors are available for free tutoring! Our free tutoring program is available to students of all grade levels who require or request extra support. Through a funding grant, we pay Senior School students to tutor other students – however, there is no charge to any students or families who wish to have tutoring. We have many available tutors who are anxious to help their fellow students! Assistance can be offered in a particular subject area (or areas) or to help with organizational and executive functioning tasks. Dear Vanier students and families:
…Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. 2 Corinthians 13:11 Dear Lord, I love you. Come and share your heart with me this day. Amen. As the weather begins to get colder, we are already noticing more crowding happening in the hallways before and after school and during the lunch hours. We continue to encourage students to spend as much time outside as possible during these times – the fresh air is good for you! As well, we remind all students of the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s recommendation of wearing masks in situations where physical distancing is not possible – especially in the hallways during breaks and before classes start. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please simply reply to this email, email the general inbox at [email protected] or call the school at 667-5901. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal Week at-a-glance Monday September 14th
School photo information (instructions for Senior School) Tomorrow, portrait photos will be taken of our Senior School students. We wish for students to avoid missing class time for having their photos taken if possible. Tomorrow (Tuesday), the photographer will be available between 10 am and 4 pm in the Learning Commons.
Senior School – parents/guardian access to MS Teams Unfortunately, MS Teams does not offer weekly summary emails like Google Classroom does. Parents/guardians of Senior School students who wish to know what is being assigned in Grade 10-12 classes are encouraged to either: 1. Regularly have their children show them what's going on in MS Teams; or 2. Download and install the MS Teams apps on their own devices and have the student log in so that parents can keep track of what is going on. Senior Skills Room The Senior Skills Room is available every school day between 8:30 and 3:15 and has digital (and now internet connected!) devices for students to use to complete their work. It is not a social space nor can the wifi be used for non-school related purposes. Senior School - Test writing outside of class time Some grade 10-12 teachers have expressed a very reasonable concern about using their limited class time for test writing. Therefore, they may require students, with sufficient advance notice, to write tests in the Senior Skills room when they are not in class on specific days and times. The school supports this approach to maximizing the amount of teaching time available to teachers and because the remaining half day not spent in class is still meant to be spent on school-related activities. If students or parents/guardians have any questions or concerns about this, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Sikkes or Ms. Wallace. Many tutors are available for free tutoring! Our free tutoring program is available to students of all grade levels who require or request extra support. Through a funding grant, we pay Senior School students to tutor other students – however, there is no charge to any students or families who wish to have tutoring. We have many available tutors who are anxious to help their fellow students! Assistance can be offered in a particular subject area (or areas) or to help with organizational and executive functioning tasks. School Messenger text opt-in Our school utilizes the School Messenger system to deliver student absence notifications, events notifications, safety alerts, and other informational messages to phone numbers and email addresses. You may also receive these notifications as SMS text messages delivered straight to your mobile phone through a simple opt-in process. You can participate in this service just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number: For CANADA-BASED numbers: 978338 Mail out coming – return updated verification form, all colour-coded forms, and fees by October 5 to win $250 - Our start-of-the-year mailout will be arriving home any day and contains important information about contact information for students/families, school policies, and school and religious education fees. As usual, all families who submit the forms and fees on or before our deadline on October 5 will be entered into a draw for a prize of a $250 pre-paid Visa gift card! School Council meeting Vanier Catholic Secondary School Council will have its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 15 at 7 pm. All parents/guardians are most welcome to attend. School council elections information Nominations are currently open for school councils throughout Yukon. Nomination packages are available from the Vanier office or the returning officer, Chris Nemeth, who can be contacted at 336-1242 or by email at [email protected]. She will also be available on Thursday, September 17 from 3:00 pm until 4:15 pm to collect nomination papers and to answer any questions. Yukon’s Catholic Schools have some additional regulations for those wishing to run for school council positions or those wishing to vote. General information about school council elections can be found at electionsyukon.ca and information specific to the Catholic schools at ceayukon.ca |
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