February 24th, 2020
Dear Vanier families and friends, This email, unfortunately, requires me to address some very unfortunate news: Some of you may have heard the news this weekend or may have heard it mentioned that Jean Vanier, a member of the Vanier family that our school is named after, was found to have abused women during his lifetime. This is sad and shocking news to many, as we have offered Jean Vanier as an example of living Gospel values, especially through his lifetime of work supporting intellectually and developmentally delayed individuals through hundreds of L’Arche communities throughout the world. Sadly, however, in another dimension of his life, he was unable to respect the physical and emotional well-being of some women. We want to be clear that, as a school, we stand in support of the women who came forward to report their abuse by him. We also stand with the thousands of residents, volunteers, and staff of L’Arche communities who are also struggling with this news. Although our school is connected to Jean Vanier through his surname, we do want to make it clear that our school’s name does not define us. We are defined by the people – our students, our teachers, our staff, all of us – who are here together in community. Our commitment to going beyond our studies and our collective focus on service to others, helping the poor, reaching out to the marginalized, building community, and demonstrating inclusiveness is what defines our school community. These are things that we do well and we can all be proud of. News like this is never easy to hear and, for some students especially, hearing about abuse may cause feelings of anxiety, fear, sadness, or anger to name just a few. If your child is feeling this way, please encourage them to reach out to an adult they trust to listen and help. In particular, Ms. Brogdon and Ms. Ouellette will welcome any student who seeks support. Please pray for strength and support. First, for the women who were abused. Next, for all those connected to L’Arche communities throughout the world. Finally, for all of us as a school community. Our school’s full public statement on this matter is posted on our website. If you have any questions or concerns about this matter, please feel free to bring them my attention and/or our school council Chair, Cynthia Lyslo, at [email protected] Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal and Jeanette Gallant, vice-principal Dates to Note:
Pink Shirt Day was inspired by an act of kindness in small-town Nova Scotia: “David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]…[They] took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school. ‘I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,’ says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.’ So Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag. As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled. The bullies were never heard from again.” — GLOBE & MAIL We invite all members of our school community to wear pink this coming Wednesday in a show of support to oppose bullying. David Wells David Wells is a world-renowned speaker on Catholic Education. He is coming to Whitehorse to facilitate our PD Day on February 28. While he is in town, he is offering two additional sessions for the public:
Wood Street Centre – 2020-2021 Program Application Dates
Service Learning Hours If your child received an “I” on their report card for Religion and had a comment saying they need to get their Service Learning Hours completed, please encourage them to see Mr. Gillard regarding this matter. They may also have hours not completed in previous years that is affecting credits on their transcripts. Please keep in mind, if a student did not complete hours in one year, they do carry over to the next. Please visit the website for more details: https://www.vcssreligion.com/service-learning The Vanier Catholic Secondary school community is shocked and saddened by the recent news of credible allegations of sexual abuse released by the L’Arche organization against Jean Vanier. Our thoughts and prayers are with the women who suffered this abuse and who have been living for many years with its consequences.
In no way will we minimize these allegations. We strongly condemn any actions that violate the emotional and physical well-being of others. We wish to clarify that our school community is named after the Vanier family: Georges Vanier, Canada’s first Canadian-born francophone Governor General and his wife Pauline, founder of the Vanier Institute of the Family – along with their children, including Jean. Their family name was chosen for our school community for their sense of public duty and public service. We pray for the women who have suffered sexual abuse. We pray for the soul of Jean Vanier. We also pray that the thousands of residents, volunteers, and staff of L’Arche communities around the world do not experience additional discrimination or a reduction of community support due to the personal failings of their organization’s founder. We also hope that the wider community will demonstrate empathy and understanding towards our students and staff during this difficult time as we all come to terms with this terrible news. For further information, please contact Cynthia Lyslo, Chair of Vanier Catholic Secondary School Council ([email protected]) or Ryan Sikkes, Principal of Vanier Catholic Secondary ([email protected]). February 17th, 2020
Dear Vanier families and friends, Over the last 4 weeks, we have been using Monday morning prayer to talk about the four types of prayer in the Christian tradition: Prayers of Adoration, Contrition, Petition, and Thanksgiving. Today we finished with the latter and it is a great reminder to me to express my thanks for our very supportive community of parents/guardians. You are the first and most important teacher in your child’s life and we hope to support you in any way we can. Conversely, we do appreciate your support of us as we work with your child and we appreciate you calling in to excuse you children, responding to concerns raised by teachers, and being an advocate for your child when necessary as examples of ways that you support us by getting involved. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal Dates to Note:
CBC Junior Reporter CBC Yukon is looking for a Junior Reporter between the ages of 12 and 16 to help cover the Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse from March 15-21. This reporter would help cover the opening and closing ceremonies and events on two days of the week. You would be in front of the camera on television and social media. You would also record audio that would air on radio. You would take photos and video for social media and online stories. This opportunity could include interviewing athletes at events, finding interesting stories from the athletes’ perspective. You would work with a producer who would help you write scripts and develop your story ideas. But you should be able to understand instructions and work independently. There would be some training before the start of the Games. This is a paid opportunity. If you are selected and live outside of Whitehorse, transportation costs will be considered. You must provide your own accommodation and you must have adult supervision during the Arctic Winter Games. SKILLS:
Deadline to apply is Friday, February 21, 2020. David Wells David Wells is a world-renowned speaker on Catholic Education. He is coming to Whitehorse to facilitate our PD Day on February 28. While he is in town, he is offering two additional sessions for the public:
Course Selection Course selection sheets have been distributed to all Grade 8-11 students. Digital versions are available on school the website. An important meeting will be held for all Grade 9 students who will enter Grade 10 next year to talk about the Graduation Program on Tuesday, February 11 in the morning. This information will be repeated during a parent/guardian presentation on Monday, February 17 at 7 pm in the Small Gym. All Course Selection sheets are due to the office Wood Street Centre – 2020-2021 Program Application Dates
Vanier Learning Commons There are many items overdue from the Vanier Learning Commons. These include textbooks and calculators which are needed for classes this semester as well as books from the circulating collection which were borrowed a long time ago and not returned. This means that they are not available to anyone else to read, to enjoy or to learn from. Overdue notices were included with the most recent student report cards. Please help your student look in their closet, under their bed or on family book shelves to find Vanier books and return them! Tutoring Program With the start of a new semester, Grade 10-12 students may find themselves in classes where some additional assistance may help them achieve their best. Grade 8 and 9 students may find, halfway through the year, in a similar position! All Vanier students can receive tutoring from other students for assistance in course work, assignments or organizational skills. The students requesting tutors are self-identified or identified by parents or teachers. To receive tutoring the student simply needs to fill in an application in the Skills Room (Room 3). Students in Grade 10, 11, or 12 can apply to be a tutor. Tutors can either earn service learning hours or an hourly wage. Peer tutors are paid on a graduated scale, which increases with grade level and number of hours tutored. Potential tutors need to come in person to the Skills room and fill in an application. Students will be matched one on one by the Department Head of Student Support Services. Service Learning Hours If your child received an “I” on their report card for Religion and had a comment saying they need to get their Service Learning Hours completed, please encourage them to see Mr. Gillard regarding this matter. They may also have hours not completed in previous years that is affecting credits on their transcripts. Please keep in mind, if a student did not complete hours in one year, they do carry over to the next. Please visit the website for more details: https://www.vcssreligion.com/service-learning Updated course selection sheets have been uploaded to our school website HERE. Paper copies will be distributed to all students over the coming week.
Parents/guardians of Grade 9 students are invited to an information meeting to learn about the graduation program that starts in Grade 10. It will be Monday, February 17 at 7 pm in the Small Gym. February 3rd, 2020
Dear Vanier families and friends, Due to a few unforeseen delays, our report cards did not get mailed last week – they are in the mail as of today, though! We apologize for the delay. This week will start our course selection process with the distribution of course selection sheets which we will also post on our website when ready. These will be due for all Vanier students on Thursday, February 20. As always, our counsellors, learning assistance teachers, and school administration are happy to provide advice and assistance to students and families when filling out the course selection sheets. In addition, I’ll be visiting the Gr. 7 classrooms at Christ and King and Holy Family to begin the transition process for our Class of 2025! Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal Dates to Note: This week is a pretty quiet week! However, there are lots of important things happening next week:
Course Selection Course selection sheets are being distributed this week to all Grade 8-11 students. Digital versions will be posted on our school website later this week. An important meeting will be held for all Grade 9 students who will enter Grade 10 next year to talk about the Graduation Program on Tuesday, February 11 in the morning. This information will be repeated during a parent/guardian presentation on Monday, February 17 at 7 pm in the Small Gym. Wood Street Centre – 2020-2021 Program Application Dates
Vanier Learning Commons There are many items overdue from the Vanier Learning Commons. These include textbooks and calculators which are needed for classes this semester as well as books from the circulating collection which were borrowed a long time ago and not returned. This means that they are not available to anyone else to read, to enjoy or to learn from. Overdue notices were included with the most recent student report cards. Please help your student look in their closet, under their bed or on family book shelves to find Vanier books and return them! Tutoring Program With the start of a new semester, Grade 10-12 students may find themselves in classes where some additional assistance may help them achieve their best. Grade 8 and 9 students may find, halfway through the year, in a similar position! All Vanier students can receive tutoring from other students for assistance in course work, assignments or organizational skills. The students requesting tutors are self-identified or identified by parents or teachers. To receive tutoring the student simply needs to fill in an application in the Skills Room (Room 3). Students in Grade 10, 11, or 12 can apply to be a tutor. Tutors can either earn service learning hours or an hourly wage. Peer tutors are paid on a graduated scale, which increases with grade level and number of hours tutored. Potential tutors need to come in person to the Skills room and fill in an application. Students will be matched one on one by the Department Head of Student Support Services. Service Learning Hours If your child received an “I” on their report card for Religion and had a comment saying they need to get their Service Learning Hours completed, please encourage them to see Mr. Gillard regarding this matter. They may also have hours not completed in previous years that is affecting credits on their transcripts. Please keep in mind, if a student did not complete hours in one year, they do carry over to the next. Please visit the website for more details: https://www.vcssreligion.com/service-learning Sleep Hygiene – Installment #3 Here’s our last installment about sleep – it’s pretty repetitive, but we hope that students and parents/guardians will take some of this information to heart! Teens and sleep: Why you need it and how to get enough
Why do teens need more sleep?Sleep helps to fuel your brain and your body. Teens need more sleep because their bodies and minds are growing quickly. Scientific research shows that many teens do not get enough sleep. To be at your best, you need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every day. While you might not always be able to get this much, it’s important to try and get as much as you can. Why is it important to get enough sleep?Although getting enough sleep may not seem that big a deal, teens who don’t get enough sleep and are overtired are more likely to:
How do I know if I’m getting enough sleep?Signs that you need more sleep can include:
You probably have a very busy life, but you still need “downtime” to relax, unwind and spend time with friends. This usually happens at the expense of sleeping. Many teens also crave the quiet privacy of a late night after parents have gone to bed. When you think about all the other things you need to do (homework, socializing, sports, chores, part-time jobs, etc.), getting to bed early enough to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep can seem pretty hard. Here are some suggestions:
January 27th, 2020
Dear Vanier families and friends, Semester 2 is well under way and students seem to have settled into their new class routines. Semester 1 report cards will be mailed this week – please contact teachers directly if you have any questions or concerns about what is in the report card for a particular class. Teachers all have the same email format: [email protected] and parents/guardians are always welcome to contact teachers directly. Course selection season is just around the corner! More information will be coming over the next weeks to help students and families develop requests for next year’s classes. Stay tuned! Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal Dates to Note:
Tutoring Program With the start of a new semester, Grade 10-12 students may find themselves in classes where some additional assistance may help them achieve their best. Grade 8 and 9 students may find, halfway through the year, in a similar position! All Vanier students can receive tutoring from other students for assistance in course work, assignments or organizational skills. The students requesting tutors are self-identified or identified by parents or teachers. To receive tutoring the student simply needs to fill in an application in the Skills Room (Room 3). Students in Grade 10, 11, or 12 can apply to be a tutor. Tutors can either earn service learning hours or an hourly wage. Peer tutors are paid on a graduated scale, which increases with grade level and number of hours tutored. Potential tutors need to come in person to the Skills room and fill in an application. Students will be matched one on one by the Department Head of Student Support Services. Service Learning Hours If your child received an “I” or "In Progress" on their report card for Religion and had a comment saying they need to get their Service Learning Hours completed, please encourage them to see Mr. Gillard regarding this matter. They may also have hours not completed in previous years that is affecting credits on their transcripts. Please keep in mind, if a student did not complete hours in one year, they do carry over to the next. Please visit the website for more details: https://www.vcssreligion.com/service-learning 2019-2020 MMR CatchUp Campaign On Thursday, January 30, 2020, Whitehorse Health Centre staff will be back at Vanier for the 2019-2020 Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) CatchUp Campaign (all grades) for all students that require that vaccine. Please direct any questions or concerns about the immunization program or the consent process to the Whitehorse Health Center at 667-8864. Sleep Hygiene – Installment #2 Teens typically need about 8-10 hours of sleep per night, but it is common for the average teen to get 7 hours or less per night. What are some factors that prevent teens from getting enough sleep?
January 20th, 2020
Dear Vanier families and friends, This is a long email - we have lots of important information to share this week! Happy start of semester 2! The semester change is a natural time to reflect and recommit to the course of studies at Vanier. This afternoon, we had a short assembly to welcome our new students (and welcome back those who have returned from other schools/programs) and to remind students that the mid-year change of classes is an ideal time to revisit and “dial up” our school’s expectations regarding:
Finally, I’ve included the first of four installments about sleep, as promised in earlier emails, at the end of this message. Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal A prayer to start the new semester Lord, as we prepare for the coming of a new semester, make us ready, attentive and available to hear you. Thank You for the gift of being able to rise each day with the assurance that You walk through it with us. Thank You for the gifts of creativity and uniqueness, and the energy to put them to good use. May all that we are today, all that we try to do today, may all our encounters, reflections, even the frustrations and failings all be place in your hands. May the work we do and the way we do it, bring new hope, new life, and courage to all we come in contact with this semester. We thank you, Lord. Amen Dates to Note:
A note that schedule changes for this semester can be done until the end of next week, although we encourage students to try and confirm their timetable as soon as possible. See Ms. Brogdon, Ms. Ouellette, Ms. Gallant, or Mr. Sikkes for schedule changes. Germany Trip If you are in grades 10 or 11 and want to go to Germany, here is your opportunity! Our school has an exchange relationship with the Rabanus Maurus school in Mainz, Germany – a small city just outside Frankfurt. They have sent students to Yukon in the past and are sending another group in May of this year. In return, Vanier may take up to 16 students to Mainz, Germany (and surrounding areas) from June 7-21, 2020. If enough students express interest, then a parent information meeting will be scheduled shortly thereafter. The cost of the trip is estimated to be approximately $2800 less any fundraising. A refundable deposit of $500 is due to the office by January 24th to ensure your student has the opportunity to participate. Service Learning Hours If your child receives an “I” on their report card for Religion and had a comment saying they need to get their Service Learning Hours completed, please encourage them to see Mr. Gillard regarding this matter. They may also have hours not completed in previous years that is affecting credits on their transcripts. Please keep in mind, if a student did not complete hours in one year, they do carry over to the next. Please visit the website for more details: https://www.vcssreligion.com/service-learning 2019-2020 MMR CatchUp Campaign On Thursday, January 30, 2020, Whitehorse Health Centre staff will be back at Vanier for the 2019-2020 Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) CatchUp Campaign (all grades) for all students that require that vaccine. Please direct any questions or concerns about the immunization program or the consent process to the Whitehorse Health Center at 667-8864. Explore – French Language Program Most expenses are covered! Are you looking for a spring or summer program? Do you want to discover another region of Canada and meet new people? Go Explore! Explore is an intensive language-immersion program. You can take the program in the summer. Participants in Explore receive funding that covers tuition fees for the programs, instructional materials, meals and accommodations, workshops, and other mandatory activities. Discover another region of Canada while learning French. Have an adventure and make new friends this summer! Yukon Department of Education’s French Language Programs adds $700 at the end of the program upon your return to the Yukon. https://www.myexplore.ca NOTE: A representative from the Department of Education will be at the school on Wednesday, January 22 over the lunch hour to promote the program and answer any questions! Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) diploma exam French Second Language (FSL) students in grade 11 and 12 who are completing the final French course of their FSL program will have the chance to participate in the Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) diploma exam in April 2020, being offered by the Yukon Department of Education. Through this exam, your child could earn an internationally recognized certificate that proves his/her level of fluency in French. This certificate is a valuable asset for his/her resume and for future career and post-secondary opportunities. The DELF exam is the official French language diploma awarded by France’s Ministry of National Education. It is an official certification of how well a person speaks French as a second language. It is recognized by 165 countries around the world. The exam tests the ability of students to use French in real-life situations. It evaluates four language skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. The results from the DELF exam do not affect a student’s grade or graduation requirements. This exam is free for FSL students in Yukon completing their final French course as the cost will be covered by the Department of Education. For more information, please visit:http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/french.html. The deadline to register for the DELF exam is Thursday, February 20 at 4:00 pm. To register your child, please complete and sign both sides of the registration form available in your child’s French class. Please return it to your child’s French teacher by this date. Sleep Hygiene – Installment #1 Help your teens on the road to good nights and better mornings.
Regarding the last point: Cell phones are totally corrosive to a good nights’ sleep. Why is this?
There’s a couple of things you can do so you can control your phone, instead of it controlling you.
Good Morning!
I know it seems early, but grad photo times have now been booked. They begin this Friday, January 17th! Don't worry, that's a PD day, so no one needs to miss school. Your sitting fee is included in your grad fees, so no need to pay anything at this time. Ron Wilson has the cap and gown, flowers, and even a fake shirt and tie for the boys. No need to bring anything. Just show up and get your picture taken. Even if you have no intention of purchasing a package, students are asked to get their photo done, as this is the picture that is used in the year book, the grad slide show, and on the wall display. We have emailed home the list of appointments, updated as of 09:30, January 13th. Thanks, Tanis and Bruce We were surprised to get a text message this afternoon from the Department of Education regarding SchoolMessenger. This text asked you to reply Y to confirm. Our school was unaware that they were enabling this service at this time. We would normally send out notification to let you know that it was coming and how it would affect you. Please review the attached document to determine if you want to opt in or not. On another note, if you opt out of email notifications through SchoolMessenger, you will not receive notifications such as reminders, newsletters, emergency information, classroom updates, etc from the school. Please see the attached flyer for more information. ![]()
Dear Vanier families and friends,
Happy Epiphany! Today the Church recognizes when Jesus was made known to the world as the Messiah and Saviour. Traditionally we also recognize the three wise men and their gifts to the baby Jesus and often mark our doorways with chalk with “20+C+B+M+20” as an invitation for God to bless our homes. An explanation and short prayer to use when doing this is included below. There is a lot going on this month – we hope your Christmas break was restful and relaxing as we are heading into some busy weeks! Sincerely, Ryan Sikkes, principal Booster Cards Booster Cards cost $20 each and we ask that each student sell two for the school’s student fund. Please return money or unsold cards back to the office. We are grateful for our new and continued sponsors:
As mentioned in the last email, our students indicated in our recent Student Satisfaction Survey that both sleep and technology use have negative impacts on their learning. As sleep was indicated to be the largest factor, we will share some sleep hygiene tips over the next few weeks – perhaps following these could be a new year’s resolution! However, before we share those, it may be useful to understand the links between sleep, technology use, and mental health. The following link is a video that will share some of the statistics and science that links the three: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/new-study-links-phone-use-and-mental-health-issues-in-teens/ Germany Trip If you are in grades 10 or 11 and want to go to Germany, here is your opportunity! Our school has an exchange relationship with the Rabanus Maurus school in Mainz, Germany – a small city just outside Frankfurt. They have sent students to Yukon in the past and are sending another group in May of this year. In return, Vanier may take up to 16 students to Mainz, Germany (and surrounding areas) from June 7-21, 2020. An information meeting for students will take place this Wednesday at lunch in Mr. Janzen’s Room (Room 13). If enough students express interest, then a parent information meeting will be scheduled shortly thereafter. The cost of the trip is estimated to be approximately $2800 less any fundraising. Service Learning Hours All students are required to do service learning hours in Grades 8 through 11 as part of our religious education program. Students who have not completed their hours (and submitted the required documentation) will receive an “Incomplete” mark for their semester religion class. The mark will be changed to a final mark when the hours are complete and the documentation received by Mr. Gillard. For more information on service learning hours, please visit the religious education website at: https://www.vcssreligion.com/service-learning 2019-2020 MMR CatchUp Campaign The week of January 27 – 31, 2020, Whitehorse Health Centre staff will be back in all Whitehorse Schools for the 2019-2020 Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) CatchUp Campaign (all grades). The specific dates for Vanier have not yet been confirmed. The 2019-2020 MMR Catch-Up Campaign will catch up any student requiring a Measles Mumps Rubella immunization. Please direct any questions or concerns about the immunization program or the consent process to the Whitehorse Health Center at 667-8864. Epiphany - Instructions for Blessing the Home Using the blessed chalk (which many parishes will bless and make available) mark the lintel of your front door as follows:20 + C + M + B + 20, saying: The three Wise Men, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar followed the star of God’s Son who became human two thousand and nineteen years ago. May Christ bless our home and remain with us throughout the new year. Amen. Then say the following prayer: Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and for ever. Amen. The letters have two meanings. First, they represent the initials of the Magi — Caspar, Malchior, and Balthazar — who came to visit Jesus in His first home. They also abbreviate the Latin phrase, Christus mansionem benedicat: “May Christ bless the house.” The “+” signs represent the cross, and the “20” at the beginning and the “20” at the end mark the year. Taken together, this inscription is performed as a request for Christ to bless those homes so marked and that He stay with those who dwell therein throughout the entire year. |
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