This Week at Lakehead Public Schools - May 17, 2013

No Bounds to Westgate Support

In support of Books with No Bounds, Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute students and staff have collected over 2000 gently used books which have been sent to John C. Yesno Education Centre in Fort Hope, Eabametoong First Nation, and Henry Coaster Memorial School - Marten Falls (Ogoki) First Nation. Books with No Bounds, a nonprofit organization, was founded by Julia and Emma Mogus, teen sisters from Oakville who have made it their mission to bring books and improve literacy among Aboriginal youth in the Nishnawbe Aski Nation. The founders of Books with No Bounds paid a visit to Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute to thank their supporters.

“I first heard Julia and Emma on CBC radio describing their initiative and the fact that Wasaya Airways is a major sponsor in the shipment of the books to NAN communities,” says Nancy Coulter, Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute Data/Assistant Head Secretary. “I thought that it was only logical that we join the cause considering our proximity at Westgate to Wasaya’s Head Office here in Thunder Bay.”

With the help of student volunteers and Librarian Jodie Cataldo, and Guidance Counsellor Riley Lucas, the book drive at Westgate has been a huge success.

Julia and Emma were in town briefly before heading to Fort Severn to meet the children who wrote letters to the girls and invited them to visit. They then flew back to Thunder Bay and had a tour of Wasaya Airways before attending The Northwestern Ontario Aboriginal Youth Achievement and Recognition Awards Ceremony at the Victoria Inn on Thursday, May 16.

As thrilled as the Westgate community is to welcome Julia and Emma in person, the sisters were just as excited.

“Everyone tells us how incredible Westgate is for joining our efforts together,” says Emma Mogus, Co-Founder of Books with No Bounds. “They tell us that Westgate is really inspiring to them. We are excited to come to Thunder Bay to thank everyone for their hard work and their support.”

Julia and Emma have gained so much attention that publishers are now donating thousands of new books to their cause.

Please check out their YouTube video, www.youtube.com/bookswithnobounds which includes Westgate and “like” their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bookswithnobounds which contains all of the information about this wonderful organization, “Books with No Bounds,” or follow them on Twitter @Bookswithnoboun.

The Seussification of a Midsummer Night's Dream

On Tuesday June 12 at 7:33 p.m., Shakespeare’s most beloved comedy gets the full Seuss treatment when Thing I and Thing 2 narrate the chaotic tale of the mixed up lovers. Suitable for families, the tale takes the audience through a forest of whoosh tush beasts and features magical faeries dueling with bumballoon swords. The entire play is told in zany rhyming couplets and is sure to entertain all ages. A spectacular set and colourful costumes bring Shakespeare's enchanting tale to life as if Dr. Seuss had gotten his hands on it! This one hour whimsical version is fast paced and funny!

Tickets are on sale in the main office at Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute. Ticket prices are as follows: children $5.00, students $7.00 and adults $12.00.

Use the long weekend to study up on all things Dr. Seuss…..the contest for tickets starts next week!!

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!”

Hyde Park Sounds Percolate at Starbuck’s

Hyde Park Public School Grade 1 Teacher Susan Lieske has been hard at work learning to play the guitar. As a project, she has included her students on this learning journey. The Grade 1 class shared this special musical project with the patrons of Starbucks on Wednesday, May 15. Joining Ms. Lieske and the students was Thunder Bay’s very own Rodney Brown!

Throughout the year as Ms. Lieske has been learning the guitar, the students learned about songwriting, revising skills and feedback. Rodney Brown was a familiar face in the class as he was class’s Learning Through the Arts Artist. He joined them to sing a song that he helped the class to write.

Talkin’ About a Food Revolution Day in Thunder Bay High Schools

On Friday, May 17 student Food Ambassadors at a number of secondary schools in the city will engage their peers in a Food Revolution Day event to celebrate “real” good food, improve knowledge about what our food contains and where it comes from, and share why our food is worth getting excited about! Food Revolution Day is a student-driven effort led by Food Ambassadors at seven high schools in Thunder Bay.

At Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute, students offered tasty food samples including local food selections, low fat, high fibre snack options, and delicious foods made with vegetable purees. Students also prepared numerous informative and interactive displays to engage their peers in thinking about and celebrating their food options.

The student Food Ambassador program is part of the larger initiative of Healthy Eating Makes the Grade, a partnership between Thunder Bay school boards (Conseil scolaire de district Catholique des Aurores boréales , Lakehead Public Schools, and Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board), as well as health-focused organizations, teachers, students, parents, and city officials. The goal of this partnership is to improve student health by increasing access to healthier food options in and around schools in Thunder Bay.

Amazing Westgate Talent

Congratulations to Emily Behse and Kayla Miller, two art students at Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute who have been selected as winners of the Lakehead University Student Artwork 2014 calendar contest! These calendars are used and distributed by Lakehead University Faculty of Education here in Thunder Bay, nationally and internationally.

Emily Behse's "Metamorphosis" (below) is an oil pastel that was transformed into a beautiful paintingfor the EcoSuperior Rain Barrel Auction held in April at the Homes and Garden Show.

Kayla Miller's "A Walk in the Rain" (below) is a stunning recycled magazine paper collage.

P.A.R.T.Y. Time at Churchill

Through a partnership with the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, a P.A.R.T.Y. was held for the students of Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute on Thursday, May 16. It’s was not your typical party either! This P.A.R.T.Y. stands for Prevent Alcohol and Risk- Related Trauma in Youth and is designed to encourage youth to make safer choices when it comes to high risk behaviors.

The P.A.R.T.Y Program is an evidence based international program that includes:

• Introduction to the P.A.R.T.Y. Program and Injury Prevention 
• Presentation on brain and spinal cord anatomy and injuries 
• An EMS and Police presentation with trauma scenario 
• Tour the Emergency Department Trauma Room and the Morgue 
• Presentation on substance use and abuse 
• A Rehabilitation presentation 
• Injury Survivor shares their story 
• Class interactive session discussing risk taking behaviours and risk reduction alternatives.

The day long P.A.R.T.Y. at Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute followed the painful journey of a trauma patient from pre-hospital care through to rehabilitation or death. The all-day event, provided by Injury Prevention staff from Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, provided students with an opportunity to learn interactively through video, presentations and hands on activities.

“As we present this program, we see that each student is impacted in a different way, but they all gain new insights on the importance of good decision making,” says Shelley Chisholm, Regional Injury Prevention Coordinator at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. “We will continue to work with our healthcare professionals and our local schools to ensure that all students are aware of the consequences with regard to decision making.”

In order to maximize the number of students who can benefit from the P.A.R.T.Y. initiative, the program is hitting the road and visiting schools. As we near grad season, the need for students to understand the consequences of risky behavior increases significantly.

"Educating young people through the P.A.R.T.Y. program about making healthy decisions is imperative. No one wants to see our community’s young people in need of emergency or critical care,” says Andrée Robichaud, President and CEO, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.

Dr. Davenport, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre Director of Trauma, and Dr. Michael Wilson, Regional Coroner were in attendance.

Be Yourself at Hamm

On Friday, May 17, the students and staff of Hammarskjold High School observed the International Day Against Homophobia. On this day, the students were encouraged to take the ally pledge outside the cafeteria. In addition, the students are being encouraged to dress comfortably to reinforce that all students should feel comfortable at school regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

“To illustrate that this is a day for everyone to feel comfortable in schools, workplaces and in our community we encouraged students to wear pajamas to school,” says Jennifer Smith, Hammarskjold High School Teacher. “We will also flew the Pride flag to show our support for this very important day.”

The theme of the International Day Against Homophobia 2013 campaign is Fight the Homophobia Web Virus. For more information, please visit the International Day Against Homophobia website at http://www.homophobiaday.org.

Healthy Eating Makes the Grade

The Healthy Eating Makes the Grade (HEMG) initiative is a partnership focused on improving student health by increasing access to healthier food options in and around schools in Thunder Bay. School food gardens are one option of providing an experiential and curriculum-linked way of engaging students with their food options and instilling healthy habits for life. Our School Food Gardens working group is comprised of teachers, parents, administrators, and Board representatives (from three Thunder Bay school boards) who are working together to build a school garden network to support the sustaining and integration of these gardens. For more information about the School Food Gardens initiative, please contact Rachel McGuiness at Rachel.McGuiness@redcross.ca or by phone at 709-0418.

Superior Student Recognition

The Rotary Club of Port Arthur held a luncheon on Tuesday, May 7 to recognize students who have demonstrated superior levels of involvement in service to both their school community and to the larger community beyond school while maintaining solid academic achievement. Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute had four students attending and each received a plaque.

Congratulations go out to the following Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute students: 

• Yasser Abdel-Aal 
• Melissa Davidson 
• Mathew Lesnick 
• Mary Francis Maarup

Enter the Den

The Enter the Den Finals are less than a week away! The event will be hosted in the Hammarskjold High School Gym on Wednesday, May 22 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. If you are unable to attend, the event will be live streamed through NetNewsLedger.com at http://www.netnewsledger.com/enter-the-den  and http://www.entertheden.ca. 

 PIC Corner

The Parent involvement Committee’s last meeting for this school year will be held on Monday, June 3 - 6:30 p.m. in the Board Room at the Jim McCuaig Education Centre, 2135 Sills Street.

In April, two parent members from the committee attended the Ministry’s Parent Engagement Symposium in Toronto. Resources and information will be shared soon with all School Councils. The PIC web page will also be updated in June with information for all parents and school councils, so please visit soon - http://www.lakeheadschools.ca/parents_community/parent_involvement_committee  

The Parent Involvement Committee has also been informed about many activities and events occurring for our students, parents, and our school communities. Thank you to all staff, stakeholders, parents/guardians, and community partners who help support these activities and opportunities that enrich learning for all!

The PIC Corner is a weekly column submitted by the Lakehead Public Schools Parent Involvement Committee (PIC) and provides information about PIC activities and the opportunities for parents to become more involved in their child’s education.

Thunder Bay Public Library Tip of the Week

Giving teens a voice at the Library is as easy as encouraging them to join the Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Membership capped at ten teens who are interested in contributing to the community and passionate about the library and reading. YAC members provide input on purchasing of youth library materials, youth programs, the teen zone website, and more. It’s also a great way to get some volunteer hours! For more information, contact Laura Prinselaar at lprinselaar@tbpl.ca or 624-4204.

Upcoming Meetings

• Regular Board Meeting
  Tuesday, May 28 - 7:30 p.m.
  Board Room, Education Centre
  2135 Sills Street
   
• Standing Committee Meeting
  Tuesday, June 11 - 7:30 p.m.
  Board Room, Education Centre
  2135 Sills Street
   
• Special Education Advisory Committee
  Wednesday, June 12 - 6:00 p.m.
  Board Room, Education Centre
  2135 Sills Street
   
• Aboriginal Education Advisory Committee
  Thursday, May 16 - 9:30 a.m.
  Board Room, Education Centre
  2135 Sills Street
   
• Parent Involvement Committee
  Monday, June 3 - 6:30 p.m.
  Board Room, Education Centre
  2135 Sills Street