New Westminster School District #40

Friday January 6, 2017

NWSS CODE OF CONDUCT: • Respect learning • Respect yourself & others • Respect the environment

WHAT’S HAPPENING Happy New Year! I hope you had a restful winter break and are ready for an exciting 2017! We have a number of upcoming events as indicated throughout this Newsletter. We also have more information regarding the activities offered through the Semester transition week. An online sign-up will be available next week for students to choose their areas of interest and direct their own learning throughout that week. Despite the turning of the calendar the winter weather continues to stick with us. The safety of students and staff is always our priority. While this long stretch of cold winter weather has created its challenges, our facilities and maintenance team has been out to plow, clear and salt the parking lots and sidewalks at our school. The crew has worked tremendously hard in trying to keep up with this winter blast, yet despite their efforts, it is likely due to the freezing temperatures, that you may still encounter some icy conditions on some of the roads and sidewalks around NWSS. The Facilities and Operations crew will continue to clear and salt around our school daily, but please make sure that you are extra cautious and vigilant for ice as you make your way to school during these extreme conditions. Thank you for your patience as we work together to keep our school safe. Your Principal, Mr. John Tyler #gohyacks

COMING EVENTS • January 9th – PRE-IB Information evening 6:30 Library • January 9th – 20th – Course Selection class visits • January 12th – Dry Grad Parent Meeting 7pm • Januar y 12th – Leadership Blood Drive • January 13th - Choral Concert 7pm @ NW Christian

Reformed Church • January 17th – NDUB’s Got Talent • January 19th – PAC Meeting 7pm Library • January 23rd – Last Day of Regular Scheduled Classes

Semester 1 • January 24th to 27th – Semester Transition Days (See

page two for schedule and details • January 26th – Winter Formal • January 30th – First Day of Semester 2 *** Please Note

this is a correction from the previous newsletter. • February 8th – 12th – Musical Theatre Presents “Legally

Blonde” @ Massey Theatre •

• •

DRY GRAD PARENT MEETING We have an active group of parents preparing a safe and memorable event for our Grads. They need your help! Please join them on January 12th at 7pm in room 133b to be a part of the planning committee. Also SAVE THE DATE Fundraiser night April 22nd – Castle Pub “Drive a Ford” May 27th

UPCOMING STUDENT LEADERSHIP EVENTS Student Leadership had such a success with their Nov 17 blood drive, they are now helping to facilitate a second drive on THURSDAY JANUARY 12, 2017. Half of all Canadians will either need blood or know someone who will need blood at some point in their lives. Yet only four percent of Canadians donate. Please consider becoming a blood donor. NWSS Student Leadership Blood Drive Thursday January 12, 2017 Glenbrook Amenities Center 1-8PM

LEGALLY BLONDE MUSICAL NWSS Musical Theatre Program presents Legally Blonde The Musical February 8th to 12th 2017 Massey Theatre A great gift idea for the holiday season! Buy tickets for those on your list and enjoy a wonderfully entertaining and uplifting evening together. Tickets are $15 for students/seniors and $18 for adults www.ticketsnw.ca

Legally Blonde the Musical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 Phone: 212-541-4684 Fax: 212-397-4684 www.MTIShows.com

a school’s out production at MASSEY THEATRE

for ticket info visit:FEBRUARY 8 -12, 2017 MASSEYTHEATRE.COM

NWSS MUSICAL THEATRE PROGRAM presents

Music and Lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin

Book by Heather Hach

Based on the novel by Amanda Brown and the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture

SEMESTER TURN AROUND DAYS With the evolution of our Provincial Examination requirements announced in June of 2016, the school has been looking at different and innovative ways to offer engaging learning opportunities for our students. Based on our conversations we have restructured the traditional exam week. Please see the following page for an overview of the schedule for the week of January 23rd through 27th. Some additional information: Open Learning (may occur on Thursday as well, this is on a Departmental basis) - Departments will determine a schedule of various offerings throughout Tuesday afternoon and all day Wednesday. Students will have the opportunity to sign up for activities throughout these days - Passion projects (learn something you've always wanted but could never fit into a schedule), - Study skills sessions, - English Enhancement for our Language Learners - Club related activities, - Cohort activities (IB), - drop-in tutorial time, - Cross-Curricular Lessons, - Core Competency Lessons, - Enhancement Days (open to all students), - Preview Sessions (Semester 2 Courses) - Health and Wellness Activities (Yoga, Introduction to Martial Arts, Salsa Dancing, Snow-Shoeing) - Course promotion (teachers who've been trying to get a course up and running but haven't been able to get enough subscribers - may choose to run a lesson or two throughout these days, - variety of other innovative/creative lessons. For a list of potential activities please go to http://nwss.ca/semester-transition-week/ Guided Dialogue - students will be assigned times to come to the school based on grade level. During this time, they will engage in a guided dialogue, similar to the discussions we have had in regards to areas of strength and growth here at NWSS. Teachers may be required for indirect supervision during these some of these sessions. We have also made a commitment to review this early in Semester 2 and adjust accordingly for June and future semester turn around days.

PAC FUNDRAISER

The Parent Advisory Council is fundraising to purchase new technology for the high school. We are hoping you will help us out. You can support our fundraiser by purchasing healthy, sustainable food through SPUD.ca There are no commitments or fees when you sign up. All the information you need is below. If you are already a SPUD customer, simply use the promo code “fundraising” and select NWSS when you next order. Please forward this email to friends, family and NWSS alumni!

PRE IB INFORMATION SESSION An information session for parents and students wishing to enter the NWSS Pre-IB 9 Programme in September 2017, will take place on Monday, January 9, 2017, at 6:30 p.m., in the NWSS Library. New NWSS Pre-IB 10 and IB 11 students and their parents are also welcome to attend. No need to register. Please contact Mrs. Chris Walton (604-517-6251) if you require more information.

NDUB’s GOT DRAMA Two comedic one acts for your viewing entertainment on Tuesday, January 17th at 7pm @ Massey Theatre. Join us for an evening of hilarious antics as we learn how to screw-up college interviews in our first play, AND as we attempt to solve who poisoned the meatballs in a wacky murder mystery. Admission is by donation.

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NWSS!Schedule!for!Semester!Transition!Week:!!MONDAY'Jan'23rd/'All'Day:'''FULL'CLASSES'9'/'12.'(LAST'DAY'OF'REGULAR''CLASS'FOR'GRADE'12)'

TUESDAY'Jan'24th/'AM:''EXAM:'ENGLISH'12/'GYM''and'E/EXAMS''FMP'10,'AWM'10'LAB'''

TUESDAY'/PM:''OPEN'LEARNING'ALL'GRADES:'''

WEDNESDAY'Jan'25th/'AM:'!EXAM:'COMMUNICATIONS'12'/'GYM'and'E/EXAM'ENGLISH'10'/LAB''OPEN'LEARNING'ALL'GRADES:'''!

WEDNESDAY'–PM:''EXAM:'FRAL'12'/LAB''OPEN'LEARNING'ALL'GRADES:'''

THURSDAY'Jan'26th/'AM:'''Exam:'SCIENCE'HUMAINES'11/'LAB''(as'scheduled'based'on'student'need)''GUIDED'DIALOGUE:'GRADE'9'and'10''

THURSDAY'–PM:''E/EXAMS'Final'Sitting'FMP'10,'AWM'10,'SCI'10'LAB'(as'scheduled'based'on'student'need)''GUIDED'DIALOGUE:'GRADE'11'and'12'''

FRIDAY'Jan'27th/'All'Day:''EXAM'CONFLICT'DAY''!