This Years Good News Stories

The following is a list of Good News that has happened in our schools.

Café Père Noël Nets Donation for Happy Tree February 7, 2012 The Grade 5 class at St. Lawrence Academy hosted an in-school café in December. It was called 'Café Père Noël'. It was the final task for the unit 'Au Café'. The students brought in food items that they had been learning about and sold them for 50 or 75 cents. Each of the students played the role of the waiter/waitress and the customer using French. The administration was invited as well as any available teachers. In total, the class raised $50 that they donated to the CHCM Happy Tree. The students were very proud to support this important charity.

Holy Cross Elementary Students Give from the Heart February 7, 2012 During a discussion on bullying, grade 5 student, Colin Harte, suggested forming an Anti-Bullying Club to monitor student behaviour during the lunch hour. From that, the discussion progressed to "Doing for Others," which involved two special activities for the community. Student in Grades 3-5 made cards for the Positive Thinkers Club. At their Christmas breakfast, 75 student-made Christmas cards were distributed to the club members. Club President, Terri Myers, reported that her card was so beautiful and the writing on the inside of the card, Gifts from the Heart, was so touching, that she plans to keep the card in her treasure box. The Grade 5 students also assisted with food hampers at St. Patrick's Parish. Giving to and helping others was the focus as one student stated, "This was the best field trip ever!" Rev. Wayne Dohey said, "It was tremendous to see young people so interested and eager to assist those in need."

Paradise Elementary Participates in Christmas Lights Across Canada February 7, 2012 Paradise Elementary's Grade Three choir, along with their music teacher, Kelly Thorne, were honoured to be invited to perform at the official lighting of the Christmas tree at Confederation Building in St. John's on Thursday evening, December 8. The tree lighting was part of "Christmas Lights Across Canada", a national program that symbolizes the link between Canada's provinces and territories. The choir entertained the crowds with a variety of Christmas favourites, helping the festive season get off to a wonderful start.

Students Visit St. Luke's Home February 7, 2012 As part of the Grade Two Religious Education program, students at Morris Academy in Mount Pearl have been learning about filling the buckets of friends and family through random acts of kindness. Students wanted to extend their learning to the community and undertook an initiative to spread kindness and good deeds outside their school. On Friday, December 9, 2011 the Grade Two students and teachers held a popcorn sale. With the help of wonderful parent volunteers, 400 bags of popcorn were popped, bagged and sold to the school community. From the funds raised, the students travelled to St. Luke's Home to sing Christmas carols to the residents and staff. At our closing assembly on December 21, 2011, the students also presented Mr. Eg Walters, Community Food Sharing Association, with a cheque for $200. The heart-warming generosity of the parents, students and staff of Morris Academy is a true testament of their school motto: We are an I-Care school!

St. Matthew's Leadership Smiles Project February 1, 2012 December 6th was the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. But violence exists in many forms. It exists in our everyday lives, from bullying to domestic abuse. Last month, the St. Matthew's Leadership Group worked to raise awareness of this serious problem. Students organized a Christmas campaign called "Shower With Smiles" in aid of the Iris Kirby House, a shelter for abused women and their children. Sadly, the holiday season is always a time of great need for such a shelter. Among their needs were personal care items such as shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrushes and tooth paste. The St. Matthew's community came together and donated over 200 items to make these women and their children more comfortable in their time of need. A big thank you to all who supported our school project.

Making Connections to the EnvironmentThrough Art February 1, 2012 The Grade 3 students of Holy Name of Mary Academy in Lawn recently designed and painted their own t-shirts. The activity was one part of an ongoing effort in our school to promote sustainability and conservation. Through a cross-curricular approach, the students used Art to express their understanding of Tuckamore and other trees found in Newfoundland and Labrador. Learning about and building connections to our surroundings is a wonderful way to instill an appreciation of our environment. The Art lesson began with a movement/simulation activity as students became growing trees in different settings under varying conditions. After some planning and designing they used fabric paint in a relief technique to create the trees on their shirts. The activity successfully linked Art, Social Studies and Science and students had fun creating their unique t-shirts!

Grade Six Larkhall Students Talk Science January 25, 2012 Let's Talk Science is a charitable organization that is dedicated to involving children in hands-on science activities that "turn youth on to science, keep them engaged in learning and develop their potential to become 21st century citizens, innovators and stewards." Locally, they work with Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) science undergraduates to deliver this excellent programming in primary and elementary schools. On Friday, December 8, MUN students, Alex and Alexis, joined our grade sixes with two "power packed" bins. Our students built various circuits and tested materials' conductivity. They even built electromagnets similar to those that are used in heavy industry. Alex and Alexis guided students through each step and helped them take notes on the process. These unique activities certainly energized our "Turn it on!" power unit.

Youth Innovation Grant Awarded to Goulds Elementary January 25, 2012 An exciting announcement was made at Goulds Elementary on December 20. Innovation Minister Keith Hutchings and John Dinn, MHA for Kilbride, presented our school with a $20,000 grant under the Provincial Government's Youth Innovation Initiative. This grant will allow the school to purchase new iPads. Connecting students with iPad technology will help us extend and enhance learning for our students and help them reach high levels of educational success.

Mobile Students Pledge to End Homophobia January 24, 2012 On Tuesday, December 13, Mobile High School's Gay/Straight Alliance held its first Pledge Day. Many members of the school community signed a large banner which read "I Pledge to End Homophobia." Students also signed a heart-shaped pledge sheet which read: "I pledge¿ to work to end homophobia; to accept and respect all members of my school community for the people they are; to speak up if I see members of my school community disrespecting others for any reason." Pledge Day was a very successful follow up to the Gay/ Straight Alliance's Walk of Acceptance, Respect and Caring.

St. Kevin's High Students Donate to Janeway January 18, 2012 Students at St. Kevin's High School made Christmas a little happier for children at the Janeway Children's Hospital by donating three PlayStation 3 sets plus games. Led by a student volunteer group called the 'Maverick Motivators', students engaged in a variety of fundraising activities over a period of four weeks, raising a total of $2756.52. The group, along with representatives of the top fund-raising homerooms, arranged to deliver the PlayStations sets and some treats to patients just before Christmas. This initiative continues a long-standing school tradition of helping the community at Christmas, and this year the Maverick Christmas spirit was expanded to include the Janeway Hospital.

Gonzaga High School Hosts Franconnexion January 18, 2012 On Monday, December 19, Gonzaga High School hosted a Franconnexion session at the District Conference Centre. Level 3 French Immersion and Core French students started their day with a keynote address from Nik Kokis, who spoke to the students about the advantages of being bilingual. They participated in other cultural events such as Quebec folk dance, French songs presented by the French choir La Rose des vents and Dave Newhook, accompanied by his daughter Alice. Students ended the day with a trivia game based on French language and culture. The event was sponsored by French for the Future, Canadian Parents for French and the Eastern School District.

Safe and Caring Schools Special Project Fund Award 2011 January 17, 2012 The Department of Education supports Safe and Caring school initiatives through its annual Safe and Caring Schools Special Project Award. Thirty-eight wonderful proposals were submitted within our District. All school applicants demonstrated a common passion and commitment in enhancing the climate and culture of their school and are to be commended for their interest. All candidates are winners for valuing the worth of this Safe School initiative.

Whitbourne Elementary Band Students Visit MUN School of Music January 12, 2012 On Monday, November 14, Whitbourne Elementary band students enjoyed an evening at the MUN School of Music. The evening began in the D.F. Cook Recital Hall where students watched the MUN Wind Ensemble perform during a dress rehearsal. Following the rehearsal, MUN students Sarah Clement (flute), Nicole Mckinnon (flute), Cynthia Cormier (clarinet), Steve Brown (saxophone), Emma Clark (trumpet), Stephen Ivany (trombone), and Stephanie Davila (percussion) volunteered their time to lead sectional lessons for these beginner band students. Whitbourne Elementary band students thank Dr. Jason Caslor and the School of Music for making this evening possible.

Manicures for Movember!! January 12, 2012 During November, which was Prostate Cancer Awareness month, students at Holy Trinity High School took part in a fundraiser in aid of this worthwhile cause. Plagued by the inability to grow a proper moustache (as many of the adult males did throughout the building), Brittany Victorino, a member of the school's Student Leadership Committee (SLC), took on the role of organizer of the "Manicure for Movember" event at Holy Trinity. Assisted by several of her friends and SLC members, Brittany set up a station in the school foyer where open doors could be used to keep the smell of nail polish out of the building. For a donation of a Loonie, student s could have moustaches painted on their nails! At the end of one week, Brittany had raised $194 for this worthwhile cause. Congratulations to Brittany, SLC and all the students of Holy Trinity High for participating in this event in aid of cancer research.

Students Walk for Wishes, Raise $7300! January 10, 2012 Along with 11 community sponsors, Queen Elizabeth Regional High School recently hosted the second annual Conception Bay South "Wish Maker Walk". Once again Queen E students walked the walk! They raised $7300 for the Children's Wish Foundation. "Queen E has always been a great supporter of the community" says teacher/organizer, Bonnie Byrne. "This is no more evident than when it comes to causes that affect our children. We were excited to be part of the Children's Wish Foundation Walk knowing that Queen E students are helping to grant children's wishes."

Eco Kids Earn Stay at Environmental Centre January 10, 2012 Holy Name of Mary Academy's Eco-Kids won last year's Brother Brennan Center Climate Change Challenge, earning an overnight stay at the center on the Salmonier Line. While at the centre, students learned about climate change and were immersed in 'green living'. Students were also very busy learning about wilderness survival, orienteering, botany and participating in fun games and activities. Both students and teachers had a wonderful experience. We encourage all schools to visit the center to educate their students about climate change and to learn about things they can do to make their school and community GREEN.

St. Matthew's Silly Squad Mo-vent! January 5, 2012 This past month, St. Matthew's Elementary, led by its fun, fundraising team, 'The Silly Squad', chose Movember as one of its charities. One Friday out of every month, students and teachers are encouraged to dress in fun outfits and bring spare change to support a charitable event. During the month of November, our school principal, Mr. Dwyer, led the Movember challenge and on the last day of the month, students and staff dressed in their favourite team hats and jerseys, and grew, well drew, moustaches to honour the Movember cause. In the end smiles were abound and plenty of funds were raised for the charity! To date, the children and teachers of St. Matthew's Elementary have raised thousands of dollars for an array of large and small scale charities and had fun in the process!

Addictions Awareness MAZE an Amazing Experience January 5, 2012 St. Kevin's Junior High students partook in the annual MAZE program offered by Eastern Health and Addictions Awareness. Community experts educated students on the effects of illegal drug use, the legal implications of drugs, alcohol poisoning and other relevant topics. Students walked through Interactive booths designed to provide students with awareness of the dangers that may be presented to them as they grow from adolescence to adulthood. It was an exceptional learning experience for all.

Intermediate Skills Challenge provides early exposure to skilled trades January 5, 2012 Over 300 junior high school students from nearly 40 schools across the province gathered at Mount Pearl Intermediate on November 26th for the 9th Annual Skills Canada Intermediate Challenge. Students competed in skill areas such as Prepared Speech, Computer Animation, TV/Video Production, Lego League Robotics and Information Technology. The Skills Canada Intermediate Challenge gets students thinking about career opportunities. Many winners at this competition will go on to compete at the Skills Canada Provincial Competition. The following schools placed in the top three for overall points: Amalgamated Academy, first place; Villanova Junior High, second place, and Frank Roberts Junior High, third place. Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador is proud to offer the only Skills Canada Intermediate Challenge in the country and increase the profile of careers in skilled trades and technologies to people of all ages.

Elizabeth Park Elementary CD Release January 3, 2012 During the fall of 2010, renowned composer Clifford Crawley and Donna Howse Winsor (a teacher at Elizabeth Park Elementary) began to discuss and create music to compliment lyrics that students and Fraser Winsor had compiled. The new school song describes the stunning new school and its beautiful "wind-swept" location in the community of Paradise. The Elizabeth Park Elementary School Song was debuted April 8, 2011 during the official school opening ceremonies. In late May of 2011 a group of Elizabeth Park Elementary grade four and five students headed off with their teachers, Candice Jagoe and Jamie Powers, to record their very first CD! With Howse Winsor on flute, Brian Way on piano, Kelly Ann Evans as guest vocalist and Rich Blenkinsopp at the recording console of Petro-Canada Hall in Memorial University's School of Music, these students recorded the Elizabeth Park Elementary School Song! They have received several tracks of this recording session and are anxiously waiting the CD final release in the coming weeks!

PWC Students Take to the Airwaves on Bullying January 3, 2012 Five students from Prince of Wales Collegiate along with their principal, Ms Susan Oke-Cumby, participated in a provincial CBC radio show, Radio Noon Crosstalk, on November 17, 2011. The topic was anti-bullying and was produced in response to national anti-bullying week. Students did an amazing job in their responses to the host of the show and to the callers. One of the callers to the noon-hour program, Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Education, shared his memories of being bullied on the school bus. Our students demonstrated much maturity and insight into this complex and timely topic.

Indigo program adopts Holy Cross Junior January 3, 2012 As part of the 2011 Indigo Adopt-A-School program, Coles bookstore in the Avalon Mall adopted Holy Cross Junior High and raised over $2,200 for new reading material. On November 23, 2011, a group of Holy Cross students paid a visit to the store to select books for the school's resource centre. Over the course of an hour they stacked armloads of books on the counter, finally taking four boxes back to the school library to be stamped, labelled and cataloged. These books will be added to the stacks over the next few weeks, bringing much needed new material to the main library and smaller classroom libraries.

Students Dress as Turkey Dinner in support of Bonavista Food Bank December 22, 2011 Students from Discovery Collegiate teamed up during the Santa Claus parade in Bonavista to support the local food bank. Students worked really hard to make their own costumes, with the help of their art teacher, Ms. Power, and dressed up as a turkey dinner. Turnip and carrot, beets and even Purity syrup - it was literally a full course meal supporting a local cause. Students walked the parade route and collected donations of food and money to aide those less fortunate this season. What a great effort. Well done students!

Keeping the Mummering Tradition Alive December 22, 2011 On Tuesday, December 6, the students and staff of Holy Family Elementary School climbed aboard their busses and headed to Chance Cove dressed from head to toe in mummers costumes. The students were buzzing with excitement to partake in this Christmas tradition that has unfortunately faded away in many communities throughout our province. The initiative was part of the school's Safe and Caring Schools goal to include outlying communities in their catchment area. Once the students and staff reached Chance Cove, they paraded up the street, led by a community fire truck. They were greeted by community members on their porches waving and taking photographs. The parade ended at the Chance Cove Lions Center, greeted by many seniors, parents, and community members. Music was provided by local musicians and the school choir. The tables were filled with many Newfoundland treats such as Purity Syrup and Jam Jams for the group to enjoy. As the children danced, the center was alive with Christmas spirit. The school is hoping to make this an annual Christmas tradition to continue to reach out to heir school communities and keep this fun-filled tradition alive for the youth.

Helping Children in Need this Christmas December 21, 2011 In support of the Eastern School District's "Safe and Caring Schools" initiative, the Grade 7 students at Donald C. Jamieson Academy held a hat and pyjama day fundraiser. Students raised $500 for the Salvation Army Happy Tree to help local children in need this Christmas.

Queen Elizabeth students mine for opportunities December 20, 2011 Twenty-five students from Queen Elizabeth High School recently attended the Women in Mining Forum presented by the Department of Natural Resources in St. John's on November 2, 2011. Students attended a panel discussion about opportunities for women in the mining industry followed by a networking luncheon where students were able to mingle with the female panel members. This event was attended by female high school students from a number of schools throughout the Eastern School District to encourage them to pursue non-traditional occupations and to discover the many opportunities available to them in Newfoundland and Labrador.

A Newfoundland Tea Party December 20, 2011 On Thursday, November 10, the Grade 2 and 3 classes at Holy Name of Mary Academy participated in a Newfoundland Tea Party. All students and teachers came to school wearing something that represented Newfoundland culture. This inclusive literacy activity, which involved the text, Sailor, The Newfoundland Dog, encouraged active participation among students. Students were able to make predictions, compare and contrast, and draw on background knowledge. All students were motivated to read the book to find out how accurate their predictions were. This activity proved to be a great success as everyone was engaged, involved and motivated. To clue up the activity students, teachers and administration enjoyed a snack of Purity Syrup, Jam Jam cookies and other Newfoundland delights.

Acreman students win books, SmartBoard December 15, 2011 Acreman Elementary celebrated two major wins with students, staff, parents, members of the general public, and special invited guests on Wednesday, November 16, 2011. The school was the winner of a $19,000 Chapters/Indigo grant and also won a SmartBoard through a contest sponsored by the Bell Aliant Poineers. A school assembly was held featuring musical performances by the elementary choir and a family reading time with the new books from Chapters. Following the family reading time, the primary students and teachers demonstrated a reading of their e-books on their new Smartboard to representatives from the Bell Aliant Pioneers. The elementary students and teachers discussed forming book clubs to take advantage of their new library resources. It was a big day for our small school!

Stand Up to Bullying Day at Beaconsfield Junior High December 15, 2011 On Friday, November 18, many students from Beaconsfield Junior High represented the Saxon spirit by wearing pink to take a stand against bullying. Our Safe and Caring Schools committee strongly believes and supports anti-bullying initiatives in order to promote respect, tolerance and individuality. This is the third year the junior high students at Beaconsfield have worn pink to support the anti-bullying message and every year, more and more students participate. Way to go Saxons!

Holy Spirit students in touch with nature December 15, 2011 Our teachers, Mr. Quinton, Ms. Meade, and Mr. Wells got our classes together to help us connect with nature and beautify our school grounds. Together we built a butterfly habitat and a vegetable garden. The vegetable garden was planted in June 2011 and was carefully looked after during the summer. In the fall we harvested the vegetables which included carrots, potatoes, and peas. The butterfly habitat was built from a pile of dead trees which now provides a home for butterflies and small insects.

The Power of Simple Gifts December 12, 2011 This year the students of St. Andrew's Elementary participated in Operation Christmas Child, a project organized by the international humanitarian organization Samaritan's Purse. Each November, Operation Christmas Child collects shoeboxes filled with toys, school supplies, personal items, and other gifts from thousands of locations in North America, Europe, and Australia. These are then distributed as Christmas gifts to millions of children each year. Students at St. Andrew's Elementary donated everything from dolls and dinkies to socks and toothbrushes. They quickly discovered that by donating these seemingly small items, they were able to reach out to help those children in dire need. It provided them with an opportunity to be involved in a simple, hands-on project that focuses on the true meaning of Christmas. They were very enthusiastic about bringing joy and hope to children in desperate situations. Students were excited to know that a simple gift-filled shoebox had the power to provide hope and make a child's Christmas a brighter one.

Helping Hands for Africa December 12, 2011 Grade three students at Upper Gullies Elementary have been learning to recognize the importance of responding to the needs of others through caring and sharing. In their studies, students learned about Dr. Dawn Howse, a Newfoundlander who is a missionary to Tshelanyemba, Africa. The Salvation Army - St. John's Temple is planning a mission trip for 2012 to The Salvation Army, Tshelanyemba Hospital in Zimbabwe, Africa to help Dr. Howse's mission. They will ship a 40' x 9' container filled with supplies ahead of the mission trip. A team of 14 will go to Tshelanyemba at the end of May, 2012 to work on the water system and provide medical support. The Grade 3 classes invited the other students to join in spreading the word that we can all help out in gathering supplies for the people in this African town. On Friday November 4, the grade three students gathered materials for the people of Tshelanyemba, such as construction tools, kitchen utensils, and hospital and office supplies. The supplies were delivered to the 'Helping Hands for Africa' shipping container for shipment to Africa this fall.

Christmas Cheer for our Soldiers December 9, 2011 This year, our school, Fatima Academy, has decided to send Christmas cards to our soldiers who are away from home for Christmas. Each student from Kindergarten to Grade 12 wrote their own personal messages and some even drew pictures for the soldiers who would be receiving their card. We noticed while preparing for our Remembrance Day Celebration that our students shared a great interest in the war and had a great respect for our soldiers. This was certainly evident again when we approached them with our "Christmas Cheer for the Soldiers" project. This is definitely a project we hope to continue in the future.

Students Win Remembrance Day Contests December 9, 2011 As part of Remembrance Day celebrations, the students of Holy Redeemer Elementary participated in a poster, poem and essay contest sponsored by the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 9 in Spaniard's Bay. A winner from each category was selected from each grade level (K-9) and displayed at the annual Remembrance Day dinner. During this dinner, the first and second place Gary Churchill Memorial Award essay winners from grade 9 (centered around the theme of Remembrance) read their winning essays. The winning entries of the poster (Primary), poem and essay (Elementary and Intermediate) were sent to Provincial Command of the Royal Canadian Legion to be judged on a provincial basis. Congratulations to our first place winner Caitlin Pike and to Hannah Smith for her second place entry.

O'Donel High Students Remember December 6, 2011 For the past 26 years, 93 year-old WW II veteran, Mr. Fred Bannister, has laid a wreath in honour of war veterans at O'Donel High School's Remembrance Day assembly. This year, as in previous Remembrance Day ceremonies, guests from the local school community included representatives from the Canadian Armed Forces, policing, fire fighting and local youth groups.

Remembrance Day Images December 6, 2011 Students of Tricentia Academy represented many facets of Differentiated Instruction in their Remembrance Day activities. At the Remembrance assembly, students read poems and raps and wrote about animals in war. Songs were sung, dramatic recitations presented, the school band played and the choir sang emotional renditions of tunes of remembrance. The cadets brought an air of solemnity to the event. In preparation for the day, students painted images, designed wall displays and made many clay models of Remembrance images. Classes also visited the Wall of Remembrance - a wall of pictures of relatives of students attending Tricentia Academy since the school opened in 2001. The wall is humbling as students point out pictures of family members who have served from WWI to the present day.

Giving Thanks - St. John Bosco School Honours Special Hero December 2, 2011 During Fire Prevention Week, St. John Bosco welcomed a special firefighter into their school. Grade 3 student, Dylan Yetman-Sears, (along with his family, classmates and teachers) got a chance to meet Firefighter St. Croix and say a huge thank you for saving his life when he was just an infant. Local firefighters, school staff and Mrs. St. Croix joined in on the celebration. Every year, at Thanksgiving, Dylan would say 'thank you' to the firefighter even though he had never seen him again. His mom did some research and managed to locate their hero and arranged a surprise visit for Dylan at school. The entire school community of St. John Bosco is extremely grateful for Firefighter St. Croix and the important job that firefighters do on a daily basis.

Students Walk to War Memorial December 2, 2011 On Wednesday, November 9, students from Bishop Feild School attended the Remembrance Day walk for peace. Students walked from their school on Bond Street to the War Memorial on Duckworth Street. The peace walk was led by two horse-mounted Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers. At the War Memorial, students gathered around and sang the song Highway of Heroes by The Trews. Mr. Walsh played his guitar and Ms. Baggs played her fiddle and the whole school joined in singing this song. This was a special time because we were able to show our respect for the soldiers who fought and are fighting for peace on earth.

We Remember Because... November 29, 2011 The Virginia Park Elementary Safe and Caring School Committee created a "caring tree" display for the school's main corridor. The purpose of the "caring tree" is to initiate and create student interest to become involved in thinking, writing and displaying their thoughts about a particular topic. The theme for November months is "We Remember Because..." Each student wrote their thoughts on the back of their poppy and hung it on our 'caring tree' display. We consider the grade 5's our 'experts' on this topic, as they are in charge of the Remembrance Day assembly this year. All students at Virginia Park thoroughly enjoyed participating.

Eco Kids are Friends of the Beaches November 29, 2011 On November 1, students from Holy Name of Mary Academy and St. Lawrence Academy's Green Team took part in the annual beach cleanup. This year our school was chosen as a chapter of the "Friends of Beaches" program offered by Marine Institute Ocean Net. We were fortunate to have Justin Dearing, Marine Institute, visit our school and speak to our students on environmental issues. Following the presentation, students from grades 4-8 travelled to a nearby beach in our community and spent an hour collecting debris and garbage. In just a short period of time, 600 pounds of garbage was collected. It is hard to believe the things that were collected during the beach cleanup. We are on the right track getting our youth involved in such a worthwhile activity; however, everyone should try to do their part to keep our oceans and beaches clean and safe to use.

Grade 7 Students Get Interactive at Villanova November 29, 2011 Getting Interactive was the theme for Villanova's Grade 7 Interactive Career Day on November 2, 2011. In an interactive career fair, presenters from a variety of fields, (ranging from post secondary, trades, and other types of employers) interact with small groups of students for short periods about their field. Activities, hands on situations, and simulations are used to entice students and keep them involved and attentive. Grade 7 students had the opportunity to interact with representatives from the RNC, the CBS Fire Department, the Town of CBS, the Coast Guard College, MUN, Carpenters/Millwrights College, Public Health, UA College, and Career Development Partnership Initiative. Students rotated through a series of career booths where they had the opportunity to participate in job related tasks, giving students a "first hand feel" for that chosen career option. Student response about the career fair, a joint effort between the school and the Career Development Partnership Initiative, indicate it was resounding success!

Rules for Ghouls Halloween Safety November 25, 2011 MacDonald Drive Elementary was selected to be the launch site for the annual "Rules for Ghouls" Halloween safety booklet. This booklet is a project of the St. John's Citizens' Crime Prevention Committee which is sponsored in part by Jungle Jim's and NTV. This launch took place on the NTV Evening News hour with Sharon Snow on Friday, October 21 at MacDonald Drive Elementary. Some of our students had the opportunity to be part of the featured presentation. We had great costumes, delicious Halloween treats, and even a visit from Spiderman! Everyone had a fantastic time and learned how to stay safe on Halloween night!

Musicians Promote Careers in Music November 25, 2011 It's not very often that a careers presentation to junior high school students breaks out into a concert and dance, but that is just what happened at Holy Cross Junior High on October 30 when musician, Mick Davis and His Skinny Jims, performed at the school. As part of the recent MusicNL conference, Mick Davis from the Novaks spole to the junior high students about careers in the music industry. Accompanying him were band members Elliott Dicks (The Novaks), Brad Power (Kujo), Bob Pike (Shanneygannock), and Trev Davis (The Big 5-4). The band launched into a rocking set of tunes from the 1950s and 60s, followed by a question and answer session. It was an afternoon presentation well enjoyed by all!

Fun In The Name Of Fundraising November 22, 2011 On September 30, 2011, the sun shone brightly on the community of Pouch Cove as 292 students, 30 staff members and a large group of family and friends gathered in the gym of Cape St. Francis School to prepare for the 7th annual Terry Fox Walk. A short video of Terry's life was viewed and then the atmosphere became electric as our gym teacher challenged the school community to raise $5,000 for cancer research. If the challenge was met, students would be rewarded by "super-soaking" our Principal, Mr. Sean Noah and Assistant Principal, Ms. Kelly Knott. Roll ahead to October 12, 2011, when a cheque for the amount of $5,866.00 was presented to Ms. Heather Strong, Provincial Director of The Terry Fox Foundation. Ms. Strong presented Cape St. Francis with a five year pennant/banner for our seven years of involvement with The Terry Fox Foundation. This banner will be proudly displayed in our gym. She also thanked the school for raising close to $17,000 in the last 7 years. We far exceeded our goal of $5,000! True to their word, our administrators, all decked out in snorkels, flippers, water wings and swimming caps, prepared for their "super- soaking!" Students armed with super soakers sprayed these two fine individuals all in the name of FUNdraising.

Wild about Learning at Elizabeth Park Elementary! November 22, 2011 Grade Six students of Elizabeth Park Elementary recently participated in a wild learning experience while attending the Brother Brennan Environmental Education Center. The cold and wet weather didn't dampen their enjoyment of the variety of outdoor environmental learning activities including orienteering, classifying organisms within the outdoor environment, climate change connections and creating mini plant books about plants that are found within Newfoundland and Labrador forests. Students were also provided with an opportunity to learn about Newfoundland and Labrador folklore through the telling of fairy stories at the fairy stump. Elizabeth Park Elementary provided updates through their Twitter page to inform parents and other students at the school about the various activities they were engaged in. This trip provided a meaningful opportunity to cover some science curriculum, while developing an appreciation for our local Newfoundland and Labrador environment.

Teachers Receive Arts Educator Awards November 15, 2011 Two teachers in the Eastern School District were recently honoured for their leadership and contributions in support of arts education. Lori Lane-Balsom of Hazelwood Elementary and Jacqueline Hyde of Booth Memorial High School were presented with the 2011 Arts Work Education Award at the annual Arts Work Conference held in St. John's November 7-8, 2011. Art teachers from throughout the province participated in conference workshops designed to develop teachers' skills in delivering the arts curriculum. The annual conference and awards program is sponsored by the Provincial Government through its Cultural Connections strategy.

Holy Spirit High 'Runs For The Cure' 15th Time! November 14, 2011 Holy Spirit High School participated in the annual CIBC Run for the Cure and contributed $5000 to the effort to find a cure for breast cancer. The school outperformed all other schools again in the drive to raise sponsorship money. It marks the 15th year in a row, since the run began in 1997, that Holy Spirit High School has earned that distinction. The special achievement banners hang proudly in the school. The School's administration acknowledges Principal Scott Crocker extended congratulations to Guidance Counselor April Porter-Crews, the Interact Junior Rotary Club, the students that sought pledges and participated, and the teaching staff and hundreds of students who made donations, and the many supporters in the Towns of CBS and Paradise. Special congratulations and thanks were given to Sarah Newhook, who raised $1500 herself. Cancer survivors, teachers, students, parents and friends participated in the run at Quidi Vidi on Sunday, October 2nd. Holy Spirit High School engages in 'Run for the Cure' each year in honor and gratitude for the life and service of two active staff members who succumbed to breast cancer - Ms. Nita Chambers (1999) and Ms. Darlene Howard (2005). Students have raised and contributed more than $50,000 in the 15 years since the Atlantic run began. The onsite Frog Pond Wetland Restoration Project is a memorial park dedicated to the memory of these two ladies.

Healthy Commotions at Laval High November 14, 2011 During Laval High School's Healthy Commotion Day, various activities were coordinated through all grade levels. In the morning we organized a "Walk to Breakfast." Students were dropped off at the end of the boardwalk and walked into school with their teachers. Students and staff raised $500 for our "grab and go" morning breakfast program. We provided nutritional snacks throughout the day, and in the afternoon there were cooperative activities with fun competitions between homerooms, including the spelling of the school's name on the school's soccer field.

Macdonald Drive Junior High Students Support Terry Fox Run November 8, 2011 Students of Macdonald Drive Junior High School have the distinct honour of being the top junior high school in the province for its contributions to cancer research through the annual Terry Fox Run. This year the school community raised $5,500, topping last year's total of $2,975! On October 14, 2011, Fred Fox, the brother of Terry Fox, visited our school and spoke to our students about Terry's dream. We were very touched and honored by his presence! Not a word could be heard in our gymnasium! Our students knew about Terry Fox but really did not understand the true meaning of his goals! They now have a sincere appreciation for Terry Fox and his desire to collect funds for cancer research and students expressed an interest in "paying it forward" and keeping Terry's dream alive

The Mad Hatter Tea Party November 8, 2011 The Grade 3 students in Mrs. Rose's class at Donald C. Jamieson Academy in Burin participated in a pre-reading strategy called a tea party. This strategy is used to get children predicting and making inferences about a story before they read it. Five different phrases were chosen from the story "Stellaluna" and distributed to the students. They had to mingle around the room and find four other people with a different phrase. They would read their phrases to each other and make predictions about the story before going to their assigned groups where they completed a couple of activities before the story was revealed. All participants were asked to wear a funny or fancy hat. They were served lemonade from a teapot and a cookie by the Mad Hatter!

No Pumpkins? No Problem! St. Andrew's Primary Students Bid Autumn a Pleasant Farewell November 4, 2011 Although the rain this past summer prevented the growth of a plentiful pumpkin patch, it didn't prevent the students of St. Andrew's Elementary from enjoying Taylor's Farm in Conception Bay South. On Tuesday, October 25, the grade one and two students of St. Andrew's Elementary enthusiastically dismounted the school bus, eagerly anticipating the natural wonders of Taylor's Farm. They were instantly captivated by eight goats, all of which hurried toward the children in hopes of luscious greens and friendly petting. After feeding the sociable goats, the students were escorted to a tractor and wagon for a tour of the farmlands. When they returned they enjoyed a light snack and hot chocolate. And no Conception Bay South visit is complete without a leisurely stroll next to the vast Atlantic Ocean where they excitedly collected shells on the beach.

Bishops College "Newfoundland Garden" October 28, 2011 Bishops College officially opened its "Newfoundland Garden" on Tuesday, September 6th. An initiative of the Bishops College Youth Action Committee (YAC), the garden was established on school grounds for the learning and enjoyment of the school community. The garden features plants both native and naturalized to Newfoundland such as white spruce, larch trees, golden rod wildflowers, heather, and wild strawberries. The garden was dedicated to the memory of former student and YAC member, Leah Marie Walsh. In 2006, Leah Marie organized a team from Bishops College to participate in the Wishmakers Walk for Wishes. Leah Marie, a Level I student at the time, suffered from a serious heart condition and wanted to help fulfill the wishes of other children coping with a life-threatening illness. Leah Marie lost the battle with her illness in December, 2008. Leah Marie loved butterflies so YAC will include in the garden a butterfly house and butterfly attracting plants.

Cowan Heights Students Support Thanksgiving Food Drive October 26, 2011 The grade five classes of Cowan Heights Elementary recently challenged the students in their school to donate as many food items as they could to the Community Food Sharing Association. The students and staff gladly met this challenge. At the annual Thanksgiving Assembly, on behalf of the school community, the grade five classes proudly presented the Community Food Sharing Association with over 1600 food items! Afterwards, the grade fives excitedly loaded all the food into the Thanksgiving Food Drive Metrobus. At the same assembly, Cowan Heights Elementary was awarded a five-year banner from the Terry Fox Foundation in recognition of our school's ongoing participation and support of the Terry Fox Walk. In the past eight years, the school has raised over $25,000 for the Foundation. The students, families, and staff of Cowan Heights Elementary truly have BIG hearts!

Trustees Tour St. Anne's School October 25, 2011 On Thursday, September 8, 2011, a number of school board trustees and members of the senior management team made a special school visit to St. Anne's School in South East Bight. South East Bight is on the Burin Peninsula and is only accessible by ferry. St. Anne's School has a current enrolment of eight students ranging from Grade Two to Level One. The students and three staff members gave trustees a warm welcome. The older students prepared a history of South East Bight which they read to their guests. Following the school tour, a light lunch was served before the group headed back to the ferry. Despite the distance and isolation from other schools in the region, students at St. Anne's School do very well on achievement scores and participate fully in regional science and heritage fairs, drama festivals and other school-related regional events.

Mary Queen of the World Donates to Local Food Bank October 25, 2011 Students and staff of Mary Queen of the World feel they have a lot to be thankful for. In the spirit of responding to others in need during the Thanksgiving holiday, they decided to help replenish food items for the St. Vincent de Paul Food Bank. Families responded with some much-needed donations. Volunteers from the food bank made a special visit to the school to receive the food items and to thank the children for their thoughtfulness and support.

Amalgamated Academy Teachers Win Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence October 17, 2011 On October 5, 2011, three teachers from Amalgamated Academy were awarded the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence. This award recognizes teachers from across the country who exemplify best practices in education. The following description was read during the ceremony in Ottawa. Three is definitely not a crowd when Corey Morgan, Catherine Downey and David Gill get together. When this superhero teaching trio teams up, magic happens and Amalgamated Academy turns into the Amalgamated Media Production Company. Those taking in the action are quick to see that teaching to these three isn't second nature ¿ it is their nature. Local artist-in-residence, blogs, wikis and moodles, film and drama festivals, math contests and skills challenges - these three show students how to make it happen and feel empowered to show it off. Congratulations Mr. Morgan, Ms. Downey and Mr. Gill.

Roncalli Students Launch Bike St. John's Program September 29, 2011 Mrs. Healey's Grade 4 class at Roncalli Elementary School recently participated in the launch of the City of St. John's Bike St. John's program. Students also participated in a CAN-BIKE program, a nationally recognized program that teaches bicycle safety skills. Information on the City's new bike program, as well as safety tips for cyclists of all ages, is available on their website: www.stjohns.ca.

Holy Trinity High graduate participates in Arctic expedition September 21, 2011 Michael Gardiner, a 2011 graduate of Holy Trinity High School in Torbay, was awarded the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador's "Students on Ice" Scholarship for Youth - 2011 Arctic Expedition. From July 23 to August 7, Michael joined 75 international high school students for a ship-based journey exploring Iceland, Greenland, northern Labrador, and Nunavut. The Students on Ice Arctic Youth Expedition 2011 represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for youth to expand their knowledge about the circumpolar world, and to gain a new global perspective on the planet, its wonders, and its present and future challenges. Michael credits his involvement in Holy Trinity's environmental group, "Friends of the Gully" (FOG), in encouraging his interest in environmental awareness. He worked with other members of FOG to win the 2010 Eco-Canada Video Challenge award. He has recently been awarded the 2011 Toyota Earth Day Scholarship and the Dr. Leslie Harris entrance scholarship to Memorial University.

Donald C. Jamieson Supports Ronald McDonald House August 8, 2011 Every year, the Grade Six Social Studies class takes on a world issue to help people in need. This year the students decided to help children in our province and chose the Ronald McDonald House in St. John's for their fundraiser. This year the students made posters, gave presentations and held a bake/book sale. This was very successful and they raised $600. In previous years they have donated money to buy nets for malaria in Tanzania, were part of the "Iamsilent" campaign to buy supplies for a school in India, and supported the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

"Cranes for Hope" for Janeway Day August 8, 2011 During the month of May and as part of a novel study on Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, all of the Grade Four classes at St. Peter's Elementary participated in a "Cranes for Hope" Peace Challenge and Fundraiser for the Janeway Children's Hospital. The Grade 4 students made over 1,000 paper cranes out of origami paper and asked family and friends to sponsor a paper crane in support of Janeway Day. The total amount raised and donated to the Janeway during the Janeway Telethon was $2359.01!

John Burke Masquerade Donates to Autism Society August 8, 2011 The John Burke Masquerade performed their original play, 'Typical', at the Regional Drama Festival in St. Lawrence in April, 2011. The play was written about Emma Johnstone, a 15 year old girl with autism, and the struggles that face her and her family. 'Typical' was performed again in May for a dessert theatre at John Burke High where a portion of the ticket price was donated to the Burin Peninsula Chapter of the Autism Society of Newfoundland.

LEARN students get a little help from Holy Trinity Elementary July 20, 2011 On June 9, Ms. Keating's Grade 4 class at Holy Trinity Elementary, Torbay played a very important role for the students in the Literacy Enrichment and Academic Readiness for Newcomers (LEARN) students from Brother Rice Junior High. The Grade 4s were an attentive audience for the LEARN students who delivered Power Point presentations as part of their Language Arts exam. The LEARN students' presentations were about their home countries, or where they lived before moving to Canada, and included Albania, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kosovo, Liberia, Nepal, and Sudan. After each presentation the Grade 4s had an opportunity to ask questions or share their thoughts which led to lively discussions between the two groups.

O'Donel Robotics Team Attends International ROV Competition July 20, 2011 The O'Donel High School ROV (Remote Operated Vehicle) team attended the 2011 International ROV Competition which was held at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL), Johnson Space Centre, Houston, Texas from June 16-20, 2011. Regional high school winners from nine countries produced 28 Ranger Class (high school) teams. In this highly competitive field, the O'Donel Team 's underwater robot produced a perfect score, completing the mission tasks in four minutes less than the allocated 15 minutes. Only five of the 28 teams in the Ranger class completed all tasks in the very complex mission this year. O'Donel also placed third in their engineering panel presentation to scientists and engineers from NASA and the deep-sea marine industry. The judges, scientists and engineers were impressed by the effective tool design and the team members' answers to technical questions. Furthermore, there were favourable comments from mission judges on the professional conduct and efficient operations of the team during the mission performance. All in all, this was a very rewarding and confirming experience for these young people.

Cowan Heights Primary Students Demonstrate Leadership July 20, 2011 In late May, four students from Grade 3 came to the school office with a proposal to sell muffins to students to raise money for two charities: Canadian Red Cross and Daffodil Place. We sat as a group and the "Muffin Girls" came up with the schedule, the cost, and the method of wrapping and selling, and a note was created to send home. The girls covered all the grades over a three week period. They stuck with their business plan and with the help of their parents and grandparents came with a large supply of muffins and rice krispie cookies. The sale was very successful and the four "Muffin Girls", Erin, Emily, Alysha, and Brianna made a profit of $373.16. They were delighted to share their profits between their two charities. We are very proud of the leadership that these four young girls demonstrated for charitable causes.

St. Teresa's Celebrates Student Artists July 15, 2011 On June 3, St. Teresa's School celebrated its student artists through an art exhibit in the school gym. The projects were completed throughout the year through the ArtSmarts program with artists Pat Ryan and Margaret Best. The students worked very hard and created amazing works of art. More than two thirds of the student population participated in this program. The exhibit was entitled "Embracing Change: Preserving our Environment." The kindergarten classes explored color and line relations with fish paintings, the grade ones made puppets of birds, frogs and moose as well as paintings of their habitats and ways we can preserve these habitats. The grade twos explored lighthouses through watercolors and the grade threes created jellybean row houses from recycled boxes. The grade fives worked with watercolors, painting nature scenes from each season. The student artwork was amazing and we are very proud of the accomplishments of our young artists.

Pennies From Heaven Project Supports Ronald McDonald House July 15, 2011 In the fall of 2010, my Grade Three class read a newspaper article about a group of children in our community that had raised money for a charity. My students wanted to do something also. We obtained a water cooler container and began to bring in pennies. The children called it "Pennies From Heaven". After reading about the Ronald McDonald House project in Newfoundland, the children decided that they wanted their money to go to that charity since it involved helping other children. We finally rolled our pennies which came to the grand total of $150.31. Ms. Lori Hickey from the Ronald McDonald House Foundation visited the children on June 21 to accept their donation. The children learned valuable Math skills during this project, but most importantly, they learned a valuable lesson about helping others in our own community.

Holy Family's Green Team Environmental Award Winners July 12, 2011 On June 10, 2011, the students from the Holy Family Green Team, Chapel Arm were presented with an award at the 22nd Annual Provincial Environmental Awards. The team was the provincial winners in the youth category. This award recognizes outstanding environmental and conservation achievements throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The Green Team members have proven themselves as leaders in their school by organizing many environmental events throughout the year. They have been busy all year hosting toy swaps, selling valentines made from reused materials, promoting National Sweater Day and Earth Day, organizing a waste-free lunch day and green scavenger hunt and sponsoring a penguin from the World Wildlife Fund. The students of Holy Family enthusiastically participated in the events organized by the Green Team.

Acreman Elementary Receives Love of Reading Grant July 12, 2011 Acreman Elementary is the recipient of a grant from the Indigo/Chapters Love of Reading Foundation. The foundation has awarded the school with a $19,000 grant to be paid out over the next three years. Acreman Elementary is the only school in Newfoundland and Labrador to receive this grant this year. Each year, the school will be able to purchase from Chapters approximately $5,700 worth of books, CDs, DVDs, and other items needed for the school library. This is a huge boost for the library at Acreman Elementary and the staff are very excited to get started in making these purchases. Since 2004, the Indigo/Chapters Love of Reading Foundation has made a difference to over 29,000 students at schools nationally who have purchased nearly 900,000 books through the grant program.

Tea Party Encourages Student Reading July 12, 2011 As a pre-reading strategy for their chosen novel study, students participated in a 'Tea Party.' Five characters from the novel were chosen and a few quotes from each character were written up and color-coded for identification. The quotes were written in the first person point of view so that each student could take on the role of the character. Initially students became familiar with their own assigned character. Once they were comfortable, the tea party began. While students mixed and mingled with the other characters, their goal was to get to know a little bit about each character and to find out how each character was connected. As they mingled, refreshments were served and thoroughly enjoyed by all students. Many students dressed in their finest for the tea party. In fact, a 'mad hatter' joined us for the occasion! Once the students had become familiar with each character, they were then grouped into smaller groups according to their color-coded cards. Their final activity consisted of: (i) posing a few questions they had about the novel; (ii) making predictions about the novel and finally (iii) creating a concept map that showed the relationship between the characters. This is a great way to entice reluctant readers to read.

Students Colour Quilting Blocks for Veterans June 29, 2011 During Remembrance Week 2010, the Kindergarten and Grade 6 students of Roncalli Elementary in Airport Heights coloured quilt blocks to depict their thoughts of remembrance and peace. The Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans provided funding and Piecemakers Quilts in Long Pond donated material. Lori Best (founder of the Peace and Freedom Quilt Project) and Iris Tilley lovingly sewed the quilts together. Five of the completed quilts were presented to veterans on Valentine's Day at the Caribou Veterans Pavillion by two Roncalli students. There are seven more quilts being sewn. It is planned that these quilts will be presented to veterans on Canada Day.

Holy Name of Mary presented with Inclusion Award June 29, 2011 Holy Name of Mary Academy in Lawn was recently presented with the Newfoundland and Labrador Inclusive Education Award by the Newfoundland and Labrador Association for Community Living. Inclusion means that our schools help develop positive relationships and mutual respect between all students. To turn the concept of inclusion into reality takes a tremendous amount of effort, dedication and cooperation by all staff. Holy Name of Mary Academy is an inclusive school where through a number of inclusive practices, the school community is a place where all are accepted and valued members. For example, at Holy Name of Mary Academy, all students are given the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities, students are supported to learn alongside their peers, in the classroom, and strategies such as differentiated instruction and co-teaching, guided reading, literature circles, and small group instruction are being implemented. Bullying presentations, classes on stereotypes, gossip-free zone posters and active learning activities such as math bowling and identity chairs have contributed to the enhancement of an inclusive school environment.

Hula Hoop Club at SPJH June 29, 2011 The St. Peter's Junior High Hoop Club recently held a family hoop party with the Active Seniors of Mount Pearl. Sharon Snow from NTV News was also on hand to practice her hula hoop skills and talk about the Family Hoop Party during the live weather hit. Some of St. Peter's staff also came along with their wee ones. It was a great opportunity to promote healthy living across generations. The team constructed and decorated their weighted hoops through a Wellness Coalition grant from Eastern Health.

6P Goes Gray...In a Day! June 27, 2011 Over the course of the year, Larkhall Academy students have been working on ArtsSmarts projects that examine pattern when man and nature interact. The students of 6P have been working with makeup artist, Terri Andrews, and her associate, Alex, to look at patterns that occur as human beings age. Students first learned about aging on hands. On a paper model, they drew lines and shaded areas to demonstrate what happens when time and gravity interact. After they completed the model, they aged their partner's hand with stage makeup. Students then looked at patterns of aging in the human face. The artists discussed the impact of sun damage and smoking on skin and showed examples of how those dangers affected aging. The highlight of the day came when partners got down to using greasepaint to add 70 years of living to each other's faces.

Collaborative Learning at Bishops College and Bishop Abraham June 27, 2011 This spring, Anne Murphy's Writing 2203 class partnered with Margie MacDonald's Grade 2 class from Bishop Abraham on a picture book unit. The high school students learned how to create various types of picture books for an authentic audience. They then presented and shared these books with the Grade 2s on a visit to Bishop Abraham. Later, the Grade 2s visited Bishops Collage and wrote a collaborative "cumulative" book about spring with the writing class. The high school students had fun creating their books and sharing them with the Grade 2s. It was a great collaborative learning experience for all.

Queen Elizabeth Cheerleaders Form Pride Patrol June 23, 2011 The Queen Elizabeth cheerleaders do so much more than cheer at sporting events or prepare for competitions. Being socially aware, they also help to maintain and raise school spirit. Throughout the past school year, the cheerleaders volunteered in the Kids Eat Smart breakfast program, sponsored a number of theme-related school dances and events, and formed a Pride Patrol and distributed Pioneer Pride Passes to members of the student body. The team won Best Youth Entry in the annual CBS Santa Claus Parade and won second place in the Charity Cheerleading Classic competition held earlier in the year. Go Pioneers Go!

Immaculate Conception Celebrates Math Day June 23, 2011 On May 17, Immaculate Conception students and staff celebrated numeracy with a full day of math-themed activities. Some of the day's highlights included outdoor relays and cooperative games. We finished off the day with a school-wide math vocabulary bingo game. It was a fun and exciting way to celebrate Math!

John Burke High Student Designs Student Volunteer Medal June 21, 2011 Congratulations to Duane Hollett, a Level I student at John Burke Burke High in Grand Bank, winner of the design competition for the Provincial High School Student Volunteer Award. Duane is shown being presented with a copy of his award winning design by Minister Denine, and Minister King, MHA for Grand Bank District and a prize of $250. The high school volunteer award will be presented annually, by each high school, to one student in recognition of their contribution to their school or community. The medallions will be presented at the annual school awards assemblies.

Virginia Vaulters Hold 30 year Reunion June 21, 2011 On May 12 and 13, Virginia Vaulters alumni reunited for two nights of fun and nostalgia. They were treated to performances by Shanolla Ings, The Swaggabeez and the 2010-2011 Virginia Vaulters. In 1978-1979, a lunch-hour gymnastic program was being run at Virginia Park Elementary. A decision was made to showcase the group at the school's spring concert and so began the Virginia Vaulters. Averaging 25 members a year, consisting of students from Grades 3 -6 and alumni from Grades 7- 9, there have been more than 300 student members in all. The group has given over 150 performances in excess of 40 communities throughout the province over the past 30 years. In addition to performing at dozens of schools in the St. John's area, they have also performed at MUN, CONA, physical education conferences, provincial cheerleading competitions and two Gymnastradas.

ESD Students Earn Medals at National Skills Canada Competition June 21, 2011 Five students from the Eastern School District (ESD) earned medals at the National Skills Canada Competition held in Quebec City from June 1-4. In total, 13 secondary and post-secondary students from our province were medal winners. Congratulations to all members of Team NL on their tremendous performance, and in particular, the following ESD students: Bronze: Jenna Kelly (Marystown Central High School) - Job Interview Silver: Krista Barry (St. Kevin's High School) - Workplace Safety Gold: Emily Butler (Frank Roberts Junior High) - Prepared Speech, and Cecil Johnson and Evan Moffatt (Holy Spirit High School) - TV/Video Production. To view the gold medal video, and find out more about the National Skills competition, go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw-GG4Nqo2U.

Reader's Theatre at Immaculate Conception June 16, 2011 The Grade Two students at Immaculate Conception School in Colliers concluded their fairy tale unit with a Reader's Theatre presentation. Reader's Theatre is a risk-free way for children to enjoy reading. It provides all students with a means to interpret the materials that they read. Through the assigned roles that they perform they acquire a better understanding of literature. The children were excited and enthusiastic about making their characters come alive through oral expression and acting roles. Students developed their own props and practiced their assigned scripts in collaborative groups. Some student comments included, "When are we going to do this again Miss?" and "This is so much fun!" This differentiated and fully inclusive activity enabled each student the opportunity to showcase their individual talents and offered less confident readers support from their peers.

Third Annual Math Day at St. Lawrence Academy June 16, 2011 On Tuesday, May 31, St. Lawrence Academy held its Third Annual Math Day. The goal of the day was to provide an opportunity for all students in the school to experience math in a positive, inclusive environment. Throughout the morning students travelled to various sessions to compete in fun-filled, educational math activities. Some of these activities were, Wii Fit Math, Problem Solving Snakes and Ladders and Equation Relay. All students received a pin with the digits of pi. This day was made possible by a math promotions grant provided by the Eastern School District.

Students Open "Cafe Chocolat" and make donation to Jamaican orphanage June 13, 2011 On Monday, May 16, Grade 5 students in Mrs. Gullage's class at Holy Family Elementary School, Paradise, invited parents, teachers and special guests to their french cafe "Cafe Chocolat". Many decorations, invitations, and menus were prepared for this exciting day. Students enjoyed being servers, hosts, hostesses, and cooks and providing entertainment for the lucky guests. Students spent many weeks practicing and learning the French culture that goes along with their French Unit, "Au Cafe". They also learned how important it is to think about other children in the world who are less privileged. The students raised almost $400 for an orphanage in Jamaica. When the cafe closed, the Grade 5s finally got to serve each other and eat the delicious food!

Safe and Caring Provincial Awards for ESD Students June 13, 2011 The Department of Education annually recognizes graduating students who show leadership in safe and caring initiatives in their schools. Six students in the Eastern School District received the Graduating Student Awards granted in the form of a $500 tuition voucher to support post-secondary education. The aim of this initiative is to promote student awareness of the Safe and Caring Schools policy and acknowledge the contributions of youth in establishing and maintaining safe and caring schools and communities. See attachment for full story.

Vanier Elementary is a Peaceful School June 13, 2011 On May 20, 2011, staff and students of Vanier Elementary celebrated its eighth Project Peace Day, an annual event which involves organized morning sessions followed by a concert in the afternoon. Various presenters spoke to our elementary students and our primary students were also involved in "peaceful activities". This year's Project Peace Day was especially memorable. Our school became a member of Peaceful Schools International (PSI). On April 8, 2011, following a long application process, Peaceful Schools International welcomed us as their newest member. We received a membership certificate and became eligible to fly the PSI flag. On the afternoon of May 20, our entire school community gathered in front of the school to raise the PSI flag. Students sang Shalom/Dona Nobis Pacem/Grant Us Peace, a song from the original project peace song collection from the first Project Peace Day. Following the flag-raising, we gathered in the gymnasium to hear the Vanier Chorale, a group of students in grades five and six, speak and sing about building good character, about building "A Better You, A Better Me".

Larkhall Academy adds a Bouldering Wall June 8, 2011 On Wednesday May 25, Larkhall Academy celebrated the opening of its new 40' Bouldering Wall. Rock Climbing is an activity that builds physical strength, dexterity, flexibility, technical skill and problem solving abilities. Boys and girls are equally successful in developing climbing aptitudes and getting healthier from this fun and physically demanding sport. Similarly, since children are natural climbers, our indoor wall permits us to educate children on safety considerations and how they can best protect themselves if a fall occurs. Larkhall Academy acknowledges Eastern Health, The Wellness Coalition, the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the school recycling program and MMSB for their funding support for this project.

St. Mary's Elementary Celebrates 50 years June 6, 2011 St. Mary's Elementary celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Wednesday, May 11. Students, staff, parents and friends attended an assembly and open house. This year's ArtsSmart projects focused on the 50th anniversary. Guests were treated to songs, skits and beautiful art work which students created to commemorate our anniversary.

Beaconsfield Students Shave for the Brave June 6, 2011 As part of their ongoing commitment to the community, the students and staff at Beaconsfield Junior High took part in the national Shave for the Brave campaign to support young adult cancer in this province. This year's shave was a greater success than last year's with 49 participants and over $5200 donated on the school's behalf. Alyssa Henderson, a shaver from last year, organized this year's campaign and became the school's "Mane Headhunter". Students at Beaconsfield Junior High are proud to be part of this great cause and look forward to even greater success next year.

Students Win Big in National Public Speaking Competition June 2, 2011 Two students from the Eastern School District have won top honours at the Canadian Parents for French National Public Speaking Competition held in Ottawa this past weekend.  Sean Leonard, a Level III student at Mount Pearl Senior High, won first place in the Early French Immersion category and Alice Brun-Newhook, a Level II student at Gonzaga High School in St. John's placed first in the Francophone category. Newfoundland and Labrador was the only province in Canada to place first in more than one category. Both Sean and Alice have been awarded scholarships from the University of Ottawa worth $20,000 each.

St. Peter's Elementary Grade Four Students Get Active June 1, 2011 On May 2, Mme. Nixon's Grade 4 class at St. Peter's Elementary was named the winner of the Grade 4-6 group of the Eastern Active Schools classroom activity contest. The contest was open to teachers and students of schools funded under the Public Health Association of Schools (PHAC) grant. Teachers showcased the various active living activities that they incorporate in their classrooms that demonstrate links between physical activity and the curriculum. These activities will be included in a manual containing all the contest submissions to be used as a resource for classroom teachers in the Eastern School District.

Sustaining Our Environment Through Art June 1, 2011 Holy Name of Mary Academy recently received $500 from the Eastern Education Foundation. Students of Holy Name of Mary Academy have become ambassadors for our environment through gardening vegetables, planting trees, hosting enviro-fests and much more. In an effort to further enhance our students' endeavors, the school is implementing a long-term plan to develop awareness and take action in sustaining our local habitats and environment. As part of this plan, we are currently constructing a greenhouse on school grounds. The funds awarded by Eastern Education Foundation will assist in the implementation of our Sustaining Our Environment through Art project. This project will involve students in creating awareness of environmental concerns as well as solutions through various art forms such as print making, collage and photography. The artwork will become a permanent display in our school's greenhouse.

Catalina Elementary Welcomes Canadian Author/Illustrator Andrea Beck May 30, 2011 On May 4, 2011, Catalina Elementary School was pleased to host a visit from Canadian author and illustrator, Andrea Beck, during Canadian Children's Book Week. Andrea spent the morning in the school presenting three different sessions to Grades K - 6 students, parents and teachers, with 150 people inspired by her work. Prior to her visit, students were quite familiar with Andrea Beck's website (www.andreabeck.com) and book characters, Elliot Moose and Pierre le Poof, as they had read several of her acclaimed titles. The jam-packed hour long presentations included a book reading, role playing using props and viewing displays of original artwork, storyboards and manuscripts. Andrea also demonstrated how to draw her book characters from circle shapes, and left behind a signed drawing of Elliot Moose as a reminder of her visit. Her message of the importance of using your imagination and "pretend play" will long live on in the students' memory of an awesome day!

Manitoba students visit Tricentia Academy May 30, 2011 On May 10, 2011, Grade 8 students at Tricentia Academy welcomed a group of Grade 8 students from St. Emile Catholic School in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Tricentia and St. Emile students had been e-mailing each other throughout the school year and had become close friends. The St. Emile students, who were on a tour of Newfoundland, scheduled a stop at Tricentia Academy after a fun night on Woody Island. Students from both schools exchanged provincial pins and gifts as they eagerly and easily chatted and checked out Tricentia, visiting classrooms and sharing an impromptu musical session. After an all-too-short visit, the St. Emile students, now life-long friends, boarded their bus and headed back to St. John's to continue their educational tour.

Team NL 2011 Heading to Skills Canada National Competition May 26, 2011 On April 1, over 200 secondary and post secondary students competed in 34 competition areas at the Skills Canada Provincial Competition. The competitive platform of the Skills Canada Provincial Competition presents a constructive and celebratory venue which inspires students and apprentices to continue the tradition of excellence in the fields of skilled trades and technology. Contestants at the April 1 event vied for medals of gold, silver and bronze, with gold-medal winners forming Team Newfoundland and Labrador and going on to represent the province at the Skills Canada National Competition which will be held in Quebec City, June 1-4. The top secondary schools at the Provincial Competition were: Ascension Collegiate (first place), Holy Spirit High (second place) and Frank Roberts Junior High (third place). A complete list of individual competition winners is available on the Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador website: www.skillscanada-nfld.com.

Clarenville High wins ROV competition at Marine Institute May 26, 2011 Following a close competition, Clarenville High School has emerged as the winner of the Marine Advanced Technology Education Centre (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle NL regional competition. The event, held annually at the Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland's flume tank, attracted 14 high schools from across the province to MI on May 6 and 7. O'Donel High School of Mount Pearl finished second at the competition, with Botwood Collegiate claiming third spot. As a result of the 2011 final standings, Clarenville and O'Donel have earned the opportunity to participate in the MATE International ROV Competition in June at NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston, Texas. Participating students at the MI-hosted ROV event were given an opportunity to design, build and operate a remotely operated vehicle to execute specified tasks defined by the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Centre of Monterey, California. The theme of the regional competition was to highlight the role ROVs play in the offshore oil and gas industry. There was a strong focus on the challenges the devices and their operators faced during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the students took part in several mission tasks, including removing a damaged riser pipe, capping a wellhead, collecting a water sample, measuring depth and sampling organisms.

Students to Participate in Canada Wide Science Fair May 26, 2011 On April 1 and 2, over 200 junior and senior high school students from the Eastern School District competed in the Eastern Newfoundland Science and Technology Fair at the Marine Institute, MUN. Six of those students were selected to compete nationally at the Canada Wide Science Fair which is being held at Seneca College in Toronto from May 14 to 21, 2011. Congratulations to Anna O'Grady, Bishops College, Kendelle Anstey, Holy Spirit High, Hannah Boone, St. Paul's Junior High, Meaghan Howse, O'Donel Junior High, Kathryn Bowers, Holy Spirit High and Michael Fleet, Holy Spirit High. Hanna and Meaghan's project was also chosen as the Best of Fair at the regional science fair. Congratulations as well to Ms. Yvonne Dawe, Chair, Eastern Newfoundland Science Fairs Council and a teacher at Bishops College, who received a Distinguished Service Award from the National Science Fairs Committee.

Clarenville Primary Celebrates Healthy Eating from Around the Globe! May 24, 2011 The staff and students at Clarenville Primary School celebrated awareness of their multi-cultural environment during STAND UP Day on February 23. While wearing their pink scarves inscribed with personal anti-bullying messages, they participated in a variety of whole group activities in the gym. One of these activities raised the importance of eating a variety of fruit. With the help of our parents and community partners, the students sampled fruit from different global locations. Their teachers then led each class in a mapping activity, locating where each item of fruit originated. The students were excited to learn that they enjoyed different types of fruit from so many different areas in our world. Just as many people from different locations make our world a wonderful place, a variety of fruit from different regions make a healthy and interesting diet.

April was Autism Awareness Month May 24, 2011 Harbour Grace Primary celebrated World Autism Awareness Day on Friday, April 1, 2011. The international symbol for autism is a puzzle piece, symbolizing the mystery of this disorder. All students at Harbour Grace Primary completed puzzle pieces. Students wrote one unique thing about themselves on their puzzle piece and coloured it with the autism colours...light blue, dark blue, red or yellow.

Amalgamated Academy Hosts Virtual Film Festival May 20, 2011 During the week of March 14, 2011, Amalgamated Academy in Bay Roberts hosted a very unique film festival. What made this festival unique? It was hosted completely online and streamed live throughout the world via the Internet. More than 20 schools from across the province participated in the festival and no one had to leave the comfort of their own school. Students from places like Lark Harbour, Terrenceville, and Foxtrap all had the opportunity to interact and share their ideas on the environment, culture and technology through the medium of video. Every entry was screened during one of the live webisodes and participants were given the opportunity to have their work adjudicated after the judging. Holy Cross Junior High, St. John's won the grand prize of a 27 inch iMac and video camera bundle and category prizes were awarded to Amalgamated Academy, Bay Roberts; Fatima Academy, St. Brides; and St. James All Grade, Lark Harbour. With so much positive feedback from participants and sponsors, work has already started on next year's festival. The webisode screenings can be viewed online here.

St. Catherine's Academy Celebrates World Autism Awareness Day May 20, 2011 Student representatives from kindergarten to grade 12 participated in a balloon release in honour of individuals with Autism. Students have been learning what it means to have autism and created posters illustrating what Autism means to them. As one student wrote "everyone is different in special ways." World Autism Awareness Day was held in many schools on Friday, April 1. Students participated in a wide range of activities that helped promote awareness and understanding of Autism.

St. Mark's Celebrates its Parent Volunteers May 18, 2011 In recognition of Volunteer Week 2011, on April 11, St. Mark's hosted a special pot luck supper for the parent and community volunteers who are so generous with their time. Approximately 30 volunteers attended the event which began with a warm welcome from Mr. Adams, the principal of St. Mark's. Mr. Adams extolled the virtues of our volunteers and how schools could simply not operate without our dedicated volunteers. This was followed by a scrumptious pot luck which was made and served by every member of the school. At each place setting parents found small tokens of appreciation. During the meal, the volunteers were treated to a beautiful slide show created by Ms. Colette Monk which featured the students, the various activities they take part in at our school and the interaction they have with some of the volunteers. At the end of the meal, each volunteer was given a certificate of appreciation. A quote from the slide show sums up the whole event: "Volunteers don't get paid, not because they're worthless, but because they're priceless."

Bishops College Competes in Wheelchair Relay for Easter Seals. May 18, 2011 On Friday April 15, Bishops College students competed in the first ever Easter Seals Wheelchair Relay. The event was organized by student council and lead by Level I student, Natasha Noel. Thirty-one students and five teachers participated in the Friday evening event. Racers competed for three hours and raised more than $1500 for Easter Seals programs. Bishops College looks forward to making this a yearly event and would like to invite other schools to do the same.

St. Peter's School Celebrates 50th Anniversary May 16, 2011 On Thursday May 5, St. Peter's School in Upper Island Cove launched its 50th anniversary celebrations. The school celebration was attended by students, school staff, school district personnel as well as municipal, provincial and federal government officials. The opening ceremony was highlighted by musical performances performed by the students and kicked off the first of 12 days of celebrations for our community school. The gymnasium was filled to capacity which is indicative of the tremendous support the school receives from the communities it represents: Bishop's Cove, Bryant's Cove and Upper Island Cove.

IJ Samson Teacher Named French Teacher of the Year May 16, 2011 The Canadian Parents for French - Newfoundland and Labrador French Teacher of the Year Award recipient for 2011 is Ms. Lisa Wagner of IJ Samson Junior High. The provincial award recognizes a teacher who has initiated new French Second Language teaching methods, motivated students to excel and made significant contributions to their school and the community-at-large. Lisa will receive her award at a special awards ceremony at Government House on Thursday, May 12. Congratulations Ms. Wagner!

Alternative Energy in Action May 16, 2011 As part of their Earth Day activities and their Science unit on power, Larkhall Academy's Grade 6 students built projects that run on clean energy. With funding support from the Conservation Corps of Newfoundland and Labrador, Grade 6 teacher, Ms. Pittman, purchased class kits to demonstrate the viability of alternative energies. The Grade 6 students researched and learned about these power sources and then built small-scale products that are powered by the energies they researched. Projects included solar-powered puppies and elevators, hand crank generator tractors, wind pullies and battery chargers, water-powered generating stations and hydrogen-powered cars. The Grade 6 students became energy-experts in a given electric field and shared their knowledge with junior high students during a recent Earth Day Expo.

Holy Redeemer Celebrates its 1st World Autism Awareness Day May 11, 2011 On March 31, 2011, Holy Redeemer in Spaniard's Bay celebrated World Autism Awareness Day. Holy Redeemer students gave meaning to the slogan "Light It Up Blue." Students were encouraged to wear something blue to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The response from students and staff was overwhelming. To increase and develop knowledge of ASD, stations were set up throughout the school for students to participate in activities that stimulated their senses, causing overload. These activities replicated the overload that ASD children sometimes experience. Blue ice cream was a big hit and attracted the majority of our student population. Students lined the corridor recess time for their long-awaited bubble gum ice cream. Holy Redeemer students also got an early visit from the Easter Bunny. Students anxiously waited to have their picture taken with the Easter Bunny. The ice cream and pictures were student fundraising events for Autism.

Ambassadors for Epilepsy May 9, 2011 On Thursday, March 24, 2011, Faith Atkins, a grade seven student from Mount Pearl Intermediate, was recognized in the House of Assembly as an ambassador for Purple Day for Epilepsy. Faith and her Grade 7 classmates visited the House of Assembly to officially mark Purple Day for Epilepsy. Premier Dunderdale invited Faith to be present in the House of Assembly and during the House session, she welcomed Faith and her classmates and informed the House members of Faith's efforts to increase awareness about epilepsy. In recognition of the event, members of the House of Assembly wore the colour purple and students of Mount Pearl Intermediate participated in a Wackiest Purple Outfit contest.

Two New Elementary Schools Officially Opened May 9, 2011 Friday, April 15, 2011 was an exciting day in the Eastern School District as two school communities celebrated the official opening of their modern new state-of-the art schools. Holy Trinity Elementary's gymnasium was filled to capacity with students, teachers, parents and members of the school community. A cake cutting ceremony and performances by students highlighted the morning's event. Holy Trinity Elementary opened its doors to over 600 students in September 2010. The new school is built to energy efficient standards at a cost of $17 million. The school is heated with a ground source heat pump and contains energy efficient lighting and water conservation features. Later in the day at Elizabeth Park Elementary, Paradise, a ribbon cutting ceremony and a much anticipated reveal of the school's new mascot, Sqawk, highlighted the official opening celebration. Elizabeth Park Elementary is built to the same modern and environmental standards as Holy Trinity Elementary at a cost of $15 million. Elizabeth Park Elementary welcomed its approximately 400 students in early February 2011.

Global Club Fundraiser for Japan's Earthquake Survivors May 4, 2011 In response to the recent tragedy in Japan, the I.J. Samson Global Club called upon the school community to help with earthquake and tsunami relief efforts by holding a bake sale on March 18, 2011. In total, the Global Club's efforts raised $507 to help survivors rebuild their lives. A big thank you is extended to all who showed their support. All donations will be forwarded to the Canadian Red Cross.

St. Peter's School Launches Kids Eat Smart Club May 4, 2011 On April 4, 2011, St. Peter's School in Upper Island Cove launched a Kids Eat Smart Club. Students from K-9 participated. Students enjoyed healthy food choices while socializing with their peers prior to going to class for an active day of learning. The Kids Eat Smart Club will operate three days a week for the remainder of this school year. It will offer "Grab-and-Go" items such as milk, juice, fresh fruit, granola bars, cheese strings, and yogurt tubes. Positive comments from students make it a very rewarding experience for staff and volunteers.

Holy Spirit Athletic Director Earns National Award May 2, 2011 Congratulations to Jason Desai, Athletic Director, Holy Spirit High School, on being selected one of just three national winners of the Physical Education Teaching Excellence (PETE) Award. The award honours exceptional teachers for their excellence in teaching physical education and their ability to motivate children and youth to participate in physical activity. This award is the only national award in Canada that recognizes physical education teachers for their hard work and dedication in helping to build strong, healthy and physically active children. As part of the national award, Jason will attend the PETE Award Ceremony, the PHE Canada national conference as well a $500 gift certificate to purchase Phys-Ed products.

Penguin Day at Cabot Academy May 2, 2011 On April 12, 2011, the Grade 1 class along with their teacher, Mrs. Tuck, celebrated Penguin Day at Cabot Academy. Mrs. Tuck brought student learning to a fun level when she dressed as a penguin as part of their Language Arts unit on penguins. Students celebrated all the things they have learned about penguins. As part of the celebration they did some penguin activities, dressed in black and white, and ate some black and white food. Learning about penguins as part of their Language Arts program was a lot of fun!

St. Mark's Students Support Japan Fundraiser April 21, 2011 On March 24, 2011, the student council of St. Mark's School hosted a bake sale to raise funds for the devastated nation of Japan. Spearheaded by school president, Ryan Furlong, students were asked to wear red and white in support of Japan and to bring baked items for the sale. The response was so overwhelming that the bake sale continued into the next school day. Parents, students and staff as well as other community members were extremely generous with their donations of both baked items and money. The students raised approximately $375 (and growing) which is a significant sum for a small school with just one event.

Holy Heart Transforms into a World of Pure Imagination for Willy Wonka Musical April 20, 2011 In your wildest childhood dreams you couldn't imagine the surprises that await you at Holy Heart High School this spring! The Holy Heart theatre is being transformed into the fantastical, music-filled world of a candy-maker's chocolate factory for the stage musical, Willy Wonka. The students of Holy Heart are very excited to be working with acting mentor Daniel Lasby, learning the aerial arts and acrobatics of Acro Adix, and dance choreography by Victoria Wells-Smith. This stage adaptation of "Charlie and The Chocolate Factory," features the songs from the classic family film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", and is sure to be larger than life -something for the entire family. Under the vocal direction by Susan Quinn, orchestral direction by Grant Etchegary and stage direction of John Rao, students are working hard as a team and having the time of their lives! The show runs from April 7-9 at 8 p.m. with a matinee Saturday, April 9 at 2 p.m. For ticket information call 579-4424 or online at www.holyhearttheatre.com.

Holy Name of Mary Students Receive Eco-Champ Award April 20, 2011 On Friday, March 11, students from Holy Name of Mary Academy (HNMA) attended the "Youth and the Oceans Conference" hosted by Marine Institute in Marystown. Students from grades 7-12 learned a great deal about ways to protect our oceans. The school's Eco-Kids group was also in attendance and was delighted to receive the "Eco-Champ Award" in recognition of their inspiring example of youth empowerment and environmental stewardship. The HNMA Eco-kids are a group of students who are working very hard to educate the school and community around things we can all do to protect our precious environment. HNMA Eco-Kids motto is "A Little Does a Lot." Students and staff of Holy Name of Mary Academy are very proud of the Eco-Kids and encourage other schools and communities to educate people about being environmentally friendly.

Grade Two's Invent Simple Machines April 20, 2011 The Grade Two students at Larkhall Academy have been busy in science learning how simple machines work. When the unit 'Move It' was completed, everyone created their own inventions using simple machines, recyclables and other materials. Students presented their inventions to the class, explained how they worked, named the simple machines used to build the invention, showed how it was used and answered questions from other grade two students. Students created a wide assortment of great inventions. One student made a 'Mr. Move It' using recyclable materials. Brilliant work students!

Yellow Toques at Cowan Heights Elementary April 18, 2011 Twenty-four very courageous people, four adults and 20 children, answered the Shave for the Brave Challenge at Cowan Heights Elementary on Friday, March 18. Together, they raised over $9000! What an amazing feat! The energy in the room was high, and the students were so "buzzed" by the shave, that many students committed to do it next year. It was great to welcome Geoff Eaton, the Executive Director of Young Adult Cancer Foundation, to the school. He spoke to the students about his gratitude for their support, and was amazed that two students in Grade 3, Erin Dillon and Caroline Tobin, had brought forth a petition to let younger students participate as well as elementary students. If you see a student wearing a yellow toque, be sure to congratulate them on a job well done!

CONNECTED?...PROTECTED? event held at St. Peter's Junior High April 18, 2011 On the evening of March 10, 2011, St. Peter's Junior High hosted its Python Protection Forum entitled 'Connected?...Protected?.' Topics explored during the evening included online addictions, Internet luring, access to information (e.g. racist propaganda, pornography), cyber-bullying, harassment, academic decline, texting, privacy, as well as the opportunities to embrace the benefits of technology. Students, staff, families, and community members attended a presentation by Constable Tanya Campbell (RNC) on 'cyber safety' followed by a panel discussion. Panelists included students, teachers, administrators, district personnel, parents, and police officers. CONNECTED?...PROTECTED? was initiated by the school's Safe and Caring Schools Team to bring the importance of this issue to the forefront and collectively explore preventative measures, interventions, and strategies for change. The initiative was supported by the Eastern School District, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, the Mount Pearl Crime Prevention Committee, and the Provincial Advisory Committee for Safe and Caring Schools.

Student Concept Depicted in New School Crest April 14, 2011 Friendship, Community, Learning. These three values form the basis of Elizabeth Park Elementary's new school crest. The winning concept was created by grade four student, Brianna Hillier. Brianna will be presented with her own personal wall hanging of the crest at an upcoming school event. Congratulations Brianna.

Students Join with Minister of Education For Youth Science Month April 13, 2011 In March, three previous gold medal winners at the Eastern Newfoundland Science and Technology Fair, joined with the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education, to proclaim March as Youth Science Month. "Hundreds of students are participating in local science fairs this month, and showcasing projects which demonstrate their innovation, imagination and creativity," said Minister Burke. "It is certainly an appropriate time to acknowledge Youth Science Month and highlight the work being done in our schools to help our students explore and understand scientific concepts." Each year, several students from our province earn the right to attend the Canada Wide Science Fair. Over the years, Newfoundland and Labrador students have achieved some excellent results, thanks in part to dedicated science teachers and volunteers who work to organize these fairs at both the school and regional levels. Youth Science Month, currently in its ninth year, is a national awareness initiative that is sponsored by Youth Science Canada,, currently in its ninth year.

O'Donel High Teacher Wins National Technology Award April 11, 2011 Congratulations to Clarence Button, Teacher, O'Donel High School on being selected as one of five Technology Champions for 2010 by the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT). Since 2007, there have been six award winners in our province. The Technology Champion Awards Program runs each year in November during National Technology Week. Awards are presented to teachers in grades 7-12 who have been nominated for outstanding efforts in encouraging and promoting interest in technology studies. CCTT, and it provincial chapter, sponsor National Technology Week to raise awareness of applied science and engineering technology and to encourage high school students to consider a career in technology.

Eastern School District Participates in the Roots of Empathy Program April 11, 2011 Since 1996, the nationally recognized Roots of Empathy program has shown dramatic effects in reducing levels of aggression and violence among schoolchildren while raising social emotional competence and increasing empathy. Roots of Empathy's mission is to build caring, peaceful and civil societies through the development of empathy in children and adults. To date there are more than 363,000 children participating in the Roots of Empathy program across Canada with 2,000 children participating in 80 classes in 54 schools in Newfoundland and Labrador. Currently in the Eastern School District, 45 classes are participating in 41 schools in 15 communities across our district. The heart of the program is a neighbourhood infant and parent who visit the program once a month for a full school year. Certified instructors work with a specialized curriculum to coach students in observing the baby's development, celebrating milestones, interacting with the infant and learning about infant needs and temperament, as well as their own similarities and differences. Through this program, it is believed that children will break intergenerational cycles of violence and poor parenting due to the messages they learn about protection, both inside and outside the womb. Participants become advocates for babies by bringing these messages to family and neighbours. For schools interested in participating in the Roots of Empathy program, contact Hazel Clarke (hclarke@rootsofempathy.org). Applications for Instructor training are available upon request.

St. Peter's School: Message in a Bottle April 6, 2011 The Grade 6 class of St. Peter's School in Upper Island Cove was excited to hear on Monday, February 28, 2011 that their message in a bottle was discovered after almost one year. A couple from Ireland sent the following response: Dear Teacher and Class: We were walking along the shore and found a bottle today with a message dated April 16, 2010 from Grade Five class of S.t Peter's Elementary . The letter was intact. It was found in Dog's Bay in Roundstone, County Galway, Ireland. The funny thing is that Martin is always listening to Newfoundland radio at home and when he saw the bottle he said that this must be from Newfoundland. The cap of the bottle was worn against the rocks and had almost completely gone. All the best, Sophie Faherty and Martin O'Malley

O'Donel Students Shave for the Brave April 6, 2011 Once again, O'Donel High School pitched in for the Shave for the Brave. Geoff Eaton was on hand to share his experiences with the students and the Woodford Hairstyling Training Institute came with five sets of clippers. Seven teachers and 16 students all gave up their locks for a good cause. Sarah, a level II student, had enough hair to donate her braids to make a wig. The combined efforts of all the participants brought in over $2500 for Young Adult Cancer with over $300 being raised in the gym while the shave took place. "Everyone here has been touched by cancer," said Ms. Clemens, school principal and Shave for the Brave participant. "It is only natural that these young Patriots do what they can to support other young adults. I am very proud of all of them."

Roncalli Central High hosts Youth Conference April 5, 2011 In the spirit of this years' Education Week theme, I Think. I Can. iThink. iCan, Roncalli Central High partnered with the Conception Bay Central Economic Development Committee (CBC EDC) and the Northeast Avalon Regional Economic Development Board (NEA REDB) to host an exciting youth conference for the students of Roncalli. The conference exposed young people in the Conception Bay Central region to new ideas, innovation and creative thinking as it relates to the environment, innovation and economic and community development in their home communities. The day began with a keynote address from TA Loeffler, Memorial University Professor and motivational speaker, who brought her powerful message "Big Dreams, Big Goals." This was followed by sessions from 13 different organizations aimed at helping students prepare for the challenges of our changing economic society. Presenters included: Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Co-Ops, Youth Ventures, Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Women Entrepreneurs, Conservation Corps of Newfoundland and Labrador, Futures in Newfoundland and Labrador, Global Citizenship Initiative, MMSB, Youth Retention and Attraction Strategy, Conception Bay Central Economic Development Committee, College of the North Atlantic, Academy Canada, Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland and Student Aid. At the end of this great event, Roncalli students were left with lots of information to THINK about and plan for what they CAN do now, and later in life.

St. Paul's Junior High Basketball Team Shave for the Brave April 5, 2011 We have a special group of students at our school that deserve recognition. On Saturday, March 12, 2011, members of the Grade 8 boys' basketball team participated in the Shave for the Brave! It's so rewarding to see students giving back to their community. What may have started as a dare, or because their friends were shaving, turned into a learning experience and sense of pride for these students. Their effort and money donated will provide inspiration, support and programs for young people with cancer and their families. They made their parents and school very proud!!

A "Sea of Pink" at Villanova's Pink Shirt Day April 1, 2011 On February 23, 2011, Villanova Junior High celebrated Pink Shirt Day, a day where people are encouraged to wear something pink to symbolize that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere. The school response we had to this anti-bullying initiative was overwhelming. Students had the opportunity to order pink t-shirts at a cost of $5 per shirt, or were encouraged to wear pink if they chose not to purchase a shirt. Nearly 500 t-shirts were ordered and many other students showed up in pink to make his/her commitment to a bully-free life. To celebrate our efforts, we held two assemblies, one for Grade 5/6 and a second one for Grades 7/8. Students heard the story of how Pink Shirt day began, saw some anti-bullying videos, and were then treated to excellent performances by our choir and our rock band. By all accounts it was a great day!

St. Peter's Hosts its 2nd Annual Family Fun Night April 1, 2011 On March 3, 2011, St. Peter's Elementary in Mount Pearl hosted its second annual Family Fun Night and once again, it was a huge success! All students and parents were invited to participate in a wide range of activities including Art, Yoga, Martial Arts, Irish Dance, Hip Hop Dance, Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, Let's Get Physical, Train to be a Magician and Nutrition Class. Healthy snacks and water were also provided. We were pleased to report that a majority of our school population showed up for this event. While this entertaining night was of no cost to the families, the parents once again, supported the community by donating non-perishable food items.

Lake Academy Chamber Choir Invited to Sing in Ottawa March 30, 2011 Lake Academy Chamber Choir, under the direction of Mr. A. Avery, was recently invited to represent Newfoundland at UNISONG Festival and Canada Day Celebrations, from June 28-July 2, 2011 in Ottawa. The choir will be a part of a mass choir formed by choirs from across Canada and will be accompanied by the National Arts Center Orchestra for performances on Canada Day. The Chamber Choir has also been invited to lead in the singing at the Beaumont Hamel Cenotaph as part of the 95th Anniversary. Along with these performances, the choir will also perform five other individual and shared performances around the Ottawa area. This will be a trip of a lifetime for the students of Lake Academy Chamber Choir.

Bishops College Students Celebrate Dr. Seuss's Birthday March 30, 2011 To celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday on March 2nd, Bishops College held its first annual Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast to recognize students with exemplary attendance. Over 85 students were recognized and invited to the cafeteria to enjoy a feast of green eggs, ham, toast and juice. Although the eggs were a startling flourescent green, students said they were delicious and asked for seconds! After breakfast everyone watched an animation of the famous Green Eggs and Ham story where the moral to the story is, "don't knock it until you try it." Of course from Sam's point of view the moral is to be persistent in what you believe in and you will succeed! Students were also presented with certificates and attendance award pencils. As part of the school's PBS (Positive Behaviour Support) program, the idea for the breakfast came from student council president, Nathan Whalen, who is a big fan of Dr. Suess. One of his favorite quotes is "OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO! You'll be on your way up! You'll be seeing great sights! You'll join the high fliers, who soar to high heights!" And will students with exemplary attendance succeed? We believe "Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed."

Morris Academy Students Support Ronald McDonald House March 30, 2011 This past fall, the Grade Two students at Morris Academy participated in the Terry Fox walk. After much discussion about Terry Fox and his contributions to cancer research, the students decided they wanted to be like Terry Fox and make a difference in the lives of other children throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. They chose to save money to help with the construction of a Ronald McDonald House in St. John's in support of sick children and their families. The students organized a penny drive and every Friday, all three classes brought their pennies to school to be collected in a large glass jar. Delightfully, from October to December, they filled five large jars. When all the pennies were rolled and the donations were finally counted, students had raised a total of $360.00. The students presented their collection during their I Care concert in February. The students of Morris Academy really are I-Care students! They are so proud to be able to give back to help others in need.

Ice Sculpturing at Dunne Memorial March 28, 2011 The elementary students of Dunne Memorial Academy, St. Mary's are currently exploring a winter theme in their Core French program. They studied the Quebec Winter Carnival, made and displayed masks and learned how ice sculptures are made "en francais". On February 10, 2011, the 26 students in Grades 4-6 brought in coloured ice which they prepared at home to create their own ice sculptures. This was a wonderful "hands on" experience, despite the freezing cold. Fetons l'Hiver!

Gaia Wins Awards at MI Ocean Net Conference March 28, 2011 Gaia, the student environmental group of Ascension Collegiate, Bay Roberts, recently was both presenter and award winner at the MI Ocean Net Youth Conference, held at the Marine Institute, St. John's on February 24, 2011. The group's slide show presentation, delivered by Amber Samms, gave an overview of the students' projects over the past ten years, with the intent of inspiring other students in the audience to consider where an environmental need may exist in their own school or community and to then "Take the Lead" in pursuing action to better the situation. Gaia's most recent project involves encouraging students to use stainless steel and BPA free reusable bottles. Gaia is proposing to replace the water fountains in their school with water-filling stations, an idea they picked up from Project Green at a RADHOC Conference at MUN. Later in the conference, Gaia once again took the stage, when Amber Samms received first prize ($100) in Ocean Net's Art competition, and then again as the Gaia group was presented with a plaque and a cash prize of $250 as recipient of the Youth Environmental Stewardship Award for 2010-2011, in recognition of their "inspiring example of youth leadership and environmental stewardship". Gaia is the only Canadian school that has been selected to attend the international Youth Summit , being held in Long Beach, California from March 11-13, 2011. At the conference they hope to learn how to best promote their project in reducing plastic pollution in their school and community.

Topsail Elementary Students Enjoy Winter Wonderland March 24, 2011 Topsail Elementary students enjoyed some outdoor playtime recently. The school decided to "take students outside" for some physical winter activities. Children delighted in making giant snowballs and snow angels. The rosy cheeks and laughter proved that the winter playtime was enjoyed by all students.

Epiphany Students Experience Snowshoeing as part of their Healthy Active Living Program March 24, 2011 On Friday, February 4, 2011, students at Epiphany Elementary, Heart's Delight, were delighted to have an abundance of fresh snow. That's because they got a chance to break in their new snowshoes which were purchased thanks to a grant from the Eastern Regional Wellness Coalition. Students from K-6 took turns strapping on the shoes and heading out toward Martin's Pond for some fresh air and exercise. While there was some getting used to this new activity, there was no shortage of enthusiasm. Some parents were available to assist in putting on the snowshoes and preparing hot chocolate and granola snacks for the return. Red cheeks, smiling faces and the sound of children's laughter made the whole event a long awaited success.

A Tribute to St. Teresa's-École Ste-Thérèse March 21, 2011 On February 2, 2011, the learning community of St. Teresa's-Ecole Ste-Thérèse said good-bye to our old building on Mundy Pond Road with a tribute assembly. The gym was decorated with student writings that represented "What St. Teresa's Means to Me / Pour moi, Ste-Thérèse est...". Winners of this contest at each grade level shared their work during the assembly. Several singing groups performed and delighted all in attendance: The St. Teresa's-École Ste-Therese Show Choir; The Awesome Phase, made up of current and past teaching staff; and the popular Ennis Sisters. Maureen Ennis, a former student of St. Teresa's, reminisced that the St. Teresa's stage was the first place she ever sang in public. It was a wonderful assembly and a truly fitting tribute to our old building. One of the highlights was the singing of the St. Teresa's School Song, which had been rediscovered and learned by the student population. Our Tribute Banner was on display, which had been signed by all students, staff, and guests who attended the assembly and the earlier Open House. This banner is now proudly on display in our new "home" at the Newfoundland School for the Deaf, and welcomes new and old friends to our school in its temporary location.

Queen Elizabeth "Goats for Kids" program a success March 21, 2011 The Queen Elizabeth Regional High School Peace and Justice Committee raised money for their "Goats for Kids" program. The committee wanted to help those in other countries by buying goats for which they will use to produce milk. The group also wanted to raise awareness about the importance of helping those in need. The committee held a bake sale and collected donations, raising over $400. The committee was able to buy eight goats through Oxfam Canada. Eight children in a third world county will raise a goat and the money they receive from the milk they sell will go back into the community. The group's initial goal was $300, but with the great support from students and staff, they were able to exceed their goal!

Holy Cross Junior High Students Are Oil and Gas Aware! March 21, 2011 On Thursday, February 24, Big Tom from K-Rock was game show host to the Grade 9 homerooms in a competition to determine who had become more career aware in the area of Oil and Gas based on work completed over the last number of weeks. The game show contained information collected and formulated by the students using online blogging, Apple Mac Laptops and Apple IPods. Information was based on guest speakers, field trips to places such as the Off Shore Safety Facility, Marine Institute and College of the North Atlantic as well as information shared from various resources. This cross curricular research project was a huge success with one class being declared the winner; however, overall everyone were winners because all students now have a greater understanding of career opportunities in the field of Oil and Gas.

Bishops College Celebrates International Day of Pink March 17, 2011 Student leaders led an assembly where this important topic was addressed. During their presentation they encouraged students not to be a spectator to bullying. It was recognized that the people who stand on the sidelines are part of the problem and can, by their presence, encourage a bully. The student leaders provided the following advice to the assembly: if you are being bullied or see someone else being bullied, one of the most effective things you can do to stop it is to "Name It". Tell the person they are being a bully. Statistics show that bullying stops 90 per cent of the time when the behaviour is named.

A History of Kids Helping Kids at Villanova Junior High March 17, 2011 Allan Dawe learned about Shriners and what they do from his mother, Paula Devereaux, who encouraged her children to save aluminum pull tags for Shriners Children's Hospitals. When Allan started attending Villanova Junior High in 2004 he decided to introduce the idea to fellow students in his grade 5 home room with support from his teacher, Darlene Moulton. He continued to promote the project in all of his subsequent home rooms. Upon leaving Villanova Junior High, Allan's role in promoting the project was taken over by his younger sister, Leanne, who stepped in to provide leadership. Younger brother Brian Devereaux is now at Villanova and carrying on the family tradition of supporting Mazol Shriners. In addition to Darlene Moulton, Allan and Leanne were supported in this endeavour by Grade 5 teacher, Elizabeth Wareham, and Grade 6 teacher, Shelley Stead. These three teachers continue to promote this project. Today Allan is a grade 12 student and Leanne a grade 10 student at Holy Spirit High, Manuels. The home room project to collect aluminum tags has become school-wide and is enthusiastically supported by all students. A large plexi-glass collection bin is proudly placed and prominently displayed in the school foyer. On February 7, 2011 Noble Dwight Noseworthy, Mazol Public Relations Chairman, visited Villanova Junior High to speak to students and collect three large plastic containers of the aluminum tabs. A total of 250,000 tabs or 186 pounds of tabs were collected over the past two years. The collection process will now begin again.

Beachy Cove Students Support Local SPCA March 15, 2011 The student council of Beachy Cove Elementary consists of 12 elected members from grades 4, 5 and 6. These students have taken on a leadership role by planning events and activities to increase student motivation and instil school spirit. Most recently, the student council organized a fundraising dance in support of the local SPCA. Students contributed a "pet item" for admission. For the second year in a row, this event was met with great success.

Bishop Abraham Students Participate in MUN's Think Green Leadership Summit March 15, 2011 On Friday, February 18, 2011, Mrs. Currie's Grade 6 students from Bishop Abraham Elementary participated in the first ever leadership conference as a part of SIFE Memorial and the Think Green program. The conference, which was held at Memorial University campus, was associated with the Think Green program and all activities were centered on "being green". St. John's Mayor, Mr. Dennis O'Keefe, and Mr. Leigh Puddester, CEO of the Multi Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) were special guest speakers who spoke to the students about leadership and being environmentally conscious. The students made posters about thinking green, living green and leading green in their community. Mr. Puddester was so impressed with the students' work that he plans to frame the posters and put them on display around the offices at MMSB as a reminder of the students' great work and as an inspiring motivator for MMSB employees.

Bishops College Establishes Red Cross First Response Team March 10, 2011 Bishops College launched a new High School Red Cross Response Team on February 23, 2011 in cooperation with the Canadian Red Cross and corporate sponsor, Oceanex. Bishops College is in the first school in the province to establish a Red Cross first aid response team. The Red Cross Response Team is a student-run organization under the advisory of high school teachers at Bishops College. Seventeen students have been trained to render first aid assistance to fellow students and teachers in a professional manner. Mr. Bob Smith and Mr. Dan King have been appointed teacher supervisors for the team. It is hoped that there is never a need to call the response team into action but it gives students and staff a safe feeling to know we are prepared.

Students Create Valentines for Seniors March 10, 2011 The Grade 3 students from Donald C. Jamieson Academy recently participated in an annual Art project for the patients and staff at the Burin Peninsula Health Care Center. For Valentine's Day, the students created one-of-a-kind cards to let the patients know they were thought about that day. Three students from the school delivered the cards to the Health Care Center in time for the special day.

Mary Queen of the World Hip Hop Crew Receives Safe and Caring School Grant March 8, 2011 Under the direction of Ms. Angela Nurse, the Mary Queen of the World School Hip Hop Crew was proud to receive a Safe and Caring Schools grant from the Department of Education. Through the medium of Hip Hop dance, the crew creates awareness of bullying issues and the effect it has on others. During the spring of this school year the crew will be performing in other elementary schools in the Mount Pearl area to create greater awareness.

Amalgamated Academy Students Enjoy Job Shadowing Day March 8, 2011 Did you have a memorable day today? "Today I saw a cat get declawed". "I got to ride in the back of a cop car". "I got to see a 4 year-old get their teeth cleaned". "I got to hear an unborn baby's heartbeat - it was really cool". These were just a few of the comments made by some Grade 9 students at Amalgamated Academy in Bay Roberts that took part in a job shadowing activity during their "I Can" week in January. This wonderful opportunity provided the students with the knowledge of a typical work day in one of their chosen fields. Needless to say, the students returned with exciting stories that will hopefully encourage them to strive to reach their full potential. Job shadowing was one of the many activities the students of Amalgamated got to participate in during the week of January 24 - 28th, a week which focused on career awareness. Other events included a career related scavenger hunt, completion of personality inventories, and visits from Memorial University, College of the North Atlantic, and Keyin College representatives who set up displays to get the students thinking about all the amazing opportunities that await them.

Fabulous Family Literacy Day at Catalina Elementary! March 4, 2011 On January 27, 2011, students, staff, family and community members of Catalina Elementary participated in their first Family Literacy Day. "Play for Literacy" took on a whole new meaning as students, siblings, parents and even grandparents participated in an afternoon of fun-filled activities. The session began with everyone gathering in the school gym and all K-8 students singing and performing (with a book in hand) to the song "Gotta Keep Reading" (tune to the Black Eyed Peas "I Got a Feeling"). This performance sparked the excitement for the afternoon activities! Students were divided into teams and their families accompanied them to various centres set up around the school. Activities included; guest readers, viewing tumblebooks on the Smartboards, board and movement games, playing Pictionary, and singing Karaoke. The afternoon ended with all participants gathering in the gym for prize draws and a surprise announcement. Students were thrilled to learn that Canadian author/illustrator Andrea Beck will be visiting the school during Canadian Children's Book Week in May. Literacy is alive at Catalina Elementary School!

St. Francis Students Attend Carnaval d'hiver de Québec 2011 March 4, 2011 Twenty-three Grade 9 French Immersion and Core French students along with two teacher-chaperones from St. Francis School in Harbour Grace travelled to Québec City on January 27, 2011 for four fun-filled days at the "Carnaval d'hiver de Québec 2011". The group took part in many of the carnival activities such as the opening ceremonies featuring Sylvain Cosette, sleigh rides, rafting, the ice slide, eating the famous beaver tails, visiting the Bonhomme's Château de Glace, and the renowned Ice Hotel. The group even had a special visit from the "Bonhomme Carnaval" at dinner on their first evening in Québec City. Students also had the opportunity to avail of many historic and cultural experiences found in the Québec City region through guided tours of the old city and by visiting the Citadelle, the Québec Parliament Building, Canada Odyssey, the Civilization Museum, Les Tours Martello, Montmorency Falls, a copper studio, St. Anne de Beaupré and a Cabane à Sucre.

St. Paul's Students Help Launch Sportfest March 2, 2011 On February 2, 2011, two classes from St. Paul's Junior High School were invited to the official launch of Sportfest 2011, a fully interactive sporting event which will be hosted by Sport Newfoundland and Labrador from May 12 - 14, 2011. Mr. Hollett's and Ms. Rodger's homerooms proudly represented St. Paul's and the students were able to take part in a few of the sporting demonstrations. Our students also had a chance to meet some local sport celebrities such as Jamie Korab (curling), Mark Nichols (curling), Michelle Healey (basketball) and Rod Snow (rugby). Our students did a fantastic job of representing St. Paul's!

GR-R-R-R-R-EAT News from École Goulds Elementary! March 2, 2011 Staff and students of École Goulds Elementary have welcomed a new friend to our school community. Our Goulds Grizzly logo, which has been prominently displayed on the wall of our school gym for the past five years, came to life on Friday, January 28, 2011 much to the delight of our 633 students. Over the previous two-week period students at each grade level participated in a "Name our Grizzly Contest". This culminated in an assembly organized by our Safe and Caring Schools Committee in which Griffin the Grizzly made his first public appearance. Griffin the Grizzly will be a great support for our PBS (Positive Behaviour Supports) program, which promotes expected behaviours of students. At École Goulds Elementary we work hard to create a positive, safe, cooperative and caring learning environment. Griffin's paw prints identifying "Paws"itive behaviors are placed throughout our school and assist students in making appropriate choices. Griffin the Grizzly will continue to monitor the behaviour of our students and will make further appearances at various school events throughout the year. Griffin - welcome to École Goulds Elementary!

Promoting Literacy Through Games February 28, 2011 To celebrate Family Literacy Day, the students and staff of St. Bernard's Elementary hosted a Games Bonanaza. In keeping with this year's theme, PLAY FOR LITERACY, parents were invited to the school to play games with the children. We saw everything from Checkers to Headbanz and even a very exciting round of Twister, all to promote the value playing games has on building numeracy, literacy, social and problem solving skills. Following a fun-filled afternoon, parents were invited to a small social where they were very adamant it had been a fantastic and valuable afternoon! To end the day, there were prize draws that saw a child from each class awarded book of their choice. As a follow up to the day, the children were asked to record what they did at home with their family to further celebrate Family Literacy Day. Their comments were displayed in the main corridor of the school, along with a few snapshots of the Games Bonanza!

Buddy Reading a Big Hit at Donald C. Jamieson Academy February 28, 2011 The grade one and grade six classes at Jamieson Academy are enjoying a second successful year of buddy reading. Twice a month, students at both grade levels get together to read, sing songs, and have a fantastic time. These initiatives allow the grade sixes to revisit some of their favourite books while the grade ones are exposed to excellent reading role models. In the spring, these roles will be reversed and the grade ones will showcase their reading skills as they read to the grade sixes and perform reader's theatre.

ArtSmarts Program Underway at Larkhall Academy February 23, 2011 The final phase of Larkhall Academy's "Project on Patterns" kicked off recently when artist, Catherine Wright, introduced silk painting to a grade two class. Larkhall students have been involved in a three -year examination of patterns in our world. In years one and two, students' artistic projects took inspiration from patterns in nature and patterns in the manmade world. This year children consider the "patterns in harmony "that emerge when man works with nature. For this year's program, students will take their insights from reforestation, wind farming, solar power and other sustainable development practices. They'll channel these concepts into unique and personal creations that are guided by professional artists. The ArtsSmarts experience has been outstanding for the Larkhall school community. Each year all students in grades 2, 4 and 6 have participated in hands-on projects led by local professional artists. Over the three- year program we've been able to ensure that each child who attends our school will participate in at least one project and analyze some form of patterns that exist in our world.

Macpherson Elementary's Grade 6 Students Explore Local Art Talent February 23, 2011 In January, the Grade 6 students of Macpherson Elementary participated in the Visiting Artist Program (VAP). This program brings individual artists, groups of artists, or art organizations into schools to provide students with direct personal contact with practicing professional artists. The grade 6 students worked with Anita Singh in making book arts. Ms. Singh is a printmaker, papermaker, book artist, and art instructor. She presented the students with a variety of book arts and bindings and then showed them how to make three different books using only one sheet of paper. They then cut and covered cardboard pieces with decorative paper to create a cover for their books. Illustrations and text were created with decorative paper, pencil crayons, markers, water colour paints, and collage techniques. These unique art books also incorporated original poetry written by the students. This activity provided students with the opportunity to create texts, collaboratively and independently, in a variety of ways and using different modes. Creating, understanding the context of, and reflecting on art can enhance learning experiences in all areas of curriculum. The program was certainly a success and the students definitely had a lot of fun!

Cowan Heights Receives Platinum Award for Physical Education Programming February 18, 2011 On Wednesday, January 26, 2011, Cowan Heights Elementary was recognized by Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada with a platinum award for its outstanding quality physical education programming. Students at Cowan Heights Elementary participate in their regular phys-ed classes and the entire school participates in healthy living activities. On days that the children don't have physical education class, they participate in-class with the Eastern Active Schools program. Attaining platinum level is quite an accomplishment, as the criteria are high. From the PHE website: Our Platinum Award is the highest level Quality Physical Education (QPE) award your school can receive. To qualify your school must provide all students with a well-planned program of physical education instruction 3-4 times a week for the entire school year. Your school must also provide a minimum of 150 minutes of physical education each week and meet all criteria set out in the award application form. Congratulations to our Physical Education Teacher, Mr. Fitzpatrick and all of our teachers on attaining this tremendous award level and for making physical activity happen each day in our school!

Les Dioramas de Labrador City February 17, 2011 The grade three classes of Sacred Heart Academy demonstrated their learning of a Social Studies unit on Labrador City in a unique way. The students prepared a diorama (or a miniature scene) based on what they had learned about this community. While they discovered many interesting facts about Labrador City, most of the students prepared their dioramas around two main themes: Labrador City as a mining community or the abundance of activities to enjoy in their winter wonderland. The students had great fun making their figurines such as caribou created from Play-Doh and snowmen from cotton balls. What creative minds! Magnifique!

Students Pay Tribute to Former Premier Danny Williams February 17, 2011 The students of École Mary Queen of Peace School created a school-wide alphabet tribute scrapbook in honour of recently retired Premier, Danny Williams. All 748 students participated in the project which originated with, and was organized by, grade 6 students Kelsey Furlong and Lauren Taylor, under the supervision of their homeroom teacher Mme. Connolly. On January 19, 2011 the students held an assembly in honour of Mr. Williams. During the assembly, 31 class representative read their book to Mr. Williams which was followed by an informal 45 minute town hall session with students. During the gathering, Mr. Williams answered a variety of questions addressing a wide-range of topics from his favourite hockey player to what he considered to be his greatest political accomplishment. The experience was enjoyable and very rewarding for students and staff.

Students Celebrate International Day of Tolerance February 15, 2011 On Tuesday, November 16, 2010, the International Club of Brother Rice Junior High celebrated the International Day of Tolerance by unveiling a multi-lingual welcome banner in the school lobby. The banner features all the languages spoken by the students and their original artwork and graphics. The United Nations declared November 16 the International Day of Tolerance in 1996, following the International Year of Tolerance in 1995. The day is dedicated to promoting tolerance and understanding amongst all people with the goal of reducing conflict, war, racism and discrimination. Brother Rice is committed to creating a welcoming, inclusive, anti-racist, safe and caring environment for all members of the school community, and is the only junior high school in the province to have a Literacy Enrichment and Academic Readiness for Newcomers (LEARN) program.

Beachy Cove Elementary Recognized by Wellness Coalition February 15, 2011 Beachy Cove Elementary was recognized by the Wellness Coalition-Avalon East for distinguished effort in promoting action related to healthy living. Specifically, teachers Lisa Cobb, Carla Porter, and Tanya Hillier were nominated in recognition of the webquest and related activities that they developed and implemented to teach students about the potential health risk associated with too much sodium in their diets.

Upper Gullies Elementary Students Give Gift of Hope February 10, 2011 Throughout the month of December, the grade one students at Upper Gullies Elementary learned about the importance of giving to others in need. Some of their activities included collecting spare change and pennies in an effort to purchase a "Gift of Hope" offered through Plan Canada. The students' goal was to raise $240, but when all the donations were finally counted they had raised a total of $565. With this money they were able to purchase one goat, two pigs, three hens, one rooster, one sheep, a library in a box with enough books for hundreds of children to read, as well as the funding necessary to train a teacher! What better way to start the new year than knowing that because of their generosity, they are helping to bring happiness and prosperity to needy families around the world!

Holy Spirit Students Celebrate Life of Special Classmate February 10, 2011 Holy Spirit High's school community suffered the tragic loss of Level III student, William Pieroway, just prior to the Christmas holiday. It was devastating news for all who knew Will and/or his family. The Class of 2011 plans to remember William at their 'Senior Prom' in April and the staff will hold a special dedication ceremony on the school grounds in late spring. Will's parents spoke about their son's love for animals and pets in an eulogy celebrating Will's life. Student council members Niall Hickey, Ian Skiffington-Martin, Shelby Sheppard and Samantha Duff organized a week-long collection of cash donations from students, parents and community members during the week of January 10-14 for a special contribution to the SPCA in Will's memory. Students raised a total of $4000 and presented it to SPCA volunteers at the school on January 18, 2011.

Cabot Academy Students Participate in Swim to Survive Program February 10, 2011 Cabot Academy students recently participated in the 'Swim to Survive-People Savers' course at the Carbonear Swimming Pool. Students attended the sessions one day per week for four weeks and learned a variety of essential life-saving skills from water safety to first aid. This program was made possible through joint funding from the private sector and the provincial government and was offered at no cost to the school and parents. It was a very worthwhile program and the children participated with much enthusiasm.

Holy Family Elementary Students Take it Outside for Launch of National Program February 8, 2011 Students and staff of Holy Family Elementary in Paradise took part in the launch of a cross Canada run led by Colin Harris of the non-profit profit organization, Take me Outside. Mr. Harris began his cross Canada run from Signal Hill on January 17, 2011 where he ran to Holy Family Elementary in Paradise and joined with 600 students in a walk around the community. The goal of the Take Me Outside program is to encourage more young people to get outside, be active and reconnect with nature. As Mr. Harris runs across Canada, he plans to bring his message to young students in schools throughout the country. The cross Canada run will take approximately eight months and cover a distance of 7,500 kilometres. For further information on the Take Me Outside project, visit www.takemeoutside.ca

Larkhall Students Celebrate Family Literacy Day February 8, 2011 January 27 is Family Literacy Day in Canada and this year's theme "Play for Literacy" was fully embraced by the Larkhall School Community. Our day began with a DARE to Drop Everything and Read and continued with buddy reading between primary and elementary grades. The morning also brought celebrity readers to every class. Joining us to commemorate the day were special guests: Gary Power and Kara Pardy of the St. John's Fire Department, Glen Carter and Sharon Snow of NTV, Ms. Shannie Duff of the City of St. John's, Ms. Chris O'Neil Yates of the CBC and MHA Bob Ridgley. Family Literacy Day is a great time for the whole school family and an altogether fantastic way to promote the importance of reading and learning as a family.

Election Day at Elizabeth Park Elementary! February 4, 2011 Students and Staff of Elizabeth Park Elementary held a "Name the Mascot" election on Friday, January 14, 2011. All students were given the opportunity to propose a name and four popular choices were put forward for students and staff to vote on. The winning name will not be known until a special opening school event when the baby eagle will make its debut! Elizabeth Park Elementary, a new school in Paradise, is scheduled to open in early February.

Anthony Paddon Celebrates Stand Up Day February 4, 2011 Students and staff of Anthony Paddon Elementary, Musgravetown, celebrated Stand Up Day on November 17, 2010. Stand Up Day is an annual event where students take the pledge to do their part to end bullying. This past fall at Anthony Paddon, students and staff, under the leadership of Guidance Counselor, Susan Wiseman, participated in a variety of activities to promote and encourage a safer and caring school environment. On Stand Up Day, students viewed a variety of video clips that focused on the short and long term effects of bullying, participated in interactive anti-bullying stories on the Smart Board, and created anti-bullying posters. To further celebrate Stand Up Day or "Pink Day" as it is commonly referred to, the entire school was treated to pink ice-cream for lunch. Anthony Paddon plans to celebrate Stand-Up Day again in a few weeks as this day is observed for a second time in the month of February.

St. Michael's Regional High Student Travels to Antarctica and the Arctic February 4, 2011 Donovan Taplin, a Level 2 Student of St. Michael's Regional High School, recently returned from an international youth expedition to Antarctica with the award-winning organization Students on Ice. Each year Students on Ice selects less than 100 students from across Canada and the world to participate in learning expeditions in the Polar Regions. This past August, Donovan travelled to the Canadian Arctic with Students on Ice where he enjoyed cultural interactions with Northern Elders as well as historical hikes throughout the Tundra, Zodiac Cruises and exploration. Polar Bears and Walrus were amongst wildlife highlights. In the South, millions of Penguins, soaring ice-caps and glaciers greeted the students and the accompanying 30 education program staff members who provided lectures, workshops and demonstrations to participants often advocating for environmental stewardship. Donovan returns to his school and community as an enlightened environmental leader, eager to share his experiences and knowledge of these rarely visited areas.

Student Leaders Collaborate in a Network and Learn Event February 2, 2011 On Friday December 10, 2010, students from Queen Elizabeth Regional High School, St. Kevin's High School, O'Donel High School, and Prince Of Wales Collegiate came together for a day-long session on leadership. This is the second year this leadership development opportunity has been provided to student leaders. The day was organized by school staff to help students become more effective student leaders and to allow them to collaborate on common school development goals. The morning session dealt with strengthening leadership skills such as problem solving and goal setting. During the afternoon session, students shared information on their school's successful projects and learned strategies to action these plans in their own schools. See attachment for full story.

Booth Memorial Gobbles up Hunger February 2, 2011 Booth Memorial High School students were challenged to raise money to buy turkeys to support the CBC Turkey Drive. This fundraiser supported Booth's goal of "encouraging a school culture that fosters community engagement." The idea for this initiative came from one of the homeroom classes. Katie Whelan, a student in the class, suggested asking all students to help. It was decided to deliver the turkeys by school bus to the CBC building. By donating a minimum of $10, students earned a seat on the "Turkey Bus". Thanks to the generosity of City Wide Taxi, two busses were provided so that the students of Booth Memorial High School could deliver 100 turkeys to help the food bank gobble up hunger! "We are very proud of our students for taking on this challenge and playing a role in making Christmas a little better for others," said Principal Zwicker.

Upper Gullies Elementary Students Help Local Food Bank January 31, 2011 The grade two students at Upper Gullies Elementary had their second food drive for the C.B.S./Paradise Food Bank prior to Christmas. Throughout the year the students have been learning how they can help others in need. They went on a fieldtrip to the food bank in early November and learned how the food bank operates - how hampers are given out, the types of food in the hampers and where the food come from that is distributed. Students also learned that the food bank is a non-profit organization that depends on donations of money and food to continue operating. The grade two students will be having one more food drive for the C.B.S./Paradise Food Bank around Easter. They are very pleased to participate in a community project which allows them to give back to others in need.

Holy Spirit Students Give to Local Food Bank January 31, 2011 Holy Spirit High School's Junior Interact Rotary Club recognized the need is high around the Christmas season for local food banks. The Club organized a collection at school and through donations of both food and cash from students and staff, they were pleased to present Ms. Mary Butler of the CBS/Paradise Food Bank with a cheque for $1000 and more than a dozen boxes of food items. This is a wonderful show of support from the Holy Spirit School community and we thank the Junior Interact Rotary Club for taking on this project.

Cabot Academy Students Earns Honourable Mention in Remembrance Day National Finals January 26, 2011 Congratulations to Seanna Traverse of Cabot Academy, Western Bay for receiving Honourable Mention at the National Finals (2009-2010) for her Remembrance Day Poster. Seanna received this award for her black and white poster in the primary level category. The contest was coordinated by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 23, Carbonear.

Speaker's Outreach Program at Dunne Memorial January 26, 2011 On November 9, 2010, Dunne Memorial Academy was very pleased to welcome the Honourable Roger Fitzgerald, Speaker of the House of Assembly, who gave a presentation to the grades 7 and 8 social studies and grade 10 Canadian history classes. The presentation, which was based on the Speaker's Outreach Program, gave students an overview of the Speaker's role as well as the function of the House of Assembly. It was a wonderful learning opportunity for all students.

Two Eastern School District Administrators Named Canada's Outstanding Principals for 2011 January 24, 2011 Congratulations are extended to two principals in the Eastern School District on being chosen as recipients of this year's Canada's Outstanding Principals for 2011. Gordon Broderick is the principal of Discovery Collegiate, Bonavista and Sarah Osmond is the principal of Macdonald Drive Junior High in St. John's. Gordon and Sarah are the only two Newfoundland recipients of this prestigious award. The award is an initiative of The Learning Partnership and is presented annually to principals who have made a measurable difference in the lives of their students and local communities. Gordon and Sarah will attend a gala awards ceremony to be held in Toronto next month as well as participate in an exclusive five-day management course at the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Bishops College Hosts Purple Week to Support Gender Identity January 24, 2011 Bishops College hosted its first annual Purple Week from January 10-14, 2011 to raise awareness about gender identity and to combat bullying caused by homophobia. The week was planned by the school¿s Gay-Straight Alliance and students and staff dressed in purple and participated in activities to show their support. As part of the activities, students signed a "Purple Week Banner" and participated in a trivia game held during lunch. At the end of the week, students attended an emotional and eye-opening assembly that featured statistics and testimonials by students and staff. Students also watched a series of short eye-opening videos with messages of hope that things will get better. Nathan Whalen, Student Council President, led the assembly and told students, "Developing individuality is a concern for many teenagers and schools need to come together as a community to foster a safe, caring and socially just environment by opening communications on this issue."

Construction of New School for Carbonear Underway January 21, 2011 A new Kindergarten to grade 8 school is currently under construction in Carbonear to replace Davis Elementary. When completed, the new school will have 22 classrooms, a multi-purpose room/cafeteria kitchen, applied technology room, and other specialty areas. The 5,140 sq. metre facility will be heated with a geothermal heat pump and will be constructed with energy efficient features such as low flow toilets and lavatories as well as energy efficient lighting. The new school is scheduled to open in 2012.

St. John Bosco Students Stand Up for Peace January 19, 2011 On November 19, 2010, along with many other schools around the world, staff and students at St. John Bosco stood up to bullying and took a pledge to maintain a safe, caring and peaceful learning environment for all. On this internationally recognized day, students around the world dress in the official colour pink and take a pledge to say "No" to bullying. All staff and an overwhelming number of students at St. John Bosco wore their official "Stood Up" t-shirts and participated in assemblies and activities.

Southwest Arm Academy Stands Up to Bullying Januar