Nicole's Notes: Volume 17 (January 13/14)

Happy Monday and Happy New Year TOSH Parents and Guardians!

Mr. David Gallant being patient :)

First of all, please accept my apology for not posting last week. My three children were all home for the holidays from university and all three had to be transitioned back throughout the weekend. The lost time, coupled with the transition to a very quiet house, meant that I didn't get all things that I wanted to complete done. This week, however, was a busy but positive one at our school. With only 10 school days remaining before the start of Final Exams, we were also thrilled to have had a full week of instruction!

PLEASE NOTE that the Parent Council meeting scheduled for this month (Monday, Jan. 13) has been cancelled.

I continue to try to carve time out in the day to do the most important work a principal can do: Be in classrooms to witness and celebrate the teaching and learning that is taking place in our building! I took some pictures as I wandered in and out of rooms last week, and I thought I would share some of those with you:

Culinary 801 Meal delivered to teachers Thursday

Mr. Gillis helps Physics students prepare at noon for their test

Frankie proudly sporting his Christmas gift from Hannah :)

Ms. Haire treats received for great work in Math class!

TOSH Envirothon Team practising with Mr. Higginbotham and Dr. Pringle after school

Sample Comic Book Project from French Immersion 421 class

Culinary 801 Prep: Sweet Potato Fries group

Culinary 801 Prep: Salsa group

Clay and Charlotte rocking the hats! So pro!

Thinking I need these guys at my house!! Cleaning...

Math Fun!

Biology class can be stinky business on lab day!

Higgy and his squid!

Cheryl the shark!

Fish dissection

Kevin the bird...and some sad faces haha! ;)

There is never a dull moment at TOSH, and it is a privilege to witness the magic our students and staff are creating together!

UPCOMING DATES TO NOTE:

January:
      
13       NOTE: Parent Council Meeting-6:30 p.m. CANCELLED!
16       PBL Night- 6:30 p.m.
17       Ancient History 421 Medieval Fair (AM)
22-28  CSLA Winter Board Meeting-Nicole Out
27      FINAL EXAMS-BLOCK A (9 AM)      
28      FINAL EXAMS-BLOCK B (9 AM)
29      FINAL EXAMS-BLOCK C (9 AM)
30      FINAL EXAMS-BLOCK D (9 AM)
          Principals' Meeting-Nicole Out
31      Turn Around Day-No Classes

February:

5-6    Transition Planning Presentation to Grade 11 Students-Mr. Donovan
10      Semester 1 Report Cards sent home to parents (via students!!)
17      Islander Day- No Classes
18-21 Winter Carnival Week
25      2014-2015 Course Description Handbooks out to students
26-27 Transition Planning Presentation to Grade 10 Students-Mr. Donovan
28       Collaborative Planning Day- No Classes

March:

4        Band Days
7        School Effectiveness Day-No Classes
10      MADD Assembly
17-21 March Break-No Classes

FINAL EXAMS (JANUARY 2014)

Final Exams for Semester 1 are scheduled for January 27-30, 2014. Attendance is mandatory unless permission has been granted from Administration and alternate arrangements made. If your son/daughter must miss one or more of his/her final exams for whatever reason, we ask that you contact Nicole Haire directly via e mail: nmhaire@edu.pe.ca or phone: 888-8460.

NOTE:  If your son/daughter is unsure how to prepare for final exams, please ask him/her to seek help from our team in Student Services!

Upcoming Post-Secondary Visit Schedule:
Mount Allison University (Outside Lecture Theatre)- Jan. 15/14 @ Noon
Portfolio Days (Holland College)- Jan.31/14
UPEI Info Session (Pre-register in Student Services)- Feb. 13/14 @ 1 PM
St. Thomas On Site Waved Admission Fee (Student Services)- Feb.19/14
UNB On Site Waved Admission Fee (Student Services-15 min interviews)- Feb. 26/14
UNB Evening Info Session (Loyalist Inn)- Feb. 26/14 @ 7 PM

FUNDRAISER FOR TOSH BREAKFAST AND LUNCH PROGRAM!

One of our TOSH families has generously decided to share their creative talents with us and donate the beautiful plaques (pictured below) for a draw fundraiser. Tickets will be available in the Main Office here by mid-week and are selling for $2 each or 3 for $5. There are THREE prizes to be won and the draw will take place on Feb. 14/14. All proceeds from ticket sales will go directly to our TOSH Breakfast and Lunch programs. THANK YOU to the MacDonald's for helping in this way and I would encourage you to get in on this draw! Check out what you could win!!!

First Prize- $75 value

Second Prize (Family Name plus 3 first names)- $25 value

Third Prize (Family name and 2 first names)- $20 Value

SEMESTER 2 COURSE CHANGES

The final date for Semester 2 course changes is Friday, February 7/14 but we are encouraging students who know they wish to make changes to get on that sooner rather than later. Some courses are already full but we will do our best to accommodate students who have specific changes they wish to make. They should see Mr. Jason Gallant (Main Office) or Mr. Jim Donovan (Student Services) ASAP!



PBL CELEBRATION NIGHT!

Science 421 PBL work with Mr. Ramsay

On Thursday, January 16/14 here at school, we will be celebrating the Project Based Learning that has been going on in the following courses this semester: The WRT 421 class will display at 6:30 p.m. and SCI 421, PHY 521/621, and ART 621 will display at 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend and parents of the students who participated in the PBL are encouraged to come out and see what your son/daughter accomplished through his/her project work!

KUDOS TO OUR KIDS!

To our basketball teams who have been representing us so well during league play and at tournaments this season!

To Ty Wright and Brandon Donovan who were recognized as Players of the Game against Glace Bay in the Confederation City Classic tournament this weekend!

To Sherry Anne Hiscock for kindness shown toward a peer who was having a bad day!

To Noah Richardson, Justin MacEachern, and Millee McKay for their participation in Rotary Youth Parliament this year!

To Stephen Smith, Aaron Dockendorff, Jonathan Walfield, and Eddie Mills for being recognized for their great work in math!

To Samantha Harris, Colton Profitt, Noah Richardson, Jill MacIntyre, Caitlin Gallant, Jessica Gillis, Kelsey McIsaac, Jenna DesRoches, Millee McKay, and Brittan Turner for visiting our feeder junior high schools and sharing their positive energy and enthusiasm about our school with our incoming students!

To Destiny Bradshaw and Connor Byrne for their excellent participation and sharing in English class!

To Bradley Murphy for patiently explaining what a logarithm is to his math challenged principal!

Challenge:  There are only two weeks left before final exams. Help your son/daughter take stock of the following:
a)  Is he/she caught up with assignments and work in all courses and, if not, is there a plan in place for that to happen before the end of the semester? NOTE: Some "drop dead dates" may have already passed but it is worth touching base with the teacher if you are unsure of the situation.
b)  Does he/she know what exams are being written and when?
c)  Does he/she have a study plan in place in order to be prepared for these final assessments?
d)  Does he/she have all the courses desired for Semester 2 in place?

Quote of the Week: "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."~ Colin Powell

Have a wonderful week!

Nicole