OCTOBER 30, 2019 EDITION / VOLUME 22 NUMBER 3 / THE OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE EMSB

BILL 21 CHALLENGE FILED: Power Law, representing the EMSB Council of Commissioners, has officially filed its case to contest the validity of Bill 21 in Quebec Superior Court.  This is based primarily on Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that guarantees minority language educational rights to English-speaking minorities in Quebec. Bill 21 - An Act Respecting the Laicity of the State, came into force on July 16 and bars public-school teachers, government lawyers, judges and police officers from wearing religious symbols while at work.  As such, individual citizens and public institutions like the EMSB are subject to all laws and regulations that have been adopted by the Parliaments of Quebec and Canada, Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights of Freedoms has evolved through the years and successive decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada   include an exclusive right of management and control accorded to linguistic minority communities across Canada for the operations of their public school systems.

Here is a copy of the application.

EMSB 2018-2019 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: The 2018-2019 audited financial statements were deposited at the October 30,  Council meeting. The operating surplus for 2018-2019 is $3.1 million.  This amount is added to the accumulated surplus, which Council can appropriate at the rate of 15 percent in the next fiscal year (2020-2021). Council was pleased to be able to appropriate (use) close to $7.3 million in 2019-2020 from the June 30, 2018 accumulated surplus for continued services to directly benefit students, including the continued investment in various initiatives as well as direct allocations to schools for improvements to schools and centres.

Guest emcees Meghan Kelly from The Beat 92.5 FM (third from the left) and Global TV's Tim Sargeant (second from the right) are shown here with vocational students and Canadian Armed Forces personnel giving testimonials.

CAREER FAIR: More than 2,000 Secondary V students attended the 19th annual EMSB Career Fair on October 16 and 17 at St. Pius X Career Centre in Ahuntsic. Jack Dym of Pipe and Piling Supplies Ltd. and RBC Royal Bank were the event’s title sponsors. Several on air personalities from the media were on hand to talk to students about careers in this field and serve as guest emcees.  

Several on air personalities from the media were on hand to talk to students about careers in this field and serve as guest emcees. They included: Sabrina Marandola of CBC Radio One, Meghan Kelly from The Beat 92.5 FM, Tim Sargeant and David Sedell from Global TV, Christine Long from CTV and Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed from CityNews.

The Laurier Macdonald Career Centre showcases it automechanics courses.

From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on October 16, the Career Fair was open to the community-at-large. This was an excellent opportunity for parents to attend with their children (Grades 10 and 11) as they look towards post-secondary education options in a one-stop shopping experience. Hundreds of people packed the room, all very appreciative  to make all of these contacts. Mario Argiropoulos and Harriet Cohen from EMSB Adult Education and Vocational Services are the Career Fair co-chairs. The Student Services and AEVS Departments of the EMSB coordinate this program.   The main objective of the Career Fair is to provide students with an in-depth exposure to the various educational opportunities available to them.  All students will take part in a brief general information session in the St. Pius X auditorium. Students will then have the chance to visit the various exhibition/information booths staffed by representatives from English vocational centres, CEGEPS, universities and some private business colleges. Bravo to the students at LINKS High School who did an outstanding job as hosts and assisting the organizers with logistics.

See this report from CityNews. 

Listen to this podcast by Suzanne Desautels.

Scroll down to the end of this link for an extensive  photo gallery.

Students and staff at Pierre Elliott Trudeau welcome the candidates.

FEDERAL ELECTION: During the recent federal election campaign, candidates from the different parties visited some schools to talk to students. On October 7 NDP Rosemount incumbent Member of Parliament Alexandre Boulerice, Liberal candidate Genevieve Hinse and Jean Desy from the Green Party were at Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School. On October 10   Liberal Mount-Royal incumbent Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather was at Carlyle Elementary School in TMR. Said Pierre Elliott Trudeau Principal Tanya Alvares: “It was a meaningful event for our students in teaching them about the democratic process.”

Anthony Housefather gets a warm greeting at Carlyle.

LATTANZIO WINS  FEDERAL SEAT:  Congratulations to long-time EMSB commissioner Patricia Lattanzio, who  won the Liberal seat in St. Léonard-St. Michel in the recent federal election. She soon heads to Ottawa as  a Member of Parliament.

Patricia Lattanzio

Ms. Lattanzio will now step down as a school board commissioner after 12 years of service. She attended the October 30 Council meeting. Commissioner Rosario Ortona noted that she becomes the first Italian woman ever elected federally in Quebec.

The Korean delegation is welcomed.

KOREAN DELEGATION: Students and staff from Michelangelo International School in RDP had the pleasure of meeting a Korean delegation made up of 30 teachers and administrators. They came to visit the school and spent time getting to know  their wonderful IB program and the functioning of an IB school. The choir also performed the Canadian national anthem.

GREEN CORRIDOR: The City of Montreal borough of Montreal North  celebrated four years of success with the EMSB and the Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île (CSPI)  on the implementation of an innovative Green Corridor project.   This concerns the area between Pascal (north), Renoir (south), Rolland (east) and Laurier (west). This is unique for the fact that in this small half a kilometre space are five schools, two parks, a cultural community centre/library, an arena and a public pool. Over 6,000 school children, parents and teachers pass through this area every day. The five schools are Gerald McShane Elementary and Lester B. Pearson High from the EMSB and École Secondaire Henri Bourassa, École Jules Verne Elementary and École Carignan.   

Angela Mancini speaks at the Corridor event.

Speaking at the event to mark the occasion, EMSB Chair Angela Mancini stated that over the last four years   considerable efforts have been made in this busy area in order to create a pleasant living environment and make it an accessible, active and friendly atmosphere.   See our press release here.

Students get educated about the  risks of driving in a car by someone who has used cannabis.

WEED OUT RISK: Weed Out the Risk presentations at Lester B. Pearson High School

Lester B. Pearson High School secondary IV students recently received a presentation organized by spiritual and community animator Joseph Monachino called Weed Out The Risk.  It is an interactive, classroom - based harm reduction program that educates youth about the risks associated with cannabis use, including the risks of being in a car driven by someone who has used cannabis.  The program also challenges the misconception that some teens have regarding cannabis use.  It was very well received and all Secondary IV students felt that all their questions about cannabis were answered creating a feeling of empowerment so they can make the right choices during life’s challenging situations.

Giving hungar a scare.

WALK TO END HUNGER: Lester B. Pearson High School students took a stand against hunger in Montreal North during their seventh annual Walk to End Hunger benefitting La Fondation Beaulieu-Blondin. Students spent their first period of classes walking around Montreal North led by an escort provided by the SPVM. The event culminated a month-long We Scare Hunger Campaign., one of the school’s local actions for We Charity. During the entire month of October, they have been collecting non-perishable food items through Halloween events and goodwill donations. The goal is to collect a food item for every staff member and student at Lester B. Pearson. 

Nathalie Lacroix

Julie René de Cotret

ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS: Julie René de Cotret has been appointed Director of Student Services, effective December 2. She will succeed Lew Lewis, who has retired. Meanwhile Nathalie Lacroix has been appointed Regional Director for the  East. She will succeed John Pevec, who holds the post on an interim basis. He will become the Principal of Rosemount Technology Centre. Ms. Lacroix is presently the Principal of Royal Vale School.

EMSB students in disguise.

CARNIVAL OF MARVELS AND MONSTERS: On October 23, elementary school students from over 25 schools in the Montreal area were given the star treatment. Transported by limo to the Palace reception Hall in Laval, these young performers entered the venue along a red carpet lined their greatest fans; excited parents, teachers and school administrators. Smiling and waving as the local press and photographers' flashes lit up the lobby, this was their day to shine at a 2,000 seat by invitation only launch party.   The Carnival of Marvels and Monsters is a massive international co-production of Chroma Musika (Montreal) and the renowned Quebec Publisher Planète Rebelle, written by Mihalis Makropoulos illustrated by Katerina Veroutsos and set to music and lyrics written by Giannis Georgantelis. The EMSB was represented by nine elementary schools: Gardenview and Cedarcrest in St. Laurent, Pierre de Coubertin and Honoré Mercier in St. Léonard, Edinburgh in Montreal West, Roslyn in Westmount and Royal Vale, Willingdon and St. Monica in NDG.   Schools will be selling copies of The Carnival of Marvels and Monsters with proceeds benefiting the schools themselves. See our full story and pictorial undertaken by Andrea Di Tomaso and Nur Erdem.

Ann Marie Matheson joins Royal Vale students.

CLIMATE CHANGE RALLY: The  EMSB held classes as usual on Friday, September 27, but parents had the option to choose to allow their children to attend the major climate change rally that day. EMSB Director General Ann Marie Matheson advised parents that should they wish to authorize their child to attend the rally they must notify the school in writing. “The English Montreal School Board   is concerned about climate change, and as an organization, we continuously strive to be environmentally conscious,” said Ms. Matheson. “This rally will take place during our regular school hours and this event is not an activity supervised by the school, thus we cannot release our students.”

Ms. Matheson noted that EMSB schools were encouraged to hold activities on September 27 to promote the importance of climate change issues. “Our leadership students will certainly have ideas and suggestions to highlight this important topic,” she said. A number of schools did just that, including Royal Vale in NDG, Dunrae Gardens in TMR and Vincent Massey Collegiate in Rosemount. 

The LINKS foursome at Molson Stadium.

ALOUETTES EXPERIENCE: Two students from LINKS High School in Ahuntsic won tickets to a Montreal Alouettes football game at McGill's Molson Stadium via an EMSB Express Newspaper contest. Teachers Anna Gualtieri and attendant Madeleine Valerio accompanied students Bianca Hevey and Corrado Nicita to the game. A great time was had by all!

MAJOR SCHOOL CHANGE:  A Major School Change process has been launched by the EMSB to evaluate how best to organize and consolidate the school populations in the north east end territory. The following schools have been identified in the scenarios: Dante, General Vanier, Honoré Mercier, Pierre de Coubertin, John Paul I and Laurier Macdonald in St. Léonard; Gerald McShane and Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North; and Our Lady of Pompei and St. Dorothy in Ahuntsic and  St. Michel. Hearings will be held January 8 and 9. A decision will be made at a meeting by January 30. The documentation is available here.

Elias Makos received a warm greeting at his former school.

MEDIA LITERACY WEEK:  Media personality Elias Makos made a special appearance at the LaurenHill Academy Senior Campus in St. Laurent on October 8 to talk to students about media literacy. It was part of the EMSB’s initiatives to explore the topic of fake news during the nation-wide Media Literacy Week, October 7 to 11. A graduate of LaurenHill, Mr. Makos was among the school’s original set of students, when it first opened in the early 1990s. Stating that this was “a special place for him,” Mr. Makos graduated in 1997 and launched his diverse career, which ranged from working for the Expos and Canadiens in communications, to being a host on Breakfast Television Montreal, to hosting his own weekday morning radio program, The Elias Makos Show on CJAD 800, and making regular appearances on CTV. With a keen sense of the ever-evolving digital world, Makos delivered a thought-provoking address to a Secondary IV class. See our full report here. The EMSB, working with Bell Media, will continue to explore this theme at different schools throughout the year.

There was good attendance for the Transition to HS event.

TRANSITION TO HIGH SCHOOL:  The EMSB in collaboration with the CIUSSS Centre-Ouest hosted an evening workshop for parents on the Transition to High School on October 16. The evening highlighted how we can work together to ensure that teens feel supported in their new environment. Discussion ensued   about teenage development, what you need to know at each stage of the process while providing tips and tricks to reduce stress around the start of high school were part of the event as well. 

MARCH OF THE LIVING: Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 March of the Living (MOL), run locally by Federation CJA’s young adult division, GenMTL. This experiential educational program brings grade 11 participants on a life-changing two-week journey through Poland and Israel. MOL is dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity, as well as inspiring participants to fight indifference, racism and injustice. Royal West Academy alumni Emma Rothstein and her twin brother Tyler, both now first-year CEGEP students, participated in the 2019 MOL. Their great-grandparents were Holocaust survivors, which prompted their parents to encourage them to apply for the trip. You can read their full story here.

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INSPIRATIONS PODCAST:  The most recent Inspirations Newspaper podcasts, hosted by Mark Bergman, features two great stories:  The Shira Choir and I Can Dream Theatre. Log on to https://soundcloud.com/inspirationsnews.

The Chorale is back in tune.

CHORALE TURNS 40: The EMSB Chorale, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is once again holding its annual cheese fundraiser. They are happy to offer a delicious selection of cheeses from l’Abbaye de St-Benoit-du-Lac at the same prices as last year (lower than the retail price in stores). These lactose-free, vacuum-packed cheeses come in attractive boxes perfect for gift-giving or for your own holiday table. Many of you have purchased these products or have expressed an interest in the past few years so I am happy to give you the information for this year’s campaign. The money we raise goes towards buying music scores, concert production, the organization of our music camps, workshops and giving our choristers the opportunity to work with professional musicians. Orders must be received and paid for by November 17. The cheese will arrive Friday, December 13.   For those of you who would like to hear the chorale, the EMSB Senior Chorale is performing in several concerts this fall: November 23 with Musica Orbium at Très Saint Nom de Jésus Church, November 30 with the St. Lawrence Choir at Église des Saints-Anges de Lachine, and at our own annual Holiday Concert on Saturday, December 7 4:30 p.m. at Mountainside United Church. Please contact me if you are interested in attending these events.   Info: pabbott@emsb.qc.ca.

EMSAC in action.

EMSAC MEETS: The first English Montreal Student Advisory Committee (EMSAC) meeting of the school year was held on October 24 at Lester B. Pearson High School (LBPHS) in Montreal North. EMSAC  is made up of two student representatives from each high school in the EMSB,  Regional Directors Pela Nickoletopoulos and John Pevec, Commissioner Bernard Praw, Vice-Principals Gaetano Sifoni and Steve Spetsieris and LBPHS teacher Paul Karpontinis  as its moderator. Every month EMSAC members meet in one of our high schools to debate and discuss issues that are pertinent to teenagers across the network of schools and beyond. As formal student representatives to the EMSB, members voice their opinions and pronounce their decisions on matters sent out for student consultation. They began the year with a team building activity, followed by a workshop on what EMSAC is all about and how parliamentary style meetings are run. EMSAC members chose who will chair committee meetings and who will record our minutes. Initial discussions surrounded recent developments in Bill 21 and the importance of social justice and the impact of the march against climate change.

Patrick Maynard

GERVAIS AWARD: The Association for the Teaching of Science and Technology in Quebec has  announced that Lester B. Pearson High School teacher    Patrick Mayard is the 2019 recipient of the Raymond-Gervais Award. This provincial and honorary award is presented to a teacher for excellence in teaching science and technology in Quebec. 

STUDENT SERVICES RETREAT: On October 3, 104 members of the EMSB’s Student Services Department attended a professional development retreat at Domaine Vert in Mirabel. The day began with a presentation on “connections” by Sandra Reich, Clinical Director of The Montreal Center for Anxiety and Depression. Reich reinforced the importance of self-care, particularly when working with the vulnerable student population that this team services. The professional development continued with outdoor team-building activities, which saw 10 teams competing against one another in rally games like tug of war, frisbee toss, and later, challenging activities like rock climbing and archery. The day closed off with a Laughter Yoga session which had everyone in stitches, and reinforced the message of seeking connection that Reich imparted in her session. 

A team building exercise for staff.

Director of Student Services Lew Lewis, who retired on October 18 after having worked 52 years at the EMSB and Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal, ended the day by delivered a touching toast to his team. See Wendy Singer’s full story here.

INFORMATION ON VAPING:  We are witnessing a rapid rise in adolescents and young adults who are either considering or have actually began vaping using electronic cigarettes.  The McGill Cancer Prevention Centre are very much concerned about the misinformation that youngsters are receiving form their peers and social media, which claims that these products are healthier and safer than cigarettes. Given what we currently know about vaping, these products are not only unsafe, but could result in adolescents and young adults becoming the new nicotine addicts. In order to clear the air about what the science currently says about these products, parents are being informed about the important and deleterious consequences of such products. The McGill Cancer Centre is hosting a free annual public lecture titled "Are E-cigarettes a New Addiction" on Wednesday November 27 at 3625 Avenue du Parc, Salle Prince Arthur A. This lecture targets the harms of vaping. Info: victor.villareal-corpuz.ccomtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca. cancerprevention@jgh.mcgill.ca and

 https://www.mcgill.ca/cancerprev.

Students get educated about Terry Fox.

TERRY FOX RUN: On October 1, John Caboto Academy in Ahuntsic participated in the Terry Fox Run. Spearheaded by Physical Education teacher Joseph Romano, students and parents were assembled in the gymnasium to sing a school song with music teacher, Eugene Negrii, and learn about Terry Fox. Over 30 parents volunteered to coordinate the event and also to run with the students. Students sported Terry Fox temporary tattoos and Canadian flags to show their spirit. The event featured plenty of noise makers, a drumming station, obstacle courses and the involvement of the local Police department to ensure the safety of the students. John Caboto Academy surpassed their goal and raised over $500 for the Terry Fox Foundation. This was the first time the school had participated in the event and hope to continue and make it a tradition in the years to come.

Kelly Serbu gets a warm Royal Vale welcome.

BLIND HOCKEY:  Kelly Serbu from the Canadien National Blind Hockey Team was a special guest for The Terry Fox Walk Run at Royal Vale School.  Over 1,000 parents and students participated on Friday Sept 27.  Four Royal Vale High School students -Lucio Gaetani, Kai Hucal, Ethan Levitt and Jacob Frankel-helped teach blind students from Mackay and Philip Layton at Doug Harvey Arena.  

A scene from the assembly.

THANKSGIVING ASSEMBLY: On Oct. 8 some of the students from St. Raphael and Sinclair Laird Elementary School delivered a tribute to their cultures "honoring and thanking all cultures of Park- Extension" and presented their gratitude towards many of the teachers and staff. It was an outpour of loving words of appreciation, to create a happy atmosphere. The Grade 3 students learned that happiness has much to do with one's level of gratitude. After the students gave some ''real news and facts" with respect to the history of Thanksgiving, they were then graced with a special guest, Nina Segalowitz, a mother of three from the Northwest Territories. She was raised in Outremont, where she was adopted by a Jewish-Filipino family. On her biological side, her father is Dene Tha' First Nations and her mother is Inuit. She exposed the students to “throat singing,” which is an Inuit tradition. They also learned some animal songs that date back thousands of years. Nina has performed across Canada, and in Europe (France and Belgium) as well as with Bobby McFerron (who sings ''Don't Worry, Be Happy"). Seeing that the Thanksgiving assembly became a ritual of continual embracing of all, everyone including families walked away feeling acknowledged and accepted.  "Where there is gratitude, there is peace" said Spiritual and Community Animator Caroline Choy. 

HALLOWEEN SAFETY: Spritual Community Animator Rocco Speranza and Ms. Cynthia from The Missing Children's Network (MCN)  joined together in order to present to students from K to Grade 4  workshops on How Do I Stay Safe, Halloween Safety Tips and the new  MCN workshop entitled “S-H-I-N-E ”  Self-Esteem, Healthy relationships, Independence, No means no, Empowerment! for cycle 3 students at Edward Murphy School, East Hill School, Pierre Elliott Trudeau School and General Vanier School. The  interactive workshop is structured to provide students  with the necessary tools, understanding, and knowledge  to aid with ways to develop healthy and equal relationships, respect one’s body, setting boundaries, and focus on building positive self-images. "The workshops are very informative, easy to understand, and allow for the students to share their opinions and ideas..  It really empowers them to be confident about themselves and lets their inner light shine through" noted SCA Speranza Working together with the MCN allows us keep our students and youth safe by teaching and empowering them how to be aware of their surroundings, and confident.

Students prepare to enter the Haunted House.

HAUNTED HOUSE: In collaboration with Police Station 10 in Ahuntsic Cartierville, La Maison des Jeunes prepared a Halloween Haunted house. John Caboto Academy classes from Kindergaten to Grade 6 had their turn to get scared by monsters and zombies. Students were be transported by school bus provided by the city. While in the Haunted House, they were escorted by police officers, cadets and their teachers. Students were spoken to about safe “trick or treating” practices and were given a candy treat at the end of the tour.

Pela Nickeletopoulos,  Carmen Nicolas, Ann Marie Matheson, Joe Ortona, Joseph Lalla and two students take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

WILLINGDON SENIOR CAMPUS INAUGURATION:  The mood was festive October 2 when Willingdon senior students, administrators and teachers welcomed special guests and media to its Coronation and Somerled building to officially inaugurate the school’s new senior campus in NDG. The 150 students, which make up Grades 5 and 6, were joined by EMSB officials, several politicians, representatives of the Willingdon’s Home and School Association and its Governing Board, and parents. Penny Fenwick, a volunteer at the school for some 50 years, was also in attendance. Speeches of thanks, the story of how the campus came into being and student displays of poetry and music made up the morning of celebration. A special cake with the Willingdon logo, and cupcakes for the children, were also part of the fun. Vice Principal at the senior campus, Maya Doughan, acting as emcee hoped that the morning program would offer “a glimpse of the vision, hard work, dedication and love that went into making this beautiful addition to Willingdon Elementary School a reality.”  Addressing those in attendance, Principal Carmen Nicolas, who called herself “one proud principal,” said it was “a humbling moment to stand in front of this crowd. As you can see and feel, this is an exciting time for Willingdon.” Recounting that the idea only started to take form in January the same year, the process making the senior annex into reality was rigorous.  See the full report by Kristin McNeill. 

See this fantastic promotional video done to celebrate the new campus.     

GREEN INITIATIVES: In the spring of 2019, during their Science class, students at Dunrae Gardens Elementary School in TMR were involved in a waste audit. They emptied the garbage cans and separated the waste that is compostable and the materials that were recyclable. They discovered that only 30 percent of what was left behind, actually belongs in the waste basket. A total of 31 percent was compostable and 43 percent was recyclable. According to the waste audit results, the school generated an estimated 736 kg of regular garbage per year - 4 kg per school day. Dividing this by the number of classrooms last year (16), means each class generates an estimated 250 g per day. As such, when the EMSB initiated the Composting bins initiative, Dunrae Gardens embarked! In November, we should be receiving our two exterior large brown bins from the city. Our community, through the Family Association, will fund the smaller bins, which will be in every homeroom. The Green Committee of teachers will educate students on the proper way of separating the items. These young ambassadors will then train others.

Focusing on math.

APPLYING MATH CONCEPTS: The Grade 5 students at Dunrae Gardens  re engaging in a hands-on approach to learning place value. The students work in different centers targeting the concepts taught in class. This allows them to practice the skill and have fun all while learning. Once their unit is completed, they move around from one math activity to another to ensure students are able to transfer their learning. Students not only learn through their teacher but also their peers.

Quite the pumpkin.

PUMPKIN CHALLENGE: While trying to inspire School Spirit, Dunrae Gardens has embarked upon a challenge.  Students are really excited to have all the classes compete against each other for most creative and original pumpkin. Students are encouraged to create book characters. The   challenge has been extended  to John Caboto Academy. This pumpkin was inspired by the book character Elmer by David McKee. 

ON BOUGE: Thanks to the Active Schools Initiative, Cycle 3 students are leading the movement. As one of the many activities unfolding at Dunrae Gardens, once a week, Grade 6 students, animate On Bouge! They select their music and organize a choreography. On Friday mornings, for around five minutes, music plays through the intercom while the entire school moves. Everyone, from youngest to oldest, is dancing to the beat!

Picking some great apples.

APPLE PICKING: On Friday, October 11, Carlyle Elementary School in TMR participated in their annual school-wide Apple Picking Trip!  It was a fun-filled day enjoyed by both the staff and students.  This year they visited a new orchard, Verger Saab, located in Oka.  Students demonstrated attributes of the IB Learner Profile as they were engaged and worked collaboratively to fill their bags with various types of apples, including McIntosh and Spartan.  They were also able to enjoy a tractor ride as well as visit a mini-farm.  Younger students also had the opportunity to relish the beautiful weather in a playground.  It was a great opportunity to enjoy the beautiful foliage season while having relaxing and memorable moments in the apple orchard.  

SHADOW DAY: WCM Job Shadow Day is a free day-long event for senior female high school students with an interest in business. It will feature interactive workshops, networking and mentoring sessions, presentations profiling women with diverse careers in capital markets and an afternoon of job shadowing with a mentor who works in the industry.  This event will give students a first-hand view of the exciting careers in capital markets. WCM Job Shadow Day Montreal will take place on December 5, hosted at PSP Investments (1250 Rene-Levesque Blvd. W), with the participation from the large banks and asset management firms. Students will have the opportunity to tour the major trading floors of these banks and pension funds.   Since its inception in 2004, Job Shadow Day has offered hundreds of senior high school students unique exposure into the world of business and capital markets. With tremendous success in previous years and based on popular demand, WCM will be hosting Job Shadow Day 2019 in both Montreal and Toronto." Students must be chaperoned by a teacher. Ten students can be registered per school, teachers are not required to be included in registration. Click here to register and learn more about Job Shadow Day.  

Info: Jennifer Ottywill <jennifer.ottywill@wcm.ca.

Evan Leclaire and  Jennifer LeHuquet with the West Tech Paladins during the First Robotics Competition 2019. 

ROBOTICS COMPETITION: On November 30, Westmount High School will play host to the 2019 BetaBots - NanoDose competition. As a pre-season warmup for the first Robotics competition taking place in early 2020, the BetaBots competition will see up to 12 teams compete in head-to-head trials. Last year, Westmount High School’s very own rookie team, the West Tech Paladins, improbably finished in third place! This year, they have their eyes set on the main prize! The event is open to families and friends of participating members.

Michael Polak and students prepare to plant.

COMMEMORATIVE TULIPS: On  October 29, students from Westmount High School, alongside  Michael Polak (Honorary Consul to the Netherlands) and his wife  Penny. planted commemorative tulips to acknowledge the involvement of the Canadian Forces in the liberation of the Netherlands during WWII. To honor the 75th anniversary, the Dutch sent 1.1 million tulips to Canadian schools to be planted on their grounds.  With previous graduates, including,  George Findlay Duncan (class of 1934) representing Canada in this very important mission, it is was a great honor for Westmount High School to plant these beautiful flowers in memory of those who fought so bravely in battle. 

Ty Kelly

BASEBALL STAR AT WESTMOUNT HIGH: Israel’s performance at the 2017 World Baseball Classic made headlines around the world and one of the stars of the team, Ty Kelly, will be visiting Westmount High School (4350 Ste. Catherine) on Friday, November 8 (11:40 am ) to talk about their improbable journey, one that will continue at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.Kelly will be in town for the local premiere of the award-winning documentary “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel,”  which will make its Montreal debut on November 9 (7:30 pm) at the Shaare Zion Synagogue on Côte St. Luc Road. As the team’s second basemen at the World Baseball Classic in 2017, Kelly was integral in Israel’s upset wins over South Korea, Chinese Taipei and Cuba. In September, Kelly helped Israel become one of six countries to qualify for the baseball tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics.   To buy tickets for the Montreal premiere of “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel,”  visit www.teamisrael.ca. 

WHOLE HEALTH PROGRAM: November will officially launch Perspectives I and II High Schools long awaited “Whole Health” program. Initiated by Spiritual and Community Animator  Vince Lacroce, it will be spearheaded  by Head Teachers Barbara White and Lorena D'Alessandro, P1 Teachers Melissa Modica, Jessica Ghin  and Salvatore Pileggi, P2 Teachers Amanda Ranallo, Heather Morrision, Gillian Murray, Megan Tremblay, Patrick Stewart-Reid, Entrepreneurship Coordinator Myron Weekes, Special Education Technician Giulia Amato, PI Tutor Marco Vacca, and Laboratory Technician Adolfo Vasquez. This program will be divided into three main segments: Mind, Body, and Spirit.  This holistic approach to health will embrace the importance of finding balance in everyday challenges, improving emotional and physical health, and incorporating healthy life choices. The program will feature guest visits from Bhaskar Goswami and the BODHI Buds organization, EMSB nutritionist, Guilianna Di Quinizio, to examine current eating habits trends and providing students with daily healthy eating strategies in accordance with Canada’s Nutritional food guide. Wellness and mindfulness workshops will run through the physical education classes and meditation, yoga, and stress management techniques that will be overseen by Melissa Modica, Guilia Amato and Vince Lacroce.  Individualized physical fitness programs will be incorporated into the daily weekly schedules by Myron Weekes, Marco Vacca, Salvatore Pileggi and Vince Lacroce Spiritual and Community.

Great memories from MoWest High.

MONTREAL WEST HIGH REUNION:   Nostalgia may not be what it used to be, but try telling that to the 1969 graduating class of Montreal West High School. On Friday, September 20, about fifty grads came together to celebrate a half-century since they left the school, which became Royal West Academy in 1983. The celebration involved a tour of RWA with Vice Principal Steve Manstavich and a dinner at the Montreal West Curling Club afterwards. Entertainment was provided by MWHS alumnus Brian Greenway of "April Wine" and after an incredible blues guitar performance, Brian slipped into pop and rock and the youngsters danced the night away. The next morning, grads gathered for brunch at the site of the old Colosseo Pizzeria, now L'Oeufrier on Westminster Ave.  Andrew Caddell and Diane Elliott-Hill organized the event, which resulted from a dinner in Montreal  in the spring of ten women grads who decided it would be fun to celebrate a half century since graduation. No one regrets that decision, as it was a great night. As Andrew later said, "we may not have been the best teenagers, but we have become much better adults."

Pompei students embrace technology.

NEW TECHONOLOGY AT POMPEI:   The new Technology Concentration featuring the STEAM Initiative at Our Lady of Pompei Elementary School in Ahuntsic will enable students to develop a variety of skills including: critical thinking, problem-solving, etc. through authentic project-based learning. This interdisciplinary and open-ended approach is an opportunity for students to experiment, take risks, explore their interests and spark their curiosity. It is all outlined on their new brochure. Examples of projects include designing an outdoor garden, inventing robot designs and programming them using  mathematical language, digital portfolios, interactive online quizzes, collages or presentations, digital storytelling and multimedia productions.

CONSCIOUS PARENTING: At a workshop scheduled for  Sunday, December 1 (6:30 pm) at the Leonardo Da Vinci Centre (8370 Lacordaire) in St. Léonard, Dr. Shefali Tsabary will share her radically different approach to parenting, that has transformed the lives of so many families. Whether you have a baby or teen she will help you discover a new path to parent without fear or anxiety, learn to end conflict and motivate your children through connection.  You will learn how to: stop struggling as a parent & find more joy; deal with your child’s challenges; stop fighting over screens & devices; and raise Motivated, Empowered, Resilient and Aware Children  For information & tickets please go to https://drshefali.com/montreal.



THE FIGHT TO SAVE ELLIE WHITE: Seven-year-old Ellie White, whose battle against leukemia inspired thousands of people to get swabbed as bone marrow donors, is turning to a potentially life-saving treatment in Ohio. The granddaughter of EMSB teacher Barbara White is facing her third bout with the disease. She received a bone marrow transplant on February 6. While the treatment initially looked like a success, White relapsed after six months. The family received the news on her first day of Grade 2. The EMSB family is being asked to join in the fight to save Ellie White at a fundraising event on Sunday, November 17. Click here for details.
  

MARKETING NEEDS: For all marketing & promotional guidance, Mediatomic Group has many years of experience in radio, TV, billboards and on-line options.  They do all the research and make sure to deliver the best media options available, based on the location and demographics of the school.  For more info and to set up a meeting, reach out to;  Steve.wise@mediatomic.com  OR call; 514-360-6954

  

SCHOOL TOUR FOR FEBRUARY: Black Theatre Workshop’s February 2020 Black History Month school tour, Simone, Half and Half, was  written by award-winning Montreal playwright Christine Rodriguez and commissioned  with the support of the Cole Foundation, to bring a brand new play to Montreal area schools so they could recognize and partake in Black History Month.  Simone, Half and Half is about a teen caught between cultures: Canadian, Québécois and Trinidadian. She’s also torn between projects: the talent show and the Black History and Culture Committee. As pressure mounts on seeing her projects through, her friendships start to feel the strain and her loyalties are tested. Simone must find the courage and the strength to stand up to her friends for what she believes in and what really matters to her. Will they listen? Will they accept her for who she really is?  This is a touching story about reaching out to the past, uncovering hopes and dreams for a better future and discovering one’s identity, told through theatre, music, dance and poetry.  You can visit www.blacktheatreworkshop.ca to obtain more information.  To book the show, please call (514) 932-1104 or email schooltour@blacktheatreworkshop.ca

BUILDING BRIDGES: The Coalition Inclusion Quebec, Christian Jewish Dialogue of Montreal and The Centre for Civic Religious Literacy announce the launch of the second Building Bridges Youth Contest.  This contest encourages Montreal area youth to showcase their artistic and writing talents by sharing their thoughts/experiences on how our community looks when we are working and living in harmony.  This year’s theme is “All of us can promote and defend human rights”

The contest is in memory of the late Dr. Victor Goldbloom, one of Montreal's finest statesmen, a great leader in intercultural and interfaith dialogue, and a citizen passionate about building bridges.  His autobiography, Building Bridges, lays the foundation for this contest. The contest will reflect Dr. Goldbloom’s message to the next generation which was “une politique de presence – being present wherever and whenever possible.”  In his words, we invited the next generation to “Be present.  Be engaged.  Be constructive.” The Building Bridges contest is open to students from age 9 to 17.  Prizes from $100 to $500 will be awarded to the winners.  Contestants may submit works in the form of creative writing, (poetry, story, prose, essay) or artwork (drawing, painting, music, photography, film, or multimedia). See contest rules for more details.  The contest is open until January 15, 2020.

The top submissions will be selected by a panel of local judges and winners will be honoured at an event to be held in February 2020. The date of this awards ceremony will be announced shortly.

SCHOLARS CUP: Organizers are gearing up to host the fifth Montreal Regional Round of the World Scholar’s Cup at St. George’s School of Montreal’s High School campus and Concordia's DB Clarke Theatre on January 17 and 18, 2020. An invitation has gone out for  EMSB schools to participate in this competition. The World Scholar's Cup is a worldwide academic competition in which w students aged 10 to 18 from across the Montreal area are invited to the Regional Round, where they will compete in teams of three in a variety of academic events: debating, collaborative writing, a team quiz bowl style event, and a multiple-choice exam. While academically challenging, the Cup's enthusiastic, high-energy atmosphere creates a fun and memorable learning experience. The Regional Round typically contains 200-250 students from schools across Montreal.

From the Regional Rounds, teams can qualify to advance to a Global Round competition with teams from around the world. The highest-performing teams from Global Rounds then compete against the world's best in the Tournament of Champions, which has been held at Yale University for the last seven years. Students from last year's Montreal Regional Round qualified for and traveled to The Hague, Netherlands for a Global Round in July, and will compete in the Tournament of Champions next month at Yale. In addition to challenging them with rigorous academics, the international competitions allow students to connect with new friends from all over the world while participating in events like a scavenger hunt, talent show, cultural fair and even a dance party. We would love for students from your school to experience this same life-changing opportunity! If you have any further questions about the competition or any aspect of the World Scholar’s Cup experience, please do not hesitate to contact Aaron Stamboulieh at aaron.stamboulieh@stgeorges.qc.ca.  

SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS:  For those headed to the QPAT Convention please visit the EMSB Information Table and attend  Spotlight on the Arts. These are free creative workshops and networking opportunities for visual and performing arts teachers and STEAM devotees.
It is all day on  Friday November 15 at the  Salon Bonaventure (Bonaventure Hotel)

 ADULT EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES

Galileo and Sainte Marcelline students.

GARLIC PLANTING: With the harvest season upon us, Galileo students were invited to collaborate with College Sainte Marcelline Elementary School to exercise our green thumbs! Being welcomed to plant at Giardino Biraghi,  students were able to have a hands on experience to create an indoor garden, using recycled materials, as well as planting an outdoor garden that will be cultivated next September 2020. Not only was this a great socializing activity for the Social Integration Services (SIS) students and the elementary school garden group, but it also made all those involved more conscientious of the needs of our environment. To further our environmental kindness, we also planted Quebec grown garlic and prunes in College Sainte Marcelline’s outdoor garden.  This partnership that was created between the two schools allowed for our SIS students to embody a mentoring role to the young elementary school children. Like with our garden, we hope that this new found relationship will continue to flourish! 

KEEPING UP WITH TRADITIONS: What a better way of getting students to collectively come together and experience the harvest season. This October, Galileo’s CCBE, SIS and Academic students spent the day at La Magie de la Pomme in St. Eustache picking apples, riding tractors through the orchard and even tasting delicious treats made on the spot. Students were integrated doing outdoor activities that exposed them not only to nature, but sharing a typical Quebec event while sharing ideas and even apple recipes!  Both our day and evening CCBE classes celebrated Thanksgiving at Galileo joining in  a potluck breakfast and supper this year. All groups were taught the language and traditions that are held in North America during the harvest season. Being grateful is a wonderful lesson to learn in our society while spending time with each other. Discovering new flavours from different cultures is also a welcomed in house activity. Thank you to all teachers and students for participating!  Lately, our SIS learners visited vibrant Chinese and Japanese gardens that gave them at closer look at the beauty of other cultures. It was a gorgeous day to walk around and explore the decorated pumpkins as well as the green houses while learning about various vegetation and practices from other parts of the world. Exploring nature’s grounds as a group was wonderful at Botanical Garden experience.

At the Job Fair.

JOB FAIR: Looking for work can sometimes be a job on its own! Many of Galileo students were invited to attend The National Job Fair at Place Bonaventure. This outing gave our students an opportunity to practice their previous lessons on employment, CV writing, as well as, a greater insight on what is required in today’s job market. In turn, they were able to submit their CVs, practice their interview skills, and form a network while meeting new people. True learning and guidance is offered at the centre.  

ÉDITION DU 31 OCTOBRE 2019 / BULLETIN DE LA CSEM

CONTESTATION DÉPOSÉE CONTRE LA LOI 21: Le cabinet d’avocats Power Law, en sa qualité de représentant du conseil des commissaires de la Commission scolaire English-Montréal (CSEM), a officiellement déposé une requête devant la Cour supérieure du Québec afin de contester la validité de la loi 21. Dans sa requête, la CSEM invoque principalement l'article 23 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés qui garantit à la minorité anglophone du Québec le droit à l'éducation dans sa langue. Entrée en vigueur le 16 juillet dernier, la loi 21 – Loi sur la laïcité de l'État interdit aux enseignants du réseau scolaire publique, ainsi qu’aux avocats, juges et policiers de l’État de porter des signes religieux dans le cadre de leur travail. Ainsi, les citoyens et les institutions publiques comme la CSEM sont assujettis à toutes les lois et tous les règlements adoptés par les parlements du Québec et du Canada. L’évolution au fil des ans de l’article 23 de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés de même que les décisions successives de la Cour suprême du Canada appuient le droit exclusif de gestion et de contrôle reconnu aux minorités linguistiques du Canada pour le fonctionnement de leurs systèmes scolaires publics. Voici une copie de la requête. 

FOIRE DES CARRIÈRES: Plus de 2 000 élèves de la 5e secondaire ont pris part à la 19e édition annuelle de la Foire des carrières de la Commission scolaire English-Montréal les mercredi 16 octobre et jeudi 17 octobre au Centre de carrières St. Pius X à Ahuntsic. Jack Dym de Pipe and Piling Supplies Ltd. et la Banque Royale RBC ont été les commanditaires en titre de cet événement.
Plusieurs personnalités des médias étaient sur place pour renseigner les élèves sur les carrières dans ce domaine et ont agi à titre de maîtres de cérémonie, notamment : Sabrina Marandola de CBC Radio One, Meghan Kelly de The Beat 92.5 FM, Tim Sargeant et David Sedell de Global TV, Christine Long de CTV et Fariha Naqvi-Mohamed de CityNews.
Le grand public a pu visiter la Foire des carrières le 16 octobre, de 18 h à 20 h. Parents et élèves de la 4e et 5e secondaire en ont profité pour se renseigner sur les options postsecondaires qui s’offrent à eux. Des centaines de visiteurs ont visité la foire et se sont dits très reconnaissants d’avoir pu rencontrer tous ces gens. Mario Argiropoulos et Harriet Cohen des Services de l’éducation des adultes et de la formation professionnelle (SEAFP) ont présidé la Foire des carrières. Les Services aux élèves et les SEAFP de la CSEM coordonnent ce programme. L’objectif principal de la Foire des carrières vise à sensibiliser les élèves aux divers programmes d’enseignement qui s’offrent à eux. Tous les élèves ont assisté à une brève séance d’information générale dans l’auditorium du Centre de carrières St. Pius X. Ils ont ensuite eu l’occasion de visiter les divers kiosques d’information/d’exposition et de s’entretenir avec des représentants d’établissements anglophones, à savoir des centres de formation professionnelle, des cégeps, universités et certains collèges privés.

CORRIDOR VERT: L'arrondissement de Montréal-Nord de la Ville de Montréal a célébré quatre années de succès avec la CSEM et la Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-l'Île (CSPI) dans la réalisation d’un projet novateur de Corridor vert. Il s’agit du territoire délimité par les rues Pascal (nord), Renoir (sud), Laurier (ouest) et le boulevard Rolland (est). Sur seulement un demi-kilomètre carré, on y retrouve cinq écoles, deux parcs, la Maison culturelle et communautaire, une bibliothèque, un aréna et une piscine publique. Chaque jour, plus de 6 000 écoliers, enseignants et parents empruntent ce corridor. Les écoles en question sont l’école primaire Gerald McShane et l’école secondaire Lester B. Pearson de la CSEM, ainsi que l’école secondaire Henri-Bourassa, l’école primaire Jules Verne et l’école primaire Le Carignan. Prenant la parole à cette occasion, la présidente de la CSEM, Angela Mancini, a souligné qu’au cours des quatre dernières années, des efforts considérables ont été déployés dans ce secteur achalandé afin de créer un milieu de vie agréable, accessible, actif et convivial. Info: https://www.emsb.qc.ca/csem/nouvelles/la-csem-ravie-du-succes-remporte-par-le-projet-de-corridor-vert-a-montreal-nord

JOURNÉE SHADOW DAY : La Journée Job Shadow Day de WCM est un événement gratuit d'une journée qui s’adresse aux élèves de la gent féminine du deuxième cycle du secondaire ayant un intérêt pour les affaires. Cette activité présentera des ateliers interactifs, des séances de réseautage et de mentorat, des exposés animés par des femmes occupant des carrières diverses dans le domaine financier ainsi qu’un après-midi d'observation en milieu de travail en compagnie d’une mentore qui œuvre dans l'industrie. Cet événement procurera aux élèves un aperçu des carrières passionnantes en finance. À Montréal, la journée Job Shadow Day de WCM aura lieu le 5 décembre dans les locaux de PSP Investments au 1250, boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, avec la participation de grandes banques et de sociétés de gestion de portefeuille. Les élèves auront l’occasion de faire la tournée des principales salles de marchés de ces grandes banques et sociétés de gestion de retraite. Depuis sa création en 2004, la Journée Job Shadow Day a offert à des centaines d’élèves du deuxième cycle du secondaire une exposition unique au monde des affaires et des marchés financiers. Devant le succès retentissant des dernières années et à la demande générale, le WCM organisera à Montréal et à Toronto la Journée Job Shadow Day 2019. Les élèves devront être accompagnées d’un enseignant. Dix élèves par école pourront s’inscrire; il n’est pas nécessaire pour les enseignants de s’inscrire. Cliquez ici pour vous inscrire et en apprendre davantage sur la Journée Job Shadow Day.


RASSEMBLEMENT POUR LE CLIMAT: Les cours ont eu lieu comme à l’habitude à la Commission scolaire English-Montréal le vendredi 27 septembre. Toutefois, les parents qui le désiraient ont pu permettre à leurs enfants de participer au grand rassemblement pour le climat prévu ce jour-là. La directrice générale de la CSEM, Ann Marie Matheson, avait informé les parents de la nécessité d’aviser l’école par écrit s’ils autorisaient leurs enfants à prendre part à la marche.
« La Commission scolaire English-Montréal est préoccupée par les changements climatiques et, en tant qu’organisation, nous nous efforçons sans cesse de faire des choix respectueux de l’environnement », avait déclaré Mme Matheson. « Ce rassemblement aura lieu durant les heures de classe régulières. Puisqu’il ne s’agit pas d’une activité supervisée par l’école, nous ne pouvons libérer nos élèves », avait-elle précisé.
Madame Matheson a indiqué que les écoles de la CSEM avaient été invitées à organiser des activités le 27 septembre afin de promouvoir l’importance des problèmes liés aux changements climatiques.  « Nos élèves en leadership auront assurément une foule d’idées et de suggestions pour souligner cet enjeu important », avait-elle ajouté.
Plusieurs écoles ont répondu à l’appel, notamment les écoles Royal Vale à NDG, l’école Dunrae Gardens à Ville Mont-Royal et le Collège Vincent Massey à Rosemont. Nous vous invitons à lire l’article.

RÉORGANISATION SCOLAIRE MAJEURE: La CSEM a lancé une vaste consultation sur la réorganisation scolaire afin d’évaluer la meilleure façon d’organiser et de consolider les effectifs scolaires dans la partie nord-est de son territoire. Les écoles suivantes font l’objet de cette consultation : Dante, Général Vanier, Honoré Mercier, Pierre de Coubertin, John Paul I et Laurier Macdonald à Saint-Léonard; Gerald McShane et l’école secondaire Lester B. Pearson à Montréal-Nord; de même que Our Lady of Pompei à Ahuntsic et St. Dorothy à Saint-Michel. Les audiences se tiendront les 8 et 9 janvier prochain. Une décision sera prise lors de la réunion qui se tiendra le 30 janvier. Nous vous invitons à consulter les documents pertinents à https://az184419.vo.msecnd.net/emsb/emsb-website/en/docs/2019-2020/consultations/3-emsb-major-school-change-consultation-2019-2020-1.pdf


SEMAINE ÉDUCATION MÉDIAS : Elias Makos, personnalité médiatique, était présent au campus senior de l’Académie LaurenHill à Saint-Laurent le 8 octobre pour parler aux élèves de culture médiatique. Cette activité s’inscrivait dans le cadre des initiatives de la CSEM visant à aborder la thématique des fausses nouvelles, à l’occasion de la Semaine éducation médias qui avait lieu à l’échelle nationale du 7 au 11 octobre. Diplômé de LaurenHill, M. Makos faisait partie de la toute première cohorte d’élèves lorsque l'école a ouvert ses portes au début des années 1990 et il avoue que cet établissement demeure « un endroit tout spécial pour lui ». Une fois son diplôme en poche en 1997, il a entamé sa carrière qui l’a amené à occuper divers postes dans le domaine des communications, notamment pour les Expos et les Canadiens, à animer l'émission Breakfast Television Montréal et à prendre la barre, en semaine, de sa propre émission matinale radiophonique sur les ondes de CJAD 800 intitulée The Elias Makos Show, en plus d’être un collaborateur assidu sur CTV. Doté d’un sens aigu du monde numérique en constante évolution, M. Makos a livré un discours inspirant devant une classe de 4e secondaire. Il a parlé des différentes façons qui ont marqué la diffusion et la consommation des nouvelles et des informations au fil du temps. Par exemple, il a mentionné qu’il y a 20 ans, les seules sources d’informations se limitaient à un nombre restreint de publications imprimées et de stations de radiodiffusion – toutes fiables. À présent, il existe une pléthore d’informations disponibles, parfois du contenu fabriqué de toutes pièces et de sources qui ne sont pas nécessairement bien intentionnées. De nos jours, « tout le monde peut vous joindre », a-t-il déclaré. M. Makos a exhorté les élèves à prendre du recul et à ralentir lorsqu’il est question d’évaluer des informations dont le contenu est destiné à promouvoir la haine. Il n’y a rien de mal à manifester publiquement son désaccord, à vrai dire il s’agit même d’un comportement souhaitable dans une société démocratique, mais, il a tenu à les prévenir d’être vigilants quant au contenu créé dans le but de « semer un sentiment de haine envers quelqu’un ». Comment parvient-on à déterminer la validité et la source de l'information? « Le pare-feu final, c'est vous », a-t-il dit aux élèves, en les invitant à se renseigner davantage sur leurs sources et les motivations. Dans le cadre de l’émission de radio étudiante « The Voice » à l’Académie LaurenHill, quatre animateurs ont interviewé M. Makos. Il a été question des interférences en ligne, de sujets délicats qu’il a abordés en ondes, de la façon de s’y prendre pour « éviter de se laisser berner par les politiciens » et de la liberté d’expression.
La CSEM, en collaboration avec Bell Média, continuera d’explorer cette thématique dans différentes écoles tout au long de l’année.

TRANSITION À L’ÉCOLE SECONDAIRE: La CSEM, en collaboration avec le CIUSSS Centre-Ouest, a organisé un atelier le 16 octobre en soirée à l’intention des parents qui avait pour thème la transition à l’école secondaire. La soirée a permis de mettre en lumière la manière dont nous pouvons travailler ensemble pour que les adolescents se sentent soutenus dans leur nouvel environnement. Une discussion s’est est suivie sur le développement des adolescents et sur ce qu’il faut savoir sur chacun des stades de l’adolescence. Des conseils et astuces ont également été fournis pour parvenir à atténuer le stress à l’aube de l’entrée au secondaire.

BALADOS: Au nombre des balados réalisés par Suzanne Desautels ce mois-ci, mentionnons la visite à la Foire des carrières de la CSEM et un survol de la course Terry Fox à l’école primaire Edinburgh. Nous vous invitons à écouter les balados à https://soundcloud.com/englishmtlpodcasts.

BALADO INSPIRATIONS : Le plus récent balado du magazine Inspirations animé par Mark Bergman met en vedette la Chorale Shira et le théâtre I Can Dream. Faites-en l’écoute à
https://soundcloud.com/inspirationsnews.

LA CHORALE A 40 ANS : La chorale de la CSEM, qui célèbre son 40e anniversaire cette année, organise de nouveau une activité-bénéfice de vente de fromages. Nous sommes heureux de proposer une délicieuse variété de fromages de l’Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac, et ce, aux mêmes prix que l’année dernière (inférieurs au prix de détail en magasins). Ces fromages emballés sous vide et sans lactose sont présentés dans des coffrets attrayants. Offrez-les en cadeaux ou servez-les aux Fêtes. Beaucoup d’entre vous ont acheté ces produits ou ont manifesté un intérêt au cours des dernières années. J’ai donc le plaisir de vous annoncer que cette campagne est de retour cette année. Les sommes amassées permettront d’acheter des partitions, de produire des concerts, de mettre sur pied des camps de musique et des ateliers, en plus de donner à nos choristes la possibilité de travailler avec des musiciens professionnels. Les commandes doivent être reçues et réglées au plus tard le 17 novembre. Nous recevrons les fromages le vendredi 13 décembre. Pour ceux qui le désirent, sachez que la chorale senior de la CSEM se produira dans plusieurs concerts cet automne : le 23 novembre avec Musica Orbium à l’église du Très-Saint-Nom-de-Jésus, le 30 novembre en compagnie de la chorale Saint-Laurent à l'église des Saints-Anges de Lachine, ainsi que lors du concert annuel de la CSEM prévu le samedi 7 décembre à 16 h 30 à l'église United Mountainside. Veuillez communiquer avec moi si vous souhaitez assister à ces concerts. Pour informations : pabbott@emsb.qc.ca.

RETRAITE EN PLEINE NATURE POUR LES SERVICES AUX ÉLÈVES : Le 3 octobre, 104 membres du personnel des Services aux élèves de la Commission scolaire English-Montréal ont pris part à une journée de perfectionnement professionnel au Domaine Vert à Mirabel. La journée a débuté par une présentation sous le thème « Connexions » animée par Sandra Reich, directrice clinique du Centre d’anxiété et de dépression de Montréal. Mme Reich a rappelé l’importance de prendre soin de soi, surtout lorsqu’on travaille avec une clientèle vulnérable comme celle que dessert l’équipe des Services aux élèves. Pour enchaîner, des activités de consolidation d’équipe ont été organisées en plein air. Les 10 équipes se sont affrontées dans des jeux tels le tir à la corde, le lancer du disque volant (Frisbee) et, plus tard, des activités plus exigeantes comme l’escalade et le tir à l’arc. La journée s'est terminée par une séance de yoga du rire où tous ont ri aux éclats. Cette présentation a permis de consolider le message axé sur la recherche de connexions véhiculé par Mme Reich. Le directeur des Services aux élèves, Lew Lewis, qui a pris sa retraite le 18 octobre au terme d’une carrière de 52 années à la CSEM et à la Commission des écoles protestantes du Grand Montréal, a clos la journée sur une note émouvante en portant un toast à son équipe. Nous vous invitons à lire l’intégral de l’article à https://www.emsb.qc.ca/csem/nouvelles/retraite-en-pleine-nature-pour-les-services-aux-eleves.

INFORMATION SUR LE VAPOTAGE : Nous assistons à une augmentation rapide du nombre d'adolescents et de jeunes adultes qui songent à essayer ou font déjà usage de la  cigarette électronique. Le Centre de prévention du cancer de l’Université McGill est très préoccupé par la mésinformation que les jeunes reçoivent de la part de leurs pairs et des médias sociaux, selon laquelle ces produits seraient plus sains et plus sûrs que la cigarette. À la lumière de ce que nous savons actuellement sur le vapotage, ces produits sont non seulement nocifs, mais ils pourraient également entraîner chez les adolescents et les jeunes adultes une dépendance à la nicotine. Afin de tirer au clair ce que rapporte la science à l’heure actuelle à propos de ces produits, les parents sont invités à venir se renseigner sur les conséquences graves et néfastes de ces produits à l’occasion d’une conférence publique annuelle gratuite organisée par le Centre de prévention du cancer de l’Université McGill intitulée Are E-cigarettes a New Addiction? (« Les cigarettes électroniques : une nouvelle dépendance? »), le mercredi 27 novembre au 3625, avenue du Parc, salle Prince Arthur A. Cette conférence portera sur les effets néfastes du vapotage. Pour informations :
victor.villareal-corpuz.ccomtl@ssss.gouv.qc.ca. cancerprevention@jgh.mcgill.ca et https://www.mcgill.ca/cancerprev/

INAUGURATION DU CAMPUS SENIOR DE L’ÉCOLE WILLINGDON : L’ambiance était à la fête le 2 octobre lorsque les élèves du 3e cycle, la direction et les enseignants de l’école Willingdon ont accueilli des invités de marque ainsi que des médias dans les bâtiments de Coronation et Somerled pour l’inauguration officielle du nouveau campus senior à NDG. Des représentants de la Commission scolaire English-Montréal, plusieurs politiciens, des représentants de l’Association foyer-école de Willingdon et de son conseil d’établissement ainsi que des parents se sont joints aux 150 élèves de 5e et 6e année. Penny Fenwick, bénévole à l’école depuis environ 50 ans, était également sur place. Des discours de remerciement, l’histoire de la création du campus et des prestations musicales et poétiques par les élèves ont marqué cette matinée de célébration. Un gâteau spécial décoré du logo Willingdon et des cupcakes pour les enfants ont été servis. La directrice adjointe du campus senior, Maya Doughan, agissant à titre de maîtresse de cérémonie, souhaitait que cet événement offre « un aperçu de la vision, du travail acharné, du dévouement et de l’amour qui ont permis de concrétiser ce bel ajout à l’école primaire Willingdon ». Carmen Nicolas, directrice de l’école, s’est dite profondément fière et a déclaré ressentir un grand sentiment d’humilité en s’adressant à l’auditoire. Comme vous pouvez le constater et le voir, il s’agit d’un grand moment pour Willingdon. » Elle a rappelé que ce n’est qu’en janvier de la même année que l’idée a commencé à prendre forme. Le processus qui a permis de faire de l’annexe senior une réalité fut rigoureux. Nous vous invitons à visionner cette superbe vidéo promotionnelle qui célèbre l’ouverture du nouveau campus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm5Wg705MHk 

INITIATIVES VERTES : Au printemps 2019, dans le cadre de leur cours de sciences, les élèves de l’école Dunrae Gardens ont pris part à un programme de vérification des déchets. Ainsi, ils ont vidé les poubelles et séparé les déchets compostables et les matériaux recyclables. Ils ont découvert que seulement 30 % de ce qui restait représentait des ordures. Au total, 31 % du contenu était compostable et 43 % était recyclable. D’après les résultats de la vérification des déchets, l’école a produit environ 736 kg de déchets ordinaires par année, soit 4 kg par jour de classe. Si on divise ce résultat par le nombre de salles de classe l’année dernière (soit 16), on en arrive à la conclusion que chaque classe génère environ 250 g de déchets par jour. Ainsi, lorsque la CSEM a lancé l’initiative des bacs de compostage, l’école Dunrae Gardens s’est engagée à relever le défi! En novembre, la Ville devrait nous livrer deux gros bacs extérieurs bruns. Notre communauté, par l’entremise de l’Association des familles, financera l’achat de petits bacs qui seront présents dans toutes les classes-foyers. Le comité vert des enseignants enseignera aux élèves la méthode appropriée de séparer les déchets. Ces jeunes ambassadeurs formeront ensuite les autres. Nous sommes très enthousiastes face à cette initiative et avons déjà pris d’autres mesures pour aller de l’avant avec ce projet. D’autres détails sont à venir!

ON BOUGE : Dans le cadre de l’initiative entourant l’école active, les élèves du 3e cycle mènent le bal. Parmi les nombreuses activités qui se déroulent à l’école Dunrae Gardens, mentionnons qu’une fois par semaine des élèves de la 6e année animent l’activité On Bouge! Ils sélectionnent un air musical et préparent une chorégraphie. Le vendredi matin, pendant environ 5 minutes, la musique est diffusée par l’entreprise du système d’intercom pour inciter tout le monde dans l'école, du plus jeune au plus âgé, à danser au rythme de la musique!

ENFANTS-RETOUR : L’une des plus grandes peurs des parents est d’assurer la sécurité de leur enfant en dehors de la maison ou de l’école. C’est pourquoi le Réseau Enfants-Retour fera équipe avec l’école primaire Honoré Mercier (8280, rue Nantes) de Saint-Léonard pour donner aux jeunes les moyens d’adopter des comportements sécuritaires. Cette initiative qui s’échelonnera sur deux mois vise à fournir aux élèves des connaissances et une formation approfondie sur la manière de gérer des situations personnelles ou publiques difficiles. Le programme de prévention destiné aux préadolescents mettra l'accent sur l'estime de soi, les relations saines, l'autonomisation et l'indépendance par l’entremise de jeux de rôle interactifs et de résolution de problèmes.

NOUVELLE TECHONOLOGIE À POMPEI : La nouvelle concentration Technologie fondée sur l’initiative STIAM à l’école primaire Our Lady of Pompei à Ahuntsic permettra aux élèves d’acquérir diverses compétences, dont la pensée critique, la résolution de problèmes, etc., par l’entremise d’un apprentissage par projets authentique. Cette approche interdisciplinaire et évolutive permet aux élèves d’expérimenter, de prendre des risques, d’explorer leurs intérêts et de susciter leur curiosité. Une brochure explicative expose le tout en détails. Au nombre des projets, mentionnons la réalisation d’un jardin extérieur, la conception et la programmation de robots à l'aide d'un langage mathématique, des portfolios numériques, des jeux-questionnaires en ligne interactifs, des collages ou des présentations, des récits numériques et des productions multimédias.

PARENTALITÉ : Lors de cet atelier qui se tiendra le dimanche 1er décembre à 18 h 30 au Centre Leonardo Da Vinci (8370, boul. Lacordaire) à Saint-Léonard, Dre Shefali Tsabary présentera son approche radicalement différente en matière de parentalité qui a transformé vie de tant de familles. Que vous ayez un bébé ou un adolescent, elle vous aidera à découvrir une nouvelle façon d’assumer votre rôle de parent sans peur ni anxiété, de mettre fin aux conflits et de motiver vos enfants en créant des liens. Vous y apprendrez comment : cesser de vous battre en tant que parent et éprouver davantage de plaisir; composer avec les défis auxquels votre enfant est confronté; enrayer les conflits que suscitent les écrans et les appareils électroniques; et élever des enfants motivés, autonomes, résilients et conscients.  Pour plus d'informations et pour acheter des billets, rendez-vous à l'adresse https://drshefali.com/montreal/

La Coalition Inclusion Québec, le Dialogue judéo-chrétien de Montréal et le Centre de littératie religieuse civique annoncent le lancement de la 2e édition du concours Les ponts du dialogue. Ce concours encourage les jeunes de la région de Montréal à mettre en valeur leurs talents artistiques et d'écrivains en partageant leurs réflexions et leurs expériences sur le portrait de notre communauté lorsque nous travaillons et vivons en harmonie.  Le thème de cette année est « Nous pouvons tous promouvoir et défendre les droits de la personne ».

Ce concours est à la mémoire de feu Victor Goldbloom, l'un des plus grands hommes d'État de Montréal, un grand leader dans le dialogue interculturel et interreligieux et un citoyen passionné par la construction de ponts.  Son autobiographie, Les Ponts du dialogue, jette les bases de ce concours. Le concours reflètera le message de Dr Goldbloom adressé à la prochaine génération qui était « une politique de présence - être présent partout et chaque fois que possible ». Comme il le dit si bien, nous avons invité la prochaine génération à « Être présente », « S’engager » et « Être constructive ».

Le concours Les ponts du dialogue s’adresse aux élèves de 9 à 17 ans.  Des prix de 100 $ à 500 $ seront remis aux gagnants. Les candidats peuvent soumettre des œuvres sous forme de création littéraire (poésie, histoire, prose, essai) ou artistique (dessin, peinture, musique, photographie, film ou multimédia). Pour plus de détails, veuillez consulter le règlement du concours ci-joint.  Le concours est ouvert jusqu'au 15 janvier 2020.

Les meilleures œuvres seront sélectionnées par un jury local et seront mises à l’honneur lors d’un événement qui aura lieu en février 2020. La date de cette remise de prix sera annoncée sous peu. Les soumissions gagnantes seront également partagées sur les réseaux sociaux.
Pour plus d'informations:https://www.facebook.com/Concours-Les-ponts-du-dialogue-Building-Bridges-Contest-1721202257958746/

 The next Focus will be on Nobember  27, Deadline for submissions is Friday, November 22.