PARENTS CONFERENCE: The EMSB will hold a Virtual Parents Conference on Sunday, May 29 (9 a,m to 3 pm). You can read all of the details on how to register at http://www.emsbparents.ca.
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| Mubeenah Mughal is congratulated on the steps of Program Mile End. |
HONOURING OUR VOLUNTEERS: The annual EMSB Parent Volunteer Appreciation Evening will take place on Wednesday, April 27 (7:30 pm). This year’s event is being held virtually and it will mark National Volunteer Week, which runs from April 24 to 30, under the theme of “United in Our Differences: Together We Have It All.” You will be able to access the program via the EMSB website (www.emsb.qc.ca), Facebook page (@EnglishMtl) and YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/EMSBTV). The Volunteer of Distinction for this year is Mubeenah Mughal. Besides being a parent commissioner for the EMSB, she sits on the Advisory Committee on Special Education Services (ACSES) and is integrally involved at the schools of her own children. Dr. Earl Rubin, the Division Director of Infectious Diseases at the Montreal Children’s Hospital of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), is the Ambassador of the Year. This year’s Virtual event will include recognition of all volunteers, notably those with five years of service or more. There will be formal presentations for Dr. Rubin, Ms. Mughal, remarks by EMSB Chair Joe Ortona, Director General Nick Katalifos, Parents Committee Chair Caleigh Saucier and a representative from event sponsor Beneva.
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| Philip Rossi |
MARYMOUNT TEACHER PROFILED: The Montreal Gazette Newspaper featured a nice story on Marymount Academy teacher Philip Rossi. Writer Hayley Juhl begins with “When it comes to teaching history, Philip Rossi isn’t afraid to be a little dramatic.“I’m telling a story,” he says. “It’s like I’m putting on a theatre piece to entertain the students. Sometimes it gets a little over the top and awkward, but you gotta roll the dice.” Rossi has been teaching social science at Marymount Academy in Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce for the past two years, while students have had to endure a fragmented high-school experience. He says his Secondary V group has some ground to make up because of that, and he wants them to fall back in love with learning, “even though I know that’s a cliché. It helps that I’m a little closer to them in age. I’m 31, so we have a good rapport because of that, and I share a lot of interests with them, whether it’s TV shows or video games.” You can read the full story here.
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| Ciara Huggins |
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: The EMSB had a strong presence at the recent Quebec Board of Black Educators (QBBE) gala. The QBEE is a a non-profit education and research institution committed to raising awareness on educational bias, and provides academic support and opportunities to communities of colour. One present-day and another former student from Marymount Academy International in NDG were presented with Curtis George Scholarships (named after the late Curtis George, a former EMSB educator). Grade 10 student Ciara Huggins was chosen because of her proven ability to persevere through the demands of high school education and the evidence seen in the improvement of her grades. She received an award prize of $1,000 towards the tuition fee for her post-secondary education. Graduate Keyshaun Johnson was chosen because of his determination and commitment to achieving a higher education. The award is a pledge from the QBBE to pay for his first year of CEGEP and a stipend for his learning materials. See our full press release here.
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| The new Merton yard. |
MERTON’S ENHANCED SCHOOLYARD: To improve student safety, the EMSB allocated $577,000 to pave the schoolyard at Merton School in Côte Saint Luc. Work was completed in the summer and according to Principal Rosana Caplan, the new schoolyard has greatly improved the student experience at the school. “The pavement portion of our schoolyard was completely re-done last summer. This had a significant impact, above all, on safety – we have many, many less students tripping and falling than we did before,” said Ms. Caplan. “In addition, we are now planning to add attractive painted games and paths that will turn this paved section into a physical activity surface for all to use. Before the re-paving, this was an area to avoid! We are excited about its transformation into a safe physical activity area.” The work was overseen by the EMSB Material Resources Department.
MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WORK: Youth Mental Health Awareness Week will take place May 2 to 6. This year’s theme is self-care and students are being invited to participate and share the ways in which they engage in self-care. The tips will be gathered and compiled in a document that will be shared on the Mental Health Resource Committee (MHRC) website (https://mhrc.emsb.qc.ca/mhrc). This is a great opportunity to help students discover all of the positive self-care insights they have acquired over the past two years. As a special bonus, this year the MHRC is also able to fund a musician who will help students share their self-care tips through an original song. The deadline to submit all entries is May 6. Please send your creative and inspiring tips to: cambrosi@emsb.qc.ca.
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| A performance by Clef Notes. |
VMC GETS RIGHT NOTES: The Vincent Massey Collegiate (VMC) “Clef Notes” sang for a good cause on Sunday, April 10. The singing group took part in the Just for Kids Foundation Voices 2022 concert at John Rennie High School’s Louise Chalmers Theatre. The annual singing and fundraising event raised mental health awareness and funds for the Montreal Children’s Hospital. This year, money raised was directed towards a handful of initiatives, including improving mental health resources at the Children’s through the funding of a social worker specializing in mental health for the Emergency Department. Last year’s virtual event raised over $43,000 for the cause. VMC’s Clef Notes, the EMSB's lone representative at the event, rehearsed for their moment in the spotlight for over two months, under the supervision of their teacher Alessandra Martoccia. They raised over $3,500 for the cause. Over their many years participating in the event, the school has raised over $30,000 for the Just for Kids Foundation. See our full story. You can also listen to Mark Bergman speaking with some of the students in the Inspirations podcast: https://soundcloud.com/inspirationsnews/vmcmentalhealth?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing
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| Edinburgh students for Ukraine. |
SUPPORTING UKRAINE: With the world aching for the people of Ukraine, Cycle 3 students from Edinburgh Elementary School in Montreal West are doing all they can to provide assistance from thousands of miles away. As a class project, the students, led by their teachers Jean-Michel Brunet, Geneviève Hébert and Benedict Bohn, as well as student teachers Jasmine Saim-Al-Dahr and Ilanit Bendayan created a website to transform their thoughts into action. Loaded onto the website are the personal projects and videos created by students, which demonstrate their love and support for the Ukrainian people. Additionally, listed throughout are also links to the school’s Mission: Ukraine Fund. Backed by the Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation, all funds raised will directly support Ukrainian cancer patients who are coming to Montreal for treatment.
Here is an interview that was done on CBC Radio Daybreak
To make a donation, please click here
To view the Cycle 3 Mission: Ukraine website, please click here
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| VMC students do some packing. |
WE CARE CLUB: Several members of Vincent Massey Collegiate “We Care” Club, led by Spiritual and Community Animator Veronica D’Agata, took some time to volunteer at the Ukrainian Catholic Parish of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, in order to help sort donations that were collected for the incoming refugees. The students got to see firsthand all the necessary items these people will be needing, as they will be arriving with very little. The students understood how difficult it must be for the displaced people under such circumstances. In addition to the volunteer work, Vincent Massey will also be holding a dress down day to raise funds for the Canadian Red Cross, benefiting the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
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| Spreading the love. |
SUNFLOWERS FOR PEACE: The war in Ukraine has been difficult for so many reasons. Not only is it challenging to explain to young people, it can be hard to know just how to show support. With some resources and suggestions from Spiritual and Community Animator Jessica Wilson, Jennifer Oner’s Pre-K class from Westmount Park decided to spread love, peace and gratitude by planting sunflowers. The sunflower, Ukraine's national flower, is becoming a symbol of resistance against the country's invasion by Russian forces. Ms. Oner’s class has been hard at work, painting, potting, planting and caring for these beautiful flowers, all while learning about how important it is to be kind, fair and peaceful.
MINDFUL MOMENT: Many classes at Edinburgh participated in a Mindful Moment for world peace with Spiritual Animator Jag Trehin. Classes participated in a brief discussion on current events, learned of tools students can use when coping with such news, and how they can individually contribute to world peace. The focus for this activity was encouraging students to practice positive thinking, leading to kind actions and words, and ultimately radiating positive energy into their environment and “Our World.” A mindful meditation was led by Ms. Trehin where students were encouraged to add their positive thoughts for peace to our world. Petals were used to collect positive energy from the sessions and added to our glass vase representing our world. Students expressed feeling calm, relaxed, and focused after the sessions while sending positive thoughts and prayers to all those in Ukraine.
BENEFIT CONCERT: On Thursday, April 28 (10 am) three East End schools, Rosemount High School, Nesbitt Elementary and Pierre de Coubertin, will come together for a special concert honouring over 30 volunteers supporting the humanitarian efforts for the Ukrainian community around the city. This initiative was spearheaded by Spiritual Community Animator Vince Lacroce, Nesbitt Music Specialist Caroline Derome, Pierre de Coubertin Music Specialist Maria Alongi, and the administration teams of each school. The concert will commence with an incredible musical performance from Autism advocate Steven Atme. a formal thank you from Father Volodymyr Kouchnir from Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of Sainte Sophie, a duet performance from Secondary IV and V students Daniela De Los Santos and Lea Granata from Rosemount High School, and choir performances from both Pierre de Coubertin and Nesbitt Elementary school. It will take place at Nesbit (6108 8th Avenue).
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| Music at the Peace Picnic. |
PEACE PICNIC: Joseph Monachino, Spiritual and Community Animator, organized a Lester B. Pearson High School indoor Peace Picnic, which was held on Wednesday, March 30, during the lunch hour to support world peace, especially for Ukraine. There were live musical performances by students (Giuliano and Fernando Baril accompanied by Mr. Monachino), peace videos, and a guest speaker Anna Kij (EMSB Speech-language Pathologist) who spoke about Ukraine and the importance of peace. The purpose of the Peace Picnic was to raise awareness for the importance of world peace, especially during times of world conflicts. The Peace Picnic ended with an amazing rendition of the Beatles’ Let It Be in the hopes that every student was empowered to understand that peace is the key to not only their own future but the future of the generations to come.
AN IMPORTANT LINK: Joined by Spiritual and Community Animator Rocco Speranza and their teachers Anna Gualtieri and Chelsea Doczy, LINKS students put their helping hands into action, rolled up their sleeves and spent time sorting, packing, and delivering donations. The team of 12 students made a big impact during their visit. Work that would have taken volunteers days to complete was done in three hours. The parishioners were pleased to be able to work, chat, laugh, and partner with such wonderful students and staff. The group will be aiding on a regular basis. Teaching youth about humanitarian and charitable work and service to communities and those in need through hands on experiences like this is key to forming connections among communities and good citizenship.
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| Gerald McShane Elementary School students do some cooking. |
NUTRITION MONTH: EMSB Nutrition and Food Services coordinated an interactive Nutrition Month calendar for teachers in March with their students. Via a special calendar, Nutrition and Food Services offered daily health messages, activities on foods or nutrients and links to educational material. They also prepared a Nutrition Month newsletter for the EMSB community, which touched on this year's theme from Dietitians of Canada called "Ingredients for a Healthy Future." During the month cooking workshops were held at different schools.
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| John Caboto students get active. |
WORLD HEALTH DAY: John Caboto Academy in Ahuntsic celebrated World Health Day with a series of workshops focused on balance in life and healthy choices. All students spent part of the day rotating through a fitness boot camp, a talk on stress management techniques, a dance workshop and a healthy cooking/nutrition class where they prepared their own black bean corn salad for snack time.
HEALTH WEEK: Michelangelo International Elementary School in RDP held its “Fourth Annual Health Week,” March 28 to April 1. The goal has always been to encourage parents and children to be physically active together and to promote a healthy active lifestyle. Seeing as March was Nutrition Month there was a focus on nutrition, as well as being physically active. In their Health and Phys Ed classes, students discussed the important role nutrition has on their overall health with the understanding that “A healthy outside starts with the inside.”Students also participated in various activities that promoted a healthy, active lifestyle, as well as increased their knowledge of a proper well-balanced diet. They completed exercises that engaged the cardiovascular system as well as improved their muscular strength and endurance. On April 1, the students in Grades 3 to 6 welcomed former FC Montreal player Patrice Bernier. He spoke about his career as a soccer player, but also how he had to work hard and persevere to be a professional athlete. Bernier explained to the students how he used his favorite sports, hockey and soccer, as an outlet for his extra energy and was able to be successful not only with his teammates but in school as well. Students in Grades PreK-2 dressed in shirts representing their favorite fruit or vegetable and welcomed EMSB dieticians Giuliana Di Quinzio and Carole- Anne Williams. They presented a fun-filled presentation about nutrition and the importance of eating healthy. The students learned about eating balanced meals filled with different nutrients and ended the presentation with a sing-a-long. Students sang with great enthusiasm and enjoyed the presentation.
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| Showcasing some of the Dolls of Hope. |
DOLLS OF HOPE: A Grade 6 class at Westmount Park Elementary School has started reading the historical fiction novel called Refugee, which has had a tremendous impact on students. Since the class began reading this novel, teacher Sabrina Pianese has been in contact with a very special organization called Dolls of Hope. It was started by an amazing mother of five who, while visiting Greece, discovered a refugee camp and decided to launch a fundraiser to bring a little joy and comfort to children in refugee camps. She started making handmade dolls and bears to send to refugee children all over the world. Dolls of Hope has already distributed handmade bears and dolls to more than 52,180 children in 41 countries. “The students have traced the patterns provided by Dolls of Hope on soft fabric (such as fleece or flannel). They then hand-embroider the faces onto the bears. Next, with Ms. Pianese’s guidance, they learned how to use sewing machines! Since the project began, photos have been uploaded to the school’s Instagram page. The goal is to make and send out at least 50 toy bears to the Dolls of Hope organization by May 10. Thus far, Ms. Pianese’s class has been able to make 35 bears.
PROMOTING SPORTS CONCENTRATION: Gerald McShane in Montreal North is the only elementary school in the EMSB with a sports concentration program. The student athletes train during school hours after completing their academics in the morning. With an arena located steps away, soccer fields in the school yard and a large gymnasium, the students have everything they need to succeed in and out of the classroom. The program is open to Cycles 2 & 3 students. Many sports are available such as soccer, hockey, gymnastics, figure skating, dance and football. Call the school for more information at 514-321-1100.
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| Winter Carnival fun. |
FULL SWING AT DANTE: Activities are back in full swing at Dante School! Winter Carnival on March 11 featured lots of indoor and outdoor fun hosted by the Dynamix team. The traditional Cabane à Sucre Gagnon, featuring its farm animals, came to put a little sweetness to the hard winter that is ending soon! The children and staff of the school had all the sugar they could handle. What fun! The Dante School family mobilized on March 24 to collect money to help Ukrainian refugees. The sum of $1,894.40 will be given to St. Sophia Orthodox Church, which will then send it to those in need.
CHORALE SPRING GALA: The EMSB Chorale will be performing again at its Spring Gala Concert June 4 at the Salle Pierre-Mercure, featuring 75 voices, pianist Anne-Marie Denoncourt and guest musicians under the direction of conductor Patricia Abbott and associate conductor Marie-Ève Arseneau. On the program are classical and contemporary works as well as the world premiere of a piece by internationally renowned Canadian composer, Sarah Quartel. The details are here.
CORONATION VIDEO: As part of its promotion for the 2022-23 academic year, staff at Coronation Elementary School in Côte des Neiges have prepared a video focusing on the importance of kindergarten French Immersion and Core programs. In this video you will see the importance of equity and inclusion in diverse classrooms, as well as the use of technology to engage students in their learning. “With the new Preschool Cycle Program, we are teaching French and other subjects through play,” says teacher Betty Constant. “It is helping the students to learn in various capacities to use their prior knowledge to learn new concepts. Here is the link.
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| An LMAC student guides some Honoré-Mercier pupils. |
MENTORING IN ST. LEONARD: An initiative by Commissioner Mario Pietrangelo is taking off. St. Leonard EMSB schools are participating in a leadership/mentoring program that Mr. Pietrangelo created. The program has students from Laurier Macdonald High School coaching elementary students from Honoré Mercier, Dante and Pierre de Coubertin in various sports. This program aims to build leadership skills and highlights community collaboration between primary and secondary students in St. Leonard. Once the program is complete and students acquire the skills needed to compete in the sport, they will participate in a friendly match should COVID health measures permit.
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| Marie-Claude Bergeron is thanked by students. |
ROYAL VALE TREASURES AND FAMILY PROJECT: Following a visit by EMSB French consultant Marie-Claude Bergeron, Grade 4 Royal Vale students explored objects in their family that were transmitted from generation to generation and that had an emotional significance for them. Teacher Nathalie Malhamé reports that after researching the object’s history, they presented their object to their classmates and then wrote a four paragraph text about it. Ms. Bergeron shared a documentary about her own family and brought in various family treasures to show the students. As part of this ongoing project, the students will also write a letter to their future selves and create a treasure box to put their special objects in. They also created a medallion with a symbol that represents their family during an art workshop with Deirdre Potash.
STUDENT WINS MUSICAL AWARD: Sixteen year old Royal Vale School student Devon Packer won a prestigious musical award against competitors from around the world. Mark Bergman speaks to Devon, his mom and his music teacher on the EMSB podcast. Devon has been a Royal Vale student since Kindergarten. You will be inspired. Please listen via this link.
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| Tarah Schwartz is greeted at Carlyle. |
TARAH SCHWARTZ RETURNS: Longtime broadcaster Tarah Schwartz returned to her former elementary school, Carlyle in TMR, to talk about her compelling new book entitled Can’t Help Falling: A Long Road To Motherhood. A former CTV News anchor and reporter, Tarah is presently the head of communications and marketing for the McGill University Health Centre. In the book Tarah shares the experience of having several miscarriages and invitro fertilization treatments. She and her husband Enrico decided to adopt. But that was no easy process either. On the contrary. They did eventually adopt Sam, a beautiful child from South Korea. The pages in the book describing that experience belong in a Lifetime movie script. It all comes down to an incredibly strong marriage and a woman on a mission. Sam, 10, is a student at Bancroft Elementary School. Carlyle is selling the book as a fundraiser. It is also available at local bookstores and via Amazon. Students had so many interesting questions for Tarah.
THE CARLYLE SONG: The Grade 6 students from Carlyle have a new song to share! The students wrote and composed an original song on how technology affects society and our daily lives. Almost two years into the pandemic, technology has certainly been an essential tool to communicate and navigate in this world. However, the song emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between screen time and enjoying life without constantly relying on our devices. The students not only wrote all the lyrics, they also composed the melodies and rhythms using various instruments in the music class. The hope is for this song to encourage everyone to move, sing, dance, and enjoy every precious moment in life.
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Neva and Flora show their certificates in the company of their parents, staff, Chair Joe Ortona and Commissioner Ellie Israel.
To hear “A Little While,” click here. For April, Nevia Perrotta and Flora Baron were recognized as Students of the Month for their leadership role on this project, noted music teacher Christine Crawford. Both in Grade 6, Nevia and Flora continually demonstrate their love of their school and learning. As both are very musically inclined, they had a significant impact on the creation of the Carlyle original song “A Little While,” written as part of their International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program exhibition requirement. Working as a team, both in-school and on the weekend, they composed the melodies and rhythms of the verses, the pre chorus and parts of the chorus of the song. The two students demonstrated great determination, discipline, and perseverance throughout the entire creative process. Nevia and Flora are being recognized for their overall contribution to the school community, as they also are part of the school’s leadership program. Their responsibilities include supporting and helping students resolve issues during recess, role modeling and assisting their teachers when needed. They are excellent role models for both Carlyle and their peers across the EMSB.
To see CBC Montreal featuring “A Little While,” click here
Here is our podcast with Ms. Crawford and some of the students.
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| The Willingdon group gets set before the game at the Bell Centre. |
WILLINGDON STUDENTS SING ANTHEM : Willingdon School’s music teacher Nick Batzios first dreamt about having his students sing the national anthem at a Montreal Canadiens game nearly 10 years ago – and on Tuesday, April 5, his dream finally came true. Before the Canadiens hosted the Ottawa Senators, Mr. Batzios and the Willingdon School Choir proudly stood up in their seats and sung “O Canada” in front of a sold-out crowd at the Bell Centre.“It was a big dream and it started about 10 years go. I tried, found out what I had to do and worked really hard,” said Mr. Batzios. “It’s a huge honour and I am so greatful; we are really blessed.”Mr. Batzios and his choir first auditioned six months ago and with the ongoing hope that they would be chosen, practiced weekly before their big performance in early April.
You can see the performance here.
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| A photo taken earlier this year at the launch of the café. |
CAFÉ WINS AWARD: James Lyng High School’s student-run “RnB Café” was selected as a local prizewinner for this year’s OSEntreprendre Challenge! Initiated by the St. Henri School’s administration pre-pandemic, the RnB Café has been up and running full force since September 2021. As part of the school’s Leadership Class, the RnB Café is operated by Secondary V students with support from Leadership teacher Samira Chawki. Students create their monthly schedules, assess inventory, balance books, and of course ensure that good quality coffee is sold to James Lyng staff members and invited guests (only!). Students love to get creative with their coffee menu and have also incorporated a Board Game loaning system during lunch time outsourced from the café. The James Lyng atrium has turned into a family-style hub for students and staff alike where they can catch up, play a board game, and enjoy the space provided by the café. All monies earned will go toward the secondary 5 students’ upcoming graduation activity day and prom. The project’s success and selection as a local prizewinner mean that the RnB Café is now running at the regional level of the competition. Congratulations to the team!
OPERATION SPRING FORWARD: Spiritual Care and Guidance and Community Involvement Animator Rocco Speranza, and the B.A.S.E. Daycare Program collaborated on the Spring Forward –New Beginnings project. This initiative unites schools with seniors, hospital patients, hospital staff, emergency services providers and many more frontline workers. Students from 12 EMSB schools made hundreds of handwritten cards spreading bilingual messages of hope, gratitude and joy. All cards were delivered to patients and staff at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, Notre-Dame Hospital and a handful of CHSLDS, senior homes and residences. The cards accompanied little seedlings of Iris flowers, which symbolize hope, faith and wisdom. The participating elementary schools were: Bancroft, Cedarcrest, East Hill, Edinburgh, Edward Murphy, Gardenview, Gerald McShane, Leonardo Da Vinci Academy, St. Gabriel and Westmount Park. The participating high schools were John F. Kennedy and LINKS.
BOKS CONTEST WINNERS: Leonardo Da Vinci Academy (LDVA) B.A.S.E. Daycare is the Grand Champion of the B.A.S.E. BOKS Contest. They competed against Gerald McShane and Edinburgh B.A.S.E. Daycares in the category of 300 to 700 participations. Cedarcrest B.A.S.E. Daycare is the winner for the category of 1 to 55 participations. They competed against Parkdale, St. Gabriel and Westmount Park B.A.S.E. Daycares.
The goal of the B.A.S.E. BOKS Contest was two-fold: To get children physically active as often as possible and to encourage daycare educators to animate different games that keep physical activity fun and engaging! Participation in the contest was voluntary and the winners were chosen at random. The number of BOKS activities animated equaled the number of entries into the contest. Daycare educators submitted pictures as proof of participation.Forty daycare educators from seven daycares animated 1,287 BOKS activities with 700 students in Pre-K to Grade 6 from January 18 to April 1. Over the three-month period, 15 LDVA daycare educators animated 677 BOKS activities with approximately 250 students.
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| Leonardo Da Vinci Academy B.A.S.E. Daycare KA and KB students participate in the ABC Beanbag Challenge in the gymnasium in February. This game is part of the BOKS Are You Game? |
WINNING PRIZE: LDVA B.A.S.E. Daycare won a BOKS Prize Pack from Catsports ,valued at $400. All other six participating B.A.S.E. Daycares earned a BOKS Prize Pack of varying values donated by BOKS Canada. All top three performing B.A.S.E. Daycares (LDVA, Gerald McShane and Edinburgh) will be paid a visit from Kim St. Pierre, a three-time Olympic gold medalist. Kim was a member of Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Team as a goaltender from 1998 until 2011. She is currently the Manager of Business Development for BOKS Canada and oversees all BOKS schools in Quebec. All three visits will take place the week of May 30. BOKS (Build Our Kids’ Success) is a free program that aims to make physical activity and play part of every child’s day. The daycare educators used four different BOKS resources during the contest: Month 1: Recess Cards, Month 2: Are You Game? Booklet and Month 3: Break the Ice Booklet and BOKS Bursts. Daycare educators animated the games in three different settings: Schoolyard, classroom and gymnasium.
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| Students get to work. |
INDIGENOUS BEADWORK: On April 21, John Grant High School hosted visiting artist Renee Corbiere of Batchewana Ojibwe Nation. Students of the DÉFIS group participated in a smudging, learned about the origin and significance of the dream catcher, and each made their own to take home. This activity is part of John Grant’s commitment to learn about and celebrate diverse cultures and voices and connects with the students’ year-long project to learn about beading and jewelry-making.
WORLD AUTISM MONTH: April is World Autism Month. In honour of this important month, Nesbitt Elementary (April 6) and Pierre De Coubertin (April 14), under the guidance of Spiritual Community Animator Vince Lacroce, welcomed Steven Atme to address the students on his award-winning presentation “The Power of One.” The presentation included a detailed account of Steven’s determination, perseverance, and his ability to pursue his dreams of being a musician while growing up with autism. His captivating messages of awareness and acceptance of people with autism were underlined by his deep devotion to inspire everyone with and without disabilities to rewrite the narratives of their lives.
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| Getting into the H.E.A.L. spirit. |
SPIRITUAL RETREAT: Rosemount High School’s Spiritual Community Animator, Vince Lacroce, has launched a new spiritual retreat program called H.E.A.L. (Health, Empathy, Assertiveness, and Listening). The official launch of the program was on March 24. A Spiritual Retreat is not about the practices or beliefs of any particular religion, it is based on character education and the virtues program; a moral and spiritual development of people of all cultures, by helping them to discover who they really are and to live by their highest values. The program will run until the end of April and will include Cycle 3 students from local feeder elementary schools in the community. This fun-filled educational program will be packed with a nutritional workshop, games, exercises, mental health practices, guest speakers, yoga and meditation, all revolving around this important theme.
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| Students at the gym. |
RAISING THE BAR: Perspectives I and II High School will be embarking on a new eight-week program called “Raise the Bar!” This program, developed by Mr. Lacroce and Behaviour Technician Diana Borges, 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, weight training, and incorporating healthy life choices. The program will feature EMSB Alumnus, Francesca Di Massimo, a certified CrossFit and Poliquin Personal Trainer, and Julian Grau-Brown, a second year social work student at McGill University and amateur mixed martial arts fighter and kick-boxer, who will provide the students with basic cardio programs and physical challenges, in addition to speaking about the importance of mental health.
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| Students at the museum. |
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM VISIT: The Secondary I students at Royal West Academy had an opportunity to visit the Montreal Holocaust Museum this month. Organized by Adriana Chronopoulos and accompanied by several staff and Spiritual and Community Animator Jag Trehin, students explored many artifacts and testimonies in an engaging workshop. Following the workshop, the group participated in a guided tour of the exhibits, learning about the events from the Holocaust and reflecting on the many stories of families and survivors. The visit provided an experiential and educational learning opportunity that not only correlates with the ERC curriculum, but also invited reflection on the past and the upcoming Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day). Towards the end of the experience students met in the memorial room and were encouraged to place a rock on an urn in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, a touching moment for many of the staff and students.
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| Learning something new on the Diversity Caravan. |
DIVERSITY CARAVAN: On the April 11 Ped Day, several students from Royal West Academy joined Ms. Trehin for part one of the Diversity Caravan ECA project. Organized by Ms. Trehin, Diversity Caravan is a multicultural project that provides an opportunity for RWA students to explore the unique cultures and faiths of the world right here in their own city, Montreal! This two-part project involves tours of cultural, sacred, and historical sites in the city of Montreal; the first outing focused on Eastern traditions and the second on Western traditions. For the first trip, students enjoyed the day exploring traditions and practices of the Eastern faiths by visiting the Shree Ramji Temple, Gurudwara Nanak Darbar and the Rigpe Dorje Centre. The purpose of this project was to provide students with a multicultural practical experience, developing an awareness and understanding of the vast ethnic groups that contribute to the multi-faith fabric of Quebec and Canadian Society, as well as fostering respect for the cultural diversity found in our school and local community.
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| Students visit a local temple. |
“Awareness of cultural practices, beliefs, festivals and food allows one to appreciate the beauty in various cultures and highlights the many similarities. The goal of this project is to raise awareness in our students of the ethnic and cultural diversity that exists in our school and our world, to teach students the value of a free and open society based on respect and acceptance,” said Ms. Trehin. "Students spent the day discovering diverse traditions, participating in calming meditations, practicing selfless service by volunteering in the community kitchen - prepping and serving meals, washing dishes - and tasting cultural foods. Many students shared that this was a day of interesting conversations and inspirations, one that will continue in May." The motto for this project was “Let’s Discover Together. ”
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| A student asks Ann Marie Matheson a question. |
INCREDIBLE WOMEN: Dunrae Gardens Elementary School in TMR showcased “Incredible women and girls of Canada” in an extended celebration of International Women’s Day over the months of March and April. Students from Grades 3 to 6 covered the concept and application of privilege – those positions of power largely held by men, which are now being held by women. It was a thrilling and inspiring event. We were fortunate to receive a list of remarkable, influential, well-known citizens of Quebec and Canada. Spiritual Animator Puynung Choy noted, “The interviewees were flooded with countless questions from the students, I had to have students hold off from asking more. The abundance of questions that went over our allotted time, was indicative of a longing to know more about this reality – so we had no other option than to create additional opportunities to continue this conversation about privilege.” This coming week, the school will be receiving yet another distinguished woman from the Indigenous community who is key in their role of environmental activism. In the past month, some of the incredible women interviewed were: High School of Montreal Principal Ann Marie Matheson (talking about becoming the first female Director General of the EMSB); Doctor of Infectious Diseases & Microbiologist Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh; Quebec Music Composer Veronique Lussier; and Ontario Environmental Tech Engineer and CEO founder of Evercloak, Evelyn Allen. Bravo to our accomplished women paving the way for our young children!
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| PDC students do some yoga. |
FIND YOUR BALANCE: During the months of April and May, students at Rosemount High School and Pierre de Coubertin Elementary will take part in mindfulness and yoga workshops called “FIND YOUR BALANCE” focusing on reducing stress and anxiety levels in students. The program will be facilitated by Spiritual and Community Animator Vince Lacroce. The topics covered in these four-part sessions will include the importance of living a healthy lifestyle, building concentration through movement, increasing confidence and positive self-image, managing stress through breathing and meditation, and feeling a part of a healthy, non-competitive group. “The intention of these sessions is to provide yoga-inspired workouts to students and staff members in order to promote long-term wellness. Making yoga and meditation accessible to our students is extremely important for them to develop body-mind awareness and the ability to care for and take responsibility for their own health,” says Lacroce. The High School sessions will take place in the Spiritual Community Centre during lunch and Elementary sessions will take place in the school library on a signup basis.
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| Fostering connections virtually. |
MEMORIES AND MAGICAL MOMENTS: JFKHS students from the Mentor-Mentee program, Susan Coleston Special Ed. Tech, and Spiritual and Community Animator Rocco Speranza recently participated in the second year of an innovative virtual intergenerational storytelling program in partnership with the McCord Museum. The last two years have been isolating for many, particularly our older adults. This program, which was piloted at JFKHS last year, was created to address isolation and disconnection. The virtual meetings facilitated and fostered connections between energetic and worldly adults, and compassionate and wonderful youth. The exchanges increased solidarity and understanding of the realities experienced by participants of different generations. The participants created tangible and personal documents of the stories and memories shared during the program. Speranza shared, “This is my second year taking part. I am glad that I made the great decision to get involved last year. The outcomes and positive effects on our youth will be long lasting. It was more than missing a few classes. It was about growth, connections, art, sharing and learning about each other's dreams and inspirations. Joy and excitement in the students' voices could be heard as they shared what they learned from their breakout groups. In the end it felt like we were an extended family. A welcomed connection, that from what I witnessed, brought smiles, hope, knowledge, a sense of being heard, while enriching the lives of all involved. The experience will be engraved in our hearts and minds for a long time. It was very moving to see the students work with their senior for the presentations; they took time to listen and share stories, before creating moving and powerful PowerPoints, poems, and works of art – it gave me goose bumps.” Bridging the gap between generations is typically very challenging, however this project really made it easy. A real success story.
NEXTGEN ASSEMBLY: On April 28 (8:30 am to 3 pm), high school student leaders from the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board and the EMSB will be coming together at The NextGen Assembly of Leaders. Members of the Canadian and Quebec governments will be sharing issues they are facing with the student leaders and asking them to research and present solutions by the end of the day. A keynote address will be delivered by Nina Segalowitz, an Elder and leader within the First Nations community in Montreal. The event will be in person and virtual. Student leaders will be working in person at John F. Kennedy High School. Guests will be interacting with the students online. Participants will include Senator Tony Loffreda, Members of Parliament Annie Koutrakis, Angelo Iacono. Emmanuella Lambropoulos and Patricia Lattanzio and Members of National Assembly Frantz Benjamin, Francine Charbonneau and Guy Ouellette.
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| Monique Polak |
MONIQUE POLAK VISITS: Author Monique Polak spoke to the Grade 3 class of Nicole Woodward at St. Monica Elementary School in NDG. The session was engaging and a wonderful experience. It was part of the TD-Blue Metropolis Children's Festival. Ms. Polak actually wrote about her visit on her blog, which you can read here.
EARTH DAY: A number of schools undertook activities for Earth Day. At Bancroft Elementary School in the Plateau, students made moss graffiti at during their lunch hour and wrote earth friendly messages. At Westmount High School, Karahkwinetha Sage Goodleaf-Labelle visited her alma mater ( class of 2016) to discuss climate change through the perspective of an indigenous person having attended the global climate negotiations in Scotland and her work with Climate False Solutions. Students at Elizabeth Ballantyne in Montreal West, Carlyle in TMR and Roslyn in Westmount, Cycle 1 students discussed how we can be kind to the planet and commitments that we can make to better the environment. They are also reading The Curious Garden by Peter Brown and have an activity sheet that goes with it. At LINKS High School in Ahuntsic, students undertook activities all week with an environmental focus. Edward Murphy School had its annul Spirit Quest class visits. John F. Kennedy High School students did some cleaning of their grounds. Groups also planted tulips and started seedlings for our greening projects. They are also building some planter boxes for the courtyard with a Secondary V entrepreneurial class. East Hill Elementary School classes received lessons from Spiritual Animator Rocco Speranza.
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| Giovanni Iammarrone |
JEWISH HERITAGE MONTH: The EMSB will mark Jewish Heritage Month in May. Jewish Heritage Month was officially recognized by the federal government in March 2018 after a unanimous vote in the House of Commons. In honour of Jewish Heritage Month, schools like Marymount Academy International in NDG will be sharing fun facts about Quebec’s Jewish community all month long! Marymount has also ordered over 50 books from The Azrieli Foundation. This collection of memoirs and diaries were written by survivors of the Holocaust who came to Canada. They will be made available to all students and staff and can be borrowed from the library.
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| Teacher Gabrielle Horrocks-Denis, Principal Rosana Caplan and students. |
EXPO 2022: With a passion for history and geography, the grade 6 students at Merton Elementary School in Côte Saint-Luc and their teacher Gabrielle Horrocks-Denis organized an event called "Expo 2022: The Country Fair." Inspired by the 1967 World's Fair, this project consisted of creating pavilions representing different countries chosen by the students in the school gymnasium. To do this, they rigorously worked on building models of traditional houses and researched various aspects of the country such as their greetings, customs, flora and fauna and important historical figures of the countries studied. Visitors to Expo 2022 had the chance to "travel" from one country to another by visiting the different pavilions where they were warmly greeted with a Hallo, Hola, Aloha or Shalom by the grade 6 students. A wonderful way to create an opening to the world and to incorporate the social studies, French and art programs into one project. Bravo to the big kids at Merton!
ADULT EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES
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| The RTC team prepares for |
RTC STUDENTS BC BOUND: The Skills Canada National Competition is billed as the “Canadian Olympics” for trade jobs and technology. Over 300 competitors from across the country will participate in more than 35 skilled trade and technology competitions, the lone such event for students and apprentices nationwide. The biannual event, to take place in Vancouver this May, will feature three Rosemount Technology Centre students this year, who will be eagerly representing their school, the EMSB and the province of Quebec: Sebastian Chiarenza, cabinetmaking; and Phoenix Slater, and Sachin Tartamella, computer graphics. Cabinetmaking teacher Christopher Honce and computer graphics teacher Mark Anthony Curiale will accompany theme The group is scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on May 24. Orientation activities, a reception and the official Opening Ceremonies will take place on May 25, followed by two gruelling six-hour competition days on May 26 and 27 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Closing Ceremonies will be conducted on May 28 to highlight the winners in all Skill Areas and categories and award them their medals. Should the students perform well in Vancouver, there is also the potential for them to qualify for the World Skills international event later this year in Shanghai. Please see our complete story.
