College Heights Secondary School
March Newsletter 2013
http://collegeheights.ugdsb.on.ca
Basil grown by Green
Industries students for our
Hospitality program
Principal’s Report
As I write this, outside my window there is a heavy blanket of snow that makes it hard to imagine
how close we are to spring! For students and staff there is great anticipation around March break
and an opportunity to spend some quality time with friends and family. On behalf of the school
community I hope this break finds families well rested, relaxed and ready to embrace the spring
season of school. Also this semester we say goodbye to Ellen Franklin, our guidance secretary, and wish her well on
her retirement. Please join us in welcoming Della Broderick to our school as our new guidance secretary. Also, we say
goodbye, for now, to Carol Beatson who will be working at the board office semester 2 and temporarily replacing her our
David Hearn as Co-head of Technology and Robert Clarridge as a new teacher in construction and manufacturing.
With this newsletter you will find the Semester 2 interim report. This report provides a quick snapshot of how your son/
daughter is doing after 5 weeks of classes. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact your student’s
teacher for further clarification. All of our parents and guardians are invited to our
Parent/Teacher interviews on Thursday, April 4th. This time can be used to effectively work with your
student and student’s teacher to put in place a plan for success.
Thursday, April 11, 2013 is set aside for the annual writing of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test for grade 10
students and students who were not successful on their first attempt. On this day only those students writing the
test are to come to school, the rest of our students are encouraged to use this time off to complete school work at home
or work towards achieving their 40 hours of community service. As for the 40 hours of community service I would invite
parents and students to the following website: http://www.youthengaged.ca . This site can help guide you through
acceptable and unacceptable volunteer placements. If in doubt, please contact the school BEFORE engaging in a
voluntary activity so as not to spend time in a placement that does not meet the ministry guidelines.
May 6 - 7th is Education Week across Ontario and our school will be holding its annual spring sale May 9 - 11th. Mark
this date on your calendar for all your gardening and craft needs. Finally, in February a new cabinet was sworn in at
Queen’s Park. With this new cabinet came a new Education Minister, Liz Sandals, from Guelph. We were very pleased
that she mentioned our school in the Guelph Mercury on February 20th, citing our school as “a potential model for
preparing students effectively for the world of work”. Awesome press! If you are looking to see what is happening at
College Heights, please check out the school website http://collegeheights.ugdsb.on.ca, (which will be getting a new
look shortly) or on Twitter at @CHSSHuskies. Enjoy!
Stephen Gayfer, Principal
Out and About….
The College Heights Agriculture Co-op
class has been hard at work this
semester helping at Green Legacy
Tree Nursery and Blue Haven farms
transplanting tree seedlings, cleaning
out the chicken coop, grading eggs
and taking care of newborn piglets.
Literacy Test
From: The Guidance
Department
To: Our Graduating
Students
The clock is ticking! This is a
reminder to complete your 40 hours of
volunteer work and submit your
signed form to Ms. Broderick in the
guidance office. Hours should be
completed by the end of June.
Need help? Call the Volunteer Centre
@ 519-822-0912 or go on-line at
www.volunteerguelphwellington.on.ca
or www.youthengaged.ca for more
information.
WHEN:
Thursday, April 11, 2013 - 9:00 am
WHO IS WRITING:
All Grade 10 Students
Students who were not successful the previous year
WHO DOES NOT WRITE:
All Grade 9 Students
Students who have passed
Students enrolled in OLC4O (Grade 12 Literacy Course)
NOTES:
Only students writing need to be at College Heights that day.
You must attempt the test at least once to be eligible for the
Literacy Course. (OLC4O)
QUESTIONS? Contact Ms. Leach
A sign of spring from our Green Industries Program
Seedlings
transplanted
by Green
Industries
students
Soon they will look like this ready for our spring sale!
Applause
Have you read
a good book
from our library
lately? Maybe
it wasn’t what
you thought it
would be.
Here’s your
chance to comment either way. You will be
able to award the appropriate number of
stars and possibly the recommendation of
good books will be featured in upcoming
newsletters. Forms are located in the
Library.
* Congratulations to all students who have taken
part in first aid training this year! There are 85
who are certified to date… too many to name
individually, but kudos to all! Mr. Taylor
* College Heights would like to extend a huge
thank you to the 70 local businesses who have
taken on co-operative education students
this semester. Your support and
participation greatly enriches the lives of
our students!
Mark Your Calendars….
March 29 - Good Friday (school closed)
April 1 - Easter Monday (school closed)
April 4 - Parent-Teacher Interviews (6:30 pm)
April 11 - Literacy Test
Apr 12-15 - Mid-term Evaluations
April 18 - School Council Meeting (6:30 pm)
April 22 - PA Day (school closed to students)
April 26 - Mid-term Reports mailed
May 9-11 - Spring Sale (various hours)
This floral arrangement was designed and created by Specialist High Skills
Major students Jeremiah Fendley and Chance Slaunwhite