My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us love, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
- Jack Layton
As I sit writing this, my first Purple & Proud message as Principal of St. Joseph Secondary School, I am reflecting on the type of leader I want to be and my hopes and
aspirations for the St. Joe’s family.
The opening quotation from the late Mr. Layton speaks to my vision of what I want
this school to be. The message, composed just a few days before his death, outlines
a simple vision for a plan to “change the world”. A lofty goal indeed - but one that is
absolutely attainable!
So how do we do it? How do we make a lasting and real impact on the world? Well,
students and parents have already begun by enrolling in a Catholic school where all
that we do is grounded in the gospels of Christ. At St. Joe’s, we are able to look to
Jesus and his teachings as a model and a foundation for becoming the people we
wish to be and this is an important distinction that sets us apart. Although he was not
a Catholic, Jack Layton captures the spirit of who Jesus calls us to be: people who are
“loving, hopeful and optimistic.” As Catholics, all we do is based in love - of ourselves
and others - and our faith makes us hopeful and optimistic in a world that is, too often,
dominated by despair and pessimism.
Every day, in every way, I want the community of St. Joseph to be a place where the
gospels are alive. I want it to be a place where family members take care of themselves and each other. The academic success of our students is well-documented and
self-evident in our rising EQAO English and Math scores. Is our spiritual success on
the rise as well?
As a new Vice-Principal to St. Joe’s last year I immediately realized what a special
place this is: I felt a tangible positivity in the building that was infectious. Now, as Principal, I want to continue to work with the students, teachers and parents to ensure that
the positive energy continues to flow! I am fortunate to be working with the dynamic
administrative team of Mr. Bomben, Ms. Bolger and Mr. Nalli and
Principal
with a dedicated and visionary team of teachers and support
Jeffrey Quenneville
staff. In turn, all of us are supported by our partners Fr. Marc
and Fr. Mathias of St. Joseph Parish, Trustee Peter Ferreira,
Vice Principals
and the School Council (chaired by Josie Scioli).
Sharon Bolger
With all these different shareholders working together, I know
Adriano Bomben
we can create a school community where members are “loving,
Paul Nalli
hopeful and optimistic” people who truly want to make a difference in the world. It is my sincere desire that the students of St.
Trustee
Joe’s will live up to the challenge of this year’s Spiritual theme
Peter Ferriera
and they will go into the larger world every day striving to be
people who are “walking in the light of Christ!”
Superintendent
All the best for a joyous and rewarding school year!
C Saytar
Go Jaguars!
J. Quenneville
Principal
St. Joseph Catholic Secondary School, Mississauga, ON
Parish: St. Joseph
Tel: (905) 826 2766
B a n t a m B o y s Vo l l e y b a l l
This year the bantam boys’ volleyball
team has had a fun and successful season. The Jags participated in
two tournaments: North Park Vikings
Invitational, and a junior tournament
at St. Marguerite D’Youville S.S. The
Jaguars represented St. Joseph very
well; showcasing their talent and
sportsmanship. The team finished
in third place overall in their division. They played hard and revealed
their true passion for the game in the
playoff tournament. The athletes on
the team are: Michael Cairns, Kevin
Churchill, Jonathan Davidson, Erick
De Luna, David El-Sabawy, David
Gomez, Michael (Hollywood) Istiphan,
Aris Jaraar, Christopher Karabassis,
Michael Matic, Ryan Obeyesekere,
and Marc Tarammelli. Coaches: Mrs.
McCann and Ms. Moser. Good luck in
the playoffs Jaguars!
J u n i o r B o y s Vo l l e y b a l l
Te a m 2 0 11 - 1 2
This year the Junior Boys Volleyball Team was comprised of 12
dedicated boys who worked hard to
compile a 13 and 17 regular season
record.
In addition, they went to the
D’Youville tournament where made
it to the semi-finals. Congratulation
boys on an excellent season. Members of this year’s team are:
Jordan Linhares
yjtyjtyr Steven DeSousa
John Martin
Craig Fernandes
Marwan Murad
Lukas Glowacki
Thomas Rychlicki
Steven Hoff
Jardane Tatham
Richard Lam
Oleg Telischuk
Coach G. Hunt
Coach G. Phillips
“Walking in the Light of Christ”
There are shining lights in our school community who are serving their brothers and sisters in
need, living out the virtues, building an ever closer relationship with God, and striving to be their
very best selves! This year our school adopts the scriptural theme of “Walking in the Light of
Christ”.
Our Gr.9 retreat program challenged our junior students to reflect on how they will be a light
of Christ in their school this year. Our Gr.10 students on retreat have once again built lasting
relationships with the special needs community of St. Jude’s Academy of the Arts and our
Gr.11’s are encountering the divine at Mount Alverno in Caledon. Our day retreat program is
mandatory at each grade level for each student and we look forward to providing our students
with a meaningful experience. In their final year of high school, our Gr.12’s retreat at Queen of
Apostles Retreat Center, taking some quality time to reflect and pray on their decisions for postsecondary life.
The L.I.F.E. Team (Living in Faith Everyday) and our Class Faith Ambassador Program are also
up and running. We continue to invite students to take an active role in their faith and join their
peers in being a witness to what is good and great about being a part of a Catholic Community.
On October 13th, over 40 junior students in Gr.9 and 10 volunteered to lead their elementary
school peers at the Mississauga South Youth Faith Ambassador Rally hosted at the JP II Polish
Cultural Center. The enthusiasm and leadership or our students was inspirational. Check us
out in the November issue of SNAP North Mississauga, p.27!
On October 25th, we hosted two performances by the Resurrection Dance Theatre of Haitia dance troupe from the St. Joseph Family in Haiti- made up of former street children and
orphans. Now young men, these 8 performers brought us into the story and culture of Haiti and
celebrated with us their “Rising from the Rubble” after the Jan. 2010 earthquake. Both our St.
Joseph Secondary School in Mississauga and the St. Joseph Family in Haiti continue to nurture
our relationship through outreach and prayer. Thank you to our Student Council and Athletic
Council for hosting two fundraisers in support of the St. Joseph Family. A special thanks to our
L.I.F.E. Team members who helped to organize and plan the Oct. 25th event, the classroom
visits and the Market Place Ministry
Congratulations goes out to the 50 + retreat leaders for our Gr.9 retreat program. These
students helped to welcome our Gr.9’s to the start of their high school journey by sharing their
own story, joy and creativity. This year all of our leaders sported their virtues tee as a reminder
of the kind of role models they would like to be. We need to share the Good News! Youth
Night at St. Joseph Parish takes place on December 18, 2011 beginning with 6 p.m. mass and
followed by an Advent Party! All young people from Gr.9 to 12 are invited to attend and to listen
to announcements for future gatherings. Our parish is preparing to introduce a dynamic high
school youth program in the new year and we look forward to meeting all of you!
As the Advent Season begins, we also look forward to preparing our hearts for the coming of
Christ and in particular joining all the faithful in learning more about the new translation of the
English Mass. Please access our school website under “Parish” for more details.
May the Peace of Christ be with you!
Ms. Pereira
Wallpaper Courtesy of wallpaper.eu
GUIDANCE NEWS
St. Joseph Secondary 7th Annual
Health & Well-Being Fair, October
21st:
This year’s fair was a huge success – thanks
to the participation of over 25 community
services and agencies from the Mississauga
area. The interactive displays and information booths covered a wide variety of topics
from mental illness and addictions to grieving and abuse, to name only a few. Students and staff found this event to be very
informative and useful.
College and University Bound
Students
Grade twelve students who are interested
in applying to college or university will be
attending a mandatory workshop where they
will be given information on how to apply to
their post-secondary programs. The university workshop will be held on November 24th
during period two. The college workshop
will be held on November 25th during period
one.
Take Our Kids to Work
On Wednesday November 3rd, almost all of
our grade nine students participated in the
17th annual Take Our Kids to Work Program.
They joined hundreds of thousands of students across Canada who spent the day at
work, job shadowing a parent, relative, friend
or volunteer host.
Course Selection for 2012-2013
Coming Soon!
Students of St. Joseph Secondary School
will receive their course selection information
in December. This year’s selection of courses will once again be done on-line. Stay
tuned for more information.
Scholarship Information
Graduating students planning on attending
university or college are encouraged to search
for scholarship and bursary opportunities early
in the school year. There are several on-line
data bases to aid you in this search, including:
www.scholarshipcanada.com; www.studentwards.com; www.myschool101.com; www.
schoolfinder.com; www.canlearn.ca. These
databases allow you to search external to the
post-secondary institutions for local, provincial,
or national scholarship opportunities.
Don’t forget to access the Electronic Information website (www.electronicinformation.ca)
for university specific scholarships. Entrance
scholarships do not require applications and
are granted to accepted students based on
averages. Program specific scholarship opportunities through universities can be found
through this website, or the university specific
website, and require applications to be filled
in and submitted on a timely basis. Many
scholarships are renewable once you are at
university, so don’t forget to continue to pursue
funding once you are at your post-secondary
institution.
All universities and colleges provide financial
aid bursaries based on the financial assistance needed and the availability of funds.
The Ontario Student Assistance Program
(OSAP) is another source of financial aid for
students to access. There is an on-line calculator available for you to use as a tool to assess if you qualify, as well as an approximate
amount available.
Listen to the announcements for in-coming
scholarship opportunities. Make an appointment with Mrs. Nay in Guidance if you need
more assistance with your scholarship search.
GUIDANCE NEWS
Community Service Hours Now Due
Students who have completed some or all of their required 40 hours of community service are
encouraged to submit their documentation to the guidance office by the end of November 2011.
Certificates of Completion will be issued in December for students who have completed this
graduation requirement. The next opportunity for students to submit their documentation will be
in March and April 2012..
2011-2012 Ambassador Program
St. Joe’s Ambassador program has been in existence for the past 15 years. Ambassadors are
student mentors and role models at our school. They perform numerous duties including fundraising for various charities, mentoring our new grade 9 students and assisting at masses. Ambassadors would like to thank students and our parent community for donating at our October
bake sale. The monnies raised went towards the Nicaragua project as well as Sleeping Children
Around the World project.
Our Guidance Counselors
P . Vasile
L. Jamieson
M . Smits
L . Cunningham
C . Nay
W . Bindoo
Peer As Teacher Helpers
On September 15th, 41 students from the PATH (Peer As Teacher Helpers) program
attended a one day retreat at the beautiful Silvercreek Outdoor Education Centre.
Throughout the day, the students participated in leadership activities, self exploration,
and activities which explored their spirituality. The day was an excellent opportunity to
bond and develop spiritually and was a positive experience for all involved. This semester’s PATH students are:
Amelia Artuso Lauren Babcock, Pamela Bartolome, Mary Christine Bautista, Matthew Borg,
Kim Borres, Equity Burke, Amanda Carvalho, Michelle Castro, Gary Cheema, Laura Da Silva,
Christopher De Sousa , Vanessa Demello, Daniel Dos Reis, Patrick Fedor, Bianca Freitas,
Shalini Gallen, Stefanie Glowacki, Christine Gornicz, Stefano Hanks, Jeremy Hernandez,
Elaine Kan, Jessica Kofi, Samantha Kotyck, Steven Ly, RJ Macabeo, Jennifer Manvati, Aliyah Mitchell, Shinthigia Mohanalingam, Samarah Mohenu, Amanda Muzzin, Lisa Nardi, Maria Ortega, Danielle Pacheco, Meryl Pineda, Farzan Razzaq, Erin Rosales, Robin Schrader,
Manojan Suresh, Oscar Tien, Quevin Zapa.
Girls’ Night in – 2011
This year’s event was a great success. A large group of grade nine girls had a fun-filled
evening that started with a beautiful liturgy lead by our chaplain, Ms. Pereira and then
followed by a delicious dinner prepared by our hospitality teacher, Mr. Palmieri. The girls
enjoyed a very entertaining guest speaker from Avon and then proceeded to partake in
fun activities such as spirit challenges, belly dancing and Nia. The evening ended with a
movie and T-shirt signing by everyone. Thanks to all the teacher volunteers who came
out to make this event possible.
AWARDS NIGHT 2011
On October 13, 2011 the St. Joseph community celebrated academic excellence honouring
students who excelled in the various subject area, from grades 9 – 11, in the 2010-11 school year.
Thanks to Fr. M. Campbell, Fr. M. Kim, and the St. Joseph Parish community for hosting the
event in the church. We are very proud of the over 200 students who received subject awards!
Congratulations to the hundreds students who achieved honour roll status in the 2010 - 2011
school year.
TECHNOLOGY AND
COMPUTERS
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Bjorn Hanks
Lucas Glowaki
Gr. 10
Ailana Sicat
Jian-An Chiang
Charlene D’Mello
Patrick Alex
Thanusan
Parameswaran
Andrew Stockford
Navkiran Goraya
Michael Ruscetta
Christopher Iwanski
Eduard Permyakov
Ariel Dysangco
Gr. 11
Paula Dicu
Emily Andrzejewska
Shawn D’Souza
Farzan Razzaq
Anthony Hari
Cristina Corbo
Jennifer Collin
Andrea DeVera
Marcela Coto
Lauren Babcock
Laura DaSilva
Lorenzo Rosas
Diane Bickram
Ryan Mattiussi
MATHEMATICS
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Brian Ho
Simmy Rehal
Barrington Sherman
Brandon Hall
Monica Mantua
Jonathan Panuelas
Gr. 10
Carlo Segreto
Sinan Mikhael
Klarissa Sookdeo
Grade 11
Harpreet Singh
Trevor Dewan
Lisa Nardi
Alexander Furukawa
ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Simmy Rehal
Jennifer Ribeiro
Ana Maria Mora
Anar Yousif
Jonathan Panguelos
Gr. 10
Shawn Da Camara
Mitchell Ribeiro
Navkiran Goraya
Gr. 11
Phillip Inacay
HEALTH AND
PHYSICAL
EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Aradhika Sethi
Priscilla Valentino
Curtis Menon
Gr. 10
Taya Agostino
Jared Seguin
Gr. 11
Karan Sequeira
Edsel Eugenio
Trevor Dewan
Stefanie Glowaki
Steven Dos Santos
Gangandeep Mann
BUSINESS STUDIES
AND COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
Gr. 9
Jonathan Panuelos
Gr. 10
Felicia Tanudjaja
Gr. 11
Steven Dos Santos,
Jessica West (2)
Abhishek Atre
Emily Andrejewska
Harpreet Singh
Daniel Violo
Danielle Pacheco
Andrea DeVera
VISUAL AND
PERFORMING ARTS
DEPARTMENT.
Gr. 9
Stephanie Leite
Lynn Turalinski
Nathan Doton Espinas
Dhwani Agrawal
Gr. 10
Charmika Trinidad
Charlene D’Mello
Sarah Hafizi
Erica Alligood
Andrew Fenech
Liana Timbol
Yash Gopalakrishanan
Natasha Buckiewicz
Alaaric Dwarakhanaath
Daphne To
Paolo David
Joanna Jardin
Gr. 11
Amanda Muzzin
Kristine Martin
Jeremy Hernadez
Amanda Carvalho
Ryan Roque
Noelle Navarrete
MODERN
LANGUAGES
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Alma Maqbool
Jonathan Panuelos
Gr. 10
Joanna Jardin
Charmika Trinidad
Ashely Lao
Esteban Serna-Moll
Gr. 11
Diana Le
Maria Nguyen
Marcela Coto
ESL
Dani Bahnam
Javal Dhamalie
ACADEMIC
RESOURCE
Gr. 9
Zachary Resendez
Nicholas Caterina
Andrew Gai
Gr. 10
Shane Nazareth
Gr. 11
Stephanie Longo
SOCIAL SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Barrington Sherman
Jehnae Davis
Aly Balbaa
Gr. 10
Shane Nazareth
Brandon Hidalgo
Joanna Jardin
Ailana Sicat
Gr. 11
Alexander Furukawa
Laura DaSilva
Robert Iocabucci
Troy Hilson (2)
Paula Dicu
Sarah Touloum
Meryl Pineda
Christopher DeSousa
Lisa Nardi
GUIDANCE AND
CAREER
EDUCATION:
Gr.10
Silene Bumbaca
Nikhil George
Charlene D’Melo
RELIGION
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Jonathan Panuelos
Gr. 10
Celeste Bortolus
Gr. 11
Kayla Jolley
Stephanie Longo
Olivia Kwik
Ann Marie Corrado
SCIENCE
DEPARTMENT
Gr. 9
Brandon Hall
Miguel Oliveira
Jonathan Panuelos
Gr. 10
Yevonna Ricketts
Melissa Rodrigues
Gr. 11
Alyson Cornwall
Emily Anne Carvalho
Christine Grant
Alexander Furukawa
(2)
AWARDS OF DISTINCTION
Streetsville Musicorp Award:
Jae Mejia, Paolo David, Amanda Carvalho
Curry’s Art Award:
Michelle Castro
Trustee Award (Highest Grade 9 average):
Jonathan Panuelos
Joe Hugel Award (Highest Grade 10 average): Joanna Jardin
Superintendent’s Award (Highest Grade 11 average): Alexander Furukawa
Each week we celebrate the outstanding achievements of both athletes and co-curricular participants for their contributions to their team or club. Listed below are the winners of this weekly
award starting from the beginning of the 2011-12 school year until midterm semester one:
Athletes of the Week :
Gurjant Singh – Junior Boys Football Team
Charlene D’Mello – Girls Field Hockey Team
Tivona Thomas – Girls Field Hockey Team
Monica Gabriele – Golf Team
Lucas Glowacki – Junior Boys Volleyball Team
Christine Grant – Girls Flag Football Team
Samarah Mohenu – Girls Flag Football Team
Oleg Telishchuk – Junior Boys Volleyball Team
Bill Le – Junior Boys Football Team
Kheila Cruz – Senior Girls Basketball Team
Madison Burrell – Girls Field Hockey Team
Edan de Souza – Girls Field Hockey Team
Gary Cheema – Senior Boys Volleyball Team
Husain Abou – Senior Boys Volleyball Team
Wayne Cutinha – Senior Boys Volleyball Team
Laura Da Silva – Girls Field Hockey Team
Steven Hoff – Junior Boys Volleyball Team
Becky Cose – Cross Country Running Team
Co-curricular Jaguars of the Week:
Zack Tonna – DJ for Terry Fox Day
Kevin Tavares – DJ for Terry Fox Day
Cindy Mohanalingham – Student Athletic Council
Domenique Webster-Phillips – Scorekeeper and
Linesperson for Volleyball Games
Jehnae Davis – Scorekeeper and Linesperson for
Volleyball Games
Samantha Clarke-Joyce – Scorekeeper and
Linesperson for Volleyball Games
Nicole McIntyre – Scorekeeper and Linesperson for
Volleyball Games
Shalini Gallen – Girls Night In Organizer
Lorenzo Rosas – Cross Country Running Team
Denyse Mangubat – Senior Girls Basketball Team
Kahli Johnson – Junior Boys Football Team
Daniel Nikitovic – Junior Boys Football Team Jennifer
Pinto – Girls Field Hockey Team
Karen D’Souza – Girls Field Hockey Team
Amanpreet Singh – Girls Field Hockey Team
Simi Singh – Girls Field Hockey Team
Michelle Monteiro – Girls Field Hockey Team
Claire Graham – Girls Field Hockey Team
James McCallum – Senior Boys Football Team
Stefanie Glowacki – Girls Flag Football Team
Amanda Zdryka – Girls Flag Football Team
Jonathan Davidson – Bantam Boys Volleyball Team
Ryan Obeyesekere – Bantam Boys Volleyball Team
Jessica Lacz – Senior Girls Basketball Team
Sylvia Gennara – Girls Flag Football Team
Bianca Dragicevic – Girls Night In Organizer
Laura Da Silva – Girls Night In Organizer
Amelia Artuso – Girls Night In Organizer
Chanelle Stark – Girls Night In Organizer
Emily Srebotnjak – Girls Night In Organizer
Robin Schrader – Ambassador Fundraiser Leader
Retreat Leaders for October 21st
Ashliegh Ahkoon – Anime Club Leader
Steven Ly – Anime Club Leader
Kevin Seemungal – Anime Club Leader
Retreat Leaders for November 4 and 7
The Mathematics Department is excited to announce that the much-anticipated SMART
board technology has finally been implemented into four of our math classrooms! The
interactive whiteboard allows students to explore moving letters, numbers, images, and
diagrams with the touch of a finger. This technology has the flexibility to engage all
learning styles in a dynamic mode of exploring and analyzing the concepts learned. We
look forward to implementing the SMART board technology into all of our math classrooms in order to provide students with a more captivating and engaging mathematics
experience.
The Mathematics Department would like to make parents/guardians aware of the
2011/2012 Mathematics Contests run by The Centre for Education in Mathematics and
Computing at the University of Waterloo. The aim of the Contests is to provide an opportunity for students to develop their mathematical problem solving ability through a written
mathematical activity. Students who have an appreciation for a rigorous mathematical
challenge should be encouraged to participate. Previous contests provide excellent
practice materials. Copies of past contests and solutions, as well as other resources, are
available free of charge at www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca . Contest dates are also posted on
the website. Interested students are to pay close attention to in school announcements
for registration deadlines, or visit the math department for more information.
Coming up in January is the Grade 9 Assessment of Mathematics which provides
individual and system data on students’ knowledge and skills, based on the ministry
expectations for students in Grade 9 applied and academic programs. All grade 9
students are required to participate in the assessment, and will receive an Individual
Student report. The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) also release
provincial, school board and school results. All Grade 9 students taking math this
semester have been given the EQAO booklet from their math teacher as they begin
preparation for the assessment. Students can also access resources from the link on
the school’s website.
The Mathematics department is excited to continue this
semester a Ministry of Education initiative providing online
help in mathematics called Homework Helper. This initiative
allows grades 9 and 10 students access to one-on-one, confidential live tutoring sessions with Ontario certified teachers, Sunday to Thursday, 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. The online
tutors are always ready and willing to help with any math
homework question. The Homework Help website is free and
available all year long.
In addition, students in grades 9 to 12 can access excellent online learning resources contributed by the Ministry of
Education and Ontario teachers from across the province through the Ontario Educational Resource Bank (OERB). The
OERB provides students/parents with access to thousands of resources that range from interactive multimedia pieces to
lessons and activities. To access the OERB, visit http://resources.elearningontario.ca.
It is our hope that these new initiatives, together with our in-school resources, such as the After School Math Help room
(open Monday to Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30) and peer tutoring, will help students achieve a more rewarding experience
in mathematics. We wish our students success!
« Café du monde français » at Lula Music and Arts Centre
On Wednesday, November 2nd, Madame Palmieri’s and Madame Franks’ Grade 11 French
students joined the Québecoise singer and songwriter Joanna Moon, at Lula Music and Arts
Centre in Toronto, to celebrate French music and culture.
This “French World Café” highlights and explores songs from France, Québec and Africa.
Not only were the students singing along, but they truly enjoyed accompanying the singer
and bassist Kevin Braun, by playing the traditional French Canadian spoons! The students
also took part in re-creating a French Café scene on the stage, being serenaded by the duo
musicians.
The musical performance was followed by an abundant and exquisite French meal which
included “la salade verte”, “poulet à l’orange”, and of course, the famous dessert “crème
brûlée.” The students played the role of a server, and in their best French, were able to take
their colleague’s orders with great pride and humour. The meal was followed by a quick
“digestive” activity on the dance floor. This was an excellent opportunity for the students to
apply their knowledge of the French language in an authentic and fun environment, close to
home. Join us next year to get a taste of “joie de vivre!”
COURSE SELECTION
We would like to remind you of our upcoming course
selection and registration for the year 2012. Start
thinking about your future. There are many career opportunities where you can apply your knowledge of the French
language, such as in hospitality and tourism field, or in gastronomical, political, and business fields. Bilingual jobs are in high demand
in Canada, especially in Ontario. Make yourself marketable by selecting the French and Spanish core and AP language classes. They
are fun and animated, and help you take your English language skills
to a more sophisticated level. Join us next year to discover more.
Science News
It may be getting chilly outside, but inside our science labs things are hot, hot, hot! Our science
students have just finished their midterms, but they are hard at work trying to finish everything before
their Christmas break.
Our Grade 9 Science Students have completed
their chemistry unit, and are now moving on to
biology and electricity. At the end of October,
the Grade 9s braved the cold and went to the
Toronto Zoo to study sustainable ecosystems
and biodiversity. Their chemistry labwork saw
fireworks as they burned Sodium underwater
and used Professor Hoffamn’s apparatus to
electrify water into oxygen and exploding
hydrogen gas. Once they’ve started constructing their own circuits, they’ll be raising hairs as
they get the shock of their lives on the Science
Department’s very own lightning bolt generator:
the Van der Graaf Machine.
The Science Department is pleased to announce a new addition to our staff: Ms. Kristabel
Barrientos. She is currently teaching the Grade 10 Science class, and is showing her students refraction by sending light waves into acrylic semicircles. It’s a great time to be in the Science Department; all of us here wish you a blessed Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
The Grade 10 Students had a yummy treat in
their science labs: they roasted marshmallows
over their Bunsen burners, and then figured out
the chemical equations that made their treats
possible. After their snacks, they proved the conservation of mass law by using open and closed
systems in the lab. Mass is always
conserved in any chemical reaction, unless
you’re a bag of marshmallows!
Our Senior Science Students are now busy preparing for their CAT Presentations. The Grade 11
Biologists have finished their Genetics unit and have now moved on to Evolution. Among their
projects will be the design of a flying animal that can take to the air under its own power. Our 12
Biologists are dissecting the liver, and fermenting yeast. Meanwhile, the Advanced Placement
Biology Class went off to the University of Toronto’s Gairdner Foundation Symposium, which
exposed them to some of the world’s greatest researchers in Biomedicine. While touring downtown
Toronto, they were able to tour the University Campus and see the newly renovated Museum
Subway.
The Senior Chemists have also been busy, sacrificing gummi bears for the cause of science.
They’re learning all about moles right now (friendly little animals that measure chemical quantities
for you). It’s always a good idea to have these helpful critters in your lab.
Our Senior Physics students have been working on their Football Throws. Toronto has the Argonauts, and Hamilton has the Tiger-Cats, but we have the best quarterbacks in any league; only St.
Joseph’s footballers can tell you the right angles, velocities and displacements you need to be part
of the winning team! The Grade 11s are preparing for their annual “Battle of the Bands” with homemade musical instruments. Canada’s Got Talent may well send a few scouts our way this year, and
we want to be ready. The Grade 12s are preparing for their CAT projects at the end of the term.
Submitted proposals range from medieval war machines (the trebuchet) to modern laser transmitters, and everything in between.
Gywnne Dyer Lecture
On Tuesday October 11, 2011 freelance
journalist, columnist, broadcaster and
lecturer on international affairs, Gwynne
Dyer, accepted an invitation to come
and speak to the Senior Social Science
students of St. Joseph. His topic of discussion was based on his most recent
project called "Climate Wars". He spoke
to the student body regarding the Earth's
changing climate and the challenges we
all will face in the future. His lecture was
insightful, informative and inspirational.
The Social Science ROM Trip
The field trip to the ROM introduced students to European cultural history and various institutions and schools
of thought that reflect the methodical development of
modern western civilization. Students completed an
assignment designed in a treasure-hunt format in which
European economic, political, artistic and philosophic
evolutions were showcased. Remembrance Day
Tr i p t o F o r t G e o r g e
On October 14th, students in Ms.
Neal’s grade 11 American history
classes and Mr. Gentile’s grade
12 European history classes
travelled to Niagara on the Lake
to visit Fort George. There,
students stepped back in time to
experience camp life for soldiers
during the 19th century. They
witnessed a live musket demonstration as well. Following our
visit to Fort George, we travelled
over to the famous Brock Monument and students learned about
the battle of Queenston Heights
and took in the extraordinary
scenery atop the Brock Monument!!! Students had a great day
as history came alive before their
very eyes!
This year St. Joseph put on a moving Remembrance
Day assembly honoring all those who fought and participated in various war efforts. The theme this year was
on courage which was depicted through a moving video,
slide show and dramatic presentation.
Grade 9 Geography
Classes Visit Niagara Falls
On October 4th all semester
one grade 9 Geography classes
traveled to Niagara Falls to
study the Great Lakes-St Lawrence land formation. Students
rode on the Maid of the Mist
and watched a movie at the
IMAX Theatre detailing the
history of the Falls. Students
learned about the myths and
legends behind the surrounding
ecosystem and the aboriginal
communities that lived in the
area. Watching the enormity
of the water body itself demonstrated to students the vastness
of the Niagara River and the
Horseshoe formation making
up the Falls.
Grade 12 Environment and Resource
Management
Mrs. Cipriano’s Grade 12 students traveled on two trips this semester to the
Credit River and downtown Toronto. Students enjoyed then fresh air while
walking to the Credit River to investigate
water quality and land-use patterns. The
class braved the chilly weather to enjoy
the beautiful fall colours and to test the
pH level of the river. Joined by Mrs. Jurinics’ class, students traveled to Toronto
to go on the WALKTO Green Tour. Students learned about Toronto’s sustainable resource use while walking through
ecological buildings such as Mountain
Equipment Coop. Students toured one
of the city’s earliest sustainable buildings and climbed onto its “Green Roof”. The Green Roof was spectacular including plants to help conserve energy and
a community vegetable garden. The
changes Toronto has made to support the Environment were impressive. Thanks to all students for exemplifying
superb behaviour on all trips!
Grade 10 Warplane
Museum Trip
In October St. Joseph's Grade 10 Canadian History classes visited the Canadian Heritage Warplane Museum in Hamilton, ON. Students had the
opportunity to see aircrafts used by Canadians
to fight in WWII and other conflicts. They were
able to see the only operational WWII Lancaster
Aircraft left in
the world. The
fantastic and
knowledgeable staff at the
museum gave
our students an
understanding
of the sacrifices
that were made
during WWII
by Canadian
pilots and those
on the home
front. Students
were able to
tour the vast facilities, see the museum's aircraft
collection and even sit inside an airplane. It was
a fantastic opportunity for history to come alive for
our students.
S t . J o s e p h G r e e n Te a m
Ontario Eco-School Update
Last year St. Joe’s had a very successful ‘Green’ year after participating being recognized as an
Ontario Eco-School ‘Silver Status’. The 2011-2012 school year looks to be another great year
for St. Joe’s and Environmental initiatives! Our school has registered to participate in the Ontario
Eco-schools again program and is looking to achieve GOLD STATUS! We are already on our
way with The Green Team planning many different activities for this school year. Members of the
Green Team will be attending Ecobuzz 2011 at David Suzuki School in Brampton to get involved
and educated about the issues facing our planet. The students attending are lucky to be afforded
the opportunity to listen to David Suzuki himself as a guest speaker! Recycling continues in full
force this year, continued by our PIP students! They have been doing a fantastic job keeping
things clean around the school. We have many activities to look forward to including Community
Clean Ups, Earth Hour and more! Stay tuned St. Joe’s!
All those memories!
It was a bitter sweet moment last June when Mr Grindatto decided after 37 amazing and
memory filled years as a teacher that it was time to retire, but when one person
retires, one person gets hired. That is why we in the St. Joseph Secondary
School Community would like to welcome Mr. Spoletini to the Technological Studies Department as the new Construction Technology Instructor. Mr. Spoletini has begun his teaching career at full speed by
volunteering as the assistant defensive co-ordinator for the Jr.
boys football team this fall and is looking forward to next
year’s season. If the rapport that Mr. Spoletini has
built with the students and staff of St. Joseph
S.S in the first two months of this school
year is any indication of his teaching
career, we will be talking about Mr.
Spoletini’s amazing and memory filled career at his retirement in 37 years.
Transportation
Technology Specialist
Hi Skills Major
As a new school year begins there
are a few students who have just a little
bit more to look forward to. These students
are the new group that have enrolled in the
Specialist high Skills Majors course in Transportation Technology. This program will allow students to
experience a co-op placement that pertains to the transportation industry, experiential Learning and Career Exploration Activities, Sector-Recognized Certification and Training and
“Reach Ahead” Experiences. The course is as unique as the students
who sign up for it. It will prepare the students for the challenges that will
await them in the post-secondary world of education and employment. The
transportation Technology SHSM program would like to welcome Jason Abdallah,
Patrick Alex, Kyle Alves, Matthew Camara, Josh Fortez, Mark Mantua, and Carlo Segreto to the program this year, and wish the best of luck to this year’s graduating SHSM
students.
The Anime Club Scene @ St. Joe’s Tattoos make a Temporary
Mark!
The Anime Club is off to a great start. Our leaders
Ashleigh Ahkoon, Steven Ly and Kevin Seemungal
provide stimulating and social sessions; teaching drawing skills and techniques, featuring Anime films, DDR
(Dance, Dance Revolution) and dubbing competitions. If
you would like to join us, we meet on Thursdays in the
art room 335.
Thank you to all of you who contributed to
our Henna tattoo fundraiser on the Terry
Fox Day. Special thanks to Amal Rana for
her skilled henna techniques and to the
numerous students who came by to contribute to this important cause.
Tattoos make a Temporary Mark!
Thank you to all of you who contributed to
our Henna tattoo fundraiser on the Terry
Fox Day. Special thanks to Amal Rana for
her skilled henna techniques and to the
numerous students who came by to contribute to this important cause.
The White Pine Reading Club
The White Pine Awards Reading Program is the high school level branch
of the Forest of Reading Program. This program offers high school-aged
teens the opportunity to read the best of Canada’s recent young adult fiction titles. Students then vote for their favourite book.
In May 2012, the book with the most votes is awarded the Prestigious
White Pine Award at the Festival of Trees in Harbourfront Centre. Students involved in the club will be able to travel to the Festival and meet
the authors and participate in book talks and workshops in this fun filled
event. We have an online discussion forum for members to discuss the
books we read accessible through the school Library website or http://
whitepine.freeforums.org/ Discussions take place online so students can
read books at their own pace and discuss them at anytime. This flexible
approach allows students to incorporate reading into their busy schedules.
This is the largest recreational reading program in Canada.
New members are always welcomed! Please see Mrs. Price in the Social
Science office if you are interested in joining.
The Art Ministry
Makes a Lasting
Impression
The members of the Art
Ministry are busy creating
painted panels that further
explore the virtues that we
all strive to achieve. Once
they are complete they will
be permanently displayed
for all of our community to
enjoy. If you have artistic
talent and would like to
earn some Community
Service Hours for your
contributions come and
join the Art Ministry on
Tuesdays in the art rooms.
Symbols of Wine and
Service
Four of our rising stars in Visual Arts were
challenged to come up with visual representations of two themes for the recent
board-wide teacher professional development day. The students worked in pairs
to create the compositions and paint the
canvas. Their works were then grouped
into a larger ensemble of works of the
same theme in an installation on view
for over 2000 people. Grade 9 students
Renee Lopez and Julia Perlotto created
the painting for the theme of Wine and
used imagery based on the Eucharist
while grade 11 students Agnes Ilzuka and
Amanda Soares created the painting for
Service using the ideas of working together as a community to help the poor and
vulnerable.
Terry Fox
Every year approximately 140,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with some form of cancer. On
Wednesday, September 28th the St. Joseph Secondary School community was proud to once
again honour the memory of Terry Fox and his mission to bring hope to all those who are effected
by this disease. Staff and students at the school joined schools all over Canada in participating in
the annual Terry Fox National School Day. In the morning students walked a 5 km route through
the local neighborhood with the Girls Flag Football team acting as flag bearers. In the afternoon,
all were treated to a barbeque lunch and an opportunity to watch an afternoon double-header as
the Junior and Senior boys football teams took on their rivals from St. Augustine and Mount Carmel. In the end, the school was able to raise nearly $15,000 dollars for cancer research, bringing
the school’s total contribution since 2002 to an incredible $173,660.
Jaguar Soon to Become a Spartan
Nicola Deans of Future Gymnastics in Mississauga signed a letter of intent to attend Michigan
State University next fall.
Deans, a national level athlete, was offered a full athletic scholarship and will compete as a member of the Michigan State Spartans in NCAA meets beginning in 2012-13. Last May at the Canadian championships in Prince Edward Island, Deans was a part of Team Ontario’s gold medal team
and won silver individually on the vault.
Deans trains five hours a day from Monday to Friday and kept up her academic standing through
online and night school courses in addition to a schedule of day classes at St. Joseph’s Secondary
School.
St. Joe’s is proud of Nicola and wishes her all the best as she continues to prepare for what will
prove to be a fulfilling and exciting period of her life.
Marcia Tate
On Friday September 16, 2011 the entire staff of St. Joseph Secondary School had the opportunity
to participate in an interactive workshop by Dr. Marcia L. Tate called Worksheets Don’t Grow Dendrites: 20 Instructional Strategies to Engage the Brain. This
workshop was sponsored by the Ministry of Education and it
highlighted the use of brain compatible strategies in the
classroom that promote comprehension and increase a
student’s ability to retain information.
Following this presentation, a team of teachers have
been tracking student success as a result of the
implementation of these practices across the school.
Nominations Open for Outstanding Educators
There are many examples of excellence in Ontario’s schools, boards and licensed child care settings,
and just as many reasons to nominate someone for a Premier’s Award for Teaching Excellence.
These awards celebrate educators and support staff who make remarkable contributions to Ontario’s
education system.
Many staff employed in Ontario’s publicly funded schools and boards can be nominated. There are
eight award categories:
•
Teacher of the Year
•
New Teacher of the Year
•
Early Childhood Educator of the Year (NEW!)
•
Excellent Support Staff
•
Excellence in Leadership
•
Lifetime Achievement
•
Team of the Year
•
Full-Day Kindergarten Team of the Year (NEW!)
Nominations are open until February 6, 2012. Award recipients will be announced in the spring and
recognized at a special awards ceremony during Education Week in May.
To learn more about the awards and how to nominate, visit www.ontario.ca/teachingawards.