Oct 08 Delviews

October

2008

WE DID IT DELVIEW! 16244 CANS IN ONE NIGHT! We did it once again! Nearly 500 students, more than 90 parents, and over 50 teachers, teaching assistants, and support staff worked together to collect over fourteen thousand food items in our annual Thanks For Giving Food Drive. Students from grades 8 to 12 were out on the night of October 9th collecting food donations in neighbourhoods throughout North Delta. Back at the school, students and staff helped to sort, count, and box the non-perishable food items which were given to the Surrey Food Bank and to Deltassist (see photos and article inside). Once the Grand Total of 16,244 food items was announced, students, parents and teachers acknowledged the hard work done by Ms. Ferguson, Ms. Woodford, and Mrs. Bochen, the three teachers who, once again, coorganized Thanks For Giving. They also thanked the Organizing Committee of over a dozen students who, once again, took key positions in organizing the food drive. We’re counting on them to keep this tradition alive!

Delviews

DELVIEW

SECONDARY SCHOOL

Well done, Delview!

Inside this issue: 9111 - 116th Street Delta, BC V4C 5W8 Phone: 604-594-5491 Fax: 604-597-4374 School District #37,Delta http://web.deltasd.bc.ca

Mr. D. Younger—Principal Mr. J. Johnstone—Vice Principal

Thanks for Giving

2

Principal’s Message

3

Career Centre

4

School Information

5&6

PAC and Community Events

7

Thanks for Giving We are never too young to save the world, or to help the people who live in it. Everyone can make a difference; even the smallest donation or the slightest effort is significant. Delview Secondary gives students the opportunity to have a positive effect on the lives of many people. The Thanks 4 Giving canned food drive supports both DeltaAssist and the Surrey Food Bank, reaching people who live in poverty from both communities. Because it is a food drive, Delview enables anyone living in Delta to help without the inconvenience of leaving their home. Every single can or other non-perishable food item is greatly appreciated, so even someone with a low income who does not have much food to spare can participate. Since Thanks 4 Giving’s debut in 1992, students have successfully collected over 10,000 cans each year. Last year the record was broken, as canvassers brought back over 14,000 food items. This year Delview set yet another record, with a maximum total of 16,244. Perhaps the most important statistic, however, was the number of students participating. This time 434 people helped, either by canvassing or working behind the scenes, like the hard-working yet oft-overlooked organizing committee, which was a 14% increase from the previous year. A huge majority participated; 74% of the entire student body! The reason for such a large percentage is not a secret; besides being a great way to give back to the community, Thanks 4 Giving is a ton of fun. An atmosphere reminiscent of parties and dances surrounds the entire event. Because the groups of canvassers are chosen by the participants, and thus generally consist of close friends, the door-to-door portion of Thanks 4 Giving becomes less like a chore and more enjoyable. When canvassers arrive back at the school they are provided with free doughnuts and pop, giving students a sugar high that lasts throughout the rest of the event. In the hour or so before the total number of cans is tallied, students are free to hang out with friends, take an insane amount of pictures, and, in general, do as they please. Prizes are offered, and winners chosen through a random draw. Winning is extremely exciting; this year students received tickets to either a BC Lions game or a show at the Omnimax. By the time the final number is revealed, there is very visible aura of excitement and anticipation surrounding each and every participant. There is not a single person in the building who does not feel absolutely amazing when they see just how many cans they collected. The best part about Thanks 4 Giving, however, is that the moment it ends people are already looking forward to the next one. (Article written by: Nadine Clark)

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Principal’s Message It has been an exiting and busy start to the school year. Speaking with your children you may have heard of how full our hallways seem and the need to arrive quickly in the cafeteria if you want to eat at your favorite table. This is not just an illusion, Delview does have a larger student population this year with an increase of 80 students over our last year’s numbers. We have a large grade 8 class with over 140 students and have maintained strong numbers in our senior classes with 127 grade 11’s and 131 grade 12 students. With these increased numbers comes the ability to offer more classes and opportunities for our students. It has also resulted in an increase in our staff and we are pleased and excited to welcome seven new teachers to the Delview community.

determine what must be taught and the best ways to teach it.

As usual, there is a lot happening at Delview to involve students in extra-curricular activities. Thanks for Giving saw over 70% of our student population help to collect 16,240 food items, the Steering Committee for this event was led by over a dozen Delview students. In athletics, we have 6 teams in action through the first couple of months of the school year, including 2 Soccer teams and 4 Volleyball teams. In the near future, there are upcoming drama presentations scheduled for Dec. 911 for the play Steel Magnolias and Jan. 13-15 for the play Our Town. A Fine Arts evening is scheduled for Dec. 17 which will showcase student talent in the visual and media arts as well as in music. A big change for us this year has been the move to Finally, the Grad Committee is working hard to a semester format. Through the semester system, plan and pull off a series of exciting events, including the Grad Cruise on Dec. 16th. we are already seeing students using the increased flexibility to accelerate their course selections and graduation program. We are also witFinally, I want to acknowledge the hard work that nessing students who have had academic difficul- has been done by Mr. Johnstone, Ms. Schlatter ties use the flexibility of the semester program to and Ms. Pooni in organizing student schedules get “caught up” to grade level. A key benefit to all and ensuring that our students had a great start to students with the semester program is the reduc- the school year. tion of the amount of teachers that they see in each term. Our hope is that this will enable the stu- Mr. D. Younger dents to focus more on their four classes rather Principal than having to be concerned with juggling all eight classes at once. As with any new program, it takes some time to make it your own and we look forward to doing some “tweaking” of the semester HOMESTAY OPPORTUNITY system as we already start planning for the next school year. Delta Families Needed to Host International Students for Short Term Programs in January and Another change that you are sure to have noticed February is the inclusion of collaboration time in our timetable. Happening 11 times over the school year, colKorean students in grades 6 to 10 are participating in laboration time is a reworking of our Professional a short term winter program in the Delta School DisDevelopment time that supports teachers to betrict. Students will be placed two per home for two come involved in ongoing development of their months. Families with children/teenagers preferred. teaching. Guiding this time, teachers working with their departments, have been asked to examine For more information in the three questions: 1) What are the key concepts from the curriculum that we want to teach well and North Delta area to great depth? 2) How will we know when our stu- Contact: Gerda Chase Ph. 604-202-9686 dents are learning what has been taught? (An [email protected] amination of assessment practices) 3) How do we respond if students are not learning? To date our teachers have made great use of this time and we are seeing the departments come together and

Oct. 2008

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School Information

News from the Career Centre Grade 12 Update: Colleges are starting to accept applications for Fall 2009 admission. Most Universities will be accepting applications beginning November 1st. Applications for most post-secondary institutions are processed through a central on-line system. Go to www.pas.bc.ca for more information Scholarships and other financial awards are being advertised regularly through First Class or check the notice board in the Career Centre. Students are encouraged to use www.studentawards.com and www.bcawardsonline.sd61.bc.ca to assist with their research. Students are reminded to complete a Profile sheet (or Brag Sheet) - this profile must be provided to teachers and admin staff to assist in completing reference letters for scholarships! The Language Proficiency Indicator (LPI) test will be held at Delview on Thursday, November 27th at 3pm. This test should be written by Grade 12's if they are concerned that their English 12 mark may not meet the language proficiency grade required by the university or college they are applying to. Students should check the minimum mark required or come into the Career Centre if they are unsure. Students can find out more about the test, get guidelines and register on-line at www.lpi.ubc.ca REMINDER: UBC, UVic and SFU no longer require students to write the optional provincial exams. Prospective students must still meet the admission requirement of 4 examinable grade 12 courses. If a student elects to write an optional Grade 12 provincial exam, the results will be used by the university if the admission average is increased (this may also benefit entrance scholarship opportunities). Come into the Career Centre to get help with your plan for life beyond high school. Grade 12's are also reminded that Mrs. Livingston is available to help with completion of the Grad Transitions booklet. Other News: Students in Grades 10, 11 & 12 are encouraged to begin checking out college and university programs and admissions information by using www.careercruising.com to research their career plan and by coming into the Career Centre to check out information on careers and post-secondary programs. Students are reminded to check First Class regularly! Don't forget to check out information sessions held at BCIT, Vancouver Community College, Douglas College, SFU, UBC, UVic and the new Kwantlen Polytechnic University by checking on the websites for each institution. Links can be found on the Career Centre page of the Delview website www.deltasd.bc.ca/dl MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR POST-SECONDARY INFORMATION NIGHT ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH AT 7PM TO BE HELD AT SANDS SECONDARY - COME AND MEET WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THROUGHOUT BC The Career Centre is open for students to drop in Monday, Tuesday & Wednesdays from 8:30 to 3:30pm. Grade 12's are reminded to check in during their spare/study blocks!

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School Information

Test Drive a Career

Athletics

Students are often faced with difficult post-secondary educational and career choices with too little insight into the world of work. Delview offers a Work Experience program which enables students to experience work environments in career paths they are considering for the future while earning high school credits at the same time.

On the soccer field the Junior Boys finished their league play in 3rd place and will play Seaquam in the first round of playoffs. Mr. Bonikowsky and Mr. Johal have mentioned how well the team has come together in the face of some tough competition. The Senior Boys soccer team also finished 3rd in their league and must play a cross over qualifier on the 23rd. The team has showed some brilliant moments of play and has the potential to develop more as many players are in grade 11 this year. Best of luck to Mr. Waldman and Mr. Zamar and the entire team in their bid for the playoffs.

A wide variety of placements are possible from the Vancouver Aquarium and snowboard instruction at Mt. Seymour to working with the Delta Police or assisting in elementary schools. Our students have worked in newspaper offices, banks, pharmacies and hospitals. Placements are also available for a variety of trades if these are of interest to your child. We encourage all students in grades 11 and 12 to consider these programs as a way to improve their overall grades and to build a strong resume for work and college applications after high school. If you have any questions about Work Experience please contact Mr. Prideaux in the Career Department.

Accelerated Training for Trades Apprenticeship For students interested in the trades as a career a number of openings still exist for next year at a variety of training centers. These programs usually run from February to June and lead to a Level 1 qualification in the chosen trade. Apprenticeship programs allow the student to earn high school credits while learning a trade. They are available to selected applicants in grades 10 through 12 in the Delta School District. If you would like to know more about ACE-IT programs below please contact Mr. Prideaux in the Career Department. Auto Refinishing Prep (VCC, Vancouver) Masonry (Kwantlen, Cloverdale) Production Horticulture (Kwantlen College, Langley) Roofer (RCABC, Langley Port Kells) Warehousing (Douglas College) Electrician (BCIT at North Delta) Security System Technician (BCIT, Burnaby) Motorcycle Mechanic (BCIT, Burnaby) Heavy Duty Mechanic (BCIT, Great Northern Way)

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Out on the trails, Mr. Nishi and Ms. Jonzon are leading a group of runners for competition in several cross country meets around the lower mainland. On the volleyball courts, all of the teams have experience various levels of success and have posted wins in their leagues of play. Coaches also cite the continued improvement in basic skills of the teams and their team goals. The teams have enjoyed great support from their Delview fans at all of their after school matches to keep the 'fun factor' high at Delview. The senior girls have their final home match on Tuesday, October 28th beginning at 6pm and again at 8pm. Come out and cheer! Try outs for the basketball teams will begin shortly mid November! Come on out and give life to your 'hoop dreams'.

School Information

Grad Committee Report Delview’s 2009 Grad Committee has been working hard to ensure that our 2009 Graduation Class will have a year they will always fondly remember. The Committee is finalizing arrangements for our Grad Fashion Show. The Fashion show will feature both formal grad fashions as well as semiformal and casual wear. This is a important fundraiser for our grad class so come out on November 27th from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. In the Main Gym. It promises to be a lot of un. Grad Photos will be taken the week of December 4th to December 10th. Appointments must be pre-scheduled so Grads make sure you stay tuned to the announcements and look for more information in our next newsletter and on our website. The Grad Cruise is scheduled for Tuesday, December 16th. The Pride of Vancouver has been booked and the evening will include a Dinner, a cruise around the harbour to view Christmas Light displays, carol singing and dancing. Grads won’t want to miss this event. Ticket sales will begin in a few weeks. Dates to Remember: November 27th Dec 4th to Dec 10th December 16th Jan/Feb 2009 May 22, 2009 May 22, 2009

Grad Fashion Show Grad Photos Grad Cruise Used Clothing Drive Graduation Banquet Dry Grad

Steel Magnolias Delview Theatre Production is please to present “Steel Magnolias”. Performances will be held on the evenings of December 9th to 11th. Stay tuned to the website and the next newsletter for further information. Come out and support our drama students and enjoy an evening of entertainment.

Oct. 2008

Grad Transitions 12 Graduation Transitions 12 is a mandatory course that all Grade 12 students must successfully complete in order to graduate. Delview students received their booklets on Friday, October 17, 2008 and will be asked to complete them by Friday, February 27, 2009. All students will be required to meet with their School Counselor, their Career Advisor, and their Graduation Transitions Advisor, along with a parent/guardian, in order to discuss their post-secondary plans for the first year after high school graduation. Please ensure that your child has discussed his/her personal plan with you and that they have ensured that the booklet is completed by this deadline. Should you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Karpun. Information is available at: www.deltasd.bc.ca. Click on “Schools,” then “Secondary,” and finally “Graduation Program” for information specific to Graduation Transitions. Additional information can also be found on Delview’s Home Page, and students and parents can access up-and-coming information using their First Class accounts.

DPA—Daily Physical Activity Starting September 2008, all students will participate in DPA. Kindergarten to Grade 9 students are expected to participate in 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per day, and Grades 10 to12 students are expected to participate in 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity per week. Students will be asked to complete “snapshots” of their physical activity once per term (4 times in one school year) in order to keep track of this requirement. These quick questionnaires will be handed out shortly through “D Block folders.” Stay active and healthy all year round! For more information about this, please visit: www.bced.gov.bc.ca/dpa

Take your Kids to Work Day Delview Grade 9 students will be given the opportunity to participate in the Take your Kids to Work Day on Wednesday, November 5th. Information regarding this program will be sent home with students early next week. If you have any questions please call the school office.

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PAC and Community Events

Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Next meeting is Thursday, November 19thth Delview Library at 7:00 pm

New Local Group for Parents of Gifted/Talented Children A group of parents of gifted/talented children has established a support group in Ladner. We are a local members group of the Gifted Children's Association of BC who meet on the third Monday of every month at the Ladner Baptist church (5624 Ladner Trunk road) at 7:00 pm. We get together to share concerns, advocate for our children and listen to guest speakers. We will be organizing events/activities for our children, as well. If this sounds interesting to you please join us for an evening, free of charge. There will be childcare available. We are listed on the church calendar and our upcoming events will be listed on the Gifted Children's website soon (www.gcabc.ca). Next meeting, Nov 20th, 7:00pm in the Fireside room. Principals, teachers and gifted contacts for school welcome, too!

For more information you can contact Jann @ 604-946-2482. The Gifted Children’s Association of BC was established over 25 years ago to provide support and advocacy designed to help parents and others meet the intellectual, emotional & social needs of gifted children and their families throughout the province. In pursuing these goals, the Association: • fosters the establishment of Local Member Groups in BC’s communities • sponsors an annual conference in October, and regular local community meetings during the school term, many with parallel programs for children • maintains a comprehensive website www.gcabc.ca and a lending library of relevant books & periodical • publishes a quarterly newsletter, Bright Connections, containing articles of interest to parents and teachers • promotes the development and enhancement of programs for gifted children within

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To our Thanks For Giving Parents….. THANKS! From the Organizing Committee of Thanks For Giving 2008, a GREAT BIG THANK YOU to all the parents who volunteered to drive or help out at the school. Without the participation of parents, it would not be possible to achieve the success we have experienced since the event began over a decade ago.

DeltaCAN A Community Information Event On Saturday, October 25th Delta Settlement Workers and Multicultural Workers held their first inter-agency event. The theme of the event was collaboration between all members of the community. Thus the title Delta Community Agencies Networking – DeltaCAN. Delta residents, newcomers and immigrant families were invited to attend this valuable and informative affair. The event was a big success— thank you to all the organizers.

When to Keep Your Sick Child Home For the protection of your child, as well as other children, keep your child home if he/she: • Has a fever • Is too sick to take part in all normal school activities • Has a suspected or known communicable disease (ie strep throat, pink eye, chicken pox, or any other undiagnosed rash). Keep them home until they are no longer infectious. Please let the school know your child’s symptoms A Message From Your School Nurse www.fraserhealth.ca

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