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Mark Your Calendars
Important Upcoming Dates
Feb 07 Staff Meeting (Late Start)
Feb 08 Grade 8 Registration
Feb 09-10 Catholic Educator's Conference
Feb 13 Family Day
Feb 15 Report Cards Distributed
Feb 16 Jeans Day
Feb 28 Pro-D Day
Mar 01 Ash Wednesday Service
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Upcoming Sporting Dates
Feb 07-10 | Jr. & Sr. League Playoffs
Feb 14-17 | Sr. Girls Lower Mainland Zones
Mar 01-04 | Sr. Girls AA Provincials
Feb 08 | Vs. Vancouver College
Feb 15 | Vs. Riverside
Feb 22 | Vs. Heritage Woods
Feb 27-Mar 3 | Provincials
Feb 03-04 | Alberni Invitational
Feb 07 | Zone Training
Feb 17 | LFV Zone Qualifier
Check the
online calendar
for more details and times. Come and support our student-athletes! #rednation
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Spotlight on: STMC Curling
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| Joseph Castillo, sweeping legend |
Now in its 11th year as a part of STMC athletics, curling is still one of those sports that no one really thinks about outside of the Winter Olympics. Yet it is a thriving
and truly lifelong activity played all across BC and Canada. STMC's curling team, comprised of about 40 students, is, in fact, the biggest high school team in the whole province! The season runs from mid-October to mid-March (the longest season of any school sport), and every Monday the team meets up at the Royal City Curling Club with Burnaby North and Riverside schools for practice and games.
This month, our intrepid Communications Assistant,
Bianca Te, has tried to shine a little more light on the sport, talking with the senior boys team 2nd,
Joseph Castillo.
BT: Why do you curl?
JC: To me, curling is an exceptional sport that combines analysis, strategy and technique in order to win. Having played for three years, I've learned that any situation can be greatly impacted with one rock. I curl because I crave those game-changing situations and the skills that the team and I bring in order to deliver those precise shots.
BT: How has the curling team done this season?
JC: This season, our curlers showed commitment and huge improvement from the very start. After intense and lengthy games, both the boys' and the girls' teams placed 2nd in regionals. There have been many new additions to the curling family this year, all of whom display great potential. We look forward to the future of STMC curling in the seasons to come!
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Open House
Welcoming the next generation...
Open House was a great success this year, as STMC welcomed hundreds of families through our doors. Thank you to all the students who demonstrated their talents or acted as ambassadors and tour guides to the wide-eyed Grade 7s and their equally wide-eyed parents!
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Student Hi
ghlights
The Ducks U15 volleyball team, featuring three STMC students (
Georgia Langdon, Alivia Palmieri & Taylor Tucci) won the Volleyball BC season opener tournament over the weekend of Jan. 20-22,
If your son or daughter has any news worth sharing in the monthly newsletter, please contact Communications Manager Mark Bradshaw at mark.bradshaw@stmc.bc.ca
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FRIEND, FOLLOW, VIEW, LIKE!
If you're interested in receiving instant STMC news and updates, as well as seeing silly pictures and/or cool shots of our STMC Knights, all you have to do is like us, view us, friend us or follow us (or all of the above).
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At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.
He lasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. (Matt 4:1-2)
Early next month, we will celebrate Ash Wednesday as the beginning of the 40 Days of Lent - the most important liturgical season in our religious calendar.
During Lent, we are reminded of our response to the Gospel message:
At St. Thomas More Collegiate, we make a conscious effort to not only reinforce this message but make a commitment to it all year long. It is through these efforts that our relationship with God is enhanced and noticed.
I would like to express my personal thanks to all of you who took the time to attend the Town Hall meeting on Jan 31st. It was a tremendous show of support and concern for the STMC community and your voice was appreciated.
With the Term 1 exams behind us, we ask that parents go over your son or daughter's Report Card (distributed Feb. 15th) with them, affirming what they have done well and noting where improvement may be warranted. We ask that you make an effort to attend the Parent-Teacher Interviews on Feb. 23rd. Information on how to book an appointment is included with the Report Card. We don't want to have any student slip through the cracks.
In addition to our Ash Wed service on March 1st, we have our Gr. 10 class retreats at the Door is Open on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver beginning on Feb. 2nd. All students must provide a completed parent permission form prior to attending the retreat. With the increase dangers surrounding the fentanyl crisis, the school and the Door is Open are taking additional precautions in ensuring the safety of our students during the retreat. We judge that with the safety steps we have in place that we will continue to provide a valuable retreat program for our students.
On Feb. 22nd, we will be acknowledging PINK SHIRT day as a sign of solidarity against any form of bullying. We encourage all of our staff and students to participate in this event.
Re-Registration for students in Gr. 9 -11 will take place on Tues. March 7th. Please ensure your son or daughter's place in their grade level by acknowledging this date and responding accordingly.
Once again, thank you for all your support and prayers.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts, forever.
Mr. Michel DesLauriers
Principal
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Financial Good News
Message from the President - Mrs. Neysa Finnie
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Pink Shirt Day Attire, 2016
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It would be disingenuous not to acknowledge the concerns and opinions expressed at the Town Hall. Board Chair Dan Eisner has committed to communicating the concerns and opinions to the Board and communicating back to the STMC community.
To ensure the good news of the current financial situation of STMC is not lost, it is included here. As of December 31, 2016, the school is running a balanced budget and is projected to end the fiscal year (June 30, 2017) balanced. That is a significant change from this same time last year and demonstrates that the school is on the right path to financial sustainability.
Since September, through the Advancement Office, the school has received more than $500,000. This money is earmarked for support of bursaries, Blessed Edmund Rice scholarships, student activities, staffing and staff development in support of the Strategic Plan implementation and contributions to the gym mortgage. In addition, the Fallen Knights Bursary Endowment Fund has topped more than $100,000 and more than $60,000 has been raised for scholarships. Donations of more than $50,000 were received for areas of greatest need and in support of programs. When not in a campaign, much of the work of the Advancement Office is "quiet" as making donations - particularly large donations - is often a private and personal matter for the donor.
As we move through this time in STMC's history, please keep the entire STMC community in your prayers.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts ... forever.
Mrs. Neysa Finnie
President
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Charitable Donation Receipts
2016 Charitable Donation Receipts from STMC Foundation
Thank you very much to everyone who supported STMC in 2016 with their gifts of time, talent, and/or treasure. Your dedication, generosity, and engagement with our community greatly help STMC continue to provide our Knights an excellent learning environment and a place that they can truly call their second home.
If you made a charitable donation to STMC Foundation in 2016, your official donation receipt for income tax purposes will be mailed to you via Canada Post in the middle of February. As income tax filing season is upon us, here are some CRA links about claiming your charitable donation tax credit which you may find helpful:
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STMC International Winter Program
February 4 - 15, 2017
This month, STMC welcomes 30 students and 2 teachers from Harbin, China, providing an 11-day introduction to school and Canadian life. Students will be integrated into our classes as well as take part in excursions all around Vancouver. Campus Minister Mr. David Mattiazzo, Communications Manager Mr. Mark Bradshaw, and alumna and former staff member Ms. Tiff Hill will be coordinating the program.
Our own STMC students will be an integral part of the program, acting as both host brothers and sisters as well as volunteer buddies at school and on excursions. This is an excellent opportunity for our students to learn about and appreciate different cultures, all while making a few friends in the process!
Together with the Summer International Program, both programs are also an excellent source of fundraising for the school.
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Principal Search
Till Feb. 24, 2017
On December 17, 2016, Board Chair Ben Hieltjes announced that the 2016-2017 academic year would be Mr. Mich DesLauriers' final year as Principal of St. Thomas More Collegiate. The STMC community is grateful to Mr. DesLauriers for his dedicated service. As a student, alumnus, alumni parent, teacher, coach, Vice-Principal, and Principal, Mr. DesLauriers has been an integral part of the STMC community for more than 4 decades. Mr. DesLauriers is admired for his living example of his Catholic faith and his commitment to the Essential Elements of an Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Education.
St. Thomas More Collegiate has commenced a search for its next principal. STMC is seeking an experienced school leader with the skills and education necessary to guide a close-knit, mission-driven school community in the pursuit of excellence. The detailed job posting can be downloaded
here. The opportunity will be advertised locally and nationally. We anticipate that we will announce the hiring of our new leader in June 2017. The successful candidate will become our STMC Principal on August 1, 2017.
The search committee:
Neysa Finnie, STMC President, Search Committee Chair
Brother Ted Bassett, Christian Brothers
Natasha Chinnapen, STMC Math Department Head
Brent Christensen, Alumnus '89
Darrell Hall, STMC Faculty and former Principal
Caterina Kennedy, St. Michael School Principal
Nalini McIntosh, Parents Association
Ben Johnston, STMC Faculty and Alumnus '95
Julia Webber, STMC Vice Principal
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Showing Solidarity with Abbotsford Secondary
The Junior Varsity Football team has had a friendly rivalry these past few years with the Abbotsford Panthers. Sadly, late last year one of Abbotsford's students was tragically taken from their school community.
As a show of support, the J.V football players, coaches and parents, as well as Mr. Ruzycki's Grade 8 social studies students, raised close to $750.00 to go towards a memorial fund. It was important for our community to reach out and support those in their time of need. As a school, these are the acts that define who we are.
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Counselling Workshop Series
Helping Your Child Through Loss and Grief Monday, March 6, 7-9PM
Presented by: Joanna Boyd (Class of '04), M.C.P, R.C.C with special guest Denis Boyd, M.A., R.Psych
Date & Time: Monday, March 6, 7-9PM
Location: School Cafeteria
Workshop Information: This presentation will address grief related to the death of a loved one or other major losses. Topics that will be addressed are: healthy (and unhealthy) grief reactions in children and adolescents (and adults), how to support your child through grief, what can be done to manage your own grief, factors that influence grief, and myths and inaccurate messages about grief.
Cost: $15/person or $25/couple
To Register: Contact us at Denis Boyd & Associates by phone: 604-931-7211 or by email at
info@denisboyd.com
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Sr. Girls Basketball - A Salute to the Seniors
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| Daniella Moretti, Marcella Mauro, Anabela Chiu & Myah Shokar |
On January 31, after their last home game as STMC basketball players, the four grade twelves on the Sr. roster were saluted by their coaches (
Mr. Joe Thierman and
Mrs. Jen Farano) and teammates in an uplifting ceremony in the school gymnasium.
Here are a few words from each of them:
Daniella Moretti:
"I was honoured to have been chosen by my teammates as captain for two years. It's been amazing to be a part of such a talented group of girls throughout the years. Thank you for your trust in me, for your companionship, for the lessons learned and for your friendship. I look forward to playing with you all in the STMC Alumni Basketball Tournament!"
Marcella Mauro:
"Thank you Mr. Thierman for your time and dedication on and off the court and for working on my shot, that has come a long way. Thank you Mrs. Farano for making our arms "pipes of steel" and keeping our cardio up with the most hated drill, 30s. Thanks to all the players, you truly made my basketball experience at STMC unforgettable."
Anabela Chiu:
"Playing basketball for the past 5 years at STM has definitely been an adventure. Although the journey has been tough with many ups and downs, I've come to love the sport more and more each time I step onto the court. The feeling of being on a team with people who support and love basketball as much as I do is irreplaceable."
Myah Shokar:
"The friendships that I have made on the court playing on the team since Grade 8 are ones that will never be forgotten. Playing with the other seniors for the past 5 years has definitely made us closer as friends and as players on the court. I want to thank all the people on the team that have made this year and the past four memorable and more than I could ever ask for."
The girls have a long road ahead filled with league and playoff games. The end goal will be to once again make it to the AA Provincials, where they hope to build on their outstanding record of past success.
Provincials take place on March 1st to 4th at the Langley Event Centre.
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Nobody Fights Alone
February 20-24, 2017
The STMC ACTION team and student council are organizing "Nobody Fights Alone" week from February 20-24th. Nobody Fights Alone is about helping those in our community that are struggling and emphasizing the point that we need to stand together.
This year we are collecting money to donate to the Canadian Cancer Society and Wigs for Kids. Knights, please wear pink and donate on Wednesday February 22nd (Pink Shirt Day) to show your support for the community. As a school, we need to come together and fight with those who need a helping hand. We will be having an assembly on Friday, February 24th at which some students will show their support by shaving their heads or cutting their hair to donate to Wigs for Kids. If enough money is raised, we hope an STMC staff member will be brave enough to shave or cut their hair. We welcome donations from families to increase the money we donate. Thank you for showing your support for the community.
- The ACTION Team (Brittany, Lauren, Anthony, Coby, Jessica, Maya, Ricardo, Dario)
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STMC Fan Gear
Show your support for STMC and look good in the process!
New to STMC this year is a selection of clothing and accessories tailored to adult supporters of our STMC Knights. The collection ranges from beautiful vintage-style sweaters and hoodies to sporty polos and baseball caps, with European-soccer-inspired scarves rounding out the collection.
Please check out our
Fan Gear page for more information, including the online catalogue and order form.
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Grad Pub Night | Silent Auction Items Needed
Saturday, February 25
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH at 6:00pm
Great Bear Pub
5665 Kingsway (At Lane Street)
Tickets are $25.00 each and include either a beef, chicken or veggie burger and a house beer or wine.
Donations are still needed for the upcoming Pub Knight Fundraiser to be held on February 25, 2017 at the Great Bear Pub in Burnaby. All proceeds from this event will help fund Grad Activities. As this is the only fundraiser for our Grads, we are seeking your support for this event.
Maybe you have a gift from Christmas that you are not going to use? - Donate it. Or maybe you have some contacts to obtain some donations? There are no contributions too small. Any gift would be greatly appreciated! Some ideas are: wine, premium liquor, restaurant gift certificates, sporting event/play tickets, gift baskets, spa packages, hotel nights, jewellery, sports jersey/apparel etc.
Donations can be dropped off at the STMC front office, by February 17th, 2017.
To purchase tickets, or if you have items for donation, please call either Dave Walker at 778-688-9878 or Gwen Harder at 604-728-7807
All proceeds will be going to the Class of 2017 grad activities. The Grads appreciate your interest and support!
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Hot Lunch | Calling for a New Coordinator
February
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Click for February Schedule
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After many years and countless hours of dedicated volunteer service to the STMC hot lunch program, the current hot lunch coordinator, Chris Rickaby, will be stepping down effective June 9, 2017.
As such, the Parents Association is looking for a dedicated volunteer to take on this dynamic position. If you are an experienced hot lunch veteran, or a newcomer to the tradition, or even just from the "Italian grandmother" school of thinking, that is, good food is a joy best shared (especially with growing boys and girls!), please consider volunteering. Chris will be available throughout the rest of the school year to provide mentorship and job shadowing, ensuring a more seamless transition into the position.
The kids of STMC LOVE hot lunch and it has grown to be a very popular offering! We are hoping to maintain this tradition for years to come, and you will be the key to maintaining and building the program. With your help, we can avoid having to reduce the number of hot lunch days, or even outsourcing to a third-party hot lunch company - options that may need to be put in place if a new coordinator cannot be found.
If you are interested or have questions, please contact Chris at
crickaby@me.com
Thanks,
The Parents Association
Please see the hot lunch page on the website for more information on hot lunches.
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March Knight Club Sale
Just a reminder that we hold Knight Club uniform sales the first Thursday of every month, except September and June.
Our next sale of the year will take place
Thursday, March 2, from 2:30-4:00 pm.
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| St. Thomas More Collegiate |
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