Message from the Principal
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It took me a while to come out of a fog after viewing the opening slide during the Parents’ Association AGM on November 5th. In truth, it only had two pieces of fairly routine information. The title and the date. Of course, I was well aware of both items in advance but somehow seeing
November 5, 2018
magnified on the video wall in the Multi-Purpose Room had me a bit saucer-eyed and shaking my head (almost) in disbelief.
My initial thoughts were instantly ones of panic as the thousand and one things that remain undone and need to be dealt with by myself and our team here at STMC in the coming weeks and months. Thankfully that moment passed quickly for I stopped myself and began to take stock of what we
have
done since classes began on September 5, 2018. From here, my thoughts began to move onto the litany of amazing things that have transpired within our community since our Opening Assembly two months ago. The whirlwind pace of these couple months have witnessed countless ‘moments of magic’ in classrooms; rehearsals for our performing arts students as they prepare for their first series of public performances; numerous emerging masterpieces being created in our art studio, computer and robotics labs, and our woodwork shop. Then there are of course, the wins (and the occasional loss) on the court, the field, the track, and in the swimming pool.
As a faith and learning community I also began to reflect on our missions and campus ministry work – those things that continue to help ground us in our ultimate mission as a Blessed Edmund Rice Christian Brother school. The opportunity to mentally recalculate provided me with the opportunity to hit ‘pause’… just for a moment… and afforded me a chance to appreciate and reflect on what makes STMC an amazing place.
With that said, the pace of the next 7 weeks promises to be no less frenetic. Parent-Teacher Interviews, class work, university applications for our 12s, and First Term Report Cards will be interspersed with playoffs for many of our fall sports teams and the start of our winter basketball and wrestling seasons. At the same time, we will be preparing for our Music Knight, as well as the myriad of pre-Christmas events and festivities.
I am sure that when the calendar year comes to a close, thoughts of worry and panic will cross my mind again as another thousand and
two
more things remain unfinished on the to-do list, before realizing and putting into perspective all that we have achieved in these first few months.
Blessings,
Mr. Steve Garland
STMC Principal
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Message from the President
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Remember the old adage “you learn something new every day”. Being at a school, one realizes how true that is – not only for the students but for the staff too! Having an open mind to being a lifelong learner not only in one’s professional life but also in one’s personal life facilitates continued growth as a person. Think of all the things you have learned since you left formal schooling and not just with all the new technology invented in the past couple of decades but with all the information that is now available at your fingertips.
If we didn’t keep learning, we would be left behind. The same is true in our faith lives. As a Catholic community, we are called to learn about and live out our faith. There are many excellent online sources to help each of us develop a greater knowledge of particular aspects of our faith. Within the Archdiocese (https://rcav.org/adult-faith-formation/), many parishes and other organizations have a number of different offerings from short workshops and lectures to yearlong courses like bible study, Alpha for Catholics, ecumenism, catechesis etc. For more formal study, St. Mark’s College (
http://stmarkscollege.ca/
) offers adult continuing education as well as degree granting programs.
Let us now not be afraid to develop a closer relationship with Jesus Christ and, particularly, in these troubled times within the Church, to learn more about the true Catholic faith. We are the Church.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts … forever.
Mrs. Neysa M. Finnie
STMC President
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The Knights Annual Fund Campaign 2018-2019 has begun. You should be receiving a package in the mail this week with more information about the campaign. We kindly ask that you read through the information and learn more about where your gift to the fund will make an impact to our students and to our school.
This year’s Knights Annual Fund funding priorities include:
- Development of model classrooms
- Curricular program enrichment that relates to a language lab, the Exercise and Health Science Program and the phase 2 of the new Robotics Lab
- Upgrades to our library, teaching and learning resources
We greatly appreciate your time and your continued support of our school and our Knights.
Mr. Garland and Mrs. Finnie
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7:
Remembrance Day Mass and Service
8:
Parent Teacher Interviews, NO CLASSES
9:
Term Break, SCHOOL CLOSED
12:
Remembrance Day Holiday, SCHOOL CLOSED
16:
Missions: Jeans Day
24-25:
Knights Christmas Market
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REMEMBRANCE DAY MASS - Wed, Nov 7, 2018 @ 10:45 AM, STMC Gym
Celebrant: STMC Chaplain Father Thomas Smith
A short service and reception will be held following Mass for guests.
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A Word or Two from the Academic Counsellors
There are a number of Academic Counselling Events coming up in the month of November. Some are hosted by STMC but many are located off campus. Students have all been made aware of these events through announcements, emails and academic assemblies. However, parents are also very much encouraged to attend these events.
Mr. Bouwman & Mr. Spanjers
BCIT: BIG Info Session – Wednesday, November 14
4:30-7:30pm @ BCIT Burnaby Campus
Post-Secondary Institution Fair – Monday, November 19
6:45pm-8:30pm Location: STMC in various rooms
All Senior Students and their parents are invited!
Presentation #1:
6:45pm-6:55pm Mr. Bouwman in Cafeteria
Presentation #2:
7:00pm – 7:25pm
Presentation #3:
7:35pm – 8:00pm
Mini-Fair:
8:00pm – 8:30pm
There will be 16 institutes attending:
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1) BCIT
2) CAF-RMC (Military)
3) Capilano
4) Corpus Christi/St. Mark’s
(Campus of UBC)
5)Douglas College
6) Justice Institute of BC
7) Kwantlen Polytech University
8) Langara College
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9) Nicola Valley Institute of Technology
Vancouver/Merritt
10) SFU
11) Thompson Rivers (Kamloops)
12) Trinity Western (Langley)
13) University of Northern BC (Prince George)
14) University of Victoria
15) Vancouver Community College
16) Vancouver Island University
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OFF CAMPUS ACADEMIC EVENTS
University of Toronto information Centre
Vancouver Conference Center
Saturday, November 17
th
2-4pm
Capilano University: Explore CapU Info Night
Wed, November 28, 2018 5-8pm
SFU Surrey Program Fair
Wednesday, November 28 from 5:30 - 8 PM
,
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SCIENCES
It has been a busy month for extra-curricular science activities! Our junior and senior teams were selected for the
Kwantlen Science Challenge and have been busy preparing for the competition.
On October 16
th
, the
Astronomy Club
gathered on the school field to get detailed looks at the first quarter moon.
The next observing night is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, November 8
th, after Parent-Teacher Interviews (weather permitting). New members are always welcome.
The
Modern Physics Club started up in October and has laid out a plan to participate in some exciting opportunities over the next few months. The group will be touring TRIUMF (UBC’s cyclotron) later in the November and taking part in the Large Hadron Collider World Wide Data Day, where they will collaborate with scientists and students around the world to analyze data from CERN’s great facility.
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Our
Students on the Beamlines team continues to prepare their experiment as they wait for repairs to be completed at the Canadian Light Source. The group has been conducting Skype calls (including alumni Andrew Pires of Tesla) and meeting in person with scientists to get feedback and ideas on their synchrotron research idea.
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Several students attended workshops and seminars across the Lower Mainland this month. 10 students headed to SFU on the October 19
th Pro-D Day to attend the Discover Physics Workshop.
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Grade 12 students Ethan Rajkumar and Yousef Mian are attending BC Children’s Hospital’s Mini-Med School program.
A message From Ethan & Yousef:
We have had the privilege of attending the B.C. Children’s Hospital’s Mini-Med School. This unique opportunity allows high school students to partake in lectures and demonstrations, which speak to the latest in clinical research and biomedical education.
Presently, we have discussed Retinopathy of Prematurity, the Paradox of Infant Mortality Curves and the manner in which both HIV and HPV can be treated. We took particular interest in the discussion regarding the importance of vaccines. We are grateful for having the opportunity to investigate modern medical research in an academic setting, and hope that we will be able to do so in future endeavours.
-Yousef Mian, Ethan Rajkumar.
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Grade 10 students Chayce Hughes & Matthew Mrjzlak attended the Gairdner High School Symposium hosted by BC Children’s Hospital.
From Matt:
T
he Gairdner Symposium was an inspiring experience for my friend, Chayce Hughes, and me. In science class, we’re always learning about different concepts and how they’re applied in the world. However, we rarely have an opportunity to meet people who put these concepts into real use. At the Gairdner Symposium, we met two scientists who accomplished great things, but faced many struggles along the way.
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Dr. Azim Surani grew up in a developing country and a segregated community. Dr. Christopher Murray was not only fired from the World Health Organization due to pressure from the Brazilian president, but also had his research funding cut unexpectedly. However, neither gave up and through hard work and dedication, both made revolutionary breakthroughs. Dr. Surani published a study demonstrating the concept of genomic imprinting, which created an emerging field of study called epigenetics; Dr. Murray co-founded the Global Burden of Disease study, which has resulted in policy changes and improvements in the health systems of countries globally.
I believe this is what all of us at STMC are called to do. We may not all become doctors or scientists, but in pursuing excellence in all aspects of the Knight’s Compass and through perseverance, we can be well equipped to make our own mark in the world. A video recording of the 2018 Gairdner Symposium will soon be posted online and I encourage everyone to watch it and be inspired by the lives of these two Gairdner Award Laureates. God Bless.
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MATHEMATICS
The STMC Math Club is competing in the Math Madness online competition with schools all around the world. Last week on Halloween day, the club competed against Hangzhou International School in Hangzhou, China. This week, the club faces Saint Maur International School in Japan!
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VALUE PROJECT SUMMIT
Five students were given the incredible opportunity to attend the 2018 Value Project Summit at Zajac Ranch in October, and are bringing back many exciting ideas to implement in the school. The Value Project STMC is an initiative by students for students to help them realise that they, and those around them, have value.
This year’s Value Week runs from November 13-16 and has many interactive and creative ways to ask thought provoking questions, as well as get students talking about tough subjects. Each day focuses on a different feature at a different location. Some of these locations would be the cafeteria, foyer, multi-purpose room, and stairs. There will be a special event November 13 in the foyer for the kickoff! Keep an eye out for the camera crews who will be filming student interviews!
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STUDENT HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH
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We'd love to hear about all the wonderful and exciting things
in which our Knights are engaged
! If you have something you would like to share on our social media feeds or in the monthly newsletter send an email to
communications@stmc.bc.ca
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St Thomas More Collegiate is hosting a two day Basketball Camp designed to introduce players to the fundamentals of shooting in a fun and competitive atmosphere. It is open to boys and girls currently in grades 3-7. Dates are January 2nd and 3rd, 2019 from 9am until noon.
To download form click
here
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Congratulations to the STMC Swim Team! The Knights came fourth
fourth overall at the Zone Swimming Championships, fourth in Womens and third in Mens overall.
3 of the boys events and 2 of the girls are moving onto the provincials.
A solid effort on all ends!
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The Varisty Knights football team had an amazing regular season, winning 6 of 7 games. Last month the STMC was ranked 4th and is now ranked 2nd in the conference heading into playoffs, which begins this Friday November 9th at 3:00 PM.
On top of that, several Knights were recognized for their excellent play this season:
Eastern Conf. All-Stars:
- Michael Simone – Receiver
- Vasco Repole – Receiver
- Cross Peloso – O-line
- Daniel Auld – Linebacker
- Rickey Parsons – DB
- Kaishaun Carter – Eastern conference Grade 11 player of the year.
- Dario Ciccone – Eastern conference Offensive MVP
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A huge congratulations goes out to the Varsity Volleyball team for winning the BC Catholics Championship! The Knights were undefeated in pool play and faced Archbishop Carney in the quarterfinal. In the semi-final, the Knights faced a tough Notre Dame Juggler squad; the match went to three sets but they were able to pull out the win. The final was a rematch from last year as they faced the LFA Angels.
The crowd was treated to a nail-biting final as both teams hit shots, had huge blocks and spectacular digs. Our Knights took the first set comfortably, but were unable to capture the win in the second. The third went back and forth and as it got closer to the end, the game could have gone either way but the Knights were able to grind out the win taking the third 16-14.
Francesca Sandini, our starting libero, earned a Tournament All-Star nod, while Sienna Mastromonaco, our captain, was named the Tournament's Most Valuable Player. Congrats to the rest of the Varsity Knights: Lauren Boddington, Mia Malinowski, Arianna Figueroa, Bella Gaspar, Gigi Gaspar, Maxine King, Alex Tarazi, Kaya Crescenzo, Ezawa Malish and Sophie Sutherland! The team hopes to continue this momentum into the latter half of the season as they host Lower Mainlands and the BC AA Provincials! Go Knights!
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The Knights Christmas Market
The Knights Christmas Market planning committee and the PA are working hard to ensure the 30th annual Knights Christmas Market on November 24/25 is a huge success.
The market is host to over 100 vendors, raffle, 50/50, used book sale, food, entertainment and lot of holiday cheer.
The foundation of this event is the involvement and contribution of over 300 parent and student volunteer hours to support the market.
Please use the links below to sign up for a volunteer role at the KCM.
It is a great opportunity to make a contribution of your time to the school, get to know other parents/students and enjoy the Christmas spirit.
Please sign-up here if you've got some lawn space and are able to put up a Knights Christmas Market advertising sign--we'd especially love to get homes located within high-traffic, highly-visible areas in our surrounding communities:
Signs will be ready for pick-up just outside the front office.
Please also pick up a few of our KCM posters and flyers from the front office, then post them up at your workplace, your favourite coffee shop or nearby community centre--help us to get the word out there for this wonderful event!
For more information, please visit our website:
Thank you for all the support,
The Knights Christmas Market Planning Committee
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Book Fair
The
Book Fair is a very popular spot at the Knights Christmas Market, so we'd like to collect your quality book donations now.
Customer favourites include: Fiction & Non-Fiction Novels, Cookbooks and Children's Books, as well as books on Spirituality, Biography, Sports, Music, Home Repair and Arts & Crafts.
Please
do not donate any text books, encyclopedia sets or magazines as these items typically do not sell and we'd be forced to discard them.
Your book donations may be dropped off in the large white bins located in front of the main office.
Should you have a larger donation to make or have any questions, please send us an email with "Book Drive" in the subject line:
parentassociation.stmc@gmail.com
Thank you for your generosity!
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Knight Club Uniform Store
Now that the summer uniform is out, it’s time to stock up on warmer clothing! In addition to knit cardigans and pullovers, don’t forget our ever-popular rugby shirts! We currently have all sizes in stock, so don’t delay! Come to our next sale or leave an order form in our mailbox.
Just a reminder that
Knight Club uniform sales are held after school on the first Thursday of every month
. Our next sales dates will be on
December 6th and January 10th
.
If you’d like to skip the lineup, feel free to
pre-order your purchase at any time.
Just fill out an order form and drop it off (along with your payment or credit card information) in the Knight Club mailbox. We will fill your order and have your student paged at the end of the school day on our next store date for pick up! Order forms are available in the front office, in the tray just below our mailbox or by clicking on:
Knight Club Order Form
.
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PA Volunteer Opportunities
NEW & Coming Up This Soon!
Used Uniforms Sale & Uniform Donations Drive
On the same day as Parent-Teacher Interviews, there will be a Used Uniforms Sale and Donations Drive
from
10am-4pm and 5-8pm on November 8th
in the main entrance foyer.
We are especially in need of ladies wear, kilts, golf shirts and gym shorts.
If you have any used uniforms to donate during the school year, please drop them off at the front office during school hours or at any of our sales. If you're interested in helping out with the used uniforms program, please send Laurie an email at:
knightclub@stmc.bc.ca
STMC Tree Lighting Ceremony
On
Wednesday, November 14th & Thursday, November 22nd, we will need a number of parent volunteers to assist us with the first annual STMC Tree Lighting Ceremony taking place in the school courtyard.
Are you a seasoned Christmas light stringer or have the barista skills needed to prepare the perfect cups of warm apple cider and hot chocolate?
Coming Up in Early December
Looking ahead now to the upcoming holiday season, the
STMC CHRISTMAS MUSIC KNIGHT will take place on
Monday, December 3rd and will feature our talented school bands and choirs. Please mark your calendars and sign-up here to volunteer for this event:
https://www.volunteersignup.org/W7MPC
Become An Active Member on the Parents Association Team!
The search is on for A FEW GOOD MEN AND WOMEN to step into these roles on the PA:
- PA COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
- PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS: New Team Leader(s), starting September 2019
- KNIGHTS CHRISTMAS MARKET: New Chairperson(s) or Planning Committee Members for 2019
Would you like to find out more about what these roles entail, shadow the parents currently taking charge, or see how else you can offer your help?
Attend the PA's AGM (Annual General Meeting) tonight November 5th starting at 7pm in the school cafeteria, check out the "Parents Association" tab on the new school website or send an email to:
pavolunteers@stmc.bc.ca for more information.
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Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots
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Dr. Jane Goodall Meeting
Members of our St. Thomas More Blessed Edmund Rice Team had an exciting opportunity to meet and greet with world-renowned conservationist and primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall. Dr. Goodall was visiting Simon Fraser University to receive an honorary degree and offered to meet with our students who initiated a Roots and Shoots program at STMC. The Roots & Shoots program is a youth service that fosters respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs, and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for people, other animals, and the environments program. In a private room, Dr. Goodall heard a presentation from our students and offer some words of wisdom.
Former Burnaby mayor - Derek Corrigan said of Roots and Shoots:
“In establishing the first “Roots and Shoots” program in the City of Burnaby, an initiative that can now be found in nearly 100 countries around the world, the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada helps to empower young people to come together in ways that help build a healthy environment, protect and nurture animals, and build a better community for us all. Dr. Jane Goodall's work to break down barriers in both science and society while forging a path for young women has become an enduring legacy that we are all fortunate for. The young students involved in the “Roots and Shoots” program I think have now gained a greater appreciation for all the efforts of those of who have come before them and the dedication required to make a difference in the world.
”
Our Knights were very honoured for anyone to have met with Dr. Jane Goodall.
"Dr. Jane Goodall is one of the most admirable women I have ever met, from her complete devotion to improving the world, to her absolute compassion for animals, this was an experience I will never forget."
- Isabella Laing, Grade 10
"I am so thankful to have had incredible learning process. Planning the project, grant application, and doing our own research, as well as hearing from someone who could share first hand experiences of making change was a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget. It was tremendously inspiring to see a woman so widely regarded for her scientific advances and hearing about how hard she worked to learn everything she did and how much she enjoyed doing it.”
- Logan Stimson, Grade 10
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