Spartan Speak NewsletterLorne Park Secondary School - 1324 Lorne Park Road – Mississauga ON L5H 3B1 - 905-

278-6177Website: lpspartans.ca - Facebook: Lorne Park Secondary - Twitter: @Lorne Park

NewsFebruary 2015

Principal's Message

Second semester has started and students here at Lorne Park are settling into new classes.

In the next week not only will students be settling in to new classes with new teachers and new sets of class mates, but you also be receiving the semester one final report card (February 5th).

This is certainly a time of a lot of change and information flow from the school to the home and I would encourage you, that should you have any questions that you take the opportunity to contact the school to get the information you need.

Proactive informed parents are one of the best supports that a student can have. Keeping regular contact with teachers and the school, keeps you informed so that you can assist your child navigate the classes that they face.

I would also encourage parents to keep a regular eye on the school web site. We try to post as much information as we can regarding upcoming events relevant to your child’s educational experience, and the achievements of our students in the academics, arts and sports as we can. The use of the automated phone messaging capability that we call Synervoice is also used to get messages out to families.

With changes in Federal legislation we can only make information calls (and an associated email in most cases), to parents when they have given us written consent to do so. This does not include calls home regarding attendance. If you have not been receiving the information calls (we average about two a month) we may not have your consent on file. Please call the school if you want to receive these calls, to get the consent form and return it to the office.

The start of second semester signals a fresh start for many students. If you concerns regarding attendance, we need to be working together to support our students making the right decision. You can keep yourself informed through the Synervoice attendance calls home that are made daily if a student is absent from class. If you are receiving these calls, please follow up with your child and the school to get to the bottom of what is happening. Repeated calls indicate that there is a problem that needs both the parent and the school to engage in. Parents can also sign up for Parent Web, an on line ability for parents to see their child’s attendance and monitor their credit accumulation. If you have any questions regarding these processes please call the school.

I want to bring you up to date on some of the changes that we have taking place at the school. We have moved many of the photos of previous graduating classes from the Library and have replaced them with displays of student art in the Library. The photos of the graduating classes now decorate the hallways outside the Library.

Our main stage is being completely renovated with new back and side curtains, a refinished floor and the entire stage area painted. We will have a top class performance facility once the work is complete.

With the start of second semester I want to re-emphasize the need for communication. I am working with our staff to encourage them to have regular contact home especially when there is an concern with student progress. I again encourage you to call your child’s teacher or the school if you have questions or need more information.

Peter Hill

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UPCOMING EVENTS AT LPSS

Feb. 16th Family Day Holiday

Feb. 19th Early Release Day – classes endat 11:00 am

March 5th Awards Assembly

March 12th Early Progress Reports go home

March 16 -20 March Break

March 26th EQAO Literacy TestEarly Release Day

March 26th Parent/Teacher Interview night

April 3rd Good Friday Holiday

April 6th Easter Monday Holiday

April 13-24 Education Week

April 15- 17 Spring Play

May 16th Mid-term reports go home

FROM SCHOOL COUNCILYour School Council Representatives:

Parent Representatives:

Co-Chairs: Alberto Calva Rose Piacentino

Secretary: Anita Campo

Treasurer: Shabana Ullah

Member: Elaine Bonin

Principal: Peter HillTeacher Rep.: Peter LougheedSupport Staff Rep: Catherine MeadenStudent Reps: Ben Stewart & Lauren DeSouza

Council met on October 7th, November 4th, December 2nd and February 3rd. Monthly meetings will continue to be held on the first Tuesday of each month. Meetings commence at 7 pm sharp in the Library of LPSS. Everyone is welcome!

Our next meeting will be on Tues. March 3rd.Meetings include reports from the Principal, Student Council, previous business and new business. There is also time allocated for questions from parents in attendance or communications sent to the school for School Council attention. The meeting minutes will be posted on the school’s website: lpspartans.ca

Course Selection for 2015-2016: The course selection process has come to a close for another year. Many students chose courses for next year

without the benefit of taking its prerequisite in semester one. If, as a

Counsellor's Corner

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result of taking a semester two course, a student wishes to alter next year's program, the student must make an appointment to see their Guidance Counsellor before June 1. There will be no 'change of mind' course changes done in September. All students are encouraged to see their counsellor prior to June 1 if they have any questions or concerns about their program for next year.

Automated wait lists are in place with the Peel Board. Students will be automatically placed on wait lists, according to the date they completed their course selections, for any oversubscribed courses. Students requesting program changes prior to June 1 will, if necessary, be placed on wait lists according to the date they were entered into the system by the counselor. It is therefore important that students return Course Change Request forms with parent signatures as soon as possible.

College Application Update: The deadline for applying online was Feb. 1st. Applications received after this date may still be considered. Students are encouraged to apply if they have not yet done so. Students applying to college are able to select a maximum of 5 programs. Students can apply to both college and university.

University Application Update : The deadline for applying on-line to the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre was January 14th. Applications received after this date may still be considered by the OUAC and distributed to the universities, however, specific deadlines will apply.

The recommended last date for university bound students to make any changes to their choice of universities/programs was February 3rd. Students planning to make a

change after the February 3rd deadline are advised to call Admissions first. Students are reminded to go to the “Review and Change Your Application” at www.ouac.on.c a /101/ to make any changes to university selections or program choices and to view their academic data for accuracy. Any academic errors or omissions must be reported to Counselling immediately.

Our school board will transmit final marks for first semester and the courses in which students are registered for semester two on Feb. 9th to both the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre and the Ontario Colleges’ Application Centre. Students should plan to check their academic record and report any discrepancies to their Guidance Counsellor.

Students must be responsible for returning supplemental forms and other documents requested by their post-secondary institutions (including students applying out-of-province).

Potential Graduates : All grade 12 students planning to graduate need to confirm that all diploma requirements will be completed by the end of the school year, including the Literacy Test and the 40 hours of Community Service.

Students planning to graduate at the Commencement Exercises in June are asked to submit their 40 Hours of Volunteer Service by Tuesday, June 16, 2015.

Bulletin boards outside Counselling:Students are reminded to check the bulletin boards for information on scholarships, volunteer opportunities and summer job posting.

Summer school information becomes available in the Guidance Office mid to late April. Registration timelines will be available at that time. Automated Wait Lists: If classes are full students will be put on wait lists according to the date they register for summer school. If you think you may need to attend summer school it is better to apply in May than to wait until June and be disappointed when classes are

Co-Op Education3

Congratulations to the Cooperative Education students who successfully completed their 15th and final week at their work placements. Co-op students are given the opportunity to explore a career while earning credits, but more importantly they have the chance to enhance their employability skills and gain greater confidence in making career choices for the future.

Many of our first semester students were interested in exploring careers in the TRADES this term. Students were placed as assistants to mechanics, carpenters, welders, and in construction. Over 10 students signed up for their OYAP apprenticeship program in order to continue to acquire hours for their certification in the trades.

We are very excited about the start-up of the SHSM CO-OP next semester and the new opportunities in the local sports sector. In areas such as sports marketing, sports medicine, sports equipment sales, sports medicine, physiotherapy, personal fitness and many others.

The Cooperative Education Program at Lorne Park could not be possible without the participation and commitment of our local business community. Once again we thank those businesses and institutions that worked with us this past semester:

Carmen’s Auto Clarkson Sports Therapy Computer Support Experts H Do-All Carpentry Detailed Works Euro Touch Icon Kitchens Michael’s Health and Beauty Rankin’s Auto One Health Club Riverside Public Mississauga Auto Stonegate Metal Fabricating The YMCA Whiteoaks Public

If you have any questions about the Co-op Program at Lorne Park, please drop by the Guidance and Career Education office or telephone Ms. Edmonds at (905) 278-6177 ext.415. (or) check the Lorne Park website.

MUSIC NOTES

Grade 8 Parents’ NightThis past fall, Lorne Park hosted the annual Grade 8 Parents’ Night, an information night for parents of students planning to attend LP in their grade 9 year. The Senior Jazz Ensemble caught

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the audience’s attention with exciting performances. Congratulations to Senior Jazz for your excellent work representing Lorne Park, and to the Music Exec for your knowledgeable assistance with parent questions.

Vocal Music ConcertThe vocal music class presented their class concert "All That Jazzmatazz" on Thurs. Nov. 27.  All repertoire was jazz, including swing, blues, a cappella, and Latin.  The singers put on an energetic and entertaining show, and raised over $500 for the Canadian Mental Health Association.  Well done!

Honour EnsemblesOn Sat. Nov. 22, over 750 Peel music students auditioned to be in one of the Peel Honour ensembles, including several representing Lorne Park.  Representing Lorne Park in the Senior Honour Band are: Grace Johnston, Hee Jin Kim, Matthew Choi, Amna Adnan, Troy Su and Mark Sinclair. Successfully auditioning for the Senior Honour Choir were Sherry Cheng, Katy Scott, Samuel Gratton, Benjamin Coelho, and Cooper Harasyn.  These students will be rehearsing over the coming months in preparation for their concert on "Music Monday" - May 4th at the Living Arts Centre.  Congratulations on this achievement!

Winter Music NightAfter a snow cancellation, the music department was able to present the annual winter music night on Tues. Dec. 16, with all school music ensembles performing.  Some highlights included the vocal class combined with the Spartan Singers performing "And All That Jazz" from the musical Chicago, the Senior Wind Ensemble’s rousing performance of “Puszta-Four Gipsy Dances”, the Ritz Singers' rendition of rock anthem "Bohemian Rhapsody," Junior Band’s opening showstopper “Superheroes R Us”, Senior Jazz Ensemble’s fun version of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and the Spartan Singers' "Something Latin," complete with salsa dancing and a special performance by Mr. R. Perrault on trumpet. Thank you to all who attended and a special thank you to the Music Exec for your organization, and to our MC, Mr. Lougheed for a wonderful hosting job!

Instrumental Music ClinicsThe students from Senior Band and Senior Wind Ensemble were treated to clinics with esteemed conductor and adjudicator Colin Clarke on February 4th. The clinics are part of the preparation for the upcoming performances at the Musicfest Ontario in Hamilton. Mr. Clarke is the conductor of the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra, and he is a well-respected adjudicator and clinician for Musicfest Canada. Students in AMI 1O0, and AMG 3O0/4M0 were on hand to observe the clinics.

MusicfestOn Wednesday, February 18th, the Senior Concert Band, Senior Wind Ensemble, Senior Jazz Ensemble and Junior Jazz Ensemble will be travelling to Hamilton, Ontario to perform at Musicfest Ontario. At the festival, the students will perform for three adjudicators, who will assess their performance and provide a clinic with each group. Please note that students will be at the festival all day, from 7:30 a.m. (yes, very early!) to approximately 5:00 p.m. Permission forms will be available soon. Parents are welcome to attend the festivals to hear their children perform! 

Fundraising and Spring TripThe Music Exec has been working to develop fundraisers to raise money towards a spring trip. We had planned a trip to Boston that unfortunately under-sold and had to be cancelled, but we are working on planning another trip, plus some fundraising ideas to help support students going on the trip. We will announce the details in the second semester as soon as we are able. Thank you for your continued support of Lorne Park Music!

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Ms. Ford would like to say thank you to all of the singers who gave of their time and talent this semester.  Next semester she will be on leave.  We are working on finding a staff sponsor for the Spartan Singers to continue in semester two and in the fall.  Singers are encouraged to check out some of the fantastic community groups, including the Mississauga Children's Choir.  Please go to their website for more information on auditions.  Everyone at LP wishes Ms. Ford well during her leave.

MODERNS/EXTENDED FRENCH DEPARTMENT

French Language and Culture Advanced Placement at LPSSSenior French language students are currently preparing to challenge themselves by writing the standardized French Language and Culture Advanced Placement examination in May 2015. The AP students will be examined on French communication, written competency, reading comprehension, multiple-choice responses as well as free-response sections. Themes related to French Advanced Placement are similar to those that are studied in grades 11 and 12 Extended French. Namely,

Quête de soi Esthétique Science et Technologie Famille et Communauté Vie contemporaine Défis mondiaux.

Interested students are invited to join us to meet to study and prepare on Wednesdays at lunch in room 135. Please see Mme McGregor if you have any questions about AP French at LPSS.

Phys. Ed./Athletics/SHSM

From Phys.-Ed:We had a great first semester! The Fall Leadership class organized an amazing Fun Run which had more than 100 runners from our fitness classes. Jungle Sport indoor rock climbing was a hit and saw the grade 9s hanging from ropes and scaling walls to the ceiling. Self Defense with Master Mignon taught students how to prepare for the unexpected. Fitness testing results from all our classes showed that almost 100% of Phys. Ed. students improved their overall fitness! Looking ahead to Semester 2, new Phys. Ed students will need an LP shirt. Also, the Ski Trip to Mount St. Louis Moonstone is on February 19th, 2015 for any students who are in a Phys. Ed. Course this year.

From Athletics:Upcoming Sports:Pay attention to announcements for TRY-OUT information for the following Spring Sports:Senior Co-Ed Badminton, Boys Cricket, Jr./Sr. Boys Rugby, Jr. Girls Rugby, Varsity Boys Baseball, Jr./Sr. Girls Lacrosse, Girls Fast Pitch, Co-Ed Ultimate Frisbee, Jr. /Sr. Boys Soccer, Sr. Girls Varsity Soccer, and Co-Ed Track and Field.All athletes get an Athletics Shirt and an Athletic Banquet Ticket with their team costs.

Swimming

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Ropssaa Swimming is on Wednesday February 11th at the Etobicoke Olympium. Students, family, fans and friends can follow the results of the swim meet in real time by downloading the Meet Mobile Swim Meet App. For all Ropssaa swimmers, the bus will depart from the back parking lot at 6:30am and the estimated time of return to LPSS is 4pm. Please regularly check the Ofssa website for Ofsaa swim qualifying times. OFSAA Swimming 2015 is on March 3-4, at the Etobicoke Olympium. Follow @OFSAAswimming on Twitter for all the latest news. Good Luck to all swimmers!

From SHSM Sports:

Thank you to all the Grade 10 applicants for SHSM SPORTS. Interviews will be conducted in the second week of February. Students will be notified through their home room. Current SHSM students should check the MyClass site for important updates and upcoming meetings, trips, and certifications.

February 12th- period 3- Meeting for all current SHSM students in the lecture hall March 9: Career Forum at the Brampton Beast and Game (free to all SHSM

Students, open to all students) Upcoming Certifications: Groove Dance with Fit2Dance, NCCP Coaching Theory,

Sports Taping, TRX FacilitationDon’t forget to contact Ms. Edmonds in the Co-Op department in Guidance to finalize your Co-Op plans.

Lorne Park Model UN Club

Members of the LP Model UN club will be participating in the Philadelphia Model UN 2015 conference from Wednesday February 25th – Sunday March 1st. LPSS students will be debating world issues with delegates from Canada, Mexico, Ghana, Ukraine and Kuwait. Students will be discussing issues such as the Forum on International Oil Trade, Access to Healthcare in Conflict Zones, Treatment of Activists, Women’s Involvement in Peace building and Security as well as Migrant Worker’s Rights and Education. Prior to the conference there will be Committee Simulation sessions for all delegates at LPSS in room 162.

SAC

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The Student Activity Council was hard at work this first semester. The Exec and General Council have been trying their very best to infuse some fun into everyone's often demanding school life. Have an idea, or a suggestion? Don't hesitate to connect with any of us; we aim to please!SAC ran events virtually every month, and, with second semester knocking, our job is far from over. In case you were wondering what you've missed, it would be our pleasure to get you caught up. In September, the Terry Fox Run took place and our school raised a little under 5000 dollars. The last time this much was donated was 5 years ago, so we are tremendously grateful for students' and parents' generosity. SAC did try to emphasize the fundraising aspect this year, by inviting each homeroom to raise the equivalent of a toonie per person... and it seems to have worked! We also introduced a new race – a relay race between students representing the top 5 fundraising classes. Seeing these young athletes – because that's what they became when they stepped onto the field – in their commemorative Terry Fox shirts, was not only entertaining, but also a reminder of the iconic run and the young Canadian's accomplishments. Until next year, Terry! In October, the mood was considerably more playful, with an abundance of costumes popping up for Halloween. SAC tried to keep it fresh yet again, introducing a pumpkin cleaning competition and a mummifying competition, on top of the staple costume catwalk. November saw LP's first (in recent memory) school-wide Movember awareness campaign. SAC Exec may have approached you about posing with a moustache; we hope you showed your support! And finally, December ... yes, there were pictures with Santa and ugly sweaters .. and who can forget the Holiday Assembly!? Full of original skits, and seasonal song and dance, it was a great way to begin the winter break.

Curious to see if SAC has captured your photo during one of our events so far? Check the SAC display case across from the main office .. it'll be easy to spot, it's the one with all the pictures – an oversized album, shall we say. And follow us on Twitter @LorneParkSAC

SCHOOL NEWSPAPER

Two students, Skyler Ash and Hunza Chaudry have been working hard to create a school newspaper. Here is the link to it: http://lornepark.wix.com/spartanspectator .

COUNTING ON YOU

Looking ahead…Second Semester Math and French Academic extra help club at LPSS.

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Students who would like academic support in Math and in any Extended French course are invited to attend Counting On You. Counting On You French literacy help will take place in room 203 on Mondays and Wednesdays afterschool. Math help will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays afterschool. The second semester academic help club will begin on Monday February 23rd and run until Monday June 15th. The registration is included in this Spartan Speak newsletter. Interested students should submit the registration form to Mme McGregor or, for a registration form, see Mme McGregor in room 203.

A registration form is on the next page. Thank you.

COUNTING ON YOU REGISTRATION FORM

REGISTRATION LETTER FOR LPSS ACADEMIC HELP CLUBTo: Grade 9 & 10 parents:

Lorne Park Secondary School has implemented an innovative program for our Grade 9 & 10 students designed to improve student learning and to provide students with the necessary skills that will ensure future academic successes. This program will run outside of regular school hours from 2:35-4:05 p.m. The program will run on Mondays and/or Tuesdays and Wednesdays for French literacy and on Tuesdays and Thursdays for Math numeracy support. The program will start on Monday February 23 rd and continue until June 16th 2015.

Students who would like support to meet their academic potential are recommended for this program. In this program students will receive small group, intensive support through tasks that will target and develop their skills. Students will also learn key strategies to improve their critical thinking skills – skills that can be used in all subject areas.

The expectations of the Provincial curriculum are demanding and can be overwhelming for students. For this reason, some students can benefit from a small, alternative learning environment; a setting that can provide them with an extra boost in obtaining essential literacy and/or numeracy skills. It is an expectation that students who enroll in this program attend all Counting On You classes. Should your child miss a class, a note from a parent must be provided to the teacher of the program upon the student’s return.

Through active participation and commitment to the program, we at Lorne Park Secondary School feel that this opportunity will make a difference in students’ academic career and attitude toward learning. If you wish to enroll your son/daughter in the program, please return the bottom portion of this letter to Mme McGregor (room 203) or to the main office at the school.

Sincerely,

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Mme McGregorK. McGregor Counting On You Lead Teacher

(Please return to Main office or to Mme McGregor

as soon as possible )

_____________________________ (Name of Student) is committed to attending all sessions of the Counting On You program. Please indicate your program of interest.

____________________ Mathematics _______________________ French literacy

Parent/Guardian Signature: Date:

Student Signature: Student Number:

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION OF PEEL REGION (STOPR) BUS CANCELLATIONS/SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO BAD WEATHER

2014 – 2015 SCHOOL YEARDuring the winter months inclement weather may cause disruption of bus transportation and regular school operations. A decision to cancel school transportation and/or to close schools is usually made by 6:00 a.m. and will be announced on the following radio and television stations:

VIRGIN RADIOFM99.9 CHUM AM1050 CFTR AM680CFNY FM102.1/AM640 CJCL AM590 CHFI FM98.1CFRB AM1010 EZ ROCK FM97.3 CJBC (FR) AM860FM Z103.5 FM93.1 FM Q107CHIN FM100.7/AM1540 CBC99.1 CITYPULSEGLOBAL NEWS CTV CANADA AM

We will be communicating one of six standard messages to the radio stations. The six announcements and their effect on the transportation system are as follows: (Please note that the highlighted text only will be communicated by the radio stations).

1. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES SERVING ST. ANDREW, ST. BENEDICT AND ST. PETER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND R.F. HALL SECONDARY SCHOOL ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”

2. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.

This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the Town of Caledon are cancelled for the entire day.

3. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE TOWN OF CALEDON AND THE COUNTY OF DUFFERIN ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY”.

This means that all runs listed under announcements #l and #2 are cancelled. Individual schools will be notified if this cancellation affects their school.

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4. “THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES IN THE CITY OF MISSISSAUGA ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”

This means that ALL buses which operate into, out of, and within the City of Mississauga are cancelled for the entire day.

5. “ALL DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD BUSES ARE CANCELLED FOR TODAY.”

This means that ALL transportation services provided by the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the Peel District School Board, including buses, vans and taxis have been cancelled for the entire day.

6. “ALL BUSES ARE CANCELLED AND THE SCHOOLS AND OFFICES OF BOTH THE DUFFERIN-PEEL CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD AND THE PEEL DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD ARE CLOSED”.

This means that ALL Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Peel District School board schools and offices are closed to all students and staff.

Note: For Secondary School students Riding Public Transit, cancellation of service will be communicated by the respective transit property over the radio. Please be advised that Public Transit rarely cancels and that the level of service on days with inclement weather is unpredictable.

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Social media is the easiest and fastest way to stay connected to the amazing things happening in the Peel District School Board.

Follow @Peelschools on Twitter to: learn about our schools and programs find out if buses are cancelled

during bad weather share the Peel smile

Follow @Peelschools on Instagram where we share

motivational and inspirational #PeelProud moments.

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