STS Express · and technology is the great accelerator.” (Fullan and Quinn, 2018) Additionally, we will continue to focus on and develop the six C’s of global competencies: “character,

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STS EXPRESS – Weekly Newsletter Page | 1

SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

STS Express

Weekly Newsletter

CONTENTS

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL ........................................................................ 4 GOVERNOR GENERAL’S ACADEMIC MEDAL RECIPIENT ANNOUNCED ........................................................ 6

IMPORTANT DATES ........................................................................................................... 7 SEPTEMBER .................................................................................................................................................. 7

SCHOOL CALENDARS .................................................................................................................................... 7

UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS .......................................................... 8 ORANGE SHIRT DAY – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 ........................................................................................ 8

RSVP TO YOUR GRADE SOCIAL(S) ................................................................................................................ 9

FULL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS ................................................................................ 10 LOVE OF READING 2019 ............................................................................................................................. 10

WELCOME FROM THE PETER B. DITCHBURN LIBRARY TEAM .................................................................... 10

Accessing Library Resources online ....................................................................................................... 10

Lost, damaged or overdue material ....................................................................................................... 11

MANAGEBAC – OUR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ......................................................................... 11

PERMISSION CLICK Q & A ........................................................................................................................... 11

TWEEDS AND MORE IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS ................................................................................. 12

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ................................................................................................................................ 12

Middle School Cross Country Race – Tuesday, September 24 .............................................................. 13

Middle and Senior School Cross Country – “Foothills Meet” (Divisionals) – Wednesday, October 3 ... 13

Middle and Senior School Cross Country – South Central Zones – Tuesday, October 8 ....................... 13

Elementary School Cross-Country Run – Thursday, October 3 ............................................................. 14

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS .................................................................. 15 NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PHONE NUMBER ................................................................... 15

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN IN THE PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME (PYP) .... 15

MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS .................................................... 16

UNIVERSITY PLANNING ................................................................................................. 16 ON-GOING UNIVERSITY PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES ................................................................................ 16

APPOINTMENT REQUESTS ......................................................................................................................... 17

UNIVERSITY COUNSELLING OFFICE ............................................................................................................ 17

UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVES VISITING STS ............................................................................................ 17

OUT OF PROVINCE UNIVERSITIES FAIR ...................................................................................................... 18

2019-2020 UNIVERSITY PLANNING PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS ........................................................ 18

UNIVERSITY PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY ................................................................ 19

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2019-2020 UNIVERSITY TOURS .................................................................................................................. 19

REFERENCE INFORMATION ........................................................................................................................ 19

GENERAL APPLICATION TIMELINE ............................................................................................................. 20

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON CAMPUS ............................................................................... 22 TERRY FOX FUNDRAISING – WE LOVE THE SUPPORT! ............................................................................... 22

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MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Happy weekend! Fall, one of my favourite times of year, is surely upon us. It has been an

incredible start to the year. My phone has lit up with photos of our students in the

mountains enjoying beautiful hikes and fall colours on various outdoor education trips.

The images capture a beautiful visual of the power of legacy, community and seasons!

I said to a group of parents last week that I truly fell in love with STS standing on the start

line at the Terry Fox Run a year ago and this year, starting it for the second time, I was

joyfully mugged and hugged by a group of young Elementary students. How nice to be

a year into my work and know names and faces and truly feel like I belong. I was in good

company in my Luigi gear, and the smiling faces both at the start of the race and at the

end, were a testament to our students’ character. The grit, determination, comradery

and fitness of runners young and old was inspiring. Terry Fox has long been a hero of mine

and his story and journey have been a touchstone in my life. His ability to inspire a nation

is clear evidence of the power of the individual and his spirit was definitely there on the

STS course!

This weekend is our Annual Homecoming, Family Fall Fair, and Open House weekend. I

hope you will consider dropping by with your family to enjoy food, one-of-a-kind vendors,

celebrations, our beautiful campus, good company, and some laughs. I look forward to

spending time with my family and connecting with yours on Saturday. A big thank you to

everyone who is involved in making these special events come to life!

I had the true pleasure of spending time at a luncheon with some of our founding families

at the Calgary Golf and Country Club earlier this week. We had the opportunity to share

stories and celebrate the 90th Anniversary of Strathcona School for Boys and the 60th

Anniversary of Tweedsmuir: An Academic School for Girls. It was a memorable occasion

made extra special by the honoured guests in attendance.

Students are able to bring their passions to life at STS. You will see information in this STS

Express about the Love of Reading initiative started by STS lifer and alumna, Jyoti Ruparell

’18 and her family. This is the tenth year that STS has participated and it is wonderful to

see the program grow with student leaders taking ownership for the program.

Collaborating with Indigo, students have raised money to put books into schools who do

not have the resources to purchase these items. Thank you for considering to support this

important initiative that will continue until October 6.

In response to some themes that have emerged from our conversations, our planning,

and the survey work completed by Kevin Graham and Lookout Management, I am

pleased to share what I call big rocks! Big rocks to me are those foundational principles

that provide stability and anchor us in our decisions. The rapidity of change in our world is

unparalleled and we can succumb to fleeting trends, quick fixes, and bad decisions if we

don’t start from a place of understanding of what we value. One of the many strengths

of STS is our ability to be progressive while honouring strong traditions. The focus on the

individual and the family is at the center of this and it will continue to serve our

community well.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________


The educational landscape is evolving dramatically and I look forward to meeting with

you in the coming months to dwell in possibility as we shape our next strategic plan. I

hope you will consider spending time in conversations at a variety of coffee meetings,

focus groups and informal conversations. I am truly excited about this work and am

excited to see how we continue to position the School as an internationally recognized

Centre of Educational Excellence. It will require us to have courage, to be bold,

thoughtful and committed while keeping our children’s well-being and success at the

core. I will be sharing more information as my team and I begin to formulate the next

steps.

Our work will be focused on ensuring we are engaging our students in deep learning,

enhancing our pedagogy and evolving our practice to “focus on personally and

collectively meaningful matters, and by delving into them in a way that alters, forever,

the roles of students, teachers, families, and others…learning is the foundational driver

and technology is the great accelerator.” (Fullan and Quinn, 2018) Additionally, we will

continue to focus on and develop the six C’s of global competencies: “character,

citizenship, collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking.” STS is leading

the way in these areas and I am pleased to see the great work of our team transforming

the lives of our students, school and community.

Last year at this time I recommended for your reading pleasure a book by Grant

Lichtman called Moving the Rock: Seven Levers We Can Press to Transform Education

(2017). He writes: “There is only one shared dream that I have heard from all of these

people across all of these seeming divides: that our children be happy, successful, and

lead better lives than our own. And nearly everyone in every country and every station of

life agrees that education is key to the fulfillments of that dream. The value of education

is where, despite all that divides us, we mostly come together.” I am pleased to inform

you that Grant Lichtman will be working directly with STS as we embark on a Strategic

Change Accelerator Project led by Mr. Trevor Julian on health and wellness. We are very

fortunate to have this opportunity. Look for more information to follow.

I am so excited to be part of this journey with you. I look forward to connecting at the

many parent socials in the coming days and weeks. Make sure you take time for yourself!

Enjoy the week!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Carol Grant-Watt

Head of School

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GOVERNOR GENERAL’S ACADEMIC MEDAL RECIPIENT ANNOUNCED

On behalf of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette,

Governor General of Canada, please join us in congratulating

the 2019 Governor General’s Academic Medal recipient, STS

Alumnus, Cole Shaigec ’19.

The Governor General’s Academic Medal was first awarded in

1873 by the Earl of Dufferin. A Bronze medal is awarded to the

Grade 12 student who achieves the highest academic average

which includes all Grade 11 and 12 courses as listed on the

student’s official Transcript of Grades issued by the ministry of

education. As this average cannot be anticipated, it must be

calculated based on final results after provincial examinations.

IMPORTANT DATES

In addition to the listed dates below, be sure to check for new events throughout the

year online – the following calendar can be downloaded in an iCal format.

SEPTEMBER

September 21

Homecoming Celebration, Family Fall Fair and STS Open House

September 20-22

Backpacking I - Groups A&B

September 24

STS Middle School Cross Country Meet

University Application Information session at 7:00 pm

September 25-27

Grade 6 Camp

September 27

Casual Dress Day

September 28-29

Backpacking I – Group C

September 30

Orange Shirt Day

SCHOOL CALENDARS

For more important dates and upcoming events, the following school calendars can be

found on the STS website:

2019-2020 School Calendar

Upcoming Events Calendar

https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/calendar/

https://www.sts.ab.ca/file/2018-2019-school-calendar.pdf

https://www.sts.ab.ca/file/2018-2019-school-calendar.pdf

https://www.sts.ab.ca/file/mysts/Calendar-2019-2020.pdf

https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/calendar/

______________________________________________________________________________________________________


UPCOMING EVENTS – MARK YOUR CALENDARS

STS FAMILY FALL FAIR IS TOMORROW – SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

See you tomorrow at the Family Fall Fair,

September 21 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on

our beautiful country campus.

Join us for a fun-filled day of activities for the

whole family.

Click here to view the program for the day.

Remember to bring your money for the

food trucks and farmers’ market, and a roll

of toonies for the kids to partake in special

events!

Note: Some vendors only accept cash sales.

Fair Fair activities will take place in the Courtyard this year.

Registration is not required.

We can’t wait to see you!

ORANGE SHIRT DAY – MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

On Monday, September 30, we will participate in Orange

Shirt Day. Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph

Mission residential school commemoration event held in

Williams Lake, BC since 2013. The date chosen is reflective of

the time of year Indigenous children were usually removed

from their homes and sent to residential schools. It is an

opportunity for communities to come together in the spirit of

Reconciliation and to raise discussion about all aspects of

residential schools.

The history and perspectives of First Nations, Métis and Inuit

peoples are taught as part of our Alberta Program of Studies,

and participating in Orange Shirt Day marks a significant step in our School’s journey

towards Reconciliation and in raising awareness within our school community of the inter-

generational impacts of residential schools in Canada.

During the August PD Days, faculty worked with Monique Gray Smith, international speaker,

consultant, and award-winning author of Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation. A

mixed heritage woman of Cree, Lakota, and Scottish descent, Monique focused on

https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/blog/family-fall-fair/

______________________________________________________________________________________________________


fostering paradigm shifts that emphasized the strength and resiliency of the First Peoples in

Canada.

By empowering students through knowledge and by participating in Orange Shirt Day, we

hope students embrace the spirit of Reconciliation and recognize the important role we all

play in acknowledging the destructive legacy of colonization and, moving forward, in

helping to establish respectful relationships among all peoples in Canada.

On Monday, September 30, all members of the STS Community are encouraged to wear an

orange shirt to school as part of their uniform. They may wear on an orange shirt over their

uniform or replace their school shirt with an orange shirt.

For more information on Orange Shirt Day, please visit the following website:

http://www.orangeshirtday.org/

RSVP TO YOUR GRADE SOCIAL(S)

We are pleased to invite all STS parents to your

child(ren)’s 2019-2020 grade social where you can

socialize with returning parents, welcome new

families and find out how you can be involved with

the STS community. Joins us for an evening of

delightful conversations and cocktails, 7:00 – 9:00

pm. You should receive an e-invitation from your

grade’s parent host four to six weeks prior to each

grade social.

If you have any questions regarding the socials, please contact Caroline Banadar at 403-

938-8344, [email protected].

Grade 3 & 4

Joel ’94 and Kristy Bond

September 20

Grade 5

Patrick and Allison Aherne

November 2

Grade 6

Maria and Tim Garfoth-Bles

November 15

Grade 7

Jill Angevine and Jay Simmons

November 14

Grade 8

Amy and Justin Meyer

November 1

Grade 9

Jeremy Hadwin and Cecilia Guardiola-

Hadwin

October 25

Grade 10

Sorrayah and Ali Bhojani

October 26

Grade 12

Jen and Will Dalton

September 20

http://www.orangeshirtday.org/

mailto:[email protected]

______________________________________________________________________________________________________


FULL SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

LOVE OF READING 2019

2019 marks the tenth year that Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School will be participating in the

annual Indigo-Chapters Love of Reading Adopt a School Program.

Over the last nine years, the STS community has generously supported the Love of Reading

Campaign. In 2018, we raised funds to provide books to Heloise Lorimer School in Airdrie.

This year, STS students in the Middle and Senior Schools will be fundraising for Bowcroft

School in Calgary.

Although the campaign starts online on Saturday, September 14, we launched the STS

fundraising campaign on Monday, September 16 and the campaign will end on October 6.

Collection jars have been placed in homerooms for students to donate. During the

campaign, Grade level representatives will visit homerooms to speak to students.

Donations in support of Bowcroft School can also be made online or in person at Chapters

at Crowfoot.

WELCOME FROM THE PETER B. DITCHBURN LIBRARY TEAM

Welcome to a new school year and a special welcome to all of our new families! The Peter

B. Ditchburn Library is dedicated to supporting our entire learning community and we look

forward to working with your children. Working in the library, we are fortunate to have Mrs.

Morgan Chapman, our Elementary Teacher/Librarian, who works with students in

Kindergarten to Grade 6, Mrs. Julie Reid, our Library Technician, who processes all of our

resources and helps students with their checkouts, and Mrs. Genevieve Shepherd, our

Director of Library Services and Middle and Senior Teacher/Librarian.

The Peter B. Ditchburn Library aims to instill a love of reading and learning in students as well

as provide access to information, ensuring that students and staff are effective users of

information and ideas. Our program is also designed to help students develop the

characteristics of global citizenship and become skilled researchers and users of

information technologies. Our library provides physical and intellectual access to resources

and tools necessary for learning in a warm, stimulating and safe environment. Our mission is

to empower students and faculty to be effective users of ideas and information; to be

critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers and ethical users of information. We

encourage all members of our community to visit us in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library at

anytime for research help or simply to find a great read!

Accessing Library Resources online

If you would like to see what we have to offer our students in support of both their

academic and personal needs, you can browse all of our resources on the Peter B.

Ditchburn Library Website. You will need to login to the My STS parent portal. Then, under

‘Academic Resources,’ click ‘Peter B. Ditchburn Library Portal’ and you will be directed to

http://library.sts.ab.ca/?b=s


https://www.sts.ab.ca/login.aspx


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our library website, which consists of LIBguides (library webpages), providing access to our

many resources. Click on a ‘Subject’ from the table on contents on the main library

webpage and a drop-down menu will appear from which you can select a resource to

explore. This includes our library catalogue, research databases, reference help and much

more.

Please note that most of our online digital resources can be accessed by students at school

without any login; however, off-campus access requires a username and password for

each of the resources. Students may also access digital resources such as ebooks and

digital audio books directly through our library catalogue. Select ‘Library Catalogue’ from

the Subject list on our main library webpage and click ‘Catalogue: Books, Ebooks, Audio

Books’ from the drop-down menu. You will be directed to our library catalogue LIBguide

where you can click on Follett Destiny or OverDrive to search for a book, ebook or audio

book. Students must login to access the digital resources within our library catalogue. The

login is their STS Outlook username (without ‘@sts.ab.ca’) and the universal password is ‘sts’.

These digital resources can also be accessed via mobile devices.

Lost, damaged or overdue material

Lost, damaged, or overdue notices are emailed to homeroom teachers and no fines are

charged for overdue materials. If a resource has not been returned by the end of the year,

the student and parents will be notified via email and given at least three weeks to find the

item(s). At the end of June, if the item has not been returned, the student’s school account

will be billed. Once an account has been billed, the charge cannot be reversed as the

funds are promptly used to purchase a replacement title. However, the student is welcome

to keep the resource or donate it back to the library. Our Unreturned/Damaged Book Policy

can also be found on our library website by clicking on our ‘Library Catalogue’ LIBguide

and selecting “Unreturned & Damaged Book Policy” from the drop-down menu.

MANAGEBAC – OUR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

In all three divisions, our learning management system, Managebac, will be used for both

homeroom and class attendance. When you login to Managebac as a parent, your child’s

dashboard will show their attendance record to date. You can also digitally submit

attendance excusals in the event of illness or medical appointment, or other familial reasons. To do so, please see the following tutorial.

PERMISSION CLICK Q & A

Welcome to paperless consent! STS uses Permission Click for all consents at the school. Here

are some key points for you to remember. Please be sure to respond to all consents

whether your child participates or not. This saves us an enormous amount of time.

https://sts.managebac.com/

https://help.managebac.com/support?lesson=82983&manual_id=3621

______________________________________________________________________________________________________


1. Will I get an email reminder before the due date/time?

Reminders are normally sent the day before and the morning of the due dates; and

the teacher is given a list of students whose parents who have not yet responded for

follow-up as well.

2. I forgot to print information from the consent before I submitted it – now what?

Once you the consent form, you will receive an email from Permission Click

confirming that you submitted the consent. Attached to the email is a PDF document

that is a collection of the entire consent (letter, how you filled in the fields, and all

attachments i.e. early/late bus routes, driving policy, parent briefing, consent for a

minor travelling letter, etc.).

3. I can’t make changes to the consent once I’ve submitted it but I have a change.

What do I do?

If changes need to be made to a consent after it’s been submitted, you can simply

email or call Mrs. Jana Wager ([email protected] or 403-938-8301) and a new

consent can be sent to you.

If it’s something simple like a bus stop change, or that you’ll be picking up your child

instead of taking the bus, you can email the teacher in charge of the activity.

TWEEDS AND MORE IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

We hope you can join us and become part of the Tweeds and More group of in-store

volunteers. Tweeds is run by POSTS and functions entirely through the support of parent

volunteers. Scheduling for Tweeds and More is done every three months and is very flexible

based on your availability. Shifts take place during Tweeds opening hours: Mondays,

Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:00 am and 1:00 pm and Fridays 2:30 - 4:00 pm.

To sign up as a Tweeds and More volunteer, please contact Maggie Jegen at

[email protected]

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED


______________________________________________________________________________________________________


POSTS welcomes all new and returning volunteers! Email [email protected] to indicate

your areas of interest so you can volunteer as soon as possible. Regardless of grade,

volunteering provides a great opportunity to meet other parents and faculty as well as get

involved with the school. View a full list of volunteer opportunities in the Volunteer

Handbook.

Please remember that all volunteers need to sign in and wear their name tag (or visitor tag)

while volunteering. Thank you for your cooperation.

Specifically, volunteers are needed for the following events in September and October:

Middle School Cross Country Race – Tuesday, September 24

Volunteers needed: Four parent volunteers

Where: STS. Meet at 9:20 am on the other side of the ravine near the finish line tent

Duties: Help with timing/recoding and possibly photos

Volunteer sign-up: Respond to [email protected] directly

We do our best to stay on schedule!

Start times are approximate:

9:30 2 km Bantam Girls (Grade 7’s)

9:50 2 km Bantam Boys (Grade 7’s)

10:10 2 km Midget Girls (Grade 8’s)

10:30 2 km Midget Boys (Grade 8’s)

10:50 3km Juvenile Girls (Grade 9’s)

11:20 3km Juvenile Boys (Grade 9’s)

11:50 WRAP-UP

Middle and Senior School Cross Country – “Foothills Meet” (Divisionals) – Wednesday,

October 3

Volunteers needed: 10 parent volunteers

Where: STS Rugby Field

Time: Morning volunteers – 9:15 – 12:00 noon, Afternoon volunteers: 11:45 am – 3:30

pm

Duties: Help with various jobs including finish line and course marshalling

Volunteer sign-up: volunteersignup.org/WRBHQ

Middle and Senior School Cross Country – South Central Zones – Tuesday, October 8

Volunteers needed: 10 parent volunteers


https://www.sts.ab.ca/file/Volunteer-Handbook.pdf

https://www.sts.ab.ca/file/Volunteer-Handbook.pdf


https://volunteersignup.org/WRBHQ

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Where: STS Rugby Field

Time: Morning volunteers – 9:15 – 12:00 noon, Afternoon volunteers: 11:45 am – 3:30

pm

Duties: Help with various jobs including finish line and course marshalling

Contact Tara Hebert ([email protected]) if you have any questions regarding the race or

your athlete. Contact Tracy Maybaum ([email protected]) for volunteering.

Elementary School Cross-Country Run – Thursday, October 3

The Elementary School Cross-Country Run is just around the corner. Come cheer on

your kids. The format is different than in the past so please look for details in an

upcoming email and future editions of the STS Express.



______________________________________________________________________________________________________


ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE PHONE NUMBER

A reminder to all Elementary School parents that if your child is going to be arriving late, leaving

early, or will be absent, please call the NEW Elementary School attendance line at 403-938-8317.

The Elementary School doors are now open from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm. All Kindergarten to Grade

6 volunteers and guests are asked to sign-in at the new reception desk, located across from Mrs.

Conway’s office, and obtain (and wear) your volunteer or visitor badge.

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN IN THE PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME

(PYP)

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

9:00 – 11:00 am

Hosted by Ms. Cheryl Babin

PYP Coordinator & IB Workshop Leader

[email protected]

Workshop Guiding Questions:

What does it mean to be a PYP school?

How does the PYP impact my child as a learner?

How is the Primary Years Programme different from what is offered in non-IB Alberta schools?

How best can I support my child as a learner?

Join our Learning Community to find out more about our International Baccalaureate Primary

Years Programme. Everyone is welcome!

Please click HERE to sign-up for the workshop. RSVP by September 27, 2019.


https://forms.gle/umFm7jxaCKWF6tDv7

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MIDDLE AND SENIOR SCHOOL ANNOUNCEMENTS

There are no announcements for Middle and Senior School this week.

UNIVERSITY PLANNING

ON-GOING UNIVERSITY PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES

Throughout the school year, Senior School students and parents have many opportunities for

learning around planning for university. These include:

Grade 10

CALM Classes

My Blueprint Web Account

University Representative Visits

University Fair on Campus

Parent Information Nights

Individual Student and/or Parent Meetings

Grade 11

Bi-Weekly University Planning Class


Strong Interest Inventory Report


University Tours (BC and Eastern)




Grade 12

Bi-Weekly University Planning Class



University Tour (BC)




______________________________________________________________________________________________________


APPOINTMENT REQUESTS

Parents and students are welcomed and encouraged

to book an appointment with Ms. Caines to discuss

the university planning process. Parents, please email

[email protected] to set up an

appointment. Students can book appointments

directly through their STS Outlook account by using

the “Scheduling Assistant” feature.

UNIVERSITY COUNSELLING OFFICE

The student area of the University Counselling office offers resources about post-secondary

planning and program information from around the world. Please feel free to stop by and

check it out anytime.

UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVES VISITING STS

In the next several weeks, the following universities will have a representative visiting STS. All

Senior School students and parents are welcomed and encouraged to attend as many as

possible to gain insight into a variety of programs. Unless otherwise announced, these

sessions will be held in Room 51, across from the University Counselling office.

Date Time University

Monday, September

23

12:45-1:10 pm University of British Columbia

Tuesday, September

24

12:45-1:10 pm University of Alberta

Friday, October 4 11:30 am -12:00 Noon Western University

Thursday, October

17

10:10-10:45 am (Atrium) University of Toronto


______________________________________________________________________________________________________


Thursday, October

24

12:45-1:10 pm StFX University

Monday, October

28

12:45-1:10 pm University of Saskatchewan

Tuesday, October 29 12:45-1:10 pm Queen’s University

Thursday, November

7

12:45-1:10 pm University of New Brunswick

Tuesday, November

12

12:45-1:10 pm University of Victoria

Thursday, November

14

12:45-1:10 pm Acadia University

OUT OF PROVINCE UNIVERSITIES FAIR

Friday, October 25 from 10:00 am-12:00 noon in the Sandy Heard Sports Hall.

Representatives from universities across the country will be at STS to share information about

their programs. All Senior School students will have a scheduled opportunity to attend this

event. Parents are also welcomed to attend.

2019-2020 UNIVERSITY PLANNING PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS

UPDATED – NEW DATE! University Applications (for Grade 12 Parents): Tuesday,

September 24 at 7:00 pm in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library. All Grade 12 parents are

encouraged to attend.

Academic and University Planning for Parents New to the Canadian Education

System (for Grades 9-12 Parents): Thursday, October 17 at 7:00 pm in the Peter B.

Ditchburn Library.

University Planning (for Grade 11 Parents): Tuesday, November 19 at 7:00 pm in the

Peter B. Ditchburn Library. All Grade 11 parents are encouraged to attend.

Academic, Career, and University Planning (for Grade 9 and 10 Parents): Tuesday,

January 28 at 7:00 pm in the Peter B. Ditchburn Library.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________


U.S. Colleges Information Session for Students & Parents (Grades 8-11): Tuesday, May

5 at 7:00 pm in the C.A Smith Arts Centre (theatre).

UNIVERSITY PLANNING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMMUNITY

Please note, the information below is provided for information only. These are not STS

sponsored events and, as such, there will be no STS supervision provided.

Study & Go Abroad Fair (Saturday, September 28 from 12:00 noon-5:00 pm) - Don’t

miss this opportunity to start planning to study abroad. Learn about university and

college programs, scholarships, travel and volunteer opportunities in over 100

countries worldwide.

For more information, go to: https://www.studyandgoabroad.com/calgary/

NEW – U.S. Universities Session (Wednesday, October 9, 7:00 pm) - Johns Hopkins

University will present alongside Duke University, Northwestern University, and

Vanderbilt University about undergraduate admissions. For more information and to

register, go to: https://bit.ly/2kdgE3t

2019-2020 UNIVERSITY TOURS

Each year, the highlights of the University Planning process are the tours Ms. Caines takes

with students to visit universities across the country. The purpose of these tours is to explore

facilities and social climates, and to gather information about programs, admission

requirements, scholarships, etc. This school year, there will be two tours offered:

BC Universities Tour – This tour visits universities in British Columbia, and will be a three-

day, two-night tour of five BC universities, open to Grade 11 and 12 students. The tour

will take place over the PD days in October. Registration is closed for his event, but

please let Ms. Caines know if you would like to be on a cancellation list.

Eastern Universities Tour – This extensive tour of Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Quebec

visits 15 campuses over eight days and is open to Grade 11 students. For the 2019-

2020 school year, we have decided to move the tour out of the usual week in

February and into the last week of June, after Prizegiving. This change is due to the

increasingly unpredictable and extreme winter weather we have encountered over

the past few years. This has resulted in missed tours due weather conditions and

university closures. This will also have the benefit of students not missing school days

for the tour. The approximate cost of this tour is $2,400.00.

REFERENCE INFORMATION

My Blueprint Access

https://www.studyandgoabroad.com/calgary/

https://bit.ly/2kdgE3t

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All Senior School students have access to a powerful educational planning tool through our

school subscription. Please visit www.myblueprint.ca to utilize this application.

University Search Tools

Canadian Universities: http://www.universitystudy.ca/search-programs/

American Universities: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search

U.K. Universities: http://search.ucas.com/

GENERAL APPLICATION TIMELINE

Please familiarize yourself with the upcoming and current timelines for university applications. There is

information, support, and guidance available for each step of this process.

Winter of Grade 10

Meet with Ms. Caines to discuss U.S. admissions process

Start studying for ACT or SAT entrance exam (for U.S. only)

Winter and Spring of Grade 11

ACT or SAT entrance exam (for U.S. only)

June of Grade 11

Write SAT Subject Tests for Early Admission (as required by each university)

Summer after Grade 11

Write UKCAT and or BMAT (for Medicine in U.K. only)

Prepare School Nominated Scholarships Package

Work on Essay Drafts for International Applications

Register and Study for SAT or ACT

September/October of Grade 12

Submit Application for School-Nominated Scholarships

Repeat ACT or SAT (optional)

Research and Start Preparing Visual Portfolios and Auditions

Send ACT/SAT/Subject Test Scores to US Universities (for Early Admission)

October/November of Grade 12

Apply to U.K. and U.S. early admissions

Write the SAT Subject Tests for Regular Admission (as required by each university)

Write Cambridge/Oxford Admission Tests

November of Grade 12

Send Interim Transcript (optional - process varies by university)

October-December of Grade 12

http://www.myblueprint.ca/

http://www.universitystudy.ca/search-programs/

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search

http://search.ucas.com/

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Apply to 4-6 Canadian Universities

Apply to University-Specific Major Awards

Send ACT/SAT/Subject Test Scores to US Universities (for Regular Admission)

January/February of Grade 12

Send Midterm Transcript (mandatory - process varies by university)

Apply to U.K. and U.S. regular admissions

Many Portfolios and/or Supplementary Application Documents are due

Apply for Residence (for universities without guaranteed residence)

Spring of Grade 12

Submit Final Transcript Request through MyPass

Apply for Residence (for universities with guaranteed residence)

Register for First Year University Courses

Apply for Rutherford Scholarship

Process paperwork for learning accommodations

Apply for a visa if you are studying abroad

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WHAT’S HAPPENING ON CAMPUS

STS has a blog! Visit https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/blog/ for stories and what is

happening on campus. Be sure to bookmark this page! In addition to the blog, here are

some highlights this week:

TERRY FOX FUNDRAISING – WE LOVE THE SUPPORT!

Thank you to the STS community for your participation in our run last Friday. It was an

amazing morning of demonstrated caring, encouragement and fun! The STS Terry Fox Run is

a part of one of Canada’s biggest displays of solidarity against cancer while setting an

example of compassion, fostering school spirit, and encouraging physical activity! Our

participation exemplifies our dedication to supporting Terry Fox.

For 3,339 miles, from St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada’s eastern most city on the shore of

the Atlantic, Terry ran through six provinces and was two-thirds of the way home to

B.C. He’d run close to a marathon a day, for 143 days. No mean achievement for an able-

bodied runner, an extraordinary feat for an amputee. Terry’s left leg was strong and

muscular. His right was a mere stump fitted with an artificial limb made of fibreglass and

steel. He’d lost the leg to cancer when he was 18.

He was 22 when he started; curly haired, good-looking, sunburned. He was strong, wilful

and stubborn. His run, the Marathon of Hope, as he called it, an adventure across Canada

that defied logic and common sense, was his way of repaying a debt.

Terry believed that he had won his fight against cancer, and he wanted to raise money, $1

million perhaps, to fight the disease. There was a second, possibly more important purpose

to his marathon; a man is not less because he has lost a leg, indeed, he may be more.

Certainly, he showed there were no limits to what an amputee could do.

https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/blog/

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He changed people’s attitude towards the disabled, and he showed that while cancer

had claimed his leg, his spirit was unbreakable. His Marathon of Hope had started as an

improbable dream – two friends, one to drive the van, one to run, a ribbon of highway, and

the sturdy belief that they could perform a miracle.

He ran through ice storms and summer heat, against bitter winds of such velocity he

couldn’t move, through fishing villages and Canada’s biggest cities. Though he shunned

the notion himself, people were calling him a hero. He still saw himself as simple little Terry

Fox, from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, average in everything but determination.

Terry’s dream continues and we can be part of his Marathon of Hope. Every year Terry Fox

Runs are held in over 9,000 communities across Canada with the goal of raising funds for

cancer research. The Terry Fox Foundation works directly with the Terry Fox Research

Institute striving for the best outcomes for cancer patients.

Pledges in support of our fundraising efforts for the STS Terry Fox Run have begun to arrive at

the school, and to tally on our STS Terry Fox Fundraising page. Please remind your children

that they can submit their pledge sheets and donations to their homeroom teachers, or to

one of the receptionists.

Thank you again for your continued support. If you have any questions, please contact Ms.

Egli.

http://www.terryfox.ca/StrathconaTweedsmuir

