Wednesday, November 27, 2019

NOVEMBER 27, 2019 EDITION / VOLUME 22 NUMBER 4 / THE OFFICIAL BULLETIN OF THE EMSB

EMSB PARENTS COMMITTEE: On October 17 the EMSB Parents Committee members met for the first time this year to elect their executive members and observers to Board Based Committees.  The chair of the EMSBPC for 2019-2020 is Caroline Phaneuf from Edinburgh, the vice chair is Joseph Bondi from Dunrae Gardens and the treasurer is Johnny Leoci from John F. Kennedy High School.  Parent Commissioners are Pietro Mercuri (Elementary), Norm Gharibian (High School), Mubeenah Mughal (ACSES) and Andrew Ross (no designation).  Observers elected were; to Education Committee Sophie Antippa (Westmount Park) and Anne Monereau (Royal West Academy) to Finance Committee Jason Trudeau (General Vanier) and Joseph Paglia (East Hill),  AEVS, Sophie Antippa (Westmount Park) and Katherine Korakakis (Hampstead) and on Transportation Stephanie Passucci (Michelangelo International).  The parent representatives to the English Parents Committee Association (EPCA) are Katherine Korakakis (Hampstead) and Andrew Ross (Marymount).

BACKGROUND OF NEW PARENTS COMMITTEE CHAIR: Ms. Phaneuf, a communications
Caroline Phaneuf
and marketing consultant and former journalist,   says she is honored to have been elected chair in such a crucial and decisive year. She is pleased to have such a strong Executive Committee   Ms. Phaneuf has two girls at Edinburgh Elementary in Montreal West and has been her Governing Board’s representative on the EMSB Parents Committee for the past two years. Last year, she held the position of   vice-chair and co-organized the Parents Committee’s Parents Conference. She was also heavily involved with Edinburgh’s successful push to get modular classrooms added to the school, which was one of the most overcrowded schools in the EMSB. Ms. Phaneuf now runs her own international communications and marketing firm. She spent 10 years of her career as a journalist, notably at CJAD800, Mix96 (now Virgin Radio), 940News, Q92 (now The Beat 92.5), and at CTV Montreal.



Mauro Zampini
Chantal Juhasz
APPOINTMENTS:  Mauro Zampini has been appointed Principal of Royal Vale School. He succeeds Nathalie Lacroix-Maillette, who is now a Regional Director (East).    Chantal Juhasz has been temporarily assigned as principal at Edinburgh Elementary School in Montreal West to replace Mr. Zampini. Andrea Dillon, a teacher at Royal West Academy, will be filling in as interim vice-principal, replacing Ms. Juhasz.


EMSB PODCAST:  The Terry Fox Run is an annual event in Montreal area schools. One of the most prolific fundraisers is a Grade 6 student at Edinburgh Elementary in Montreal West. This year marked Avah Pennefather’s 11th “run."  Her first was in her stroller pushed by her mother, Lauren. Avah is 11 years old and has spent her life raising funds for the Terry Fox Foundation, up to $11,000…so far. Her passion and dedication is inspiring and heartwarming and she’s only 11 years old! Her support has been her family, her school and her community. Why is young Avah so fascinated by Terry Fox? She explains in our podcast  with Suzanne Desautels. You can listen to it here.

Students in class in a modular.
MODULARS AT EDINBURGH:  The brand-new classrooms at Edinburgh Elementary School in Montreal West are in operation! Students started using the school’s new addition on October 22, less than nine months after the idea of “modulars” first started taking shape. Along with other west-end elementary schools, Edinburgh, a French immersion school in Montreal West, needed to find ways to deal with over-enrolment. Three years ago, the school – with a regular capacity of 330 students – housed 409 students, causing a space issue. Since then the school has been experiencing the loss of classrooms, dedicated music and science rooms and unavailable gym time. Some classes had to do their gym time right in their classroom on rainy days when they couldn’t go outside. The library had also been emptied to free up a class space.

Edinburgh and its Governing Board opted for the installation of the modular or mobile units, which are prefabricated building units on wheels, among the other choices presented by the EMSB  in the fall of 2018. Now, gym time can be spent in the gymnasium or the fitness room, the science and music teachers are back using dedicated classrooms, and the resource room is available once again. The EMSB’s plan is to reduce the mobile units by one each year, until the school is brought back down to its capacity and can fit once again within its regular school building. Please see Kristin McNeill’s complete report  here.

LEAD IN WATER: School Boards recently received a directive from the   Ministère de l'Éducation et de l'Enseignement Supérieur (MEES) to proceed with the testing for lead content in the water in our schools. The goal is to ensure that the concentration is compliant with the safety guidelines for acceptable lead levels provided by the MEES.  Water testing and analysis for all elementary schools, beginning with buildings built before 1981, as well as the implementation of the corrective measures, will be completed by June 23 2020. The testing and analysis to identify the corrective measures for all other buildings will be completed by November 2, 2020. The EMSB’s Material Resources (MR) Department will oversee the water testing via accredited laboratories. As requested by the MEES, short-term preventative actions will be implemented by the MR Department. These measures include installing signage at designated drinking water sources (fountains, daycares, kitchens, etc.) and non-drinking water sources (bathroom sinks, etc.) indicating: To run the water at least one minute (for fountains) or five minutes (for sinks) before drinking; the use of water in washrooms and cloakrooms is only for the washing of hands. We remain committed to the safety and well being of our students and staff. Over the last few years, the MR Department has replaced the majority of drinking fountains in our buildings. Some models installed include filtration systems which are certified for the reduction of lead. Nonetheless, rest assured that we will implement any and all corrective measures found to be necessary during the testing and analysis process.

Marlene Jennings
OUR TRUSTEE MARLENE JENNINGS:  Education Minister Jean-Francois Roberge recently announced that the responsibilities of the EMSB Council of Commissioners would largely be suspended for six months and transferred to a trustee, Marlene Jennings - who is a very well-known and respected figure in the English community of Quebec. EMSB Director General Ann Marie Matheson wishes to reassure stakeholders that this temporary change in the board's governance structure will have no noticeable impact on the staff nor the students. Moreover, the excellent day-to-day services provided to our schools and in our schools will not be impacted. The service departments of the board will continue to provide important resources to our school teams. The same knowledgeable and caring principals, teachers and staff will continue to work with the students. And ultimately, the educational success of our students will remain the primary mission of the EMSB. In short, despite some administrative processes that need improvement, the EMSB, with a 92.4 percent student success rate - the highest of all public school boards in Quebec, remains an education leader in the province and we all have much to be proud of! "




Alessandro Ferraro, VP Steven Manstavich, Principal Angela Vaudry, Roxana Barin, Ronit Bathsheba Gelbart and Allison Engo.
PECK AWARDS:  Five students from Royal West Academy in Montreal West and one from LaurenHill Academy in St. Laurent were recently presented with the 2019 Robert Alfred Peck Prizes for Excellence in French. Present day Grade 11 students Roxana Barin, Allison Engo, Alessandro Ferraro, Ronit Bathsheba Gelbart and Jesse Sutherland of Royal West and Siena Blier of LaurenHill each attained the mark of 100 percent. They received medals and   cheques in the amount of $150. 

VP Panorea Limperopoulos, Siena Blier and Principal Donna Manos.
The late Mr. Peck began teaching in the 1930s and served as the superintendent of French for the Ministry of Education and held similar posts with the former Westmount School Board and the former Protestant School Board of Greater Montreal. He was a department head for French at Lachine High School and vice-principal of Riverdale High School on the West Island, having completed his career as a teacher in Africa. Mr. Peck co-authored  Le Français Pratique, the  textbook for the teaching of French as a second language with Elizabeth Buchanan.  It was a mainstay in Quebec Protestant English schools for over 20 years.  This prize was established by the Peck family and the EMSB in 2002.


INSPIRATIONS NEWSPAPER: The Fall 2019 / Winter 2020 edition of Inspirations is hot off the press! This edition has many highlights, with something for everyone. A four-page Assistive Technology (AT) feature examines how students at EMSB schools are using AT in the classroom with great success. Jack Silverstone sits down with Senator Jim Munson to discuss the Accessible Canada Act, and young inspirations Maddie and Anthony share their experiences living with dyslexia and autism respectively. Other features include: Self-contained classrooms at St. Raphael Elementary School; Steven Atme’s experience working with John Grant High School students on their variety show; updates from Wagar and Galileo Adult Education Centres; The Canadian Blind Hockey Association’s visit to Philip E. Layton School; insightful articles from EMSB Student Services department specialists Stephanie Paquette, Despina Vassiliou and Tania Piperni; and much more!
Read this edition here. Visit us on Facebook @inspirationsnews and email wsinger@emsb.qc.ca to have print copies delivered to you, or if you have a story idea to pitch for the Spring / Summer 2020 edition.




UPSTARTED:    Former EMSB MIND High School teacher Monica Paraghamian  has transplanted her passion for youth entrepreneurship programming to the Montreal-based non-profit organization, UpstartED, which has now opened up applications to their much-awaited upGen Bootcamp, a 2.5 day tech entrepreneurship competition (January 24  to 26).This part of their program is free and is an opportunity for interested students to partake in an incredible weekend event during which they receive coaching and mentorship to launch a social enterprise.  The upGen Bootcamp is for ambitious students who want to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems. In only 2.5 days, students will:  Learn how to solve a challenging problem by identifying a business solution;    Work in teams to build the solution using a digital tool/platform;  Build a viable business model and learn how to get their solution into the hands on users;  Set up an online store using platforms such as Shopify;  and Pitch a Business idea to a panel of external judges (made up of company executives, investors, and entrepreneurs).

Monica Paraghamian   
The first two days will be hosted at College Durocher Saint Lambert, and the final day will be hosted at Shopify Montreal.  Six teams from this competition will be selected to enter UpstartED’s incubator program during which students receive coaching and mentorship in order to help them launch their idea to the Canadian market.  The upGen Bootcamp registrations are application-based. The students selected to compete will have their participation fee fully subsidized by UpstartED and their sponsors. Parents and students can take  a look at the application and explore this opportunity together by December 15!  APPLY HERE.   For more information about the organization, visit www.upstarted.org/upgen-program

Cosmo Della Rocca addresses the audience.
RETIREES DINNER: One hundred and thirty-seven people attended the annual retirees' dinner, which took place on October 29 at Le Challenger Reception Hall in St. Laurent. The evening honoured 98 retiring employees of the EMSB who worked as educators, administrators, professionals and support staff, and whose combined years of service to the Board added up to 2,220 years.  Each retiree was presented with a special thank-you gift of a crystal decanter with four stemmed glasses. Some of the longest serving employees honoured that evening were James Lyng High School Documentation Technician Kamlesh Jain-Jain, who retired after 45 years of service; AEVS Regional Cosmo Della Rocca, who retired after 43 years of service; Elizabeth Ballantyne School teacher Sharon Friedmann, who retired after 42 years of service; and St. Pius X Career Centre teacher Steve Verbich, who retired after 24 years of service. See our full article, which includes photos.

EMSB CONNECTIONS TO NEW PLAY: Tableau D’Hôte Theatre will be presenting the world premiere of Jesse Stong’s Winter’s Daughter at the Segal Centre for Performing Arts from November 27 to December 8. Based on the secret family history of local celebrity barber Gino Chiarella, Winter’s Daughter takes the audience to Southern Italy in 1921, in the aftermath of World War One where a couple copes with tremendous trauma and loss while wrestling with how to care for a Jewish child suddenly abandoned in their care.

Michaela Di Cesare, Alice Denton and Mathieu Murphy-Perron.
Inspired by K. David Brody’s short story The Peddlers’ Daughter, Winter’s Daughter tells the story of Gino Chiorella’s mother, a first-generation Canadian from St-Leonard. When she died, Gino decided to travel to his mother’s hometown to visit his grandparents. Upon arriving, his grandfather revealed a long-held family secret, gifting him his mother's Star of David necklace, and sharing a story of the death and rebirth of their family.  LaurenHill Academy grad (2001) Mathieu Murphy-Perron is the Artistic and Executive Director of Tableau D’Hôte Theatre  Winter's Daughter features an ensemble cast of some of English Montréal’s hottest talent, including Laurier Macdonald High School grad Michaela Di Cesare.  Also starring as Di Cesare’s on stage daughter is seven year old Bancroft Elementary School student Alice Denton, whose dad Rob is handling sound and composition. Alice says she is looking forward to this  experience. She played a purple seahorse in Banroft’s 2019 production of The Little Mermaid and  hopes to be part of the 2020 musical, Mary Poppins. See the full story.

Nikki Balch
A STORIED MIND: Rosemount High School will host a Coffee House Night entitled “A Storied Mind” on November 26, looking at the ups and downs of life, resiliency, how to find support, and how we can raise awareness regarding mental health. The event will be hosted by Nikki Balch  from The Beat 9.25, a special dance performance from Cindy Mateus from TVA’s REVOLUTION and from members from L’Academie De Danse De Montreal, Inspiring testimonials from English Montreal School Bord alumni Gabriele Iacompo, Eleni Giannakas and Adam Aktas, and heartfelt and captivating performances from Rosemount High School students and staff members. The cost to attend the event is only $2  for students and $5 for adults .The initiative was spearheaded by Spiritual Community Animator Vince LacroceSabrina Pisaturo and Jessica Awaadalla, teachers, along with staff members from the Math, English, French and Drama departments are the school. All proceeds will be benefitting Bell Let’s Talk.

SOX IN A BOX:  Dante, Nesbitt, Gerald McShane, Honore Mercier, Pierre de Coubertin, and Perspectives I and II, along with Rosemount High, will be embarking on the fifth annual "Sox in a Box" Campaign for those less fortunate in the community. Over the past five years, over 30,000 pairs of socks (of all ages) have been donated to local charities in the greater Montreal area. The following organizations will be benefitting from this year’s donations: The West Island Women's Shelter, Dans La Rue, Chez Doris, St. Michael’s Mission and the Mile End Mission.  Due to the popularity of the campaign and to mark this special anniversary, the campaign will now include new gloves, hats, scarves and mittens. On December 10, staff members and students from each school alongside charity representatives will join together in Rosemount High School's Spiritual Community Centre for the annual Wrap Up celebration, whereby students will create personalized holiday gift boxes containing bilingual messages of hope for the holiday season.  The campaign will be spearheaded by administration teams and staff members of each school, alongside Mr. Lacroce.

Lester B. Pearson HS students at the Obama event.
OBAMA ATTENDEES: Thanks to an initiative of the borough of Montreal North, a selection of Lester B. Pearson High School student council members had a wonderful opportunity to attend a Conversation with President Barack Obama at the Bell Centre.  Hosted by the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal on November 14, President Obama had the stage for an hour-long discussion of geopolitics, economy & development and the environment. He spoke to the 2,500 youth leaders in attendance directly when he told them that they were born into the most remarkable but also the most challenging time in human history. 

James Lyng students arrive at the event.
James Lyng High School students were also provided with this “once in a lifetime” kind of opportunity thanks to the generous donation of tickets via Réseau Réussite Montréal. Seven students from James Lyng, accompanied by Vice Principal Marilyn Ramlakhan, Student-Parent Animator Maria Di Salvo and Community Development Agent Sam Karimi, were able to experience a world leader share his perspective on some of today’s most important topics. At the end of the event, President Obama addressed the youth in attendance directly and offered some words of encouragement expressing his faith in their ability to become future leaders. This undoubtedly had a positive impact on the students. Staff were grateful to RRM for allowing them to participate in such a great event.


The Chorale always put on a good performance.
40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON:  The EMSB Chorale’s is off to a strong start for its 40th anniversary season. The choir welcomed 45 new members and is now 110 strong. The Senior Chorale performed on November 23 with Musica Orbium in a memorial concert for renowned Montreal conductor Patrick Wedd, who passed away last May. On November 30, the Senior Chorale joins forces with the St. Lawrence Choir for a Christmas concert at Saints-Anges-de-Lachine Church. The entire EMSB Chorale presents its own annual Holiday Concert on Saturday, December 7 at 4:30 p.m. at Mountainside United Church, 4000 The Boulevard, Westmount. There are no tickets required for the holiday concert. A collection will be  taken up for the Salvation Army’s Christmas Campaign. Anne-Marie Denoncourt will be at the piano and the choir welcomes special guests cellist Anne-Sarah Ouimet and the Salvation Army Citadel Band.For more information, contact conductor Patricia Abbott at 514-483-7200, ext. 7234 or pabbott@emsb.qc.ca.

REMEMBRANCE DAY:  Schools across the EMSB commemorated Remembrance Day in the early days of this month, leading up to Nov. 11. You can see all of the details here.

Students from General Vanier and Edward Murphy Elementary Schools took part in a special field trip. Here is the Global TV Report.
Participants in the the Row-A-Thon
ROW-A-THON FOR GENERATIONS: Students and staff from Options Alternative High School in Ville Émard joined forces in their gym to give back to the Generations Foundation, an organization that has supported them immensely throughout the years. To show their appreciation for the cause, students and staff took part in a 24-hour stationary Row-A- Thon, which began on October 17 at 12:30 pm and concluded on October 18 at 12:30 pm.  Originally, students and staff were divided into three teams of eight with the expectation of rowing in 22-minute shifts. However, as the event proceeded, participants increased support for the students and their goal of raising $1,000. Options alumni, friends and family of the participants, as well as the Alternative Outreach Network Principal Craig Olenik, took turns on the stationary rowing machines. Together, they were able to reach their goal of ensuring that all three machines did not pause for the entirety of the event and surpassed their goal of $1,000. On October 25, a week following the event, Options   has raised $3,595 via direct donations and their “Go Fund Me” page.  Jason Gannon, a staff member at Options, was the organizer and motivator of the event and instilled the motto “All Go, No Quit” in the minds of the students and staff. His goal was to prove to participants and outsiders that Options is capable of uniting for a cause and to reciprocate the support that has been given to them by the Generations Foundation.  The students and staff at Options would like to thank all of their supporters during the event and hopes the Row-a-Thon will become an annual token of appreciation to the Generations Foundation. They also hope to have motivated the students and staff in surrounding schools to give back to the causes that they believe in.


Attendees at the workshop.
PARENT WORKSHOP: On November 7, John Caboto Academy held a Parent Workshop evening event for the community. Parents were invited to register for workshops on topics such as student resilience, Google Read and Write, parenting with play and preparing healthy snacks. Invited guests offered the presentations and included the EMSB’s very own Despina Vassiliou (Psychologist) and Janet Perlis (Psychologists), Stephanie Paquette (Consultant), Olivia Colallilo (Consultant) and Giuliana Di Quinzio (Consultant). Parents were encourage to bring their children to this community event and while they were attending the workshops, students were treated to dinner, Zumba and sports activities with their teachers. The event was a huge success and everyone left having learned something new.

At the rink.
SKATING DAY: Cycle 2 students from John Caboto Academy, accompanied by Physical Education teacher Joseph Romano and French teacher Martine Brosseau, participated in the first ever GMAA skating play day at Bill Durnan Arena on November 13. The event was open to students who have never skated before and those with plenty of experience on the ice.  Students had the opportunity to meet with and listen to a presentation from Lubov Ilyushechkina of Toronto and Charlie Bilodeau of Trois-Pistoles, Que., who won the bronze medal in pairs at the Finlandia Open Figure Skating competition representing Canada in October. After some off ice warm up activities, students joined a team of competitive skaters on the ice for some fun skating activities and games.

VOLLEYBALL: Cycle 3 John Caboto Academy students joined other EMSB elementary schools at the GMAA Volleyball PlayDay on November 21.  Spearheaded by Mr. Romano, Cycle 3 teachers  and parent volunteers coached the JCA teams in the annual PlayDay. Students had the opportunity to meet others from surrounding EMSB schools and got to spend some time together building on their sportsmanship and leadership skills. The event was held at Laurier Macdonald High School and was a huge success thanks to the LMAC students and staff that coordinated the event with GMAA.

HALLOWEEN SPIRIT: EMSB schools were indeed in the Halloween spirit,



THE CURE IS MUSIC: The Willingdon  Elementary School Kids for Kids Choir will help sick children at The Montreal Children’s hospital by the power of song! According to one pilot study, conducted at the University of Rochester Medical Center, music therapy for patients who have undergone a bone-marrow transplant reduces their reports of pain and nausea and may even play a role in quickening the pace at which the new marrow starts producing blood cells. Combined with a patient’s clinical treatments, music therapy has been proven to help some of the hospital’s sickest children. The Willingdon Kids for Kids Choir will perform at The P.K. Subban Atrium on December  3 from  Noon to 1 pm, under the direction of Music Specialist Nick Batzios.


William Stanback of the Als was at last year's event.


DANCE FOR ALEX: Students and staff at Royal Vale School (5851 Somerled) in N.D.G. will once again honour the late Alex Porter-Rozmovits with their annual Dance for Alex on Friday, December 6 (8:30 am). Alex was a bright, loving and thriving six-year-old kindergarten student who died suddenly on June 22, 2009 of a rare bacterial infection. The school has held a morning dance in his honour every December since 2010.  Joining the students for this year’s dance will be cross-country skier Alexis Turgeon, a nine-time member of the Canadian National Ski Team. To mark the dance’s 10th year, Alex’s parents, Roberta Porter and Peter Rozmovits, are asking the community to join them in raising money for Royal Vale School’s new fitness centre. Proceeds from the dance will be used to purchase training equipment, which will enhance student life for years to come. To donate, please visit this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ubqc8-royal-vale-school-dance-for-alex.
St. Gabriel students contributed nice decorations.
IMAGO THEATRE AT ST.GABES: Students in Grades 1 to 6 at St. Gabriel Elementary School in Pointe St. Charles had the opportunity to participate in a special collaboration with Imago Theatre. The students created stunning recycled plastic sea creatures for Imago’s Eco-Anxiety play reading event. The sea creature sculptures were hung on mobile structures above the stage, serving as an integral part of the environment. The fundraising event, which was held at The National Theatre School of Canada, was a part of Climate Change Theatre Action's initiative to raise global awareness about climate change through the use of art and story. Bravo, to everyone involved!

A scene from one of  last year's Spirit of Giving events.
SPIRIT OF GIVING: In preparation for the holidays, the EMSB will once again be teaming up with CTV Montreal for the annual “Spirit of Giving” campaign, which brings much needed assistance to the less fortunate throughout Montreal.   More than 40 schools and centres will take part in the campaign. Many of the participating EMSB schools will organize a series of events set to encourage donations. Additionally, from December 5 to 13, six schools will be featured live on CTV Montreal’s 12 pm newscast during the campaign: December 5. Dunrae Gardens; December 6,  Elizabeth Ballantyne; December 10, Options High School; December 11, Lester B. Pearson High School

December 12,  LaurenHill Junior Campus and December 13, St. Dorothy Elementary School
For highlights of the 2018 campaign, please watch this video.


The Monteal East Rangers players were designated as Physical Literacy Ambassadors.
JUNIOR AAA RANGERS VISIT: Students at Leonardo Da Vinci Academy in RDP had a nice surprise earlier this week when members of the Montreal East Rangers visited the school. Players Gabriel Bouchard, Émeric Rondeau and Jerome Gignac were joined by front office staff Will Bartucci and Antoine Hudon  for an early afternoon hockey game vs. the school’s vaunted floor hockey squad. Following the game, the players gave away Rangers pucks, hats and tickets to an upcoming game. Furthermore, Bouchard, Rondeau and Gignac were named as EMSB Physical Literacy Ambassadors, continuing the school board’s mission of connecting students with role models in the world of sports.

SHADOW DAY: WCM Job Shadow Day is a free day-long event for senior female high school students with an interest in business. It will feature interactive workshops, networking and mentoring sessions, presentations profiling women with diverse careers in capital markets and an afternoon of job shadowing with a mentor who works in the industry.  This event will give students a first-hand view of the exciting careers in capital markets. WCM Job Shadow Day Montreal will take place on December 5, hosted at PSP Investments (1250 Rene-Levesque Blvd. W), with the participation from the large banks and asset management firms. Students will have the opportunity to tour the major trading floors of these banks and pension funds.   Since its inception in 2004, Job Shadow Day has offered hundreds of senior high school students unique exposure into the world of business and capital markets. With tremendous success in previous years and based on popular demand, WCM will be hosting Job Shadow Day 2019 in both Montreal and Toronto." Students must be chaperoned by a teacher. Ten students can be registered per school, teachers are not required to be included in registration  Click here to register and learn more about Job Shadow Day.  

MAJOR SCHOOL CHANGE:  A Major School Change process has been launched by the EMSB to evaluate how best to organize and consolidate the school populations in the north east end territory. The following schools have been identified in the scenarios: Dante, General Vanier, Honoré Mercier, Pierre de Coubertin, John Paul I and Laurier Macdonald in St. Léonard; Gerald McShane and Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North; and Our Lady of Pompei and St. Dorothy in Ahuntsic and  St. Michel. Hearings will be held January 8 and 9. A decision will be made at a meeting by January 30. The documentation is available here.




A warm greeting at Gerald McShane.
K TRANSITION AGENT ON HAND: Open house was a success at Gerald McShane Elementary School. After touring the school, families had an opportunity to meet with several community partners who had kiosks set up in the gym. The school’s community development agent, numerous sports concentration partners, Bibliothèque de la Maison Culturelle et Communautaire, Concertation Petite-Enfance-Famille de Montréal-Nord and the EMSB’s Kindergarten Transition Agent were all on hand to provide families with a variety of information and resources. A parent volunteer was also present to provide refreshments, treats and gift bags to visiting families and children. 



ANNUAL HONOUR ROLL: Montreal Community Cares Foundation is pleased to be collaborating with Youth Leaders of Tomorrow to host a luncheon for students in Grades 5, 6 or 7 who have made the Honour Roll in their respective schools. The event is also open to students whose perseverance and hard work in school demonstrate a notable improvement that should be recognized and encouraged.  The goal is to identify young people who are working hard to pursue their educational paths, to acknowledge their achievements, to encourage them to continue on this path, and to provide them with information and exposure to what awaits them at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Participants will hear about a range of choices and opportunities. The Third Annual Honour Roll Luncheon will be held on Sunday, December 8 in the Loyola High School Atrium (7272 Sherbrooke St. W.,)  will begin at 11:00 and will end at 1:30. A healthy meal will be served to all students who attend. Please note that parents are also invited. Info:  HTTP://BIT.LY/2019_HONOUR_ROLL

CODING AND AI FOR FREE: Kids Code Jeunesse is offering a free, full-day workshop provides educators with the tools to explore and learn computational thinking, basic coding and artificial intelligence, while providing ideas for how to bring these into the classroom. For more information click here.


MARCH OF THE LIVING: Applications are now being accepted for the 2020 March of the Living (MOL), run locally by Federation CJA’s young adult division, GenMTL. This experiential educational program brings grade 11 participants on a life-changing two-week journey through Poland and Israel. MOL is dedicated to strengthening Jewish identity, as well as inspiring participants to fight indifference, racism and injustice. Royal West Academy alumni Emma Rothstein and her twin brother Tyler, both now first-year CEGEP students, participated in the 2019 MOL. Their great-grandparents were Holocaust survivors, which prompted their parents to encourage them to apply for the trip. You can read their full story here.

SPERANZA MTL:   EMSB staffer Sabrina Mendaglio and two of her friends are the founders of  a fundraising campaign called Speranza MTL. Their mission is to seek out Montreal's most underprivileged groups and contribute to the improvement of life for these individuals by creating awareness through different platforms.  For their first venture   The Old Brewery Mission will benefit. They are   collecting for men, women, and children: warm clothing, new and unused underwear and toiletries, and other daily essentials. Their drop off locations are listed on their social media  pages. Speranza MTL aims to support the community by helping the less fortunate and underprivileged.   In 1889, two women by the names Dina Douglas and Eva Findlay, decided to offer warm meals to the city’s poorest citizens. In 1890 , the women find a donor, who provides them with a vacant building that once housed a brewery, where they set up a soup kitchen; creating the birth of the Old Brewery Mission. Proof that with a little Speranza (Hope) and lots of heart, anyone can make a difference. The cold winter months are here, and we decided that it was time to take action and contribute to the aid of the hundreds of homeless men and women seeking warmth and essentials on the streets of Montreal..........and your help is needed  They will also be collecting money to purchase the items mentioned above. The items will be used to make baskets which will be donated directly to the Old Brewery Mission. In addition, the money raised will also go towards gift cards to grocery stores, Tim-Hortons, and other local food and essential stores. Please visit this link  to donate.

GIVING TUESDAY: The Missing Children’s Network is excited to be a part of #GivingTuesday, a global day of giving that is fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. On Dec. 3   they are inviting schools to join the movement and help raise $5,000 for our #KeepMeSafe campaign. These funds will allow the organization to increase the personal safety of 1,000 school-aged children.     The Missing Children’s Network is committed to significantly reducing the number of children that fall victim to abduction, aggression and exploitation.   They propose that schools  host simple and fun activities that can include a  dress-down day,  bake sale or a toonie drive. Info:   514 843-4968   or www. reseauenfantsretour.org.

Westmount High School students at the QPAT registration desk.
QPAT CONVENTION: The EMSB had a strong presence at the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT) Convention at Hotel Bonaventure.  Besides the information table, which was very busy, a number of EMSB personnel facilitated workshops. Students from Westmount High School once again welcomed delegates at the registration desk. Next year's event will be October 15 and 16.

Some participants in the Spotlight on the Arts.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS:  Education through the arts is an important gateway into developing 21st century skills in all learners. Integrated into QPAT 2019, the Spotlight on the Arts once again offered a series of dynamic workshops, an interactive art-making space for educators and a collaborative art experience for everyone. Each workshop provides arts specialists and generalists alike with creative classroom practices and approaches applicable to developing arts competencies, as well as making clear and tangible connections to other parts of the curriculum.  This year’s program took place on November 15 and featured: An all-day Art making session for students and teachers with LBPSB’s Frank Caracciolo; An Open Creative Space offered by LEARN Quebec; a Movement, Music and the Mind workshop with musician Angélique Desjardins; an Appreciation as Empathy workshop with LEARN’s Sylvia Bielec; a workshop on Developing the Creative Reflex with ETSB’s Véronique Robidas, and; Design Thinking with the EMSB’s Nicolas Doyon.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: EMSB Arts Consultant  Nicolas Doyon will interpret the lead role of George Bailey in a theatrical adaptation of the classic film It's A Wonderful Life. This is part of an annual fundraiser for Geordie Productions’ travelling theatre troupe which takes professional, thought-provoking theatre to children and families in distant areas such as Northern Quebec/Ontario and Nunavut. This year’s fundraiser will take place at Concordia’s DB Clarke Theatre on December 6 and 7. All performers for this event are volunteers who come from all walks of life. Each performance will be followed by a reception with a silent auction, door prizes, open bar, and delicious hors d’oeuvres. For ticket information,  to make a donation, please click on the following link: https://geordie.ca/2019-20-season/its-a-wonderful-life.



STUDY ABROAD: The Study and Go Abroad Fair is a free international university fair aimed at students who are considering their post-secondary options at home and abroad. The expo offers students a great opportunity to meet face-to-face with universities from the UK, USA, Australia, and many other countries, and to learn about admission requirements, available scholarships and program choices. We would encourage students, parents and educators attend the expo and discover a whole range of education options. The fair will also feature a Travel Zone with work abroad, volunteer and language travel programs, and other gap year options.  It takes place on February 29 at the Palais des Congrès from 1 pm to 5 pm.

 ADULT EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES


Galileo students are congratulated by Len Baker, Rick David, Principal Martin  Schiavone and Angie Spagnolo.
GALILEO STUDENTS REWARDED: Each year, March of Dimes Canada gives away customized accessible tablet packages to people with disabilities through their Assistive Mobile Technology Initiative. This year's winners were Galileo Adult Education Centre students Sebu Baghdassarian, Domenico Condello, Nancy Leopardi and Gérard Nardone.  The students were honoured by March of Dimes Canada president Len Baker at the organization's annual Opening Doors seminar in Montreal on November 13. Inspirations Newspaper was one of the sponsors. Galileo Principal Martina Schiavone, AEVS Director Angie Spagnolo and Assistant Director Rick David, and the recipients' parents, were in attendance. Congratulations to the four recipients, and to Galileo Vice Principal Santini Miceli and teachers Lisa Germile, Caroline Jelovcic, Marisa Guerrieri and Michel Masse, who worked so hard to put the applications together and give their students the opportunity to benefit from their new tablets.

SLA staff and students celebrate  their successful endeavor.
BOOKSTORE PROJECT: Victoria Callocchia, a teacher at the Saint-Laurent Adult Education Centre, initiated a learning activity that she transformed into a fundraiser: the Bookstore Project. A used book sale held on October 30in the cafeteria, collected $425.80 and the proceeds were turned over to Sacre-Coeur Hospital Foundation. Here’s how the project took shape: First, the students were divided into groups to learn about various charitable groups and their missions in the local community. Next, students from each group made a presentation to other CCBE classes about the charity their group had chosen. Then, students in all the classes that had received the presentations voted by secret ballot for their favorite charity.The students also reviewed the books that were to be sold so that they could make recommendations to potential buyers. Prizes were also created to recognize the best books.

ÉDITION DU 28 NOVEMBRE 2019 / BULLETIN DE LA CSEM


COMITÉ DE PARENTS DE LA CSEM: Le 17 octobre, les membres du comité de parents de la CSEM se sont réunis pour la première fois cette année afin d'élire leur exécutif ainsi que les observateurs aux divers comités de la Commission. Caroline Phaneuf de l’école Edinburgh assurera la présidence du CPCSEM pour l’année scolaire 2019-2020; Joseph Bondi de l’école Dunrae Gardens occupera le poste de vice-président et Johnny Leoci de l’école secondaire John F. Kennedy agira à titre de trésorier. Les commissaires-parents sont Pietro Mercuri (écoles primaires), Norm Gharibian (écoles secondaires), Mubeenah Mughal (CCSAS) et Andrew Ross (aucune désignation). Les observateurs élus sont : Sophie Antippa (école Westmount Park) et Anne Monereau (Académie Royal West) au comité de l’éducation; Jason Trudeau (école Général Vanier) et Joseph Paglia (école Easthill) au comité financier; Sophie Antippa (école Westmount Park) et Katherine Korakakis (école Hampstead) au comité de l’EAFP; et Stephanie Passucci (école Michelangelo International) au comité de transport. Les représentants des parents auprès de l’Association des comités de parents anglophones (ACPA) sont Katherine Korakakis (école Hampstead) et Andrew Ross (Académie Marymount).


PARCOURS DE LA NOUVELLE PRÉSIDENTE DU COMITÉ DE PARENTS: Conseillère en communication et marketing et ex-journaliste, Madame Phaneuf se dit honorée d'avoir été élue présidente en cette année des plus cruciales et décisives. Elle est heureuse de pouvoir compter sur un comité exécutif aussi solide. Madame Phaneuf a deux filles qui fréquentent l’école primaire Edinburgh à Montréal-Ouest où elle représente le conseil d’établissement au comité de parents de la CSEM depuis deux ans. L’an dernier, elle a occupé le poste de vice-présidente et a coorganisé la conférence des parents du comité de parents. Elle a également joué un rôle important dans l’ajout de salles de classe modulaires à Edinburgh, soit l’une des écoles les plus surpeuplées de la CSEM. Madame Phaneuf dirige sa propre entreprise internationale de communication et marketing, après avoir été journaliste pendant 10 ans, notamment à CJAD800, Mix96 (maintenant Virgin Radio), 940News, Q92 (maintenant The Beat 92.5) et à CTV Montréal.


NOMINATIONS: Mauro Zampini a été nommé directeur de l’école Royal Vale. Il succède à Nathalie Lacroix-Maillette, qui occupe maintenant le poste de directrice régionale à la CSEM. Chantal Juhasz a été nommée provisoirement directrice à l’école primaire Edinburgh de Montréal-Ouest en remplacement de M. Zampini. Andrea Dillon, enseignante à l’Académie Royal West, succédera à Mme Juhasz, à titre de directrice adjointe par intérim.


PRÉSENCE DE PLOMB DANS L’EAU: Les commissions scolaires ont récemment reçu une directive du ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement supérieur (MEES) afin de mesurer la concentration de plomb dans l’eau des écoles. Cette mesure a pour but de garantir que la concentration de plomb est conforme aux normes en matière de sécurité fournies par le MEES. Les tests et les analyses de l’eau dans toutes les écoles primaires, à commencer par les bâtiments construits avant 1981, de même que la mise en place des correctifs, seront achevés au plus tard le 23 juin 2020. Les autres établissements ont quant à eux jusqu’au 2 novembre 2020 pour procéder à ces tests. Le Service des ressources matérielles de la CSEM supervisera les tests réalisés par des laboratoires agréés. À la demande du MEES, des mesures préventives à court terme seront mises en œuvre par le Service des ressources matérielles, notamment l’installation d’affiches près des points d’eau potable désignés (fontaines, services de garde, cuisines, etc.) et non potable (lavabos dans les toilettes, etc.), qui se lisent comme suit : Faire couler l’eau au moins une minute (dans le cas des fontaines) ou au moins cinq minutes (aux lavabos) avant de la boire; l’eau des lavabos dans les toilettes et vestiaires ne peut être utilisée que pour se laver les mains. Nous avons à cœur la sécurité et le bien-être de nos élèves et employés. Au cours des dernières années, le Service des ressources matérielles a procédé au remplacement de la majorité des fontaines dans nos établissements. Certains modèles installés sont munis de systèmes de filtration certifiés pour la réduction de la teneur en plomb. Soyez assurés que nous mettrons en place toutes les mesures correctives jugées nécessaires à la suite des résultats des tests et analyses.


MARLENE JENNINGS, ADMINISTRATRICE DE LA TUTELLE: Le ministre de l’Éducation, Jean-François Roberge, a récemment annoncé que les pouvoirs et fonctions du conseil des commissaires de la CSEM seraient en grande partie suspendus pour une période de six mois et transférés à une administratrice, soit Marlene Jennings – personnalité très connue et respectée au sein de la communauté anglophone du Québec. La directrice générale de la CSEM, Ann Marie Matheson, tient à rassurer tous les acteurs que ce changement temporaire au niveau de la structure de gouvernance de la Commission n’aura aucune incidence sur le personnel et les élèves. Qui plus est, cette situation n’aura pas de répercussions sur l’excellence des services dispensés au quotidien à nos écoles et au sein de celles-ci. Les diverses entités administratives de la Commission continueront d’offrir à nos équipes-écoles toutes les précieuses ressources dont elles ont besoin. Compétents et attentionnés, les directions d’école, enseignants et membres du personnel poursuivront leur travail remarquable auprès des élèves. Au final, la réussite scolaire de nos élèves demeurera la mission première de la CSEM. Bref, malgré certains processus administratifs à améliorer, la CSEM forte d’un taux de réussite de 92,4 % - le plus élevé parmi toutes les commissions scolaires publiques du Québec - demeure un leader en éducation à l’échelle provinciale et nous pouvons tous, à juste titre, en être fiers!


PRIX PECK : Cinq élèves de l’Académie Royal West à Montréal-Ouest et une élève de l’Académie LaurenHill à Saint-Laurent ont récemment remporté le Prix Robert Alfred Peck 2019 pour l’excellence en français. Les élèves de 4e secondaire Roxana Barin, Allison Engo, Alessandro Ferraro, Ronit Bathsheba Gelbart et Jesse Sutherland de l’Académie Royal West ainsi que Siena Blier de LaurenHill ont tous obtenu une note parfaite de 100 %. Chacun a reçu une médaille et un chèque de 150 $. Le défunt monsieur Peck a amorcé sa carrière d’enseignant dans les années 1930. Il a été surintendant de français au sein du ministère de l’Éducation et a occupé des postes similaires à l’ancienne Commission scolaire Westmount de même qu’à l’ancienne Commission des écoles protestantes du Grand Montréal. Il a été responsable du département de français à l’école secondaire Lachine et directeur adjoint à l’école secondaire Riverdale de l’Ouest de l’île, après avoir enseigné en Afrique. Il est coauteur avec Elizabeth Buchanan du manuel d’enseignement du français langue seconde intitulé « Le français pratique », qui fut la référence par excellence dans les écoles anglophones protestantes du Québec pendant plus de 20 ans. Ce prix a été institué en son honneur par la famille Peck et la CSEM en 2002.

 MAGAZINE INSPIRATIONS : L’édition Automne/Hiver 2019-2020 du magazine Inspirations est arrivée. Cette publication de 44 pages, unique en son genre et dédiée à la communauté ayant des besoins particuliers, regorge d’excellents articles. Vous pouvez en faire la lecture en ligne.  

SALLES DE CLASSE MODULAIRES À EDINBURGH: Les toutes nouvelles salles de classe à l’école primaire Edinburgh de Montréal-Ouest ont ouvert leurs portes! L’annexe est à la disposition des élèves depuis le 22 octobre, soit moins de neuf mois à partir du moment où le projet de « classes modulaires » a commencé à prendre forme. Comme d’autres écoles primaires du secteur ouest, l’école d’immersion française Edinburgh située à Montréal-Ouest se devait de trouver des moyens pour faire face au problème de surinscription. Il y a trois ans, l'école – dont la capacité d’accueil est de 330 élèves – en comptait 409, ce qui a engendré un manque d'espace. L’école avait donc dû sacrifier des salles de classe, ses locaux de musique et des sciences ainsi que du temps de gymnase, si bien que certains groupes étaient contraints de faire leurs cours d’éducation physique dans leur propre classe les jours de pluie lorsqu’il n’était pas possible de sortir à l’extérieur. La bibliothèque avait elle aussi été convertie en salle de classe. Parmi les options que la CSEM avait proposées à l'automne 2018, l’école Edinburgh et son conseil d'établissement ont opté pour des installations modulaires ou mobiles, c’est-à-dire des unités préfabriquées sur roues. Les cours d’éducation physique se déroulent maintenant dans le gymnase ou la salle de conditionnement physique, les enseignants de musique et de sciences se sont réappropriés des salles de classe dédiées, sans compter que le centre de ressources est de nouveau disponible. L’objectif de la CSEM est de réduire le nombre d’unités mobiles à raison d’une par année, jusqu’à ce que l’effectif scolaire de l’école soit ramené dans les limites de sa capacité d’accueil pour ainsi occuper sans débordement son bâtiment scolaire habituel. Nous vous invitons à lire l’intégral de l’article de Kristin McNeill.


SOUPER DES RETRAITÉS : Cent trente-sept personnes ont assisté au souper annuel des retraités le 29 octobre à la salle de réception Le Challenger de Ville Saint-Laurent. Cette soirée se voulait l’occasion de rendre hommage à 98 employés de la CSEM pour qui l’heure de la retraite a sonné et qui, tous ensemble, cumulent 2 220 années de service à l’emploi de la Commission à titre d’enseignants, d’administrateurs, de professionnels et d’employés de soutien. La présidente de la CSEM, Angela Mancini, en compagnie du vice-président, Joe Ortona; du directeur général adjoint (Division de l'administration), Benoît Duhême; de la directrice générale adjointe (Division de l'éducation), Evelyne Alfonsi; de la directrice régionale du secteur ouest, Pela Nickoletopoulos; du directeur régional du secteur est, John Pevec; de la directrice régionale des SEAFP, Angela Spagnolo ainsi que de plusieurs commissaires de la CSEM et des cadres supérieurs des Ressources humaines, des Services financiers et du Bureau régional, secteur est, ont remis à chaque retraité une carafe en cristal assortie de quatre verres à pied en guise de cadeau de remerciement. Au nombre des employés les plus anciens honorés à l’occasion de cette soirée, mentionnons Kamlesh Jain-Jain, technicienne en documentation à l'école secondaire James Lyng (45 années de service); Cosmo Della Rocca, directeur régional des SEAFP (43 années de service); Sharon Friedmann, enseignante à l’école Elizabeth Ballantyne (42 années de service) et Steve Verbich, enseignant au Centre de carrières St. Pius X (24 années de service). Lire ici.

DES BAS EN CADEAU: Les écoles Dante, Nesbitt, Gerald McShane, Honoré Mercier, Pierre de Coubertin, Perspectives I et II, de même que l’école secondaire Rosemont, organiseront pour une cinquième fois la campagne « Des bas en cadeau » (Sox in a Box) pour les plus démunis dans la communauté. Au cours des cinq dernières années, plus de 30 000 paires de bas (pour tous les âges) ont été données à des œuvres de bienfaisance locales du Grand Montréal. Les bas recueillis iront aux organismes suivants cette année : le Refuge pour les femmes de l’Ouest de l’île, Dans la rue, Chez Doris, la mission Saint-Michael et la Mission du Mile-End. Devant la popularité de cette campagne et afin de souligner cet anniversaire spécial, outre des bas nous recueillerons désormais des gants, chapeaux, foulards et mitaines à l’état neuf. Le 10 décembre, les membres du personnel et les élèves de chacune des écoles, ainsi que des représentants d'organismes de bienfaisance, se réuniront au Centre communautaire spirituel de l'école secondaire Rosemont afin d’emballer tous les dons reçus. Les élèves créeront des boîtes-cadeaux personnalisées et rédigeront des messages d'espoir bilingues en cette période des Fêtes. La campagne sera pilotée par les administrateurs et le personnel de chaque école, aux côtés de M. Vince Lacroce, animateur de vie spirituelle et d’engagement communautaire. Nous vous remercions à l’avance de votre engagement.


40E ANNIVERSAIRE : La chorale de la CSEM a entamé sa 40e saison en force. En effet, la chorale compte désormais 45 nouveaux membres, ce qui porte le nombre à 110. La chorale senior s’est produite le 23 novembre avec Musica Orbium, à l’occasion d’un concert à la mémoire du grand chef d’orchestre montréalais Patrick Wedd, décédé en mai dernier. Le 30 novembre, la chorale senior de la CSEM et la chorale Saint-Laurent uniront leurs voix lors d’un concert de Noël à l’église des Saints-Anges-de-Lachine. La grande chorale de la CSEM présentera son propre concert annuel de Noël le samedi 7 décembre à 16 h 30, à l’église Mountainside United située au 4000, The Boulevard à Westmount. Aucun billet n’est requis pour assister au concert de Noël. Une collecte aura lieu sur place au profit de la campagne de Noël de l’Armée du Salut. Accompagnée au piano par Anne-Marie Denoncourt, la chorale accueillera la violoncelliste Anne-Sarah Ouimet et la fanfare de la Citadelle de l’Armée du Salut.Pour plus d’informations, veuillez communiquer avec la chef d’orchestre Patricia Abbott au 514 483 7200, poste 7234 ou pabbott@emsb.qc.ca.


RAM-O-THON AU PROFIT DE LA FONDATION GÉNÉRATIONS : Les élèves et le personnel de l’école innovatrice Options de Ville-Émard ont uni leurs forces dans leur gymnase pour redonner à la Fondation Générations, un organisme qui les a énormément soutenus au fil des ans. En guise de reconnaissance, les élèves et le personnel ont participé à un Ram-O-Thon stationnaire de 24 heures, qui a débuté le 17 octobre à 12 h 30 pour se terminer le 18 octobre à 12 h 30. Au départ, les élèves et le personnel étaient répartis en trois équipes de huit personnes et prévoyaient ramer par blocs de 22 minutes. Or, lors de la tenue de l’activité, les participants ont redoublé de soutien envers les élèves et leur objectif d’amasser 1 000 $. D’anciens élèves de l’école Options, des amis et des membres de la famille des participants, ainsi que le directeur du réseau des écoles innovatrices Craig Olenik, se sont relayés sur les machines à ramer stationnaires. Ensemble, ils ont réussi à faire en sorte que les trois machines ne soient jamais immobilisées tout au long de l'événement et ont même surpassé l’objectif de 1 000 $. Le 25 octobre, soit une semaine après l'événement, Options avait recueilli 3 595 $ par l’entremise de dons directs et de sa campagne de sociofinancement. Membre du personnel d’Options, organisateur et motivateur de l’événement, Jason Gannon a inculqué la devise « All Go, No Quit » dans l'esprit des élèves et du personnel. Il souhaitait ainsi démontrer aux participants et aux personnes de l’extérieur que l’école Options est capable de s’unir pour une cause et de rendre la pareille à la Fondation Générations qui l’a tant soutenue. Les élèves et le personnel d'Options souhaitent remercier tous ceux qui les ont appuyés tout au long de l'événement et espèrent que le Ram-O-Thon deviendra une activité annuelle de reconnaissance à l’endroit de la Fondation Générations. Ils souhaitent également inciter les élèves et le personnel des écoles environnantes à redonner aux causes qui leur tiennent à cœur.Voici le lien vers la page de sociofinancement.

JOURNÉE SHADOW DAY : La Journée Job Shadow Day de WCM est un événement gratuit d'une journée qui s’adresse aux élèves de la gent féminine du deuxième cycle du secondaire ayant un intérêt pour les affaires. Cette activité présentera des ateliers interactifs, des séances de réseautage et de mentorat, des exposés animés par des femmes occupant des carrières diverses dans le domaine financier ainsi qu’un après-midi d'observation en milieu de travail en compagnie d’une mentore qui œuvre dans l'industrie. Cet événement procurera aux élèves un aperçu des carrières passionnantes en finance. À Montréal, la journée Job Shadow Day de WCM aura lieu le 5 décembre dans les locaux de PSP Investments au 1250, boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest, avec la participation de grandes banques et de sociétés de gestion de portefeuille. Les élèves auront l’occasion de faire la tournée des principales salles de marchés de ces grandes banques et sociétés de gestion de retraite. Depuis sa création en 2004, la Journée Job Shadow Day a offert à des centaines d’élèves du deuxième cycle du secondaire une exposition unique au monde des affaires et des marchés financiers. Devant le succès retentissant des dernières années et à la demande générale, le WCM organisera à Montréal et à Toronto la Journée Job Shadow Day 2019. Les élèves devront être accompagnées d’un enseignant. Dix élèves par école pourront s’inscrire; il n’est pas nécessaire pour les enseignants de s’inscrire. Cliquez ici pour vous inscrire et en apprendre davantage sur la Journée Job Shadow Day. (https://wcm.ca/students/job-shadow-day). Pour information: Jennifer Ottywill à jennifer.ottywill@wcm.ca.

RÉORGANISATION SCOLAIRE MAJEURE : La CSEM a lancé une vaste consultation sur la réorganisation scolaire afin d’évaluer la meilleure façon d’organiser et de consolider les effectifs scolaires dans la partie nord-est de son territoire. Les écoles suivantes font l’objet de cette consultation : Dante, Général Vanier, Honoré Mercier, Pierre de Coubertin, John Paul I et Laurier Macdonald à Saint-Léonard; Gerald McShane et l’école secondaire Lester B. Pearson à Montréal-Nord; de même que Our Lady of Pompei à Ahuntsic et St. Dorothy à Saint-Michel. Les audiences se tiendront les 8 et 9 janvier prochains. Une décision sera prise lors de la réunion qui se tiendra le 30 janvier. Nous vous invitons à consulter les documents pertinents à :
https://az184419.vo.msecnd.net/emsb/emsb-website/en/docs/2019-2020/consultations/3-emsb-major-school-change-consultation-2019-2020-2.pdf

TABLEAU D'HONNEUR ANNUEL: La Fondation communauté Montréal à cœur en collaboration avec les Jeunes leaders de demain sont heureux d’organiser un dîner pour les élèves de 5e, 6e et 7e année qui figurent au tableau d'honneur de leur école respective. Cette activité s’adresse également aux élèves dont la persévérance et le travail acharné à l'école démontrent une amélioration notable digne d’être soulignée et encouragée. L’objectif vise à cibler les jeunes qui travaillent d'arrache-pied pour poursuivre leurs études, à reconnaître leurs réalisations, à les encourager à poursuivre sur cette voie et à les renseigner et les préparer en prévision des études secondaires et postsecondaires. Les participants se verront présenter une foule d’options et de possibilités. La troisième édition du dîner annuel du tableau d'honneur aura lieu le dimanche 8 décembre dans l'atrium de l'école secondaire Loyola (7272, rue Sherbrooke Ouest) de 11 h 00 à 13 h 30. Un repas sain sera servi à tous les élèves présents. Les parents sont également les bienvenus.

SPERANZA MTL: Sabrina Mendaglio de la CSEM et deux copines ont lancé une campagne de financement baptisée Speranza MTL. L’objectif vise à cibler les groupes les plus démunis de Montréal dans le but d’améliorer leur existence en sensibilisant la population par l’entremise de diverses plateformes. Leur première collecte est dédiée à la Mission Old Brewery. Elles recueilleront les articles suivants pour hommes, femmes et enfants : vêtements chauds, sous-vêtements neufs et jamais portés, articles de toilette, de même que d’autres articles essentiels au quotidien. Les points de cueillette figurent sur leurs pages de réseaux sociaux. Speranza MTL a pour mission de soutenir la communauté en venant en aide aux plus démunis et défavorisés. En 1889, Dina Douglas et Eva Findlay décident d’offrir des repas chauds aux citoyens les plus pauvres de la ville. En 1890, elles trouvent un donateur qui leur fournit un bâtiment vacant abritant autrefois une brasserie; elles y établissent une soupe populaire qui donnera naissance à la Mission Old Brewery. C’est la preuve qu’avec un peu de « speranza » (espoir) et un grand cœur, chacun peut faire une différence. Avec l’arrivée de l’hiver, nous avons décidé qu'il était temps d'agir pour venir en aide aux centaines d'hommes et de femmes sans abri en quête d’un peu de chaleur et de produits de première nécessité dans les rues de Montréal… et pour ce faire, nous faisons appel à votre générosité. Elles recueilleront également des fonds pour acheter les articles mentionnés ci-dessus avec lesquels elles prépareront des paniers qui seront ensuite remis directement à la Mission Old Brewery. De plus, l'argent recueilli servira également à acheter des cartes-cadeaux échangeables dans des supermarchés, chez Tim Horton’s et dans d’autres magasins d’alimentation et de produits essentiels.Veuillez utiliser ce lien pour faire un don. 

MARDI JE DONNE: Le Réseau Enfants-Retour est fier de faire partie du mouvement #MardiJeDonne, une journée mondiale de générosité, soutenue par la force des médias sociaux et de la collaboration. Le 3 décembre, les écoles sont invitées à se joindre au mouvement visant à amasser 5 000 $ afin d’accroître la sécurité de 1 000 jeunes d’âge scolaire dans le cadre de sa campagne #protégezmoi. Le Réseau Enfants-Retour s’engage à réduire considérablement le nombre d’enfants victimes d’enlèvement, d’agression et d’exploitation. Il propose aux écoles d’organiser des activités simples et amusantes, notamment une journée décontractée, une vente de pâtisseries maison ou une collecte de pièces de deux dollars. Pour de plus amples renseignements, composez le 514 843 4968 ou visitez le www.reseauenfantsretour.ong

DANTE: Depuis bientôt 10 ans, l’école Dante de Saint-Léonard fait partie de la grande famille active des Établissements verts Brundtland. Avant l’arrivée de l’hiver, le comité vert de notre école a lancé un appel à sa communauté afin de recueillir des vêtements chauds. Ces derniers ont été remis à un organisme qui vient en aide aux gens dans le besoin. Voilà une autre belle initiative mise de l’avant par notre école. Faire preuve d’empathie, prendre soin des autres, être conscients que nous n’avons pas tous la même chance, que de belles valeurs à partager avec les élèves de l’école. Bravo!

LA VIE EST BELLE (IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE) : Nicolas Doyon, conseiller en arts à la CSEM, interprétera le rôle principal de George Bailey dans une adaptation théâtrale d’un grand classique du cinéma : La Vie est belle (It's A Wonderful Life). Cette production s’inscrit dans le cadre de la collecte annuelle de fonds de la troupe de théâtre ambulant des Productions Geordie qui présentent des pièces de théâtre professionnelles et stimulantes aux enfants et aux familles en régions éloignées telles que le Nord du Québec / de l’Ontario et le Nunavut. Cette année, l’événement se tiendra au théâtre DB Clarke de l’Université Concordia les 6 et 7 décembre. Issus de divers milieux, tous les artistes qui prennent part à cette production le font bénévolement. Chaque représentation sera suivie d’une réception avec vente aux enchères silencieuse, prix de présence, bar ouvert et délicieux hors-d’œuvre. Pour tout renseignement au sujet des billets ou pour faire un don, veuillez cliquer sur le lien suivant.


SERVICES DE L’ÉDUCATION DES ADULTES ET DE LA FORMATION PROFESSIONNELLE


DES ÉLÈVES DE GALILEO HONORÉS : Chaque année, la Marche des dix sous du Canada remet à des personnes handicapées des tablettes personnalisées et accessibles dans le cadre de son initiative liée aux technologies mobiles d'assistance. Les élèves suivants du Centre d’éducation des adultes Galileo sont les grands gagnants de cette année : Sebu Baghdassarian, Domenico Condello, Nancy Leopardi et Gérard Nardone. Le 13 novembre, le président de la Marche des dix sous du Canada, Len Baker, a rendu hommage aux élèves à l’occasion du séminaire annuel « Opening Doors » qui s’est tenu à Montréal. Le magazine Inspirations figurait parmi les commanditaires. La directrice du centre Galileo, Martina Schiavone; la directrice de l'EAFP, Angie Spagnolo; le directeur adjoint, Rick David et les parents des lauréats étaient présents pour l’occasion. Félicitations à tous les lauréats de même qu’à Santini Miceli, directeur adjoint de Galileo, et aux enseignants Lisa Germile, Caroline Jelovcic, Marisa Guerrieri et Michel Masse, qui ont tous travaillé très fort afin de regrouper les applications pour permettre à leurs élèves de tirer le maximum de leurs nouvelles tablettes.

The next Focus will be on December 19, 2019.  Deadline for submissions is Friday, December 20.