Register online here.
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| Deputy DG Benoit Duheme, Pietro Mercuri, Deputy DG Evelyn Alfonsi, Joe Ortona, Ann Marie Matheson, Mubeenah Mughal, Norm Gharibian and Andrew Ross. |
SPECIAL MEETINGS: The proposal to create a new Français Plus school and relocate Focus and Outreach Schools to James Lyng High School in St. Henri and another to relocate the students from Westmount Park Elementary School to the Marymount and St. John Bosco facilities are presently out for consultation. The EMSB Council of Commissioners will convene on January 9 to listen to comments from those bodies that are being consulted, with votes scheduled for January 16.
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| A look at the new school sign format. |
NEW SCHOOL SIGNS: The EMSB plans to introduce new signs for each school and centre building. However the process really got underway with the new Mackay Centre and Philip E. Layton School facility. Their new sign was installed two weeks ago and will serve as a template for others. Ponctuation Grafix undertook the design in conjunction with an EMSB Marketing focus group and the Council of Commissioners.
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| Conference organizers, EMSB representatives and student volunteers. |
NEW PARENTS COMMITTEE CHAIR: It’s only been a few weeks since Joseph Bondi (pictured) was elected chairman of the EMSB Parents Committee, but he has a clear vision about the future and the issues on the table.
Mr. Bondi, 52, became chairman by acclamation in October. "That was fine," he said. "It was a vote of confidence from everyone." Mr. Bondi joined the Parents Committee at Dunrae Gardens Elementary School in the Town of Mount Royal when his daughter, now in Grade 5, was in Grade 1. The director of a software company by day, he said there are several reasons as to why he is so involved with the EMSB. "To me, education is very important," he said. "My dad was actively involved in parents' committees...I have three siblings, I'm the oldest, and my dad was on parents' committees for all four of us, from when I was in first grade until my sister graduated high school. That was over 20 years. "He was busy working. But he took the time. And it made me realize that education is important, very important. And it's not just about education. I truly believe in the old adage 'it takes a village to raise a child.' The only way you do that is through stewardship, volunteerism, you do it at the school level, the grassroots, you help out, be part of different committees, different activities and every little bit helps, right?" Among the challenges for Mr. Bondi going forward is to continue to fight against the possible abolition of school boards, to help attract more students to the EMSB as well as funding issues. Mr. Bondi has a one year mandate and a pretty full plate.
PLAYWRIGHT/ACTRESS RETURNS TO LMAC: Actress Michaela Di Cesare returned to Laurier Macdonald High School in St. Léonard on November 26 to speak to a creative writing class about her career. Commissioner for St. Léonard and City Councillor Patricia Lattanzio was on hand and took part in the program. The class, taught by Alessio Giancola, is actually working on script writing at the moment so the timing was perfect. Ms. Lattanzio asked Michaela if she would consider coming back to the school as a mentor, to which she agreed. Here is a link to the CTV report on her visit. Michaela holds an MA in Theatre from the University of Toronto and an undergraduate degree in Creative Writing & Theatre from Concordia University. She has appeared in many movies, television shows and stage productions and writes her own plays as well. Presently, she is starring in the play Gratitude, which runs until Dec. 2 at the Mainline Theatre. The provocative storyline revolves around 15 year old Dariya, who attends an exclusive Montreal private high school. The elements of first love, peer pressure, sexual identity and cultural discrepancies are woven into the script as well. While the show is recommended for those aged 16 and older, Director Oren Safdie ensured that everything is done tastefully. Michaela, who is much older than 15 in real life, portrays Dariya. “This play is a crucial examination of what happens to young women when autonomy and choice are taken away from them,” she said. For more information call 514 849-FEST (3378) or log on to mainlinetheatre.ca/en/spectacles/gratitude.
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| Michaela Di Cesare with Commissioner Lattanzio, staff and some students. |
SEXUALITY EDUCATION: EMSB Sexuality Education Consultant Jamie Quinn continues to be very much in demand by the media to discuss the new curriculum. Here she is on Breakfast TV.
NEW WEBSITE: The EMSB has officially relaunched our flagship website at emsb.qc.ca. This project was several years in the making. Pictured (left to right) is Secretary General Nathalie Lauziere, Communications and Marketing Specialist Michael Cohen, webmaster Nur Erdem, webmaster, project organizer, creator and lead designer Andrea Di Tomaso, network technician David Verrillo and William Hawker (project manager) from Education and Technology Services. Please log on and check out our modern and responsive designs for desktop and mobile devices, board-wide emergency notification and the capability to share information easily between sites. We will be moving our elementary and secondary school sites onto the same platform over the next 12 to 24 months. School websites are now auto-forwarding to their own domain (schoolname.emsb.qc.ca.) This is normal and schools may choose to continue to use their old internet address www.emsb.qc.ca/schoolname. However, bookmarked links to sub-pages may be interrupted. If this is the case, please delete your bookmark, navigate to the page through the website and save it again. Please share your feedback at webservices@emsb.qc.ca
The most recent additions are:
EMSB technology consultants assist students succeed, as well as being directed to resources aimed at helping parents in assisting their children. Click here.
An extraordinary talk about the new Sexuality Education program with EMSB Consultant Jamie Quinn, LBPHS Teacher Paul Karpontinis and two very bright, young students from FACE and VMC at Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North during their monthly EMSAC meeting. Click here.
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 as well as some community organizations. Many of the participating EMSB schools will organize a series of events set to encourage donations, and a number of schools will be featured on CTV Montreal’s mid-day and nightly news programs throughout the duration of the campaign. The campaign will begin with a live broadcast from a school to be determined on Thursday, December 6 at 12 p.m. and conclude with another live broadcast from John Paul I High School in St. Leonard on Thursday, December 13 at 5 p.m. For highlights of the 2017 campaign, please watch this video. Here is the 2018 promotional spot.
Below is a list of all the broadcasts:
Dec 6: Michelangelo International School in RDP
Dec 7: Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North
Dec 10: Merton Elementary School in Côte Saint-Luc
Dec 11: Cedarcrest Elementary School in St. Laurent
Dec 12: LaurenHill Academy, Junior Campus in St. Laurent
Dec 13: Wagar Adult Education Centre in Côte Saint-Luc
Dec 13: John Paul I Junior High School in St. Léonard
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| CTV's Christine Long |
Below is a list of all the broadcasts:
Dec 6: Michelangelo International School in RDP
Dec 7: Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North
Dec 10: Merton Elementary School in Côte Saint-Luc
Dec 11: Cedarcrest Elementary School in St. Laurent
Dec 12: LaurenHill Academy, Junior Campus in St. Laurent
Dec 13: Wagar Adult Education Centre in Côte Saint-Luc
Dec 13: John Paul I Junior High School in St. Léonard
CAREER FAIR VIDEO: Barry Morgan and Daniel Smajovits put together this report on the recent EMSB Career Fair.
HARVEST PARTY: The Before and After School Enriched (B.A.S.E.) Daycare Program Green Clubs have a tradition of celebrating the harvest from the school gardens each fall in an annual Harvest Party. The festivities are centered on connecting the school community to their garden and promoting healthy eating through preparing nutritional meals. Other benefits include engaging staff, students and parents with the garden as well as enriching students with life skills through hands-on learning experiences in gardening and cooking. B.A.S.E Daycare Green Club students celebrated this year’s hard work in their gardens with Green Club Coordinator Ryan Oxley at their Harvest Party where they made delicious food and decorated and played games. Vegetables that were part of this year’s yield include carrots, kale, lettuce and pumpkins. To set the tone for their harvest celebrations, students decorated with pumpkins, scarecrows and vegetables to create a festive atmosphere using all recyclable materials. Students at Parkdale Elementary School in St. Laurent prepared homemade pizza from scratch, while students at St. Monica Elementary School in NDG harvested vegetables from their garden to make soup. Students at both Cedarcrest Elementary School in St. Laurent and Hampstead Elementary School played fun games such as pumpkin stacking and garden ball toss with pumpkins that they grew in their school gardens!
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| Students at St. Monica Daycare actively involved and enjoying their Harvest Party! |
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| The panel. |
(Picture: Left to Right: Mandy Moreno, Abby Deloyua, Rabbi Bresinger, Despina Vassiliou and Daphna Leibovici)
ANIMAL WELFARE EDUCATION: Students at John Paul I Junior High School in St. Léonard have been exploring the feelings and needs of companion animals. As part of a 20-hour empathy-building program offered by ENGAGE: Animal Welfare Education, the students have been improving the lives of animals in Montréal with creative animal welfare projects and getting involved with the Montreal SPCA. One workshop had participants build hiding boxes for the animal shelter’s nervous cats who are waiting to be adopted. The ENGAGE program ends with a day at the Montreal SPCA where students practice what they’ve learned as they work directly with the animals in the shelter. ENGAGE is also coordinating weekly Tuesday (4 pm to 6:30 pm) workshops at the Montreal SPCA with students from Royal West Academy. Info: Colleen Ovenden, 514 999-9465, colleen@engageanimal.org or http://engageanimal.org.
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| Students work on their project. |
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| East Hill students collect non-perishable food. |
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| The Dutch delegation is greeted. |
HALLOWEEN AT CARLYLE: Catherine Verdon-Diamond of Breakfast TV stopped by Carlyle Elementary School in TMR for Halloween and filed this report.
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| Lester B. Pearson High School students scare hunger. |
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| Danius Puras is welcomed to the school. |
TOUR FOR HUMANITY: In late October, students at Lester B. Pearson High School were the first in Quebec to visit the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Tour for Humanity Bus, spending an hour in the organization’s 30-seat state-of-the-art mobile human rights education centre. On board, students learned about diversity, democracy and Canadian civil rights and responsibilities. The purpose of the Tour for Humanity is to inspire people of all ages and backgrounds, empowering them to raise their voices and take action against hate, intolerance and bullying and to promote justice and human rights.
EBS ON TV: Watch the staff and students of Elizabeth Ballantyne Elementary School in Montreal West (incorrectly indentified as Côte Saint-Luc) star in this animated French-language TV show.
I LOVE TO READ AT EBS: November is “I love to Read Month,” and Elizabeth Ballantyne Elementary School in Montreal West has been participating in a series of reading related activities to encourage the students to read as often as possible, and to essentially fall in love with reading. This year, in order to support the theme of their annual book fair and to demonstrate the magical adventures that children can experience while reading, their theme has been an enchanted forest! As such, the hallway to the gym was transformed into a beautiful enchanted forest where imaginative characters like fairies, wizards, and elves can exist! To kick start our “I Love to Read Month,” the students walked through the enchanted forest and entered the gym to see a play based on the tale of a wizard and three fairies, played by Principal, Michael Brown, and behavior technicians Miss Roen, Miss Carmy and Miss Kate. It was during this play that the students received their first reading task as well! The grand wizard told the tale of two fairies who were banished from the enchanted forest to a dark place by the evil fairy. The students were then told that it is up to them to rescue the fairies from the dark place. The grand wizard explained that every time a class reads 50 books, a footprint would be given to bring the fairies one step closer to their home.
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| Spiritual Animators shine. |
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| EMSB and school reps join guests and students at the big ceremony. |
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| Bob Thomas |
BECAUSE YOU TEACH CONTEST WINNER: Coronation Elementary School Teacher, Amanda Dandy won the Microsoft Canada’s #BecauseYouTeach Contest. Microsoft expressed their gratitude on World Teacher’s Day that Canadians nominate an instructor who enriched learning, inspired students, and fosters an inclusive learning environment.
A Coronation Elementary School parent nominated Ms Amanda as she saw all these qualities in her. As part of the award the Microsoft team will be going to Coronation to celebrate with Amanda by throwing her a thank you party to show their appreciation for the work she does in her ASD Senior classroom. This celebration will include a staff luncheon, a surprise gift bag, and a celebration banner. A warm congratulations to Ms Amanda!
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| Amanda Dandy |
A Coronation Elementary School parent nominated Ms Amanda as she saw all these qualities in her. As part of the award the Microsoft team will be going to Coronation to celebrate with Amanda by throwing her a thank you party to show their appreciation for the work she does in her ASD Senior classroom. This celebration will include a staff luncheon, a surprise gift bag, and a celebration banner. A warm congratulations to Ms Amanda!
A LESSON ON SPACE: Rocket scientist, NASA alumnus and current Executive Director of Spaceport Sheboygan in Wisconsin Brian Ewenson (below)
visited a number of EMSB schools recently, educating students on the wonders of space and the rigors of becoming an astronaut. In addition to his incredible stories accumulated from years of training astronauts, Ewenson awed students with dozens of items used in spaceflight such as meals and equipment. See our video.
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| Enjoying some stone soup. |
KINDNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH: Spiritual Care and Guidance and Community Involvement Animator Rocco Speranza highlighted the connection between acts of kindness and an increase in positive mental health during the months of September and October. At Vincent Massey Collegiate, he teamed up with community Police Officer Constable Guay to present cyberbullying, mental health and acts of kindness workshops to Secondary 1 and 2 students. Afterwards, students from the Be the Change Committee spent their lunchtimes writing positive messages on colourful paper leaves, which were added to the school mural entitled, Don’t Leaf.
At Edward Murphy Elementary School, it was the Missing Children’s Network, along with Mr. Speranza, that presented their successful SHINE Program. The program is designed to increase kindness, confidence, and self-esteem amongst youth. East Hill students were all smiles after Mr. Speranza’s class visits, as he taught them about how spreading kindness and compassion can increase your happiness and the happiness of others. Studies on the effects of kindness have shown that with just one simple act of kindness, you can decrease stress, feelings of sadness and anxiety. At the same time, you can increase your levels of serotonin, endorphins, and oxytocin making you and others feel calmer, healthier, and happier. After these presentations, more students have become aware of the powerful effects of kindness and we hope that the wave of kindness continues to spread.
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| The Kindness tree at Vincent Massey. |
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| Regional Director John Pevec and Bryanna Pereira. |
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| A nice partnership with the Senior Centre. |
SENIORS AND HALLOWEEN: On October 30 the Almage Senior Community Center hosted a Halloween Party and invited Vincent Massey Collegiate (VMC) students to attend. The center is a non-profit organization that provides services to the senior population of the East End of Montreal. After a delicious lunch, the partygoers were treated to a variety of carnival style games, everything from Hot Pumpkin, to the Witch Hat Ring Toss, to sweet tasting. Spiritual Care and Guidance and Community Involvement Animator Rocco Speranza, and a small group of VMC students, animated and led the games. The afternoon was filled with lots of laughs, as new friendships were created. Both the seniors and students had a wonderful time. A big thank you to Mrs. King and Mrs. Wright for allowing us to take part in this activity. It provided VMC youth with an opportunity to take part in a great intergenerational activity.
MICHELANGELO AT CBC CANADIAN MUSIC CHALLENGE: Congratulations to Michelangelo International Academy in RDP for having their class video of "I Went to the Market" make it to the CBC Music Class YouTube channel. On December 11, the top 10 classes from across Canada in six categories will be announced. On December 18, celebrity judges will announce the winners in each category. . Through their music program, which adheres to the International Baccalaureate's research modules, students at Michelangelo become better communicators by singing in multiple languages and developing their open-mindedness by touching different styles of music from around the world. Music helps to make these students more sensitive and balanced. They learn courage during the big annual concert which takes place in a professional room with a capacity of more than 700 people. Students sing in the hallways of the school when they go into the music class, on the bus during outings, and in the monthly assemblies that highlight special events. Here is their performance.
GLEE SHOWDOWN: Ten high schools from across Montreal showcased their best song and dance routines in the Just for Kids Glee High School Showdown this competition supporting the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Royal West Academy in Montreal West was profiled on Breakfast TV.
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| Robb Nash meets with EMSB officials. |
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| A scene from last year's Toy Tea, with the Westmount Park Elementary School Choir. |
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| Students from Summit School and the Mackay Centre School receive Cinémas Guzzo gift certificates as thanks for bundling the most recent edition of Inspirations Newspaper. |
CHANGE THE STORY: The Beat 92.5 FM anti-bullying project with the EMSB called Change the Story has continued. Initially, it was on air personalities from The Beat. Now a number of EMSB staff have done so. Click on the names to see the videos.
Mike Brown, Principal of Elizabeth Ballantyne School
Terry Paci, Child Care Worker and Student Support Coordinator
Lester B. Pearson High School
English Montreal School Board
Aaron Durocher, Spiritual Community Animation
ARCTIC AT COUBERTIN: The Montreal North Arctic Junior AAA team continued their “Stay in School” tour of East End EMSB schools with a visit to Pierre de Coubertin Elementary in St. Léonard. Team Vice-President Lina Di Giovanni was accompanied by players Christiano Paterno, Benedic Jobin, Tristan Lortie and Kristopher Joseph. Paterno is a Pierre de Coubertin grad and he received a warm welcome.
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| Arctic players with Pierre de Coubertin staff and students. |
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| Former Pierre de Coubertin student Paterno gets a warm welcome. |
SOX IN THE BOX: Dalkeith, Gerald McShane, Honore Mercier, Pierre de Coubertin, and Rosemount High will be embarking on the third annual "Sox in a Box" Campaign. It will be spearheaded by administrative teams and staff members of each school, alongside Spiritual Community Animator Vince Lacroce. The intent of the project is to encourage students and staff members to donate new socks (all ages) for five shelters in Montreal. The following organizations will be benefitting from the school donations: The West Island Women's Shelter, Dans La Rue, Chez Doris, St. Michael’s Mission and the Mile End Mission. Each school will create personalized holiday gift boxes containing new socks with bilingual messages of hope for the holiday season. On December 12, staff members, students from each school alongside charity representatives will join together in Rosemount High School's Spiritual Community Centre for a holiday luncheon and to personally gift wrap each donation. For more information, please contact Vince Lacroce: vlacroce@emsb.qc.ca.
RETHINK HOMELESSNESS AT ROSEMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL: With the winter quickly approaching, students and staff at Rosemount High School (3737 Beaubien) will host Rethink Homelessness on December 3. Rethink Homelessness is a summit meant to foster a candid discussion about the plight of the homeless in Montreal.The summit will consist of testimonials from homeless Montrealers and shelter representatives, with the intention of addressing the stigma of mental illness, life on the streets and reintegration programs. Ultimately, the goal is to help both students and staff understand the needs of others in difficult situations, putting empathy and compassion into action. Participating in the education awareness program will be St. Michael’s Mission and Chez Doris. Currently, over 70 students from Rosemount High School continuously volunteer at various soup kitchens and shelters across the island. For more information, please contact Vince Lacroce, Spiritual Community Animator at vlacroce@emsb.qc.ca.
BUTTERFLY PROJECT: The Carlyle Elementary School students in Town of Mount-Royal have been learning about the life cycle of butterflies and the importance of caring for the environment as part of the STEAM initiative. Students observed the life cycle of Monarch butterflies, each step of the way (from larvae, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, and finally, emerging as butterflies). These butterflies and materials were generously donated from Sonia Bujold, a lab coordinator from the Biology Department at McGill. The students were responsible for caring for these butterflies throughout their life cycle by transferring the caterpillars to tiny egg cartons, moving the cocoons into the larger tent, and finally, caring for the butterflies during the brief period after they hatched out of their cocoons by watering their wings and providing them with food. Students were also exposed to the American Indian Legend prior to releasing the butterflies into their natural environment, right before migration. The butterfly release was a nice ending to this collaborative project between grade one and grade five students.
RETHINK HOMELESSNESS AT ROSEMOUNT HIGH SCHOOL: With the winter quickly approaching, students and staff at Rosemount High School (3737 Beaubien) will host Rethink Homelessness on December 3. Rethink Homelessness is a summit meant to foster a candid discussion about the plight of the homeless in Montreal.The summit will consist of testimonials from homeless Montrealers and shelter representatives, with the intention of addressing the stigma of mental illness, life on the streets and reintegration programs. Ultimately, the goal is to help both students and staff understand the needs of others in difficult situations, putting empathy and compassion into action. Participating in the education awareness program will be St. Michael’s Mission and Chez Doris. Currently, over 70 students from Rosemount High School continuously volunteer at various soup kitchens and shelters across the island. For more information, please contact Vince Lacroce, Spiritual Community Animator at vlacroce@emsb.qc.ca.
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| Kids love butterflies. |
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| Nicholas Doyon (left) at the session. |
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| Completing work on a bench. |
SCIENCE FAIR: The annual Hydro-Québec Montreal Regional Science & Technology Fair will take place Sunday, March 24, through Tuesday, March 26, on the downtown campus of Concordia University. Organized by Educational Alliance for Science & Technology (EAST), in partnership with Concordia University, this is the third successive year that the Fair will be hosted at Concordia and a recent agreement now extends that through 2020. During this one-of-a-kind competition, budding scientists aged 13 to 20 will be presenting their scientific projects to visitors in creative and accessible ways that express their passion for science and technology.
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| The Lester B. Pearson HS delegation at the Rocket game, with Denis Voutos and mascot Cosmo. |
ROCKET LAUNCH: The EMSB was represented at the Laval Rocket American Hockey League game versus the Bellevue Senators on October 31 by the LaurenHill Academy hockey team and coach Shawn Sacco, Royal West Academy Principal Tony Pita with some staff and students and Lester B. Pearson High School in Montreal North Sports Études hockey coach Jean Roy and his players. Denis Voutos from group sales, a graduate of LaurenHill, was there to greet them.
Schools can hold their own fundraisers with the team, getting tickets at a special price and earning bonuses for each one sold. Email DVoutos@RocketLaval.com. Two official Rocket visits are planned for February 4 at Gardenview and March 11 at Gerald McShane.
OPEN HOUSES: Noted athlete Dwight Walton, who works at John F. Kennedy Adult Education Centre, gave a shout out to the high school open house. Here it is.
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| Denis Voutos, Cosmo and the LaurenHill delegation. |
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| Denis Voutos and the Royal West delegation. |
ADULT EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL SERVICES
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| Showcasing some artwork. |
GALILEO WINNERS: March of Dimes Canada has awarded five SIS students from Galileo Adult Education Centre in Montreal North with a free Smart tablet as part of their Assistive Mobilie Technology initiative. On Friday November 16, five students attended the March of Dimes “Opening Doors for Accessibility” seminar, where they celebrated their win with seminar attendees from across the Greater Montreal and surrounding areas. Leonard Baker, CEO and director of the March of Dimes Canada, personally awarded each student with an authentication certificate, which gives the students access to ordering free hardware and software unique to their individual needs, style and taste.
In order to be considered for the tablet, each student had to complete an application form, which included sharing their story and how the assistive technology will improve their day to day living and make it easier for them to communicate and research.
Galileo students face various physical and/or development disabilities and challenges. These tablets will enable them to be more independent, and to work, learn and participate fully in their community. March of Dimes Canada believes that everyone, regardless of physical or financial challenges deserves the same opportunities. Its mandate to serve the broader needs of all adults with physical disabilities, regardless of whether the disability was a result of a disability at birth, the polio virus, an accident, or even due to aging. Congratulations to winners Gabriel Rodzen, Caterina Pupo, Alexander Ponte, Nicolas Mariano and Concetta Barbieri. A huge thank you to all participating teachers and the March of Dimes representatives Lisa Slipetz and Mary Lynne Stewart.
PODCAST ON ST. PIUS CHEF: Barry Morgan recently visited the St. Pius X Culinary Institute in Ahuntsic for the EMSB podcast and sat down with Chef/Instructor Derek Curzi and one of his students, John Alea. Derek is a former student at the Institute and also studied cooking in Belgium. He discusses the program, how long it lasts and what it takes to become a chef. John will soon be graduating from the program and he talks about what he has learned at the St Pius X Culinary Institute. Derek and John also talk about some of their favorite dishes as well as the Institute's dining room, a terrific spot, open to the public, for lunch and dinner. You can listen to it here.
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| Proud Galileo winners. |
Galileo students face various physical and/or development disabilities and challenges. These tablets will enable them to be more independent, and to work, learn and participate fully in their community. March of Dimes Canada believes that everyone, regardless of physical or financial challenges deserves the same opportunities. Its mandate to serve the broader needs of all adults with physical disabilities, regardless of whether the disability was a result of a disability at birth, the polio virus, an accident, or even due to aging. Congratulations to winners Gabriel Rodzen, Caterina Pupo, Alexander Ponte, Nicolas Mariano and Concetta Barbieri. A huge thank you to all participating teachers and the March of Dimes representatives Lisa Slipetz and Mary Lynne Stewart.
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| John Alea and Derek Curzi. |
AN AEVS PRIMER: Did you know that students who attend an EMSB adult or vocational centre can open the door to a very lucrative career? There is a wealth of opportunity and possible career paths accessible through the EMSB's vocational centres that can lead students to success. Academic Advisor Miriam Furfaro and Assistant Director of Adult Education and Vocational Services Angela Spagnolo held a workshop during the recent EMSB Parents Conference at the St. Laurent Adult Education Centre. The theme was "Transitions - Building your future with AEVS.” This workshop explored the different options and services the EMSB’s vocational education department (AEVS) can offer. See the full report here.
CANNABIS INFO MEETING: The City of Côte Saint-Luc held an information session regarding the legalization of cannabis. The federal law legalizing cannabis came into effect on October 17. The new Quebec Cannabis Regulation provides that, for 90 days, a lessor may modify the conditions of the existing lease of a dwelling by adding a prohibition against smoking cannabis. The city discussed how the city plans to update current bylaws related to use of cannabis in public spaces and get feedback from the public. Wagar Adult Education Centre Principal Nick Katalifos attended the session and spoke with Mayor Mitchell Brownstein.
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| Nick Katalifos and Mayor Brownstein. |
ÉDITION DU 29 NOVEMBRE 2018 / BULLETIN DE LA CSEM
ÉTATS FINANCIERS 2017-2018 DE LA CSEM: Les états financiers vérifiés 2017-2018 ont été présentés lors de la récente réunion du conseil. L’excédent net d’exploitation pour 2017-2018 est légèrement en deça de 1 million de dollars. Cette somme s’ajoute à notre surplus accumulé que le conseil peut affecter à raison de 15 pour cent par année au cours des deux prochains exercices financiers. Le conseil s’est dit ravi de pouvoir utiliser en 2018-2019 près de 6,5 millions de dollars à même le surplus accumulé au 30 juin 2017 pour offrir des services continus aux élèves, notamment la mise en place de nouvelles initiatives et des allocations directes versées aux écoles et aux centres dans le but d’y apporter des améliorations.
NOUVELLES ENSEIGNES: La CSEM procédera à l’installation de nouvelles enseignes sur les bâtiments de l’ensemble de ses écoles et centres. Le coup d’envoi de cette initiative a véritablement été donné avec l’enseigne du nouveau Centre Mackay/école Philip E. Layton. Cette nouvelle enseigne a été installée il y a deux semaines et servira de modèle pour les autres à venir. La firme Ponctuation Grafix en a réalisé la conception de concert avec le groupe de discussion du Service du marketing de la CSEM et le conseil des commissaires.
NOUVEAU SITE WEB: La CSEM a officiellement procédé au nouveau lancement de son site Web phare (emsb.qc.ca). Cette réalisation aura nécessité plusieurs années de travail. Figurent sur la photo (de gauche à droite), la secrétaire générale de la CSEM Nathalie Lauzière; le spécialiste en communication et marketing Michael Cohen; la webmestre Nur Erdem; la conceptrice principale Andrea Di Tomaso et David Verrillo technicien de réseau, ainsi que William Hawker (gestionnaire du projet) des Services éducatifs et de la technologie. Notre nouveau site moderne et réactif est adapté aux appareils de bureau et mobiles. Il assure la diffusion des notifications d’urgence à la grandeur de la Commission et permet de partager aisément de l’information entre les sites. Nous procéderons au transfert des sites de nos écoles primaires et secondaires sur la même plateforme au cours des 12 à 24 prochains mois. Les sites Web des écoles sont maintenant automatiquement redirigés vers leur propre domaine (nom de l’école.emsb.qc.ca.). C’est tout à fait normal et les écoles peuvent choisir de continuer à utiliser leur ancienne adresse électronique (www.emsb.qc.ca/nom de l’école). Toutefois, les liens vers les sous-pages mises en signet pourraient ne pas fonctionner. Si c’est le cas, il suffit de supprimer vos favoris, d’accéder à la page à partir du site Web et de l’ajouter à nouveau à vos favoris. Nous vous invitons à nous faire part de vos commentaires à webservices@emsb.qc.ca.
DÉLÉGATION HOLLANDAISE: Le 15 novembre, l’école East Hill - choisie parmi plusieurs pour vivre une expérience des plus intéressantes - a accueilli fièrement 21 professionnels de la Hollande (enseignants, administrateurs et conseillers pédagogiques). Les autorités pédagogiques hollandaises, qui étudient présentement un modèle d’éducation bilingue hollandais-anglais, ont été éblouies par la facilité et la fluidité avec lesquelles nos élèves s’expriment en anglais et en français, sans compter l’italien comme langue complémentaire. Le personnel et les élèves ont ouvert leurs salles de classe et leurs cœurs à cette délégation hollandaise qui a pleinement apprécié sa visite et est repartie avec une foule d’innovations et de pratiques exemplaires à adopter dans son propre pays! Sandra Furfaro, directrice des Services éducatifs et de la technologie à la CSEM, a coordonné ce merveilleux projet et était présente lors de la visite. En quête de nouveautés, la délégation a également rendu visite à l’école secondaire Rosemont et à l’Institut culinaire St. Pius X. Tout un honneur!
J’ADORE LA LECTURE: Novembre est le mois « J’adore la lecture » (I Love to Read Month). L’école primaire Elizabeth Ballantyne à Montréal-Ouest prendra part à une série d’activités de lecture afin d’inciter les élèves à lire le plus possible pour développer le goût de la lecture. Cette année, en vue de soutenir le thème de leur foire annuelle du livre et pour illustrer les aventures magiques qui s’offrent aux jeunes par le biais de la lecture, le thème choisi est la forêt enchantée! Le corridor menant au gymnase a donc été transformé pour l’occasion en une superbe forêt enchantée où des personnages imaginaires tels des fées, des magiciens et des lutins peuvent y vivre! Pour donner le coup d’envoi au mois « J’adore la lecture », les élèves traversent la forêt enchantée et pénètrent dans le gymnase pour assister à une pièce de théâtre qui raconte l’histoire d’un magicien et de trois fées, interprétée par le directeur Michael Brown, et les techniciennes en comportement Mmes Roen, Carmy et Kate. C’est d’ailleurs durant cette pièce de théâtre que les élèves ont reçu leur première tâche de lecture! Le grand magicien a raconté l’histoire de deux fées chassées de la forêt enchantée puis reléguées dans les ténèbres par la méchante fée. Les élèves ont ensuite été invités à faire leur part pour secourir les deux fées prisonnières. Le grand magicien leur a expliqué que chaque fois qu’une classe lit 50 livres, elle reçoit une empreinte de pied pour permettre aux fées de retourner chez elles, un pas à la fois.
PROGRAMME AIMER: Le 24 octobre, le Réseau Enfants-Retour a offert aux animateurs de vie spirituelle et d’engagement communautaire la formation AIMER (SHINE, en anglais). Créé l’an dernier, ce programme vise à outiller les élèves. L’acronyme AIMER est pour Affirmation, Image de soi, Mettre ses limites, Égalité et Relations saines. Ce sont tous des thèmes fort pertinents qui s’inscrivent dans le nouveau cours d’éducation à la sexualité du gouvernement du Québec. Les animateurs de vie spirituelle et d’engagement communautaire sont désormais qualifiés pour animer des formations AIMER dans leurs écoles. Ils travailleront en collaboration avec le Réseau Enfants-Retour afin de véhiculer cet important message à tous les élèves.
JOUR DU SOUVENIR: Plus de 700 élèves ont pris part à la plus grande célébration du jour du Souvenir organisée jusqu’à présent par la CSEM, au Royal Canadian Hussars sur le chemin de la Côte-des-Neiges, le 7 novembre. Des élèves de six écoles de la CSEM – l’école secondaire Laurier Macdonald à Saint-Léonard, l’école secondaire Lester B. Pearson à Montréal-Nord, l’Académie Marymount à NDG, l’école secondaire Perspectives I et Perspectives II à Saint-Michel et l’école secondaire Rosemont – ont participé à la commémoration du 100e anniversaire de l’armistice de la Première Guerre mondiale, le 101e anniversaire de la bataille de la crête de Vimy ainsi que le 80e anniversaire de Kristallnacht. À cette occasion, M. Willie Glazer, survivant de l’Holocauste et vétéran canadien âgé de 98 ans, a pris la parole. Il a également allumé six chandelles à la mémoire des 6 millions de Juifs qui ont péri durant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale.
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| Christine Denommée |
BONTÉ ET SANTÉ MENTALE: L’animateur de vie spirituelle et d’engagement communautaire Rocco Speranza a souligné l’étroite relation qui existe entre les gestes de bonté et l’amélioration de la santé mentale observée au cours des mois de septembre et d’octobre. Au Collège Vincent Massey, il a fait équipe avec l’agent de police Guay afin de présenter des ateliers aux élèves de 1re et 2e secondaire portant sur la cyberintimidation, la santé mentale et les gestes de bonté. Par la suite, les élèves du comité Be The Change ont rédigé à l’heure du dîner des messages positifs sur des feuilles de couleur qu’ils ont ensuite fixées sur la murale de l’école intitulée Don’t Leaf.
À l’école primaire Edward Murphy, c’est le Réseau Enfants-Retour et M. Speranza qui ont présenté le populaire programme AIMER (SHINE) visant à accroître la bonté, la confiance et l’estime de soi chez les jeunes. Les élèves de l’école East Hill étaient tout sourire à la suite du passage de M. Speranza dans les classes. Ce dernier leur a expliqué comment la gentillesse et la compassion peuvent contribuer au bonheur de chacun et à celui d’autrui. Des études sur les effets du bonheur ont démontré qu’un seul petit geste de bonté peut contribuer à diminuer le stress, la tristesse et l’angoisse, tout en augmentant les niveaux de sérotonine, d’endorphine et d’oxytocine qui favorisent chez les gens un sentiment de calme, de bien-être et de joie. À la suite de ces présentations, un plus grand nombre d’élèves ont pris conscience de la grande portée des gestes de gentillesse et nous espérons que cette vague de bonté se poursuivra.
CONFÉRENCE INFLUENCE MTL: Huit jeunes filles fort enthousiastes du Collège Vincent Massey ont récemment eu l’occasion rêvée d’assister à la conférence Influence MTL qui vise à promouvoir et faire valoir la diversité, l’inclusion et le leadership. Elle a pour mission d’inspirer, d’informer et d’influencer la génération actuelle et les futures générations de leaders, d’entrepreneurs, d’activistes, de créateurs, de professionnels et d’étudiants en encourageant les échanges avec des personnes influentes locales et internationales afin d’avoir un impact positif sur leur écosystème respectif. Cette année, Malala Yousafzai fut la conférencière d’honneur. Née en 1997, Malala a grandi dans le nord du Pakistan. Dès l’âge de 10 ans, elle a milité en faveur du droit des filles à l’éducation. En octobre 2012, à l’âge de 15 ans, Malala a été victime d’une tentative d’assassinat de la part des Talibans à bord de l’autobus où elle prenait place avec ses amis alors qu’elle revenait de l’école. Elle étudie présentement à l’Université d’Oxford et continue à mener sa campagne pour que tous les enfants aient le droit de fréquenter l’école. Depuis cet attentat, Malala a acquis une renommée internationale pour son courage devant son refus de se laisser réduire au silence et la poursuite de son combat afin que tous puissent jouir du droit à la scolarisation. Sa bravoure et son dévouement inlassable envers sa cause lui ont valu des éloges des quatre coins de la planète, y compris la plus prestigieuse distinction au monde : le prix Nobel de la paix. Elle est devenue la plus jeune lauréate de ce prix en 2014, aux côtés de Kailash Satyarthi, défenseur indien des droits des enfants. Devant l’ampleur du soutien qu’elle a reçu durant cette épreuve, Malala a créé un fonds international – le Fonds Malala – pour la promotion du droit des filles à l’éducation partout dans le monde.
SANTÉ MENTALE: Les membres du Centre de ressources en santé mentale de la CSEM ont assisté récemment à un concert de Robb Nash à Saint-Hubert. Dans le cadre de sa tournée des écoles secondaires qui le mène d’un bout à l’autre du pays, Robb a partagé avec les élèves de Saint-Hubert sa propre expérience lorsqu’il a frôlé la mort, leur a raconté des cas vécus d’adolescents aux prises avec des troubles de santé mentale et a interprété des chansons rock inspirantes pour donner espoir à la jeunesse canadienne. À ceux qui ont des amis ou des membres de leur famille touchés par des troubles de santé mentale, Robb les a encouragés à aller vers eux, sans porter de jugements, pour leur offrir du soutien. Et à ceux qui vivent avec des problèmes de santé mentale, il les encourage à ne pas baisser les bras et à aller chercher de l’aide auprès d’une personne de confiance. Les représentants du Centre de ressources en santé mentale ont été tellement impressionnés devant le message véhiculé par Robb et sa portée sur les élèves qu’ils s’affairent présentement à organiser une performance de l’artiste à la CSEM.
SERVICES DE L’ÉDUCATION DES ADULTES
ET DE LA FORMATION PROFESSIONNELLE
LE MOIS DES ARTS: Le mois d’octobre étant dédié aux arts, la classe des arts des services d’intégration sociale (SIS) du Centre d’éducation des adultes Galileo a organisé sa toute première exposition de sculptures. Les œuvres d’art en argile représentaient des visages et des natures mortes créés par des élèves ayant participé à l’activité artistique expressive, exploratoire et non dirigée. Enseignante en arts et thérapeute, Mme Erica a présenté et démontré les techniques sous forme d’un enseignement libre permettant ainsi aux élèves d’y aller d’une interprétation qui reflète leur propre expression, voix et style. Ce cours d’arts thérapeutiques est axé sur le développement moteur et sensoriel en invitant les élèves à mettre leur corps à contribution dans l’espace et à établir un rapport entre leur réalité et leur créativité. Par le biais de la créativité et de l’expression, la création de sculptures a permis aux élèves de vivre un sentiment d’auto-accomplissement en réalisant une œuvre d’art de toutes pièces. Ce projet s’est échelonné sur une période intensive de six semaines. Les sculptures sont exposées en permanence dans le hall principal du Centre d’éducation des adultes Galileo.
DES LAURÉATS À GALILEO: Dans le cadre de l’initiative de technologie d’assistance mobile lancée par La Marche des dix sous du Canada (March of Dimes Canada), cinq élèves des SIS du Centre d’éducation des adultes Galileo se sont mérités chacun une tablette intelligente! Le vendredi 16 novembre, les élèves ont assisté au séminaire « Ouvrir la voie à l’accessibilité » de La Marche des dix sous. À cette occasion, les élèves de Galileo ont célébré leur victoire en compagnie d’autres lauréats de la grande région de Montréal. M. Leonard Baker, président et PDG de La Marche des dix sous a remis personnellement à chaque élève un certificat d’authentification leur donnant droit de commander gratuitement du matériel et des logiciels adaptés à leurs besoins spécifiques, leur style et leurs préférences. Pour courir la chance de remporter une tablette, les élèves devaient mettre par écrit leur histoire. Ils devaient expliquer en quoi la technologie d’assistance contribuerait à améliorer leur quotidien et les aiderait en général à communiquer et effectuer des recherches. Nos élèves souffrent de divers troubles physiques et du développement, et sont confrontés à plusieurs défis. Ces tablettes les aideront à accroître leur autonomie, à travailler, apprendre et être pleinement actifs au sein de leur communauté. La Marche des dix sous du Canada estime que toute personne, en dépit d’obstacles physiques ou financiers, devrait avoir les mêmes chances. Cet organisme a pour mandat de répondre aux besoins plus vastes de tous les adultes atteints d’invalidités physiques, que cette condition soit de nature congénitale, due au virus de la polio, à un accident ou même au vieillissement. Nous offrons toutes nos félicitations à tous les gagnants : Gabriel Rodzen, Caterina Pupo, Alexander Ponte, Nicolas Mariano et Concetta Barbieri. Nous tenons également à remercier tous les enseignants participants ainsi que les représentants de La Marche des dix sous, Lisa Slipetz et Mary Lynne Stewart, de même que Wendy Singer représentante pour la région de Montréal.
