VOLUME  88,  Issue  10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    MAY  2016

RICHMOND SECONDARY SCHOOL

NEWSLETTER HOME  OF  THE  COLTS  -­‐  ESTABLISHED  IN  1927  

 

     Principal:                                      Mr.  Jim  Allison                                                                                            Address:                          7171  Minoru  Blvd,  Richmond,  BC,  Canada      V6Y  1Z8        Vice  Principals:                  Mr.  Gordon  Fitt  &  Ms.  Sandy  Hui                          Phone:                                  604-­‐668-­‐6400                                                              Fax:        604-­‐278-­‐4734        PAC:                                                        Ms.  L.  Braun  &  Ms.  O.  Fedorenko                        Early  Warning:    604-­‐247-­‐2658        Trustee  Liaison:                Ms.  S.  Nixon                                                                                                  Twitter:                              @richmondcolts  

                     Website:                            http://rhs.sd38.bc.ca  

Principal’s Message:  Another busy year at Richmond Secondary is flying by and we are simultaneously preparing to say farewell to our fabulous 2016 graduates while also welcoming incoming Grade 7s, our grads of 2021! For RSS students, year-end projects, presentations and exams are approaching, while our Grade 12 I.B. students are in the midst of challenging final exams. As the days get longer and the promise of summer just around the corner, it is easy for young people to become distracted from achieving their academic goals. The last month of school is a busy time and parents are encouraged to help their teen organize and prioritize their commitments. Preparing for and completing culminating projects and final exams must be balanced with the demands of part-time work, sports, music and other responsibilities. Being well organized reduces stress - support your daughter/son as they prepare for their success! Thank you, Mr. A

“Home of the Colts”

Richmond Secondary Raises $3500 for B.C. Children’s Hospital During  the  month  of  April,  our  Student  Council  organized  a  school-­‐wide   cancer   awareness   and   fundraising   campaign  through   1-­‐3   classes  and  our  school  community  responded  very   generously,   raising   over   $3500.   Congrats   to   the   top  three  donating  classes  –  Ms.  Pang,  Mr.  Chow  and  Ms.  An!  In  conjunction  with  “Balding  for  Dollars”,  all   funds  raised  will   directly   benefit   kids   battling  cancer   at   B.C.   Children’s  Hospital.     As   part   of   this   RSS   Student   Council   initiative,  several  brave  students  and  staff  volunteered  to  have  their  heads  shaved  in  front  of  a  large  and  enthusiastic  audience  in  the  gym  at  lunch  on  April  29.  A  sincere  thank  you  to  all  students,   families   and   staff   who   contributed   and   to  

Winnie  Ren,  Richard  Chan,  Mr.  Ubial  and  Mr.  Allison  who  ‘donated  their  heads’  for  kids  with  cancer  and  to  Daniel  Afanasiyevskyy  and  Mustafa  Ozbag  who  also  shaved  off  their  hair  for  a  good  cause!          http://baldingfordollars.com  

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RSS  NEWSLETTER      VOLUME  88,  Issue  10                    MAY    2016    RSS  NEWSLETTER      VOLUME  88,  Issue  10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  MAY  2016    

Grades 8 & 9 and Digital Citizenship We   hosted   an   assembly   for   all   our   Grade   8   and   Grade   9  students  on  April  13  and  they  listened  to  Jesse  Miller  speak  for  an  hour  about  social  media  education  and  awareness.    Jesse  Miller  is  a  noted  expert   in   how   people   communicate  and  use   a  wide   range  of   social  media  platforms.     In   an   animated   and  enthusiastic   presentation,   he  interacted  with  our  youngest   students  about  how  often   they  are   online   and   what   platforms   they   use.     He   also  demonstrated   how   everything   posted   or   shared   on   the  Internet   is   traceable   and   stays   forever,   regardless   of   one’s  privacy   settings   or   if   a   message   dissolves   or   is   deleted.    Students   were   reminded   that   their   digital   footprint   is  searchable   and   how  more  and  more   universities,   scholarship  organizations   and   employers   are   searching   applicants’   and  potential  employees’  social  media  presence.    His  message  was  not   intended   to   frighten   students   or   encourage   them   to   log  off,  rather  to  communicate  and  use  the  Internet  and  all  social  media  platforms  (e.g  Facebook,  Snapchat,   Instagram,  Tumblr,  Vine,  etc.)  thoughtfully.    Parents  are  encouraged  to  learn  more  and  stay   in   touch  with  an  ever-­‐changing  digital  world.    Check  out   Jesse   Miller’s   website   at:  http://www.mediatedreality.com   or   many   other   resources  available  online.    

Grade 8 Cross-Curricular Learning All of our Grade 8 students were engaged in a series of fun and challenging multidisciplinary events based on the board game “The Settlers of Catan” on April 19. This activity occurred before, during and after lunch and was the direct product of more than a dozen teachers meeting and planning during Collaboration Days to engage our youngest students in cross-curricular learning activities. Students moved through seven stations where they worked together to solve math, science and thinking puzzles, write an acrostic poem and complete several physical challenges. A huge thank you to teachers Ms. Forest, Ms. Hayashi, Ms. Chan, Mr. Furugori, Ms. Gramm, Mr. Hockley, Ms. Kandola, Ms. Alison, Mr. Sheppard, Ms. Singh, Ms. Mei, Ms. Williams and Ms. Yam!

“Home of the Colts”

30-Hour Famine Success A dedicated group of 50 students and staff raised funds and

pledged to go without food for 30 hours on April 15-16 to raise awareness and much needed resources for the World Vision famine relief program. The group slept

overnight in the school and raised almost $1500. A special thank you the Colts That Care and World Vision clubs and to all the students and staff who participated. This is the 25th anniversary of this event as it strives to fight hunger in developing nations around the world. Students who get involved learn about hunger (e.g. in 2013, 17,000 children under 5 died every day from preventable causes, including malnutrition due to a lack of food. Thank you to sponsors Mr. Furugori, Ms. Kandola, Mr. Wyne, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Peters and Ms. Williams.

RSS Students’ Video Wins Award One year after an RSS team won first place, Business and I.T. students Susan Bai and Alexandra Yu won the second place prize in the Grade 11-12 category of the 2016 WorkSafeBC Student Safety Video Contest for their excellent two-minute animated video entitled “Impairment at Work”. As per the contest rules, the second place prize was awarded $2000 ($1500 for the school and $500 to be shared by the students). Congratulations to these students and thank you to Mr. Gill for his support. You can check out the award winning video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrnMRsIcgxY

Colts Make Friends in France Madame Turner's and Mr. Hockley's French classes have received several letters and emails from their penpals in Northern and Central France. The students have been describing their cultural experiences, festivals and holidays and sharing ideas about their daily lives,

families and sports. The students have been writing in French and in English, so both groups of students can practice their reading and writing skills. Our students have had a chance to communicate through hard-copy letters, by using technology, and are hoping to have a culminating activity where social media is used in their international communications. Well done everyone! Bien fait tout le monde!

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RSS  NEWSLETTER      VOLUME  88,  Issue  7                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    FEBRUARY  2016    RSS  NEWSLETTER      VOLUME  88,  Issue  10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    MAY  2016    RSS  NEWSLETTER      VOLUME  88,  Issue  10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                MAY  2016    

“Home of the Colts”

Grade 7 Fun Day & Hot Dog Day! On Friday May 13, we welcomed all of the Grade 7 students from Brighouse, Blundell and Ferris as well as a number of other elementary schools, who will be attending Richmond Secondary School in September. We are very aware that the transition from Grade 7 to high school comes with curiousity, excitement, a little anxiety and a lot of questions – for students and for parents. Our senior Colt Connections Mentor students welcomed our newest students, organized some fun ‘getting to know you’ activities and led tours of the school to see some classes. The Grade 7s also met the principal and some other staff and got to see the school “in action”. Each student also received a “Colts Welcome to Grade 8” booklet full of information about our school, including a map, tips for success and FAQs of Grade 7s. We encourage all incoming students and their parents to read this 17-page booklet as they continue to prepare for high school in the months ahead. As is the tradition at RSS, the day ended with a free hot dog lunch and our future Grade 8s learned a little more about life in high school and, most importantly, had some fun together as the RSS ‘Grad Class of 2021’! A huge thank you to Ms. Richard and Ms. Morgan for organizing this day and to our tremendous Colt Connection Mentor student-leaders and Student Council president Richard Chan for welcoming the newest members of the Colt family.

One Act Festival May 24-25-26! Our Mainstage Theatre class will be hosting a One-Act Festival in the RSS Theatre from May 24-26. Do not miss this final chance to see our talented young actors perform! This year's festival will be a tribute to retiring teacher Ms. Barb Barker, and will feature a variety of scenes from her career as a drama teacher in Richmond. Audience members are sure to enjoy scenes of comedy, drama, satire, melodrama and more, brought to life by the hard work of the talented cast and crew. The festival runs only three shows: Tuesday May 24th and Thursday May 26th at 7:00pm and Wednesday May 25th at 3:30pm. Tickets are $3.00 for students and $5 for adults, and are available at the door. Hope to see you there – support the arts and experience live theatre!

Shakespeare Canada Visited RSS On April 16, 160 students watched a contemporary and entertaining production of A MidSummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare Canada's National Touring Group. The talented and professional young actors used a blend of traditional Shakespearean language and storyline with modern English and popular references and our younger students thoroughly enjoyed watching Shakespeare's most beloved comedy brought to life! A huge thank you to Ms. Ng, Ms. Alison and Ms. Ross for organizing this engaging learning opportunity for RSS students.

Long Range Facilities Open House Meetings An important notice to all Richmond families and community members that the Richmond School District is hosting three Open House meetings to discuss possible school closures and restructuring catchment areas. Everyone is welcome to attend these Open House gatherings to learn more, ask questions and provide input into this important SD38 process: Tuesday, May 17 at Steveston-London 6:30pm Wednesday, May 18 at Palmer 6:30pm Thursday, May 19 at Hugh Boyd 6:30pm

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  RSS  NEWSLETTER      VOLUME  88,  Issue  10                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              MAY  2016    

“Home of the Colts”

Important RHS Dates:  May  2-­‐20   IB  Exams  (in  the  small  gym)       May  16     Final  Deadline  to  Pay  Grad  Fees  May  17     2pm  Dismissal  Day  for  RTA  AGM       May  18     Advisory  Day  May  19/20   Consecutive  Day  2s         May  19     RSS  Alumni  Association  Luncheon  12:30pm  May  23     Victoria  Day  (schools  closed)       May  24-­‐26   RSVP  Theatre  One-­‐Act  Play  Festival    May  26/30   Consecutive  Day  1s         May  27     Pro-­‐D  Day  May  31     Collaboration  Day         June  3     Grad  Rehearsal  (1:15pm)  Mandatory!  June  8     Valedictory  Ceremony  7pm  at  UBC  Chan  Centre   June  13/14   Awards  Assemblies  Grades  8-­‐11  June  17     Last  Day  of  Regular  Schedule  &  Yearbook  Day   June  20-­‐28   Flex  Instruction  Days  June  22-­‐28   Provincial  Exams           June  29     Report  Card  Day  June  29     Grad  Dinner  &  Dance         June  30     Dry  After  Grad  

Colts Compete Like Champions Congratulations and thank you to the hundreds of RSS student-athletes, coaches and sponsors who represented our school with pride and distinction all year! During the spring season, our senior tennis team won the Richmond title in a hard fought district championship final over Steveston-London. This is the 6th consecutive year the Colts have captured the RSSAA tennis banner and the team will compete at the provincial championships May 27-28. In junior ultimate, our team went undefeated to capture the Richmond title and will represent the district in the provincial championships, while our talented and dedicated senior ultimate team tied for first in the regular season and has a great chance to win the RSSAA title and return to the provincial tournament, where they are defending B.C. Champions at the Tier II level. In badminton, our senior and junior teams had great seasons, finishing in the top three in Richmond and captured several individual medals, including Wendy Zhang winning the district singles title, while our strong grade 8 badminton team is currently in contention for the RSSAA banner. Our Grade 9 boys’ volleyball team improved dramatically all year while our small but dedicated track team competed well with Brian Fabula, Tegan Syho, Sara Li and An Yu qualifying for the V&D meet later in May. Finally, our senior girls’ soccer team worked very hard all year and their positive and determined approach paid off as they defeated Burnett 3-2 in their final Richmond playoff game to advance to the V&D championships. #GoColts

Career Centre News & Summer School News & Important Grad 2016 News: The RSS Career Advisor Ms. Jones reminds Grade 11s hoping to go to a U.S. college that it is a good idea to write the SAT in Grade 11, so that your scores are ready by the fall. If any RSS student is planning to take a full-credit course this summer – be sure your RSS Counsellor is aware and this is reflected in your RSS course choices for next year – your timetable may be difficult to fix later! Summer school registration is online at: www.RichmondCE.ca Please consider apprenticeship programs as they are a great option for high school students, and in addition to the excellent RSS Professional Cook program, there are several others – check out http://careerprograms.sd38.bc.ca For all Grade 12s still unsure of their plans, it is not too late to apply to many universities and colleges and there are still scholarships available, so be sure to check Ms. Jones Facebook page regularly. https://www.facebook.com/Ms-Jones-Career-Centre-News-118346451579144/ Finally, UBC, SFU and UVic all have June 1 deadlines to accept offers of admission and June 1 is also the day the BC Student Loans online application portal opens: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/studentaidbc/apply/welcome.htm Key reminders for all 2016 Grads include all FEE payments for Valedictory, the formal Dinner and Dance and the Dry After Grad must be paid before MAY 16. The school & DAG parents must pay deposits and confirm venues, menus and events - please pay Ms. Campos in the office before this final date. The Valedictory Ceremony will be at the UBC Chan Centre for Performing Arts on Wednesday, June 8 at 7pm. The mandatory and important grad rehearsal will be held on Friday, June 3 at 1:15pm. All Grads should have submitted their 30-word write-up that will be read as they cross the stage. All grads will receive 2 family tickets and may get one more ticket for $10 on May 24 or May 25 at lunch. A final process for one more additional ticket will be first come, first served and held on May 30 in the library, until sold-out. Grade 12s or parents can contact Ms. Campos or Ms. Ho if they have any questions. The formal Dinner & Dance will be on June 29 at the beautiful Pan Pacific Hotel in downtown Vancouver and the exciting Dry After Grad will occur immediately afterwards, back at the school. Be sure to get your tickets for these wonderful opportunities before May 16 to celebrate with your friends and fellow 2016 RHS grads one final time!