MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL
THE GRYPHON FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL
12224 240th Street Maple Ridge, BC V4R 1N1
www.meadowridge.bc.ca
604.467.4444
IN THIS ISSUE:
People are drawn TO OUR SCHOOL FROM
around the world. In the spirit of active collaboration with
teachers, peers, and our community,
we learn how to care for Ourselves and for others.
Knowing that change is the only certainty, w e en gag e w i t h c h a llen g i n g & c o m p lex qu est i o n s effect i v ely a n d c r eat i v ely.
Through outstanding
teaching, programmes & facilities,
meadowridge DEVELOPS IN US the confidence not only to
meet the future, but also to create it.
3 communicating well with your school
4 Educational leadership team update
5 homework routines How To Support Your Child
6 a troll in math class
Learning To Live Well In a Just (Albeit Somewhat Unusual) Community
7 inquiry and learning in the dp 8 promoting international
mindedness through the library
10 action in the pyp
Developing Active and Caring Members of Our Community
12 physical and health education A Welcome Change in the MYP
13 admissions update & open houses 14 the annual fund 16 student achievements Polar Expressions Writing Contest
17 competition vs. participation 19 house creativity challenge 20 faculty focus: ms. tamara warner 21 mEADOWRIDGE PROFESSIONAL PANEL 24 ARE ONE TO ONE LAPTOP
PROGRAMMES DOOMED TO FAIL?
26 SPIRIT DAY & TERRY FOX DAY
ON THE COVER: From Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12, our students are paired up with buddies at various ages. Here, our Kindergarten learners joined their Grade 4 buddies for storytime outside.
COMMUNICATING WELL WITH YOUR SCHOOL It is vital that the lines of communication between home and school be open and positive. There are a number of ways for parents to ensure that this happens. Attend school events such as parent teacher interviews, special events, concerts, sporting activities, and field trips if possible. Again, your interest will reinforce the idea that your child's progress and activities in school are important. Make sure that you meet each of your child’s teachers and spend enough time to make a connection. If you have questions or concerns, call the school immediately. Unanswered questions or concerns can sometimes hinder our ability to communicate and support one another.
If you feel a teacher has not dealt with your concern in a satisfactory manner, then please feel free to come and discuss any concerns you may have with your Programme Director. If a particular issue remains unresolved, please bring it forward to the Deputy Headmaster. Any appeal after that is to the Headmaster, who will review all procedures and judgments and provide a final decision. It is our intention to ensure procedural fairness and good judgment in our professional relations with children and families. We welcome all concerns that may be brought forward, and we ensure that people with concerns are treated promptly, thoughtfully, and with dignity.
YOUR PROGRAMME DIRECTORS MR. TERRY DONALDSON Primary Years Programme terry.donaldson@meadowridge.bc.ca
MR. SCOTT BANACK Middle Years Programme scott.banack@meadowridge.bc.ca
MRS. KRISTAL BEREZA Diploma Programme kristal.bereza@meadowridge.bc.ca
Speak to your child’s teacher first. Our administrative team is always glad to help parents with concerns, but when a parent has a concern about a subject or a teacher, it is better (and school protocol) to express these feelings in person with the teacher first. This usually resolves most concerns right away. The best times to contact a teacher are before school, during lunch, or after school. Only in an emergency situation will a teacher be paged to answer a call. FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
Mr. Jason Parker Deputy Headmaster
MRS. CARRIE HUGHES-GRANT Student Life carrie.hughes-grant@meadowridge.bc.ca
MR. PATRICK NIWA Technology in Education patrick.niwa@meadowridge.bc.ca
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EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM UPDATE & SCHOOL NEWS
ENSURING A SUCCESSFUL START TO SCHOOL The opening weeks of school have evaporated with surprising speed. Students and families are fully in “school mode”. While your level of involvement in school life is dependent upon your child’s age, I would encourage all families at the beginning of the year to conduct a quick inventory for success. To ensure your child is off to a good start, ask yourself the following questions: a.
Has your family/child developed an effective homework routine?
b. Have you made initial contact with your child’s teacher(s)? c.
Are you aware of how your child is doing in their class(es)?
d. Did you receive your child’s interim report? If there are areas of concern, you need to book a meeting with teachers now. e. Did you attend Parent/Teacher Interviews on October 22? f.
individual learning needs. Situated between blacktop play areas, the field, the playground proper and our gardens, it is one of the best located and, I believe, best conceived ELC’s around. Even if your children are not currently in Junior Kindergarten or Kindergarten, this does not mean you are not welcome to view the facility. Come and take a look. It really is fantastic! By the way, there has been much positive buzz about construction in general. As each successive stage of construction is completed on the exterior, the entire community has another milestone to celebrate. Gabled, laminate beam entrances are now visible and the infrastructure of our covered walkway along the front is taking shape.
Is your child fully involved in co-curricular life? Do you know what clubs, teams or activities they are participating in?
E N S U R E YO U R C H I L D I S O F F TO A G O O D S TA R T T H I S S C H O O L Y E A R B Y TA K I N G I N V E N TO R Y O F K E Y C O M P O N E N T S TO S U C C E S S
g. Is your child supported by friendships that make coming to school pleasurable? Are they happy to come to school? If not, inquire further. Advocate or seek support for your child accordingly.
You can see the entire project coming together and along with this, increasing excitement about the possibilities presented by new construction.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
CIS/IBO ACCREDITATION UPDATES
All new completion timelines are on track. The roof and exterior to the PYP will be finished by winter vacation. In the spring, we will begin landscaping. Teachers and students are very excited about new instructional spaces. Sliding doors between classes at the same grade level have facilitated team teaching efforts and provided for the flexible use of space. Everyone is very excited about new windows, circulation systems and refurbished washrooms. The ELC (Early Learning Centre) is awe-inspiring and nearing completion as well. I believe finishing touches on the internal courtyard will be completed soon. For the first time, our youngest learners have a spacious, purpose-built facility to meet their 4
In October 2016 the Council of International Schools (CIS), along with the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), will visit our school for an entire week to review all areas of operations and provide feedback in regards to our adherence to their globally recognized standards. We have already received positive feedback about the school’s quality, both through their Preliminary Visit and from community feedback through the Endicott Survey. Mr. Burke sent out a community-wide invitation for parents to take part in our subcommittees. This will involve three to four meetings either in the evenings or during lunch. If you are interested in participating, please contact Mrs. Natalie Gunning. MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
AS A GENERAL RULE, THE AMOUNT OF TIME D E D I C AT E D TO H O M E W O R K E A C H N I G H T S H O U L D B E E Q U A L TO T E N M I N U T E S , M U LT I P L I E D B Y YO U R CHILD’S GRADE.
HOMEWORK ROUTINES: HOW TO SUPPORT YOUR CHILD To support homework, your role varies depending upon the age of your child. By the time your child reaches Grade 11 and 12, the rigours of the Diploma Programme require them to be fully autonomous. At this stage, students, not parents, play the central role in establishing the routines required to be successful. As a general matter however, parents should have reasonable confidence that the following are in place: a.
A reliable method for organizing time so that essential deadlines are remembered and assigned work is paced accordingly. Students who leave their work to the last minute, as you would guess, find it impossible to do well.
b. A consistent homework routine in a distraction free environment. Your child will, indeed, require the use of their laptop and access to the internet to complete homework. But sometimes they will not. Students should ensure they have not unduly fractured their attention. “Working” while following social media on their laptop or phone is a common pitfall. If your child is in the Middle Years Programme or Primary Years Programme, the Student Agenda is an essential communication tool between family and school. Your child should use it daily to log their homework; you should be checking it and your child’s teacher should be using it to make homework assignments explicit. You may initial the agenda to indicate it has been checked, but not all teachers will actually require you to do so. In the MYP, you may simply wish to establish that the agenda is being used by your child. Regardless, it is helpful to ensure the agenda is used to keep your child on track across the PYP and MYP. As a general rule, the amount of time dedicated to homework each night should be equal to ten minutes, multiplied by your child’s FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
grade. For example, if they are in Grade 3 x 10 minutes you should only be engaged in a half hour of homework each night. While routines vary to a small degree by the teacher or grade, if there is no assigned work (which is rare, except for the weekends and/or holidays in the younger grades) your child is encouraged to read and/or review materials. If your child consistently has difficulty completing the homework or does not understand how to do the homework, the teacher should be contacted. Teachers respond to emails usually within 48 hours (many do so before). You are always welcome to speak with teachers in person if you can make it to campus for a meeting. In the MYP parents are encouraged to be aware of their child’s routines and to support. They are never asked to actually do the homework. While it may appear strange advice, tutors too are not to actually complete your child’s homework. In the PYP, parents many times should actually sit with their children during homework time, but this may vary according to the task and/or child. “Home learning” and not “work” should be a source of celebration. In the elementary years, it is an opportunity for parents to build awareness of what their child is learning at school. It is a time when most parents still have the requisite knowledge to actually help with their child’s assignments. By the time they reach middle school and certainly once they are in high school, this is very often not the case. Remember, if homework time becomes a source of extreme frustration for your family consult with your teacher. There should be no tears! Mr. Jason Parker Deputy Headmaster 5
A TROLL IN MATH CLASS LEARNING TO LIVE WELL IN A JUST (ALBEIT SOMEWHAT UNUSUAL) COMMUNITY.
Last week I had the task of teaching my students how to rearrange a quadratic equation from the form y = ax2 + bx + c to the form y = a(x - p)2 + q. The procedure is called ‘completing the square’ and it can be difficult for students to learn and remember. Ok, let’s call a spade a spade, this is one of those math lessons that comes to mind for many learners when they think of a prototypical nightmare math class where the board is filled with algebra, the teacher is on step 7 of 13 of the task and they ask for the next step. The lesson is complicated. Now, any true mathematician would argue about the beauty of the process, and claim that if it seems onerous, then it is being seen from the wrong perspective. I agree. That said, it takes most of us a good deal of courage to get to the point where we can appreciate the beauty. That is where a good story comes into the picture. I once taught a class at another school that had way too many leaders in it. The room was so filled with personalities competing for attention that the teacher’s voice and authority was constantly challenged. They just needed the airspace. By the time they were at the ‘completing the square’ lesson, I had already worked with this group for years and I had learned that I had to constantly weave whatever dialogue they had going on in class into my lesson, or I would lose them. On this day, the video game called half-life and the concept of battling trolls was the topic of conversation. 6
What happened next was something wonderful, the lesson of ‘completing the square’ got turned into an epic story of danger and heroism. The dialogue started on that day has now had eight years and several revisions before being spun anew this year. You see, manipulating the equation is no longer an algebraic procedure, it’s now a story about a fearsome Troll who arrives on the outskirts of a village (which as it turns out, is more like a hippie commune). The villagers are force to seek outside council to discover their ‘half-life’ saviour and then must perform some magic to summon the saviour (and his negative twin) into their midst. They can’t live peacefully with the negative twin, so they must get him out of the village and agree to ‘pay the Troll’ to let him pass. In the end, the Troll turns out to be not so bad, just someone who needs to be shown due respect. The negative twin finds a home with the rest of the outsiders and the village is completely transformed by the presence of the heroic saviour. There is peace and harmony and much rejoicing!
“we learned never to use
a
shotgun
on
a
troll; the fly-swatter is a much more beneficial solution” Alex B. and Owen C. (Grade 11)
“what did i learn? The moral of the tale is this: challenging tasks are much more pleasant with a good story. I was glad to see so many students who understood the lesson and were able to complete the square as a result. It was nice to see smiles where there could so easily have been frowns.
don’t judge a book by its cover; the troll is actually friendly if you pay the toll.” Donya A. (Grade 11)
Mr. Michael Bruins DP Teacher
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
INQUIRY AND LEARNING DIPLOMA PROGRAMME CORE SUBJECT GROUPS
left: Diploma Programme Science students created their own experiments, defining their own set of variables to test, in the Gunning Greenhouse.
right: Diploma Programme Art students create and develop their own themes to explore. Their works are showcased at our annual grad exhibit.
An age old proverb states: “Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.” This is at the heart of inquiry based learning. Inquiry itself is defined as “a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge” (Oxford Dictionary). Students are involved in the learning that takes place; they are not empty vessels to impart knowledge to, but rather active members
Whether it is in Language and Literature class where students lead discussions on poems of their choice, in French or Spanish classes where they investigate cultural traditions, in Science classes where they design their own experiments, in Art class where they develop a theme and create works of art that dig deeper into that theme, or in any other classes they are enrolled in…students are engaged in inquiry. Always seeking to understand rather than memorize. Although it is a difficult programme and students need to be dedicated to their studies, when I check in with them they tell me that they love the material that they learn about in class and the relationships that they build with their teachers is a partnership. A truly amazing experience.
students are involved in the learning that takes place; they are not empty vessels to impart knowledge to, but rather active members of the learning team. this leads to a deeper understanding and the ability to apply new-found knowledge to situations and contexts.
of the learning team. This leads to a deeper understanding and the ability to apply newfound knowledge to situations and contexts.
FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
What is an IB Education by The International Baccalaureate Organization (2013) explains it well:
Teaching and learning in the IB celebrates the many ways people work together to construct meaning and make sense of the world. Through the interplay of asking, doing and thinking, this constructivist approach leads towards open, democratic classrooms. An IB education empowers young people for a lifetime of learning, independently and in collaboration with others. It prepares a community of learners to engage with global challenges through inquiry, action and reflection.
THINKER
One of the privileges that comes along with my job is spending time in the classroom watching our Grade 11 and 12 students engaged in learning. What always strikes me is the difference in the education that Meadowridge students experience compared to the one I received. Part of this difference is the focus on inquiry that exists within each of the subject groups.
Sustained inquiry forms the centrepiece of the written, taught and assessed curriculum in IB programmes. IB programmes feature structured inquiry both into established bodies of knowledge and into complex problems. In this approach, prior knowledge and experience establish the basis for new learning, and students’ own curiosity provides the most effective provocation for learning that is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant. Mrs. Kristal Bereza Diploma Programme Director
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PROMOTING INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS THROUGH THE LIBRARY LEARNING TO LIVE WELL WITH OTHERS AND FOR OTHERS W R I T T E N B Y M R S . H E AT H E R N I C H O L S O N A N D M R S . C H R I S TA L S TO R G A A R D, T E A C H E R L I B R A R I A N S
IN THE PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME The Meadowridge Library recognizes our unique opportunity to promote international mindedness throughout the school. In fact, we have written a vision of what we believe an internationally minded Library should strive towards: “The library is a place where learners have the opportunity to engage in a collaborative pursuit of knowledge and global understanding. It should be a mirror unto the world where you see yourself and others both reflected and connected. Within the library, the school community learns
WHOEVER YOU ARE By Mem Fox Despite the differences between people around the world, there are similarities that join us together, such as pain, joy, and love.
Part of becoming internationally minded is developing intercultural understanding and respect. This may be a challenging concept for young children, but really it is “putting yourself in some else’s shoes”. Here are a few books that explore and compare themes from around the world.
about, maintains, and fosters international mindedness resulting in a more peaceful world.” We strive to build a collection of resources that explores multiple perspectives, has a global context, and promotes the Learner Profiles. Families have immeasurable influence on their children so we encourage you to spend time exploring what it means to be internationally minded. Here are a few books you might consider reading as a family.
BOOKS TO PROMOTE... INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GLOBAL? By Rana DiOrio Children learn what it means to be global through exploring, appreciating, and respecting the traditions of children. 8
BOOKS TO PROMOTE.... GLOBAL THEMES OFF TO CLASS: INCREDIBLE AND UNUSUAL SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD By Susan Hughes Introduces readers to children from around the world who attend unique schools in strange locations, such as caves, boats, or train platforms, and describes what it is like to attend those schools. YOU AND ME TOGETHER: MOMS, DADS, AND KIDS AROUND THE WORLD By Barbara Kerley Presents a collection of full-colour photographs depicting mothers, fathers, and children around the world and the things they share together.
These are the attributes an internationally minded person strives towards: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators,
principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. You will likely recognize these as the Learner Profiles. We have countless books that highlight each of the Learner Profiles. Here are just a couple of new books you might consider reading as a family.
BOOKS TO PROMOTE... IB LEARNER PROFILES
thinker THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING by Ashley Spires A little girl has a wonderful idea. With the help of her canine assistant, she is going to make the most magnificent thing! She knows just how it will look. She knows just how it will work. But making the most magnificent thing turns out to be harder than she thinks.
caring THE RED BICYCLE: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF ONE ORDINARY BICYCLE by Jude Isabella When Leo outgrows his red bicycle, he sends it to Burkina Faso, where it starts a journey through many hands and has many uses. Includes information about how to get involved in bicycle donation efforts.
inquirer INFINITY AND ME by Kate Hosford After the sight of a night sky filled with stars makes eightyear-old Uma feel very small, she asks people how they think about infinity and gets a variety of answers before realizing the comfort in knowing that some things go on forever.
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
“The library is a place where learners have the opportunity to engage in a collaborative pursuit of knowledge and global understanding. It should be a mirror unto the world where you see yourself and others both reflected and connected. Within the library, the school community learns about, maintains, and fosters international mindedness resulting in a more peaceful world.” MEADOWRIDGE LIBRARY VISION
IN THE MIDDLE YEARS AND DIPLOMA PROGRAMMES ”International-mindedness is at the heart of an IB library. IB students, with their rich and diverse backgrounds and experiences, rightly make demands for multi-viewpoint and balanced resources to support inquiry, information, language and literacy needs.” One book that is part of the Meadowridge Library collection that supports the concept of international mindedness is Peaceful Heroes by Jonah Winter. The book highlights peaceful heroes from past and present from 14 different countries: Israel, India, the United States, Germany, Pakistan, El Salvador, Rwanda, Burma, Afghanistan, and Iraq. PEACEFUL HEROES By Jonah Winter This book explores the idea that “perhaps we need a different set of heroes to look up to. We need a set of heroes who do not hurt
A N T H O N Y T I L K E , L I B R A R I A N , U N I T E D WO R L D CO L L E G E , S I N G A P O R E
people. They are ordinary people doing their best to protect other ordinary people from being killed without even using a weapon” (Winter Introduction).
Students in Grade 10, for their CWOW activity, participated in the Legion Literary contest. In class, students wrote poems for Remembrance Day and will be judged on theme, effect, clarity, pace and rhythm. The book, Peaceful Heroes, was shared during the pre-writing session to spark new ideas and discussion. We encourage you to come to the Meadowridge Library to spend some
time browsing our shelves for books that we believe are great examples of what international mindedness means to our library and school community.
>
BLOGS.IBO.ORG/BLOG/2014/12/01/TEN-PERSPECTIVES-ONINTERNATIONAL-MINDEDNESS/
FURTHER READING How do students, teachers, and leaders in IB World School communities view the concept of internationalmindedness? Ten IB community members share their perspectives on the concept and why it is central to the IB educational philosophy (Ten perspectives on internationalmindedness).
WITH THANKS FOR THE DONATION OF THE NEW BOOKS
NEIL FLAMBE BY KEVIN SYLVESTER Donated by Ms. Danielle Noël
FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
MONSTER FLIERS BY ELIZABETH MACLEOD Donated by Milas S. (Grade 2)
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ACTION IN THE PYP DEVELOPING ACTIVE AND CARING MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY The spirit of the Meadowridge School Mission statement, “Learning to live well, with others and for others, in a just community” is to encourage all of us to be active and caring members of our community. Our mission statement comes to life in many ways at our school. The International Baccalaureate, too, has an objective of encouraging “students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners.” The Primary Years Programme (PYP) curricular framework is designed to develop learners who are not only knowledgeable about local and global issues, but who have the mindset and skills necessary to take action to make change in the world. “The PYP believes that international education must extend beyond intellectual attainment to include not only responsible attitudes but also thoughtful and appropriate action. International schools can and should meet the challenge of offering all learners the opportunity and the power to choose their actions, to act and to reflect on these actions in order to make a difference in and to the world.” (MPYPH, p. 33)
at meadowridge in pyp, we have agreed that action should be: •
Learner initiated
•
Authentic, genuine and meaningful
•
Planned as part of Units of Inquiry or spontaneous
•
Different depending on age of learner
by Diane Muldrow
•
Demonstrated at school, at home or in the community
WANGARI’S TREES OF PEACE
To this end, the Action Cycle is posted throughout our classrooms and often referred to by teachers and students.
Mr. Terry Donaldson Director of Primary Years Programme
PYP: schools create a culture in which taking action is modeled by the
10
THE QUILT MAKER’S GIFT by Jeff Brumbeau and Gail de Marcken
Range from simple to grandiose
adults and embedded in daily life.”
integrated into all aspects of the
There are many resources and books in our classrooms and library that help to reinforce Action. Check out the following and read with your children to support Action at home.
•
The PYP units of inquiry promote deeper learning and hopefully lead to Action that is student-initiated. Action may take the form of smaller individual initiatives and/ or larger group projects. When considering the scope of Action projects, we consider the spheres of influence that children have. For our younger students, we recognize that action most likely begins with their families, classrooms and play areas. As children develop, they are able to take on more indepth and sophisticated forms of action at school, at home and in the wider community. As educators, we do not want to plan the action for our students, but rather create learning environments and engagements that promote taking action by our students.
“Action grows out of and is
TAKE ACTION AT HOME
WE PLANTED A TREE
by Jeanette Winter
WESLANDIA by Paul Fleischman SUKI’S KIMONO by Chieri Uegaki and Stephane Jorisch
THE THREE QUESTIONS by Jon Muth CLICK, CLACK, MOO COWS THAT TYPE by Doreen Cronin
C HO O S E R E F L E CT
PYP Action Cycle
Empowering students to choose ACT their actions, and encouraging them to act and reflect on these actions in order to make a difference in and to the world.
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: 1.
Aliya and others planning a celebration.
2.
Last year’s Kindergarten students taking care of the Earth.
3.
Milas, Jake and Razik solving a soccer problem.
4.
AnnaBella and Samrath helping to sustain our Earth.
5.
Ian developing attributes that promote stewardship of the Earth.
6.
Kaylyn reading to her buddy, Maya.
Just like Gryph, we are strong enough and smart enough to solve small problems on our own.
janessa knows the problemsolving wheel motto.
Still not working? Seek help.
grade 1 shares: take action to problem-solve
apologize
make another choice
calm down
make a deal
Ethan, Morgan and Alexa apologizing
Katie, David and Polly making another choice
Richard, Kianna, Maya and Justin calming down
Ella and Marisol making a deal
ignore and walk away
tell the truth
Max, Kayel, Thomas and Neela walking away
Logan, Inaya, Colin and Kylie telling the truth
talk it out Dani, Angela and Allan talking it out
say “stop!” Daniel, Sydney, Nico and Jamie saying “STOP”!
‘action’ in action: grade 1 learns how to work with others
brainstormed ideas of ways that they could solve small problems on their own. They used these ideas to create a problem solving wheel to be shared in our classroom.
They also demonstrated themselves as caring and knowledgeable students by sharing what they’ve learned about working with other people.
The Grade 1 classes have been busy learning about feelings and ways to work with others under the Transdisciplinary Theme “Who We Are”. During this unit, students have explored a variety of emotions, both positive and negative, and discovered ways that they can regulate these feelings and calm themselves down. The classes have also spent much time working with each other and learning about ways to solve the problems that may arise, and
After some discussion, the Grade 1s decided to share their learning with their peers in the PYP. They thought they should share their problem-solving wheel with the other PYP classes so that everyone could use it inside our classrooms, outside at recess and even in the hallways and bathrooms. They then visited each PYP classroom and shared how to use the wheel by acting out a problem and solving it. They were brave risk-takers!
The PYP is designed for children to develop conceptual understandings, be knowledgeable about the world, acquire skills and cultivate attitudes for success. With all that, having learners take Action is also so important. We are proud of our Grade 1 students and all of our students for taking ACTION in such meaningful ways.
FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
Ms. Angela Pallister and Mrs. Nicola Pitzey
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PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION A WELCOME CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME When you reflect on your PE experience as a student, you probably feel a great deal of pride or tremendous anxiety. Traditional PE classes are polarizing by nature. The strong athletes who had experience playing team sports at a high level excelled and PE class was a place where they could show off. Others went through the motions, completing the bare minimum to pass the class. While others found great pride in their creative skills of avoidance.
focussed time on ensuring the students are aware of the factors that promote a healthy, active lifestyle. These factors range from hygiene through to specific training schedules for sporting activities.”
In the MYP, the focus of PE (now call PHE – Physical and Health Education) has shifted. The IB has recognized it as a core subject throughout the MYP. The PHE Programme Guide states:
a snapshot of phe at meadowridge
their social, physical and mental well-being and our goal as practitioners is to ensure that all students are enjoying their learning within a supportive and friendly environment.” M R . N I C H O L A S JAC K S O N , P H E D E PA RT M E N T CO - H E A D
Recently, I spent some time with the Grade 9 PHE classes during their Invasion Games Unit. They were involved in an assessment
education aims to empower
during the Handball section of
students to understand and
their unit.
physically active and develop the motivation for making healthy life choices. To this end, physical and health education courses foster the development. Mr. Nicholas Jackson, PHE CoDepartment Head, describes the shift from Physical Education to Physical Health Education: “the shift has enabled us, as a department, to spend more 12
Understanding) as a style of teaching that involves students connecting movement patterns and strategic knowledge from a wide variety of sports and applying them in modified games. As a department we feel that the
I am a strong believer that sport can provide a base for which students develop
MYP physical and health
appreciate the value of being
I spoke to a few of the students to ask them about what was going on. I was told that they were focusing on building strong defensive tactics. That the skill they were developing was communication (An MYP
The first thing that I noticed was the full participation of every student. Every student was moving to space, utilizing different offensive and defensive strategies, and attacking the goal. There was no one who was missing their uniform, forgot what day it was, or whose dog ate their clothing. They all played. They were also all mentally and physically engaged in the activity. And they were enjoying themselves.
educator would refer to this as the ATL Skill – Approaches to Learning). They were playing a simple game that allowed for everyone to participate, for everyone to communicate, and for everyone to contribute. Each student I interviewed mentioned something about everyone being included and the collaboration occurring in each team.
students are developing their abilities to link concepts and they can effectively transfer skills and tactics across a range of activities, thus increasing their Physical Literacy.
When speaking to their teacher, Mr. Nicholas Jackson, he furthered my impression that the focus was not on the individual skills of the sport, but rather on transferable skills and tactics. His unit was designed to improve communication, collaboration, and to transfer skills to new situations.
“I am a strong believer that sport can provide a base for which students develop their social, physical and mental well-being and our goal as practitioners is to ensure that all students are enjoying their learning within a supportive and friendly environment.”
Mr. Jackson further describes TGFU (Teaching Games For
Mr. Jackson articulates his personal beliefs about sport that align perfectly with the MYP views:
Mr. Scott Banack Director of Middle Years Programme (MYP) MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
2015-2016 OPEN HOUSE EVENTS F R I DAY, N O V E M B E R 6 F R I DAY, D E C E M B E R 4 F R I DAY, F E B R U A R Y 5 F R I DAY, M A R C H 4 F R I DAY, A P R I L 1 F R I DAY, M AY 6 F R I DAY, J U N E 3
2015/2016 ADMISSIONS BY THE NUMBERS
389
INQUIRIES
206
A P P L I C AT I O N S
WELCOME BACK! ADMISSIONS UPDATE As the 2015-2016 school year begins, we would like to extend a warm “WELCOME” to all our new students and parents at Meadowridge and a warm “WELCOME BACK” to those who are returning. We look forward to the year ahead as the new students and their families become important parts of our community. We will be getting to know one another better and building new relationships. This year, we have students and families who have come from as far as Ireland, India and Egypt to name a few places. The next Admissions season is already upon us. Our student ambassadors will continue to be our school’s greatest resource during the newly formatted Open House events. Now held the first Friday of each month from 9:00am to 11:00am. Please be sure to tell your friends and family to visit our website and RSVP to get a first-hand account of life at Meadowridge. And if you are a parent who is interested in helping out at the Open Houses, please FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
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contact us in the Advancement Office. We would love to have you join us and tell your experience to perspective families. If you are a current family and have siblings that you wish to apply for next year, please log into your “My Backpack” and click the Admissions Applications tab under My Forms/Documents. Or if you know someone who is considering Meadowridge School for their child, encourage them to come by for a visit or fill out our newly updated application on-line. Alternatively, we would be pleased to answer questions by calling us at 604-467-4444 ext. 164 or emailing admissions@meadowridge.bc.ca. We look forward to seeing everyone at the many upcoming events throughout the school year. Ms. Natalie Blomly Admissions Coordinator
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thank you for contributing! Mr. Patrick Barber and Mrs. Sonia Nieto Bustos
Mr. Daniel Le Page
Mr. Bokshin Ahn & Mrs. Mihyun Noh
Mr. & Mrs. Darrell & Kim Lester
Anonymous (x 2)
Mr. Hai Qing Liu & Ms. Lie Jing Gu
Mr. Frank Qin & Ms. Jenny Bai
Mr. Jun Ying Liu & Ms. Yan Wan
Mr. & Mrs. Christopher & Jodi Barrass
Dr. Jun Liu & Ms. Xiao Wei Zhan
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher and Lisa Begg
Mr. Shin Loong Leong and Ms. Liz Tanida
Mr. & Mrs. Curtis & Kristal Bereza
Mr. Ju Bin Ma & Ms. Min Shao
Prof. Nicholas Blomley & Ms. Jessie Hill
Drs. Samir & Sangita Malhotra
Mr. Rhys Clarke & Ms. Julie Bournival
Mr. Jamie Marriott
Mrs. Michelle Brookshaw
Mr. Gareth Mason & Ms. Carolyn Treger
Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd
Ms. Jennifer Maynes
Mr. Sung Soo Choi & Mrs. Hyun Ji Lee
Meadowridge Parent Guild
Mr. Timothy Coleman & Miss Tessa Bainbridge
Ms. Sherrie Metz
Mr. Mark Conaghan
Mr. Skigh Murray
Mr. & Mrs. William & Hanfen Crawford
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Barbara Niwa
Dr. Malcolm Crozier & Mrs. Alicia Osorio Bustos
Mr. David Noble
Mr. & Mrs. Clinton & Michelle Denesiuk
Ms. Danielle Noël
Mr. Avio Diniz & Mrs. Patricia Lapointe
Ms. Angela Pallister
Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Wendy Dockerty
Mr. Steven Parewyck & Mrs. Anita Parewyck-Bonnarens
Mr. Terry Donaldson
Mr. Jason Parker & Dr. Nancy Vertel
Mr. Shuquan Du & Ms. Li Min Yang
Mr. & Mrs. Terrance & Moira Passley
Dr. & Mrs. Bill & Barbara Durno
Mr. & Mrs. Philip & Nicola Pitzey
Mr. Wei Fang & Ms. Jin Shen
Mr. & Mrs. Igor & Katerina Pogrebinsky
Mrs. Hallie Fraser
Mr. & Mrs. Sheetal & Seema Rawal
Jay Fraser
Mr. George Read & Ms. Fay Kingwill
Drs. Deepu & Reena George
Mr. Colin Laba & Ms. Carolyn Sapach
Drs. Robert & Diana Germain
Mr. & Mrs. Michael & Chantal Schutz
Mr. Robert Gill & Mrs. Diana Carwithen
Mr. & Mrs. Justin & Jennifer Simpson
Mr. Kenneth Go & Mrs. Connie Chow-Go
Dr. and Mrs. Mathew and Masumi Smith
Mr. Fulian Gong & Ms. Lian Zhao
Mr. Troy Sobotka & Ms. Andrea Frisby
Dr. Daniel Gouws & Mrs. Kimberley Buchanan Gouws
Mr. & Mrs. Dennis & Norma-Jean Spika
Mr. Mark A. Grant & Mrs. Carrie Hughes-Grant
Mr. & Mrs. Scott & Yoshimi Spurgeon
Mr. & Mrs. Warwick & Carolyn Green
Ms. Nadine Sugden
Mr. & Mrs. Craig & Natalie Gunning
Mr. Kefei Tan & Ms. Hanfang Guo
Halpern's Limited
Telus
Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Kirsti Hardie
Dr. & Mrs. Kurt & Melanie Tsuyuki
Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Tammy Haywood
Mr. Amrik Tung & Ms. Simmi Khanna
Mr. & Mrs. Don & Linda Hincks
Mr. & Mrs. Julian & Marilyn Turner
Ms. Cindy Hops
Ms. Michelle Vally
Mr. Johannes Huang & Ms. Shirley Wu
Ms. Tamara Warner
Dr. Geoffrey Hutchinson & Dr. Sarah Charney
Mr. & Mrs. Rick & Susan Waugh
Mr. & Mrs. Ty & Jadina Irving
Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Tracey Welsh
Mr. Yun Jin Jang & Mrs. Yu Kyung Lee
Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Kalie Whitaker
Mr. Jerry Jiang & Ms. Song Shan Gu
Mr. William Wong & Ms. Tina Lee
Ms. Lynelle Johns
Mr. Feng Xu & Ms. Shuo Chen
Ms. Christy Kazulin
Mr. Jiaxue Yang and Ms. Weijie Chong
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin & Tracey Kennedy
Mr. Yong Zhang & Ms. Wenqing Chen
Drs. Srinivasa & Anuradha Korada
Mr. Yong Shun Zhang & Ms. Dan Dan Hu
Mr. Al-Karim Lalji
Mr. Yongjun Zhang & Ms. Yvonne Y. Wei
Dr. Ockie Lampen & Dr. Kathleen Robson
Mr. Li Zhou & Ms. Wei Shi
Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Rhonda Laurie
Ms. Gilda Zivec
thank you to the meadowridge parent guild Each year at their Annual General Meeting the Meadowridge Parent Guild votes on how to spend its gaming grant and operating profits from the previous year. In October 2014, for the first time ever, the Guild members in attendance voted to gift these funds to the Meadowridge Annual Fund, to be spent at the Headmaster’s discretion in the areas of greatest need. Throughout the year as requests were processed our staff tried to spread the funding out to ensure all ages were impacted by the items that were purchased. At the most recent AGM, the Guild members decided again to gift the gaming grant money to the Annual Fund. We want to send a special thank you to all past, outgoing, and incoming Guild executive members for working closely with staff on making these significant and meaningful changes. Here is a list of the items that were funded last year as a result of the Guild’s contributions:
NEW LIGHTING BOARD FOR THEATRE $ 1 1 , 0 6 0 DIGITAL PIANO FOR MYP MUSIC AND PERFORMANCES $ 3 , 3 2 7 TWO TABLE SAWS FOR MYP DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY $ 7 , 0 9 4 GYMNASTICS MATS FOR PYP/ MYP PE AND TRACK & FIELD $ 8 , 3 3 5 ART PALLETS FOR PYP/ MYP ART $2,3230 COSTUMES FOR MYP THEATRICAL PRODUCTION $ 2 , 3 4 9
The above donors are recognized for their gifts to the Annual Fund as of October 27, 2015
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MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
E X C E
L
the annual fund at meadowridge
N
E
In 2015, the Meadowridge Annual Fund was focused on increasing the effectiveness of each dollar raised by targeting spending towards items that have an immediate impact on education. This emphasis aligned with the greater School goal for the year; Learning should be an adventure! We worked on this by adjusting the way in which teachers are able to request and access funds for the things that they need most. Once funding was approved, we encouraged teachers to share their stories about how our children were using these things in each class.
in theatre We recently purchased an ETC ion100 light board for the theatre, which was in need of a major upgrade to its lighting system. Six students attended a training workshop on how to use this state of the art technology, which will service the school for five to ten years, providing a better performance space for students at multiple productions and events throughout the year. M R . R H Y S C L A R K E , M Y P T E AC H E R
in design and technology The Sawstop table saw has been a remarkable addition to the Design lab. It has allowed students to do a wide variety of projects, from puzzles for grade nines to trebuchets in grade eight, water machines for grade sevens and even boxes at grade six level. It not only allows them a better choice of project, but students can also produce a very well finished, professional product. M R . DA R R E L L E ST E R , M Y P T E AC H E R
in athletics The iPads have been used for video analysis of our students in various units and for various skill sets. It has been beneficial for the students to see what their form looks like and how they can self-correct. Through video, we can capture the students’ movement compositions in dance and gymnastics. M R S . M I C H E L L E B R O O K S H AW, PY P T E AC H E R
FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
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STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS POLAR EXPRESSIONS WRITING CONTEST Denise Z. (Grade 8) was honoured with second place in the Polar Expressions Student Story Contest, a national competition with thousands of entries from schools across Canada. Denise entered the contest with her short story, Life. We sat down with our newly published author (whose story will appear in Polar Expression’s book Above the Crowd) to hear about her writing experience. What was your source of inspiration for your short story? My inspiration came from helping one of my other classmates come up with ideas for his own story. While we were brainstorming, I found that I liked these ideas rather than the one I had been writing previously about and decided to go with this one, instead. Is this one of your first pieces of writing? Or do you have other writing projects on the go? This was not one of my first pieces of writing, but I usually don’t have other projects on the go because of all the homework and schoolwork I have. As an author, where do your ideas come from? Most of my ideas just come from everyday life and events that happen with spins on them, or from reading other books. Do you work to an outline or plot, or do you just prefer to see where an idea takes you? I don’t work to an outline or a plot because I find myself much more restricted to what I can write, so I do prefer just following the story and writing whatever I believe comes to my head. What was the hardest thing about writing Life? How did you overcome it? The hardest part about my story was trying to make it different and not cliché because so many ideas were overused or seen in too many stories, so I had to try to write something more original. I overcame my obstacle by just writing what came to my head, so that none of the ideas would be worked off from other books. What is your favourite book? Why? My favorite book at the moment is probably Looking for Alaska, by John Green, because it is such a realistic and down-to-earth book.
ABOVE THE CROWD Denise’s story, along with the other winners’, with appear in the Polar Expression’s Compilation titled Above the Crowd.
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LIFE Written by Denise Z. (Grade 8) Her dark cape flapped in the wind as she flew from roof to roof. Dark eyes glinted from underneath the hood, filled with determination and happiness. Her pursuers chased after her, to no avail. Their calls for her to stop breezed past as she pounded on the tiled roof. Then, the ground unexpectedly rumbled and slowly shook into rhythm with the growing thunder. Her pursuers sprawled onto the roofs, and watched in amazement as the girl, not stumbling once, rappel down a nearby pipe. She faded into the darkness as the thunder and lightning followed her away. The girl smiled wryly as she imagined the looks on her pursuers’ faces. Pulling out a loaf of stolen bread, she continued walking. Slowly, her smile slipped away as she continued down a narrow road. The wind was whispering to anyone who would listen about a creature in the town. Something was wrong. She could feel the air tightening as she ran toward the town square. Then, as she rounded a corner, the wind suddenly grew agitated. Their whispers became frantic and she felt the stones beneath her feet slipping backwards, away from the direction she was going. Then, she saw it. Towering 38 feet, white pupil-less eyes shining like beacons, and worst of all, a bloody mess of skinned animals for its torso and legs. The overwhelming stench of blood fell off of it in waves as it cornered a young cowering boy. “Stop!” she screamed, the words flying out of her mouth. The creature simply turned its head around and stared at her. Well, well… What do we have here? She heard a chilling voice in her head. She froze. The wind ran away and even the fog cleared out. Then, she spotted something. She watched in fascination as the boy, sensing his chance, retracted a sharp clear knife from his pocket. There were captured air spirits inside the knife, for it was the only way to kill a creature. Then, the boy suddenly jabbed the knife into the creature’s body. Its eyes filled with blood and it howled like a banshee as it crumpled to the ground. However, it was still alive. The boy mercilessly brought the knife back up again. The creature struggled against the spirits and the girl saw not the creature but her dying father. As she remembered her father fighting for life, his words echoed through her. Life is life, no matter human or monster. Respect it. She grabbed the knife and did not let go. Police sirens already rang throughout town. The boy looked into her eyes and understood. Taking his hand, they slipped into the shadows, the wind and fog trailing after them.
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
COMPETITION VS. PARTICIPATION WHAT IS THE IDEAL BALANCE IN ATHLETICS? In school athletics there is often debate on how much competition there should be versus maintaining a balance with participation: conversations around ‘cuts’ and on what level, if any, and are they appropriate? Also, should Gryphon Athletics be participatory or should we field the best team possible at a certain age category? I am going to look at these questions and give some information that I hope allows you to see some other factors that are involved with these decisions. W R I T T E N B Y M R . S C OT T S P U R G E O N , D I R E C TO R O F AT H L E T I C S
To some degree the leagues and associations we belong to have some influence on the paths we follow. I am proud of many of the associations we belong to, as I believe they are filled with peers that are thoughtful and purposeful in making rules and promoting strong moral values that go beyond athletics. In particular I feel this is best incorporated in the ISEA (Independent Schools Athletic Association). The ISEA Junior Athletic Directors get together several times a year to schedule games in a variety of leagues and to adjust and fine-tune rules to give studentathletes the best experiences possible.
in the following Grade 7 sports that Meadowridge is involved in: volleyball, soccer, and basketball. In Grade 6 and below, these same team sports have Play Days where the end of the season culminates in a less structured event where no medals or awards are handed out. Meadowridge Athletics tries to walk the fine line at the Grade 6 and 7 level of involving all players who come out to practices consistently, with relatively equal playing time during the regular season, if it is an appropriate level of play for the student-
high school athletics are competitive and our coaches try to find a balance by putting players into situations where they can be successful or be pushed at a level where they can have the opportunity to grow.
The ISEA, based on research and drawing on a vast pool of practical experience, has decided that students are prepared for a competitive championship with seeding at the Grade 7 level. The ISEA hosts tiered championships FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
athletes. The playoffs and final tournament are competitive so playing time is not always distributed evenly. At the Grade 5 level, combined with our
Grade 4’s, the playing time is split evenly during both league games and the final Play Days. In the School District #42 (Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows) elementary league for basketball there are rules that say in the first three quarters teams must play equal minutes for all players, but in the fourth quarter you can play ‘starters’ or those that have worked hardest for the extra minutes. In the ISEA there are rules to reduce the ‘running up’ of scores, such as full court presses being called off in basketball if there is a ten point spread. Even in GVISAA high school soccer there is a maximum goal differential of five allowed when posting scores for the website. At the high school level there is a provincial body, BC School Sports, that regulates rules and stipulates many areas, including the date you are allowed to start playing games to the eligibility level of students that have transferred to your school. High school athletics are competitive and our coaches try to find a balance by putting players into situations where they can be successful or 17
be pushed at a level where they can have the opportunity to grow. I do not believe it is in a student-athlete’s best interest to be put into a situation where they have little chance of success. It can sometimes be challenging for coaches to share minutes among players and also maintain a competitive team that is trying to get into the playoffs. Coaches want to have stronger players develop as the season progresses and also have players who are newer to the sport increase their ability. I believe our Gryphon teams have improved most when there is a competitive drive to earn the starter position. The best example of this is our high school soccer teams. We did not have two distinct high school soccer teams divided by age until three years ago; It was necessary to have one team and have a larger squad so the starting positions were valued and the importance of commitment and attendance were tied into being considered a ‘starting member’. Now we have the numbers and there is recognition in being a member of the soccer team. Our senior soccer team is light on numbers but it is a very committed group of 16, solid student-athletes. There are 12 Grade 11 and 12’s and an additional four Grade 9 and 10’s who have made the jump up. The junior team has well over 20 members in Grades 8 through 10. We do not consider age or gender when selecting a starter for a team: if you are hard-working, committed, and reliable, then you will beat out another player as a starter even if they are older or more experienced. Meadowridge Athletics does permit ‘cuts’ once students are in Grade 8 and above, but this policy is not often used. If cuts do occur we will only cut if a minimum of three players are being dropped – we will not cut single players for competitive reasons. Generally we will try to carry extra athletes in the belief
An age old question that comes up with the ISEA Junior Athletic Directors, is: would students prefer a big cookie or a participatory ribbon? Go ahead and discuss this with some adults and then go ask students at various ages. My guess is answers will vary, even within the same grade level.
they will improve and create a competitive environment to help all players ‘step up’ to the next level. There are times when excessive numbers can become a detriment to the development of a team and practices may be restricted to a set group of players. We are trying to develop a house league for players to be involved in that will create opportunities for development. Often the leagues we play in have a range of teams with widely varying ability levels. Coaches are often able to work in developing players when they are playing a team that is not as strong. I have had passionate conversations with parents and coaches who have come from both sides of the spectrum. Stances range from the belief that athletics at school should be completely participatory, to the other side, where the thought is that “life is competitive, and it isn’t fair to those who are more capable to sit on the bench and watch a team be beaten.” It is never as easy as just one
statement; there are too many other factors involved. Coaches do try to do their best and do want student-athletes to value and grow with the experience. If you do feel there is an injustice or have a concern I welcome a conversation with you. I did not even get to one of the questions that has come up and spurs great debate: in something like track and field, or cross county, how many placement ribbons are appropriate for students at the elementary level? Some people feel 1st to 3rd is plenty while others see value in 1st to 12th in a large field. I didn’t even get into the discussion on participatory ribbons. An age old question that comes up with the ISEA Junior Athletic Directors, is: would students prefer a big cookie or a participatory ribbon? Go ahead and discuss this with some adults and then go ask students at various ages. My guess is answers will vary, even within the same grade level. •
gryphon alumni interview Chi Lung Poon (‘10)
WHAT SPORTS DID YOU PLAY WHEN YOU WERE A GRYPHON AT MEADOWRIDGE?
right: Chi Lung Poon (right) had Freddy (left), a Meadowridge German exchange student from 2008, visit him in Vancouver recently.
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WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY AS A GRYPHON IN ATHLETICS? Back-to-back soccer banners.
I played soccer, basketball, badminton, and volleyball while attending Meadowridge.
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
This was a great opportunity to foster and celebrate child creativity
and
allowed
the
children to be critical thinkers and
encouraged
perseverance
and teamwork. It was amazing to see the amount of imagination and creativity that these young children have...”
HOUSE CREATIVITY CHALLENGE FOSTERING CREATIVITY IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH GRADE 2 Having been inspired by the Global Cardboard Challenge, the children in Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 all met together for a House Creativity Challenge during the month of October. Each House worked together to make creations out of all the different reusable materials we had available in our classrooms such as Lego, straws, and wooden blocks.
This was a great opportunity to foster and celebrate child creativity and allowed the children to be critical thinkers and encouraged perseverance and teamwork. It was amazing to see the amount of imagination and creativity that these young children have and how all the grades worked collaboratively towards an end goal. The boys and girls were proud to share their creations with each of the other Houses during a gallery walk and
were inspired by what the other Houses had created too. It was also encouraging to see how each House put back all the materials they had worked with so they can be reused again and again. Congratulations to all the creative thinkers in Kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2! Mrs. Nicola Pitzey, PYP Teacher
Chi Lung Poon is currently assisting our soccer and badminton teams train this season!
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST LESSON OR HABIT YOU TOOK AWAY FROM YOUR TIME AS A GRYPHON? Be more aggressive not only on the court, but in real life. Fight for what you want.
FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW IN LIFE? I’m currently in school for business and I’m also working as a part time chef.
LOOKING INTO A CRYSTAL BALL WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? Working in my desired career, playing soccer and enjoying my life.
IF YOU COULD PASS ON ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO CURRENT GRYPHON ATHLETES, BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? If you think you deserve it, fight for it.
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FACULTY FOCUS: MS. TAMARA WARNER It is in our nature to look forward, to the next weekend, the next year, the next milestone. Here, we are helping our students reach even further, with Graduation from Meadowridge, then University, the ultimate goals. In the constant looking forward, we sometimes forget to look back to the beginning, where the foundations were laid. Ms. Tamara Warner is one of the foundation builders, and for a few years now she has seen her first batches of students graduate. Hired in August 2000, Ms. Warner taught Grade 1 for seven years before moving to Kindergarten, from which she never wants to leave. BY MS. CAROLYN SAPACH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Her arrival was a bit serendipitous, as she had intentions of teaching in BC, but expected it would take some more planning. She was in Whistler for her sister’s wedding, when the wind blew open a newspaper to the Want Ads. She glanced down, and saw the ad for a position at Meadowridge. Perhaps she was ready to leave rural Saskatchewan, likely it was the calling from “home”, as she had been born in Maple Ridge (though only stayed for a year). Whatever it was, within the month, Ms. Warner had packed up her prairie life and was heading to work here at Meadowridge.
WHAT HAS KEPT YOU AT MEADOWRIDGE FOR 15 YEARS? What keeps me here at the school are the personal and emotional connections. I am an emotional person, and the genuine feeling of belonging is so strong here.
YOU HAVE SEEN THE SCHOOL AND BUILDING CHANGE IN SO MANY WAYS IN YOUR TIME HERE. HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL? 20
To see us grow because people believe in us, share their talents, knowledge, time, money… What a powerful thing. You can see the construction now, but we are always, internally or otherwise, under construction. It is a belief system of progress here; “Think, act, reflect”, as we say in Kindergarten.
WHY KINDERGARTEN? It is something about learning how to be together that makes Kindergarten special. I love watching and helping the students really learn about their place in not only the classroom, but in the world.
WHAT HAVE YOUR STUDENTS TAUGHT YOU? By observing children learn over many years a few things hold true which I transfer over to my adult life. •
Things can be hard and hard things are necessary, but it feels so good to work through a solution. Sometimes even leaving MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
left: Ms. Warner completed her MEd from Simon Fraser University in the spring of 2013.
right: Ms. Warner with Colton McLaughlin (‘13) at his graduation. Colton was in Ms. Warner’s Grade 1 class!
a project and returning to it with a new approach feels even better.
he buried his in his yard. I told him we would dig it up when he graduates, and he is holding me to that.
•
Emotions are a huge part of our human story and they are expressed in so many different ways. It’s ok to wear your heart on your sleeve and show vulnerability.
•
Stopping to check in with someone and giving hugs can go a long way. It makes a difference.
Another student came up to me at graduation, and he still has his Grade 1 planner! Looking back at all the notes his mother and I wrote back and forth, he thanked me for all we did to support him that year. The teamwork and communication between parents and teachers really make Meadowridge special, and even the students notice! Not all schools have this atmosphere.
•
Every day is a new day, so stop worrying!
•
Everything is better with playdoh and colouring.
The
Teamwork
and
communication
WHAT ABOUT YOU? I dabble in all things creative. At the school, I’ve worked with scrapbooking club, theatre productions, and take photos at special events. I am just discovering yoga, and I love it. Of course, hockey season is back, so I’d like to add: “Go Canucks!”
between parents and teachers really make Meadowridge special, and even the students
We may occasionally forget just how much those
notice! Not all schools have this atmosphere.
early teachers mean to our students, when University applications are being written. Luckily for them (and us), Ms. Warner continues to believe in our little
WHAT IS IT LIKE SEEING YOUR FIRST MEADOWRIDGE CLASSES GRADUATE?
people, be there for them, and build them a strong base on which to build (and reach) ever higher.
It is amazing to see what they remember, and what affected them while they were so young. Alexander Howkins ’15 is keeping me to a promise I made in Grade 1 to him. We made time capsules, and
FALL 2015 VOLUME ONE
Thank you, Ms. Warner!
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MEADOWRIDGE PROFESSIONAL PANEL
LUNCH & LEARNS
to volunteer as a speaker, contact carolyn.sapach@meadowridge.bc.ca
“The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself.”
O S CA R W I L D E
We are lucky here, to watch our students graduate and disperse around the world as they pursue their dreams at University and then in their chosen careers. We are also thankful for the passionate, driven parents that have led by example in their own professions and lives. This year, we are trying to capture that very enthusiasm with the creation of our Professional Panel. Made up of parents, alumni and alumni parents, the Panel will grow to be a valuable resource to our whole community. We are starting small, by matching students with questions about schooling or careers with those that are living their dreams already; Meadowridge Grads at University are buddied up with our 2015 Alumni, to help with the transition to University. Others still are available through email to answer questions about particular University programs, since they are in the midst of it already. As for our parents, if you signed up to be on the Professional Panel when you registered, we will reach out to you when we have speaking or mentoring opportunities as well. Something we are very excited about this year is a series of Lunch and Learns. In an open Q&A format, our Panelists will answer questions from our students about their career paths.
to learn more, or to volunteer as a speaker, contact carolyn.sapach@meadowridge.bc.ca
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13 H E A LT H CA R E F I N A N C E – I N V E ST M E N T S / B A N K I N G - SPEAKERS NEEDED -
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29 L AW T E C H N O LO GY – I O S & S O F T WA R E
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 CO M M U N I CAT I O N S , MARKETING AND MEDIA ENGINEERING
FRIDAY, APRIL 15 ENTREPRENEURSHIP J O U R N A L I S M O R E N V I R O N M E N TA L – T B D B A S E D O N S P E A K E R AVA I L A B I L I TY
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
PARENT VOLUNTEERS ARE EVERYWHERE! Where do you see yourself? I like being part of the day-to-day school activities, and can share my time during the day, after school or in the evenings: In Classrooms, Field Trip Chaperone, Supporting Athletics, Library Assistant, Office Assistant, Classroom Speaker (Join our Professional Panel!), Parent Guild Supporter, Hospitality, Supporting Student Events, day-of-event Helper, Run a Club.
I am dedicated to giving my time over the school year, often during the evenings. I want my opinions heard, and I believe in the advancement of the School: Event Committee, School Committee, Member of the Board, Meadowridge School Society Member, Parent Guild Position, Parent Ambassador, Annual Fund Cabinet.
To learn about opportunities in the school, contact Ms. Carolyn Sapach in Advancement, or visit www.meadowridge. bc.ca/volunteer OR
To learn about Parent Guild opportunities, contact the Guild Chair at Guild.Chair@meadowridge.bc.ca.
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PROGRAMMES DOOMED TO FAILURE? It is difficult to ignore the increasing prevalence of computers. They are everywhere: our phones, television sets, tablets, refrigerators, microwaves! Some have suggested that computers have the potential of changing the way we learn and the way schools are run. The ubiquitous presence has obviously had a presence in schools as well. So much so, that some predict that typical brick and mortar schools will cease to exist and everyone will attend class from the comfort of their homes. Interestingly, a recent OECD report suggested that the all the hopes that have been placed on technology to solve the problems of education are completely unfounded. The report, Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection, explores how computers are related to a student’s performance. The study actually suggested that instead of breathing new life and increasing scores, which is the common belief, students
of six hours per day) on the computer also feel more isolated when at school, arrive late, or skip classes. The report doesn’t go so far as to say that technology is the cause, as there are too many variables to consider. Some of those variables may be obsolete technology, poorly designed software, or is the appeal of multimedia a distraction for students? Schleicher also offers a few possibilities. Are we replacing human interactions for digital interactions? Are we still trying to discover how we should teach for our students to benefit from these technologies? Articles that describe how to use iPads in the classroom are everywhere and schools have spent billions of dollars trying to jump into the 21st century. Los Angeles alone spent one billion dollars on their implementation. This particular deployment was so badly handled that it is used as an exemplar of what not to do. All
Our students and staff are active participants in the classroom, not passive individuals sitting back, waiting to be entertained. For our school, technology is the tool that allows us to expand our knowledge through access to the information.
who use computers frequently at school are scoring lower on reading, writing and math assessments. Computers don’t only negatively affect academics. Apparently, students who spend a lot of time (in excess 24
this negative information may suggest that 1-to-1 laptop programmes are doomed for failure; however, what these authors may have overlooked is the school’s primary responsibility. The focus was place on the
technology and not a school’s primary responsibility, which is to educate. Michael Fullan warns us that schools that use technology to improve learning are misguided. Schleicher wrote something very interesting which is remarkably similar to Fullan’s opinion. He said, “Technology can amplify great teaching but technology cannot replace poor teaching.” After reading the OECD article, my suspicion, as was Andreas Schleicher’s, is that the technology itself may not the problem, but rather, how the technology is used. To Meadowridge teachers’ credit, not only are they exceptional teachers doing “great teaching”, but their Inquiry approach helps students stay focussed on learning. Students use their laptops to investigate, to collaborate, to communicate, and to organize. They have access to up-to-themoment research, databases of scholarly articles, and staff have participated in webinars with world leading thinkers. Our students and staff are active participants in the classroom, not passive individuals sitting back, waiting to be entertained. For our school, technology is the tool that allows us to expand our knowledge through access to the information. Our teachers remain committed to learning and students use technology as the means to the end, not the end of learning. Mr. Patrick Niwa Director of Technology
MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
The central conception of learning in our school controls our use of technology. Although there are some who predict that technology will completely change schooling, or even make it a thing of the past, it will continue to be seamlessly woven in to the fabric of our learning practices, and will enhance learning in the school, rather than change it. Just as students learn constructively, so do teachers, and this work of teachers-as-learners must continue with strong school support. We need to make sure that our school and our students control technology, and are not controlled by it. MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL VISION
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SPIRIT DAY The Senior Gryphon Council started off the 2015/2016 school year with our first ever Spirit Week! This was a week filled with competitive events where students got the chance to bond with their Houses while earning points. Traditionally, Meadowridge has had a Spirit Day but this year, we wanted to extend the fun. Spirit week started off with two days of lunchtime events and wrapped up with Spirit Day! During the lunchtime events, the students participated in Kahoot and Banner-Making (a Meadowridge favourite).
Finally, we kick-started Spirit Day with a mascot dance-off and the esteemed cheer competition. During Sprit Day we tried to have a variety of events so that all students could find something to enjoy. We hosted Trivia, Instant Challenges, Amazing Race, and Scavenger Hunt. Each House would compete at each station for 30 minutes and would be rewarded with points for spirit, sportsmanship, and success. At the end of the day, each House’s points were added up. The rankings were announced with Fraser in fourth place,
Alouette in third place, Whonnock in second place and Kanaka in first place. Following Spirit Day, Senior Gryphon Council sent out a survey to test the popularity of each event. Trivia took the number one spot! During this fun week, the students were able to bond and form new friendships, all while indulging in friendly competition. We can’t wait for the next spirit day! Donya A. (Grade 11) Vice President of Senior Gryphon Council
TERRY FOX RUN On Friday, September 25th, students in Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 participated in our annual Terry Fox run. We were fortunate enough to have great weather for the duration of the day! Thank you to everyone who donated and participated in the run, you have supported a great cause and a long-standing tradition! Senior Gryphon Council
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MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON
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Happy Birthday SAGE!
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SAGE Dining Services® is celebrating 25 years of exceptional dining experiences that delight the senses, inspire minds and foster community. The 2015-16 school year is going to be exciting!
We Feature:
What’s New? We’ve added four new concepts this year! Pacific Rim Cuisine, Street Foods, South American and Caribbean Fare, and fresh Vegetarian options. Plus, our monthly Educational Seasonings include topics such as Cuisines of Australia and New Zealand; Ready, Set, Table; and Scratch Cooking vs. Factory Food.
SAGE Recipe
• House-roasted deli meats • Fresh vegetables and fruits • Antibiotic- and hormone-free milk • Cage-free, Cer tified Humane® eggs • Whole-grain breads, bagels and rolls • Local and campus-grown ingredients
Student Dining Account:
• Fresh salads and house-made dressings • Substantial vegetarian and vegan options • Trans fat-free oils and MSG-free seasonings
SAGE par tners with My Kids Spending. You can view and manage your student’s dining account activity at any time. Click here to sign up! WWW,SAGEDINING.COM/SITES/MEADOWRIDGE
Contact your Food Service Director with any questions.
Menu Features: • Daily menu items here
• Ingredient list for each item • Menu filter for common allergens • Color-coded dots that help guide your child’s choices
Get health and nutrition advice from our dietitians, find pictures of your school’s dining experiences, and discover fun DIY projects for your family. Follow us at: Spoonful of SAGE, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter pages.
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S AT U R DAY, N OV E M B E R 2 8 AT T H E VA N C O U V E R C L U B TICKETS & SPONSORSHIPS W W W. M E A D O W R I D G E . B C . C A / G A L A