June 2013 Mini Gryphon

Page 1

Volume 4 Issue 9

June 2013

IN THIS ISSUE: From the Headmaster

2

Memberships & Accreditations

3

Annual Giving Update

4

Make Your Mark Update

10

Athletics Update

12

Student Achievements

14

2013 Gala Committee

16

Volunteering at Meadowridge

17

Around Meadowridge

18

Staff Update

20

Gryphon Council Update

22

Parent Guild Update

24

Feast-ival

25

Library Update

26

Golf Thank You

27

Thank you for an outstanding year! This past school year has been outstanding and throughout we have celebrated many accomplishments and events. From our athletic championships, the first year of the Diploma Programme and the recent membership into the Council of International Schools (see page 2), the 2012/2013 school year was a busy and exciting one.

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL

With all the degrees handed out we wish our Grade 12 students well as they move on to post-secondary education. We hope to see them return in the coming years as Alumni, our doors are always open to you. See page 10 for pictures of convocation.

t: 604.467.4444 | f: 604.467.4989

Thank you to all of the teachers and staff whose hard work and dedication make this school as great as it is. Thank you, as well, to our parents who contribute to our school in so many ways. Finally, thank you to our students, whose inquisitive nature and love of learning made this year such a wonderful one.

8

Convocation 2013

12224-240th Street Maple Ridge, BC V4R 1N1 www.meadowridge.bc.ca

The Meadowridge Mini Gryphon is printed in-house to reduce costs. Meadowridge School is proud to be an accredited International Baccalaureate Continuum World School.


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Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

From the Headmaster Our Global Community: Affirmed and Confirmed We have some excellent news for our community: We have been accepted for membership by the Council of International Schools! Our Vision statement begins with this sentence: “People are drawn to our school from around the world”.

Congruent with our Vision and our Strategic Plan, we applied last year for membership in the Council of International Schools (CIS), an organization which accredits schools and universities/colleges around the world. It is considered the strongest accrediting agency globally. In order to join, we had to demonstrate that we met the Membership Criteria and the Membership Standards, and that we held ourselves to the CIS Code of Ethics.

This membership is one more step to fulfilling our Vision, as we prepare our children to live and work anywhere in the world, and to pursue higher education anywhere in the world. The process of gathering all of this data took some months, and then we had a visit from their membership officer, who interviewed parents, staff, students, and administrators to gain a fuller picture of the school, and to confirm what we had said in the report. We were granted membership within two weeks of the visit, and the report was very affirmative and complimentary about our school, and especially about our students.

The CIS visitor was hugely impressed by the way the students spoke, responded to questions, and demonstrated breadth and depth of learning. This is another demonstration of our school’s ongoing determination to meet the highest standards of transparency and quality, and another affirmation of our success in meeting global standards in every aspect of schooling and education. It will also help us to reach out to students and their families internationally. Currently, we are accredited by Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS), who use international benchmarks to examine every aspect of the school. As well, we are accredited in each programme of the International Baccalaureate. The membership in CIS means that we are only one of three schools in Canada to be members. It is our intention to not only be members, but also to accredit with CIS in the next two or three years, as the timeline of our CAIS accreditation comes to an end. When we complete that process, we will be the only school in Canada to commit to that rigorous international accreditation, just as we are one of a few to offer all three International Baccalaureate programmes. This membership is one more step to fulfilling our Vision, as we prepare our children to live and work anywhere in the world, and to pursue higher education anywhere in the world. Our children, wherever they are, should know how to live well, with others and for others, within a just community. - Mr. Hugh Burke, Headmaster


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Our Memberships & Accreditations International Baccalaureate (IB) www.ibo.org

Accredited PYP, MYP, DP Meadowridge is one of only nine IB Continuum World Schools in Canada.

The IB is a non-profit educational foundation founded in 1968, motivated by its mission and focused on the total growth of the developing child. The IB is a unique, international continuum of education consisting of three individual programmes for students aged 3 to 19 to help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing world (Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programme). The IB aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect. The IB has maintained an international reputation for high quality education for over 35 years. IB curriculum represents the best from many different countries and the challenging Diploma Programme is recognized by the world’s leading universities. (Adapted from the IB website and Mission Statement)

Council of International Schools (CIS) www.cois.org

Member Meadowridge is one of only three CIS member schools in Canada.

The Council of International Schools (CIS) is a global non-profit membership organization that defines standards and provides services that support the continuous improvement of international education. CIS member schools must all have a desire to provide students with the knowledge, skills and abilities to pursue their lives as global citizens a commitment to high quality education CIS members must infuse international and intercultural perspective into their programmes and offerings so that students can move forward with the attitudes and understanding that will provide them with a solid base wherever their studies or work may take them. CIS supports member institutions with an integrated portfolio of services that are world-class, professional and competitive. (Adapted from the CIS website)

Independent Schools Association of British Columbia (ISABC) www.isabc.ca Member After serving as President of the ISABC Board, Mr. Burke now serves as the Past President.

ISABC helps British Columbian Independent Schools offer the best educational opportunities possible to meet children’s individual needs. Through collaboration, commitment and an atmosphere of mutual respect, ISABC member schools are positioned to achieve the highest standards of education. ISABC schools are committed to innovation, excellence and opportunity in every aspect of a child’s education. Collectively the Association’s schools strive to deliver the best in education. All ISABC schools are regularly inspected and meet the BC Ministry expectations for independent schools. Most ISABC schools are also accredited by the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the Canadian Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). Together, the ISABC family links teachers and leaders ensuring the sharing of the best educational and leadership practices, as well as resources and ideas. (Adapted from the ISABC website)

Federation of Independent School Associations British Columbia (FISA BC) www.fisabc.ca

Member

FISA BC, established in 1966, is a non-profit umbrella organization for independent schools in British Columbia. FISA BC is the voice for its members in British Columbia, and acts as a liaison between the schools and the government, as well as other educational institutions. FISA BC is dedicated to assisting independent schools in maintaining their independence, while seeking fair treatment for them in legislative and financial matters.

Mr. Burke served on the FISA BC Being a FISA member means belonging to a community of organizations that share a commitment to freedom of Board of Directors for 15 years.

choice in education. FISA BC’s mission is to enable parents to exercise the right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children. The Federation is committed to non-partisan political activity. Maintaining positive and respectful working relationships with all the educational stake-holder groups in the province and government is a priority. (Adapted from the FISA BC website)

Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS) www.cais.ca Accredited

A community of independent schools, CAIS explores and pursues exemplary leadership, training, research and international standards of educational excellence. Parents of CAIS schools can expect the best. Currently over 90 schools in Canada, Bermuda, the Dominican Republic, and Switzerland are members. All CAIS

Mr. Burke acted as the Western Canadian Advisor to the CA+IS schools commit to undergoing a reflective and collaborative school improvement process, meet National Standards, and participate in research and professional development. CAIS’s National Standards are congruent with the Board of Directors.

internationally-accepted criteria and model core standards adopted by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) International Commission on Accreditation and are updated annually based on current research and exceptional practices. (Adapted from the CA+IS website)


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ANNUAL GIVING DONORS Thank You For Contributing! Our Newest Contributors

Mr. & Mrs. Randy & Leslie Bargen

The Gandesha Charitable Trust

Mr. Richard Barber

The Barker/Robertson Family

Mr. & Mrs. Sam & Yamini Gandesha

Mr. Jonathan Peters & Mrs. Corisa Bell

Mr. & Ms. Ronald & Janet Batty

Drs. Deepu & Reena George

Mrs. Michelle Brookshaw

Mr. & Mrs. John & Terry Becker

Drs. Joe & Diana Germain

Mr. Mark Conaghan

Mr. & Mrs. Steven & Jacqueline Bentley

Mr. Bob Gill & Mrs. Diana Carwithen

Mr. Pat Differ

Mrs. Kristal Bereza

Mr. Kenneth Go & Mrs. Connie Chow-Go

Mr. Chris Bertoia

Dr. & Mrs. Daniel Gouws & Kimberley Buchanan-Gouws

Mr. & Mrs. Jack & Agnes Dubas Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Deanna Farnworth Mr. Yanchuan Guo & Ms. Yun Wei Mr. Chris Hamilton Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Tammy Haywood Mr. Robert Jeeves Mr. Lin Kang & Mrs. Xian Rong Lan Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Vesna Kliman Dr. Wayne Kuan & Ms. Tracy Lu

Dr. Michael Orser & Ms. Christine Bickle Prof. Nicholas Blomley & Ms. Jessie Hill Mr. Rhys Clarke & Mrs. Julie Bournival Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Shirley Brunetta Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd Mr. & Mrs. Bill & Haj Brar Canadian Tire Store - Abbotsford (Mr. and Mrs. Brad & Heather Elliott)

Mr. & Mrs. Alan & Marlene Graveson Mr. & Mrs. Warwick & Carolyn Green Mr. & Mrs. Amar & Kal Grewal Mr. & Mrs. Craig & Natalie Gunning Ms. Sarah Hamilton Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Kirsti Hardie Dr. & Mrs. Amin & Fawzia Hasham

Mr. Antonio de Oliveira Jr. & Ms. Amanda Casanova

Mr. & Mrs. Carl & Shirley He

Lordco Auto Parts Inc. (The Coates & Durant Families)

Drs. Dan & Anca Catona

Mr. & Mrs. Don & Linda Hincks

Mr. & Mrs. David & Tania Choat

Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Christine Holtved

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin & Winnie Lu

Ms. Samantha Coates

Ms. Cindy Hops

Mr. Mark McDavid & Ms. Tanya Chipperfield

Mr. Xiang Jing Chen & Mrs. Xiao Ming Yang

Dr. Geoffrey Hutchinson & Dr. Sarah Charney

Michael & Young Fly Shop (The Tsuyuki Family)

Mr. Jun Chen & Mrs. Zhe Zhou

Mr. John Hwang & Mrs. Catherine Kim

Mr. Victor Chen & Mrs. Wendy Tan

Mr. & Mrs. Ty & Jadina Irving

Mr. Jie Cheng & Mrs. Lan Na Wu

Drs. Sriram & Mahalaxmi Iyer

Mr. Richard Choi & Mrs. Angie Lee

Mr. Raymond Louie

Mr. Steven Jang & Mrs. Veronika Lee

Mr. Roy Choi & Mrs. Jeong-Mi Ryu

Mr. Scott Rinn

Mr. Kyle Jeans & Ms. Krista Zambolin

Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Katherine Crawford

Mr. Neilton H.G. Seale & Mrs. Zeineen Panju

Ms. Lynelle Johns

Dr. Malcolm Crozier & Mrs. Alicia Osorio Bustos

Dr. Matt Smith & Ms. Sandra Young

Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Judy Johnston

Dr. & Mrs. Anton & Elna de Klerk

Mr. Terry Jung & Ms. Audrey Lum

Mr. & Mrs. Kulraj & Kalvinder Tiwana

Mr. & Mrs. Clinton & Michelle Denesiuk

Mr. & Mrs. Amrit & Kam Kahlon

Ms. Rena Verlaan

Mr. & Mrs. Ninderjit & Lakhvir Dhaliwal

Drs. Nirmal & Arvind Kang

Mr. & Mrs. Darren & Kellie Walker

Ms. Zahra Dhanani

Mr. Xiu Kang & Mrs. Baowei Yue Guo

Mr. & Mrs. Rod & Laura Wiebe

Mrs. Amrita Dhanji

Dr. & Mrs. Al Karim & Eileen Karmali

Mr. & Mrs. Ketan & Kiran Ladva

Dr. & Mrs. Feisal & Teresa Mohamedali Mr. & Mrs. Behrooz & Azar Motameni

Dr. & Mrs. Michael & Daphne Herberts

Mr. Avio Diniz & Ms. Patricia Lapointe

Ongoing Donors

Mr. Kevin Kennedy

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Wendy Dockerty

Dr. Seoung Joon Kim & Mrs. Inhwa Sung

Anonymous

Mr. Terry Donaldson

Drs. Murthy & Anu Korada

Mr. & Mrs. Rafael & Lisa Acosta

Mr. & Mrs. Bill & Barbara Durno

Mr. Hyeok-Sang Kwon & Mrs. Ji-Yeon Ahn

Mr. & Mrs. Ron & Cathy Antalek

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Brenda Eichhorst

Mr. Oh Hyon Kwon & Mrs. JiSoo Jeon

Mr. Ke Bai & Mrs. Ye Hu

Mr. Jay Fraser

Mr. & Mrs. Al-Karim & Zain Lalji

Mr. & Mrs. Scott & Stacey Banack

Mrs. Hallie Fraser

Mr. & Mrs. Kulraj & Kalvinder Tiwana

Mr. Patrick Barber & Mrs. Sonia Nieto Bustos

Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Kelly Fry

Drs. Ockie Lampen & Kathy Robson

Meadowridge is a not-for-profit organization. Donations above $25.00 are tax deductible. Charitable Registration #0719195-21-27


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This year, please help us

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Mr. & Mrs. Dan & Shelley Larsen

Chantal Vazquez

Mr. & Ms. Peter & Alison Thompson

Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Rhonda Laurie

Ms. Toni Perretta

Mr. & Mrs. Sam & Manjinder Thuraisamy

Mr. Ron Le Boutillier

Mr. Rad Petkovic

Truc Truck Finder Inc. (The Vine Family)

Mr. Daniel Le Page

Mr. & Mrs. Philip & Nicola Pitzey

Mr. & Mrs. Julian & Marilyn Turner

Ms. Nicole LeBrun

Mr. & Mrs. Igor & Katerina Pogrebinsky

Mr. & Mrs. David & Lyn Tyler

Mr. Luke Lee & Mrs. Joanne Bang

Mr. & Mrs. Shahir & Reeshma Premji

Dr. & Mrs. Hanif & Sophie Ukani

Mr. Gye Ju Lee & Mrs. Whal Ran Park

Mr. & Mrs. Ivan & Lana Rados

Ms. Michelle Vally

Mr. Lance Leger & Ms. Sarah Ward

Dr. Ravindran & Mrs. Chandramohan

Ms. Tamara Warner

Mr. & Mrs. Darrell & Kim Lester

Mr. George Read & Ms. Fay Kingwill

Drs. Qasim & Tehima Wasti

Mr. Tao Lu & Ms. Bing Li

Mr. Quan Ren & Mrs. Lin Wu

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Jennifer Watt

Mr. Daofeng Liu & Mrs. Quming Chen

Dr. John Reynolds & Dr. Isabelle Cote

Mr. & Mrs. Rick & Susan Waugh

Mr. Jinsong Liu and Ms. Xiaoxue Sun

Ms. Carolyn Sapach

Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Tracey Welsh

Mr. Tao Lu & Ms. Bing Li

Mrs. Jada Sawatzky

Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Kalie Whitaker

Mr. & Mrs. Stephan & Nancy Mackenzie

Mr. & Mrs. Aaron & Pamela Schultz-Lessing

Mr. William Wong & Ms. Tina Lee

Drs. Samir & Sangita Malhotra

Mr. Bradley Senner & Ms. Tanya Cloete

Mr. Feng Xu & Mrs. Shuo Chen

Mr. & Mrs. Riaz & Fairous Mapara

Mr. Alan Sharda, Ms. Zebeen Panju & Azynah

Mr. Fu Qing Xu & Mrs. Hui Wang

Mr. Luis Marin & Ms. Patricia Restrepo

Dr. & Mrs. Allen & Rosie Shen

Mr. Wen Yong Yang & Mrs. Jie Luan

Mr. James Marriott

Mr. & Mrs. Gurjit & Parneet Sidhu

Mr. & Mrs. Yang & Xiaoping Liu

Mr. Gareth Mason & Ms. Carolyn Treger

Mr. & Mrs. Justin & Jennifer Simpson

Mr. James Yang & Ms. Mandy Qi

Ms. Jennifer Maynes

Mr. & Mrs. Rajindar & Sheila Singh

Miss Maggie Yang

Mr. & Mrs. Shaun & Leah McPhail

Dr. Mathew & Mrs. Masumi Smith

Mrs. Hwa Youn Cho

Dr. Bheemdev Meetarbhan & Ms. Diane Holenski

Mr. Troy Sobotka & Ms. Andrea Frisby

Mr. Xiaoping Yuan & Ms. Hongli Gong

Mr. & Mrs. Dennis & Norma-Jean Spika

Mrs. Leah Zeballos

Mr. & Mrs. Scott & Yoshimi Spurgeon

Mrs. You Ying Zeng

Mr. & Mrs. Larry & Serena Su

Mr. Jie Zhao and Mrs. Yan Peng

Mr. Chen Wei Sun & Ms. Hong Chang

Mr. Shanhai Zhao & Mrs. Li Wan

Mr. & Mrs. Harrison & Christy Mooney

Mr. Kevin Sun & Ms. Feng Li

Ms. Xiao Hong Zhou

Mr. & Mrs. Vassen & Lovana Moothoo

Mr. & Mrs. Mahmud & Rishma Sunderji

Mr. Hai Tao Zhu & Ms. Li Ling Li

Mr. Michael Nice & Ms. Danielle NoĂŤl

Mr. Kefei Tan & Mrs. May Guo Tan Family

Ms. Gilda Zivec

Mrs. Patricia Merry Ms. Sherrie Metz Mike Huber Real Estate Services (Huber Family)

Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Barbara Niwa Mr. David Noble Dr. & Mrs. Godwin & Ezinne Obioha Dr. & Mrs. Stephen & Folashade Ogunremi Mr. & Mrs. Stephen & Margot Olah Ms. Angela Pallister Mr. Steven Parewyck & Mrs. Anita Bonnarens Mr. & Mrs. Angelo & Kelsey Paris Mr. & Mrs. Scott & Lisa Park Drs. Gurdev & Karen Parmar Mr. & Mrs. Parmjit & Malkit Parmar Mr. & Mrs. Terrance & Moira Passley Dr. & Mrs. Parin & Bhavna Patel Miss Marie Payne Dr. Manuel Peraza Zarate & Mrs. Marie


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Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

Annual Giving Committee report Annual Giving Accomplishment Every year goes by faster than the last. This one was no exception. If it weren’t for all of the things that our kids have accomplished, whether it was in the classroom, on sports teams or on stage, I would hardly believe we were already at the end of June. A lot of great things have happened to each of our children individually, but upon reflection, the things that we have achieved together, as a school and as a community, are as rewarding, and have enabled each child to accomplish even more than before. This year 230 donors gave over 300 gifts totaling more than $174,000 towards Annual Giving and in support of the things that matter most to their children inside and out of the classroom. Thank you to all of those families for expressing your generosity and for enhancing the education of every child at Meadowridge School in doing so. Year after year we have seen the difference that your ongoing commitment to our efforts, your children and the mission of Meadowridge School has made. Take a look at the areas that each of your dollars impacted this year

2012/2013

Annual Giving

Spending Report

The Arts at Meadowridge are an important piece of the well-rounded education that we offer. In providing funding for this area, Annual Givers have supported our musical and theatrical productions like The Merry Wives of Windsor and Les MiserablĂŠs, fine arts exhibits like the ones that appear in our Art Gallery and an appreciation for the Arts as a whole.

Experiential Education at Meadowridge came in many forms this year, beginning with excursions during our Week Without Walls and ending with the release of hatchery reared salmon into Latimer Creek, right in our own backyard. Experiential Education also includes the PYP gardens as well as the Design & Technology offerings in the MYP. The expansion of these programmes because of Annual Giving funds has made a huge difference, and also promises to add many more great experiences for all our children.


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The Sciences at Meadowridge have benefited immensely from Annual Giving with the purchase of new equipment across all three programmes, PYP, MYP and DP. In combining the knowledge gained from books and other classroom resources with the opportunity to experiment and test theories, our children have developed a greater understanding of the scientific concepts and their applications. All of our scientists give their appreciation to our Annual Givers.

The Athletics Programme at Meadowridge was enhanced through improvements to the fitness facilities and with the addition of new equipment. Growing programmes such as fencing and badminton received funding to keep up with their successes. Thanks in part to Annual Giving, our focus on and attention to Athletics is already yielding results in a variety of sports and across all grades. Athletes and fans alike are looking forward to seeing this trend continue, especially on our new floor!

Technology at Meadowridge is seen in the tools we use daily, and complements the high quality education that we deliver. Seamlessly integrated into the classroom and throughout our facilities, technological enhancements affect all areas of education including the cocurricular activities that our kids enjoy so much, like the Robotics Club.

The dollars you give towards the Library act as the bloodline to the Heart of our School. Every year we work on improving the Library to ensure it is wellresourced, well-used and well-received by our children and their families. This year we added 1,750 new books to our shelves, although the support demonstrated in this particular area of the school extends beyond the books and money donated; it also encompasses the countless hours of time that our parents give to volunteering here. Thank you for all of your efforts towards such an important part of Meadowridge. In order to deliver the best programme possible, our teachers and our students need the best IB Resources available. Thank you to our Annual Givers for affording these opportunities to our children and for resourcing our International Baccalaureate programmes appropriately. As we grow each year, needs for educational resources arise and these needs are met through the generosity of our donors.

On behalf of the Annual Giving Committee, I wish you all a fantastic summer break and hope everyone is excited to see their kids enjoying the new Gym come September! Mr. Daniel Le Page, Chair, Annual Giving Committee


Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

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Renovating the Gym Our Special Project

Throughout the Spring we have been raising money to fund a new Gym floor, as well as make general improvements to the entire existing facility. This project was designed to enhance both the PE and Athletics programmes at Meadowridge and set the stage for future successes in sports for many years to come. It took the combined efforts of our entire community through a series of events, but we are very proud to announce that the new Gym will be ready by September.

and furthermore, for supporting our children and our Athletics programme in such a significant manner. The new clocks come with many advantages including improved visibility, the ability to be controlled wirelessly and the opportunity to be used when the Gym is split in half. I know that the coaches and players alike will be pushing to keep the home score higher than the visitors’ at all times. Our most sincere thanks’ goes out to Lordco and the Coates Family for their substantial contribution to this project and for their ongoing support of our School and all of the children in it. As the Head’s Initiative this year we also launched the Make Your Mark campaign which has been ongoing and gaining momentum towards achieving our goal. On Saturday, May 4th we hosted an Open Gym event to celebrate Athletics and PE at Meadowridge and to showcase all of the wonderful uses our Gym allows for.

Families and friends enjoying the gym during the May 4th event.

This year’s Golf Tournament was a great success. Thank you to each and every one of the committee members, volunteers, sponsors and participants for your contributions. A big thank you goes out to the tournament chair, Mrs. Janet Batty for taking this on and turning it around in only eight weeks. In the end, approximately $22,000 was raised and will be allocated to the new Gym floor.

A special thanks to Mrs. Sheila Lamond of our Parent Guild who helped prepare all of the food for this fun-filled afternoon. So far 127 families have sponsored 207 tiles and raised $20,700 towards the new floor through Annual Giving. Despite the fact that school is out for summer, there is still time to buy your child’s tile today and get their name in our Gym. It is with great appreciation that we thank all of those families who have made this achievement possible for our children. We are still looking for sponsorship of the Volleyball hardware and equipment ($10,000) and the Athletic themed mural ($5,000) before the Fall. If you are interested in supporting either of these items, or funding the project as a whole through buying a tile, feel free to contact me by email at daniel.lepage@meadowridge.bc.ca.

In addition to flooring, come September you will also see two brand new score clocks in opposing corners of the Gym. Thank you to Lordco Auto Parts for sponsoring this purchase in full

Thank you to

Lordco Auto Parts Ltd. (The Coates Family)

for sponsoring two new score clocks!


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Thank you to our friends and families that have supported our new gym floor! Want to donate? Forms are available at the front office. Atthari Family Banack Family Barber Family Barber Nieto Family Batty Family Bell Family Bentley Family Bickle/Orser Blomley Family Bournival Clarke Family Brar Family Brunetta Family Burke Family Casanova Family Chamorro Family Chen Family Cheng Family Choat Family Choi Family Chow-Go Family Cloete-Senner Family Coates Family Conaghan Family Crawford Family Denesiuk Family Differ Family Diniz Family Dockerty Family Donaldson Family Dubas Family Eichhorst Family Farnworth Family Ge Family George Family Germain Family Gill Family Gunning Family Herberts Family Hamilton Family Haywood Family

Heywood Family Hincks Family Holtved Family Hops Family Hutchinson Family Jeeves Family Johnston Family Kang Family Karate for Kids Karmali Family Kliman Family Kotylak Family Ladva Family Lalji Family Larsen Family Laurie Family Le Page Family Leger Family Lewis Family Liu Family Lordco Auto Parts Inc. Lu Family Mackenzie Family Marin Family Marriott Family McDavid Family McPhail Family Mohamedali Family Montameni Family Nice Family Noel Family Panju Sharda Family Parewyck Family Parmar Family Parmar Household Parker-Vertel Family Patel Family Payne Household Peng Family Petkovic Household Rados Family

Raymond Family Rinn Family Sawatzky Family Schultz Williams Family Schultz-Lessing Family Seale Family Sekhon Family Shen Family Simpson Family Singh Family Skeeles Family Smith Family Spika Family Spurgeon Family Su Family Sun Family Sunderji Family Thompson Family Thuraisamy Family Tiwana Family Turner Family Tyler Family Ukani Family Verlaan Family Vroom Family Walker Family Watt Family Waugh Family Welsh Family Weselowski Family Wiebe Family Wieland Family Wong Family Xu Family Yang Family Ye Family Zeballos Family Zhai Family Zhai Family Zhao Family Zhu Family

Please note: Names as they appear here are for recognition purposes. The names to appear in the gym will reflect what was indicated on the donation form.


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Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

On Friday, June 14 Meadowridge families, friends and staff gathered to celebrate the graduating Class of 2013. The gym and cafeteria were transformed with beautiful decorations by the Grade 12 parents and staff members for convocation and a reception afterwards. Thank you to class valedictorian, Kavya S., who delivered a poignant speech at the ceremony before each student proudly accepted their diploma from Mr. Burke. As a school we are extremely proud of our graduating class and are looking forward to seeing where their determination, talent and love of learning will take them in the future. To date our 36 outstanding graduates have been offered close to $450,000 in scholarships and bursaries, with over 120 post-secondary acceptances to the following institutions: International

Canadian Acadia University

Simon Fraser University

Adelphi University

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

British Columbia Institute of Technology

St. Francis Xavier University

St. Andrews University

Brock University

University of Alberta

American Academy of Dramatic Arts New York

Carleton University

University of British Columbia

Chicago College of Performing Arts (Roosevelt University)

Dalhousie University

University of Calgary

Durham University

University of Hawaii

Douglas College

University of the Fraser Valley

Fordham University

University of Indiana

Emily Carr University of Art + Design

University of Toronto

Imperial College London

University of Leeds

Huron University College

University of Victoria

Indiana University

University of Manchester

McGill University

University of Waterloo

Marquette University

University of Queensland, Australia

McMaster University

University of Western Ontario

Pace University

University of Southern California

Mount Allison University

Vancouver Film School

Pennsylvania State University

University of York

Queen’s University

York University

San JosĂŠ State University

University College London University of Buffalo


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Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

Badminton Season Update 2012/2013 was a fun-filled year from beginning to end, and our team had tremendous results fighting all the way. We finished off this great season with the Batalla de Badminton, our annual in-house badminton tournament, which was open for team players, students, and teachers. Thank you players for your commitment and energy, don’t forget to join summer camps to hone your skills. We will see you next year! The following is a recap of our Junior and Grade 8 seasons. For a Senior team recap, please see the May Mini Gryphon.

Juniors: Our Grade 9 and 10 students started off our competitive season this April in their District and Upper Fraser Valley tournaments. Proving to be a challenging category, Ben C. and Katherine P., our solid Grade 10 players, fought their way into the final round of the Fraser Valley Championships placing seventh overall in Mixed Doubles. We are also very proud of our Grade 9s Eugene I., Khushbash, Ralph P., Poppy W. and Alexa T. who proved they will be strong players as Grade 10s next year. A huge congratulations to our GVISAA 2012/2013 Juniors. We ended off our team’s competitive season with the Junior GVISAAs, placing second overall! Grade 9 students Berrender J. and Alexa T. learned a lot in their first time at the tournament! Ralph P. and Ben C. played smart games with placement and kept the atmosphere fun and smiley. Alex H. and Katherine P. played well, with great control over emotions! VAMOS!

GVISSAA Junior Individual Results: 1st: Alex H.

2nd: Katherine P.

3rd (tied): Ben C. and Ralph P.

Grade 8s: Our Grade 8 players played their first matches this May in the District, Upper Fraser Valley and Fraser Valley tournaments. What a feat! It was a tough competition but after their first year of experience, they will be ready for the Junior Team. The boys made us proud with great results and brought back trophies to Meadowridge. We had a successful first round with the following results:

Boys Singles:

Boys Doubles:

1st: Alex B.

1st: Alex B. and Matheson G.

2nd: Jonathan H.

2nd: Jonathan H. and Victor C.

3rd: Matheson G.

5th: Alfred Z. and Om V.

6th: Alfred Z.

6th: Raghav T. and Nikhil V.

7th: Raghav T. 8th: Om V. They were consistent playing under pressure, focusing on teamwork while learning good sportsmanlike behaviour. Here are our results for the second round of the Upper Fraser Valley:

Boys Singles

Boys Doubles

1st: Alex B.

2nd: Alex B. and Matheson G.

5th: Jonathan H.

5th: Jonathan H. and Victor C.

6th: Matheson G. Fighting their way until the final round of the Fraser Valleys, Alex B. came in 8th overall in Boys Singles and Alex B. and Matheson G. came in 6th overall in Boys Doubles.

5th: (tied): Berrender J. and Alexa T.

Batalla de Badminton: Thank you for the incredible battles of Singles and Doubles at the Meadowridge in-house badminton tournament! The singles matches really showed how our players have improved so much, at the end, Katherine P. was the queen of the Batalla. Doubles proved to be intense, Mr. Spurgeon and Mr. Bertoia were representing the teachers playing against brothers Riar (Gurmehar in Grade 8 and Mehtab in Grade 12). The final match ended up being between two teams of Grade 12 boys. Through the toe shoes and broken rackets Raheem E. and Kavya S. came in with a strong second and our veteran players Ashwin S. and Adrian S. came in first! It was a wonderful season of badminton, and we would like to thank all of our players for their hard work and determination. - Mrs. Deepti Rajeev and Sra. Joyce Villadiego, MYP Teachers


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Track and Field - Congratulations! Track and Field had a very successful season this year throughout all grade levels, PYP right through to our graduates. There are numerous personal and team victories to mention. The following are some of the highlights from this amazing year:

Meadowridge Earns 1st Place at the School District #42 Small School Championship We can all be proud of the team effort that it took to earn enough points to win the School District #42 Small School Championship banner and trophy. This is the toughest category to win with a total of 12 schools competing for it this year. Points are awarded for any student finishing in the top 10 in their event so while high finishes are very important it is also the 8th, 9th and 10th place finishers who contribute essential points that allowed us to take home the banner. Congratulations Meadowridge!

School District #42 Relay Team Meadowridge had very strong relay teams at all grade levels. At the local School District #42 track meet that involved all public and independent schools in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows, our Gryphons dominated the 4x100m with our Grade 5 Girls and Grade 6 Boys who came 1st and both the Grade 6 Girls and Grade 7 Boys who came 2nd. For the most part we did not have multiple athletes in the 100m individual finals so this is particularly impressive. Thanks to our coaches for turning the relay teams into well oiled, efficient machines.

ISEA Meet In the ISEA meet our Grade 4 to 7 Boys placed third out of 12 ISEA schools with our boys in their highest finish ever, ahead of several schools with much larger populations.

Fraser Valley High School Track and Field Championship and Provincial Qualifiers We had 15 student athletes qualify at the Upper Fraser Valley High School Track and Field Meet for the Fraser Valley High School Track and Field Championship and Provincial qualifier. This is by far the most Gryphons ever to qualify! Qualifiers by grade were:

Grade 8: Anabelle M. (200m), Jack E. (4 x 400m Relay), Zain K. (4 x 400m Relay, 400m & 1500m), Richard L. (4 x 400m Relay & Discus), Om V. (Shot Put) and Alex Y. (4 x 400m Relay & Shot Put) Juniors (Grade 9/10): Colin G. (High Jump - Grade 9), Riley J. (Long Jump - Grade 9) and Kalvin K. (Discus - Grade 10) Seniors (Grade11/12): Nicholas H. (4 x 100m Relay and Long Jump - Grade 11), Jayden J. (Discus and Hammer Throw - Grade 11), Nicholas L. (4 x 100m Relay and 400m - Grade 11), Thomas L. (High Jump - Grade 11), Ashwin S. (4 x 100m Relay, Discus and 800m - Grade 12), Liam W. (4 x 100m Relay, Long Jump, 100m and 200m - Grade 11)

New School Records Liam W. (Grade 11) set new school records in the 100m, 200m, Long Jump and was a member of the school record setting 4x400m Senior Boys relay team.

New Event Qualification Jayden J. (Grade 11) qualified for the Provincials in a new event for both him and Meadowridge, the Hammer Throw.

BC Provincials and Canada Top 10 Placement Thomas L. (Grade 11) was 2nd in BC at the Provincials in High Jump in the Open High School Category (highest level) and is currently ranked in the top 10 in Canada.

District High Jump Record & 100 Metre Grade 5 student Chisom O. won the Grade 5 Girls District 100 metre and set a new district record in High Jump (1.30 metres) in our own gym when we hosted the district championships.

District Girls 100m & Long Jump Inara K. placed 1st in the Grade 6 Girls district 100m and Long Jump.

Special thanks to the coaches who put in a great effort to prepare the students and also the paper work that can be a marathon of its’ own. Coaches were: Mrs. Stacy Banack, Mr. Chris Bertoia, Ms. Michelle Brookshaw, Mrs. Connie Chow-Go, Mrs. Jada Sawatzky, Mr. Scott Spurgeon, and Mme. Nadine Sugden. Enjoy the summer while running, jumping and staying fit, Mr. Scott Spurgeon, Director of Athletics


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Student Achievements Canadian National Team Edition

Danika K. (Grade 12)

Water Polo Canada International University Sports Federation (FISU) Canadian Team Danika is well on her way to the Olympics! At the end of May Danika was surprised to find out that she was selected to represent Canada at the FISU games in Kazan, Russia from July 5th to July 17th. As the youngest player selected to compete at these university games (all other players are currently attending university), Danika headed off to train for the largest multi-sport event outside of the Olympics at the end of May. As busy as Danika is training, she made sure to fly back to Meadowridge receive her degree and celebrate Convocation with her family and friends. She then headed back to Montreal for more training and a tournament in Hungary with her new team. Danika left for Russia on June 30th and will be competing in the games until July 17th. There will be more than 2,000 athletes competing in about 20 different sports. After her extremely busy and exciting summer, Danika will begin her post-secondary studies in Hawaii, where she received a $23,500 a year scholarship for academics and athletics. Danika is extremely thankful to Meadowridge and her parents for all the support she has received in pursuing this amazing opportunity! It has been wonderful to watch Danika excel in and out of the water through the years and her Meadowridge Family can’t wait to see where she goes next. Congratulations and good luck Danika! Pictured: Danika at her first ever Youth World Championships in Perth, Australia in December 2012.

David N. (Grade 12)

2013 World Rowing Junior Championships Team June was an incredibly busy month for David. Not only did he graduate from Meadowridge, he represented Meadowridge at the Canadian Secondary School Rowing Associations (CSSRA) Annual Regatta and was named to the 2013 Canadian World Rowing Junior Championship Team! David took an interest in rowing two years ago, shortly before joining Meadowridge in Grade 11. With the support of his parents, teachers and his determination and hard work, David excelled at rowing quickly. Now he trains every day, four of those days on the water, two days in the weight room and one day of cardio. He keeps his skill sharp by competing at large and small events in BC. His first out of BC competition was representing Meadowridge in Ontario at the CSSRA Regatta. As the first student to ever represent Meadowridge at a rowing event, the weekend started well for David at the CSSRA Regatta coming first in his heat and moving to the semi-finals the next day. Unfortunately due to a storm and unruly water the majority of the events were cancelled or not completed. As a result they awarded the event based on time in the heats alone, with David at an impressive ninth spot. After the Regatta David competed in the Junior National Team Selection Camp. The competition was strong and the process grueling with rowers being eliminated each day from 5:15am to 5:45pm. David remained throughout due to his skill, professionalism and determination. At the end of it all David was selected to represent Canada on the Junior National Team! David is currently training with the team in Ontario and then is off to compete in Lithuania on July 23rd before heading to the University of Victoria to begin his post-secondary studies. Good luck and congratulations David! Pictured: David representing Meadowridge at the CSSRA Regatta in Ontario in June 2013.


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Grade 9, 11 & 12 Spanish Students

Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera Exam In May 2013, the Languages Department sent four participants to the DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera) exams, a European accredited Spanish exam that is recognized around the world. Like the French equivalent of DELF, DELE exams have four levels for high school students, A1, A2, B1, B2. We would like to commend our four participants, Qaisara B. (Grade 12), Helena P. (Grade 11), Mehar K. (Grade 11) and Emilee L. (Grade 9), for taking the initiative on this extra-curricular endeavour and putting in the extra time and effort to practice and study. Over 20 Meadowridge students participated in two weeks of mock exams, based on grammar, writing, reading, and speaking skills. With the mock exam results, four students were encouraged to represent Meadowridge in taking the DELE B1 exam. After Spring Break, Qaisara, Helena, Mehar and Emilee, began speaking during lunch hours, reading and writing in tutorials after school and studying at home. We are especially proud of these girls for taking on this challenge in addition to their busy Meadowridge schedules. Qaisara is a graduate this year and a longstanding Senior Council Gryphon member who has succeeded in Spanish 9 to 12. Helena came to us from Ecuador and Belgium and became a part of our first year cohort of the Diploma Programme. Mehar, next year’s Senior Council president, is a Diploma Programme student who has succeeded in Spanish 9 to 12. Emilee is a new student this year who came to us from Peru and the youngest Meadowridge student take the exam this year. We are awaiting their results which will arrive in August 2013. Stay tuned! - Sra. Joyce Villadiego and Sra. Gilda Zivec, MYP Teachers

Grade 8, 10, 11 and 12 French Students

DELF B1 and B2 Language Exam Passed More Meadowridge students have received their Bilingual status with French DELF examination! Meadowridge students are the only French Second language students in the province who have successfully taken their DELF examinations three years in a row. Normally, only French Immersion students take this exam due to its very high level of difficulty. In April, 13 students from Grades 8, 10, 11 and 12 took this exam and passed it successfully. Five people have achieved level B2 (Utilisateur Indépendant): Nicole D. (Grade 11), Iris Y. (Grade 12), Ismail T. (Grade 12) , Genevieve R. (Grade 11) and Jo-Raul F. (Grade 8). We also had nine students who passed their B1 which is the first step before achieving their full B2 level. Congratulations to Ioana C. (Grade 10), Emma G. (Grade 11), David G. (Grade 11), Jessica J. (Grade 10), Kalvin K. (Grade 10), Layne L. (Grade 11), Adriana M. (Grade 11), Aidan W. (Grade 11) and Hannah J. (Grade 10). DELF (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française) is a widely recognized diploma based on the Common European Framework for Languages (CEF) that has been designed for all languages. It has 3 variants: DELF Prim’ for children (8 to 11), DELF Junior or Scolaire for teenagers (11 to 16) and DELF Tout public for 16+. Every DELF has the same value and is valid for life! DELF has four independent units that can be passed whenever (A1, A2, B1, B2). International examinations in languages take an important place in student’s curriculae, as they are recognized standards. - Mme. Katerina Pogrebinsky, MYP Teacher

Morgan W. (Grade 10) and Victoria H. (Grade 11) 3rd Place at the Provincial Concours d’art oratoire On May 4th, four of our students, Jessica B. (Grade 9), Morgan W. (Grade 10), Victoria H. (Grade 11) and Caja B. (Grade 12) represented Meadowridge at the Provincial Concours d’art oratoire at Simon Fraser University. 20,000 students from British Columbia and the Yukon were competing at this event, thus it was an incredibly competitive day. Meadowridge students have brought us two medals this year! This is the sixth time in a row our students have become finalists. Please congratulate Morgan W. for placing third among Grade 10 students, and Victoria H. for placing third among Grade 11/12 students. Thank you everyone, and Félicitations! - Mme. Katerina Pogrebinsky, MYP Teacher


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2013 Gala Committee Call for Members

With the success of the parent run Golf Tournament this year we are asking our parents to come out and support another fun community event: The Gala!

We need your help to make this event happen! The upcoming Gala will be going “back to basics” and we are hoping for significant parent support of this fun community event. There are so many ways to play a role on this committee, if you are interested in helping out, we want to know. If you would like to be a part of the 2013 Gala Committee, please call 604.467.4444 or email christine.bickle@meadowridge.bc.ca.

Commissioned portrait

Custom Gala Live Auction Item from Renowned Chinese Artist Completed Mrs. Linda Li was the proud recipient of a portrait of Guanyin this summer. Mrs. Li purchased the commission by Liu Bing Liang at the Gala last fall. The Live Auction item was donated by the Liu Family and the artist is Vanessa Liu’s grandfather. Guanyin is the Goddess of Compassion and like the Virgin Mary, is an antidote to theological patriarchy. She is a motherly figure thought to bestow children on the truly faithful, and to be there for anyone in need of love and sympathy. Some Buddhists believe that when one of their adherents departs from this world, they are placed by Guanyin in the heart of a lotus, and then sent on to the afterlife. Her name translates “she who hears the weeping world”; The mention of her name in prayer is said to assure salvation from physical and spiritual harm. Even better is the observance of Guanyin’s own traits of generosity, peace and mercy; her most devout worshipers eat no flesh and lived entirely without doing violence to other beings. We recognize Guanyin’s traits of peace and generosity in both the Chen-Li Family and the Liu Family and thank them for their support of the school and the Gala. - Mrs. Lyn Tyler, Advancement Pictured from left to right: Yi Liu and Anna Wang (donors), Steve Guo (Chinese Liaison) and Mrs. Linda Li (purchaser).


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Volunteering at Meadowridge Meadowridge School relies on the dedication of parents and grandparents to assist with and run many activities and events, all of which would not be possible without them. Volunteering is also an excellent way to become involved in your child’s school experience and a fun way to meet other parents. Everyone is welcome and we will undoubtedly find a role that will work for you and your family! Volunteering gives you the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives and helps you to connect to the community. You can share your skills and experience to enrich the school and make a friend or two along the way. Volunteering is fun and fulfilling, allowing you to experience many diverse opportunities not always available to you elsewhere. As a member of Meadowridge there are roles for all skill levels and talents. Short or long term, daytime or evenings; there truly is something for everyone! If we have captured your interest, and you have any time to give, please review the list below and let us know where you’d like to help. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email or call Lyn Tyler at 604-476-3043 or email at lyn.tyler@meadowridge. bc.ca for more information or drop by the Advancement Office at your earliest convenience.

Admissions Volunteers

Classroom Support

Admissions volunteers assist with Friday Open Houses, connecting with inquiring and applicant families, following-up with phone calls or meeting with these prospective families over coffee. Working in small teams, volunteers will be involved in a variety of activities that help inform and support families during this important process and decision.

Our teachers can always use support in a variety of ways, including photocopying and preparation of unit materials, assistance at class events, and chaperoning on field trips.

Advancement Volunteer The Advancement team are always in search of people willing to help with a variety of activities, including event support, catering, tours, videography, translation services, and general office help.

Annual Giving Committee Member or Volunteer We always appreciate the support of our team of parent ambassadors who help us raise awareness about the Annual Giving Campaign and the benefits it brings to all our kids, and assist us with all kinds of events and appeals.

Athletics Volunteer If you would like to coach or manage one of our many athletic teams, we’d love to hear from you. Drivers are also always needed.

Fine Arts Volunteer Our Fine Arts Department can always use help with framing artwork, organizing exhibitions, stage management, lighting and sound, videography, costumes, set design and assistance with specialized art, music, dance or drama instruction.

Gala Organizing Committee or Volunteer If you would like to lead or assist with any of the activities that are needed to put on a successful gala (held in November) please do let us know. We can use help from people interested in décor, silent or live auctions, catering, entertainment, venue management, production, videography, communications, ticket sales, class baskets and sponsorships.

Golf Tournament Organizing Committee or Volunteer If you would like to lead or assist with any of the activities that are needed to put on a successful golf tournament (held in June) please do let us know. We can use help from people interested in silent or live auctions, course activities, entertainment, venue management, videography, communications, ticket sales, and sponsorships.

Green Committee If you want to ensure Meadowridge continues to move towards being a sustainable campus, please consider joining our Green Committee. This committee is currently working on developing a sustainability charter that becomes holistically embedded in the Meadowridge community; encompassing the areas of Facilities, Health and Well-being, Curriculum and Community.

Library Support Our librarians welcome new members to their team of library volunteers. Volunteers assist with cataloging new books, checking out and the returning of books, displays for special days, shelving books, assistance with our growing online catalogue of books and help with special library events.

Parent Guild Executive or Volunteer Every year the Parent Guild welcome new members to their Executive Council. If you would like to assist our Guild Council with special events, like Feast-ival coming up in September, working with them on a variety of fundraising activities like the Spring Flower Sale, assisting at the Gryphon’s Emporium (Store) or assisting them with gaming activities, please contact Mrs. Eileen Karmali, Parent Guild Chair, at Guild.Chair@Meadowridge.bc.ca. They would appreciate your support!

Uniform Committee You are welcome to join our committee of parents, staff and students who annually review our school uniform items, gather feedback on selection and quality, and work with our uniform providers to make recommendations for new uniform items when required.


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Around MEadowridge Junior Kindergarten to Grade 5 PYP Fun Day

Despite the weather, PYP Fun Day was a day filled with, what else, fun! Moving the festivities inside didn’t damper the spirit of our PYP students and staff. They made sure to play games, earn house points and have a great time in the gym. Thank you to the staff that put in many hours and last-minute planning to make this day a success.

Meadowridge School Final Full School Assembly Students, staff and families gathered to celebrate another school year gone by. The final full school assembly of the year was held on the last day of school, Friday, June 21st. The assembly was full of song, drama, celebration and good-byes for the summer. The PYP Glee Club, PYP music class and the MYP/DP music class serenaded us with song, we got a peek of the PYP musical that was held previously and a special Shakespeare performance. As always, Mr. Burke gave a wonderful farewell and thank you for another magnificent school year, wishing everyone a restful summer. Afterwards students gathered to clean out their already tidy lockers and, as per tradition at the end of the school year, sign each other’s yearbooks.

Kindergarten Water Workshop The Kindergarten students were very lucky to have Mr. Ross Davies from the KEEPS society visit their classrooms and do a presentation to explain the concept of the watershed to help support our Unit of Inquiry. He brought some pond water which the inquirers were able to explore and many types of larvae were found. The science investigators matched up their discovery to an image that helped to name what they found. He also put on a puppet show which told the story about the life of a salmon life cycle. He even brought a special model of a town and showed us how water travels through it and what happens to the ponds, streams and animals that live in the water when we use pesticides, wash our cars and create pollution. This helped us understand the concept of a watershed. The students had a lot of fun and also learned a lot about caring for water and the environment. - Ms. Jennifer Maynes, PYP Teacher


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Meadowridge GivEs Back MYP Global Citizenship Club Make-A-Wish Foundation At the final full school assembly, Meadowridge School was proud to present a cheque to the Make-A-Wish Foundation for $283.45. Awareness and funds were raised in the month of April through a fundraiser called Meadowridge Star Constellation. The GCC organized a board of actual star constellations with students and staff members choosing which star they wanted to purchase. A special mark was made on the star and the name of the new star owner written on it.

Grade 5 (and one Grade 2!) Students BC Children’s Hospital Child Run & the S.P.C.A.

This past June Meadowridge students picked a great month to have delicious refreshment stands for charity! Sisters Katy I. (Grade 5) and Lucy I. (Grade 2), along with Mariana P. (Grade 5) and Justin J. (Grade 5) took action by holding a lemonade stand fundraiser for the BC Children’s Hospital Child Run. Students enjoyed the lovely lemonade while raising $510 to help children with cancer. Later on in the month another drink stand popped up, selling smoothies to all students and staff. Jageur M. (Grade 5) and several of his classmates sold organic smoothies to raise over $200 for the S.P.C.A.

Sam B. (Grade 5) BC Children’s Hospital

Grade 5 student Sam B. decided a long time ago he was going to grow his hair to donate to charity every two years. It all began when he was four when he decided to not get his usual 2 week haircut. He realized that since there are many other people, mostly patients at the hospital, that need healthy hair for wigs. This past June another two year mark was reached and Sam shaved his head to benefit the BC Children’s Hospital. Despite being teased about having long hair at his former schools, Sam ignored the negative remarks and has kept on growing! Way to go Sam!

PYP Gardens Local Food Bank

The PYP gardens were so successful they are overflowing with lettuce and other vegetables. Once Mr. Willms and Ms. Valley realized the Friends in Need Food Bank accepted fresh produce, the Grade 3s went about picking almost 10 boxes of lettuce to donate! Despite the rainy June day, the students enjoyed picking the produce to donate to those in need of some crisp, delicious greens.


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Staff Updates "Good bye may seem forever. Farewell is like the end, but in my heart is the memory and there you will always be." Walt Disney Company

Warm weather, blue skies and longer days are heralds of summer and the break that our community looks forward to at the end of the school year. It is also the time of year when we bid adieu to our friends who will be leaving us. We hope that while we may not see each other every day, that they know we carry them with us and that no matter where your travels take you, you are always a Gryphon. - Ms. Christine Bickle, Advancement

Mr. Terry Jung has come to represent warm smiles and handshakes in the morning. What better way to start a day! He has been a teacher, Principal, coach, mentor and friend to so many that it would be difficult to sum up all that he has accomplished at the school. Mr. Terry Jung is leaving us after 23 years to take up the challenge of Principal of an elementary school for the Abbotsford School District. Ms. Lum and their children Nicolas, Brandon and Justin will remain at the school so we know that his connection with the school will remain strong.

Mrs. Cathy Graetz has been a teacher at Meadowridge for 14 years helping our children grow in the area of Humanities. She most recently held the role of Grade 8 teacher and Head of the Department for Humanities and Language A. She has been a part of our extra-ordinary success in Destination Imagination. Cathy leaves to spend some much deserved time with her family.

Mr. Stephen Olah has spent 17 years as a part of the Meadowridge family in the roles of teacher, coach and Principal. He will be leaving to become the founding Principal for a secondary school in Lanzhou, China. Mr. Olah will spend the next two years assisting with preparations to open the new campus in September, 2015. His family will remain in Maple Ridge and we hope that he will visit often to tell us of his new adventures.

We have had the privilege of working alongside Mrs. Jan Elsted over the last nine years. She has turned us all into lovers of the Shakespeare prose as we watched our children transform into comedians, clowns, fairies and fiends – and everyone is always misunderstood! Mrs. Elsted leaves us to continue her work with her husband, Crispin, at Barbarian Press.


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Wishing you well!

Mrs. Jaime Lyn Hugh began her time with Meadowridge 11 years ago as a PYP teacher. After her first maternity leave Mrs. Hugh returned to work as one of the Teacher Librarians. She has been a part of the growth of our Library over the years and her kindness and patience with the students will be missed. Keeping herself closer to her family and home across the bridge, Jaime Lyn will be filling a position at Southridge next year.

Asher John Sapach Laba

Mr. Chris Bertoia has only been with us a short time but has left his mark on the MYP students and staff as a teacher and coach. He leaves us to work as a teacher in the public system and to spend more time with his young family.

Ms. Carolyn Sapach

Mrs. Nicole Lebrun

Ms. Kathleen McKay joined us last year as a part time PYP Physical Education teacher. She encouraged the youngest of our students to move, dance, stretch and play. We wish Kathleen the best in her future endeavors.

Mrs. Katie Carr

Ever expanding and CONTRACTING. Mrs. Katie Carr, Mrs. Nicole Lebrun and Ms. Carolyn Sapach leave us for maternity leaves. Ms. Sapach has already given birth on July 1st (Canada Day!) to a healthy baby boy. Asher John Sapach Laba joins his brother Alexander in the fight to rule the Hot Wheels World. Stay tuned for more baby news and pictures!


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Gryphon Council Update Thank you to our 2012/2013 Junior and Senior Gryphon Council members. With the planning, decorating, designing, cheering and more that has happened this year, you have all made student life at Meadowridge an exciting, fun and well-rounded experience. From the student dances, to the Spirit Days, the organizing and planning that happened above and beyond your school work and extracurriculars was greatly appreciated. Have a wonderful summer! Congratulations to the newest Council members. We can’t wait to see what you have in store for next year!

Thank you to the 2012/2013 Gryphon Council! 2012/2013 Junior Gryphon Council

2012/2013 Senior Gryphon Council

President: Zain K. (Grade 8)

President: Lauren C. (Grade 12)

Vice-President: Deaven G. (Grade 7)

Vice-President: Mehar K. (Grade 11)

House Gryphon: Owen C. (Grade 8) Treasurer Gryphon: Devyani M. (Grade 8) Secretary Gryphon: Charleen L. (Grade 8) Community Service Gryphon: Shivani G. (Grade 7) Community Service Gryphon: Nicholas Jung (Grade 7)

Secretary: Davina G. (Grade 11) Treasurer: Douglas Z. (Grade 10) Fine Arts Gryphon: Morgan W. (Grade 10) Fine Arts Gryphon: Qaisara B. (Grade 12)

Sports Gryphon: Clea C. (Grade 7)

House Gryphon: Isaiah H. (Grade 12)

Sports Gryphon: Richard L. (Grade 8)

Media Gryphon: Omar V. (Grade 12)

Media Gryphon: Jo-Raul F. (Grade 8)

Community Service Gryphon: Jessica J. (Grade 10)

Activities Gryphon: Miranda T. (Grade 8)

Community Service Gryphon: Jennifer A. (Grade 10)

Activities Gryphon: Bruno H. (Grade 7)

Activities Gryphon: Alice K. (Grade 12)

Fine Arts Gryphon: Emma H. (Grade 7)

Activities Gryphon: Sydnie S. (Grade 10)

Fine Arts Gryphon: Olivia M. (Grade 8) Environmental Gryphon: Suhaana S. (Grade 7) Environmental Gryphon: Rose W. (Grade 7) Member At Large: Jada B. (Grade 6) Member At Large: Camryn S. (Grade 6)

Sports Gryphon: Ashwin S. (Grade 12) Sports Gryphon: Aidan W. (Grade 11)


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2012/2013 House Cup Champions!

Thank you to Alouette, Fraser, Kanaka and Whonnock for a great year full of Meadowridge pride!


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Parent Guild Update From the Chair...

As I write this it is the last day of School! No more lunches, scrambling to ensure the PE strip is clean and ready to go, no more juggling homework and after school activities! Whew, I made it through another year. It is also the last day for my children to be in PYP. I'm left with a sense of pride and sadness. All of my children are on their path for the second half of their years at Meadowridge School. It goes by so fast. I see those Junior Kindergarten students and it is hard to believe that mine were in Junior Kindergarten only a few years ago. Then to see the graduates at convocation I realize that it won't be long and all of my children will have passed through the front doors. I must remember to enjoy the journey. It has been an exciting year for the Parent Guild. This year we implemented a few new initiatives. We created new grade rep emails. We created a few new subcommittees including an IB liaison group with a parent from each section, PYP, MYP and DP. These parents met with the Academic Directors about how to improve the communications regarding IB. This group had several very positive and collaborative sessions. Enjoy your summer!

The Meadowridge Parent Guild looks forward to working with our council members, parent volunteers along with support from other members of our community, in order to present a new event, Feast-ival. The Feast-ival will be a welcoming occasion which will bring together Meadowridge families, and members of the community at large, to enjoy a fun family centered festival of food and games. This fundraising event will provide an opportunity for the Parent Guild to celebrate Meadowridge School and highlight the contributions our school has made to the community. It’s not too late to get involved! Want to participate?

Warmest Regards,

Email the parentguild@meadowridge.bc.ca

Eileen Karmali Chair, Meadowridge Parent Guild

First Day Coffee Morning

New Family Welcoming Committee

The Parent Guild is pleased to provide a way for new families to feel connected to our school, even before they have begin. The ‘New Family Welcoming Committee’ is a team of Parent Guild Council members, partnered with Advancement, to help families transition into their new School. This group hosted their first event in June 2012 and continued to connect with new and returning families over the summer followed by social events during the school year. They continued to be available to provide support throughout the year. The new families appreciate the warm and welcoming reception they receive from this group, as well as their grade representatives.

Volunteering at Meadowridge - Thank You Parent Guild Members!

At Meadowridge we are all connected to one another through the shared experiences of our children. These experiences contribute to the sense of community that is felt by our Meadowridge families. The Parent Guild supports and fosters that sense of community in many ways. Volunteering is key to sustaining a vibrant school community. If you are a parent at Meadowridge; you are a member of the Parent Guild. It is the parents that provide the strength of the Parent Guild. At Meadowridge we are so fortunate to have many wonderful parents that give of themselves so freely.

Another aspect of the Parent Guild mandate is to nurture a positive school spirit and what better way to do that than with food! A big thank-you to the Parent Guild committee members and the grandparents of the students in the senior play, Les Miserables. They did a fantastic job supplying the refreshments and baked goodies for the four night run of Les Miserable. This was no small feat, providing snacks for a sold out crowd of more than 200 for four nights! Thank you again.

Feast-ival

We will be hosting a Coffee morning on the first day back to school. All families are welcome - a great way for the new families to meet parents and a way for the returning parents to reconnect after the summer. Tuesday, September 3rd at 8:20am - 9:00am.

Gryphon’s Emporium

Gryphon’s Emporium, formally known as the Used Uniform Shop is an important Guild fundraiser. You can support the Emporium by donating your gently used uniform pieces and attending the Annual Back to School Sale on August 22rd, 23th, 24th. The Emporium will also be open on September 3rd during the "drop in" coffee.


Page 25 | June 2013

This year, please help us

Gr ow our home.

Feast-ival

Presented by the Meadowridge Parent Guild September 29, 2013 | 11:00am to 3:00pm

A fun, family-oriented event for Meadowridge and the community at large. for all ctivities

ent, a m n i a t r e ay lus ent

ages:

rides • Pony tricks P g • Card midw le y t n-eatin s liva termelo a W • Carn • rse test s with acle cou sementength/luck con u s • Obst m a d tr te l game y-orien ames of skill/s Carniva il • m a F • nd g more! prizes a • and g in t -pain • Face o Booth • Phot st g Conte • Puttin

The Foo d-Tr own “Ea uck craze come s to Mea t Street” d featurin g state o owridge with o A mark ur f the art etplace food tru with loc farmer’s c a ks. l vendo m rs and a tournam arket, a patio f r e s h garden, local ent, afte street h taking o r ockey pportun noon tea servi ce with ities. Th raffles, picture ere will a 50/50 be ama draw, a z i n g baske nd fruit t pie sale s.

The cakewalk is likely to be one of the most popular attractions at the Feast-ival. A cakewalk is a fun game which is a combination of a raffle and musical chairs. Adults and kids play this awesome game for a chance to win donated baked treats.

We need families to create the fun cakes that everyone is going to want to win!

Want to participate? Bake a Cake! Create a Cake for the cake walk and win prizes and house points Sign up online today: www.signupgenius.com/go/9040E4AA9AD2AA46-feastival More foodie features still to be announced.

Baking not your thing? We need volunteers for various aspects of this event. It’s not too late to get involved! email the parentguild@meadowridge.bc.ca


Page 26 | June 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

Library Update MYP/DP Summer Reading Challenge The Meadowridge Library is proud to continue the MYP/DP summer reading challenge for 2013. After reading a book from our summer reading list (found on the Library website), go to our Goodreads link and join the “Meadowridge Library MYP/DP Summer Reading” group. Every book review, with a minimum of five sentences, will be entered in a draw for a $25 gift certificate to Black Bond books. The draw will be made in September.

MYP/DP Summer reading list:

Go to www.meadowridge.bc.ca/library. Click on the library picture. Click on “Grades 6-12 Summer Reading List 2013”.

Goodreads link:

Go to www.meadowridge.bc.ca/library and click on “Meadowridge Library Goodreads Page”. Click on “Join Group” underneath the Meadowridge Crest. The reading list can also be found on the group’s “Bookshelf”. Please note: You will need to create a Goodreads account or sign in with your Facebook account in order to join the group.

If you have any questions feel free to email Mrs. Storgaard at christal.storgaard@meadowridge.bc.ca or drop by the library. Have a great summer!

Thank you Library volunteers!

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Library volunteers!

It has been a very busy year in the Library and we can’t thank you enough for helping us keep the Library organized and efficient. The number of hours accumulated by all the volunteers far exceeds 500. We have circulated over 16000 items this year and this number does include the endless number of books that were read in the Library and later shelved by the volunteers. As well, we have added 1500 new items to the Library with the help of volunteers preparing them. So to all of you, a thousand thanks…and then some more! We wish you a wonderful, relaxing summer and we look forward to working with you again next year!

June Book Donations

Thank you for supporting the Library

The Longo Family

The Park Family

Sindhuja N. (Grade 6)

DI Team

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons

Guide to Korean Culture

Winds of Change

From their trip to the Global Finals in Knoxville, TN!


Page 27 | June 2013

This year, please help us

Gr ow our home.

GOlf thank you!

The 2013 Meadowridge Golf Committee would like to thank all our sponsors, donors, volunteers and attendees of this year’s Drive Fore the Future Golf Tournament. Your wonderful support and generosity made the golf tournament a great success! Thank you to our generous event sponsors and auction donors: Annual Giving Committee Best Western Vernon Lodge Big Feast Bistro Black Sheep Pub & Liquor Store (Mr. Andrew Wong) Blueghost Trucking Ltd. (The Simpson Family) BMO Bank of Montreal Bob's A to Z Rentals Ltd. (The Prevedello Family) Bosley's Maple Ridge Brandee McWhinney DLC Canadian Mortgage Experts Cascadia Sport Systems Inc. Chameleon Café Dan tenBrink, Remax Lifestyles Realty DMC Dubas Management & Construction Inc. (The Dubas Family) Dr. & Mrs. Al Karim & Eileen Karmali Dr. K.E. Robson & Dr. O. Lampen EA Sports ESC Automation Inc. Essential Health Expert Electric (The Brunetta Family) Flynn Canada Ltd. Four Seasons Lawn & Garden Care Fresh Indoor Cycling Glass Station Great Canadian Gaming Corporation H.Y. Louie Co. Limited Heather Hills Golf Course Hemlock Valley Ski Resort Heritage Dental (The Germain Family) Hub International

Innovative Fitness Investor's Group Johnston Meier Insurance Group (The Johnston Family) Just Enterprises (The Turner Family) Key Tracer Systems (The French Family) KN&V Chartered Accountants (The Batty Family) Link Developments Ltd. (The Gandesha Family) Little Black Box Photobooth (The Irving Family) Lordco Auto Parts Inc. (The Coates & Durant Families) Maple Ridge Gaming Centre Mark Adrian Enterprises Ltd. Meadowridge School Parent Guild Meadowridge School Students Meadows Golf Centre (Mr. Ken Park) Mercedez Benz Meridian Meats Michael & Young Fly Shop (The Tsuyuki Family) Morrey Infinity Nissan Mr. & Mrs. David & Lyn Tyler Mr. & Mrs. Mohit & Sandya McLaren Mr. & Mrs. Ron & Cathy Antalek Mr. BJ Edwards Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd Mr. Michael Nice & Ms. Danielle Noël Mr. Patrick Barber & Mrs. Sonia Nieto Bustos Mr. Richard Hui & Ms. Stephanie Lee Mr. Roy Choi & Mrs. Jeong-Mi Ryu Overwaitea Foods Partners in Health Chiropractic and

Massage Therapy Payworks Precision Soccer PuroClean (Mr. Kevin Demas & Ms. Shelley Lewis) Red Robin Rob Jeeves, Remax Lifestyles Realty Samz Pub (The Sunderji Family) Save On Foods, East Maple Ridge Sparkling Hill Resorts StageCoach Theatre Art School Starbucks (Dewdney & 240th) Sticky's Candy Stormtech Subway (The Sekhon Family) Swan-e-Set Golf and Country Club Swirl Wine Store The Alter Family The Create Shop The Hardie Family The Keg Steakhouse & Bar The Meadows at Pemberton (Mr. Devon Turner) The Rise Golf Course Thrifty Foods Total Body Training Bootcamp West Coast Auto Group Westwood Cap’s Cycle Witch of Endor Pub Sponsor and donor list is current at the time of printing. We strive to recognize everyone’s generosity and apologize if any accidental omissions were made.

2013 Meadowridge Golf Committee: Janet Batty, Sam Gandesha, Diana Germain, Kirsti Hardie, Daniel Le Page, Lisa Mirfatahi, Phil PItzey, Brad Senner, Alison Thompson.


The Meadowridge Summer Mail-out is going green… You can now get your 2013/2014 Family Information Package online! Information that was previously mailed to all families over the summer will now be available on the Parent Portal and can be accessed at any time throughout the year by following these instructions:

1. Log in to the Parent Portal (Click on “Current Families” on the homepage of www.meadowridge.bc.ca) If you need to reset your password, please email website@meadowridge.bc.ca.

2. Once logged in, go to “Documents & Resources” either by clicking the link at the top or on the left hand side of the page 3. Click on “Family Information Package” in the left hand menu 4. Click on the name of the document to download a copy Please contact our Front Office at 604.467.4444 if you have any further queries that we can assist with.

A variety of inform ation

• Introductio • Communic

n from Jason

• The Family • Uniform ru

Parker, our D

can be fou nd, inclu ding

Handbook

udent Life

les and guidel

• After-Scho

ines

ol Care inform

• Welcome to

:

eputy Headm aster r Directors of Academics an d Director of St

ations from ou

ation and regi

stration form

s • Summer re ading lists • School supp lies for Grade s 4 to 7 • Bus applicat ion forms and routes • 2013/14 C alendar • 2013/14 Fi eld trips and extended field trips • Our new C afeteria servic e provider, Sa ge Dining Se • Meadowrid rvices ge School Pa rent Guild, in event cluding inform ation on the up coming “Feast And so much -ival” more… Kindergarten

We encourag e

2013/14

all families to

check for upd

ates on a reg u

lar basis.


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