October 2013 mini gryphon

Volume 5 Issue 2

October 2013

IN THIS ISSUE: From the Headmaster

2

Annual Giving Donors

3

Make Your Mark Donors

4

Annual Giving Update

6

Meadowridge by Moonlight

7

Alumni Update

10

Student Achievements

11

Around Meadowridge

12

Library Day

16

Parent Guild Chair Report

18

Grade 4 Fundraiser

20

Athletics Update

21

Gryphon Council Update

22

We Day 2013

23

OSEF Exchange

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL 12224-240th Street

WHAT WE’RE THANKFUL FOR It’s hard to believe how much we’ve managed to fit into only two months of school we’ve been busy with fun-filled events, action-packed sports games and a lot of learning!

Thank you to all of the students, parents, teachers and staff who’ve made the last two months fly by! We are thankful for the caring and dedicated community which makes every moment at Meadowridge meaningful and fun.

Maple Ridge, BC V4R 1N1 www.meadowridge.bc.ca t: 604.467.4444 | f: 604.467.4989 The Meadowridge Mini Gryphon is printed in-house to reduce costs.

Meadowridge School is proud to be an accredited International Baccalaureate Continuum World School.

23

Page 2 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

FROM THE HEADMASTER Actions from the Administrative Team

Last month, I said that I would write to you each month about some highlights of what we as an administration are doing to ensure that Meadowridge is the best possible school for our families. The Mini Gryphon reports on events and activities; this is more about the running of the school. I hope that you find it helpful. Please let me know of any questions or concerns that you might have, or that might arise.

1. Keeping kids safe: We have updated and improved our facilities inspection procedures so that inspection is frequent, thorough, and oriented to safety. As well, we are investigating the locking of the back outside doors during school hours; we are noting in what ways this improves security and in what ways it creates new issues before we proceed.

2. Keeping parents informed: We have reviewed all of our practices with consent forms for field trips to ensure that parents are fully informed in a timely way of any trips, any risks associated, and so ensuring full and informed consent.

3. Keeping cars and kids safe: We began to restrict parking at the front of the school, because it was difficult for cars leaving to see traffic.

In addition, we are asking that parents respect the traffic flow guidelines on the school grounds.

4. Keeping kids learning: We have reviewed all test results from last year, and are now ensuring that any potential weaknesses are fixed, and that our kids do as well as possible. Interim reports should be out this week, so parents can get a sense of how their children are progressing.

5. Keeping our finances solid: We reviewed all of our monthly reports with the Finance Committee, and, as always, the results will be reported to the Board this week. We are currently preparing the budget for next year for presentation to our Board, in order to set tuition. We work together with the Board to ensure that our budgets are aligned with our mission, sufficient for needs, stable over time, and as transparent as possible. We should be able to provide a new tuition amount for next year by early December at the latest. We want to be diligent in ensuring that we are delivering the best possible education at the most reasonable cost possible.

6. Keeping our school transparent: The Inspection Team from the Inspector of Independent Schools just finished their visit to our school, and we await their final report after it is given to the Inspector. This Inspection process is rigorous in ensuring the quality of independent schools. Four experienced educators (three previous Heads) spent three days going over all parts of our school operations and policies.

Their initial verbal report was extremely appreciative and found that we were doing excellent work. When the written report is provided, I will give parents a full report. A note: I wish that our public schools had a similar process. They don’t. I think it is always helpful to be held accountable to an outside standard, and I think it could only help public schools if this were done for each of them.

7. Keeping some fun in our community: About 60 parents came to our house last week for a few hours: It was fun to see everyone, to chat, and have a bit to eat and drink together. Similar gatherings are coming up for the other grades, so please come over and meet the other parents of your grade. As well, I am really looking forward to our Gala at the Hotel Vancouver next month. My wife and I bought a Silver sponsorship (Gala, night in the hotel, parking, and a big tax-deductible contribution). A whole bunch of other people have been buying these up, along with other levels of participation…I think this could be a great time! Hope to see you there!

- Mr. Hugh Burke, Headmaster

“

Page 3 | October 2013

ANNUAL GIVING DONORS Thank you for Contributing!

Our Newest Contributors

Mr. Mori Favor & Ms. Julie Mantini

Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Barbara Niwa

Anonymous

Jay Fraser

Mr. David Noble

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher & Lisa Begg

Mrs. Hallie Fraser

Ms. Danielle NoĂŤl

Mr. & Mrs. Ed & Marlyn Coates

Drs. Deepu & Reena George

Ms. Angela Pallister

Dr. Jun Liu & Ms. Xiaowen Zhan

Mr. Bob Gill & Mrs. Diana Carwithen

Mr. Alan Sharda & Ms. Zebeen Panju

Dr. John Reynolds & Dr. Isabelle Cote

Mr. Kenneth Go & Mrs. Connie Chow-Go

Mr. Jason Parker & Mrs. Nancy Vertel

Mr. & Mrs. Manuel & Virna Lau

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

Mr. & Mrs. Terrance & Moira Passley

Mr. & Mrs. Alan & Marlene Graveson

Mr. Mauricio Penteado & Mrs. Tania Shepelska

Mr. & Mrs. Warwick & Carolyn Green

Mr. & Mrs. Philip & Nicola Pitzey

Mr. & Mrs. Craig & Natalie Gunning

Mr. & Mrs. Igor & Katerina Pogrebinsky

Mr. & Mrs. Don & Linda Hincks

Mr. & Mrs. Sheetal & Seema Rawal

Mr. Yong Gang Hong & Mrs. Vivian Liu

Mr. George Read & Ms. Fay Kingwill

Ms. Cindy Hops

Mrs. Jada Sawatzky

Mr. Mark Grant & Mrs. Carrie Hughes-Grant

Ms. Jennifer Maynes

Dr. Geoffrey Hutchinson & Dr. Sarah Charney

Mr. & Mrs. Justin & Jennifer Simpson

Ongoing Donors

Mr. John Hwang & Mrs. Catherine Kim

Mr. Troy Sobotka & Ms. Andrea Frisby

Mr. & Mrs. Catalin & Florica Alexandru

Mr. & Mrs. Ty & Jadina Irving

Mr. & Mrs. Sylvester & Nirmala Solanki

Mr. Ke Bai & Mrs. Ye Hu

Ms. Lynelle Johns

Mr. & Mrs. Dennis & Norma-Jean Spika

Mr. Tim Coleman & Miss Tessa Bainbridge

Mr. Kevin Kennedy

Mr. & Mrs. Scott & Yoshimi Spurgeon

Mr. & Mrs. Chris & Jodi Barrass

Drs. Murthy & Anu Korada

Mr. Kefei Tan & Mrs. May Guo

Mrs. Kristal Bereza

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

Mr. & Ms. Peter & Alison Thompson

Dr. Michael Orser & Ms. Christine Bickle

Mr. & Mrs. Al-Karim & Zain Lalji

Prof. Nicholas Blomley & Ms. Jessie Hill

Drs. Ockie Lampen & Kathy Robson

Michael & Young Fly Shop (The Tsuyuki Family)

Mr. Rhys Clarke & Mrs. Julie Bournival

Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Rhonda Laurie

Mrs. Michelle Brookshaw

Mr. Daniel Le Page

Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd

Mr. & Mrs. Darrell & Kim Lester

Mr. Richard Choi & Mrs. Angie Lee

Mr. Jinsong Liu and Ms. Xiaoxue Sun

Mr. Roy Choi & Mrs. Jeong-Mi Ryu

Mr. Federico Lopez & Ms. Claudia Martinez

Ms. Samantha Coates

Ms. Xiao Hong Zhou

Mr. Mark Conaghan

Mr. Jack Ma & Mrs. Helen Shao

Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Katherine Crawford

Drs. Samir & Sangita Malhotra

Dr. Malcolm Crozier & Mrs. Alicia Osorio Bustos

Mr. James Marriott

Mr. Avio Diniz & Ms. Patricia Lapointe

Ms. Sherrie Metz

Mr. Terry Donaldson

Mr. & Mrs. Harrison & Christy Mooney

Dr. & Mrs. Bill & Barbara Durno

Mr. Michael Nice

Mr. Qian Wan & Ms. Yan Jiang Mr. Mahmood & Mrs. Tazmina Mangalji Mr. Brian Harrison & Ms. Joanne Lee Mr. Lu Zhang & Ms. Yoen-Jung Kim Mr. Antonio de Oliveira Jr. & Mrs. Amanda Casanova Mr. Stephen & Mrs. Anita ParewyckBonnarens

Mr. Gareth Mason & Ms. Carolyn Treger

Mr. & Mrs. Julian & Marilyn Turner Mr. & Mrs. David & Lyn Tyler Dr. & Mrs. Hanif & Sophie Ukani Ms. Michelle Vally Mr. Leo Verlaan Ms. Tamara Warner Mr. & Mrs. Rick & Susan Waugh Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Tracey Welsh Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Kalie Whitaker Mr. William Wong & Ms. Tina Lee Mr. Feng Xu & Mrs. Shuo Chen Mr. Shanhai Zhao & Mrs. Li Wan Ms. Gilda Zivec

The above donors are recognized for their gifts to Annual Giving between July 1 to October 25, 2013.

Page 4 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

MAKE YOUR MARK

Thank you for Supporting our Gym!

Atthari Family

Fraser Family

Banack Family

Ge Family

Lu Family

Smith Family

Mr. Richard Barber

George Family

Mackenzie Family

Spika Family

Barber Nieto Family

Germain Family

Mangalji Family

Spurgeon Family

Batty Family

Gill Family

Mason Family

Su Family

Bell Family

Green Family

Marriott Family

Sun Family

Begg Family

Gunning Family

McDavid Family

Sunderji Family

Bentley Family

Hamilton Family

McPhail Family

Thompson Family

Bickle-Orser Family

Harrison Family

Mohamedali Family

Thuraisamy Family

Blomley Family

Haywood Family

Motameni Family

Tiwana Family

Bournival-Clarke Family

Herberts Family

Nice Family

Tsuyuki Family

Brar Family

Heywood Family

Mrs. Marion NoĂŤl

Turner Family

Brunetta Family

Hincks Family

Panju Sharda Family

Tyler Family

Burke Family

Holtved Family

Parewyck Family

Ukani Family

Casanova Family

Hops Family

Parker-Vertel Family

Mr. Leo Verlaan

Challa Family

Hugh Family

Parmar Family

Ms. Rena Verlaan

Chamorro Family

Hutchinson Family

Parmar Family

Vroom Family

Chen Family

Jeeves Family

Patel Family

Walker Family

Cheng Family

Johnston Family

Payne Family

Wan Family

Choat Family

Kang Family

Peng Family

Watt Family

Choi Family

Karmali Family

Penteado Family

Waugh Family

Chow-Go Family

Kliman Family

Petkovic Family

Welsh Family

Cloete-Senner Family

Kotylak Family

Rados Family

Weselowski Family

Coates Family

Kuan Family

Rawal Family

Mr. Rod Wiebe

Conaghan Family

Ladva Family

Mr. Raymond Louie

Wieland Family

Crawford Family

Lalji Family

Reynolds Family

Wong Family

Denesiuk Family

Larsen Family

Rinn Family

Xu Family

Mr. Pat Differ

Lau Family

Sawatzky Family

Yang Family

Diniz/Lapointe Family

Laurie Family

Schultz-Lessing Family

Ye Family

Dockerty Family

Le Page Family

Seale Family

Zeballos Family

Donaldson Family

Leger Family

Sekhon Family

Zhai Family

Dubas Family

Lewis Family

Shen Family

Zhang Family

Eichhorst Family

Liu Family

Simpson Family

Zhao Family

Farnworth Family

Lordco Auto Parts Ltd.

Singh Family

Zhu Family

Favor Family

Lu Family

Skeeles Family

The above donors are recognized for their gifts to the Mark Your Mark Campaign as of October 25, 2013.

Page 5 | October 2013

ANNUAL GIVING UPDATE Annual Giving: By the Numbers

Throughout the 2012-2013 school year Annual Giving raised over $175,000 towards enhancements inside and out of the classroom, including significant facilities improvements to our Gymnasium. With your help, here’s how we did it:

230 103 DONORS

FIRST TIME

DONORS

The LARGEST gift was

$15,000

gift was $760 The AVERAGE

THE smallest

GIFT WAS

$25

Last year, our Grade 1 families contributed the most of any class, raising over $20,000 throughout the year. The Junior Kindergarten class had the highest participation rate with nearly 70% of those families contributing to Annual Giving.

So far, in the 2013-2014 school year, Annual Giving has raised nearly $55,000. Here’s how we are doing:

15 92 DONORS

FIRST TIME

DONORS

The LARGEST gift is

$10,000

gift is $600 The AVERAGE

GIFT IS $25 THE smallest

The Kindergarten families continue to hold the highest participation rate with almost 30% of those families giving. Our Grade 5 class has contributed the most money thus far, raising over $14,000 already!

Thank you to those families who have supported our school through Annual Giving. You continue to enhance the learning environment for every child at Meadowridge and provide an unmatched educational experience.

If you would like to learn more about how to support Annual Giving, either through a donation or by volunteering on the committee, we would love to hear from you. Feel free to email me at daniel.lepage@meadowridge.bc.ca or reach me by phone at 604.467.4444 ext. 217 any time.

- Mr. Daniel Le Page, Advancement

SAVE THE

DATE Tuesday, January 7, 2014

We’re Celebrating...

We will be holding a special ceremony during the full school assembly to celebrate the completion of our Gymnasium project thanks to your outstanding generosity. Stayed tuned for more detailed information and invitations.

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY! Why Hold A Gala?

Can you imagine M eadowridge withou t the playground, Gy C, library resources m or any of the furnishin gs and equipment in the south wing? This would be our reality if it were not for the proceeds from the M eadowridge Gala. Ev ery child, past and present has been su pported through the fun ds raised at this important event. La st year almost $100 ,00 0.0 0 was raised in support of land purch ases. This gift will lea ve a our school for gene lasting legacy for rations to come.

Over 50% of tickets sold!

Tickets are still avail able. Not only will yo u be in for an amazing evening of fine ente rtainment and food, yo u will be helping to make so many amaz ing things possible at M eadowridge for your child.

Download your ticke

t and sponsor order

www.meadowridge.bc.ca/g

form online at

ala

CHILD MINDING AND OTHER DETAILS Have you checked out the Gala website? www.meadowridge.bc.ca/gala It’s a rich resource of details about the event to help inform and help with your Gala planning.

Thank you

Did you know that there is child-minding available through the hotel? If you are looking to make a weekend of it with your family, why not give Nannies On Call a try so that you can enjoy your evening out with friends and the children can have fun in the hotel just upstairs!

Contact Nannies On Call* 604.734.1776 (www.nanniesoncall.com/families/on-call/vancouver) *There is no affiliation with Meadowridge School and Nannies On Call. Meadowridge School is not responsible for any arrangements made with Nannies On Call.

THIS GALA WILL BE THE CAT’S MEOW!

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Auction Teaser HEADMASTER FOR THE DAY

Give your child the opportunity to try on Headmaster for the Day. They and seven friends will arrive at school in style in a limousine and go on to treat their class to a pizza lunch. Your child will take part in important decision making activities to help run the school.

VIP PARKING FOR A YEAR

Get your coveted parking spot for the year.

Don’t queue at the round-about or traverse through rain and snow. This privilege could be yours if you are the winning bidder!

JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 5 CERAMICS Each class has produced a one-of-a-kind work of ceramic art signed by every child.

DRESSED TO KILL

Two tickets for Cher’s Dressed To Kill Concert Rogers Arena – Friday, June 27, 2014 Coach Watch Coach Clutch Sour Apple Pedicure Autographed Album Cover

(Tickets and Coach Merchandise generously donated by The Brunetta Family)

THE ROLLING STONES

One of the greatest groups of all time with estimated album sales of over 200 million, the Rolling Stones are a classic rock band that has stood the test of time.

Celebrate their 50th Anniversary by winning your very own autographed guitar, a piece of Rolling Stones of history.

SHAKEN NOT STIRRED

Cool, suave, sophisticated and he knew how to pour a drink. Who was your favourite James Bond? Now you don’t have to choose because you can have all of their autographs on one framed 007 picture.

GRADE 12 PLATTER

The year that your child graduates from Meadowridge is a year of lasts. It is the last year that you have to think about uniforms, lunch money and house points. It is also the last chance to get the special platter that they create each year for auction at the Gala.

TAYLOR SWIFT, JUSTIN BIEBER & ONE DIRECTION

We can hear the screaming now. If you have a young girl at home, you have a fan of one of these artists. In our auction this year we have autographed sheet music and/ or photos from each of these teen favourites.

MARBLE GARDEN STATUES

We have been fortunate enough to have received a donation of beautiful works of art that will add elements of classic design to your garden.

These marble sculptures are on display at the front of the school so keep an eye out and let your imaginations run when you consider how they will contribute to your landscape design.

AUTUMN COLOR AT YANGZHOU

This exclusive reproduction of ‘Autumn Color at Yangzhou’ has been professionally framed with traditional silk matting. The original painting was a masterpiece from Mr. Xie Zhiliu in 1960 - the original was auctioned off for $420,000 in 2012!

To learn more about how you can contribute to this exciting event, come by the Advancement Office for more information or give us a call at 604.467.4444. We still need more donations to help us reach our goals.

Wine Auction

The holiday season will soon be here and who couldn’t use some wine to make our spirits a little more merry and bright! For those that enjoy the odd glass based on colour to some who pride themselves on paying attention to the details; bouquet, varietals, regions and legs. The Meadowridge wine auction has something for everyone.

However, it is only through the kind and generous donation of wines and funds given in order to purchase wines that we are able to offer this opportunity to our Gala guests. Not only is the winning bidder able to take home some spectacular spirits, we are able to raise vital funds for our children. It really is a gift that has many returns.

Thank you to all that have contributed to date but we have a long way to go to reach the generosity of previous Galas.

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP:

Send in a monetary contribution (please indicate clearly it’s for the wine auction) which we’ll use to buy wine for the fundraiser. This is by far the easiest option!

Or, bring in one or more bottles of wine, and we’ll sort it into lots you can bid on at the Gala.

Page 10 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

Have something to share with us?

We are always looking for updates on our Alumni!

Alumni Association: Key Dates Saturday, November 23, 2013: Meadowridge by Moonlight Gala

Email us at alumni@meadowridge.bc.ca.

Thursday, May 8, 2014: Alumni Social

Join us for a 1920s inspired night of fine dining, dancing and a live auction at the Hotel Vancouver.

Join Mr. Burke and Ms. Boyd at their home for an evening event to kick off the month of activities.

Volunteers Needed!

Invitations to follow.

Friday, December 13, 2013: Full School Assembly Come and see your Kindergarten buddies and sing the 12 days of Christmas with our whole school.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014: Full School Assembly Join us as we celebrate the completion of our Gymnasium project and the unveiling of our MYP Greenhouse.

April is Volunteer Appreciation & Donor Recognition Month at Meadowridge!

May is Alumni Month at Meadowridge!

Stay tuned for more information on how you can get involved.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014: Full School Spirit Day Come out and cheer on your house as the students spend the day competing for the coveted House Cup. Thursday, May 29, 2014: Class of 2014 Convocation Join us as we congratulate the Class of 2014; the first set of Graduates from our IB Diploma Programme.

Saturday, June 7, 2014: Drive for the Future Golf Tournament Join us at Swan-E-Set for a fun filled day on the course including a brunch reception, food holes and activities.

Volunteers Needed!

2012-2013 Provincial Scholarship Results Nineteen of our 2012-2013 graduates have won Provincial Scholarships. Our total number of graduates was 36, which means that 53% of our students won scholarships. Since only 11% of all provincial graduates last year won a scholarship, this is an excellent result.

Congratulations to the Meadowridge Graduating Class of 2013 for such an outstanding result!

Class of

2012-2013 Scholarship Recipients

Caja Blomley

Qaisara Bogani Janine de Klerk Emily Drain Raheem Esmail Cameron Herberts Ming-Chen Hsu Danika Kotylak Katrina Kwan Li Ming Lee Marlena Ornowska Kavya Shah Ashwin Singh Melody Sizer Adrian Spira Ismail Tahir Omar Virani Iris Yu

Page 11 | October 2013

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Emily S. (Grade 12) Models at Vancouver Fashion Week During the summer, Grade 12 student Emily and a classmate decided to spend a laid-back afternoon in Downtown Vancouver. By chance, Emily was checking her Instagram account and saw that there was an open casting for models not far from where they were. Having done some previous print modeling before, Emily decided to take a chance and try it out. After a successful audition, Emily was asked to return for a Model Boot Camp, to learn proper runway modeling techniques such as walking and style, and then for Fashion Week itself!

Emily walked in a total of 14 different shows over the course of the six day event. This meant a lot of time preparing and practicing, having her hair and makeup done, and attending multiple fittings, which had Emily working 12 hours a day. Nonetheless, the hard work was all part of the experience, one which Emily enjoyed every moment of. The atmosphere, the people, the clothes and the experience topped Emily’s list of favorite things. Above all, however, was the opportunity to model both an opening and a closing outfit – a noteworthy honour in the fashion community! When asked how Meadowridge helped her to prepare for this sudden opportunity, she said, “I have been fortunate from day one to attend Meadowridge and be accepted into the community. The people, the teachers and the staff have helped cultivate me and teach me to grow in a direction that has always benefited me in the future. With this fashion industry, it is very important to make that first impression and I believe Meadowridge helped to teach me to approach everything in a professional way.”

Emily has recently been signed with Vancouver modeling agency, Liz Bell. Be sure to congratulate her when you see her in the halls!

Tim T. (Grade 6) Comes Out on Top at SFU-SFA LM Swim Meet Tim (Grade 6) competed in the 2013 SFU-SFA LM Swim Meet and placed first place in four races and second place in two others!

First place: 200 IM Meter with a time of 2:56.26 First place:100 Meter Breaststroke with a time of 1:37.07 First place: 100 Meter Freestyle with a time of 1:12.97 First place: 50 Meter Freestyle with a time of 0:32.80 Second place: 100 Meter Backstroke with a time of 1:24.93 Second place: 200 Meter Freestyle with a time of 2:42.17 Great work Tim!

Designers Emily Walked For Sara Bayley (The Unified Theory) Christina Exie Nina Tan Indiverve Sonya Jang Angela Huang L'Enfant Terrible Dandilion Wind Opaine Lili Ming El Closet de mi Hermana Goldie London Amanda Pearson (Amanda Designs) Lava Woman Ha Sang Beg

Page 12 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

AROUND MEADOWRIDGE Grade 8 French CWOW Celebration Over the course of six weeks, students in French 8 studied French and Québécois celebrations for Classrooms Without Walls. The celebrations which students explored included Thanksgiving, Mardi Gras, Chinese New Year, Bastille Day, Remembrance Day, Carnaval de Québec, St. Jean Baptiste Day, Mothers’ Day, Fathers’ Day, Easter, Christmas, New Years, Halloween and more. Students learned about the cultural differences between practices and celebrations in British Columbia and of those in Québec and France. After students completed their oral assessments about their assigned celebration, students had a fun party where they shared food which represented each event!

- Ms. Cathy Holder, MYP Teacher

Grade 2 Community Tour Grade 2 classes were hard at work investigating communities, their needs and the services that are available to meet those needs. Through the marvels of Google Earth they learned that the same kinds of services available to us in our home communities also exist in other places around the world! On October 2nd the Grade 2 classes had the opportunity to go exploring in the community of Maple Ridge. While walking in the rain, they found all kinds of places and services in Maple Ridge that help keep the community safe, healthy and efficient including the RCMP Station, Fire Hall, Leisure Centre, Theatre and Art Gallery, Bandstand and Park, medical offices, Library, gas stations, restaurants, transit and much more! During their visit with the RCMP they learned about things that the police do (aside from catching robbers) and the tools that police officers use to keep our community safe. Students were lucky enough to have a visit with the Mayor of Maple Ridge, Mr. Ernie Daykin, in Council Chambers! The students had some really great questions for Mr. Daykin such as “What is your job and how do you help our community?” (Vylet S.) and “What can you do to help all the homeless people in our community?” (Mackenzie H.).

- Ms. Tricia Liversidge & Mrs. Selena Dobie, PYP Teachers

Grade 11 CWOW Math Lab

Grade 8 Science Lab

Wednesday afternoon saw a lot of very excited Math SL Grade 11 students using the Vernier Dual Range-Force Sensors to track the changes in force as a funnel drains its water load. This lab serves as one of the many practice Internal Assessments done in Math SL, leading up to their final IA in their Grade 12 year.

Students in Grade 8 Science have been learning about cells – the building blocks of life! Students have been learning about the different types of cells found on Earth and their processes while focusing on the interconnectedness of its parts. Students then had to create a cell model, properly sized and shaped, of an animal or plant cell using household food items!

- Mrs. Carolyn Green, MYP Teacher

- Ms. Darcie Hook, MYP Teacher

Page 13 | October 2013

Grade 3 Discovering a Sense of Place The Grade 3 classes have taken two blocks every Tuesday to venture into the "enchanted woods" and the PYP vegetable garden situated north of Meadowridge School. There is one primitive trail that meanders along the upper edge of the creek which is all that has been needed for the natural world of wonder to be opened up to the Grade 3 students, teachers and special helper Mrs. Lamond. Students have begun to embrace the nature of their place by simply just being within the PYP vegetable garden and the forest. They have found personal 'sit spots' where they have transformed objects of trees and ferns into animated subjects that have struggles, enjoyments and feelings, similar to those of humans. Students are observing firsthand the interconnected web of cycles that allow the forest and the vegetable gardens to thrive and adapt to human and natural influences. By combining narrative or stories with experiential science, students have begun to develop an intrinsic connection to the place where they go to school, where they live. In the words of Joseph Grange, "Surprise is the general reaction of the attentive walker in natural space."

- Mr. James Willms, PYP Teacher

Page 14 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

Junior Kindergarten Practices the Learner Profile Students in Junior Kindergarten have the opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with a familiar face: Gryph! Each student in Junior Kindergarten will take Gryph home and together they practice different PYP Learner Profiles, and, after their days together, students share their experience with the rest of the class. October’s learner profile characteristic was Caring! Nico E. took Gryph to Whistler and was a caring host, showing Gryph all around Whistler. At night, there was a rain storm so Nico sang bedtime songs to Gryph so he wouldn’t be scared.

- Mrs. Louise Kozol, PYP Teacher

Grade 5 Civic Election In the Grade 5 classes’ Unit of Inquiry students learned about the various attributes, qualities, attitudes and skills that help make a leader; explored how leaders have different roles and responsibilities; and explored how various leaders, both past and current, encourage change.

Grade 5 students then held their own Grade 5 civic elections and elected Sasha P. as Prime Minister and Kayla M. as Deputy Prime Minister!

Along with their chosen cabinet, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister will be involved in decision making at the PYP level for events, running the equipment shed, fostering house spirit, and more.

- Mr. Avio Diniz, PYP Teacher

Sasha, Prime Minister Sasha developed an interest in politics after observing recent elections; she found herself drawn to every element of elections, from checking out the campaign advertisements to reading about hot topics in the news. After learning about leaders in class, Sasha soon realized she shared many of the necessary strengths of a leader and knew she wanted to become one herself. Kindness tops her list of strengths, and Sasha prides herself on helping anyone whenever they are in need. During the election process, Sasha found herself using her creative skills as well! Not only does her creativity help to make eye-catching posters, Power Point projects and more, but they come in handy when problem solving as they allow her to come up with inventive solutions and plans.

Sasha has high hopes for the upcoming year and credits her Deputy Prime Minister and cabinet members as a key part of the anticipated success, “They’ve been doing great!” she says, “This will be such a great year and everyone is so happy and amazing”.

Kayla, Deputy Prime Minister Kayla developed an interest in politics when she learned about the positive change a leader can make; an effective leader, Kayla learned, should be independent, caring, knowledgeable, reflective and open-minded. Equipped with these skills, Kayla hopes to help each student in the PYP Programme. One of her strengths is her compassion, something that Kayla believes to be important because a Deputy Prime Minister has to take into account each person’s opinion when making important decisions; “you have to speak for everyone” Kayla explains.

Kayla is excited for the upcoming year and looks forward to collaborating with the Prime Minister “Sasha is great and we are always on the same page”.

Page 15 | October 2013

Grade 10 Visual Arts Students Visit the Vancouver Aquarium Grade 10 Visual Art students visited the Vancouver Aquarium to sketch and photograph the rich variety of life. The images they recorded are being used over the next few months to develop a small concentration of work around a central theme while seeking to discover how art can raise awareness of the natural world around us. We are so fortunate to have the Vancouver Aquarium, a world-class facility, close by where we can view creatures that we would otherwise never be able to see live and to have the opportunity to work from life. As creatures around the world have been affected by our human activities, it is important for students to not only strive to capture their unique essence and beauty, but to share their impressions with others in hopes that we will all appreciate the abundant life in our world more and how crucial it is to strive to preserve what we have left.

- Mrs. Rhonda Laurie, MYP Teacher

Grade 9 Science Lab In this Science 9 activity, students heated several compounds in the flame of a Bunsen burner until the flame took on the characteristic colour of the metal ion in the compound. The colours were used to identify the metal ions present in the compound.

Guest Speakers Visit Grade 5 - A Rich Source for Primary Information

- Ms. Deepti Rajeev, MYP Teacher

See the next page for the full story.

Page 16 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

Guest Speakers Visit Grade 5 - A Rich Source for Primary Information (Continued) On Monday, October 21, Charlotte’s mum, Mrs. Virna Lau visited the Grade 5 classroom. Through her well prepared presentation, Mrs. Lau provided the students with information about Chinese culture in Canada and also shared her personal immigration journey. Her knowledge and handouts on the Chinese calendar, customs, foods and traditions was very informative and reminded us of our Central Idea – Migration leads to the spread of culture and ideas. Mrs. Lau’s chopsticks lesson reminded the students of proper etiquette using these delicate tools and even had them mastering the art of picking up items. Have you ever tried picking up a marble with chopsticks? We are truly grateful to Mrs. Lau for visiting our class and for sharing her personal stories with the students. We know so much more about Chinese culture and traditions.

On Monday, October 28, we were graced with a visit from Ms. Helen Li, a family friend of Kayla M. (Grade 5) Ms. Li shared her journey of immigration through personal stories and a PowerPoint presentation. She provided our Grade 5 students with information about the background experiences and the challenges that an immigrant faces when moving to a new country. We thank Ms. Li for visiting our class to help us learn more about Chinese culture, the foods, the language, traditions, and beliefs. We certainly have a better understanding of how migration helps with the spread of ideas and culture.

On Tuesday, October 29, Ms. Corisa Bell, Maple Ridge Councilor visited the grade five classroom to talk about “Leadership”. Ms. Bell spoke about the people and reasons who shaped her thinking to become the voice of the people in our community. She explained the various attributes that help her in her leadership role including being caring, principled, a communicator, a good listener, versatile, tech savvy, balanced and the art of being patient as things are not changed overnight. Ms. Bell is a big advocate for service in the community and contributes to various charities. We learned a lot about many successes and challenges that come from being a leader. Lastly, Ms. Bell stressed to our students the need to be involved in local government as they are our future. We thank Ms. Bell for being a great role model and for sharing her informative and well planned presentation with our leaders of tomorrow.

- Mr. Avio Diniz, PYP Teacher

LIBRARY UPDATE MYP Library Club Our MYP Library Club officially started this month. Students meet with Mrs. Storgaard every Wednesday at lunch hour. They are learning how to shelve books correctly and have been tidying the shelves, creating posters to advertise the Library and are planning to visit the homerooms to communicate upcoming events and share new books.

Overdrive e-books are Here!

MYP Library Club Members

The library is very excited to balance our existing print collection with new e-books. Students can access these books through http:// meadowridge.lib.overdrive.com. Entering their school username and password will allow them access to these books 24 hours a day.

These are available on computers, phones, tablets or iPads. The library also welcomes any suggestions for titles.

October Book Donations With thanks for the donation of new books!

Bournival-Clarke Family

Hailey L.

The Everything Green Classroom Book

The Best Teacher Ever

Hailey L.

London M. & Family

Emiko S. & Family

The Kissing Hand

It’s Christmas, David!

Pete the Cat

Page 17 | October 2013

A Proclamation from the Province of British Columbia School Library Day at Meadowridge “NOWKNOWYETHATWedobythesepresentsproclaimand declarethatOctober2013shallbeknownasLibraryMonth and that the day of October 28, 2013, shall be known as School Library Day”

Used Books Donation Our community gives of themselves in multiple ways every day. We lend a hand when needed. We share a smile when someone is down. We give our time to each other to teach and support. We also give tangible things like books to encourage the love of reading. When you are surrounded by a community like that and a library like the one that we are fortunate to have, it is easy to forget that not all students are as privileged. Doors are opened to possibility when you can read and the simple gift of a book can mean the world to a child.

Countless students, staff members and families donate new and gently used books to our Library.

This is one of the ways we have built such an incredible collection. I always tell donors that we will keep as much as we need and then we donate the remaining used books to other organizations.

Last June we sent over 12 boxes of books to the Central Bow Valley School in Gleichen, Alberta.

They have recently sent along thank you cards and I thought I would share them with you so that you can be assured that when you donate items like a well-loved book that while you may not see it on our library shelf, you know that it had an impact in a child’s life somewhere else.

Feel free to contact the Library if you have any books you would like to donate or if you would like to partner with us in sharing the gift of reading with others.

- Mrs. Heather Nicholson, Teacher Librarian

Page 18 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

PARENT GUILD CHAIR REPORT 2012-2013 was an exciting year for the Parent Guild, with the addition of several new initiatives, increased council membership and the Feast-ival!

Training Partner, which will allow us to train our own instructors and directly run more programmes for both Meadowridge families and the larger community. Dates are currently being selected for these courses, and will be announced soon.

Parent Guild Initiatives and Programmes

Volunteerism is the key to sustaining a vibrant school community.

If you are a parent at Meadowridge then you are a member of the Parent Guild. At Meadowridge we are fortunate to have wonderful parents who offer their resources and time freely. An important aspect of the Parent Guild mandate is to nurture a positive school spirit and what better way to do it than with food!

The shared experiences of our children are what connect us to one another at Meadowridge. These experiences contribute to the sense of community that is felt by our Meadowridge families. The Parent Guild supports and fosters this sense of community in many ways.

One such way is the Grade Representative Programme, which helps families feel connected to the school and to each other with a weekly email from a fellow parent in their child’s grade.

This past year we implemented several new initiatives, one of which includes how the Parent Guild Council Members, Grade Representatives and Executive Council Members communicate with other parents. Through standardized use of Meadowridge School email addresses, we are able to adhere to consistency in messaging; parents immediately know that the email is from their Grade Representative or Executive Member and that it is not a personal email. Furthermore, this initiative allows previous years’ messages to be easily passed or retained from representative to representative.

Get Connected! Like us on Facebook!

The Parent Guild is always exploring new ways to communicate and this summer the Parent Guild Facebook Page was introduced.

To help foster a greater sense of community, the Parent Guild formed several new subcommittees this past year, the first of which was to provide support information regarding the IB Programme. This group, composed of a parent from each section (PYP, MYP and DP), conferred with the Academic Directors on how to improve school communications to parents regarding the IB Programme. The group coordinated several very positive and collaborative sessions and will continue to work with the educational leadership team at the school.

Another successfully formed initiative was the ‘New Family Welcoming Committee’ – a collaborative committee of Parent Guild members and members from the Advancement team. As a new parent, participation in Guild-supported events provides an excellent entry point and opportunity to meet and connect with other families, even before your child begins at school.

Over the last academic year, this group - which included Shirley Brunetta and Camilla Brown and the support of other council members - held social events, led information sessions, and extended personal welcoming telephone calls to each new family joining our school. This past summer, the Welcoming Committee supported the Advancement team in hosting the New Family Orientation Event, which provided new families the opportunity to meet other parents, and new students to find a friendly and familiar face on the first days of school. Feedback from our new families has shown that they appreciated the warm and welcoming reception, thanks in part to the New Family subcommittee, as well as Grade Representatives and other Council Members.

Another new initiative introduced over the past year was offering continuing education courses, specifically the Health and Safety programmes, to our students, parents, teachers and community.

Through participation in Guild programming such as the Babysitting Course, Food Safe and Emergency First Aid, our students are equipped with the necessary skills for babysitting in the community and working or volunteering in positions that may require FoodSafe training or positions where knowledge of first aid is essential.

Furthermore, the Parent Guild was granted status as a Red Cross

A BIG thank you to the Parent Guild Committee members and the grandparents of the students in the senior play, Les Misérables, who did a fantastic job supplying the refreshments and baked goodies for the four night run of Les Misérables. Providing snacks to a sold out crowd of more than 200 for four nights is no small feat!

The Parent Guild hosted their second annual First Day of School Parent Coffee Social – it was a tremendous success. This was an occasion for new and returning families to connect. At the event, we served homemade apple pie, made by our own newly appointed hospitality liaison, Sheila Lamond. Of course, this was a great way for the Parent Guild to introduce our first apple pie sale, which was also a tremendous success. As part of the Feast-ival Fundraiser, students helped prepare 225 pies for the Annual Apple Pie Sale!

Building strong relationships with our families is an important aspect to the work of the Parent Guild. Another important aspect is fundraising. The Health and Safety Continuing Education Programme combines the two nicely by providing community service with some fundraising for the school. We have continued with our very popular flower baskets this year, adding flats of flowers to the order form. My flower baskets are still in great shape nearly touching the patio they are so long! They never disappoint. Thank you to our Flower Sales managers, Heather Elliott and Fay Kingwill.

Gryphon’s Emporium has always provided parents a great alternative to the traditional uniform shop. Jessie Hill and her team, Tina Benek, Norma-Jean Spika, and Kiran Ladva have worked hard to have the shop open on a consistent basis and have even made arrangements, when necessary, to meet parents outside those hours. They have also ensured the shop is open on special events like the first day of school, new family events and Feast-ival. The funds raised have always been the backbone of the Parent Guild’s finances.

Page 19 | October 2013

“[Feast-ival| was a unique welcoming occasion which brought together Meadowridge families, and members of the community at large, to enjoy a fun family centered festival of food and games. “

Feast-ival

Parent Guild Funds

Feast-ival has been the Parent Guild’s single largest undertaking to date!

Even though Feast-ival was a smashing success, with over 1,000 visitors and earning over $15,000, these fundraising dollars were not considered at the recent Annual General Meeting; rather, they will be dispersed in our next fiscal year at the Annual General Meeting held in October 2014.

The Meadowridge Parent Guild council members worked with parent and student volunteers, along with support from other members of the Meadowridge Community, including teachers, staff, friends and families to present Feast-ival. This event could not have been a success without the support of a few keys individuals, namely Wendy Galati, Masumi Smith, Kalie Whitaker, Shirley Brunetta, Samantha Coates, Sherri Jensen, Deanna Farnworth, Tracey Welsh, Kirsti Hardie, Alison Thompson and I. Feast-ival was carefully planned and designed to showcase and feature Meadowridge School in the best possible manner. It was a unique welcoming occasion which brought together Meadowridge families, and members of the community at large, to enjoy a fun family centered festival of food and games.

Feast-ival visitors had an opportunity to sample the amazing food from a Meadowridge-style “Eat Street” with several local food trucks on site; check out the vendor market; partake in the afternoon British Tea; order homemade pies, assembled by our students; and enjoy cool beverages on the refreshment patio, all the while listening to upbeat entertainment provided by Jack FM. We gave exciting free door prizes every 15 minutes - including one to Mrs. Pogrebinsky for the prettiest Umbrella! There were fabulous raffle baskets, 50/50 draws, face painting, a photo booth, cotton candy, and a family fun zone!

Meadowridge families and friends did not disappoint with the cake walk donations – which were works of art! I am not surprised; our families are always willing to help out, especially if there are ribbons and house points on the line! Whonnock Rocks!

The Feast-ival and the Health and Safety courses were specifically chosen to aid in our fundraising efforts, because they provide the community, both within Meadowridge and beyond, with a service or a fun family event, while still meeting fundraising goals.

The Feast-ival Committee has already met, preparing for next year’s event. We have some great ideas on how to include more partnerships within our own families and those that exist in the community. If you would like to be a part of this exciting planning committee contact me by email at guild.chair@meadowridge.bc.ca.

Through the extensive efforts of the Parent Guild we were able to donate $24,000 to our school. These funds are for the fiscal year ending on June 30, 2013. The donated funds fall into one of two categories: those achieved by gaming or a grant and those achieved by direct Parent Guild fundraising. The direct funding includes proceeds from the Flower and Basket Sale, Gryphon’s Emporium, Mabel’s Labels and select aspects of the Feast-ival. This year at the Annual General Meeting the members (that’s all parents) had the opportunity to vote on how to allocate the funds earned by direct Parent Guild fundraising. We selected a number of projects to support, but the one that I am the most proud of is the decision to support the Meadowridge Education Foundation. The Parent Guild is the first to support this foundation, which will one day allow a student and by extension, their family, to share in the wealth of education that our children enjoy today. Through the development of this endowment, students who are capable but could not otherwise afford our school will be able to join our community. I hope that others will follow the leadership of the Parent Guild and support the Foundation, thus supporting the Meadowridge of tomorrow.

I wish to say a special thank you to the ongoing members of the council and to those that have agreed to commit to working on the council for this academic year.

The Parent Guild looks forward to another exciting year with greater collaboration and consideration on major projects that ultimately benefit our students. Join us!

We are still actively seeking additional members – if you would like to get involved, it’s not too late. Whether you are looking for small ways to help out or a leadership role, I would be pleased to speak to you! Please contact me at guild.chair@meadowridge.bc.ca.

- Eileen Karmali Chair, Meadowridge Parent Guild

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

Page 20 | October 2013

The Meadowridge Parent Guild Needs Your Support Meadowridge School relies on the dedication of parents to assist with and run many events and activities, all of which would not be possible without them. In order for the Parent Guild to flourish we also need to rely on parent volunteers. We are, after all, a volunteer group. We can reach amazing heights both in supporting and growing a positive school spirit and providing fundraising dollars for the school.

Volunteering is an excellent way to become involved in your child’s school experience and a fun way to meet other parents. Everyone is welcome and no experience is necessary!

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!

At this time, the Parent Guild is seeking support in the following areas: •

Volunteer Co-ordinator (Two Positions)

•

New Family Representative (Two Positions)

•

Communications (Two Positions)

•

Health & Safety Continuing Education (Two Positions)

If we have piqued your interest and you have any time to give or you have questions about how you can get involved, please contact Eileen Karmali at guild.chair@meadowridge.bc.ca.

- Eileen Karmali, Guild Chair

GRADE 4 FREE THE CHILDREN FUNDRAISERS Grade 4 Farmer’s Market

Over the course of October, the Grade 4 students learned about human rights and responsibilities. Students think that children should have rights to things like food, clean water, education, shelter, clean air and freedom but discovered that not all children do. After learning this, the Grade 4 classes wanted to help make a difference! To raise funds for the ‘Children for Children’ organization, students planned a bottle drive and a farmer’s market.

The Farmer’s Market was a wonderful success and included a lemonade stand, garage sale, book sale, face painting, carnival games and more! PYP students were invited to head over and pick up some of the delicious goods and enjoy some of the fun-filled activities! Best of all - all the proceeds went to the Children for Children organization!

- Grade 4 Classes

Page 21 | October 2013

ATHLETICS UPDATE Meadowridge Hosts ISEA PlayDay

I would really like to thank Zain K, Ralph P, Lachlan N, Riley J, Chris A, Tanner K and Meadowridge Alumni Ashwin Singh for their help this past Tuesday when Meadowridge hosted the Grade 5 ISEA PlayDay for the first time ever. With over 150 students in attendance from nine ISA schools, these volunteers did a fantastic job representing the sport of soccer and Meadowridge School.

Several coaches and parents commented on what an excellent job they did and how efficient the tournament ran. It takes a team to succeed and the volunteering that you do as students makes a huge difference in what we can accomplish.

Thank you!

- Mr. Scott Spurgeon, Athletic Director

Coaches Needed The Athletics Department is looking for basketball coaches and coaching assistants to help out this upcoming winter season. Are you a parent? Want to help coach our kids to victory? Consider helping out on one of our teams!

Grade 4/5 Girls’ Basketball Lunch practices twice a week and approximately a five game season.

Grade 6/7 Boys’ Basketball Lunch and after school practices with approximately a 17 to 20 game season.

Grade 8 Boys’ Basketball Lunch and after school practices with approximately a 10 to15 game season.

Grade 11/12 Boys’ Basketball After school practices with approximately a 10 to 15 game season.

If you are interested in becoming a coach or a coaching assistant, please contact Mr. Spurgeon by email at scott. spurgeon@meadowirdge.bc.ca.

Page 22 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

SENIOR GRYPHON COUNCIL Connect with Council

The Senior Student Gryphon Council is a group of individuals who have been elected by the student body or chosen by the faculty in order to represent the students and organize events according to our school’s student culture. Led by President Mehar K. and Vice President Davina G., these students have collaboratively planned and initiated a number of in-school activities such as Spirit Day, The Terry Fox Run, sports intramurals and numerous Friday events (“Bring Your Own Banana” and “Mario Kart”). Each council member is involved in a specific topic area to which they specialize and produce events. Community Service events such as ‘The Terry Fox Run’ and ‘The Can Drive’ (beginning November 1st) are led by the Community Service Gryphons, Alia V. and Zameer D. The Sports Gryphon Morgan W. leads sporting events such as term intramurals. The Activities Gryphons, Emily H. and Poppy W., lead student activities such as the upcoming school dance “Around the World in 1 Night”. The Arts Gryphons, Adriana M. and Aidan W., lead arts based events such as our upcoming Café Night (November 1st). The Media Gryphons, Joshua L. and Isaiah H., lead media and promotions. The House Gryphon, Liam W., manages the house competition and house points. The Treasurer and Secretary, David G. and Jessica J. are involved in council finances and assemblies.

The Vice President and President act as liaisons between Senior and Junior Gryphon Council as well as actively plan Spirit Days and overlook all council activities. Our goal as a council for 2013-2014 is to ensure each and every student has the opportunity to become involved in extra-curricular activities and thoroughly enjoys their school year.

- Isaiah H, Media Gryphon

2013-2014

Mehar K.

Davina G.

Alia V.

Zameer D.

Morgan W.

President

Vice President

Community Service Gryphon

Community Service Gryphon

Sports Gryphon

Emily H.

Poppy W.

Adrianna M.

Aidan W.

Joshua L.

Activities Gryphon

Activities Gryphon

Art Gryphon

Art Gryphon

Media Gryphon

Isaiah H.

Liam W.

David G.

Jessica J.

Media Gryphon

House Gryphon

Treasurer

Secretary

Page 23 | October 2013

REFLECTIONS FROM WE DAY We Day has always been an inspiration to those who attend it and this year 20 members of the Global Citizenship Committee were honoured to make Meadowridge’s fifth annual trip. Everyone who attended agreed that the speakers and performers were motivating and exciting. From young visionaries to veteran advocates for change, the speakers instilled the passion of creating social change in our world by supporting causes such as education in developing countries, alternate income sources, clean water supply, and taking a stand against bullying in conjunction with the Free the Children Foundation. Highlights of the day included motivational speakers Spencer West, Martin Luther King III, Molly Burke, and many others. Avril Lavigne, Down with Webster and the inspiring Kenyan Boys Choir had everyone on their feet and dancing as well.

Some of the speakers were as young as 10 years old, proving that anyone is capable of making a difference. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan spoke about the struggle for world peace, encouraged us to follow our dreams, and joked about being mistaken for Morgan Freeman. Current Senator and retired LieutenantGeneral Roméo A. Dallaire spoke about the power of youth. He said, "You are a generation in the midst of a revolution... a generation without borders."

We Day 2013 was most certainly a day to remember for everyone in attendance, particularly our GCC group here at Meadowridge. This inspiration will help us all year as we continue our work with local and international organizations such as Matthew's House, Covenant House, and of course, Free the Children.

- Katherine P. and Jessica J. (Grade 11)

OSEF EXCHANGE

As many of you may know, for the last two and a half months our school was the new home to three wonderful French students – Alix, Malo and Juliette, who are the first OSEF exchange students to visit Meadowridge. These young people came to Meadowridge to improve their knowledge of English, to learn more about Canadian history and culture and, of course, to make new friends. In February of 2014, three of our students (Jessica, Natalie and Thomas) will go to France, and will spend 11 weeks going to French high schools and living with the families of their new French friends.

This exciting opportunity is possible thanks to the organization called OSEF, its tireless coordinator Anne Louise McFarland, generous support of all Meadowridge staff and our Headmaster Mr. Hugh Burke.

We hope that next year more students will take part in these types of school exchanges, especially since a ‘starting new school year Spain exchange’ is available as well.

If you wish to know more about the OSEF programme, please contact me by e-mail at katerina.pogrebinsky@ meadowridge.bc.ca - Mrs. Katerina Porgrebinsky, MYP Teacher

Page 24 | October 2013

Mea d ow r idge Sch o o l

TICKETS & SPONSORSHIPS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23RD

AVAILABLE NOW

A 1920s INSPIRED GALA IN SUPPORT OF MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL

Thank You to our Sponsors!

PLATINUM SPONSOR

DOOR PRIZE SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

COAT CHECK SPONSOR

Ms. Linda Li Anonymous

Johnston Meier Insurance Agencies Group (The Johnston Family)

Mr. & Mrs. Sam & Yamini Gandesha Dr. Michael Orser & Ms. Christine Bickle Mr. Ron Le Boutillier Iredale Group Architecture (Mr. & Mrs. Kendall & Sharon Jessiman)

SILVER SPONSORS

Halpern’s Uniforms

KARAOKE SPONSOR

Dr. Michael Orser & Ms. Christine Bickle

AUCTION & WINE SPONSORS

Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd Expert Electric (The Brunetta Family) Mr. & Mrs. Martin & Michelle Flintermann Mr. & Mrs. Craig & Natalie Gunning SKC Engineering (The Smith Family) Mr. & Mrs. Julian & Marilyn Turner Mr. & Mrs. David & Lyn Tyler Mr. Feng Xu & Ms. Shuo Chen Mr. & Mrs. Christopher & Lisa Begg Mr. Zitao Ye & Mrs. Jenny Lu Dr. & Mrs. Godwin & Ezinne Obioha Four Seasons Lawn & Garden Care (The Cloete-Senner Family) Pacific Star Marine Inc. (The Farnworth Family) Medlandia Compounding Pharmacy (The Atthari Family) Mr. Lance Leger & Ms. Sarah Ward Mr. Jie Cheng & Mrs. Lan Na Wu

Anonymous The Bournival-Clarke Family Expert Electric (The Brunetta Family) Pastry Training Centre of Vancouver (The Ropke Family) Subway Restaurants (The Sekhon Family) Hyak River Rafting Sour Apple Nail Bar & Tanning Lounge Frogstone Grill The Old Spaghetti Factory The Waugh Family Ms. Amanda Casanova The Karmali Family The Zuo Family The Margawang Family

WE WOULD LOVE YOUR SUPPORT! Sponsorship packages and naming opportunities are still available.

www.meadowridge.bc.ca/gala