Spring Edition, Volume One | The Gryphon

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL

THE GRYPHON SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL

12224 240th Street Maple Ridge, BC V4R 1N1

www.meadowridge.bc.ca

604.467.4444

People are drawn TO OUR SCHOOL FROM

around the world.

In the spirit of active collaboration with

teachers, peers, and our community,

we learn how to care for ourselves and for others.

Knowing that change is the only certainty, we engage with challenging & complex questions effectively and creatively.

Through outstanding

teaching, programmes & facilities,

meadowridge

IN THIS ISSUE: 3

meadowridge school: business of the year!

4

From the headmaster

6

Educational leadership team update

7 Gryphon ambassadors 8 a glimpse into the dp Group 6: The Arts

10 Approaches to learning in the pyp

12

Deputy headmaster blog Should Vaccination be Mandatory to Attend School?

14 The annual fund 16 fine and performing arts in the myp

18

Volunteering at meadowridge

19

Language department update

20 Gryphon alumni interview 23 Athletics update 24 Library update 26 Grade five: beyond the classroom

28 Service trips

DEVELOPS IN US the confidence not only to

meet the future, but also to create it.

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MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL: BUSINESS OF THE YEAR

Shown to the left: Mr. Daniel Gouws, Board Chair, accepts the Business of the Year award on behalf of Meadowridge.

As proud members of the Maple Ridge community for 30 years, we were honoured to learn that our school had been nominated for the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award for the 2014 Business of the Year.

Each year, the Chamber of Commerce calls for nominations from community members to recognize businesses and business leaders who have made significant contributions to the community, making Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows a better place to “work, live and play”.

The selection process for the award was a valuable exercise. The questions asked by the Chamber of Commerce panelists allowed us to reflect upon ourselves within the greater community: to consider who we are, where we began, and where we are going together.

As we’ve grown as a School, so too has our community. When Meadowridge School first opened its doors, it welcomed just under 60 students and 13 members of staff. Today, our school community is composed of over 460 families and 535 students, who join us from all around the neighborhood, and all around the world. To support our growing enrollment, we welcomed eight new staff members this year alone, bringing our total to 84, which makes Meadowridge School one of the largest employers in Maple Ridge.

And as we’ve grown, our community continues to do good things in Maple Ridge and beyond. Service is an integral part of our values at Meadowridge. Students at all grade levels initiate projects and work hard to support community groups through funding, collaboration, and direct aid. We work to support community groups of all types: the local, the global, the large, the small, the public, the private, the young and the old. We understand that service takes many forms, has many intentions, and brings its own rewards.

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And as Meadowridge and its community grows, so, too, does its interaction with Maple Ridge. We have embraced our location in Maple Ridge as a draw for families seeking an advanced education in a natural, pastoral setting. We have grown to become one of the largest independent school campuses in Metro Vancouver.

Along with world-based standards of scholarship, leadership, and service, we retain what was important from our beginning: a welcoming inclusive community made up of caring teachers and staff, dedicated families and children, and a culture infused with an insistence on excellence. In a collaborative effort with all of our constituents, Meadowridge School aspires to graduate students who will go on to shape and lead, not only locally, but also globally.

The Chamber of Commerce’s selection committee considered these, and many other aspects of our School, in its decision and, ultimately, we had the honour of being chosen as the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows Chamber of Commerce 2014 Business of the Year. We brought the award home, recognizing that it is a symbol for all of those, past and present, who have shaped our school, who have supported our community and our children, and who have given much to help shape our community. In the end, it is a tribute to our children and families who have trusted that, together, we could do great things. It is also, of course, a strong and visible sign of the complementary energy of our school and the Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows community. And for that, we are both humbled and grateful.

We extend our congratulations to the other two finalists in the Business of the Year category, Euro-Rite Cabinets and Hopcott Premium Meats, and to all of the nominees in the other categories.

As well, thank you to the Chamber of Commerce for their hard work in planning, preparing, and hosting a wonderful evening and awards ceremony. A big congratulations to the entire Meadowridge community for this achievement!

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In addition to the four modular classrooms to be added as a PYP “village”, the main entrance to the PYP building will be expanded to include covered walkways, an outdoor patio, and doors will also be added for each PYP class to access the outdoors. (Drawings may be subject to change)

FROM THE HEADMASTER

WE ARE GROWING!

To everyone in the Meadowridge Community: This announcement is to let you know that we will be expanding our facilities for next year, although it will not be in exactly the way we had originally planned in our Campus Master Plan.

The two larger ones will be placed behind the Gym, for the use of the MYP/DP students. Right now, our timetable is full, and we cannot add any more programmes or classes. These classrooms will help ease that problem.

WHAT DO WE NEED? We need to add classrooms and

TIMELINE:

learning spaces.

WHY DO WE NEED THESE? Right now, we have 535

students, in a school designed for 546 students as a maximum.

We also have a record high number of applications for next year, and a low attrition. More students will mean stronger programmes, more choice, and less pressure for tuition increases. We also need classrooms for some expanding programmes, including PYP French, and MYP Mathematics. Those teachers and programmes do not currently have any permanent space.

We have already installed a new modular building that will be the new Uniform Shop/Used Uniform Shop, located beside the parking lot across from the Gym. There is still much finishing and landscaping to do over the next few weeks.

March 25, 2015: We installed two modular buildings behind the Gym, designed to serve the expanding MYP/DP students.

March 30, 2015: We moved the Uniform Shop, Used Uniform Shop and Parent Guild. We are working with the Parent Guild to ensure comfortable working, storage and meeting space in the future.

April 3-6, 2015: The Guild/Uniform Shop/After School Care house abatement took place over the Easter weekend. In the coming weeks, we will hold a ceremony to help the children say “goodbye” to the house, and to welcome the new PYP Village.

April 8-9, 2015: The old house will be demolished, followed by creating new foundations for the modular village and covered play area.

The reconstruction of the PYP and Library buildings will be done during the summer, as will the completion of the PYP Village.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? We have bought six

modular classrooms which we will install before the next school year. These were originally used by Crofton House during their campus construction, and will be renovated by us to suit our needs and school. They have cedar siding, numerous windows, their own internal heating and cooling, and will be amongst the largest classrooms in the school, including a nine-foot internal height.

Four of them are about 1000 square feet, and two of them are 1150 square feet. We will have a “village” of four classrooms just outside of the PYP building, where the old house is now (the one that houses the Uniform Shop). That house will be removed, and the four buildings placed there, adjacent to the playground. There will be a patio between the buildings, and a single red roof with skylights over all of them in order to create a bright, covered outdoor play area. The modular buildings will be placed on proper foundations, with a covered walkway to the main building.

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At all times, any construction zone will be clearly flagged and secured, to ensure the safety of everyone.

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

Shown below: Four of the modular classrooms will create a “village” just outside the PYP building, where the old house is now. The four classrooms will have a patio in between them, with a single red roof with skylights over all of them in order to create a bright, covered outdoor play area.

WHAT ABOUT OUR MASTER CAMPUS PLAN? Our original plan

had been to build a new Early Childhood Building where the “village” will be located, and we may do that in time. We also plan for a Great Hall to allow for a larger Dining Hall, expanded Library, and new Music and Art Rooms, along with six new classrooms.

The North Forest has initial plans for an Experiential Education Park.

WHY WE CHANGED COURSE

Last year we did an inspection of our school prior to starting any expansion, and found some serious issues with the building envelope, the skylights, the roof, and some structural matters. These were a form of the “leaky condo” syndrome which is affecting so many buildings in Canada. As a result, we have just had to rebuild our MYP building at a cost of about 2 million dollars, and we now must do the same for our Library and PYP buildings at a cost of about another 2 million dollars (new walls, roof, windows, skylights, and mechanical systems). We will be left with virtually new buildings, and some nicely renovated spaces, but without any expansion. As always, the safety and health of the children has been our priority.

construction. Due to strong and consistent financial planning, we have been able to pay for these renovations and enhancements without changing our original tuition plan from five years ago. However, paying for anything substantial and new would be stretching our financial resources further than we want. The purchase of modular buildings, integrated into our current site, allows us to grow, and to replenish our financial resources at a reasonable cost, which will allow us to move forward with our Campus Plan.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS

We appreciate the feedback and insights of our community. If you have any further questions following the March 31st evening information session, or at any time during the renovations, please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Burke at the school at 604.467.4444 or hugh.burke@ meadowridge.bc.ca.

From the Meadowridge Vision: Children’s ways of thinking strongly involve the imagination, emotion, and community, and should play the entire symbolic range. The choices of facility, teaching, space, time, community interaction, school structure, and governance should all reflect this conception of learning.

Learning should be an adventure!

HOW HAVE WE PAID FOR THIS?

Over three years, we have had to absorb unexpected costs of 4 million dollars, which makes it financially difficult to begin new SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

Mr. Hugh Burke Headmaster 5

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM UPDATE Our students continue to be good role models, exhibit kindness, collaboration and polite behaviour. As a parent, you are aware of the amount of homework they complete.

However, they are also busy on sports teams, engaged in service, participate in international trips, clubs and a number of different musical productions.

KUDOS FOR OUR STUDENTS: I just

wanted to share how happy I have been with our students in the past weeks. The dress code is adhered to almost universally. That is no small accomplishment! Our students continue to be good role models, exhibit kindness, collaboration and polite behaviour.

As a parent, you are aware of the amount of homework they complete. However, they are also busy on sports teams, engaged in service, participate in international trips, clubs and a number of different musical productions.

Please don’t miss the MYP showing of “Mary Poppins”, which promises to be entertaining and our teachers and students have certainly dedicated many hours to perfecting their performances.

ENROLMENT & CAMPUS UPDATE:

90% of students have confirmed their registration for the coming year. We continue to receive many applications and the quality of applicants continues to be exceptional. We are full and expect continued growth into the future. Given we are beginning to reach the “carrying capacity” of our current installations, you will note Mr. Burke’s communication regarding campus expansion. This includes the installation of modular classrooms, the take down of the house and an extensive renovation of the PYP to take place this 6

summer. Please review his report for details and timelines.

UNIVERSITY ACCEPTANCES: We are

happy to report that application results are returning to the school and our graduates continue to win acceptance into some of the most prestigious schools in North America.

Currently, there are students considering offers from UCLA, UBC, and SFU, amongst others. As response times across institutions vary, we ask students to be sensitive to the fact that some graduates have not heard back from universities.

with students, teachers and parents in their effort to create a timetable that best supports student learning. Preliminary drafts are being considered and will continue to evolve in the coming months. For the time being, the ELT is proposing a longer lunch in the MYP/DP and a review of the CAS block.

NORTH FOREST UPDATE: After a

windstorm in December a number of trees fell in the North Forest and many were destabilized. The school hired an arborist to inspect the area and 17 trees were identified for pruning, limbing and, in some cases, falling. The area is now officially reopen for use ENDICOTT SURVEY & CIS: 625 and I am happy to report that contractors did people completed the satisfaction survey, a commendable job – all organic material was including: parents, board members, faculty, left in the forest, trees were pruned with a mind students and alumni. High response rates to preserving habitat spaces and brush was for the survey are encouraging and speak removed along the fence line. Participation in to an interest in receiving feedback from the our Gala generated funds for the construction community in order to celebrate successes of bridges across Latimer Creek. Our coming and continually improve school operations. Golf Tournament will provide further financial The 209 page report has been reviewed support for our intended expansion. We are and the data is being shared with our CIS currently working with the municipality to Accreditation Steering Committee. Moving ensure we adhere with all bylaws in order to forward we will review the data as part of our incorporate the use of this property as part of our entire campus. self-study.

MYP/DP TIMETABLE 2015/16: Mr. Mr. Jason Parker Banack and the Directors continue to consult

Deputy Headmaster MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

Student ambassadors have plenty of opportunities to practice communication techniques to help them in their future educational and career goals.

GRYPHON AMBASSADORS WHAT IS THE MEADOWRIDGE AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME? The Ambassador Programme allows

students the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities as representatives of Meadowridge School. Our students have a unique perspective of the School, and so can speak to the student experience and diversity of the community. Our children have a variety of academic and career objectives, extra-curricular interests, and talents; the Ambassador Programme helps to highlight the individuality of each student’s Meadowridge experience.

WHO IS A MEADOWRIDGE STUDENT AMBASSADOR? Every child, parent, teacher and graduate acts

as an Ambassadors for our School. Current students in Grades 6 through 10 serve as Meadowridge Ambassadors during our regular Friday Open House and other events. Ambassadors are experts on their School community, and can easily communicate what it is like to be a student at Meadowridge. They are familiar with the facilities and have a deep understanding of our Mission and Vision. Ambassadors give tours to inquiring families, act as hosts at special events, and welcome new students to our community.

As an Ambassador, you serve a very important role as a spokesperson for Meadowridge School. You are one of the most influential groups of people at our school; you play a major role in a future family’s decision to attend Meadowridge and determine how guests experience our School when they visit us.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A MEADOWRIDGE STUDENT AMBASSADOR?

Ambassadors applying to post-secondary institutions will receive service credit for the work they do, which is an important addition to resumes.

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Ambassadors who are involved in the Duke of Edinburgh program will satisfy the requirements regarding community service.

Training will provide Ambassadors with the opportunity to improve communication techniques that will aid them in their future goals. Students will also learn to: »»

Apply active listening skills

»»

Display positive body language and image

»»

Respond appropriately to “tricky” questions

»»

Present information clearly and concisely

»»

Manage time effectively and exceed expectations

»»

Use critical thinking skills to match school activities to information gathered about families’ wants and needs

To help our Ambassadors as they tour families, we have revised the Student Ambassador Handbook. With answers to frequently asked questions, important information about the School, talking points for school tours, and more, the Handbook is an excellent resource for all Ambassadors. All students in Grades 6 to 10 will receive their own copy of the Handbook. If your child is not in these grades you are welcome to request a copy of your own. If you have any questions, please feel free to visit me in the Advancement Office or contact me by email at natalie.blomly@meadowridge.bc.ca. I look forward to working with all of you!

Ms. Natalie Blomly, Admissions Coordinator 7

Cowbow in Blue Artist: Duncan B.

Dancing City Artist: Jerry L.

Negative: Box 2 Artist: Elizabeth R.

Exhibition Display Artist: Luna L.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE DP GROUP 6: THE ARTS At Meadowridge, students have the opportunity to explore the Arts through the study of Visual Arts or Theatre. Both courses ask students to use creativity to bring meaning and understanding to the world around them. Students explore areas of personal interest and core topics as they progress through the courses.

VISUAL ARTS The Visual Arts course as described by the International Baccalaureate Organization states:

The visual arts are an integral part of everyday life, permeating all levels of human creativity, expression, communication and understanding.

They range from traditional forms embedded in local and wider communities, societies and cultures, to the varied and divergent practices associated with new, emerging and contemporary forms of visual language.

They may have sociopolitical impact as well as ritual, spiritual, decorative and functional value; they can be persuasive and subversive in some instances, enlightening and uplifting in others. We celebrate the visual arts not only in the way we create images and objects, but also in the way we appreciate, enjoy, respect and respond to the practices of art-making by others from around the world. Theories and practices in visual arts are dynamic and ever-changing, and connect many areas of knowledge and human experience through individual and collaborative exploration, creative production and critical interpretation.

The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course 8

in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers.

In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts.

Supporting the International Baccalaureate mission statement and learner profile, the course encourages students to actively explore the visual arts within and across a variety of local, regional, national, international and intercultural contexts. Through inquiry, investigation, reflection and creative application, visual arts students develop an appreciation for the expressive and aesthetic diversity in the world around them, becoming critically informed makers and consumers of visual culture (International Baccalaureate, 2015).

At Meadowridge, the Visual Arts course culminates with the DP Grad Art Exhibition.

This occurred on March 23rd and once again the students’ achievements and ability to

explain their pieces was impressive. For those of you who took the opportunity to attend the exhibition, I am sure that you will agree that it was an exceptional display of student work that spanned their course of study over the past two years. Well done to our DP Visual Art grads.

DP THEATRE ARTS It is well known

that students who take art-based courses excel in many aspects of their lives. It allows them to freely explore who they are and who they want to be while helping with brain development, team building, creative problem solving and the understanding of how art fits into the world, both historically and in today’s society.

Many parent and educational sites support the benefits of theatre. This is seen at the following link: http://www.dramaed.net/ benefits.pdf (as well as many others).

DP theatre allows students to explore both intellectually and physically. The course as described by www.ibo.org: Theatre is a dynamic, collaborative and live art form. It is a practical subject that encourages discovery through experimentation, the taking of risks and the presentation of ideas to others. It results in the development of both theatre and life skills; the building MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

From the Meadowridge Vision: Students must be able to communicate, and be able to play the entire symbolic range: language, art, dance, movement, mathematics, photography and film, and multimedia.

Geometric Jesus Artist: Dillon E.

Standing Tall Artist: Zameer D. of confidence, collaboratively.

creativity

and

working

across time, place and culture and promotes international-mindedness.

The IB Diploma Programme theatre course is a multifaceted theatre-making course of study. It gives students the opportunity to make theatre as creators, designers, directors and performers. It emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process, transforming ideas into action as inquisitive and productive artists.

What does a typical DP Theatre Arts class look like?

Students experience the course from contrasting artistic perspectives. They learn to apply research and theory to inform and to contextualize their work. The theatre course encourages students to appreciate that through the processes of researching, creating, preparing, presenting and critically reflecting on theatre—as participants and audience members—they gain a richer understanding of themselves, their community and the world.

Through the study of theatre, students become aware of their own personal and cultural perspectives, developing an appreciation of the diversity of theatre practices, their processes and their modes of presentation. It enables students to discover and engage with different forms of theatre SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

15 minutes: guided visualization or theatre games.

5 minutes: discussing what we learn from and why these activities are important to theatre and life beyond the classroom.

15 minutes: description of the lesson of the day – going over the assessment task, choosing a rubric to summarize and understand, reviewing notes, context or process.

25 minutes: activity related to the assessment task, library time or individual or group work on the assessment task – if it was an activity, then a follow-up by looking at things that worked, challenges faced, and next time “I will” statements done as a group – peer feedback is essential!

What better way to live the learner profile? I encourage you all to experience life through and with the arts. I hope to see you on the stage.

Through inquiry, investigation, reflection and creative application, visual arts students develop an appreciation for the expressive and aesthetic diversity in the world around them, becoming critically informed makers and consumers of visual culture.

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APPROACHES TO LEARNING IN THE PYP The Primary Years Programme is an inquiry-based programme where students ask questions, research for answers and develop deeper conceptual understandings. Throughout this inquiry process, students also acquire and apply a set of transdisciplinary skills which are integrated into the grade level units of inquiry and into specialist teacher planning. These skills are valuable for any teaching and learning that goes on within the classroom, and in life outside the school. This set of transdisciplinary skills is referred to as Approaches to Learning (ATLs) and are an essential element of all our IB programmes at Meadowridge School.

The Approaches to Learning are an important part of the teaching and learning process at Meadowridge School, and another feature of PYP that helps in the development of well-rounded students.

If you have any questions about the Approaches to Learning, be a good inquirer and ask your child(ren), teachers or myself.

Mr. Terry Donaldson, Director of PYP

01. THINKING SKILLS »» Learning facts, ideas, and vocabulary »» Understanding what you have learned »» Making decisions about things »» Putting little ideas together to make big ideas

William Z. (Grade 4) deep in Julin L. and Aliyah M. (Grade 2) thought in Art. thinking about ways to make numbers.

02. COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Sophia R. (Junior Kindergarten) investigating the world.

Allan C. (Kindergarten) pondering ideas in the forest.

Ms. Noël presenting information about plants to Junior Kindergarten.

Jade S. (Grade 4) communicating to a large group at Assembly.

Marisol W. (Kindergarten) communicating through the Arts.

Madeleine H. (Grade 2) being a respectful listener.

»» Listening to directions and to others »» Speaking clearly »» Reading lots of different things »» Writing information in journals/taking notes »» Looking at information »» Presenting information to others »» Communicating non-verbally 10

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

From the Meadowridge Vision: Our children also need to look after themselves. They need to understand their bodies, and what keeps them healthy. They need to take risks, because life has no guarantees. They need to be able to regard themselves, and reflect on what they do, or think, or believe, because the only real knowledge is self-knowledge.

03.SOCIAL SKILLS »» Sharing the responsibilities in a task »» Respecting others »» Cooperating with others, taking turns, being courteous »» Resolving conflicts »» Making group decisions »» Being a leader and a follower Colin R. and Dani L. (Kindergarten) being caring friends on the playground.

04. SELF MANAGEMENT SKILLS »» Making good choices »» Using large and small muscles »» Being organized and planning activities »» Using your time well »» Being safe »» Making healthy choices »» Following the rules »» Making good choices after you learn more information

Maddie H. and Yuxin Z. (Junior Kindergarten) building on the playground.

0 5. RESEARCH SKILLS »» Asking good questions

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APPROACHES TO LEARNING

»» Observing by using your senses »» Planning things out »» Collecting data »» Recording information »» Organizing information »» Drawing conclusions from data »» Presenting your findings

Elliot R., Sarayu N., Hannah H. and Sofia P. (Grade 4) collecting data.

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Grade 5 students putting plans into action.

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DEPUTY HEADMASTER BLOG SHOULD VACCINATION BE MANDATORY TO ATTEND SCHOOL? By: Mr. Jason Parker, Deputy Headmaster

If you have been paying attention to the news recently you are aware that childhood vaccination is a hot topic. Given that measles was generally thought to be eradicated in North America, a recent outbreak in California, followed by a smaller one in Ontario were both causes for alarm.1

proper diet and regular exercise, I have assumed without question its value as part of one’s complete health care. For those who remember the ravages of polio, vaccination of course, is more serious. It is a matter of survival.

of Autism Spectrum Disorder and some have attempted to link this to vaccination.

The fact that medical professionals have now broadened the definition of ASD and are now considering a wider spectrum of conditions than they once did does little to deter minority conspiracy theories.

As a result many schools, including our own, have been contemplating the risks, reviewing the research and discussing measures to protect the community. It has been suggested that while the choice to vaccinate or not is a personal one, those who choose not to, do so in disregard of well-established scientific research on the topic. Likewise, “anti-vaxxers” put themselves at odds with the mainstream medical community and the general public.

Despite my own strong belief in the importance of vaccination I have been reading, speaking with others and attempting to make sense of claims that call into question the benefits. A recent survey of 10,000 parents found that about 10% did not believe in vaccinating their children.

Surprisingly, 2/3 of the anti-vaxxers had post-secondary education and so as Joseph Brean shares, they “do not lack access to scientific information so much as reject it on various grounds”.2

As a child, I remember lining up with others, nervously waiting for the nurse to give us an injection. It was, in some regards, a typical rite of passage for Canadian students. Although past 1974 it no longer occurred, my mother tells tales of her own small pox vaccination. The scar on her left arm (used less in an era when handwriting with the right hand was obligatory) was shown as proof of the ordeal. Now a parent myself, our own son has received regular vaccinations. We even have a little yellow “passport” to prove it.

In 1998, the Lancet, a well-regarded medical journal, published a paper by Andrew J. Wakefield. The paper proposed that the measles vaccine could cause autism in susceptible children. The claim was further popularized by media celebrity Jennifer McCarthy whose own child suffers with ASD. The Lancet retracted Wakefield’s article in 2010 and several studies have since disproven claims of any link between vaccination and ASD. In fact, the author was eventually accused of falsifying his data and as a result lost his medical license.3

Scientific America claims that “unvaccinated children are roughly 23 times more likely to develop whooping cough, nine times more likely to be infected with chicken pox and 6.5 times more likely to be hospitalized with pneumonia”.3

To be honest, I have never questioned the benefits of vaccination. Like good hygiene,

In the last 50 years, there has been an explosion in the number of diagnosed cases

While it is true vaccinated children do still get chicken pox or the measles, their

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Some believe that the vaccines themselves or their preserving agents are dangerous and may have adverse effects for children.

While adverse effects may occur in a small percentage of recipients, the life threatening effects of whooping cough, polio and tetanus are widely known. Possible side effects of the measles, diphtheria and chicken pox are serious. Put simply, if you think the vaccine is dangerous, any one of those diseases are far worse!

Other claims include that vaccines don’t guarantee my child won’t get sick, common childhood diseases are now for the most part eradicated and that my child doesn’t need to be vaccinated because most children already are.

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

As a result from a recent outbreak, the topic of childhood vaccination has become a hot topic, one which is now being widely debated. As a result, schools are now contemplating the risks and researching the ways to protect their communities.

symptoms are usually much milder. “Herd immunity” is established when greater than 90% of a given population has been inoculated against a disease. In places like Los Angeles some studies indicate as many as 20% of parents have not vaccinated their children.3 As a result, for the first time in 50 years, we are seeing measles outbreaks.

The “free rider” argument whereby some choose not to vaccinate because others have and as a result their own child will be protected, are increasingly unjustifiable.

And while the chances of death for healthy individuals is lower, one must bear in mind that infants under a year cannot be vaccinated. Given that, an unvaccinated child not only increases their own chances of infection, but may put more vulnerable populations in danger.

Friends who work in the medical profession share that they are increasingly beset by patients who self-diagnose and/or share their theories of epidemiology after cursory Google searches. While it is good that we are generally better informed than previous generations, I am perplexed in the face of such hubris. Do people really believe

Google or Jenny McCarthy over someone with seven years of specialist medical training?

with others and for others”, all of us together should consider the health of all children, not just our own.

The advent of the internet has increased our ability to access information.

However, we should not assume all information is of equal value. Likewise, not all sides of an argument are equally valid. Nor should all opinions be given equal weight.

How we go about that is a matter worth of thoughtful consideration. We draw people from around the world from countries with varied medical systems. While I know that I have been regularly vaccinated, I’m not sure how I would go about actually proving it myself.

I think that I can relate to the right of others to not vaccinate as a matter of bodily integrity. One certainly has a right to choose what to do with their own body.

How this choice may affect their child or the child of another is less justifiable.

Given the research and the opinion of mainstream medicine, I can see no practical justification for not vaccinating.

Knowing the affect this choice may have upon others I see no moral justification either.

For the time being, establishing what percentage of our current population is vaccinated is a focus. How we respond to an outbreak or in the case that a family with an unvaccinated child wishes to attend the school is a matter of current discussion. I would love to hear peoples’ views on this matter.

Should it strike a chord with you, I encourage you to make contact with me directly at jason.parker@meadowridge.bc.ca. •

Given that, I believe we as a school community should promote mandatory vaccination for all staff and students. If we really believe in our mission to “live well

WORKS CITED 1. King, S. & Fay, S. “Calling The Shots: Best Practices For Independent Schools Responding To Vaccine Concerns”. March 3, 2015.

2. Brean, Joseph. “Anti-vaxxers among Canadians of all demographics, poll find:…”. March 9, 2015. National Post.

3. Daley, F & Glanz, J. “Straight Talk about Vaccination”. August 16, 2011. Scientific America.

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THANK YOU

for contributing!

Anonymous

Mr. Mark Grant & Mrs. Carrie Hughes-Grant

Mr. & Mrs. Igor & Katerina Pogrebinsky

Mr. Tim Coleman & Miss Tessa Bainbridge

Dr. Geoffrey Hutchinson & Dr. Sarah Charney

Mr. Han Qian & Ms. Sha Tao

Mr. Patrick Barber & Mrs. Sonia Nieto Bustos

Mr. & Mrs. Ty & Jadina Irving

Mr. Raymond Qu & Ms. Hui Huang

Mr. Randy Bargen

Ms. Lynelle Johns

Mr. & Mrs. Sheetal & Seema Rawal

Mr. & Mrs. Chris & Jodi Barrass

Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Judy Johnston

Mr. George Read & Ms. Fay Kingwill

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher & Lisa Begg

Dr. & Mrs. Al Karim & Eileen Karmali

Mr. Colin Laba & Ms. Carolyn Sapach

Mr. & Mrs. Curtis & Kristal Bereza

Ms. Christy Kazulin

Mr. & Mrs. Mike & Chantal Schutz

Prof. Nicholas Blomley & Ms. Jessie Hill

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin & Tracey Kennedy

Dr. & Mrs. Allen & Rosie Shen

Mr. Rhys Clarke & Mrs. Julie Bournival

Dr. Seoung Joon Kim & Mrs. Inhwa Sung

Mr. & Mrs. Justin & Jennifer Simpson

Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Shirley Brunetta (Expert Electric)

Drs. Murthy & Anu Korada

Dr. & Mrs. Mathew & Masumi Smith

Mrs. Michelle Brookshaw

Mr. & Mrs. Al-Karim & Zain Lalji

Mr. Troy Sobotka & Ms. Andrea Frisby

Mr. Hugh Burke & Ms. Eva Boyd

Mr. & Mrs. Manuel & Virna Lau

Mr. & Mrs. Dennis & Norma-Jean Spika

Mr. Zhongnan Chen & Mrs. Yan Zhou

Drs. Ockie Lampen & Kathy Robson

Mr. & Mrs. Scott & Yoshimi Spurgeon

Mr. Richard Choi & Mrs. Angie Lee

Mr. & Mrs. Tom & Rhonda Laurie

Mr. Kefei Tan & Mrs. May Guo

Mr. Mark Conaghan

Mr. Lance Leger & Ms. Sarah Ward

Mr. & Mrs. Julian & Marilyn Turner

Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Katherine Crawford

Mr. Daniel Le Page

Ms. Michelle Vally

Dr. Malcolm Crozier & Mrs. Alicia Osorio Bustos

Mr. Shin Loong Leong & Mrs. Liz Tanida

Ms. Tamara Warner

Mr. & Mrs. Clinton & Michelle Denesiuk

Mr. & Mrs. Darrell & Kim Lester

Mr. & Mrs. Rick & Susan Waugh

Mr. Avio Diniz & Ms. Patricia Lapointe

Dr. Jun Liu & Mrs. Xiao Wei Zhan

Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence & Tracey Welsh

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Wendy Dockerty

Mr. Hai Qing Liu & Mrs. Lie Jing Gu

Ms. Kyung Wha Kim

Mr. Terry Donaldson

Mr. Wenping Luo & Mrs. Juana Zhu

Mr. & Mrs. Paul & Kalie Whitaker

Dr. & Mrs. Bill & Barbara Durno

Drs. Samir & Sangita Malhotra

Mr. William Wong & Ms. Tina Lee

Mr. Wei Fang & Mrs. Jin Shen

Mr. James Marriott

Mr. Yongmin Wu & Mrs. Lily Huang

Jay Fraser

Mr. Gareth Mason & Ms. Carolyn Treger

Mr. Feng Xu & Mrs. Shuo Chen

Mrs. Hallie Fraser

Dr. Neil Mathur

Mr. Patrick Xue & Ms. Lucy Qiu

Drs. Deepu & Reena George

Ms. Jennifer Maynes

Mr. Zitao Ye & Mrs. Jenny Lu

Drs. Joe & Diana Germain

Mr. Jian Meng & Mrs. Qian Xie

Mrs. Hwa Youn Cho

Mr. Bob Gill & Mrs. Diana Carwithen

Ms. Sherrie Metz

Mr. Xiao Ping Yuan & Ms. Hong Li Gong

Mr. Kenneth Go & Mrs. Connie Chow-Go

Mr. & Mrs. Skigh & Vanessa Murray

Mr. Lixin Zhai & Mrs. Youying Zeng

Mr. Fulian Gong & Ms. Lian Zhao

Ms. Danielle Noël

Mr. James Zhang & Mrs. Yvonne Wei

Dr. Daniel Gouws & Mrs. Kimberley Buchanan Gouws

Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Barbara Niwa

Mr. Yong Shun Zhang & Ms. Dan Dan Hu

Mr. & Mrs. Warwick & Carolyn Green

Mr. David Noble

Mr. Yong Zhang & Ms. Wenqing Chen

Mr. & Mrs. Craig & Natalie Gunning

Ms. Angela Pallister

Mr. Shanhai Zhao & Ms. Li Wan

Halpern’s Limited

Mr. Steven Parewyck & Mrs. Anita Parewyck-Bonnarens

Ms. Xiao Hong Zhou

Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Tammy Haywood

Mr. Jason Parker & Dr. Nancy Vertel

Ms. Gilda Zivec

Mr. & Mrs. Don & Linda Hincks

Mr. & Mrs. Terrance & Moira Passley

Ms. Cindy Hops

Mr. & Mrs. Philip & Nicola Pitzey The above donors are recognized for their gifts to the Annual Fund as of March 31, 2015.

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MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

PRESENTED BY

LORDCO PARTS LTD

Sat urda y, June 20, 20 1 5 | M ead ow Gard en s Golf C lu b

GOLF & BRUNCH TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE! VISIT WWW.MEADOWRIDGE.BC.CA/GOLF We are proud to promote that all funds raised at this year’s tournament will be applied toward trail development and site maintenance in the recently acquired, affectionately named, North Forest. In the last two years we have been exploring the educational opportunities available in our own backyard and have engaged in a variety of ongoing environmental stewardship initiatives, including: stream rehabilitation, invasive species eradication, native species planting and wildlife habitat enhancements. Throughout the process we have worked with a number of community groups and environmental experts and are now entering the next phase of our exploration; extending the classroom to the outdoors and incorporating the natural environment into aspects of our curriculum, creative expressions, physical activities and service initiatives. This next step requires greater accessibility without compromising the environment or student safety. In order to begin developing trails throughout the North Forest this summer we rely on your support.

SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

15

FINE AND PERFORMING ARTS IN THE MYP

The Fine and Performing Arts have long been a central focus of Meadowridge School. The MYP programme continues to support this ideal through the implementation of a balanced academic programme including a curricular requirement for Fine Arts. Our MYP CAS Programme (Creativity, Activity, Service) further supports our commitment to the Arts.

The IBO describes the Arts component of the the MYP as a place where students develop through creating, performing and presenting arts in ways that engage and convey feelings, experiences and ideas. It is through this practice that students acquire new skills and master those skills developed in prior learning. Students have opportunities to function as artists, as well as learners of the arts. (http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/ middle-years-programme/curriculum/arts/ )

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ARTS IN THE MYP? The arts contribute to the broad range of opportunities provided to students to learn, express, and understand. This range is critical in not only connecting with every student, but also expanding the comfort zones of each student.

Again, the IBO answers this by stating the arts stimulate young imaginations, challenge perceptions and develop creative and analytical skills. Involvement in the arts encourages students to understand the arts in context and the cultural histories of artworks, supporting the development of an inquiring and empathetic world view. Arts challenge and enrich personal identity and build awareness of the aesthetic in a real-world context. (http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/middle-yearsprogramme/curriculum/arts/)

MYP ART CLASSES IN TERM 3: DRAMA, MUSIC & ART MUSIC In the final term, there are a number of exciting events

occurring in the Music department. The first thing is that the Festival choir will be going to the Kiwanis Festival. The choir has worked hard all year and is looking forward to the opportunity to listen to some other choirs and work with a clinician to refine their technique. In the Grade 9 and 10 classes, students are working towards the final concert and are moving away from the difficult classical literature into a lighter, pop and jazz based curriculum where the emphasis becomes the development of the individual within the small group, as opposed to the individual working and contributing to a larger musical unit. The Grade 6 to 8 music rotation will be working towards their MYP concert on June 10, where they will be singing chorally and performing on the guitar.

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I would also encourage everyone to come out and see Mary Poppins, which features many of our students from Grade 6 to 10, in an acting, dancing and singing extravaganza. The show runs in the second week of May. Mr. David Noble, MYP Teacher

DRAMATIC ARTS The arrival of a new term sees a new rotation

of Grade 6 Fine Art students taking Drama for the first time in their scholastic careers. They hear from their friends who have already taken Drama that it is a very different course because they are allowed to vocalize their creativity for the first time in a class setting.

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

From the Meadowridge Vision: Our school Mission is best carried out through connecting intellectual, emotional and physical learning with meaning in the child’s life in exciting, developmentally appropriate and challenging ways.

Children should be dignified as active meaning-makers, not passive recipients.

This can be intimidating for some and liberating for others. As Drama neophytes, their first instruction is to understand the value of bravery in performance and the need for self-confidence. To understand at a young age that these skills will be of paramount importance in any career they choose, helps guide them on their initial journey in performance arts.

Mr. Rhys Clarke, MYP Teacher

JUNIOR VISUAL ART CURRICULAR HIGHLIGHTS

The Junior Visual Arts curriculum runs from Grade 2 to 7. The course transitions and builds a solid scope and sequence between the PYP and MYP IB programmes, as well as supports and builds fundamentals for MYP students and their upcoming learning experience within the MYP/DP Visual Art programmes.

In the Visual Arts planning, it is a priority to make authentic connections and integrate into most classroom IB Units of Inquiry in order to expand context and further develop deeper investigation, thinking and learning.

Students are taught a wide variety of Visual Art skills and techniques and are introduced to a many multi-media approaches and materials throughout their time working within the programme. Holistic planning, assessment, teaching and learning occurs each day.

In Junior Art, students create both 2D and 3D works of art and have a breadth of experience working with several drawing mediums and paper surfaces, watercolour and acrylic paints, modeling clay, ceramics and printmaking. Students develop all plans and ideas for their work in a visual journal, referred to as a “DW” or a Developmental Workbook, which is also an integral part of the programme and is used to assess formatively.

Mrs. Katie Neibergall, PYP and MYP Teacher SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

17

THANK YOU! VOLUNTEERING AT MEADOWRIDGE M EAD O WR ID G E

VOLUNTEERISM

BY THE NUMBERS

460

SCHOOL FA M I L I E S

Inclusive of students with two households and homestay families

239 You have chosen to send your children here not only because you believe in the quality of education that Meadowridge can provide, but also because you yourself believe and live the ideals and vision that make Meadowridge different.

Every day, volunteers quietly (or not so quietly!) collaborate with teachers, peers and our community, demonstrating the IB Learner Profile that their own children live every day.

Our volunteers are:

OPEN-MINDED : We critically appreciate

our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others.

We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

CARING : We show empathy, compassion

and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

BALANCED :

We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives—intellectual, physical, and emotional—to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

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REFLECTIVE : We thoughtfully consider

the world and our own ideas and experience.

We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

Our volunteers are role models from the moment they step into their position, be it reading to Grade 1’s, saying “goodbye” to their family as they head to an evening committee meeting, or showing up to every soccer game throughout the year. Most volunteers likely begin volunteering because they want to be a part of their child’s life here at Meadowridge. However, I expect that they keep volunteering for many other reasons: seeing the impact on children other than their own, helping shape the path of the school, and personal fulfillment. No matter the reason, we are all grateful.

So, thank you to the caring parents who chaperone the field trips; thank you to the balanced parents who come every year to speak to the grade 5’s about the human body and being a doctor; thank you to the reflective parents on the Board of Governors, and thank you to the open-minded parents for sharing their life stories at events and in the classrooms.

Ms. Carolyn Sapach Community Development Coordinator

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PA R E N T VOLUNTEERS

PA I R S O F SPOUSES WHO VOLUNTEER

STUDENTS AT MEADOWRIDGE

535

THANK YOU MERCI

535 students who benefit from the generousity of our parents who give of their time

DANKIE SHUKRAN DO JEH XIE XIE DANKE THANK YOU DANKE

THANK YOU MERCI EFHARISTO GRAZIE SHUKRAN DO JEH ARIGATO KAMSA XIE TAK KIITOS DAN EFHARISTO GRAZIE KAMSA HAMNIDA TA SALAMAT PO DZIEKU OBRIGADO SPASIBO MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT: FRENCH PUBLIC SPEAKING AND SPANISH DANCING During the February Classroom Without Walls (CWOW) our students in Grades 9 to 12 participated in Second Language Activities. We enjoyed the culture of each language with great energy!

FRENCH PUBLIC SPEAKING In French, we held our annual Concours d’art Oratoire, and 14 students from Grades 9 to 12 presented their speeches during the CWOW block. Our honourable jury (Ms. Boyd, Ms. Bournival, Mr. Niwa, Mrs. Stanley, Mrs. White and Mrs. Sugden) with the help of our French-speaking students, were able to determine four finalists who will represent our school at the Provincial Concours d’art Oratoire on Saturday May 2, 2015.

Congratulations to Jennifer A. (Grade 12), Ellie M. (Grade 11), Emma H. (Grade 9), and Jonny H. (Grade 10)! We wish them Bonne Chance!

I would also like to express my gratitude to all people who helped on Friday. Thank you to our Judges, Technology crew (especially Derek S.), Mr. Noble, Mr. Banack and Ms. Lewis. Merci Beaucoup!

Mrs. Katerina Pogrebinsky, MYP/DP Teacher

félicitations!

Jonny H. (Grade 10), Ellie M. (Grade 11), Emma H. (Grade 9) and Jennifer A. (Grade 12) will proceed to the Provincial Concours d’art Oratoire in May.

SPANISH DANCING During the last CWOW, students in Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 each learned a different style of dance with different teachers. It was a great experience!

SPANISH 9 learned Zumba with Liliana SPANISH 10 learned Salsa with Robyn SPANISH 11 learned Tango with Bobbi and Patricia SPANISH 12 learned Flamenco with Kimberley Mrs. Joyce Villadiego, MYP Teacher

SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

ZUMBA

SALSA

TANGO

FLAMENCO

19

GRYPHON ALUMNI AND ALUMNI PARENT ATHLETE PROFILE Shyam Singh (‘09), Ashwin Singh (‘13) and Rajindar Singh (Alumni Parent and Volunteer)

specific one the best moment was winning the GVISAA Senior Boys Soccer with my brother as a teammate and my dad as my coach. There was not many things all three of us could share so dearly and commit so much effort into together much like we did here. Of course the other most amazing moment was being the first Senior Boys Basketball team to bring the banner home. Not everyone has the chance to say they did it first and I’m proud of those guys and myself who made it happen.

WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST LESSON OR HABIT YOU TOOK AWAY FROM YOUR TIME AS A GRYPHON? SS

The Singh Family (from left to right): Shyam Singh (‘09), Rajindar Singh (Alumni Parent), Ashwin Singh (‘13), Ashwin and Shyam’s Grandmother, and Sheila Singh (Alumni Parent).

AS

WHAT SPORTS DID YOU PLAY WHEN YOU WERE A GRYPHON AT MEADOWRIDGE? SS

AS

Everything! It was hard not to when friends were signing up for different sports. I suppose part of it was just being able to play the sports with them. Though I’ll always be true to soccer, I had a solid time in volleyball, basketball and badminton.

For me sports was a must and in turn that just meant playing any and every sport available. Over the years I was in soccer, basketball, badminton and track and field. Thankfully that’s all that was offered to guys; if not, I might have had my hands too full with volleyball added on to that list.

That’s tough. Maybe the time in my Grade 11 year of soccer when a teammate (Jan) took a penalty-kick during a semi-final shootout, which was saved by the keeper in such a way that it rolled ever so slowly in the opposite direction into the net and ended up being a goal. Somewhere, there exists a video of that terrifying six seconds; six seconds my entire life seemed to rest upon.

AS

My best memories will always be those surrounding winning.

It’s just a naturally memorable moment. What made this

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There’s no substitute for hard work, dedication and a relentless desire to be better. As much as everyone wants to or wanted to win, wishing only got us so far. It was the countless hours in the gym, on the court, on the field and outside of school that we spent working on our crafts that made us better. It wasn’t about winning, it was about coming out the other side better than you came in. Only a few can testify how poor a basketball player I was when I first started but I paid my dues where needed to become who I am. Work ethic is the foundation of it all because everything is earned, not given.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW IN LIFE? SS

WHAT IS YOUR BEST MEMORY AS A GRYPHON IN ATHLETICS? SS

Other than soccer, I had never played any of the other sports before. I also played with people I was meeting for the first time each year. So, being a Gryphon was a huge lesson in being open and adaptable to being in new situations with new people.

AS

I’m spending most of my time shuffling between UVic (Social Work/ Women’s Studies), my job at Starbucks, being a youth outreach worker, and working at a suicide awareness, support and education program. As well, I play soccer three times a week.

Actually, right now my life’s even more active than my days as a Gryphon athlete. Currently, I’m serving in the Singapore Armed Forces as a Platoon Commander. Second Lieutenant Ashwin reporting for duty. From leading my men, to endless hours doing paperwork, I still have to find time to fit my army training in. From Gym training, to 32km route marches, shooting all kinds of guns, and all that other classified stuff. My normal day starts at about 4am and ends just after midnight.

It’s almost worse than procrastinating on a chemistry lab and having to stay up to finish it.

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

Shown to the left: Ashwin beats an opponent while supported by fellow Gryphons Raheem Esmail, Omar Virani and Sean McCurdy.

LOOKING INTO A CRYSTAL BALL WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN FIVE YEARS? SS

AS

time in the gym in my free time. In the army myself, we do varying long distance running, route marches, close combat training, obstacle courses, etc. And don’t get me started how mentally tough the army is. So bluntly speaking, you go through things every day, either with or without your men, but it’s on you to take it as it comes. One of my favourite quotes from the army is, “tough times don’t last, only tough men do”.

I think I’ve been at my worst here but I’m still here aren’t I? I think I’m mentally stronger than I am physically now.

Hopefully, doing a graduate degree in Social Work, as well as working in the field. It is a very broad field, so it’s hard to say exactly where I’ll fit in. I’ve more recently thought a lot about working with indigenous nations of Canada; especially through processes of indigenous resurgence and decolonization. Again, even this is a broad scope, and I cannot do it justice in a sentence, but I’d be quite happy to involve myself in it however I can.

Given that I’m currently in the army, in five years I probably would have just finished or almost finished university. It’s a bit weird being that much older and going to University.

With that being said, let me look a bit farther and say I’ll be a physiotherapist. That’s the eventual goal. Even better if I could offer my services to a team or a club. I’ve also never ruled out my option of signing on with the army and doing what I’m actually quite good at. But that crystal ball is a bit more blurry and probably won’t clear up for a while.

IF YOU COULD PASS ON ONE PIECE OF ADVICE TO CURRENT GRYPHON ATHLETES, BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE, WHAT WOULD IT BE? SS

It made me work on my passing accuracy in soccer, in order to keep the ball better and set up my teammates. In my outreach and social services work, it makes me practice my communication skills and keep a critical awareness of my environments, especially so that I can support my team members and respond to situations in the most meaningful way possible. This same awareness extends to the ways that I learn to support my family and my friends in whatever ways I can. So, all in all, how can I make the people around me better? I’ve not found a better way to play, or live.

WHAT DO YOU DO NOW TO STAY MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY HEALTHY? SS

I run and play soccer. A lot of the time I spend at school and in my non-Starbucks positions require loads of mental and emotional energy, and I’ve never found anything that works better for me than to sweat it out and expend physical energy.

I feel a lot lighter and clear-headed after a good sweat.

Music helps so much. Whether it’s having my earphones in when I’m walking or on the bus, or drumming whenever I can put away some time for it; music has always been very important to me.

Also, it always helps to sleep on something. It’s rare that I’m not occupied with different people, responsibilities and deadlines. There are times, way into the night, that my head is filled with thoughts and concerns. I’ve found that, at some point, it’s more useful to just go to sleep, because I wake up with a different attitude and a different ability to tackle the concerns and issues I have.

AS

Besides the army, I still actively play basketball and soccer (pick-up games where I find them). I also cannot forget doing

SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

The most important question I regularly ask myself is: how can I make the people around me better? That may come in the form of the team I’m playing with, the people in my class, my friends, my family, or the people I work with. This question always helps me clarify how I need to improve in order to help the people around me flourish.

AS

I’m going to reference a question that I was once asked and I kept the answer dear with me since. The army asked me, as a Lieutenant in the army, who is commanding men who are possibly older or even smarter than me, what made me so much more capable of officership and being given a rank. The answer is simple. I had a conviction stronger than the next guy.

So what makes you different from the next guy is your attitude and drive to do what you do.

Let me end this the same way I did all my English essays at Meadowridge, with a quote that I live by now and is applicable to so many things we do: “to lead we dare, to excel we will and to overcome we must.”

RAJINDAR SINGH’S INTERVIEW ON NEXT PAGE

→

21

Shown to the Left: Rajindar coached countless soccer teams during his seven years of coaching, having even served as coach during our first GVISAA Championship victory.

ALUMNI PARENT VOLUNTEER PROFILE Rajindar Singh (Alumni Parent and Volunteer) HOW LONG DID YOU COACH AT MEADOWRIDGE?

ANY ADVICE FOR GRYPHON COACHES OR PLAYERS?

I coached at Meadowridge for seven years.

I always thought that it was just as important to display good sportsmanship and discipline as it was to win and both Scott [Mr. Spurgeon] and I took great pains to ensure that our players did that.

WHAT WERE YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS WITH THE GRYPHONS? Every year of coaching was memorable as we had a new team every year. Making it to the Provincials for the first time in Meadowridge’s soccer history was a highlight for me and the players involved. There were also three GVISAA finals that featured amazing games - the first was the Shyam/Mathias (Grade 11) year when we won GVISAA for the very first time. The year after that, with the same team, featured an amazing penalty shootout, including one penalty shot for us that hit the bar and rebounded into the penalty box and the opposition goalkeeper thought they had won only for the ball to spin over the line and roll into goal and continue the penalty shootout. We went on to win that final. My final year also had a very tense penalty shootout at Town Centre and was memorable as we had come in second for the last four years or so. Also memorable were the occasions that we won the Most Sportsmanlike Team award.

Outside of competition, the time we spent at the Provincials outside of game time, was very memorable. This was because our players were always exemplary in public. The amount of good feedback we received from hotel staff, soccer officials and total strangers about the behaviour of our players was quite amazing. All our teams were great ambassadors for the school.

22

We also worked a lot on the players’ individual basic skills as we believed that it would make them a better team. This gave them a lot of confidence in the game.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW IN LIFE? I am still practising law from my home office in Maple Ridge and my wife Sheila helps out in the administration of the office. After Ashwin graduated, I continued coaching soccer at Meadowridge for one more season. For the last five years Sheila and I (and Ashwin and Shyam when they are around), have been coaching the youth and children of the Bhutanese refugee community in Coquitlam.

Shyam is now in UVIC and Ashwin is serving a mandatory two years of military service in Singapore. Sheila and I are involved in a number of volunteer activities, including spending time at a charity farm in Surrey, cooking and feeding the hungry and homeless at shelters and doing sing-along sessions at seniors’ homes and shelters.

We also visited Singapore in January to attend Ashwin’s commissioning ceremony (he became an officer) as well as to catch up with family there that we had not visited for some years. • MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

ATHLETICS UPDATE: SPRING

Shown Above: Members of last year’s Senior Boys’ Track and Field Relay team join together for a group photo. From left to right: Nick Han, Josh Lampen, Liam Watt and Ryan Cho (‘14).

Shown Above: The 2014 Elementary Track and Field team, together with their coaches, proudly display their ribbons during a group photo in the gym.

Spring sports are on now and at Meadowridge that means Track and Field, Badminton and Golf are just kicking off. We continue to host the sport of Fencing through the spring months with Meadowridge hosting its annual Fencing tournament April 11th & 12th – come out and see fencers of all abilities, including those who have competed at the international level! Thank you to staff fencing coaches, Mrs. Connie Chow-Go, Mr. Darrell Lester, Ms. Nadine Sugden, and Mr. Michael Bruins. The Fencing team is also very honoured to have the outside coaching talents and the international level of experience brought by Mr. Mason, Ms. Runtova, and Mr. Etropolski.

The Grade 1 to 3 students are also going to have the opportunity to compete in a local Cross Country race against all other students in both public and independent schools in School District 42. Thank you to coaches Mrs. Nicola Pitzey and Mrs. Audrey Lum for leading these students in their training.

TRACK AND FIELD Track competitions are open to students

in Grades 4 to 12 with some of our top athletes training at outside clubs such as the local Golden Ears Track and Field Club or the Abbotsford-based Valley Royals Track and Field Club. Students in Grades 4 through 7 compete at both the ISEA meet and also the large local School District 42 Meet that sees thousands of students from Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge all come together for competitions beginning May 26th and culminating in the Championships at Maple Ridge Secondary Track on June 4th and 5th.

The Grade 8 to 12 students have a few more competitions beginning in April, which end at the Provincial Championships at McLeod Park in Langley from June 4th to 6th. Meadowridge also holds its own track and field meet, ran by our Grade 10 students, for Grade 3 to 7 students at Rotary Stadium in Abbotsford on April 21st. The school staff has been very supportive of the track teams and the wide variety of events. Our track and field coaches consist of the following for both elementary and high school: Ms. Denise Brabban, Mrs. Selena Dobie, Ms. Lindsey Oneil, Mrs. Michelle Brookshaw, Ms. Alison Jamieson, Ms. Nadine Sugden, Mrs. Katie Neibergall, Mr. Jamie Marriott, Ms. Kerry Stanley and Mr. Scott Spurgeon.

BADMINTON Badminton is a very popular sport at Meadowridge

with over 50 students coming out regularly to train with professional coaches from Shuttle Sports leading the practices. This year they have a very busy schedule with league competitions in both the GVISAA league, as well as the districts leading to the Fraser Valley Championships. In total, the badminton team is currently scheduled for 16 competitions across the three grade categories that encompass all those competing in Grade 8 to 12. A special thanks to Mrs. Joyce Villadiego and Ms. Deepti Rajeev for their dedication and time in leading this team.

GOLF Golf is taking off at Meadowridge with a dedicated pool of golfers coming up from the elementary ranks. Under the leadership of Mrs. Michelle Brookshaw and Ms. Shelley Lewis, the Grade 3 to 7 golfers are getting professional coaching at Meadowridge Gardens Golf Course. The High School team this year is playing an exhibition schedule and working on their game with Mr. Nick Jackson, Mr. Mark Conaghan and Mr. David Noble. The Senior golf team also has Meadow Gardens as their home course and will be visiting some other courses in the valley, including Sandpiper, and going further west into the lower mainland for a GVISAA tournament.

Mr. Scott Spurgeon, Director of Athletics

The Running Club, led by Ms. Jennifer Maynes and Mr. Kevin Kennedy, is back on Thursday after school and supporting the Track and Field distance runners.

SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

23

LIBRARY UPDATE

PYP READATHON The PYP classes celebrated the end of Term

Two with a Readathon. The whole day was dedicated to reading activities. To make reading cozier, students came in pajamas with stuffed animals and blankets.

It was a week full of mysteries leading up to the Readathon. The students became mystery story writers. With little more than the title, “The Case of the Missing Gryphon”, and an opening paragraph, the students wrote their own mysteries. Within their story they wove in elements of a fairy tale. The stories were on display in the Library and the creativity, humor and sense of suspense made for a wonderful variety of stories. Mr. Donaldson even read the Junior Kindergarten story aloud at the PYP assembly!

Each day there was a new mystery word. After finding hidden letters around the school, the students worked together to unscramble the letters. Even the youngest students enjoyed the challenges with the support of their teachers.

Another highlight was a mystery story delivered each day. But on Friday, there was no mystery book delivered, only this clue....

A missing book on this special day!

Can you find it? Don’t delay!

Work as a team and you will see The story is right where it ought to be.

The students went on a scavenger hunt with clues leading them to the Library. Upon arrival, they were greeted by a guest reader. With thanks to our fabulous guest readers Mr. Parker, Mrs. Brookshaw, Mrs. Neibergall, Ms. Higginson, and Mrs. Bereza.

Mrs. Heather Nicholson, Teacher-Librarian

FEBRUARY & MARCH BOOK DONATIONS

1 2 3 24

A SONG FOR MY SISTER // Lesley Simpson Donated by Milas S. (Grade 1)

THE VALENTINE BEARS // Eve Bunting Donated by Milas S. (Grade 1)

Every Cowgirl Goes to School // Rebecca Janni Donated by Milas S. (Grade 1)

MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

From the Meadowridge Vision: Our children must be able to recognize problems and to love inquiry: they must know how to gather information – gather through books, through digital means, through interviews, through observation, and through listening and talking and being curious. They have to be able to use that information in a variety of ways – to comprehend, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate, to create, imagine, and produce.

READING LINK CHALLENGE The Grade 4/5 Reading Link

comradery and sportsmanship was most evident! Congratulations

Team enjoyed participating in the Meadowridge School Challenge

to The Reading Rock Stars! The team members include Kaylyn

on Monday, March 23. The event was hosted by staff of the Maple

B. (Grade 4), Mollie M. (Grade 4), Kaitlin M. (Grade 4), Sarayu N.

Ridge Public Library. With many parents, staff members and all

(Grade 4), Yuka W. (Grade 4) and Isabella Zhang (Grade 4). They will

the Grade 4 and 5 students to ‘cheer’ for the six teams it was an

proceed to the Maple Ridge Public Library Challenge on April 1st.

energized event. The teams performed extremely well and the

We wish them the best of luck!

GRADE 11 FIELDTRIP TO SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY LIBRARY Rigorous research is needed to help Grade 11 students develop an excellent Extended Essay. As a result, students were provided the opportunity to take part in a fieldtrip to the SFU Library.

They were also provided library cards to use until their Grade 12 year. The Librarians gave a lesson on how to access a variety of quality resources through the SFU library system. Our students were then given time to begin their research for the Extended Essay. Halfway through the day, they were treated to a pizza lunch and listened to a mini lecture by History professor Dr. Tina Adcock. In addition to speaking on the topic of Canadian explorers, she also spoke about her experience as an IB student in high school. She stressed how well the IB programme helped prepare her for the rigors of University. In the afternoon, students were given more time to research and arrived back at Meadowridge School with a variety of print and electronic sources. The day was a great start to the Extended Essay process.

SFU LIBRARY FIELD TRIP COMMAND TERMS EXPLORE

Undertake a systematic process of discovery

USE

Apply knowledge or rules to put theory into practice

Mrs. Christal Storgaard, Mrs. Carolyn Green, Mrs. Cathy White and Mrs. Michelle Flintermann SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

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BEYOND THE CLASSROOM GRADE 5 FIELD TRIPS JUSTICE INSTITUTE FIELD TRIP Just before Spring Break, the Grade 5

students had an opportunity to visit the Justice Institute, B.C., Maple Ridge Fire Department training facility. During the eventful day, students tested their strength by shooting fire hoses, completing an evacuation maze through furniture, the ‘stop, drop and roll’, making an emergency ‘mock’ call to 911, exploring the fire trucks and the different fire safety equipment. Students also participated in role play scenarios that allowed them to think, practice life-long skills and reinforced how we need to react in any emergency situation; mainly with a calm and cool disposition. Learning from the fire fighter graduates was a warm and worthwhile experience. Our Meadowridge students have a new-found appreciation of the daily risks involved as a first responder.

We came away from this trip with sound advice to practice our exit plans at home and to check our smoke detector alarms regularly. We hope to return to JIBC next year to go through the emergency procedures again.

Mr. Avio Diniz (Grade 5 Teacher) and Ms. Eliza Hoang (UBC Candidate Teacher)

STUDENT REFLECTIONS: JIBC FIELD TRIP On Thursday, we went to JIBC fire station! It was so fun! We got to spray real fireman hoses. There are two types of sprays: one that reaches a long distance and the other one is more of a shield to protect us. We learnt STOP, DROP and ROLL. You do that when you’re on fire. We then learnt about EDITH. It stands for Exit Drills In The House. We went through a ‘maze’ of chairs and learnt when we should call 911 and when we shouldn’t.

We went on a field trip to Justice Institute which was a fire department school. We learned some fire rules and how to use a hose…and we saw cool things such as crashed trains and planes. At last we went on a tour to see the whole Justice Institute grounds and we saw crashed cars, some smoke charred houses where the firefighters had to get into there to save dummies. That was their training!

The fire school was the best trip because we got to fire a real fire hose, got to see a real firetruck, and got to see a burnt down building. We got to see a broken down ship and a broken train as well.

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MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM GRADE 5 FIELD TRIPS

KISS FM RADIO STATION FIELD TRIP It is early in

the morning. You sit in your car and push a button… and then immediately like magic, your radio station comes to life with catchy music, the news, and scores of advertisements. All things being broadcasted wirelessly to the awaiting receiver and speakers of your car. Rarely do you pause to think about how this is made possible.

In Grade 5, we did just that during our How We Express Ourselves unit of inquiry. The students wanted to know how media and advertisements influenced our thinking. Our research took us to KISS FM Radio Station in Vancouver that broadcasts the 104.9 KISS FM, 96.9 JACK FM and News1130 AM channels. Do you know what AM and FM stand for and how they are different?

AS SEEN ON TWITTER

The PYP leaders took an in-depth tour of the facility and observed the intricate workings of a radio station in full “on air” mode. We even got an opportunity to create an advertisement in the recording booth, notice how a Radio Jockey expertly manages all the sound controls and observe how current news is gathered, analyzed, and synthesized before being disseminated to the listeners. At one time, it had to be silent in the large news room as the daily traffic update had to be aired on News1130 AM… and we were right there in real time when it was transmitted! Do you know people call in to provide the traffic update but they also receive video feeds from cameras along major highways? We learned how songs are chosen for each hour, how catchy jingles are created, how KISS FM events and promotions work, how radio ratings are acquired and much more.

We would like to thank the producers of KISS FM, especially Mr. Terry Chan, for graciously hosting us and for patiently answering our many inquiring questions. At the end of our visit, Mr. Chan only had the highest praise our well behaved and extremely knowledgeable Grade 5 students. Well done students!

Our students were singing along with the radio all the way back to Meadowridge School. This field trip certainly “tuned” out alright!

Thank you to Mrs. Gunning and Mrs. Ramsay for coming along.

Mr. Avio Diniz and Ms. Sherrie Metz Grade 5 Teachers SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

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From the Meadowridge Vision: We live in and cherish communities, not just ourselves, and so our children must be caring, so that natural justice will spread with them. This caring for others has to inhabit our school, and help our alumni to “shape our world� as leaders.

SERVICE TRIPS

COSTA RICA: EXCERPTS FROM THE STUDENT BLOG COSTA RICA: DAY ONE

On our first day after a five-hour flight, we arrived safely in Toronto for a nice five-hour break, just in time to see the sunrise. After a nice rest we took a sixhour flight to arrive in sunny Costa Rica!

Once getting our luggage and going through customs, we waited outside to meet our tour guides and head to the site. We met Alejandro and Thomas, the tour guides for our trip. They helped us to the bus, where they put our luggage on the roof! Everything did arrive safely, luggage, kids and all, but not before a stop at a grocer where we got fresh fruit and snacks for a long road trip ahead.

We arrived in Matapalo around 9pm, with everyone tired and exhausted from a long day of traveling. We got the luggage off the roof of the car and everyone got sorted into their cabin.

Then we went to the cafeteria where we had our first meal in Costa Rica, which was beans and rice. Everyone was hungry so the meal was eaten quickly and some people even went for seconds! Dinner was finished and everyone was eager to get to sleep and rest after a long day.

COSTA RICA: DAY TWO

Today started the first day of many of working with the turtles! Even though everyone was very tired and enjoying the well-deserved sleep, we 28

still got up bright and early to get into the schedule starting with breakfast at 8am! A beautiful breakfast of roasted plantains, eggs, and rice and beans awaited us when we got to the cafeteria. After everyone ate we had a presentation explaining all the types of turtles, and all about the program and the work we are doing here. After this the kids had free time, but it ended up with everyone going down to the beach to swim in a very different pacific ocean! The water was bath-tub warm, as Ms. Hook would say. The current was very strong but the water was beautiful, so everyone stayed in for a while and had fun at the beach!

Lunch was served at 12pm, which was spaghetti, salad and, yet again, rice and beans! After lunch our tour guide Alejandro took us on a walk to a small pond where we got to jump off cliffs and into the water. The walk there was beautiful with views from the top of the hill down to the jungle and the ocean beyond. Everyone was starting to get tired as the walk went on, but once we arrived to the small pond, all frowns vanished as kids relaxed and enjoyed the cool water. After a while we started the walk back, which was just as beautiful as the walk there.

We arrived back at the site around 4pm and went straight to work! Everyone was set up in a line and our job was to shovel sand into bags and take those bags to fill up the nesting area

where the turtles nest would be dug once this job was done. It was long and tiresome, but the work was all worthwhile because after the work was done we got the privilege of releasing some of the baby turtles that were on site. The 15 turtles hatched and were ready for the race to the ocean. All the kids (and the teachers and us grade 11's) were really excited to release the turtles because it is something we have never experienced before. The starting line was set up 8 meters away from the ocean, and the kids were lined up with their turtles. Everyone named their turtles and on Ms. Hook's call the race began! All the turtles were eager to get to the ocean, and quickly ran. Watching this was incredible and made everyone realize the amount of work and effort that all the kids were putting in was all worth it because of this moment.

After the turtle release, everyone went to dinner hungry after a long day.

Because everyone was tired and wakeup call was early the next morning, everyone went to their cabins for a relaxed couple hours of talking before showers and bed. Si thienes una Buena noche!

COSTA RICA: DAY THREE

After yet another early start at 6am to work, all the kids were eager to help and got ready to work and had a good hour of hard work. Even better today we got to release even more turtles!

There were two types: 51 olive ridleys MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

and 10 green turtles, which are much more rare. We were told that any of the turtles surviving was a miracle as they were taken from a poacher! So we really did see and help in a miracle.

After that morning everyone showered and went to a delicious breakfast of rice, beans, and pancakes. We then went to clean off the beach of litter, to help with the habitat of the turtles and the project site. We then had an hour so we all went to have free time and lounged around under the palms, enjoying the warm weather (31 degrees Celsius) and the costa rican sun. Afterwards, we all went to lunch, and enjoyed the prepared lentils, beans, rice and mashed yuto, a costa rican food with a relation to the potato.

We then had free time where we first went to the beach and enjoyed the waves and the sun, we then played games as a group under the shade of the trees, and went for a final session of work at the Matapalo location of this hatchery. As celebration we all went into the sparkling sea at the golden sunset on our last night at the beautiful hatchery at Matapalo beach. We then had dinner of lentils, beans, pasta, and rice, and went to pack our stuff for the long day of travelling we had the next day.

TRAVEL DAY: DAY FIVE

Due to the day of traveling being done today, the students were able to sleep in until 7 o’clock. Breakfast was served at eight and was dry cereal and fresh fruit. After breakfast we had ten minutes to say goodbye to our new friends in Matapalo, then we were off on our long eight hour drive across the country to Quelonios. After a two hour bus ride we stopped at the river to view crocodiles from the top of the bridge.

The crocodiles where magnificent, the largest being at least six feet long.

Once we were finished marveling over the crocodiles, we stopped for smoothies and souvenirs on the far side of the river. The smoothies were excellent being made with fresh, ripe tropical fruit. Once we left the crocodile river, we did not stop again until three o’clock for lunch. Lunch was stupendous the options being: fillet of chicken, fillet of beef, fish, chicken with sauce, and beef with sauce. Two hours later we arrived at the boat dock.

The Quelonios project was about a ten minute boat ride from the dock. It was raining and cool when we arrived, and we quickly hopped into bed. We were excited for our new adventure in Quelonios.

SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

QUELONIOS: DAY SIX

the first night, due to high tides which made coming to the beach hard for the turtles. We still have a lot more chances to see a turtle, hopefully one will be soon!

Orientation began at the Quelonios project, which explained what the project did and how it was a selfsustained community. Everything they ate was grown in their own garden and water came from a pump right outside the volunteer bunk. The group was separated into two; one explaining the patrols and what happened during them, and another of a quick tour of the project. In the garden, fresh pineapple was grown and personally it was the funniest thing. The pineapple grew out of the ground around the plant, so multiple pineapples grew out of one plant.

QUELONIOS: DAY SEVEN

Day one at the Quelonios project began with the kids waking up around 7am for breakfast at 8, which was delicious pancakes and fresh fruit!

After seeing everything the project had to entail lunch was served to the kids, which was spaghetti. Once lunch was over the group took a trip over to the other side of the river to do a beach cleanup and to show the beach where the patrols would be held. The cleaning was mostly of sticks, vegetation and garbage. The sticks were to clear a path for both us and the turtles during the night. Everyone got back and had free time until dinner, which was pasta again. The kids ate up dinner and those who had the first turtle watch at 8pm tried to get a quick nap before heading out. No turtles were seen on

Those who had night shifts got to sleep in the next day while the rest of the group woke up at 8am for breakfast and then began their assigned duties.

Work was done around the project to help the community. Some groups were assigned gardening while others were assigned cleaning the dorm room and helping in the kitchen.

The rest of the morning was spent exploring the beach, playing in the sand, and spending time in the hammocks. We had our first Spanish class with Yoli, one of the other volunteers at the project. She said she wasn’t much of a teacher, but everyone ended up speaking lots of Spanish and having lots of fun! After Spanish class, more down time was spent in the hammocks and card games in the house. A game of beach volleyball was played and everyone joined in and had great fun, with the teams getting competitive and laughing! The kids were really excited around dinner time when it was time to catch the chickens.

Catching them was lots of fun for them, because the chickens were really fast and did not want to be caught.

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COSTA RICA (CONTINUED) QUELONIOS: DAY EIGHT

The group last night saw a turtle! The leatherback was 1.55 meters long, and that was just the shell! The group came just in time to see the turtle lay her eggs, and everyone was in awe with the turtles’ movements as she finished laying her eggs and covering up the nest.

The group was very excited coming back, telling everyone else that they saw the very first turtle of the group! The times of the shifts were changed to 10pm to 2am, the rest of the volunteers thought that this was a better chance of seeing the turtles. And

with the excitement of seeing the first turtle, another day of work in the small project began. Work in the garden and the house was done, and everyone was excited to help out with their duties.

The afternoon we went to Casa Del Coco, a small house made entirely out of coconut.

The man living in the house taught us how he shreds the coconut and makes it into oil, which is a very long and enduring process.

There were even puppies at the project, which all the kids were playing with and holding. After our visit with the coconut

keeper, everyone got to see what the man was selling in his shop, which would be also sold at the market the next day.

Something I never knew about coconut oil was that raw coconut oil can be used with Parkinson's, because it helps with the patients. More beach cleanup was done after this, and it was really great to see the progress that was made as we cleaned up the beach from beginning to end. More patrols tonight, hopefully with more turtles!

Pura Vida!

FLORIDA: STUDENT REFLECTION This trip has been going on for many years. But it was changed slightly this year, and a service portion was added to the trip.

For this service portion of the trip, the Grade 7 to 10 student participants went to help out at the Wild Horse Rescue Center (WHRC) in Mims, Florida. They offer an on-site volunteer program to people all over the world to participate in their lifesaving work and to get hands-on experience with their wonderful mustangs. This volunteer program is the center's only income and source of labour.

The duties on the ranch involved mucking out the pens and the emptying, cleaning and re-filling of the animals' food and water dishes, as well as helping clean up before and after meals and cleaning up the patio. The girls were also in charge of cleaning out the section of the house that we were staying at (the boys were staying a few minutes away at a local campsite). Apart from the daily chores, the students also had a full day of service: they painted a fence and cleared out a bunch of brush and small trees from a pen to make more space for the horses.

WHRC was founded by Diane Delano and is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the preservation and protection of wild mustangs and burros. Many of the horses found at WHRC were actually horses that had been rounded up and abused or neglected and it is the job of the volunteers to help rehabilitate them so they can be given to good homes. To domesticate the animals, the volunteers don't use any force; the horses are treated with care and with the same respect we show other people and are taught using positive reinforcement and gentle guidance.

It wasn't all work though. Throughout the stay at the ranch the students also participated in many fun activities. They also all played with all the animals, and there were a lot of them! They had 36 horses, three burros, 16 dogs, a rabbit, two guinea pigs, a bunch of chickens and a pig. Also, on March 9th it was Sophia and Kabil's birthday, so the students had a day full of games ranging from horseshoe throwing to BB gun shooting. Students also went to the beach for a day. It was lots of fun; the sky was clear and the water was warm enough to swim in. There were some jellyfish that washed

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MEADOWRIDGE SCHOOL GRYPHON

Students who participated in the Florida Service Trip helped out at the Wild Horse Rescue Center (WHRC), an organisation dedicated to the preservation and protection of wild mustangs and burros.

up on the beach and Elli got stung, though she was the only one.

about the history, culture, and main ideas of each park. They even had a physics lesson.

From the Meadowridge

After spending time there and seeing how much good the WHRC really does for the horses, and how much of a problem they are facing, the money the students raised prior to going to Florida seems very insignificant; so, some of the students have decided that they want to continue fundraising.

Students also went to the Kennedy Space Center which was really cool. They learned the history of how Canada got to space and they even got to see actual rockets, which was amazing! Then, to end off the trip, they went to Sea World. Watching the animals, whether they were dolphins, killer whales or just fish was great, though the students thought the roller coasters were cooler!

principled in their decision-

The second half of the trip was in Orlando.

Students went to all of the Disney parks, as well as Universal Studios and Sea World – it was amazing! Most mornings, they had an educational program at the park before being set free to have fun. During these educational programs the students learnt SPRING 2015 VOLUME ONE

All the students seem to have bonded and the entire trip was very much a success and a lovely bonding experience.

Vision: Students need to be making and in their actions, in order that they live well with others and for others, and create just communities.

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Our Vision

People are drawn to our school from around the world. In the spirit of active collaboration with teachers, peers, and our community, we learn how to care for ourselves and for others. Knowing that change is the only certainty, we engage with challenging and complex questions effectively and creatively. Through outstanding teaching, programmes and facilities, meadowridge develops in us the confidence not only to meet the future, but also to create it.

Our Mission

Learning to live well, with others and for others, in a just community.