News from Vanier - February 3-7

February 3rd, 2020

Dear Vanier families and friends,

Due to a few unforeseen delays, our report cards did not get mailed last week – they are in the mail as of today, though!  We apologize for the delay.

This week will start our course selection process with the distribution of course selection sheets which we will also post on our website when ready.  These will be due for all Vanier students on Thursday, February 20.  As always, our counsellors, learning assistance teachers, and school administration are happy to provide advice and assistance to students and families when filling out the course selection sheets. 

In addition, I’ll be visiting the Gr. 7 classrooms at Christ and King and Holy Family to begin the transition process for our Class of 2025! 

Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal

Dates to Note:
This week is a pretty quiet week!  However, there are lots of important things happening next week:

• Tuesday, February 11 – Grade 9 à 10 Course selection / Wood Street presentation for students @ 10 am
• Tuesday, February 11 – Grade 7 à 8 Parent Information Session – 7:00pm in the Cafeteria
• Wednesday, February 12 – 11:09am – Vanier Spirit Rally, 2020 AWG Participants and Volunteers recognition
• Thursday, February 13 – 7:00pm – Wood Street Centre Open House at 411 Wood Street, this is to provide information on all WSC programs
• Monday, February 17 – Grade 9 à 10 Parent Information Session – 7:00pm in the Small Gym
• Wednesday, February 19 – 12:12pm – Cabane à sucre (Sugar Shack)
• Thursday, February 20 – Course selection sheets are due.
• Friday, February 21 – Heritage Day.  No school!
• Tuesday, February 25 – 7:00am – Shrove Tuesday pancake breakfast in the Cafeteria
• Wednesday, February 26 – 11:09 am – Ash Wednesday Liturgy – everyone is welcome to attend.
• Friday, February 28 – Catholic Schools of Whitehorse PD Day.  No School!

Course Selection
Course selection sheets are being distributed this week to all Grade 8-11 students.  Digital versions will be posted on our school website later this week.
An important meeting will be held for all Grade 9 students who will enter Grade 10 next year to talk about the Graduation Program on Tuesday, February 11 in the morning.  This information will be repeated during a parent/guardian presentation on Monday, February 17 at 7 pm in the Small Gym.

Wood Street Centre – 2020-2021 Program Application Dates

• Wood Street Centre Open House  - Thursday, February 13, 2020 – 7 pm at Wood St. Centre.
• Deadline for 2020 - 2021 Experiential Science 11 (ES 11) Applications into Wood Street Centre  - Friday, February 21, 2020.
• Deadline for 2020 - 2021 Program Applications (except ES 11) into Wood Street Centre  - Friday, March 6, 2020.
• ES11 Overnight Event - Friday, March 6, 2020 and Saturday morning, March 7, 2020.

Please see woodstreetcentre.ca for all 2020-2021 Application Packages.

Vanier Learning Commons
There are many items overdue from the Vanier Learning Commons.  These include textbooks and calculators which are needed for classes this semester as well as books from the circulating collection which were borrowed a long time ago and not returned.  This means that they are not available to anyone else to read, to enjoy or to learn from.  Overdue notices were included with the most recent student report cards.  Please help your student look in their closet, under their bed or on family book shelves to find Vanier books and return them!

Tutoring Program
With the start of a new semester, Grade 10-12 students may find themselves in classes where some additional assistance may help them achieve their best.  Grade 8 and 9 students may find, halfway through the year, in a similar position!
All Vanier students can receive tutoring from other students for assistance in course work, assignments or organizational skills.  The students requesting tutors are self-identified or identified by parents or teachers.
To receive tutoring the student simply needs to fill in an application in the Skills Room (Room 3).
Students in Grade 10, 11, or 12 can apply to be a tutor. Tutors can either earn service learning hours or an hourly wage.   Peer tutors are paid on a graduated scale, which increases with grade level and number of hours tutored. Potential tutors need to come in person to the Skills room and fill in an application. Students will be matched one on one by the Department Head of Student Support Services. 

Service Learning Hours
If your child received an “I” on their report card for Religion and had a comment saying they need to get their Service Learning Hours completed, please encourage them to see Mr. Gillard regarding this matter.  They may also have hours not completed in previous years that is affecting credits on their transcripts.  Please keep in mind, if a student did not complete hours in one year, they do carry over to the next. 
Please visit the website for more details: https://www.vcssreligion.com/service-learning

Sleep Hygiene – Installment #3
Here’s our last installment about sleep – it’s pretty repetitive, but we hope that students and parents/guardians will take some of this information to heart!
Teens and sleep: Why you need it and how to get enough

• Tired of always feeling sleepy?
• Having trouble staying awake in class?
• Find it hard to get out of bed for school in the morning?
• Have an overwhelming need for a nap as soon as you get home from school?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. Many teenagers feel that they are always tired.
Why do teens need more sleep?Sleep helps to fuel your brain and your body. Teens need more sleep because their bodies and minds are growing quickly.
Scientific research shows that many teens do not get enough sleep. To be at your best, you need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every day. While you might not always be able to get this much, it’s important to try and get as much as you can.
Why is it important to get enough sleep?Although getting enough sleep may not seem that big a deal, teens who don’t get enough sleep and are overtired are more likely to:

• struggle in school,
• have trouble with memory, concentration and motivation (the desire to accomplish a goal),
• be involved in car crashes and other accidents. Sleepiness (the feeling of wanting or needing to sleep in places and at times when you shouldn’t) affects reaction times, or
• feel depressed, which can become a serious medical condition.

What causes my sleepiness?Often the reason is obvious, such as too many late nights in a row. Although there are some medical causes of sleepiness, most sleepy teens just aren’t getting enough sleep.
How do I know if I’m getting enough sleep?Signs that you need more sleep can include:

• difficulty waking up in the morning,
• trouble concentrating throughout the day,
• falling asleep during classes, and
• feeling moody or even depressed.

Why is it so hard to get enough sleep?There are many reasons. Some you may be able to control and some you may not.
You probably have a very busy life, but you still need “downtime” to relax, unwind and spend time with friends. This usually happens at the expense of sleeping. Many teens also crave the quiet privacy of a late night after parents have gone to bed.
When you think about all the other things you need to do (homework, socializing, sports, chores, part-time jobs, etc.), getting to bed early enough to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep can seem pretty hard.
Here are some suggestions:

• Have a relaxing bedtime routine. Have a light snack (such as a glass of milk) before bed. Try to go to bed at about the same time every night. Keep your room cool, dark and quiet but open the curtains or turn on the lights as soon as you get up in the morning.
• Always fall asleep in your bed. Use your bed for sleeping only. Avoid doing homework, using a smartphone or tablet, or playing video games while in bed. Try to be in your bed with the lights out for at least 8 hours every night.
• Napping during the day can make it difficult to fall asleep. If you want to nap, keep it short (less than 30 minutes). Definitely don’t nap after dinner.
• Get exercise every day, but avoid very hard exercise in the evening.
• Avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, pop, energy drinks), especially after mid-afternoon. Don’t use any products to help you sleep such as alcohol, herbal products or over-the-counter sleep aids.
• Limit screen time before bed. Using electronic media and being exposed to the screen’s light before trying to sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.
• On weekends, no matter how late you go to bed, try to get up within 2 hours to 4 hours of your usual wake time. This is especially important if you have trouble falling asleep on Sunday nights.
• Make sure you are not trying to do too much. Do you still have some time for fun and to get enough sleep? If you are having trouble sleeping because you have too much on your mind, try keeping a diary or to-do lists. If you write things down before sleep, you may feel less worried or stressed.