News from Vanier - January 20-24

January 20th, 2020

Dear Vanier families and friends,
This is a long email - we have lots of important information to share this week!

Happy start of semester 2! 
The semester change is a natural time to reflect and recommit to the course of studies at Vanier.  This afternoon, we had a short assembly to welcome our new students (and welcome back those who have returned from other schools/programs) and to remind students that the mid-year change of classes is an ideal time to revisit and “dial up” our school’s expectations regarding:

• Coming to class on time
• Observing all school rules regarding cell phones, hats, food, etc.
• Submitting assignments on time

We hope that parents/guardians will support the school’s efforts regarding these issues should the need come up to discuss them.

Finally, I’ve included the first of four installments about sleep, as promised in earlier emails, at the end of this message.

Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal

A prayer to start the new semester
Lord, as we prepare for the coming of a new semester, make us ready, attentive and available to hear you.

Thank You for the gift of being able to rise each day with the assurance that You walk through it with us.

Thank You for the gifts of creativity and uniqueness, and the energy to put them to good use.

May all that we are today, all that we try to do today, may all our encounters, reflections, even the frustrations and failings all be place in your hands.

May the work we do and the way we do it, bring new hope, new life, and courage to all we come in contact with this semester. We thank you, Lord. Amen

Dates to Note:

• Tuesday, January 21 – School Council Meeting, 7:15 pm in Learning Commons

• Tuesday, January 21: Grad meeting – 7 pm in Room 5

• Wednesday, January 22 – PLC Wednesday – early dismissal at 2:00 pm

• Friday, January 24: Literacy Assessment 10 @ 9:00am: all grade 10 students must write this assessment – it is a graduation requirement.  Future opportunities to re-write this assessment will be available in June and November of this year.

• Tuesday, January 28: The 1st annual Jim Giczi Memorial Dodgeball Game – Class of 2020 vs RCMP – 12.20pm $2 to watch.

• Wednesday, January 29 – Christian Unity Liturgy – 11:05 am in small gym

• Thursday, January 30 – Class Photos will be taken by Mr. Wilson in the morning.  Grads, please wear your hoodies that day!

• Thursday, January 30 – Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine Catch up visit (see below)

Schedule Changes
A note that schedule changes for this semester can be done until the end of next week, although we encourage students to try and confirm their timetable as soon as possible.  See Ms. Brogdon, Ms. Ouellette, Ms. Gallant, or Mr. Sikkes for schedule changes.

Germany Trip
If you are in grades 10 or 11 and want to go to Germany, here is your opportunity!
Our school has an exchange relationship with the Rabanus Maurus school in Mainz, Germany – a small city just outside Frankfurt.  They have sent students to Yukon in the past and are sending another group in May of this year. 
In return, Vanier may take up to 16 students to Mainz, Germany (and surrounding areas) from June 7-21, 2020.   If enough students express interest, then a parent information meeting will be scheduled shortly thereafter.  The cost of the trip is estimated to be approximately $2800 less any fundraising. 
A refundable deposit of $500 is due to the office by January 24th to ensure your student has the opportunity to participate.

Service Learning Hours
If your child receives 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

2019-2020 MMR CatchUp Campaign
 
On Thursday, January 30, 2020, Whitehorse Health Centre staff will be back at Vanier for the 2019-2020 Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) CatchUp Campaign (all grades) for all students that require that vaccine.
 
Please direct any questions or concerns about the immunization program or the consent process to the Whitehorse Health Center at 667-8864.

Explore – French Language Program
Most expenses are covered!  Are you looking for a spring or summer program?  Do you want to discover another region of Canada and meet new people?  Go Explore!  Explore is an intensive language-immersion program.  You can take the program in the summer.  Participants in Explore receive funding that covers tuition fees for the programs, instructional materials, meals and accommodations, workshops, and other mandatory activities.  Discover another region of Canada while learning French.  Have an adventure and make new friends this summer!
Yukon Department of Education’s French Language Programs adds $700 at the end of the program upon your return to the Yukon.  https://www.myexplore.ca
NOTE: A representative from the Department of Education will be at the school on Wednesday, January 22 over the lunch hour to promote the program and answer any questions!

Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) diploma exam
French Second Language (FSL) students in grade 11 and 12 who are completing the final French course of their FSL program will have the chance to participate in the Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF) diploma exam in April 2020, being offered by the Yukon Department of Education.
Through this exam, your child could earn an internationally recognized certificate that proves his/her level of fluency in French. This certificate is a valuable asset for his/her resume and for future career and post-secondary opportunities.
The DELF exam is the official French language diploma awarded by France’s Ministry of National Education. It is an official certification of how well a person speaks French as a second language. It is recognized by 165 countries around the world. The exam tests the ability of students to use French in real-life situations. It evaluates four language skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking.
The results from the DELF exam do not affect a student’s grade or graduation requirements.
This exam is free for FSL students in Yukon completing their final French course as the cost will be covered by the Department of Education.
For more information, please visit:http://www.education.gov.yk.ca/french.html.
The deadline to register for the DELF exam is Thursday, February 20 at 4:00 pm. To register your child, please complete and sign both sides of the registration form available in your child’s French class. Please return it to your child’s French teacher by this date.

Sleep Hygiene – Installment #1

Help your teens on the road to good nights and better mornings.

1. Set a consistent bed-time and wake-time for your teen (even on weekends) that allows for at least 8.5-9.25 hours of sleep each night
2. Encourage your teen to establish a relaxing bedtime routine that includes pleasure reading, taking a bath or listening to music
3. Set up a bedroom for your teen that is cool, dark and quiet
4. Help your teen to cut out caffeine after lunchtime
5. Create an environment that allows your teen to get into bright light in the morning and avoid it in the evening
6. Be a good role model – talk to your teen about the importance of sleep and set the tone by making sleep a priority in your life
7. Keep the television, computer and cell phone in the living room or den instead of your teen’s bedroom – these high tech gadgets are often “sleep stealers”

Regarding the last point: Cell phones are totally corrosive to a good nights’ sleep. Why is this?

• They emit light that keeps you awake at night by suppressing melatonin secretion in your brain, which keeps you from falling asleep.
• They are powerfully addictive. You know how you want to scroll down Instagram just a few more photos or read a few more tweets? Guess what? Social media sites and apps have been engineered by people richer and smarter than you or I to keep you checking in, commenting, posting, liking, etc. That is how they get paid.
• They fragment sleep by emitting alerts during the night Even when a phone is silenced, the light can still wake you up.
• They can generate anxiety and frustration right before bedtime.  Anxiety and stress are contagious, and if you are an anxious or stressed teen, your peers probably are too. Trust me, those Instagram posts will be there in the morning.

(If you want more information here’s more on why electronics in the bedroom are a bad idea.)
There’s a couple of things you can do so you can control your phone, instead of it controlling you.

1. Keep it out of your room. Give it to Mom and Dad and ask them to charge if for you. Tell them to lock it in their car if you are worried you can’t resist the temptation.
2. Turn on “Do Not Disturb” and “Night Shift” (on Apple Devices). These options limit interruptions from your apps and lower the color temperature on your phone. These means there is less blue white light, which is the kind of light that suppresses melatonin. (Note that this is not as good as avowing light altogether.)
3. Use an app like Freedom to limit your digital consumption. It allows you to block apps and websites across all of your devices. You can schedule it or do it on demand.  For example, use it to block all social media sites every night from 10 PM-8 AM