PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE
It is difficult to believe that December is almost upon us. This has indeed been a very busy Fall at Malvern! Early registration for all students worked very well again this year and we are happy to report that our enrolment is about 980 students. Due to a large number of retirements and leaves, we are pleased to announce 15 new staff members at Malvern this year. Welcome to Marie Axler (English), Virginia Dawe (Science), Brant Drewery (Geography), Jane Fontes (Moderns), Lesley Gage (Phys. Ed), Susan George (Science), John Iacobucci (Tech), Michael Izzo (History), Krystal Calpu (Science), Celeste Nayler (Phys. Ed), Andrew Patterson (English), Janine Romeiko (Moderns), Violet Shearer (Music), Quing Zhu (Science/Math) and Sandy Kaskens (Vice-Principal). Congratulations to all our outstanding and dedicated staff members who continue to work tirelessly with our students on a daily basis. They really are making a wonderful difference with your son or daughter.
This fall we have had many successful clubs and terms and numerous Student Council activities to promote school spirit, such as a Fall Carnival and our very first Halloween dance in many years. It is great to see the increasing enthusiasm for so many activities at Malvern. In a few days students and staff will be hosting our very own Malvern Idol show on November 30th, as well as a Fashion Show in the spring.
Without a doubt the highlight of our fall activities was the unforgettable Remembrance Day ceremonies that were held on November 11th for all Malvern students and featured on CTV News. A special thank you to Vice-Principal Ms. McCann for her leadership in spearheading the organization of this event which involved our alumni, War Veteran Joe Ryan as a guest speaker, superb performances by our concert band, our choir and students Cayley James and Perry Menzies who vividly recreated the love story of Malvern students from the 1930’s Sonya Munroe and Johnny Johnston.
Students received the term one report card with this Newsletter. The upcoming parent/teacher interviews are an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have about your child’s progress. I hope you can attend.
Some upcoming dates for you to remember:
Nov 30 Malvern Idol: 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Dec 1 Parent/Teacher Interviews
2:00-4:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Dec 2 Late Start Schedule
Dec 5 Home & School Council (new date)
Dec 7 Holiday Music Concert 7:00 p.m.
Dec 9 Last day to drop grade 11/12 courses
Dec 13 Late Start Schedule - Staff PD session
Dec 19 Staff Meeting Schedule
Dec 23 Holiday Assembly
Dec 26 – Jan 6 Winter Break
Jan 11 Early Dismissal – Grade 8 Visits
Best wishes for a Happy and relaxing Holiday Season!
Line Pinard
PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
We are hoping you can attend our first Parent/Teacher Interview Night of the year so that you can discuss your child’s progress. It will be held on Thursday December 1st, 2005 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., It is hoped that some parents will be able to attend in the afternoon so that they can take advantage of the teacher’s lighter interview schedule.
Please indicate on the parent interview appointment sheet (students received it in class on November 24) the names of the teachers with whom you wish an interview. Your son or daughter will have their teacher write in the appointment times. It is the responsibility of the student to make the appointments with their teachers. We realize that a longer interview may be required in some circumstances. This may be arranged with the teacher at a time and date convenient to both you and the teacher. Please bring the completed interview sheet with you on parent/teacher night.
Our staff is looking forward to meeting with you on December 1st, 2005. Your attendance is important and can make a difference!
The Administration
A REMEMBRANCE DAY TO REMEMBER!
On Friday, November 11th, Malvern staged its first Remembrance Day assembly in several years. It was as successful as we had hoped it would be. In a true collaborative effort, we were able to bring to life what Remembrance Day is about in a way that the students and staff truly appreciated.
Early in the fall, the Malvern Alumni Association approached Ms. McCann, hoping to organize a special Remembrance Day in the Year of the Veteran, marking the 60th Anniversary of the Second World War. They wanted to be able to invite some of our oldest graduates to a special memorial assembly, and provide them with a venue for remembering their days at Malvern that was quieter and more intimate than the Centennial Reunion had been able to do. Ms. McCann agreed to help bring the idea to reality.
In the process, one of the Alumni members (a student at Malvern until 1941) named Sonya Munro brought us the story of her wartime romance with another Malvern student, Johnny Johnson, who was lost when his plane was shot down in the Burma Campaign in November, 1944. This became the core of our assembly. Mrs. Bourdon-King scripted a dramatization of the sad story of Johnny and Sonya. Mr. Lehrer enlisted the help of the Stage and Lighting Crew, and also orchestrated the professional recording of the voice-overs of student actors Perry Menzies as Johnny and Houston Zuckerman, as Wally Spearz. Off stage, Peter Greenfield played another friend named Artie. Cayley James portrayed Sonya. Sonya herself provided us not only with the story, but also with the last letters Johnny and Sonya had written to each other, as well as pictures that we were able to transfer to power-point slides. To these we were able to add slides of other Malvernites who served in both World Wars, provided by Mr. Wood from the Malvern “Big Book” of wartime veteran portraits.
The music department supplemented the presentation with Ms. Shearer’s Concert Choir and Mr. Mighton’s Concert Band, resplendent in their dress kilt uniforms. Mr. Mighton, who also directs the band of the Royal Regiment of Canada, was able to invite his friend from the Royal Regiment, veteran Joe Ryan, to address the students on the meaning of Remembrance Day. From his first-hand experience, Mr. Ryan was able to make the sacrifices of war vividly real to our students. A handsomely kilted Colin Grattan presented Mr. Ryan with our thank-you gift, and accompanied by the Concert Band, piped “The Maple Leaf Forever”, making the event truly thrilling.
After the assembly, which was featured by CTV News in three broadcasts on November 11th, a reception for visiting alumni was held in the library seminar room, where current students in Ms. Dawe’s ESP group were able to meet for inter-generational fellowship. Meanwhile, the Malvern War Years Archive display in the main library, prepared by the Alumni Association, was being avidly perused by students and teachers alike. One of the Alumni members commented that the school was buzzing with real Malvern spirit that day—and she was right! Working together across the years and between the generations, we were able to give Malvern staff and students a Remembrance Day that they will long remember!
Mary McCann, Marlene Bourdon-King
Guidance Department
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PASSPORT
Graduating students are required to complete 40 hours of community involvement. This is a mandatory requirement. Students will not receive their graduation diploma if the community involvement passport is not complete, verified and returned to the Attendance Office. It is requested that students submit this by February 14, 2006.
full disclosure
The mark will NOT appear on the Ontario Student Transcript, if the student withdraws from a Grade 11 or 12 course prior to December 9, 2005. All paperwork MUST BE RETURNED COMPLETED TO THE GUIDANCE OFFICE before December 9, 2005. For a withdrawal after December 9, the most current mark will appear on the transcript.
communication update
In addition to daily announcements and posting on the white bulletin board outside the Guidance office, potential graduates will now be
e-mailed all pertinent information. Graduates should check their e-mail regularly.
colleges of applied arts and technology
October, 2005
Guidance Counsellors distributed the Ontario College Guide, which contains details about programs, admissions and financial aid.
December 2, 2005
Graduating students are to attend a PowerPoint presentation on how to apply-on-line.
February 1, 2006
All applications must be received by Ontario College Application Services on or before this date to be given equal consideration by the colleges.
March 31, 2006
Earliest admission offer date for high school applicants. Offers of admission will continue to be issued until programs are filled or waitlists are established.
May 15, 2006
Applications must confirm through OCAS their acceptance of an offer of admission to a college by this date.
ontario universities
September
The Guidance counsellors visited all grade 12 English classes to distribute INFO magazine, which contains details about programs, admission requirements, scholarships, residence and application process.
September – November
We had over 50 university and college seminars at Malvern. Students were also encouraged to attend University Fairs (Western provinces, Ontario, Atlantic Provinces, Quebec and International universities)
October
Guidance counsellors visited all grade 12 home form classes to
¨ Verify data to be transmitted to OUAC (Ontario University Application Centre) and/or OCAS (Ontario College Application Services)
¨ To obtain student email address.
¨ To encourage students to attend college and university campuses.
¨ To complete a summary of activities and important dates.
November 30, 2005
A Power Point presentation will be given in the Auditorium on how to apply on-line to an Ontario university. After the presentation, students will be given their PIN (Personal Identification Number). The PIN allows student access to apply on-line.
January 11, 2006
The latest date to submit on-line applications to the OUAC (Ontario Universities Application Centre) is January 11, 2006. Students at Malvern were encouraged to complete the application by January 6. Applications received by the OUAC after January 11, 2006 will still be processed and distributed to the universities, however, some universities enforce specific application deadlines for some programs.
February 7, 2006
Recommended last day to make changes to applications. Changes received after this date will continue to be accepted and processed by the OUAC. Some universities, however, began their admission decision process based on the information received by the February 7, 2006 deadline.
Early March, 2006
Conditional offers of admission will be sent to students. Check INFO for more details.
May 12, 2006
This is the earliest date by which the Ontario universities may require that students respond (accept or decline) to their conditional offers of admission.
June 2, 2006
This is the date Ontario Universities must respond to students’ application for admission. This response will be one of:
1. An offer of admission.
2. A refusal.
3. A deferral pending receipt of specific additional information.
June 12, 2006
This is the earliest date by which the Ontario universities may require any type of financial commitment from you (for example: a registration deposit, residence deposit, etc).
July, 2006
Malvern will send students’ final current-year course grades to the OUAC by mid-July. The OUAC will transmit students final standing to the universities by late July.
out-of-province information sessions
Out-of-province sessions will be held during December for all interested students. The application process to these universities and the deadlines will be discussed. The dates are:
Mon. Dec. 5 McGill University
Tues. Dec. 6 Atlantic Provinces/International
Wed. Dec. 7 British Columbia & Western Provinces
Thurs. Dec. 8 Bishop’s University and Concordia University
Some programs may require additional information, auditions, portfolios or interviews. Students are responsible for forwarding all relevant information. Students are required to complete an out-of-province form from the Guidance office. This will be a record of your application.
scholarships
An information session was held on November 21 for all graduating students. This was a follow-up session to the one held in the spring of 2005. A list of available scholarships was distributed and discussed. The students were advised that this was a guide only. Students are encouraged to broaden their research of scholarships through the web sites provided and through INFO, the comprehensive guide to the Ontario universities for secondary school students.
Ms.Copeland, Ms.Kee, Mr.Salvatore
PARENT ACTION ON DRUGS (pad)
Last year’s Peer Leaders worked very successfully with YSAP (YMCA Youth Substance Abuse Program). This year Malvern C.I. will be a pilot school for a P.A.D. (Parent Action on Drugs) project.
Opportunities will be provided for students to discuss the risks and realities of marijuana use, through an assembly and follow up sessions on February 28, 2006.
Questions about the project can be directed to Bonnie Cutten (Public Health Nurse), Line Pinard (Principal), Sue Knudsen (Social Worker), or Val Copeland and Holly Kee (Guidance Counsellors).
Excellent resources for parents are available on the P.A.D. website, www.parentactionondrugs.org.
Congratulations to Natasha Lantz and Brian Ma, grade 11 Malvern Students Youth Advisors on the Toronto Steering Committee.
DIGITAL IMAGING AT MALVERN
What is it?
Five Apple Power Book computers, two new data projectors, a few cameras and a printer are some of the technology being introduced into classes at Malvern this year. The computers can be connected to the Internet, but will not have access to the CTMI files.
How did we get it?
Special money was made available for new and innovative ways to promote student success. Targeting the needs of students taking Applied and College level courses, this technology will be available for class projects that give students more ways to show what they understand in their courses.
Who will use it?
Although priority is given to Applied and College level courses, this technology is available to support all classes. Professional Development training is planned for December 13 (late start schedule) to help teachers learn how to use the technology with suggestions for use in their classes. This technology is not intended for individual student use, but for use as part of a class project.
CO-OPERATIVE NEWS
Malvern Co-op students are already out at their placements, working there on alternate weekday afternoons. This year’s placements reflect a wide variety of interests, including the fields of accounting, carpentry, hairstyling, restaurants, media production, air transportation and numerous others. By the end of May 2006 when Co-op ends, these students will have attained experience in their chosen fields.
Students interested in Co-op for next year should attend the February Co-op information meeting in 2006 and, if interested, put Co-op on their option sheet. Co-op is open to Grades 11 and 12 students.