queen elizabeth secondary school...queen elizabeth secondary — newsle˘er — september, 2013 —...

QUEEN ELIZABETH SECONDARY — Newsle�er — September, 2013 — Page

Royal Report

Our Mission Statement At Queen Elizabeth our mission is to be a safe and respectful learning community where all students

will prepare intellectually, socially, and emotionally for their journey in a changing world.

QE ROYALS — Home of the “Royal” Bengal Tigers!

Principal: Mr. M. Jellema / Vice Principals: Mr. M. McLeod (A-Gh); Mr. M. Khaira (Gi-N); Mr. D. Bedard (O-Z)

Website — https://www.surreyschools.ca/queene

Counsellors — Ms. R. Kandola (A-Gh); Mr. C. Tse (Gi-N); Ms. R. Parmar (O-Z)

Important Dates

SEPTEMBER Date

Non-Instruc�onal Day (no classes) 23

Terry Fox Run 26

OCTOBER Date

Block Order Change Starts Today 07

Student Progress / “I” Report Distribu�on 09

School Photo Re-Takes (P3/P4) 09

Royal Players’ Produc�on (7:30 pm) 10

Thanksgiving Day (School Closed) 14

Gr. 12 Scholarship Info Night (6:30 pm) 24

October Newsle7er Posted On-Line 24

Non-Instruc�on Day (no classes) 25

September, 2013

Issue #2

Queen Elizabeth Secondary School 9457 King George Boulevard, Surrey, BC, V3V 5W4 Tel: (604) 588-1258 / Fax: (604) 584-5294 / www.surreyschools.ca/queene

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Students and staff have returned from the summer holidays renewed, refreshed and

ready to learn and teach. We have had a smooth start to the 2013-2014 school year

with 1396 students enrolled at QE. The Grad Class of 2014 is an�cipated to be one of

the largest in recent history having approximately 360 students in Grade 12.

Counsellors have been working �relessly mee�ng with students and parents to meet

their children’s educa�onal needs since late August and we thank them for their hard

work.

Newsle7ers are an important method of communica�on between school and home.

In this and future newsle7ers, we hope to raise awareness of what is happening at

Queen Elizabeth Secondary School. The newsle7er will be posted electronically on

the school website with limited copies available at the office. The school’s website is

at: www.surreyschools.ca/schools/queene. (cont. next page …..)

Everything you need to know at ……...

www.surreyschools.ca/schools/queene

Check it out !!Check it out !!Check it out !!Check it out !!

QUEEN ELIZABETH SECONDARY — Newsle�er — September, 2013 —

Hello Royals !

I have been with the Surrey School District since September, 1995. I

have taught or been a Vice Principal at seven different high schools

throughout Surrey; the most recent as a Vice-Principal at Semiahmoo

Secondary. I feel fortunate to be working at a school that has such a rich

history and values all facets of educa�on. I look forward to mee�ng and

working with staff, students and parents towards our students’ success.

In order for you to get to know me a li7le be7er I have some interes�ng

facts to share!

♦ I won two provincial �tles ….. in hockey and choir!

♦ I backpacked through Europe seeing 32 different ci�es in 48 days …..

while living out of a tent.

♦ I love golf and got my first hole-in-one this summer! All the best! Mr. M. McLeod

Vice Principal

Principal’s Message (con7nued ….. )

We welcome the following new and returning staff members to Queen Elizabeth: Ms. Tammie ChiKck (Safe

School Liaison), Ms. Kim Copp (English), Mr. Don Cosens ( Careers), Ms. Preet Dhillon (Math) , Ms. Cara

Frame (Math/Planning), Mr. Robert Guilfoyle (Educa�onal Assistant), Ms. Bonita Hayden (YCW —

Aboriginal), Ms. Alyssa Hogan (Humani�es/LST), Ms. Chris�ne Ikeakhe (Educa�onal Assistant), Ms. Sarah

Lacey (BASES), Ms. Moreen Lal (Educa�onal Assistant), Ms. Amy Larocque-Walker (LST/Humani�es), Ms.

Ashley MacKenzie (French), Mr. Murray McLeod (Vice Principal), Ms. Rani Parmar (Counselling), Ms.

Ramneek Pooni (English/Humani�es), Ms. Chris�ne Racke7 (Educa�onal Assistant), Ms. Cindy Roberts

(Educa�onal Assistant), Ms. Rupi Saini (English), Ms. Deanne Sanderson (Recep�on), Mr. Roin Salezadah

(Technology Educa�on), Ms. Shazia Salim (Educa�onal Assistant), and Mr. Chris Tse (Counselling). We are

sure they will add much energy and exper�se to the Queen Elizabeth School Community.

PAC (Parent Advisory Council) has started with their first mee�ng on Monday, September 16 when their

Execu�ve for the year was appointed. Thank you to the following parents volunteering: Ms. Michelle

Rachmat (President), Mr. Prabhat Gandha (Vice-President), Ms. Sunita Sharma (Secretary), Ms. Lisa Sco7

(Treasurer), Karanjit Kalket (DPAC Rep) and Johanne Glyn-Jones (Dry Grad Chair). Their next mee�ng is

October 21 at 7:00 pm in the Library where the PAC Budget will be finalized for the school year. This is a

great way for parents to get involved and find out more about our school.

We encourage all students to become involved in their school. The Athle�c Department has the Fall season

underway. The Royal Players Drama Club has been holding audi�ons. All our school clubs and intramurals

are adver�sing opportuni�es for students to become involved. Students, coaches and sponsors always

appreciate parents’ support as spectators, fans and drivers as well. Have a great year Royals!

Mr. M. Jellema

Principal


Parent Parking, Drop Off and Pick Up Parents are no longer able to drop off or pick up students directly in front of the school’s main en-

trance/corridor. THIS AREA IS NOW ALLOCATED FOR BUSSES ONLY. We ask that you move along to

the west side of the parking lot (past the Portable) or park your vehicle in the parking lot to ensure

steady flow of traffic coming off King George Boulevard. New signs have been posted! We thank eve-

ryone for their understanding and coopera�on!

Student Absences, Lates or Leaving Early

Parents/Guardians are responsible for excusing their student from class — whether it be due to illness,

appointments, etc.. If you do not telephone the school, the student’s absence will be considered an

“unexcused” absence for the class.

We kindly ask all parents/guardians to telephone the school prior to 8:00 am to inform us of the student being

away or arriving late. Also, if a student is reques�ng early dismissal due to a scheduled appointment or feeling

ill, the office must telephone the parent/guardian for permission; or the student must bring a signed note to

school to leave at the office. We thank you for your coopera�on and assistance.


Mr. Kissinger and Mr. Klein coach the QE Wrestling Team and a prac�ce schedule will be published at the

end of October. Prac�ces begin in November and run through to the provincial championships in the last

weekend of February.

As high school coaches we encourage students that show an ap�tude/strong interest in the sport to pursue

community clubs to enhance their high school experience. For more informa�on contact Mr. Kissinger or

Mr. Klein.

We look forward to seeing all returning athletes (boys and girls) and new members interested in joining the

original (and s�ll) Olympic sport on the mats in November.

A Special Congratula7ons to Jason Bains on represen7ng Canada at the

Cadet World Wrestling Championships held in Serbia this past August.

Jason ended up losing to a heavier opponent that placed fi>h in the

tournament. Jason is the first QE wrestler to compete at a World

Championships . Great accomplishment Jason !!!

Queen Elizabeth “ENGINEERING CLUB”

Interested in pursuing an Engineering career?

Do you love science?

Do you like to be around people like you?

Then this club is for you!! Open to all QE students from grades 11 to 12. The first mee&ng will be during the first week of October.

Please contact Mr. Vasquez in C236 for more informa&on!

Surrey Teens Read Program !! The eight books selected to be part of the Surrey Teens Read program

have arrived in the QE library. Par�cipa�on in the event is voluntary.

Students are asked to read as many of the books as they can before

the vote in May, 2014. The books to be read include Age of Mira-

cles (K.T. Walker), Don’t Turn Around (M. Gagnon), Erebos (U. Poy-

nanski), Every Day (D. Levitham), Fault in Our Stars (J. Green), Running

Dream (W. van Draanen), Son (L. Lowry), and Under the Never Sky (V.

Rossi). All of the �tles should prove extremely popular.


Q.E.’s After-School

TUTORING PROGRAM is

COMING SOON !!! Days and times will be announced shortly.

Please check the website for updates.

Memories Fade Away ….

…. But Your Yearbook Will Last Forever !!! Purchase your Queen Elizabeth

2013/2014 yearbook today !!

Only $45.00 (regularly $60.00)

$45.00 un7l October 31st!

Price will increase on November 1st!

Pay at the office or online at h1ps://ybstore.friesens.com/stores/326801


If you are a QE student and interested in joining the Outdoors Club, you are invited to contact Mr. Kissinger in Room

C226 for more informa�on. Through the generous dona�ons of MEC (Mountain Equipment Coop) and the QE Parent

Advisory Council (PAC), the club is well stocked with outdoor equipment that will be used by students par�cipa�ng in

club ac�vi�es. The club is open to all ages, however, some trips may be age/maturity restricted in order to ensure

safety. Outdoor Club members are invited to par�cipate in as many ac�vi�es as they feel comfortable. Mee�ngs will

be held the first Thursday of every month in C226 at lunch, addi�onal mee�ngs will be scheduled as per each trip.

Each trip will be lead by different teachers according to their interests and available �me. Students should listen to

the announcements for more informa�on or visit Mr. Kissinger’s website at h7p://mrkissingerswebsite.weebly.com/

The following list is a tenta7ve trip list for the 2013 / 2014 school year:

⇒ Garibaldi Lake — Hiking and Overnight Camping – October

⇒ Indoor Climbing – November

⇒ Snowshoeing on the North Shore Mountains – February / March

⇒ Pi� Lake — Canoeing and Overnight Camping – April / May

⇒ The Rockies — Biking – June

Royals Cross Country

Anyone is welcome to come join the cross country team. Athletes must a7end

prac�ces in order to compete in races. We train twice a week and have one race each

week, at various parks around Surrey. QE is hos�ng a race on Sept 25th

at Bear Creek.

The season ends at the Fraser Valley Championships, which will be October 23rd

in

Abbotsford. The season and prac�ce schedule is posted on the PE office window.

Coaches are Mrs. F. Muirhead, Mrs. C. Hay and Ms. T. Beck.


Did you know that the Surrey School District plays a lead role in crea�ng

career development and post-secondary opportuni�es for youth?

And that QE has one of the largest career departments in the District,

with over 200 students per year involved in work experience

and over 500 students involved in community ini�a�ves?

Want to learn more about our programs or how you can get involved? Check out

our website at h7ps://qecareerdept.wikispaces.com, read about some of our

programs below or best of all, come to the resource centre next to the

counselling department and meet our team:

Ms. Beck Ms. Cli> Mr. Cosens Ms. Rose

We Can Help You:

Find links to the community through volunteering

Research poten&al careers or part &me jobs

Explore post-secondary informa&on, op&ons and opportuni&es

Complete post-secondary applica&ons

Build, prepare and refine your resume and/or cover le1er

Access scholarship, bursary and award informa&on

Support you with Gradua&on Transi&ons

Begin an appren&ceship program while comple&ng high school

Design a pathway to gradua&on and post-secondary programs

Discover amazing opportuni&es


Co-op/Work Experience Programs 2013/14

Co-ops are programs that integrate students’ coursework with related work experiences. If you would like more

informa�on about these programs please give us a call or stop by the Career Centre.

— Bases 11/12 — Career Prep 12 — ELL 11/12 — Exploratory Trades 11/12

— Humani7es 11 — Health Science 11 — Transi7ons 11/12

District Programs

Currently QE has 8 students receiving post-secondary training in trade or skill related areas, giving them a head-start

on their future while s�ll a7ending high school:

— Art — Avia7on — Baking & Pastry Arts — Electrical

— Policing — Auto Service — Culinary Arts

These programs involve partnerships with the Surrey School District and post-secondary trades and technical schools

such as VCC, Douglas, Kwantlen & BCIT. There are opportuni�es in over 20 trades, so if you think this might be the

path for you, come see us in the Career Centre.

Secondary School Appren7ceship

SSA is a program that provides students over the age of 15 with the opportunity to begin an appren�ceship while

earning credits toward gradua�on. Students must be working in a trade with a licensed journeyperson to be eligible.

Please come see us in the career centre if you think you might meet the criteria or would like to know how to pursue

this opportunity.

Career Development (continued)

Career Programs Available to You

In and Around The School

Scholarships! Bursaries! Awards!

QE students won over $250,000 in scholarships last year! Grade 12 students are welcome to join us Tuesdays at

lunch in B109 beginning September 24th

, to learn more about accessing monies for your post-secondary educa�on,

as well as building your scholarship porUolio.

Scholarship & Financial Award Info Evening

Parents of the Grads of 2014 mark your calendars and join us on Thursday, October 24th

from 6:30-7:30 at QE. Learn

more about what financial resources are out there for funding post-secondary educa�on, how to access them and

how to best support your son/daughter in developing a financial awards porUolio.

UBC Applica&on & Admissions Lunch-Hour Workshop

UBC Admissions Advisors will be at QE, in the library, on Wednesday, October 2nd

from 11am-12pm, to present

important informa�on & answer ques�ons about admission requirements and the applica�on process. Grade 12

students wishing to a7end must register by picking up a no�fica�on slip from the Career Centre and having it signed

by their Period 1 teacher. All signed registra7on slips must be returned to the Career Centre by Friday, September

27th

.


Daily Physical Ac7vity

According to Ministry guidelines all students Grade 8 through 12 should be par�cipa�ng in 150 minutes of moderate

physical ac�vity per week.

Some easy ways to be ac�ve: Walk / Run / Bike / Swim / Play / Join a Gym or Rec Centre / Join a Team (at the school

or in the community).

Community Connec7ons

Beginning in Grade 10 students should also be working toward gaining 30 hours of paid work or volunteer experience.

These hours must be completed in order to meet the requirements of Gradua�on Transi�ons 12 and to be eligible to

graduate.

Here are some ways to get involved: Volunteer at the school / Volunteer in the Community / Get a part-�me job / Join

a Co-op or Work Experience Program

Visit us in the Career Centre for more ideas on how to get involved!

Health and Career Educa7on 8/9

Health and Career Educa�on 8/9 is a requirement for all students and is designed to provide students with the

knowledge, skills, and aKtudes that will assist them in making informed decisions related to their health, their

educa�on, and their future careers.

Grade 8 & 9 students at QE will be par�cipa�ng in monthly seminars, workshops and ac�vi�es structured around the

key concepts within Healthy Living, Healthy Rela�onships, Safety and Injury Preven�on and Substance Misuse

Preven�on.

Gradua7on Transi7ons 12

Comple�on of Gradua�on Transi�ons 12 is a requirement for all students as part of their Gradua�on Program and is

introduced to all students through Planning 10. It consists of the following components: Personal Health, Community

Connec�ons, Career and Life and a Presenta�on.

All Grade 12 students who have not par�cipated in a Co-op program will a7end monthly seminars to guide them

through Gradua�on Transi�ons and prepare them for their Exit Interview (presenta�on).

Visit us at h1ps://qecareerdept.wikispaces.com, under Grad Transi&ons for more informa�on and to access

required documents. Current documents will be available beginning October.

See next page for our

“GRADUATION TRANSITIONS SEMINAR SCHEDULE”


You Need to Know !!


Session

Date Areas Covered

September

• Intro to GT • DPA • 30 Hours

October

• Outline & Expectations of Grad Transitions • DPA • Healthy Living • 30 Hours Work/ Volunteer Experience

November • Post-Secondary & Career Options • PSI selection

December • Resumes • Cover Letters

January • Financial Planning • Internal Awards Applications

February • Healthy Living Reflection • Work/Community Experience Reflection

March • Transition Plans • Exit Interview Prep

March 30 • 30 hour /DPA & Co-op forms due to Ms.Beck

April • Exit Interview Prep • Mock Interviews

April 29 & 30 • Exit Interviews

Gradua7on Transi7ons Seminar Schedule

2013 / 2014

Please contact the Career Centre if you have any ques7ons or

would like further informa7on on these sessions offered!



The School Act gives parents the right, through a PAC (Parent Advisory Council), to assume an advisory role

in every school. The PAC is the officially recognized collec�ve voice of parents and guardians of the school.

PACs are forums within each school community to discuss ma7ers affec�ng their children's school and the

educa�on of these children. Parents’ voices are a tremendous value to the school. They offer a wealth of

ideas and support in the challenges that face all public schools. PACs strive to represent the diversity within

their communi�es and contribute to the benefit of all students by providing opportuni�es to educate and

inform parents about the school and openly discussing parents' concerns and aspira�ons for the school.

Who Can Become a Member of PAC? — All parents and guardians of students registered in the

school are able to par�cipate as a member of the PAC.

How Does a PAC Work? — Through the parents in the school, PACs communicate with their parent

community gathering and discussing issues of importance regarding their school in order to adequately

advise those that influence their school. In addi�on to monthly PAC mee�ngs, communica�on may also be

done through newsle7ers, telephone, email and websites so that all parents have the opportunity for input.

PACs, with strong par�cipa�on from parents, have an important influence on life at the school and the

feelings the community has toward the school and educa�on. There is strong evidence that increased parent

involvement in the school results in increased student achievement, accomplishment, sa�sfac�on, and

bonding all of which result in decreased dropout rates and be7er ci�zen.

The Purpose of a PAC can be:

♦ to provide parents with the opportunity to gain greater understanding of the school;

♦ to assist the SPC in carrying out its func�on;

♦ to give input into school- based decisions;

♦ to par�cipate in goal seKng;

♦ to unify efforts of the school community towards the goal of quality educa�on;

♦ to monitor and review school rules and conduct, the safety programs, the educa�onal programs; learning materials,

equipment and the school building;

♦ to educate parents;

♦ to advocate equal educa�onal opportuni�es for all students;

♦ to liaise with other educa�on partners and organiza�ons; and

♦ to provide methods to resolve problems between the school and community by direc�ng parents and students to the

Advocacy project.

Your Involvement! — Parents are encouraged and invited to bring forth issues, sugges�ons, or

concerns rela�ng to the mee�ng and enhancement of the needs of your school community.

These issues can be brought forth by contac�ng a PAC execu�ve member, sending a le7er to the school

addressed to a member of the PAC execu�ve, or a7ending a PAC mee�ng.

The PAC is NOT a forum to discuss individual students and/or staff problems or conflicts.

Queen Elizabeth’s Parent Advisory Council — PAC

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