Dear Vanier parents and students,

God is our refuge and our strength. An ever-present help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1

​This weekend we saw terrifying images and heard heart-breaking news about typhoon Vamco which poured torrential rains and caused massive flooding in the Philippines over the weekend. We are praying for our students and all their friends and families who are affected by this natural disaster. Our “wear a hat, have a heart” fundraiser on Thursday is earmarked for relief organizations working in the Philippines.

Principal’s message

Attendance, Uncertainty, and Mental Health
There is a direct connection between attendance and school success. Some students are struggling right now with their attendance, for a variety of reasons. In reviewing the report cards, I noticed several of our senior students are struggling with their academics and their attendance. We want to work closely with parents to help students attend and succeed. We know it is difficult for students right now. We know that missing classes often leads to more missed classes because it becomes overwhelming to try to catch up. We want our students to be here. Any encouragement you can provide is helpful.

Teachers and students are navigating through murky waters this year. No teacher at Vanier was trained to teach during a global pandemic, and students are trying their best to learn under conditions that none of them have any experience in. We are all feeling the pain of separation from family and friends, acclimating to half-day school days, and coping with abbreviated sports seasons. I miss the days of seeing grade 12s hanging around their lockers and reminding them to go to class! I think we are all grieving for the good old days of 2019, and grief takes time to process. The mental health of teens and adults is suffering all over the world, and we are certainly seeing this in our school family. To this end, we have applied for additional supports to help students cope with the complex tasks of juggling a blended learning school year. I am hopefully optimistic about this.

As most of you know, we will be staying with the half day model for the remainder of this school year. I have received heartbreaking phone calls and emails from parents about this. You are very worried about your children, and so are we. There is no magic solution I can offer. I have no say or influence over what has been decided regarding the scheduling for the rest of the year. I can pass on your concerns; I can listen, and try my best to help parents, students and staff come up with solutions that will work best for your child.

Regarding mental health, there is no doubt that anxiety and depression are affecting many adolescents right now. As a parent of two daughters doing post-secondary programs from the isolation of the kitchen table or their bedroom, I see how frustrating and difficult it is to stay motivated and work on courses for a very unpredictable future. Anxiety is very real for this generation of teens. Between social media pressures, uncertain futures and the isolation of living through a global pandemic, life is anxiety inducing right now. Acknowledging that their anxiety is real is an important support you can provide your child. Encouragement and hopefulness are good medicine at any time. Here is a great Canadian resource on mental health for you. Here to Help is a collaborative website supported by several B.C. and other Canadian mental health organizations. The website is easy to navigate and has resources for children, teens, adults and parents. As always, please reach out to us if you have concerns.

Have a safe and happy week. As always, feel free to contact us by phone or email.

Sincerely,
Katrina Brogdon, Acting Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal

Week at a Glance
Monday November 16th

• Day 1
• Bookend @ 8:20 am
• Jr. Social Justice Club @12:15 pm in LC

Tuesday November 17th

• Day 2
• SBT @ 8:45 am
• Board Games Club @ 12:15 pm in LC
• Sr. PLC + Collab. @ 3:30 pm in LC
• School Council Meeting @ 7:15 pm on Zoom

Wednesday November 18th

• Day 1
• Rock Your Mocs Day!!
• Sr. Social Justice Club @11:30 am in LC
• Alpha @ 12:15 pm in Room 26
• Jr. PLC @ 2:15 pm in LC

Thursday November 19th

• Day 2
• Hat Day!!
• Board Games Club @ 12:15 pm in LC
• Workout Club @ 3:30-4:30 pm

Friday November 20th

• PD Day 

Week of November 23-27  Wednesday Nov. 25th Advent Liturgy

Student Led Conferences
Thank you to all the parents who were able to come to our student led conferences last week. We realize that it is sometimes difficult to attend events such as these and appreciate those who were able to. For those who were not able to attend in person, please contact your child’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress.

Report Cards
A few parents have contacted the school with concerns about report cards which have not yet arrived. The mail seems to be slow right now, and if you have not received your child’s report card in the mail, we can send a pdf via email to you for any student in grade 10-12. Students in grade 8 and 9 did not receive report cards, but rather self-assessment and informal progress reports from teachers. If you did not receive these reports for your grade 8 or 9 child, feel free to contact their teachers. Emailing teachers is always the easiest way.

​New Safety protocols from Chief Medical Officer of Health’s office
Last week I sent a letter to the entire school community regarding upcoming changes to school operations for Covid-19 safety protocols. As mentioned in the letter, the requirement to wear masks in the school in common areas will be implemented. There is some confusion regarding when these new protocols must be in place. This matter will be discussed at tomorrow’s school council meeting and I will send an update then. Currently, our plan is to implement these protocols starting on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. We remain open to being flexible on this deadline as we wait for further instructions. 

11/9/2020

​Dear Vanier Students and Families, 
 
This week is another busy one at Vanier.  We are looking forward to seeing you during Student Led Conferences, and hope that you have a relaxing and reflective day on Wednesday for the observance of Remembrance Day.  
 
Thoughts on Peace: 
As we go out into the world, let us remember Jesus’ words “peace be with you” and carry them in our hearts. We ask the Holy Spirit for the courage to share Jesus’ gift of peace through acts of kindness, as a sign of his kingdom’s everlasting peace, where the Father has prepared a place for each of us, beloved sons and daughters of God. 
Tony Cosentino, Catholic Educator 
 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email vcss@gov.yk.ca, or call the school at 667-5901. 
 
Sincerely, 
Katrina Brogdon, Acting Principal and Alethea Wallace, Vice-Principal 
 
Week at a Glance 
Monday November 9th 
·         Day 1  
·         Bookend @ 8:20 am  
·         Fire Drill @ 11:20 am  
·         JR Social Justice Club @12:15 pm in Learning Commons  
 Tuesday November 10th 
·         Day 2  
·         SBT @ 8:45 am  
·         Remembrance Day Liturgy  

• ·         8:45  
• ·         11:15  
• ·         11:45  
• ·         12:40  

·         Board Games Club @ 12:15 pm in LC  
·         Junior Student Led Conference  

• ·         3:30 - 5:00 A-L  
• ·         5:30 - 7:00 M-Z  

 Wednesday November 11th 
·         Remembrance Day – No School  
 Thursday November 12th  
·         Day 1  
·         Board Games Club @ 12:15 pm in LC  
·         Workout Club @ 3:30-4:30 pm  
·         Senior Student Led Conference  

• ·         3:30 - 5:00 M-Z  
• ·         5:30 - 7:00 A-L  

 Friday November 13th 
·         Day 2  
·         Bookend @ 12:15 pm 
 
Remembrance Day  
Remembrance day is on Wednesday, November 11th.  We are honoring Remembrance day on Tuesday, however our traditional ceremony will be different this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.  Here is information about the Whitehorse ceremony and for a nice discussion around the dinner table, here is a link to the Veteran Affairs Canada “10 Quick Facts on the Poppy” webpage.  
 
Royal Canadian Legion WHITEHORSE 
The annual ceremony held at the Whitehorse Cenotaph near city hall will be carried live on the Royal Canadian Whitehorse Legion Facebook page.  Veteran Affairs Canada 
 
Report cards mailed last week 
The office has processed and mailed out all report cards and interim reports.  If you haven’t received yours by the end of the week please contact us. 
 
Student Led Conferences this week   
Student Led Conferences will occur this week on Tuesday (Junior school) and Thursday (Senior school).  Please see the above schedules.  
After much thought and consideration, we have decided to keep a similar format as in years past – classrooms will be open for drop-in conferences during specific windows of time to limit the total number of students/families in the school.  Each teacher will be assigned to a specific room which will, in most cases, allow for 3 conferences to occur simultaneously.  There will be waiting rooms assigned to each teacher if their classrooms are full. 
We ask that all students and parents/guardians wear masks, especially when waiting or transiting between classrooms in hallways. 
 
Cell phones 
As we noted in previous Monday emails, we are extremely concerned at the cell phone use in the grade 8 and 9 classrooms during learning time.  Grade 8 and 9 students should not have their phone out at any time during class time.  Parents, we need your help on this.  Please talk to your child about their cell phones and the importance of putting them out of hand and out of sight during class time.  Each grade 8 and 9 teacher will be asking students to place their phone in a class “phone box” at the beginning of class time.  The phones are distracting to your child and others and are taking away from important learning time.  
 
Grade 8 & 9 lockers assignments are coming!  
Due to the colder weather and the need to store coats and boots, we are planning to assign lockers throughout the school to Grade 8 and 9 students.  Lockers will be spaced out with 2 lockers between each locker being used.  This will mean that lockers may be some distance away from the student’s homeroom classroom. 
These lockers are only meant to store outerwear and boots, may only be accessed at the start and end of the day along with the start and end of lunch.  All class materials will remain being stored in classroom bins.  Lockers have always served as a gathering spot for students and this is precisely what we don’t want to have happen. 
New locker use agreements with Covid-19 rules and processes will be distributed and will be required to be signed prior to the issuance of a locker and lock combination (the school will supply locks – there is no need for students or families to purchase or supply one). 
 
Service Learning opportunities  
We are continuing with our service learning requirements as part of our Religion 8 through 11 requirements (which also help us meet the 30 hours requirement for graduation).  
We understand that it is more difficult, due to COVID-19, to engage in many of the service learning opportunities that students have engaged in previously.  Here are some opportunities that can be done independently and logged/acknowledged by parents:  
·                     Babysit or pet-sit  
·                     Tutor siblings or sign up for our tutoring program  
·                     Do errands, cook for, or otherwise help someone out  
·                     Shovel snow  
·                     Do something helpful for extended family or your “double bubble” family  
·                     Shovel snow at school 

11/2/2020

• Dear Vanier Students and Families, 

 
Today is All Souls' Day 
All Souls' Day is marked on 2nd November directly following All Saints' Day and is an opportunity for us to commemorate those who have departed. 
Today’s prayer: 
God of Comfort, 
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, 
And let perpetual light shine upon them. 
May the souls of the faith departed, 
Through the mercy of God, 
Rest in peace, Amen 
 
Today was a challenging day for travel in and around Whitehorse.  We always urge families to stay on the safe side of things and make your best judgements for safe travelling.  As a reminder, once students are safely at school on bad weather days, they should stay here at school.  It is much safer for them to stay put and wait until the roads are cleared than to try to go home in unsafe conditions.   
 
As mentioned last week, our COVID-19 plan has been updated to reflect our expectation that students are wearing masks in common areas like hallways, bathrooms, etc. Many students are still not following the guidelines in the hallways and while we are reminding them and handing out many non-reusable masks, we ask that parents support this expectation and send your child with a reusable mask or have them pick up another reusable mask at the office.  Our COVID-19 plan and related documentation can be found here: https://www.vcss.ca/covid-19.html  
 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email vcss@gov.yk.ca, or call the school at 667-5901. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Katrina Brogdon, acting principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal 
 
Week at a glance  
Monday November 2nd 

• Senior School – Day 2  
• Literacy Assessment  

• M-S @ 8:45 am in LC  
• A-F @ 12:45 pm in LC  

• OurSCHOOL Survey  

• Grade 9 in class, Grade 10 (M-S, A-F) after Literacy Assessment  

• JR Social Justice Club @12:15 pm in Learning Commons  

Tuesday November 3rd 

• Senior School – Day 1  
• Literacy Assessment  

• T-Z @ 8:45 am in LC  
• G-L @ 12:45 pm in LC  

• OurSCHOOL Survey  

• Grade 8 in class, Grade 10 (T-Z, G-L) after Literacy Assessment, Grade 12 – during CLC  

• Board Games Club @ 12:15 pm in LC  

Wednesday November 4th 

• Senior School – Day 2  

• Literacy Assessment  

• Fundamentals of English – during class time in Room 5  
• Catch Up – for anyone who couldn’t write – in LC  

• OurSCHOOL Survey  

• Grade 10 Fundamentals of English after Literacy Assessment, Grade 11 – during 5/6 block  

• X block = 4  
• SR Social Justice Club @ 11:30 am in LC  
• JR and SR Art Club @ Lunch  
• Alpha – grade 8 @ 12:15 pm  
• Workout Club @ 3:30-4:30 pm  
• CEAY AGM meeting 7:00-9:00 pm Vanier Learning Commons 

Thursday November 5th  

• Senior School – Day 1  
• OurSCHOOL Survey  

• Grade 11 and 12 – Catch-up in LC  

• Board Games Club @ 12:15 pm in LC  

• Workout Club @ 3:30-4:30 pm  

Friday November 6th 

• Senior School – Day 2  
• OurSCHOOL Survey  

• Any student who has not completed survey  

Tuesday, November 10th   

• Junior School Student Led Conferences 

• Grade 8s – 3:30-5:00 
• Grade 9s – 5:30-7:00 

Wednesday, November 11th  

• Remembrance Day – NO SCHOOL  

Thursday, November 12th   

• Senior School Student Led Conferences 

• M-Z – 3:30-5:00 
• A-L – 5:30-7:00 

 
​Literacy Assessment this week 
All Grade 10 students are expected to write their Grade 10 Literacy Assessment this week and were given specific information on how to prepare during short assemblies and by email last week.  There will be many opportunities to catch up or rewrite in the future. Grade 11 and 12 students who would like to write or re-write either the Literacy or Numeracy Assessments can see either Ms. Wallace or Ms. Brogdon to sign up for Wednesday’s catch-up/re-write day. 

Report cards mailed this week 
The office is the process of verifying and sorting academic interim reports (Junior school) and report cards (Senior school) and will be mailing packages to households with all reports included. 
 
Student Led Conferences coming next week  
Student Led Conferences will occur next week on Tuesday (Junior school) and Thursday (Senior school). 
After much thought and consideration, we have decided to keep a similar format as in years past – classrooms will be open for drop-in conferences during specific windows of time to limit the total number of students/families in the school.  Each teacher will be assigned to a specific room which will, in most cases, allow for 3 conferences to occur simultaneously.  There will be waiting rooms assigned to each teacher if their classrooms are full. 
We ask that all students and parents/guardians wear masks, especially when waiting or transiting between classrooms in hallways. 
 
Grade 8 & 9 lockers assignments are coming!  
Due to the colder weather and the need to store coats and boots, we are planning to assign lockers throughout the school to Grade 8 and 9 students.  Lockers will be spaced out with 2 lockers between each locker being used.  This will mean that lockers may be some distance away from the student’s homeroom classroom. These lockers are only meant to store outerwear and boots may only be accessed at the start and end of the day along with the start and end of lunch.  All class materials will remain being stored in classroom bins.  Lockers have always served as a gathering spot for students and this is precisely what we don’t want to have happen. New locker use agreements with Covid-19 rules and processes will be distributed and will be required to be signed prior to the issuance of a locker and lock combination (the school will supply locks – there is no need for students or families to purchase or supply one). 
 
OurSchool survey – a Yukon-wide student survey  
Dear Parent/Guardian,   

Vanier Catholic Secondary, along with all Yukon schools, will be participating in an online school perception survey for students called the OurSCHOOL Student Survey. Please find the details of the survey implementation below.   

Who: All students, grades 8 through 12 
When: Week of November 2-6 
Where: In classrooms using school technology 
Why: to measure student engagement, increase student involvement & sense of belonging at school  
 
About the OurSCHOOL Student Survey:  

• Allows students to share their feedback anonymously on their experiences at school, school environment, and school improvement programs.    

• Based on their feedback, students have the opportunity to be involved in action plans fostering increased student engagement  
• Participation in the survey is voluntary, however, all students are encouraged to participate.   
• The time required to complete the survey may vary, but it is designed to be completed in approximately 35-40 minutes.  

 
Survey measures include such topics as behaviours and attitudes linked to student success, emotional and social well-being and physical health. For more information about the OurSCHOOL Student Survey, please visit The Learning Bar’s website: www.thelearningbar.com.   
  
If you have questions or would like to request more information about Vanier’s upcoming implementation of the OurSCHOOL Student Survey, please contact the school or David McInnes david.mcinnes@gov.yk.ca 867-667-5871.  
  
Sincerely,  
David McInnes  
Director- Technology and Student Information  
Yukon Department of Education  
  
Service Learning opportunities  
​We are continuing with our service learning requirements as part of our Religion 8 through 11 requirements (which also help us meet the 30 hours requirement for graduation).  
We understand that it is more difficult, due to COVID-19, to engage in many of the service learning opportunities that students have engaged in previously.  Here are some opportunities that can be done independently and logged/acknowledged by parents:  

• Babysit or pet-sit  

• Tutor siblings or sign up for our tutoring program  
• Do errands, cook for, or otherwise help someone out  
• Shovel snow  
• Do something helpful for extended family or your “double bubble” family  

10/26/2020

Dear Vanier students and families: 
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 
Dear Lord, I trust in you. I may not understand but I know you are working things out for my good. Thank you for taking care of me. You never let me down. Amen. 


The next few weeks will be very busy!  The end of this reporting period, Student Led Conferences, Literacy Assessment for Grade 10s (with catch up/rewrite Literacy/Numeracy Assessments for grades 11 and 12), and a Yukon-side student survey are just a few things that are coming up!  Please make note of the important dates listed below. 
As mentioned on Friday, our COVID-19 plan has been updated to reflect our expectation that students are wearing masks in common areas like hallways, bathrooms, etc.  Our COVID-19 plan and related documentation can be found here: https://www.vcss.ca/covid-19.html  
One of the things we have been working hard at developing in order to build and maintain our sense of community despite the limitations posed by the pandemic was developing a “house families” structure to safely allow for some fun interactions inside and outside of classrooms.  We partnered with our Yukon First Nations partners to develop a system of 4 families within our school based on the medicine wheel: 

• Keepers of Water  
• Keepers of Fire  
• Keepers of Earth  

• Keepers of Air  

All our students and staff have been divided up into these families and we will be having activities and challenges periodically throughout the year to earn points for each family.  Thank you to Mr. Gillard, Ms. Gray, Mr. Cassidy, Ms. Holway, Ms. Leslie, Mr. Gray, and Ms. Wallace for working together to develop this initiative along with Philip Gatensby. 
Finally, this will likely be the last News from Vanier email from Mr. Sikkes for the next while as he is taking a temporary assignment at the Department of Education.  Ms. Katrina Brogdon will be acting as principal during his absence. 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email vcss@gov.yk.ca, or call the school at 667-5901. 
Sincerely, 
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal 


This week at a Glance...and then some! 
Monday, October 26th  

• Senior School - Day 1  

• Jr. Social Justice Club @12:15 pm in Learning Commons  
• Jr. and Sr. Art Club @ Lunch

Tuesday, October 27th  

• Semester One Halfway Point  

• Senior School - Day 2  
• Grade 10 Assembly re: Literacy Assessment @ 11:15 and 3:05 in small gym  

Wednesday, October 28th 

• Senior School - Day 1  
• Junior School - PLC (Early Dismissal) @ 2:15 pm  

• Sr. Social Justice Club @ 11:30 am in LC  
• Alpha – grade 8 @ 12:15 pm  
• Workout Club @ 3:30-4:30 pm  
• Deadline to register for FH Collins’ parent information night about online bullying and sexting (see below) 

Thursday, October 29th  

• Senior School - Day 2  
• Workout Club @ 3:30-4:30 pm  

Friday, October 30th  

• Senior School - Day 1 
• Report Card Marks are due in office  

Monday, November 2nd   

• All Souls’ Day 
• Senior School - Day 2  
• Yukon-wide student survey window opens 
• Grade 10 Literacy Assessment in Learning Commons 

• 8:45 Morning – Surnames M-S 

• 12: 45 Afternoon – Surnames A-F 

• FH Collins’ parent information night about online bullying and sexting (see below) 

Tuesday, November 3rd   

• Senior School - Day 1 
• Grade 10 Literacy Assessment in Learning Commons 

• 8:45 Morning – Surnames T-Z 
• 12: 45 Afternoon – Surnames G-L 

Wednesday, November 4th  

• Senior School - Day 2 
• Grade 10 Literacy Assessment in Learning Commons 

• 8:45 Morning – Fundamentals of English 10 and Catch-up 
• 12: 45 Afternoon – Fundamentals of English 10 and Catch-up 

Tuesday, November 10th  

• Junior School Student Led Conferences - details TBA next week 

Wednesday, November 11th 

• Remembrance Day – NO SCHOOL 

Thursday, November 12th  

• Senior School Student Led Conferences - details TBA next week 

Online bullying and sexting parent information session 
In response to the growing concerns of the cyberbullying that is occurring amongst youth in Whitehorse, FH Collins will be hosting a live webinar for parents presented by The White Hatter on Monday, November 2nd from 7pm to 9 pm.  
FH Collins is very kindly allowing Vanier parents/guardians to sign for this workshop.  In order to access the parent presentation, we require your consent to provide The White Hatter with your email address. They will then send out a link and access code for the presentation.  If you want access to this presentation, please email Amy.Garcia-Baker@gov.yk.ca  or call the FH Collins main office at 667-8665 with your name and the email address you will be using for the presentation.  We need confirmation of permission by October 28th.  
This session includes a 30-minute presentation on Monitoring, Filtering, and Other Tools for Parents & Caregivers. This company has been recommended by the RCMP to help educate parents and students on these topics. More information about this company can be found online at: www.thewhitehatter.ca   
A recording of the webinar will be available for those that cannot sign in on November 2nd.  
Teen Sexting, Nudes, Distribution of Intimate Images, and the Law (60 minutes + 30-minute Q&A) This program covers teen “sexting” based on academic peer-reviewed research, laws, and our investigative experience to help teens understand consent, choices, consequences and how they can take specific actions to reduce legal liability and reduce harm emotionally, psychologically, physically and socially specific to this subject. 
Monitoring, Filtering, and Other Tools for Parents & Caregivers (30 minutes) An overview of the various tools and resource available for families to help manage online connection and communication. No tool is 100% effective but learn about the products and resources that we recommend for families. 


Literacy Assessment 10 next week 
Literacy and Numeracy Assessments at the Grade 10 level are graduation requirements.  These assessments are written online.  Vanier usually has students write their Literacy Assessments in the fall and Numeracy in the winter during the weeks that are designated for the assessments determined by the British Columbia Ministry of Education. 
We will have short assemblies for the Grade 10 students who need to write their assessments on Tuesday, October 27 near the end of each shift.   
While these assessments are required for graduation, there is no minimum score required to graduate.  Students who are unsatisfied with their score may choose to rewrite their assessments up to two more times. 
For more information about the Literacy Assessment, as well as links to practice assessments, visit: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/assessment/literacy-assessment/grade-10-literacy-assessment  


Report cards mailed next week 
Teachers are required to submit their academic interim reports (Junior school) and report card marks (Senior school) to the office by the end of this week.  Students who have overdue or missed assignments need to get those handed in right away so teachers can mark them and include them in the report card mark. 
Student Led Conferences will happen on November 10 (Juniors) and 12 (Seniors) and will focus on the interims and report cards sent home.  Due to COVID-19 most of these conferences will happen at home, but some students and families will have the opportunity to book an in-person appointment at the school, over the phone, or on Zoom during those days. 


Service Learning opportunities 
We are continuing with our service learning requirements as part of our Religion 8 through 11 requirements (which also help us meet the 30 hours requirement for graduation). 
We understand that it is more difficult, due to COVID-19, to engage in many of the service learning opportunities that students have engaged in previously.  Here are some opportunities that can be done independently and logged/acknowledged by parents: 

• Babysit or pet-sit 
• Tutor siblings or sign up for our tutoring program 
• Do errands, cook for, or otherwise help someone out 
• Shovel snow 

• Do something helpful for extended family or your “double bubble” family 
• Check with Mr. Stoker about scorekeeping or being a lines-person for volleyball 

Halloween and All Souls Day 
Halloween is, of course, this coming Saturday and we do welcome students to wear appropriate costumes to school this Friday if they so choose.  We will also pray in a special way as a school the following Monday, November 2 – All Souls’ Day – for all those who have died. 


School Handbook 
Our school council, at their recent AGM, approved our updated School Handbook.  It was not completely overhauled to reflect the COVID-19 changes, but will still serve as a valuable resource for students and parents/guardians on many topics.  The updated version can be found on our website: https://www.vcss.ca/school-documents.html    

Dear Vanier students and families: 
This is a special edition Friday email with some important news and information: 

• Covid-19 operational plan adjustment effective Monday 
• Inappropriate/disruptive use of personal devices in classrooms 
• Mr. Sikkes on temporary assignment starting November 2nd 

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email vcss@gov.yk.ca, or call the school at 667-5901 
Have a great weekend! 
Sincerely, 
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal 


Covid-19 operational plan adjustment 
Due to the colder weather which is causing more students to choose to remain indoors, the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in and out of Yukon, and our continued difficulties enforcing physical distancing outside of classrooms, the following update to our Covid-19 operation plan will be in place, effective Monday, October 26. 
It is recommended that students age 10 and older (Grade 4 and up) wear nonmedical masks in school settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained. Inside of classrooms, we can maximize physical distancing, therefore at this time masks are not required in classrooms.  When students are not in their assigned classrooms, the following changes will occur:  

• Masks are not required at this time when students are outside of the school building.  
• Masks are not required at this time when students are by themselves in the hallways while transiting to another part of the school. 
• We will expect students to wear a mask (reusable or disposable) where social distancing is not happening consistently:  in hallways, other common spaces, Learning Commons, gymnasia, cafeteria, and bathrooms. This includes during class change times, waiting for the gym to open at lunch, waiting in the morning for classes to open or any other time there are two or more people together.    

Essentially, we want to have students develop the routine and habit of wearing masks in the hallways and other common areas, because wearing a mask can help to protect others by containing droplets made when you sneeze, cough and speak. All students were issued reusable masks earlier this year.  Replacement masks or disposable masks are available in the main office. 


Inappropriate/disruptive use of personal devices in classrooms 
We are continuing to struggle with technology use during class times.  Of course, in the senior school there is more technology use in classes but less so in the junior school. 
We will be enforcing the following policy: Personal devices may not be seen, heard, nor used in classrooms during class time unless authorized by a teacher for a specific purpose related to the class. 
Students who are not able to adhere to this policy may have their device held by the teacher or in the office until the end of the day or, in repeat circumstances, until a parent/guardian comes to collect the device. 
We thank all parents/guardians for your support and cooperation regarding this issue. Also we gently remind parents that if you need to get in touch with your child during class time, please call the school at 667-5901 and we will make sure your child gets the message to return your call at their break time.  


Mr. Sikkes on temporary assignment starting November 2nd 
Dear Vanier students and families: 
I will be working away from Vanier for the next several weeks on a temporary assignment as an acting superintendent starting November 2 until a permanent superintendent is in place. 
Katrina Brogdon will be the principal while I am away.  She has served as a vice-principal of Vanier for several years during my educational leave and has also previously been the principal of Takhini Elementary.  I wouldn’t consider being away from the school if I didn’t think the school would be in good hands and I am confident that Ms. Brogdon and Ms. Wallace will do an excellent job leading and administering the school. 
I know there is never a good time to be away, and this is a particularly difficult time.  I am confident that our school is very well positioned to continue its positive trajectory.  Even under the circumstances of Covid-19, I absolutely believe this to be the case.   
Please pray for me as I undertake this assignment – it will stretch my professional and interpersonal skills – and I have very mixed feelings about being away from Vanier.  Please pray for Ms. Brogdon and Ms. Wallace and all the staff as they adjust to this change. 
Sincerely, 
Mr. Sikkes ​

Dear Vanier students and families: 

May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 

Dear Lord, May you wrap a blanket of peace around me and my loved ones this day. Be our comforter, guide, and protector as we turn to you with all of our hearts.  Amen 

A huge thank you to all students and families who were able to help with the food drive last week – several tens of thousands of dollars worth of food was donated to the Whitehorse Food Bank!  These donations are an essential part of their winter food stocks. 

We are only about a week away from the mid-point of the first semester!  Time is flying by and students will be receiving academic interims (Grades 8 & 9) and report cards with percentage marks (Grades 10-12) in the mail near the end of the first week of November.  Let’s get those projects finished, overdue assignments handed in, and study well for unit tests and midterms! 

This week, we are also administering a short survey to our Grade 10-12 Senior School students to gather some self-assessment data on their skills and abilities in relation to the following aspects: setting goals, analyzing task requirements, planning, organizing, prioritizing, managing stress, notetaking, test preparation, persistence, resilience, utilizing resources, and self-evaluation.  We will measure these skills throughout the year to see if they are improving. 

All students will be surveyed using the Our School national survey in early November which will also provide the school with some great data to inform our decision making, especially through our School Growth Plan process. 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the school by replying to this email, emailing our general school email at vcss@gov.yk.ca or phoning the school at 667-5901. 

Sincerely, 

Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal 


Week-at-a-glance 

Monday, October 19th 

•Senior School - Day 2 

•Bookend @ 8:20 am 

•SBT @ 8:45 am 

Tuesday, October 20th 

•Senior School - Day 1 

•Senior School survey  

•School Council AGM @ 7:00 pm in Learning Commons 

Wednesday, October 21st 

•Senior School - Day 2 

•Alpha meeting – grade 8 @ 12:15 pm in Room 26 

•X block = 2 

Thursday, October 22nd 

•Senior School - Day 1 

•Senior School survey catch-up 

Friday, October 23rd 

•Senior School - Day 2 
​

Literacy Assessment 10 
The week of November 2-6 will see our Grade 10 students writing their Literacy Assessment – more details will follow by email and will be shared with students in class.  These assessments are graduation requirements and have multiple opportunities for re-writes. 

For more information on the Literacy 10 Assessment, please visit: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/assessment/literacy-assessment/grade-10-literacy-assessment  

Our Grade 10 students will write their Numeracy 10 Assessments in January.  All students in all grades will have re-write opportunities in April 2021. 

November 2-6 will also be an opportunity for anyone to rewrite either the Literacy or Numeracy 10 Assessments – email Ms. Brogdon at katrina.brogdon@gov.yk.ca if you wish to be registered for a re-write. 


Phone Calls/Messages  

In the recent days and weeks, we have been noticing that more and more parents/guardians are making phone calls directly to students during class time. It is difficult for students to ignore incoming calls at the best of times, especially when they are coming from a parent.  

Every minute of class time is crucially important this year, so we would very much appreciate parents/guardians waiting until breaks to make calls or to simply send a message to a child requesting a call back at the next break time.  

We would also like to remind all parents that in truly urgent situations, please don’t hesitate to call the office and ask someone there to relay a message directly to a student. 


Yearbooks 2019-2020 
​
The 2019-2020 yearbooks are in production at the Jostens Printing company.  There was a delay this year because of Covid-19 and the late Class of 2020 Cap & Gown ceremony at the end of August.  If you ordered a yearbook last spring, you will be contacted when the yearbooks arrive to the school.  If the student who ordered one is no longer living in Whitehorse and do not have the means of having the yearbook picked up for you, please send a forwarding mailing address to vcssyearbook@gmail.com.  If you are away at University, other Post Secondary, or working out of Territory, yearbooks will have to be picked up by a family member at the school. 

Dear Vanier students and families: 

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.  
–1 Thessalonians 5:18  
Dear Lord, I am so thankful for your love, guidance, and protection from the storms of life. You are so good to me! Amen. 

We hope that all our students and families enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving long weekend filled with good food and lots of safe, appropriately physically-distanced gathering with family and friends.  Last week, Ms. Gray led short Thanksgiving liturgies focused on the benefits of being grateful and extending that gratitude to others. 

In that spirit, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for all the wonderful, spirited students we are fortunate to accompany each day along their educational journeys.  Through all the ups and downs of school, we benefit from the life and spirit that all our students bring to our school as much (or more) than we can sometimes give in providing educational opportunities and support.   

Today is our annual Whitehorse Schools’ Food Drive for the Whitehorse Food Bank!  This year, we will not have students/families driving around to pick up food on a designated evening.  Instead, tonight until 8 pm, food drop-offs will be accepted at the following locations: 

• Vanier Catholic Secondary 
• Porter Creek Secondary 
• FH Collins Secondary 
• Wood Street Centre 
• Whitehorse Food Bank (306 Alexander Street) 

The Whitehorse Food Bank heavily depends on these food drives to stock their shelves for the winter.  We hope that students and families can think creatively and safely about how to encourage friends and neighbours to donate and drop off food tonight. 

Sincerely, 
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal 
 
Week-at-a-glance 
Tuesday, October 13th    

• Senior School - Day 2 
• Food Drive 

Wednesday, October 14th  

• Senior School - Day 1   

• Junior School - PLC early dismissal 

Thursday, October 15th 

• Senior Schoo - Day 2 
• Earthquake Drill 

Friday, October 16th    

• Senior School - Day 1 ​ 

Tuesday, October 20th 

• School Council Annual General Meeting at 7 pm 

 
Phone Calls/Messages 
In the recent days and weeks, we have been noticing that more and more parents/guardians are making phone calls directly to students during class time.  It is difficult for students to ignore incoming calls at the best of times, especially when they are coming from a parent. 
 
Every minute of class time is crucially important this year, so we would very much appreciate parents/guardians waiting until breaks to make calls or to simply send a message to a child requesting a call back at the next break time. 
 
We would also like to remind all parents that in truly urgent situations, please don’t hesitate to call the office and ask someone there to relay a message directly to a student. 
 
Blended Learning – how to help 
The first interim reports may indicate that students are not on track to earning the grades that they (or you) wish.  Here are some suggestions to consider if their progress is not what was hoped for: 

• Ensure your child has access to devices, technology and Internet away from school. If you do not have devices for your student to access, please ensure they know that devices can be accessed in the Senior Skills Room.   

• Keep in contact with teachers about your child’s learning progress during the year by email, phone, or arranging an in-person meeting. 
• Talk to your child about using digital tools and ask them to show you what they are learning on their devices.  Help them figure out when work is more effectively done without devices present to reduce distractions (e.g. reading or textbook work). 
• Have your child log you in on your device to their MS Teams so you can track what is being assigned. 
• Help your child establish routines and a weekly schedule (including planning for sleep, homework, paid employment, chores, and leisure time) 
• Be cautious of the number of hours being spent at paid employment or other activities that may need to be spent on course work. 

• Be aware that a student’s Rapid Identity login provides access to all the software students need to complete online assignments (Teams, Word, Power Point, Excel) on both Mac, Windows, iOS, or Android devices. 

 
 ​

 Dear Vanier Students and Families:

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7
Dear Lord, thank you for the perfect peace that comes from you. I will rest in your love today and trust that you will take care of all of my needs. Amen
 
Later this week, all households should start receiving interim reports from all teachers in the mail.  At the Junior School (Grade 8 & 9) these only focus on Behaviours for Success (e.g. work habits and effort) as we do not have enough work to report on academic progress.  At the Senior School (Grades 10-12), both Behaviours for Success and academic progress will be reported.

Today, we discussed “lockdown” and “hold and secure” procedures with students but did not practice them as that would require students to come in to very close contact with each other.  A letter containing more information about our school safety procedures is attached to this email.

As we approach Thanksgiving, we would like to remind all our students and families of the Food Drive that will be happening next week.  We will be distributing bags to households all across the city as usual, but we will not have students/families driving around to pick up food on a designated evening.  Instead, between 8 am and 8 pm on Tuesday, October 13, food drop-offs will be accepted at the following locations:

• Vanier Catholic Secondary
• Porter Creek Secondary
• FH Collins Secondary
• Wood Street Centre
• Whitehorse Food Bank (306 Alexander Street)

The Whitehorse Food Bank heavily depends of these food drives to stock their shelves for the winter.  We hope that students and families can think creatively and safely about how to encourage friends and neighbours to donate and drop off food that day!

Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal
 
Week-at-a-glance
Monday, October 5th

• Senior School - Day 1
• Lockdown Discussion @ 9:30 (and at 2:30 for SR students only)
  • We did not practice a lockdown (which would likely involve students needing to come close together).  Instead, teachers will discuss the processes and expectations for both Lockdown and Hold & Secure.

Tuesday, October 6th

• Senior School - Day 2
• Interims mailed:
  • Junior School – indicates Behaviours for Success only
  • Senior School – indicates Behaviours for Success and academic progress

Wednesday, October 7th

• Senior School - Day 1
• Liturgy Day - Thanksgiving    
  • AM senior shift: 10:20
  • Grade 8s: 11:15
  • Grade 9s: 11:45
  • PM senior shift: 2:15
• Junior School - X=Period 7

Thursday, October 8th

• Senior School - Day 2

Friday, October 9th

• Senior School - Day 1 

Monday, October 12th

• Thanksgiving Day – no school

Tuesday, October 13th

• Whitehorse Schools’ Food Drive – food drop off locations open from 8 am to 8 pm

 
Interim Reports
As mentioned above, interim reports will be mailed home this week.  At the end of October, a full report card will be written for all of our Senior School students that will include a percentage grade.  At that time, another interim report for our Junior School students will be sent that will include information on academic progress.

Blended Learning – how to help
The first interim reports may indicate that students are not on track to earning the grades that they (or you) wish.  Here are some suggestions to consider if their progress is not what was hoped for:

• Ensure your child has access to devices, technology and Internet away from school. If you do not have devices for your student to access, please ensure they know that devices can be accessed in the Senior Skills Room. 
• Keep in contact with teachers about your child’s learning progress during the year by email, phone, or arranging an in-person meeting.
• Talk to your child about using digital tools and ask them to show you what they are learning on their devices.  Help them figure out when work is more effectively done without devices present to reduce distractions (e.g. reading or textbook work).
• Have your child log you in on your device to their MS Teams so you can track what is being assigned.
• Help your child establish routines and a weekly schedule (including planning for sleep, homework, paid employment, chores, and leisure time)
• Be cautious of the number of hours being spent at paid employment or other activities that may need to be spent on course work.
• Be aware that a students Rapid Identity login provides access to all the software students need to complete online assignments (Teams, Word, Power Point, Excel) on both Mac, Windows, iOS, or Android devices.

 
Skills Room Contest
As a thank you to all our students who have been respectfully making good use of our Senior Skills Room, ten students will be rewarded with a surprise gift box just before Thanksgiving!

The Senior Skills Room is open every school day from 8:15 until 3:30 in the basement of the Riverdale Baptist Church and Ms. Seloterio (our Learning Assistance Teacher) and Mr. Biss are available to provide help in all subjects.
​
On that note, students who are not “on shift” in classes are not permitted to be in the school while the other shift is in class.  The Senior Skills Room is the only permissible place to work unless specific permission has been granted by the school administration, a Learning Assistance Teacher, or counsellor.  Please contact the school if you feel that you (or your child) needs this exception made to work either the Junior Skills room or Learning Commons.  

 
Dear Vanier Students and Families:

The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Deuteronomy 31:8

Dear Lord, I don’t know what I would do without you. Knowing you are always with me gives me so much hope, especially when I’m going through rough times. Thank you for your love. Amen
 
One of the unique features of Yukon’s public schools is our system of governance that includes school councils.  These councils have a number of important roles and authorities in ensuring the voices of students, parents/guardians, and the wider community are represented in the operation of the schools.  Vanier has always been fortunate to have supportive councils engaged in this work and we’re pleased that this is continuing with the election by acclamation of our new council.

On Friday, our council released a survey to collect input from students, parents/guardians, staff, or anyone who is interested in providing their opinion on the school’s name.  This survey is open until October 9 and we thank everyone for taking the time to provide their thoughts and opinions.  Please see below to find out more and to for a link to access the survey.

Finally, this Wednesday marks Orange Shirt Day across Canada.  Orange shirt day is a day in the year where we use our clothing to express our desire to reconcile with Canada’s Indigenous peoples with regard to the destructive legacy of the Indian Residential Schools.  However, our school’s commitment to the challenging work of reconciliation goes beyond wearing orange on one single day.  We address this topic in a number of instances at various grade levels.  In addition, we are constantly looking for ways to honour and incorporate Yukon First Peoples ways of knowing and doing, culture, and language wherever we can.  The modern day treaty process that has resulted in Yukon’s land claims and self-government agreements requires all our students – Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike – to have a robust and authentic understanding of the historical and present-day realities of Indigenous peoples so we can work together in furthering and enhancing our democracy. 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal
 
Week-at-a-glance
Monday, September 28th   

• Senior School - Day 1

Tuesday, September 29th   

• Senior School - Day 2
• School portrait sittings for students who missed having theirs done at Vanier – 3:15 pm at Christ the King Elementary. (See below for details)

Wednesday, September 30th 

• Senior School - Day 1
• Junior School - PLC early dismissal @ 2:15 pm
• Orange Shirt Day

Thursday, October 1st

• Senior School - Day 2  

Friday, October 2nd  

• PD Day – no school

Tuesday, October 6

• Interim reports mailed home

Monday, October 12

• Thanksgiving Day – no school

Tuesday, October 13

• Whitehorse Schools’ Food Drive

 
School portraits
Students who did not have their school portraits taken when the photographer was at Vanier will have the opportunity to have theirs done tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29 at 3:15 at Christ the King Elementary School.  Students need to come to Vanier’s office during the day to collect their bar-coded ticket to take to CKES with them after school.

There may be other opportunities to have portraits taken at the photographer’s studio – details will be shared when available.

Orange Shirt Day
Wednesday, September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a day that has evolved in Canada to help citizens learn about and begin or continue the process of reconciliation with Canada’s Indigenous peoples with respect to Indian Residential Schools.  More information about the day can be found here: https://www.orangeshirtday.org/

Vanier Catholic Secondary is committed to reconciliation and fully acknowledges the terrible aspects of Canada’s Indian Residential School system.  We address this topic fully in a number of our courses at various grade levels.  We encourage all our students and staff to wear orange on Wednesday.

School Council News – elections update
School council nominations closed on Thursday, September 24 and we’re pleased to report that five candidates put forth their names and were elected by acclamation.  That means we have no vacant seats on our council.  Thank you to the following people for demonstrating your support for our school community by returning to or joining our school council:

• Truska Gorrell (returning)
• Ian Davis (returning)
• Cynthia Lyslo (returning)
• Sue Ross (new)
• Maureen Johnstone (new)

Our School Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be on Tuesday, October 20 – guests are welcome to attend either in person or through a Zoom meeting.  Details of the meeting are available here: https://www.vcss.ca/meetings.html

School Council News – survey
As was shared by email to all members of our school community on Friday, September 25, there is an online survey regarding the Vanier name.  For more details and to complete the survey, visit https://www.vcss.ca/vanier-name-survey.html 

Missing Books – please return!
In the spring, we distributed a selection of novels and books to students, many of which have still not been returned.  Please check your bedrooms and bookshelves for the following titles, each of which will have a “Yukon Education Resource Services” stamp inside the front cover if it belongs to us!

• Goodbye, Buffalo Bay
• House of Scorpion
• Outsiders
• The Blue Helmet
• Hunger Games
• The Crazy Man
• Speak
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Diary of Anne Frank
• Fatty Legs
• Ender’s Game
• Lord of the Flies
• Indian Horse
• Fault in Our Stars
• Anne Frank Graphic Novel

In addition, students who attended other schools last year are encouraged to check their homes for books that ought to be returned to those schools.

Mail out– return updated verification form and all colour-coded forms to win $250 -
Our start-of-the-year mailout packages should have arrived to all households by now – please contact the school if you have not received one.   It contains important information about contact information for students/families, school policies, and school and religious education fees.
​
As usual, all families who submit the forms and fees on or before our deadline on October 5 will be entered into a draw for a prize of a $250 pre-paid Visa gift card!
 
 

​Dear Vanier students and families:

But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well.    1 Kings 5:4
Dear Lord, Thank you for the peace I have through you. I am holding on to you this day. I will rest in you. Amen.
 
This week will see our first set of school liturgies of the year – instead of gathering the whole school together in the gym, we will have several throughout the day so that we can ensure each student has a full 2m of physical distancing in place while in the gym.  Liturgies are an important part of our school culture and we are pleased to be able to continue them in a manner that respects the Covid-19 public health requirements.

One particular thing we would really appreciate your help with this week is tracking down some novels and books that were loaned to students in the spring.  Please see below for the list of titles we hope that you can all search your bedrooms and bookshelves for!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email, email vcss@gov.yk.ca, or telephone the school at 667-5901.
​
Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal
 
Week-at-a-Glance
Monday, September 21st

• Senior School - Day 2

Tuesday, September 22nd

• Senior School - Day 1
• Liturgy Day  
  • AM senior shift: 8:50-9:15
  • Grade 8s: 11:15-11:40  
  • Grade 9s: 11:45-12:10
  • PM senior shift: 12:45-1:10

Wednesday, September 23rd

• Senior School - Day 2
• Junior School - X=Period 5
• Terry Fox Day (optional walk if permission forms in place @ Period 5 - 11:09)

Thursday, September 24th

• Senior School - Day 1

Friday, September 25th

• Senior School - Day 2

 Wednesday, September 30th

• Orange Shirt Day - https://www.orangeshirtday.org/

 
Missing Books – please return!
In the spring, we distributed a selection of novels and books to students, many of which have still not been returned.  Please check your bedrooms and bookshelves for the following titles, each of which will have a “Yukon Education Resource Services” stamp inside the front cover if it belongs to us!

• Goodbye, Buffalo Bay
• House of Scorpion
• Outsiders
• The Blue Helmet
• Hunger Games
• The Crazy Man
• Speak
• To Kill a Mockingbird
• Diary of Anne Frank
• Fatty Legs
• Ender’s Game
• Lord of the Flies
• Indian Horse
• Fault in Our Stars
• Anne Frank Graphic Novel

 
Mask Wearing
Reusable masks were distributed to all students in classes with fabric marking pens so students could personalize their own mask.  Students are strongly encouraged to wear them as much as possible, especially in situations when physical distancing is not possible (such as in the hallways).
On buses/transit:
Students are reminded that masks are also strongly recommended by the Chief Medical Officer of Health on school buses and city transit.  The City of Whitehorse is also asking for transit riders to wear masks on their buses:  https://www.facebook.com/cityofwhitehorse/posts/3776244162405702:0
 
Mail out coming – return updated verification form and all colour-coded forms to win $250 -
Our start-of-the-year mailout packages should have arrived to all households by now – please contact the school if you have not received one.   It contains important information about contact information for students/families, school policies, and school and religious education fees.
As usual, all families who submit the forms and fees on or before our deadline on October 5 will be entered into a draw for a prize of a $250 pre-paid Visa gift card!
 
School Messenger text opt-in
Our school utilizes the School Messenger system to deliver student absence notifications, events notifications, safety alerts, and other informational messages to phone numbers and email addresses.  You may also receive these notifications as SMS text messages delivered straight to your mobile phone through a simple opt-in process.
You can participate in this service just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number: For CANADA-BASED numbers: 978338
 
School council elections information
Nominations are currently open for school councils throughout Yukon.  Nomination packages are available from the Vanier office or the returning officer, Chris Nemeth, who can be contacted at 336-1242 or by email at mc45nemeth@gmail.com.  Yukon’s Catholic Schools have some additional regulations for those wishing to run for school council positions or those wishing to vote.  General information about school council elections can be found at electionsyukon.ca and information specific to the Catholic schools at ceayukon.ca
 
Senior School – parents/guardian access to MS Teams
Unfortunately, MS Teams does not offer weekly summary emails like Google Classroom does.
Parents/guardians of Senior School students who wish to know what is being assigned in Grade 10-12 classes are encouraged to either:

1. Regularly have their children show them what’s going on in MS Teams; or
2. Download and install the MS Teams apps on their own devices and have the student log in so that parents can keep track of what is going on.

 
Senior Skills Room
The Senior Skills Room is available every school day between 8:30 and 3:15 and has digital (and now internet connected!) devices for students to use to complete their work.  It is not a social space nor can the wifi be used for non-school related purposes. 
 
Many tutors are available for free tutoring!
Our free tutoring program is available to students of all grade levels who require or request extra support.  Through a funding grant, we pay Senior School students to tutor other students – however, there is no charge to any students or families who wish to have tutoring.
We have many available tutors who are anxious to help their fellow students!  Assistance can be offered in a particular subject area (or areas) or to help with organizational and executive functioning tasks.
 

Dear Vanier students and families:

…Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.
2 Corinthians 13:11

Dear Lord, I love you. Come and share your heart with me this day. Amen.

As the weather begins to get colder, we are already noticing more crowding happening in the hallways before and after school and during the lunch hours.  We continue to encourage students to spend as much time outside as possible during these times – the fresh air is good for you!

As well, we remind all students of the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s recommendation of wearing masks in situations where physical distancing is not possible – especially in the hallways during breaks and before classes start.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please simply reply to this email, email the general inbox at vcss@gov.yk.ca or call the school at 667-5901.
​
Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal
 
Week at-a-glance
Monday September 14th 

• Senior School - Day 1
• Individual Photo Bookings for 8/9s @ Learning Commons
• School Council nominations OPEN (see below)

Tuesday September 15th 

• Senior School - Day 2
• Individual Photo Bookings for 10/11/12s @ Learning Commons (see below...)
• School Council regular meeting – 7 pm

Wednesday September 16th

• Senior School - Day 1
• Junior School – PLC Early Dismissal at 2:05 pm
• Individual Photo Bookings (All Day) @ Learning Commons
• Settlement Worker in Schools – Settlement worker Remelyn is available

Thursday September 17th  

• Senior School - Day 2

Friday September 18th 

• Senior School - Day 1
• Bookend @ 12:15 pm  

 
School photo information (instructions for Senior School)
Tomorrow, portrait photos will be taken of our Senior School students.  We wish for students to avoid missing class time for having their photos taken if possible.
Tomorrow (Tuesday), the photographer will be available between 10 am and 4 pm in the Learning Commons. 

• Morning shift students should attend morning classes and may have their photos taken starting at lunch or in the afternoon until 4 pm. 
• Afternoon shift students may have their photos taken in the morning, over lunch, or after classes until 4 pm.

On Wednesday, there will be an opportunity for any students who did not have their photos taken to do so.  The photographers will also have additional dates available to have photos done at their studios – we'll keep you posted on those dates and times.
 
Senior School – parents/guardian access to MS Teams
Unfortunately, MS Teams does not offer weekly summary emails like Google Classroom does.
Parents/guardians of Senior School students who wish to know what is being assigned in Grade 10-12 classes are encouraged to either:
1. Regularly have their children show them what's going on in MS Teams; or
2. Download and install the MS Teams apps on their own devices and have the student log in so that parents can keep track of what is going on.
 
Senior Skills Room
The Senior Skills Room is available every school day between 8:30 and 3:15 and has digital (and now internet connected!) devices for students to use to complete their work.  It is not a social space nor can the wifi be used for non-school related purposes. 
 
Senior School - Test writing outside of class time
Some grade 10-12 teachers have expressed a very reasonable concern about using their limited class time for test writing.  Therefore, they may require students, with sufficient advance notice, to write tests in the Senior Skills room when they are not in class on specific days and times.  The school supports this approach to maximizing the amount of teaching time available to teachers and because the remaining half day not spent in class is still meant to be spent on school-related activities.
If students or parents/guardians have any questions or concerns about this, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Sikkes or Ms. Wallace.
 
Many tutors are available for free tutoring!
Our free tutoring program is available to students of all grade levels who require or request extra support.  Through a funding grant, we pay Senior School students to tutor other students – however, there is no charge to any students or families who wish to have tutoring.
We have many available tutors who are anxious to help their fellow students!  Assistance can be offered in a particular subject area (or areas) or to help with organizational and executive functioning tasks.
 
School Messenger text opt-in
Our school utilizes the School Messenger system to deliver student absence notifications, events notifications, safety alerts, and other informational messages to phone numbers and email addresses.  You may also receive these notifications as SMS text messages delivered straight to your mobile phone through a simple opt-in process.
You can participate in this service just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number: For CANADA-BASED numbers: 978338
 
Mail out coming – return updated verification form, all colour-coded forms, and fees by October 5 to win $250 -
Our start-of-the-year mailout will be arriving home any day and contains important information about contact information for students/families, school policies, and school and religious education fees.
As usual, all families who submit the forms and fees on or before our deadline on October 5 will be entered into a draw for a prize of a $250 pre-paid Visa gift card!
 
School Council meeting
Vanier Catholic Secondary School Council will have its regular meeting on Tuesday, September 15 at 7 pm.  All parents/guardians are most welcome to attend.
 
School council elections information
Nominations are currently open for school councils throughout Yukon.  Nomination packages are available from the Vanier office or the returning officer, Chris Nemeth, who can be contacted at 336-1242 or by email at mc45nemeth@gmail.com.  She will also be available on Thursday, September 17 from 3:00 pm until 4:15 pm to collect nomination papers and to answer any questions.
Yukon’s Catholic Schools have some additional regulations for those wishing to run for school council positions or those wishing to vote.  General information about school council elections can be found at electionsyukon.ca and information specific to the Catholic schools at ceayukon.ca

Dear Parents and Guardians of Vanier Catholic Secondary School students,

We are excited to be introducing ourselves as the photography business taking over for Wilson Studios for the 2020-2021 school year.

Vanier Catholic Secondary School has been scheduled for:

• September 14th (Gr. 8-9)
• September 15th (Gr. 10, 11, 12) - outside of class times
• September 16th for anyone that has not yet been photographed

We have made a few changes to the packages and will now be offering digital portraits!

Due to concerns of proper social distancing Whitehorse schools have decided against group class photos. Instead we will be creating a collage of each homeroom class using students' individual portraits.

Below is a digital version of the photo envelope in case you didn't receive the one that was sent home with your child. Please be sure to print clearly and fill out all required areas. If you are e-transfering please include your child’s name and grade.

If you have any further questions please email us: starflowerphotos@gmail.com

Tom Patrick & Andrea Merschilz
Star Flower Photography

Dear Vanier students and families:

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. Psalm 121:5-6
Dear Lord, Thank you for watching over and protecting me and my loved ones. We are safe in your arms! Amen.


We got a little carried away with too many meetings this afternoon – sorry about the delay of the weekly email! 


School portraits will be taken next week by a new photographer now that Ron Wilson of Wilson Studios has retired from the school portrait business.  We wish Mr. Wilson the best and thank him for his many years of photography service that he provided to our school.  More information about school portraits will come home with students later this week.


The wireless internet (a.k.a. wifi) in our Senior Skills Room is now available for student use for school-related purposes!  Please see below for more details on the Senior Skills Room.


We hope everyone had a lovely Labour Day weekend.  As always, please don’t hesitate to contact us by telephone (667-5901), general school email (vcss@gov.yk.ca) or by simply replying to this email if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal


Week at-a-glance
Tuesday, September 8th

• Senior School - Day 1

Wednesday, September 9th

• Senior School - Day 2
• Junior School - X Block = 3
• Fire Drill #2 @ 11:20 am

Thursday, September 10th

• Senior School - Day 1

Friday, September 11th   

• Senior School - Day 2

Monday, September 14th

• Senior School – Day 1
• School Portraits – Grade 8 & 9

Tuesday, September 15th

• Senior School - Day 2
• School Portraits – Grade 10-12

Wednesday, September 16th

• Senior School – Day 1
• School Portraits – Grade 10-12 and catch-up
• Junior School - PLC/Early Dismissal

School Portraits
School individual portraits will be taken next Monday through Wednesday, September 14-16. 

We need all students to have their photos taken for our student information system and for student identity cards.  There is no cost for these.

Parents/guardians may choose to purchase a package of digital images or prints directly from the photographer.  Payment envelopes with package options and payment instructions will be distributed to students this week.

Senior Skills Room – Internet is up!
The wifi is up and running!  Thank you for your patience as we worked to get this network set up.  The wifi available at the Senior Skills Room is only to be used for school purposes and has been throttled to discourage large downloads. 

The Senior Skills Room is available every school day between 8:30 and 3:15 and has digital (and now internet connected!) devices for students to use to complete their work.  It is not a social space nor can the wifi be used for non-school related purposes. 

Senior School - Test writing outside of class time
Some grade 10-12 teachers have expressed a very reasonable concern about using their limited class time for test writing.  Therefore, they may require students, with sufficient advance notice, to write tests in the Senior Skills room when they are not in class on specific days and times.  The school supports this approach to maximizing the amount of teaching time available to teachers and because the remaining half day not spent in class is still meant to be spent on school-related activities.

If students or parents/guardians have any questions or concerns about this, please don’t hesitate to contact Mr. Sikkes or Ms. Wallace.

Scent Sensitivity
We have several students and staff who are quite sensitive to strongly scented products.  We respectfully ask students to avoid wearing strongly scented products such as perfume or body sprays.  We would also ask that students choose less scented hygiene products (e.g. deodorant or antiperspirants) whenever possible and apply lightly scented products as judiciously as possible.  Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Attendance
We take attendance every period every day.  Now that students’ timetables have settled, we are starting to make attendance calls (either in-person or automated) for students who are absent but who have not been excused by a parent/guardian.

We ask that parents/guardians call (667-5901) or email (vcss@gov.yk.ca) each day that a student is excused to prevent these notifications from being made home.


Cafeteria is open!
Our cafeteria operators from last year – the Cruz family – are back and open for business.  Students may sit at a physically distanced seat inside the cafeteria or request a take-out container (for a small additional charge). 

The cafeteria is open during the morning break between 9:51 and 10:01 for the Junior School and 10:05-10:15 for the Senior School.  Lunch is served between 11:25 am and 1:02 pm to allow for the morning and afternoon Senior School students to purchase food as well as our Junior students over their lunch break.

The cafeteria accepts cash or debit.

Become a Tutor
Are you a senior student who would like to be a peer tutor??

Did you know that you can earn your community service hours, and/or get paid for being a peer tutor? YES, you can!!!

If you think you would like to take this on, please contact Ms. Cann in the Junior Skills Room or email  Amanda.Cann@yesnet.yk.ca. Once you complete the training program, you can be matched up with a junior student who would benefit from your willingness to assist them.  Don't feel that you need to be an expert in the academics, sometimes grade 8/9 students really benefit from organization support and having a senior student to talk to.  Consider signing up today!


Visits to other schools
In normal times, we allow for limited visitations of students between FHC and Vanier during our lunch periods.  However, this year we cannot allow these visits to occur and remind Vanier students they are not permitted to visit FH Collins at any point during the school day.  We appreciate our students understanding of the need for this change for safety reasons.

Our students should also not be visiting Christ the King Elementary students over the lunch hour either.

Mask use in schools
The use of non-medical masks in schools has been recommended by Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health for students aged 10 and above in situations where physical distancing is not possible.  These could include:

• Riding or lining up for the school bus
• Walking in hallways and corridors
• Other situations when in close contact with other students or staff

Reusable masks have been ordered and will be provided to students soon.  In the meantime, we have disposable masks available for any student or staff member who wishes to abide by the recommendations. 


“The big three” of the safe six
Our public health officials in Yukon have been constantly repeating the “safe six” precautions for addressing the Covid 19 pandemic.  You can see our operational plans here: https://www.vcss.ca/covid-19.html

​At Vanier, we have been focusing heavily on the first three of these:

1. Maintain physical distancing – keep 2 metres (6 feet) away from everyone who’s not a member of your social bubble.
   
   In situations where physical distancing is not possible, masks are highly recommended.  We will eventually be supplying each student with reusable masks.  Until then, we have disposable masks available in many classrooms or in the front office.
    
2. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
   
   Hand sanitizing stations are located in many areas of the school and we require students to wash or sanitize their hands every time they move to a new room.
    
3. Stay home if you're feeling sick.
   
   Here is a bit more information about the symptoms of Covid-19 to watch for.  There are places you can turn to for advice on whether to attend school or when to return after feeling sick:

• Yukon.ca has an online assessment tool.
• Calling 8-1-1 will connect you to a medical professional.
• Call your family physician for advice.
• Phone the Respiratory Assessment Centre at 393-3083