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

Dear Vanier students and families: 

Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you. Psalm 86:4 

Dear Lord, may your perfect will be done in my life and in the lives of my loved ones. May you bring joy and rejoicing into our homes. I believe in your goodness and I am proud to be a child of God. Amen. 

Things are starting to pull together and we feel that we are starting to get a sense of rhythm and routine to our days.  However, there are still lots of little things that we are still trying to pin down once we see how things develop.  I often think of the recommended approach to building a new park or public space: Instead of paving pathways right away, it’s better to leave it and see where people walk naturally and then install the pavement there!   

So it goes at Vanier with things like computer carts, getting students logged in, use of textbooks/workbooks, etc.  We are waiting a bit to see where/how some things might best be organized before we formalize the plans and will communicate them to students/parents/guardians when things have been confirmed. 

Thank you for your patience as these things develop - if you do have specific questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact teachers directly through their email (firstname.lastname@yesnet.yk.ca), reply to this email, or email our general school mailbox: vcss@gov.yk.ca  

A hearty, “Congratulations, best wishes, and God bless!” to our Class of 2020 who were recognized in a very scaled down version of their Cap and Gown ceremony that took place last week.  Now, we turn our focus to the Class of 2021 and planning to ensure we have a safe and meaningful recognition of their academic accomplishments.  Grade 12s, stay tuned for more information from Ms. Giczi, Mr. Gillard, and Mr. Gray. 

Sincerely,
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal
 
Week at-a-glance 
Monday, August 31st  

• Senior School - Day 2  

Tuesday, September 1st   

• Senior School - Day 1  
• Whitehorse Transit – will bring a bus and safety message for students at the front of the school @ 11:25-1:00 pm  

Wednesday, September 2nd  

• Senior School - Day 2  
• Social Justice Club – First meeting of the year!  Meeting will start at 11:35 for Senior School, Junior School may join in at 12:12.  Location will be announced – outside if the weather is nice, inside if not. 
• Fire and Evacuation Drill @ 1:45 pm  
• Junior School – early dismissal – 2:05 pm (unless assigned to study hall for completion of missed work) 

Thursday, September 3rd   

• Senior School - Day 1  

Friday, September 4th   

• Senior School - Day 2  

Monday, September 7th  

• Labour Day – No school 

Tuesday, September 8th    

• Senior School - Day 1  

 
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. 

Visits to/from 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 during busy times  
• Other situations when in close contact with other students or staff  

Reusable masks have been ordered and will be provided to students upon arrival.  In the meantime, we have disposable masks available for any student or staff member who requires one to meet 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 

 
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. 

Blended Learning – Advice for Parents 
COVID-19 protocols in Yukon schools may mean that opportunities for teaching approaches that involve close physical contact may need to be limited/modified in the face to face setting.  

Also, as Grades 10-12 students are in school with their teachers and classmates for a half day, they may be required to engage in digital activities with technology and online tools when not in school. 

Blended learning strategies, working in concert with other experiential / place-based, service-learning activities, enable teachers to maintain student-centred learning approaches and meet curriculum requirements amidst social distancing requirements.      
 
While not in class, teachers may be asking students to: 

• Engage in paper-based tasks (e.g. worksheets, textbooks, or workbooks) 
• Participate/contribute to discussions in online course forum. 
• Post evidence (photo, comment, quote, questions) in course forum to show they are engaging in course material. 
• Collaborate on assignments with other students using digital tools including Microsoft Word / Powerpoint, etc.   
• Submit assignments through an online platform (Microsoft Teams). 

• Access course content (video, text, slides, or podcast) that a teacher posts in the class forum. 

 As a parent you can support us in these efforts by: 

• Letting the teacher and/or school administration know if your child is having difficulties accessing the online platforms. 
• Checking in with your child regarding their comfort level with digital requirements and forwarding any concerns to the teacher. 
• Keep in contact with teachers about your child’s learning progress during the year. 

 
Skills Room and Tutoring Program 
The Skills Room is up and running and available for help and support! 

It opens at 8 am every morning and EA assistance is available until 8:30 am.  It is open again for the Junior School lunch hour (12:12 to 1:02) with support and again after school from 3:15 until 4:15.  

Within the Skills Room, we also offer a peer tutoring program where senior students can sign up to be tutors (with 4 hours of tutor training provided) and any other Vanier student can sign up to be tutored. The tutors can either work off their time as volunteer hours, or be paid. Tutoring is free of charge for tutees.   Don't let yourself fall behind, get the help you need!!  

Anyone interested in becoming a tutor, getting a tutor, please see Ms. Cann or email Amanda.Cann@yesnet.yk.ca 

Dear Vanier students and families:

Almighty God:
We give you our school.
We give you all the teachers and staff who work here.
We give you all the children who study here.
We pray our school would be place of great discovery, adventure and creativity.
May it be a place where we love to learn and where we learn to love,
A place where everyone is respected and all are deeply valued.
We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

It has been a wonderful few days welcoming our students back into the building.  Our priorities have been focused on ensuring students feel safe and supported, building a sense of welcoming community within each class, and establishing the new health and safety routines.

We have been accommodating schedule changes for our Grade 10 through 12 students and, now that those have settled down, we are turning our attentions to commencing the academic program in each class.  Most teachers are now setting up their online classes in MS Teams and students should start being able to access those in the next days.

An online program is not required for our Grade 8 and 9 classes at this time, although we hope – sooner rather than later – to get all our students logged in to the portal so they can access all the software and communication tools to supplement the in-class learning.

This week at a glance:

Monday, August 24th

• Day 1 (for Senior School)

Tuesday, August 25th

• Day 2 (for Senior School)

Wednesday, August 26th

• Day 1 (for Senior School)
• X block = Period 1 (for Junior School)
• Class of 2020 Cap and Gown @ 6:30 pm – this is not a public event, but will be livestreamed for those who wish to view it.

Thursday, August 27th

• Day 2 (for Senior School)

Friday, August 28th

• Day 1 (for Senior School)

 
Covid-19 precautions

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

 
Welcome to our new and returning staff!

• JD Caudle has returned from his parental leave.
• Bill Willoughby has also returned from his parental leave.
• Jolene Campbell, Counsellor, is with us for the year filling in for Ms. Ouellette who is on an educational leave
• Meghann Meadowcroft, Art, is back with us this year after spending a year at Holy Family Elementary
• Jody Peters, Music, is with us for the year filling in for Ms. Hart who is on an educational leave
• Colleen Segriff, Transitions 8 & 9, Scimatics 8, is with us for the year and comes, most recently, from Eliza van Bibber School in Pelly Crossing
• Joe Calnan, Industrial Arts, is replacing Mr. Tait who retired at the end of last year.  He taught most recently near Kingston, ON.
• Alethea Wallace, Vice-principal, replaces Ms. Gallant who is now the principal of Christ the King Elementary.  Ms. Wallace comes to us most recently from JV Clark school in Mayo and has also been a school principal in Alberta.

Please don’t hesitate to reply to this email or call the school at 667-5901 if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
​
Ryan Sikkes, principal and Alethea Wallace, vice-principal