PEARSON NEWS October 2010 Volume XIII, No 3 FROM THE DIRECTOR GENERAL & CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

IN THIS ISSUE: 2 DIRECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT

3 MY THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS OF JOHN KILLINGBECK

3 CONGRATULATIONS TO BEACON HILL ELEMENTARY

4 NEXT SPORTS RADIO STAR CONTEST

4 LAKESIDE ACADEMY’S ORIENTATION CAMP 2010

5 A WORD FROM YOUR COMMISSIONERS

5 FALL CELEBRATIONS AT ALLION ELEMENTARY

5 ULTIMATE FRISBEE

7 DORSET SCHOOL’S TRAVELS

9 BEURLING ATTENDS THE CSLC

9 HOUSE OF COMMONS LETTER REGARDING CSLC

10 REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

11 ST. PAUL ELEMENTARY GETS A ‘GREENER’ LOOK

11 LAKESIDE ACADEMY’S PATH OF HOPE

11 CLEARPOINT CELEBRATES PEACE

12 EVERYBODY HAD A JOHN KILLINGBECK STORY TO SHARE

12 ALLION’S WELCOME BACK BBQ

12 MONARCHS IN THE RIVERVIEW LIBRARY

14 GORDON ROBERTSON CAREER CENTRE ON FACEBOOK

14 A SUCCESSFUL ANNIVERSARY BBQ FOR THORNDALE

14 BEURLING’S MARCH FOR PEACE

13 ST. ANTHONY ELEMENTARY AND FREE THE CHILDREN

6 SHARE AND REPAIR BOOK CLUB

6 GRADUATION AT PEC

15 BEING A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

7 CSC ELECTS 2010-2011 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

8 DANIELA’S CORNER

8 LCCHS IN THE NEWS

16 A BIG ACHIEVEMENT FOR WESTWOOD

16 ZUMBA AT LAKESIDE ACADEMY

17 MOUNT PLEASANT INAUGURATES TASK ROOM

17 NOTES FROM COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING

18 NOTES FROM COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING CONT’D

18 COMMISSIONERS’ PHONE NUMBERS

18 DATES TO NOTE

JOHN KILLINGBECK 1933-2010

It is with very deep sadness that the Lester B. Pearson School Board informs all of its communities of the passing of John Killingbeck on October 1, 2010. John Killingbeck was a dearly loved and deeply respected educator who devoted more than fifty years of his life to education. In that time, his kindness, warmth and vision touched the lives of his colleagues and of myriad students and families. There are precious few, if any, who have contributed so much and have enriched so many. Since John Killingbeck entered the profession of education as a teacher in 1956, he has been characterized as absolutely unique in the depth of his commitment to those with whom he worked, students, parents and colleagues, and in his inspirational leadership by example. In each of the roles of increased responsibility that he undertook, John’s focus was, in the words of a colleague, “an absolute commitment to doing only what is right for the healthy intellectual and personal development of the students we serve”. As a Senior Administrator, his compassion and understanding led the organization through the first years of enrollment decline with an optimism and foresight that fostered strong belief in our system and its strengths. In his recent leadership of our Education Committee, all of the characteristics referred to above remained and guided the Committee in its work. The strength of John’s achievements is in their impact on all with whom he worked. It is clear that his leadership abilities and style will be emulated by all who were touched by his work. John had great faith in people. When he spoke of students, parents and colleagues, he used words such as “amazing” and “incredible”. The Lester B. Pearson School Board attributes those qualities to John Killingbeck, a truly remarkable man of exemplary character and example to us all. Our most sincere sympathies are extended to Olga and the entire Killingbeck family.

An email address has been established at the board, RememberingJohnKillingbeck@lbpsb.qc.ca, to submit your personalized tribute. Your email address will not be published. The web page will contain

the tributes received and they will be posted as quickly as possible so that they can be shared. Photographs that are sent will be posted in a gallery for viewing. Visit the web page by clicking here.

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September 30, 2009 total. Central Parents’ Committee I am pleased to report that Mrs. Nan Beaton has been named Chair and Laura Derry, Vice Chair of our Central Parents’ Committee for this school year. Both are deeply committed to education and to the valued role of parents in our organization. I look forward to working with our parent groups once again. Graduations and Open Houses The Fall season marks for a number of our secondary schools Convocation Ceremonies for the graduating class of the previous year. Each of these is a joyous event, a celebration of achievement on the part of the students, their families and the school staff. I wish to take this opportunity to offer my congratulations and best wishes for future successes to all of our graduates and my thanks to parents and staff for your support and efforts. Our secondary schools also show their pride through “Open House” activity, demonstrating the varied programs offered at all levels. The number of visitors, the depth of their questions of students and staff, and their enthusiasm for what they saw and heard are indicators of a solid future for our schools. As a parent or student looking for a high school, I encourage you to contact any of our schools for information on their wide variety of academic programs and co-curricular activities. Hertfordshire Visitors Last week, we were pleased to receive a group of four Head Teachers (Principals) from schools outside of London, England. This marks a continuation and potential expansion of our on-going project with Birchwood High School, with which we have had in effect a very positive student exchange program. The guests visited elementary and secondary schools as well as the International Language Centre, attended a meeting of our Administration Group and spent time with personnel from both Educational and Student Services. We anticipate more formal arrangements to develop with student exchanges and staff professional development opportunities to take place.

Loss of John Killingbeck All of us who are part of the education profession and of the West Island community lost a most valued member with the passing of John

Killingbeck. John served education for more than 50 years, starting in the classroom and very soon after that experience as an administrative leader. He proved at all times to be a champion of children and to be an incredible, inspirational educator and individual. Those of us who knew John have been much enriched by his contact. He will be sadly missed by all of us and we extend to his wonderful family our heartfelt support and sympathies. Canadian Student Leadership Conference The Lester B. Pearson School Board hosted the Canadian Student Leadership Conference at the end of September at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School. This was an enormous undertaking that was led from its inception to its conclusion by our recently retired Director of Secondary Schools, Carol Gray. Throughout the long period of preparation, her leadership and insight made certain the success of the experience for student leaders from across the country. The committee chair, Hugues Bertrand, showed tremendous energy and commitment in leading the group of organizers. Deep appreciation must also be extended to Cris Prata, Principal of P.C.H.S., to the staff, to Mario Barrette and his Transportation Department staff, and to all volunteers who made the conference such a resounding success. September 30 Enrollment Status While final official September 30 enrollment numbers will not be known until confirmation is received from MELS, it is clear that our enrollment continues to shrink at a rate slightly in excess of our projected figures. We now show an overall decrease of approximately 700 students from our

DIRECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT

China Cultural Visit The year 2010 marks the fortieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and the People’s Republic of China. During his state visit to Canada, President Hu Jintao suggested to Prime Minister Harper that the occasion be recognized in a more formal manner in which China would host one hundred officials and elementary and secondary principals in an educational exchange program. This exchange visit was intended to enhance the educational and cultural ties between the two nations and was sponsored by the Hanban/Confucius Headquarters in Beijing, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Ministry of Education of China. It is committed to providing Chinese language and cultural teaching resources and services and to meeting the needs of foreign learners of Chinese. The visit to Beijing and Shanghai took place from October 14 until this past weekend, with the following goals: • To provide a better knowledge of

Chinese culture and society • To foster effective communication

on primary and secondary educa-tion in both countries

• To encourage Chinese language teaching in elementary and secondary schools in Canada

• To provide stimulus to establishing principal/teacher/student exchange programs

• To investigate channels of further cooperation in future

With a total of one hundred spaces across Canada, the allotment of thirteen of them to our Board is an indicator of our position in the forefront of international education in Canada. We are being given an excellent opportunity that will help in achieving the enrichment of learning opportunities through Global Education and Community Partnerships as stated in our Strategic Plan. R.T. Mills - Director General

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MY THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS OF JOHN KILLINGBECK

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CONGRATULATIONS TO BEACON HILL ELEMENTARY

Beacon Hill Elementary’s Grade 5 class took the top prize in the CBC Kids’ Book Club Contest. Elementary classrooms from across Canada were challenged to write a story or poem to emphasize the importance of reading and to tell CBC why the Book Club should come to their school. Grade 5 students at Beacon Hill took on the challenge along with their teachers, Ms. Reid and Mme La France, and wrote a poem/rap, recorded it and sent it to the CBC. Beacon Hill’s submission was

selected as the winner of the contest, out of more than 70 entries from across Canada. A small group of two students, a teacher and Grant Thomas, Principal of Beacon Hill were interviewed on CBC Radio once they were informed they had won. The school has also won a visit from one of five authors for a book club discussion, plus copies of the book they select. CBC Radio will be on hand for the author’s visit and will broadcast the event. To listen to Beacon Hill’s winning submission, visit: http://www.cbc.ca/books/bookclub/tdbooks/watchlisten.html. Here is a transcript of the poem/rap the students wrote: We love we love to read CBC radio wants to know

Why they should come and do their show At Beacon Hill in Montreal Well we’re the best of them all We love to read everyday At least ten minutes gets us on our way Reading takes us to a whole new place It puts a smile on our face We’ve been to the future and the past Flown through space really fast Ran with dinosaurs and hung out in trees Fought with knights, found secret keys Reading helps us all through life Cutting through words like a knife It makes us have a bigger brain It’s not very hard - there is no pain! Twelve thousand books in our library Story time during an assembly We can read in English and French All while sitting on the school bench We love, we love to read

I can’t seem to get John out of my thoughts. John’s beautiful smile, twinkling eyes, and soft and joyous tone of voice resonate in my mind. When I went for a walk today and soaked in the fall sun, breathed in the tremendous fresh air and observed the beginning of the leaves turning colour, all I could think about was John. I felt so happy, so lucky and so thankful to have such thoughts of John so vividly etched in my mind’s eye, but also I felt so incredibly sad to have lost such a wonderful friend. All I could think about on that Thanksgiving Day walk is how blessed I am to have known such an incredibly special man who has touched my life so meaningfully. I know I will always carry thoughts of John Killingbeck with me on my own pathway as I maneuver through the various twists and turns of life. I am a student of John’s, but I never knew him as a classroom teacher or administrator. I only really came to know him when I became a school commissioner, was placed in his group at my first Council workshop, and was in awe from the first time he spoke to

me; and then afterward, I learned so much about humanity and humility from John on every occasion that we worked together. Anyone who knows John would not have to ask why this person was such a special man. They would not have to ask if he had ever spoken to you with such devout interest and pleasure in what you had to say. They would not have to ask you if he had ever guided you in understanding the complexities of our public education system. They would not have to ask you if John had ever taken the time to ask you about your family and your job or to comment so positively on the work you had been doing. They would not have to ask you if John had ever spoken with great care and consideration about the wonderful experiences he had spending time with the students of the LBPSB. They would not have to ask you if he had been truly passionate about education. They would not have to ask you if John had ever glowed with enormous love for and pride in the accomplishments of his five

wonderful children, his grandchildren and his absolute adoration of his loving wife, Olga. The last time I spoke to John was at the school board offices a short while ago, after our summer recess. John was struggling to breathe when he talked, but this did not stop him. His face lit up when he described to me how he had thought of me and my family during the summer when he was in Prince Edward Island and had driven by the spot where in his childhood my husband had spent many glorious summers. Tears welled up in my eyes during his telling of his anecdote to me. Anyone who knows John would not have to ask why. Thank you, John for teaching me so much and for bringing such joy to this world. Judy Kelley – LBPSB Commissioner, Ward 18

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LAKESIDE ACADEMY’S ORIENTATION CAMP 2010 At the beginning of every school year, Lakeside Academy’s Secondary IV and V Leadership students host a two day orientation camp for all Secondary I students. This two day adventure camp was held at Centre Notre Dame de Fatima in Île Perrot. It is an event that allows 80 new Lakeside students to get to know one another and their new school, with the guidance and animation of 20 senior leadership students.

Both days are filled with many outdoor team building challenges and activities for all. Students also prepare and present skits to the group. Each day concludes with an

awards ceremony and with a keynote address delivered by well known motivational speaker, Ian Tyson. This year’s presentation was called “A hero inside”. The event was extremely successful where all students returned home well fed and very happy with the many new friends

that they made at camp. Community Office - Lakeside Academy

My wife, Huguette, and I and our family knew Olga and the Killingbecks as neighbours and friends for over 30 years. Huguette had a good experience working for John. John was so humble, and did so much good, almost in a retiring, unacknowledged manner. We keep hearing about the good things that he did on a regular basis. He did not do well just for praise. He just enjoyed what he was doing. With a loving family of girls and his son Greg, he said ‘only good things’ about people. It was reported that one shy lady

DON RAE – Ward 15 - Beaconsfield North Email: drae@lbpsb.qc.ca When we last visited John Killingbeck in the hospital, he was ecstatic, having

watched the Pearson Webcast, and Patrick Whitham’s “Best Wishes” to John at the Council of Commis-sioners meeting. John was glowing in his admiration of Marcus Tabachnick’s professional, even-tempered, chairing of our meeting. “Marcus would be a great ‘Anchor’ for a large American Television Corporation,” he said smiling.

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A WORD FROM YOUR COMMISSIONERS

FALL CELEBRATIONS AT ALLION ELEMENTARY On Tuesday, October 5, Allion School held its Fourth Annual Fall Celebration; combining a

Peace Day, Terry Fox Walk, and a Thanksgiving Assembly. Once again this year, students created posters of peace, learned about Terry Fox, and brought in non-perishable foods to help a local food bank. The highlight of the day was Mr. Clahane's “Stone Soup.” A busy and dynamic crew of Home & School volunteers helped to deliver a bowl of soup

to each child and staff member in the school. As students enjoyed the delicious soup, they were reminded of the bountiful

harvest and of their part in making Allion a Peaceful School. After lunch, the whole school, along with

parent volunteers and high school students from the Phoenix program of L.C.C.H.S., set off for the Terry Fox Walk, which was organized by our

who was very quiet said to John, “I like me when I’m with you.” A very fitting tribute to John. We must express compassion for his wife Olga and his family in John’s passing. We echo the feelings, of many, “May his family be spared further sorrow.” In Sadness our heart goes out to these good people.

wonderful Physical Education & Health Teacher, Miss Acton. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather as we did our part in memory of Terry Fox. Mary Rutherford - Spiritual Care and Guidance and Community Involvement Service, Allion School

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ULTIMATE FRISBEE

Greendale School hosted the ultimate frisbee tournament in the beautiful fields behind the school. Fun was had by everyone!

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SHARE AND REPAIR BOOK CLUB Every fall for the last eight years, Lakeside’s “Share and Repair Book Club” assembles to tackle the ominous task of covering or repairing “every book in the house!” This cheery group, ranging in numbers from 12-20 seniors, gathers on Wednesday morning from September until May to repair or protect our text books. This talented group of retirees is not wanting in skills. Given the recent need for a “ Book Baking Oven,” their resident engineer, a retired McGill department head, quickly designed and built the necessary piece of equipment. Lakeside students also delight in the

senior’s weekly presence. As they pass by the Boardroom, they often hear peels of laughter coming from within. In exchange for the seniors invaluable support, the students from Secondary I - V promise to provide three essentials

every week; good company, a home baked delight with a steaming cup of coffee and soothing music. What a winning combination! Our “Share and Repair” seniors depict the essence of volunteering; a marvelous example to our students and one that promotes a wonderful intergenerational relationship amongst the Lakeside family. Lakeside thanks our “Share and Repair” seniors for their outstanding dedication to this excellent program and may we be so fortunate as to share many more years together. Victoria Pinnell - Community Office, Lakeside Academy

Let’s honour the schools’ volunteers in the ‘Volunteers of the Month’ section.

Every month, one or two articles will be published on Page 6 in the Pearson News about the outstanding volunteers in your schools. Please send your articles along with a photo to Daniela Scoppa –

dscoppa@lbpsb.qc.ca.

GRADUATION AT PEC

At the Pearson Electrotechnology Centre, three groups of Electricity students and one group of students from the Installation and Repair of Telecommunications Equipment Program gathered to mark the successful completion of their training. The Centre’s second graduating class entered the hall to the sound of the bagpipes, graciously provided by Andrew Walsh from I.T. Services. Director General Mr. Bob Mills, Adult Education and Vocational Training Director Mrs. Gloria Keenan and the Centre Director Mrs. Paula Pedroso welcomed the graduates and their families. Valedictorian Mathieu Montcalm spoke of the strong friendships that supported students during the intensive sixteen-month program, and congratulated his classmates on their

achievement. Following the opening remarks, students received their diplomas from their teachers. Director General Mr. Bob Mills congratulated all students for their dedication and perseverance, but he made special mention of one particular graduate. Mr. Wallen Darling was a young student at Shadd Academy when

Mr. Mills was Vice-Principal there. Mr. Mills had special words of congratulations for the student who has become a husband and father, and dedicated 18 months to completing the Electricity Program during the evening while working full time in the Purchasing Department at the Lester B. Pearson School Board. After the ceremony, the graduates with their friends and family had a chance to reconnect with classmates and teachers to enjoy refreshments. This evening was a testament to the energy and drive these graduates have invested, and to the support they have received from each other and their families and friends. Everyone felt very proud of their success.

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DORSET SCHOOL’S TRAVELS

Through the Town of Baie d’Urfé :September 24th, 2010 Many parents and people in general wonder what teachers do on Professional (a.k.a. Pedagogical) days. The students stay home on the these non-school days and the teachers go to school. As educators we are always learning as well and these days are often used for attending workshops, sharing professional development, meeting with colleagues and parents etc. This year one of Dorset School’s Professional Days also was designated Part One of our Staff Retreat. We decided to use it to support our yearlong project of learning more about our community of Baie d’Urfé and mentoring each other in sharing resources for our pedagogical goals. We organized this day by dividing our entire staff (teachers, Aides, administration, student teachers) into groups and leading them on pre-arranged tours of the town of Baie d’Urfé. It was an amazing day of making connections, building relationships, learn-ing history and living new experiences. Our plan is to meet and revisit the people and places with our students throughout this school year and in the future. We will also be inviting many of the “resourceful” people we met to visit us. For this particular day we organized four tours. Our Tour #1 explored the Industrial Park and several businesses of the community. Our teachers met with Simon Paquin at the Proxim Pharmacy. He is an inspirational and motivated businessman who gave our teachers lots to think about. This group also

visited Kamek Precision Tools and Merial Canada. They completed their morning with a visit to our own Olco station to meet and chat with Pierre, a.k.a. Mr. Baie d’Urfe! We are hoping that career and educational program advice can come to our students from these ‘real’ world encounters. Tour #2 visited the Baie d’Urfé Rescue Unit and met with Peter Neville. Our community is certainly fortunate to have this team at the ready in any emergency. The next stop on the

tour was Fire Hall-Station 52 with its crew of young energetic firefighters-apparently good cooks too! We next visited Alexander von Humboldt School. This was a step back in time for me as I had started my teaching ca-reer there in 1978, when it was Oakridge Elementary. The extraordinary and extensive renovations have certainly moved this educa-tional facility forward. Our hosts and host-esses were so welcoming and ‘mmm’ the special Swiss goodies in the cafeteria were amazing! Tour #3’s group visited the Baie d’Urfé Library, the historic homes along Lakeshore Road and the Town Hall. At the Town Hall our group met with former mayor Ann Myles and present city councillor Wayne Belvedere. We absolutely have to thank Nathalie Hadida and Darlene Ward (our Town Hall contacts) for all their assistance in helping make our knowledge of the community and its many facets so extensive. Tour #4 started out in the green spaces and paths near the cemetery where Dr. Jim Fyles from Macdonald College met the walking tour and gave a description of the flora and fauna of the area. This team explored the

history and headstones of this unique space and then hiked through the interconnected town paths which we planned to follow with our students for the Terry Fox Walk. This team also had an opportunity to use GPS devices. This group continued to the Maxwell Residence for a complete tour of the first facility and the new addition. Our students will continue this year to visit and perform the sing-a-longs for the residents. As well, we are initiating some new endeavours such as pen pal writing and visiting program. We completed our day with a luncheon at the Baie d’Urfé Curling Club. We were able to continue some of our conversations from the morning and host some of the town’s helpful resource contacts then and there. We didn’t stop there-or rather we did stop and stay there for a staff curling lesson! We have to thank Fred, our young instructor, who bravely tried to teach ‘teachers’ the ‘back to basics’ of this sport. We tried our best, played a game, then ‘quit while we were ahead’ and uninjured! Thank you Baie d’Urfé for an awesome day and it’s only the beginning!

Ann Tellier - Teacher, Doset

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PEARSON NEWS

The first meeting of Central Students’ Committee took place on Saturday, October 2nd. Outgoing Chair, Ashley Deegan, (on the right) holds the banner with newly elected Chair, Nikole Gregory (on the left) from John Rennie High School. Other elected members of the CSC Executive for 2010-2011 are: Vice-Chairs: Shelbi Pearson-Light - Lakeside Academy Ashley Tillotson - Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School Treasurer: Parus Williams - Beurling Academy Secretary: Michael Chaar - LaSalle Community Comprehensive High School Chrissa Zarafoutis - St.-Thomas High School

CSC ELECTS 2010-2011 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

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DANIELA’S CORNER Since starting at the school board, I’ve written many, many press releases on behalf of the LBPSB. As the Communica-tions Officer, it’s

my job to inform the media of what’s happening in and around the board. I’ve never had so much difficulty writing a press release as I had on the morning of October 1st. I woke up that morning to an email informing me that John Killingbeck had passed away. My heart sank as I read the email and my eyes instantly welled up with tears. I pulled myself together, knowing that despite the devastating news, I

had a job to do. The media would want to know about the passing of such a great man. I strung words together, struggling to stay focused the whole way through the short press release. I rarely struggle with words when I’m writing but that morning I did. Dear John was so kind to me as he was to everyone he met. Never had I encountered such a gentleman. I didn’t know him very long because I’ve only been at the board for a year and half. One didn’t need much time, though, to be touched by John’s kind-ness and passion for educa-

tion. He was so welcoming to me when I first started working at the board, offering me advice and help as I started to familiarize myself with the field of education. He’d often come by my office and bring me articles he thought would be of interest to me and he’d always take the time to see how I was doing. When the Pearson News formatting changed and it became electronic, John’s words of praise made me feel like I was the editor of the best newsletter in the world. That’s the way he was and if you read through all the tributes that have been pouring in for him,

you’ll see that one of the common threads in all of them is how he made people feel special. Although, I didn’t know John for very long, I am so fortunate and honoured to have been able to work with him. His passion and excitement for education is something that will stay with me forever as will his kindness for everyone he encountered. My sincere condolences to his family, whom he spoke so highly of. Rest in peace, John. Daniela Scoppa –Communications Officer dscoppa@lbpsb.qc.ca

LCCHS IN THE NEWS LaSalle Community Comprehensive High School recently made the news about being a Peaceful School.

Quand la paix commence à l’école Et si un monde en paix passait d’abord par des écoles en paix? C’est le pari que fait l’école LaSalle Community Comprehensive High School (LCCHS) CATHERINE GIRARD MÉTRO Publié: 21 septembre 2010 19:54 «L’école a une responsabilité envers la communauté, puisque ce qui se passe entre nos murs a des répercussions sur ce qui se passe en dehors», affirme Stephanie Hérault, directrice adjointe de LaSalle Community Comprehensive High School (LCCHS). C’est pourquoi, selon elle, on doit s’efforcer de former des citoyens qui, en plus de savoir compter, sont capables de vivre en harmonie les uns avec les autres. Il y a quatre ans, LCCHS est donc devenue la première école secondaire québécoise à adhérer à Peaceful Schools International (PSI), un orga-nisme qui se consacre à la promotion de la paix dans le milieu scolaire. «Une accréditation PSI, ce n’est pas quelque chose qu’on doit prendre à la légère. C’est un engagement quotidien», explique Judy Grant, coordonnatrice régionale de PSI. Collin Thomas, directeur de l’école primaire Centennial Park – qui est aussi membre de l’organisme – abonde dans le même sens. «Dans notre établissement, l’enseignement des valeurs telles que la paix et le respect d’autrui est une priorité. Cela se traduit, par exemple, par des cours d’éducation citoyenne obligatoires», indique-t-il. L’enseignement ne suffit pas toujours L’enseignement n’est pas toujours le meilleur moyen de sensibiliser les élèves à la violence et à ses impacts négatifs. Stephanie Hérault croit en effet qu’il est important d’impliquer directement les étudiants. À LCCHS, un programme de médiation par les pairs a donc été mis sur pied. De plus, des boîtes dans lesquelles les élèves peuvent dénoncer de façon anonyme les actes de violence dont ils sont victimes ou témoins ont été installées. «De toutes les initiatives que nous avons prises dans le cadre de PSI, ce sont celles qui ont le plus d’impact auprès des élèves», soutient Mme Hérault. Toutefois, pour que l’engagement du milieu scolaire porte fruit, il ne faut pas négliger l’importance du soutien parental. Stephanie Hérault rappelle que c’est à la maison que la sensibilisation aux valeurs de respect et de tolérance commence. «L’école et les parents doivent travailler en équipe. C’est la seule façon d’obtenir des résultats durables», ajoute Collin Thomas. Transformer le négatif en positif Peaceful Schools International a été fondé en 2001 par Hetty van Gurp. C’est à la suite du décès de son fils de 14 ans, frappé par un autre élè-ve, que cette résidente de la Nouvelle-Écosse a décidé de s’attaquer à la violence et à l’intimidation dans les écoles. Aujourd’hui, PSI regroupe plus de 300 écoles de 15 pays.

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PEARSON NEWS

BEURLING ACADEMY ATTENDS THE 26TH ANNUAL CANADIAN STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

The 26th Canadian Student Leadership Conference (BIG TOP 2010: CANADIAN YOUTH PERFORMING ABOVE AND BEYOND) was held at Pierrefonds Comprehensive High School from September 21st – 25th. Three of our senior students worked for a year in preparation of this huge event and did a fabulous job as animators. Moreover, seven of our senior students attended as delegates. Team-building activities, inspiring motivational speakers, engaging workshops, entertaining shows and Montreal’s Amazing Race, were just a few of the many activities that took place over the five days. Staff members from Beurling Academy also played a key role in the conference. My colleagues, Isabelle Alarie and

Dorothy Dixon as well as my Principal, David Abracen, kindly billeted students and welcomed them into their homes. My other colleague, Kyle Rougeau, helped to organize the beautiful opening ceremony as well as the banquet on the last day. I had the privilege of giving two workshops on “Raising School Spirit” to students and advisors. Beurling Academy would like to congratulate Hugues Bertrand as well as PCHS’s Conference Steering Committee. This was an amazing opportunity for all of our student-leaders. It was truly a memorable event. Tamara Beach - Cycle 1 ERC Teacher /Student Coucil Advisor, Beurling Academy

Do you have an article to submit for the Pearson

News?

P lease send your artic les and pictures to your

Pr incipal who w i l l forward them to us .

Quest ions or comments? Emai l Daniela Scoppa at

dscoppa@lbpsb.qc .ca.

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REPORT FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD JOHN KILLINGBECK After enjoying one of the most exciting opening months in the Board’s history, the LBPSB was dealt an awful blow with the death of John Killingbeck. John suffered from a pulmonary disease and in the early hours of October 1st John

succumbed to the disease. He was such an amazing, long time, pillar of our community. His career spanned almost 55 years yet for John it was never a job, it was a passion. He had a passion for education, for students, for colleagues, for community, for helping, for being active, for coaching, for mentoring, and for supporting others. Above all, his biggest passion was his family. You see the pride and joy he got from bragging about their accomplishments, their abilities, their commitments to their families and their causes. His wife Olga; children, Natasha, Marina, Alexandra, Victoria, and Gregory, and their families, including 11 grandchildren, were the lifeblood of his existence. The Pearson Board, the West Island, tens of thousands of students, thousands of colleagues and staff, and hundreds of thousands of community members all benefitted from having John Killingbeck a part of our lives. We could use all the pages of this Pearson News to detail and to describe all of the organizations and activities that he quietly, and so effectively, took part in. There is a memorial page on the Board’s web site. We are collecting people’s memories, in words and pictures, and will organize and publish (electronically) them as part of our tribute to a special, esteemed, member of the Pearson community. John was my special “go-to” Commissioner in times of difficult and sometimes testy debate. He had a way of putting things into the proper perspective thereby allowing his colleagues to arrive at the right decision. He will be missed but, make no mistake, John would have wanted things to return to normal as soon as possible. We will find someone to fill his seat and represent the community and schools of Pointe Claire West. If you have a deep belief and interest in helping create a positive future for students, in their potential to succeed, and in public education, watch for the announcement of the call for candidates for the position of Commissioner for Ward 10. John would want us to ensure that these are amongst the qualities of any new member of the Council of Commissioners. The Council extends its sincere sympathy to John’s family. May you rest in peace, good friend. _________________________________ October has flown by. Student count day has given us a preliminary enrollment that is almost exactly what we expected in our budget building

process, some 700 students less than the 2009/2010 school year. The tough Major School Change decisions to close three schools were proven to be necessary. • Our Board participated at the Montreal

Families Education Fair at the end of September. There was quite a buzz around the 5 LBPSB booths as big crowds gathered on both days to check out all of the programs, services, and innovations offered by our public school system. We all noted how well-informed this year’s visitors were. Very specific questions were being asked about our Board including many about the new Français Plus, extended French in high school, third language options, and our test day for enriched programs at high schools. Both the vocational division booth and the International K4 booth were extremely busy with several people signing up for courses on the spot.

• The LBPSB will next be presenting all that public education has to offer at the Salon de la Famille at the Palais des Congrѐs in downtown Montreal on April 30th and May 1st.

• We have some great corporate partners. Many seek no publicity for the good things they do. I want to point out three such community-spirited partners. The desire to help kids who need a boost at the start of the school year were combined to provide more than 180 backpacks filled with school supplies. The three are: Costco (on the Trans Canada service road in Pointe-Claire); Telus and Tim Horton’s (at Sources and Hymus). We really appreciate their efforts on behalf of our students.

• The new school in St-Lazare took a giant step towards realization. The Council awarded the contract for the construction to Consortium M.R. du Canada Ltée. The winning bid was $7,170,764.12. We are very anxious to see the first shovel in the ground. We will update the New School web page as we get information from the contractor on the preliminary construction timeline.

• High school Open Houses continue to draw large crowds. Our schools offer a wide variety of choices for every student. From enriched to IBO to sports to arts to so many specialized programs. The public schools system is Quebec is considered one of the tops in Canada. The student success rate of the LBPSB schools is always amongst the highest in the province. The learning experience in all of our schools is enriching, nurturing, supportive, and accessible to all. Our teachers and support staffs are the best anywhere. The future of the English

community is enhanced when parents choose the English public school system. Come and see us. Talk to students, teachers, and administrators. You will be impressed. Our admissions department, or your local school, can help get students registered with no hassles and in short order. We look forward to welcoming one and all to the LBPSB family.

• The Major School Change process continues with a public hearing scheduled for Forest Hill Sr. on October 28th. That will be followed by a period of study and reflection by the Board’s Council and senior administration. The Council will then consider a proposal for rezoning the western region of the Board at the regular meeting on November 29th.

• I reported last month that we were working on some enhancements to the Board’s Council meeting webcasts. The October meeting saw the introduction of the first interactive public school board meeting in Canada. Viewers were able to email questions and comments which were then posted on a live blog spot on the new webcast page. Viewers also noticed that there were other changes including a screen for notices and a screen that allows us to share specific information about the item that is under discussion at the appropriate time, making it easier to understand the ongoing discussion and debate. We will review these changes and any comments received about them. We want the webcast to allow one and all to fully understand, and now be part of, the public school system. Only the public system provides such a transparent view of education.

• I am currently writing this report from China. Thirteen LBPSB officials and elementary and secondary principals were chosen to participate in a 10-day educational exchange mission in China in honour of the fortieth anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and the People’s Republic of China. The school board continues to strengthen its relationship with China in order to provide a more global education for our students. A full report on the school board’s China mission will be available in the November edition of the Pearson News.

Marcus Tabachnick - Chairman of the Board

ST. PAUL ELEMENTARY GETS A ‘GREENER’ LOOK On Saturday, October 16th, the front of St. Paul Elementary got a new look. St. Paul was only one of 15 schools in all of Canada to be selected for a Tree Canada Grant. The $2,900 grant was used to plant shrubs and trees outside the school. Many students and their families came to help with the planting as well as volunteers from FedEx (who partner with Tree Canada) and a representative from Tree

LAKESIDE ACADEMY’S PATH OF HOPE/PENSER AUX AUTRES

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Mon voyage en 2008 en Côte-d’Ivoire (Afrique de l’ouest) m’a ouvert encore plus les yeux sur l’extrême pauvre-té qui existe dans certains villages de la Côte-d’Ivoire. De retour à Montréal j’ai décidé de construire une petite école pour les enfants du village Apoisso où je suis allée. En effet j’ai constaté qu’il n’y avait pas d’école dans ce village, mais il en existait une à deux heures et demie de marche. Mon but actuellement est de construire une école gratuite pour les enfants de ce village qui n’ont aucune activité. S’ils avaient une école, ces enfants pourraient avoir une occupation et s’épanouir pleinement. J’ai raconté mon voyage à mes élèves de Lakeside Academy afin qu’ils réalisent la chance qu’ils ont de vivre au Canada et de pouvoir aller à l’école. Le pro-jet Sentier de l’espoir ou Path of Hope à donc vu le

jour à Lakeside Academy grâce à l’aide précieuse de l’administration, des professeur(e)s et des élèves. Enfin, désireuse de voir mon dessein se réaliser, je suis prête à m’investir totalement dans cette expérience, qui saura à n’en pas douter, enrichir mes élèves, mes collègues et moi-même tant sur le plan humain que profes-sionnel. Aussi, j’espère compter sur la générosité et l’aide logistique des organismes, et des personnes de bonne volonté. Isabelle Amengoua - Enseignante de

français et d’ÉCR / Lakeside Academy Last year, the students and staff at Lakeside Academy began a project to raise funds to build a small school in western Africa. To make this dream happen, we set a goal of raising $12,000. With this money, we as students will have the opportunity to help people in another area of the world by supplying villagers with building materials to construct a school. Some of us will even go to the Cote d’Ivoire to physically help in the process of building the school in the small town of Apoisso. The students who will participate in this event will experience the everyday life of the villagers

to learn their customs and culture. In our campaign, we have studied the Cote d’Ivoire to help students appreciate what they have and what some less fortunate people in other parts of the world are going through. We kicked off our fundraising efforts by organizing a penny war where each homeroom was in a competition to collect the most loose change. All of our change amounted to $1,800 towards our project. On September 22, 2010, we hosted our second big event in the campaign, a movie on the backfield of our school. During this event, there was over $600 raised. FreshAir cinema kindly offered to help out with our efforts by offering the event free of charge. Students, friends and families enjoyed sitting under the stars on a wonderful night watching a movie on a screen three stories high. We would like to thank all of the people from the community who came and supported this great cause. Future fundraisers are underway, and our next ideas range from selling raffle tickets to collecting pledges to endure a 30-hour famine or 24 hours of silence. By the summer of 2011, we hope our efforts will have accumulated enough money to build the school and make a difference larger than ourselves Kaitlyn Patterson - Secondary IV student / Lakeside Academy

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Canada. Tony Alfano from Centre du Pavé et Jardin R.D.P. was also on hand to help with the planting. Mr. Alfano prepared the landscape plan for the front of the school and transported and provided the plants at a reduced rate to match the school’s grant. This grant is part of a school-wide initiative that began a few years ago to improve the schoolyard at St. Paul.

CLEARPOINT ELEMENTARY CELEBRATES PEACE

Clearpoint staff and students assembled to celebrate International Peace Day on September 21st.The grade 6 classes of Mme Larivière, Mme Bury and Mrs. Heckler met and worked with students and teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 5 in preparation for this school wide event. Classrooms and hallways were decorated with doves, peace signs and posters. Students were treated to touching peace poems created and read by their

classmates, an interpretative dance done to John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’, a beautiful solo violin rendition of Ashoken Farewell by Grade 6 student Leo Purich, an art presentation, and a spirited book reading by our retired former librarian, Janet Mckelvie. The celebration concluded with an outdoor soccer game and a ‘planting’ of pinwheels for peace, happy souvenirs of a very special day! Linda Choinière - Spiritual Animator

ALLION’S WELCOME BACK BBQ

EVERYBODY HAD A JOHN KILLINGBECK STORY TO SHARE

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Everybody has a John Killingbeck story that they can share and some more likely have more than one. Everybody has a John Killingbeck story that usually involves kind words, a positive comment, a happy reflection and the story always ends with the feeling that he made you believe you were special. What we all learned from these shared John Killingbeck moments was- he was the one who was special. This was the magic of the educator, the mentor, the leader, the colleague and the man. My big sister was in John Killingbeck’s grade 7 class at Cedar Park over fifty years ago. She and her best friend dropped by the school board head office several years ago when he was Director General when they were back in Montreal for a High School reunion. You would have

On September 10th, Allion Elementary School welcomed back staff, students and their families with a very well attended BBQ. Volunteers worked diligently to provide yummy hotdog meals for all with loads of sweet treats for the kids. Families and staff spent time swapping summer vacation stories while kids admired each other’s fun tattoos, an overwhelmingly popular

station with the kiddies! Music and laughter mixed beautifully with the glorious warm, end of summer evening. Allion’s Welcome Back BBQ is a wonderful new tradition! Allion Home & School

thought they were 12 years old again; they were so excited to see him. He always asked after her when I would meet up with him over the years. On her 60th birthday I actually called him to ask if he would surprise her with a Happy Birthday phone call. He did, of course. There she was twelve years old again feeling special because of Mr. Killingbeck. I think it took me twenty years before I could bring myself to call Mr. Killingbeck-“John”. I have another great memory of him at the first LBPSB Space Day event. He was an “ambassador” ( a group leader) and he mugged for my video camera-spreading his arms like wings, tilting and weaving with his little ‘space cadets’ in tow. Last June at Louise Chalmers’ retirement party, in the ‘then John

Rennie Theatre’, he let me in on some news that he was thrilled to share, that during this celebration it was about to be announced to Louise that the theatre would be re-named, after her. He was ‘all about’ wanting others to receive the recognition they deserved. At our school, after we heard of his untimely passing, several of us were reminiscing about the way he touched so many of us. Through his personal recognition of what we did as teachers he made our ‘metier’ seem so worthwhile. He gave us pride and a good feeling about what we do each and every day. He would always make sure you understood that you were valued-we can only hope he understood how much we truly treasured him and how much we will miss his presence. Ann Tellier - Teacher, Dorset

As part of its annual lunch time book club, the library decided to give a firsthand look into the life cycle of a monarch butterfly. Through the purchase of a “Monarch Kit” from the Montreal Insectarium, Miss Jennifer was able to invite students to visit the library and watch the daily changes these little caterpillars go through as they evolved into beautiful butterflies. Everyone was able to watch their different stages of growth and ask questions about

what they were seeing. The kit included 6 small caterpillars, a netted container and a milk weed plant for the caterpillars to eat. The lunch time book club will be studying life cycles, food chains and how they all tie in together

and how pollution has an effect on all living things. The goal of the project is to write a book on their views of the world today and everyone’s role in it. Miss Jennifer Holmes

MONARCHS IN THE RIVERVIEW LIBRARY

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ST. ANTHONY ELEMENTARY AND FREE THE CHILDREN

YOU CAN SIGN UP TO HAVE THE PEARSON NEWS DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX EVERY MONTH. VISIT THE ‘PEARSON NEWS’ SECTION ON THE

BOARD’S WEBSITE: WWW.LBPSB.QC.CA

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Last year the students of St. Anthony endorsed the Adopt-a-Village program of Free the Children (FTC). This is a three-year commitment which includes building a school in the first year; developing clean water and sanitation facilities in the second year; and providing alternate incomes for the residents of the village in the third year. In 2009-2010, our students were able to build not one but three schools in Makeni, Sierra Leone, with the money collected through various fundraisers. The journey began when four students in my Grade Three class (Sabrina Papandrea, Brianna McNeil, Justin Chioda, and Kyle Duffy) raised over $70 by selling lemonade in the neighbor-hood. That act of kindness motivated others to become involved and soon the students formed a Free the Children Youth Committee. In June, the entire staff asked parents to give donations to Free the Children in lieu of gifts. This generated over $3,000 dollars. This was repeated at Christmas and again in June of 2010. The staff was so enthusiastic that it also formed a FTC Committee to assist in helping the students. Students were responsible for organizing and promoting all the events, and then collecting and counting all the money! The students’ FTC committee met weekly to carry out their fundraising plans for the year. Some of these activities were: a Used Book Sale, a Read-a-thon, a concession stand at our Community Garage Sale, bake sales, toy/jewelry/art sales, a water balloon toss, and many different kinds of raffles and classroom activities. It was an exciting year for the community as we

filled in the Brick by Brick posters for each of the new schools. In the spring, I entered St. Anthony in the ‘Matching Fund’ component of FTC which involved submitting our school’s goals and outlining our future fundraisers. Club Penguin (a Disney book/computer club) recognized our school’s efforts and made a donation to FTC on our behalf. We were awarded $5,000, the highest amount of the 2 grants given in Quebec last year. This generous donation allowed our students to complete a second school and motivated them to work even harder to complete a third school. By the end of the year the students had raised over $27,000.

The grade 6 students created two large shadow boxes depicting our ties with Sierra Leone. The artwork shows how far apart our two countries are on the globe but at the same time, how closely we are linked by humanity as shown by the

handmade babies circling the globe. They are truly beautiful works of art designed by Cinzia Allocca, the mother of one of the graduating students. One of these shadow boxes will be sent to Makeni where it will hang in one of the new schools. The other is proudly displayed in the hallway of St. Anthony as a reminder to all of what can be achieved when we give our youth the opportunity to make positive changes in the world.

The students of St. Anthony have learned important values as they worked so diligently to help those less fortunate in Sierra Leone. They have demonstrated strong leadership skills and shown their compassion and enthusiasm for helping others. They have excited and motivated an entire community to take action and to “be the change you want to see in

the world”. (Ghandi). This year St. Anthony’s students will continue to improve the village with fundraisers to build water and sanitation facilities at the schools. We look forward to the challenge. Our students will also be participating in Montreal’s first “Me to We” Day on November 12 at Theatre St. Denis. This is a day where the youth of Montreal will celebrate their humanitarian efforts and be motivated to engage in even more efforts to improve their world both locally and globally. The students of St. Anthony will proudly attend this important event knowing that they have already made a difference in the lives of others and will continue to do so. Ms. Marilyn Carroll - Grade 3 teacher- St. Anthony

A VERY SUCCESSFUL 50th ANNIVERSARY BBQ FOR THORNDALE ELEMENTARY

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Visit Gordon Robertson Career Centre’s Blog and Facebook page

The Gordon Robertson Career Centre is now on Facebook and has its

very own blog. Be sure to check out both for updates on what’s happening at the centre, inspirational stories and fantastic photos of

the wonderful work done by the students at the centre. To access their Facebook page, visist: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Beauty-Academy-GRCC/109464589084555

To access their blog, visit: http:/www.beautyacademygrcc.blogspot.com/

Close to 650 current and former Thorndale students, their families, principals, teachers and school staff celebrated the school’s half-century birthday on September 24th with a big barbecue. Along with the traditional BBQ food (hot dogs, hamburgers, corn, etc.), organizers also planned a myriad of activities for all those who attended the

festivities. From games to raffles, to face painting, there was something for attendees of all ages. A display of memorabilia was set-up around the

hallways of Thorndale commemorating 50 great years at the school. A number of community dignitaries such as Mayor of Pierrefonds Monique Worth, MNA Yolande James and MP

Francis Scarpallegia attended the bash as well as a number of school board officials.

BEURLING ACADEMY’S MARCH FOR PEACE On Wednesday, September 22, 2010, my colleague, Isabelle Alarie, and her Secondary V Leadership class organized a March for Peace followed by the Annual Pep Rally event. Beurling Academy’s staff and students acknowledged World Peace Day by creating colorful Peace Banners, peace poetry and raps. A school-wide March for Peace was held in the afternoon in which each homeroom carried their well-designed banners. This caught the

attention of Global News as they aired a clip during the evening’s newscast. The afternoon ended with the annual Pep Rally in which all of the Fall sports teams were introduced and of course, our Mascot, the Beurling Bobcat, also made his first official appearance of the new school year. Tamara Beach - Cycle 1 ERC Teacher / Student Council Advisor, Beurling Academy

GREENDALE GOES APPLE PICKING On October 4, 2010, the staff and students of Greendale Elementary School went to Pomiculteur du Bucheron in Laval. The entire school had an exquisite adventure. Our Grade Six students were big buddies to the Kindergarten classes. They helped the little ones pick apples, fill their bags and also enjoyed biting into that delicious fruit. The children were amused and the apples were big, juicy and quite the delight. The day was picture perfect and everyone enjoyed breathing in the crisp air. At the end of the day, only smiles came across the faces of all the children. Angie Grigoropoulos - Grade 6 teacher, Greendale

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BEING A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

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All the names, except mine, have been changed to protect the innocent and the guilty. This is how one of my Friday mornings began……innocently opening my e-mail and finding this message. Good morning Mrs. Tellier, Yesterday afternoon Clare was quite distraught because she overheard some kids wanting "to kill Marwan" and she also told me, " I saw Marwan run as fast as his little legs could carry him" and " I saw him being choked and hurt". She kept repeating it and I said that this was serious and that I would bring it to your attention. She said that the nasty deed was plotted by the "grade 2-ers". I am not sure if it is serious but worth a mention for sure. She feels quite sorry for Marwan. Just more or less for your FYI and she was too unsure of bringing it to the teacher on duty as they were busy "playing with the kids". Have a great weekend and thanks, Kelly The incident was disturbing, but the cheery sign off of-‘Have a great weekend!’ was, I thought, a bit strange. I assumed that this “incident” had happened at daycare the previous evening, since this was certainly the first I’d heard of it. I was concerned, of course, because one hopes ‘a little politically incorrect issue’ isn’t involved. I forwarded it, perhaps a little hastily, to the daycare supervisor and principal, in case they received a distraught call from Marwan’s parents. I indicated I was following-up with the alleged aggrieved party. It was a beautiful Fall morning and a few minutes before the bell would chime, (8:55 a.m. or so). I thought I would try to head off the suspects at the pass, before they all disappeared into their respective classrooms. I put on my CSI Kindergarten hat and badge and out I went. CSI or Law and Order-take your pick. First stop: I spot Marwan (kindergarten) and his brother Abdullah (grade 1) and call them over to see me. “So, tell me boys, did anything happen at daycare yesterday that we should know about?” They shrugged their shoulders and looked at each other, and at me…blankly.

I went into more detail, “Did some kids chase you Marwan and hurt you?” Totally blank looks and responses in the negative are all I received. Curious. Stop #2: I spotted Clare and headed over to her. I told her that her Mom had contacted me to tell me that she (Clare) had seen something happen with Marwan yesterday. She nodded, agreed and told me that, indeed, grade two boys had chased Marwan. When I asked which boys had chased him, she admitted that she had not actually been the one to see it all happen. “Oh.” She told me Ricky and Cooper had told her about it. “Oh.” Stop #3: “Hey Ricky (grade 2), hey Cooper (kindergarten). (They’re brothers as well). I hear you saw Marwan getting chased and hurt yesterday.” More blank looks and head shaking…”No..oo.” Then, suddenly a glimmer of recognition from Ricky, “Oh yeah, it wasn’t Marwan it was Matthew.” Oh wow, an easy mistake to make, their names both start with M. Stop #4:By this time the bell to enter has sounded and the kids were filing in. I find Matthew and I talk to him in the hallway as the kindergarten class enters the classroom. “So, Matthew, were you chased yesterday by some grade 2 kids?” “Yes. They grabbed my arm and threw me down.” Eureka! The pavement pounding has paid off in spades. “Do you know who they were?” “No..but there’s one.” (He points, he pauses …his eyes roll up in his head), “I think.” He points to a grade 2 boy hanging up his backpack in the hallway. Stop # 5: “So Trevor can you come here for a minute? Matthew here says you chased him yesterday, is that true?” Trevor emits a blank and uncommitted look, which takes me to my next ‘leading the witness’ question. “Is it possible you chased him…by accident?”

“Yeah, it was an accident.” Gotcha! Yes, entrapment. “So, who else in grade 2 chased him…. by accident?” “Thomas, Alex and Ernesto.” “So, why were you chasing Matthew…by accident?” “He threw rocks in my sister’s (who is in kindergarten) ear.” I give Matthew the “look”, as he returns a guilty as charged look. “Well Trevor, he shouldn’t have done that, but what are you supposed to do if someone is possibly hurting somebody by throwing rocks?” “Tell the teacher. We did. We told Sue.” “Oh, so this happened at lunch?” “Yes.” Case solved. Case closed, until the case was reopened because Matthew reportedly threw rocks in somebody’s ears again–this time at recess. What’s with throwing rocks in kids’ ears? Note to self-google that obsession. After the satisfying finale to my CSI/Law and Order experience I entered the classroom where my student teacher had been, thus far, “running the day”. She opened a library book from one of the kids, took out the pink library card with the child’s name on it and held it carefully in her fingers. She examined it closely. The card’s top and bottom were jagged. We could barely make out the name at the top of the card and it definitely looked...partially…devoured. She looked at Carlotta and asked, ”Did you chew your library card?” A face with the biggest brown eyes stared back. Carlotta nodded and mumbled a pitiful admission, ”Yes?” We both looked at each other and I declared, “Okay, but she’s not getting another library card. Oh, alright she can have another card, so I can put this one in her kindergarten portfolio.” …It’s Friday and it’s only 9:15 a.m.

Ann Tellier - Teacher, Dorset

A BIG ACHIEVEMENT FOR WESTWOOD SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

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Eleven months ago, a group of students from Westwood Senior High School was inspired by the story of one of their teachers. Jean-Claude Manirakiza explained how both of his parents were killed in separate outbreaks of ethnic violence and genocide in Burundi. During these clashes of ethnic violence, most of the schools in the country were wiped out. Westwood Students believe, as Nelson Mandela did, that education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Where most people would see it as too intimidating of a challenge, the students of Westwood were inspired to make a difference and what they, with the help of their teachers and friends, have achieved in less than a year is simply remarkable. There has never been a school in Rwoga, Burundi. On September 20, 2010 that changed forever. More than half a world away, in a small African country sandwiched between

Tanzania, Rwanda and Congo, elementary school children dressed in red uniform Tshirts. Barefoot, they took dusty paths to their

school. Their September 20, 2010 began with excited chatter, in a language we would not understand. This was their first day of school - ever. Maybe sixty students approached the mud-brick building on the hill in Rwoga , Burundi and they were probably full of apprehension and wonder; for they have come from a country-side where generations have farmed and

cared for livestock; where families were born and died, leaving the next generation to continue to live in subsistence farming. They know poverty, they know hard physical work, they are learning the secrets of the soil, they hear stories from the elders, they know tribal lines divide their country and that tribal wars have been part of their history. They know that water is precious and must be carried long distances, they know people in their village get sick and die because they have no clinic. They know about the rainy season and the dry season. They don’t know about spring, summer, winter and fall. Now they have watched the men of their village make and bake bricks. Workers have plastered the bricks with mud to make two rooms. Men have brought wood to make roof trusses and sheets of metal to make a roof. The women have brought food and water to encourage the builders. Parents say this is their school. They will learn to read and write. The children have seen strangers come to their village; some of them are white. Some of them are Canadians. The Canadians talk about another school, one called Westwood. This school is far away, but Westwood knows about Rwoga.

We know that the children had chairs and desks and a teacher on that first day of school, but we can only imagine how this new beginning was playing in their heads. How would that teacher begin to open the world of learning to children who had never had this opportunity before? Never had TV shows, never had pre school, never been anywhere but Rwoga. The teacher will begin to build ‘brick by

brick’. The teacher will teach them about their country of Burundi and how it fits into the map of Af-rica. Then

how Africa fits into the map of the world. She will tell them about the land and the seas. Soon the teacher will show them where Canada is on this map. The Bridge from Burundi has begun. We have achieved so much and yet there is so much left to do - please join us in this effort to change the world we live in! Please visit us and become part of the bridge:

Website: http://www.bridge-to-burundi.org/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Westwood-Bridge-to-Burundi/108664129177944 Twitter: http://twitter.com/BridgeToBurundi Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/WestwoodStudentLife Email: Peter@bridge-to-burundi.org

ZUMBA AT LAKESIDE ACADEMY The physical education program at Lakeside Academy is ultimately designed to teach students to adopt a healthy lifestyle. In order to be

successful at this task it is important to offer the students as many different options as pos-sible. Sometimes it’s important to go beyond a sport oriented curriculum and expose stu-dents to more current activities! Often it re-quires us to go outside of our comfort zone to find what suits the students best. Over the past two weeks, the senior girls have had the opportunity to experience ZUMBA by instructors from various fitness centers. ZUMBA is the biggest buzz in the fitness world today! It fuses hypnotic Latin music

with easy-to- follow moves to create a cardio workout that gets individuals hooked. ZUMBA is designed to make you sweat but have a blast in the process!! The students at Lakeside had an incredible ex-perience. The participation in each session was very high and based on the students’ feedback, it was an enjoyable one. The students moved to the beat of the music, shook their hips and broke a sweat like never before. Slowly but surely, the students are making the connection between movement, their health and the wonderful impact it has on their body. A few

quotes from the students included "Miss that was awesome! Can we do that every class?" “Didn’t know ZUMBA could be this much fun!” and "When are we doing that again?”. When students are exposed to activities that they enjoy, chances

are they will pursue it on their own!! Physical Education is meant to teach students about movement and healthy living. As physical educators we must do all that we can do make this happen. I believe ZUMBA was just a stepping stone for the students at Lakeside, towards a healthier way of life!! Stay tuned…YOGA is soon to come. Nicole Jones - Physical Educator

UNOFFICIAL NOTES—OCTOBER 25TH, 2010 MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS Financial Statements 2009-2010 Council approved that the Lester B. Pearson School Board 2009-2010 Financial Statements be submitted to the School Tax Management Committee and the MELS, showing revenues of $250,803,123 and expenses of $ 247,058,791 for a surplus of $3,744,332 before the financing grant receivable of $2,671,879 for a net surplus of $6,416,211 which results in an accumulated surplus of $32,467,000, only 10% of which is accessible annually, according to Ministry of Education Budget Rules. Student Ombudsman – Report (October 4, 2010) Council approved that, in a case in which no action is to be taken following the review of the opinion submitted by the Student Ombudsman, the complainant would be so informed by the Council of Commissioners. Audit Committee Mandate Council approved that the mandate of the Audit Committee as follows: • To carry out the functions required

by the Education Act • To carry out any other tasks as-

signed by Council

MOUNT PLEASANT INAUGURATES TASK ROOM Mount Pleasant is thrilled to announce the launching of their new task room! In an attempt to give more autonomy to children with special needs and to foster pedagogical development, the Resource Team at Mount Pleasant Elementary School has found an innovative way to serve their students. The “task room” was initially designed to allow integration aides to take their required 15 minute breaks without leaving special needs students unattended. However, the team soon realized that the task room would take on a more exciting role. Following recess, students make their way to the task room with an integration aide. They find their designated desk which is referred to as their office and begin working on an independent activity schedule. Independent activity schedules

are activities designed to cater to the individual needs of each child. Activities are chosen so that each child can complete the activity independently with minimal talking and adult support. By allowing the children to take responsibility for their learning, students feel a sense of pride and success in their work. Each student works for approximately 20 minutes, then moves on to the reward table a 10 minute free choice activity. Here social skills are developed as students share, negotiate and converse in small groups. Although the Task Room is still in its infant stage, we hold great hope for the future of our students. Frances Lapointe and Toni Rikley - Mount Pleasant Resource Team

Page 17 Volume XIII, No 3

PEARSON NEWS

• To make appropriate recommendations to Council

• To report to Council after each meeting and to prepare an annual report at the end of each school year

• To be guided by the Rules of Internal Management established by the Council of Commissioners

Members of the Committee will be determined annually by the Council of Commissioners. Procedure for the Replacement of a Commissioner Council approved the document entitled Procedure for the Replacement of a Commissioner, dated October 25, 2010, as established by the Governance and Ethics Committee. Snow Removal Contract – Sector 1 Council awarded the contract for Sector 1 snow removal during 2010-2011 to the lowest tendered bid, KM Maintenance for $93,990. John Rennie High School – New Auditorium Seats Council awarded the contract for new auditorium seats at John Rennie High School to the lowest tendered bid, A.G.S. Entrepreneur Général Inc. for the

amount of $145,027.69 (plus taxes). Dorset – Replacement of Glued Ceiling Tiles Council awarded the contract for new ceilings for the hallways of Dorset to the lowest tendered bid, Axe Construction Inc. for the amount of $80,531 (plus taxes). Fleet Renewal – Three vehicles Council awarded the contract for the purchase of three new service trucks to the lowest tendered bid, Silver Star Montreal for the amount of $144,891.07 (plus taxes). Architectural Services 2010-2011 to 2012-2013 Council approved that the Lester B. Pearson School Board preselect the following architectural firms to provide architectural and other professional services for a period of three years: • Birtz Bastien Beaudoin Laforest

Architects • Héloîse Thibodeau Architecte • Menkès Shooner Dagenais

Letourneux Architectes • Rubin & Rotman associés

Architectes • Anis Nazar Architecte

(CONT’D ON PAGE 18)

Below is a list of Commissioners along with their home telephone numbers and school board locals.

Home 422-3000 Ward Communities Commissioner Phone # Local 1 Verdun/Nuns’ Island Douglas Flook 514-293-2417 4001 2 LaSalle South Sergio Borja 514-368-1001 4002 3 LaSalle Northeast Ruben Fazio 514-365-1638 4003 4 LaSalle West/Ville St-Pierre Frank di Bello 514-951-5834 4004 5 Lachine Patrick Whitham 514-800-9240 4005 6 Dorval Barbara Freeston 514-636-9315 4006 7 Dollard-des-Ormeaux East Rosemary Murphy 514-620-8012 4007 8 Roxboro/Pierrefonds East Craig Berger 514-421-6570 4008 9 Pointe-Claire East Allan Levine 514-683-6671 4009 10 Pointe-Claire West 11 Dollard-des-Ormeaux Center Marcus Tabachnick 514-684-6429 2322 12 Pierrefonds/Île Bizard Susan Williams 514-620-4745 4012 13 Dollard-des-Ormeaux Center/West Martin Sherman 514-684-2742 4013 14 Dollard-des-Ormeaux W./Kirkland E. Joe Zemanovich 514-624-2376 4014 15 Beaconsfield North Don Rae 514-697-9878 4015 16 Kirkland West Suanne Stein Day 514-630-9824 4016 17 Pierrefonds West Luisa Bulgarelli-Vero 514-694-0475 4017 18 Ste-Anne/Baie d’Urfé/Beaconsfld S./Senneville Judy Kelley 514-697-7619 4018 19 Île Perrot Susan Bartlett-Lewis 514-453-6650 4019 20 Les Cèdres/Vaudreuil-Dorion Angela Nolet 514-453-5462 2229 21 Hudson/St-Lazare Daniel Olivenstein 450-458-1413 4021 CPC Secondary Representative Conny Held 514-909-6306 4026 CPC Elementary Representative Domenico Pavone 514-566-8869 4027

COMMISSIONERS’ PHONE NUMBERS

PUBLIC MEETINGS – NOVEMBER 2010

The following meetings will take place at 1925 Brookdale, Dorval (unless otherwise indicated)

Intercultural Advisory Committee November 10th, 2010 5:30 p.m. Rm. 106/7/8

Central Parents’ Committee November 11th, 2010 7:00 p.m. Board Room

Transportation Advisory Committee November 15th, 2010 5:00 p.m. Rm. 123

Executive Committee November 22nd, 2010 5:30 p.m. Board Room

Special Need Advisory Committee November 24th, 2010 7:00 p.m. Rm. 219/221

Council of Commissioners November 29th, 2010 7:30 p.m. Board Room

***Webcast begins at 7:30 p.m. on www.lbpsb.qc.ca

DATES TO NOTE

Page 18 PEARSON NEWS

• Un architecture Construction of a New School in St-Lazare Council awarded the contract for the construction of the new elementary school in Saint-Lazare to the lowest tendered bid, Consortium M.R. du Can-ada Ltée for the amount of $7,170,764.12 (plus taxes). Evaluation of Director General R.T. Mills Council approved that Director General, Robert T. Mills receive the maximum

UNOFFICIAL NOTES—OCTOBER 25TH, 2010 MEETING OF THE COUNCIL OF COMMISSIONERS - CONT’D remuneration of 6% as per the Regulation Respecting the Conditions of Employment of Management Staff for his performance as Director General for the 2009-2010 school year inclusive. 2010-2011 Goals of Director General R. T. Mills Council adopted the “Goals for the 2010-2011 School Year” for Director General, Robert T. Mills.

Evaluation of Assistant Director General V. Croubalian Council approved that Assistant Director General, Viviane Croubalian, receive the maximum remuneration of 6% as per the Regulation Respecting the Conditions of Employment of Management Staff for her performance as Assistant Director General for the 2009-2010 school year inclusive.