Principal's Message December 9-13th
Hello Panthers!
We have enjoyed a couple of beautiful, clear afternoons this week. 😊
Our Winter Break is just around the corner and Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary is humming with special activities for our students and staff. Last Thursday evening we celebrated with our senior students at our Winter Formal Dance at the Mirage Banquet Hall in Cloverdale. It was an excellent evening of friendship and school spirit. Our students were wonderful ambassadors for our school. Great thanks to the many staff who helped supervise throughout the evening.
We also concluded our school’s annual Hamper Drive last week. The Cloverdale Community Kitchen truck arrived at the school on Friday afternoon to pick up dozens of boxes of donated goods. I would like to thank all Panthers who contributed to this very important community cause. Way to go LTSS, and great thanks to our student leaders for all of your hard work in making this event so successful.
This week our Student Council also hosted our annual door decorating contest and our Candy-gram sales. School spirit at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary is alive and well, and our community is enjoying the positivity of the season.
On Monday, our Staff Committee met to review our school’s focus on the importance of regular attendance. This is a very appropriate time of the year to remind all students that your presence in class and at school is expected and appreciated and very important for your learning. We greatly value the chance to work with all of our students each and every day! As we move closer to our Winter Break, I encourage all students to be on time, in attendance, and focussed on your learning. Finish strong Panthers!
On Tuesday, we held a valuable opportunity for our teachers to get together for lunch and learn from colleagues about new assessment practices and strategies. Great thanks to Ms. Leforte for your presentation and support! Our teachers are using assessment to help guide instruction and to communicate with students and families every day. Teachers - thank you for your professionalism and care as we have shifted to our new provincial reporting structures.
On Wednesday, I had the pleasure to help judge our Door Decorating Contest. We enjoyed the many entries across the school and were very impressed with the creativity and imaginations of our students. This year, students created their designs from recycled materials. It was wonderful to learn about the teamwork and spirit that went into their creations.
On Wednesday evening, Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary hosted our ELL Parents Graduation Program Information Meeting. We invited our District Multicultural Workers/Translators into the school to help communicate this important information to our students’ parents. Special thanks to Multicultural Worker Mr. Faiz Sahebzadah for organizing the evening and to all of our parents/guardians who attended the session. We look forward to congratulating your sons/daughters as they walk across the graduation stage in the years ahead! 😊
On Thursday and Friday evenings this week, our Panther Players Drama troupe will be performing their “One Act” plays. These plays are student written, directed and performed and will be a celebration of all they have learned this semester in Theatre. Congratulations to Ms. Jones and all of our student cast and crew for your hard work, teamwork and your many hours of dedication to your craft. Our Panthers are very talented!
Grade 12 students are reminded that tomorrow morning (Friday, December 13th) we will be hosting a free Santa Breakfast for our graduating class. This is another special tradition. Great thanks in advance to the many staff who arrive especially early to prepare breakfast for our students. Grades 12’s – we will see you at 7:30am on Friday morning. Bring your appetites!
Have a great day tomorrow and enjoy your weekend. See you on Monday for our final week together before our Winter Break.
Ken
Traffic and Student Parking
All Panthers are reminded that traffic around the school and parking on school property will be very busy with our increased enrollment and Extended Day schedule. All student drivers are reminded that it is very important to drive with care and attention while on or near school property. Safety is our first priority. Please drive safely and responsibly, be aware of pedestrians, and follow all traffic regulations.
If possible, all families are asked to consider alternative transportation options. Please walk or bike to school if possible. It would also be helpful if students are dropped off a couple of blocks away from the school and vehicles do not enter our school’s parking lot.
Please note that this year, students are only permitted to park in the Student Lot on the right side of our parking lot near our Portable classrooms. Students are not permitted to park in the Staff Lot.
All students wishing to park on school property must apply for a Parking pass. Application forms may be picked up at the office. Students must park in their designated stall.
Parking passes must be displayed on your car’s windshield at all times while on school property. Parking privileges will be revoked for any students not following our parking regulations or for unsafe driving.
Thank you for your help and cooperation in responding to our increased traffic challenges and protecting the safety of our community members.
