Principal's Message
This Week at Lord Tweedsmuir
Thursday June 20th, 2024
Hello Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary!
We are in the final week of classes for the 24/25 school year. Summer weather seems to have arrived, and our students and staff are finishing their final assignments/projects/assessments and enjoying our many year-end school traditions! Congratulations to all Panthers for your dedication and hard work throughout the semester. Work ethic, study habits, perseverance and regular attendance have supported your success we have experienced this year. We are very proud of our students and their learning. All students are reminded that we will expect a studious and focussed tone in the school until the end of the week. We thank everyone for your citizenship and responsibility in ensuring our school remains safe and productive for all.
We ended last week with a couple of excellent events. Our annual Dance Program Recital showcased our many student dancers. The large audience was very impressed with the talent and creativity and hard work of our Panthers. Congratulations to Ms. Okrainetz and all of her amazing students!
On Friday afternoon, we hosted our first “Carnival for Change”. This was a fun afternoon of games, prizes, food and friendship. Organized by our Leadership students and Student Council, our students had a great time and raised money for BC Children’s Hospital. Way to go Panthers!
This week we held our final Staff Committee meeting of the year. Our discussion focussed on various school culture topics. Thank you to our participating teachers. Your reflection and feedback is a valuable part of our school’s operation.
Congratulations to our Art Department. We have been enjoying our recently created Art display.
On Tuesday evening, our Music Department held their Year-end Concert. Congratulations to all student-musicians and Mr. De La Pena for another year of musical excellence. Again, our students demonstrated amazing talent and dedication to their craft. We are very proud of their accomplishments and the musical community that thrives at Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary.
On Tuesday at lunch, our Ad Astra Science and Technology Club was in action. Students launched their hand-made rockets! The rockets achieved lift-off and great altitude before parachuting back to earth. Very exciting!
Also on Tuesday, our school celebrated our year with the distribution of the 23/24 Yearbook. Great thanks and congratulations to Mr. Tam and our Yearbook students. You have created a wonderful compendium of memories for our community. The production of a Yearbook is such a significant task, requiring countless hours of hard work from an entire team of dedicated creators. We still have a few copies remaining that can be purchased from Mr. Tam and/or the office over the next couple of days. Get one while you can, they will sell out quickly!
This morning we held our regular year-end locker clean-out. Great thanks to all students for your help in clearing your lockers of all belongings. It is very important that lockers are emptied of all items in order to be cleaned over the summer, and ready for next Fall. Note: Items remaining in lockers will be available for collection next week; and then donated to charity.
Tomorrow is our last day of regularly scheduled classes. As mentioned earlier, students will be expected to be in their classes throughout the day. Hallways are to be kept clear and behavior is expected to continue to be respectful and cooperative and in alignment with our Code of Conduct. Thank you Panthers.
Friday is National Indigenous Peoples Day. It is a day for recognizing and celebrating the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Indigenous peoples of Canada. There will be a National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration and Wellness Event at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre on Friday evening. The in-person event will include cultural sharing from the local First Nations with teachings and practice through art, music, storytelling, dance and more.
Students and parents are reminded that next week, Monday through Thursday, we have scheduled Semester Completion Days. Although classes will not be in session, the school will be open and teachers will be available to support students. All students are encouraged to utilize this time as needed. These days are in our school’s schedule for students to complete missing assignments, work on projects, redo exams, receive additional tutorial support or other educational goals that will allow for the successful completion of your courses.
Grade 12 students are also reminded that next Tuesday at 10:30am, we will be having a mandatory Commencement Rehearsal assembly in the large gym. Please ensure you are there to familiarize yourself with our Commencement Ceremony protocols and pick up your graduation package. (Reminder: Commencement is on Thursday evening at the Bell Performing Arts Centre at 7:00pm).
On behalf of the entire staff, I wish all students and families a safe summer filled with rest, new adventures, joy and friendship!
Ken
Traffic Safety
Traffic safety around Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary is a critical priority for our community. With increased enrollment, the number of vehicles navigating around and within our school grounds also increases. It is essential that all drivers are very cautious while driving near the school and are aware of the many student pedestrians who are nearby.
All students and parents/guardians are requested to consider the following:
- If possible, students - please walk and/or bike to school. Fewer vehicles attempting to drop off and/or pick up students will be very helpful.
- Consider dropping off/picking up 2-3 blocks away from the school and avoid the traffic congestion around the school.
- Consider drop-off/pick up earlier and/or later in the morning/afternoons to avoid peak traffic times.
Thank you for your help in protecting the safety of our students.
