Gonzaga Memo to Families

Thank you so much to all of our parent and guardians for coming in to speak to our teachers yesterday. If you didn't get a chance and you would like to discuss your child's progress, please reach out to the teacher directly by email.

Students will return to school on Monday, November 25th and it will be Day 1 on the schedule.

There will also be no school on Tuesday, November 26th due to our District School Closeout. Students will return on Wednesday, November 27th and it will be Day 3 on the schedule.

Education Accord NL is inviting everyone connected to our education system—parents, caregivers, educators, support staff, and others—to share their thoughts on the future of education in Newfoundland and Labrador. From early childhood to lifelong learning, your input matters.

If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to take a few minutes to complete the anonymous online survey: educationaccordnl.ca/survey. Your input will make a meaningful difference in guiding education reform in our province.

Together, we can help create an education system that supports all learners and their success.

Graduation photo began on Monday, November 25th. The schedule of photo times for individual students are located on a poster outside of Mr. Cluney’s office. Any student not on this list or who cannot make it to their assigned time is asked to please see the administration. All students must bring in their $25.00 sitting fee at the time of their appointment. The fee can be paid by cash, cheque, credit or debit. All cheques can be made out to LifeTouch.

We are pleased to announce that the Department of Education has allocated our Tutoring For Tuition (TFT) hours for the 2024/2025 academic school year. Please note that the guidance team has worked very hard to ensure that all Learners have been assigned a Tutor to date. Please note, if a student has applied for a tutor, they should have received an email.

Feel free to reach out to any of the guidance counselors below if you would like further information regarding Tutoring For Tuition.

Tracy Gardiner - Grade 12’s - (tracyanngardiner@nlschools.ca)

Catherine Tansley - Grade 11’s - (catherinetansley@nlschools.ca) and/or

Cathy Rose-Jackman - Grade 10’s - (catherinerosejackman@nlschools.ca).

There is enough interest to potentially offer Duke of Edinburgh (DOE) again this year at Gonzaga. We have been working diligently since the school year began and are ready to invite Duke participants and their parents/guardians to an information session on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 @ 8:30 pm in room 210. This will allow students and parents to connect with our Award Leaders and ask any questions they may have. If you plan to attend, please email Mrs. Tracy Gardiner at tracyanngardiner@nlschools.ca This is not a mandatory meeting; however, if your student is interested in receiving information about DOE, please contact Mrs. Gardiner by November 27.

Have you heard about the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology’s (IET) RISE Awards?

It is an award program that offers Level II high school students with interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) an opportunity of a lifetime.

IET and the Innovation and Business Investment Corporation recognizes there are incredibly talented and intelligent youth across Newfoundland and Labrador. We want to encourage high school students to pursue research-related education and career paths in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The RISE Awards expose Level II high school student recipients to research activities at an early stage in their education, with an opportunity to attend one of three research-related enrichment programs in Canada and the United States.

How does it work?

Students must submit an application package by 11:59PM December 2nd, 2024 and meet the academic qualifications. A maximum of 20 awards will be given under this program.

Academic Qualification Requirements:

· Must be a current Level II student with:

o Minimum 90% in each course completed in Level I

o Minimum of 8 credits in science and mathematics courses to be completed by the end of Level II

o Additional requirement for Research Science Institute (RSI): Minimum of 12 credits in science and mathematics be completed by the end of Level II

RISE Award winners will attend one of three prestigious research-inspired enrichment programs during the summer of 2023:

· RSI based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

· Da Vinci Engineering Enrichment Program (DEEP) at the University of Toronto

· Boston Leadership Institute (BLI) in Wellesley, Massachusetts

How can I help students apply?

Students must complete an application form, submit a written essay, and provide verification of academic qualifications, as noted in the guidelines.

Application form and guidelines are available online: https://www.gov.nl.ca/iet/sector-diversification-division/innovation-supports/youth-innovation/

Who can I contact?

Angeli Jarvis

Email: angelijarvis@gov.nl.ca

Tel: 709.729.7112

We would like to thank you for your continued support and if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the administrative team.

Have a great weekend,

Andrew, Gillian & Peter