Live In Strathcona Newsletter
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Lord Strathcona Community School Strathcona Newsletter
Principal’s Message
I attended a Conference on Global Citizenship during the weekend of October 18th to 20th and the highlight of that event was the presentation of Mr. Stephen Lewis. Mr. Stephen Lewis was the Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations from 1984 to 1988 and is now a well known politician, diplomat and envoy for humanitarian causes. He is also the head of the Stephen Lewis Foundation that was created to ease the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa by funding grassroots projects that help individuals, families and communities ravaged by this disease. It provides care to women who are struggling to survive, so that their lives can be free from pain, humiliation and indignity; assists orphans and other AIDS infected children in every possible way, from the payment of school fees to the provision of food; supports heroic grandmothers, who bury their own children and almost single handedly care for their own grandchildren; and supports associations of people living with HIV/AIDS. His talk was extremely moving, compelling and emotional. While many of the global issues he discussed resonated with me, and made me realize both the significance and importance of being a global citizen, I still feel that our own domestic issues of poverty and homelessness need to be a priority for Canada.
“When people are dying by the thousands every day, unnecessarily, when we’ve had this horrendous pandemic unfold for two decades while the world stands by and watches – you’ll do anything in your power to move the process.” ~ Stephen Lewis
Jim Ion, Principal
Lord Strathcona Community School
Important Dates
Thursday, November 1st, 2007 – Professional Development Day, No School
Wednesday, November 7th, 2007 – Goal Setting Conferences, School dismissed @ 2pm
Thursday, November 8th, 2007 – Goal Setting Conferences, School dismissed @ 2pm
Monday, November 12th, 2007 – Remembrance Day, No School
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007 – Professional Day, No School
Remembrance Day Assembly
Our Assembly will be on Friday, November 9th at 10:30am in the Auditorium. Mr. Kelly – our long-time veteran from Legion 177 – will not be attending as he is in poor health, but our thoughts and prayers are with him.
Christmas Concert
This is always a highlight of the school year. This year the school will be presenting Christmas by “Candylight” on Tuesday, December 18th 6:30pm and on Wednesday, December 19th 1:00pm. We look forward to seeing everyone out!
PAC Meeting
We had our second PAC (Parent Advisory Council) Meeting of the school year on Monday, October 15th and we had a special guest, District PAC Chair, Julianne Doctor, visit us to observe our meeting. Ms. Doctor also visited with our PAC Table Officers the previous week to review PAC governance. At the October 15th meeting we confirmed our new PAC Chair, Ms. Angelia Ellis. A big thank-you to our outgoing PAC Chair, Mr. David (Zhi Wei) Chen for all his work and leadership.
Sports
Soccer is going full tilt with teams in the City Finals last week; Cross Country had a wet finish on October 18th; badminton is happening; and the Grade 2/3 Noon Hour Hockey League is turning into a spectacular extravaganza! At this stage of the season – at the mid-way point – it looks like the Blades (Ms. Trivisano) and the Gulls (Mrs. Ng/Mr.Ng) are the top two teams, but the rest of the teams are starting to improve rapidly and are playing better defence with some great goal-tending. Come out and watch!! Come out and watch!!
We have a lot of activities to offer our students because, at Strathcona, we are blessed to have so many volunteer coaches to support our students’ athletic pursuits.
Sunrise Soya Donation
Mr. Peter Joe – CEO of Sunrise Soya Foods – and his wife, Mrs. Shirley Joe, made a corporate donation of $15,000.00 to support the Strathcona Literacy Project. Mr. and Mrs. Joe both attended Strathcona and have always been financial supporters of our school and the community. In the recent past they have supported the playground and other literacy initiatives. The monies that have been donated by Sunrise Soya Foods are a result of their actively soliciting donations from sponsors to support worthy causes such as the Canadian Cancer Society and the Canadian Diabetes Foundation. Giving back to the community is a way of life for Mr. And Mrs. Joe, and they are role models for us all.
Opera Anyone?
On Tuesday, October 23rd, students of Strathcona School had the opportunity to see an opera performance entitle The Barber of Barkerville at the Vancouver Opera. It was a fabulous production!
Roots of Empathy at Strathcona School
We have some very exciting news happening in two classrooms this year. Division 19 and 20 are participating in the Roots of Empathy (ROE) school program. As many of you know, ROE teaches children about their own feelings and the feelings of others. Ms. Paula Foran, our Area Counselor, and Mrs. Morden, our Vice-Principal, will be facilitating the program in the two Kindergarten classrooms with the help of, Mrs. Tao, and Ms. McDaniel, two of our Kindergarten teachers.
Every week students learn about the development and feelings of babies, and every month a baby will visit the classroom. Division 19 will watch baby “Euan” grow month by month, and Division 20 will welcome baby “Eve” each month. The children will predict and cheer when the ROE babies reach “developmental milestones” of the first year – like when the baby rolls over, sits up and crawls!
The ROE instructors coach the children in observing the baby and reading the cues the baby gives as as to how he or she is feeling. Students talk about their own feelings and learn empathy as they discuss what makes the baby cry or smile.
Division 19 and 20 are excited about getting to know baby “Euan” and baby “Eve” through Roots of Empathy. We will keep the school community updated by sharing “Roots of Empathy Moments” and announcing baby milestones.
Be on Time for School
The best way to start your school day is to arrive on time and ready to learn. Children who arrive on time will have a good beginning to their school day – being late can be stressful, even for young children. Remember: We have an earlier start time this year as the first bell rings at 8:38am and school begins promptly at 8:40am – the learning begins right away.
[More tips to reduce children’s stress found during newsletter creation.]
News from the Office
Since our last newsletter, we have had to change our office hours. Strathcona office hours are from 8:00am until 3:30pm, Monday to Friday. As you may have noticed, our office is a very busy place! Remind your child to communicate with you in-person before and after school. Those phone calls home, and messages to students through the office are to be reserved for emergency use only. We appreciate and thank-you for your support.
Child Safety: Keep your children safe at Friday Lunch
Since we have changed our school hours, the lunch room and cafeteria areas have become busier on Fridays, early dismissal days. Unfortunately, our lunch room and cafeteria do not have the seating for everyone and these eating areas are becoming congested and unsafe. Wait for children in the following areas to ensure child safety at lunch on Fridays:
Primary Lunchroom – Wait for children to finish eating in the room at the side of the tables, east of the eating area. Have children meet you in the room beside the tables after they have finished eating.
Cafeteria – Refrain from standing in the stairwells as this is a fire hazard. Meet and pick-up children under the covered area outside the cafeteria.
Thank-you for your cooperation. While we want to have parents in our school, we also must keep our school as safe as possible. Your participation is key and valuable.
Breakfast Program
The breakfast program is open again! Thrilled to have the program up and running on weekday mornings from 7:30am to 8:40am, all parents are welcome. For a modest fee parents can eat breakfast too for a healthy way to start the day!
Starbucks Morning Reading Club
Are you ready for reading? Starbucks volunteers will be coming back to read with your children. Come and join us and have a free cup of coffee. Everyone is welcome – see you there!
Where: E200 in the New Building
When: Every Thursday starting October 4th
Time: 7:50am – 8:30am
Study Zone
The Study Zone is open in the Library on Friday afternoons. Come use the computers to do your homework and research with Natasha.
Strathcona Community Centre “Before and After School Program”
The Strathcona Community Centre “Before and After School Program” has space for new students. This licensed childcare program operates Monday to Friday, from 7:30am to 9:00am, and 3:00pm to 6:30pm. Holiday breaks, Summer, and Professional Days (PD) from 9:00am to 6:00pm. For registration information, please phone 604.713.1853. More Strathcona Community Centre news below.
Strathcona Community Centre Program Subsidies
Community Centre Program subsidies are available for families living on low incomes, or families on social assistance. Please call Mr. Ron Suzuki right away for more information at 604.713.1851. More Strathcona Community Centre news below.
Literacy Corner
Holidays and special events are wonderful opportunities for students to practice writing. Children can write in journals, on paper, or on computer about what they see-and-do during these special times. Encourage your child[ren] to practice writing in meaningful and relevant ways by having them write stories, poems, and journal entries about what they are seeing, doing, and feeling.
Strathcona Community CentreAfter a 3 month closure due to the Civic Workers Strike the Strathcona Community Centre, 601 Keefer Street, is open for business.
Available now is our Fall Interim Flyer which includes a variety of Recreation Activities for all ages. Our fully equipped fitness center is also open 7 days a week. Daily activities include a licensed Pre-School and After-School Care. Parents and toddlers can enjoy morning playtime, baby time, music time, and creative-dance.
Children can enroll in Karate, Basketball, Irish Dance, Badminton, Piano, Guitar, and Soccer.
Youth can take part in Leader-Ship, Job-skills, Youth Council, Dragon, Coaching Certification, Volleyball, Break-Dancing, Choir, and Friday Night Out.
Adults can stay in shape with Yoga, Pilates, Gladiator Boot-Camp, Fabulous Abs, Judo, Kung-Fu, Sports Drop-Ins, Men/Women Basketball League. For those interested in the Arts, we have Adult Choir, Guitar, and Piano lessons.
Seniors can meet new friends and stay active with activities like Line-Dancing, Tai-Chi, Qi-Quong, Folk Dancing, Calligraphy, Luncheon Socials, and Cooking programs.
Program fees for all the above are kept low thanks to many corporate partners for low income families. We offer subsidies on almost all our programs. For Further information contact us at (604)713-1838 and to all our regulars, welcome back we really missed you.
Check out the Vancouver Park Board Recreation Online to find the recreation event that interests you or your family.
Strathcona Residents AssociationExcellent attendance at the September 5th, 2007 Strathcona Residents Association meeting hosted by Gaff Gallery. Matters discussed included the fate of the Heatley Block, the success of Strathcona ROAM, and the fading-fast Strathcona Revitalization Committee. In addition, notice was made of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) that occurred in October 2007.
Remember, these city association groups are there for every resident, renter or homeowner, and meetings, minutes, etc., are Public Record. As members of the community, we encourage full disclosure, active participation, and seek collaboration and cooperation.
Strathcona Business Improvement AssociationThe Strathcona Business Improvement Association (BIA) has started a Sustainability Committee that is interested in developing Strathcona into a Green zone for economic and social reasons. An energy efficiency program through BC Hydro would be an important part of this initiative. The goal would be to permanently reduce energy consumption within the SBIA through energy efficient technologies and long term behaviours.
The BC Hydro plan would launch in conjunction with the SBIA’s upcoming Sustainability Expo on January 23, 2008 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm at ‘Chapel Arts’, 304 Dunlevy Ave. Please contact Laura @ 604-258-2720 to become a sponsor, exhibitor, to volunteer or to simply learn more about this event. Admission is free.
Download the Strathcona BIA Calendar of Events for all 2007 Events.
Fall Flea Market & Craft Sale featuring clothing, toys, household, and Japanese goods and crafts.
Where: Japanese Language School
When: Saturday, November 17th, 2007
Time: 9:30am to 2:30pm
Japanese Food Bazaare featuring sushi, Japanese sweets and treats, and much more!
Where: Japanese Language School
When: Sunday, November 4th, 2007
Time: 12:00 Noon to 3:00pm
What’s Happening?
Strathcona Events | Vancouver Events | Promoting Artists, Galleries & More
Wednesday October 24 – Sunday November 4, 2007
More than 55 events at over 25 locations throughout the DTES
Since its founding in 2004 the annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival has become a flagship for the hot bed of the arts simmering in the heart of our city.
With a focus on rich and diverse communities of the DTES, the 4th Annual Heart of the City Festival celebrates the creative and committed artists and activists who thrive in the heart of Vancouver. This year’s festival features an extraordinary breadth of arts with more than 200 artists, with a spotlight on Asian Canadian artists.
One 2007 festival highlight is the workshop presentation of Vancouve Moving Theatre’s A Downtown Eastside Romeo and Juliet, an original new comedic work-in-process directed by multiple Jessie Award winner Gina Bastone and created and performed with DTES actors and musicians. Musical Director is Jessie Award winner Ya-wen V. Wang (Urinetown). This collection of vignettes, inspired by the universal classic story about a longstanding grudge between families, will be presented with fresh comedic eyes informed by issues of marginalization, poverty and gentrification. Joining this evening of comedy is theatre-maker and comedian Jan Derbyshire and alumni from Stand Up for Mental Health (Founder – David Granirer), the hit comedy group recently featured in the CBC documentary Cracking Up. Performance at Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Street, Friday November 2, 8 pm, Saturday November 3, 9:30 pm.
This year’s Festival is also pleased to present local poetic treasure and community activist Bud Osborn as he joins other DTES poets in an evening of original poetry and prose. Projected images by visual artist and muralist Richard Tetrault, with host, poet and artist Diane Wood. Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main, Saturday November 3, 7 pm – 9:30 pm.
The festival ends on a high note with three special events at the Ukrainian Hall. Start off your afternoon with the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians Fall Concert, featuring the Barvinok Choir, the AUUC Folk Orchestra, Dovbush Dancers and the AUUC School of Dancing. Lively music, invigorating dance, colourful costumes and delightful beats beckon us. Special guests include stirring gospel sounds with Dalannah Gail Bowen and friends and DTES resident and pianist extraordinaire Stan Hudac. Immediately after the concert is a delicious traditional Ukrainian Supper followed by the ever-popular Urban Barn Dance with the musical fun of Three Potato. Grab your friends, neighbours and the whole family and head on down to this toe tappin’ heart warming event. Ukrainian Hall, 805 East Pender, Sunday November 4, Concert 3 pm, Supper 5:30 pm, Dance 7 pm.
These are only a few of the festival highlights. There will also be many exciting post-festival events. Please download a program guide or pick one up for the complete festival schedule.
Eastside Culture CrawlThe Eastside Culture Crawl is the finest example of homegrown, particularly where the reputation of Strathcona and the Eastside has grown. The Culture Crawl is a significant influence on the Vancouver Arts Community. As a few Strathcona artists combined forces suddenly the arts world opened up in a whole new way for the general public, and in those days it didn’t share the same name. In fact, it took a few years before The Eastside Culture Crawl name was adopted.
Now The Eastside Culture Crawl is an annual three day visual arts festival. This event involves artists who work on the east side of Vancouver, in an area bounded by Main Street to Commercial Drive and from First Avenue north to the waterfront. Currently, the Preview Show runs from October 18 – Nov 13, 2007 at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre, a.k.a. The Clutch, 1895 Venables. Telephone 604-251-1363 for gallery hours.
The Main Event runs Friday, November 16 (5-10pm), Saturday, November 17 (11am-6pm), and Sunday, November 18 (11am-6pm) across the Eastside area comprising more than 30 locations. These are days of adventure, stimulation, feeling, and aesthetics. Be prepared to linger, to wait, to watch, to meet new faces and experience new art and voices. A map of area events can be downloaded, and you can glimpse the artists at The Eastside Culture Crawl website.
Strathcona Neighbourhood T-Shirt ProjectShannon Harvey moved to the Strathcona area almost 2 years ago and quickly developed a love for the neighbourhood. Coming from a background as a muralist and public artist, Shannon had experience facilitating community projects. She was inspired by the idea of a community-designed Strathcona t-shirt, [to] promote neighbourhood pride and engage people about what makes it a special place to live. (More about the launch here.)
Following up with Shannon we learn the difficulties encountered with the City of Vancouver labour disruption. Having planned to use the Strathcona Community Centre, the strike made it difficult to conduct workshops. “I did manage to set up a table outside a couple of times and gathered some community input that way. The hardest part was engaging the older Chinese members of the community, but I did my best handing out bilingual flyers and smiling alot. Alot of people thought I was trying to sell them something, or I was asking for money,” shared Shannon.
As for the weather: “It was touch and go given that there was so much rain this past month, so I had to cancel a few of the sessions.”
In spite of the challenges, Shannon managed to gain enough input to begin working on the final design. She anticipates having a final design ready soon, and is considering posting the design at the community centre. Time is a big issue, as all grants must have project work completed by mid-November. LiveInStrathcona.com encourages you to show your encouragement and support to Shannon. Follow your mouse to the LiveInStrathcona.com online discussion forum and post your note of support or encouragement to Shannon’s announcement of the T-Shirt Project.
She signs off, “I will keep you posted on where I am with the project. Hopefully it will be done soon!” Good luck, Shannon, we’re rooting for you!
Promote You, Promote Projects, Promote Business“Build it and they will come,” was the sage wisdom shared in the movie Field of Dreams. The basic principle behind this is to follow your passion, your true calling, your purpose, or as Curly would say while holding up that one-gloved-finger, “That one thing,” in the movie City Slickers. Whatever the vision might be, getting behind something is what people do, and quite possibly something of an inherent need.
The LiveInStrathcona.com website is an actively growing community web-portal. It focuses itself geographically to hone in on relevant information, ease of use, accessing, and sharing of information. What special endeavour have you undertaken that would benefit the community, or could benefit you by sharing with Strathcona? LiveInStrathcona.com is interested in:
*the people that make up the community *the art, careers, and creations of people in the community *local business hotspots, preferences, specials, and so on *local news, events, and more.
So what are you waiting for? Get onto the Strathcona Forum and post your Professional Profile, your Personal Profile, your Special Event, your Opinions & Ideas, and much more. Take advantage of what has been built for you.
Flickr GroupsOur photo page offers random selections of photographs from the Live In Strathcona Flickr Group. Many local area amateur and professional photographers continue to post exquisite photography that includes architecture, events, people, places, and simple artistic compositions. If you would like to include your photographs, visit Flickr and Sign In or create a Free Account if you haven’t already. Search for the Live In Strathcona group on Flickr and join. You’ll see the instructions that will enable you to share your photographs with the community.
BlogsOur News Feeds not only include articles received from News-related sites, it also includes Blog Feeds of wonderful people from the area. This offers a wide variety of perspectives on life, community, Vancouver, social issues, personal items, and much more. You, too, are invited to include your blog. You can simply contact us with your Blog url and we’ll take care of the rest.