Microsoft word - what's new_may.doc

What’s New in EIPS
April 29, 2004For Immediate ReleaseElk Island Public Schools (EIPS) is pleased to report on a number of exciting things that are happening for studentsand learning in schools throughout the division.
Andrew School Celebrates Education Week
Sponsored and supervised by the School Council, Andrew School will host a Learning Fair as an evening of
displays and demonstrations featuring the interesting things students have learned, both at school and on their
own time. The event will be held on Thursday, April 29 and is timed to coincide with Education Week. Students
have prepared displays on topics ranging from Plastic Canvas Art and the study of flamingos to Dodge trucks and
types of hockey sticks. The displays will be set up in the gymnasium on Thursday afternoon and will be open to
parents and community members until 8:30 p.m. The school is also celebrating Education Week with many other
exciting activities including a Chinese Feast for Social Studies students in Grade 6, a visit from author Jean Burgess,
and a Kindergarten Open House.
École Campbelltown Students Say Cheese…and Macaroni for Local Food Bank
After gathering countless boxes of macaroni and cheese dinner over the past two weeks, members of the École
Campbelltown School community will celebrate Macadominoroni Day in the school gym at 3:00 p.m. today. The
student council has set up all of the boxes in the gym only to knock them all down like dominoes in front of their
fellow students, staff, and families. A good time will be had by all, and the donated boxes of macaroni and cheese
will be forwarded to the Strathcona County food bank following the event.
Fort Saskatchewan Christian School Student to Participate in Young Women’s Seminar
Fort Saskatchewan Christian School Grade 9 student Jenny Kugler has been selected to participate in the Imperial
Oil Seminar in Computing Science for Young Women that will take place from June 19 to 26 at the University of
Waterloo in Ontario. Jenny was selected as one of five young women from Alberta and one of 600 total applicants.
The goal of the seminar is to introduce interested young women to the field of Computer Science, with sessions
including lectures, labs, and hands-on activities. Topics will include Bioinformatics, the Internet, graphics, software
development and hardware, and the week will also include field trips and a graduate students’ research panel. All
sessions are lead by University of Waterloo Faculty members and graduate students. The criteria specify that all
applicants supply a letter of reference from either a Math or Science teacher, along with a copy of their current
transcripts.
Two EIPS’ Classes Recognized for Creativity in Naming RCMP Puppies
Thanks to some creative students from across Canada and right here in the EIPS’ region, 10 new puppies from the
RCMP Police Dog Service Training Centre (PDSTC) in Innisfail, Alberta have names. Mrs. Roes' Grade 4/5 split
class from École Campbelltown School entered the fourth national Name the Puppy Contest and was chosen as one
of two classroom winners out of 250 entries. Dog handler Constable Mackown presented the students from École
Campbelltown with a certificate and a photo of the puppy they named on April 23. A.L. Horton Elementary’s
Grade 1/2 split class received an honourable mention certificate for their efforts in the contest. The puppies will be
trained for potential police service at the PDSTC.
James Mowat Student Takes First Place in Alberta Beef Poster Contest
Grade 6 student Emily Webster of James Mowat Elementary School has won first prize in the Alberta Beef poster
contest in the category for students in grades 1 to 6. For her positive portrayal of the Alberta Beef Industry, Emily
will receive $300 in prize money and the school will also receive $100. Emily’s poster featured three cows dressed
as farmers leaning against a fence along with the slogan, If it's Not Alberta, It's not Beef. The poster will be
displayed at a beef industry benefit dinner in Calgary on April 29.
What’s New in EIPS – Add One
Hope Kids Befriend Senior Citizens from Strathcona County Capital Care Centre
Seven EIPS’ students received pins to acknowledge their 100 hours of volunteer service with the Strathcona Capital
Care Hope Kids program. Dallin Mendenhall, Grade 10, Bev Facey; Daniel Prins, Grade 11, Salisbury Composite;
Melissa Cavanagh, Grade 9, Clover Bar; Sabrina Murray, Grade 8, Clover Bar; Salima Suleman, Grade 11,
Salisbury Composite; Melissa Morton, Grade 10, Bev Facey; and Krista Kilback, Grade 10, Salisbury Composite
were recognized at a recent event. “I am very proud of our Hope Kids for their enthusiasm and fantastic
commitment to the seniors at Capital Care Strathcona,” notes lead teacher Karen Baxter. Hope Kids has become an
important component of Capital Care Strathcona's programs for seniors. Approximately 15 students visit the
residents every Saturday morning from October through May to share their hope through planned activities, crafts,
games, and companionship. The students meet every Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. to plan activities one month at
a time. Clover Bar Junior High Grade 9 students, Allison Purdon, Melissa Cavanagh, Jennifer Vepstas, and Alissa
Papenbrock, also developed a PowerPoint presentation on Hope Kids for the recent Hope Foundation annual
general meeting.
Sherwood Heights to Host Junior High National Debate Championships
Sherwood Heights Junior High School is preparing to serve as one of three host schools for the National Junior High
School Debate Championship from May 6 to 8, 2004. Organized by the Alberta Debate and Speech Association, the
event will bring together some of the top student debaters from across Canada. The students will participate in
three days of workshops designed to hone their debate skills, as well as debate competition in three styles; cross-
examination, discussion, and parliamentary. The topics of the debate include legalizing the use of marijuana in
Canada and halting the digital downloading of pirated music and videos.
Teachers Participate in Literature for Lifelong Learning
During Spring Break, Elk Island Public School teachers were learning. A special literacy evening sponsored by the
Walrus Bookshelf took place for the first time in Edmonton on Thursday, April 1, 2004. The Walrus Bookshelf, a
program of the Walrus Foundation, helps Canadian high school students build personal libraries and introduces
authors to their teachers. The showcase included the works of four award-winning Canadian writers, Rohinton
Mistry's A Fine Balance (1985); Erna Paris's Long Shadows: Truth, Lies, and History (2000); Mark Kingwell's Better
Living: In Pursuit of Happiness from Plato to Prozac (1998); and Wayson Choy's Paper Shadows (1999). Selected teachers
from Andrew, Ardrossan Junior/Senior High, Bev Facey Community High, Fort Saskatchewan High, Lamont
High, Salisbury Composite, and Strathcona Christian Academy were provided with a collection of 20 novels to
distribute to senior high school students who demonstrate a passion for reading and writing. "This is an
outstanding opportunity for teachers to meet dynamic Canadian writers and to make personal connections with
students using powerful literature as the link," commented Judy Whetstone, Ardrossan Junior/Senior High Teacher
Librarian and event planning committee member.
Win Ferguson Community School Celebrates Education Week with a Silver Carnival
Win Ferguson Community School is celebrating Education Week with a number of interesting activities and events
including cross-grade reading sessions, reading with high school students, and daily questions related to the novel,
Matthew and Midnight Hospital, that was read to students at an assembly last Monday. The students also tried their
luck in fun games of chance through the school’s “Silver Carnival”. Donations raised through the event are
expected to exceed $350 and will be forwarded to the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton.
For more information please contact:
Tanya Orr, Director, Communication Services
What’s New in EIPS is a celebration of the unique and positive things that are going on in schools throughout the division.
We will be distributing this information on a regular, monthly basis.

Source: http://www.ei.educ.ab.ca/documents/news/NR-04_Apr29.pdf