Commission scolaire English-Montréal ~ English Montreal School Board

www.emsb.qc.ca volume 16 | number 2 | Spring 2014

EMSB

Find us on:

Rock star Jonas and actress/radio show host/James Lyng High School grad Marina Orsinimeet some members of the Coronation Elementary School Steel Pan Band at the

Arts Are Alive@EMSB press conference.

I N S I D E T H I S E D I T I O N

Chairman’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2List of Commissioners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Shadd: Pharmacy Grads. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4DG’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4EMSB Quiz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Arts Are Alive @EMSB . . . . . . . . 5-8SportsScene. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Expressline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10EMSB Alumni Showcase . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Volunteer Appreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

On the eve of the annualKindergarten Registration Week,English Montreal School BoardChairman Angela Mancinihosted a press conference atwhich time she introduced a newcampaign aimed at promotingexcellence in the arts. (The ArtsAre Alive @EMSB).

From Pre-Kindergarten toSecondary V, EMSB studentsare exposed to the arts in manydifferent forms. “Our schoolsoffer a variety of artistic optionsthat can include the visual arts, music, dance, digital andmultimedia arts, dramatic artsand spoken word poetry offer

various opportunities for studentsto share their talents on a largerscale through vernis sages,festivals, poetry slams, shows andconcerts,” stated Ms. Mancini.“The arts bring out empathy,creativity, self-esteem, criticalthinking, and commu nicationskills in our students. Art edu -cation empowers students andcontributes to the construction oftheir identity and the enrich mentof their world-view and narrowsthe gap between academiclearning and the world.”

The press conference washeld at James Lyng High School in St. Henri, and has

incorporated Urban Arts into its Extra-Curri cular Activityprogramming. One of its feederelementary schools, St. Gabrielin Pointe St. Charles, is doingthe same thing.

see page 4

®A Six Flags Theme Park

Like all International Baccalaureate students, Stefania Restagnowas required to undertake a personal project. Yet, for this Grade11 student at St. Leonard’s Laurier Macdonald High School,her project has become anything but personal.

Carrying a backpack full of post-it notes and pens, Stefania’s goalwas to mirror the “Operation Beautiful” project, a viral initiativecreated by American parent Caitlin Boyle, in which she began postingpositive messages in public bathrooms, hoping it would catch on.

“If I could help at least one person, that would be amazing,”said Stefania. “Just the thought of having someone write a positive

message, will not only help the person that is writing it, but alsoa random stranger that happens to be in the girls washroom.”

Entitled #EndNegativeSelfTalk, Stefania’s goal was stated, however, it was up to her peers to come through. Sinceposting her first message in early December, the result has been overwhelming. continued on page 3

Spreading positivity,one post-it at a timeLaurier Macdonald student Stefania

Restagno becomes a media sensation

Stefania Restagno’s

project has attracted

national media

attention.

PASSESPASSES

See our video on EMSB TV:https://vimeo.com/85444617

Also watch Melissa Ledo,Pierre de CoubertinElementary School teacherStephanie Napolitano andGrade 1 student MaggiePetrecca on Global TV’sFocus Montreal:http://vimeo.com/85655559

@EMSBThe Arts Are Alive The Arts Are Alive @EMSB

EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014w w w . e m s b . q c . c a2

The English Montreal SchoolBoard was recently invited toQuebec City to formally presentour brief on draft Bill 60, theproposed Charter Affirming theValues of Secularism and theReligious Neutrality of The State,As well as the Equality of Menand Women, and the Framing ofAccommodation Requests.

I was pleased to co-present ourposition with vice-chair Sylvia LoBianco and commissioner PatriciaLattanzio, one of my specialadvisors on government relations.

In our brief, which can beviewed in its entirety on ourwebsite, we called the PartiQuébecois government to task foreffectively endorsing bullying. The

Quebec government adopted Bill56 in 2012. This requires thatschool boards ensure that theirschools provide an environmentthat allows students to developtheir full potential, free from anyform of bullying or violence. Theschool boards were deemedresponsible for the commitmentsmade in that regard. Public andprivate educational institutionswere also required to adopt andimplement an anti-bullying andanti-violence plan and designate aperson to implement it.

We find it ironic that agovernment which still standsbehind this important piece oflegislation would subsequently goahead and introduce Bill 60,which if we must be blunt, gives a government endorsement tobullying. We see Bill 60, in fact,as a bullying tactic. In speaking toleaders of the Muslim community,they felt that what this does isallow citizens to become vigilantes.The intolerant among us now havetacit support from the governmentto carry on their ways.

During our presentation weemphasized how the proposed billis in total contradiction with theEducation Act, the Quebeceducation system’s foundinglegislation. We recalled theprinciples underlying the funda -mental legislation that defines our Quebec education system.

“Article 37 of the Education Actstipulates that the educationalproject of the school must respectthe freedom of conscience and ofreligion of the students, the parentsand the school staff. The proposedCharter is therefore in directcontradiction of the Act.”

Bill 60 states that publicinstitutions must adopt policies toimplement the Charter, and postthose policies on their websites.We cannot, in all good conscience,instruct any of our administratorsto discipline an employee forquietly following their religiousbeliefs,” the brief states. This issimply not something that we findacceptable in what we still believeis a free and democratic society.

We shall fight by summoningall possible recourses at our

disposal so that this legislation cannever apply to our school board.To Minister of DemocraticInstitutions, Bernard Drainville,we had this question: which lawmust we disobey?

Speaking on behalf of not only the members of the EMSBBoard, but also the teachers andexecutives of their unions and ofstudent parents’ committees, it wasfurther explained how we hadalways abided by the spirit of theEducation Act to the letter andmade it our duty to teach studentsthe respect of religious diversityand pluralism. We have reducedignorance and prejudice, therebyfostering a climate of respect andof acceptance of diversity. We wish to continue to do so. There -fore, we asked, why change what

is working well and makes us so proud?

Since our inception, enrolmentin the youth sector has droppedfrom a high of 27,000 to just fewerthan 20,000. The language laws,Bill 101 and latterly Bill 114, arechiefly responsible for this. Werespect the laws, and do what the government insists we do –refuse access to students withoutEnglish eligibility.

We have adhered to Bill 118,a law responding to the diversityof moral and religious expectationsin Quebec. Bill 60 is different, itis a legislation we cannot support nor enforce. To do so would becontrary to both the mandate theMinistry of Education has givenus, as well as contrary to ourmission and values.

Editor: Michael J. CohenCommunications & Marketing Specialist, EMSB

Copy Editors: Stuart Nulman and Brittany Witt

Translation: Aline Zerounian

Layout & design: Ponctuation Grafix Inc.www.ponctuation.com

Legal Deposit: Bibliothèque Nationale du QuébecNational Library of CanadaISSN 1488-416X

EMSB

Produced by the Communications and Marketing Services Division of the

English Montreal School Board6000 Fielding Avenue, Montreal (Quebec) H3X 1T4

Phone: (514) 483-7200, ext. 7245Fax: (514) 483-7213E-mail: express@emsb.qc.caWeb site: www.emsb.qc.ca

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

ANGELA MANCINI

STANDING UP FOR OUR COMMUNITY ON BILL 60

Hallmark Mobile App Unveiled

The English Montreal School Board (EMSB), emAPPetizer Inc. and Microsoft Canadajointly unveiled the newest generation of their hallmark mobile app, Hall Monitor,at a press conference at Carlyle Elementary School in Town of Mount Royal. HallMonitor allows school administrators to quickly identify and look up student andclassroom information within their daily rounds, during meetings or in emergencysituations. Pictured above, Carlyle Principal Anna Maria Borsellino tests the App withBruce Seidel of emAPPetizer, EMSB Director of Information Technology Services LuigiDi Filippo, Jocelyn Hamelin of Microsoft and students. With the introduction of thissecond version of Hall Monitor, not only has the basic functionality been improved,but new highly requested features have been added. These include the displaying ofbusing information, ability to navigate to any data from anywhere within the app,and the ability to add special notes such as allergy information on a student.

3EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014 w w w . e m s b . q c . c a

DATEBOOK2014

April 6 to 12Volunteer AppreciationWeek

April 7World Health Day

April 8Volunteer AppreciationEvening

April 22Earth Day

April 24Administrative Assistants/Secretary’s Day

April 27Holocaust Remembrance Day

May 3EMSB ChoraleSpring Gala Concert –34thSeasonOscar Peterson Hall (7141 Sherbrooke Street West)Loyola Campus, Concordia University, 7:30 p.m.Tickets: $10 for adults / $5 for students Tickets go on sale March 1, 2014.Info: 514-483-7200, ext. 7234

May 7National Teacher’s Day

May 12 to 16BASE Daycare Employees Recognition Week

May 13National Denim Day

May 14EMSB Impact Night

May 15International Day of Families

May 31World No-Tobacco Day

June 15International Caretakers Day

June 23Last Day of Classes

The EMSB council of commissionersmeet in public once a month. Thesesessions begin at 4:30 p.m. However, the council immediately adjourns andresumes in public at 7:30 p.m. in the Laurence Patterson ConferenceRoom of the administration building at 6000 Fielding Avenue. Everyone iswelcome to attend. Please note thatoccasionally during the year specialmeetings are called. Parents are urgedto bookmark the EMSB website(www.emsb.qc.ca) to access Boardmeeting agendas and to be advisedabout special meetings. To registerfor question period please call 514-483-7200, ext. 7264. The meetingsscheduled for this academic year areas follows:

April 23, 2014May 28, 2014 June 18, 2014

MEETINGS

EMSB COMMISSIONERS LES COMMISSAIRES DE LA CSEMElectoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 19 (Rosemont – Hochelaga Maisonneuve)ANGELA MANCINIChair / Présidente

Electoral Division~ Circonscription ~ 15(Montréal Nord / Montreal North)SYLVIA LO BIANCOVice-Chair / Vice-présidente

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 1 (Côte-Saint-Luc)SYD WISE

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 2(Montréal Ouest/Montreal West)JOSEPH LALLA

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 3(N.D.G.)ALBERT PEREZ

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 4(Hampstead – Côte-Saint-Luc)MARVIN HELFENBAUM

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 5(N.D.G. – Saint Henri – Ville Émard)ANNE WILLIAMS

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 6(Saint Henri – Pointe Saint Charles –Westmount – Centre-ville/Downtown)RICHARD LALONDE

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 7(Westmount)GINETTE SAUVÉ-FRANKEL

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 8(Côte-des-Neiges – Snowdon – Outremont)ELLIE ISRAEL

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 9(Mont-Royal – Saint-Laurent)LIZ LEAMAN

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 10(Saint-Laurent)BERNIE PRAW

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 11(Saint-Laurent – Cartierville)JAMES KROMIDA

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 12(Ahuntsic)ANN MARIE MATHESON

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 13(Park Extension – Le Plateau)JULIEN FELDMAN

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 14(Saint-Michel)ROCCO BARBIERI

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 16(Saint-Léonard)DOMINIC SPIRIDIGLIOZZIImmediate Past ChairPrésident sortant

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 17(Saint-Léonard)FRANK VERRILLO

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 18(Rosemont)AGOSTINO CANNAVINO

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 20(Saint-Léonard)FRANK DI CESARE

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 21(Anjou – Pointe-aux-Trembles – Montréal Est/Montreal East)TED DONNINI

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription 22(Rivière-des-Prairies)ROSA CERRELLI

Electoral Division ~ Circonscription ~ 23(Rivière-des-Prairies)PATRICIA LATTANZIO

Parent CommissionersReprésentants de parents

PATRICIA WILLISElementary / Primaire

MARIO BENTROVATOHigh School / Secondaire

For a list of the specific committees commissionerssit on, please log on to www.emsb.qc.ca

All meetings can be viewed live on theEMSB website.

You can participate in #EndNegativeSelfTalk by uploading a positive message of your own to any of the following social media platforms:

WATCH OUR VIDEOSThe EMSB is very proud of the quality of in-house

videos produced by the Communications andMarketing Division. In this edition of the EMSB

Express we provide links to many videos, allowingyou the reader to truly go beyond the printed words

and photos. This also includes clips from local TVcoverage. See the link to EMSB TV on the front page

of our website at www.emsb.qc.ca.

Restagno – continued from page 1

Twitter: @LMACNegSelfTalk

Instagram: #EndNegativeSelfTalk

Facebook: www.facebook.com/EndNegativeSelfTalk

Tumblr: EndNegativeSelfTalk.tumblr.com

You can also watch EMSBTV’s interview with Stefania here: https://vimeo.com/84422606

A senior English MontrealSchool Board (EMSB) dele -gation recently returned from amission to China.

We were represented byRegional Director of AdultEducation and VocationalServices Cosmo Della Rocca,Deputy Director General RomaMedwid, St. Pius X CulinaryInstitute Principal AliceSideropoulos, RosemountTechnology Centre PrincipalHarry Michalopoulos, LaurierMacdonald Career CentrePrincipal Lino Buttino, ShaddBusiness Centre Principal Silvana Crigna and EMSBInternational Recruitment representative Cindy Yao.

Aimed at expanding the Chinese market with the internationaldossier, the itinerary for this mission was both productive andextremely challenging. The delegation visited 10 cities in 15 days, including Hong Kong, Foshan, Kaiping, Beijing,Tianjin, Zhengzhou, Xi’an, Guang Zhou, Yangzhou andShanghai. They had the opportunity to showcase EMSBprograms at two educational fairs in Beijing and Shanghai, whichwere well-attended by prospective students.

The majority of the time was spent visiting vocational trainingcentres and meeting with educators, parents and future students.According to our staff, we were very well-received by all of the vocational centres in China. They wanted to show theirgratitude to us for offering them the possibility of pedagogicaland exchange ententes.

What impressed our administrators most was the sheer volumeof students who are in one vocational training centre. One had12,000 students alone. Our team was able to learn from theorganization needed to run such a large staff and student body.

DIRECTOR GENERAL’S MESSAGE

ROBERT STOCKER

Promoting AEVS programs internationally

Shadd Health and Business Centresalutes first Pharmacy grads

EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014w w w . e m s b . q c . c a4

Go to www.laronde.com to find out more about Quebec’s

largest amusement park.

by BRITTANY WITT

The EMSB’s Shadd Healthand Business Centre in NDGcelebrated the first graduates of its Pharmacy Technical AssistantProgram. As she stood at thepodium, Centre Principal SilvanaCrigna couldn’t have looked more proud.

“Commitment, perseverance,courage to face the challenges; thecombined forces of meeting goalsand exceeding expectations,”stated Ms. Crigna, as sheaddressed the graduates. “Toquote Winston Churchill, ‘I likethings to happen. When they don’thappen, I like to make themhappen.’ Students, congratulationsyou have made them happen.”

Last year the EMSB andShadd introduced the PharmacyTechnical Assistance andAssistance in Health CareFacilities, both diploma programsare recognized by the Ministry ofEducation, Leisure and Sports(MELS).

Pharmacy Technical Assistanceis a 1230-hour program. As apharmacy technical assistant,successful graduates will workunder the supervision of apharmacist in either a communitysetting or in a health careestablishment's pharmacy. Themain role of a pharmacy technicalassistant is to assist the pharmacistin issuing prescriptions, main -taining and updating patient filesas well as distributing and the saleof medications and pharmaceuticalproducts. The pharmacy technicalassistant also keeps inventory upto date.

Shadd’s Pharmacy TechnicalAssistant Program, still in itsinfancy stages, is already beingcelebrated for the elite educationthat the students receive.

“I believe what makes ourparticular program unique andstand out is our team,” says Dr.Michelle Carroll. “We have areally diverse and exceptionalgroup of teachers that all pull fromvarious experiences. We workclosely with pharmacists in someof our teaching activities and wehave educators that were and some that still are PTA’s. Someof us have doctorates in pharma -cology and therapeutics so we can offer that molecular andpathological aspect.”

To mark this special andprominent moment in Shaddhistory were Director GeneralRobert Stocker, Assistant Director

of Adult Education & VocationalServices Mario Argiropoulos,Commissioner Anne Williams and former Centre Principal Alice Sideropoulos.

“Students, you have con -tributed to history. This eveningwe celebrate an historical momentand most of all, your success,”beamed Ms. Crigna beforedistributing the certificates. “Asthe first graduating class of thisprogram, I stand proud before you,for I was honored to see your skillsevolve and your passions blossom.”

For registration information call 514-484-0485 or log on towww.shadd.com.

NAME

SCHOOL

E-MAIL ADDRESS �

Please cut out this form and bring it to theoffice of your school and ask that it be sentto Room 109 of the EMSB Head Office at6000 Fielding via the internal mail system.You can also go to www.emsb.qc.ca andcomplete this online and send entries tocommunications@emsb.qc.ca

The deadline is Monday, April 21, 2014

Go to cineplex.com or download our mobile app at m.cineplex.com to find

the location closest to your neighbourhood and

see showtimes.

OR

EMSB EXPRESSEMSB EXPRESS

PASSES TO SEE A MOVIE AT

CINEPLEX THEATRES

PASSES TO

LaRonde

ENTER THE

1 What high school did Marina Orsini attend?

__________________________________________________________________________2 Which EMSB vocational school now offers courses for people

wanting to work at a pharmacy?

______________________________________________________________________3 Which EMSB school designed a Kindergarten Registration banner?

__________________________________________________________________________4 The annual EMSB-Montreal Impact soccer game at Saputo Stadium is on what date?

__________________________________________________________________________5 How old is Westmount Park Elementary School?

__________________________________________________________________________6 What is Frank Lofeodo’s job at the EMSB?

__________________________________________________________________________7 What is the name of the Laurier Macdonald High School student pictured on page 1

of this paper?

__________________________________________________________________________8 Who is the principal of St. Gabriel Elementary School?

__________________________________________________________________________

CLUE: The answers to these questions can be easily found byreading this issue orvia the EMSB website(www.emsb.qc.ca).

QUIZQUIZ EMSB Express Quiz

Last fall a ceremony took place in which the first class of students who tookthe new Assistance in Health Care Facilities Program officially graduated

after successfully completing the 750-hour program.

Our AEVS program has produced some catchyvideos, which aired on CTV. YOU CAN SEE THEMALL AT http://vimeo.com/channels/aevsvideos.SEE OUR VIDEO:

http://vimeo.com/87365357

5EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014 w w w . e m s b . q c . c a

by STUART NULMAN

James Lyng High School in St. Henri has announced that it is embracing a new urban artscomponent to its extra-curricularactivities.

“We are partnering withMcGill University,” statedPrincipal Angela Vaudry. “Theyhave applied for a grant to help usinvestigate how to incorporateUrban Art philosophies into ourcurriculum, via pilot projects incertain classrooms during the2014-2015 school year. We willbe assessing next year whether weshould formally undertake theprocess of rebranding our school.”

Added Mikaella Goldsmith,the coordinator of the CommunityLearning Centre (CLC) at JamesLyng High: “Art is everywherehere. We are using art to try and bridge the gap between theschool and the community, so thatthese kids can go out there andshow off these wonderful thingsthat they’re doing and be proud of themselves.”

Ms. Goldsmith, who joinedJames Lyng’s CLC last Augustand worked with Leave OutViolence (LOVE) for seven

years, has made it her mission to deliver art programs from theschool to the community at largeby building partnerships within the southwest Montreal andVerdun communities.

Graffiti and Street Arts

One of those programs is agraffiti and street arts after schoolprogram that’s being done incollaboration with the YMCA inPointe St. Charles. “The ideabehind this program is that street art is not permanent, so thestudents get the chance to createsome random, beautiful pieces that are done with chalk, yarn,tape and even post it notes,” saidMs. Goldsmith.

Melissa Proietti, coordinator ofteen programs at the Pointe St.Charles YMCA, noted the artisticand community merits the programhas on the students who participatein it. For example, many of themhave participated in clean upcampaigns in several surroundingneighbourhoods, as well asvolunteer with Under Pressure,one of the largest and longestrunning graffiti/street art festivalsin the world. As a result, such

involvement helps them make a positive impact in their commu -nity, as well as prove howcommitted they are to becomeresponsible citizens.

Another recent artistic projectat James Lyng that combinedcreativity with community wasone that involved donatedpairs of jeans, and how ithelped to create awarenessabout bullying. Held during National BullyingAwareness Week, thestudents and their commu -nity partners collected manypairs of jeans, which they usedas a canvas to decorate withmessages about standing up tobullying. The decorated denimwas then hung on display at a community breakfast, wherestudents and members of thecommunity were able to view thecreative anti-bullying messages ina friendly, social atmosphere.

Music and Hip Hop

Other art related programs that are being offered to studentsat James Lyng include a musicprogram (including orchestra andchoir) that runs three days a week;

Marina Orsini (left) tries on her new James Lyng High School sweater, presented by students and Principal Angela Vaudry (far right).

@EMSBThe Arts Are Alive The Arts Are Alive @EMSB

James Lyng High Schooladopts an urban arts focus St. Gabriel

Elementary Schoolembraces the arts

continued on page 6, see ST. GABRIEL

a weekly Hip Hop dance programrun by professional Hip Hopdancer Leah McFly, in whichparticipating students get thechance to perform at differentevents across the community; aHip Hop literacy program thatteaches writing, spelling andcomposition through creatingoriginal Hip Hop songs; a danceprogram, in which its studentmembers participated in a recent

Christmas toy drive with MontrealCommunity Cares; a weekly radioprogram that is run under thedirection of veteran Montrealbroadcaster Sharman Yarnell; and a supervised lunchtime artclub, where students use theirlunch hour to work on their ownunique art pieces of differentgenres and media.

For more details log on towww.emsb.qc.ca/jameslyng.

by STUART NULMAN

While James Lyng High School in St. Henri has added an UrbanArts component to its extra-curricularactivities, students at St. GabrielElementary School in Pointe St.Charles have also embraced the arts.

Principal Jim Daskalakis spent 26 years as a teacher and vice-principal at FACE (Fine Arts CoreEducation) School down-town. Nowin his third year at St. Gabriel, he hasseen enrolment climb to 155 students.He firmly believes that every studentshould get exposure to the world around them, not only throughacademics, but also through the Fine Arts.

“They should be able to notice and understand culture andsociety by embracing self-expression,” said Mr. Daskalakis.“And the most important way of expressing themselves is inthe Fine Arts. That way, they can open up their world toculture, as well as social issues in creating a better way ofunderstanding and relating to each other.”

Regarding St. Gabriel’s music program, studentshave 90 minutes of musical instruction every

week, with the help of a music specialistwhom Mr. Daskalakis refers to as an

“artist in residence.” The studentsfrom Kindergarten to Cycle I learnabout percussion (Orff program),as well as vocal; Cycle II learnshow to play the recorder andcontinue their vocal training; and Cycle III have band as aninstrumental component. The

students learn how to play suchinstruments as the clarinet, trombone,

trumpet, flute and saxophone. The

Principal Jim Daskalakis

EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014w w w . e m s b . q c . c a6

by JENNIFER DEFREITAS

As part of the EMSB’s newcampaign aimed at promotingexcellence in the arts (The ArtsAre Alive@EMSB), the Beforeand After School (B.A.S.E.)Enriched Daycare Program un -derlined some of its creative artsprograms at a press conferenceheld at James Lyng High School.

Artist Sylvia Garland facili-tated a sculpting atelier withB.A.S.E. kindergarten students.Sculpture is at the core of theB.A.S.E’s Creative Arts initiative,along with printmaking, painting,drawing, beading, card making,drama and theatre, music andcreative writing. Available in all of the EMSB’s 29 daycares,nearly 3,000 students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 6 parti -cipate in creative arts programsoutside of regular scholastic

hours. Twenty-eight B.A.S.ETechnicians, 185 B.A.S.E Edu -cators and 20 B.A.S.E. tutorsfrom Concordia and McGillUniversities facilitate the artprograms with the students.B.A.S.E also enlists services fromprofessionals in the industry, suchas Sylvia Garland.

“Through Garland’s vision and artistic talents, B.A.S.E.students have been able toexperiment with different mediumswhere their ideas become tangiblemanifestations,” said B.A.S.EManager Rosa Fuoco. “Withevery child who Garland workswith, she invites them to becometheir own creators.”

Since 2009, Garland hasguided hundreds of students tocreate two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of art that aredisplayed at the Administration

Building. Garland and studentsfrom 20 daycares collaborated onrevamping the atrium into a green

space that houses vegetation andsculptures. The facelift was com -pleted over a period of two years.The first art installation consists offrames suspended from the ceilingholding sculptures that representactivities that students get to enjoyin daycare, such as animation,photography, filmmaking, musicand journalism. The significanceof this installation is to show the intangible links that bindrelationships in the daycares. Thesecond art installation is the willow tree, which represents everymember of the daycare staff whosupports the children under their

care. The branches of the treerepresent the children in daycare.

Garland also spearheaded thecreation of a giant puzzle made upof 29 pieces. Children of varyingnationalities holding hands arounda tree that carries the globe makesup the puzzle. Each daycarepainted one piece of the puzzle,which is also on display at theAdministration Building. TheB.A.S.E Daycare Programcelebrates its students’ artistictalents every year with a creativearts festival.

These students from the BASE Daycare Program did some impressive sculpting at the press conference.

B.A.S.E. Daycare highlights creative arts programs

The EMSB wishes to thank

Double Pizza for its sponsorship of

our press conference at James Lyng High School

instruments that are being usedfor this program were purchasedthrough the support of thecommunity, private donationsand Steve’s Music Store. Allgrades including Pre-Schoolperform two concerts, one prior to the Christmas holidaysand the other at the end of theschool year.

St. Gabriel’s students arealso involved with two outsidemusic programs. The Viva!ElSistema program that origin -ated in Venezuela encouragessocial change and social inter -action through the teaching ofviolin and cello. It attracts 22 students from the school and

the surrounding community wholearn and practice two hoursdaily, four days a week. TheViva!El Sistema participantsalso perform with the FACESymphony Orchestra and thisFebruary, performed in a benefitconcert at St. Gabriel Churchto raise funds for the Viva!ElSistema program.

As for visual arts, St. Gabrielalso has an artist in residence,who works with the teachers toprovide an hour of visual artinstruction every week. As aresult, different projects arecreated, in which the finishedworks are displayed throughoutthe school building, whether

they be on the walls, hallways,classrooms and even on theceilings. The Grade 6 studentshave also painted several muralson the school walls with the aidof mural artists from Concordia.A historical mural commemo -rating the Filles de Roi waspainted on an exterior wall ofthe school commissioned byMaison Saint Gabriel.

Performing Arts

The school has also starteda program with the performingarts. A drama coach comes tothe school to teach the youngerstudents movement and puppe -

Students from St. Gabriel Elementary School show their talents on the violin and cello.

ST. GABRIEL – continued from page 5

try. The older stu -dents are in volved in improvisation andacting which will lead to perfor -mances of small dramatic works.

As for Dance, for one hour aweek after school, an Irish dancingclass takes place that is taught byBernadette Short, who runs a well known Irish dancing school in the West Island. The group,

which comprises of22 students, competes

regularly in Irish dance festivalsthat are held across Montreal.

As well, St. Gabriel has acontinuing partnership with the Pointe St. Charles YMCA,which provides support for anafter school program and weeklyKindergym program.

7EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014 w w w . e m s b . q c . c a

by BRITTANY WITT

For this year’s KindergartenRegistration Week, teacher JulieAnn Etheridge decided to inspireher secondary students at VincentMassey Collegiate in Rosemountby asking them to use theirchildhood memories to create aunique banner.

With these goals in mind, Ms.Etheridge created a unique andinteractive project for her secondarystudents to welcome in this newinitiative. The assignment invitedstudents to create a banner withKindergarten Registration Weekbeing the creative muse. “For thebanner, the students brainstormed

ideas from their childhood anddecided upon images that best

represented the excitement of going to school for the first time,”

she said “The goal of usingsymbols such as the bright yellowsun and the red school-house, was to reflect drawings that young kids create.”

All of the artwork that wasintegrated into the banner by the following students express that the arts are truly alive at theEMSB: Alessia Fiorilli, TizianaArcuri, Stefanie Kouzas, VictoriaCaste l l i , Nadia Vignogna,

Diego Loggia, Tristan Vieira,Sacha, Harmony Fontes, AndriaFasciano, Thuvarragga Kandiah,Vinetha Velautham, SaraVelardo, Amanda Velardo andMarco Di Francesco.

The banner was unveiled atThe Arts are Alive @EMSBpress conference, posted on theEMSB website and is on displayat the EMSB Adminis trationBuilding in NDG.

Teacher Julie-Anne Etheridge and her Vincent Massey students showcase the beautiful banner they designed for Kindergarten Registration Week.

“The goal of usingsymbols such as the

bright yellow sunand the red school-

house, was to reflectdrawings that

young kids create.”

Vincent Massey students promote EMSB registration

by BRITTANY WITT

Roxanne Leclaire is a thirdyear university student enrolledin Concordia’s Art Educationprogram. She recently com -pleted her teaching stage atMerton Elementary School in Côte Saint-Luc, where sheworked with a class of firstgraders. The lesson? A wholeunit on Salvador Dali, one ofthe most well known surrealistartists:

“It was a great experience for the students because theyaren’t used to working with that kind of abstract notion,”says Leclaire.

Leclaire and five of herfellow classmates - Karina Rest-Fata, Naomi Large, JulieMorrice, Sophie Glowa andAmanda Ogilvie - attended

The Arts are Alive @ EMSBpress conference that was heldat James Lyng High School,where they proudly displayedthe projects that they hadcreated with each of theirelementary school classes.

“The concept of surrealismis not something that is normallyintroduced to first graders,” saidLeclaire. “They are used tomaking their art more realisticand pretty, and surrealism isvery abstract.”

These student teachersdemonstrated with their projectsthat the concept of “art” couldbe taught and explained inunusual and unique ways,which made themselves memo -rable within the minds of theirstudents, regardless of age. SaidRest-Fata: “I was placed witha Grade 5 class at Gardenview

and together we made a stopmotion film based on the book‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar. Myintent was to demonstrate that you can combine digital arts and visual arts together.Many of the students werealready familiar with digital artand animation so it reallysparked their interest.”

Glowa, Large and Ogilvietied their lesson plan in withanother subject in order toshowcase the different ways artcan be observed.

The creativity and resource -fulness of these student teach -ers with their EMSB classesreally showcase the future of art education. For more infor mation on ConcordiaUniversities Art Educationprogram, log on to: http://art-education.concordia.ca.

EMSB Arts Consultant Melissa Ledo (centre) shares a moment with the Concordia student teachers she has worked closely with.

STUDENTS TEACHING STUDENTS: future arts educators showcase their work

by STUART NULMAN

While James Lyng HighSchool in St. Henri and St.Gabriel Elementary School inPointe St. Charles have greatlyenhanced their arts programs,there is plenty of activity takingplace across the EMSB.

At a press conference heldat James Lyng in January, theArts are Alive @EMSB show -case featured the presence ofthe Urban Xpression Mural(the YMCA Urban-Artsafter school program at JamesLyng), En Masse (a muralprepared in conjunction withSinclair Laird ElementarySchool in Park Extensionand LaurenHill Academystudents from St. Laurent),Art Union (a large scalecollage mural with LaurierMacdonald High Schoolstudents), Laurier MacdonaldHigh School (AdvancedVisual Arts/Multimedia/Photography/Visual Art), BASEDaycare (sculpting), St. GabrielElementary School (new artsprojects and music), VincentMassey Collegiate in Rosemount(unveiling of the new EMSB pro -motional poster), Speak UpEMSB (spoken word poetry with students from MarymountAcademy in NDG, James LyngHigh School and LaurierMacdonald High School), theaward winning Royal Vale HighSchool in NDG Glee Club, theCoronation Elementary School in Côte des Neiges Steel PanBand and Concordia ArtEducation Student Teachers froma select few elementary schools(Cedarcrest and Gardenview inSt. Laurent, Merton in CôteSaint-Luc, Nesbitt in Rosemountand St. Gabriel).

Here is a look at just someof the other arts programs atthe EMSB:

• FACE School in downtownMontreal is an acronym that standsfor Fine Arts Core Education. Itseducational program combinesacademic and artistic development,with an emphasis on the fine arts.

• At Merton School in CôteSt. Luc and Edinburgh School inMontreal West, all students aregiven a comprehensive musicprogram from veteran musicteacher David Eves, who regularlydivides his week between the two schools. The students get a full year of music theory andinstruction, ranging from reading

rhythms and playing in ensembles,to learning melody, instrumentalmusic and playing in a band.

• The EMSB Chorale, underthe direction of Patricia Abbott,is now in its 34th season.

• Coronation ElementarySchool in Côte des Neiges is bestknown for its Steel Pan Band.This extra-curricular activity hasjunior and senior bands for CycleII and III students. Steel Panlessons are offered on a biweeklybasis, where students learn aboutnotes and play various songs as a group. Both Steel Pan bandsperform in concerts and specialevents throughout the year.

• Rosemount High School isthe only English high school inMontreal to offer a special MusicConcentration Program. The

students have access to some of the best state of the art musicalresources, including a computerlab with specialized music soft -ware, two large sound proof musicrooms and an auditorium that canhold an 80-piece concert band.The Rosemount High SchoolSymphonic Winds Orchestraperforms in several public concertsevery year, as well as participatesin major music festivals, intensiveweekend-long music camps andprivate workshops that are con -ducted by professional musicians.

• LaurenHill Academy in St. Laurent offers music as a finearts subject to all of its studentsfrom Grades 7 to 11, and spe -cializes in teaching music in thejazz/rock idiom. It is also knownfor dance, drama, musical theatre,

a radio station and a Glee Club.• Roslyn Elementary School

in Westmount offers a wide rangeof lunchtime arts-related programs.

• Royal Vale High School inNDG is known for its Glee Club,which captured the recent GleeHigh School Showdown for thesecond year in a row.

• Royal West Academy inMontreal West has its after school theatre troupe called TheBardolators. The school also hasits Honour Band (a concert band),as well as a school choir and theRWA Winds Junior Band.

• St. Dorothy ElementarySchool in St. Michel has its owndrama club, run by professionalactor Elsa Perez.

• Westmount High School hasseveral arts-related clubs and

acti vities, including the dramadepart ment, which will present aspring concert on March 21, aswell as productions of “LesMiserables” on April 3 and “ARaisin in the Sun” on April 17;a guitar club for both beginnersand advanced; an improv club, inwhich the group will compete atthe Canadian Improv Games; andproduction crew, where studentslearn record ing and productiontechniques, as well as the business

side of the recording industry. • Willingdon Elementary

School in NDG music spe -cialist Nick Batzios teachesmusic education.

• Vincent MasseyCollegiate in Rosemount hasa drama club called “ActorsAnonymous.” The VisualArts program at VMC em -braces the school’s philosophyof offering students an en riched curriculum. Toshowcase the arts at VMC,there is the annual Journée de la Culture and MusicConcert in May. Studentshave also the option of joiningvarious clubs such as Actors

Anonymous, the Art Club and the Jazz Band.

• Marymount Academy inNDG has a wide variety of clubsand extra-curricular activities thatdeal with arts and culture, such as an annual arts vernissage, amusical stage show, an improvteam, junior and senior concertbands, jazz band, a recording club,a radio team that’s run by veteranbroadcaster Sharman Yarnell, astudent web series run under theguidance of teacher LaurianeSmolla, and on February 27, the school hosted “Speak UpMontreal!” the EMSB’s first-everspoken word competition.

• At Cedarcrest ElementarySchool in St. Laurent every childis encouraged to express themselvesmusically and to explore their ownmusicality. “We encourage thismostly by singing and playingpercussion instruments,” saysmusic teacher Ian Hanchet.

Other EMSB schools that have drama programs as part oftheir curriculum or as an extra-curricular include ElizabethBallantyne Elementary School inMontreal West, General VanierElementary School in St.Léonard, Our Lady of PompeiElementary School in Ahuntsic,and St. Monica ElementarySchool in NDG.

EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014w w w . e m s b . q c . c a8

Plenty of arts activities across the EMSB2

3

45

1

6

1) These six year old Pierre de Coubertin Elementary School students were thrilled to showcase their talents in the arts./ 2) Nayem Alam from Marymount Academy and Melissa Montuori from Laurier Macdonald made an impressive “spoken word” presentation. / 3) The award winning Royal Vale Glee Club performed an impressive medley of songs./ 4) The Art Union mural. / 5) The Urban Xpression Mural, with a distinct “James Lyng” logo. / 6) The En Masse mural.

9EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014 w w w . e m s b . q c . c a

Our traditional “EMSB Night” will take place on Wednesday,May 14 (7:30 pm) at Saputo Stadium (see ad) against the winnerof a preliminary match between Ottawa and Edmonton. This ispart of the Amway Canadian Championship, which involves thetop five professional clubs in Canada, in the race to qualify for theCONCACAF Champions League.

EMSB students receive Tony Licursi Scholarships from Impact executive and EMSB parent Matt Jordan at last year’s game.

The third annual “Score with School” program, whichinvolved the participation of EMSB students at a CIS regularseason men’s university hockey game between the host McGillRedmen and cross-town rivals Concordia Stingers, took placeon November 26 at McConnell Arena. McGill won the game9-3. More than 800 EMSB students were in attendance. The EMSB wishes to thank Delmar International for their sponsorship.

SPORTSSCENE

EMSB Impact Night

Alouettes School Tour

Score with School Program

Attention high schools. On May 3 the Montreal CommunityCares Foundation will launch ‘EmpowerUs!,’ its long-awaitedprogram for teenage girls, will be held at McGill University Athleticsfacilities, and the event will include a full day of workshops andactivities focused on building the confidence, life skills and academicsuccess of Montreal’s teenage girls.

One-hundred girls from various backgrounds between the agesof 13 and 18 will participate in workshops on financial literacy,self-esteem, nutrition, anger management and goal-setting. Activitystations will also give the teenagers an opportunity to explore dance,kickboxing, basketball and soccer. In the evening, 1,000 girls andwomen – sisters, mothers, grandmothers and aunts – will gather atMcGill University for the EmpowerUs! celebration of women,featuring entertainment and motivational testimonials by accomplishedwomen in diverse fields. A small entrance fee ($20) will be charged.During the day, lunch will be served to the workshop participantsand leaders. In the evening, a bar and canteen will be available.

Kiosks will also be set up for vendors and community organi-zations to promote their youth- and women oriented programs.

EmpowerUs! will also add its voice to events and movementsaround the city that seek to raise awareness of and eliminate violence against women. EmpowerUs! partners to date include the YMCA, McGill Athletics, ING, the EMSB, Lester B.Pearson School Board, Mère avec Pouvoir and various othercommunity groups across the city. For more info please contactinfo@montrealcommunitycares.com.

EmpowerUs! Program for Teenage Girls

The Alouettes kicked off their tour at Lester B. Pearson High School.

Together at School with CN and the Alouettes is a community outreach program supporting elementaryand high school students in the greater Montreal area. The Alouettes have been active in Montreal schoolssince 1998, with CN having teamed up in 2001.

The players visited 123 schools in 2013, reaching out to over 60,000 students at both the elementaryand high school levels. This year’s English launch took place at Lester B. Pearson High School in MontrealNorth. The Alouettes players involved in the program were Luc Brodeur-Jourdain, John Bowman, MartinBédard, Josh Bourke, Éric Deslauriers, Scott Flory, Kristian Matte, Ameet Pall and Kyries Hebert. Theybegan by talking about the importance of staying in school, each touching upon their university degrees.Afterwards there was a friendly basketball game against the school staff, with noted Lester B. PearsonHigh School graduate and Virgin Radio morning man Freeway Frank Depalo playing for his alma mater.

Together at School with CN’s main goal is to encourage kids to stay in school while focusing on a widearray of challenges that students face today, ranging from bullying and academic performance to peer pressureand the importance of staying active. The players look to inspire and motivate the students they meet tomake the right choices and to reach their full potential through hard work and dedication. Other EMSBschools which are part of the 2014 Alouettes tour are Vincent Massey Collegiate in Rosemount, EdwardMurphy Elementary School in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Westmount Park, Marymount Academy in NDG,FACE downtown and James Lyng High School in St. Henri.

See our video: http://vimeo.com/86992351

Students had a blast at the Score With School game at McGill.

See the EMSB video: http://vimeo.com/81600476See the CBC report: http://vimeo.com/80436020See the CTV report: http://vimeo.com/80435850

See the video from last year’s game:http://vimeo.com/65308349

EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014w w w . e m s b . q c . c a10

CHEERSStudents and staff at WestmountPark Elementary School have beenspending the year celebrating their school’s rich history as the2013-2014 school year marks theinstitution’s 100th anniversary…EMSB Spiritual CommunityAnimator Frank Lofeodo wasrecognized at an EMSB Councilmeeting for receiving “Le PrixIntervenant – La gang allumée,”sponsored by le Conseil Québécoissur le tabac et la santé andl'Agence de la santé et desservices sociaux de Montréal inpartnership with the EMSB. Mr. Lofeodo has taken the initia -tive in developing projects whichpromote healthy lifestyles andwhich serve to diminish thefrequency of tobacco use on thepart of adolescents…. WestmountPark Elementary School Grade 4student Bernice Djaballah wasone of the winners of theWestmount city “VOTEZ” contest.She created a great poster and itwas printed and distributed aroundthe Westmount area to encouragepeople to get out and vote lastNovember … Two EMSB PhysicalEducation and Health teachershave been recognized withprestigious awards. Shelly Sharpfrom St. Gabriel Elementary School in Pointe St. Charles waspresented with the National HealthEducator Award from PhysicalHealth Education (PHE) while Yann Deville of Dunrae GardensElementary School in TMR earnedthe Association of PhysicalEducators of Quebec (APEQ)Provincial Teaching ExcellenceAward… The EMSB’s Royal ValeHigh School in NDG won itssecond successive G!ee HighSchool Showdown on November10, with LaurenHill Academy in St. Laurent coming in secondplace. Presented as a fundraiserfor the Just for Kids (JFK)

Foundation, which helps providethe Montreal Children's Hospital(MCH) with the best technologyand quality equipment possible,this event in particular is speci -fically designed to encourageMontreal high school students touse their creative talents to giveback to the community... About 135 people attended the annualEMSB retirees’ dinner last fall atthe Omni Mont-Royal Hotel indown town Montreal. The eveninghonoured 75 retiring employees ofthe EMSB who worked as educa -tors, administrators, professionalsand support staff, and whosecombined years of service to theBoard added up to 2,023 years…The EMSB held a groundbreakingceremony on November 27 atVincent Massey Collegiate inRosemount for a new doublegymnasium and four additionalclasses. The school has a studentpopulation of 745 in a buildingwhich was designed to accommo -date 725 when it was constructedin 1959... John F. Kennedy HighSchool Principal Joseph Marra

and Marymount Adult EducationCentre Principal Cynthia Koomasrecently announced their retire -ments.. At John F. Kennedy HighSchool, Vice-Principal JosephVitantonio was promoted tosucceed Mr. Marra. Filling hispost was Sabrina Petrocco,

previously the vice-principal atLeonardo Da Vinci Academy inRDP. Jacques Monfette movesfrom being principal of the EMSBAlternative Schools to the samepost at the Marymount AdultEducation Centre. Taking his placeis Nick Stamiris, acting principalof Elizabeth Ballantyne

SCHOOLRELOCATIONS

A special meeting of the Councilof Commissioners was held onJanuary 8 to deal with two pro -posed school relocations. TheEMSB Council of Commissionersapproved resolutions for twoelementary schools, Coronation inCôte des Neiges and Sinclair Lairdin Park Extension, to open up theirdoors to two alternative schoolsfor the 2014-2015 academic year.Coronation will cohabitate withProgramme Mile-End, with SinclairLaird sharing space with St.Raphael School.

DALKEITHREÇOIT L’APPUIDES CYCLISTES

DE SAPUTOLes membres de l’équipe decyclisme de Saputo ont visitérécemment l’école primaireDalkeith pour présenter un don de8 866,50 $. Ces fonds ont étérecueillis durant la cinquièmeédition du Grand Défi PierreLavoie, un marathon de cyclismede 1 000 kilomètres du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean à Montréal. Leséquipes ont formé des partenariatsavec des écoles du Québec pourpromouvoir de saines habitudesde vie parmi les jeunes et leverdes fonds pour la recherche derares maladies héréditaires. Lesécoles partenaires participent à

EXPRESSLINE

Joseph Marra had a special surprisewhen he retired in December; a visit to John F. Kennedy High

School by a Grade 6 General Vanier Elementary School student also

named Joseph Marra.

SAMI FRUITS: MAKING DREAMS COME TRUEThanks to the generosity of theSami Fruits Foundation for the Kids,some students from the MackayCentre School in NDG and JamesLyng High School in St. Henrirecently had the opportunity towatch a Montreal Canadienshockey game from a luxuriousprivate box. The Sami FruitsFoundation for the Kids has alreadyraised over $90,000 for the MackayCentre from two gala events. TheFoundation was established byTaleb Al Asmar Jr. and his wife,Lucy Di Ionno-Al Asmar in 2012. For the Canadiens game, Mackaystudents Nicholas Gagné andDaniel Hould-Lovretin were accom -panied by their parents DavidGagné, Mary Lovretin and Vice-Principal JoAnne Desir. James Lyng was represented by students Allan Colosino Jr. and Connor Thompsonwith their parents Allan Colosino Sr., Cindy Goddard, teacher Michael Carignan and Principal Angela Vaudry.The Mackay Center School educates children from across the Greater Montreal area who are physicallydisabled, hearing impaired and have motor, speech or sensorial difficulties. James Lyng is an inner-city schoollocated in St. Henri. Nicholas Gagné has Duchenne's muscular dystrophy while Daniel Hould-Lovretin hasspastic quadriparesis, a weakness in all four limbs. See our video: http://vimeo.com/74204969

Pictured, back row, Michael Carignan, Angela Vaudry, David Gagné, Jo Anne Desir, Allan Colosino Sr. First row: Cindy Goddard,

Connor Thompson, Mary Lovretin, Nicholas Gagné and Allan Colosino Jr.

IN REMEMBRANCEThe EMSB is mourning the sudden passing on December 24 ofLaurier Macdonald High School Vice-Principal Frank Evangelista.Frank graduated from McGill University in Physical Education in1979. He first worked at Dante School with the former Jerome leRoyer School Board. For a short while he worked at both Dante andHonoré Mercier Schools. He went on to undertake the role of vice-principal at Dante and eventually assumed the same role at LMAC.“He was a great physical education teacher; passionate, fun, alwaysready to play and participate,” said EMSB Physical Education andHealth Consultant Sandy Farr. “He was a wonderful person: smilingand upbeat. His outlook on life was always positive and he exudedsuch vitality and energy in all that he did. He was confident,enthusiastic and had a strong influence on those around him. Hewas a great friend, always welcoming and always supportive.”

EN PASSANTQuatre élèves de l’Académie Royal West de Montréal-Ouest ont partagéle prix Robert Alfred Peck d’excellence en français de 2013. NathalieWong, Jessie Chevrier, Béatrice Bourdeau-Lévesque et Tian Yi Chenont obtenu une note de 99 pour cent en français secondaire IV pourl’année scolaire 2012-2013. Ils ont reçu leur prix lors de la réunion du 22 novembre du conseil des commissaires de la CSEM en compagnie

de leur directeur Tony Pita et leur enseignante Milada Prachar....Le 50e anniversaire de l’école primaire St. Dorothy de Saint-Michel aété célébré récemment par les élèves et le personnel. Durant la semaine,les enfants ont eu une leçon de cuisson de gâteaux et chacun d’entreeux a préparé un petit gâteau pour la fête. Au repas de midi, une pizzaa été offerte par le conseil d’établissement. Au cours de l’après-midi,lors d’une assemblée spéciale, deux anciens élèves de St. Dorothy ontraconté leurs expériences des années soixante et ont aussi réponduaux questions des élèves. L’assemblée a officiellement conclu lescélébrations d’anniversaire… La CSEM a affiché son rapport annuel2012-2013 sur son site Web. Il contient un message de la présidente dela CSEM, Angela Mancini, et du directeur général, Robert Stocker ainsiqu’un compte rendu détaillé de la façon dont les divers services ontréalisé les objectifs du Plan stratégique. L’article 220 de la Loi surl’instruction publique spécifie que chaque commission scolaire doitprésenter un rapport sur son entente de partenariat dans son rapportannuel. Cette entente de partenariat de la CSEM figure au rapport annuelet elle informe tous les intervenants des résultats obtenus en matièred’objectifs mesurables fixés à l’entente de partenariat conclue avec leministère de l’Éducation le 1er juillet 2010… Reconnu pour ses vidéosYouTube sur la vie d’un astronaute à bord de la station spatialeinternationale, le colonel à la retraite Chris Hadfield, a pris le temps deféliciter l’école Royal Vale à l’occasion de son 25e anniversaire. La vidéoa été une agréable surprise pour le personnel de Royal Vale qui avaitcontacté Hadfield en décembre dernier au cours de sa tournée deprésentation de son nouveau livre An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth.

Milada Prachar, Nathalie Wong, Tian Yi Chen Jessie Chevrier, Béatrice Bourdeau-Lévesque, Tony Pita et Joseph Lalla.

l’évènement en s’inscrivant au concours « Lève-toi et bouge » enrecueillant des cubes d’énergie en échange d’activité physique. Lesmembres de l’équipe Saputo Louise Fortier, Braunyno Belo et Luc Savoieont visité Dalkeith pour remettre personnellement le chèque devantl’assemblée générale de l’école présidée par le directeur John Wright.Durant le mois de mai, les élèves de Dalkeith ont réussi à recueillir plusde 19 200 cubes d’énergie totalisant 288.000 minutes d’activité physique.

SPIRIT OF GIVINGAnchored by the throngs of volunteers from the St. Laurent Adult Centre,the EMSB, along with CTV Montreal, once again completed a successfulSpirit of Giving Campaign. A total of 40 schools and centers participatedin this year’s campaign, collecting non-perishable goods, toiletries andtoys for nine different charities: Share The Warmth, West IslandAssistance Fund, Renaissance Montreal, Multicaf, Parc Extension ShareStore, Le Bon Dieu Dans La Rue, the N.D.G. Food Depot, Batshaw Youthand Family Services and La Mosaique. In all, the combined efforts of theEMSB, its schools and facilities generated over 600 boxes of non-perishable food, and over 40,000 toys and miscellaneous items. Theseboxes were then transported by the Canadian Grenadier Guards to theSt. Laurent Adult Centre, where their students volunteered to sort andcategorize the donations.

11EMSB EXPRESS | vol. 16 | No 2 | Spring 2014 w w w . e m s b . q c . c a

EMSB Alumni Showcase

Chefs MATHEW FOULIDIS and MATTEO AGOSTINELLIVincent Massey Collegiate

Mathew Foulidis and MatteoAgostinelli, a pair of 2010 graduates ofVincent Massey Collegiate in Rosemount,recently returned to visit and talk about acookbook called From Nonna, With Lovecelebrating their grandparents and sharingsecret family recipes. According to Matteo,“the cookbook was put together over thepast four years by two childhood friends,is a self-published compilation of ourgrandmothers' recipes: classic Italian dishesthat have not only stood the test of time,but evolved in a Canadian culturalcontext.” Boasting over 80 recipes fromopposite ends of the Italian peninsula, thisbook is Matteo and Mathew’s way ofhonouring their grandparents and sharing

their legacies with the world. The cookbook is a must have for all who appreciate good Italian cooking,and makes an amazing Christmas gift for all. For more details go to https://msquaredcooking.com

Cookbook authors Mathew Foulidis and Matteo Agostinelli

Actress MARINA ORSINI James Lyng High School

James Lyng High School inSt. Henri is proud to welcomeback Quebec television, filmand radio star Marina Orsinias a mentor for students. Ms.Orsini is a graduate of JamesLyng, where she proudlyenjoyed her acting debut asMarty in the production ofGrease. “Many years later I performed Grease in Frenchon stage and I played Rizzo,”she recalls. “I grew up in abilingual home in Ville Émardand I am so proud to haveattended James Lyng. Now I have an opportunity to givesomething back.” Ms. Orsini, who presently hosts her ownprogram on French-language radio station Rouge FM, is perhapsbest known for her role as Susie Lambert on the long runningtelevision drama Lance et Compte. She has also starred in suchprojects as Les Filles de Caleb, Dr. Lucille and The Last Chapter.James Lyng High School Principal Angela Vaudry says she isthrilled to have Ms. Orsini as a resource. “Marina Orsini is atremendous role model for our students,” she said.

NHL defenceman MARCO SCANDELLARoyal Vale/Willingdon

Marco Scandella, a 23year old defenceman for theNational Hockey League’sMinnesota Wild, paidspecial visits to his formerEMSB high school, RoyalVale, and elementaryschool,Willingdon, prior tothe start of this NationalHockey League season.Scandella played some ballhockey with students andvisited with some of hisformer teachers. Amongthe individuals there togreet him was his formerphysical education teacher Chris Lagakos. He remembers working closely with a teenage Scandella,helping him stay physically fit by working in the weight room. “He was not a big kid then,” Lagakossaid. “Now he is a solid six-foot-two and 190 pounds.” Scandella’s uncle is former Montreal Canadiensforward Sergio Momesso, a graduate of the EMSB’s St. Monica Elementary and MarymountAcademy. See our video: http://vimeo.com/74656649

Marco Scandella (in Royal Vale sweater) is warmly welcomed back by students and staff.

Filmmaker FREDERIC BOHBOT – MIND High SchoolIt is not every day that a school gets

to meet one of its graduates whose filmis up for an Academy Award. Yet thatis what occured at MIND (MovingIn New Directions) High School inthe Plateau recently. Frederic Bohbotis the executive producer of a filmabout the world’s oldest pianist andHolocaust survivor. It won an AcademyAward in the Documentary ShortSubject cate gory. The Lady inNumber 6 tells the story of AliceHerz-Sommer, who, at 110 years ofage (she died a week before the

Oscars), was the world's oldest pianist and oldest living survivor of the Holocaust. Bohbot producedthe project via his Bunbury Films. He recently came back to MIND and showcased the film tostudents, followed by a question and answer period. See our video: http://vimeo.com/87001605

Marini Orsini with EMSB Director of Human Resources

Christine Denommee.

Actor CONRAD PLAEBS Elementary School/

Montreal West High (Royal West Academy)

Born in Madrid, Spain, to nuclearphysicist parents, Conrad Pla cameto Canada with his family in 1969when he was three. He is a formermixed martial arts champion andprofessional kickboxer who turned toacting following a career ending injuryin 1998. His most significant televisionrole was that of Carlos Serrango, ageneticist and medical physician in 51 episodes of the series ReGenesison Global TV. He has appeared incountless other TV shows and movies.Most recently he got an important role as Sergeant Julien Houle in thehit Bravo TV series 19-2, about afictitious Montreal Police station andits officers. Pla attended Elizabeth Ballantyne Elementary Schoolin Montreal West, as did three of his children and the formerMontreal West High (now Royal West Academy). Pla was aspecial guest at the EMSB press conference in January to launchits Arts Are Alive @EMSB campaign.

Conrad Pla in his 19-2 police uniform.

TV news reporter and anchorELYSIA BRYAN BAYNESRoyal West Academy

Royal West Academy(RWA) in Montreal Westhosted a 30th anniversary galaearlier this school year, with1998 graduate and Global TVMontreal late night anchorElysia Bryan-Baynes serving asemcee. In accepting the role ofemcee, Elysia stated: "RWAhas always been a place ofcommunity and friendship,learning and warmth." The galafeatured prizes, a silent auction,

and performances by RWA students, including the school’saward-winning Honour Band.

Frederic Bohbot is thanked for his visit by Principal Dorothy Ostrowicz and MIND students.

Elysia Bryan Baynes

While January was once again designated as Public School Education Monthat the EMSB, activities related to the event also occurred prior to and after

this period. Public School Education Month encourages prominent graduates toreturn to visit their neighbourhood schools to talk to students about the rolepublic school education played in leading them to their present-day success.

Here are some of the highlights:

Our 2014 Volunteer of Distinction is DEBBIE HANLEY from Roslyn

Elementary School in Westmount

This year’s Volunteer Appreciation Evening will take place on Tuesday, April 8 at the Renaissance in RDP

under the theme of “Above and Beyond.”

For the fifth consecutive year, La Capitale Financial Services is the title sponsor for thisevent. La Capitale Financial Services (www.lacapitale.com) which is a member of LaCapitale Financial Group, offers a wide range of products and services that are designedto simplify financial choices for members working in the public and parapublic sectorsin over 900 public and parapublic institutions across the province. These services include:personal financial advice; savings, investments and funds; individual life and healthinsurance; mortgages and personal loans; insurance for automobiles, recreational vehicles,home, travel and legal access; commercial insurance; and group insurance.

On the occasion of National Teachers Day, whichtakes place on May 7, 2014, P.F. Chang’s Canadais calling upon parents and students to nominatetheir teacher to win a $100 gift card. In one paragraph, please tell us why your teacher is special andwhy they deserve a night out for dinner at P.F. Chang’s. Entriescan be emailed to snulman@emsb.qc.ca by April 14, 2014.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, an international unique brand of stylish, Chinese-inspiredcuisine and upscale casual dining restaurant chain, made it’s debut in Quebec lessthan one year ago. There are two Montreal area locations: one at Decarie and JeanTalon at the former Blue Bonnets Raceway plaza and another at Carrefour Laval.

Help your teacher dine at

www.pfchangs.ca

La Capital Financial Services (www.lacapitale.com),offers a wide range of products and services – suchas savings, investments and funds, individual lifeand health insurance, and group insurance – thatare designed to simplify your financial choices.

Halifax Citrus (www.halifaxcitrus.ca),offers the highest quality and freshestfruit to your door for your fundraiser.

The Putting Edge (www.puttingedge.com) hasthree locations across Montreal and offers a newand exciting way to play miniature golf. They arealso offering 10% off regular group packagerates for all EMSB events.

Steve’s Music Store (www.stevesmusic.com), is amajor force in the Canadian music industry since1965, which caters to all kinds of musical needs.

Loft Uniforms (www.loftuniforms.com), sells alarge selection of school uniforms for public andprivate schools, at both elementary and secondarylevels, across Quebec and Ontario.

Green Apple Studio (www.greenaplestudio.ca), is a photography studio that serves schools anddaycare centres, and uses award-winning back-ground replacement technology, which gives more

flexibility and choices when it comes to student portrait photos. They arealso the official photographer for Volunteer Appreciation Night.

The Big Blue Hug (www.thebigbluehug.com). Gorgeous recognition giftsand custom awards for your school.

Learning Associates of Montreal(www.learnmtl.org). Helpingand empowering children withlearning disabilities since 1970.

Our Sponsors Include:

ON THE OCCASION OF

National Volunteer Week, April 6 to 12, 2014, the English Montreal School Board

wishes to salute our close to 2,000 volunteers.

Honouring Our Volunteers