Maple Connect December 2015

MAPLE LEAF INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

DECEMBER 2015

IMPORTANT DATES JANUARY • School Reopens 4 • Secondary Exams

20-22, 25-26

• Turn around Day Secondary - No school for Secondary

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• Secondary Textbook Distribution - Library, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

27 • Semester 2 Starts - Secondary

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FEBRUARY • Forest of Reading Challenge • OSSLT Practice Test • Carnival Break for students

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Message from Our Principal Dear Parents & Guardians, Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings!

Maple Leaf International School is a private co-educational, independent day school offering classes from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Established in 1994, and located in Alyce Heights, Petit Valley, Maple Leaf is registered with both the Ministry of Education in Trinidad & Tobago and Ontario, Canada.

Graduates earn an Ontario Secondary School Diploma, in compliance with the curriculum requirements of the Ontario Ministry of Education. The school places a balanced emphasis on academics, service achievements, leadership opprtunities, as well as athletics and the arts. Maple Leaf offers a seamless transition from elementary to secondary school with a supportive and close-knit community of students, parents, staff and alumni.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family the best of the season. The younger children have visions of receiving all the goodies on their Santa list, while the older students are looking forward to the parties, sleeping in and liming with their friends. Parents will just have to make time to enjoy these busy times.

I wish, for you all, that this Christmas brings lots of love, peace and happiness.

Stay healthy and blessed throughout the coming year. Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year.

Debora Jones Principal

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COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE

SANTA VISITS!

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LIBRARY Reaching Beyond Our Walls to Assist in Literacy

by Ms. Mohammed, Librarian

There is no better gift than the gift of reading. When we engage young children in reading, we are giving them a skill that can help them to lead good and sustainable lives.

With this purpose in mind, the Maple Leaf International School Library, in support of Let’s Read, held its 4th Annual Book Drive in the month of November 2015. Approved by the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Education, the main goal of Let’s Read is to promote literacy at rural primary schools in Trinidad through various reading activities. The Let’s Read team also works to establish and maintain classroom and school libraries. The aim is to encourage reading for enjoyment and to raise literacy levels in our nation’s schools.

The students and staff of Maple Leaf came together to donate books for the age group of four to twelve. These books included picture books, board books, junior fiction and non-fiction books.

In addition to donating to this important cause, students also had the opportunity to earn valuable points for their School House with one house point being awarded for each book donated. Four book bins were set up in the library, representing each of the four houses – Phoenix (red), Perseus (blue), Orion (green) and Hercules (yellow).

This year a total of 1018 books were given to this cause with blue house, Perseus, taking the lead with a total of 362 books donated. Second place went to our yellow house, Hercules, who gave 274 books. Red house, Phoenix, came in thrid place with 210 books and green house, Orion, came in fourth place with a total of 172 books.

Maple Leaf International School Library and by extension our school community is proud to continue to stand with Let’s Read, in support of this life-changing initiative.

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ART ROOM - Elementary

Keep up to date on what’s happening in the Elementary Art Room @MapleLeafArtRoom

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ART ROOM - Secondary

GRADE 12 visits an art studio Grade 12’s enjoyed an outing to see artworks from 11 different artists at the exhibition titled “Mindscape”.

The exhibition was held at the Black Box in Woodbrook.

CLAY MODELING with Grade 11 Students Grade 11 students went to create their personalised house/ building out of clay at Seerique Ceramics in Chaguaramas. Getting their hands dirty they learnt how to mold the walls and roof of their house and add details to give it style and realism.

GRADE 9s get creative with clay The grade 9 Art class had the opportunity to get all dirty with their clay workshop.

They went to Seerique Ceramics in Chaguaramas and they learnt the art of coiling and made individual creative vessels. They enjoyed working with clay and made different cups and small vases.

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PTA NEWS Pan on d’Bay 2 On Saturday 7th November 2015, Maple Leaf International School hosted their annual fundraiser, Pan on d’Bay 2 at O2 Park, Chaguaramas. It was a beautiful evening, with a cross section of entertainment featuring The Massy Trinidad All Stars, Maple Leaf Pan Ensemble, Dane Gulston and Band, Viva Nueva Parang Group, a rhythm section and DJ Kern Crosby.

This was a special evening against the backdrop of the picturesque Harts Cut Bay where patrons were treated to the melodious music of our very own steel pan. The Parang group shared a little Trini Christmas, before the rhythm section took it to another level whereupon DJ Kern Crosby (a parent of Maple Leaf International School) took charge of the crowd Maple Leaf has cultivated a vibrant Pan Ensemble since the schools inception in 1994. The senior Pan Ensemble had the pleasure of practicing with Massy All Stars at their pan yard for several weeks leading up to this event, culminating in a performance that filled parents with pride and delighted the audience. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for these students who got to perform with the reigning 2015 Panorama Winners of the Large Band category.

In a recent presentation, Maple Leaf’s PTA weas delighted for the opportunity to hand over a donation of $25000, (part proceeds of Pan on d’Bay 2) to Bryan Wright, the Principal of St. Phillip’s Government Primary School for some much needed upgrades.

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Senior Division North Champions!

Maple Leaf Under 19 Football Boys

New Student Council

Congratulations to our Boys Under 19 football team who completed the League and Knock-Out Double in the Boys U19 Senior Division of the North Zone.

Congratulations to the newly appointed Student Council members for the 2015-2016 academic year. We look forward to you honing your leadership skills under the guidance of your teachers, Mr. Sookhan and Ms. Mummery, while building our school spirit with your various endeavours.

The final ended with a gut-wrenching 5-4 score line in a penalty shoot out after Zachary Kelshall equalised to keep us in the game. Timothy Brooks saved a penalty and then stepped up to score the final goal. Congrats to our worthy champions on a fabulous season!

Nausicaä Wit- President Tristan Sabeeny- President

Model UN Award to Jordan Thompson

Saskia Johnson- Secretary Jayna Rezende - Communication Representative

Jordan Thomson was the recipient of the Lester B. Pearson Award for Peacemaking at the Secondary Schools’ United Nations Symposium. The Model UN Club traveled to Montreal in November to take part in the Symposium which is an educational simulation in which students from many parts of the world can learn about diplomacy, international relations, and the United Nations.

Nadia Belfon - Communication Representative Michael Rahaman - Promo Representative Jonathan Miller - Promo Representative Alex Yuille - Promo Representative Jordan Thomson - Treasurer

The Lester B. Pearson Award is an award that was named after Canada’s 14th Prime Minister who was instrumental in passing reforms which improved Canadian lives and for keeping Canada out of the Vietnam War. He also gave Canada their new flag, which we have today.

Silvia Spinn - Sports Representative Gabriel Dookie-Siu Chong - Technical Support

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COMPUTER LAB

The Grade 12 Communications Technology class (TGJ4M) were given 12 days to complete 12 completely different photoshop projects. Each morning they were given a prompt and they had that class time to demonstrate their skills. Enjoy their creativity!

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REMINDERS SCHOOL FEES DUE

Elementary School Fees are due on the first day of term January 4th, 2016.

OSSLT Practice Test - February 1st The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) Practice Test is carded for February 1st for all Grade 10 students, any repreaters and any new students to Grade 11 and 12. The actual test is on April 7, 2016.

Please ensure that your TT$700 fee is paid at the school office on or before January 4, 2016.

The Funny Corner :-) One night a Viking named Rudolph the Red was looking out the window when he said, “It’s going to rain.”

His wife asked, “How do you know?”

“Because Rudolph the Red knows rain, dear.”

by Scott Nikel

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HOUSE ASSEMBLY

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SHARING WITH OUR COMMUNITY HELPING THE STUDENTS AT ST. PHILLIP’S St. Phillip’s Government Primary school was the recipient of a recent donation from the Maple Leaf PTA. This donation of $25,000 came from the part proceeds of the Pan on d’Bay 2 event. Our principal, Ms. Debora Jones and PTA President, Mrs. Leslie Warner visited the school and discussions were held on how best the money could be put to use.

From left: Mrs. Warner presents the cheque to Mr. Bryan Wright, Principal, St. Phillip’s Government Primary School. A classroom at St. Phillip’s.

TEA SERVICE AT NATIONAL RADIOTHERAPY CENTRE Maple Leaf students are involved in a weekly donation of items to the tea service organised by the Pretty Powerful non-profit organsation. This complimentary tea service is provided daily at the National Radiotherapy Centre at St. James and includes light refreshments, to patients who are awaiting treatment, test results and attending doctors’ appointments. These patients have a waiting period of a minimum of 2 – 4 hours.

Maple Leaf will continue this initiative into the new year. Thank you to Mrs. Gail Hamel-Smith for heading this worthwhile venture and for taking the Grade 8HS students to sing carols and bring cheer to the Centre.

CHRISTMAS BROWN BAG CHARITY DRIVE Each year, Maple Leaf supports a number of charities during the Christmas season, including the St. James Police Youth Club, Kids In Need of Direction (KIND), Shaping Her for Excellence (S.H.E.) Foundation and The Shelter for Battered Women and Children. This is done through our Christmas Brown Bag Charity Drive. The students of Grades JK to 3 and 9 to 12 are provided with a large paper bag and a list of items. Students fill these bags with items from their list.

The response was very positive with a return of 134 bags. All food, toys and toiletries were sorted and donated to the four planned charities. All organizations were extremely grateful for the donations and have also extended their thanks to all those who participated.

Thank you to Ms. Pechlof for your initiative in making this happen!

ELIJAH’S BREAD CHARITY This charity caters to underprivileged families in the Maracas, St. Joseph area.

There are over 200 families who are assisted monthly with foodstuff and other necessities through the Roman Catholic Church there.

This year the Maple Leaf students of Grades 4 to 8 each contributed two tins of Butter Cookies and two boxes of Sorrel towards these families. It has been an absolute pleasure working to help these families in the past and we would like to continue the tradition next year. Thank you to Mrs. Emamali-Ramdeen for spearheading this drive!

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