the.echo the The St. George’s School Newspaper
Switch to Outlook saves thousands 25 to 30% of the students have already made the switch to the new school email system
By Paul Redelmeier It’s been a term since the school implemented a switch to the Outlook Web App as its official email client, and already, said Roger Pimenta, the Director of the Information Technology at the school, students are taking to the change. “[While] it’s still very early to tell just how many students have taken to the Outlook Web App,” said Pimenta, the school is already seeing a definite increase in the number of students using the service, with Pimenta estimating “that somewhere between 25 to 30 percent of the students have made the switch,” a number that he expects to increase, as per the school’s request. It is after all, in their best interest, something that compelled the implementation of the new platform. “Early in the 2010/2011 School year it was clear that we needed to get everyone in the Saint’s community on a common and single email platform,” said Pimenta, who cited common problems such as the inability for staff and faculty to share calendars and contacts. After researching the problem
and consulting with other North American independent schools similar in size to St. George’s, it became “clear that Microsoft Outlook was by far the most popular email platform with independent schools and ultimately offered the greatest feature set promoting the move to Saint’s new E-Collaboration and E-Communication,” added Pimenta. Outlook’s most prized feature is its formatting versatility, which allows it to be supported by more devices — a longstanding vice of FirstClass, the school’s previous email client — with its users “no longer restricted to simple text formatting.” The Outlook Web App, furthermore, “integrates seamlessly with our school's backend infrastructure,” continued Pimenta, as it is a Microsoft solution. Moreover, putting everyone on the same email client would eliminate the difficulty that some members of St. George’s community had encountered when attempting to share calendars and even tasks. On the financial front, the switch to Outlook will undoubtedly save the school money, added Pimen-
ta, because the school’s “existing licensing agreements with Microsoft … coupled with the preferred educational pricing that [it had] negotiated [meant that] Outlook was already included as part of our licensing agreement.” As such, the implementation cost to the school was minimal. However, given that the school will no
longer have to pay for FirstClass licensing, maintenance and support, yearly administrative costs will drop by thousands of dollars. And while it’s still too early to see if students will, across the board, make the change to the Outlook Web App, Pimenta is confident that, over time, this will change, with students “support-
ing and following Dr. Matthews’ request.” Ultimately, however, as the client offers a much richer and simpler set of features that are supported on PC, MAC, and just about any smartphone, netbook and tablet in use today, at a cheaper price, the move is already paying dividends for the school.
Grade 10’s leadership skills tested in camp By Connor Dyson Year 10 was recently given a special opportunity – the chance to attend a two day Leadership camp at Camp Squeah near Hope. It was a great investment from the school in developing Year 10’s into leaders of the future. The Camp explored the values, qualities and characteristics of leaders through the use of theoretical lessons. In doing that, it also challenged students to be the best that they could be. When asked whether the camp was a success, Dr. Webster, Head of Grade 10, responded:
“Yes, I thought the camp was very successful. The Grade 10s were always engaged in activities in the classroom, and in outdoor challenges. They also contributed to classroom discussion extremely well,” The value of service was explored and the students also developed ideas for giving back to the community. A core capability of a leader is the ability to bring a team together. The Camp provided opportunities for the students to work together as a team and achieve their goals.
The students were able to put the theory of leadership to the test by performing tasks such as High and Low Ropes Course, problem solving and Rock Climbing. These practical tests taught the students how to trust each other, the importance of everyone’s contribution, how to listen and to be courageous- all great leadership qualities. Although the students of Grade 10 learnt the aspects of leadership, they did however, have some constructive criticism on how the camp could have improved. “I wondered if there was a need
to go to Hope” said an unnamed source. Jeff Choi also commented on the issue and said “It was great but I wish it was done at school, and the lessons where good and it had an impact on my character. “ It was a 2 hour drive to Hope but the staff specifically chose the location, and they wanted the Grade 10s to leave Saint Georges for this experience said Dr. Webster “If we taught the lessons at school, everyone would be thinking about school and they wouldn’t be fully engaged in the activities. So we took the Grade
10s to Hope for a different experience, where they were away from school,” Transportation played a major part in the Leadership Camp, because the school had to send back to the school swimmers and rowers for their morning competitions. To top of the struggle of bringing kids back to school, Saints also had to hire 2 buses from Avispa to take students to and from the camp. The Leadership Camp brought forward many opportunities for the Grade 10s to grow as leaders and human beings.
School librarian aspires to be a writer
By Harmanjot Uppal St George’s School, Vancouver -- Ryan Morris, the new librarian at the school, is a published author, who has written two books and has published one. He is currently editing his second, and has some ideas for a third. It took six years for Morris to write his first book, while balancing a full-time job. He even stopped writing for a few years, because he felt he had lost the focus for his novel. He added that before he actually began writing, he took some years to finish research on ornithology, the science of birds, which had a lot to do with his story. His first published work is called Molt, and the idea came to him when he was sitting on the bus. “I was heading downtown and watched a bird as it leapt from the top of a building,” Morris said. “It hung in the air for a moment before flying off and I really stopped to think about how awesome it must be to have that ability to fly. “ Molt was self-published by Morris but he said that he wouldn’t go down the same route for his second novel. He actually lost money from self-publishing, because the websites that his book was featured on only prints on-demand, which means the website only prints a copy when someone orders it. Morris said he lost money through self-publishing, because he bought many copies of his book from the website and sold them himself. He added that by selling about 150 copies of his book, he regained the lost money. Morris also said that self-publishing requires authors to market their books on their own. Morris said that for him, writing a book was a better way to express himself than creating art. He thought of writing a novel as a challenge, and now it is one of his hobbies. Furthermore, he said that he doesn’t suggest writing a book for making money, because a newly published author can make at most $130,000, depending on whether the publisher is a popular company. Also, he said that a writer shouldn’t be afraid of rejection; otherwise writing may not be a suitable career for you. Currently, Morris is editing his second book, which took approximately three years to write, while he was working full-time. His new novel is about friends growing up together in New York.
the.echo the
the.echo the The St. George’s School Newspaper
Future of basketball is bright The varisty basketball team is the “most athletic and experienced” team in recent Saints basketball history
By Rohan Khara “I'm confident our team will be able to raise their level of play and step up to the challenges along the way. I'm confident that we can play with any team in the province and when we play up to our ability, we will be very hard to beat. My expectations are high for this year as I feel the boys have the talent, experience and drive to have a very successful season,” said Guy Dasilva in a recent interview with The Echo. The St. Georges’ senior varsity basketball team is shooting for perhaps one of their best seasons in recent history. Dasilva, one of the coaches of the team, said, “This year’s team is the deepest and most athletic team I've had in my three years coaching varsity.” Not only is this team very deep and athletic, but it is also very experienced. Ten players who played on last year’s team will be returning and playing on the team once again. St. Georges has also made a few coaching changes for the basketball team. Former NBA coach, Richard Cohee will come in as assistant coach to Dasilva. Cohee, in
fact, coached Dasilva at Capilano College a number of years ago. Dave Munro is the other new assistant coach, who used to be the head basketball coach at Douglas College, and now runs the Best in the West Summer Camps. Dasilva said, “Both coaches provide the team with extensive experience and knowledge of the game, which will benefit our team tremendously over the course of the season.” According to Dasilva, one the team’s biggest strengths is the number of people who are able to step up and lead, rather than relying on one leader. This new strength is the result of the team’s having a lot of very experienced players from last year. Dasilva also said that we can expect a very high effort and intensity that has come to symbolize our varsity team over the years. “We are focused on getting better each day and playing the best basketball we are capable of playing.” St. Georges will start the season ranked in the top ten and over the course of the season the team will “hopefully work our way up the rankings.”
Once again, the team has one of the toughest schedules in the province. Vancouver College will be the team’s toughest competition, and the team’s games against them will definitely be the most important according to Dasilva. The team’s first game is Nov. 29 at Tammanawis. “It will be a great test for our guys to open up against another top 10 team,” said Dasilva. The St. Georges’ team will be participating in a number of high profile tournaments this year. The first big tournament is the annual HSBC tournament, here in Vancouver. For this tournament, the team’s first round match is at Sir Charles Tupper High School, and the finals will be held at UBC. The team will also travel to Florida to play in the Kruel Classic in Fort Lauderdale. In January, the team will once again participate in the BRIT, or the Bedford Road Invitational Tournament, in Saskatoon, to defend their championship. Dasilva said, “The BRIT is one of the biggest tournaments in Canada and a great experience for any team.” St. Georges will then play in the
Last year’s varsity team poses after winning BRIT Championship This year’s team is expected to achieve the most in recent Saints history
Snowball Classic in Abbotsford, which will feature five or more of the top 10 teams in BC and a number of out-of-province teams. Last year, the St. Georges’ varsity team had no real expectations as they do this year. To start last year’s season, the team was unranked, but by the end of the season, they were ranked 11th. Last year the team won the BRIT tournament, and had three wins against 10 teams. The team lost
a few close games; however, Dasilva hopes that the experience gained from those close games will carry over to this season and work in the team’s favour. The first parts of the basketball tryouts have begun, but there are a few more tryouts to come, because some of the players have been occupied playing other sports. There are about 18 players trying out for the team, but only 12 to 14 players will be selected.
Ultimate team disqualified from Vancouver Regionals By Kevin Lee St. George's - A recent Vancouver Secondary School Athletic Association decision has prematurely ended the St. George's/ York House, "Tight" team's regional games. According to Jon Hayduk, the head coach for the St. George's and York House co-ed team, Tight, isn’t able to participate in the regionals because the public school sports coaches have decided to limit the participation of independent schools from what would be strictly Vancouver Public school leagues. He says that Tight will still get to play exhibition games and attend the provincials. "We're trying to start an ISAs for Ultimate. We'll see," Hayduk said after a Sunday Junior League practice. Hayduk is a dedicated ultimate player who plays at the professional level representing Canada numerous times, and even winning the World Ultimate Championships with the team Furious George. Hayduk says, "I think that Ultimate as a sport offers many positive aspects that are often overlooked by athletes and students who are focused on the 'traditional' sports. The level of athleticism required to excel in organized Ultimate never fails to surprise those new to the game." With injuries from many high school players last year including
Senior player Conrad Ng jumps for the disk to score a point torn ACLs and a broken ankle, it is no wonder that Hayduk would emphasize the high amount of dedication and physical fitness you need. He offers arguments for both those new to competitive sports and those that are just beginning to give ultimate a try. Hayduk says, "For those coming from other competitive sports it [ultimate] provides an amazing opportunity for cross-training in a fun, but taxing, environment that stresses self-accountability, honor, and respect." Hayduk also offers reasons for
newer competitive sports athletes to try ultimate out, saying that it offers a different opportunity to experience everything that goes along with being a part of a team and the lessons learned from that process. Hayduk says, "There is a significant level of passion from the student body." He adds, "The number of students at tryouts every year keeps growing and is the envy of every other director of Ultimate I've talked with." This was painfully obvious in the 2011 Ultimate Season where both the junior and senior ultimate teams
received over 50 students trying out, resulting in the creation of a Senior B team and many cuts from the Junior Team. This year, the 2012 season will have spots even more contested than before, with the omission of the Senior B Team. Team spots will be hard-fought for. For those out of the loop, ultimate is a disc-throwing sport with similar rules to both basketball and football. The objective is to get a pass with the disc into the opposite end zone, and if the disc hits the ground, or is intercepted, it is a turnover. With simple game-
play rules and a fast set-up of end zones, ultimate is becoming more popular as more and more people are introduced to the sport. St. George's is an optimal place for starting ultimate. There is a team of dedicated physio staff, two coaches, Hayduk and Norm Kaethler, both enthusiastic and passionate players themselves, along with two more coaches from the York House staff, a significant number of resources and funding, and two large fields for the team to practice with! Hayduk says, "St. George's is among the leaders in high school Ultimate across the country. We have a passionate and dedicated coaching staff that has been with the program for years." After the senior team’s strong silver medal performance against Kitts Secondary School in the 2011 provincials and a Spirit of the Game totem award for the junior team, much is expected of the St. George's/York House Ultimate team this year. With a thoroughly experienced group of senior players and a large number of new athletes introduced to the sport, great expectations are not unrealistic. Hayduk approves of our Ultimate program saying, "This experience helps ensure a quality experience for those involved and is proven by the many Provincial and National level players St. George's has produced. "
The St. George’s School Newspaper
Senior campus to appear in Disney movie By Harmanjot Uppal St George’s School, Vancouver -- Over Spring last year, the Disney Channel used the school campus as the set for their new original film Geek Charming. Geek Charming premiered on Remembrance Day this year, on the Disney Channel, as well as the Family Channel. The movie was directed by Jeffrey Hornaday, and stars Sarah Hyland from ABC’s Modern Family, and her real-life boyfriend Matt Prokop. The movie is based on the book by Robin Palmer, which is about the struggles of high school students as they try to fit in with everyone around them. Neil Pillar, Head of Operations, said that although he doesn’t know the exact value, he knows that the school
will financially benefit from the movie. He added that the money the school will receive would go to student programs. Pillar added that it is very important for the school to rent
out their facilities, because it reduces the likelihood of tuition increases. The increase in tuition would have also gone towards student programs. A few students were also cast
in the film as extras, and another was able to spend some time with the director of the movie. The unnamed student learned how the film was shot and how it was later edited.
The movie was shot over a 15-day period, and was made to create minimal impact on students who were also using school facilities. Pillar said that although the school gets asked quite often for permission to shoot a movie on campus, the school declines any offers that may come in conflict with other things going on in the school. Movie schedules do not usually work with the school, and so the movie scouts must find different locations. Pillar said it would be very exciting to see the school on TV, and will be looking forward to seeing the movie. In the movie’s minute and half trailer, some images of Maclean Hall can already be seen.
New Saints play:
The Taming of the Shrew By Paul Redelmeier William Shakespeare’s controversial comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, has been chosen as the middle school play this year, with the show being staged from March 7 to 10. The play, written sometime in the late 16th century, is one that keeps with it the obvious misogynistic attitudes of the times, and is therefore the subject of wide-ranging controversy. Following the courtship between the play’s protagonist, Petruchio, and, his headstrong, bride-to-be, Katherina, The Taming of the Shrew, is as a result, a play that incorporates many patriarchal overtones. Robert Wisden, the play’s artistic director, however, argued that instead, the “play is probably a good jumping off point, in a boy’s school, for a conversation about feminism and equality of women and the all-conquering power of love.” The play’s other merits, he continued, particularly its plethora of male roles as well its relative linguistic straightforwardness (Shakespeare-wise) meant that The Taming of the Shrew would be one of the easier Shakespeare plays to stage here at St. George's. Wisden’s final motivation for the play lay in the fact that it was, well, Shakespeare. “I honestly think that it is time this institution produced a Shakespeare play,” finished Wisden. “We try not to do the same things each year,” concurred Ed Mortimer, the Director of Theatre Arts at St. George’s, who went on to say that past shows determine, in part, future play selections. Moreover, maintained Wisden, the play’s misogynistic themes, were, rather than a product of its playwright, a product of its times. “Renaissance thinking pervades all of Shakespeare’s plays in one way or another,” he added. “This one just outlines how deep those mores were.” This, he went on, would be core to his interpretation of the play, which, most likely, will be set in the Elizabethan times in which it was originally set, rather than being updated as was The Miser, the senior school’s other production. This of course, would help “drive home the point that it’s an old play,” whose antiquated ideas of social structure are, therefore, a simple product of the times of the play’s writing, said Wisden. The play, finally, will benefit from a change in scheduling that will reverse the traditional order of the middle and junior school plays, giving students in the middle school play an extra month to rehearse, and moving the junior play to February.
The Miser, a play worth watching By Faeez Ahmed The St George’s reproduction of the classic Moliere play, The Miser, was set in the 1920s and was utterly hilarious. The farcelike humor kept you in your seat throughout the play. The characters and the setting were real and funny. The play is about a wealthy but cheap money-lender, Harpagon, played by Zach Maurer. Maurer portrayed Harpagon incredibly accurately, mimicking all of the character’s quirks. His back hunched, he wobbled around in a cheap robe; Maurer was the per-
fect portrait of a miser. Elise and Cleante, played by Eliza Fredeman and Niko Virvillis respectively, are Harpagon’s only children. Both keep many secrets from him, adding to the comic drama. Cleante attempts to get a loan, not knowing that it is his father with whom he is doing business. Cleante’s surprise and Harpogan’s outrage are utterly hilarious. If that’s not enough to keep the audience in stitches, Cleante and Harpogan are in love with the same woman. While this dysfunctional family is at the heart of the story, there
are other characters who add to the plot and character development. Master Jacques played by Paolo Wilken, while just a supporting role, was absolutely vital in keeping the audience entertained. Master Jacques is a thoroughly confused man who gets in trouble when he’s honest and when he lies. When he suspects the new assistant Valere played by Dillon Sidoo, to be dishonest, he tells Harpagon and gets punished. After this, he decides to lie and suffers the same fate. Frosine played by Kathleen McKeown is the fiery and confi-
dent matchmaker who sets Harpagon up with Mariane played by Genevieve Smith, Cleante’s lover. Raul Ruiz De La Orden is perfect as the servant who knows everything. I loved the use of secrets in the play. The new and trusted assistant Valere is in love with Elisa, unbeknownst to her father. This is just one of many secrets. However, the way that these secrets are found out is the best part of the play The Magistrate played by Jeremy Sayers, unwittingly weasels the truth out of everyone, while
being at the house for a completely different matter. The house was the perfect setting for the play. It allowed all the characters to run into each other without seeming implausible. Also, it seemed befitting that a man of Harpagon’s character would stay at home. All in all, The Miser was an excellent production. The cast worked well together and was in sync. The setting was believable and properly used. The plot was clear and funny. And of course who could forget the wailing of Sheldon Lynn!?