Since the start of the semester there has not been one five day school week! This may be the first full school week for students in over month, but the week is not over yet.
After the epic win the junior girls’ volleyball team had against the Elliot Lake Atoms at NSSSA on February 19, the girls headed to NOSSA a few days later. The girls played very well, but came up short in the tournament winning one of their four games. Great season, girls!
On Sunday, February 24, Grade 12 student April Torkopoulos joined three other elementary students from Manitoulin to compete at the Royal Canadian Legion Zone H-3 Public Speaking competition held in Espanola. April came first in the senior division (Grade 10-12) with her speech on the cost of post-secondary education. The competition was swept by Island students taking first place in all divisions. April, along with two students from C.C. McLean and one from Central Manitoulin will be moving on to the District competition in Magnetawan on Sunday, March 24. Congratulations, April!
On Tuesday, February 26, the girls’ hockey team played their first playoff game against the St. Benedict Bears at the M’Chigeeng arena. The girls played very well but could not secure the win. Game two against St. Benedict was at Countryside Arena on Wednesday, February 27. After a well-played game, the girls lost in overtime, ending their season. Congratulations girls on a memorable season!
On Friday, March 1, there was a SHSM (Specialist High Skills Major) presentation about Careers in the Arts. SHSM students along with a few other students were excused from afternoon classes to participate in this workshop. Four professionals, Matt Maranger, Alex Baran, Jane Best and Peter Nelson, discussed the different careers that are available in the arts as well as offered advice to students and answered their questions.
Matt Maranger is trained as a luthier at the Summit School of Guitar and Repair in British Columbia and now makes his home in Kagawong. Alex Baran was the executive director of the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and sang in Sudbury’s Octatonic Decadence. For over 20 years, he was a broadcaster on a classical music station in Toronto. He has been an organist and choir director in numerous churches as well as a judge for the JUNO awards. Jane Best lives on Manitoulin Island where she teaches music and directs the Manitoulin Community Choir. She studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, as well as the University of Toronto. Several of her choir pieces have been published by Cypress Choral, Kelman Hall and GIA. Peter Nelson may be known to students as “Mr. Nelson,” a teacher at MSS. Prior to teaching, Peter spent many years as a travelling guitar/performer with various bands in the Toronto area. He now lives on Manitoulin and has forged a career in home studio recording. He works with all types of musicians on the Island and elsewhere. Thank you to all the professionals for taking time out of your busy lives to educate students about careers in the arts. It was greatly appreciated!
Parent/Guardian Night is tomorrow, Thursday, March 7, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at MSS. Come out and meet your child’s teachers and see how he/she is doing in their classes.
Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour on Saturday night! Yes, I realize that we lose an hour of sleep but you have to look at it this way. It’s one hour closer to coffee, bacon, eggs and waffles on Sunday morning.
March Break for students is from March 11 to 15.
On Saturday, March 23, there will be a roast beef dinner fundraiser at the Gordon/Barrie Island Hall for the MSS Music Trip to Toronto at the end of March. More information to follow.
Joke of the week: What happened after an explosion at a French cheese factory? All that was left was de brie.
Upcoming events include, Parent/Guardian Night, March Break and the Toronto Music Trip!
Have a wonderful March Break!
Until after March Break, “Dream and Believe. Learn and Achieve!”
