Newsletter-Parent-April 2015

A.R. MacNeill Secondary School
6611 No. 4 Road, Richmond, B.C. V6Y 2T2
Phone (604) 668-6212 Fax (604) 668-6202 Early Warning (604) 668-6278
E mail: macneill@sd38.bc.ca Web site: http://macneill.sd38.bc.ca
Principal: Ms. C. Sakata, Vice Principals: Mr. L. Banta and Mr. L. Leung
Assistant Superintendent: Ms. Wendy Lim
Trustee: Ms. Alice Wong
PAC: Mr. David Elviss – kingmoose@telus.net
Parent Newsletter – April 2015
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
MacNeill Ravens are right back into the routine of school after a refreshing two week spring break. The end of
this school year is already in sight. Some students have reported the last day of classes is less than eleven weeks
away! This school year, and in the future, regularly scheduled classes are extended an extra week, with the last
days of regular classes being Thursday, June 18. Provincial Exams begin on Friday, June 19 and our grade 8, 9
and 11 Student Portfolio presentations will be held on June 22 and 23. As there is so much still to come this
third term, we encourage students to stay focused on their studies and take responsibility to make sure they
know how they are doing and what they must do to ensure successful completion of each course. Grade 12
students received a summary of their progress in each course in the Statement of Grades they took home on
before Spring Break. Parents are encouraged to continue to communicate with their child’s teachers about
progress in their courses. As you have been notified by e-mail and phone message before Spring Break, the
parent-teacher conference on-line booking for appointments are open. The on-line booking can be accessed by
going to the school website. All students were provided with “Confirmation of Course Planning” sheet on
Monday. If there were changes to be made, students were to submit their requests at this time.
EASTER FRIDAY AND MONDAY
SCHOOLS CLOSED APRIL 3TH AND 6TH
We have a long weekend ahead of us with Good Friday and Easter Monday, April 3 and April 6. There will be
no school for students with classes resuming on Tuesday, April 7. Enjoy the long weekend!
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
April 8 from 2:00-4:00 pm and April 9 from 3:00-5:00 pm and 6:00-8:00 pm
We would like parents to take the opportunity to meet your child’s teacher by booking an appointment during Parent
Teacher Conference Time. Administrators will also be available in the school lounge during the Conference Time and
hope to meet the parents. Report Cards will be sent home with students on Thursday, March 12th and parents will have
an opportunity to just meet their child’s teacher and/or discuss their child’s progress at the Parent Teacher Conferences
scheduled for Wednesday, April 8th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Thursday, April 9th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 to
8:00 p.m. Appointments to see teachers are made on-line. Information on Parent Teacher appointment booking is on
the school website. On-line booking has been open from Monday, March 16th. Booking for appointments on April 8th
will close at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, and for April 9 at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Should you be unable to make an
appointment for April 8 or 9, do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher for an alternate time to meet or speak to them.
COLLABORATION TIME DAY
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015
SCHOOL STARTS AT 9:45 A.M.
1
GRADE 10 & 12 PARENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS
TO BE COMPLETED BY APRIL 30
All grade 4, 7, 10 and 12 students and parents in British Columbia are to take the Satisfaction Survey. The
Provincial Satisfaction Survey gathers information from parents and students on topics related to school
environment, safety and achievement. Your input through the Satisfaction Survey is very important and useful
to us. Information and a log-in code for parents were sent home with students when the grade 10 and 12 students
completed the student Satisfaction Survey. If you are a parent of a grade 10 or 12 student and have not
completed a Survey, we encourage you to do so. If you do not have a log-in password, please contact the
school office for a password. The on-line Parent Satisfaction Surveys are available to be taken in 14 languages.
The tear off form at the bottom of the Satisfaction Survey notice will be used for a draw of two pairs of cinema
tickets and two Starbucks gift cards. The draw will be held on Wednesday, May 6.
CAFETERIA AT MACNEILL – PRICE INCREASE
Cafeteria service is available at MacNeill before school, nutrition break and during the lunch hour. Besides the
usual cafeteria items, there are hot lunch specials offered everyday. Due to the rising food costs, lunch prices
will increase by $1.00 from $5.00 to $6.00. The price change was of March 30. The cost of items at the
cafeteria has not changed in over ten years.
MACNEILL PAC MEETING
Wednesday, April 15, 2015 - 7:00 p.m. in the Library
The first part of MacNeill’s next PAC meeting will be a presentation by our librarian, Wendy Phillips. She will
be talking about technology in the library and ways students use the school library. This presentation will be
followed by the PAC meeting to discuss the school’s annual performance plan, May AGM and executive
positions, meetings for next year and funding allocations. All parents are welcome to attend.
MACNEILL DRY GRAD 2015
Next Dry Grad Parent Meeting – Thursday, April 9, 6:00 P.M., Library
The 2015 Dry Grad committee is on the last stretch to the grad event on June 25. Many activities for the night
have now been booked. Volunteer forms for parent and student help will be sent home in the coming weeks.
The 2015 Dry Grad Committee welcomes all grad 11 and 12 parents to join and be part of the planning. Our
next meeting is Thursday, April 9 at 6:00 p.m. in the school library.
HELP FUND OUR GRADS FUTURE SUCCESS!
On June 11th MacNeill’s seventh Grade 12 class will walk across the platform at their Valedictory Ceremony.
Businesses, community organizations, and individuals contribute to the MacNeill Scholarship fund. As we are
the newest high school in Richmond, the MacNeill Scholarship staff committee continues their endeavours to
increase the scholarship fund. If you would like to donate money to help MacNeill’s scholarship fund, you will
receive a tax receipt (for donations over $25.00), as well as recognition printed in the Valedictory program.
For further information, please contact: Mr. Leung, vice principal and facilitator of the MacNeill Scholarship
Committee.
AP EXAMS
In May, MacNeill students who are enrolled in Advanced Placement Chemistry, Calculus and/or English
Literature will have the opportunity to write the final examinations for these courses. Many colleges and
universities will give credit for the first year equivalent course if the student writing the examination receives a
sufficiently high grade. In addition, the cost of each AP examination is approximately a fifth of a first year
course, depending on whether it’s a college or university level course.
2
ATHLETICS AT MACNEILL
All the spring sports are up and running. Students are involved in badminton, soccer, tennis, ultimate,
volleyball. Games are underway in all the sports. We thank our many teacher coaches and all the students go
have taken the opportunity to participate in the extra-curricular athletic programs at MacNeill. Thanks to Mr.
Ghaug, our athletic director for organizing and coordinating all our teams and athletic programs.
SUN RUN 2015 – TEAM MACNEILL
16 students and 4 teachers have signed up to run in the Sun Run this April on Team MacNeill. All students
interested in participating are welcome to join our group. The early-bird deadline has passed, and the cost for
students will now be $30. Interested students please contact Mr. Nelstrop.
SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MACNEILL LOCKDOWN PROCEDURES
At our last PAC meeting, Mr. Leung, vice principal, spoke about MacNeill’s lockdown and safety procedures.
School District #38, Richmond, is committed to providing a safe environment for all students and staff. The
school board has a number of safety related procedures including regular fire drills, earthquake preparedness
and drills, and sign in procedures for all adult visitors to the school to help ensure safety.
School District #38, Richmond, has developed a revised lockdown protocol to help keep schools safe during any
potentially dangerous incident. Students are included in the regularly scheduled lockdown drills occurring at all
Richmond schools. As with fire drills and earthquake drills, it is important that students are aware of the proper
procedures to follow to ensure their safety and well-being should such an event ever occur.
In the unlikely event of a real lockdown, or any emergency situation, information will be posted on the school
district website. This is your best source of information. Schools cannot answer the telephone during an
emergency situation. Parents are cautioned against calling their child's cell phone during a lockdown. This
hinders safety measures put in place and potentially puts your child and others at risk.
MacNeill Secondary’s staff and students will be practicing the procedures for a school lockdown on May 7
If you have any concerns, please contact MacNeill Secondary at (604) 668-6212.
DATES TO NOTE
April 3
April 6
April 8
April 8
April 9
April 9
April 9
April 13
April 15
Apr. 16
Apr. 17
Apr. 21
Apr. 27-29
Good Friday –School Closed
Easter Monday – School Closed
Early Dismissal – 1:00 PM
Parent-Teacher Conferences – 2:00-4:00 PM
Early Dismissal – 2:00 PM
Parent-Teacher Conferences – 3:00-5:00 PM, 6:00-8:00 PM
Dry Grad Parent Meeting – 6:00 PM, Library
Incentive Parent Meeting – 7:00 PM
PAC Meeting – 7:00 PM, Presentation on Technology in the MacNeill
Library
Fire Drill – 11:15 AM
Pro-D Day (students not in attendance)
Collaboration Time – 9:45 AM Start
Incentive Musical Production
3