Important Dates
- November 17 – PAC meeting 7pm via MS Teams
- November 18 – Semester 2/Block B ends
- November 19 – Semester 3/Block C begins
- November 19 – Student/Parent/Teacher interviews via MS Teams 1:30 – 3:30pm
- November 20 – Pro D Day (no classes in session)
- November 23 to December 4 – Grad Photos by Life Touch room B217
- November 25 – Report cards published (MyEd)
Remembrance Day Assembly Virtually
Although this week were not able to host our annual school wide Remembrance Day assembly, Mr. Chan and our student hosts provided classes with a video
Youtube – https://youtu.be/j7MUINdr8es
Student MCs – Kyla K., Steven M., Ida S., & Aisha A.
Student bugler – Alexa B.
Belmont Concert Choir – with Glynis Dawson directing
Our guest speakers this year are Elder Henry Chipps, Jim Lamond, and Officer Cadet Jeffery Corney (Royal Military College, Belmont Alumnus)
Memorial Window
Post-Secondary Information
- Post-Secondary BC (PSBC) events are happening, regionally, for students throughout the fall, and UVic will be offering four virtual presentations at each of these events. The upcoming PSBC events are as follows:
- Victoria and South Island: November 16 (2-6pm) and November 17 (3-7pm)
- North/Mid-Island and the Sunshine Coast: November 18 (2-6pm) and November 19 (3-7pm)
Registration is available, here: https://postsecondarybcvirtualfair.easyvirtualfair.com/prefair/
- Parent Nights will provide parents/guardians/supporters the opportunity to learn more about UVic. Attendees will enjoy a presentation by the amazing Dr. Lisa Surridge, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, with some helpful tips on being successful in post-secondary studies. The focus of the talk is helping parents (and students) navigate the transition from high school to university. The upcoming Parent Night is as follows:
- November 22 at 5pm
Gr 12 students and parents are invited to join a virtual information presentation by UVic and Camosun on applying to post-secondary programs, Tuesday, Nov 24, 6:30 – 7:30 with a question and answer period to follow. A link to the Zoom event will be provided closer to the day of the event.
Parent/Teacher Interviews
Interviews will be held on Thursday, November 19th online from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Here is how you book an appointment:
- Go to: http://belmont.schoolappointments.com/
- Register under login
- Follow registration prompts
- Book the appointment time
- Click view appointments to access virtual link during meeting time
- You may have to wait in the virtual lobby
If you are unable to book on-line please call our front office at 250-478-5501 beginning Friday, November 13th, at 10.00 am.
If you are unable to book an appointment with a teacher due to availability, please contact him/her to set an alternate time or book a phone conference.
http://belmont.web.sd62.bc.ca/parents/teacher-contact-info/
Thank you for taking the time to meet with your son/daughters and their teachers.
Transportation
Next Thursday, November 19 is an early dismissal day across SD62. This means that school will end early for secondary schools, please see schedule below.
If your child takes school bus transportation, please note that pick up and drop off times may be different for that day only. Please see below.
REMINDER: Please follow the current bus schedule which ends on November 20. The new schedule begins Monday, November 23.
Belmont
| Morning Cohort | Afternoon Cohort |
| School 9 – 11 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. |
| AM Pick up as per usual | Pick Up (from stop) 1 hour early |
| Dismissal and bus home at 11 a.m. | Dismissal and bus home at 1:30 p.m. |
For bus pick up times, please see here and adjust accordingly as noted above, particularly for students who attend class in the afternoon.
Questions, please feel free to email our Transportation Department: bussing@sd62.bc.ca
Thank you for your attention to this.
Spanish Classes – Altar de Muertos Competition
Miss Pampin’s Spanish classes have been working on a Day of the Dead project / competition. Congratulations to # 1: In Honor of Dr. Seuss who received the most votes with #3: In Honor of Ant #7 being a close second. Honorable mention goes to the others. Well done students! See photos below.
Students had to build an “Altar de Muertos” (altar for the dead) which is a shrine-like surface in honor of someone that has passed. An “Altar de Muertos” typically contains decorative elements such as festive tissue paper designs and flowers, as well as symbolic elements that were believed to serve a purpose. These include food, water, salt, candles, a photo of the deceased, and sugar skulls, to name a few. (Did you know that sugar skulls replaced real skulls which is what the Aztecs originally used?).
Message from Elder Henry Chipps
Dear Students,
It’s an honor for me to be in your class with you. O’Siem Siam. I hope that this 2020 school year you will complete all your work and have a successful time in each class. I hope you excel in all your subjects that you are doing this year.
I am the Elder in Residence for Belmont Secondary which means that I will be here on Mondays throughout the rest of the school year. I will be doing various classroom activities with you and your teachers in certain subject matters and I really enjoy supporting these activities.
A lot of students talk to me in the hallway or in their classrooms. This summer I saw students at various stores and coffee shops in our Community and it is always great when students wave or stop to say hi! Please feel free to say ‘hi’ when you see me out there! It is important because Every Child Does Matter. It really doesn’t matter what culture or ethnicity one is, in the senses that each of you are children of the world and are important. You are in this school and I am too and it is good to open dialogue and talk with each other in a good way.
Always appreciate your teachers when you are in the school. Remember, one time they were students just like you. In fact, in my cultural way teachers are like Elders, they are knowledge keepers. In my culture too they are held in high esteem which means they respected. In old ways nothing was written down, it was all oral communication from one generation to another, now in the 21st century we write things down and your teachers who have studied these things are able to communicate their learning to you!
Sometimes we have special guests and role models in our school and they teach you special skills. I have met a lot of amazing people with unique talents and you can learn something from each person who comes into your life. Last year, for example, a role model showed students in Ms. Rachael’s class how to make roses of cedar bark for hair style accessories. It was quite something. The students really enjoyed it.
When I was young I attended Metchosin Elementary, Dunsmuir Middle School, and Belmont Secondary (in the old building). I graduated grade 12 in 1971. I wouldn’t have graduated without the help of some of the teachers. There was a teacher in my life, his name was Leo Beinder. In fact, he has an award in his name here at Belmont. He knew I was a good student from September to December. From January to the end of June I used to go off the grades! In March, he used to come to me and say “it’s time to pull up your socks”, so that I would be motivated to pass!
In ’71 I went to Kelowna and took pre-op Carpentry, I got my Red Seal, and worked all over Canada. When I came back here in ’87 I moved back to Beecher Bay and was on Council from ’87-2003. I also got into Treaty Negotiations for my Nation. We have been in Treaty
Negotiations 25 years. Soon we will have the Te’mexw Treaty Passed into Legislation by both
the Provincial and Federal Government.
In 1999 I went back to school, to University of Victoria. At the ripe old age of 35…hahaha. I took
Indigenous Governance Degree and Public Administration. I graduated in 2006! I was the first
Graduate of Indigenous Governance. It’s never too late to achieve your goals in life. Take up the
initiative to complete your dreams.
Please feel free to talk to me when you see me! If you would like to talk one-on-one please ask
your school Counselor or Natasha Parrish and they can arrange a meet up! I hope you have a
great year at Belmont Ecole Secondary, I looking forward to spending time with you this year.
Elder Henry
hchipps@sd62.bc.ca
“10,000 Tonight – Food Drive!
Food insecurities are a big problem in our community. 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, but especially those in need. All food and cash donations will go to the Gold Stream Food Bank. Belmont Leadership is hoping this event will connect the school to our community in these uncertain times. Together we can make a difference!
Does your family want to help the community this holiday season? Belmont Leadership class is excited to announce that we are holding our annual 10 000 TONIGHT FOOD DRIVE in partnership with Royal Bay and EMCS secondary schools from November 30th – December 11th.
There are two ways to donate:
- Classroom Hampers – Each classroom will have a box for non-perishable food donations.* Teachers will have envelopes to collect cash donations.
There will be PRIZES! For every item donated, students will receive one prize entry, and multiple entries are encouraged. Prizes will be drawn at the end of the food drive.
- – As we are unable to do our normal house-to-house pick up, there will be four DRIVE THROUGH DROP-OFF EVENINGS. Student volunteers will be at Belmont and Royal Bay schools on Tuesday, December 1st and 8th and Thursday, December 3rd and 10th from 4:00 – 7:00 pm. The drop-off process will be fast and contactless! We hope to see you there!
*All donations will be quarantined at the school before sent to the food bank. All volunteers will be following strict COVID-19 protocols.
Thank you in advance from Belmont Leadership!”
Safe & Healthy Schools
Program for Parents with preteens: Boys and Girls Club is offering a daytime group for parents with preteens. It will cover topics like Parenting and families, communication, self care, and more. Please share with your families. See attached called PWPS Wednesdays.
November Parent Meeting: Connecting with our Kids when Anxiety Leads to Social Isolation. The Victoria area date is Tuesday, November 24th at 4:00 pm. Please feel free to register for a date that works best for you. Registration Required for all communities: www.familysmart.ca/itk Date for Victoria: Tuesday, November 24 at 4:00 pm Cost: Free of Charge
The Belmont Bulletin 