Important Days to Remember:
- Nov 6th and 7th – Grad Assembly – Block D
- Nov 6th – Take our kids to work Day
- Nov 8th – Remembrance Day Performance and recognition
- Nov 11th – Remembrance Day – No School in Session
- Nov 12th – PAC Meeting 7pm – Learning Commons
- Nov 15th – Report Cards Published
- Nov 18th- Dec 5th – Grad Photos – More info to follow home shortly
- Nov 21st – Early Dismissal -3 hours
- Nov 22nd – Pro-D Day – No students in session
Parent Advisory Meeting
Our PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (PAC) is open and welcoming to every Belmont parent and legal guardian. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 7PM in the learning commons to keep informed of what’s happening in our school including discussions on the BC gaming grant funding allocations. PAC is a wonderful opportunity to meet some other parents, find out more and ask questions. Please join us!
Spring Break trip to the Galapagos Islands
Are you interested a guided tour of the Galapagos Islands where you will see wild tortoises, pink flamingos, volcano craters, visit the Charles Darwin Research Station, swim at white sand beaches, hike through ecological reserves and immerse yourself in Ecuadorian food, language, and culture? Our first student lunch hour meeting will be in A312 Wednesday, November 6th. The Parent Meeting is scheduled for 7 pm, Thursday, Nov. 14th. For more information, please reach out to Megan Bondurant mbondurant@sd62.bc.ca
Congratulations to our Jr. Boys Soccer Team Island Champions!
The Junior Boys Soccer Team competed in the Island Championships at Oak Bay last week, showing impressive resilience against tough competition. Belmont entered the tournament as the top seed from the Lower Island and faced skilled teams from across the Island. They kicked off with a strong 3-0 win over Dover Bay, followed by a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Claremont.
On the second day, Belmont needed a win or draw in their third round-robin game to advance to the championship match. Despite being down 1-0 to NDSS, Belmont’s determination paid off when they scored in the final minute, tying the game 1-1 and securing their place in the finals!
In the championship game, Belmont took on Brentwood College and came away with a decisive 2-0 victory, claiming the title of Island Champions! This marks a historic achievement as Belmont’s first-ever Junior Boys soccer team to win the Island Championships. Congratulations, boys!
RBC Future Olympians
Megan Sampson has she been named one of the Top 100 athletes out of 2100 athletes who competed in the RBC Training Grounds this year. She will fly to Halifax NS where she will compete in The National Top 100 for RBC Training grounds trying for a Top 30 finish to become an RBC Future Olympian, who will receive access to top coaches, funding, and mentorship as they strive to turn their Olympic Dreams into reality on November 2, 2024.
We will know the results the week of November 18, 2024.
Day of the Dead Traditions
Day of the Dead
Friday, November 1st, was a special day at our school. All Spanish classes, with help from our Mexican and Spanish-speaking students, created Day of the Dead altars, filling the Learning Commons with cultural tradition, energy, and experiential learning. The groups competed to make the best altar, and all Belmont students voted for their favorite. At lunch, two of our talented Mexican students performed “La Llorona,” a traditional Day of the Dead song from Mexico.
Spanish:
El viernes 1 de noviembre fue un día especial en nuestra escuela. Todas las clases de español, con la ayuda de estudiantes mexicanos e hispanohablantes, crearon altares para el Día de Muertos, llenando el espacio de la biblioteca con tradición, energía y aprendizaje cultural. Los grupos compitieron para tener el mejor altar, y todos los estudiantes de Belmont votaron por su favorito. Durante el recreo, dos de nuestras alumnas mexicanas cantaron “La Llorona”, una canción tradicional para el Día de Muertos en México.
International and ELL Pumpkin Carving
Our International and ELL student Halloween Pumpkin Carving event on Oct 30th was a fantastic celebration of culture, creativity and community. Students from around the world came together to experience this fun Halloween tradition, carving pumpkins into spooky masterpieces!
Science Department representing this Halloween!
Salmon Bake at Belmont
On Monday Nov 4th & Tuesday Nov 5th, the Home Economics department hosted a cultural event celebrating Indigenous culture and traditional ways of preparing salmon. Salmon is a keystone species that is intergial to our western ecosystem.
We were honored to have Elder Henry from Beecher Bay and Brother Rick join us. We prepared the salmon in class on Monday while learning about different salmon speices and their difficult journeys to the ocean and how they return home after years at sea.
On Tuesday we were able to smoke the fish using Iron Wood, utilizing an open flame near the garden. Students enjoyed the smoked salmon and had frybread and bannock to accompany the fish. The skies opened up for us and the wind and rain let up just in time for our outdoor event.
Special Thanks to the Foods Team (Leanne Reed, Megan Evans & Adelle Berry) and NA’TSA’MAHT team (Blair Hughes & Maddison Dahl) and lastly Lora Scharr for bringing this wonderful day of celebration together and making it a continued success for our school. See photos below.
Scholarship Deadlines Approaching:
Students who are needing support are encouraged to reach out to Mrs. Hoskins or come to the careers centre in C or D block for direct support!
Terry Fox Humanitarian Award
This award is open to students of all abilities. To be considered, applicants must meet be in good academic standing, Canadian citizens or landed immigrants, and applying for a degree/diploma at a Canadian college/university. Recipients are selected for their dedication to the humanitarian ideals of Terry Fox, their courage in overcoming obstacles, and definite marks of distinction and persistence in the pursuit of excellence in academic, athletic, and civic life. These students are involved in activities or organizations that improve human welfare, make a difference, and have a positive impact on their community and others. Candidates may face different types of obstacles. Financial need is not in itself a criterion of the award. It can, however, be included as an obstacle. The maximum value of the award is $28,000 dispersed over four years. The application process opens in November. (From Terry Fox Humanitarian Website)
Deadline: December 1st, 2024
Link: https://terryfoxawards.ca/
Burger King Scholars Program
Open to all students in Canada and the US in three categories: general (all students), employees of Burger King, and relatives of employees. Applicants need to demonstrate active volunteering in their communities, in sport, faith groups, clubs, or other organizations.
Deadline: December 15, yearly
Link: https://www.universities-colleges-schools.com/article/burger-king-scholars-program
Beedie Luminaries Scholarships (Bursaries)
These 116 scholarships are $11,000 for a one year certificate, $22, 000 for a two-year diploma program or $44 000 for a four-year program. They are available for Grade 12 students across BC applying to any BC post-secondary institution. The Beedie Luminaries are looking for resilient students who have faced significant challenges or adversity in their lives who have also demonstrated the grit, desire, and potential to create positive change.
Applications open November 4th, 2024 to December 16th at 1:00PM
The Belmont Bulletin 