January 21 – Gr. 12 Scholarship Info Session 3:30-5:00pm – MS Teams
January 25-27- Grad Photo Retakes
January 25-29 – Graduation Literacy & Numeracy Assessments
February 1 – Semester 4 End
February 2 – Semester 5 Start
February 8 – Report Cards Published
February 9 – PAC Mtg. 7pm MS Teams
February 12 – Pro-D (school not in session)
February 12 – Chinese New Year (year of the ox)
February 15 – Family Day (stat holiday)
Gr. 12 Scholarship Info Session
Ms. Hoskins will host a virtual scholarship info session through MS Teams for grade 12 students and parents on January 21st, 2021 at 3:30-5:00pm. Please feel free to attend, see a short presentation, and ask any questions you may have about the scholarship process.
Learn more about post-secondary options on Vancouver Island, BC!
This virtual presentation will be hosted in collaboration by UVic, VIU, NIC and Camosun College. Together they will present information and resources that will help inform your post-secondary decisions.
Topics covered in the presentation include:
Introduction to Vancouver Island post-secondary institutions
Pathways, partnerships and information on transfer options
Resources and tips to support program, school and career exploration in BC
Information on post-secondary during COVID
Q&A
Who: All interested Grade 10-12 students and parents are welcome to attend
The Canadian Universities Event (CUE) will be hosting its first ever winter event next week. On Wednesday, January 20th and Thursday, January 21st between 4:00 and 7:00 PM (PST), 48 post-secondaries from across Canada will be available to BC high school students to answer questions and provide information. These sessions are Q&A style – presentations will not be offered. Students are encouraged to drop in and ask questions to representatives from institutions.
In order to access the event, students must register at cuebc.org. Students who registered for CUE in Fall 2020 can continue to use the same login information to access CUE in winter through cuebc.org.
Belmont Music Department Promo
Check out what courses the Belmont Music department has to offer by clicking on the promo video . What a great overview of the musical opportunities Mr. Chan, Ms. Dawson, and Mr. Rivollier provide for all students.
Drama & Improv Club
Looking for a way to meet new friends and get involved with something at school? Belmont’s very own Drama & Improv club starts on January 15th! EVERYONE is welcome. Fridays 2.15-3.15 in the Theatre D101. Join us for fun on and off the stage. Email Danny on damartin@sd62learns.org or join the Google Classroom code wtzpb3h to find out more or ask questions. Can’t wait to see you! – Danny Martin
School District No.62 (Sooke) requires Noon Hour Supervision Assistants to work on-call immediately. These are school district paid positions, whereby adults are hired to assist schools in supervising students. Qualified candidates must be a holder of a valid Occupation First Aid Level 1 Certificate or be willing to get it at their earliest possible convenience. The hourly rate of pay is $24.42.
For more information about our District, please refer to our website at http://www.sd62.bc.ca.
Qualified individuals are invited to submit their cover letter and resume, including the names and telephone numbers of at least two references to:
November 23 – December 4 – Grad Photos in Room B217
December 4 – Registration deadline for Jan 2021 Graduation Assessments
December 8 – PAC Mtg. 7pm – MS Teams
December 18 – Semester 3 End
December 21 – January 1 -Winter Vacation
January 4 – Semester 4 Start
January 8 – Semester 3/Block C Report Cards Published via MyEd
It’s hard to believe December is upon us and 2020 is almost in our rear view mirror. This year has truly been one like no other however we continue to be amazed at the efforts of our students and staff. On November 19 students began their third course of the school year and by all accounts the transition into new classes with new teachers went extremely well.
Our smaller class sizes (no more than 15 students) in the am/pm learning groups is really unique to our District and a few others in the province. We are really thankful for this as teachers and students suggest they have more time for “deeper learning” and supportive conversations due to the smaller class sizes and the lengthened periods. In addition to that, the most important factor in our decision to host the 1/8 model was to make school as safe as possible for students and staff.
Although we may not experience the usual holiday events such as the annual Winter Concert, Santa’s Breakfast, and decoration contests, I’m certain the Belmont Music Department will surprise us with virtual performances to help us celebrate the coming holiday.
Our December PAC meeting will take place on December 8 at 7pm via MS teams. If you’d like to join us, please email the school’s general email at Belmont@sd62.bc.ca and leave your name and preferred email address for us to send an invite to you.
10,000 Tonight
Does your family want to help the community this holiday season? Belmont Leadership class is once again supporting our annual 10 000 TONIGHT FOOD DRIVE in partnership with Royal Bay secondary school from November 30th – December 11th.
Food insecurities are a big problem in our community. 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone, but especially those in need. All cash donations will go to the Goldstream 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!
Unfortunately due to last minute VIHA direction, we will not be able to participate in our annual activities such as door to door community collections and classrooms contests, but will continue to support the Goldstream Foodbank by supporting and promoting on-line donations.
You can donate through:
SCHOOL CASH ONLINE – You can also donate through the following link. Click on the white “donation link” in the image below. Make sure to select “10,000 Tonight Food Drive – Belmont Families”.
Counselling News
With the intention of being more accessible and providing our students and families with a consistent way of booking appointments, our Counselling team has created a new on-line booking system. You can find the new booking system on our school’s website found under the Resourcetab.
Career Life Connections 12 – Capstone Projects
Grade 12s have been busy creating and presenting their Capstone Projects. Below is Hamish B. and the electric bike he built! Also a big thank you to those teachers, and parents that have joined in to watch and support our grade 12 students complete their projects.
Two more groups will be presenting the last week before winter break.
The Careers Team
ATHLETICS
Belmont Girls Volleyball – Return to Play
On Oct. 7 volleyball practices returned to Belmont, following a carefully put together plan to ensure that the players and coaches would be in a Covid safe environment. There has been an emphasis on keeping the Seniors and more experienced Juniors together to provide a higher level of instruction, while the remaining Juniors have had the opportunity to receive basic skill development. At all levels there is a great deal of enthusiasm at being back and playing again. It also is clear that if/when Belmont is able to compete against other local schools they will do well as there is a lot of athleticism being displayed in this group! Practices continue on Mondays and Wednesdays after school.
FOOTBALL NEWS
Congratulations to Riley S. as he is the recipient of a Scholarship to the University of British Columbia. Check out the attached link on the newspaper article from the Goldstream News Gazette.
Good afternoon Belmont students and families. Wow the year has certainly flown by so far as we have just completed the 1st course. Today we began our 2nd semester/blk. B course as we welcomed students into their next class. By all accounts today’s transition to the next class went extremely well as students demonstrated an awareness of where their next class was located and the “zone” entrance they need to use in order to enter and exit safely using our face mask and hand sanitizing protocols. We’re incredibly impressed with our students’ abilities to support our health & safety protocols.
Yesterday we also participated in the Great BC Shakeout along with hundreds of thousands of Canadians across the country. At 10:15am and 1:15pm we stopped, dropped, and took cover for 60 seconds as we practiced what to do in the case of en earthquake.
A reminder to families that the 1st semester/blk A class report card will be published electronically via the MyEd family portal. Please ask your son or daughter to share it with you through the student portal if you have any difficulties accessing the family one.
Today we also an opportunity for Mr. Rivollier’s Drumline to perform during the transition time between the AM & PM classes. Although a little “misty” out, the rainbows made up for the fall weather.
Our awesome Drumline performs during the transition between AM & PM classes.
UVIC & VIU TEACHER CANDIDATES
Belmont is proud to host Teacher Candidates from UVic and VIU in different stages of their journeys in becoming a practicing teacher!
For the fall, we are home to a UVic Field Experience course where 20 Teacher Candidates come to our school all day to observe classes and then stay for an after school seminar course co-taught by Lauren Frodsham and Melissa Horner. This course is a wonderful opportunity for Teacher Candidates to become part of a classroom and help support students while learning from experienced Belmont teachers.
This fall, we are also proud to provide practicum experiences for seven Teacher Candidates; five from UVic and two from VIU. This is a time for candidates to experience planning and teaching, all while being supported by their Belmont teachers and University supervisors.
In the spring, we will provide a space for three long practicum Teacher Candidates to immerse themselves in the practice and teach up to 100% of a course.
Supporting our early career teachers is a practice that Belmont school is deeply committed to, and our teachers truly enjoy. We look forward to welcoming them all back one day as an experienced educator!
Athletics News
XC News – The Belmont Bulldogs got out to a speedy start this year as students participated in a friendly & safe cross-country 3km run around the community Thursday morning and afternoon. In the morning, Mr. Allen, Julianne S. and Hailey S. led the runners with a quick pace. The afternoon race was fast with Evan W., Abbey B. and Naomi M. leading the way. Special mention to the morning and afternoon basketball classes who displayed some impressive results. Thank you Mr. Lowe, Ms. Sandberg, Mrs. Robertson, Mr. Allen, Mr. Toakley and the leadership students for making this happen! Way to go Bulldogs!!
Football, Volleyball, Basketball – As approved by our District’s Health & Safety protocols and supported by BC School Sport’s return to play plan, some of our students and coaches have begun to practice/train after school. In addition to yesterday’s XC race, our Football, Volleyball, and Basketball programs have all started to train with the hopes that inter-school competition will resume when safe to do so. Although things are not the same as they were pre-COVID, it is fantastic that our volunteer coaches have begun to provide training sessions for our student athletes.
Belmont Leadership is hosting a Spirit Week from October 26-October 30th! More information to come and yes there will be prizes! Reminder to students that masks (other than our PPE) are prohibited in Secondary Schools on Halloween.
Monday – PJ Day
Tuesday – Belmont Wear Day
Wednesday – Denim Day
Thursday – 80s Day
Friday – Halloween Costume Day (a reminder no masks except for PPE:)
Gr. 9 Immunizations
Watch for immunization consent packages for grade 9 students that will be sent home early in the fall. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students in Grade 9 will be offered immunizations through a booked appointment at the health unit. Please review the consent packages, fill out the consent forms and return to the school. Please then contact the Westshore Health Unit at 250-519-3490 to book your appointment. If you have any questions please ask to speak with a School Health Nurse.
A grade 9 student can make an informed decision about immunization regardless of their parent/guardian/representative decision to consent or refuse immunization. For more information visit HealthLinkBC: The Infants Act, Mature Minor Consent and Immunization.
Graduation Assessments
Graduation Assessments: Monday 2nd – Friday 6th November 2020
Please see our website for the latest information regarding the upcoming November Assessments:
Students wishing to book an appointment at the Wellness Centre at Belmont, please call 250-519-3580.
Grad 2021 news
Last week, information was given to the class of 2021 regarding a number of items including grad status, Scholarships, Commencement Ceremonies, Prom, etc. Please see attached video we shared with the grade 12’s.
Hi everyone, here is a recap of upcoming events at UVic. Some are specific for gr. 12’s, other opportunities may be of interest to the AVID groups as well. Stephanie Parker from UVic is also available for virtual classroom presentations. I am also trying to schedule a live evening presentation with both UVic and Camosun in late November for students and parents. Stay tuned. Love all the opportunities they are providing for students and parents alike.
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:
General Event (open to students from all regions): October 21 and November 14 (3-7pm)
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)
Student Experience Panels will feature current students who will speak about student life at UVic and be available to answer questions. The upcoming Student Experience Panels are as follows:
October 17 at 10am
October 28 at 6:30pm
November 7 at 10am
November 18 at 8:30pm (for international students)
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 Nights are as follows:
Sample Lectures will be delivered by expert guest speakers from across the UVic community on a wide array of topics from modern marketing to sociology in the age of Covid-19.
The Music Department is carrying on with fundraising this year, but everything is done ONLINE!
As usual, we are selling Hilltop Nursery Poinsettias (as local as you can get – their nursery is at the Saanich/View Royal border!) and Purdy’s Chocolates (a Canadian Favourite!)
If you do plan on ordering, here are the important dates;
Poinsettias Orders Deadline – Monday November 2nd.
Purdy’s Order Deadline – Tuesday November 24th
Pick-Up Date for ALL orders – Thursday December 2nd.
All fundraised money goes towards individual student accounts to help offset future travel/trip costs. If you have a student that you would like to support, please indicate that in your online order forms (the instructions are listed). If not, we can pool towards a student in need.
Outdoor Education
Outdoor Ed students doing great work learning skills and experiencing the outdoors!
It is hard to believe with the wonderful summer weather we’ve had this week that September is behind us with many incredible “firsts” as we re-opened and welcomed students and staff back to school with our new protocols and 1/8th model of classes.
We have past the halfway point of the 1st semester/course and look forward to the transition to the 2nd semester/course. We will be sharing an updated course schedule, MyEd student/family login info, and an overview of the start of the next class on October 8. A reminder a formal report card will be electronically published via the MyEd student/family portal after each course is completed. The 1st course report card will be published on October 22 for guardians/parents to review.
A reminder to students and families that due to safety protocols and cleansing efforts prior to each class, we open the doors to the school approximately 15 minutes before the beginning of class. This is important to note with the weather changing as we head into the fall and winter months. Be prepared with the appropriate clothing for being outside if you arrive earlier than 15 minutes before class.
Considering schools and districts in other parts of our province have experienced positive COVID cases with students and staff, a reminder that Island Health provides Exposure in Schoolson their website for updated info.
A reminder for students that the VIHA Wellness Centre is open for student self referrals Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. through the school day. In order for students to make an appointment, please
Although much of the freedom we used to experience in schools pre-COVID has changed due to protocols, below is an example of Ms. Dawson’s Choral class using the Learning Commons earlier today to finally rehearse as an entire group with physical distancing in place. It sure left many of us with “goose bumps.” A shout out to Ms. McKenzie and Ms. Court for supporting this and Ms. Dawson and her students for their efforts as well!
On this past Tuesday evening we hosted our first PAC meeting of the year via MS Teams. Our Executive is pleased to welcome parents to join our monthly meetings on the following days:
October 13, November 17, December 8, February 9, March 9, April 13, May 11, June 8
We will send out invite info prior to each meeting which will be hosted via MS teams at 7pm. This year’s Executive is: President – Ms. Alexander, Vice President – Mr. King, Treasurer – Ms. Elder, Secretary – Ms. Bingham We sure thank them for volunteering for these positions.
GRAD 2021 News
There is a Grad Google Classroom in place for all of our grads to receive the most current information, please contact Ms. Sandberg if students are not part of this group. A Powerpoint presentation will be shared with grads and sent to parents on October 7 with more information.
We’re currently working with our District on direction for the major graduation events (Winter Formal, Prom/Dry Grad, Commencement) and their status. We recommend families do not start making major purchases in preparation until we have further direction to share. We do really appreciate the efforts of our Grads so far as they hosted a Grad Spirit week in style.
PSI (Post Secondary Info) 2020 Updates
Hello Gr 12 students and families,
As distant of a memory high school will be one day, we will all remember the very unique experience of Grad year 2021!
Gr 12 brings closure to a student career in public education, and a springboard to great adventures that await after graduation. To that end, for those students who are considering a post-secondary program in the immediate or distant future, they may want to tap into some of the following resources. Parents, there are some things for you too. Have a look, mind the dates (some are soon!), and jump into exploring these great virtual opportunities.
UVIC will be hosting numerous virtual events that would be very valuable to prospective students and their families, who are exploring the University of Victoria as a potential destination. These events can be found on our “Tours and Events” page https://www.uvic.ca/undergraduate/tours-events/events/index.php and include:
Discover UVic Info Sessions – Virtual presentation of all things UVic in addition to a Q&A session.
Student Experience Panels – Virtual panel of current UVic students sharing their experiences and answering questions about life at the University of Victoria!
Lectures and Seminars – Series of online lectures and seminars with guest speakers from UVic talking about a variety of topics and answering questions.
Tours are offered regularly throughout September and October
Orange Shirt Day
This year Belmont classes participated in a school wide Orange Shirt Day activity in collaboration with the Aboriginal Education Department and Belmont Leadership to raise awareness of the history of residential schools in Canada and honour the survivors stories. The activities were completed in individual classes where each student created their own orange shirt to honour Phyllis Webstad’s story and display individuality and messages of listening, learning, and understanding”.
The Culinary Program at Belmont would like to share the wonderful work that the students have accomplished. They made sugar cookies with orange Royal Icing.
Cops for Cancer
Belmont Leadership welcomed Cops for Cancer- Tour de Rock on Wednesday, September 30th for a COVID friendly, socially distant ride through! We are so appreciative of these veteran riders and their commitment to raising money for paediatric cancer research. They are truly inspiring, and their visit meant a lot to all of us!
If you would like to donate to Cops for Cancer on behalf of Belmont Secondary School please use the following link, choose any monetary amount, select “Belmont Secondary School” as the school, and add “Cops for Cancer” in the subject line: https://sd62.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/670/137/false/true
Thank you to everyone for their continued support”.
ISP/ELL Gr. 12
This the ISP/ELL Careers 12 class honouring the memory of our residential school survivors by wearing orange and also celebrating Gr.12 Spirit Week.
Learning Commons
Our beautiful Belmont Learning Commons is open! We are so excited to open our doors, put on some relaxing music, and have staff and students back in this amazing collaborative learning space. We have put new protocols in place to ensure that everyone is kept healthy and safe while utilizing the room. At this time, we still unfortunately cannot have students dropping in to work or browse the shelves, but teachers can book the Learning Commons for their classes to use. Stay tuned for more programs and resources on the way as we settle in.
Students are also very much encouraged to still take out books! The easiest way to do this is to browse our online catalogue which includes all of our physical books as well as some digital resources (the link for Belmont online library catalogue is: https://search.follettsoftware.com/metasearch/ui/45476) Students can sign in using the same credentials as they do for our Wi-Fi, they can look through all the books available or search for something specific, and then place a hold for whichever books they would like to check out. Then they can come down to the Learning Commons to pick them up at their convenience. We can coordinate a drop-off to their classroom as well.
If you have books, textbooks, computers, or any other materials to be returned to the Learning Commons you can drop them off to either Mrs. McKenzie or Ms. Court in the LC; you can also leave books in the Book Return bin just out front of the LC. We also have a book return box place at the front entrance of the school where you can leave materials (we check this regularly and bring it inside at the end of the school day). We appreciate your support with this!
Becca McKenzie Teacher Librarian
School District Job Posting
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 62 (SOOKE)
TITLE:SUPERVISION ASSISTANT
QUALIFICATIONS:
Completion of Grade 11 plus additional vocational program of up to one year, or Grade 12 graduation or equivalent.
Patience with, and care for, students and a demonstrated aptitude for the work to be performed.
An ability to work well with other adults.
A desire to help children.
Self-assurance and a well modulated voice with the ability to speak fluently and communicate well.
Appreciation of the confidential nature of all information relating to students, parents and teachers.
Holder of a valid Occupational First Aid – Level One Certificate.
RESPONSIBLE TO:Administrative Officer
SUPERVISES: N/A
JOB GOAL: To assist in providing a well organized, supervised school environment in which students can take full advantage of their non-instructional time.
Performance Responsibilities:
Assists administration in duties relating to supervision of students during non-instructional time.
2. Dispenses first aid and tends to children in sick room.
3. Responsible for lunch, snack and clean-up routines.
4. May assist children with clothing and dressing as required.
5. Performs related work as required such as bus loading and unloading.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT: Ten months. Hours may vary but work is required only when students are at school.
** If interested please send a resume and cover letter to disrael@sd62.bc.ca
Mar 8 – Daylight Saving begins (clocks spring forward at 2am)
Mar 8 – International Women’s Day
Mar 10 – Badminton Practice after school
Mar 12 – Important Kayak trip mtg. for Outdoor Ed students at lunch, portable 3
Mar 12 – Badminton Practice after school
Mar 17 – St. Patrick’s Day
Mar 16-27 – Spring Break (school not in session)
Mar 28 – Westcoast Jazz Festival
Apr 6 – PAC Mtg. 7pm
Apr 6 – Dry Grad Mtg. 8pm
Apr 7-8 – Vancouver Island Concert Band Festival
Apr 8 – Mid-Term Report Cards Published
Apr 9 – Early Dismissal Learning Conferences
Apr 10 – Good Friday (school not in session)
Apr 13 – Easter Monday (school not in session)
Athletics
Basketball Finishes
Boys:
Junior Boys B – placed 5th in pool play and did not make playoffs
Junior Boys A – placed 21st in BC
Senior Boys B – played in 3 tournaments and was ineligible for playoffs
Senior Boys A – 4th on the Island missing the BC’s by 2 spots
Girls:
Junior Girls A – placed 11th in BC
Senior Girls B – played in 2 tournaments and was ineligible for playoffs
Senior Girls A – 4th on the Island and had a very successful year
Total athletes for bball – approximately 85-90 players
Up next the Spring season – Junior and Senior Girls soccer, Boys and girls rugby, Coed Ultimate frisbee, Coed track, Coed Golf
Track and Field
Interested in running, jumping or throwing for Belmont this year? Please come to a meeting next Wednesday, March 4 during Focus block in room B210 or talk to Ms. Evans or Mr. Smith.
Badminton
Careers
Dual Credit Courses
Grade 11 / 12 students interested in earning a free College course credit while still in High School?
Course options : Psychology 130, Biology 103, Marketing 110, Accounting 110 and Criminology / Law 170 will be offered in the 2020/2021 school year
Information session – May 6th during Focus Block in the learning commons
Any questions please come to the Career Centre
Please come and see us in the Career Centre if you have any questions.
Fines Arts
On March 5th, over 200 friends, families, and community members were treated to an evening of Jazz hosted by the Belmont Music Department. Our students lead off the opening hour with amazing Jazz classics. The audience was then treated to another set of incredible music performed by the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy.
Food Studies 9-12
Students in Food Studies 9-12 classes participated in a homemade beeswax wrap workshop with Aboriginal Education in an effort to raise awareness of and reduce food related waste.
French Immersion Gr. 9 or 10 Students
Interested in participating in the BC Quebec exchange? Please see Ms. Evans in room B210.
France Exchange
Interested in an exchange to France with our sister school in Sarreguemines? Please see Ms. Evans for an application form in room B210.
Honour Roll (semester 1) – 43% of our entire school is on it!
Grade 9 Honour Roll – 103
Grade 9 Honour Roll with Distinction – 60
Total Grade 9 = 376
Percentage 43%
Grade 10 Honour Roll – 71
Grade 10 Honour Roll with Distinction – 71
Total Grade 10 = 360
Percentage 34%
Grade 11 Honour Roll – 101
Grade 11 Honour Roll with Distinction – 50
Total Grade 11 – 356
Percentage 42%
Grade 12 Honour Roll – 75
Grade 12 Honour Roll with Distinction – 88
Total Grade 12 – 312
Percentage 52%
Total Certificates – 600
Total Students 1404 = 43%
Post-Secondary Education
Message for Parents of Gr. 10-12-The Post-Secondary education system is our province is one of the best in the world, but it can also be difficult to understand. To assist both students and parents, the new Post-SecondaryBC website has been developed by 30 colleges and universities in our province as a resource to help everyone learn more about our system and how it works, the terminology, history, credentials and the many different options that are offered. Take a look and explore: www.postsecondarybc.ca.
Today at the Regional Skills Canada competition at Camosun College, two of our students below earned Silver and Bronze for their efforts in the Baking competition.
Scholarship Info:
District News:
Healthy Schools, Healthy People is our District’s Comprehensive School Health website with resources and information for students and families. Click on the title to have a look!
