The Belmont Bulletin

As November comes to a close

Important Dates to Remember:

Nov 18-Dec 5th – Grad Photos in the Learning Commons
Nov 21st – 3 hr. Early Dismissal
Nov 22nd – Pro D Day (no students in session)
Nov 25-29th – Careers Week
Nov 27th – Scholarship Evening 5:30-6:30pm
Nov 28th – Fall Pep Rally
Nov 28th -Resume Workshop for Gr. 11’s at Lunch in LLC

Belmont 12-day trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands Spring Break 2026!!

Enrollment is open and early discount available until November 30^th. If you missed the Parent Information Meeting last week and you are interested in finding out more about this once in a lifetime opportunity, please contact Megan Bondurant at mbondurant@sd62.bc.ca for more information. She will also be around during Parent Teacher Interviews if you would like to set up a time to meet.

Sports

Belmont’s Junior Varsity Football Team, undefeated in regular season play, are the Island Champions! They played in Vancouver for their final game at Rutland Senior Secondary School in the AAA Provincial Quarter Finals in which Rutland won 14-6. Way to go Bulldogs Congrats on an amazing season.

Boys soccer

ISLAND CHAMPIONS! First time in History

Volleyball

Junior Girls finished 2nd in the Island Championships!!

Senior Boys just missed out on islands.

Senior Girls finished 5th in the city earning them a challenge match for the last Island Championship berth

Football

JV – ISLAND DIVISION CHAMPIONS!!

Basketball Scorekeepers wanted

Are you interested in scorekeeping Belmont Bulldog Basketball games? There are 3 positions available per game (score clock, shot clock, game sheet) and the pay is $15 each per game! Please sign up using the QR code and we will be in touch for training and scheduling!

Games begin next week game times are 415/545/715 or 730 Monday to Thursday with some tournaments on Fridays and Saturdays.

Careers

Scholarship Information:

Grade 12 students and parents/guardians that are interested in scholarships are encouraged to attend the Scholarship Information Night on Wednesday, November 27^th at 5:30pm. The presentation will include local awards, items students should be working on now and time for relevant questions. Looking forward to seeing you there!

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 16^th at 1:00PM

Link: https://beedieluminaries.ca/shine-scholarship/

Busy start to November

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 6^th. The Parent Meeting is scheduled for 7 pm, Thursday, Nov. 14^th. 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

Link: https://terryfoxawards.ca/

Deadline: December 15, yearly

Link: https://www.universities-colleges-schools.com/article/burger-king-scholars-program

Applications open November 4th, 2024 to December 16^th at 1:00PM

Link: https://beedieluminaries.ca/shine-scholarship/

Fall Events at Belmont

Reminder of Important Upcoming Dates:

October 25th – Non-Instructional Day (No students in session)
October 25th &26th – Volleyball Tournament at Belmont
October 28th-Nov 1st – Graduation Assessments
November 3rd- Daylight Savings
November 4th GVCB and Sr Winds Concert
November 6 & 7th – Grad Assembly
November 6th- Take our Kids to Work day
November 8th – Remembrance Day Recognition at Belmont
November 11th – Remembrance Day – No School in Session
November 12th – PAC meeting in the Learning Commons 7:00pm

Belmont Bulldogs Football Raffle – There is still time left to get your tickets!

All the info can be found on the link below.

https://belmontbulldogsfootball.rafflenexus.com/

Start date: October 11

End Date: October 25

Prize structure (3): $2,500 / $1,200 / $750

Odds of winning: 1 out of 2311 (final odds will depend on number of tickets sold)

Reminder to all Parents/Guardians

Next PAC meeting will be held on November 12th at 7:00pm in the Learning Commons at Belmont, Hope to see many of you there.

Some exciting changes at Belmont

With the growth in our student population, we have added a counsellor to our team! Please join us in welcoming Mr. Ryan Lieser. As part of this change, each counsellor will service a smaller number of students. We know that changes can be challenging for some students – Counsellors will work together to ensure transitions are handled with care. Please note that as of Monday, October 28, we will begin transitioning to these support teams:

Counselling Support: Information about counselling services can be found here

Last Names A-E	Last Names F-L	Last Names M-P	Last Names Q-Z
Mr. Robertson TRobertson@sd62.bc.ca	Ms. Kiefert mkiefert@sd62.bc.ca	Mr. Lieser rlieser@sd62.bc.ca	Ms. Sandberg rsandberg@sd62.bc.ca

Vice Principal Support

Last Names A-Gh	Last Names Gi-N	Last Names O-Z
Ms.Horner mhorner@sd62.bc.ca	Mr. Smith crsmith@sd62.bc.ca	Mr.McHugh smchugh@sd62.bc.ca

We also have a new logo coming to our school! The logo that fits with life at Belmont in 2024. Feedback from students and staff helped shape concept designs. Those concept designs are now circulating, and we have invited staff and students to provide feedback until November 1^st. We hope to reveal the new logo early in 2025!

Music for Veteren’s Project

Liam Ray our Grade 11 student was invited to perform one of his original Music for Veterans Project compositions for The Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia on Tuesday. It was a very exclusive event to mark the presentation of the First Poppy with only about 20 guests. See photos below.

The Junior Girls Volleyball Team

Are crushing it! 1st place in the Camosun charger’s competition last weekend, and 2nd place this weekend in the Spectrum competition.

3D Visual Arts Classes

We have started making concrete leaf impressions and steppingstones in 3D Visual Arts! These can be purchased at the end of the school year to fundraise for the Belmont Art Show and purchasing specialized equipment for the Visual Arts at Belmont. More info and other items to come, so stay tuned with the Belmont Bulletin!

Hello Families of 2025 Graduates

It is time to start the process of putting together a Dry Grad Committee. Dry Grad is a parent run event that happens in June of each year. The proposed date for 2025 is Saturday, June 7th. This event only happens if it is planned, organized, and run by parents. If you are interested in supporting this activity for the grads, please attend an initial meeting here at Belmont in the Learning Commons, Thursday, November 7^th at 7pm.

The purpose of this first meeting is to:

Establish committee
Previous committee member reviews the process
Set date and time for next meeting

Please send an email to me if you plan to attend, smchugh@sd62.bc.ca

Scholarship Deadlines Approaching:

The Fraser MacPherson Music Scholarship:

Scholarships valued up to $500 (high school) and $2000 (post-secondary) are available for BC musicians and instrumentalists. (not vocalists

Deadline: November 1st, 2024, end of day

http://frasermacphersonjazzfund.ca/scholarship-info/

TD Scholarships for Community Leadership:

TD Scholarships for Community Leadership (valued up to $70,000) are open to students across Canada who are in their final year of high school, have a minimum overall grade of 75% in their most recently completed school year, and have demonstrated outstanding community leadership. Students should be aware that this application is extensive and should be started early.

Deadline: November 13, 2024

https://www.td.com/ca/en/personal-banking/solutions/student-banking/community-leadership-scholarship-for-canadians

Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore
The Westshore Soroptimist International Club will provide three Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women of $1500 each to assist women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families. In addition, the Give Her Wings Award of $1500 will be available for a woman with no dependents.
Deadline: November 15th, yearly
https://www.sivw.ca/education-awards-open

October Vibes

This png image - Happy Thanksgiving Decor PNG Clipart Image, is available for free download

Important Dates to Remember:

October 14th – Thanksgiving ( No School in Session)
October 15th – Post Secondary Event 10:30-12:00
October 16th – Launch Purdy Fundraiser
October 17th – Great BC Shakeout 10:15am
October 18th – 19th Volleyball Tournament @ Belmont
October 25th – Non-Instructional Day – (Students not in Session)
October 28th-Nov 1st – Graduation Assessments
October 30th – Photo Retake Day

Belmont Junior Girls Volleyball Teams competed in the VIU Invitational this past weekend. Both teams played great with the Black team placing third!

Sailor For a Day!

If you are interested in participating in “Sailor for a Day” please scan the QR code on this poster.

Please come to the Careers Centre for release forms.

Future Innovators: Empowering Women in STEM

Island Women in Science and Technology would like to invite you to join them for an inspiring evening with our panel of women in STEM. We are bringing together future innovators from middle school, high school, and post-secondary along with professional women in STEM for a candid conversation about their STEM careers.

All are welcome.

Event details:

6:30 – 8:00 pm: Panel discussion

8:00 – 8:30 pm: Networking with STEM professionals and post-secondary STEM students

Location: Vic High School, 1260 Grant Street, Victoria, BC

Cost: Free but registration required at iwist.ca/events

Our panelists represent a variety of STEM disciplines and are at different points in their careers:

· Alison Bird, Seismologist and Liaison & Outreach Officer, Earthquake Early Warning, Natural Resources Canada

· Michelle Mahovlich, P. Eng, P. GEO, FCSSE, Engineering Consultant and Board Chair, Engineers and Geoscientists BC

· Sema Hamidi, P. Eng, Project Engineer, Avalon Mechanical

· Jenni Christensen, PhD, RPBio, Founder and CEO, TrichAnalytics Laboratory

· Emily Murray, UVic Software Engineering student & President, UVic Women in Engineering & Computer Science

· Kezia Devathasan, PhD student, SEGAL Lab and Program Manager, Inspire UVic

Scholarship Information:

Students who would like support with scholarship applications, please reach out to Mrs. Hoskins via email: choskins@sd62learns.org or come to the Careers Centre in C/D block. Parents, guardians and grads are encouraged to check out the scholarship website (updated to the end of October): https://belmontscholarships.weebly.com/

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines:

The Loran Scholars Foundation

Students who are dedicated to serving others, show promise of leadership and have integrity, courage, compassion, grit and a high level of personal autonomy are encouraged to apply. Applicants are eligible for one of 34 Loran Awards (each valued at $100,000 over four years of undergraduate studies), or one of 104 finalist/provincial awards ($5,000 or $2,000 each, respectively) to promising candidates.

Eligibility criteria

Be entering university for the first time in September 2025.
Present a minimum cumulative average of 85%.
Hold Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status.
Be born between January 1, 2003, and September 1, 2009.
Emphasis on character, service, and leadership.

Awards:

Renewable for up to four years, with a total value of $100,000, each Loran Award includes:

Some include an annual stipend of $11,000
A matching tuition waiver from one of 25 partner universities
Personal mentorship from a Canadian leader
Access to our network and up to $14,000 in funding for summer work experiences in three different sectors
An orientation expedition through Algonquin Park
Annual retreats and scholar gatherings
Lifelong membership with values-driven individuals

They also grant approximately 95 provincial and territorial awards to promising candidates who are not selected as Loran Scholars.

(From LORAN website)

Please note: No school nomination is required to apply for this award anymore.

For more information and to start the rigorous application process now click this link: https://loranscholar.ca/

Deadline: October 15th, 2024 before 8:00PM

TD Scholarships for Community Leadership

Twenty scholarships, valued up to $70,000 each, are offered to students across Canada who are in their final year of high school, have a minimum overall grade of 75% in their most recently completed school year, and have demonstrated outstanding community leadership. Applicants are students who show exceptional initiative, make a meaningful and lasting difference in their community, support change, nurture progress, and contribute to making the world a better place. (From TD Website)

Link: https://www.td.com/ca/en/personal-banking/solutions/student-banking/community-leadership-scholarship-for-canadians

Deadline: November 13th, 2024

Soroptimist International of Victoria Westshore

The Westshore Soroptimist International Club will provide three Live Your Dream: Education and Training Awards for Women of $1500 each to assist women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families. In addition, the Give Her Wings Award of $1500 will be available for a woman with no dependents.

For Information or to Apply for “Give her Wings Award”
For Information or to Apply for “Live Your Dreams Award”

To Apply Click Here: https://www.sivw.ca/education-awards-open

Deadline: Applications Accepted August 1st-November 15th, 2024

Fall Vibes

Important Upcoming Dates to Remember:

Sept 26th – Welcome Back BBQ – Extended Lunch Hour
Sept 27th – Meet the BMD & Parent Meeting
Sept 27th – Truth and Reconciliation activities at Belmont
Sept 28th – BC Honour Choir rehearsal
Sept 28th – BMD Bottle Drive
Sept 30th – National Day of Truth and Reconciliation – No School in Session

We are super excited to see so many students walking, bussing and biking to school! Our bike racks are so well used that we are looking into adding more to our school grounds.

Careers 9 at Belmont:

Dear Parents and Guardians – this year at Belmont, the Careers 9 class is running through a google classroom outside the timetable. Assignments will be posted in there and students will be marked using the proficiency scale. Students in grade 9 have been invited to join and will be going through a careers orientation during the week of September 16^th to 20th. If students are new to the school, however4, or do not have a google account they may not be in there so please have them come see Mrs. Robertson or Mrs. Hoskins to ensure they can participate in the course and assignments that go with that! Should anyone have any questions, please email choskins@sd62.bc.ca

EducationPlannerBC invites parents, families, and student supporters to join our virtual presentation on Wednesday, November 13^th, 2024. Learn about post-secondary education and career opportunities, as well as tools to best support your student in planning for their future. The information will be especially helpful for families with students in grades 10-12.
Come explore our website! Search thousands of programs, get to know trades, and discover career paths. Find helpful resources, including financial aid options, admission requirements, FAQs, and the Glossary. Learn how to create an account, save programs, paths, and careers to My List, and apply to post-secondary in B.C.

Canadian Dental Care Plan

As you may know, the Government of Canada announced the implementation of the new Canadian Dental Care Plan, as of December 18, 2023. The Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) aims at reducing the costs of dental care for Canadian residents who have a family net income of less than $90,000. Complete details for the Canadian Dental Care Plan can be found online at Canada.ca/dental or by clicking HERE.

The implementation has been following a phased-in approach. Applications are currently open for:

children under 18
persons with disabilities with a valid Disability Tax Credit on file with CRA
seniors 65+

Note: The program will expand to all eligible Canadian residents as of 2025.

Eligibility criteria –complete details

To qualify for the CDCP, you must:

have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000.
be a Canadian resident for tax purposes.
have filed your tax return for the previous year (and received Notice of Assessment).
not have access to dental insurance.
NOTE: You need to meet ALL the eligibility criteria to qualify for the CDCP.

Applications – applications can be done online at Canada.ca/dental or over the phone with a live CDCP agent by calling 1-833-537-4342.

Coverage – complete details

Scholarship Information:

Upcoming Scholarship Deadlines:

The Loran Scholars Foundation

Be entering university for the first time in September 2025.
Present a minimum cumulative average of 85%.
Hold Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status.
Be born between January 1, 2003 and September 1, 2009.
Emphasis on character, service, and leadership.

Awards:
Renewable for up to four years, with a total value of $100,000, each Loran Award includes:

Some include an annual stipend of $11,000
A matching tuition waiver from one of 25 partner universities
Personal mentorship from a Canadian leader
Access to our network and up to $14,000 in funding for summer work experiences in three different sectors
An orientation expedition through Algonquin Park
Annual retreats and scholar gatherings
Lifelong membership with values-driven individuals

They also grant approximately 95 provincial and territorial awards to promising candidates who are not selected as Loran Scholars.
(From LORAN website)

Please note: No school nomination is required to apply for this award anymore.

For more information and to start the rigorous application process now click this link: https://loranscholar.ca/

Deadline: October 15th, 2024 before 8:00PM

The University of Toronto National Book Award
The University of Toronto National Book Award Program recognizes and rewards the very best Canadian secondary school students, regardless of which university those students choose to attend. These are students who demonstrate superior academic performance, original and creative thought, and exceptional achievement in a broad context. They excel in academic pursuits, demonstrate enthusiasm for intellectual exploration and have a strong involvement in the lives of their schools and communities. It is not necessary that the student intend to apply for admission to the University of Toronto. Award recipients receive a National Book Award recognizing their achievements, and as a symbol of their academic potential. It is a non-monetary award. The book will be presented to the student at their secondary school graduation ceremony at the end of the school year. Students nominated for this award are invited to submit an application to the National Scholarship Program.

Eligibility – Book Award and National Scholarship
Students who have been nominated by their schools as National Book Award recipients may submit applications to the National Scholarship Program. In addition, students who identify themselves as meeting the scholarship criteria are invited to apply directly for the National Scholarship, without having been nominated for the Book Award.

an original and creative thinker
committed to school and community
a high achiever in academic and creative pursuits
enthusiastic about learning and intellectual exploration
a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or protected person
currently in your final year of Canadian secondary school or first-year CEGEP
intending to begin university the following academic year
a National Book Award nominee or self-identify as meeting the criteria above

(From National Scholarship/U of T Website)

For more information – click this link: https://future.utoronto.ca/national-scholarship/

Deadline for Nomination Form: Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024
For the Belmont nomination form – SEE GRAD GOOGLE CLASSROOM 2025