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April 2015 - Volume 18, Issue 8
The Phoenix Messenger
FFCA High School 2116 MacKay RD NW Calgary, AB T3B 1C7 P: 403-243-3316 F: 403-287-7367
Matter of Principal
In this Issue
Teacher Feedback
The questions on the survey get the heart of the teaching matter. We ask for student
feedback on class expectations, student engagement, critical thinking, homework,
formative assessment and our safe and caring learning environment. We also ask
students to comment on their teacher’s greatest strengths and what students would like to
see more of from their teachers. These are foundational elements of education, where
teachers can improve their craft and make the most difference in your child’s life.
FFCA Board Meetings………………….. ..2
High School Open House………………….2
FFCA Blogs........................................................3
2015-2016 School Calendar………………..3
Math Corner……………………………….4
From the School Counsellor,
Shelley Geran……………………………....5
From the Family Liaison Counsellor,
Kayla Lewis………………………………6 & 7
Drama Corner ................................................... 8-10
Graduation 2015 .............................................. .11
2014-2015 School Council…………….…12 &13
Exam Schedule—May 2015……….……...14
Exam Schedule—June 2015……….……...15
Uniform Information 2014/2015………....16
Grade 12 Blazers—Order Soon!...................16
Logging Volunteer Hours, Street
Safety…………….....……...…….….…..17
School Bus Driver Appreciation Day, Bus
Information &.
Updating Your Information……………….18
Alberta Health Services..…....…………19 & 20
Bits & Pieces from the Front Office……..... 21
We are now on Twitter!....................................21
Walking through the halls of any of our FFCA campuses will allow you observe a
vibrant culture of education in our students. What you may not realize is that our
teachers, administration and support staff are themselves students, on a continuous
journey of learning and improvement.
Dates to Remember
“I think when you stop learning, you should retire in whatever you do.” – Mike
Krzyzewski
Throughout the school year FFCA High School teachers are consistently striving to
improve their practice. They participate in professional development, cross-grade and
curricular meetings, coaching observations and feedback sessions. We believe great
schools are filled with great teachers, and great teachers are committed to improvement.
Our students also assist in improving the quality of our teachers. Every year, students
have the opportunity to participate in our teacher feedback process. Students fill out
three separate surveys: one for a core teacher (math, language arts, social studies and
science, one for a non-core teacher (physical education, leadership or an elective) and a
third for a teacher of their choice. The survey response are collected, collated and given
to teachers to assist with the improvement of their practice.
John Picard, Principal Educator
Joshua Symonds, Associate Principal
Bharati Singh, Associate Principal
2014-15 School Year—Important Dates:
May 1
Report Cards
May 15
School Holiday-No classes
May 18
Victoria Day-No classes
May 29
Year End Carnival & Casual Day
June 15-26
Exam Weeks (All Grades)
June 26
Last Day of School
June 29
Organizational Day
- Graduation Day
August 28
Parent Orientation
August 31
First Day of School 2015-2016
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
2014/2015 FFCA Board Meetings
All meetings are held in the Central Office Boardroom on Wednesday evenings beginning at 6:00 p.m.
unless otherwise specified(*). Upcoming meetings:
May 20, 2015
June 10, 2015
FFCA Central Office is located at: #240, 688 Heritage Dr. SE, Calgary (go to www.ffca-calgary.com, then
High School Open House, AGM and
Parental Consultation on the High School Rebuild!
May 4th 6:30 PM
All FFCA parents are invited to an Open House at the High School
Monday evening, the 4th of May.
Coffee, tea and dessert will be served. There will be a brief 2014-2015 School Council report followed by a presentation by the architects for our High School Rebuild project. All are welcome, and there will be opportunity for questions. We will follow with our annual High School AGM elections.
Coffee, Tea and Dessert 6:30 PM – North Foyer
High School Rebuild Presentation 7:00 PM – North Gym
All are Welcome!!
Note: A special door prize of $500 towards the registration of an FFCA student in the 2016-2017 school year
will be awarded at the END of the Annual General Meeting.
Winner must be present!
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
FFCA BLOGS! by Salima Hudani
Introducing...OUR very own… FFCA blog!!!
http://corner2capstone.ffca-calgary.com/
The FFCA blog is a place where anyone in our FFCA community can share, reflect, discuss,
ponder, celebrate and engage in meaningful conversations about our campuses, classrooms
and our professional practices.
This blog is YOUR blog, OUR blog, a COMMUNITY blog! All articles for this blog will
derive from our FFCA community. If there is something you would like to write about, please
send me your blog post in a word document. This blog is open to ALL writers from staff, students and the FFCA community.
Please share these blog links with your student and parent community in your Edmodo communications, email,
campus and classroom newsletters.
Recent articles on the blog are:
Ctrl & click on the links below for this week’s new blog post:
Google Apps, Bryndan Costuros Spence
Kindergarten Student Wins First Place, Pat Mealey
A Message from Superintendent, Mr. Roger Nippard
Service Learning at NWE, by Christa Delmar
Blog Home Page
Please share these blog links with your student and parent community in your Edmodo communications, email, campus and classroom
newsletters.
We are in need of writers for the middle of May. If you or your students would like to write for Cornerstone2Capstone http://
corner2capstone.ffca-calgary.com , please send me an email.
2015-2016 SCHOOL CALENDAR
We are pleased to announce that our Board has approved the 2015-2016 School Calendars. You can find the
calendars posted here (please press “control” + click):
http://www.ffca-calgary.com/parent/schoolcalendar.aspx
Please note the following when examining the 2015-2016 calendars:

The first day of school for High School students for the 2015/2016 year is Aug. 31, 2015.

The November break will occur between Nov. 9 and Nov. 13, 2015.

The last day of school for students is June 28, 2016.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
MATH CORNER
Solution to last month’s question:
45 years
The lady has an age of 45 and her husband’s age is 54. The difference of
their ages is 1/11 times the sum of their ages.
Question of the month:
Find all x that satisfy this equation:
Congratulations to Aaron (Grade 9) and Oviya (Grade 10) who were in
the top 25% of all students in North America in the Waterloo Math
contests.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
FROM THE FFCA SCHOOL COUNSELLOR, SHELLEY GERAN
Summer School Registration:
Ms. Geran has seen many students regarding summer school. Most FFCA students should not require summer
school. However, if students have failed courses, want to prepare for future courses, or want to take additional electives,
summer school may be a good choice. The summer school offered by Chinook Learning Services (Calgary Board of Education) runs from July 2-30, 2015. Here are the steps to register:
Monday, May 4 – this is the first day to call to make an appointment to register for a course. Please call (403) 7777200 for an appointment. They do not need to know the course you want to take. You will be given a date and time for
your appointment. The appointment will be in late May or early June.
Please check the Chinook Learning Services website for what you must take to your appointment. There is a registration form available online that must be completed and taken to the appointment. Also, students need to obtain a signed
pre-requisite form from Ms. Geran that you must also take to your appointment. Ms. Geran will not be completing
pre-requisite forms until after May 4 when the students have an appointment. Please get your appointment before seeing Ms. Geran.
It is best to get an early appointment before classes become full.
Work Experience Course Reminder:
Many students have signed up for the Work Experience course. This includes students who are working as teacher assistants. Students are reminded that they must complete the online workplace safety course, HSC 3000, before Work
Experience credits can be granted. This is an Alberta Education regulation. In mid-May, Ms. Geran will be asking for
students to also hand in the required assignments for the course. All work will be due the first week of June.
Grade 11 Marks Are Important For Post-Secondary Applications:
Grade 10 and 11 students and families are again reminded that universities are now starting to look at Grade 11 marks
for university entrance. Poor marks in Grade 11 can cause a delay in offers of admission to university. It is becoming
more important for students to do well in Grade 11 for their futures.
St. Mary’s University May Open House:
St. Mary’s University will be holding an open house on Wednesday, May 13 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. St. Mary’s is
still accepting applications for the Fall 2015 semester, so prospective students can still gather information for a fall semester start. Students who have already applied and been accepted can get a preview of their new school. It’s also a
great event for Grade 10 and 11 students to preview the university. St. Mary’s University is located at 14500 Bannister
Road S.E.
University of Saskatchewan Registration Sessions:
The University of Saskatchewan will be visiting Calgary on Saturday, May 30 and Monday, June 1 to assistant students
with registering for first-year courses. Please sign up at www.students.usask.ca/ustart for one of the sessions.
Thinking of Studying Law in the Future?
Ms. Geran received a new University of Calgary 2015-2016 calendar a few weeks ago. There was an interesting note in
the Faculty of Law section. Here is the quote:
“Prospective applicants are urged to be realistic about their chances for admission. Only a percentage of our more than
1300 applicants are admitted each year (the faculty has 120 spots for its first-year program). A typical first-year class
has an average grade point average of 3.6 out of 4.0 and a Law School Admission Test Score above the 80th percentile. The average age of the entering classes has remained around 25 to 28 years of age and actual ages of entering students range from the early 20s to the late 40s.” This paragraph emphasizes the important of having good back-up plans
for careers.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
FROM THE FAMILY LIAISON COUNSELLOR, KAYLA LEWIS
The Community Education Service offers educational sessions covering a variety of topics. These sessions are provided to individuals, families and professionals at no cost, and take place at various locations in the city. Some of the
upcoming sessions include:
Medications Used in Child and Adolescent Mental Health: An Introduction
Friday May 1, 2015, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Participants will gain an understanding of medications used for common mental health diagnosis
such as ADHD, Anxiety and Depression. The importance of sleep, common side effects, how to
manage them, medication compliance and safety will also be discussed.
Neurofeedback Therapy for ADHD, Autism and other Disorders
Monday May 4, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
The goal of this session will be to provide participants with an introduction and understanding of an alternative evidence-based therapy: neurofeedback. Neurofeedback is brain training in which the brain learns to function more efficiently. This session will also discuss the benefits of such therapy in improving self-regulation; a common area of difficulty across many disorders such as Autism, Anxiety, Depression, and ADHD.
Anger Management and Teens
Tuesday May 5, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Join this session to learn strategies how to help teens deal with their anger.
Understanding Teen Mental Health (3 separate sessions offered)
Tuesday May 5, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Thursday May 14, 2015 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Thursday May 21, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Everyone has mental health, teens included. This workshop is designed to share information to help understand and
support positive mental health for youth in their teen years. Distinguish normal feelings and behaviour of young people, versus signs and symptoms of mental health concerns and issues. Topics will include Anxiety, Social Media,
Healthy Relationships, Depression, and Substance Abuse. Relevant resources will be shared.
.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
FROM THE FAMILY LIAISON COUNSELLOR, KAYLA LEWIS (Cont’d)
Parenting a Child with ADHD
Tuesday May 19, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Participants will learn to recognize Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and gain knowledge of effective
parenting strategies for managing your child’s ADHD.
Helping Parents Understand the Impact of Media on Children
Wednesday May 20, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
The author of the first paper on children and media for the Canadian Pediatric Society will discuss how media is more
than just TV and radio; but includes music, videos and much more. Toddlers and iPads will be discussed as well as educational apps in general. Based on personal observation and experience with the relationship; media and obesity will be
mentioned. The effects of marketing in the media on children and teens and the subject of sexting will also be addressed.
Parenting Stressed Children
Thursday May 21, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Objectives:
1) To help parents learn to recognize the signs of unhealthy stress in their children
2) To teach them some day-to-day strategies they can implement to reduce its impact and build resilience
Parenting Anxious Children & Youth
Thursday May 28, 2015, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Participants will learn to recognize anxiety in children and/or adolescents, gain an understanding of different anxiety
disorders and acquire knowledge of strategies to help reduce anxiety.
Visit http://fcrc.albertahealthservices.ca/course_registration/public_course_list.php to register for any of these sessions. If you have questions for me about resources or community supports, please don’t hesitate to call or email me.
Kayla Lewis, MSW, RSW
Family School Liaison Counsellor – FFCA High School
[email protected]
Ph: (403) 243-3316 ext. 1211
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
DRAMA CORNER
The FFCA Performing Arts Department
Proudly presents:
ONE ACTS, 2015
Pre-Zone Festival
The AHSDFA (Alberta High School Drama Festival Association) Zone 9 Festival has grown significantly
this year! Four schools will be producing plays in the festival, and so the Zone decided to cap the performance entries to three plays per school. As we are producing five plays, we need to have a pre-zone festival to determine which three plays will go on to the Zone 9 festival.
During Performances #1 and #2 (outlined below), a panel of adjudicators consisting of 5 teachers (Ms.
Hunnisett, Mr. Halas, Ms. Marlow, Mr. Andrews, and Ms. Orchard) and 5 alumni (students with theatre
experience, who were pivotal members of the One Act team in high school, who graduated at least 2 years
prior and have no familial connections with current One Act students) will critically watch all five productions and meet as a panel to discuss, vote, and determine the three productions moving forward to the
Zone festival.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
DRAMA CORNER (cont’d)
Performance #1: PREFESTIVAL
One Act Night (and Choir)
Date: Tuesday, April 28
Time: 7pm
Actor/ Crew Call Time: 5pm
Tickets: $5 student; $10 adult
Available at lunch/ at the door
ONE TICKET GETS YOU INTO BOTH PERFORMANCES
#1 and #2. Save your ticket.
Shows Produced this Night:
1. Choir
2. Flowers for Algernon
3. The Yellow Wallpaper
Performance #2: PREFESTIVAL
One Act Night
Date: Wednesday, April 29
Time: 7pm
Tickets: $5 student; $10 adult
Available at lunch/ at the door
ONE TICKET GETS YOU INTO BOTH PERFORMANCES
#1 and #2. Save your ticket.
Shows Produced this Night:
1. Fortress
2. Monochrome
3. Never Swim Alone (mature themes)
Performance #3: AHSDFA ZONE 9 ONE ACT FESTIVAL
Times: (Tentative times.. please check schedule closer to date)
Only 3 out of our 5 plays will be produced at this festival. Please
see explanation above under “Pre-Zone Festival”.
All Performances: 10am-5:40pm
(FFCA Performances begin at 3pm)
Awards Ceremony: 6:40pm
Tickets: $5/ student; $10/ Adult
**Please note: There will be no late entrances to plays, and
times cannot be guaranteed. Please arrive at least 30 minutes
early for all performances you intend to see.
Students will be provided dinner of sandwiches and cake, but
will need to bring food for lunch/ snacks. Students will not be
allowed to leave campus.
Performance #4: AHSDFA Provincial One Act Festival
Thursday, May 7-9
See permission form for full details
Only 1 play is chosen from the Zone 9 Festival to be produced at
Provincials. (This is out of four schools competing, so fingers
crossed it is an FFCA play!)
We will go to provincials no matter if we are producing a play or
not.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
DRAMA CORNER (cont’d)
Tentative AHSDFA Zone 9 One Act Festival, Saturday, May 2, 2015:
10am
Festival Opening, Announcements
5 min
10:05am
Production #1: This Phone Will Explode
(Calgary Academy)
Set Strike and Reset
25 min
Production #2: Look Me In The Eye
(Calgary Academy)
Set Strike and Reset
30 min
30 min
11:50am
Production #3: Stages of a Miracle
(Westmount Charter Academy)
Adjudicator PUBLIC feedback session
11:55am12:20pm
12:20pm
BREAK
Set Strike and Reset
Welcome Back Announcements
25 min
12:25pm
Production #4: Bill and Ben
(Westmount Charter Academy)
Set Strike and Reset
35 min
Production #5: Babel Rap
(Westmount Charter Academy)
Set Strike and Reset
25 min
Production #6: Crime in the Madhouse
Lester B Pearson High School
Adjudicator PUBLIC feedback session
50 min
BREAK: LUNCH
Lunch not provided. Please bring food.
Set Strike and Reset
Welcome Back Announcements
30 min
Production #7: TBA
*Please note, we have a pre-festival April 28-29 to determine which 3 plays will
be produced. These will be approximate times until then.
(FFCA High School)
Set Strike and Reset
40 min
Production #8: TBA
(FFCA High School)
Set Strike and Reset
40 min
Production #9: TBA
(FFCA High School)
Adjudicator PUBLIC Feedback session
40 min
BREAK Adjudicator to decide awards
Dinner Provided for Participants, consisting of sandwiches and cake.
Awards Ceremony
Public welcome
FFCA Parent Informational Meeting:
Trip to Red Deer for Provincial Festival
60 min
10:30am
10:40am
11:10am
11:20am
1pm
1:10pm
1:35pm
1:45pm
2:35pm
2:40pm
3:10pm
3:15pm
3:55pm
4:05pm
4:45pm
4:55pm
5: 35pm
5:40pm
6:40pm
7:10pm
10 min
10 min
5 min
5 min
10 min
10 min
5 min
5 min
10 min
10 min
5 min
30 min (est)
20 min
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
Graduation 2015
We still have space at the Banquet. If you have NOT ordered tickets yet, please
do so as soon as possible. The Telus Convention Center is willing to wait for a
final count until May 1st . Please don’t delay, get your ticket orders in now! We
hope to see you all there to help celebrate our wonderful graduates.
Lynn Masikewich
Business Manager
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
FROM OUR 2014-2015 SCHOOL COUNCIL
CONTACT LIST
Chair Person
Vice Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Fundraising
Community Coordinator
Partnership Coordinator
Campus Coordinator
Communications Coordinator
ESL Parent Liaison
Nancy Narang
Rhonda Free
Rina Hawkins
Angela Gallagher
VACANT
Tara Millington
Sharon Corbeill
Gloria McCracken
Tara Millington
Carmen Jaume
Have a question? Thoughts? Advice for School Council? We want to hear from you! Attend one of our
meetings, email us at [email protected] or please feel free to contact the current
School Council Chair Nancy Narang, at: [email protected].
School Council Annual General Meeting—May 4, 2015
Please mark Monday, May 4th on your calendar and be sure to attend the upcoming School Council Annual
General Meeting.
Our evening will start at 6:30 pm. with refreshments, a preview of the new high school phase 1, and the election of
the new school council members.
A special door price of $500 towards the registration
of a FFCA student in the 2016-2017 school year will
be awarded at the END of the Annual General Meeting.
Winner must be present in order to collect the prize.
Consider holding a position on school council and help make decisions on where parent fund-raised dollars can or
should be spent, planning exciting activities for our students, teachers and administrators, and most importantly,
supporting our students and teachers on the path to excellence!
We Look Forward to Meeting You on Monday, May 4th at 6:30 pm.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
FROM OUR 2014-2015 SCHOOL COUNCIL (cont’d)
SAVE THE DATE
FOR
THE FFCA HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUS
BUSINESS TRADE FAIR
Saturday, May 30th, 2015
11:00am to 3:00pm
Stay Tuned to your email
for More Details
Hosted by Your School Council & Administration
FLOWERS – BASKETS - TOMATOES
For parents that placed an order for the School Council’s flower fundraiser, you will
receive an email with information regarding pick up and the delivery date.
If you have any questions, please contact Sharon Corbiell at:
[email protected].
Thanks for your continued support.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
EXAM SCHEDULE—MAY 2015
Please Note: Exams taking place in May have different start times.
May 4
May 5
May 6
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
AP: Chemistry
(8:00 – 12:00)
AP: Calculus AB
(8:00 – 12:00)
AP: English Liter ature and Composition
(8:00 – 12:00)
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
May 11
May 12
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
ELA 9 PAT Part A
(9:00 – 11:00)
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
May 13
May 7
May 8
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 1:15 PM
May 14
May 15
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
NO SCHOOL
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
AP: English Language and Composition
(12:00 – 4:00)
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
May 18
May 19
May 20
May 20
May 22
NO SCHOOL
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
May 25
May 26
May 27
May 28
May 29
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 1:15 PM
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
EXAM SCHEDULE—JUNE 2015
All June exams have a start time of 9:00 AM
June 08
June 09
June 10
June 11
June 12
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Regular Classes
(Grade 9-12)
Social 10 -1/-2 Written
Social 20 -1/-2 Written
English 10 -1/-2
English 20 -1/-2
Personal Response
Written Exam
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
June 16
June 17
June 18
South Gym
English 30 -1/-2
Part B
North Gym
English 10 -1/-2
English 20 -1/-2
Reading Comprehension
South Gym
Social 30 -1/-2
Part B
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
June 15
Library/
Computer Labs
Social 30 -1/-2
Part A
Library/
Computer Labs
English 30 -1/-2
Part A
Bus Departure
@ 3:20 PM
June 19
North Gym
Math 10C/AP
Math 20 -1/AP/-2
North Gym
English 10 -1/-2
English 20 -1/-2
Written
North Gym
Science 10
Biology 20
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
June 22
June 23
June 24
June 25
June 26
South Gym
Biology 30
Physics 20
South Gym
Chemistry 30
Chemistry 20
South Gym
Math 30 -1/-2
Science 20
South Gym
Physics 30
South Gym
Science 30
North Gym
Science 9
North Gym
Math 9
North Gym
ELA 9 Part B
North Gym
Social Studies 9
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
North Gym
Social 10 -1/10-2
Social 20 -1/2
Bus Departure
@ 1:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
Bus Departure
@ 12:15 PM
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
Uniform Information 2014/2015
Uniform Consignment Site
Our NEW store hours:
Closed Sunday, Monday
Tuesday 10-7
Wednesday 10-7
Thursday 10-7
Friday 10-4
Saturday 10-4
FFCA Families are able to buy and sell gently used uniform items by accessing the Consignment Store within the
FFCA website.
Location: 6626 – 20A Street SE
Phone Number: (403) 265-9200
All ordering can be done online at:
www.wearit.ca
– size information is also provided.
To access the site, go to your Campus Home Page, and
select the link to “Family Log In”.
 Choose “Consignment Store” for your shopping needs,
and
 “Your Consignment Items” to put an item on the site
and manage your account
Please note: All buying and selling of items is done between the
families - no payments or collections are available on the site. To
purchase an item, simply email the family posting the item and
ask for photos or set up a time for viewing and payment.
Grade 12 Blazers—Order Soon!
A reminder that grade 11 students need to purchase a
blazer from Wear It for their grade 12 school year. All
ordering can be done online at www.wearit.ca – size
information is also provided. Orders should be placed
prior to June 15 th to allow for the 6-8 weeks delivery
time.
If you have any questions, please call Wear It directly at
(403) 265-9200. Or visit the store at 6626 – 20A St.SE.
For hours of operation please go on-line: www.wearit.ca
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
Logging Volunteer Hours
Did you know ….the time you spend helping out the school counts as volunteer hours? This includes
driving to sporting events and baking for staff appreciation meals.
Please remember to log your time into the online volunteer system at the following link:
www.ffca-calgary.com Parent Information / Family Login / Volunteer Hours
Thank you for taking the time to volunteer and to log your hours.
Street Safety
Parents please be aware that you need to be
safely and courteously dropping your kids off
in the morning. We have seen parents who
stop in the middle of the intersection or road
to drop off their student and also parents who
do u-turns in front of the school. This isn’t
safe for your kids, the other kids, or other drivers and it isn’t courteous either…
For more information about the above, or any other health-related topic, please visit
www.albertahealthservices.ca
[email protected]
Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
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FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
Welcome back from a much needed Spring Break!
The Student Transportation Association of Alberta (STAA) has announced that Monday May 4th is the second annual School Bus Driver
appreciation day. This day will be recognized all across Alberta to draw
attention to the important role school bus drivers have in the lives of
students.
Following on last year’s wonderful response, I am asking that once
again that all campus's participate in celebrating the bus drivers at your
school.
Please share this information with our parents via the newsletters, website and an email notification.
Also please note FFCA had a winner for the School Bus Safety poster
contest at NWE campus. Congratulations Amber!
Susan Goldsmith
Director, Transportation Services
Bus Information!
Please note at the High School, we do not issue bus passes for social reasons. However, occasionally a bus pass will be issued for unexpected
emergencies. Thank you for understanding. Any questions concerning
bus passes should be directed to:
[email protected]
Updating Your Information?
Please always remember to update the
FFCA online registration for any changes,
especially when you have moved.
These updates are especially important for
accurate bus routes.
For more information about the above, or any other healthrelated topic, please visit www.albertahealthservices.ca
[email protected]
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
Help Youth Stay Hydrated to Perform Their Best
Eating healthy meals and snacks and drinking enough fluids (staying hydrated)
are important for good health as well as school and sport performance. Drinking
enough fluid helps the body to control its temperature. Not having enough fluid
can increase the risk of injury, lead to low energy, and have an impact on performance. Active youth need to drink enough fluids before, during and after exercise
to help the body work at its best.
Try these simple tips to help your teenager stay hydrated:

Encourage your teen to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day so they arrive
at sports events well hydrated. Youth should aim for 400–600 mL of fluid at
least 2–3 hours before sports.

Ensure that youth have easy access to free water:

provide water stations during sport events

encourage youth to bring water bottles to gym class and to keep at their desk

ensure easy access to water fountains

Encourage youth to drink during activity and allow for regular water breaks. They need about 150–300 ml of fluid every 15 to 20
minutes. When an event lasts less than 1 hour, water is the best fluid to drink.

If your teen will sweat a lot during a non-stop, intense activity (e.g. running, biking, swimming) for longer than 1 hour, they may
need to have a sports drink during the activity to help replace energy stores, fluid levels and electrolyte losses. Teens do not need
a sports drink before or after activity because water and food are the best fuel at these times.

Encourage fluids after activity is over as well. Water, milk, and soups are great options.
Discourage your teen from drinking soft drinks, fruit juices, and energy drinks. These tend to be higher in sugar (which could cause
stomach aches and tooth decay) and many also have caffeine. Healthy food and drinks play an important part in school, physical activity and sports performance. Active youth need plenty of fluids throughout the day, with extra water during and after activity.
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
Alberta Health Services (cont’d)
Smokeless Doesn’t Mean Harmless
In Alberta, using spit tobacco (also known as smokeless tobacco) is a concern. As a matter of fact, spit tobacco use is
higher in western Canada than in any other part of Canada. In 2012, 40% of all spit tobacco shipments in Canada were
sent to Alberta.2 Spit tobacco is a mixture of tobacco, nicotine, sweeteners, salt, abrasives, and chemicals. It’s highly addictive. As a parent, it’s important to know that flavours, such as cherry and grape are added to mask the harsh taste of the
tobacco. This creates “starter products” that are easier for new customers to use. Although spit tobacco was once used
mainly by older men, it is now used most often by boys and young men. 3 Using spit tobacco is not harmless. There are
over 3000 chemicals in spit tobacco, including at least 28 that cause cancer. 4 Because nicotine is so addictive, it can be
very hard to quit using. Using spit tobacco can cause hairy tongue, a harmless but ugly raised stains on the tongue.
Spit tobacco has been linked to many serious health problems, such as:
mouth cancer
white patches inside the mouth, called leukoplakia, that may turn into cancer
heart disease, high blood pressure, and heart attacks
For more information and support, visit www.albertaquits.ca or call 1-866-710-QUIT (7848).
Physicians for Smoke-free Canada. (2011). Smokeless Tobacco: New Trends for an Old Product. Retrieved from http://www.smoke-free.ca/pdf_1/smokeless2011b.pdf
2
Health Canada email correspondence to Alberta Health Services. (July 2012).
3
Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. (2013). Smokeless Tobacco and Kids. Retrieved from http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0003.pdf
4
Oral Health America NSTEP National Spit Tobacco Education Program. (2013). What you need to know. Retrieved from http://oralhealthamerica.org/wpcontent/uploads/What-you-need-to-know.pdf
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living
FFCA HIGH SCHOOL PHOENIX MESSENGER
April 2015
BITS & PIECES FROM THE FRONT OFFICE
Attendance — Please Notify the Office!
When a student is going to be late or absent from school, it is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to call the office and
inform the office of the reason for the lateness/absence before 8:00 am. Please leave a message making sure to spell
the student’s last and first name. Spelling the name ensures the information is correct and that a call does not go to
the student’s home at the end of the day.
Please contact the office at 403-243-3316, ext. #1001.
Student arriving to school late or leaving early?
When a student arrives to school late or leaving early, there are 2 steps required to keep attendance records accurate:
1. A parent needs to call the school to explain that the student will be late or when the student needs to leave the
school early (for a medical appointment, dental appointment, etc.). That tells us that the parent knows that the
student will be late or leaving early.
2. When a student arrives to the school late, it is imperative that they check in at the Front Office. The same is true
when they leave early. This is so the school always knows if the student is in the building. If a student doesn’t
check with the Front Office, an automated message will go home advising that the student was absent. Please don’t
hesitate to call Suzanne at 403-243-3316, ext. 1001 should you have any questions.
WE ARE NOW ON TWITTER!
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Partners in Learning, Leading & Living