Text Box: Principal’s Message Text Box: Cedar Community Secondary News Text Box: 1640 MacMillan Road Nanaimo, B.C. V9X 1L9 Tel: 722-2414 Fax: 722-3071 http:\\schools.sd68.bc.ca/ceds Text Box: Susann Young, Principal Bill Rounis, Vice Principal FEBRUARY 10TH, 2011 Text Box: Dear parents, community members and students, Semester 2 is now finishing it’s second week. Students had the opportunity to make course changes last week and we anticipate that they are now well settled in their new classes. I would like to extend a warm Cedar welcome to our new staff, Andrew Tuck (Science10/Planning10), Sharon Chahil (Psy 12 and SS11) and Bill McWhinnie (Outdoor Ed., Law 12 and SS9). Report cards and newsletter will be going out with students today. I am very pleased with the number of students exhibiting good work habits, consistently maintaining strong academic results, and those showing signs of improvement. We have an average of 45% of our student body being recognized at our Honour Roll assemblies next week! In addition to receiving a great cookie (baked in our cafeteria class) Mr. Rounis and I extend our warm congratulations. New to the Honour Roll this term, is our Vice-Principal’s list in which we recognize students who have demonstrated excellent work habits throughout the term– these students will have a “G-good” or “E-excellent” in all of their classes and aren’t already on another Honour Roll list. As a school we value effort as well as performance and this is one more way to recognize that. Our basketball season is getting close to its conclusion and I would like to recognize our student athletes for their commitment to their teams, for their leadership in academic endeavors and for how well they have been representing our school. As we know, this opportunity would not be possible without the time, commitment and skill of our coaches. It is very much appreciated! In the next few weeks we will be gearing up for the course request process for next year. We encourage you to have discussions with your son/daughter about options, especially in grade 11 and 12, because some electives will be offered based on how manystudents request them, and in some cases, courses are offered on a two year rotation basis. Please contact our Counselor, Candice Boyle, or myself or Mr. Rounis if you have any questions or comments. Sincerely, Susann Young Text Box: Thurs, Feb 10 Report Cards Out Newsletter out Mon, Feb 14 Valentine’s Day Tues, Feb 15 School Wide Ski Trip Wed, Feb 16 PAC Mtg @ 7 pm Mon, Feb 21 District Pro-D Day Tues, Feb 22 School Pro-D Day Wed, Feb 23 Pink Shirt Day 2011 Wed, Mar 2 Interim Day Newsletter out Thurs, Mar 3 Grad Fashion Show @ 7 pm Fri, Mar 11 Last day of classes before Spring Break Sun, Mar 13 Daylight Saving Time (ahead 1 hour) Mar 12 - 27 Spring Break Mon, Mar 28 First day of classes after break Wed, Apr 6 Newsletter out Mon, April 18 Pro D Day Fri, April 22 Good Friday Mon, April 25 Easter Monday Tues, May 3 Report Card Evening -Early Dismissal -Newsletter out Mon, May 16 Pro D Day Tues, May 17 Athletic Banquet @ 5 pm Mon, May 23 Victoria Day Text Box: Dates to Note Text Box: Mr. Rounis—Vice Principal February is wear Pink day—twice! Most people at Cedar will be wearing pink on the 14th and on the 23rd for two entirely different reasons. The first day is to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day and the second is to commemorate the anti-bullying campaign. The history of St. Valentine is somwhat varied although there is some proof that back in 1493 a Roman priest was arrested and imprisioned for marrying Christian couples. Next it became a feast day in England and has now since transformed into the “romance” day of the year. On the 23rd many Cedar staff and students will be standing up against bullying by wearing pink that day. Pink shirt Day originates in Nova Scotia where two young men stood up to bullying in their high school. A new student was being bullied and was harassed even more when he showed up at school wearing a pink shirt. In support, these two young men went to a discount store and purchased 50 pink t-shirts. They enlisted fellow male students to wear the pink shirts to support the new student who was being bullied. As a Vice Principal in our school I have witnessed a change in the definition of bullying over the past few years. I believe many are familiar with the school-yard bully. What is new is the cyber bullying which is the online equivalent. It is a new phenomenon that is fast growing. What students won’t share with the adults is that there is no getting away from it. Hate messages, insults, humiliations arrive on cell phones, are posted anywhere online. The victim is getting attacked from all angles and in all aspects of their lifes. We are hoping for youth empowered solutions. Standing up individually on this day is just one step, but when we take this step together we can see positive changes fast. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that in the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. We need to teach our students not to stand silently by, while others are being tormented. Sincerely, Bill Rounis

“CEDAR:  WE’RE IN IT TO LEARN!”