LSS Weekly Communication - May 2nd
Uy’ skweyul Ladysmith Secondary Students and Families,
Welcome to May! We are now entering the final weeks of the school year where we begin to welcome our incoming grade 8 students and plan celebrations for our graduating students.
A reminder that report cards were released on the parent portal this week. As always, please connect with your student’s teacher directly if you have questions or concerns about their progress and contact the office or a counsellor if you need assistance accessing report cards.
May 5th is National Day of Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People. May 5th every year is also known as Red Dress Day, it is a day to honour the lives of those indigenous women and girls across Canada, who are missing or murdered, and to raise awareness on the ongoing crisis. This day started as “The Red Dress Project” in 2010 by Jamie Black and has since evolved to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s and Girls Day. MMIWG Day was established in 2019 after the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its final report. The report revealed that Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people are disproportionately affected by violence, with higher rates of homicide, disappearance, and sexual violence than non-Indigenous women in Canada. MMIWG Day is an opportunity for Indigenous communities and allies to come together to honour the lives of those who have been lost and raise awareness about the ongoing issue of violence against Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people in Canada. It is also a call to action for governments, institutions, and individuals to address the root causes of violence and work towards a future where Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people are safe and thriving. This year, MMIWG day falls on the Pro-D day. To honour this day, staff wore red and drummed our school community into the foyer today.
A reminder that Monday, May 5thth, is a Professional Development Day for staff. School will be closed for students on this day.
Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend!
Hay ce:p ‘qu,
Shelley Gvojich & Alistair King
Upcoming events:
- May 5th – National Day of Awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People
- May 5th – Pro-D day (No school for students)
- May 6th – DELF exam
- May 6th – Safer Party Planning Presentation for Grade 11 students
- May 8th – Indigenous Games at John Barsby Community School
- May 13th – Record Valedictorian Speeches for CTC
- May 14th – Valedictorian Speeches for Voting
- May 19th – Victoria Day (No School)
- May 20th – Fire Drill (2:40pm)
- May 21st – PAC meeting (6pm – Learning Commons)
- May 26th – VIU drop-in advising
- May 29th – Indigenous Graduation Ceremony (John Barsby Community School)
PAC Corner:
At this month’s meeting PAC unanimously voted to support the school fun day and Elder conference events in June. We are excited to partner with the school on these great school community building events!
Our final PAC meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, May 21 at 6 pm in the library. This meeting will focus on dispersing our remaining funds for the year.
Did you know PAC meetings are typically no more than an hour long? They are much different than elementary school meetings, there’s no fundraising or hot lunches involved! There will be several executive positions to fill in the next school year. Please consider attending to have your voice heard!
Attachments:
- Weekly Cafeteria Menu
- “What’s on This Week?” from Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services.
Questions?
Please contact our main office at info.ls@sd68.bc.ca or 250-245-3043
LSS Weekly Communication - April 25, 2025
Uy’ skweyul Ladysmith Secondary Students and Families,
It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of April and approaching the start of May. Students are starting to bask in the nice weather and many are spending their lunch time outside enjoying the sunshine.
A reminder that the Myed parent portal will be closed from April 11th – April 30th as teachers prepare report cards, which are tentatively set to be released on the parent portal on April 30th. As always, please connect with your student’s teacher directly if you have questions or concerns about their progress and contact the office or a counsellor if you need assistance accessing report cards.
Ladysmith Secondary students recently participated in Student Vote. Through guided lessons, students learnt about Canada’s different federal political parties and platforms then used Vote Compass to explore how their own values and beliefs aligned with the various political platforms, helping them become more informed voters. On April 22nd and 23rd, students engaged in a mock election that mirrors the real democratic process. They signed in, received ballots identical in format to official ones, and cast their votes for the candidate of their choice. Research shows that students who take part in Student Vote are more likely to become active voters in the future. By participating in this experience, students gained a deeper appreciation of the power of their voice in a democracy. Student Vote election results will be announced on the day after the official election. It was great to see students engaging in this worthwhile activity and taking their participation seriously. Many thanks to Ms. Dolen, Mr. Winter, Ms. Smith/ Ms. Roe and Ms. Beerling/ Ms. Goodall for lending us their classes for this event. This event would not have been possible without their support.
Yesterday our school community participated in a fire drill. These emergency evacuation drills are great opportunities for staff and students to prepare how to exit the building safely in the event of an emergency. These are also good opportunities to have conversations at home about emergency preparation.
Yesterday we were also fortunate to have serval elders join us to help us prepare for this year’s Elders Gathering. We are honored to be learning along side our special guests and to share in the many gifts they bring to our school community.
Do you have an extra bedroom in your home? Is English the primary language in your home? Do you want to learn about other cultures, countries and languages? Are you interested in making a difference in a high school student’s life? Become an International Student Homestay Family for next year (2025/26 school year). NLPS International Student Education Program is looking for Ladysmith families interested in earning a stipend between $1,175 and $1,375 per month per student to host an international student in their home. Students need to have their own bedroom, a quiet space to study, and be provided 3 meals a day. Our International Education team is available 24/7 for any kind of support you need (Ie. student emergencies, respite, vacation leave). Please click link below and complete the 1-2 minute form if you interested in becoming a Homestay family or if you would like to refer someone to become a Homestay family.
https://forms.office.com/r/Afek7k7AAZ
A reminder that Monday, May 5thth, is a Professional Development Day for staff. School will be closed for students on this day.
Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend!
Hay ce:p ‘qu,
Shelley Gvojich & Alistair King
Upcoming events:
- April 28th – VIU Course Planning & Registration Appointments at LSS
- April 30th – ICBC Guest Speaker (Kevin Brooks)
- April 30th – Report cards available on parent/student portal (Tentative)
- May 5th – Pro-D day (No school for students)
- May 6th – Safer Party Planning Presentation for Grade 11 students
- May 8th – Indigenous Games at John Barsby Community School
- May 13th – Record Valedictorian Speeches for CTC
- May 14th – Valedictorian Speeches for Voting
- May 20th – Fire Drill (2:40pm)
- May 21st – PAC meeting (6pm – Learning Commons)
- May 26th – VIU drop-in advising
- May 29th – Indigenous Graduation Ceremony (John Barsby Community School)
PAC Corner:
At this month’s meeting PAC unanimously voted to support the school fun day and Elder conference events in June. We are excited to partner with the school on these great school community building events!
Our final PAC meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, May 21 at 6 pm in the library. This meeting will focus on dispersing our remaining funds for the year.
Did you know PAC meetings are typically no more than an hour long? They are much different than elementary school meetings, there’s no fundraising or hot lunches involved! There will be several executive positions to fill in the next school year. Please consider attending to have your voice heard!
Attachments:
- Weekly Cafeteria Menu
- “What’s on This Week?” from Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services.
Questions?
Please contact our main office at info.ls@sd68.bc.ca or 250-245-3043
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