McMath Secondary August 2018

Welcome New and Returning Wildcats! Dear McMath Students and Parents:

We hope you've been enjoying time with family and friends this summer and have had a chance to relax and recharge. Now that we’re coming to the end of August, we are looking forward to the new school year with anticipation.

The McMath Community, composed of students, parents, and staff, is a strong one with a solid foundation of communication and

connection. We will continue to build on this with our P.R.I.D.E. matrix as a guide.

We will do all we can to support your student’s learning, and encourage you to stay actively involved in your teen's education. Parents are urged to stay connected to the school by reading the calendar and agenda (students will receive these on September 4th), checking our website, attending information nights and

maybe joining our Parent Advisory Committee

(PAC) or Dry After Grad (DAG) groups. Your contributions are important.

We’re excited to begin Grade 8 Camp this year (more details further on), connect our Leadership Students with Grade 8’s through Link Crew, and host a Grade 12 Parent Information Night. It’s going to be a great year!

P Positive Attitude To recognize and develop opportunities to create positive environments for myself and others. To value myself, others, and my environment. To be honest, trustworthy, and ethical. To accept and welcome all individuals – to appreciate the ideas and experiences of those different from me.

R Respect I Integrity D Diversity E Effort To establish goals and expectations, choosing to persevere, even when situations are difficult.

FIRST DAY/WEEK INFORMATION Tuesday, September 4th is the first day back for students.

9:30 am – 10:30 am Grade 9 and 10 students will start in the Large (North) Gym for a Welcome Back Assembly and then will head to Homeroom for their schedules, lockers, and other important items.

10:30 am – 12:15 pm Grade 8 students will also start in the Large (North) Gym for a Welcome to School Assembly. They’ll meet our Link Crew Leaders - students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 in Leadership classes who are matched with specific Grade 8 students. Link Leaders will help Grade 8’s find their homerooms and assist with schedules and lockers. After Homeroom, Grade 8’s are invited to a Welcome Pizza Lunch with their Link Leaders. We expect to be finished between noon and 12:15 pm.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm Grade 11 and 12 students begin in the Large (North Gym) for a Welcome Back Assembly and then will head to Homeroom for their schedules, lockers, and other important items.

For the rest of the week, students should arrive by 8:15 am to start the day with Homeroom before moving on to their scheduled classes.

Homeroom lists for Grades 9-12 students will be posted on our website by 4 pm Friday, August 31st.

McMath Secondary 4251 Garry Street Richmond, BC. V7E 2T9

Principal Mrs. McFadyen

Vice Principals Ms. Goulas & Mr. Ngo

Phone: 604-718-4050 Early Warning: 604-718-4004

Email: mcmath@sd38.bc.ca Website: mcmath.sd38.bc. ca Twitter: @RAMcMath

STUDENT SCHEDULES Students will receive their schedules during homeroom on September 4th. Remember, our school timetable was built based on students' choices made last Spring, and students who were with us last year had an opportunity to review their selections and make adjustments prior to our timetable build. As such, student requests for course changes are allowed only if there was an error in programming or there has been a significant change in the student’s desired program over the summer. Some changes may not be possible due to full classes. Counsellors will assist students during the first week of school with priority given to incomplete schedules and correcting any errors, of course. Please note: Changes cannot be made for specific teachers. If we need to make adjustments to the timetable due to significant changes in our student population (new students who move in over the summer, or others who move away), we will manage these with the least disruption to students and staff so that we can get settled quickly. Students are assigned to counsellors by last name as follows: Ms. Chen: A-Fo Ms. Lai: Fr-Lo Mr. Vernier: Lu-R Mr. Pattern: S-Z STUDENT AGENDAS All students will receive an agenda book during homeroom the first day of school. This is a great source of information about our school policies and procedures. It's also a great place to record homework, marks, and upcoming due dates. Successful students are well-organized! We strongly recommend both students and parents read through the information at the front of the book to begin a successful year. LOCKS AND LOCKERS Each student will have an assigned locker - an important personal space to store a coat, lunch, PE strip, school supplies and books. Locks are provided for all grades. Students must use the lock and locker assigned to them. The combination should be kept private so that things stay secure.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES We recommend that students wait until they have met with their teachers before purchasing supplies and equipment. Students should bring a pen, pencil, and binder with paper for the first few days. SCHOOL FORMS Students will receive these on September 4th and we ask that they be returned by Friday, September 7th, please. (1) Personal Information Release Form (purple) Please note, these forms are needed to include students' names or photos in the yearbook, newsletters, or the school website. (2) Student Information Verification /Medical Information Form (blue) In case of an emergency we need to know who to call. Please ensure it is filled out with current information. Accurate email addresses are very important as email is used for newsletters, attendance reporting via Synervoice, and reminders of important upcoming events. Any changes during the year should be given to the office staff. Please make sure that any serious allergies are indicated on the form along with any imperative information regarding your child’s health/safety. Also, please make sure your email address is up-to-date. We frequently email out important information. SCHOOL FEES All secondary schools in Richmond charge the same general school fee of $28.00 per student (agenda book, calendar, student council, athletics, communication). Students are not charged basic course fees; however, there are still charges for some optional activities and enrichment projects. There are also charges for athletic teams, clubs or graduation events, and the yearbook. Enrichment fees may apply in a course in which a student wishes to undertake an optional project that is beyond the core requirements of the course and which s/he will keep. Examples at McMath include costs for more elaborate projects and materials in courses such as Woodworking, Textiles, Fine Arts, and certain PE classes. In addition, students may be charged a fee to participate in an optional field trip. Students who are unable to pay such a fee due to financial hardship should speak to a counsellor or one of the administrators.

This year, we hope many of you will pay fees online. There is a separate letter and instruction sheet attached about the new KEV School Cash On-line System. Once you have created an account, you will be notified of school fees and be able to view and pay online. We expect to have fees uploaded to the system by 4 pm on Wednesday, August 29th. This will be the last year that we print fee statements. Students will receive a copy of their statement in homeroom on September 4th. LATE RETURN TO SCHOOL We do have a waiting list and will try our best to accommodate new students who have moved into our neighbourhood so keeping track of our enrollment is very important. If your son/daughter will NOT be here for the first day or two and you did not already complete a Notice of Late Return form, make sure you phone us to let us know (604 )718-4050. This will allow us to keep the course schedule active and maintain a place in our school.

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ATTENDANCE Student attendance is crucial. We want students to succeed and it is important that they be here on time so they don’t miss out on important instruction. Sometimes your student might have an appointment during the school day, please just let us know. If your child is absent or late, please send a note to the office or phone us. You can phone the school any time before 9:00 AM, on the answering machine at (604) 718-4004. Our automated call-out system, Synervoice, will notify parents about students’ unexplained absences. A student needing an early dismissal for any reason must sign out from the office with a note or a phone call from their parent/guardian, please. STUDENT PARKING Student parking is limited to the northeast parking lot by the Gyms. All other parking is reserved for staff and parent visitors. Safe and courteous driving is expected at all times and all “N” regulations must be followed. Please come to the office for a student parking application form. PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF OF STUDENTS We encourage all students to walk or bike to school as often as possible. Not only is this healthy and environmentally friendly, it reduces traffic around the school each morning and afternoon and ultimately makes our parking lot safer. If you live a longer distance away, please check the bus schedules. If you must drive to drop-off or pick-up students, please give yourself enough time to avoid the rush just before the bell. Be very careful on Garry Street and nearby roads and make sure you obey all traffic laws and school signs. Also, remember traffic is significantly slower in the rain so budget extra time. WHAT TO WEAR TO SCHOOL? Please be respectful of our diverse community and remember we are a place of learning. School is not the beach. Of course, shorts and T-shirts are perfectly fine for school, but they do need to be appropriate. For example, tops that don't fully cover midriffs or that leave underwear exposed are not suitable for school.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES While we recognize that cell phones and personal music devices are very much a part of our lives today, and cells have useful applications which can support learning, they can also be very disruptive to learning. We remind students and parents that cell phones and personal music devices are not permitted during class time unless specifically requested by the teacher for an educational purpose. Please note that staff may temporarily confiscate these devices should they find them disruptive to learning. Also, we remind parents and students that, sadly, the theft of cell phones and personal music devices sometimes happens. The school is not responsible for the theft of cell phones and personal music devices. We advise students and parents that these devices should be either left at home, kept locked in lockers or kept in students' possession at all times, but off during class time. GRADE 8 PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT – Thursday, September 13th at 7 pm If your daughter or son is in Grade 8, this evening is for you. Please come meet our counsellors and admin team to learn a little more about what to expect in secondary school and how to best support your child. We will also talk about Camp and answer any questions you might have about this exciting opportunity.

GRADE 8 CAMP Monday, October 29th – Wednesday, October 31st We are heading to Camp Stillwood, near Cultus Lake, for a 3 day/2 night adventure! We will welcome and get to know our newest students, help them make a successful transition from elementary school, and develop a ‘sense of belonging’ at McMath. We will be delving deeper into our PRIDE matrix and working on communication and problem solving skills. The camp will be well organized and chaperoned with McMath teachers. We encourage every Grade 8 to participate. We will be back by 3 pm, in plenty of time for trick or treating on Halloween. More details about Camp will be sent to Grade 8 parents directly and discussed at the Parent Information Night on September 13th. SCHOOL PHOTOS – Tuesday, September 18th On Photo Day, all students will have their pictures taken for their Student Card and Yearbook. Should you wish to order photos, the order form will be distributed in homeroom. Order forms should accompany your child on photo day. Photo Retake Day is Thursday, October 18th. Formal grad photos will be taken at the end of November. Grade 12’s will book their formal sitting appointment online later in the year.

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PARENT ADVISORY COUNCIL (PAC) – Tuesday, September 18th at 7 pm All parents and guardians are invited to attend our first PAC meeting of the year in our Library. Come and meet other parents, staff and key players in your student’s school life and hear the latest news about the school and the District. MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT – Thursday, September 20th at 6:30 pm Come and meet your son or daughter’s teachers, find out what students will be learning, and how you might support them at home. The partnership between home and school is a key to success and we hope you all can come. We will begin at 6:30 pm in the Large Gym with brief opening remarks.

GRADE 12 PARENT INFO NIGHT – Tuesday, September 25th at 7 pm Grade 12 is an important culminating year. Students are encouraged to carefully plan out this busy year and set goals to ensure they are able to access all the post-secondary and scholarship opportunities available to them. Parents, we invite you to learn more about Grade 12, post-secondary and scholarship application processes, and grad social activities. COLLABORATION DAYS On eight days throughout the year, McMath staff will be working together on different activities to strengthen learning opportunities for our students. On Collab Days, we have a different bell schedule as shown on the school calendar and in the

student agenda book. Students are welcome earlier if they wish to wish to work or study quietly – or they may choose to sleep in a little bit later. It is very important, though, that they arrive by 9:35 am, in time for first class, please. NEWSLETTERS We will post information on our school website regularly: http://mcmath.sd38.bc.ca/ To avoid missing out on new content, you can “Subscribe” to the website to have new content delivered directly to your email in box.

IMPORTANT DATES A complete school calendar will be given to students in homeroom on September 5th. To get a good start to the school year, please make note of the following dates: Monday, August 27 Administrators and Counsellors return to school Thursday, September 13 @ 7:00 PM Grade 8 Parent Information Night Tuesday, September 18 Photo Day Tuesday, September 18 @ 7:00 PM Parent Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting - all parents are welcome Thursday, September 20 @ 6:30 PM Meet the Teacher Night - please meet in the large gym Friday, September 21 Professional Day - school not in session Tuesday, September 25 @ 7:00 PM Grade 12 Parent Information Night Wednesday, September 26 Collaboration Day – students should be at school for 9:35 am

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