Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

Thank you for your continued partnership in our

support of the spiritual, emotional and academic

growth of our young people at Michael Power-St.

Joseph High School.

This 2019-2020 school year has gotten off to a

wonderful start. In September, we hosted the

Official Opening and Blessing of the Michael Pow-

er-St. Joseph High School Field. The media, digni-

taries and invited guests were impressed by our

Drumline, Cheer Squad, Student Speakers and

Student Athletes who represented our school so

well. Our physical and health education classes

and sports teams have been enjoying the use of

the new facility. In October, CBC selected MPSJ

from all schools in the country to showcase the

national Student Vote initiative. As our students

and teachers were interviewed on national tv, we

were proud of how well they highlighted academic

life within our classrooms. Breakfast Television has

also selected MPSJ to feature the Student Nutri-

tion program at the school on November 21. The

attention of the media on our school community

displays the wonderful work that goes on in the

building both in the classroom and in extra-

curricular on a regular basis.

Mid-term offers the ideal opportunity to reflect

on individual goals and to develop a plan to move

forward. If your son/daughter requires extra sup-

port, please encourage them to take advantage of

tutoring opportunities offered by many depart-

ments.

This is also an appropriate time for students to

reflect on their extra-curricular involvement in the

school community. MPSJ offers more than 35 ath-

letic teams and 60 clubs and activities. According to

student surveys, students who are involved in activi-

ties that interest them find the school day more

engaging. Through commitment to extra-curricular

activities, students will reap the rewards that come

with sharing of themselves as they work towards

our Catholic Graduate Expectations. These expecta-

tions stand out for me at this time of year, as we

support each student in becoming “A self-directed,

responsible, life-long learner who develops and

demonstrates their God-given potential.”

Finally, on behalf of the administrative team and

the staff at MPSJ, I wish you the time with your

families as Advent approaches to experience all the

peace and joy that comes with this Holy Season.

Respectfully,

Rose Mary Rossetti

Principal

Principal’s Message

MPSJ Powerlines N o v e m b e r , 2 0 1 9

D a t e s f o r t h e C a l e n d a r :

November 27

Late Start Staff Prof Learning

Non-Uniform Day (Food Drive)

Parent Council Meeting

November 28

Christmas Concert

December 2-13

Food Drive

December 4

IB Christmas Social

December 6

Professional Development Day

December 18

Non-Uniform day

December 23 - January 3

Christmas Holidays

January 15

Non-Uniform Day

Late Start - Staff Prof. Learning

Parent Council Meeting

January 21 & 22

Grade 9 Math EQAO

January 27 - 31

Semester One Exam Week

February 4

Semester Two begins

Late Start - Staff Prof. Learning

February 7

Exam Review Day

February 14

Professional Development Day

February 19

Late Start - Staff Prof. Learning

Non-Uniform Day

February 24– 26

Option Collection Week

March 16-20

March Break

Thank you to all the parents and students who

attended MPSJ’s Post-Secondary Fair evening on

October 15th.

The Guidance department is continuing to sup-

port our grade 12 students in their planning and

preparation for their chosen post-secondary path-

ways. All grade 12 classes were visited by a Guid-

ance counsellor during the first week of Novem-

ber and important information about how to re-

search and apply to post-secondary institutions

was distributed. PIN numbers which allow access

to the Ontario University Application Centre have

been distributed and each student will be seen

Michael Power · St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School - 105 Eringate Drive, Toronto, Ontario, M9C 3Z7 - Follow us on Twitter: @MpsjTcdsb

Guidance News: Power Grads are Prepared Grads!

individually by his or her guidance counsellor to

discuss post-secondary plans.

Parents and students are encouraged to attend

fall open houses at Ontar-

io’s colleges and universi-

ties and to continue to

research options using

MyBlueprint and einfo.

Remember to like us on

Facebook or follow us on

twitter for up to date in-

formation.

@MPSJGuidance

P a g e 2

M P S J P o w e r l i n e s

Cedar Glen Trip

Integrating learning with real life experiences is a great way to maximize success in the SHSM program. Cedar Glen is a perfect example of how this is done because students gain knowledge in skills like leader-ship and group dynamics. Many of the students in-volved in SHSM enjoyed participating in the activities which on group experience, personal growth, skill development and teamwork. Cedar Glen was a great success due to the enthusiasm shown by everyone involved. This reaction from the students in the pro-gram is a great incentive to continue hosting these self improvement and growth experiences.

The SHSM program is full of opportunities such as this one and the upcoming trip to a Cadaver Lab which is of great interest to students who are going into the medical field. SHSM is a rewarding program and we

Program

On November 6th, the Grade 11 IB Eng-lish students with their teachers Ms. Ras-ciauskas, Ms. Spadafora and Mr. Fitzger-ald, went to the Distillery district to see a performance of “Almighty Voice And His Wife” at the Soulpepper theater in the historic Distillery District.

Almighty Voice was a 19th century Sas-katchewan Cree, whose poaching of a settler’s cow resulted in his incarceration. He escaped from jail but was tracked down by a large group of police and civil-ians, and shot. The first act provides a nat-uralistic portrait of Almighty Voice and his wife, while the second one came from an

absurdist surrealism perspective that both shocked and intrigued the audience.

encourage more students to join and experience these events with us.

Wrapping and Taping Certification

In the wrapping and taping certification we learned how to tape up various injuries that commonly occur to athletes. The SHSM program is designed to help high school students go into the workplace and experience what it will be like in their chosen fields. This certi-fication provided insight into the medical/kinesiology field, teach-ing participants how to properly deal with inju-ries and the prevention of further injuries.

by the SHSM Exec

English Department: Soulpepper Theatre Trip

The second act showed how the story had been appro-priated by a non-Native society in an attempt to locate an “almighty Native voice.” Almighty Voice is now a Ghost and his wife is the Interlocutor or Master of Ceremonies, dressed as a Mountie. Both wear whiteface, and engage in a parodic vaudeville routine which mocks the expectations and assumptions of a White audience.

As the students were leaving the theater, they were actively discussing the deeper meanings, the complex narrative structure and symbolism within the play with their peers and teachers. Many students were perplexed and intrigued as they shared afterward on the Theory of Knowledge discussion thread on Google Classroom. The students gained a greater appreciation of the required themes of the IB curriculum, such as Perspective, Culture and Transformation in examining how they apply to the world today as well as our history throughout the ages.

By Anthony Bykov and Maksym Woychyshyn

The Dual Credit Program Increasing numbers of senior students at MPSJ have been taking advantage of the opportunity to enroll in Dual Credit courses this past year. The Dual Credit program is a unique opportunity in which a Grade 11 or 12 student can take a course at a local college and earn a college credit as well as a high school credit. The college course is taught one afternoon per week by a certified college instructor and the credit earned is recognized at all Ontario colleges that offer a similar program of study.

The program allows students to study subjects not taught at MPSJ such as Animation Art, Aeronautics, Baking and Pastry Arts, Cosmetic Application, Foren-sic Psychology, Podcasting and Studio Production and many involve a great deal of hands-on work. Participants receive a student card for the college and have access to all student services available such as the library, computer labs, tutoring service, stu-

dent skills workshops and athletic facilities. Costs such as TTC tickets, textbooks, tuition, etc. are covered, so this program is completely free to the student. The program is a great way for students to try out post-secondary courses with low risk, as costs are covered and students are sup-ported by MPSJ teachers.

Christopher Carnovale, a grade 12 student who is taking Welding Arts at George Brown college this semester, appreci-ated the opportunity to experi-ence the independence of col-lege and learn skills not taught at MPSJ. He says, “I feel more prepared for college and more certain of my pathway.”

A Dual Credit information meeting is scheduled for peri-od 1 on Nov 26th. Students who would like to attend should contact Mr. MacIssac.

On October 17th over 1,500 MPSJ students joined 1 million of their peers across Canada by casting their ballots in Student Vote 2019. Sponsored by CIVIX and Elections Canada, the purpose of Student Vote is to engage future electors in democratic action with an aim to creating life-long voters.

This year, MPSJ was contacted by CBC’s flagship newscast, The National, with a request to profile our students as they took part in Student Vote. In August, Mr. Di Tomaso and Dr. Cumbo got the ball rolling by attending the ‘Democracy Bootcamp’ host-ed by CIVIX at the Globe and Mail Centre.

In September, there was a tremendous amount of interest in the election. Over 100 student volunteers took part in classroom visits to explain the process and familiarize their peers with online educational resources that explained the issues, the par-ties, and their positions in a non-partisan, accessible way.

Our Student Council President, Arbani Bhatia and our Commu-nication Rep., Henry Aitkins-Mensah did a great job hosting can-

didates from the major parties at our student-moderated Candidates Meeting. Yvan Baker (Liberal), Ted Opitz (Conservative), Heather Vickers-Wong (NDP), and Cameron Semple (Green) fielded questions from students and spent time

talking with them about their concerns after the event. We are very grateful for their participation.

At points throughout the process, the CBC shot footage at the school, culminating in a visit by Andrew Chang, one of the an-chors of The National. Dr. Cumbo’s IB Theory of Knowledge stu-dents and Mr. Dobbs’ Gr. 12 Law students did a great job on cam-era, discussing issues important to youth in our community. Dr.

P a g e 3

As always, our IB students are hard at work on various as-pects of the DP Programme. Our Year I students have been intro-duced to CAS and are now actively seeking opportunities both in the school and the community to fulfill CAS requirements. They have also been introduced to TOK and have started participating in TOK related activities led by our TOK and subject teachers. Our Year II students have also been hard at work on their Ex-tended Essays, which were due on November 4th. Our IB Exec is very excited about this year’s IB Christmas Social, which will take place on the evening of December 4th. Tickets will be on sale shortly and we hope that all IB students from grades 9 through 12, will be able to attend. Tickets will cost $5.00 and all proceeds will be donated to our Christmas Food Drive.

Our year started by welcoming our students with Opening litur-gies celebrated by Fr. Michael Machacek from Nativity of our Lord Parish. We are very fortunate to have Fr. Michael celebrate mass with us, as he is a Power graduate and a gift to our community.

Our retreat programs have also started with our Gr.10’s experi-encing the Salesian way with Sister Cora and Sister April who jour-ney with our students in focusing on their God given gifts and tal-ents. Our Gr.12 students travel to St. Patrick’s Church on McCaul Street where the pastoral team, including Fr Santo, an MPSJ alum-nus, teach our students about social justice and the importance of our Catholic Social teachings. December brings the MPSJ Food drive which serves over 70 families in our community who are in need. The Food Drive launches on December 2 and delivery of the boxes takes place on the 14th. We thank you in advance for your support and generosity. Wishing your families a blessed Advent and Merry Christmas.

Chaplaincy

Cumbo was also featured, talking about his approach to fos-tering critical thinking skills in the classroom.

The whole school got involved as we ap-proached voting day. Discussions were being held by students in classrooms and the hall-ways as they were en-couraged to think about the democratic process and the issues that are vital to their future. The Canadian and World Studies thanks the whole MPSJ community for their support and involvement in this worthy project.

Grade 9 Geography: Urban Landscapes

The Grade 9 Geography classes had an experiential learning opportunity as they explored the changing urban landscape of downtown Toronto including Liberty Village and the Har-bourfront. They also toured institutional areas of City Hall, the Court house and U of T. All the students had a fun time and enjoyed the trip!

Grade 11 IB Theory of Knowledge : Graffiti Trip

The Canadian and World Studies department took the IB students to various areas of downtown Toronto to explore art and graffiti. The goal of the trip was to find ways to interpret how the art and graffiti are a reflection of what is im-portant in Toronto. This is an experiential compo-nent to the Theory of Knowledge curriculum.

IB Programme Updates:

Canadian and World Studies Department

STUDENT VOTE: POWER GOES NATIONAL

Field Hockey The girls field hockey team had a very successful season, capturing the TDCAA bronze medal. The team was particularly happy to be able to play on our new field, which allowed MPSJ staff and students to see their skills in action! Coaches Belli and Bissada are very proud of these athletes as they demonstrated hard work and effort all season, including showing up for 7 am practices. We also would like to thank the gradu-ates, Sophia Asselstine, Maddy Barry, Isabella Fras-ca, Ilaria Tripo-di and Brenna DiNizio for their four years of dedi-cation to the team.

M P S J

A T H L E T I C S

Cross Country Team The Cross Country team just wrapped up their most successful season. Throughout the season the team showed their talents racing in meets across the city. This dedicat-ed group proved that hard work pays off through their many impressive top 10 fin-ishes. This year Power qualified 15 students for OFSAA in Sudbury. Those students raced through the snow and ice and exceeded expectations. The team is look-ing forward to some rest and are excited to run again next fall.

After a fun and exciting few months, the 2019 Trojan Football season has come to an end. The coaches are very proud of the efforts of both the Jr. and Sr. players. They all exhibited hard work, strong determination, and true sportsmanship.

The Jr. team made it to the TDSAA Jr Tier 1 Semi Finals at Ester Shiner Stadium, where they came up short to the eventual Champions, Rich-

Coaches Martinuzzi, Commisso, and Quinonez would like to congratulate all the members of the Mi-chael Power/St. Joseph Junior Boy’s soccer program for a great season!

Special congratulations go out to our Junior Boy’s A soccer team for winning the 2019 TDCAA Champion-ship!!! After a 4 year hiatus, the Junior Boy’s have re-claimed gold after a perfect season! Power was able to overcome Brebeuf in a cold eventful rainy day at Varsi-ty Stadium, 3-2. Once again, congratulations boys! We

are all very proud of your achievements.

Tennis Coaches Matiitchik and Giovinazzo are so proud of the MPSJ tennis team this year for a great representa-tion at the TDCAA tennis tour-nament. Special shout out to our Senior Mixed Doubles team, grade twelve stu-dent Alexandra Scully and grade 11 student Sam Bernard for going undefeated! With a hard fought victory over Fa-ther John Redmond, they won the finals 6-3. Good luck at OFSAA in June!

Jr Boys’ Soccer

view. The Sr. team also had an entertaining season which was highlighted on the Thursday Night Lights evening as they defeated St Oscar Romero 33-6.

Another high point to the Trojan Football Season was the award given to Sr. Offen-sive Lineman Michael Har-quail. Michael has be chosen as 1 of 70 athletes across Cana-da to go to the Grey Cup in Cal-gary as part of the Nissan Kick-off Project! Michael is truly de-serving of this opportunity as he is an integral part of our team & school community.

Junior and Senior Football