VOLUME 90, Issue 7 FEBRUARY 2018 RICHMOND SECONDARY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER HOME OF THE COLTS - ESTABLISHED IN 1927 Principal: Mr. Jim Allison Address: 7171 Minoru Blvd, Richmond, BC, Canada V6Y 1Z3 Vice Principals: Mr. John Blair & Mr. Gordon Fitt Phone: 604-668-6400 Fax: 604-278-4734 PAC: Ms. O. Fedorenko Early Warning: 604-247-2658 Trustee Liaison: Ms. D. Sargent Twitter & Instagram: @richmondcolts Website: http://rhs.sd38.bc.ca Principal’s Message: At Richmond Secondary School, we work very hard to create a community where everyone feels safe and that they belong. We encourage students to know and appreciate their cultural and personal identities as these are so important to knowing who they are. At the same time as we celebrate our ‘unity in diversity’, we encourage all members of the RHS community to appreciate our shared humanity. The City of Richmond and the Richmond School District both highlight the importance of acceptance and understanding throughout the month of February. While February 28 will be celebrated as pink day at our school, all across Richmond and the province of B.C., it is important that the ideals of inclusion, acceptance and belonging are embraced and practiced every day at our school. Indeed, it is our expectation that we treat one another with kindness, care and respect every day at Richmond High School. Thank you to our Colt Ambassadors for working to make our school is a sea of pink on February 28, in celebration of the ideals that we live by every day! “Home of the Colts” GO SHARKS RHS Grade 10 and Grade 12 Parent Survey Every year the Ministry of Education asks parents of students in Grades 4-7-10-12 all over B.C. to complete an online survey about what they think about their child’s learning at school. Our Grades 10 and 12 students will complete a similar survey in February and parents of RHS students in Grade 10 and Grade 12 are asked to click on the link below and complete the parent version of the survey. The survey takes less than 10-minutes to complete and is available in 18 languages. Once you log on, go to DIRECT ACCESS in the bottom right corner, choose SD38 RICHMOND for District and RICHMOND SECONDARY for school, choose your language (English is the default language) and answer the questions. Thank you! http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sat_survey/access.htm
Principal’s Message: At Richmond Secondary School, we work very hard to create a community where everyone feels safe and that they belong. We encourage students to know and appreciate their cultural and personal identities as these are so important to knowing who they are. At the same time as we celebrate our ‘unity in diversity’, we encourage all members of the RHS community to appreciate our shared humanity. The City of Richmond and the Richmond School District both highlight the importance of acceptance and understanding throughout the month of February. While February 28 will be celebrated as pink day at our school, all across Richmond and the province of B.C., it is important that the ideals of inclusion, acceptance and belonging are embraced and practiced every day at our school. Indeed, it is our expectation that we treat one another with kindness, care and respect every day at Richmond High School. Thank you to our Colt Ambassadors for working to make our school is a sea of pink on February 28, in celebration of the ideals that we live by every day!
“Home of the Colts” GO SHARKS
RHS Grade 10 and Grade 12 Parent Survey Every year the Ministry of Education asks parents of students in Grades 4-7-10-12 all over B.C. to complete an online survey about what they think about their child’s learning at school. Our Grades 10 and 12 students will complete a similar survey in February and parents of RHS students in Grade 10 and Grade 12 are asked to click on the link below and complete the parent version of the survey. The survey takes less than 10-minutes to complete and is available in 18 languages. Once you log on, go to DIRECT ACCESS in the bottom right corner, choose SD38 RICHMOND for District and RICHMOND SECONDARY for school, choose your language (English is the default language) and answer the questions. Thank you!
http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sat_survey/access.htm
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“Home of the Colts” GO SHARKS
RSSNEWSLETTERVOLUME90,Issue7FEBRUARY2018
Pink Day is on February 28 RHS students and staff are encouraged to wear pink on February 28 and join thousands across B.C. in a symbolic celebration of inclusion. Originally started in 2007 in Nova Scotia by two students after hearing that a younger schoolmate was picked on for wearing a pink polo shirt. They purchased 50 pink shirts at a local discount store and spread the word online, hoping for a “sea of pink” and the response at school the next day was overwhelming. The awareness movement has grown in popularity and in 2012 the U.N. declared a day in May as “Anti-Bullying Day”. Richmond Secondary School students are always encouraged to act with kindness, care and respect in their everyday interactions with all people and we hope the school will be a sea of pink on February 28 to show our support for this important ideal.
New Graduation Numeracy Assessment The Ministry of Education has eliminated Provincial Exams in English 10, Math 10, Science 10, Social Studies 11 and, after 2019, English 12. There are two new provincial assessments that all students will be required to write – the GRADUATION NUMERACY ASSESSMENT (GNA) and the GRADUATION LITERACY ASSESSEMENT (GLA). RHS students in Grade 10 and Grade 11 will write the GNA exam this June 2018, and this was explained to all of our Grades 10 and 11 students at grade assemblies we held on January 30. Numeracy is the willingness and perseverance to interpret and apply mathematical understanding to solve problems in contextualized situations, and to analyze and communicate these solutions in ways relevant to the given context. The new Numeracy Assessment is not a typical “math test.” It will include 24 common questions and a student choice section (answer 2 of 4). The questions will be context placed problems that students will read, think about and then write a solution. The GNA measures 5 numeracy processes, including students’ abilities to INTERPRET, APPLY, SOLVE, ANALYZE and COMMUNICATE solutions. The GNA be not be attached to any course, but reported separately on each student’s official Transcript using a 4-point scale – 1. Emerging 2. Developing 3. Proficient 4. Extending Students can score a 0 for not attempting to answer questions and must score at least 1 to graduate. Students will be allowed to rewrite the GNA two times over their high school years (3 total attempts). Students can “practice” the exam online now. For more information, parents are encouraged to read the brochure on the last 2 pages of this newsletter and explore the link below for sample questions: https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/provincial-assessment/graduation/numeracy
Education Week in Richmond: Every year Richmond School District No. 38 celebrates the diversity and excellence of public schools in Richmond at “Education Week”. From February 25 to March 3, parents and all members of our community are welcome to attend a variety of public events and showcases. Numerous sponsors support this event and contribute to a feeling of inclusiveness that is vital to this celebration. It is through these partnerships that a true sense of community and civic pride in the City of Richmond can be shared. We hope that you attend a few of the events and take part in the excitement. Education Week is an opportunity to meet elected Richmond School Trustees, district teachers and administrators and see student learning in action. It is truly a celebration of public education! To see the schedule and find out more, check out: http://edweek.sd38.bc.ca/about
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RHS Library News: Helping to develop open-minded, literate and thinking students is one of the main goals of our professional library staff. Ms. Chung and Mr. Truong have been working hard to make the library a welcoming ‘learning center’ at our school. The 2018 "Reading Riot" book promotion is underway and almost 50 students have already signed up to read and rate the books. The eight current titles (see photo below) include award winning books and something for everyone in a variety of genres. In March, all secondary school libraries in Richmond will be tallying up their votes to see which book is the most popular amongst our readers! Read more about this event at: https://rsslibrary.wordpress.com/reading-riot/ Our library is open from 8AM until 3:30PM every day – and all students are welcome for research help, for reading pleasure, for a place to study or to just relax. Please see Ms. Chung for more information, follow the library on Twitter @rss_library and bookmark the library website and read the library newsletters at: https://rsslibrary.wordpress.com/
Grad 2018 News: Congratulations to our Grad Committee for organizing a successful Winter Formal on Friday, February 9 at the Riverside Palace. Over 230 grads looked fabulous in their semi-formal wear and they enjoyed a delicious buffet dinner and had a lot of fun dancing and taking photos with their friends and classmates. Thank you to the staff who volunteered on a Friday night of a long weekend - Mr. Chow, Mr. Furugori, Ms. Ho, Mr. Lin, Mr. Mamonluk, Ms. Poppell, Ms. Seminutin, Ms. Sugihara, Ms. Shields, Mr. Winograd, Mr. Fitt, Mr. Blair and Mr. Allison. We held a Grade 12 assembly on February 7 and grads were reminded to book a formal photo sitting online at http://www.artonagroup.com Photos are scheduled at the school for Feb. 18-24 and must be taken to be included on the 2018 grad composite. Gr. 12s were reminded to complete their Graduation Transitions requirements and submit completed RSS scholarship application forms and their valedictory write-up by April 13. 2018 Grads were also asked to submit their height using a web form, as this is required to order their Valedictory ceremony gown. Finally, Grade 12s provided their t-shirt size for Dry Grad and were reminded to buy their Dry After Grad ticket by April 2 and to check the RSS Career Centre website regularly for updates: https://msjonescareercentre.wordpress.com/
Report Cards on March 15 Students brought home Interim Reports on February 9 and this provided feedback on progress in all classes. Parents are reminded that the Term 2 Report Card will come home just before Spring Break on Thursday, March 15. Please read the reports and discuss achievement, work habits and attendance with your teen. Celebrate the successes and, if necessary, create a plan to improve over the important final term of the school year. Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held after Spring Break, on April 11 and 12.
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Yearbook Ordering Deadline is April 3 Every year we publish a beautiful yearbook and this keepsake includes all students’ names and photos as well as all of the teams, clubs and special Colts events from the school year. The final day to purchase a yearbook will be Tuesday, April 3. If you want a yearbook and have not yet purchased one, please see Ms. Campos in the office to get yours before April 3 – don’t miss out! The yearbook cost is $38.
PAC on February 21 Our next PAC meeting will be on Wednesday, February 21 at 6:30pm in the library. All RHS parents are welcome to attend and listen to two speakers – one will describe the all of the career programs available in Richmond SD38 and the other will provide information on the youth volunteer opportunities available at the Richmond City Centre Community Center. We hope to see parents on February 21!
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Grade 9 Science Fair on February 22 Up to 120 Grade 9 students will be participating in Science Fair on February 22 from 3-6pm in the Multipurpose Area. Students posed and researched their own inquiry questions and will present their findings at the Fair. Sample questions include the effect materials have on WiFi signal blocking, nerf projectile improvement, electrolytes in sports drinks, climate change and mussel shells, laminar flow – can you unscramble an egg, and water filtration using fruit peels. Family and friends are welcome to attend and support our emerging scientific thinkers!
ColtsAthleticsUpdate:Thank you to the student-athletes, coaches and sponsors who represented our school with dedication, skill and sportsmanship on our basketball and table tennis teams during the winter season. Special congratulations to Sandra Balitaan, Ace Figueroa and Murad Mohammed for being named District All-Stars in senior basketball and to Daniel Afanasiyevskyy for being named league MVP. Our senior boys’ and junior boys’ basketball teams are both moving on to play in V&D and Lower Mainland championships. On March 12-13 we will host our family of elementary schools at our annual, fun Colt Country Classic and the school will be full of future Colts! The spring seasons will begin next and RHS students can get involved in ultimate, track, girls’ soccer, Grade 8 and Grade 9 boys’ volleyball and bantam, junior and senior badminton. For more information on athletics or to enroll in the “athletic leadership” course next year, students can contact our athletic director Mr. Winograd.
Looking for a Career in Education? The Richmond School District’s Continuing Education department offers a highly regarded and specialized education and training program for people interested in becoming an Educational Assistant or EA. EAs work directly in our schools and classrooms, supporting students with physical, behavioural, sensory and learning needs. The program is known as REAP and registrations are now open for the fall start-up. Find out more at: http://ce.sd38.bc.ca or by phoning 604-668-6123.
Mathematical Excellence: Congratulations to Grade 12 student Alex You for winning a gold medal in the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing contests organized annually by the University of Waterloo. Alex was one of 10,643 students who wrote the Canadian Senior Mathematics Contest exam and one of only 5 recipients of the gold medal (the other four winners were all from Ontario). Alex also received a $500 prize. Alex is a Grade 12 IB student and currently enrolled in Higher Level math with Mr. Furugori. Well done Alex on this very impressive accomplishment! Students in all grades interested in writing math contests are encouraged to speak with their RHS math teacher! Similarly, students in all grades needing math help can go to room 127 on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school or see Ms. Hom.
RHS to Celebrate 90 Years on April 21 Richmond High School opened in September of 1927 and our RSS Alumni Association is planning a 90th Year Celebration at the school on Saturday, April 21. This fun event will be open to all current and former students, staff and community. If you went to RHS or know someone who did, please let them know about this event. If you or someone you know wants to help organize, please contact Beth at: [email protected]
UBC Engineering for Grade 8 Girls: UBC is hosting a hands-on, fun introduction to engineering event for Grade 8 girls in Richmond on Saturday, March 3. The cost is FREE and the day-long event includes a free pizza lunch. It is held at Steveston-London Secondary School. This is a great opportunity for girls to meet current female UBC science and engineering students and work on some fun problems. To register, please click on the link below: http://engcite.engineering.ubc.ca/events/engineering-explorations/
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RSSNEWSLETTERVOLUME90,Issue7FEBRUARY2018
Welcome Grade 7 Students – the RHS Grads of 2023! The Richmond Secondary School theatre was overflowing on the evening of Wednesday, February 7 as we welcomed hundreds of Grade 7 parents and students to our school. Our future Colts had a chance to see the school, meet the principal and vice principals, counsellors and learn a little about what “life in high school” will be like next September. We have planned many activities for our “grads of 2023” as we want to make their transition to high school as smooth and successful as possible. The next events will include our counsellors visiting students at our family of feeder elementary schools in February, the Grade 7 basketball tournament or Colt Country Classic on March 12-13 and our annual Grade 7 Hot Dog/Fun Day on May 11. We also look forward to hosting our annual Grade 8 Mini-Camp and Sleep-Over in September. It looks like another fantastic group of young people joining the RHS community next year and we are thrilled to welcome them to Richmond Secondary School – home of the Colts! Grade 7 parents are invited to bookmark our website to start following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook now!
RHS Singers Take the Stage:
Congratulations to the incredibly talented students who participated in our school’s 18th annual Mandarin Singing Contest. This very popular event had 37 entries and the first round was performed before a sold-out audience in the theatre in November. The 16 talented performers who made the finals sang in front of another large crowd on January 25 – congratulations to the third place finishers Mina Xue and Amanda Zheng; second place was won by Amy Ge and the 2018 Mandarin singing contest winner was Bill Niu. Thanks to all the staff who helped and to Ms. Ding for organizing this event. Our Student Council hosted the 2018 Colt Idol and again, many students auditioned and six talented singers, including Jillian Heathe, Melissa Huen, Howard Kwan, Jacky Li, Ysabelle Santa Ana and Tiffanie Sun were selected to perform live in the semi-final round in front of hundreds of students at lunch time in the gym. Jillian, Melissa and Ysabelle will sing again in the finals on February 19 and the judges will have a tough job determining the Colt Idol who will represent Richmond Secondary at RichCity Idol in the spring! Finally, our Korean Club is hosting a K-Pop Concert on March 2 and this event is open to all students in the school interested in performing – see Ms. Hom in room 213 for more information.
Upcoming Richmond Secondary School Dates: February 15 Canada Flag Day- Wear Red February 16 Lunar/Chinese New Year February 18-24 Grad Photos by Appt. February 21 PAC at 6:30pm February 23 Pro-D Day Feb. 25 – Mar 2 Richmond SD38 Education Week February 28 Pink Shirt Day February 28 Collaboration Day March 8 Grade 9 Immunization Day March 11 Daylight Savings (forward 1hour) March 12 Block Rotation 2-3124 March 12 & 13 Elementary Basketball Tournament March 14 PAC at 6:30PM March 15 Report Cards Home Mar 16 – Apr 2 SPRING BREAK!! March 24 Earth Hour 8:30PM- power down! April 3 Welcome Back 2-3124 April 11/12 Parent-Teacher Conferences April 13 RHS Scholarship App Due April 13 Valedictory Write-ups Due April 21 RHS 90th Year Celebration
Stay Connected to Richmond Secondary School: There is always something happening at our school or in our District that may be of interest to students and families. The best way to stay connected and informed is to subscribe to our website http://rhs.sd38.bc.ca/subscribe-our-website, follow the school on Twitter https://twitter.com/richmondcolts, Instagram https://www.instagram.com/richmondcolts/?hl=en and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/RichmondColts
新年進步 雞年吉祥 HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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Please read more of the Graduation Numeracy Assessment brochure below.
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For more information on the new Graduation Numeracy Assessment, open this link:
