Literacy is a major area of need for a large number of our students. The goal here is to include the development of reading and writing skills in all courses that we teach at this school to meet the needs of our students. To that end we have all our students free read for the first 15 minutes of period 1 classes on Mondays, period 2 classes on Tuesdays, period 3 classes on Wednesdays and period 4 classes on Thursdays. Each teacher has developed a test practice booklet in their subject area and we have used it with all their students in semester 1. In semester 2 all grade 10 students wrote booklet 1 in their period 1 grade 10 class and booklet 2 in period 2 grade 10 classes. These completed booklets were marked by our literacy mentor team of 4 English teachers under the direction of our Head of English, Literacy and Library, Diane Leach. Based on this the team felt that about 40 of our grade 10 students would not need much help to pass the test. Another 90+ students would need some support to be able to pass. The literacy team concentrated on this group and repeatedly gave these students extra support. On the test day, students that stayed the full time and worked hard to complete each booklet was given a ticket to turn in for a free piece of pizza.
Graduates this year...
2009 Graduates of College Heights is a priority for us at this time of the school year. I plan to personally speak to each potential graduate at least once before the middle of June to help insure that they are well on their way to earn the necessary 30 credits and complete the required 40 hours of community service. This year we should have our largest number of graduates in our history, approximately 110. Our objective is to have each of our graduates have the necessary knowledge and skills to eventually work in one of the pathways to employment that we offer here.Specialist High Skills Majors...
Specialist High Skills Majors continue to be an important addition to the pathways to employment careers that we offer at College Heights. This year we hope to graduate approximately 25 students with the specialist high skills major red seal in the areas of Construction, Hospitality and Tourism, and Manufacturing. Next year we hope to add graduates in the areas of Agriculture and Health and Wellness.
Coop...
Coop programs here continue to be one of our priorities. We know that if a student is able to complete a coop placement in a local company, that students chances for future success after leaving school increase greatly. With that in mind every pathway here involves students taking a half day Coop called Designing your Future. This is designed to build student’s employability skills and help in planning their future after high school. In grade 12 we then expect our students to take a full day or a half day Coop that is specific to their pathway. The intent here is to continue to build their technical skills in their pathway area by working in a company in their pathway area. If our grade 11 students are not able to handle a first coop placement we strongly encourage them to take our at risk coop program. This takes our students to a carefully selected group of work sites where they build their employability skills working as a group under the supervision of their teacher assisted by staff at the particular work site.
Continuous Entry Coop Program...
We have also implemented a continuous entry Coop program for senior students who we have lost from College Heights and will, most likely, not graduate from school. This program can admit students at any time during the school year and will, where possible, allow these students to continue to work in their present job and receive Coop credits while they are being paid. It is possible to earn up to 13 High School credits in the Coop area. Mr. Aimola is in charge of this program and it take place in an offsite location. Please see our web site for more information on these programs.
Skills Canada...
Skills competitions are an area we are encouraging our students in our technology courses to take an active part. I feel that this is a good chance for our students to demonstrate the many “hands on” skills they have mastered in their technology courses. This year we had students take part in Hair Styling, Landscape/Horticulture, Machining, Welding, Small Engines, Transportation Technology and Food Preparation. Our students earned a gold medal in Landscaping and a bronze medal in food preparation. In the future we hope to involve more of our students and their teachers in this worthwhile venture.
Recycling, By Law...
Recycling will be a necessary emphasis for the rest of this semester. The Board has been threatened with a $50,000 fine if schools do not recycle waste as directed by law. At College Heights, we are requiring each classroom to separate fine paper from containers. This will also be done in the cafeteria. For this to work, we will have to educate our students to actually pick up their waste when they have finished eating and on the way out of the cafeteria, put containers in one box and garbage in the garbage can. Clearly, this will be an ongoing educational challenge. Mr. Braun of our staff will be in charge of this process.
Ministry Supports Resources and Facilities...
Ministry money has been received recently to upgrade the resources and facilities in some of our departments. In Science, the courses have been revised and new equipment in areas such as light has been purchased. In technology new coolers and fridges have been purchased for the Bake shop and Horticulture shop. Welding equipment for Manufacturing area and sand blasting equipment for the Transportation area have also been purchased and installed.
The autobody shop has had a major improvement in it’s paint booth. The law in Ontario has changed and from now on, only water based paints can be used to paint cars. These paints are much less toxic to all of us and the environment.
Recent School Building Modifications...
Room modifications have been made to accommodate necessary program changes. This year we knocked a wall between two storage rooms out to make an office to house our social worker. We would like to add a wall and cut a door to A hall to create a room for a group of our special needs students. Under new Board rules we have to pay for these changes out of our decreasing school budgets. Hence we will not be able to complete the changes we feel we need to better serve the needs of our students.
Spring Sale...
Please look out for our spring sale in early May. This is a great opportunity to purchase you garden needs and support our Horticulture program, for example.
Yearbook Production and Sales...
Our Yearbook is being created by Mr. Dix and our senior Communications Technology students. For the second year it will have a hard cover and expanded colour pages. This will be an excellent book to remind you of your great days at College Heights. Be sure to purchase your copy now before their all sold out!
Retiring Teachers...
On a final note, this is the year we will say good bye to two retiring teachers who have done great things for our students at College Heights for a long time. Mr. Bell is retiring from our Technology Department after about 25 years of service. Mr. “Willie” Wilson is retiring after about 23 years of teaching Physical Education and Geography. Mr. Wilson has also made an enormous contribution to sports and the development of students as a wrestling coach. Coach Willie has been the greatest transformer of students we have ever seen. Students who joined his wrestling teams over the years have, on many occasions, been transformed into more positive young people who were not afraid to try their best and, on many occasions, were very successful. Coach Willie will be greatly missed.
Retiring Principal...
It is also my turn to retire after 35 years of teaching with the last seven as Principal of College Heights. It was a life pleasure to have served our community for that time. I tried to set the example of always working as hard as possible, to do my best for the people I served in as positive a way as I could, using as much of any abilities and talents I possessed. Good bye folks.
Your Principal - Dave Miller
