Winter is Coming… but before that, Fall is coming – and so is the start of another school year. If you’re browsing this site, please note that some course information is being moved around in the Other Courses section as I prepare for the 2015-2016 school year. If you’re looking for something and you can’t find it, let me know.

Otherwise, enjoy your last few weeks of the summer vacation and see you in September!

This will be the last post of the 2014-2015 school year. What a year. Time went by faster than I could have ever imagined. This is due in no small part to the awesome students I had the pleasure of working with this year. It was a great experience working with every new GCHS Grade 9 in Visual Arts, helping students improve their English and literacy skills, and expanding cultural knowledge in Aboriginal Studies. After months of hard work, followed by culminating activities and exams, it’s now time to enjoy summer. However, summer doesn’t mean you should stop learning.

• Maintain a blog or website. Keep writing. It could be poetry, your thoughts and reflections, short stories, song lyrics – whatever, as long as you play with words.
• Take some time to enjoy art. Your smartphone is also a powerful camera. We live among some pretty amazing scenery. Take pictures and tell stories with them.
• Practice art. Find a cheap set of watercolour paints or pencil crayons. Take some time over the summer to expand your techniques and develop your own style.
• Find a good book. The Greenstone Public Library has branches throughout our communities and have all kinds of great titles – and they can order ones for you, too!

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone in September. For those of you moving off to college, university, or the world of work, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours. Come back and visit. Otherwise, enjoy your summer, be safe, keep learning, and have fun.

A very quick update for the week. It’s the last week of regular classes as exams officially begin next week, (though some students will be writing exams this week and students heading on the Outer’s Trip will write this coming weekend). I’ve asked this question before, but where did the year go?

Here’s some info for our last week of classes:

AVI3O Grade 11 Visual Arts: Continue working on culminating projects. I have to admit that I am concerned about a few students being able to complete their work in the remaining time. If you need extra time, let either myself or Ms. Collard know and we can open up the art room during lunch. All culminating assignments are due on Friday, June 19.

ENG1D Grade 9 English: We will complete an exam review this week. You will do a short blogging assignment on Monday, which essentially wraps up the course. It will be important to be prepared to participate in discussions and take notes as we review the content of the course in advance of the exam. The final exam is schedule d for Tuesday, June 23.

NBV3E Grade 11 Aboriginal Beliefs & Values: Culminating Assignments are due on Friday, June 19. We will endeavour to continue with computer lab time to allow you to finish any research, organizing, and typing of project material. If extra time is required, (prior to June 19) please let me know.

Finally, a shout-out to our graduating students. The Commencement Ceremony was awesome and it was great to see the pride in graduating student’s eyes. Check out www.gchs.ca in the coming days for photographs of the ceremony.

Thanks again and have a great LAST week of classes. It has been a blast learning with you all this semester.