Principal’s Message – March 2016

To all members of our school community: I would like to congratulate everyone for a great start to second semester. The transition went as smoothly as possible thanks to a lot of hard work by our staff. February was also a very busy month for extracurricular activities with our basketball, skiing and snowboarding teams all having very busy months. Our Band and Hockey team both had trips to Ontario and came back reporting that they had a great time. Thanks to everyone who helped to provide such great opportunities to our students! Our course selection process for next year will start early this month and we are hoping to have everyone registered by the end of March. I would highly recommend that all students, including potential grads, make appointments with a guidance counselor to discuss their goals and get advice on course selection. Make sure you take the time to really think about what courses you are interested in as it can be difficult to change your mind in September due to class sizes and scheduling issues. For students in grades 9 or 10, don’t forget that we also have the International Baccalaureate Program and the Career Exploration Program. If parents have any questions about courses or programs we offer please feel free to contact a guidance counselor or administrator as well. Please note that there will be a parent information session for potential Pre IB and IB students on March 9. Cheers, Matt O’Toole Principal

NRHS Students’ Council

The month of February has come and gone, and the short month of March is one to look forward to!

This past month we had lots of activities packed into NRHS to kick us off after exams and get back in the lively groove of things. Our Executive Committee had a retreat after school to plan upcoming events together, and Spirit sold matchmakers that were a huge success for Valentine’s Day. Grad class started planning a collaborative fundraiser with NNEC for the Fuel Fund, a dodgeball game which happened on March 3 at NNEC.

Winter Carnival took place as a fun, week-long event with sno-cones, hot chocolate, Jersey Day and an ultimate Frisbee game, and Bring Your Own Banana. We had a throwback-themed dance turning out lots of students who were ready to get jiggy with it, and Teen Health organized students to travel to NSCC for a blood donor clinic. Pink Day saw lots of support from many students, and our grade 9’s told us what was in their backpack as a Respect Committee activity.

To end this fantastic month, we had Leap Day celebrations, which included a “Leap Frog Lane” to travel to classes, Leapfrog competitions in the gym (congrats to Kolby Gennoe and Bradley Hawkes for winning 2 dance tickets), and Leap Day William who delivered candy during the day to “crying” students!

Now that March has come in like a lamb, will it go out like a lion??

2015-2016 Students’ Council Co-Presidents are Grade 12 students Kyle Vandertoorn (left) and Ali Aghayan (right).

NIGHTHAWKS NEWS

104 Alma Road, RR # 3, Westville, NS B0K 2A0

Tel: 902-396-2750; Fax: 902-396-2755 www.nrhs.ccrsb.ca

No Child Should Go Cold in Pictou County” The Pictou County Fuel Fund is an emergency assistance program to help families with fuel purchases. For more information, please call the Pictou County Help Line at 902-752-5952 between 2 pm and 10 pm for more information. Applications for assistance can be found online at www.pictoucountyfuelfund.ca.

Addictions Resource Websites

http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/addictionprevention.html http://teens.drugabuse.gov/mom/index.asp

http://www.druged.ednet.ns.ca/ http://www.addictionservices.ns.ca/

http://www.drugabuse.gov/Prevention/Prevopen.html www.addictionservices.ns.ca

www.drugfree.org http://www.streetdrugs.org/

www.not4me.ca www.xperiment.ca

NRHS Students of the Month for February

The Appleseed Restaurant and NRHS School Advisory Council sponsor the Students of the Month Program and we are pleased Subway will sponsor the Athletes of the Month Program. Students of the Month are nominated by NRHS staff according to the following criteria:

--someone who is caring and thoughtful --someone who is a good citizen --someone who is an active participant at NRHS --someone who is achieving at his/her academic ability level --someone who demonstrates NRHS’s Guiding Principles (Safety, Opportunities, Achievement, Respect)

Students who are selected as Students of the Month receive certificates and Mr. O’Toole will take them out to lunch.

Appleseed Restaurant Students of the Month

9 Andrew Little

10 Sarah Arthur

11 Austin Lees

12 Matthew Peterson

CEP Alicia Morrison

Staff of the Month

Mrs. Carla Baillie

Subway Athletes of the Month – December /January

Jane Craig – Skiing Lucas MacKay - Snowboarding

Artist of the Month

Sadie Pitts

NRHS Band Ottawa Trip, Feb 12-19, 2016 The NRHS Senior Band and Combos spent a week in the nation’s capital February 12-19. The band received an Experiences Canada Grant from the Federal Government Department of Canadian Heritage (worth approximately $30,000.00) to make the trip possible. The host group of students were from A.Y. Jackson Secondary School in Kanata who will be visiting Nova Scotia and NRHS in May. The band braved -50 degree windchills and over 55 cms of snow (Ontario schools don’t have snow days!), and managed to complete its itinerary. The action-packed itinerary included skating on the Rideau Canal, the world’s longest skating rink, during the annual Winterlude Festival. The group went to see the Buffalo Sabres take on the Ottawa Senators (Sens won in a shootout). We were also lucky to get free tickets to an NHL farm team game between the Binghamton Senators and the Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning farm team). The Band and Combos performed for the AY Jackson students as well as students from their middle school. We were treated to a concert by the RCAF/RCMP Centralaires Concert Band and the Sir Robert Borden High School Bands. We were given an exclusive, private tour of Parliament’s Centre Block by Central Nova MP Sean Fraser’s office which included the House of Commons, the Peace Tower, Parliament Library, and our own private sitting with Sean Fraser in the Parliament Federal Caucus Room where he met the group and answered questions. The group also spent an afternoon at the Xtreme Trampoline Park, definitely a “high”light.

Fall and Winter Athletes

All fall and winter athletes should have their player fees paid and uniforms returned to the staff advisor. Anyone with outstanding fees or non-returned uniforms will not be able to participate in spring sports until fees are paid, uniforms returned, or a plan is put in place with Ms. Murray.

The Rotary Club of Westville Presents

Annual Upcoming Auction Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Westville Civic Gym – all new items for auctioning Viewing: 6:00 p.m.; Auction begins at 6:30 p.m.

Please come out and support our major fundraiser Proceeds allow us to support many community groups

Refreshments available

WEST PICTOU SCHOOLS CATERING SOCIETY – Cafeteria Menu

Below is the two week rotating menu for high school for March & April 2016. Meal prices are $4.50 unless otherwise specified.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

WEEK ONE Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

Sweet & Sour Meatballs & Rice

Garlic Fingers & Caesar Salad

Sheppard’s Pie Fish, Carrots, & Potatoes

WEEK TWO

Pizza Sub & Veggies

Meat Loaf, Carrots, & Potatoes

Macaroni & Cheese With Biscuit

Chicken Fingers Wrap & Small Tossed Salad

Fish, Carrots, & Potatoes

Items Available Every Day: Sandwiches: Egg - $3.25; Turkey - $4.50; Tuna - $3.25; Lean Ham - $3.75; Lean Ham & Cheese - $4; Grilled Cheese - $3.25; (whole wheat or smart); Snacks: Yogurt - $1.10, Lrg. Apples - $1.25; Sm. Apples - $1; Crackers (pkg – 2) - .10; Nutrigrain - $1; Oranges - $1; Cheese & Crackers - $1; Cheese Strings - .80; Veggies - $1.50/$3; Baked Goods: Large Muffins - $1.25; Small Cookies (twice a week) - .60; Miscellaneous: Homemade Soup (Small) - $1.50, (Large) - $2.50; Cold 9” Veggie Sub - $4.25; Tossed/Caesar Salad (Small) - $4, (Large) $4.50; Rice - $2.50; Large Wrap - $4.50; Hamburger - $3.75; Cheeseburger - $4; Caesar Salad with Chicken - $4.75; Small Deli Roasters - $3.25; Large Deli Roasters - $3.75; Pizza Slice - $4.50; 7” Garlic Fingers - $4.25; Toast - $1; Bagel - $1.25; Egg/Cheese/Ham on English Muffin - $2.50; Beverages: Milk - .40; Small Chocolate Milk - $1.50; Large Chocolate Milk - $2.25; Juice - $1.25; Water - $1.25

Important Dates for 2015-2016

MARCH

March 9 – Parent Info Session for Potential IB Students March 11 – Last Teaching Day before March Break March 21 – School Resumes after March Break March 25 – Good Friday – No Classes March 28 – Easter Monday – No Classes

APRIL

April 14 – Parent-Teacher Visitation – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. April 15 – In-service a.m. - No Classes April 15 – Parent-Teacher Visitation – 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. – No Classes

MAY

May 5 – Graffiti Dance May 7 – Adult Dance at NRHS – 9 p.m. – 1 a.m. May 16 – Site-based PD – No Classes May 23 – Victoria Day Holiday – No Classes

JUNE

June 1 – Grade 8 Orientation - No Classes for Grade 9’s Only June 2 – Spirit Dance June 3 – Squawk’s 13th Birthday Party June 8 – Nighthawk Celebration June 10 – Grad Appreciation Day June 17 – June 22 – Exams June 22 – Grad Prom June 27 & June 28 – Marking & Grading Day – No Classes June 28 – Graduation June 29 – Last Day of School for Grades 9 - 11

Adult Dance Fundraiser for NRHS Student

Awards, Featuring The Usual Suspects

WHEN: May 7, 2016, 9 p.m. – 1:00 a.m. MUSIC: Live Music – The Usual Suspects COST: Tickets $15 The funds from this dance will be used to assist with student awards in June of each year.

The Usual Suspects

African Drumming at NRHS

Keith Mullins spent February 18 & 19 at NRHS sharing his African Drumming training, which he received in West Africa, with our grade 9 students. On Thursday and Friday morning, he met with each grade 9 class separately and did drumming with them. On Friday afternoon, he had a concert for all the grade 9 students in the theatre. Many students, and staff (pictured left) got to perform in the concert as well. Mr. Mullins is pictured at the far left.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the NRHS Coldest Night of the Year Team, headed by Ally MacKenzie and Foroozan Keshavarsi, for raising over $1000!

NRHS Ski Team On Tuesday, February 17, the NRHS Ski Team took part in Regionals on a very rainy day. In spite of the weather, the team did well. Ski team pictured above and right.

Healthy Living Class Spends Time in the Kitchen

Ms. Alecce’s and Mrs. Chisholm-MacDonald’s Healthy Living classes have been spending time in the kitchen! Students have enjoyed firsthand experience preparing and sampling healthy salads and smoothies.

Pictured above from left: Ben MacDonald, Logan MacKay, and Andrew Little are shown giving the thumbs up!

Pictou County Athletics 2016 – 13+ Spring Program

With middle and high school track season fast approaching Pictou County Athletics invites school athletes to come and get extra practices with coaches from the Pictou County Athletics. PCA spring session begins April 1. Registration will be from 5:00 to 6:00 Friday, April 1, at the Indoor Soccer Complex located on Old Foxbrook Road, Stellarton. Cost is $80 for the spring session which goes to June 30. Summer season registration starts July 3. Our first practice will be on April 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and our other practice day is Sunday from 3:00 p.m. tp 5:00 p.m. at NNEC gym. Middle distance runners come prepared to run outside each practice. The team will move to the track facility when weather conditions permits. For further information, contact Pat Carty at cartyb@hotmail.com or Stacey McLean (team registrar) at slmclean22@gmail.com

Buhle Dlamini Speaks to Mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

IB Students Attend Workshops On Friday, February 26, the IB Géographie class attended four workshops at the Bedford Institute of Oceanography where they learned about sea level, living coastlines, measures being taken to protect marine areas, and they also examined a variety of invasive species!