WEBBER ACADEMY October 2011.pdf · 2011-11-01 · 22 Webber Academy E-News October 2011 E-News...

E-News October 2011

WEBBER ACADEMY

Dr. Neil Webber and Mr. Grant Boyko stand in front of the Performing Arts Centre construction site.

2Webber Academy E-News October 20112

E-News October 2011

About Webber Academy

Our School Mission is to prepare students to

thrive in university and beyond. This mission will

be accomplished by creating an environment of

high expectations of achievement, behaviour and

service.

Our society needs citizens with strong moral and

ethical values, who believe in the responsibilities

of citizenship and service to others. At Webber

Academy, we will actively encourage the growth

and development of these traditional values in

our students. Participation in, and enjoyment of

school life, will prepare our students for respon-

sible involvement in their communities and our

society as a whole.

Webber Academy was incorporated in 1997 as a

non-profit company with a mandate to be a high

quality, non-denominational, co-educational,

university preparatory, accredited private school.

Subsequently, Revenue Canada recognized

Webber Academy as a charitable organization.

The school is located in southwest Calgary in a

beautiful setting overlooking the foothills and

mountains to the west. The facilities consist of a

Kindercentre for four and five year old students,

a main campus building with two large gymnasi-

ums for Grades One to Twelve, a 400-meter run-

ning track, soccer field, and cross country trails

through the aspens.

Managing Editors:

Morgan Haigler&

Lorne Webber

Contributors:

Grant Boyko, Mariaan Camp, Joël Chalifoux, Christina Clouston, Patricia Conway,

Deborah Ferguson, Patricia Fullerton, Audrey Hughes, Janice Lacroix, Geoffrey Milnes, Kasia Noworyta-Fridman, Sandra Valchi,

María Vásquez, Barbara Webber

Contact Information

Email:

Lorne Webber Head of Advancement & Communications

[email protected]

Morgan HaiglerCommunications [email protected]

WEBBER ACADEMY1515- 93rd Street S.W.

Calgary, Alberta T3H 4A8

Tel: (403) 277-4700Fax: (403) 277-2770

Website: www.webberacademy.ca

Cover:

Dr. Neil Webber and Mr. Grant Boyko at the construction site of the Performing Arts Centre.

3Webber Academy E-News October 2011 3

Table of Contents

IN THIS ISSUEPg 04 Message from Head of Senior School

Pg 06 Performing Arts Centre Update

Pg 07 Cuts Club

Pg 08 The Importance of Being Earnest

Pg 10 Welcome Back BBQ Deemed A Hit

Pg 12 ¿Qué pasa?

Pg 19 Winner of Scarecrow Contest Announced

Pg 22 News from the Art Department

Pg 24 Thomas Campbell’s Visit

Pg 26 Terry Fox Run

Pg 30 Sports Update

Pg 32 Senior High Cross-country Championships

Pg 36 Run for the Cure

Pg 38 Message from Vice President

Pg 40 Halloween 2011

Cover StoryThe much anticipated Performing Arts Centre will

be a great addition to Webber Academy as it continues to thrive and grow as a university

preparatory school. (See full story on page 6).

Webber Academy’s Performing Arts Centre is taking

shape. Students and staff are excited for its completion.

Brennan Undseth places first in the cross-country zones

championship at Canada Olympic Park.

High School students prepare for the upcoming show,

“The Importance of Being Earnest”.

4 Webber Academy E-News October 2011

Message from Head of Senior School

We have had a great

start to the year in the Senior

School. It has been incred-

ibly busy. The students have

already demonstrated their

strong commitment to high

achievement in their classes

and a dedication to their many

extracurricular activities. I am

continuing to enjoy my first few

months at Webber Academy and I am finding it a pleasure

to work in a school where parents and teachers work so

well together. This consistent approach and good com-

munication between home and school helps to ensure

students are well supported and encouraged so they can

achieve at the highest levels.

Welcome Back Camps

Both the Junior High and Grade Ten Orientation Camps

last month were an outstanding success. Helped by the

good weather, the staff and students had an enjoyable

time, succeeding in the many challenging activities whilst

building new friendships and learning the importance of

teamwork. I had the pleasure of accompanying Grade

Nine students to Camp Horizon and was so impressed

with the camaraderie and community spirit that I wit-

nessed. I know the staff chaperoning the other trips were

equally impressed by the students. I would like to thank

Ms. Shannon Muir for organizing the Junior High camps

and Ms. Tara Patrick for organizing the Grade Ten camp.

Without their help these camps would not have been such

a resounding success.

Students of the Month

The focus on “strengthening community” and “building

relationships” has continued to be a theme for us for the

start of the school year. We have had our first ‘Student of

the Month’ Junior High assembly. The successful students

were excellent role models. Their hard work and service

to the whole school community earned them their well

deserved titles for September.

Senior Students Leading the Way

Grade Twelve students have not only been very busy start-

ing on their 30-level courses but also volunteered their

time to assist with the running of the Welcome Back BBQ

and have begun the Legacy Project. Students from the

Phys Ed-30 class also organized another highly success-

ful Terry Fox Run. I would like to thank all Grade Twelve

students for their hard work and Community commitment

whilst studying for their Diploma courses.

Christina Clouston

Grade Twelve students volunteered at the

2011 Welcome Back BBQ.


Message from Head of Senior SchoolContinued

Student Councils

Voting has also been completed for the remaining posi-

tions on the Senior High Student Council and for the

Junior High Student Council. Congratulations to all the

new members on both Student Councils. I would like to

thank them for the time they volunteer and the leadership

they demonstrate. They will play a very important role

this coming year as representatives for the Senior School

student body.

Theatre Trips

Grade Twelve students also have been on their first

Theatre trip of the year. The Tosca Café production at

Theatre Calgary was a great experience for them, which

I know they thoroughly enjoyed. The English department

has an exciting programme of theatre trips planned for all

Senior School students this year. Before the Winter break,

Grades Eight and Nine will be going to see “To Kill a

Mockingbird” in November and Grade Seven students this

December will be attending “A Christmas Carol”.

University Presentations in Full-Swing

A few weeks ago (October 4th) you received an email from

our counselling team about all the university recruiters

coming to speak to our Senior High students this fall. We

ask you to encourage your son or daughter to attend as

many of these as possible. Even if she or he has a list of

universities in mind to attend, it would be beneficial to

learn what other universities offer in terms of programmes,

facilities and scholarships. This information can then be

used to ask pertinent questions of the universities she or

he wants to attend in order to find the best fit. And who

knows – one of these universities might, in fact, be the

perfect fit!

Please note, since sending this information to you, McGill

University has also agreed to come and speak exclusively

to our students. Their recruiter will be here Wednesday,

November 9th from 3:40 pm to 4:30 pm in Room 205

(Ms. Hayward’s classroom).

Report cards will be issued on December 9th. We wish all

students well for the remainder of this term.

Christina Clouston

Head of Senior School

6 Webber Academy E-news October 2011

Performing Arts Centre Update

Grant Boyko

For the fourth year in a row

Webber Academy has been

recognized with the top Cal-

gary Herald Reader’s Choice

award, receiving the Gold

award in the Private/Charter

School category. This award is

unique in that it is bestowed

upon us by Calgary Herald

readers, based on their impres-

sions of our school and the role we play in the commu-

nity. That impression is about to get even better as we get

ready to open the new Performing Arts Centre.

At the time of this writing, work at the Centre was nearly

70% complete. The majority of the structural and exterior

work is finished, and crews are now focusing their efforts

on the interior finishes. We truly are in the final stretch of

the project. Over the next few months we will be seeing

the installation of the audio-video components, theatrical

lighting systems, stage flooring, acoustical panels, cur-

tains, and seats in the main theatre. The music and drama

classrooms will begin to transform into top-notch teach-

ing and rehearsal spaces. Details in the lobby, box office,

washrooms, dressing rooms, and multipurpose space will

fall into place. It’s a very exciting moment in the project

for sure.

With the structural work on the theatre’s lower bowl and

balconies now completed, I have had the chance to check

the sightlines and am pleased to report that there is not

going to be a bad seat in the house. The 501-seat theatre

has a very intimate feel to it, and is going to be an out-

standing venue for our students and parents to enjoy our

concerts, dramas, guest speakers and other special events.

It will also undoubtedly attract usage outside of our school

events, as performance spaces of this size and caliber

are currently in high demand in Calgary. Simply put, this

centre is going to host some remarkable shows in the very

near future.

The Reader’s Choice award confirms that Webber Acade-

my is on top of its game in the opinion of Calgarians – for

four years running. The new Performing Arts Centre will

only enhance that opinion. After all of our successes, is

there anything left for an encore? Oh, that’s right. I haven’t

even mentioned the new Science Centre.

Grant Boyko

Theatre Manager and Advancement Assistant

Construction workers will focus on the Interior of the Perform-

ing Arts Centre as we enter the final stages of development.


Cuts Club Has Red Carpet Moment

Nicholas Hall and Andrei Gavrilov make it to Calgary International Film Festival

The excitement was

palpable when Cuts Club

members Nicholas Hall and

Andrei Gavrilov had their

movie featured in the Calgary

International Film Festival for

2011. The boys entered the

Youth By Youth Video

Competition last year as

part of their commitment

to JH Cuts Club. Their movie,

“Epic Car Race”, featured a stop motion technique shot in

the school with scripted voice-overs created by Nicholas

and Andrei. The movie was screened on September 25th

at the Globe Theatre as part of the Youth By Youth Video

Competition series for adjudication. Dedicated Cuts mem-

bers and friends, the Hall and Gavrilov families, grandpar-

ents of Nicholas and Andrei, Ms. Deborah Ferguson, and

myself were on hand to see the boys walk the red carpet.

The film-makers received applause from the crowd and

were photographed by a mob of cameras which is typical

of red carpet events.

Andrei, who said the project took five months to com-

plete, was ecstatic to receive the news from Nick who ran

up to him in Webber Academy’s hallway.

“I got really excited that our movie got in,” said Andrei.

“That’s the first time at Webber Academy that’s happened

and it was just an incredible experience.”

Being screened at the CIFF YYC festival is a fantastic

achievement. The fierce competition was with high school

students from across Canada as well as from other coun-

Patricia Conway

tries. During our JH monthly assembly, Nicholas and

Andrei were presented with special recognition awards for

being honoured by CIFF.

“I think the best part about making the film is the expe-

rience especially when it premiers on the big screen,

getting to know different people and getting to know the

community,” said Nicholas, whose interest in film began

after experimenting with his camera and various filming

software at home.

Congratulations to these wonderful film makers! We

are very proud of their achievement in such a prestigious

international competition. Thanks to the Calgary

International Film Festival for continuing to develop

young talent, giving Cuts members an audience for their

creative endeavours.

Patricia Conway

JH English & Drama

Andrei Gavrilov and Nicholas Hall at the

Calgary International Film Festival.


The Importance of Being Earnest

Senior School Drama Production

“The name ‘Earnest’ is

a divine name. It produces

vibrations. I could only ever

love a man called ‘Earnest,’”

says Gwendolyn. Who is

this “Earnest” character, and if

there is an Earnest character,

will he actually be allowed

to marry Gwendolyn? Who

was lost in a handbag? Why

is the inscription in the

cigarette case addressed to Uncle Jack from Cecily? Can

Algernon escape dinner with Aunt Augusta to go Bunbury-

ing and find out who Cecily is? Will Dr. Chasuble marry

Miss Prism? The answers to these questions can be found

in our first production of this year.

The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

November 22nd & 24th 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

$5 for students, $10 for adults

Webber Academy Senior High Drama presents one of the

most witty and clever verbal comedies in English lit-

erature, “The Importance of Being Earnest”. Written by

Oscar Wilde in 1895, it broke Victorian conventions,

commented upon class structures and entertained audi-

ences. It has been amusing audiences every since and has

become a classic. With a little romance, a little mystery,

and a great deal of verbal witticism, Wilde’s play is not to

be missed. It is a comedy for all.

More often performed at acting schools, this play features

our senior actors in their most challenging performance

yet. It stars Curtis Leung, Kristian Jackson, Melanie Dem-

etrick, Pamela Austin, Stephanie Symonds, Deji Oluwa-

dairo and Sonya Bharadwa with appearances from our

talented Grade Ten actors Aaron Ting, Stephanie Brazzell,

and Anastacia Cherniak-Kennedy.

We have found most of the Victorian items we need for

this three act play, but we could use a few china teacups

and a crystal-looking sherry decanter. If you can donate

any of these items, we would be most delighted.

Deborah Ferguson

JH/SH Drama

The main cast from “The Importance of Being Earnest”—

Curtis Leung (Mr. Jack Worthing), Melanie Demetrick

(The Honourable Gwendolen Fairfax)), Kristian Jackson (Mr.

Algernon Moncrieff) and Stephanie Symonds (Lady Bracknell)

Deborah Ferguson

9Webber Academy E-news October 2011

Extra Curricular Excellence

Featuring Gifted Actor Curtis Leung

Curtis Leung shows his affections to

The Honourable Gwendolen Fairfax.

Looking back at his earlier years, Curtis Leung would

not have guessed he would be cast as the protagonist in

Oscar Wilde’s play, The Importance of Being Earnest.

In Junior High, Curtis began to take an interest in Drama,

mainly through his use of technical theatre equipment.

Ms. Deborah Ferguson says that Curtis has always been

gifted in the area of design, which he demonstrated in

“Bye Bye Birdie” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. His

first stage appearance was as a chorus member in Anti-

gone Now for which he also designed costumes.

Curtis says the news that he had been chosen to attend

the Artstrek summer theatre programme through the

scholarship he earned came as a complete surprise.

Initially, he applied thinking it would be an interesting

opportunity, but he soon found out that he had won a

chance of a lifetime.

“That was a very educational and fun experience in itself,

but what made it most enjoyable was the community that

was created almost instantly as soon as you got [to Red

Deer],” said Curtis. “I didn’t know a single person at all

when I got there. Within the first hour and a half I had

already made 15 new friends.”

Not only is Artstrek considered a fairly competitive sum-

mer theatre programme; it has given students the ability

to explore various elements of theatre. Such elements

include acting, voice, directing, movement, sound/music,

design, creation and integration with Alberta’s top theatre

professionals.

“Before I went to Artstrek, I had a very vague idea about

what acting was,” said Curtis. “Before I just thought it was

about memorizing lines and being able to play the char-

acter as accurately as it should be seen. But when I was

at Artstrek I learned all the techniques you would use to

create a character.”

Curtis is now applying what he’s learned at Artstrek to his

first leading role as Jack Worthing, a seemingly responsi-

ble and respectable young landowner and Justice of Peace

in Hertfordshire who happens to be living a double life.

The play, “The Importance of Being Earnest”, is scheduled

for November 22nd and November 24th on the third floor

of Webber Academy.

For parents who are interested in having their teenager at-

tend the Artstrek programme, please contact

Ms. Deborah Ferguson, our Junior and Senior Drama

instructor, at [email protected].

Morgan Haigler

Communications Coordinator

Junior High’s Student Council Members Announced


Welcome Back Barbeque Deemed a Big Hit

In celebration of the new

school year, Webber Academy

hosted a big Welcome Back

BBQ bash for its students,

parents and staff. The event,

which attracted over 900

guests, included inflatable

games such as the Velcro wall

and bungee run, a dunk tank

and t-shirt sale to raise money

for the Terry Fox Run, a horse drawn wagon ride, petting

zoo, and live music performed by Brooke Wylie and The

Coyotes.

For added variety, there were also three different food ven-

dors available to serve meals, beverages and dessert. Albi

Homes, our main food provider, served mouthwatering

hamburgers. The Perogy Boyz, who specialize in gourmet

Eastern European-inspired street food, served traditional

cottage cheese, potato, and gourmet perogies. Guests also

had the opportunity to purchase bags of cowboy kettle

popcorn and various flavours of cotton candy through the

Sugar Creek Kettle Corn Company.

Mrs. Thuy Le Luong and her team of expert chefs also

catered to the event by preparing large portions of salad,

veggie burgers on gluten free buns, pork-free chicken

sausage, fruit, juice and cookies.

As a tradition, a number of staff members participated in

the annual chili cookoff. Their teams served large batches

of chili to people who wanted to sample their one-of-a-

kind recipes. The “Smurfs Chili” team, which included

Mr. Daniel Mondaca, Mr. Martin Sprau and

Mr. Geoffrey Milnes, won a trophy for creating the best

tasting chili and dressing up in character. In second place

were the “Wicked Wahines” who created a fabulous chili

with accents of pineapple.

Pam Austin, Webber Academy’s student council president,

emceed with Grade Twelve student Marco Reid

throughout the entire evening. They expressed gratitude

to everyone who was involved in this year’s event—from

the high school students who generously volunteered their

time to set up, clean, manage line ups, and tear down

staging to Dr. Neil Webber for making the start of each

school year memorable and fun.

Morgan Haigler


Every year Webber Academy welcomes hundreds of

people to its Welcome Back BBQ.

Morgan Haigler


Junior High’s Student Council Members Announced

Shannon Tomney Bernie Dowhan

Congratulations to our new Junior High Student

Council Executive Committee:

President: Nicholas Jung

Vice President- Affairs: Robyn Welsh

Vice President – Events: Andrei Gavrilov

Treasurer: Joycelyn Ho

Director of Communications: Tessa Wong

Secretary: Helena Cherniak-Kennedy

We are looking forward to a fantastic year!

Mrs. Shannon Tomney, JH Geography/History/CALM

Mr. Bernie Dowhan, JH Geography/History

Webber Academy’s new Junior High Student Council Committee. From left to right: Helena Cherniak-Kennedy,

Andrei Gavrilov, Nicholas Jung, Tessa Wong, Robyn Welsh and Joycelyn Ho.


¿Qué pasa?

News from the Spanish Department

Kasia Noworyta-Fridman Sandra Valchi

Below the Surface

As some of you may remember, last year, our students

produced the first issue of the Webber Academy Spanish

magazine “¿Qué pasa?” Among the news from our school,

the community and the world, was an article written by

Foster Modesette about the rescue of the Chilean miners

in August 2010. We shared the magazine with several

embassies of Spanish-speaking countries. The Ambassador

of Chile in Canada, Roberto Ibarra, sent a special letter

expressing his appreciation for including news from his

country in our magazine. On September 21st, we had the

privilege of welcoming to Webber Academy two of the

miners, Mr. Omar Reygadas and Mr. Franklin Lobos. Even

though the miners rarely speak about their traumatic expe-

rience, our special guests agreed to answer questions from

our students. During an assembly attended by students in

Grades Four to Twelve, several students asked thoughtful

questions and we all heard the genuine message about

what really matters in life. When they were asked to give

advice to the students, Mr. Reygadas said: “…respect your

teachers, respect each other,

and always be ready to

support any person around

you who may need it. It is

also very important to have

good communication with

your family”. Then, Mr. Lobos

added: “study, study, get a

degree, because this is the

only way to get a standard of

life very different from ours”.

The Spanish department would like to thank the following

students who performed admirably as bilingual Masters of

Ceremonies and question readers: Brennan Undseth,

Lauren Fridman, Anastacia Cherniak-Kennedy, Alexis

Filyk, Foster Modesette, Gracie Longdo, Mackenzie

Symons, Garrett Toews, Daniel Mondaca, Kenzie

Bulkowski-Rose, Sofía Cañizales and Alinga Jiang.

María Vásquez

From left to right: Mr. Franklin Lobos, Foster Modessette

and Omar Reygadas.



Continued

Bajo tierra

Como algunos de ustedes recordarán, el año pasado

nuestros estudiantes realizaron el primer número de la

revista en español de Webber Academy “¿Qué pasa?”

Entre las noticias sobre nuestra escuela, la comunidad y

el mundo, había un artículo escrito por Foster Modesette

sobre el rescate de los mineros chilenos sucedido en

agosto de 2010. Después de compartir la revista con

varias embajadas de países de habla hispana, recibimos

una carta del Embajador de Chile en Canadá Roberto

Ibarra, agradeciendo el haber incluído noticias de su país

en nuestra revista. El 21 de septiembre tuvimos el

privilegio de recibir en Webber Academy a dos de los

mineros: el Sr. Omar Reygadas y el Sr. Franklin Lobos. A

pesar de que los mineros rara vez hablan sobre su ex-

periencia tan traumática, nuestros invitados especiales

aceptaron responder a las preguntas de los estudiantes.

A la asamblea asistieron estudiantes de grados cuatro a

doce, varios de ellos formularon preguntas profundas y to-

dos recibimos el mensaje auténtico de lo que es realmente

importante en la vida. Cuando se les pidió dar

un consejo a los estudiantes, el Sr. Reygadas dijo: “…

respeten a sus maestros, respétense entre ustedes y

siempre estén dispuestos a apoyar a quien lo necesite.

También es importante tener una buena comunicación

con sus familias”. Luego, el Sr. Lobos agregó: “…

estudien, estudien, obtengan un título porque esa es la

única manera de tener un estándar de vida muy diferente

al nuestro”.

El Departamento de Español desea agradecer a los si-

guientes estudiantes quienes realizaron un trabajo ad-

mirable como maestros de ceremonia y entrevistadores

bilingües: Brennan Undseth, Lauren Fridman, Anastacia

Cherniak-Kennedy, Alexis Filyk, Foster Modesette, Gracie

Longdo, Mackenzie Symons, Garrett Toews,

Daniel Mondaca, Kenzie Bulkowski-Rose, Sofía Cañizales

y Alinga Jiang.

Costa Rica Trip

We are busy

preparing for

this year’s Span-

ish immersion

trip. Twenty- five

students and three

chaperones will

travel to Costa Rica before spring break. Students will

experience the culture first hand,

living with local families, attending a language school and

visiting many fascinating places with Spanish-speaking

guides. Meetings with the trip participants will begin soon.

Students will learn useful travel vocabulary, emergency

procedures and emergency vocabulary, we will discuss

Mr. Lobos and Mr. Reygadas greet Webber Academy students

and staff with welcoming smiles and friendly handshakes.



Continued


Continued

cultural topics and travel, and the participants will get to

know each other a little better before the trip even begins.

Before we know it, it will be time to pack!

Viaje a Costa Rica

Estamos ocupadas preparando el viaje de inmersión de

este año. Veinticinco estudiantes y tres acompañantes

viajarán a Costa Rica antes de que comiencen las

vacaciones de primavera. Los estudiantes experimentarán

la cultura en persona, vivirán con familias locales, asistirán

a una escuela de español y visitarán varios lugares

fascinantes con guías hispanoparlantes. Pronto

comenzarán las reuniones con los participantes. Los

estudiantes aprenderán todo el vocabulario relacionado

con el viaje mismo, procedimientos de emergencia,

hablaremos sobre temas culturales y además, los

participantes tendrán la posibilidad de conocerse un poco

mejor antes de viajar. ¡Cuando nos querramos dar cuenta,

ya será el momento de empacar!

Our classes

In the meantime, regular classes continue. After a review

period, students are now studying new material, working

on all language skills (reading, writing, listening, speaking

and cultural awareness). At the Junior High levels,

topics of study include family, school, travel, interests and

hobbies; some classes have begun reading small mystery

novels (Detective Lola Lago, Lunas Uno en la Patagonia).

Senior High more advanced students are covering

topics of environmental protection, world news and

health, and some sections are reading Harry Potter in

Spanish. During the health and well-being unit, yoga ses-

sions in Spanish have been a hit! As well, both Junior and

Senior High students have begun their research for the

articles of the second issue of Webber Academy’s Spanish

magazine “¿Qué pasa?”

One of the upcoming cultural topics studied in many

classes is the Day of the Dead. On November 1st and 2nd,

this special holiday (Día de los muertos) is celebrated

mostly in Mexico and Mesoamerican cultures. Other

Latin-American cultures only celebrate All Saints Day on

November 1st. The origins of the Day of the Dead

celebration have been traced to pre-Columbian

civilizations (for example, the Zapotecs and Mixtecs in

the Valley of Oaxaca, the Mayans in the Yucatan and

Guatemala, as well as the Aztecs in the Valley of Mexico

with their festival dedicated to a goddess called Mict-

ecacihuatl). Traditions of that special ceremony include

building private altars honouring the deceased using sugar

skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of

the departed, and visiting graves with these as gifts. Dur-

ing culture units, our goal is to help our students develop

appreciation for other cultures and their history, customs



Continued

and celebrations, as well as different philosophies of life.

We look forward to exploring this topic with our students.

Nuestras clases

Mientras tanto, continuamos con nuestras clases

normales. Después del período de repaso, los estudiantes

están trabajando con el material nuevo en todas las

destrezas (comprensión y expresión oral y escrita y

cultura). En Junior High se incluyen temas como la familia,

la escuela, los intereses y los pasatiempos; algunas clases

han comenzado a leer historias de misterio cortas (“Lola

Lago detective”, Lunas Uno en la Patagonia). Con los

estudiantes más avanzados de Senior High se cubren

temas como la protección del medio ambiente, noticias

del mundo y la salud. Algunos cursos están leyendo los

libros de Harry Potter en español. Las clases de yoga en

español durante la unidad de Salud y Bienestar han tenido

un éxito rotundo. También, los estudiantes de Junior y

Senior High ya comenzaron con sus trabajo de

investigación para sus artículos del segundo número de

“¿Qué pasa?”, la revista en español de Webber Academy.

Uno de los próximos aspectos culturales que se estudiarán

en algunas clases es el “Día de los muertos”, el cual es

celebrado principalmente en México y demás culturas de

Mesoamérica los días 1ro y 2 de noviembre. Otras

culturas latinoamericanas sólo celebran el “Día de todos

los Santos” el 1ro de noviembre. Los orígenes del “Día de

los muertos” se remonta a las civilizaciones precolomb

inas (por ejemplo: Zapotecas y Mixtecas en el Valle de

Oaxaca, los mayas en Yucatán y Guatemala, y también los

Aztecas con su festival dedicado a la diosa

Mictecacihuatl). Dentro de las tradiciones de esa

celebración especial se incluye la construcción de altares

privados en honor a los muertos con calaveras de

azúcar, caléndulas y la comida y las bebidas favoritas

de los difuntos para llevar de regalo a sus tumbas. El

objetivo de las unidades de cultura es el de ayudar a los

estudiantes a comprender otras culturas, su historia, sus

tradiciones y celebraciones, así como también, distintas

filosofías de vida.

Señora Kasia Noworyta-Fridman, JH/SH Spanish

Señora Sandra Valchi, Elementary/JH/SH Spanish

Señora Maria Vásquez, Elementary/JH Spanish

Mexico’s Day of the Dead.


Chilean Survivors Visit Webber AcademyFeaturing special guest speakers Franklin Lobos and Omar Reygadas

Mr. Franklin Lobos and Mr. Omar Reygadas stand with Mrs. Kasia Noworyta-Fridman, Mrs. Sandra Valchi,

Mrs. Jemmie Silver, Mrs. Barbara Webber and Dr. Neil Webber.

Mrs. Valchi and Mrs. Noworyta-Fridman lead our guests into

Webber Academy’s High School Gymnasium.

Dr. Webber greets both Chilean miners before making a

formal address on stage.


Chilean Survivors Visit Webber AcademyContinued

Odd Fellows and Rebekahs’ Award Winner

CTV reporter Sue French interviews Foster Modesette about

the essay he wrote in the magazine ‘¿Qué pasa?’.

Students and staff applaud Mr. Lobos and Mr. Reygadas for

sharing their courageous story with others.

Both men take turns answering questions about the time they

spent trapped in the copper mine in San Jose.

Brennan Undseth and Lauren Fridman,

bilingual Masters of Ceremonies.


Home Sweet Homeby Foster Modesette


Winner of Scarecrow Building Contest Announced

Last month, Webber Acad-

emy Elementary held its Fifth

Annual Scarecrow Building

Contest as a fun and fantastic

way to celebrate Autumn and

our special Welcome Back

Barbecue, held on Thursday,

September 22, 2011!

Each homeroom was respon-

sible for designing and creat-

ing their own fabulous scarecrow, and completed scare-

crows were placed on display outside each classroom by

the end of the day Wednesday, September 21, 2011 in

order to qualify for judging. Teachers generated ideas with

their students to create something spectacular - and boy,

were the creative juices flowing! Judges saw everything

from an Inuksuk scarecrow to a Michael Jackson scare-

crow to a Smurf scarecrow! It was wonderful to see the

team spirit and imagination that went into constructing

these creations!

After several walkabouts and much consideration,

the judges were pleased to award top prize to

Mrs. Christina O’Neill’s Senior Kindergarten class.

Their beautiful display of scarecrow and little birds on a

telephone wire really captured the essence of autumn —

it was simply lovely!

Congratulations to our winners - and to all of the elemen-

tary students and teachers who put so much effort into this

fun challenge!

Janice Lacroix, Head of Elementary

Janice Lacroix

Mrs. Christina O’Neill’s Kindergarten class wins the 2011

Scarecrow Building Contest for their creativity and eye-catch-


Fifth Annual Scarecrow Building Contest

Ms. Jennifer Harriman’s “Thing 1 and Thing 2 (and Fish too)”

(Grade Six).

Ms. Samantha Zanini’s “Gabrielle the Gingerbread Woman”

(Grade Six)

Mrs. Jennifer Leong’s “The Cornfield Giant Crow” (Grade Six).


Fifth Annual Scarecrow Building Contest

Continued

Ms. Chloë Koshman’s “Medusa and Friends” (Grade Four).

Mrs. Valerie Ellard’s “100 Acre Woods” (Grade Five).

Mr. Martin Sprau’s “The Spider“ (Grade Four).Ms. Sunanda Kerr’s “Very Hungry Caterpillar” (Kindergarten).


News From the Art Department

Patricia Fullerton Jean Montgomery

Welcome to Junior High and Senior High Art!

This year has started with a bang and it is always exciting

to meet our new Grade Seven students.

Grade Seven students come to Art class twice in a six day

cycle and during September they worked enthusiastically

on their “name circle”. I love this project as this is a great

way to remember the names of 60 new students. In class

the students discussed rotational symmetry, complemen-

tary and hot and cold colours and how to apply colour to

their work.

“Self portraits” is the current theme for Grade Seven and

the students learn how to draw a portrait and also discuss

portrait artists like Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.

Grade Seven student Adam Gee won the draw “Who is

the artist?” Well done, Adam!

In September, “Value” was the theme for Grade Eight class

work and they applied value in pencil to create fabulous

designs. The students are currently printing portraits in the

style of the famous 1960’s Pop Artist Andy Warhol. What

an enthusiastic and fun class!

I always start the Grade Nine class with a challenging

observational drawing and some wonderful artwork was

created. There are many skilled artists in Grade Nine and

they are currently creating 3D footwear in tape and deco-

rating them using inspiration from their choice of twenti-

eth century artist.

High School art classes are well underway and drawing

shiny objects was the focus for the student’s first project.

The students are currently working on portraits.

Well done to all our art students!

Patricia Fullerton, JH/SH Art

Jean Montgomery, Elementary/JH Art

Zahra Asghari,

Grade Eleven


Junior and Senior High Art

3-D Paper Mâché piece, inspired by artist and social activist

Keith Haring, Grade Eight

Linoleum printing by Kieran Metcalf, Grade Nine

Katherine Puerta Lombardi, Grade Eleven

Linoleum painting, Jade Lissell, Grade Eight

Sang Hyun Park, Grade Seven


Former NASA Physicist Lectures at Webber Academy

Dr. Thomas Campbell describes his brilliant trilogy “My Big Theory of Everything”

On Friday, September

23rd, Dr. Thomas Camp-

bell, a successful nuclear

physicist, visited Webber

Academy to discuss his

complex trilogy, “My Big

TOE”, with high schoolers,

teachers, parents and staff.

Students from both Web-

ber Academy and Western

Canada High School lis-

tened to discussions he led

about the fundamentals of reality, the Double Slit Experi-

ment, and other topics related to human consciousness.

Afterwards, all attendees had the opportunity to have one

of Dr. Campbell’s books or DVDs called “Consciousness:

The Endless Frontier” autographed.

Dr. Campbell is best known for his expert knowledge on

human consciousness, large-system simulations, technol-

ogy development and integration, complex system vulner-

ability and risk analysis. His career has focused on US

missile defense systems, including his work with NASA.

Additionally, he has delivered keynote presentations

about his book at The Monroe Institute’s 22nd Professional

Seminar in 2010 and the London College of Spirituality in

2008.

His book, which stands for the big “Theory of Everything”,

is derived from his own experiences with altered states of

consciousness and explains how the entirety of human

experience—mind, body and spirit —work in conjunction

with philosophy, physics and metaphysics. It also offers

readers an opportunity to ask big questions about the na-

Dr. Thomas Campbell

ture of the soul, artificial intelligence, free will and other

scientific concepts. By following Dr. Campbell’s interest-

ing paradigms, readers can gain an appreciation for their

innate capabilities that stretch far beyond the limitations of

the physical universe. For more information regarding

Dr. Campbell’s book, please visit www.my-big-toe.com.

Morgan Haigler


Webber Academy sold copies of Dr. Campbell’s trilogy “My Big

TOE: Awakening, Discovery and Inner Workings”.

Dr. Campbell has become internationally recognized for his

lectures about human consciousness and the world of science.


Dr. Thomas Campbell’s Visit

Guests also had access to Dr. Campbell’s keynote address at

The Monroe Institute’s seminar.

Dr. Campbell explains some of his deep, scientific

revelations in “My Big TOE”.

Guests listen attentively to Dr. Campbell’s presentation on the

third floor of Webber Academy.


Where Inspiration Takes Us

Every year at Webber Academy we are granted a truly

inspirational start to our school year. If it is not enough

to be reunited with friends, teachers, colleagues and

peers, we get spun into a state of awe with events like the

Welcome Back Barbeque, life gripping presentations from

survivors of the Chilean mine collapse and thought pro-

voking sessions led by a world renowned physicist. All

of the things that enable us to celebrate, reflect and focus

our goals come to fruition thanks to the passion of truly

remarkable individuals who prefer to remain behind the

scenes, unnoticed, but I assure you not underappreciated.

The Terry Fox Run at Webber Academy has become a

special part of our September wonder that is embraced

and respected by every individual within our community.

Behind the scenes of this year’s event were a group of 14

Grade Twelve students trying to identify, express and en-

hance their leadership skills. What started off as a motiva-

tional, goal setting class quickly became a project of unity,

passion and caring. The final result was nothing less than

what we have come to expect from Webber Academy

students— excellence!

Joël Chalifoux

The morning was cool and dark on September 23rd at

6:00 am as a group of High School students assembled to

set up for our annual Terry Fox Run. At 9:00 am the Junior

and Senior School, led by Grade Twelve students, James

Kim and Stephanie Symonds united in the singing of

“O Canada”. Next, the audience was graced by a won-

derful rendition of “Running against the Wind”, performed

by Mr. Boyko and Ms. Patrick. After the song, guest speak-

ers, Christa Harriman and Stan Peakes delivered a power-

ful and emotional speech that captivated the entire crowd.

Christa’s husband and Stan’s best friend Tim passed away

from the same cancer that took Terry’s life. After the open-

ing ceremonies, the run kicked off and we said good luck

to the 10km runners as they departed on their journey.

The remaining participants ran on the track or enjoyed a

sunny morning on our trails. As over 300 people partici-

pated in the event, it was apparent that everyone involved

felt a true sense of inspiration.

Our Elementary students provided the most amazing

atmosphere for the morning. As always, their heartfelt

smiles and desire to be involved only enhanced the expe-

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s

thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to be-

come. Everything else is secondary.”

Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Address


Where Inspiration Takes Us

Continued

rience for the organizing group. Not lost in their energy

was the message of why we continue to take part in such

a worthy cause like the Terry Fox Run. For us, this event

has taken on a much deeper purpose. A unique sense of

inspiration was provided as we remembered deceased

Webber Academy community members, Lael Black,

Nicolle Zaslavsky and Heather Webber. Their infectious

smiles, joyful personalities and numerous other positive

attributes were reflected on many of the Hope, Fight, Be-

lieve shirts being worn but more importantly in the eyes of

every individual participating that special day.

As the P.E. 30 students quickly learned, inspiration during

this significant event came from many sources. The posi-

tive comments from teachers, students and parents provid-

ed continuous motivation. The many bulletin boards that

lined the halls in our school served as a constant reminder

of our goal. The work and support of the individuals

behind the scenes, such as our administration, office staff

and maintenance department truly helped to make the

event a success. The memorable hugs and handshakes

shared between so many were truly uplifting. Finally, the

generous donations we’ve received have been a constant

reminder of the amazing people who enhance this already

wonderful community.

However, ultimate inspiration still comes from a young

man who refused to quit fighting and refused to stay in

the shadows of his disease. It was because of his will and

determination that we continue to do what we do!

“I’m not a dreamer, and I’m not saying this will initiate any

kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer, but I believe in

miracles. I have to.” -Terry Fox

Joël Chalifoux, Director of Athletics

Terry Fox on The Marathon of Hope


2011 Terry Fox Run

Mr. Joël Chalifoux emphasizes the importance of valuing

family, friends and the life you are given.

Webber Academy students eager to participate in the run.

Division II students cheer at the 2011 Terry Fox Run.

Students run to raise funds for cancer research.


Hope, Fight, Believe

Two Elementary students get into the team spirit by chanting

‘For Terry!’

Mrs. Heather Doetzel, PAC Chair, takes pleasure in doing face

paints for Webber Academy’s Elementary students.

Dr. Rory Mills, Mrs. Christina Clouston, Mrs. Jennifer Parker

and Mrs. Diane Lever participate in the 2011 Terry Fox Run.

Keynote speakers Christa Harriman and Stan Peakes open up

about the people they lost to cancer.

Mr. Grant Boyko and Ms. Tara Patrick sing and play a duet

called “Against the Wind” by Bob Seger.


Sports Update

We have just begun the

school year and already Web-

ber Academy athletes have

experienced many terrific

successes. The Junior High

Golf team was coached by

Ms. Jodie Switzer. They just

completed the season, with

the championship tourna-

ment at Fox Hollow Golf

Course. Congratulations go

to Janai Puckett who took home the gold for the top scorer

amongst the Grade Seven females. Our Grade Nine boys’

team comprised of student athletes, Elliott Zacher, Camer-

on Nicholas and Andrei Gavrilov also brought us another

championship as they captured gold in their category.

Elliot Zacher received a bronze medal for his individual

score.

The Senior High golf team was also coached by

Ms. Switzer. They also wrapped up their season with an

eventful tournament at the Inglewood Golf Course. We

had a young team this year and we are looking forward to

their continued progress throughout Senior High.

Our Senior High cross country running team continued

its high calibre performance begun last year. Entering the

league as the defending champions had expectations set

high. With many talented runners entering Grade Ten,

coaches Geoffrey Milnes and Kasia Noworyta-Fridman

knew this year would hold something special and they

were right. This year, the varsity cross country running

team captured their second straight C.I.S.A.A. champi-

onship title. The team dominated the league races and

won the championship by more than 100 points. Top

runners, Emily Lowe, Brennan Undseth and Lauren

Fridman advanced to the Provincial Cross Country Run-

ning Championships in Cypress Park, Alberta after their

breathtaking performances at the Calgary city champion-

ships. Emily placed 7th overall while Lauren placed 18th.

Brennan Undseth stole the show capturing 1st place and

establishing himself as one of the top high school runners

in Calgary! Our Junior High cross country team also had

a fantastic showing at the South Central Zone Champion-

ship this year. Although we had less athletes competing,

we had a terrific overall finish. Mrs. Martin was incredibly

proud of this fine group of runners.

Volleyball is well underway and is already shaping up

to be a fun season for over 85 athletes. I would like to

take this opportunity to personally thank our wonderful

coaches who have volunteered their time to work with

our athletes. We are incredibly fortunate to have dedi-

cated, caring coaches and Senior High student helpers

working with our players. I know they will enjoy working

with a fine group of young athletes and an understanding

parental support system. I look forward to seeing our ath-

letes and coaches do their best in order to ensure positive

experiences for everyone.

Please check out our school calendar on the Webber

Academy website for a complete listing of home and

away volleyball games. We would love to see many more

people out to cheer on our Wildcat athletes and coaches.

Joël Chalifoux

Director of Athletics

Joël Chalifoux


Top Cross Country Runners

Featuring Brennan Undseth, Lauren Fridman and Emily Lowe

Top cross country runners, Brennan Undseth, Lauren Fridman

and Emily Lowe, work their way to the Provincial Cross Coun-

try Running Championships in Cypress Park, Alberta. While

Brennan ranked first place in all of Calgary, Emily placed 7th

and Lauren Fridman placed 18th overall. We wish these runners

the best of luck as they advance to stiffer competitions and

pursue their dreams as professional athletes.


Senior High Cross Country League Champions

Kasia Noworyta-Fridman Geoffrey Milnes

Congratulations to our Senior High cross-country

runners on a tremendous season! We have had the great-

est turnout ever at all three meets this fall, and our team

claimed the league championship leading by more than

100 points! Well done! At each race, Webber Academy

athletes showed great form, determination, as well as

great camaraderie and sportsmanship. They trained

together and cheered for each other, and their positive

attitude made the coaches proud.

Congratulations to the following Senior High

cross-country runners who participated in the city/zone

championships on October 5th at Canada Olympic Park:

Chi Chi Azoba, Stephanie Tsia, Lauren Fridman, Emily

Lowe, Ben Lukenchuk, Mike Wahba, Brennan Undseth,

Nick Hoy, Nick Lor, Bennett Leong, Luis Puerta, Arjun

Nair, Garrett Toews, Josh Michnowski, Om Saran, Chase

Little, Ryan Bickert, Sundeep Arcot, Johnny Lambros

and Patrick Lambros. This was the best turnout ever, and

especially the Grade Ten runners deserve a pat on the

back for excellent attendance and dedication to running.

All runners had a fantastic race on the challenging steep

hills of the Canada Olympic Park and everyone showed

great form. There were close to 150 runners from all city

schools in each age category, so it is a tremendous ac-

complishment to place in the first thirty, and the follow-

ing students did: Emily Lowe - 7, Lauren Fridman - 19,

Arjun Nair - 24, Stephanie Tsia - 25, Ben Lukenchuk - 27,

and.... drum roll please... three cheers for the zones cham-

pion, Brennan Undseth!

Brennan, Emily and Lauren have qualified for the pro-

vincials, which took place in Cypress Park, Alberta, on

October 15th. Unfortunately, Emily was not able to attend.

Lauren had a strong race. In spite of the pain in her knees,

she fought bravely against the steep hills and had a strong

finish with a good overall time and a respectable position

among 132 athletes in her race. Brennan had another fan-

tastic run. In spite of a fall early in the race, he regained

a good pace and finished 7th out of 130 runners, which is

fantastic! Brennan is already a force to reckon with on the

provincial scene, and he is sure to get far. He will have a

great cheering group at Webber Academy when he makes

it to the Olympics. Well done!

Congratulations to the whole team; this has been the best

season ever for our Senior High cross-country! We are

proud of each and every athlete!

Kasia Noworyta-Fridman and Geoffrey Milnes, Coaches



Featuring Top Provincial Runner and Honour Roll Student Brennan Undseth

Brennan Undseth earns a couple of bronze medals for the

1200m and 2000m race at the CALTAF Classic Track Meet.

Key debater, fluent Spanish speaker, outstanding drama

student, math whiz and professional athlete—these are

just some of the titles Brennan Undseth, a Grade Ten stu-

dent at Webber Academy, has acquired as a high achiever.

Above anything else he is most passionate about track

and field— a sport that has proven to be a perfect fit for

someone who is alert, physically fit, and fully committed

to anything he sets his mind to. According to Brennan, he

has always enjoyed running, but has only taken it seri-

ously since Grade Eight.

His biggest accomplishments in track and field include

ranking first place in the Midget Pentathlon for the Calgary

Spring Challenge and Alberta Combined Events Champi-

onship, first place in the 1200 m New Balance Athletic

Series, number one in the 3000 m race for the Calgary

Independent Schools Athletic Association’s (ISAA) South-

Central Zones, and most recently Brennan managed to

place 7th out of 130 runners at the Provincial Cross-coun-

try Running Championships, despite the fact that he fell

during the first part of the race.

He says reaching his fullest potential has always required

a lot of focus, organization and time, but it has definitely

been worth the sacrifice.

“I guess a lot of it is compromise,” said Brennan, who

devotes four two-hour sessions to training each week in

addition to taking full AP courses and remaiming on the

Gold Honour Roll.

Brennan is also a phenomenal cross-country runner who

has placed first in South-Central Zones and received three

first place ribbons at the ISAA cross-country season this

year. Currently, he is training with older athletes from the

Calgary Track and Field Athletic Association (CALTAF)

who range from High School to university students. His

next goal for future competitions, whether it pertains to

track and field or cross-country running, is to run 800 m

in under two minutes. Additionally he aspires to reach a

national level.

“It’s one thing to have goals, but you also have to realize

you have to work hard to achieve them and you can’t just

make goals and expect them to happen,” said Brennan.

“You actually have to work for it.”

Morgan Haigler, Communications Coordinator



Featuring Volleyball Player Simon Chen

Combine natural born talent with hours of prepara-

tion, and you have Simon Chen—one of the best volley-

ball players to set foot at Webber Academy.

For three years, Simon has been competing in volleyball

at provincial and national levels. His teams have placed

first in 10 different Premier Tournaments, claimed silver

in two Provincial Finals and they have ranked 5th at two

National Championships. His strong skill-set has not only

captured the attention of and admiration of coaches and

teammates, but it has offered him the opportunity to try

out for Team Alberta more than once. While playing for

Webber Academy, Simon received a tournament MVP

award at the recent Invermere tournament.

“I really do like volleyball so whenever there’s practice

or a game I look forward to that,” said Simon, who trains

from January to August, three days a week for three hours

at a time. “That’s my highlight of the day.”

Although his father’s positive influence may be the main

reason he has become increasingly involved in volleyball,

Simon thinks he would have eventually found his niche

in the sport through the amount of improvement he has

demonstrated on his own. What keeps him grounded as

a volleyball player and person in general is his modesty,

energy and ability to remain calm and focused.

“Throughout the game, whenever we have time out or

serves, I try to remind myself to always be positive on the

court because once you drop, you bring your teammates

down with you,” said Simon. “You have to lead by ex-

ample.”

Apart from his dad, Simon credits his coach Mr. David

Rose for being a pillar to his success. He says, if it was not

for his positive attitude, helpful advice and desire to instill

a level of enthusiasm in his athletes, he would be in a

much different place.

In the future, Simon aspires to make one of Canada’s

university teams and compete in volleyball for as long as

he can. Soon he will be embarking on a trip to Toronto

with his U17 group. In the meantime, he is keeping active

during the fall so that he can be prepared for upcoming

volleyball trials.

Morgan Haigler


Webber Academy E-news October 2011 35

Run for the Cure

Cameron Ho Helps Raise Money for Breast Cancer Research

Cameron Ho, a Grade Seven student, who was recent-

ly named Student of the Month in his class, has proven to

be a very community-minded citizen. On October 2nd he

participated in the 5K run with his Team, the Wild Web-

ber Runners, for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s

Run for the Cure. This is the largest volunteer-led fund-

raising event for breast cancer research, education and

awareness programmes as it has attracted over 170,000

Canadians in 59 communities.

“I decided to do Run for the Cure so people don’t have to

deal with the death and the sadness that [cancer] brings,”

said Cameron, who found out his friends’ mom was

diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. “I think it’s

important because it brings people out so they can fight to

keep all the important men and women in their lives.”

Although this was only his second time participating in

Run for the Cure, Cameron says he plans to continue

running in memory of those who lost their lives to breast

cancer, and those who continue to fight for a workable

cure. Last year his team raised $400— a number that has

already doubled from the amount of support they have

received from family, friends and the Webber Academy

community.

For Cameron, the most valuable part of this experience is

not the run itself, but impacting society at large.

“I think it’s brought out a humanitarian side in all of us,”

remarked Cameron. “We have to train both physically and

mentally because it does bring sadness. We’ve all been

touched in some way whether it’s a relative, a friend, or a

friend’s mom.”

This year, Canadians helped CIBC raise over $30 million

to create a future without breast cancer. The overwhelm-

ing support has allowed the organization to embark on a

new Run for the Cure event that has already taken effect

in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Morgan Haigler


Cameron Ho and his team, The Wild Webber Runners, make it

to the finish line in CIBC’s 25th Run for the Cure.


CHWYL Library News

The CHWYL Library

has been a hive of activi-

ty! This month the library

hosted Tina McFadden, a

newly published author

from Calgary. The Grade

One to Three students

enjoyed listening to

excerpts from her book,

‘Elffolk and the Crystal

Caves of Atlantis’. Liter-

ary Jack-O’-Lanterns,

created by Grade Ten

students in their ELA

classes have been displayed in the library and enthusiasti-

cally viewed by all visitors, and newly purchased online

database resources have been demonstrated to students

and teachers.

The library is a learning commons: our Junior High

students frequently visit during their lunch time recess,

Senior High students come in through the day to study in

a peaceful environment and there are visits throughout the

day from our Elementary students calling in to exchange

their library books. Students also have their regular library

and reading classes where they have had the opportunity

to explore books or the digital resources using iPads and

the new laptops.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank the families

who have contributed to our Birthday/Celebration Book

Programme. With your generosity we are sure to keep our

library up to date.

Some useful library information:

New Library Hours: 7:45 am to 5:30 pm. Students •

have the opportunity for a quick book exchange

before school from 7:45 am to 8:15am during lunch

recess, D.E.A.R. time, and after school from 3:30 pm

to 4:00 pm.

There are many online resources which can be ac-•

cessed by students outside of school. If you would

like to find out more, please feel free to contact us and

arrange a convenient time for a short demonstration.

To contact the library, please send an email to:•

Mariaan Camp [email protected]

Audrey Hughes [email protected]

Mrs. Boni Ting’s Grade Ten students hold Jack-O’-Lanterns of

ficticious story book characters.

Tina McFadden reads excerpts

from her new book.

Webber Academy E-news October 2011 37

A Message from Vice President

Greetings to all students, parents and staff,

The past two months have been action packed and we are so impressed by the multitude

of early success stories among the Webber Academy student body. We do strive to cel-

ebrate the tremendous efforts made by our fine students but thankfully, the list is endless

so, it is not possible to capture all of their outstanding achievements. Thus, it is our hope

that every student feels pride in the many challenges they take on and by the progress that

is made in meeting learning objectives.

Parents play a pivotal role in the growth and development of their children as do our

teachers who work diligently to provide in-depth instruction in a caring and supportive

environment. In addition to our hard-working students, we are also proud of the staff here at Webber Academy and I

would like to take this opportunity to provide you with some information about three individuals who joined the

Webber team this school year. Perhaps the following will leave you feeling you know them a little better.

Barbara Webber

Webber Academy’s staff, 2011-2012.


New Staff

Kathy ModesetteFront Office Administrative Assistant

We are so pleased Ms. Kathy Modesette has returned to

the Webber Academy front office team. Ms. Modesette is

responsible for completing a variety of administrative du-

ties and will act as our liaison for students bussed through

Southland Transportation. Ms. Modesette has travelled

the world extensively and moved to Calgary in 2000 from

Alaska. She has worked in the travel and airline industry

since 1974 and therefore brings tremendous experience to

the demanding role she now embraces. Her two children

have attended Webber Academy since 2001 and she has

consistently demonstrated a supportive and positive

commitment to the goals and objectives of the school.

Originally from British Columbia, Ms. Modesette was

Jana RybarikovaKindergarten Educational Assistant

Ms. Jana Rybarikova completed her formal post secondary education in Slovakia with

a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Master’s Degree in English Literature and Slovak

Language. In order to secure teacher certification with Alberta Education, Ms. Rybarikova

obtained local practicum experience through the course of her studies as part of the

Transitions to Alberta Classrooms programme, during which time she demonstrated the

ability to provide high quality instruction to students in Grades One and Four in multiple

subject areas.

Ms. Rybarikova describes herself as being passionate about the outdoors, the environment,

health and wellness while, at the same time, is deeply committed to her role in developing

the ‘whole’ student in their academic experience. Ms. Rybarikova comes to Webber Academy’s Kindergarten

programme as an educational assistant to Ms. Kerr, with a strong pedagogical background and understanding of

Continued on next page

a member of the Canadian National Ski Team training squad from 1969 to 1973. Ms. Modesette attended the

University of Anchorage, Alaska and recently self published her first children’s book. Ms. Modesette is also held in

high regard for her ongoing efforts to better the lives of those less fortunate. She has dedicated many hours to charities

of choice including Canadian Cystic Fibrosis, Rick Hansen Man in Motion, Alpine Canada and the Dave Irwin Brain

Injury Foundation.


New Staff

Continued

Holly QuinnJunior Kindergarten Educational Assistant

Throughout her years as a student, Ms. Holly Quinn consistently achieved significant

academic and athletic success. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts, Honours in History at

Queen’s University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa. This past

summer, Ms. Quinn completed part one of her Primary Specialist Qualification with a focus

on literacy from the University of Toronto.

Ms. Quinn has practicum experience with the Ottawa Catholic School Board where she

earned high praise from mentoring teachers. She taught all the core subjects to students

in Grades Five and Six at Brother Andre Catholic School as well as Geography/History to

Grade Nine and Ten students at St. Mark High School.

Since her arrival to Calgary, Ms. Quinn has been employed as a tutor to a number of students teaching reading, writing,

math, science and study skills and is now a full time employee at Webber Academy in the half-day Junior Kindergarten

classroom. Although she is a fully certified teacher, Ms. Quinn is working as an educational assistant where she has

already proven to be a dependable and highly proficient team player. Ms. Quinn reports ongoing enjoyment of her

day-to-day interactions with the youngest attendees of the Webber Academy school community, and has committed

several hours to the on-site Kids’ Club programme and phys-ed classes for Junior and Senior Kindergarten students.

Ms. Quinn has extensive volunteer experience that includes coaching girls, ages 7 to 9, as part of the Oakville Girls’

Softball Association. More recently, Ms. Quinn has been involved as an assistant coach with Calgary Special Olympics

Basketball and is planning to join our team of eager coaches as part of the Webber Academy Athletics programme in

the sport of basketball which is set to begin in the very near future.

Ms. Quinn is well respected by every staff member who comes to know her and Webber Academy is truly benefitting

from Ms. Quinn’s positive attitude, love of children, strong organizational skills and outstanding work ethic.

student-centered education. Ms. Rybarikova is also serving as an assistant to enhance the Kids’ Club after

school programme.

In addition to being the proud mother of two, and an avid reader, Jana is a true sport enthusiast and talented athlete. In

fact, Ms. Rybarikova raced as a competitor in World Cup Alpine Ski Racing and has been working as a ski coach since

1995 with children from 8 to 14 years of age. It is believed that Jana’s many fine attributes are a great match to those

we endeavour to provide to our high achieving students here at Webber Academy.


Halloween 2011


Halloween 2011

Continued

WEBBER ACADEMY October 2011.pdf · 2011-11-01 · 22 Webber Academy E-News October 2011 E-News...

Documents

Transcript of WEBBER ACADEMY October 2011.pdf · 2011-11-01 · 22 Webber Academy E-News October 2011 E-News...