Your News... In Real-Time!

At Bruce Middle School we've decided to go paperless with our newsletter.

There are two advantages to this:

- The saving of paper is a savings in costs and more importantly another step in our ongoing commitment to sustainability.

- By offering news in this format, we can now provide our community with real-time news as it happens, instead of waiting until the end of the month to send out information.

Want to get regular updates as items are posted? Follow Us On Twitter!


Friday 26 September 2014

Help For Apple Lane


As you know, several families residing at Apple Lane experienced a traumatic loss of their homes and
property this week. We at St. James-Assiniboia School Division are the home schools to two of the families
who have lost all of their belongings. We would like to extend a call out to help these families recoup some
of their losses.
The following items would be most helpful and appreciated to try and get back to these families in their time
of need:
• Clothing for young girls (Youth size 9-10, shoe size 4 and Youth size 7-8, shoe size youth 13)
• Women’s clothing (Size 12, shoe size 9)
• Men’s clothing (36/34 shirts, size XXL, shoe size 14)
• Toys for young girls (age 7 and age 9 - Polly pockets, Barbies, stuffed animals)
• Books and crafts appropriate for girls ages 7 and 9.
• Gift cards for any of the following:
o Groceries
o Restaurants and Food
o Clothing/shoe stores
o Toy stores
o Electronics stores (Best Buy, Future Shop)
o Household stores (Home Depot, RONA)
• Cash donations
Please drop off donations at any of the following schools anytime, ideally before Friday, October 3, 2014:
Collège Sturgeon Heights Collegiate: 2665 Ness Avenue
Bruce Middle School: 333 Booth Drive
École Golden Gate Middle School: 330 Bruce Avenue
Athlone School: 110 Athlone Drive
École Bannatyne School: 363 Thompson Drive
Heritage School: 47 Heritage Boulevard
Strathmillan School: 339 Strathmillan Road
Bruce Middle School (right behind the Grace Hospital) will also
be accepting donations on Saturday, September 27, 2014 from
11:00am-1:00pm
Thank you for your help and support!
- Staff of St. James-Assiniboia School Division

Wednesday 24 September 2014

8th Annual SJASD Youth Forum


Students at the 8th annual youth forum (#youthforum8) were getting inspired by the good work being done by philanthropic leaders in our province.  We will be bringing our enthusiasm back to Bruce in order to tackle the global and local actions that we want to be a part of.  Students were treated to exciting and energizing talks by Ace Burpee (pictured above) and  Kevin Lamoureux today who reminded our students to "Believe in each other.  Be kind to each other.  There is always hope."


Saturday 20 September 2014

BMS BLAST & Ice Bucket Challenge!

On Friday September 19th, the students and staff of BMS were treated to our first BLAST of the year! Events included a shin-cracker relay, a conveyor belt relay, a stinky shoe relay and Mr. Dempster kidnapping Mr. Harland's keys! The afternoon was awesome as students and staff had a chance to bond with their house teams! Congratulations to the Hurricanes who came out on top!

The highlight of the afternoon was the end of the BLAST where we drew student names for the right to dump ice on over 20 staff members including Constable Shannon Fedoruk, our community resource officer!

We sold ballots over 5 days and our Bearcats raised over $160 for ALS Research! Go Bearcats Go!

Special Thanks go out to Ness McDonald's for donating all of the ice for the event!

On Mobile and can't see the embedded video below? Click Here

 

Friday 19 September 2014

SHOW & SAVE DUE DATE EXTENDED

The Show & Save deadline has been extended to Friday, September 26th.  Please drop off all orders to the office prior to Friday.  The draw for the headphones will take place on Friday, September 26th.

Friday 12 September 2014

Spirit Week

SPIRIT WEEK!!!!

LAZY DAY Monday
Wear your Pajamas and rock your bedhead!!

GO TEAM Tuesday!!!
Wear your sports wear and team merchandise to show your hometown pride.

BLACK AND WHITE Wednesday
Lets make Bruce look like a black and white movie by wearing ONLY black and white clothing items.

THROWBACK Thursday
Turn back the clock by wearing clothing from your favourite past decade! #TBT


 BLAST-TASTIC Friday

Wednesday 3 September 2014

The Terry Fox Run for Cancer Research


The Terry Fox Run takes place on September 24th, 2014. Make sure you get your consent form in to your BLAST teacher A.S.A.P. and try to do some fundraising.Prizes will be awarded for the top fundraisers.A minimum donation of $2.00 is required in order to receive a hot dog and a drink on the day of the run.



Band News

Welcome new Bruce musicians and returning members!  I hope you have enjoyed your summer and are ready to get back into the swing of things.  It promises to be another exciting year.

Thank you to all parents and students who have come to the Band room during Triad Conferences (September 3rd and 4th).  Although it is a busy couple of days, it works best to take care of Band fees before school starts.  Many of you have already paid your method book ($10 for Concert Band/$10 for Jazz Band) and school rental ($120/year) fees.  If you have not yet taken care of this, please send a cheque made out to Bruce Middle School for the appropriate amount. (Grade 8 Concert Band and Jazz books are the same as last year, so if you still have your book(s) there’s no need to purchase them again.)  All students and parents renting instruments from the school will need to sign a Rental Agreement form as well.  Thank you for your prompt attention in this matter.

All Grade 7 & 8 Band students will need to bring their instrument for their second Band class.  The first class will deal mostly with organizational issues, but we will be playing on our instruments as soon as we can.  Make sure you have all supplies you need (pencil, reeds, cork grease, oil, cleaning supplies, mouthpiece, etc.) so you can participate right away.

Grade 6 Band students should bring a pencil and eraser to Band the first week.  They will not need their instruments until FIRST LESSON NIGHT Wednesday, September 17th at 6:45 pm.  That evening, they will be divided into groups according to their instrument (flutes, clarinets, trumpets, trombones, euphoniums/tubas) and introduced to their instrument by a professional musician.  It is important that students do not try to play their instrument before this date to protect against learning bad habits right from the start.  Students will bring their instruments to class the next day (the 18th) and we will continue from there.

***Any Grade 6 students who have not been assigned an instrument yet need to contact Mrs. Johnson immediately***

Congratulations to Tyler B., Luke N., Brooke R., and Caitlynn L. who participated in the Manitoba Band Association's Summer Band Camp held at Golden Gate from August 18th- 22nd.  It was an amazing time for all participants and we are proud of these students for representing Bruce so well.  We hope to have even more Band students from Bruce attend next year, so think about sending your child to this camp next summer.  Applications will be available in Spring 2015.

Please check out the Band website at http://www.sjsd.net/~tjohnson for updated information on the Band program.

Looking forward to a great year!

Mrs. Johnson, Band Director

Important Dates to Remember:
September 17, 2014 - First Lesson Night (Grade 6 Band)
November 7, 2014 - Remembrance Day Ceremony performance (Grade 8 Band)
December 10, 2014 - Winter Concert (All Bands)
February 24-27, 2015 - Optimist Band Festival (Grade 7 & 8 Band)
March 19, 2015 - Brandon Jazz Festival (Jazz Bands)
April 14-17, 2015 - Level One Band Festival (Grade 6 Band)
May 20, 2015 - Spring Concert (All Bands)
May 27-29, 2015 - IMC Band Camp (Grade 7 & 8 Band)




Tuesday 2 September 2014

PARENTING TODAY 2014-15

Workshops will  be held from 6 – 8 p.m. at Educational Support Services – Jameswood School,
1 Braintree Crescent (off Olive & Ness). Free pizza supper will be offered from 6:00 - 6:30
p.m. and session will take place from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.  To register please contact Arlie
Williams-Taylor at 885-9555 or email ptregistrations@sjsd.net.

Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) will offer 4 group sessions on October 7, 14, 21 & 28, 2014.  

Limited spaces available and pre-registration required with a commitment that all four sessions be attended Facilitated by:  Kristy Wake, Behaviour Intervention Resource Teacher & Matthew Janzen B.S.W., Educational Support Services, St. James-Assiniboia School Division.  It will address concepts from the Triple P program (Positive Parenting Program) such as;

• Positive discipline
• Building positive relationships with your child
• Descriptive praise
• Quiet time
• Time out
• Logical consequences

Saturday, October 25, 2014
‘Positive Parenting: Families Working Together’

An all day special event, 9:30 am – 3:00 p.m., registration from 9:30-10:00 a.m.  Presented by Kristy Wake, Behaviour Intervention Teacher, Matthew Janzen, Social Worker  and
Jeffrey Kerr, Social Worker, Supported by the Behaviour Intervention Team, Educational
Support Services, St. James-Assiniboia School Division.

The event will be held at Educational Support Services located on #1 Braintree Cres. All  family
members are invited to participate in this free event which will include free childcare  for those
three years of age and under, exciting hands on activities for children ages four through twelve
years, and an interactive Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) workshop for parents. Beginning
at 10:00am and ending at 2:30pm, the Positive Parenting event will include a free lunch for
everyone as well as a free gift for all participants. Pre-registration is required.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Supporting Speech and Language Development  at Home

Presented by: Speech-Language Pathologists, Educational Support Services, St. James
Assiniboia School Division.   Students who receive speech and language support at school benefit from practice at home.
The purpose of this presentation is to provide parents with simple, quick and easy activities that
can be done as a part of the daily routine. We will provide suggestions for helping your child
practice speech sounds and language skills at home.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014
K-­‐8 Fun with Math


Presented by: Rachel McAnallen, known simply as "Ms. Math" to children across the country.  Rachel McAnallen has devoted her life to sharing the joy and beauty of mathematics with learners of all ages.  A professional educator for over half a century, Rachel travels the world teaching her subject at every grade level.

Rachel has a passion for teaching, golf, and mathematical modular origami, though not always in that order.  As a life-long learner, Rachel has completed her PhD at the University of Connecticut at age 75.  Rachel approaches the world around her with a boundless curiosity and a playful sense of humor that is reflected in her teaching style.

Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Teens

Presented by:  Jeff Kerr B.S.W. and Hayley Plesh B.S.W., St. James Assiniboia School Division Social Workers.  Parents of teens have to strike a delicate balance between encouraging growth and independence on the one hand, and protecting teens from the hazards of risky situations and establishing boundaries for acceptable behaviour on the other.  In this evening session, presenters Hayley and Jeff will discuss some of the challenges for parents of teens, including promoting emotional self-regulation, managing inappropriate behaviour, and planning around risky behaviour and situations.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

Presented by Richard Guerry Founder of Institute for Responsible Online and Cell=Phone Communication (IROC2).  Richard will discuss the internet and how one can be manipulated and schemed, and their content being stolen and exploited.  You will have the opportunity to hear his message regarding the importance of practicing a digital consciousness in every aspect of life to avoid any current or future digital disaster.

Thursday, January 15, 2015
ADHD / ADD

Presented by Marilyn MacKinnon (B.S.W.), Executive Director of Learning Disabilities Association of Manitoba.  Adolescents with ADHD/ADD often feel isolated and have difficulty being hopeful about the future.  Parents will increase their understanding of ADHD and how it affects interactions with their child's environments.  They will learn how the ADHD brain works and be given strategies and exercises for their kids to make it work better.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Teens, is it a mood or a mood disorder

Presented by Tina Holland - Director of Education, Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba.  Teens can be moody.  This workshop is developed to spot the difference between a mood and a mood disorder.  Tina has spoken to large groups about Depression, Bipolar Illness, Suicide Prevention, Borderline Personality and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder always from a self-help and lived experience point of view.  Tina's aim is not only to educate the public about these treatable illnesses but also to help eliminate the stigma of mental illness in our society.  Tina encourages teens to attend.

Tuesday, April 14, 2014
Assistive Tools for Students with Autism that Foster Engagement

Presented by Linda Stuart, Educational Assistant, Mia Safiniuk, Student Services Educator and Parent and Kim Campbell, Manager of Community Initiatives.  This session will provide useful tools and strategies to engage children/youth on the autism spectrum.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Anxiety - Coaching for Confidence

Presented by Dr. Maria Phelps, Educational Support Services, St. James-Assiniboia School Division. Shyness and anxiety are normal human emotions.  Some children, however, are much more shy or fearful than the average child.  For these children, anxiety may interfere with their enjoyment of school, activities with other children, new experiences (swimming lessons, birthday parties, etc.), and their development of independence and confidence.  In this session, parents will learn about anxiety in children aged four to seven and gain useful tools to help their children overcome this problem.














CURLING

Bruce Middle School is thrilled to announce that CURLING will be offered again this year.
Where?  Charleswood Curling Club (corner of Grant and Bill  Clement Way)
When?  October - March  Wednesdays from 4:00 - 5:30
Who? Students in Gr. 6, 7, 8. (Preference is given to returning curlers.)
How many?  24 students
Cost?  $50 per curler (we have to pay rent for the ice)
Equipment needed?  Brush, curling shoes, loose fitting pants, mitts or gloves.  We do have extra brooms if needed.
Coaching? Curlers will receive coaching with a 1 to 4 ratio to start.  The ratio decreases to 1 - 8 as the students progress.
Wind-Up?  At the end of the season curlers are invited to a wind-up supper which is included in the price.

*** If you curled last year, time to check your shoes.  If they are too small bring them to Mrs. Smitke and perhaps they can be sold to another student.
Curling registration forms can be picked up in Mrs. Smitke's room 25.




FROM THE ART DEPARTMENT

Students still needing to purchase an art kit should fill out a form and give payment to the office.  Cost is $45.00.

Returning students should have their existing kits ready to use in the first week of classes.  Grade 8 students will be storing their kits in their lockers this year.

CHORAL NEWS

Greetings from the Choral Department! I am looking forward to another exciting year of singing at Bruce.  The choirs at Bruce give students the opportunity to meet new people, develop their voices, learn new songs and have fun.

If you love to sing, and meet new people, there are three great options to get involved.

CONCERT CHOIR is a choir for girls and guys in Grades 6 through 8.  We will perform at several festivals throughout the year including Choralfest, Music Celebration, the Winnipeg Music Festival, as well as the Winter and Spring concerts at Bruce. We will rehearse every Monday and Wednesday during the lunch hour.  Our first meeting will be Wednesday, September 10th in the theatre.  Bring your lunch and come ready to meet new friends, sing and have fun!

VOCAL VIBE is a smaller, auditioned group for girls and guys in Grades 7 & 8.  We will be learning fun songs in the jazz style and will rehearse every Tuesday and Thursday during the lunch hour. Auditions for this group were held in June. Once again, bring your lunch and come ready to learn some exciting new music.

BEARCAT BOYS is a boys only group for guys in Grades 6 through 8.  We will perform at both the Winter and Spring Concerts. Auditions and start time are TBA. Please let Mrs. Neufeld know if you are interested in auditioning for this group.

I am looking forward to an exciting year of singing!

Musically yours,
Mrs. H. Neufeld, Choral Director
hneufeld@sjsd.net