Hinchinbrooke Public School students nearly rocked the roof off the IOOF Hall in Parham on May 29 at the fourth annual School of Rock concert.

First up on stage was School of Rock founder and grade 7/8 teacher at Hinchinbrooke, Ms. Julia Schall, who initiated the program at the school four years ago and with the help of grants from the Limestone Learning Foundation acquired all the instruments and gear necessary to teach students the ins and outs of good old-fashioned rock and roll.

Saturday night’s show opened with Ms. Schall accompanying special guest performer and fellow teacher Kelly Graham who sang two original songs from her soon-to-be released first album.

Next up were 13 members of the School of Rock who opened with Wild Thing and cruised through a number of rock classics including Smoke on the Water, I Love Rock and Roll and ACDC’s TNT.

Band member Jackson Crain performed an original called Silver Saddles towards the end of their set.

Next up was HPS student band HD Supply, who got their start in the School of Rock but who practise independently at the school. Made up of Jordan Lowery on lead vocals and guitar, David Hole on drums, Collin Hamilton on rhythm guitar and Daniel Stanton on bass, their tight, hard rock sound had the crowd cheering and screaming for more. They performed a couple of originals, Night Train and Prison Break and saved their best cover for last, Paranoid by Black Sabbath, during which Lowery sprang off the stage into the audience to much applause.

Ms. Schall highlighted how the students benefit from the School of Rock program. She said, “It offers the students a chance to interact and learn in ways not usual in the regular school setting. They have to problem solve for themselves, interact, listen and learn from each other.”

Music is obviously a great love of Ms Schall’s and she admits how much joy it brings her. “I want the students here at the school to have that same opportunity.”

Thanks to Ms. Schall and the generous support of the LLF, the HPS School of Rock offers students at HPS a musical opportunity they might not otherwise have and Saturday night’s concert proved that they are wholly grateful for it.

Photographer Melissa Randle.

The 38th Annual Cloyne Showcase was held last weekend at North Addington Education Centre, highlighting many local and regional talented artisans. The show covers many artistic mediums including chainsaw carving, stained glass, fabric, jewellery, photography, painting, spa products and more.  Photographer Melissa Randle, who teaches science at North Addington, has been participating in the show for the last 3 years. “This is a great opportunity to display art, interact with the community and support our school. It’s also nice to have so many of the local Ambient Woods Creative Collective [Artisans from Plevna and Area] exhibiting at this show.”

Ten percent of artist sales are collected by the North Addington Guild, from which a donation is made to the Arts Programs at North Addington. Also participating at Showcase was the Mazinaw Swim Program, who ran the bake table and canteen. This year’s Showcase was organised by Ted and Nancy Sparling with a core group of volunteers.  Events like Showcase are invaluable to the youth programs in our community, thank you to everyone who attended.

For more information about the Ambient Woods Creative Collective visit www.ambientwoods.webs.com

William R. Crosbie, Canada’s ambassador to Afghanistan, recently visited the area, and addressed a small group at the home of Norm and Anita Landry. As a youth, from Newfoundland, he attended Appleby College in Oakville where Norm taught him History and Latin, and where the Landrys were live-in housemasters to the students away from home.

Ambassador Crosbie gave an historical overview of Afghanistan from the time of the Russian occupation, through the civil war to the present, and offered a perspective on Afghanistan’s relationships with its neighbours. Mr. Crosbie stressed the importance of Afghans determining their own future, in which a stable Afghanistan is important for the overall stability of the region. In discussions with Afghans, he noted that their wishes are very similar to ours: education for their children, a sense of freedom, rights for women, and stability.

In speaking of Canada’s mission in Afghanistan, he stated how the extremely low literacy rate of the population impedes the development of a competent civilian infrastructure, such as police and teachers, but progress is being made.

In addition to combat troops, Canada provides humanitarian aid for education and the training of their police force. Small NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) are doing excellent work in many areas – one of them WomenforWomen, an organization we in this area know.

Overall, he presented a much more optimistic future for Afghanistan than is portrayed by the media. However, it will be a slow process.

Ambassador Crosbie returns to Afghanistan on August 27.

Loughborough, Sharbot Lake and Clarendon Central Public Schools, and Sydenham High School have been recognised with HEAL awards for the first time by the Limestone District School Board at their September 8 meeting.

The HEAL Award recognizes schools that are working to create learning environments that promote health and wellness alongside academic excellence.

Healthy Education and Active Learning (HEAL) is a 3-year-old program of the Limestone District School Board that recognises efforts made by local schools in a number of areas, including: healthy eating, physical education, mental health, bullying prevention, prevention of substance abuse, and more.

There are now 28 schools in the board that qualify for the award.

Lara Paterson is a teacher with the Limestone Board who has been seconded to Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health to oversee the healthy schools initiative.

She said that the HEAL Awards are a “local initiative that was set up to recognise people in the schools for their efforts in promoting a healthy learning environment. The schools also receive a small monetary award to help with new initiatives to do with healthy living,” she said.

Schools cannot rest on their laurels once they receive the HEAL designation. “They must re-apply each year and they are expected to continually improve,” Paterson said.

The HEAL Awards are based on a set of standards that are provincially based. The province has established a new physical education curriculum, and new nutrition rules for all food sold in schools are on the way next year. The HEAL awards help schools work towards compliance with the new standards.

“There is a lot of momentum towards healthy education in the HEAL schools,” said Lara Paterson, “it’s become an attitude within the schools that a healthier place is a happier place.”

Hinchinbrooke and Land O’Lakes Public Schools have both received the award for their second consecutive year. 

Photo: The founding meeting of the first ever community ukulele orchestra at Land O' Lakes Public School

The founding meeting for the first ever community ukulele orchestra was well underway on September 22 in the gym at Land O' Lakes public school. Norman Guntensperger, long time primary teacher, avid guitar player, and all round music lover, initiated the formation of the orchestra after two visits to the school (the first two years ago), by ukulele aficionado James Hill.

Hill's first visit was a concert visit, sponsored by the Blue Skies in the Community program. Hill piqued the interest of staff and students at the school in pursuing his classroom teaching program. A year later Hill returned to give a hands-on workshop to students, which according to Norm the students “just ate up”. Norm has since felt that a community ukulele orchestra would be a great way to get not just students but the entire community involved and so this year he decided to “extend an invitation to all members of the community to come out and get involved.”

Guntensperger spoke of James Hill's inspiration. “Right now there's a real rebirth in the ukulele movement that James Hill is a big part of and his visits to the school really laid the groundwork for all of this to happen.”

James' teaching program is an inexpensive, easy to understand, hands-on program that teaches kids how to read music and play a wide variety of musical styles through a teaching method that progresses very quickly. The instrument itself is key since it is relatively easy to play, accessible, inexpensive and easy to transport.

To date a $1300 grant from Blues Skies in the Community plus $1500 in additional funding from the Limestone District School Board has enabled the school to purchase 30 ukuleles and a wooden storage cabinet designed and built by Geoffrey Murray, who teaches at Sharbot Lake High School.

Currently the school is pursuing a grant from the Limestone Learning Foundation that will cover the cost of music stands, Hill’s instructional books and tuners and also permit Jeffrey Hanlon, a professor at the Queen's University School of Music, to teach the students.

Hill’s program has now become a regular part of the school's music curriculum for grade 7 and 8 students who will begin the program after Christmas. For grade 7 student Claire Willis who attended the first meeting of the new orchestra it is a dream come true. ”I love learning through music and have always wanted to learn how to play an instrument and to be part of something musical. I'm hoping that eventually I'll be able to play really well and the ukulele is such a cool instrument,” she said.

Grade 8 student Kyle Riley agreed. ”It's the first instrument I have ever played and I would love to become an expert at it.”

Guntensperger is planning to model the orchestra after the Blue Skies Community Fiddle orchestra and is hoping that participants of all ages will get involved. There is no fee to become a member, just a small deposit required for rental of the instruments and the books.

“The plan is to use this program as a take-off point and I really hope to get other talented people’s input and their help in facilitating the program. I would like it to be a real cooperative endeavor“. Norm is also adamant that kids and adults are given an opportunity to become “music producers, not just music consumers”.

“Luckily there is still a tradition of folk music out here in these communities and I envision a group of adults and children working together to put on live community shows using lots of different styles of music.”

Anyone interested in joining the ukulele community orchestra can contact Norm Guntensperger at Land O' Lakes PS at 613-335-5254. The orchestra meets every Wednesday in the school gym from 3-4:30PM.

Photos - 21977 & 21975

Photo: Josh Goodfellow and Tammy Steele at the new Snoezelen room at Sharbot Lake High schoolAfter two years of fundraising efforts an official ribbon cutting ceremony opened the new Anoezelen Room at Sharbot Lake high school on Oct. 12.

The 7x15 foot room offers a controlled multi-sensory environment designed specially for students with developmental disabilities, autism and attention deficit disorders.

It will be used by the students in the school-to-community class, providing them with a safe and controlled environment that offers them visual, tactile, audio and aromatic stimulation.

The goal to acquire the room was the brainchild of Josh Goodfellow, an educational assistant in the school-to-community class who has been working at the school for three years. In February 2009 he put forth a proposal that was accepted by the Community Foundation of Kingston who funded the initial $2000 of the $15,000 project.

After that Josh, with the help of many volunteers, spearheaded a number of fundraising events in the school and the community, which enabled the school to purchase all of the equipment before school ended last year.

The room was constructed courtesy of the Limestone District School Board during the summer break and Josh himself installed all of the equipment housed in the room. The room was just completed and has already been used by students at the school.

Inside the room are various pieces of equipment through which the students can freely interact and receive various types of sensory stimulation. These include a vibro-acoustic chair which moves to music, an interactive spiral sensory panel that students can freely manipulate, an interactive maxi-bubble tube (in the photo), an aroma diffuser, a fibre optic light spray, and two projectors that project different visual environments on the walls.

Josh is thrilled with the new room and sees his students benefiting greatly. “For some students the environment provides the stimulation that they need and cannot get from a regular environment, and for others it provides redirection and a chance to calm down and become more focused. It enables them to concentrate and do better work.”

In years past, students at Sharbot Lake traveled to North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne to use the Snoezelen room there, which logistically was difficult and only allowed for infrequent visits. Josh continued, “With our own facility right here all of the students who can benefit will have ongoing access to the room.”

Tammy Steele, one of two teachers in the school-to-community class, added that the room will also be offered free of charge to others in need in and around the community.

“For those in the community with special needs this room can fulfill an important need that is often unavailable in a rural communities. It offers users a safe and self-directed environment from which they can greatly benefit.”

Josh Goodfellow lit up the maxi bubble and activated the film projector, which spread glowing stars all over the four walls and added, “I have had the benefit of seeing first-hand how much this room can really help students.”

Photo: Jody Lemke made the valedictory address at Sharbot Lake's 2010 commencement ceremony on Oct. 8

Jody Lemke was chosen as the class of 2010 valedictorian and made her speech at the end of the commencement ceremony held in the school’s cafeteria on Oct.8.

Lemke at first jested with the school’s mascot Panther and presented him with a number of special mementos but later got down to basics, highlighting her career as a student at the school. She recalled her most memorable experiences at the school through which she and her fellow graduates made life long friendships. Some of those memories included grade 9 orientation at Sharbot Lake Provincial Park, winter carnivals, numerous school dances and coffee houses, school trips and leadership camps, inter-murals, sports teams, student council, school band and the proms. Lemke spoke with conviction and humour adding, “All these years of torturous essays, fetal pig dissections, science projects and exams have finally paid off.”

She thanked the ongoing support of the teachers and all support staff at the school, plus family and friends stating, “Without your help we wouldn’t be who we are today.”

“Our high school graduation is a big accomplishment but is in no way the end,” she continued, pointing out that many graduates will be setting out on new and diverse paths that include continuing studies at various universities and colleges, entering the work force and attending one last “victory lap” at the school. After wishing her fellow graduates luck she looked beyond. “Our future is not something that just happens to us but is something that we have to create.” Lastly she addressed her fellow graduates directly, stating with confidence, “We have the power to do anything, to achieve everything and to soar beyond all expectations.”

Photo: Viking Spirit!  Photo by Shenice Farmer

N.A.E.C. held their elementary soccer tournament on October 18. North Addington, Land O' Lakes, Hinchinbrooke and Sharbot Lake Public Schools all had two teams in attendance for a terrific day of play. The tournament is for fun only - no prizes are awarded, but valuable practice and a good deal of fun is had by all!! The following students represented N.A.E.C. at the tournament: Josh Blackwell, Austin Fuller, Jordan Brough, Jordon Freeburn, Wyatt Keller, Will Cruickshank, Deven Lessard, Kayden Smith, Johny Badour, Kody Kuruc, Andre Tryon, Brodie Munro, Robert Anderson, Nick Keller, Brandon Lloyd, Darian Flieler, Izaak McFadden, Andrew Freeburn, Randy Shire, Shane Arney, Hannah Cote, Allya Garey, Deanna Allen, Noah Thibodeau, Darian Asselstine, Haily Whitelock, Cayley Wilson, SarahOliver, Nick Flood, Carter Van Riel, Kassandra James, Brittany Wood, Bre Tryon, Cassidy Turk, Cassidy Wood, Megan Brzoska, Taylor Salmond, Brandon Lloyd, and Dwayne Rosien. Thanks to everyone for a short but great soccer season!

Photo: Grade 5 students on the campaign trail at Prince Charles PS in Verona

Students at Prince Charles Public School in Verona had their say and cast their votes in a parallel mock municipal election that took place in schools province-wide this last week.

A program called Student Vote, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that works with educators in 1500 schools in Ontario, representing 255 municipalities, partnered with Local Government Week and the Ministry of Education this year and brought municipal politics into classrooms across the province. The aim of the program is to engage youngsters in the democratic process, inform them of the roles of municipal government and school boards and give them an opportunity to investigate their local candidates and local issues

Ms. Janet Revell, Grade 5 teacher at PCPS, was the Student Vote Team Leader at PCPS, and she and her class facilitated the program at the school where students from grades one through eight had a chance to vote.

Student Vote provides the team leader with all of the necessary education tools and information, including lesson plans designed to teach students the democratic process, and other exercises that build critical thinking and decision-making skills.

In mid-October Ms. Revell invited the four candidates running for council in South Frontenac's Ward 1: Bill Robinson, Jim Hicks, Doug Lovegrove and John McDougall, to speak to students in her class about their reasons for running, their related experience and their views on local issues. Students then could either choose to represent those or other candidates, or become officially involved in other election-related roles and tasks. After the visit students interviewed the candidates, and prepared speeches, which they presented to each class in the school.

I spoke to a few of the students involved and asked each what they learned. Destiny Ritchie, who chose to represent Councilor Bill Robinson said,“ I learned about the councilors’ personal histories which was really cool... like the fact that Bill Robinson was in the war.”

Sara Fitzgerald, who acted as the official announcer, introducing the school candidates to the other classes and explaining the voting process to them, said, “You have to know a lot about leadership and what people want and you have to learn how to communicate with people.”

Max Orser, who acted as the returning officer looking after the ballots said, “I learned that taxes are really important and that the government involves much more than just one person.”

Asked if any might consider running as candidates in the future Destiny replied, “Yes but first I want to be a teacher, so maybe after I retire.” Max said, “It depends what the issues are and why you are wanting to run. That changes all of the time.” Sara said, “I might, but it’s something I would not consider doing without learning more about it.”

Dalton, who ran as mayoral candidate John Fillion, said, “I might consider it. You need to know a lot but I might want to take a shot at it because it might be fun.”

The Student Vote program at PCPS proved to be popular and engaging - so much so that Ms. Revell definitely plans to run it again. “It was a great experience for the students. They were all extremely keen and interested and all did really well. Many of them even ended up attending the actual candidates’ meetings that took place.”

This was Janet's first year facilitating the program and she is already thinking of how she might do it differently. “Next time I think I would invite the candidates to come to the school at the same time and have a bit of a debate. I would also invite more students from the school to sit in so that they are more aware of the real people that the students from the school are representing.”

For the record, after all the students’ votes were tallied at Prince Charles, John Hicks and John McDougall won the day as councilors, beating out Doug Lovegrove and Bill Robinson, and John Fillion was elected mayor with Suzanne Ruttan voted in as school trustee.

Photo:Joan and Roy Shepherd (front far right) present a cheque to Ms. Julia Schall and her class in support of the Hinchinbrooke School of Rock music program

On October 28 Joan and Roy Shepherd, founders of the Frontenac Old Time Music Championships (FOTMC), which just completed its third successful year this past summer at the Bedford Hall, presented a $500 cheque to staff and students at Hinchinbrooke Public School.

One of the goals of the championships is to raise awareness and promote old time country music in the community and every year the organizers makes a donation to a music program in an elementary or primary schools.

This year the FOTMC presentation was made to HPS teacher Julia Schall and her grade 7/8 class in support of the Hinchinbrooke School of Rock, a structured extra-curricular music program that Ms. Schall founded in 2005. Participating students at HPS are taught to play one or more instruments and learn traditional rock music.

The program received its first jump start with a $5000 grant from the Limestone Learning Foundation though which it acquired a number of instruments, recording and video equipment.

The new funds will be used to purchase acoustic guitars so that students can expand their repertoire to include country music as well, which Schall said “is something the students have been really looking forward to.”

She continued, “This is a real honour for us and we are thrilled that the School of Rock program is being recognized throughout the community.”

For Joan and Roy Shepherd, supporting local school music programs has always been an important goal of the FOMTC. “That has always been one of our main mandates,” said Joan “but we are also hoping to encourage children to participate and interact in a safe place and to learn music skills that they can carry with them throughout their lives. I look forward to coming back and seeing some of these young people perform.” The Hinchinbrooke School of Rock will give a public concert at the end of the school year at the IOOF hall in Parham.