Prince Charles Public School in Verona has embraced floor ball, the latest international fad in hockey, and judging by the students, it’s a big hit. Billed as “the world's most popular indoor hockey game", it is played by millions of people in over 50 countries world-wide and is also used by many European-born NHL hockey players for their dry land training.

Not only does the game have its own world championship, it is a provisional member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Its governing body, the International Floorball Federation, is hoping that it will become a sport in the Summer Olympics in 2020.

Regardless, students at PCPS are enjoying the fast-paced game, which closely resembles floor hockey and ball hockey but is designed as a safer, faster low-cost game. It is played with light-weight plastic sticks and an official hard plastic ball that is also light weight (23 grams to be exact) and similar to a whiffle ball. There is no special equipment required; players can dress in gym shoes, t-shirts and shorts and need wear no other protective clothing except for plastic glasses or goggles.

Photo:  Heidi, Kayla, Rebecca and Dallas sell stickers designed by the NAEC Graphic Art class at the Northern Highlights Show.

The Northern Highlights Arts, Crafts and Community Fair held at North Addington Education Centre on Nov. 17 was a huge success this year. We received a lot of student, parent and community support throughout the entire event. A significant amount of money was raised for the school and for the various school groups present at the event. A big thank you to anyone who donated items for the silent auction and to anyone who came out and supported our local artisans, community groups and school groups. This event would not be successful without the support of everyone involved. Please check the school website next September for the date of the 2011 show. Anyone wishing to be involved with next year’s show please contact Melissa Randle at NAEC.

BIOLOGY SENSORS AT SHS: Biology students at Sydenham High School (SHS) will be able to do a lot more hands-on science thanks to a $5,000 grant from the Limestone Learning Foundation (LLF).

The science department has a number of SPARKS mini-computers, which are electronic gathering devices that can have sensors attached to them through USB ports, but the only sensors that the school was able to purchase were applicable to the physics program.

Thanks to the grant, two new SPARKS will be purchased, along with a few sets of more extensive biology censors. “With the biology sensors, student will be able to instantly gather large amounts of data. In lakes, for example they can determine water temperature, levels of dissolved oxygen, acidity and more at various depths in an instant. So for Sydenham Lake, where a lot of our students live, we can come up with baseline data for the state of the environment that the students can then spend time analysing,” said Gary Rasmussen, the head of the Science Department at SHS.

Until now biology students have spent most of their time gathering data, but with the new equipment data collection will be easy and the data can be easily converted to spreadsheet or graphing programs. “Students will spend much more time analysing and working with data, which is what science is all about,” Rasmussen said.

Another aspect of the new technology is the possibility of sharing it with community groups and lake associations, Rasmussen added, to help them with lake planning and other activities.

UKULELE PROJECT AT LAND O’LAKES

Ukulele master James Hill gave a concert and workshop at Land O’ Lakes Public School last year, with assistance from Blue Skies in the Community, and ever since the students and parents have been interested in playing the ukulele and learning to read music.

With a $4,700 Learning Foundation grant, the ukulele program at the school will continue to grow this year.

There is now a beginners’ and a more advanced group at the school, with ukuleles for all, as well as stands and other equipment. According to teacher Norm Guntensperger, the LLF grant will cover equipment costs, freeing up other money to bring in some Queen’s music students to help with instruction. “The after school classes that we are planning this year are open to all students in grade 2 and above and to parents and community members as well,” said Guntensperger.

The ukulele program has already been running this fall, and the school Christmas concert this year will include a ukulele performance. Guntensperger is hoping to have James Hill back to the school some time to show him how far the project has progressed.

“He really was an inspiration to us. I think there is a resurgence of the ukulele, which he has started,” said Guntensperger, “and I’m pleased that the Learning Foundation has come through for us in such a big way, as have Queen’s and Blue Skies.”

THE DRUM AT SLHS – The Algonquin Drum has become a major part of the scene at Sharbot Lake High School over the past couple of years. Last year a number of students built their own drums and participated in a drum awakening ceremony late in the school year. The LLF has granted $1,900 to the SLHS Drum this year.

SCHOOL OF ROCK – Julia Schall of Hinchinbrooke Public School is no stranger to the Limestone Learning Foundation, This year is the fifth consecutive year that she has received funding support for the School of Rock program that she runs. The $835 that is coming will enable her to purchase a new guitar and amp and some much-needed stands and patch cords for the School of Rock, which will run after school from January to June this year. In addition to the grant, Lancaster Public School will be loaning a 16-track Yamaha digital recording studio to the School of Rock, which will enable Schall and her students to record live performances and prepare copies for the students.

Schall is pleased that one of her top School of Rock performers, Jordan Lowery, now a Sharbot Lake High School student, will be returning to Hinchinbrooke to help with the more advanced students.

“The School of Rock continues to grow,” she said.

Photo:  L-r Margaret Axford, Larry Pealow, Reeve Henry Hogg

The 2010 Addington Highlands Community Builder Award was presented on November 27 to Margaret Axford. This award is presented annually to "Any individual who has made a significant voluntary contribution to benefit our community (Addington Highlands) in the areas of social or economic growth."

Marg is a former teacher at North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne, but is probably better known for her role with the Pioneer Museum. She has done a lot to enhance the quality of life for the area residents.

Reeve Henry Hogg and Larry Pealow, chairman of the AHEAD (Addington Highlands Economic Advisors for Development) committee presented the award.

Photo: NAEC N house cheer [N House Spirit booster on Frisky Friday.

Last week, students from grades 9 to 12 and staff of North Addington Education Centre participated in Spirit Week, organized by Mrs Sarah Sproule's Grade 12 Leadership class.

Each day had a costume theme and a lunch time event (duct tape a teacher to a wall, dodge ball and fear factor eating) that could earn House teams points towards the culmination of Frisky Friday; a day of team building games and challenges. Teams started Friday with a very competitive cheer off between Houses, followed by a day of tug-o-war, capture the flag, backboard ball, dizzy bat, three-legged race, an obstacle course and a scavenger hunt. 

OSAID hosted a free BBQ and hot chocolate lunch to keep everyone’s strength up. At the end of a very fun and spirit charged week, N House came out with top points to win Frisky Friday. Students then enjoyed their winter formal hosted by the Students’ Council in Flinton.

Photo: Students and staff of Ms. Steele’s School to Community class

On December 7, students in Ms. Steele's School to Community class at Sharbot Lake High School presented a cheque and toys to Ms. Meaghan Dodgson in the school cafeteria, culminating their efforts to give back to the community. The students started fundraising three weeks ago for the school’s annual food, clothing and toy drive, which supports Northern Frontenac Community Services and the local food bank. This was the first time Ms Steele's students had initiated their own project for the drive, which was headed up this year in the school by the student council and French teacher Ms. Meaghan Dodgson.

The School to Community students participated by baking, decorating, advertising and selling cup cakes and when all was said and done the students raised $190 - but their efforts did not stop there. Students then were split into five teams and were partnered with Mr. Robinson's leadership class and together took a shopping trip, where each team purchased an appropriate toy for a child in the community. While Ms. Steele always intended for her students to focus on giving and helping others during the holiday season, she says it was the students themselves who initiated the idea of giving back to those in need in the community.”

“Their effort evolved in the classroom during Remembrance Day when we discussed the idea of helping others in other countries and while my intention had always been to bring that idea around to giving to others in need in our own community, it was the students who had the idea to go there first,” she said. “And that was a really big moment in the classroom.” The fundraising will wrap up on December 16.. Congratulations to Ms Steele’s students on demonstrating how far a cupcake can go in bringing joy to others.

Photo Left: Ms Mayhew's grade 3 class at Harrowsmith PS with their “Tweet Tree”.

For the past four years students at Harrowsmith Public School have been participating in their annual Festival of Trees event, a holiday fundraiser aimed at raising money and food donations for the local community. For school principal Jim Horan, “It's a wonderful opportunity for our students to come together to help those who are less fortunate in South Frontenac.”

Revell Ford Lincoln of Verona sponsored the event and supplied the trees, which each class then decorated. The trees were raffled off on Dec. 10 and all proceeds will go to the local Southern Frontenac Community Services Corporation’s food bank, and the local Free Methodist and United Churches.

Grade eight students play a big part in the fund raising and each year they canvas door-to-door in Harrowsmith for donations. According to Mr. Horan, “The response this year was truly overwhelming. This year we received more food than we have ever received before.”

On Dec. 8 the entire school was invited to the gym where student ambassadors Emily Kellett and Regina Austin emceed the inaugural first day of the event. They invited School Trustee Suzanne Ruttan to launch the three-day festival by lighting up the first tree. She was joined by OPP Staff Sgt. Gary Oullette, who thanked the students for their efforts.

Each class then had a chance to introduce their themed tree to the whole school and this year’s themes were both clever and imaginative. They included a Tweet Tree decorated with edible bird treats, the Adam and Eve tree decorated with real apples, and the Merry Mousemas tree decorated with candy cane-tailed felt mice.

The celebration included a performance by the school’s grade 1, 2 choir and a carol sing-a-long led by Queens University teacher candidates.

The event is not only a way to raise funds for those in need but also a way of bringing the entire school and local community together in a celebration of holiday giving and sharing.

Mr. Horan wishes to thank Revell Ford and the Revell family for their ongoing support as the event’s corporate partner and the OPP, who is the event’s community partner.

On Halloween night, October 31, students from North Addington Education Centre canvassed the community in their costumes; not for candy or treats, but for non-perishable food items. Students and adults were stationed in Flinton, Northbrook, and Cloyne. The response was overwhelming. Most homes had a bag or box of food ready, and were not reluctant to contribute to the community. The event and pick up were supervised by a staff member.

In total, students collected approximately 700 items, which will help the food bank through the winter season. Darian Asselstine, an NAEC student, said, “I couldn’t believe how much fun I had! A lot of people recognized the Campbell’s soup can costumes right away”. School Council chair Sarah Collins said, “I want to do it again next year- I think the supervising adults had just as much fun as the kids.” The items were then taken over to the food bank and unloaded by some of the grade 10 Careers and Civics students.

While this event helped stock the shelves, the winter and holiday seasons are a busy time for the food bank. An attempt was made to go to as many houses as possible, but if your donation was missed, please call North Addington at 613-336-8991 and ask for Candice Bovard; we will pick up your item(s). For those requiring assistance, please contact Land O’ Lakes Community Services at 613-336-8934. Those wishing to donate food, please call Karen Anderson at 613-391-1408 (leave a message if there is no answer).

Angela Salmond, the principal of NAEC, was excited to show her support for the event: “I am so proud of our students and would like to extend my thanks to their families and the community. Our students are able to contribute because of the support we receive from the community. The kids are happy and the shelves are full; that is success. Thank you for investing in our students - I am very grateful.”

The Perth campus of the Ottawa-based Algonquin College houses only 300 compared to almost 18,000 full-time students at the main Algonquin college campus in Ottawa. It offers nine programs compared to hundreds at the larger campus. But that does not mean the students at the Perth campus are of less concern to the college or receive less training.

Three of the programs at the Perth campus are unique to the college, and unique to Ontario. The courses are all related to the building industry, and they are the reason the Perth campus of the college is called a Heritage Institute.

One is a course in Carpentry and Joinery that combines new construction technology with traditional carpentry techniques. Another, the Advanced Housing course, focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects of energy-efficient, environmentally-responsible and healthy housing. The third is the Heritage Masonry program, which prepares students for both residential and commercial construction as well as work on heritage restoration projects.

Although the programs look backwards at the way things were built in the past, the future is bright for graduates of the programs. “The only reason we do not have 100 per cent job placement for graduates from these three courses is that a few of our graduates choose to do something else,” said Andrew Edmonson, the marketing manager for the Perth Campus of Algonquin College.

In fact, students in the Heritage Masonry course tend to be offered jobs long before they graduate from the intensive 45-week course.

“The average age of masons in Canada is about 60, and the traditional skills are very much in demand. The restoration of the Parliament buildings, which will run for another 10 years, will provide jobs for all of our graduates if they want them,” said Edmonson.

The advanced building course includes, as part of the curriculum, the construction of a building, which gives it a unique niche for building trade training.

While the construction courses have always been popular, places are available for those who apply and qualify, particularly in the masonry course, which is not completely full. “The message we want to get out to people interested in learning these skills is that we have a state of the art facility, top teaching professionals, and are offering a real opportunity for students to learn and enter into a viable profession as soon as they graduate,” Edmonson said.

One of the other features of the Perth Campus is the three-year-old main building, which was designed to meet LEED Gold standards, and provides a comfortable environment for study.

There are six other programs of study available at the Perth campus, including: Early Childhood Education (ECE), Office Administration (General and Executive), Personal Support Worker, Social Worker, and Police Foundations.

The campus offers intensive 45-week courses in Office Administration (Executive) and Early Childhood Education, enabling committed students to complete a two-year diploma program in a short time period provided they are willing to put the effort into doing two years of work in a shorter time frame.

Shelley Carter-Rose, who has been the dean at the Perth Campus for 18 months, says that the size of the Perth Campus is ideal for many of the students. “They are able to get support from staff as needed here, and we are small enough to deal with each other on a first-name basis most of the time,” she said.

That point was made as well by a number of the students who came forward to talk about their programs on the media day.

There is also a continuing education component to the campus, with interest courses available to the general public in a variety of subjects, from using computers to photography, sewing, and even wine appreciation. For further information call 613-267-2589 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Colin Edwards, a long time staff member at the North Addington Education Centre in Cloyne, was not someone who craved the limelight.

However, to this day, he has been remembered as someone who lived his life to the beat of his own drum while also putting NAEC students front and center. It was with that in mind that a special school-wide ceremony was held at NAEC on October 23, naming the school's new Outdoor Education Centre in his honour.

Edwards, who succumbed to cancer in 2006, began teaching at NAEC in 1973. He later became vice principal, but then he asked to go back to the classroom since it was teaching that most inspired him.

The special ceremony was led by Sarah Sproule, lead student success teacher at the school, and included words from school principal Angela Salmond, who summed up the opening of the center as the final culmination of an innovative outdoor education project called “Learning From Our Roots”.

Seed funding from provincial government paid for some of the construction materials for the building. Over the years though, most of the funding required to complete the project came from numerous and very generous donations from the local community and the ongoing fund-raising efforts by students and staff at the school.

The project, which got underway several years ago, included the planting of seedlings on school property; the purchase of numerous outdoor learning materials such as camping equipment, top of the line archery equipment; and finally, the construction of the outdoor education centre. The centre is a one and a half storey post and beam structure that is just under 400 square feet. It which was designed and constructed by former NAEC teacher Mr. Rasenberg and his construction students with the help of Ms. Sproule and Mr. Sissons.

It is now the hub of the school's outdoor education program, housing houses all of the school's brand new camping and archery equipment, and it is where receive instruction prior to heading out into the great outdoors.

A sign in front of the building has a loon, a maple leaf and the Bon Echo rock - three things that Ms. Sproule said she felt Edwards would have appreciated and been proud of.

Principal Salmond said that the school's outdoor education program enables all students at the school to access “not only the 80 plus acres of the school property but also the multitude of lakes and other outdoor learning opportunities in the area.”

She spoke of Colin Edwards as a “teacher, colleague and a friend, someone who believed in tapping into students' interests so that they could reach their full potential, while also providing opportunities and second chances to students that extended beyond the classroom.”

Colin's widow, Grace Edwards, also spoke at the event and expressed her gratitude and surprise at the honour. “This school meant so much to that man,” she said. “He lived and worked in the area and he gave back to the area. He always felt that if you wanted to make a change you had to do so from the inside out and in education, that meant not forcing a square peg into a round hole.”

NAEC students Amey Sauvageau, Jared Salmond, and Taylor Salmond spoke about their own personal growth as a result of the outdoor education at the school. Student Lucas Parks-Delya read the testimonial of a younger student involved in the school's archery program. It is one of the best archery programs in the country and NAEC is the first school in Ontario to become a part of it. Following the ceremony, an official ribbon cutting at the new building. Conservationists of Frontenac Addington President Ron Pethick and grade eight student Tim Shire performed the honours. Following that, a number of students demonstrated their prowess with bow and arrow.

Ms. Sproule, along with fellow teacher Mr. Sissons, raised $7,000 for the project and she was also instrumental in bringing the national archery program to the school. She said she is thrilled to have the new center up and running.

“I am very passionate about outdoor education and believe that students should spend as much time as possible outside. I really believe that some students do not necessarily learn best in a conventional classroom and the goal here is to reach out especially to those students. These programs give, especially to those students, a reason to come to school and something that they can be successful at.”

Staff also hope to purchase snowshoes in the near future.