TLA Newsletter: May 27, 2022

Enrolment

We look forward to increasing enrolment for the coming year, with an anticipated twenty-five new students to date for September. Families are encouraged to spread the word about TLA to foster even greater enrolment.

Covid-19 Update

All Ministry-mandated daily reporting of staff absences due to illness has now stopped. We are pleased that no TLA staff have had to take time away from school because of illness due to Covid-19 during this reporting period of the past six months plus. We still have a number of provincially provided Covid-19 test kits left over, which are available for families who have not yet obtained theirs from the school office.

School Seismic Upgrade

Our Traditional Learning Society of BC Chairman, Mr. Chris Oakley, P. Eng. and I have been meeting with the various contractors and service providers pertaining to the seismic upgrade project, as well as having several discussions with Archdiocesan personnel, in the areas of finance, project management, and engineering. We are assembling our project team of Engineers, Architects, a Project Manager, and various testing agencies. It is likely that the physical upgrades to the school will commence in the summer of 2023, with some preparatory work anticipated prior to that time. We will be working with the board and the Seismic Upgrade Team to ascertain the best way forward with respect to the school calendar, in order to allow a maximum of work to take place during the summertime breaks. We may consider modifications to the school year, such as lengthening the school day somewhat, in order to shorten the calendar years adjoining the breaks by several weeks at each end. What format this will take will be provided to families in ample time to prepare for such modifications.

Fund Raising Ahead

We look forward to assembling a team of parents to coordinate our fund raising efforts for the upcoming seismic upgrade as well as some renovations and additions to the school during the time of the upgrade or shortly after. We will need to look at large and small scale fund raising projects, both in-house and “extra-mural”. Although several people have approached the school with a willingness to work in this very important area, we need many more to make it a success. If you have capabilities in this area and are willing to assist the school in this very important task, please let us know. More information will follow.

March for Life

TLA high school students and their teachers headed to Victoria on March 12 for the reinstituted March For Life at the Legislature. The group departed TLA at 6:30 AM and returned home at 8:00 PM. It was an action-packed day bussing to the ferry, walking on as passengers, taking another bus to Victoria, attending the Pro Life Mass at the Cathedral downtown, walking to Centennial Square and joining the march to the Legislature to hear speakers, before reboarding the bus for the ferry, and finally, home. TLA was the first high school to attend the March For Life some fifteen years ago and, for the most part, has attended each one since. This year two Catholic high schools from the Lower Mainland, TLA and Holy Cross, were in attendance. The day was upbeat and positive and an important way for the school to express its commitment to the cause of life.

Camp Squeah High School Trip The high school students made their way to Camp Squeah, in the Fraser Canyon beyond the town of Hope, early in the morning of Monday, May 16^th, returning the following Wednesday afternoon. Camp activities included Bushcrafts, Archery, Hiking, Indoor Climbing, High Ropes, Team & Trust Building, Wood Burning, Indoor & Outdoor Games, Arts & Crafts, Skits, Campfire Sing-A-Long, & Faith Enrichment, all led and supervised by TLA teachers and Camp Squeah staff. The first time at Squeah since before the Covid-19 shutdowns, students and staff alike were delighted to reinstitute this TLA tradition of heading into the great outdoors. Thank you to the parent drivers as well as our TLA camp staff, Mr. De Vita, Mrs. Akhurst, Mrs. Smith, Miss Farinha, Mr. Moore, and Mr. McLaughlin for their enthusiastic commitment to the trip.

Birthright Mass at Holy Rosary A stalwart contingent of elementary and high school students, parents, friends of TLA, and several TLA staff members joined forces to provide the choir for this year’s Birthright Mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver. Cathedral Rector, Very Rev. Stanley Galvon, and Rev. Arsene Dutunge, JCL, as well as the Birthright volunteers, all expressed their gratitude for our participation in this annual event. TLA has provided choral accompaniment to the annual Birthright Mass for several decades.

TLA Promotional Video Mrs. Trisha McManus is producing a promotional video for the school to be used in recruiting new students and to solicit donations for our upcoming project. A number of interviews have been recorded for this project, as well as a number of “B-Roll” segments. Thank you to everyone who has responded to requests to be interviewed!

27^th TLA High School Graduation, Thursday, June 9, 12:00 Noon Students will be travelling by school bus to the Evergreen Cultural Centre to honour our current graduating class. The ceremony will be followed by a light reception, and then the formal dinner banquet at the Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club that evening. We join in congratulating this year’s graduates on their accomplishment and wish them well as they make their way into the world!

TLA Intermediate Science Fair Success! Students in grades four through seven donned their scientific lab coats and presented a wide variety of entries which were judged by Dr. Suzana Kovacic of Simon Fraser University’s department of Sciences. Congratulations to all participants and to coordinator Mrs. Bucci for contributing to the success of the event.

Upcoming Trips and Activities:
Friday, May 27 (TODAY) Planetarium Trip Grades 6 & 7
Monday, May 30 Speech Arts HS/Elem. Duologues, Shakespeare, Choric Drama
Tuesday, May 31 May Crowning
Patrick Webb Essay Competition: All high school students participated – results pending
Monday – Friday, June 13 – 17 Tennis BC Lessons, Elementary Students
Mon. – Fri., June 13 – 17 Provincial Literacy and Numeracy Assessments Gr. 10 & 12
June Date and Time TBA – Speech Arts Highlights – Parents invited to attend.
June 15 – 17 Grade 7 will be heading to Hat Creek Ranch for a camp trip with teachers Elizabeth Goody and Andrea Smith.
June 21 – 24 High School Exams
Thurs., June 23, Maplewood Farm K – 3 Field Trip
June DATE TBA – Belcarra Shoreline Study Grade Four
June 27/28 “Bard in the Basement” Grade 7 Students directed by Elizabeth Goody will perform William Shakespeare’s, The Tempest.