thunder 9s

High school is an exciting time with all the many opportunities for students to succeed and
thrive academically, emotionally and socially. By choosing St. Mary you have selected a school with excellent classroom instruction, boisterous school spirit and an amazing selection of clubs and sports.

Our administration, teachers, support staff and community partners look forward to meeting you and supporting your success and will be here to help you every step of the way.

WELCOMES YOU!

Grade 9 Orientation Day is organized annually by our energetic
Link Crew Leaders and staff coordinators.

This day helps new students build a sense of community by participating
in a series of fun team and spirit building activities while fostering
a spirit of welcoming between seniors and juniors.

grade 9 orientation day

THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2017
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

8:30 - 10:15 a.m. - Assembly in the Gym
10:15 - 11:30 a.m. - Fun activities
11:30 - 12:30 a.m. - Tour/lunch

USED UNIFORM SALE
8:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Catholic School Parent Council will have tables set-up in the forum on Grade 9 Orientation Day for parents/students interested in purchasing gently used uniform items at some great prices.

Timetable change appointments

Your preliminary timetable COULD change over the summer. Teachers and classrooms are not finalized at this point. Timetable changes will only be made for exceptional reasons and by appointment with a parent/guardian present.

To make an appointment call 905-372-4339 and speak to our 12 month secretary who will book your appointment.

Guidance Office Hours:
Monday, August 28: 9-3
Tuesday, August 29: 9-3
Wednesday, August 30: 9-3
Thursday, August 31: STAFF MEETING - CLOSED
Friday, September 1: CLOSED

LInk crew Program

St. Mary is thrilled to participate in the nationwide Link Crew Program, an organization whose sole purpose is to help grade 8’s feel more comfortable as well as help them achieve success in the first year of high school.

The Link Crew Grade 9 Orientation/Transition Program is designed to both welcome and support new grade 9’s by assigning them a junior or senior Link Leader as a mentor during this first year. This Link Leader is a responsible older student who was selected from a pool of applicants and has met the qualifications of being a good role model and as positive leader at our school.

Following is some information to let you know what you and your child can expect in advance of their first day of school:

A day or two before orientation, your child will also receive a phone call dialer message inviting them to orientation day and giving the details of where to be and what time.
Your son or daughter should not bring a backpack, purse or other like items as the day is quite active;
Students should wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict movement.

Link Crew's goal is to provide schools with a program to help students make real connections with each other thus increasing school safety and reducing incidence of bullying with anti-bullying education. Through this program, grade 8’s learn that people at school care about them and their success and leaders experience increased self esteem as well as overall character development.

2017/18 link crew Co-ordinators

Yvette McCartney, Link Crew Coordinator

Patricia Carmichael, Link Crew Coordinator

ASWELL AS...

Jacqueline Shaw
Julie Brown

what is link crew?

Link Crew is a high school transition program that welcomes freshmen and makes them feel comfortable throughout the first year of their high school experience. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, Boomerang Project’s proven high school transition program trains mentors from your junior and senior classes to be Link Crew Leaders. As positive role models, Link Crew Leaders are mentors and student leaders who guide the freshmen to discover what it takes to be successful during the transition to high school and help facilitate freshman success.More and more studies show that if students have a positive experience their first year in high school, their chance for success increases dramatically. Link Crew provides the structure for freshmen to receive support and guidance from juniors and seniors who have been through the challenges that high school poses, and understand that the transition to a larger school can sometimes be overwhelming.

Link Crew is a year long transition program with four components that contribute to its success:

High School Orientation - Link Leaders and freshmen start building the mentor relationship and freshmen receive information about how to be successful in high school
Academic Follow Ups - Link Leaders support freshman academic success and character development through structured classroom visits
Social Follow Ups - Link Leaders and freshmen connect outside the classroom at social events to increase student engagement, and promote positive school climate
Leader Initiated Contacts - Link Leaders connect with their freshmen on a more individual basis

High School Transition Program Promotes School Safety, Anti-Bullying
Link Crew's goal is to provide schools with a structure in which students make real connections with each other thus increasing school safety and reducing incidence of bullying with anti-bullying education. Through this program, freshmen learn that people at school care about them and their success and leaders experience increased self esteem as well as overall character development. Link Crew is the high school transition program that will increase attendance, decrease discipline referrals and improve academic performance at your school.

student leadership

Link Crew is a student centered leadership and mentor program founded on the guiding principle that students are an invaluable and untapped resource at your school. Link Crew believes that students ultimately want to be positive change agents at your school, but need the structure and permission to do so.

At the heart of the Link Crew program are your Link Crew Leaders. The success of your program is based on selecting students who will step up to not only support your freshmen, but also act as mentors and take the lead in creating a positive school climate.

Link Leaders are:

Members from your junior and senior class
A cross section of your student body
Students who want to make a difference at your school

Link Leaders are trained to:

Facilitate small groups
Deliver classroom lessons
Take responsibility for their own behavior
Be positive leaders and role models in all situations

In addition to facilitating learning experiences and instructing freshmen in valuable lessons on how to be successful in high school, Link Crew Leaders step up and become a substantial presence on campus acting as models of positive behavior which is ultimately a catalyst for climate change at your school. Link Crew is an excellent service learning and character development program; students get to serve their school community on multiple levels as well as reflect, consider and understand the impact of their own behavior.

link crew is self sustaining

In education programs can come and go, but not Link Crew. Because members of your staff experience an extensive and inspiring teacher training, your school continues to benefit year after year. Additionally, with Link Crew:

There is no requirement to pay a license fee
You are not required to hire us to execute the program
Personal ownership of the program results in more effectiveness

Certification
The Boomerang Project certifies Link Crew Coordinators through our nationally recognized training conferences. This means you do not bring in an outside consultant or company to work with your students. A staff member who knows and connects with your kids will be there day in and day out to make sure the program succeeds.

100% Ongoing Support
Once certified, Link Crew coordinators have a world of resources at their finger tips:

Access to transition and student leadership experts
A team committed to assisting every coordinator for the rest of their educational career
Funding advice, information, tips and resources
Total support whether it be through phone calls, emails or website usage - we're here to help you get through any challenging situation you may face with your program

what Orientation looks like

Link Crew kicks off the school year with a fun filled and educational orientation day that welcomes your transitioning freshmen into your school with a sense of safety in a high spirited, all inclusive, anti-bullying environment. Freshmen are personally invited to attend the orientation by a junior or senior Link Crew Leader who spends the day with them and mentors them throughout their first year of high school.

The orientation day includes:

A spirited and interactive opening assembly led by your trained adult Coordinator
A mentor group experience led by trained student Link Crew Leaders
A school tour led by your trained Link Crew Leaders
A thoughtful, inspiring closing assembly led by your trained Coordinator

Your freshmen exit the gym equipped with information and strategies that will help them be successful in high school, the knowledge that the Link Crew Leaders and the school care about them, and a sea of familiar faces to look forward to on their first day of school. Your Link Leaders emerge with the confidence to be leaders and empowered to help create school change. As a result of these first day efforts, your freshmen will experience more success, overall school safety will increase and your building will be on its way to a bully-free environment.

link crew is a yearlong program

Link Crew is more than just a one day event. It is a structured high school transition program that provides mentoring and character development spanning an entire year at your high school. The Link Crew Leaders not only help organize and guide the freshmen through orientation day, but they also help to facilitate a smooth transition both socially and academically throughout the year. Specifically, there are three ways Link Crew lives at your school during the year:

Academic Follow Ups: these occur in a classroom setting; Link Crew Leaders visit freshman classes to teach lessons on topics such as time management, goal setting, and peer pressure.
Social Follow Ups: these are school sponsored group activities that bring freshmen and Link Crew Leaders together for a variety of fun events such as group lunches, campus movie nights or tailgate parties in support of school sporting events.
Leader Initiated Follow Ups: these happen outside the classroom on a one-to-one basis and can be as simple as Link Crew Leaders saying “hi” to their freshmen in the hallways or calling them at home to check in and see how they are doing. More involved Leader Initiated Follow Ups include Link Leaders spending time tutoring their freshmen or doing something special for their birthdays.

This three pronged approach to freshman transition is what sets Link Crew apart from other orientation programs. A 1998 study cited by the National Association of Secondary School Principals found that 6-8 contacts in a year are necessary in order to establish a relationship that truly makes a difference. With Link Crew, freshmen experience at least 8 positive contacts with Link Leaders the first six weeks of school.

creating positive school climate

Link Crew creates a positive, caring school culture. More than 1,500 high schools have watched as their student bodies have become more connected, more spirited and kinder to each other. Link Crew intentionally and structurally creates a sense of connection and purpose through a variety of ways:

Shared Leadership: with a cross section of your student body being Link Leaders, the natural leaders of all groups at your school have a place to significantly contribute to their community
Student Voice: putting students in a place of ownership of their school environment and allowing them to lead other students, gives them a voice the and a role that is integral to the success of your school
Positive Freshmen: connected freshmen who feel welcomed and wanted also feel safe and therefore behave differently; they are more respectful, less antagonistic, more involved and care more about themselves and the school community in general

Two natural by-products of Link Crew are a strong sense of character development and the emergence of an anti-bullying environment. Because students are more connected to each other, involved in their school and empowered to make a difference, they develop empathy, a respect for others and the courage to stand up for and take care of fellow students.