Parent Newsletter
Macdonald Drive Junior High, December 2020
Macdonald Drive Junior High
Email: mdjh@nlesd.ca
Website: mdjh.info
Location: 110 Macdonald Drive, St. John's, NL, Canada
Phone: 709-753-8240
Twitter: @mdjh
Dates to Remember
- November 30 to December 4 - Virtual Book Fair
- December 3 - Virtual Christmas Concert
- December 7, 8 and 9 - Nurses will be at MDJH to administer vaccines to staff and students
- December 10, 12:30-6:30 - Virtual Parent-Teacher Interviews
- December 18 - Last day of school before Christmas break
- January 4 - First day back after Christmas break
What's been going on...
Congratulations to Ms. Hardy!
A huge firework to Ms. Daisy Hardy for receiving the Distinguished Vice Principal of the Year Award from the Canadian Association of Principals. Congratulations, Ms. Hardy, from all MDJH students and staff!
Roots of Empathy
This year, Ms. Donna Mills's 7-6 class is doing the program with our guidance counsellor, Ms. Christin Watton. Right now, we are completing the virtual Recovery Program where we discuss the effects that COVID-19 has had on us, the baby, and the baby's parents.
This year's Roots of Empathy baby is Baby Emily. Her mom, Cheryl, is one of our IRTs and is on maternity leave this year. Emily is 5 months old and is super cute! We love learning about how she is doing and what it's like to grow and develop as a baby during COVID-19. Even though Baby Emily does not come into our class, we love getting picture updates and videos from her mom. We are looking forward to seeing Baby Emily on a Google Meet after Christmas!
Hallowe'en Donation to the Gathering Place
Earlier this month, MDJH students were asked to donate their extra Hallowe'en candy to the Gathering Place. Here, Abigail J. of 7-5 drops off our donation.
Coats for Kids 2020
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Coats for Kids event for 2020. As you can see, our community came through yet again to help keep people warm this winter!
Progress on our outdoor classroom
Things are starting to shape up! Thanks to Treena Boyde and the School Council for all their hard work.
Crushed stone progress
Placing rocks for seating
Placing rocks for seating
Coming up...
Report Cards / Parent-Teacher Conferences
- If you need access to PowerSchool, please contact natashawellon@nlesd.ca
- PowerSchool provides the most up to date marks information for students. By clicking on the overall mark, you will even get a breakdown of all your child’s individual assessments.
- OPTIS will give you the option to arrange a phone conference or a video conference – there will be no in-person conferences this year.
- Here are the links to OPTIS and the user instructions for parents.
- OPTIS will open on November 25 and will close on December 2.
MDJH Virtual Scholastic Book Fair
Our school’s Scholastic Virtual Book Fair starts next week! It will be open from NOVEMBER 30 to DECEMBER 4.
Let’s continue to give our students access to the books they want to read! We are excited to provide this opportunity for families to shop together from the comfort of home.
For orders under $35, shipping is a flat fee of $6. Over $35, shipping is always free. BUT! If you participate in our Virtual Family Event on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2, you will get free shipping from 6-8pm on everything purchased!
Your investment in your reader also helps our whole school. All purchases earn rewards that can be redeemed for books and education resources for our school’s classrooms and library.
When it’s time to shop, visit our school’s Virtual Book Fair site using this link:
https://bookfairs-canada.myshopify.com/pages/5150869
NOTE: Please be advised that the link will not be active for shopping until the Fair start date, Monday, November 30.
Before our Fair begins, click the link to:
– SAVE it to your browser
– WATCH videos of popular new titles
– PREVIEW our Featured Books
Watch for news leading up to our Scholastic Virtual Book Fair!
Happy reading!
Adopt a Senior Christmas Project
Each year the student council organizes an “Adopt a Senior for Christmas” project. There are seniors in our community's nursing homes with no family nearby and the holidays can be a very lonely time for them. During this particularly challenging year, Christmas might be even more challenging.
For the past few years, we have partnered with St. Pat’s Mercy Home to adopt 25-30 seniors. Each homeroom will be given a Christmas wish list for a senior. Class reps will organize the signing of a card for their senior and collect monetary donations for the purchase of larger items on the list. Each student in the homeroom will sign a card for a senior, after which the gift is wrapped and delivered to St. Pats.
Thank you in advance for your continued generosity in support of this worthwhile cause.
Other News!
NLESD Guide to Google Resources
Google for Education is the main platform used by NLESD school communities. Looking for more information on what it is, or a better understanding of the tools it provides? NLESD has provided a handy document to help answer your questions.
Use of masks
Non-medical masks are required on school buses. Our grades 7-9 students will be required to wear masks in all common areas of the school (including hallways), and if seated in their classroom if a one-metre physical distance (face to face) cannot be achieved. No student is required to wear a mask if they cannot tolerate it. Masks must be worn properly and fully cover the mouth and nose.
MDJH Music
Christmas Concert
MDJH Sports
MDJH Sports Practice Schedule
Monday
2:30-4:00pm - Grade 8 Boys Basketball (Moores/Oliver)
4:30-6:00pm - Grade 8 Boys Volleyball (Biddiscombe), Grade 7 Boys Volleyball (Douglas)
Tuesday
2:30-4:00pm - Grade 9 Boys Volleyball (Kipnis), Grade 9 Girls Volleyball (Walsh)
4:30-6:00pm - Grade 8 Girls Volleyball (Keough), Grade 8 Girls Volleyball (Hassan)
Wednesday
2:30-4:00pm - Grade 8 Girls Volleyball (Hassan), Grade 9 Girls Volleyball (House)
4:30-6:00pm - Grade 7 Girls Volleyball (Foley), Grade 7 Girls Volleyball (Goldsworthy)
Thursday
2:30-4:00 pm - Grade 7 Girls Basketball (Budgell)
4:30-6:00pm - Grade 9 Girls Volleyball (Walsh), Grade 9 Girls Volleyball (House)
Friday
2:30-4:00pm - Grade 9 Boys Basketball (Guerra)
4:30-6:00pm - Grade 9 Boys Volleyball (Kipnis), Grade 8 Girls Volleyball (Keough)
Saturday
9:00-10:30am - Grade 9 Girls Basketball (Ausum)
11:00-12:30pm - Grade 7 Boys Basketball (Slaney/Barbour)
1:00-2:30pm - Grade 8 Girls Basketball (Reid)
Student Council News
School Clothing Orders
Orders for school clothing will be available next week on our website once the protocols that meet public health guidelines can be followed. The delivery date will be after Christmas.
2020-2021 Yearbook
We are hoping to produce a yearbook again this year at MDJH. Any student, parent or coach with a photo of any group in grades 7-9 are asked to please email a picture to colettequann@nlesd.ca.
If sending a picture from your phone please be sure to select the option actual size to ensure good quality when uploading to the yearbook site.
2019-2020 Yearbooks
The 2019-2020 yearbooks have arrived and have been distributed to all our current Grade 8 and 9 students who ordered one. They have also been dropped off at Gonzaga for distribution to our former Grade 9 students who are currently in Grade 10. There are a small number available for purchase. Please contact Mme Quann at colettequann@nlesd.ca if you are interested in purchasing a yearbook from last year.
Celebrate Success
We want to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of the students of MDJH. We have a wall of celebration where we will place a certificate of acknowledgement highlighting participation and success in a variety of activities.
We want to know if your child has performed in any plays or musicals, been on a team that has won a title or been recognized in any individual competition. We need your help with this. Please let us know so we can proudly display this on our Celebration Wall. Please email colettequann@nlesd.ca with Celebrate YOUR CHILD’S NAME in the subject line.
Macdonald Drive Junior High
Email: mdjh@nlesd.ca
Website: mdjh.info
Location: 110 Macdonald Drive, St. John's, NL, Canada
Phone: 709-753-8240
Twitter: @mdjh