Hi everyone
Hope you are looking forward to a long weekend that recharges your batteries! As the first week of October wraps up, school start up and helping new students apply to EBUS and get their courses underway is still my focus and the focus of our staff. We appreciate your patience as we work through all the expressions of interest and new applications. As I get past the crest of these, I will email you each a credit check detailing your progress in the graduation program. I will be starting with grade 12s, then 11s and 10s in order to ensure our students planning to graduate this year are all set with required courses. This will also indicate if the student has written any of the 3 required graduation assessments, Literacy 10, Numeracy, and the new Literacy 12. More details about how to register for these required graduation assessments will be available in the next newsletter.
2022-23 WELLNESS PROJECT
EBUS shared a student planner for the school year in the homeroom on student dashboards.
For the month of OCTOBER the focus is on gratitude. I encourage everyone to look at the ideas in the planner, and make an effort to connect with those around you that have had a positive impact on your life. Tell them what a difference they made write a letter, text or give them a quick phone call. Practicing gratitude daily can change your brain, really! Give it a try for this month and see how it benefits you.
REQUESTING COURSE CHANGES
For full time students wanting to change courses, please use the “drop course” button on your dashboard and email me your new request. Be sure to put the full student name and the specific course you are requesting, like English New Media 10. Courses will only be added if the student is dropping one or is substantially complete in a current course.
PHONE APPOINTMENTS
For students and families looking to connect with me by phone we are using a new system this year that is well received by our families. Please visit https://tinyurl.com/yyrbnz7p to book that, and select the appropriate amount of time you need when you are available for the call.
WHAT ABOUT?
To ensure our full-time high school students have all the information about EBUS Academy needed to be successful, our website contains lots of information vital to student success. In this section of our bi-weekly newsletter, we will highlight some of the elements of EBUS that we get lots of questions about.
Sooo…what about the required graduation assessments?
Students graduating under the 2018 graduation program will need to complete a total of 3 assessments to meet graduation requirements; Literacy 10, Numeracy and Literacy 12. These assessments must be written in person under the supervision of a teacher and are written in high schools across BC.
Students need to complete these only one time.
EBUS will help our fulltime students find a seat a local high school for the January and June sessions. You can get all the details at https://ebus.ca/welcome-package/grade-10-12-homeroomnews/graduation-assessments-provincial-exams/
For students looking to write during the January 23-27 session, EBUS can help you find a school close by for you to write in. You can register for that at www.ebusgradassessment.weebly.com between October 4 and December 15.
For the required graduation numeracy and literacy assessments, all BC students will need government issue photo ID. A BCID card or a public school ID card will qualify. If you need a school ID card please send a current colour photo to Nikki at nvandolah@sd91.bc.ca well in advance of your assessment date.
UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Each year EBUS awards one eligible grade 12 student the prestigious UNBC scholar award. This $20, 000 scholarship is based on the academic results from the student’s grade 11 year. If you are interested in knowing more about this scholarship, or would like to be considered for it, please email me by November 15. More scholarship announcements will be found later in the school year in the homeroom.
MENTAL HEALTH MINUTE
As a mental health counselor and the Academic Advisor at EBUS, I want to encourage all students and families to set aside space and time regularly to take care of your health in all its aspects. This newsletter I want to focus on the connection and value of physical health and wellbeing with our mental health. Regular, vigorous physical activity is consistently shown to have a positive influence on our mental health. I work hard to schedule daily walks in my busy life…having a 2 year old dog is my motivator, and when I can get out for a good long walk I am the better for it. Take the time and make it consistent, I think you will find it helpful.
UPCOMING IMPORTANT DATES
- Oct 10 Thanksgiving – EBUS closed, courses open
- Oct 13 Grades 10-12 assembly 11AM click HERE
- Oct 21 Professional Development Day – EBUS staff unavailable, courses open
- Nov 10 Remembrance Day assembly 10:30M (link to come)
- Nov 10 end of Term 1 all work handed in on or before will be marked for report cards
- Nov 11 Remembrance Day – EBUS closed, courses open to students
- Nov 25 Report cards available
- Nov 25 Pro D – teachers unavailable, courses open to students
- Dec 8 Grades 10-12 assembly 11AM
- Dec 19-January 2 Winter Break, teachers unavailable, courses open to students
- Tuesday January 3 2023 EBUS reopens
- Jan 23-27 required grad assessments register HERE before Dec 15
- Jan 27 end of Term 2 – all work handed in on or before will be marked for report cards
- Note that Term end dates are guidelines for students to finish courses, if you do not finish by the November or January term end date you can continue with your studies without penalty. New courses are not automatically added at the Term change, students need to request them as they finish current courses by March 1.
You can find the full year school calendar at
PARENT ACCESS
Parents, you can access your student’s progress and report cards on the EBUS parent portal: https://my.ebus.ca/parentportal/login.php We recommend parents log in with their student at least once a week to stay actively engaged in their learning and progress. Students, you can access your report cards from your dashboard; look for the A+ icon in the upper right hand corner. Report cards are published 5 times a year; November, January, March, June and for summer session courses only, September.
And as I get asked this frequently, 1/5th of the time for semester one has passed. Students who started courses in early Sept and plan to finish by the end of Semester one in January should be approximately 20% complete. Students planning to finish by the June 15th deadline should be 10% complete.
I hope you get to enjoy the coming days of autumn, it’s my favourite season. The next newsletter will be Friday Oct 14.