Twenty District 16 educators met after school on Wednesday December 1st to learn about the professional value of the “micro-blogging” medium Twitter. The session led by District 16 technology mentors Joey Savoy and Craig Duplessie emphasized how the social networking site is very useful for following current ideas and resources being made public by leading educators from around the world. In addition the networking allows users to find resources recommended by colleagues and share their ideas.
Three hundred District 16 students recently participated in a world wide Guinness Book of Records, record setting effort that involved students in 25 different countries. Representing Blackville School, Harkins Middle School, Nelson Rural School and North and South Esk Elementary School, the students were among 316 757 participants setting a record in the category "Most People Sport Stacking at Multiple Locations in One Day". SportStacking is an activity that involves participants "upstacking" and "downstacking" plastic cups as quickly as possible.
James M. Hill Memorial High School was the location for Mr. Bernard Richard, New Brunswick’s ombudsman and child and youth advocate, to deliver his third annual State of our Children and Youth address on Thursday November 25th. The presentation to an audience that included students from James M. High, Miramichi Valley High and École Carrefour Beausoleil, was preceded by various student workshops and a First Nation dancing demonstration by the Esgenoopeitj Dancers.
International students attending District 16 schools were guests of honour at a dinner held on November 22nd at the Rodd Miramichi River Hotel. The thirty students from Germany, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil and China were greeted by school, provincial and municipal officials and made to feel welcome. They received certificates of recognition from Miramichi MLA Bill Fraser and received a pair of Roots Maple Leaf mittens, timely as there was a very winter-like snowfall happening outside at the time.
An Assembly of BlueSchools throughout District 16 recognized Bullying Awareness Week held from November 14th to 20th. Through assemblies and various other activities, strategies to reduce bullying both in and out of school, were promoted. Many of these strategies were student created and student led. Visitors to District 16 school web sites can see examples of these efforts in news items, newsletter articles and morning announcements. A Friday morning assembly at which Saint Andrew's Elementary School pupils wore blue to show solidarity, is typical of what took place in many district schools.
In early July of this past summer Miramichi Rural School Star Troopers made a presentation to the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada General Assembly in Fredericton. Attached is an account of the experience prepared by MRS grade 8 student, Star Trooper Shane Wray. For more information on the Galileo Observatory at Miramichi Rural School visit http://miramichirural.nbed.nb.ca/other/galileo-observatory .
Mr. KeoughanThe New Brunswick School District 16 Education Council (DEC) hosted a symposium for the Parent School Support Committees (PSSC) of district schools on Tuesday November 9that Dr. Losier Middle School. After enjoying a light supper parental representatives from area schools received a presentation given by Rick Hayward, D16 Technology Coordinator, as the first item on the evening’s agenda. Mr.
