John Grant High School students create wonderful mural project on lockers and walls

Marie Francis, a teacher at John Grant High School in Côte Saint-Luc, says she wanted to get rid of the depressing “prison gray” walls in the building and instead  brighten up the school hallways and  do so in a creative way.

John Grant is a high school in the EMSB that targets students who have academic struggles or who have mild to severe intellectual impairments. It focuses on getting some students a Pre-Work Ministry Certification, instead of a high school diploma.

Ms. Francis assigned 21 of her students to create a mural along the lockers and walls of the hallway on the third floor of John Grant. Her student teacher, Sinthia Cousineau, took charge of this project and worked alongside artist Marcio Melo.

The John Grant mural project was carried out February 13 to 15.  Students were eager to work on this for three days and it built up their will to learn about the theme, aboriginal culture and art.

Part of the mural at John Grant High School (Photo credit: Eleni Giannakas)

Sara, a student partaking in this project, says, “My favourite part was brainstorming. This art and creativity comes out of our hearts.” She was very happy to talk about the project, showing me her favorite sections of the mural. Selena, Allison, and Maurine are students of Ms. Francis and are also working on the mural project. They all agree that they love it and they wish it could continue. All three girls liked different aspects of this mural such as painting, drawing, and designing.

Allison partaking in the mural production (Photo credit: Eleni Giannakas)

Mr. Melo, an architect by profession,  took part in this project. This added to the 170 murals he’s already done around Quebec. He moved from Brazil to Montreal to start his career and to follow his passion of art. “This projects allows everyone to collaborate and share space with each other,” he said. “The students can express themselves as they are in the present moment.”

The 21 students created beautiful murals across lockers and walls on the third floor. This will be a three-year production, as they will continue across the whole corridor to brighten up the lives of the students and their environment. They hope this will become a trend in schools so that everyone has a chance to express themselves creatively.

 “This mural project has a community collective impact,” says Ms. Cousineau, who despite only have been student teaching at John Grant for a few months has developed a close connection with her students and enjoys what they’re doing together.

Ms. Cousineau  jumped at the opportunity to do this mural and guided it towards Canadian aboriginal cultures. Ms. Francis agrees that this project is indeed wonderful for everyone.

Sinthia Cousineau, Marie Francis, and Marcio Melo (Photo credit: Eleni Giannakas)

You can view the mural in process video made by Sinthia Cousineau here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxeX_agA0sk

Or visit her website: http://www.sinthiacousineau.com/

Visit Marcio Melo's website: http://marciomelo.com/

PROPOSED NEW HIGH SCHOOL IN COTE SAINT-LUC NAMED WALLENBERG ACADEMY

MONTREAL, MARCH 27,  2013- The English Montreal School Board (EMSB) Council of Commissioners has  confirmed that a proposed new high school in Côte Saint-Luc will be named Wallenberg Academy. It will begin operations for the 2014-2015 academic year, provided an optimum number of 60  students enrol next fall.

EMSB Chairman Angela Mancini stated that unlike previous attempts to bring a new mainstream high school to the former Wagar High School facility,  now called the Giovanni Palatucci  Facility, plans  call for an appropriate window to be given to  introduce an enriched curriculum and an open house  in early fall 2013. The new school would cohabitate with John Grant High School, Marymount Adult Education Centre, the CARE Program and the EMSB Book Processing Centre.  

The EMSB ran a successful name the school contest last fall and early winter. Commissioner Syd Wise, who heads the task force studying the option, notes that there was  a natural connection between the names of Palatucci and Wallenberg.  Palatucci was an Italian police official who saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust.  Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary. Consideration was also given to naming the school after two  distinguished Montrealers, the late poet Irving Layton and the late  writer Mordecai Richler.  

It is the intent of the EMSB to start the school with Secondary I students. The school concept has the full cooperation of the City of Cote Saint-Luc and Mayor Anthony Housefather, who sits on the task force. Plans call for sports concentration, heritage languages and enriched science, English and music programs to be offered.

A public information meeting will be held in May for parents and an open house next fall, followed by a registration period.

For more information call 514-483-7200 ext.  7429.

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Contact:

Michael J. Cohen

Communications and Marketing Specialist

English Montreal School Board

(514) 483-7200, ext. 7243

EMSB Junior Robotics Winners

English Montreal School Board

 Elementary and Secondary

2012 Robotics Competitions Awards

Dance Category
	Merton Carnival	Merton School* Teacher: Lisa Triestino Ben Loerick Vanessa Iacampo Alexandre Tememe Noa Shuklinksky	•  Gold Metal NXT Robotic kit = $400

Search & Rescue	Merton Madness	Merton School* Teacher: Lisa Triestino Devon Bradshaw Joshua Messer Jordan Harte	•  Gold Metal NXT Robotic kit = $400
	Double JZ	Vincent Massey Collegiate Team mentor: Angelo Cianci Zachariah Coté Jordan Costinaro      Johnny Interiano	• Gold Metal NXT Robotic kit = $400

2-on-2 Soccer	Geek Squad	Elizabeth Ballantyne Student mentors: Steven Dahdah                       and Si Jia Li Luka Beaudette-Nagai Nicholas Dahdah Elizabeth Van Den Hoogen Sarah Newman-Zaloum	•  Gold Metal NXT Robotic kit = $400
	Lemon Fire	Royal West Academy Student mentor: Steven Dahdah Max Chemtov Zach Mitchell Jehan Pharand Owen Van-Esbroeck	• Gold Metal NXT Robotic kit = $400

* Merton was also awarded the Junior Robotic Cup for the best overall performance at the 2012 competition.

CRC Robotics Secondary Competition

Rosemount Technology Center

Awarded for their game and sportsmanship.

• Metals

JFK facility will not be ready for September

 It has been determined that John F. Kennedy High School will need to begin the 2012-2013 academic year in the Rosemount High School facility while John F. Kennedy Business Centre will have to continue operating at the Shadd Business Centre and the  Rosemount Technology Centre Curtis George Campus in Montreal North. Here is Director General Robert Stocker's message on the subject.

June 4, 2012

UPDATE  JOHN F. KENNEDY FACILITY

Dear Stakeholders,

I would like to thank everyone who has worked diligently on the asbestos situation at John F. Kennedy High School. The team was led by the Deputy Director General, Roma Medwid who collaborated with the Chair, Ms. Angela Mancini, the Vice Chair, Ms. Sylvia Lo Bianco and the Commissioner for John F. Kennedy, Mr. Rocco Barbieri as well as the Commissioner for Rosemount High School, Mr. A. Cannavino, to ensure that the concerns of all the stakeholders were addressed. 

As you are aware from our previous communication, the temporary relocation of John F. Kennedy High School and John F. Kennedy Business Centre was largely accomplished seamlessly due to the efforts of a whole team of people: M. Claude Dansereau and Mr. Cosmo Della Rocca, Regional Directors, Mr. Joe Marra, Principal of JFK, Mr. F. Di Paolo, Principal of JFK Business Centre, Ms. Demetra Droutsas, Principal of Rosemount High School, Mr. Harry Michalopoulos, Principal Rosemount Technology Centre, Ms Alice Sideropoulos, Principal of Shadd Business Centre, the staffs of both schools, the Governing Boards of both schools, the EMSB Management Team (A. Furfaro, J. Nicolopoulos, C. Spyridakos, S. Kakouratos, A. Watson, C. Primiano,  L. Lewis, L. Di Fillippo),  the field service technicians headed by G. Bakakis, (EMSB) CSST Officer  C. Boutin, the School Organization Technician E. Baise and  of course, our Communications officer, M. Cohen. It was a team that worked tirelessly to relocate the schools but, more importantly, is presently involved in coordinating our efforts to finish testing, locating, and then the eventual clean up of the asbestos from JFK. I wish to thank everyone for their effort and determination in working to provide a safe, clean environment for the students and staff of the JFK facility.

Although it appears that there is little being done at JFK, this is far from reality. Parents who live close by and don't see much action may not be aware that this is because the experts are still testing. As stated in the public meeting, we have located the source of one of the types of asbestos fibres. We are currently conducting tests to locate the source of another type of fibre which appears in ‘trace’ (or very small)  amounts. We are being thorough and it is meticulous work.  By May 30^th, we took 69 samples from the ‘old’ or original section of the school. As of June 4^th, we will be taking further samples in the ‘new’ section which includes the pool, the new gym, the workshop area and the cafeteria.

Please remember that it takes a few days to install the testing machinery in the locations, and then it takes a few days to take samples. Then we have to wait a number of days for the results. Once the results are in, they are reviewed and a determination is made as to what the next step will be. As stated, we are working slowly and methodically to determine if there is another source of asbestos fibre that exists so that once we begin the cleanup we will be sure that there will be no further contamination from another source. We want to be absolutely sure that the students and staff will be going back to a clean, safe environment.

Rest assured that a JFK Task Force met to move this work along as quickly as possible without compromising the end result: a school that is free of asbestos for a safe return to the facility.

Once the testing is completed (targeted for mid June), the documents for the cleanup of JFK will be prepared and submitted for public tender. There is a minimum 10 day period where bids are submitted and accepted. Then the bids are analyzed by a supervising architect. Finally, the work is awarded to a company that specializes in the removal of asbestos.  Once the asbestos is removed then the regular summer cleaning (washing and waxing floors etc) of the premises can begin. Currently, JFK is scheduled to be ready by the end of September. Every effort will be made to safely finish ahead of schedule if at all possible.

Therefore, the students will start their 2012-2013 school year at the Rosemount facility. We understand that this may be disappointing news, but we feel it is necessary to give you the facts as we know them now.

We will continue to update you as progress is made. We want to reassure you that it is our goal to work as quickly as possible- but safely and thoroughly. 

We would also like to address the issue of the rumors that are out there. We have no wish to sell off the JFK  facility for condo development. We are educators - not real estate developers. Furthermore, any sale of school board facilities requires extensive consultation and is closely supervised by the MELS. This is not something that a School Board can arbitrarily do on its own.

It is our intention to reopen the facility so that JFK High School and JFK Business Centre can return home.

With the help of all the individuals mentioned at the beginning, and with the support of all the members of Council and the community, we will realize our goal.

We will submit another update to you before the end of June.

Sincerely,

R. Stocker

Director General