Massey Minute - December 2024 Newsletter.pdf

INFORM

VM CAREER CENTRE

The Career Centre will be hosting a ‘Serving Your Community’ Career Fair on Tuesday, Dec. 10th from 9:30am - 12:30pm in the main foyer. It will be an interactive day to explore public safety career choices. They will be hosting 8 different booths set up for students to explore and ask questions at. Joining us will be: Canadian Armed Forces, Brandon Police Services, Brandon Correctional Centre, Border Services, RCMP, Emergency Medical Services, The Brandon Fire College, and Assiniboine College. Interested in X-ray tech or Lab tech as a career choice? Join us for a zoom presentation on Dec. 2nd. Send Ms. Mills or Mrs. Smith a Teams message to sign up!!

TOKTW DAY 2024

112 businesses in the Westman area participated in the Take Our Kids to Work day!! We are continuing to hear about some amazing experiences that the students had. Thank you Brandon businesses for opening your doors for this event!!

AC TRADES DAY SUMMIT

Assiniboine College is hosting a Trades Summit March 13th, 2025. The event will allow high school students to participate in hands-on- Try-A-Trade workshops. AC recommends grade 10-12 to attend. Students will have the opportunity to experience various trades including: carpentry, plumbing, electrical, heavy duty, automotive, roofing, and science. Students are also encouraged to bring their resumes as there will be opportunities to apply for summer employment.

Registration is open now and is expected to sell out again this year. For more information or to register please see the Career Centre or email smith.tanya@bsd.ca or mills.erin@bsd.ca.

IMPORTANT DATES

Dec. 10 - Serving Your Community Career Fair

Dec. 11 - Wellness Wednesday Dec. 19 - Teen Clinic

Dec. 20 - Last day of classes before Winter Break

Jan. 6 - Classes resume

REMINDER

Please clean your locker out before winter break!! (remove any garbage or recycling)

YOUTH WELLNESS DAY

On December 11th, all Grade 9 students will participate in a Wellness Day event hosted by BSD. The event this year is sponsored by SPIN. Val Caldwell will be speaking about the impact of social media and technology on mental health as well as some student-friendly strategies that teens can use when navigating their technology use. Our grade 9's can look forward to hearing an engaging presentation during their ELA classes and getting free swag bag!!

YEARBOOK SALE

$45 for a book full of this year's memories. Add an extra $3 to personalize your yearbook.  SchoolCashOnline.com: Welcome

GRAD HOODIES

We are all very excited for Grad 2025!! Grad hoodies will be available for purchase via the school cash online site during the second week of December. The hoodie sizers will be located in the Career Centre (across from the Library). Stop by and sign your name on the ‘25 which will be printed on the back of the hoodie. Prices are as follows: $54 regular hoodie. $60 for a hoodie with your name on the sleeve.

CELEBRATE

GREASE THE MUSICAL

The superstar production crew at Vincent Massey wants to shout a GIGANTIC thank you to everyone who came out to see Grease! It was a smash hit! A massive high- five to all the staff, students, and parents who helped turn this into an unforgettable event. And guess what? The wheels are already spinning for the epic plans of 2025! Stay tuned!

VOLLEYBALL CITY CHAMPS

The volleyball season is wrapping up, and boy, do we have some epic news! Our Grade 9 Boys spiked their way to victory, claiming the City Championship! Meanwhile, our Grade 9 Girls teams totally rocked it, snagging first (Team Black) and second (Team Purple) place at the City Championship— talk about a double whammy! The JV Boys were on fire too, taking home first place in both the JV Viking Volleyball tournament and the Elton JV tournament. As for the JV Girls, they strutted their stuff all the way to the City Championship crown! The Varsity Boys made it to the final 8 and battled through the quarter-finals in AAAA provincials. And to top it all off, our Varsity Girls not only conquered the City Championships but also crushed the AAAA Provincial Championship Semi Finals and are gearing up for the finals on December 2nd! Let’s go, MASSEY!!

GET READY TO GET GROOVY

The Jazz Band is taking the stage at our Winter Concert on Tuesday, Dec. 3rd at 7:00pm, in the Vincent Massey Library! But wait, there’s more! The Wind Ensemble, Choirs, and Concert Bands will serenade you on December 11th at 7:00 pm at the WMCA! Don’t miss out on this musical extravaganza!

INSPIRE

INDIGENIOUS PERSPECTIVES: WINTER SOLSTICE

The sun dips low, the days grow short, and the world blankets itself in a cozy coat of snow. For many Indigenous peoples across Canada, the Winter Solstice holds a special place in their hearts and traditions.

For many Indigenous people, the Winter Solstice marks the darkest time of the year, a time for reflection, renewal, and the promise of a new beginning. It's a chance to gather around the hearth, share stories, and strengthen community bonds. Some traditions include feasting, drumming, and singing, while others focus on quiet contemplation and inner reflection.

The Winter Solstice is also a time to honor the wisdom of Elders and pass down stories and teachings to the next generation. These stories often weave together tales of creation, survival, and the interconnectedness of all living things.

As the days begin to lengthen once more, Indigenous communities celebrate the return of the sun and the promise of new life. The Solstice is a reminder of the cyclical nature of life, the importance of community, and the enduring spirit of hope. Happy Winter Solstice!

STUDENT EVENTS

Student Council has a few events lined up for December. Be sure to watch TEAMS, Instagram, and listen to the announcements for all of the details. Their first event will be Dressember, wear formal clothing to advocate for human trafficking. Spirit week will be Dec. 16th-20th and then they will end off the year with candy canes and carols and the ever so popular GRADE WARS on Dec. 20th!!!

WINTER BLUES GOT YOU BEAT?

Winter is here, which means less sunshine and more opportunity for those winter blues to hit. Try out some of these tips to help kick the blues to the curb.

• spend more time outside
• open the curtains and let that sunshine in
• walk one of our city's trails try out a new recipe
• take a break from your devices try to get a quality sleep
• call on your support team

BOOK CLUB MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Menglu Lin “The book I chose was “Red Queen” by Victoria Aveyard. The book is a young adult fantasy novel that takes place in a world divided by two blood types: the powerful and privileged Silver- blooded elite, who have supernatural abilities, and the powerless Red-blooded commoners. The story centers on Mare Barrow, a Red blooded girl who unexpectedly discovers that she had possessed a unique ability that challenges the established order. As she is pulled into the unfaithful world of the Silvers, Mare must go through conspiracy, betrayal, and her own identity. The Red Queen results in a thrilling and enjoyable storyline that’s filled with twists and turns”.

Happy Holidays

WINTER BREAK: DEC. 21/2024 - JAN.5/2025

SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar 1 egg, (large)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 °F with a rack in the center. Whisk together flour with baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.

Using a stand-up or handheld mixer, beat the butter together with sugar. To the mixture, add vanilla extract and egg and beat to combine.

To the butter mixture, add flour in 3 parts until fully incorporated.

Divide the dough into two equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll into ¼-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out your favorite shapes.

Bake cookies on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet at 350˚F for 10 minutes, Or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.

Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely and decorating with cookie icing.

Icing

 3cups powdered sugar  

3 to 5 tablespoons milk 1/4teaspoon vanilla

Food colors, if desired

Colored sugar or candy sprinkles, if desired

In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, milk and vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If icing is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Tint with food color. Decorate as desired.