AUGUST 2010 NEWSLETTER

We welcome all our returning and new students to the Inter-A Program for the 2010-2011 school year!  We, the teaching team, hope you and your family have enjoyed the summer and are looking forward to an exciting year.

Important Dates:

September 7           School Starts at 10:00 am for all Inter-A Students

Please come to the B-wing at 10:00 am on Tuesday, September 7.  Homeroom lists will be posted at each Inter-A classroom, B110-112, B116-118 and B115-117.  Please find your name on the list and go to that homeroom.   Introductions and important information will be given out.  Students should expect to stay at school until 12:00 noon.

September 15 Inter-A Parent Information Night 7:00 pm

Topics include philosophy of the program, student expectations, retreat, provincial graduation requirements.  Everyone is welcome to attend!

September 21-23     Inter-A Program Retreat

Every year, the whole program moves location to the Sunshine Coast for three days of cooperative, team building activities.  We stay at Camp Sunrise, in Langdale, where students work together to build their skills and get to know each other in a fun, collaborative environment.   Detailed forms will be sent home in the first week of school.  The cost will be approximately $90 and includes all meals, cabin rental and transportation.  We thank the Inter-A Society for their generous support of the retreat.

Inter-A Program Calendar

The Inter-A Program year is divided into six units of approximately six weeks length each.

Students will receive a schedule at the beginning of each unit which will show their classes and teachers for that unit.  At the end of every unit, students will receive a report card for each class they had in that unit. For students in grades 7-10, Humanities and Science emphasis will alternate each unit.  Mathematics, PE, Art and French classes run all year long.

The table below lists Inter-A unit end dates.    A report card is sent home approximately 2 weeks after the end of each unit for a total of 6 report cards.

Inter-A Unit End Dates

Unit 1 – October 21

Unit 2 – December 3

Unit 3 – January 25*

Unit 4 – March 11

Unit 5 – May 5

Unit 6 – June 21**

* semester one end  ** semester two end

Textbooks

Students will be assigned textbooks throughout the school year.  Please ensure your child has written his or her name neatly on the inside cover of the text as soon as it is assigned.  This will greatly help students in keeping track of their texts so that they can return their assigned books at year end.

Fees

As a program of choice in the Surrey School District, the Inter-A program has fees to support our students’ activities of $40 per year.  Cheques for this fee are payable to Kwantlen Park Secondary.

The Inter-A Program is strongly supported by the parents of our students through the Inter-A Student Society, a registered, non-profit society.  Parent volunteers work throughout the year to support all student activities.   The Inter-A Student Society Membership Fees is $10 per family.  Cheques for membership are payable to the Inter-A Student Society.

School Supplies

Recommended supplies will help students stay organized:

3-ring Binders (three or four)                     Pencils and erasers                   Glue sticks

Lined paper, three hole punched                  Pencil crayons                          Scissors

Pens – blue or black preferable                  Scientific calculator                 Pencil case

Back pack                                                   Ruler (15 or 30 cm)

PE Strip

All students in Inter-A are enrolled in Physical Education.  All students must bring appropriate PE strip to school and store it in their locker.  PE strip is worn only during PE class.  Please wash PE strip weekly.  Strip should include: shorts, t-shirt, runners, socks, deodorant (NOT strongly scented body sprays) and sweatshirt and/or sweatpants for colder days.  Students must be prepared for the occasional rainy day and bring appropriate clothing (rain jacket, hat, etc.) if their PE class is outside.

Lockers

Students will be assigned lockers with locks based on availability.  Students in selected grades will have to share lockers with another student.  Only locks provided by the school are allowed.  Students need to take ALL their supplies and books for their morning or afternoon classes with them.  There are no locker visits between Inter-A classes, except for obtaining PE strip.

Work Experience

All grade 10 and 11 students will be participating in a 2 or 3 week work experience from December 6-17 (grade 10) or November 29-December 17 (grade 11.)  Inter-A values the education that students receive through first hand experience working in an area of their own personal or career related interest.

Accountability contract

All Inter-A students and their parents will be asked to sign an accountability contract in September.  This contract is an important step in keeping our students accountable for their learning.  More information will be sent home in early September.

We look forward to seeing everyone on September 7!

Inter-A Teaching Team:  Roger Blenman, Anthony Jay, Alyssa Poynter, Kathy Yoon-Richardson, Melanie Skelin, Pauline Veto, Chris Wakelin.

school phone: 604-588-6934                                                                                        www.inter-a.org