Here we are including the text from our Newlsetter that was distributed with Report Cards on Friday April 21st.

See the attached .pdf for a few more details and pictures.  It is at the bottom of the text.

SCHOOL NOTES

With the approach of the end of the semester we want to reinforce the importance of the following items for parents, guardians and students
• Attend your classes and monitor PowerSchool
• Marks will be updated by May 15th and June 15th
• Attendance that was taken manually during “Work to Rule” will be entered by the end of the semester and count towards exemptions
• Please take responsibility for your own garbage inside and outside
• No parking on property without a permit
• Double-check your course selections for 2017/18. We schedule based on what you’ve asked for. If you need a change it must be submitted to Guidance by April 28th using the paper form available in Guidance.
• Follow us on twitter and check the school website regularly for news and updates

Student Government Update
April, May & June 2017

This year, our student government missed out on some of favourite events due to the work to rule situation in our province. When work to rule came to an end, we came together as an executive to decide what events we should move forward with and what we needed to change. Over all, we knew that we needed to bring back the little things that created a positive environment around our school.
We began by deciding not to host what is usually our biggest event of the year. We decided to instead host a week of fundraisers that would still raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation. Throughout the week of April 3rd-7th, the volunteerism committee carried out a fundraising week for the Terry Fox Foundation. It all started with Breast Cancer awareness day, which included a bake sale and the distribution of many pink coloured items to spread the awareness throughout our school. On Tuesday we were lucky to have two of our own staff members participate in a Money Mummy competition, Mr.Snook and Mr. MacRae competed to see who could raise the most money. Many students supported them, which made this fundraiser a huge success. The Wednesday of the week we had assemblies, featuring Barbara Pate, the Nova Scotia director for the Terry Fox Foundation and Roxanne Robinson who had the courage to share her son Trent’s cancer survival story. It touched each and every student who attended. That lunch hour we had our photo booth, as well as the week-long bake sale which accompanied the selling of the Mini Terry’s we were selling. In selling the mini Terry’s our goal was to help Terry Fox finish his race across Canada, which was displayed on a map of Canada in our cafeteria. Mr. Aidoo was generous enough to donate his lunch hour on Thursday to be taped to the wall. Although he didn't stay stuck to the wall for too long, it was great fun watching it take place. The week came to a close on Friday with a BBQ, and the selling of the remainder bake sale goods. On Monday April 10, Dhaba Express kindly sold their delicious food, with all proceeds going to the Terry Fox Foundation. We are so grateful for their generosity.  The 6 day event was a big success, with the funds that had already been raised earlier on this year by grocery bagging and bottle drives, we Warriors will contribute $5,000 to the Terry Fox Foundation this year.

In addition to our fundraiser week, other committees were back in action after work to rule ended. Our sports committee organized the well-loved annual floor hockey tournament, which raised funds for the Terry Fox Foundation. We also brought back playing music on Fridays in the cafeteria as well as spirit games and a pajama day the Friday before March break. Furthermore, members of our World Involvement ministry volunteered at the annual Nova Scotia Gambia Association dinner, where we presented them with a cheque for $2000. Finally, our best buddies and inclusion committee continued their weekly “best buddies” activities with our learning center students as well as restart playing basketball with learning center students every Friday at lunch.
Halifax West Student Government still has a lot on the go for the upcoming weeks. We have Earth week, with presentations about youth committees organized to help the environment as well as a school wide clean up. We also have two more spirits weeks, Spring Fling, and Last Blast, both of which will consist of theme days and other inclusive activities to relieve student stress and create an enjoyable student environment. For the second semester parent teacher, members of our student government will be helping as always, as well as hosting a staff luncheon catered by Dhaba Cuisine to show our appreciation for our teachers. Student government still has one more spirit rally to put on for the grade 12’s in June to have one final fun event for the graduating class, as well as the annual extra-curricular awards ceremony where students will be recognized for all their hard work over this past year. Finally, student government will be working hard to make exam time the most peaceful and stress free time of the year for students. There is still plenty of fun on the way for Halifax West students, and many say the fun is just getting started

Fine Arts
Halifax West Improv Team

Halifax West Improv Team competed this March in the 16th annual Nova Scotia Canadian Improv Games Regional Tournament. The team placed first in preliminaries and were thrilled to finish in third place in the Finals.

Visual Arts

Ms. Perry and Mrs. Aubrecht (her student teacher) have invited artist/photographer Brittany Warren (working with the ArtsSmarts program) to come do a weeklong photography workshop with their 23 Visual Arts 11 students during the last week of April. They will be working with pinhole cameras and will be producing work that will be part of a student exhibit that will go on display at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in conjunction with the Harold Edgerton (famous for the bullet going through the apple photo) exhibit. Opening night for our student exhibit will be Thursday, May 25th (the gallery will be open to the public and refreshments will be served).
Come check us out!!

Athletics
Track and Field

Ms. Duggan will be in charge of the Track and Field team this year (along with help from Ms. Brennan, Mr. Snook & Mr. MacRae).  Students interested should listen to announcements and check the school Athletic Website to see when practices are scheduled.  There is also a practice schedule posted outside Ms. Duggan’s office.  The Regional Meet will be May 24th & 25th and Provincials June 2nd & 3rd all at Beazley Field in Dartmouth. All students are welcome to tryout.