Happy Holidays!

Dear Carson Graham Community,

We have just completed an exciting first term and this blog highlights only a portion of all of the activities happening at Carson Graham. As we slow down to look forward to 2020, we would like to wish you all a wonderful winter break and holiday season. Please enjoy some family time. Reflect, Recharge, and Refresh! I look forward to seeing everybody back on Monday, January 6th, 2020.  Happy New Year!

Best Regards,
Suzette Dohm

Santa's Breakfast: Friday, December 20th

This event is a long-standing tradition in which staff come in early to prepare a breakfast for students. Students are encouraged and welcome to come to school between 7:30am and 8:25am on Friday, December 20 to enjoy a hearty breakfast while listening to our amazing school music programs. Tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at the door. All proceeds go to the Harvest Project.

Adjusted Schedule for Santa's Breakfast:

Santa's Breakfast- 7:30am - 8:30am 
Block 6- 8:35am - 9:40am 
Block 7- 9:45am - 10:50am 
Block 5- 10:55am - 12:00pm 
Block 8- 12:15pm – 1:15pm

*Students are dismissed at 1:15pm

Carson Meets the VSO

Special congratulations to Frank Lee and the Carson Choir who were invited to perform live at the Orpheum Theatre Home Alone's musical score alongside the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday evening.

The event was hilarious, heart-warming, delightful, charming and beautiful... all rolled into one! There is one more performance on Friday, December 20th at 7pm. Looks like there are limited seats still available here.

Coast Salish Weaving Exhibit

On Monday, I had the opportunity to accompany students to the Blue Cabin Floating Artist Residency to attend a Coast Salish weaving exhibit with Angela George. Longtime North Shore residents may recognize this cabin that sat on the waterfront near Cates Park for over 80 years before being relocated.

The Blue Cabin Floating Artist Residency is hosting Skeins: Weaving on the Foreshore, the inaugural program of artist residencies, open houses, talks and workshops. Skeins is a celebration of Coast Salish weaving practices that have developed in these territories since time immemorial.  

If you get a chance, check it out!

North Shore Community Christmas Dinner

Last Saturday night, Carson Graham hosted the North Shore Community Christmas Dinner, sponsored by a multitude of local organizations. Carson Graham student and staff volunteers helped set-up, decorate, serve and clean-up at this very special event. The event provided a beautiful Christmas dinner for hundreds of community members. Community spirit and Christmas cheer were certainly aplenty!

Professional Development Day- December 6th, 2019

On December 6th, staff participated in a presentation focused on deepening our understanding of how trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) can impact student learning and how school staff can foster student resiliency.

Our first speaker was Dr. Marla Buchanan,  a Professor in the Counselling Psychology Program in the Faculty of Education at UBC. Her research interests include research in traumatic stress studies with various populations such as veterans, women in prison, journalists, child soldiers, refugees and child and youth trauma. Our second speaker was Rosalynn Record-Lemon, a PhD Candidate in the Counselling Psychology Program in the Faculty of Education at UBC. Her research interests concern school-based trauma-informed practices. She is also a therapist working in private practice and at Child and Youth Mental Health.

Covenant House Sleep Out

On December 5th, staff and students form CG slept outside so that homeless youth won't have to. We were joined by Trustee Kulvir Mann and Superintendent Mark Pearmain, with a kickoff by Allison from the Covenant House and MLA Bowinn Ma. Dave Sattler from the North Shore Alliance Church also organized an emotional and inspiring panel on homelessness that spoke of breaking the cycle and hope!.

Special thanks to teachers Nadya Bowcott and Rob Olson for spearheading the event. So far we have raised over $40,000!

Upcoming Events

​January 6 - School Re-Opens After Winter Break
January 15 - Staff Collaboration/Late Start 9:55 am
January 22 - EPIC Wednesday
January 22 - PAC Meeting 7:00 pm
January 24 - Semester 1 Ends
January 27 - Semester 2 Starts
January 28 - Grade 7 Parent Programming Evening
January 29 - Staff Collaboration/Late Start 9:55 am
February 5 - Grade 8/9 Parent Programming Evening
February 6 - Grade 10/11 Parent Programming Evening
February 7 - District Wide Professional Development Day
February 12 - Staff Collaboration/Late Start 9:55 am
February 14 - Valentine's Day
February 17 - Family Day (school not in session)
February 19 - EPIC Wednesday
February 20 - Celebration of IB
February 26 - Pink Shirt Day
February 28 - End of Term 2