Month: June 2022

Last Day – School is OUT!

Thank you for another successful year at MDJH!

At this time, we would like to say our goodbyes to the following people.

Staff who were on replacement contracts for 2021-2022:

  • Ms. Lisa Bagg
  • Ms. Kim Osmond
  • Ms. Courtney Petten
  • Ms. Jenn Hanley
  • Ms. Jessica Smith
  • Ms. Kerri Bungay
  • Ms. Amanada Kennedy
  • Ms. Denise Hackett

Staff transferring to another school:

  • Ms. Alice Hunt
  • Mr. Phil Smith
  • Ms. Cheryl Coates
  • Ms. Christin Watton
  • Ms. Laura Clemens-Brenton

Staff retiring this year:

  • Mr. Dave Lawton
  • Mr. Glen Connolly
  • Ms. Donna Parsons
  • Ms. Christina Pike

Please join the MDJH staff in welcoming the following staff members to our MDJH family:

  • Andrea Deer (FI, Maths)
  • Lorrie-Ann Ralph (PASS)
  • Suzannah Healey (IRT)
  • Mark Goulding, as Social Studies Department Head
  • Stephen Bouzan (Math)
  • Jason Counsel, as Math Department Head

Administration:

  • Carolyn Stacey, Principal
  • Bruce Mandeville, .50 Assistant Principal/ .50 Socials Teacher

Congratulations to the MDJH staff that are now in new permanent positions:

  • Colette Quann, as French Department Head

Updates on Awards

Given the move to Standards-Based Assessment in Math 7 and Math 8, we will no longer be issuing Honours and Principal’s List certificates in the 2022-2023 school year. As well, we will no longer issue the Academic Achievement Award for the top 3 marks in each grade. Instead, we will be looking at awards that are Department-based that reflect the whole student and are NOT focused on grades. This is necessary as the system moves towards Standards Based Assessment in all grades.

School Reopens for students Wednesday, September 6, 2022.

Have a safe and relaxing summer!

Happy Retirement!

As the 2021-22 school year draws to a close, we would like to once again wish a fond farewell to our retiring teachers and staff:

  • Mr. Glen Connolly
  • Mr. Dave Lawton
  • Ms. Donna Parsons
  • Ms. Christina Pike

Best of luck to our graduating Grade 9 students as they move on to High School, and we look forward to welcoming our new and returning students in September!

Have a safe and happy summer holiday!

CMOH Memo

MEMO
TO: Students and Families at K-12 Schools
FROM: Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, Chief Medical Officer of Health
DATE: June 22, 2022
SUBJECT: Staying Up to Date on COVID-19 Vaccines

Congratulations! You have made it to the end of the school year. And what a year it was! I would like to thank each of you for everything you have done to protect yourself, your families, and your schools from COVID-19. There were many changes and challenges and, through it all, you adapted and persevered as you have done so many times before.

As summer, warmer weather, and vacations are upon us, it’s understandable that we’d like to forget about COVID-19. We can, however, have a wonderful summer and continue to do our part to keep COVID-19 under control in our province. In this regard, I encourage you and your children to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations. This is the best protection we have. It is important to get any vaccine dose that you are eligible for, even if you already had a COVID-19 infection. As a reminder:

  • If you are ages 5-11, we recommend that you get two doses given at least eight weeks apart.
  • If you are ages 12 and over, we recommend that you get two doses given at least eight weeks apart, followed by a booster dose at least 22 weeks after your second dose.
  • Some people are recommended to have a second booster dose given at least 20 weeks after the first booster dose. Please visit Get the Shot – COVID-19 Vaccine (gov.nl.ca) to see if you are eligible for a second booster.

If you had a COVID-19 infection, you should be recovered and have no symptoms at the time of your vaccine appointment. To boost your immune response, you can wait at least eight weeks after your recovery before getting a first/second dose, and at least three months before getting a booster dose. You can talk with your health care provider about the best time to receive your next vaccine.

You can book a vaccine appointment online by visiting the “Get the Shot” page (https://www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19/vaccine/gettheshot/). Pharmacists and physicians are also offering COVID-19 vaccine; please contact your local pharmacy or clinic for details.

Wishing you a wonderful, safe summer filled with laughter, friends, and memories.

Suspension of COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Self-Testing Program

MEMORANDUM

To: Students and Staff at K-12 Schools
From: Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, Chief Medical Officer of Health
Subject: Suspension of COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Self-Testing Program
Date: June 20, 2022

As we near the end of the current school year, please be advised that effective today no further rapid testing supplies will be distributed to students and staff at K-12 schools at this time.

New cases of COVID-19 are decreasing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Studies suggest that once cases decrease, there is a greater risk of false positive results. For this reason, rapid tests are less useful when the number of cases is lower in the community.

Public Health has provided all schools and child care services with a significant supply of rapid tests this year for use by students, staff and their families. Families and staff are asked to please use their remaining rapid tests appropriately. These valuable and limited resources should only be used when testing is indicated. If you are unsure of your testing requirements, please complete the online COVID-19 Assessment and Test Reporting tool at covidassessment.nlchi.nl.ca for direction.

Public Health continues to explore options for rapid test distribution, particularly in the event of a future wave of COVID-19. We will issue communications later in the summer regarding plans for rapid test distribution for the 2022-23 school year.