Category: Uncategorized

Canadian Chess Challenge – NL Provincial Final 2024

The Canadian Chess Challenge NL Provincial Final 2024 will take place Saturday, March 23rd at Gonzaga High School in St. John’s.

This event is traditionally the most prestigious school chess event of the year and it is open to players from all grades in the province. There is no requirement for players to qualify through regional events this year.

Presented by the Newfoundland and Labrador School Chess Association (NLSCA).

Venue: Gonzaga High School, 20 Smithville Crescent, St. Johns NL A1B 2V2

Date: Saturday, March 23rd, 2023.

Entry Fee:

  • $22.50 on-line in advance (up to 6pm on Friday March 22nd)
  • $25.00 on the door (if places still available).
  • Cash or credit/debit card accepted

Capacity: 175 players

Registration:

  • Players registered in advance are NOT required to check-in at the registration desk on the day but must arrive by 10am for the roll call.
  • Registration on the door opens 9:15 am and closes at 10:00 am.
  • Any player who is not registered (either in person or on-line) by the close of registration will miss the first round.
  • All of the main rounds should be complete by approximately 4 PM.
  • Players involved in play-off games may be required to stay after this time.

Format: 5 rounds Swiss pairing (large sections) or round robin (small sections).

Time Controls:

  • Main Rounds: 25 minutes per player per round + 5 second delay per move
  • Tie-break playoffs for 1st place in CCC Provincial Final will be decided by full length games (i.e., 25 min + 5s). Playoffs for 2nd & 3rd place will be 10 min + 5s.

Eligibility: This event is open to all school-aged players currently residing in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. There is no requirement to qualify this year,

Awards: Trophies will be awarded to the top three players in each grade. Also, the top player in each grade will be invited to represent the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador as a member of the provincial team in the National Final.

More Details: https://chess.nl.ca

There will be a short lunch break during the tournament. The exact time and duration of the break will be determined on the day of the tournament and will vary among grades. Due to the high standard of play at this event, players may not request a bye during any round of this tournament.

Important Note to Parents:

All tournament participants must be supervised by a parent or designated guardian. Neither the Newfoundland and Labrador School Chess Association (NLSCA) nor Gonzaga High School will be held responsible for the safety or behaviour of participants not actively engaged in tournament play. The responsibility of the tournament organizers will be limited to ensuring fair competition in accordance with NLSCA tournament rules. (See https://chess.nl.ca for more information).

Student Social Justice Conference

The deadline to register for Holy Trinity High’s 2nd Annual Provincial Student Social Justice Conference is March 27th. This FREE conference brings together students and teachers from across the province for two days of learning, socializing, and collaborating on April 12th-13th at Holy Trinity High, Torbay.

There will be over 18 workshops for participants to choose from with speakers from the Human Rights Commission, the Autism Society, Quadrangle, MUNSU, and Food First NL, just to name a few. This year there will be a social on Friday night as well.

The registration deadline is next Wednesday, March 27th. You can register here:
https://forms.gle/EZsPLTJYdnY7R4dX9.

Pi Day at MDJH

To close out our Pi Day, we had a “Pie A Teacher” contest. The student council sold tickets for a change to smoosh a pie in the face of one of our brave teacher volunteers, and the response was enthusiastic. Thank you to the organizers, ticket buyers, and teachers who took part.

Before the carnage

Mr. Tarrant proved to be a great sport about being a frequent target…

Mr. Tarrant and pie
The teachers and the pie throwers.

The aftermath – teachers and the lucky ticket winners.

Request for Feedback – Family Survey

Dear Parent/Guardian,

School Development Surveys are conducted annually to gather feedback from students, staff, and parents/guardians to inform the school development process. The survey results will be provided to your child’s school and used with other data to identify the school’s strengths and challenges. Your child’s school will then create and implement a plan to build on successes and address areas of challenge.

The survey is anonymous, which means that we cannot connect your survey responses to you. We encourage everyone to participate so that we have the most accurate representation of family perceptions at your school.

Please complete the survey by clicking on the following link: https://www.research.net/r/SDFamily2324EN. If you do not have internet access contact your school.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the school development surveys, please contact:

Thank you for your participation and for being a valued member of your school community.

Sincerely,
Dr. Carolyn Stacey for Joanne Hogan
Director, Evaluation and Research Division

Important Dates – Term 3

Mar. 15 – Term 2 Report Cards available on-line (PowerSchool)

Mar. 21 – Term 2 Parent / Teacher Interviews 12:30pm to 6 pm

Mar. 22 – Professional Learning Day (no classes for students)

Mar. 28 – Last day before Easter break (full day of classes)

Apr. 8 – Classes resume after Easter break

Apr. 24 – Grade 9 missed immunizations

May 15 – Gauss Math Competition

May 23 – Grade 9 Carnival

June 13 – Professional Development Day (no classes for students)

June 14 – Term 3 Marks due

June 20 – Term 3 Ends / Term 3 Reports go home

June 21 – Administration Day