Principal's Message
Greetings!
I am happy to have landed here in the principal’s office. As you know Principal Jay Thomas has accepted a position in Nova Scotia. I will be replacing him till such time as a new permanent Principal is hired. Many of you will know me as I have been teaching at FH Collins for a long time.
Sadly, the recent news of revealed graves at former residential schools has caused shock across the country. Please know that as a school community, FH Collins remains committed to walking the path of reconciliation with our First Nations.
To be sure, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a disruption for all of us. Now that we are entering a recovery phase, we can focus on our primary mission - the education of our students. MS-Teams and Google Classrooms will continue to be used as a way for teachers to post assignments and keep in touch. This is a great way to keep things rolling if students, for whatever reason, can’t attend.
Student and staff safety remain front of mind, but we are looking at a school year that looks much more ‘normal’ than the recent past. Some precautions will remain in place for now, such as continued mask-wearing in hallways and common areas, but not in classrooms. We ask that students bring their own masks and keep them handy. While we can provide masks for students and guests, we have no budget for them. The cost of supplying masks to students will soon put a crunch on our budget if we need to provide as many as we did last year. Stay tuned for updates on mitigations. We will be sharing information with students and the school community on the first day and as developments occur.
Our school timetable will be transitioning to a five period day and a shorter lunch. Students will also be assigned lockers this year. You can find a copy of the school-wide schedule on fhcollins.ca
Please look at our website for important dates and supply lists. Updates are upcoming and ongoing.
We have some new and returning staff and some moving on:
Mari-Ann Campbell, our office administrator has retired.
Gilled Ménard gr.8/9 French Immersion teacher has also retired.
Monique Levesque is joining us as Vice-Principal while Stephanie Main is on Education Leave.
Nicole Dion has joined us from Whitehorse Elementary
Lisa Thurmer is joining us to teach in the First Nations Academy.
Ken Kuni and Stephen Lotrian are joining the F.H. Collins staff as Educational Assistants.
On the first day back, Monday, August 23, students are welcome in the building. Students will go to their respective doors where they will find their name and their Period 1 class. The doors will open at 8:15 and students can proceed to their Period 1 class where they will receive their schedules, lockers and will review Covid-19 information. At the bell Grade 8 students will go to the Gym for a small assembly and an information session.
Schedules will be released to grade 8s at the orientation on Friday, and all others will receive them first day back, Monday, August 23.
Bus passes are changing. Instead of monthly passes, students will be issued bus passes for each semester, so students will need to decide if they will take the school bus or city transit. More information regarding bus registration will be out through email.
You can expect some forms to come in the mail regarding school fees: $25 for school fees. School fees for families with more than one child are $50.00. We respectfully ask that you pay fees promptly through cheque to F.H. Collins Secondary School or cash.
This new role will come with challenges, but we are blessed with a great team, and the students are amazing. You have my assurance that I will do all I can to make the school experience as rewarding, enriching, and memorable as possible. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any concerns and questions. We are always ready to help.
Marie Daniels
Acting Principal
I am happy to have landed here in the principal’s office. As you know Principal Jay Thomas has accepted a position in Nova Scotia. I will be replacing him till such time as a new permanent Principal is hired. Many of you will know me as I have been teaching at FH Collins for a long time.
Sadly, the recent news of revealed graves at former residential schools has caused shock across the country. Please know that as a school community, FH Collins remains committed to walking the path of reconciliation with our First Nations.
To be sure, the Covid-19 pandemic has been a disruption for all of us. Now that we are entering a recovery phase, we can focus on our primary mission - the education of our students. MS-Teams and Google Classrooms will continue to be used as a way for teachers to post assignments and keep in touch. This is a great way to keep things rolling if students, for whatever reason, can’t attend.
Student and staff safety remain front of mind, but we are looking at a school year that looks much more ‘normal’ than the recent past. Some precautions will remain in place for now, such as continued mask-wearing in hallways and common areas, but not in classrooms. We ask that students bring their own masks and keep them handy. While we can provide masks for students and guests, we have no budget for them. The cost of supplying masks to students will soon put a crunch on our budget if we need to provide as many as we did last year. Stay tuned for updates on mitigations. We will be sharing information with students and the school community on the first day and as developments occur.
Our school timetable will be transitioning to a five period day and a shorter lunch. Students will also be assigned lockers this year. You can find a copy of the school-wide schedule on fhcollins.ca
Please look at our website for important dates and supply lists. Updates are upcoming and ongoing.
We have some new and returning staff and some moving on:
Mari-Ann Campbell, our office administrator has retired.
Gilled Ménard gr.8/9 French Immersion teacher has also retired.
Monique Levesque is joining us as Vice-Principal while Stephanie Main is on Education Leave.
Nicole Dion has joined us from Whitehorse Elementary
Lisa Thurmer is joining us to teach in the First Nations Academy.
Ken Kuni and Stephen Lotrian are joining the F.H. Collins staff as Educational Assistants.
On the first day back, Monday, August 23, students are welcome in the building. Students will go to their respective doors where they will find their name and their Period 1 class. The doors will open at 8:15 and students can proceed to their Period 1 class where they will receive their schedules, lockers and will review Covid-19 information. At the bell Grade 8 students will go to the Gym for a small assembly and an information session.
Schedules will be released to grade 8s at the orientation on Friday, and all others will receive them first day back, Monday, August 23.
Bus passes are changing. Instead of monthly passes, students will be issued bus passes for each semester, so students will need to decide if they will take the school bus or city transit. More information regarding bus registration will be out through email.
You can expect some forms to come in the mail regarding school fees: $25 for school fees. School fees for families with more than one child are $50.00. We respectfully ask that you pay fees promptly through cheque to F.H. Collins Secondary School or cash.
This new role will come with challenges, but we are blessed with a great team, and the students are amazing. You have my assurance that I will do all I can to make the school experience as rewarding, enriching, and memorable as possible. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any concerns and questions. We are always ready to help.
Marie Daniels
Acting Principal