Flags at Half-Mast: As a show of continued respect and support for those who suffered, or are suffering, trauma or harm due to the events at the former residential school in Kamloops, flags remain at half-mast at schools until further notice. We are taking our direction from the federal and provincial governments. 

Congratulations to our students and Staff as we celebrate the results from Musicfest Nationals:

2 concert bands…both from Journey…Gold conducted by L. Bjorklund

1 concert band EMCS…conducted by L Bjorklund…Silver

Orchestra….Bronze…Maria Wang

String quartet …silver…Maria Wang

Junior Drumline…Silver…Alex Mold, Chris Rivollier

Senior Drumline…Gold…Alex Mold, Chris Rivollier

Learning Commons Update: We had a wonderful year in library! You’ll be happy to know that our students read a lot this year. Since September our library lent out a total of 6,599 books!  We are asking that students return any remaining books no later than June 15th. Any books that remain overdue beyond June 15th will be marked as “lost” and an emailed invoice for the cost of the book will be sent to home. We appreciate your diligence in making sure all our precious books make their way home safely.

Grade 8 Leaving Celebration :

As the school year comes to end, it is once again time to celebrate our Grade 8 students as they wrap up their time at Journey Middle School. We truly are so proud of our students and wish them all the best as they head onto the next chapter of their education.  On Tuesday June 29^th, from 11am-1pm, we will be hosting a “Drive By Leaving Ceremony”. Students are encouraged to decorate their vehicles for this event but also have the option to come through on their bikes, scooters, roller skates and skate boards to make this a memorable farewell event that is inclusive to everyone. Remember, the more ribbons, sparkles and noise makers coming through the better!

Teachers and staff will be positioned in the bus and drop off/parking lot lanes where students will drive by, pick up their certificates & gifts and take a final photo with their favourite teachers!  This day is also our last regular school day for all students at Journey.  Buses will run as usual and grade 8 students may attend for the full day or, with the permission of their parents, may choose just to attend for the leaving ceremony.

Remember students and parents we will all be following all Covid safety protocols during this time so please wear your masks.  We hope to see you all there!

Monday

Cohort Zone rotation change for recess and lunch

Thank you to our PAC who has supported us throughout the year with numerous activities and projects.  Please join us for our final PAC Meeting of the school year tonight at 7 p.m.

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Tuesday

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

All library books are due back by today.  Invoices will be sent for lost or damaged books.

Wednesday 

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Ms.

Robirtis’ class field trip to the Fire Pit!

Thursday 

Field Trips:

Flying Squirrel – Mme Croft’s class – all day

Mr. Donegani and Ms. Gitzel’s classes to Sooke River via Sunriver p.m.

Mr. Vine and Mrs. Walker’s classes off to Thetis Lake – all day

Mrs. Federici and Mrs. Maragh’s classes heading to Mystic Beach 

Friday – Wear your Pride Today 

Robin Stevenson author – Pride; whole school virtual assembly” 11am-12pm.

Today we welcome our Future Journey Dragons from Ecole Poirier at 9:30-10:30 and 10:30-11:30 for an outdoor tour and s’mores by the fire. 

Our students have been truly amazing during this pandemic and deserve our thanks and admiration.

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.

Our flags will fly at half-mast, and students and staff are encouraged to wear orange this week, as our Journey community honours the lives of the 215 children found buried in a mass grave at the site of a former residential school in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation territory.  In 2015, a National Center for Truth and Reconciliation report estimated that more than 150,000 children attended residential schools and more than 6,000 died, never returning home.

“We should never forget it’s part of who we are as a nation.  And this nation must never forget what if once did to its most vulnerable people” Senator Murry Sinclair

Our hearts hurt for the families who, for generations, continue to so deeply mourn the loss of their children.

Learning Commons Update: As we enter June, we look towards the end of year processes in the library learning commons.  Students will have 2 more weeks to sign out books from the library and then we will switch our focus to getting all books returned.  Books will be available in classrooms for reading for the last couple weeks of school.  Please start looking in your house for any school library books that are hiding and send them back to school!  We appreciate all your help, thank you!

PAC Update:  Our PAC is doing a short fundraiser for Father’s Day with Island beef jerky and Stick in the Mud coffee. Orders are due June 9th cash, cheque (Journey Middle School PAC) or etransfers are accepted (journeymiddleschoolpac@gmail.com)

Monday

Cohort Zone rotation change for recess and lunch

Tuesday

Trans & Parent Perspectives: How to support transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming youth:

• Free Community Webinar Alert from MentalHealthLiteracy.org! Please join Tammy Plunkett & Kiersten Mohr on June 1st at 6:30pm as they candidly discuss, and inform on, Trans & Parent Perspectives: How to support transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming youth. Learn more here: https://t.co/EGhfqaSEpv

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Wednesday

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Thursday

Camosun College Workshops @ Amphitheatre:

Vine/Walker – block one

Barnes – block two

Sulzen – block three

Federici – block four

Maragh – block five

Planned Road Closure for Port Renfrew.  No bus service from that community only.

Last Exploratory Afternoon

Division 11&13 Golf Exploratory is going to DeMamiel Creek Golf Course

Friday

Camosun College Workshops @ Amphitheatre:

Van Hooydonk – block one

Wiens – block two

Croft – block three

Sims/Nadeau – block four

Popcorn order due today – no late orders taken because we have to pre-order!

 Thanks for doing your part during the pandemic

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.

Congratulations to Mme Munroe and her family welcomed Lily Grace Munroe on May 17 at 3:33pm.  She weighed 8lbs 8ounces and pleasantly surprised her mother by being born the day before her due date!  We at Journey are pleased to welcome our newest little Dragon.

Congratulations also to student teacher Mr. Nic Schofield. He completes his practicum this week and becomes a full-fledged teacher!  We want to thank him for his dedication to Journey and wish him well in his career!

Welcome former student Tia Helfrich who will be doing her Educational Assistant Practicum at Journey.  We are happy to have you back!

Learning Commons Update:  Do you struggle to get your middle school student engaged in reading?  Are you looking for something new to try?  If so, check out the following articles for tips 17 Ways to Keep Your Middle Schooler Interested in Reading, How to Motivate a Middle School Reader, and 13 Read Alouds to Help You Connect with Your Middle Schooler.  Don’t forget, you are never too old to listen to a book be read to you!  Happy reading!

Trans & Parent Perspectives: How to support transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming youth:

• Free Community Webinar Alert from MentalHealthLiteracy.org! Please join Tammy Plunkett & Kiersten Mohr on June 1st at 6:30pm as they candidly discuss, and inform on, Trans & Parent Perspectives: How to support transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming youth. Learn more here: https://t.co/EGhfqaSEpv

Monday

Happy Victoria Day!

Tuesday

Cohort Zone rotation change for recess and lunch

Band Clinics today – Band students and teachers have been notified of times. 

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Wednesday 

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Grade 6 boosters – Our public health nurse will be at school today to give grade 6 booster shots to our students.   These are the annual booster shots students receive from public health.  Parents have received emails with more detailed information.  These are  NOT COVID19 VACCINES

Thursday 

Class photo day.  Students and staff will have class photos taken today.

Exploratory Afternoon

Division 11&13 Golf Exploratory is going to DeMamiel Creek Golf Course 

Friday 

School Spirit Day – Dress as your favourite musician or TV personality

Divisions 3 & 4 are off to play horseshoes @ Fred Milne Park 

Thanks for doing your part during the pandemic

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.

Please click on the link for more information on Help for the Hard Times Workshops.

Mark your calendars – Class photos will be taken Thursday, May 27 in the morning.  All students and staff will be masked.

 Learning Commons Update:  We are very excited to be hosting the Salish Weave art collection (box sets 1-3) in the library learning commons this month.  “Salish Weave is a large private collection of contemporary Coast Salish art that weaves together the distinctive art form, designs and style of established and emerging artists. The collection stems from and mostly resides on traditional Coast Salish territories of British Columbia.” (https://salishweave.com/about-salish-weave/)  Students and classes will be invited to the LLC to view the collection, explore the themes, and learn about the artists.  If you would like to join in the learning you can view the collection and learn more at https://salishweave.com/.

We are celebrating reading in all forms this month in the Journey LLC!  We are hoping to help all students see themselves as readers whether they read novels, graphic novels, news, closed captioning, video game narrative, audiobooks, eBooks, magazines, comics, etc!  All reading is reading and should be celebrated.  We encourage you to have a conversation with your student about how they read and celebrate that by spending some time reading with them!

Monday 

Cohort Zone rotation change for recess and lunch

Tuesday 

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Educational Support Staff Appreciation Day!

Fire Drill @ 8:45

Wednesday 

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Thursday 

Mrs. Walker and Mr. Vine’s classes to Witty’s Lagoon today.

Mrs. Federici and Mrs. Maragh’s classes to East Sooke

Exploratory Afternoon

 Friday 

School Spirit Day – Dress in your over the top Formal Attire! 

Thanks for doing your part during the pandemic

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.

Please click on the link for the recording of the Journey Grade 5 Student and Family Info Night.

Thank you to all the families who dropped off bottles for Mr. Sulzen’s bottle drive on the weekend at EMCS.  Your donations were very much appreciated.

Learning Commons Update:  We are very excited to be hosting the Salish Weave art collection (box sets 1-3) in the library learning commons this month.  “Salish Weave is a large private collection of contemporary Coast Salish art that weaves together the distinctive art form, designs and style of established and emerging artists. The collection stems from and mostly resides on traditional Coast Salish territories of British Columbia.” (https://salishweave.com/about-salish-weave/)  Students and classes will be invited to the LLC to view the collection, explore the themes, and learn about the artists.  If you would like to join in the learning you can view the collection and learn more at https://salishweave.com/.

Monday 

Cohort Zone rotation change for recess and lunch

Parent Advisory Council – Join us this evening for our Annual General Meeting.  We will elect a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.  Everyone is welcome to attend our virtual meeting at 7 p.m.

Microsoft Teams meeting  Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Tuesday 

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Wednesday

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Thursday 

Popcorn Day – over 500 bags of popcorn will be delivered to classrooms today to all the students and staff who pre-ordered.  Thanks to Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Crocker for organizing this delicious event. 

Friday – Professional Development Day (no school for students)

Thanks for doing your part during the pandemic – even more staff were vaccinated this week than last so hopefully the end is in sight!

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.

Popcorn Sales – We are selling Popcorn from Kernels in sealed bags.  Flavors are: Kettle corn; Caramel’ Dill pickle; Ketchup; White cheddar; Butter/salt; and Jalapeño jack.  $2 per bag delivered on Thursday, May 13, but your order must be in by this Friday.  Forms have gone home, and extras can be picked up in the office.

Learning Commons Update:  In May we will be celebrating everyone as a reader and working to help all students identify as a reader at the Journey LLC.  Reading can take many forms and be for many different purposes, it doesn’t just mean reading a novel in print!  We encourage you to have conversations with your students about reader, share how you are a reader and help them find their identity as a reader.  We will be inviting people in our school community to finish the sentence “I am a reader because…” and would love to hear from you as well!  If you would like to contribute your I am a reader statement to help show students that reading can mean many different things to different people, please email Mrs. Wallace at nwallace@sd62.bc.ca.

You may also want to check out Brightly’s article How to Foster a Love of Reading in your Children and the link in the article with reading related podcast recommendations.  Happy reading and thank you for all your support with our efforts to help our students grow and develop as readers! 

Spring Out of Hunger!  Help us help EMCS get out the info to help our Local Food Bank.  Campaign ends on Friday.  EMCS Spring Out of Hunger Online Donation Link

Monday 

Cohort Zone rotation change for recess and lunch

New and final FAST rotation begins today!

Gym closed for Band National Filming 

Tuesday 

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Gym closed for Band National Filming

Teacher Appreciation Day

Wednesday 

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Grade 5 Parent Info Evening via MSTeams.  7 p.m.

Thursday 

At 9 AM, David Bouchard will join us on Microsoft Teams to present to the whole school!  David Bouchard is a Metis author who lives in Victoria!  Our AbEd teacher, Ms. Fraser has been offering a series of fun activities related to David Bouchard’s books 1) “The Elders are Watching”, which is about environmental impacts, and connects to our Elder in Residence, Elder Bill, who is currently part of the Fairy Creek blockade.  2) “The Seven Sacred Teachings” (Love, Humility, Courage, Trust, Wisdom, Respect, Honesty);  3) “Nokum is My Teacher”, which connects to honoring important women, like mothers and grandmothers.  

Friday 

Last day to order popcorn! 

Mr. Sulzen is organizing a bottle drive on May 8^th at EMCS parking lot from 10am to 3pm. All funds will go to upgrading and improving the garden space. Our goal is to raise $2,000 to match our PAC’s generous donation. All safety protocols in place for safe drop off and pick up by recycling company.  Thank you in advance for your support. 

Thanks for doing your part during the pandemic – more staff were vaccinated this week than last so hopefully the end is in sight!

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.

Our Vision is Run to Be Here, and our Mission Statement is ASPIRE.  This week we wrap up our Litterless Lunch campaign in celebration of Earth Day (month) and hope new habits have been acquired by bringing food in reusable containers.  Our garbage accumulation was significantly reduced, and we thank you for your support. Thank you to BC Parks, the CRD and Journey’s PAC for sponsoring the prizes.

Learning Commons Update:  We would like to give a shout out to our librarian Ms. Wallace and our Library Assistant Ms. Peltomaki-Kelley. 

“It is an awfully sad misconception that librarians simply check books in and out. The library is the heart of a school, and without a librarian and library assistant it is but an empty shell.” Jarrett J. Krosoczka 

 Spring Out of Hunger!  Journey is getting behind the EMCS initiative to collect funds for our local food bank.  The Leadership Group is happy to host the fifth annual Spring Out of Hunger fundraiser from April 26-May 7. They started this fundraiser to provide much-needed support to the Sooke Food Bank during a time after the holidays.

In a typical year, they would be collecting food donations, but this year the emphasis will be placed on online donations to raise funds. They are hoping Journey Middle School Families can help us get the word out and of course we said YES!   All proceeds go straight to the Sooke Food Bank and people of all ages who live in our community.   EMCS Spring Out of Hunger Online Donation Link

Monday

Cohort Zone rotation change for recess and lunch

Tuesday

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Wednesday 

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Every April 28, workers gather to mourn and remember those who were injured or killed on the job, and to fight so that everyone can go home “alive after five” — or whatever hour their shift ends. It grew from CUPE in 1984 to other labour unions in 1985 and was federally recognized with the Mourning Day Act in 1991.

Yellow & black, the colours of caution, and the canary, the bird of warning from the early days of coal mining, are frequently used to mark the Day of Mourning.

Thursday 

Friday 

Happy Friday, can it really be the end of April already?

Thanks for doing your part during the pandemic – more staff were vaccinated this week than last so hopefully the end is in sight!

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.

Please click on the link for more information on Go Girls! Online Youth Group

Our Vision is Run to Be Here, and our Mission Statement is ASPIRE.  This month we are focusing on reducing our waste at Please do your best to send a Litterless lunch to for your child each day.  Each Monday morning, we will draw names for amazing prizes. Prizes are being provided by BC Parks, the CRD and Journey’s PAC.

It’s Spring and kids are growing! We’ve noticed they are needing some extra nourishment lately. Please check with your child to see if they are bringing enough lunch and snacks to make it through the day.  We have a breakfast program which students are welcome to access each morning, and a lunch program that they can sign up for each afternoon.  

Learning Commons Update:  April is National Poetry Month!  We invite you to celebrate with your student using one of these creative suggestions from the Academy of American Poets: 30 Ways to Celebrate the 25th Annual National Poetry Month.  You can also encourage your student to check out some of the great books of poetry and novels written in verse that we have available in the Journey Library Learning Commons!

• We also still have a few tablets available in the LLC for students wanting to try an audiobook or eBooks during silent reading!  There are some exciting early success stories from this pilot project – we are always working towards helping students identify as readers and develop a lifelong habit of reading.

Monday – Professional Development Day

School not in session for students

Tuesday 

Skateboarding Club – First Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules. Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Wednesday – Administrative Professional Day 

Thank you Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Crocker, and Ms. McIntosh (Wednesdays) for all you do for our school

Skateboarding Club – Second Lunch students with signed waivers and proper gear. No exceptions to any of the rules.  Listen to announcements each morning for additional opportunities.

Thursday – Earth Day 

Friday 

Book Day in Canada – You know this has to be our librarian, Mrs. Wallace’s favourite day of the year! 

Thanks for doing your part during the pandemic – your support and patience is appreciated as we strive to educate your child and keep them safe 

Daily Health Check – please remember to follow the DHC and not send your child to school if they are not well.  If a student becomes unwell, or tells us they are unwell, at school, they will wait for pick up in our Supervision Room which is sanitized between guests.  Up to two students can be in the room at one time (physically distanced and masked).  Masks – please continue to provide and remind your child to bring a mask to school each day.