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Journey Middle School Parent Newsletter – December 17, 2023

Hello JMS Families!

We had quite the exciting Band concert on Wednesday night! After some rousing tunes from the Grade 6 and Grade 7 bands, the fire bells went off and we all had to evacuate the building. We waited outside until the fire department arrived and took over. I would like to thank each and every person who was there and who acted quickly and calmly to exit the building. It was cold outside while we waited for the all clear, but luckily not raining. When the fire department discovered the small fire in the building, it became evident that we would not be able to continue the concert, and we asked families to go home while the fire department got to work. This is a good reminder to not park in fire lanes.

Mr. Froese has jumped into action and booked a “Take 2” of the concert this week on Wednesday December 20^th at 7:00 p.m. This will be for the Grade 8 and Jazz Bands to perform. I acknowledge that some family members came last week and may not be able to attend this week. We apologize for this.

Here is what is happening in this last week before Winter Break:

5000 Today: thank you to all who donated items for the food bank.

Door Decorating contest until December 20^th.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Day December 21^st.

Winter Dance and Activities on December 22^nd from 12:30-1:58. Last chance for students to sign up to be in the gym for the dance or do another activity in the school. Sign-up sheets are below the TV in the foyer.

Exploratories: Term 1 exploratory has now ended and we are preparing for Term 2. Your child should have completed their choices by now through a link they received in their homeroom class. Term 2 class lists will be posted when we return on January 8^th. We will start Term 2 exploratories on Friday January 26^th.

Lucky 7’s Draw: tickets will be on sale again at lunch (4 for $1) this week until the tickets sell out. Divisions 3 & 4 have raised over $800 so far! Thank you for all your donations!

Hockey Nets and Equipment: We are looking for outdoor hockey nets and equipment to use at recess and lunch. If you have any items you can donate, we would be very grateful. Thank you to the family who donated the goalie equipment!

Outdoor Games: a huge thank you to the PAC who has covered the cost of some games that students will be able to take outside. We will ask students to sign out the game from the foyer and return it at the end of lunch when done. We are currently getting the games ready to go. We do have portable volleyball nets available for use already and it has been amazing to see how many kids are playing together.

ADST: We say goodbye to Ms. Zadan who teaches the Grade 8’s Marketing and Entrepreneurship. She has taken a full-time job. We wish her all the best!

Athletics: here is a message from our Athletics Director, Mr. Vine:

Hello Everyone,

The basketball season has ended, and the volleyball season is starting up. Thank you to all those classes that attended the Fall Pep Rally and celebrated all our Fall teams this year. A special thank you to Mr. van Hooydonk, Bronte, Ms. Kroetch, Mr. Robertson, Mr. Shlomo, and Ms. McClintock for volunteering to coach the Journey Basketball teams this season.

Looking forward to our Journey Volleyball season, we have had an enormous number of students sign up to play. Last week we had 44 students try out for 12 positions on the Varsity Girls Competitive team. We will have 7 Journey Volleyball teams this season, and potentially an 8th team:

• Varsity Girls Team (coached by Bronte)
• 2 Senior Girls Teams (coached by Ms. Federici and Mrs. Walker, and we need 1 more coach)
• 2 Junior Girls Teams (coached by Ms. McClintock and Mr. Vine, with Ms. Gautam as assistant coach)
• 1 Senior Boys Team (coached by Mr. Robertson, with Mr. van Hooydonk as assistant coach)
• 1 Junior Boys Team (coached by Mr. Shlomo, with Mr. van Hooydonk as assistant coach)

Conflict vs Bullying: a conflict is a disagreement or argument where both students, who are at an equal level with each other, can express their views. For example, conflict can be name calling, not following the rules in a game, borrowing something and not returning it, not taking turns, inserting themselves in a game that they haven’t been invited to play in, grabbing something from someone, swearing at each other, etc.

In middle school, students are usually able to work out a conflict with another student but may require some support from an adult. We remind all our students that any adult in the building can help them solve a problem. One way to ask for help is to simply say: “I need some help.”

If one or both students are not able to accept the differing views of the other student and move forward from the conflict, then feelings of resentment start to develop. If students don’t feel heard or that the conflict has not been resolved, the problem grows. We tell our students that they don’t have to be best friends with everyone at school, but they do need to be polite and respectful to all their schoolmates.

In contrast, bullying is targeted, negative behaviour from one student towards another by exerting power and control over them. For example, one student could threaten another by saying something like: “If you tell anyone about this, I’ll get you.” If students don’t tell adults about another student having power over them, we can’t help. We have heard some students say: “I don’t want to be a ‘snitch’ or a ‘rat’.” There is a big difference between being a “snitch” and reporting a problem. If the problem goes unreported, it grows and can become unsafe. Everyone in the school has a duty to keep everyone safe. If a student knows something, they need to say something, so we can do something.

The PAC will be hosting an evening about the difference between conflicts and bullying on Monday January 22, 2024. Please stay tuned for more details.

PAC Snack Day on December 20th during lunch hour. We will be selling popcorn for $1/bag and we also have lollipops from VIP Hard Candy for $2/each (grape, watermelon and blue raspberry).

PAC – Game Night January 11, 2024: Join us for a fun-filled evening of games and laughter at Journey Middle School! Our PAC Game Night is the perfect opportunity to connect with friends, old and new, while enjoying some friendly competition. Whether you’re a board game enthusiast or prefer card games, we have something for everyone. So, grab your favorite game and head on down to Journey Middle School on Throup Road, Sooke, BC, Canada. Get ready to have a blast!

Admission is free! We want all families to come and enjoy themselves. Parents are not required to attend with their students; however, we expect all students to follow the same rules they must follow when they attend school each day. We will ask students to leave the event if they are not being respectful.

All attendees will need a ticket. PAC will have a cash concession available. The Board Game Cafe will also offer a chance to purchase some of the games that you’ll get to play!

Get your tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/journey-middle-school-pac-game-night-tickets-774532988017

PAC Night: Conflict vs bullying. Save the Date: Monday January 22^nd in the gym. More details to follow.

Calendar of Events:

This is the last newsletter of the year…of 2023! On behalf of all the staff at Journey Middle School, we hope you have a restful winter break and have lots of fun with family and friends. Happy Holidays! See you next year – on January 8th at 8:43 a.m.

TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Church Road and Throup Road Closure for Hydro Work on December 20, 2023

Thursday, December 14, 2023 – Progress continues on the Church/Throup Road Roundabout Project!

Central Power will be installing a hydro pole as a part of this project on Wednesday, December 20, 2023. This work will result in a road closure affecting both Church Road, from Wadams Way to Throup Road, and Throup Road neighbouring the Church Road intersection.

The work will take place from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and will also result in a short-term planned power outage. BC Hydro will be notifying affected residents in the area.

Subsequent congestion on Highway 14 can be expected. Best efforts will be made to complete the required work as quickly as possible while ensuring the safety of crews and the public.

Map:

Contact:

• Highway 14, Provincial Jurisdiction (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure): 250-952-4515
• Local roads, District of Sooke: 250-642-1634

Related:

• Transportation Master Plan: Implementation | Let’s Talk Sooke
• Federal government supports active transportation infrastructure upgrades in Sooke
• Traffic Advisories (sooke.ca)

Photos:

See photos of the recent works, including substantial pedestrian improvements that are making walking and rolling around town safer (expressed as the top community priority in our recent budget survey):

Link: TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Church Road and Throup Road Closure for Hydro Work on December 20, 2023 (sooke.ca)

Journey Middle School Parent Newsletter – December 10, 2023

Happy Sunday JMS Families!

Here are a few of the details of what is happening at JMS.

Blood Donor Clinic in the Gym all day on Monday December 11^th

Door Decorating contest until December 20^th

Ugly Christmas Sweater Day December 21^st.

Winter Dance and Activities on December 22^nd from 12:30-1:58. Students sign up to be in the gym for the dance or do another activity in the school. Sign up sheets are below the TV in the foyer.

Exploratories: the last explo for Term 1 is this Friday December 15^th. This week, your child’s teacher will be giving a link to sign up for the Term 2 Exploratories. Students will watch videos and read the blurb about the Term 2 offerings, then choose 5 Explos they might like to take.  We then do our best to place them in one of their choices. Once we have built the new Explo groups, we will post the lists in the foyer.

5000 Today! Spencer has challenged all the middle schools to collect 5000 food items before December 14^th. All donations will be given to the Sooke Food Bank. Let’s get those items in!

Generation Health: see attached newsletter

Lucky 7’s Draw: Divisions 3 & 4 are selling tickets starting on December 14^th at lunch. They will be on sale until all the items are gone.

Hockey Nets and Equipment: We are looking for outdoor hockey nets and equipment to use at recess and lunch. If you have any items you can donate, we would be very grateful.

PAC Snack Day on December 20th during lunch hour. We will be selling popcorn for $1/bag and we also have lollipops from VIP Hard Candy for $2/each (grape, watermelon and blue raspberry).

PAC – Game Night January 11, 2024: Join us for a fun-filled evening of games and laughter at Journey Middle School! Our PAC Game Night is the perfect opportunity to connect with friends, old and new, while enjoying some friendly competition. Whether you’re a board game enthusiast or prefer card games, we have something for everyone. So grab your favorite game and head on down to Journey Middle School on Throup Road, Sooke, BC, Canada. Get ready to have a blast!

Admission is free! We want all families to come and enjoy themselves. Parents are not required to attend with their students, however we expect all students to follow the same rules they must follow when they attend school each day. We will ask students to leave the event if they are not being respectful.

All attendees will need a ticket. PAC will have a cash concession available. The Board Game Cafe will also offer a chance to purchase some of the games that you’ll get to play!

Get your tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/journey-middle-school-pac-game-night-tickets-774532988017

Calendar of Events:

Journey Middle School PAC – Game Night

Join us for a fun-filled evening of games and laughter at Journey Middle School! Our PAC Game Night is the perfect opportunity to connect with friends, old and new, while enjoying some friendly competition. Whether you’re a board game enthusiast or prefer card games, we have something for everyone. So grab your favorite game and head on down to Journey Middle School on Throup Road, Sooke, BC, Canada. Get ready to have a blast!

Admission is free! We want all families to come and enjoy themselves. Parents are not required to attend with their students, however we expect all students to follow the same rules they must follow when they attend school each day. We will ask students to leave the event if they are not being respectful.

All attendees will need a ticket. PAC will have a cash concession available. The Board Game Cafe will also offer a chance to purchase some of the games that you’ll get to play!

Get your tickets here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/journey-middle-school-pac-game-night-tickets-774532988017

Hi Everyone!

PAC will be hosting  a snack day on December 20th during lunch hour, (similar to last time).

PAC will be selling popcorn for $1/bag and we also have lollipops from VIP Hard Candy for $2/each (grape, watermelon and blue raspberry).

Local Roadwork Notification: December 11-12, 2023

Boring on Highway 14: Phillips Road to Church AND Throup Road Closed at Church

Thursday, November 6, 2023 – Two different roadwork activities will be undertaken next week on Monday, December 11 and Tuesday, December 12 near Sooke’s town core:

• boring on Highway 14 from Phillips Road to Church Road will occur from approximately 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on each day; and
• paving, weather permitting, on Throup Road will occur from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day (with Wednesday, December 13 as a potential date for work if weather adversely affects activities earlier in the week).

The boring is to complete soil sampling in advance of a water main replacement project with a lane shift in effect. While we understand traffic flow is expected to be maintained for travel in both directions on Highway 14, some slowdowns should be expected with crews working in the area.

For the Throup Road paving, Throup Road will be closed at Church Road. Please avoid the area, if possible.

We recognize that road works are disruptive and impact people’s days. The District is prioritizing implementing the Transportation Master Plan to assist with managing traffic on local roads as resources allow.

To maximize available resources, we are seeking as many grants as possible to assist with the funding impacts of these capital projects. Yesterday, we were thrilled to share the news of our most recent successful active transportation funding application. The District is receiving $1.3 million in funding from the federal government to help us realize Little River Pedestrian Crossing.

More on Little River Crossing

Mayor Tait shares her enthusiasm for what this project means for Sooke:

“The bridge and associated trails for Little River Crossing will provide critical infrastructure to connect residents in the Sunriver neighbourhood with the Sooke town centre and nearby schools. The crossing will offer safe and efficient travel over Little River (Demamiel Creek) drastically improving residents’ ability to reach desired destinations including schools, local businesses and recreation amenities.

In facilitating this instrumental connectivity, the project will support alternative modes of transportation — transforming an 8-kilometre round-trip drive on Highway 14 to an approximately 1-kilometre round-trip walk or roll to school for students.

The crossing, initially recommended by the Parks and Trails Advisory Committee (2016) and supported through Capital Regional District Active School Planning (Journey – 2018, Poirier – 2018, Sooke – 2021) and the District of Sooke’s Parks and Trails Master Plan (2020), is the result of the District’s steadfast commitment to increase community connectivity and make getting around Sooke safer.”

While we recognize Little River Crossing will not be realized tomorrow (aiming for substantial completion by fall 2025), having it on the horizon as a mechanism to alleviate vehicle congestion on Highway 14 is welcome news for our community!

Contact:

• Highway 14, Provincial Jurisdiction (Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure): 250-952-4515
• Local roads, District of Sooke: 250-642-1634

Related:

• Transportation Master Plan: Implementation | Let’s Talk Sooke
• Federal government supports active transportation infrastructure upgrades in Sooke

Link: Local Roadwork Notification: December 11-12, 2023 (sooke.ca)

Traffic Advisory: Sooke Santa Parade on Sunday, December 10th

Sooke Road Closed for event from Charters to Otter Point 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – detour in effect

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 – Santa Claus is coming to town!

Sooke Lions, with support from the District of Sooke, present the Sooke Santa Parade on Sunday, December 10^th at 5:00 p.m.

The parade means Sooke Road will be closed from Charters Road to Otter Point Road from approximately 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 10^hh. A detour will be in effect, see map below.

The road closure, before and after the parade, is in place for pedestrian safety and coordinating the assembly and disassembly of parade participants. Hundreds are expected to gather and take in the holiday festivities. Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area or plan ahead for delays.

Fun for the whole family

As dusk settles, Sooke Road will come alive with community spirit! The festivities begin at 4:00 p.m. at Evergreen Mall with crafts and activities with the Edward Milne Community School (EMCS) Leadership Class and complimentary refreshments served by the Sooke Harbourside Lions.

The parade will run from approximately 5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. with festivities wrapping at Evergreen Mall around 6:00 p.m.

Many thanks to the tremendous volunteers who make this event possible.

Learn more:

• Sooke Santa Parade
• Sooke Lions Website

Church/Throup Roundabout Reaching Major Milestone Ahead of Schedule: Short-term Road Closures in Effect

Thursday, November 23, 2023 – The Church/Throup Roundabout Project is reaching a major milestone ahead of schedule! Paving of the first lift is scheduled to begin next week, weather permitting.

Please be advised of the following related road work schedule, which is set from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.:

• Church Road CLOSED from Wadams Way to Throup Road on:
  • Tuesday, November 28;
  • Wednesday, November 29; and
  • Friday, December 1.
• Throup Road CLOSED at Church Road on:
  • Monday, December 11; and
  • Wednesday, December 13.

Follow posted detours and instructions from traffic control personnel.

We know that transportation and getting around Sooke safely is the “single biggest issue” for residents. We are listening and responding by moving forward with the implementation of the Transportation Master Plan as quickly as resources allow.

Overall, we hope the inconvenience will be relatively short-lived. In the meantime, we kindly ask residents to pack their patience or make alternative plans, if possible. Consider carpooling or using Transit if these are viable options for your household.

After progress is made on the Church/Throup Roundabout, we’ll proceed with the Charters Road Connector with works including significant structural repairs and the addition of sidewalks and bike lanes.

The District’s efforts through longer-term planning are to manage both vehicle and pedestrian traffic off of Highway 14, on our local roads, through a combination of infrastructure improvements and economic development.

Learn more:

• Sooke Traffic Advisories
• Transportation Master Plan Information Page

Link: Church/Throup Roundabout Reaching Major Milestone Ahead of Schedule: Short-term Road Closures in Effect (sooke.ca)

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