Earth Hour

Earth Hour started in 2007 as an event to raise awareness about climate change. Households and businesses around the world are encouraged to turn out the lights for one hour. This year's Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, March 28, 2015 from 8:30-9:30 p.m. local time.

"Climate change is the one of the biggest environmental challenges our planet faces today. Earth Hour aims to inspire and empower individuals, businesses and governments around the world to push climate change to the top of the agenda. From promoting renewable energy and sustainable agriculture to funding projects to protect forests and ecosystems and encouraging climate education, there are many actions we can take as individuals and organisations to help change climate change."     earthhour.org

On the Earth Hour site, the importance of going beyond the hour is mentioned; "it is only through continued dedication can real changes be made with truly sustainable environmental impacts to our planet". You can also perform simple, environmentally-friendly actions everyday:

• take public transport, walk or cycle
• inform yourself and others on climate change and its impact on our planet
• switch to LED lights
• use reusable bags as often as possible
• only print and make use of paper when necessary
• purchase what is necessary to minimize food waste
• use reusable lunch-boxes and water bottles

Back to Brooklands

On, Monday, March 23, we held our annual Brooklands Breakfast Literacy event. Once again, several Jimmies, who are former Brooklands students, returned to their neighborhood elementary school to make breakfast and share their love of reading. St. James students arrived at 7:00 a.m. to make pancakes for the staff and students of Brooklands School. Breakfast was followed by guest readers in each classroom, an assembly with an appearance by a popular snowman and finally, by the presentation of a new book personally selected for each Brooklands student, complete with a positive message from the SJCI students. We are looking forward to visiting again later in the Spring to hopefully share some garden-themed books as Brooklands prepares for their new community garden - an exciting new project that some of our SJCI families are hoping to be a part of as well.  

Hé Ho: Encore!

On Friday, March 20, George Waters Middle School hosted Festival du George Waters. This is an event that celebrates the Voyageur and Francophone culture right here in Manitoba. (And it just happened to take place on International Francophonie Day!)  Instead of heading to Voyageur Park in February like the grade 9s did this year, they held their own event so the entire staff and student body can participate. The grade 9 French students were part of the organizing team for the Festival du George Waters. There was a full day of events for all grade 6, 7 and 8 students including lacrosse, leg wrestling, photo booth, enjoying crepes and "tire d'érable" (maple taffy), voyageur games, bingo and art activities (ceinture fléchée "weaving" and making yarn wrapped talking sticks). Bon festival! #hehogwms

Inspiration at Siloam Mission

This is perfect. Words to live by. (posted on the basement walls at Siloam Mission)

World Water Day

On Sunday, March 22 it is World Water Day.  We just finished our discussion about Canada's water resources and the global water crisis in the Geography classes. Although recognition of this day seems to be a good fit for the grade 10 students in these classes considering this, the state of the world's water supply is something that everyone should be aware of. Water is involved in the production of everything - growing and processing our food, manufacturing of goods, electricity production, and in our direct water consumption (drinking, showering, etc.). I encourage all of my students to visit the above website, check out the posters and literature on display and consider posting an image via Facebook, Twitter, Vine or Instagram with the hashtag #WaterIs. 

Follow these simple steps to post your selfie in support of World Water Day. 

- take a piece of paper and write what water is to you (#WaterIs hope, #WaterIs a day at the Beach, #WaterIs in need of our help, etc...)

- take a selfie or a make a video including your water message and tag it with the hashtag #WaterIs (also include #sjasd and #sjci)

- upload it via Facebook, Twitter, Vine or Instagram. 

Search the hashtag #WaterIs to read the other messages that are being uploaded from all over the world. 

Look to the sky!

If you have a chance over the next few days, check out the northern lights. I saw them on Saturday night from Osborne Village. They are going to be visible for another night or two...so get outside tonight and look for them! It's best to be outside of the city, but it is possible if the timing is right to see them from your own backyard. They're pretty spectacular!