General Information for

Parents & Graduates of 2010

Update #2 - MARCH 2010

GRAD YEARBOOK WRITE-UP & BABY PHOTO
All 100-word graduation write-ups and baby photos were due to the Yearbook in December.  Hopefully all grads completed this task.   See Ms. Donovan in room 602 to pick-up your baby photos or if you have any questions.

GRAD PHOTOS
Lifetouch took our grad’s photographs in sitting appointments from January 22 to January 29 and came back to the school for two days of re-takes in February.   Parents can call Lifetouch Photography directly at 604-294-5838 if they have questions.      www.lifetouch.ca

GRAD SKATE
Our student Grad Committee has been busy since the summer organizing many great events for the grads of 2010.  We kicked off the year with a grad info session on September 11, followed by a fun & free grad barbecue!  Grad clothing sales have been completed and the grad skate & pizza lunch on Friday, November 20 in A-block was a great success!

WINTER FORMAL
The “Winter Formal” was a mid-year celebration for grads planned and organized by the Grad Committee.  The event was held at the Riverside Palace Ballroom in Richmond on Saturday, February 6 from 7 pm to midnight.  A delicious buffet dinner, music and dancing were included and all of the grads looked fabulous in their semi-formal attire.  The management and staff of the Riverside Ballroom all commented on how respectful, mature and classy our grads were and everyone had a great time!  The Grad Committee would like to thank Mr. Mah, Mr. Allan, Ms. Donovan, Ms. Lau, Ms. Simpson, Ms. Rebman, Mr. Steward and Mr. Allison for supervising the Saturday night event.

BOAT CRUISE – Thursday, May 13, 2010
The boat cruise will be held Thursday, May 13. Tickets should be pre-purchased by grads in their grad fees but can be purchased before the event.  Dress is semi-formal or better than casual. The “cruise ship” departs from downtown Vancouver (at the foot of Denman) and the grads sail around the spectacular sights of Stanley Park and English Bay for 3 hours. Included in the ticket price is a buffet dinner, DJ, music and dancing.  Students are responsible for transportation to and from the boat and there is a pay-parking lot at the location.

COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY – Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 2:00 pm
The Commencement Ceremony is the formal school graduation and it will be held at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia at 2 pm on Saturday, June 12.  The graduates receive their graduation ceremony certificate (not their actual Ministry of Education Dogwood certificate) as they walk across the stage. Scholarships are also presented at this event. The students wear a graduation gown (rental) and mortarboard cap, which are distributed at the grad rehearsal at the school. The gowns must be returned, but students keep their caps and “Graduation 2010” tassels.  Each graduate will be able to invite 4 guests and possibly more, depending on the maximum number of tickets/seats available. Extra tickets are usually $10 each and the graduates may buy them a few weeks prior to the event.  All grads were to report their gown size to the office by March 12.

DINNER & DANCE – Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at 7:30 pm
The Dinner & Dance is the formal school graduation party that will be held at the Bayshore Hotel in downtown Vancouver on June 30 from 7:30 pm to midnight. The tickets are usually included in the Grade 12 school fees or can be purchased before the event and include a formal dinner, soft drinks and music & dancing. Graduates traditionally dress in formal wear – suits or tuxedos and evening gowns, as this is a “classy and formal” event.   All students attending Dry After Grad will travel from the school to the hotel and return on chartered, air-conditioned coach buses.
                                                                                                                       
DRY AFTER GRAD PARTY – Thursday, July 1, 2010
For the past 8 years, Dry After Grad (DAG) has been an after-hours tradition immediately following the formal Dinner & Dance (1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.). It is held at the school and organized exclusively by volunteer parents. This celebration is a great “grad party” free of any drugs or alcohol. There are parent chaperones as well as professional security guards.  The purpose is to provide a fun, safe, inclusive and awesome time for our graduating students on their last night together.  All students MUST ride in the air-conditioned, chartered buses provided to attend the Dry After Grad.  Grads will need to confirm their attendance by paying the full ticket price to the Business Assistant.  Ticket price includes: return transportation in a deluxe motorcoach, spectacular activities such as inflatables (e.g. sumo wrestling), casino, temporary tattoos, caricature artist, balloon artist, karaoke, D.J. & music, mocktail bar, chocolate fountain & tons of food and major door prizes.    An urgent note to parents – this event will only succeed if you step up to volunteer or donate.  Contact parents Ken Hamaguchi at khamaguchi@shaw.ca or Sue Eder at eders@telus.net if you are willing to help make DAG 2010 a success for all of our graduating students.

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
There are many outside and Steveston-London scholarships available.  All Grads are urged to check the info board by the Career Resource Center and book a time to meet with our Career Information Advisor Ms. Kerr to find out more.  All Grade 12 students must complete an SLSS application form to be eligible for any SLSS scholarship and completed forms are due on April 16 in the office or to the counseling center.   Check out the Career Center Web Site regularly:   http://public.sd38.bc.ca/~ccnews/

TRANSCRIPT VERIFICATION (TVR) and POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTE (PSI) FORMS
Grade 12s must check their Transcript Verification Report (TVR) carefully to be sure they have all the courses they need to graduate including Graduation Transitions.  TVRs were distributed in November and again in early spring.  Students must also fulfill all the prerequisite course requirements of the post-secondary pathway they are interested in (e.g. sciences at UBC; broadcasting at BCIT; etc.).  The PSI form is completed to allow the Ministry to send school marks to the Post Secondary Institutions grads choose.  The PSI form can be completed online at a secure Ministry web site.   Grads are encouraged to see their counsellor if they have any questions about their TVR or PSI forms.

GRADUATION TRANSITIONS
Grade 12s must complete the mandatory components of the 4-credit Grad Transitions program to graduate from school in British Columbia.  Updated lists are posted on the library window and students can see Ms. Sullivan in room 603 at any time if they have questions or need help.

OTHER GRAD 2010 EVENTS
Grade 12s can join the student “Grad Committee” to help plan the events that celebrate their graduation year at Steveston-London. The Grad Committee offers input into all school-sponsored events and may choose to organize other activities such as the “Grad Fashion Show”. The Grad Committee meets in room 411 (Mr. Mah). Please note – events such as camping, skiing, Mexico trips or house parties are NOT sponsored by nor sanctioned by the school.

FINANCIAL AID
If your family will find it difficult to fully afford tickets or formal wear related to graduation, please contact your Steveston-London counsellor or vice-principal. Every effort will be made to ensure that every Steveston-London Grad who wants to attend a grad event is included.

QUESTIONS?
We hosted a Grade 12 Parent Info Night on October 21 and we hold grad assemblies during the year to disseminate information, but any time grads or parents have questions about their transcript, grad status, post-secondary requirements, scholarship applications, grad events or anything else – please see or phone your counsellor, our Career Information Advisor (Ms. Kerr) or an administrator at any time.