Updated: January 23, 2009

Principal's Newsletter, January 2009

The Communications Department looks forward to the following staff returning for semester 2: Ms Sheryl Sullivan and Mme Nadège Kubicki.

ENGLISH
The programs within our department are dynamic, relevant and offer students opportunities for meaningful learning experiences. Our Grade 12 English classes, while studying Shakespeare's Hamlet, visited Hart House, University of Toronto, to see their play come to life. Similarly, our Grade 10s visited Stratford and attended an extraordinary production of Romeo and Juliet which reflected the diversity of SLSS. As part of their literacy initiative, the Toronto Raptors and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment invited many students to watch an open practice in recognition of academic excellence.

FRENCH
Our French students visited a French Restaurant, Bistro Matisse, to sample French delicacies in an authentic cultural setting. The Grade 11s read Les Misérables to get a taste of French literature and history. All Grade 9 students were eager to participate in crêpe making with a French flair while watching French cinema. We are excited about implementing our first Grade 12 French program in semester 2.

ESL
The ESL program provides students with opportunities to develop their reading, writing and speaking skills. Each course has a cultural pot luck in which students bring in food typical of their culture so everyone gets a "taste" of the diversity within the classroom. This semester, students enrolled in ESL will be visiting Pioneer Village in the spring.

The Communications Department is an active and busy place. It consists of English, English as a Second Language, and French. English and French classes offer twinned studies,whenever possible, to enhance cross-curricular opportunities available to students.

For example, in 2007-2008, the first twinned study will be an exploration of the short story, The Hockey Sweater, to develop an appreciation of story structure, characterization, and vocabulary development. This experience also aligns with our values of social justice and equity here at Stephen Lewis while providing an authentic Canadian experience.

Our challenging English classes develop literacy skills to enable students to use language skillfully and confidently. As well, literature is an important component of identify and culture. Our courses encourage reflection to deepen students' understanding of themselves and the world around them. Students read and reflect on a variety of literature, informational texts, and media works. Each course is designed to connect with our values here at Stephen Lewis Secondary School:
Excellence-Community-Respect.

English as a Second Language classes offer a welcoming and safe environment for learning. It is a space to explore and play with language with a focus on vocabulary and critical thinking. Students read a rich variety of texts to develop crucial literacy skills. Field trips are offered whenever possible to enhance the language acquisition experience.

Core French

Knowledge of a foreign language is your passport to the future.

Do you want to enjoy francophone culture,
music, games, movies and food?

Then, Core French is for you! Learning French will open doors to a variety of careers, travel, friendships, and much more. To enrich your cultural experience learning French, join our French Club, Cercle d'amis, where you can participate in school-wide activities such as the Café Français.

If you are interested in an exchange, see a French teacher for exciting possibilities abroad.

French Course Descriptions: Academic

Grade 9: Watch French films, travel through time, solve a mystery, and make your very own web page.

Grade 10: Explore international cuisine, revisit your childhood, learn about the power of advertising, and enjoy fine dining at a local French bistro.

Grade 11: Take a guided tour of Paris, discover fine art, and travel the world learning about various French speaking countries.

French Course Descriptions: Applied

Grade 9: Watch French films, learn how to survive in a Francophone city, experiment with visual arts, and create your own news broadcast.

Grade 10: Discover your passion for the French language and culture through French cuisine, music and film. Read and write your own short story in French.