Astral Drive Junior High

January 28th, 2021

We acknowledge that we are in Mi’kma’ki, which is the traditional ancestral territory of the Mi’kmaq people.

BELL LET’S TALK DAY

https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/our-initiatives/

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day!  In September 2010, Bell Let’s Talk began a new conversation about Canada’s mental health. At that time, most people were not talking about mental illness. But the numbers spoke volumes about the urgent need for action. Millions of Canadians, including leading personalities, engaged in an open discussion about mental illness, offering new ideas and hope for those who struggle, with numbers growing every year.

Treat mental health issues like any other health issue. We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health. According to a recent report from Statistics Canada, youth are at higher risk of experiencing poor mental health (compared to other age groups) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Treating mental health issues just like you would treat someone with a broken arm helps reduce the stigma so that more people feel comfortable asking for help. It is important to know that people with mental health issues can and do recover.

If you think that you or a friend might be having a mental health issue, please reach out to your teacher, Guidance Counsellor, Principal and/or Vice-Principal. They’re here to listen.

BISSETT LAKE – RED CROSS – THIN ICE!!!!

STUDENTS ARE NOT TO GO ON THE ICE – BISSETT LAKE – NOT SAFE

https://www.redcross.ca/crc/documents/Where-We-Work/Canada/Manitoba/safe...

Safety On and Around the Ice

The Canadian Red Cross wants to remind you to be safe on and around ice. Fluctuating temperatures can make ice unstable and you should be vigilant and keep your eyes open to spot unsafe conditions before venturing on it.  Unless you’re absolutely sure that ice is thick enough—stay off!

The colour of the ice indicates its strength and quality. Blue ice is the strongest, while grey ice is unsafe.

Avoid ice that has recently frozen, thawed, and then frozen again.  Ice thickness should be a minimum of: 15 cm for skating, walking or skiing in small groups.  20 cm for larger groups, such as skating parties. 

Snow cover can insulate the ice and keep it from freezing completely. Use caution near pressure ridges in the ice.  When ice goes through a freeze-thaw-freeze cycle it becomes weak and unsafe until it freezes solid again. Mist rising can be a sign of open water. Watch out for protruding objects or air holes that can indicate weak ice. The ice may be thinner near dark objects which are at the edge of the ice or that protrude.

LOLLIPOPS
Lollipops will be delivered next Friday, February 5th – they will not be delivered this Friday.

MASKS-SANITIZER-SOCIAL DISTANCING – REMINDERS

Just a reminder to students to please remember to wear your school-provided mask or your own mask every day and to make sure your mask covers your nose!  Also, (1) when you enter the building to sanitize your hands (2) walking through the halls in single file/social distance where possible, (3) bring your water bottle to school and (4) before you are dismissed for lunch, please remove all items off your desk so they can be cleaned during the lunch break.

BREAKFAST BINS
Breakfast bins, which are located at the front of each classroom or on the teachers’ desks, are filled with snacks for students to take if you are hungry! Students are asked to please not touch all the items in the bin; just take the item you want without touching the others!  Thank you!