Lots happening in November

Principal’s Page
By Jeff Reaburn

November is a very busy month for both staff and students at South Huron. This week we are preparing for two very important annual events: the Christmas Child shoebox campaign and Remembrance Day. Students and staff have been asked to put together shoeboxes filled with small gifts for children in poverty-stricken and war-torn countries in other parts of the world. The shoeboxes will be collected on Thursday, November 8, counted, and prepared for shipping to recipients around the world. We encourage students and staff to take part in this campaign every year for two reasons: first, it brings a little bit of joy to children in unfortunate circumstances; and, secondly, it helps us to appreciate everything that we have in our part of the world.
On Friday morning, we will hold our annual Remembrance Day service, starting at 9:00 in the large gym. Once again we will have representatives of the local Legion in attendance to take part in our service. This is a very important event as we pay tribute to the thousands of men and women who have served our country and fought for the freedoms that we enjoy. In particular, we pay homage to the young men and women from the South Huron area who have served our country, especially the forty-one young men who lost their lives in World War One, World War Two, and the Korean Conflict. In November we celebrate the character attribute, courage, and this is a wonderful way to emphasize the importance of this character trait.
On Thursday of this week we will be holding a coffee house in support of Habitat for Humanity. There will be a variety of student performances, starting at 7:30 in the drama room. Tickets are $8.00 and must be purchased in advance. Attendees will be able to enjoy coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and baked goods and some excellent entertainment. And remember, BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug.)
On Tuesday, November 13, the Avon Maitland District School Board will be holding its regular meeting in the library at SHDHS. The public portion of the meeting should get under way at about 7:00 p.m.
On Wednesday, November 14, the School Council is holding a community forum on drug awareness. This will be an excellent opportunity for parents and students to get current, accurate information on drug concerns in our area. We will have a representative from the OPP in attendance to talk about drug trends in our area and the warning signs that parents should know concerning possible drug use. We have also asked the police to bring the drug kit, which contains examples of drugs and drug paraphernalia so that parents know what to look for. We encourage parents in particular to attend this session, which is aimed at promoting greater awareness of drug issues within our community.
On Friday, November 16, we will be issuing the Semester One Mid-Term Report Card. Students will receive their report cards in their Day One, Period One class where they will be asked to complete the Response Form portion of the report card. This form needs to be signed by a parent and returned to the student’s Day One, Period One teacher by Friday, November 30.
On Wednesday, November 21, we have a very special visitor coming to South Huron. Tim Long, a Panther alumnus and writer for the television show, The Simpsons, will return to his old high school to speak to the student body. Tim is a very successful writer and his work will be well-known to our students though they may not be aware of Tim’s involvement in the show. The Simpsons is a very popular show amongst our students, and we are looking forward to hearing Tim speak in his return to high school after a twenty-year absence.
Finally, in the last week of November grad photos will be taken, and graduating students are reminded to listen for announcements about arranging sittings with the photographer. We will be holding our annual Battle of the Bands competition in that week as well; so, students who plan to take part should start rehearsing their acts.