BRACE Blast!
Jan. 29, 2025
New Semester and Welcome!
It's a new semester! Sorry for not sending this out on Monday - been busy with new enrollments and transitioning students!
Welcome to new BRACE students and families! To those moving on, all the best!
QUARTERS
For non-Diploma courses, we are going to switch to quarters as of Jan. 28....
What does that mean?
This means that for full-time students, instead of taking approximately 4 courses at a time that are designed to be done in a semester, students will take 2 courses that are designed to be done in a quarter.
What does that mean??
Students will take one core course and about five credits of complementary courses from Jan. 28 - Apr. 11. This should get them about ten credits.
Then they will take a new core course and another five credits of complementary courses from Apr. 12-June 20 or so.
Student Acknowledgement Form
In the next week or so, you will receive a BRACE Student Acknowledgement Form. We want to make sure we are all on the same page with expectations and understanding about how our program works. If you have any questions, please let us know!
Get connected!
We are trying to use Padlet to build connections - each week we will post a question to create discussion and community! This idea came from our student advocates (SAVY)!
Eventually we would like to have discussion boards for each of our classes for students to interact and discuss topics the way they might in a classroom or a hallway, etc.
Students:
Click here to join BRACE's Padlet. You will need to create an account - we do ask that you use your school email address, but you can make up your name - try to make it meaningful to you and appropriate!
Click here for this week's board!
There are terms of use and anything that violates school rules and policies may result in disciplinary action. Let's be kind and keep each other safe!
INSTAGRAM!
Please ensure to check out our Instagram @braceschool_brsd to check for announcements, updates, and happenings!
WANTED! SAVY members!
We are looking for a Grade 10-11 BRACE student to serve as our second representative for BRSD's SAVY (Student-Led Advocacy for Voices of Youth) group. If you are interested, please let Mr. Chanasyk know!
Lot of great rewards:
- Looks great on a resume
- Build leadership skills
- Meet great people
- Great opportunities
THRILLING THURSDAYS!
myPass
All students have access to myPass which shows them the courses they've done, the marks they got, and the credits they've earned.
We build this into our CALM class with Mrs. Kroetch.
If you don't have access, let us know!
Course due dates!
Ensure you are on top of due dates! Work with your teacher if things come up or you need support!
PowerSchool Web
This document informs parents about the detailed information the PowerSchool Parent Portal web browser provides about their students' progress.
Although the PowerSchool Portal app is convenient, it does not offer everything the web browser does.
Attendance
Research consistently shows that regular attendance is one of the strongest predictors of academic success. Students who attend school regularly are more likely to achieve higher grades, develop stronger social connections, and maintain positive mental health. Conversely, chronic absenteeism can create gaps in learning that are difficult to close and impact long-term outcomes. Ensuring that every student is present and engaged remains a top priority!
Attendance at BRACE looks very different - we consider attendance to be engagement - seeing you in our classrooms, or logging in Moodle and handing things in!
Keep engaged and keep in contact!
Changing Ways!
Changing ways is offering an online Anger Management group for youth. Changing ways
Pawâkan Macbeth
Augustana is hosting a free performance of Pawâkan Macbeth by Akpik Theatre for Grade 7+ students!
Details:
In-person: Monday, June 16, or Tuesday, June 17, at 1:00 pm
Livestream: Tuesday, June 17, at 1:00 pm
Location: Cargill Theatre, Jeanne & Peter Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Camrose
Seats are limited! Reserve now:
In-person: Contact Susan at scbrosius@camroselive.ca or (780) 608-2923
Livestream: Click here
The 2025 Wellness Summit is designed for students to engage in mental health learning through hearing speakers from a wide range of topics. We have found this Summit, along with other mental health strategies in the school, has helped students understand themselves and those around them better. Each year we focus on various topics and multiple speakers,
These topics align with the Health & Social Services (HSS) courses. However, they are designed for enjoyment and personal learning. For online students, this event is a must attend! I know they will enjoy the sessions. For students who are in-person, this event can be used to invite students who you know would benefit from the opportunity or you could invite the entire school and purchase a school wide event code. See below for more information.
Event Details: https://2025wellnesssummit.sched.com/
Keynote Speaker: Phil Herman – “The Brain’s Hidden Truth: How Early Experiences Shape Who We Are”
Other Speakers: Experts from groups such as Hull Services, Headstrong, Mental Health Commission of Canada, Stepping Stones to Mental Health, Candor (Neurodivergent Supports), Impact Society, Closer to Home, Boys and Girls Club, PMAST, and more.
How To Access Moodle
Career Counsellor Corner
Check out the January Career Counsellor newsletter here and follow them on Instagram @hsplusbrsd!
Do you need help planning your next semester classes? Do they align with high school graduation and post-secondary options? Make an appointment with your career counsellor to double-check this information.
Real Time Reporting
Did you know you can check your student’s grades any time! We now use a tool called PowerSchool so that students and families can see their grades in real time - as soon as we enter a grade in, you can see it! More information is provided in another newsletter!
Announcements!
Each week we try to send out announcements but are wondering what the best way for people to read the info. We know it's a lot, but it's important!