Superintendent’s Message
February 2010

The new year began with reports of a devastating earthquake in Haiti. The stories and images from that country are hard to take in, but they have motivated young and old throughout the world to give what they can to support humanitarian aid. I am so proud of the students and employees across our division who gave so generously in response to an appeal initiated by the UNESCO committee at Collège Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau. At last count, almost $40,000 had been collected by schools and workplaces in River East Transcona School Division, to give to the Canadian Red Cross.

We are well into a new year and our schools are bustling with activity. Senior years students are beginning their second semester. For our Grade 12 students, final exams and graduation will be here before we know it!

Some of our students are preparing for the Winnipeg Music Festival while others are travelling to music festivals farther afield. Some are heading off to the Festival du Voyageur; some are travelling to other countries through our exchange programs. In the classroom and beyond, the learning opportunities are endless.

For many students, sports activities round out their education. Some of our students are off to get their first exposure to downhill skiing; some are getting their first taste of curling through jam pail curling, while others are in the thick of the high school hockey and basketball season.  

At this time of year, parents with kindergarten-aged children are preparing to register their youngsters for school, and parents of middle and senior years students are looking for information about programs offered at those levels. Information evenings are scheduled throughout February. For dates and times, see the announcement on the homepage of our website. Kindergarten registration begins March 1.  

Dennis Pottage,
Superintendent/CEO