HWDSB is holding 13 public meetings in April/May, 2013 to explain plans for school closures.  Your feedback will make our strategy better. Students are welcome to attend.

These meetings will address program changes as well as proposed boundary changes.

View the Program Strategy Flyer.  Learn more about your proposed secondary school boundary, meeting dates and HWDSB’s Secondary Program Strategy at www.hwdsb.on.ca/programstrategy.

Bring in your e-Waste!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013
8 am to 12 pm

Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School
130 York Blvd, Hamilton
(loading dock, Canon Street parking lot)

 “When you move on to something newer, what happens to what gets left behind?”

Electronic waste also known as e-waste has risen in Canada at a startling rate.  And that’s why the SJAM Computer Studies team is partnering  with GHGT to host a day of free e-waste collection. The school community is invited to drop off unwanted computers, TV’s, telephones, DVD players, PDA’s, MP3 players, and other electronics, for recycling at Sir John A. Macdonald Secondary School. See the full list of accepted items below.

“SJAM is thrilled to partner with GHGT on this initiative. We invite the SJAM community to help us dispose of obsolete electronics and divert toxic waste from local landfill sites.  This partnership enriches our commitment to our community and the environment.”, Mrs. Passfield,  SJAM Computer Studies Teacher said.

Important e-waste Facts:

• E-waste is the fastest growing waste stream worldwide.
• Each year, 140,000 tonnes of electronic equipment end up in Canadian landfills. This does not include computer and telecommunications equipment, which in a separate, earlier study, estimated an additional 34,000 tonnes to the trash heap.
• The electronics industry is a four billion dollar industry and growing.
• E-waste harms the environment with toxic chemicals such as, lead, mercury, and arsenic.

Acceptable Items List

• Desktop computers
• Portable computers
• Computer peripherals
• Monitors
• Televisions
• Computer peripherals including modems
• Printing devices including copiers, scanners, typewriters
• Telephones / Cellphones (physical and accessories)
• Audio and video players
• Cameras
• Equalizers/(pre)amplifiers
• Radios
• Receivers
• Speakers
• Tuners
• Turntable
• Video players/projectors
• Video recorders
• Personal hand held computers

VICE-PRINCIPAL
Theresa Sgambato, Mat Miller

TRUSTEE
Judith Bishop

SUPERINTENDENT
Scott Sincerbox

SCHOOL COUNCIL CHAIRS
TBC

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE STAFF

• Gwen Holsey
• Femia Skrezek
• Cindy Orgel
• Julie Dawson
• Kelly Frisina
• Helen Bida
• Sue McCormick

OUR SCHOOL
Sir John A Macdonald Secondary School has been an integral part of the downtown landscape for over 35 years. The building was designed by Prack and Prack in 1970 and has since been part of the west downtown skyline.

It is the largest capacity school in Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and one of the most multi-cultural schools outside Toronto. Canadian students, including a sizeable group of aboriginal students, study alongside ESL students coming from about 80 countries and speaking more than 50 languages.

Macdonald is a learning community comprised of students, parents and staff who work together in pursuit of excellence in education. Students engage in a first-rate educational experience because of the positive contributions made by our staff, our parents and our community. Macdonald is committed to academic accountability, a safe learning environment, the development of literacy and numeracy skills and high expectations for our students.

Sir John A Macdonald Secondary School exudes excellence in academics, sports, clubs, activities, and community involvement. The ability to achieve excellence is possible because of our dedicated students and committed staff who are continually challenging themselves to be the best they can be. The scholastic and athletic preparedness and success of our students is recognized throughout local and provincial colleges, universities, apprenticeship programs and workplaces.

Vision:
At Sir John A. Macdonald we work together to enable all students to lead productive lives in a multicultural society.

Mission:
We strive to educate students in a learning environment where excellence, innovation, accountability, equity and diversity are valued.

Beliefs:
We believe all students have the potential to succeed and will be given every opportunity to do so.
We believe in celebrating our diversity and multiculturalism.
We believe in equitable treatment of all individuals.
We believe in a safe and welcoming learning environment.
We believe in excellence, innovation, partnerships and technology.
We believe in fostering a language-rich environment throughout the entire school.

OUR STUDENTS
Total number of students: 1254
Gender: Male – 49 Female – 51
Primary language other than English: Somali
Students born outside of Canada: 502*
*Calculation does not include students for whom language information is missing.

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

STUDENT SUCCESS SUPPORTS
After School Literacy Program – Established to help prepare students for the OSSLT with special emphasis placed on ESL students and students new to the standardized testing format.
Memorial Bursary Program – Financial assistance program established to assist students who demonstrate good attendance and commitment to academics.
Credit Recovery Programs – System and Alter Ed credit recovery programs for junior and senior students who have experienced academic failure in the past.
ESL Reading Buddies – The program is designed to assist ESL students with their reading skills while fostering leadership skills in senior students.
ESL Student Welcoming Committee- A program that introduces SJAM extracurricular activities to ESL grade 9 students by senior student mentors with teacher support.
Homework Club – After-school program that provides academic assistance for all grades with special emphasis on grade 9 and ESL students.
Nutrition Program – Ensures all our students have access to proper nutrition by providing breakfast and lunch for students who require assistance.
NYA:WEH – Aboriginal Stay In School initiative
Traditional Drum & Dance Program – An after-school program that introduces students to the traditional art of aboriginal drumming and dance.
PLACES – In-school Alternative Education and Credit Recovery Program
SHAE – Aboriginal Alternative Education School at the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre
SISO – On-site counselors provide services to populations of newcomers with language needs.
Walk in Closet – Program that allows students access to clothing, personal hygiene products and school supplies.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
ESL Pathways: all levels of ESL and ELS courses are offered, including ESL Literacy for Students and ESL Co-op.
Contact: ivan.kocmarek@hwdsb.on.ca
carol.town@hwdsb.on.ca
Special Art Program: The Special Art Program at Sir John A. Macdonald is the oldest magnet program in the city with its origins dating back to the Hamilton Art School in the late 1800s. This tradition has produced many artists including A.J. Casson and J.E.H. Macdonald of the Group of Seven. The program continues to help students gain entry to post secondary art programs at colleges and universities and currently has many former grads at institutions like Sheridan College and Ontario College of Art and Design.
Contact: richard.kowalchuk@hwdsb.on.ca
Restaurant Hospitality Pathway: this pathway focuses on the skills and knowledge required for a career in the restaurant industry.
Contact: danielle.coffer@hwdsb.on.ca
Web Design and Computer Game Design Technologies: this pathway program focuses on the skills and knowledge required for a career in web design or computer game design.
Contact: tania.passfield@hwdsb.on.ca
Applied Design – Portfolio Program: this courses offers students the opportunity to up-grade studio skills or expand their existing portfolio after graduating from their home school.
Contact: richard.kowalchuk@hwdsb.on.ca
Team Games Sport-Specific Program: this program allows students to focus on sport specific skills necessary for either volleyball, or basketball or soccer.
Contact: milan.narancic@hwdsb.on.ca
Native Studies and Arts Program: this program offers aboriginal and non-aboriginal students an opportunity to study native culture, issues and arts.
Contact: richard.kowalchuk@hwdsb.on.ca
beth.mcqueen@hwdsb.on.ca

CLUBS

• Art Club & Arts Fest
• Breakfast Club
• Business Education Awards
• Canadian Blood Services
• Cheerleaders
• Chess Club/Chess Team
• Choir
• Communications Club
• C.P.R. Training
• DECA
• Drug and Alcohol Education
• Environmental/Hiking Club/Recycling
• First Aid Committee
• Grad Committee
• Grad Gown Committee
• History Club
• Home Page Club
• Knitter’s Club
• Mac Shack
• Macdonald Athletic Council
• Math Awards Luncheon
• Math Contests
• Needy Student Fund
• New York Art Trip
• Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program
• OSAID (Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving)
• Photography Club
• Radio Station – Morning Announcements
• Stage Crew
• United Way
• Visa Club
• Walk – In Closet
• Yearbook
• Badminton
• Badminton Club
• Baseball
• Basketball, Jr. – Boys
• Basketball, Sr. – Boys
• Basketball, Jr. – Girls
• Basketball, Sr. – Girls
• Cross Country
• Fitness Club (Weight Room)
• Football, Tackle
• Football, Touch – Boys
• Football, Touch – Girls
• Slo Pitch – Girls
• Soccer – Girls (Outdoor)
• Soccer Club – Girls (Indoor)
• Soccer, Sr. – Boys
• Soccer, Indoor – Sr.
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Volleyball, Sr. – Boys
• Volleyball, Jr. – Girls
• Volleyball, Sr. – Girls
• Volleyball Club
• Wrestling, Boys

BEFORE/AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM OR ACTIVITIES
Included above

OUR SCHOOL PLAN

CURRICULUM FOCUS
We offer a regular instructional program mandated by The Ontario Curriculum with applied, academic and locally developed courses at the junior level, as well as college, university and workplace courses for the senior levels.

Special Education Program:
A variety of special education programs and services are offered to meet the needs of all students, including students with exceptionalities, such as behavioral, communication intellectual, physical and multiple learning disabilities. Students’ exceptionalities are identified through a formal review process undertaken by an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC).

Literacy and numeracy skills are encouraged and promoted across the curriculum in all subject departments.

Assessment and Evaluation:
The primary purpose of student assessment is to improve learning. Assessment has the greatest potential to improve learning when it is an integral part of classroom activities. Teachers assess student progress towards achieving the expectations on an ongoing basis by using strategies such as projects, class presentations, homework assignments, classroom observations, portfolios of student work and tests.

We use assessment information and information from other sources to make informed decisions for our school improvement plan and for various types of programming. We are able to identify areas of strength as well as areas that need improvement and put action plans in place to address those needs. Input is obtained from a variety of sources such as student assessments, teacher feedback, and parent feedback and community surveys. In this way, we are able to monitor, alter and improve the student’s efforts in providing a supportive and challenging learning environment for all our students.

ENVIRONMENT FOCUS
Safe Schools Team
We have an active Safe Schools Team whose mandate is to ensure that students and staff have access to a learning environment that is safe, supportive, positive and respectful.
We believe that SJAM staff and students have a right to learn and work in a school that is safe, clean and orderly.
The Safe Schools Team directives revolve around ensuring that SJAM is a safe and inviting community by focusing on:
• Promoting a safe and caring school environment
• Implementing violence prevention programming
• Ensuring compliance with the Safe Schools Act
• Incorporating the Ontario Code of Conduct into SJAM’s Code of Conduct as outlined the SJAM Student Agenda.

Green School Committee (Environmental Committee)
We feel it is important to ensure that staff and students contribute to environmental efforts, both school and community, by promoting the concepts of reusing, recycling and reducing. We have an active Environmental Team who organizes the collection of recyclable items such as paper, cans/bottles and batteries while modeling and reinforcing concepts of reducing the use of electricity, photocopying, etc.
Students and staff are encouraged to contribute to this school wide initiative through visual promotions throughout the school and weekly announcements.

ESL Newcomer’s Club
Senior ESL students act as mentors throughout the school year to newly arrived ESL students as well as new ESL students coming into grade 9, to introduce all aspects of SJAM. Students are introduced to the everyday routines, physical structure of the building, extracurricular activities and student supports. This committee’s mandate is to assist our new students in making a smoother transition into our school while fostering leadership in our senior ESL students. This committee is teacher directed and supported

PARENT & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

COMMUNITY
We have excellent partnerships with the following:

Hamilton Community Foundation
Hamilton Harbour Authority
Breakfast for Learning
Partners in Nutrition
Hamilton Police Service
Public Health
Aboriginal Health Centre
Good Shepherd Centres
SISO
Hamilton Regional Indian Centre
Niwasa Aboriginal Headstart
City of Hamilton – VE Day, Mundialization Awards
The Canadian Forces

Service Clubs:
Rotary
Kiwanis
IODE
Royal Canadian Legion
St John Ambulance

Churches:
Church of the Ascension
Wesley Urban Ministries
Church of Jesus Christ

Businesses:
Pegasus Direct
Hamilton Port Authority
Sobey’s
Canada Bread
Hamilton Community Energy
Canadian Border Services
Camco
Triple Star Collision
Siemen’s

PARENT
SJAM has a School Council that meets six times per year.
Our School Council was recently awarded a PRO (Parent’s Reaching Out) grant to assist us in expanding the participation in our school council.
We have two parent’s night per year to update our parents on their children’s progress.
Parents are invited to our Fall Awards Ceremony, Math and Business Awards Luncheons and our Annual Graduation ceremony.