Events and News
Events and News Worth Sharing
How Can You Help Save Britannia
On June 20, 2016, VSB senior management staff announced a preliminary list of schools that could be considered for closure and notifications to potentially affected schools have been sent to school principals and PAC chairs. Britannia is on that list.
How can you help?
If you want to help save Britannia, there are a number of things that you can do.
Sign the Petition
Chloe Gray has started a petition to save Britannia Secondary School. You can sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/the-community-saving-britannia-secondary-school
Before you do, however, you should read the following from Mike Lombardi, a Britannia Alumni and chairman of the Vancouver Board of School Trustees
Familiarize yourself with the Issues
The committee to save Britannia have put together a press kit so that you can familiarize yourself with the issues.
Cutbacks threaten School’s life-changing inner-city program
Attend a Meeting
There is a Trustee Public Meeting on Sept 15 at 5:00 pm aat Charles Tupper High School. Trustees have a number of previously submitted questions.
We are trying to fill the place with “Don’t Quit on Brit” supporters! See you there. Wear Brit colours!!!!
Prior to making any decisions trustees will review a detailed report on each school presented by staff in September 2016. Once this has occurred, trustees will then make a decision about whether any schools from the preliminary list should be considered for closure. If so, the VSB will then conduct significant communication and public consultations with affected school communities in October and November 2016. Following a report on the consultation and staff information, trustees will decide about school closures at a public VSB meeting in December 2016.
Information about these consultations will be widely publicized, but if you would like to receive information directly you are invited to fill in a contact form here.
Additionally, the VSB continues to advocate for the elimination of the arbitrary Ministry of Education-imposed 95%. District-wide capacity utilization formula that is the ministry required foundation for the VSB Long Term Facilities Plan.
Contact your political representatives
The VSB also continues to advocate for adequate and stable funding to address our $21.8million 2016-17 budget shortfall resulting from years of chronic underfunding and downloading of costs from the provincial government.
You are encouraged to support the VSB in its advocacy efforts to secure additional funding and to eliminate the arbitrary 95% capacity utilization target.
Please communicate with the Premier, Minister of Education, and your MLA about these matters. I would also encourage you copy VSB trustees on your messages.
-Contact information for the Premier, Minister of Education, and Vancouver-area MLAs:
https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members/40th-Parliament/Clark-Christy
https://www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/members/40th-Parliament/Bernier-Mike
Contact information for Vancouver-Area MLAs:
http://www.vsb.bc.ca/about-vsb/trustees/advocacy-work/mla-contacts
Contact information for VSB trustees:
GroupTrustees@vsb.bc.ca
East Van Education Network (EVEN)
Also, here is great information from the East Van Education Network (EVEN).
6 points, or key themes from the presentation
- All projections show that the effected neighbourhoods are growing, due to developments of condos, townhomes, etc. closing schools is short sighted.
- The way capacity is being calculated at schools is wrong and misleading. Spaces are NOT empty.
- Neighbourhood schools are the hubs and hearts of communities – closes them hurts communities. Every bit of research shows the importance of neighbourhood schools and the relationships that form there.
- Each school offers special programs and supports that have ben developed over years and cannot simply be moved to other schools. Without the teachers and staff that run those programs, the programs die and this is a loss to everyone.
- Vancouver taxpayers pay enough to keep their schools open – and have invested significantly in their neighbourhood schools above and beyond taxes (fundraising, etc). There is a gap between what we pay and what we get back.
- In many cases, student are bing moved from risky schools to riskier schools which puts our students at more risk.
Timeline
A timeline for those wanting to be more active and take part in:
September 6 (1st day of school) Information flyers distributed to parents at elementary and also to Brit students at High School.
September 9 – 10:00 am MEDIA EVENT at Britannia Carving Pavilion.
September 15 – 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Town Hall style meeting at Astorino’s. We hope to fill the place with Brit families, Brit alumni, students, etc.
Britannia School Garden Fundraiser 2016
A fun filled community event.
This year we are doing it OUTSIDE on Thursday, July 7th, 5-9, in the garden itself and the adjacent grass field of Britannia Secondary. (if raining, we’ll be in the cafeteria which is next to the field).
This year, we are very excited to take the event outside! The garden is all spruced up and is looking beautiful. Chef Larissa Grieves is back, with an even more varied menu than last year, including a meat option for the entree (free range slow cooked pork shoulder). The rest of the meal is vegan and vegetarian. We also have lined up a big selection of pies for dessert! (menu attached)
Besides the great food, we have 3 local musicians and a storyteller lined up for entertainment. There will be picnic-style games and activities for adults and children. And we have over 50 items on offer in the Silent Auction, mostly from merchants right here on Commercial Drive, East Hastings and Strathcona.
Tickets are $30 for adults, half price for ages 6-12 and under 6 are free. Tickets can be bought at the Britannia Community Centre front information desk, or call Ian Marcuse directly at Britannia, 604-718-5895. (or email me at gwfcnetwork@gmail.com)
This fundraiser benefits youth and young children’s gardening programs in our community and also all the way in Tanzania, to the SEGA Girls School, whose garden is twinned with the Britannia Secondary School Garden. Eastside Family Place is also a partner in the fundraiser, for their “Little Sprouts” and “Kids in the Kitchen” summer gardening and food skills programs. This is the only fundraiser for our respective programs.
We are very, very excited to announce that the Commercial Drive Scotiabank branch is offering MATCHING funds, so your $30 will turn into $60! They did so last year, and we are very happy they have decided to support us so generously again.
Please help us get the word out, even if you are not able to come, by sending the attached poster and menu to people you know. We have a Facebook page, and if you are on FB, could you Like and most importantly, Share our page? Please and thank you.
Class of ’66 Reunion
It’s hard to believe that 50 years have passed since we graduated from Britannia.
You are cordially invited to join your fellow graduates on Aug. 19-20, 2016 to relive past glories and renew acquaintances and friendship.
When: Friday, August 19th, 2016.
From: 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Where: Riverway Golf Course at 9001 Bill Fox Way, Burnaby
Cost: $ 40.00 per person.
Includes appetizers and a No Host Bar. Open to all (friends, family, ex-Brits etc.)
When: Saturday, August 20th, 2016.
From: Doors open at 6:00 pm, Dinner at 7:30 & Dancing at 9:00
Where: Italian Cultural Centre at 3075 Slocan St., Vancouver
Cost: $95.00 per person
Includes an awesome Buffet dinner, a No Host Cash Bar and dancing to the R & B tunes of The Souled Out Band (http://souledout.ca/ ), it will bring back great memories of
yesteryear! Open to all (friends, family, ex-Brits etc.)
Tickets are limited. Secure your spot by forwarding a cheque for full payment by May 1, 2016. Alternatively, forward a cheque for 50% of the cost by May 1, 2016 to confirm your attendance with full payment by June 1, 2016. All cheques are non-refundable.
Photo Gallery from the 4th Annual Gala Dinner & Silent Auction
It was a fantastic evening and was made even more memorable with the appearances of the talented Brit students: Lauren, Celestine and Natasha. The food was absolutely delicious and the guests enjoyed themselves immensely. All the silent auction items were sold.
All in all, it was a great evening, and another successful dinner for the BSS.
A BIG thank you to the Wall Centre and to every one for helping out and making it such a success. We could not have done it without you.
Registration now open for 6th Annual Brit Alumni Dinner, Dance & Optional Golf
Registration is now open for the 6th annual Britannia High School Alumni Dinner, Dance & Optional Golf.
September 17, 2016
Meadow Gardens Golf and Country Club
19675 Meadow Gardens Way, Pitt Meadows, BC
Everyone is welcome. Spend the day enjoying golf, food and great times with your fellow alumni. All monies raised will be used for bursaries for Brit graduating students and various projects supported by the BSS.
Registration for Golf 11:00 am
Dinner start 05:30 pm
Dance start 07:30 pm – midnight
There are a limited number of tee times available, first come, first served. Golfers, please show up early or risk disappointment.
Please note: If you are not yet a member of the Britannia Support Society, you can join online at https://www.britsupportsociety.com/membership or at the Dinner and Dance. Lifetime membership costs only $25.
Deadlines
For golf, we will let you know the tee times after September 3rd. Stay tuned.
For the Dinner and Dance, all registrations and payments must be received by September 8th. After that, we are unable to guarantee you a seat at the dinner.
We hold this event primarily, as an opportunity for all Brit alumni to meet and greet and secondarily, all funds raised from this event will be donated to Britannia. Since we have started, we have donated a minimum of $1000.00 a year for bursaries. Since last year and this year, we have also donated $2500.00 for the grads and their families to enjoy tea and coffee after the graduation ceremonies at the Italian Cultural Centre.
If you are interested, please make your donation cheques to “Britannia Support Society” or go to https://www.britsupportsociety.com/donate. Tax receipts for donations to the Britannia Support Society will be issued for amounts over $50.00. Tax receipts will not be issued for the golf and dinner event.
If you would like more info or would like to donate our event, please contact:
Eddy Teranishi eddyteranishi@shawcable.com
Willy Quan wq55555@gmail.com
Glenn Hara ghara02@hotmail.com
Download Registration form
Britannia (Golf) Dinner Dance 2016 Registration
Check out the menu
Annual General Meeting 2016
Please note that the BSS AGM will be held on July 5th, 7:00 pm in Room 304 (Staff Room) at Britannia. All BSS members are invited to attend.
Save the Date – BSS Fundraiser
Click on the menu to the left to see what promises to be a fantastic meal with dishes inspired from around the world – served family style.
Location:
Sheraton Wall Centre
1088 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Doors open at 6 pm
6th Annual Alumni Dine and Dance with Optional Golf
6th Annual Alumni Dine and Dance with Optional Golf
Mark your calendars for the Annual Britannia Alumni Dine and Dance with Optional Golf. Hosted by Willy Quan, Eddy Teranishi and yours truly. This year’s gathering will be the 6th annual and will be held on Saturday, September 17th at Meadow Gardens Golf and Country Club. Stay tuned for more details but, mark your calendar now!!!!
Honour for Britannia’s Mike Evans: Never a critic, always a coach
The hallways at Britannia secondary were buzzing last week before tipoff in the 42nd annual invitational basketball tournament, one of the first in B.C. to host senior boys and girls at the same time, same place.
The excitement was about that place, specifically the Bruins basketball court and its flanking bleachers, and about one person, a coach who since 1980 has made that gym a second home not only for himself but also a welcoming and safe space for hundreds of teenage athletes.
On Jan. 14 before the senior girls won their own tournament for a ninth time in 11 years, the school paid special tribute to Bruins coach Mike Evans. They named the place after him.
Read more and see the Photo Gallery: Bruins win Britannia invitational tournament
More than 120 former student-athletes and numerous retired teachers dressed in red and walked out on the floor. The stands were already packed. As Evans led the Bruins in a pre-game pep talk under blue banners for city and regional championships and their cherished 2012 B.C. AA title, the players made sure to hold his attention and keep his back to the larger crowd. Tina Turner’s “Simply the Best” blared on the PA. The reveal was a surprise.
Evans, whose first day as a counsellor at Britannia was in 1980, turned around to see a few words newly printed on the wall: Mike Evans Gymnasium.
“I wonder if it’s legal, but anyway…” Evans said a few days later, characteristically humble and funny. “It was overwhelming and as it turns out, it was a well-kept secret.”
Mitra Tshan, the bantam and junior girls coach as well as a community educator at Britannia, organized the ceremony with Trevor Stokes, who coaches with Evans and teachers in the Streetfront alternative school, and Bob Fitzpatrick, an I.B. teacher and student council sponsor. The name reveal was public knowledge and widely shared on social media, but Evans said he was none the wiser.