Good morning Higgins Families, and Future Higgins Families,
Starting this week I'm going to start including families of students currently in grade 6, but are planning to come to Higgins next year. This way we can help new families transition to Higgins as well.
Below is the update for the week of April 14, 2025
Grade 6 Tours and Open House
The grade 6 tours to Dr. Gordon Higgins school will occur on Tuesday, April 15. In the afternoon students from Cecil Swanson, Rundle, Keeler, Annie Foote and Guy Weadick schools will visit to explore option programs and start to find their ways around the school. Regular school will be in session, and our grade 7s look forward to welcoming students to our school.
In the evening of April 15 from 6-7pm we will be hosting a grade 6 open house for students and their families. Students will have a chance to show their parents/guardians around the school and continue to explore next year possibilities in a less structured way. You wll arrive to the playing of the Dr. Gordon Higgins School Honour Band, and at 6:30pm there will be a brief presenation in the gym
We look forward to meeting everyone.
Athletics - It's Badminton Season
Monday, April 14 - Grade 7 Badminton Practice (2:45pm - 4pm)
Tuesday, April 15 - Grade 8 Badminton Practice (2:45pm - 4:00pm)
Wednesday, April 16 - Grade 9 Badminton Practice (2:45pm - 4:00pm)
Thursday, April 17 - Grade 9 Badminton Practice (2:45pm - 4:00pm)
Parents if you are planning to pick your child up after Badminton Practice please pick up your chidlren on time, or make multiple arrangements. It is not considerate to have teachers waiting until 5pm, as they cannot leave until your child is picked up.
Field Trips this Week
50 Grade 9s will be going downtown on Thursday, April 17 to participate with the City of Calgary in helping them develop transportation routes for our community. This is a very exciting opportunity for our students and our school. It's called the City Project, and the city is wanting to hear the voices of students in how they get to school and back every day.
Celebrating the North East
Every week or two, Mr. Brar who is a Physed, Leadership, and Business teacher promotes success from the North East. In doing this, he brings in former students to Higgins, or from the area, to show students in the North East that there is value in their educational journey. We are actively fighting the impression that success does not exist in the North East, when in fact it exists all around us.
This week in the Higgins Speaker Series, we were lucky to have a true community leader in our building: Tom Voortman, a Calgary Fire Department firefighter. Tom is a true testament to the strong leadership in our community, as he grew up in the Temple community, graduated from Lester B. Pearson High School, and served our Northeast community at Temple Fire Station 22.
Tom started the presentation by discussing growing up and playing every sport and the life lessons they gained. He mentioned that at Lester B. Pearson High School, he was the Athlete of the Year in Grade 11, which are memories he looks back on fondly, attending practices, games, and tournaments. However, most importantly, the relationships made through playing sports are bonds he still values the most today. He even achieved greater athletic success after Pearson, including being part of the 2009 (Vancouver) and 2011 (New York) World Police and Fire Games for Rugby. He still reflects on and draws on the experiences from his Pearson days as professional and personal guiding points. In a fantastic connecting point for students, Tom mentioned former Pearson Basketball Head Coach Bill Mitchell as the most influential educator/coach in his life, and he is the father of Jamie Mitchell (Semester One Speaker of the Higgins Speaker Series).
His strong appreciation of all cultures and diversity comes from growing up in the Northeast. Tom mentioned that he had friends representing all parts of the world growing up, which helped broaden his worldviews. Students attending the speaking engagement got a chance to appreciate the beautiful melting pot their classroom, school, and community are. He had the students reflect on the quote, "Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another's uniqueness."
Tom concluded his talk by sharing his inspirational journey in fulfilling his life-long aspiration to become a firefighter. Our students applauded his work ethic, as he started with the Calgary Fire Department at the age of 23 and still, years later, has the same passion to serve our community. Tom stated that he was always grounded in the words that "hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard," which allowed him to sustain effort and dedication in all facets of life.
Student Feedback
"He inspired me because even when he felt he wasn't talented, he would just work the hardest to accomplish his goals. Additionally, nothing was handed to him, and he always fully dedicated himself to accomplishing what he wanted in life."
"The guest speaker inspired me by saying that success doesn't happen overnight, it takes days, months, and years. I really like how he thinks and I learned a lot of things from him."
"He inspired me by making me feel more positive and more motivated than I was. He helped me realize that life doesn't lead you; you must lead yourself. I love Tom and the motivational speech he gave. I hope Tom realizes that I got inspired today, and I hope our paths will cross again someday."
"How simple and amazing was it when he mentioned that if you are not the best on the team, be the most hard-working."
School Council
We are always looking for parents to participate in school council, which happen the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 6:30pm in the learning commons. Coming up, the Dr. Gordon Higgins Parent's Associaton is hosting a casino, and requires volunteers. Volunteer for the Casino - We Need Your Help! School Council and the Parent Association work hard to make Dr. Gordon Higgins a better place, and they can definitely use more help in doing it. They have contributed to or are fully responsible for the following:
- $250,000 sport court on the north side of the building.
- Several smart boards throughout the building.
- Families have not paid for Field Trip Buses as long as I have been Principal here.
- Have paid for or highly contributed to most field trip opportunities
- and so much more.
Notes
Remember, there is not school this Friday.
Sincerely,
Colin McCracken
Principal