Dear Higgins Families,
I’m resending this message as I’m understanding it didn’t reach parents.
Parent-Teacher Conferences - March 20 and 21
Student Learning Conferences will be held on March 20 from 4pm - 8pm and March 21 from 8:30am - 12Noon. Due to the current CUPE Local 40 strike all conferences will be held online which are bookable through your MYCBE parent portal. If you have difficulty booking a conference, you can call the school at (403) 777-7060 ext. 0 and they will book one for you. You can start booking as of March 11 at 10am.
For this round of conferences when you book a meeting you will get both their math/science teacher and their humanities teacher. You will not need to book two different conferences. You will still need to book a separate conference for your child's physed teacher, or option teacher.
We look forward to meeting with you.
Celebrating The Northeast
Orin McCusker was our guest speaker this week in the Higgins Speaker Series and has done unbelievable work representing Northeast Calgary his entire life. Growing up across the street from our very own Mr. Brar in the community of Pineridge, both friends would build their bond over their passion for basketball. Orin would be a student-athlete at St. Rose of Lima School located in Rundle and would later attend Father Lacombe High School, which would result in Orin leading his basketball teams to two City Championships during his three-year High School career. The culmination of all his hard work in basketball resulted in Orin becoming a member of the Mount Royal College – Men’s Basketball Team.
The lessons he learned through his academic and athletic successes have translated into his professional career as a film and television actor. He understood he had a deep passion for acting, so he enrolled in the acting program at Mount Royal College and has seen incredible success over his 10-year career.
Some of his most prominent roles were in various TV series, including Ride (2023), Billy the Kid (2022), and Wynonna Earp (2021).
He has also been featured in numerous movie productions, including Come True (2020), Miracle in East Texas (2019) and the short film Gold (2017), where Orin played the role of Paul Baker, in which the film would be a finalist at the Miami Beach Film Festival.
His speech to our Leadership Class reminded the students of the importance of focusing on the process and being dedicated to having huge success in life. He reminded the students that when you focus on those two pillars, process and dedication, you will find success in anything you do.
At the conclusion of his speech, Orin connected with all the students in the class with a meet-and-greet. Orin took the time to shake hands with all the students and get to know each student’s dreams and aspirations in life. He concluded the meet-and-greet by autographing a personalized Higgins Speaker Series poster for every Leadership student.
Student Feedback
“He’s so down to earth, humble, and genuine. He inspired me to give acting a real push when I get older and not let the thoughts of being a person of colour hold me back. I have met my fair share of actors/actresses, but Orin gave us the best experience I have had when meeting someone from the acting scene. Outside of my love for movies and acting, I needed this level of inspiration because of my life lately. Thank you, Orin!”
“Orin McCusker is not only an experienced actor, but he is also a very great public speaker. He gives great advice and says you must work hard to reach your goals. He was inspirational and has come very far, and I’m grateful to have met him.”
“He has a perfect sense of articulation and voice projection, which only heightened his knowledge of acting and life. He inspired me with the consistent reminder to stay determined and focused while emphasizing how trial and error always leads to success and pays off. This makes me want to try harder, keep setting higher goals, and work towards them.”
“Orin inspired me by his speech at the beginning of the class, where he spoke a lot about how to focus on your goals. He reminded us that pretending to be something you’re not won’t last. Being yourself will get you many places! He was just so positive, and I will always remember his inspiring words! He motivated me to follow my dreams and just be myself! Thanks Orin!”
Athletics
The Volleyball season will be wrapping up in the next week as we head towards spring break:
- Monday, March 10: Boys' and Girls' Volleyball Practice 2:45pm - 4pm
- Tuesday, March 11: Boys' Volleyball Practice 2:45pm
- Tuesday, March 11: Girls' Volleyball Quarter Finals. 4:30pm - 8:00pm, with Higgins playing at 7pm.
- Wednesday, March 12: Boys' Volleyball Quarter Finals at Clarence Sansom (TBD)
- Thursday, March 13: Boys' Volleyball Semi Finals at Prairie Sky School (TBD)
Important Dates and Spring Break
- Thursday, March 20: Student Learning Conferences Online - 4pm - 8pm (School as Scheduled)
- Friday, March 21: Student Learning Conferences Online - 8:30am - Noon (No School)
- Saturday, March 22 - March 30 - Spring Break (School is Closed)
- Monday, March 31 - School Resumes
Sincerely,
Colin McCracken, Principal