School Council Meeting:

Tuesday, December 12 @ 6:30 PM. Virtual meeting.

Please register for the meeting with the link provided. The link to the meeting will be shared with registered people the day of the meeting. https://forms.office.com/r/dkBykvNB9L

IB Exam Fees Due:

All students who are registered in 30-Level IB courses this year will be writing an IB exam in May. The $200 fee for each exam is payable through PowerSchool and is due on December 15th. The final drop date for Exam level IB courses was October 31, 2023. Any students registered in courses following this date will be charged for the exams.

Diploma Examinations January 2024

Any questions regarding exams, please speak to Assistant Principal Ms. Turner in the Main Office, or email her directly cjturner@cbe.ab.ca

The Alberta Education Diploma examinations cannot be rescheduled but arrangements may be made to write the exam at the next sitting for the exam, which is in August.

Please arrive to the school between 8:30-8:45 AM and make your way to your designated area.
Part A classrooms are organized alphabetically, and names are posted on glass inside Main Doors.

Most Part B exams are in the Main Gym.

Exam Rules & Information

Prohibited Items in any Examination

According to Alberta Education, CBE and school policy, having the following objects on your person during a final examination is prohibited. Those caught will be expelled from the exam room immediately and have their mark invalidated (score of zero on the exam).

None of the following electronic devices are allowed:

• Cellphones
• Digital Audio Players
• Smart watches
• Ipods
• Electronic organizers
• Hand-held electronic dictionaries
• Any other portable electronic devices

Please leave all of these items in your backpack or at home during exam time.

Things to Bring for your Exam

Use this as a checklist for things to bring:

• Picture ID: needed for ALL exams especially diploma exams
• HB pencils, ideally mechanical to eliminate sharpening
• Pens are required for signing exam booklet
• Eraser, good quality white eraser
• Exams begin promptly at 9:00 a.m.
• All exams are secured. No leaving the exam area until one hour after the start of the exam, for any reason.
• No latecomers after 9:55 a.m.
• Comfortable clothing: Remember that coats are NOT allowed. Wear a sweater if you get cold easily or if you are writing in the gymnasium.
• Bottled water
• Please no nuts or nut products.
• For English/ELA Part A exams: You may be allowed the following print resources as long as they are free of any notes or handwriting. This will be checked:
  • A print dictionary
  • A thesaurus
• For Social Studies Part A exams: You may be allowed the following print resources as long as they are free of any notes or handwriting. This will be checked.
  • A print dictionary, so long as it does NOT contain appendices that include social studies content (see below)
  • A thesaurus
• For Math and Science exams: rulers, protractors and an approved calculator provided that:
  • The calculator is cleared back to original factory settings, free of any extraneous programs or built in notes.
  • DO NOT bring your calculator cover. Leave it in your backpack or at home
  • ANY ATTEMPT to use a calculator containing inappropriate programs will result in that student's final exam being invalidated (given a mark of zero).

The staff of John G Diefenbaker wish our students all the best as you prepare and take your examinations. Study hard and good luck!!

Attention Grade 12 students –

Second Semester on line course registration at Vista and CBe-Learn:

CBE learn is opening their registration portal for three days: December 14, 15 and 18.

If you require a course for graduation (not just upgrading a course) please email your counselor ASAP so that they can register you on one of these dates.

CBE learn for all students will open January 9, 2024.

If you require an on line course with CBe-Learn, please reach out to your counselor VIA email so that they can register you.

Vista Virtual school: registration opens December 1, 2023 and you may register yourself at www.vvschool.ca

Home Game Viewing:

Individual schools determine the audience for Home Games. At Diefenbaker, we have decided that only current Diefenbaker students, families of current Diefenbaker students, visiting school students and player families are welcome to view Home Games at Diefenbaker. All students from Diefenbaker or the visiting school must provide valid school ID to enter games. At this time, Diefenbaker Alumni or those with no school ID will not be allowed to view home games.

Military Museum field trips:

Last week, students from Ms. Stiff's Social Studies 20-1 and Ms. El Ferro's Social Studies 20 IB classes embarked on field trips to The Military Museums. During their trips, students engaged in activities designed to deepen their understanding of Canadian involvement in Vimy Ridge and Juno Beach, exploring the profound and lasting legacy of war.

EVENTS CALENDAR:

Artist Spotlight

Wendy P. is an exceptional Grade 12 student who has a deep passion for dance. She started pursuing her love for dancing at the age of 5, starting with Chinese Traditional Dance before advancing to Hip-Hop. Her inspiration comes from watching professional dancers, and she constantly strives to match their level of excellence. Wendy is highly motivated to improve and become a better dancer, and she puts in a lot of hard work and dedication towards this goal. Dancing is her ultimate source of happiness and inner peace, and it helps her to unwind after a long and tiring day. Wendy has participated in numerous dance competitions and has received high praise for her performances. She has won several awards, including Novice Overall at Phoenix Dance Competition, 2nd Overall for Pre-competitive Solos at Abstract Dance Movements, 2nd Overall Duet at Terpsichore and 1st Overall Duet at GCDC. Wendy's passion for dance has been evident in her performances at various events at John G. Diefenbaker, such as Culture Day and the Talent Show. Her future plans are centred around the medicine/health field. However, she still hopes to keep dancing as a hobby in the future and even plans to take Ballroom classes someday. Wendy is truly an inspiration to all aspiring dancers, and her passion and dedication towards her craft are truly commendable.

- Written by Emily W.

REMINDER: 

School Engage (Demographic Verification and Annual Authorization required):

Student demographic verification is required each and every school year. If you have not verified your demographic information for the 2023-24 school year, please log in to your SchoolEngage account and verify your student’s information. Technical support/instructions are available here.

Annual authorizations requiring parent consent are also required for the 2023-24 school year. 

These are: 

• CBE Use of Student Information: outlines instances when we would like to share student information publically in our day to day work. 
• Consent for Use of Student Information by News Media and Outside Groups (Third Party): provides information pertaining to including students in media events where images may be recorded and used by the third party.