Sisler High School
Encyclopedia
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Sisler High School is the largest high school in the province of Manitoba
with over 1800 students. It was built in 1957, and named after William James Sisler. As principal of Strathcona School in the North End
of Winnipeg
, W.J. Sisler was instrumental in helping new immigrant families adjust. He faced a great challenge in the fact that a majority of the students did not speak English; there were twenty-two countries of origin and eighteen language groups in his student body. In addition, many of his students came from areas where they were deprived their right to education. In his book Peaceful Invasion, W.J. Sisler says "Once they understood the value of education that was freely offered to them they took full advantage of all that we could give them". He adapted the education system for his immigrant students, and the provincial government of Manitoba soon officially adopted his method of teaching. Sisler High School today has a large ESL
(English as a Second Language) program.
Six teachers at Sisler High School have won Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence. Mr. Chris Bandfield, social studies department head, won Manitoba's Lieutenant Governor's Classroom Teacher Award, of which only one is awarded annually at the secondary level.
In March 2005, the school was recognized with the Canadians for a Genocide Museum Educator's Award for its contribution for education on issues surrounding genocide; specifically for its In Exile for a While programme. The school regards this to be a high honour, as it even edged out distinguished co-nominees—retired lieutenant-general, The Honourable Roméo Dallaire
, and Inky Mark, Member of Parliament.
and the University of Manitoba
. Those courses include: Calculus 1, Calculus 2, English, Physics, and Psychology. Prior to the 2005-2006 school year, Latin was also offered as a course. Advanced Placement chemistry is also offered, as well as many other enriched courses.
has an enrolment of nearly 200 students. The French Immersion programme allows students to graduate with a French Immersion diploma, and full use of both official languages of Canada
. Students enrolled in French Immersion are required to complete 14 credits of French-language courses. Two courses which are not offered in an English equivalent, and are therefore exclusive to French Immersion, are the Communications médiatiques (Media Communications) and Sciences humaines (Political History of the Twentieth Century).
The French Immersion programme also has compulsory participation in the Canadian Parents for French (CPF) Concours d'art oratoire until the end of grade 10. The Concours d'art oratoire (Contest of the Oratory Art) is a French-language speaking contest in which participants write their own piece on a topic of their choice and perform it in public. Alumnus and former president, Jan Raeimon D. Nato, is a three-time provincial champion of this competition, and placed second at the National level. Since then, he has been asked to speak at the CPF-Manitoba's 25th anniversary dinner, and at the Bureau de l'éducation française's French Immersion: Moving Ahead Into the Future conference. Many students go on to continue their studies at the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface
.
Sisler High School's Visual & Performing Arts (VPA) Department offers courses in Art, Band, Choir, Dance, and Drama. With the widest enrolment of any programme at Sisler High School, the VPA Department appeals to many students. The VPA Department has gained Sisler High School additional repute.
In 2005-2006, Sisler formed their first Ukrainian Dance Group under the instruction of student Nathan Fletcher, an accomplished Ukrainian dancer. Sisler's Ukrainian Dance group had the chance to perform at Dance Manitoba, and received gold for Competing Bukovinian Ladies and gold with honours for Pryvit
.
From 2002–2004 and in 2006, Sisler High School's choirs have won the Earl Grey Trophy, the highest honour for a school choir in the Winnipeg Music Festival. The choir also sends many of its members to the Provincial Honour Choir of Manitoba. In 2002, Sisler's Jazz Choir Jazz-Ma-Tazz received an invitation to perform at MusicFest Canada. In 2003, Sisler's Chamber Choir followed suit. In 2005, Sisler High School's Chamber and Concert Choirs also received recommendations to perform at MusicFest Canada.
On 18 October 2005, four members of Sisler High School's Chamber Choir joined the http://www.winnipegboyschoir.wordpress.com Winnipeg Boy's Choir to sing O Canada
at the official welcoming ceremony of Governor General
Michaëlle Jean
at the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
. The visit to Winnipeg was Jean's first trip as Governor General.
The bands annually participate in The Winnipeg Optimist Festival, in which they have been awarded gold and silver medals. Sisler High School's bands have also been asked to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
during the New Music Festival. Many students also perform with the divisional and provincial honour bands. Sisler offers a grade 9/S1 band, concert band (non-auditioned and generally for S2-4 students), jazz band (which is auditioned and again generally for S2-4 students), wind ensemble, beginner's band, and a pit band that consists of wind ensemble band members. The S1 band is scheduled into the school day, and accepts both beginners and non-beginners. The other bands practice before school, at lunch and after school.
In 2005, the dance troupe Sisler's Most Wanted brought home golds at the Winnipeg Dance Festival. The Sisler's Most Wanted dance troupe has its origins as an all-male dance troupe aimed at preventing crime, and has since then grown into a male and female troupe which is held in high regard throughout Winnipeg. Sisler's VPA Department Head, Spencer Duncanson, has received an anti-crime award from the Attorney-General of Manitoba for his leadership in the Visual & Performing Arts Department.
On 8 October 2002, Sisler High School's Jazz-Ma-Tazz ensemble and Sisler's Most Wanted dance troupe performed for the Queen of Canada
, Elizabeth II
, during her visit to Winnipeg as a part of the Golden Jubilee festivities at The Forks
.
In the 2004-05 season, the Sisler Spartans Hockey team won their first divisional and city championship by defeating Miles Macdonell Collegiate
4-2 at the MTS Centre. The Spartans finished first overall in their division and lost one game throughout the playoffs.
In 2007 both of Sisler High School's football teams made it to the city finals. It is the first time this has been done since the league was divided into two sub-divisions. The A division centennial bowl championship was won in a 23-7 decision over the Murdoch MacKay Collegiate
Clansmen, and the AAA division Anavets Bowl trophy was lost to the Oak Park High School
Raiders 29-19.
Sisler brought home the 2006 provincial championships in basketball, while the Spartan soccer team made their first appearance in over a decade at the Urban Provincial Soccer Championships in Brandon
, Manitoba
.
Sisler's Senior Boys Rugby
Team won the first division provincial title in 2000-2001 with a clean record. The winning streak continued through the 2001-2002 season until a loss in the provincial finals. In the 2002-2003 season the team received an influx of young new players as a majority of the team had graduated the year before. This new team, led by half a dozen or so veteran players, lost in the provincial semi-finals. In the 2003-2004 season, won back the provincial title for Sisler.
Girl's Rugby has also started to take hold in Sisler; the team won the second-tier provincial title in the 2003-2004 season.
relief, Hurricane Katrina
relief and Christmas Cheerboard in the past. Their main events include "go nuts for donuts" sales, the annual Santa Gram sale, and, in collaboration with OverSeas Educational Fund, the annual Talent Show. Meetings are generally held at lunch and after school.
through International Association for Transformation (IAT) as well as the Village of Hope initiative in Zambia
. OSEF works through doing many fundraisers within the school, some of which including the Walk for Education, the Christmas-themed spirit day (entitled "Spartan Winter Wonderland"), food sales, dances, the annual talent show (in collaboration with Generation Peace), holiday themed sales and events, as well as numerous others. OSEF also supports and operates with the many other humanitarian events occurring in the school. Meetings are held every tuesdays after school.
competition to raise money, the winner in the heavy difficulty category of competition to have a chance at challenging Canada's DDR champion.
These include:
Sisler High School is the largest high school in the province of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
with over 1800 students. It was built in 1957, and named after William James Sisler. As principal of Strathcona School in the North End
North End, Winnipeg, Manitoba
- Overview :The North End is a large area located to the North and Northwest of Downtown Winnipeg. It is bordered by the Red River on the east, the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline on the south, the City of Winnipeg boundary on the west and Jefferson Avenue, Keewatin Street, Carruthers Avenue,...
of Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, W.J. Sisler was instrumental in helping new immigrant families adjust. He faced a great challenge in the fact that a majority of the students did not speak English; there were twenty-two countries of origin and eighteen language groups in his student body. In addition, many of his students came from areas where they were deprived their right to education. In his book Peaceful Invasion, W.J. Sisler says "Once they understood the value of education that was freely offered to them they took full advantage of all that we could give them". He adapted the education system for his immigrant students, and the provincial government of Manitoba soon officially adopted his method of teaching. Sisler High School today has a large ESL
ESL
ESL is a common abbreviation for English as a Second Language, see English language learning and teaching.ESL may also refer to:-Companies:...
(English as a Second Language) program.
Teaching Excellence
Sisler High School has been recognized for teaching excellence. According to Maclean's magazine "It all starts at the top, according to everyone at Sisler High School". "The top" refers to Principal George Heshka, who has been principal of Sisler High School for twenty-five years. Although he is "more inclined to credit his staff and nearly 1800 students" for the recognition that Sisler High School has gained, it is his longevity and openness to new ideas that led to the creation of various programmes such as the All-Girl classes, the 24-Hour Exile, and the humanitarian groups of Sisler High School.Six teachers at Sisler High School have won Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence. Mr. Chris Bandfield, social studies department head, won Manitoba's Lieutenant Governor's Classroom Teacher Award, of which only one is awarded annually at the secondary level.
In March 2005, the school was recognized with the Canadians for a Genocide Museum Educator's Award for its contribution for education on issues surrounding genocide; specifically for its In Exile for a While programme. The school regards this to be a high honour, as it even edged out distinguished co-nominees—retired lieutenant-general, The Honourable Roméo Dallaire
Roméo Dallaire
Lieutenant-General Roméo Antonius Dallaire, is a Canadian senator, humanitarian, author and retired general...
, and Inky Mark, Member of Parliament.
ESL (English as a Second Language) Program
Many students come to Sisler from other countries, learn English through the school's program and ultimately succeed in their high school studies. This program serves to integrate multiculturalism into school life.Accelerated Program
Sisler High School's Accelerated Program allows students to enroll in grade 9 and potentially finish their first year of university by the time they finish their grade 12 year. Sisler High School offers five university courses, in conjunction with the University of WinnipegUniversity of Winnipeg
The University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
and the University of Manitoba
University of Manitoba
The University of Manitoba , in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, is the largest university in the province of Manitoba. It is Manitoba's most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. It placed...
. Those courses include: Calculus 1, Calculus 2, English, Physics, and Psychology. Prior to the 2005-2006 school year, Latin was also offered as a course. Advanced Placement chemistry is also offered, as well as many other enriched courses.
French Immersion Programme
Sisler High School's French ImmersionFrench immersion
French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which a child who does not speak French as his or her first language receives instruction in school in French...
has an enrolment of nearly 200 students. The French Immersion programme allows students to graduate with a French Immersion diploma, and full use of both official languages of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Students enrolled in French Immersion are required to complete 14 credits of French-language courses. Two courses which are not offered in an English equivalent, and are therefore exclusive to French Immersion, are the Communications médiatiques (Media Communications) and Sciences humaines (Political History of the Twentieth Century).
The French Immersion programme also has compulsory participation in the Canadian Parents for French (CPF) Concours d'art oratoire until the end of grade 10. The Concours d'art oratoire (Contest of the Oratory Art) is a French-language speaking contest in which participants write their own piece on a topic of their choice and perform it in public. Alumnus and former president, Jan Raeimon D. Nato, is a three-time provincial champion of this competition, and placed second at the National level. Since then, he has been asked to speak at the CPF-Manitoba's 25th anniversary dinner, and at the Bureau de l'éducation française's French Immersion: Moving Ahead Into the Future conference. Many students go on to continue their studies at the Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface
Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface
The Université de Saint-Boniface, or USB, is a university college affiliated with the University of Manitoba and located in the Saint Boniface district of Winnipeg, Manitoba , Canada....
.
Visual & Performing Arts Department
In 2005-2006, Sisler formed their first Ukrainian Dance Group under the instruction of student Nathan Fletcher, an accomplished Ukrainian dancer. Sisler's Ukrainian Dance group had the chance to perform at Dance Manitoba, and received gold for Competing Bukovinian Ladies and gold with honours for Pryvit
Pryvit
Pryvit is a Ukrainian dance developed by 20th century Ukrainian performance ensembles to start off programs of Ukrainian folk dances. In it, the dancers preview dances and the various representations or regional folk costumes which will be seen later in the performance...
.
From 2002–2004 and in 2006, Sisler High School's choirs have won the Earl Grey Trophy, the highest honour for a school choir in the Winnipeg Music Festival. The choir also sends many of its members to the Provincial Honour Choir of Manitoba. In 2002, Sisler's Jazz Choir Jazz-Ma-Tazz received an invitation to perform at MusicFest Canada. In 2003, Sisler's Chamber Choir followed suit. In 2005, Sisler High School's Chamber and Concert Choirs also received recommendations to perform at MusicFest Canada.
On 18 October 2005, four members of Sisler High School's Chamber Choir joined the http://www.winnipegboyschoir.wordpress.com Winnipeg Boy's Choir to sing O Canada
O Canada
It has been noted that the opening theme of "O Canada" bears a strong resemblance to the "Marsch der Priester" , from the opera Die Zauberflöte , composed in 1791 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and that Lavallée's melody was inspired by Mozart's tune...
at the official welcoming ceremony of Governor General
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 27th since Canadian Confederation, from 2005 to 2010....
at the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and the lieutenant governor form the Legislature of Manitoba, the legislature of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Fifty-seven members are elected to this assembly in provincial general elections, all in single-member constituencies with first-past-the-post...
. The visit to Winnipeg was Jean's first trip as Governor General.
The bands annually participate in The Winnipeg Optimist Festival, in which they have been awarded gold and silver medals. Sisler High School's bands have also been asked to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Its primary concert venue is the Centennial Concert Hall, and the orchestra also performs throughout the province of Manitoba.-History:...
during the New Music Festival. Many students also perform with the divisional and provincial honour bands. Sisler offers a grade 9/S1 band, concert band (non-auditioned and generally for S2-4 students), jazz band (which is auditioned and again generally for S2-4 students), wind ensemble, beginner's band, and a pit band that consists of wind ensemble band members. The S1 band is scheduled into the school day, and accepts both beginners and non-beginners. The other bands practice before school, at lunch and after school.
In 2005, the dance troupe Sisler's Most Wanted brought home golds at the Winnipeg Dance Festival. The Sisler's Most Wanted dance troupe has its origins as an all-male dance troupe aimed at preventing crime, and has since then grown into a male and female troupe which is held in high regard throughout Winnipeg. Sisler's VPA Department Head, Spencer Duncanson, has received an anti-crime award from the Attorney-General of Manitoba for his leadership in the Visual & Performing Arts Department.
On 8 October 2002, Sisler High School's Jazz-Ma-Tazz ensemble and Sisler's Most Wanted dance troupe performed for the Queen of Canada
Monarchy in Canada
The monarchy of Canada is the core of both Canada's federalism and its Westminster-style parliamentary democracy, being the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Canadian government and each provincial government...
, Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, during her visit to Winnipeg as a part of the Golden Jubilee festivities at The Forks
The Forks, Winnipeg, Manitoba
The Forks is a historic site and meeting place in Downtown Winnipeg located at the confluence of the Red River and Assiniboine River. For at least 6000 years, the Forks has been the meeting place for early Aboriginal peoples, and since colonization has also been a meeting place for European fur...
.
Athletics
Sisler High School also offers a wide athletics program. It consists of traditional sports such as track, hockey, football, rugby, volleyball, soccer and basketball, but also includes sports such as cricket, curling, and golf. Intramurals are also very popular at Sisler High School.In the 2004-05 season, the Sisler Spartans Hockey team won their first divisional and city championship by defeating Miles Macdonell Collegiate
Miles Macdonell Collegiate
Miles Macdonell Collegiate is a high school in Winnipeg, Manitoba in the River East Transcona School Division. It is one of the five schools in Manitoba that participate in the International Baccalaureate Program. The school offers classes in French Immersion geared towards university attendance in...
4-2 at the MTS Centre. The Spartans finished first overall in their division and lost one game throughout the playoffs.
In 2007 both of Sisler High School's football teams made it to the city finals. It is the first time this has been done since the league was divided into two sub-divisions. The A division centennial bowl championship was won in a 23-7 decision over the Murdoch MacKay Collegiate
Murdoch MacKay Collegiate
Murdoch MacKay Collegiate is a public, co-ed high school located in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is part of the River East Transcona School Division in Winnipeg, Manitoba.-History:...
Clansmen, and the AAA division Anavets Bowl trophy was lost to the Oak Park High School
Oak Park High School (Manitoba)
Oak Park High School is a high school located in the Charleswood area of Winnipeg, Manitoba. It offers a dual-track English and French Immersion program. Oak Park also offers Advanced Placement courses and one of the most comprehensive fine arts programs in the province...
Raiders 29-19.
Sisler brought home the 2006 provincial championships in basketball, while the Spartan soccer team made their first appearance in over a decade at the Urban Provincial Soccer Championships in Brandon
Brandon, Manitoba
Brandon is the second largest city in Manitoba, Canada, and is located in the southwestern area of the province. Brandon is the largest city in the Westman region of Manitoba. The city is located along the Assiniboine River. Spruce Woods Provincial Park and CFB Shilo are a relatively short distance...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
.
Sisler's Senior Boys Rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
Team won the first division provincial title in 2000-2001 with a clean record. The winning streak continued through the 2001-2002 season until a loss in the provincial finals. In the 2002-2003 season the team received an influx of young new players as a majority of the team had graduated the year before. This new team, led by half a dozen or so veteran players, lost in the provincial semi-finals. In the 2003-2004 season, won back the provincial title for Sisler.
Girl's Rugby has also started to take hold in Sisler; the team won the second-tier provincial title in the 2003-2004 season.
Student Government & Presidency
| Years | Presidents | Notes |
| 1986-1987 | President Kerry Lambert Vice President Russell Shewchuck | Music and School Enthusiasm was key with 2 Airbands, Talent show and Rock Concert (Harlequin) to raise money for band development |
| 1997-1998 | President Dean Medeiros Vice President Veronica Ternopolski | |
| 1998-1999 | President Courtney Tinck | |
| 1999-2000 | President Jasmir "Jay" Nayak President Jesse James Santos | Raising over $1500 through various events such as Break 4 Bread, which continues to be held annually. |
| 2002-2003 | President Laura Adviento President Leanne Duong | Used basketball as an analogy for importance of teamwork. |
| 2003-2004 | President Robbie Bautista President Sonjit "Sunny" Gosal | President Bautista served as Chair for the Student Advisory Committee. |
| 2004-2005 | President Karina Alivio President Gillian Ronson | Sole candidates for the 2004-2005 Presidency |
| 2005-2006 | President Lennie Eulalia President Jan Raeimon D. Nato | First Presidency to travel together to Ottawa as a part of the Forum for Young Canadians. Nato served as the Chair for the Student Advisory Committee. |
| 2006-2007 | President Jermaine Bagalay President Darlene Parañaque | Completed Sisler's first Constitutional Act and created the Spartan Executive Council. President Paranaque served as the Chair for the Student Advisory Committee. |
| 2007-2008 | President Allan Suban President Adreil Agpalza | |
| 2008-2009 | President Devon Cox President Riley Smith | 2009-2010 | President Hibo Farah President Ruthy Habte | Most efficient Co-Presidents (created ambassador program), Co-chairs of Student Advisory Committee |
Student Humanitarian Leadership
Sisler High School has gained recognition for its various humanitarian endeavours. These include Generation Peace, the Overseas Educational Fund, Global Medical Aid (GMA), the In-Exile Programme, and 30-hour Famine.Generation Peace
Generation Peace was founded in 2000 and has grown to take on many humanitarian endeavours, achieving great success for international development. They mainly work with war-affected children through "War Child Canada", holding fundraisers to raise money for this organization. They have also worked with TsunamiTsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
relief, Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
relief and Christmas Cheerboard in the past. Their main events include "go nuts for donuts" sales, the annual Santa Gram sale, and, in collaboration with OverSeas Educational Fund, the annual Talent Show. Meetings are generally held at lunch and after school.
Overseas Educational Fund
OverSeas Educational Fund (OSEF) was created in 2003. Ultimately, OSEF raises funds and awareness for education overseas. They raise funds to support daycares in the PhilippinesPhilippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
through International Association for Transformation (IAT) as well as the Village of Hope initiative in Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. OSEF works through doing many fundraisers within the school, some of which including the Walk for Education, the Christmas-themed spirit day (entitled "Spartan Winter Wonderland"), food sales, dances, the annual talent show (in collaboration with Generation Peace), holiday themed sales and events, as well as numerous others. OSEF also supports and operates with the many other humanitarian events occurring in the school. Meetings are held every tuesdays after school.
The In Exile Program
The In Exile Program was inspired by the Red Cross Exile program. Essentially this program simulates a refugee experience to spread awareness to high school students from numerous schools. It is held at Bird's Hill park annually. They have done both twenty-four and twelve hour exiles, both of which include a simulation walk, campground experience, guest refugee speakers, and "debriefing".The 30 Hour Famine
The 30 Hour Famine is an annual schoolwide event that raises thousands of dollars every year for famished and underprivileged children overseas. Spearheaded by Mr. Parker, many Sisler students collect sponsorships for fasting for 30 hours. This event includes the "Break For Bread" dance in the evening in which faminers and non-faminers come together to dance, break dance and avoid thinking of food.S.O.S.E.H.
The Students of Sisler Environmental Helpers is a program that attempts to reduce Sisler's carbon footprint and improve the school's sustainability. There are many divisions of the program, each in charge of its own project. The recycling team recently installed blue boxes in each classroom that can be filled with plastic bottles and metal soda cans; the composting team stores bio-waste such as fruit and vegetables and grinds it up to turn it into fertilizer. The geothermal division plans to intall a gerothermal furnace for the senior gym, and the SolarWall team plans to install solar panels in the theatre to provide ventilation and air conditioning. A low-priority BioSphere project is also in the works: the project entails treansforming the smallest courtyard of the school into a prairie landscape by planting grass and trees found in such an ecosystem. A glass roof will cover the courtyard and over time students will be able to witness the effects of global warming on a prairie climate such that the city of Winnipeg is emersed in.G.M.A.
Global Medical Aid faundraises to provide medication to people in third world countries. In 2006 GMA held a Dance Dance RevolutionDance Dance Revolution
Dance Dance Revolution, abbreviated DDR, and previously known as Dancing Stage in Europe and Australasia, is a music video game series produced by Konami. Introduced in Japan in 1998 as part of the Bemani series, and released in North America and Europe in 1999, Dance Dance Revolution is the...
competition to raise money, the winner in the heavy difficulty category of competition to have a chance at challenging Canada's DDR champion.
Extra-Curricular activities
There are also many other extracurricular activities offered at Sisler.These include:
- Yearbook Committee
- Freshly Pressed - student newspaper
- Athletic Council
- Math Contests
- Christian Youth Group - holds the annual Easter service, hosts Operation Christmas Child
- Robotics Team - in 2003, the rookie Sisler robotic team entered the Canada F.I.R.S.T. robotics competition. The team won awards or medalled in every category except for "Best First Year Team". The team won the "President's Cup" for finishing first place overall, including an amazing second place in the robot hockeyHockeyHockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
competition.
- Sisler's Anti-drug, Tobacco and Alcohol committee - recently changing their name to STAND (Sisler Teens Against Nicotine and Drugs) held a petition for the students and staff to sign, asking the administrators to ban smoking on school grounds, and got over 800 signatures. Several members went to a division board meeting where they held a vote about the issue. They voted to ban smoking on the school grounds starting September 2007. Several members were also interviewed for the Winnipeg Free PressWinnipeg Free PressThe Winnipeg Free Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Founded in 1872, as the Manitoba Free Press, it is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. It is the newspaper with the largest readership in the province....
, and had their photos published. In 2009 they got people to sign postcards to have a smoke-free family day at the Red River Exhibition.
- Sisler's Science Squad - Known as SSS or S cubed. Visits Lord Nelson to put on mini science shows once a month for half the school year. The other half of the school year is spent for the prep and the showing of the annual Science Magic Show at Sisler's Science fair, and for aiding in running the Division's science fair while putting on a Science show for all the students. And recently when the nation's science fair was held in Winnipeg they were asked to perform another science show.
Distinguished Alumni
- Lloyd AxworthyLloyd AxworthyLloyd Norman Axworthy, PC, OC, OM is a prominent Canadian politician, statesman and University President from Manitoba. He is best known for having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien...
, Former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, current President of the University of Winnipeg - Gary FilmonGary FilmonGary Albert Filmon, PC, OC, OM is a Manitoba politician. He was the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba from 1983 to 2000, and served as the 19th Premier from 1988 to 1999.-Early life and municipal career:...
, Former Premier of Manitoba