Welcome To John McCrae! From Link Crew to The Grade Nines

Incoming Grade Nines!

New year, new students! As the first month of the 2021-22 school year has reached an end, the new grade 9 students are now beginning to settle into their schedules and navigate their way around the school. Although everything seems different and, undoubtedly, sometimes chaotic with the mask mandates and other protective protocols, most students are excited to reunite with friends and return to learning however they can. It’s safe to say that with the majority of students fully vaccinated, the COVID-19 arrangements are starting to become more and more lenient, and things are getting better!

Not only have the grade 9s, but also the 10s and 11s have been through a rough patch the last few years. No one’s been in school much. Even the 12s! Some mentioned, though jokingly, that the Link tour on the first day felt like a recap for the older students at the same time as an introduction for the new ones.

What’s New This Year?

Though it may look a biiiiit different, there still is a lot for the new students to experience and visit here at John McCrae, some even being specialties accommodated to the pandemic. For instance, sports teams have been relaunched, and students are finally able to get in on some team action for the first time in a while. Gym classes and in-person lessons with walking, “wellness” breaks have been resumed, adapted to suit the comfort of students!

We not only have started sports this week, but we also have started clubs, special Link Crew events, and more! Look out for posters around the school for the Paw Print, which is the school newspaper if you all didn’t know! If you are interested please do reach out to Mr. Plewis, Mme. Seymour or Mr. Halpin, we would be happy to have you aboard. Clubs are a big deal here at McCrae, we love having a diverse selection to cater to everyone's interests and passions. Be on the lookout for more starting up soon! We also have a debate club, GSA club, and more coming soon.

An arguably positive development stemming from the pandemic would be the removal of our typical yellow school buses, as students outside of the walking range are made to receive Presto cards and take public transit. It has its ups, of course, with its uses outside of school hours and the ability to learn how to take the public bus.

Up Ahead!

As mentioned earlier, there are lots to look forward to, and some are rolling in very soon! We have Rowan’s Law Day and Orange Shirt Day upcoming to honor and remember these important events within our communities. Don’t fret, but don’t forget, the meet the teacher night is also rapidly closing in on us!! Be sure to check in on your announcements as things start up again with the first month of school going by fast.

In The Eyes of The Students!

From the perspective of a grade 9 student, who is coming back from an extended break with the last few months of grade 8 having been held online, this new year at JMSS has been exciting so far! New schedules, new subjects to learn, and new people to meet! I’ve been able to reunite with many of the friends I hadn’t seen over the summer—not in person, at least—and got to befriend so many new people in my classes and clubs! The sports I hadn’t been able to participate in, throughout previous years, are reopening and school teams are starting back up. I’m learning new things and exercising my mind more than I have in a loooong time! Some of my favorite subjects are spent in the first semester, and while classes are long and sometimes unbearable, the mindfulness and wellness breaks are more than helpful. It’s so refreshing to see happy faces in my presence, though covered by masks, the feeling of being part of my school community once again is so exciting.

Coming back after 2 years off of school, for the last year of High school is...terrifying, so to say the least. Not only are we all trying to get used to being in school, having more than 1 class a week, but we now have the added pressure of applying for schools and scholarships. It’s honestly been a crazy first month back to school. But, I’m glad it’s been going back to “normal”. Sports are starting and clubs are going again, and just seeing people in the halls is so awesome! I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings. Hopefully a decision on a university, but that’s just me.

The new year is looking bright for me, and I’m so glad we’re in person to be here for it!

Here at John McCrae, we are very proud to have something called Link Crew. It’s where a class of amazing (I may be biased here) grade 12s, help the new grade 9 students start their journey through high school. I ( Avery… the other person writing this article) am a part of it! As well as 45 other students. You may remember us from that wonderful tour we gave to the grade 9s and soon we will be giving the grade 10s a tour as well and help them get more comfortable with the school! The funny thing about that tour on the first day is that it was also a tour for most of us as well. We all hadn’t been in the school for quite a while, and honestly, you could probably tell...haha.

Your Link Crew Leaders are there to help you! With any questions, you may have. Whether that be personal or school-related, we want to help you all! We want to make your time in high school as fun and as comfortable as we can make it! So don’t be shy! If you have any questions, come talk to us, or if you just want to come over and say hi, that’s great too! Got a solid joke but no one to tell? Find your link leader...honestly, we would love to hear it! But maybe you are feeling a little shy, a little nervous to go up to a grade 12 that’s okay. We all feel that. You can also ask us for our social media because asking questions in person can be a little scary. But please don’t hide from us, we have got 4 years of experience dealing with high school stuff. We are books filled with knowledge.

Whether you are in grade 9 or grade 12, ( or 10th or 11th...Don’t worry we aren’t forgetting about you guys!) We are all going through a lot. That could be your first year of high school which is insane, or you could be in your last year of high school, or you could be swamped in homework and you have no idea what you’re going to do. Take. A. Breath. First of all, and then realize we are all going through it. Don’t be afraid to ask fellow students, because guess what? We might’ve had that same teacher who’s drowning you in homework, or had the same course. We could help! Grade 9’s, don’t be shy! Come on up to you Link Leaders, they are more than qualified to help you with anything.

Your years in high school can be a little stressful, so why not make it easier on yourself?