Reporter: Alyx Valdal
The Meeting was held at the Victoria Golf Club.
President Lori led us in our best a capella rendition of the anthem yet!
Invocation: Tav
Newest member Finton Gisler joined us today!
Introduction of Guests by Ryan Gisler: Thuli Kamohelo (her last day!), Dr. Helga Jacobson (Naida); Michelle Edgar (Anne McIntyre); Caroline Yeend (Jean Dickson); Auntie Kara Gisler (The Gisler family); Guest Speaker Sandra Walton.
Announcements:
- Jack: Tickets for October concert are already ¼ sold. There are only 425 seats and they are going to sell out. Let’s have a strong Rotary presence.
- Tav: District foundation seminar on Oct 1st in Nanaimo. Please attend as you can be certified to be able to apply for grants.
Happy Dollars:
Naida: Thank you to Rod Sims and everyone who is doing Pianorama and to Thuli for spending the summer with us.
Jim: Went to a meeting on which social media platform we can connect with fellow Rotarians. In the old days, meetings were where communications were made.
Jack: He was watching a Youtube video and told us a Johnny Carson joke (chicken teriyaki – last kamikaze pilot…I missed it!).
Jean: Boss was away at a conference last week; her and her co-workers played.
Janette: Happy after returning from her 5-week vacation in France
Sandy: Sandy and Barb went to Iceland.
Mandy: The BBQ in Vancouver as a Cambodian fundraiser was successful and raised $1300! Mandy is off to Cambodia, India, Thailand, Hong Kong in the next couple weeks.
Jim: Put $20 in for fundraising, topping up the pot.
Happy Anniversaries to: Tom and Jill Croft; Tom and Margaret Lidkea
Guest speaker: Sandra Walton – “Next Generation Motivation” was introduced by Bob Schelle.
Ms. Walton is the Executive Director and founder of Arts Calibre Academy, an arts-based preschool and elementary school in Gordon Head. She has her Bachelor and Masters of Education and her Early Childhood Education Certification. She has taught music, dance, drama, leadership, and career and personal planning in both the Edmonton and Greater Victoria Public School Districts. Ms. Walton’s two children were her inspiration for creating ArtsCalibre.
Ms. Walton started off by donating 10 happy dollars for each kindergarten student who just enrolled. She is celebrating the 5 year anniversary for Arts Calibre (which started as a preschool). It is now K-6 with 51 children.
One of the pillars of the school is based on Stephen Covey’s (author of The 7 habits of highly effective people) The leader in Me. The teachers are all trained in the 7 habits and the program is an effective way to prevent bullying and get in touch with one’s moral compass.
The first 3 habits are about self; next 3 on independences; and finally interdependence. Be proactive, begin with the end, first things first. Seek to understand, think win/win, synergize. Sharpen the saw (look after self and those around you – community, building culture). The school seeks to unleash potential and help students find their genius.
The arts are incorporated into the BC curriculum that is taught. There are dance “brain breaks” as well as dance classes at the school.
ArtsCalibre is a fully accredited BC school. It started at Emmanuel Baptist and is now in a larger space at Gordon Head United Church. Tuition is $550/mo (no additional fees for school supplies, materials). Includes swimming, piano lessons, and this year, ukele/recorder (last year violin). Nature-based learning through Friday outdoor education and there is an outdoor classroom. North/South/East/West multi-age groupings for classrooms (instead of grades 1, 2, 3…).
As an Independent BC school ArtsCalibre receives 50% funding.
A question is how students perform in public schools (after leaving ArtsCalibre)? So far very well academically and socially.
Janette thanked Sandra for her vision and inspiration.
Rotary Moment: Lori presented Thuli with a Rotary pin to make her an honourary Oak Bay Rotarian. Mandy gave Thuli the envelope with almost $1000 of our donations to help her back home. Thuli thanked us for welcoming her.
Next Tuesday back at the OBBH.
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