b'JOURNE THTRE BEGINNER BAND CELEBRATIONNearly 500 students met at la Centre Culturel100 first-year band students from eight schoolsFranco-Manitobain (CCFM) in May to put theiracross the Louis Riel School Division joined French speaking skills to the test. Students andtogether for the first Beginner Band Celebration teachers put on plays; some were classics wellsince 2019 on June 7.known in French classrooms, and others were original spins on existing stories.The event is not just a celebration of the band programs in our schools, but also a show of how Journe thtre is about more than justfar students have progressed in band since the encouraging acting; some students got to makebeginning of the year. Students invited to the their mark as backstage hands. Students could beBeginner Band Celebration learn four brand new co-directors, work in costumes and dcor, or assistsongs with the help of a guest conductor from lighting and sound technicians. outside the division. This year students and teachers Yvan Lcuyer led students through performances,got to learn from Vanessa Nowostawski, band exciting them for the other groups and energizingdirector in the River East Transcona School Division.and engaging them between. JULES LAVALLEE MEMORIAL GRADUATION POW WOWFOLK DANCE IN THE PARK Approximately 210 students from across the Louis LRSD officially marked the 31st year of Folk DanceRiel School Division gathered with friends, family, in the Park on May 25 and 26, and it was one forand community at Dakota Collegiate in June to the history books. Close to 4,500 students andcelebrate their graduation at the Jules Lavallee hundreds of parents gathered at St. Vital ParkMemorial Pow Wow.over two days to celebrate a diversity of culturesTrustees and Senior Leadership presented the through dance. graduates with a white stole. Any student that LRSD tries to diversify dances as much as wanted to be recognized at the Powwow were possible, so the repertoire is reflective of theinvited to participate.diverse cultures within our school community. Dances are also organized by difficulty to allow students at different levels to participate. Music teachers in the St. Vital School Division originally created this event to provide a fun learning experience for students all based on different dances and traditions.RETIREMENT AND YEARS OF SERVICEEvery year we part ways with an incredible group of staff as they retire and move to the next chapter of their lives. This year, we saw 72 retiring staff. We celebrated half of them at a gala the evening of May 25 where guests joined in the Fort Garry Hotels stunning Provencher Ballroom. 256 staff celebrated a year of service milestone this year; all their years of service combined brings us to 4,365 years of devotion to supporting students learning and well-becoming.31'