{"id":16617,"date":"2026-01-05T21:25:43","date_gmt":"2026-01-05T21:25:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/?p=16617"},"modified":"2026-01-05T21:26:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-05T21:26:12","slug":"january-newsletter-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/january-newsletter-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"January Newsletter (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><b>Principal\u2019s Message: A Strong Academic Start<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we begin a new calendar year, I want to take a moment to celebrate the strong academic start our students have made across the school. The December Learning Updates reflected a strong commitment to learning and excellence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I want to highlight our Grade 12 students in particular. Their December results were exceptional and speak to years of developing independence, effective work habits, and strong relationships with their teachers. Of our graduating class:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>55 students (22%) earned Straight A\u2019s<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>141 students (56%) earned four or more A\u2019s<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These outcomes are not accidental. They reflect sustained effort, thoughtful goal-setting, and students learning how to manage their time and learning\u2014skills that will serve them well beyond graduation. We are incredibly proud of this group and excited to see how they continue to build momentum as we move toward the final stretch of the year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Equally important, these academic successes sit alongside a positive and vibrant school culture. December was filled with rich experiences that strengthened our sense of community. A few highlights are shared below.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As we move into January, we do so with pride in our students\u2019 academic achievements and appreciation for the many experiences that make Thomas Haney such a special place. Thank you to our staff, students, and families for continuing to make <\/span><b>community, connection, and learning<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> central to all that we do.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s to a strong start to 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warm regards,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Darren Rowell<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Principal, Thomas Haney Secondary<\/span><\/p>\n<p>________<\/p>\n<h2><b>December Highlights\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Peak Pod \u2013 Skating at Robson Square (Dec. 2)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Peak Pod students kicked off December with a West Coast classic &#8211; skating at Robson Square. This experience blended physical activity, social connection, and the simple joy of being active together in the heart of Vancouver.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Connections Program \u2013 Provincial Courts Field Trip (Dec. 3)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Our Connections students experienced learning beyond the classroom in a powerful way. Seventy-one students spent the day at the Provincial Courts in Vancouver, observing live cases, engaging with legal professionals, and deepening their understanding of the justice system. The day wrapped up with a shared pizza dinner at Me n\u2019 Ed\u2019s n- a fitting end to a meaningful and memorable experience. Our thanks to the staff who made this possible and to the students who represented THSS so well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Student Voice Forum (Dec. 8)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Students met with Ms. Kania and Assistant Superintendent Ms. Schwarz to share feedback and perspectives about their school experience. These conversations are an important part of our ongoing commitment to listening to student voice and using it to inform growth and improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Winter Band &amp; Choir Concert (Dec. 9)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Under the leadership of Ms. Williams, our annual Winter Concert brought together elementary musicians, our Junior and Senior Bands, and Choir for an awesome evening of music. A special highlight was a student solo performance by Lance Wu. The concert was a wonderful celebration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Robotics \u2013 Sumo Bot Championship (Dec. 9)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Math Great Hall was buzzing with excitement as students showcased their engineering and problem-solving skills during the Sumo Bot Championship. Designed and built in Robotics and Engineering classes, the competition highlighted creativity and innovation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Fishing Club \u2013 Fraser Valley Hatchery (Dec. 9)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Our Fishing Club enjoyed a hands-on learning experience at the Fraser Valley Hatchery, connecting environmental stewardship with outdoor learning.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>LAN Party \u2013 Tech Night (Dec. 10)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Mr. Biggar and Mr. Goodman hosted the annual LAN Party, bringing tech students together for an evening that combined online games and community\u2014well into the night.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>School-Wide GOAT (Dec. 16)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A much-loved THSS tradition returned as students had the chance to take festive photos with a mini goat. One of those moments that captures the fun and uniqueness of our school culture &#8211; only at THSS.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Board Game Night (Dec. 18)<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Another annual favourite, Board Game Night brought students together after school to connect, laugh, and unwind while playing their favourite games. Thanks to Mr. Goodman and Mr. Biggar for creating this welcoming space.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Annual Hoe Down (Dec. 19)<br \/>\n<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">December wrapped up with one of our most iconic events &#8211; the THSS Hoe Down. After weeks of practice in PE classes, the entire school came together in the gym for an afternoon of line dancing and celebration, led by our PE Leadership students. An epic, joyful way to head into winter break.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>School Sports Updates<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Basketball<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><b>Buzzer Beater vs. MRSS (Dec. 2)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An unforgettable moment for our Senior Boys Basketball team, who secured a thrilling last-second buzzer-beater win against MRSS in their first league game. A great way to start their season. The team continues league and tournament play in January.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><b>Westview Fundraiser Game (Dec. 18)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our Senior Boys team travelled to Westview to play a lunchtime fundraiser game in front of a packed gym. A great example of sports bringing school communities together.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b><\/b><b>Wrestling<br \/>\n<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Burnaby Novice Tournament (Dec. 4)<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our wrestling team competed at the Burnaby Novice Tournament, gaining valuable experience and demonstrating grit, growth, and sportsmanship as they continue to build this program.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Terry Fox Invitational (Jan. 16th)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Next up for the wrestling team is an invitational meet at Terry Fox.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Grad 2026<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Grad Photo Re-takes<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Date:<\/strong> Friday, January 9th, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Location:\u00a0<\/strong>THSS Library (Appointment Required)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Grad Breakfast &amp; Rehearsal<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Date:<\/strong> Thursday, May 21st at 7:00am<\/li>\n<li><strong>Location:\u00a0<\/strong>THSS Rotunda<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Grad Ceremony<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Date:<\/strong> Friday, May 29th, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Location:\u00a0<\/strong>Chandos Pattison Auditorium (Pacific Academy &#8211; 10238 168 St, Surrey, BC V4N 1Z4)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Time: <\/strong>7:00pm (Doors open for families at 6pm)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ticket Information<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong>Ticket sales will open February 2026 on Parent Portal &amp; in-person at THSS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Grad Banquet<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Date: <\/strong>Friday, June 19th, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Swan-e-set Bay Resort &amp; Country Club (16651 Rannie Rd, Pitt Meadows, BC V3Y 1Z1)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Time:\u00a0<\/strong>TBA<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ticket Information<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong>Ticket sales will open February 2026 on Parent Portal &amp; in-person at THSS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Dry Grad<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Date: <\/strong>Friday\/Saturday, June 19th-20th<\/li>\n<li><strong>Location:<\/strong> Thomas Haney Secondary School<\/li>\n<li><strong>Time:\u00a0<\/strong>TBA<\/li>\n<li><strong>Ticket Information<\/strong><strong>: <\/strong>Ticket sales will open February 2026 on Parent Portal &amp; in-person at THSS<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Looking Ahead: Key January Events<\/b><b><\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Monday, January 5th <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; School OPENS after Winter Break<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Friday, January 9th &#8211; <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grad Photo Re-Takes at THSS in the Library<\/span><\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Email &#8211; <a href=\"mailto:Darren_Rowell@sd42.ca\">Darren_Rowell@sd42.ca<\/a> if you have any questions about Grad Photo re-takes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Saturday, January 10th <\/strong>&#8211; ThunderTech Robotics at BCIT for First Robotics Launch<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>January 12th-16th<\/strong> &#8211; Literacy 10 Assessments &#8211; ALL WEEK IN THE LIBRARY<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Tuesday, January 13th<\/strong> &#8211; <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FSO Film Festival<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Thursday, January 15th<\/strong> &#8211; Theatre Showcase (7:00-9:00pm)<\/li>\n<li><strong>January 19th-23rd<\/strong> &#8211; Literacy 12 Assessments &#8211; ALL WEEK IN THE LIBRARY<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Friday, January 23rd<\/strong> &#8211; Whistler Day Trip (Ms. Fischer\/Mr. Williams)<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><strong>Monday, January 26th &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>Grad 2026 Student Y Block Assembly (Rotunda)<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Tuesday, January 27th<\/strong> &#8211; Non-Instructional Day (District-Based)<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Thursday, January 29th<\/strong> &#8211; District Trades Event at THSS (Evening)<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Thursday, January 29th<\/strong> &#8211; PAC Meeting at 7:00pm (on Zoom)<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Meeting LINK will be sent on Parent Portal &#8211; Monday, January 26th<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Key Contacts<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following list of Counsellors and Administrators and their grades are listed below:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Administration<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr. Rowell (Principal &#8211; Grade 12s)\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><a href=\"mailto:Darren_Rowell@sd42.ca\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Darren_Rowell@sd42.ca<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. Kania\u00a0 (Vice Principal &#8211; Gr. 8 &amp; 10s)<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><a href=\"mailto:Lisa_Kania@sd42.ca\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lisa_Kania@sd42.ca<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr. Kater (Vice Principal &#8211; Gr. 9 &amp; 11s)\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><a href=\"mailto:Steve_Kater@sd42.ca\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steve_Kater@sd42.ca<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Counsellors<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mr. Grill (Counsellor &#8211; Gr. 9, 11 &amp; 12s M-Z)\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><a href=\"mailto:Daniel_Grill@sd42.ca\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daniel_Grill@sd42.ca<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ms. McPhedran (Counsellor &#8211; Gr. 8, 10 &amp; 12s A-L)\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><a href=\"mailto:Kaley_McPhedrin@sd42.ca\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaley_McPhedran@sd42.ca<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Please do not hesitate to email <\/span><a href=\"mailto:Darren_Rowell@sd42.ca\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Darren_Rowell@sd42.ca<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you need further information or have any questions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thank you for being part of the Thomas Haney community!<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sincerely,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><b>Darren Rowell<\/b><b><br \/>\n<\/b><b>Principal, Thomas Haney Secondary School\u00a0 <\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Principal\u2019s Message: A Strong Academic Start As we begin a new calendar year, I want to take a moment to celebrate the strong academic start our students have made across the school. The December Learning Updates reflected a strong commitment to learning and excellence. I want to highlight our Grade 12 students in particular. Their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,22],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-16617","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-announcements","7":"category-newsletter","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16617"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16780,"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16617\/revisions\/16780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/secondary.sd42.ca\/thss\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}