Shown above are students from Beurling Acdemy dressed for the occasion during the recent medieval fair held at the school.
Verdun School News
GOOD MORNING/AFTERNOON. The gifts have been unwrapped, the decorations, for the most part, have been taken down, and, we had a white Boxing Day, and time to catch up on some unfinished business and recent Christmas-related events.
BEURLING ACADEMY
Nobody went home disappointed, and the crowd went home with smiles on their faces, as the various bands and singers of the school put on their Annual Christmas show just before the holiday break. The astute musical direction of music teacher Gary Lindner was, in evidence, as the 4 bands played flawlessly various jazz and pop classics, spiced in with various instrumental solos for the parents and topped off with some great singing, it all made for a feelgood evening getting the Christmas break off to an uplifting start.
The evening began with special appearances by students Shauna Agard and Britney Williams showing their vocal talents singing, ‘Do you what I Hear� and followed by former STM student George Godoy on the acoustic singing an original composition which was well appreciated.
Then came the showstopper. Kayla Vardon stepped up to the mike and delivered a version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas� that we haven’t heard in these parts for a while, accompanied by Gary Lindner on the keys and featuring a blistering solo by trumpeter Roger Walls. Kayla came back in the second half with an inspirational version of “O Holy Night�, where the crowd of 400 or so listened passionately to Beurling’s golden voice and where you couldn’t hear a sound in the house.
The Sec. 4 band opened the instrumentals serving up such jazz standards from Dean Sorenson and Weather Report’s Birdland, anchored by the rhythm section of bassist Kevin Earle, the steady drum beats of Melissa Koppe, the wailing guitar of Alexander Morales, and Taylor Scott-Covey on the keys.
The three other bands from the other levels were also entertaining showing off their musicianship playing such recognizable classics as, Spinning Wheel, Gimme Some Lovin’, an excellent version of My Funny Valentine, and the perennial favorite, “Louie Louie�, which Gary Lindner is still trying to collect royalty cheques from.
FROM THE COMMISH
We have been asked to extend special thanks from Commissioner Doug Flook to Beurling Academy for their donation of $200.00, which was raised during the recent teacher-student touch football game to the Manna food bank, which Mr. Flook is also the treasurer.
Mr. Flook also informs us that BA students were front and centre, once again, for the 3rd straight year, in helping the good folks at St. Willibrord’s to deliver more than 240 Christmas baskets, and which Father Cameron acknowledged that that many of the baskets could not have been delivered on time.
Mr. Flook would like to take this opportunity to thank students Kevin Earle (who put together the team), Taylor Covey, Alex Loj, Even Fernandes, Cedrick Ward, Corey Underhill, and Irene Cao.
RIVERVIEW
We would like to catch up on the winners of the lunchtime book club of the past few months. They are: Daphney Butler-Payne for October, Gloria Ha for November, and Ryan for December. They all read 20 books each. The Adult Book Exchange returns this Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. at the school.
Steven Guilbeault - 
