November 4th, 2011

AAD STAFF PARTICIPATE IN MOVEMEBER

Many Members of the AAD staff, including Sport Recreation staff, will be participating in "Movember" this year.

Movember is an annual tradition that was started in Australia and New Zealand in 2004, where members grow moustaches in November in support of Men's Health issues, specifically Prostate Cancer Research. Since 2007, Movember was adopted in other countries, including Canada, where it has flourished and help the total money raised by Movember grow to 177 million dollars in 7 years.

To donate to our team, please CLICK HERE.

This is the main page for the AAD team. If you would like to donate to a specific member of the AAD team, click on their name on the right hand side of the page. Please leave comments on pages, as we struggle through the awkward beginning of the month and work extra hard to grow our moustaches .

Help the AAD Movember team raise funds and awareness in support of Prostate Cancer Research.

Another way to help the cause is to buy the Movember Under Armour Storm Hoody from the AAD store. 10 dollars from every purchase will go to the AAD Movember team fund. AND if you use the promo code "AAD2011" you will receive an 15% off of your purchase.

To view the Hoody, CLICK HERE.

Thank you for your support.

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November 2nd, 2011

SPORT REC PROGRAM IN FULL SWING

With the start of November and the changing of the seasons, the Sport Rec Program is in full swing and looking forward to a fun and exciting winter.

The first two and a half months of the year have seen all students from Vimy complete a Gymnastics, Netball and Badminton unit. The grade 7's have had a chance to experience Vimy's climbing wall, Tae Kwon Do and a Skipping unit. Grade 8's have been busy on the courts, competing in Volleyball and Racquetball. The grade 9's have been on the court as well, working on their Squash skills, and they've been on the track finishing a unit of Olympic Cycling at the Edmonton Velodrome.

Our two High School groups have been busy both in the class, working on their Sports Performance projects, and doing a variety of activities. Both groups have had a chance to get out on the lake Canoeing and Kayaking, on the field playing Soccer and in the gym working out and learning how to Olympic Lift.

As we move into the winter months, students from Vimy can expect to head off to the ski hills, swimming pool, curling sheets, fencing gym and many other new and exciting activities.

If any of this piques the interest of your son/daughter and you'd like more information about how they can experience a day in the life a Sport Rec Student at either the Donnan or Vimy Ridge campuses (grade 4 to 12), contact Stephen Armitage at stephen.armitage@epsb.ca

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October 21st, 2011

AAD ONLINE STORE IS OPEN

We are excited to announce the opening of AAD's online store. The store is located at the following website:

AAD Online Store

Through the store you will be able to purchase program shirts and shorts as well as other apparel that we have in stock. We have an abundance of Under Armour products available for sale. If you are uncertain about sizing you can always visit us at the AAD office at Vimy Ridge to check out sizes. You will need to see Paul Rai when you visit the office for sizing.

Please keep checking the store as we continue to add inventory to the shop on a daily basis.

To celebrate the opening of the store we are providing you with a 15% discount on all products. To get the 15% discount please use the following discount code AAD2011 when you in the checkout page of the online store. The discount code will be in effect for one month until November 20, 2011.

For any questions about the store, please contact Paul Rai at paul.rai@epsb.ca

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August 30th, 2011

SPORT REC KICKS BACK INTO GEAR!

(Two students try Kickboxing in Sport Rec)

The Staff at Vimy Ridge Academy and Donnan School would like to welcome all students to the Sports Recreation Program for the 2011-2012 school year. Whether you're a returning student or a brand new Sport Rec student we hope that this year provides you with a chance to experience new and exciting activities and to continue to better your skills at your favorite sports. We at the Sport Rec Program strive to provide students with top notch instruction of all sports, either directly from professionals or from one of our knowledgeable staff members. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact the Program Heads at either school.

Donnan Sports Recreation
Kerrie Locher
Kerrie.locher@epsb.ca

Vimy Ridge Sports Recreation
Stephen Armitage
Stephen.armitage@epsb.ca

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April 21st, 2011

MR.ARMITAGE NAMED SPORT RECREATION PROGRAM HEAD

Stephen Armitage, current Associate Director in The Hockey Program and Group Lead for the Northstars team, has been announced as the New Program Head for the Sport Recreation Program for the 2011-2012 school year.

Scott Gillespie, the current Program Head for Sport Recreation, has announced that he will be making the transition to eastern Canada next year, leaving a vacancy at the position after helping the program experience drastic growth in numbers over the last few years.

Stephen is a 2007 graduate of the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Physical Education specializing in Sports Performance, and started his career at AAD as a practicum student in the fall of 2006, before coming on full time at the beginning of the 2007 school year. Stephen also holds certificates in health and sports nutrition and athletic first aid from the Sports Medical Council of Alberta and is designated as a Certified Personal Trainer by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology.

Mr. Armitage will transition to the role at the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.

Please join all AAD staff and student athletes in congratulating Mr. Armitage on this achievement and wishing him luck in the future at his new post.

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February 7th, 2011

AAD GOLF TOURNAMENT ANNOUNCED

Sport Rec and AAD will be hosting their 1st Annual Golf Tournament this May to benefit the sports alternative programs at Donnan School & Vimy Ridge Academy.

The event will be hosted on May 28th, 2011 at the Ranch Golf and Country club starting at 2:15.

The AAD 1st Annual Golf Tournament, is organized by the staff of The Hockey Program and is the program's largest fundraiser. The proceeds from this event are used to supplement the capital and alternative education programs at Donnan School and Vimy Ridge Academy.

There are many ways to become a part of the Golf Tournament. You can sign up to become a participant by purchasing a single admission or by buying a foursome, donate an item to our silent auction that will be held at the event, or sign up as a sponsor as anything from a Major Sponsor to a "Par" Sponsor.

To download the registration form as well as the sponsorship form, please click HERE. Once you have filled them out, please email them to sean.beissel@epsb.ca or drop them off to Mr. Beissel at Donnan School.

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January 28th, 2011

AAD TO ADD RINGETTE PROGRAM AT DONNAN

Since 1996, Academic Athletic Development and Donnan School have worked in concert to provide some of Canada’s most unique sports alternative programming. Sport Academies were identified in 1999 as venues for increasing student participation in sport, health and wellness. Donnan School and the Academic and Athletic Development Association were already providing these advantages to youth. We currently have over 600 students involved in our academic and athletic programs, including Hockey, Lacrosse, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Sports Recreation.

Ringette specific programming would build on sports recreation, allowing the students to acquire physical literacy skills through multiple sports, and adding the benefits of 2 ice times a week to work on ringette specific skills, as well as a skating treadmill on site. This is an opportunity to train in a non-competition based environment with the goal of increasing skill and understanding. The on-ice programming is complemented with off-ice focus on nutrition, fitness, and overall health to foster complete growth in the athletes.

The program will accept 18 to 22 students from grades 3 to 6 attending Donnan on a full-time basis. The 2011–2012 school year is the first in a three-year plan to develop the ringette specific program.

Bronwen Harvey will be in charge of the Ringette program and brings many years of expertise playing and coaching at various levels. Playing highlights include 18 years in Edmonton and Vancouver combined at the AA and A level, two appearances at Nationals, being a member of tournament teams for the World Championship Host in 2002, and a team that participated in a tournament in the Czech Republic in 2002.

Ringette is a passion she hopes to share through the program at Donnan.

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January 28th, 2011

VIMY STAFF, STUDENTS AND ALUMNI AT WINTER GAMES

Eleven current student athletes, staff and alumni from Vimy Ridge Academy will represent Alberta at the Canada Winter Games in Halifax next month.

From February 11th to 27th, athletes from The Hockey Program as well as the Elite Athlete program at Vimy will go for Gold against the best winter athletes across Canada.

From the Hockey Program, Jaedon Deschenau and Greg Chase will be competing in the Under 16 Men’s Hockey division while Liz Hillier, Heather Kashman, and Arden Cowley will be competing in the Under 18 Female Hockey division.

From the Elite Athlete Program Chris Blackmore, Rebecca Marsh and Monika Gala are involved in the Figure Skating competition, and Bobby Kriangkum and Aiden Marsden will be giving their all in the Artistic Gymnastics competition.

As well, Academic and Athletic Development’s Executive Director Jeff Jones is also a part of Team Alberta as a part of the Mission Staff.

There is also a facebook page where you can show your pride in our athletes and root for them on their quest for Gold. To join the conversation click HERE.

Good luck to all in Halifax.

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December 2, 2010

SPORT REC AT DONNAN LENDS A HELPING HAND

This year, in order to fulfill the volunteer component of the Health curriculum, The Jiu-Jitsu Program along with Sport Rec, The Hockey Program and Regular Program Students at Donnan school participated in the Backpacks for the Homeless initiative. This cause has been organized by the Edmonton Fire Rescue Services and will help provide homeless people with some of the essential items that they may require to cope with the winter months.

Students worked individually or in small groups to complete this project and had the opportunity to deliver the Backpacks to Fire Station 6 on December 1st.

"This was an excellent opportunity for our students to do some extra work around the house and possibly earn some money to purchase an item for the backpack or for them to evaluate their own items and see if they have anything of their own (toque, gloves, scarf etc.) they would be willing to donate to this project. The entire school really bought into the idea of helping out other people, strangers, which have fallen on hard times. I, as well as, the rest of the Donnan teaching staff am very proud of the students and look forward to the next opportunity to become involved; helping our community." - Professor Malin (BJJ program)