F. J. Brennan Catholic High School's Physics Club

F. J. Brennan Catholic High School's Physics Club

Our Science Department is happy to announce the successful launch of our "Physics Club". As our school year begins to wind down, I am happy to announce that this extracurricular team has weathered the challenges that often face a new club. 

Our physics club meets every week throughout the entire school year. The dedication and commitment of these students revolves around the following directives:

1. empower individuals to nurture and promote the pursuit of excellence
2. reach out to younger students, including our feeder schools, to encourage the pursuit of excellence, and the realization that "physics", like all of science, and truly education in general, may require work, but produces a cascade of beneficial outcomes that will serve our young people as life long learners.
3. to dismiss the stigma associated with Physics - that it is so difficult to achieve excellence in Physics. In fact, most Physics classes have a high class average. Success is a choice, not a desire; my Physics students who "do their work" and "ask for help" - choose success, and realize success! Our club is cooperatively working together to promote success in all of the sciences and to relieve the fear some students in our community have regarding math and science.
4. to educate all stakeholders that Physics is a required course in science, engineering and other related fields in post secondary institutions. Even though high school Physics is not necessarily a requirement for said courses, such as biology (at the university level), all students will necessarily take a full year Physics course during the first year of University. Hence those students who study Physics in High School will have a decisive advantage when they arrive at University.
5. to build connections with post secondary institutions, such as the Physics department at the University of Windsor. This includes engaging in workshops on critical thinking and problem solving, and when available and appropriate, to engage in written competitions.
6. to promote a holistic approach to learning and living, one that involves connecting with all sciences, and subjects, in an endeavor to realize the Catholic Graduate Expectations.
7. the ability to engage in activities that are beyond the confines of the expectations for individual courses. This extracurricular pursuit was realized this year in our club's focus on Earth day 2018; the selling of wristbands and the planting of a tree to symbolize the objective truth that, all sciences and peoples must embrace our commitment to this planet - our home -  with truth, objectivity, knowledge and respect.

Those readers who are familiar with the "Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Boards" Mission statement, vision, goals and priorities, will recognize that The Physics Club is closely aligned with beautiful written tenets of cooperation and a well-rounded pursuit of excellence. Moreover the Physics club illustrated the Catholic Graduate Expectation through their work and perseverance - individually and collectively. 

Our club certainly had its challenges throughout the year, as some members left, and others struggled to understand the emerging direction that our Physics club would embark upon. At times the strain placed on students was too much, and they wisely communicated that they didn't have time to do another grade school presentation at that particular time. All in all, it was my privilege to witness individuals coming together as a team, while overcoming the obstacles to their goals and challenges.
 

 The Catholic Graduate Expectations