Staff Announcements for the week of 19 Oct 2023

INTERNATIONAL PRONOUNS DAY – THIRD WEDNESDAY OF OCTOBER

  • International Pronouns Day is about respect, sharing, education, and normalizing personal pronouns. Sharing and respecting personal pronouns helps to create a safe and inclusive environment for people of all gender identities and expressions. Being mis-gendered can be hurtful and is a form of microaggression, and deliberately using the wrong pronouns is a form of discrimination and harassment.
  • Cadets and family members can read more about what Cadets and Junior Canadian Rangers are doing to improve gender inclusion here.
  • Proactively sharing pronouns either in face-to-face interactions or by including them in your email signature block normalizes the practice of not ‘assuming’ a person’s gender identity based on their gender expression – which helps make things safer and easier for people whose gender identity does not match their sex assigned at birth. It is also a great way to help build trust amongst your team members.

FIRST POPPY – 20 OCTOBER 2023

HALLOWEEN PARTY – 25 OCTOBER 2023

On 25 Oct, 872 RCACS will be hosting a Halloween party! We will be at AY Jackson from 1830 to 2115 and everyone is encouraged to dress up in costumes. Dress for the evening is appropriate Halloween costumes or civilian attire.

Appropriate costumes DO NOT include:

  • Spaghetti straps, halter tops and other sleeveless tops,

  • Tops that reveal the tummy or excessive cleavage, 

  • Any Item of clothing displaying offensive language or images, such as alcohol, drugs, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, violence or other inappropriate themes, and

  • Visible waist bands or under garments

 

We are excited to see all your amazing costumes!

 

PRESENTATION BY ASTRONAUT JEREMY HANSON – 5 DECEMBER 2023

The Canadian Space Agency has offered to host an online call with astronaut Jeremy Hansen on Dec 5. 51 Sqn will host the call in the auditorium at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, from 1900h-2000h. They have graciously invited ten cadets and one staff member from our squadron to attend in person. They will share the link to the Teams meeting for others to join online.

 

We will open the in-person opportunity to two cadets from each level. Interested cadets should submit a letter of approximately 250 words via email to 872aviation@cadets.gc.ca. The letter should include:

  • Why you are interested in attending
  • Why you should be considered
  • One question you would like to ask Mr. Hansen.

Staff will assess the letters as well as the cadets’ participation in order to select the cadets from each level.

Please submit the letters no later than 15 November 23. The cadets who are selected to attend the event will be advised on 22 November.

POWER FAMILIARIZATION FLYING – SATURDAY 28 OCTOBER 2023

ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT!

 

This activity is open to all cadet levels!

WHAT/WHEN:  872 RCACS is planning to conduct power familiarization flying on Saturday 28 October 2023, from 0900-1600hrs. On the sign-up at the end of this announcement, you will find three (3) time windows – you can only sign up for one time window. 

All flights will be weather dependant therefore cadets and parents/guardians will need to double check the 872 RCACS FACEBOOK PAGE and/or MS Teams prior to departing for the airport in order to ensure flights are still occurring. In case of a full day cancellation due to weather, a rain-date of Sunday 29 October is currently also scheduled — cadets must be available for both dates.

WHERE: Carp Airport (CYRP) Terminal Building IMPORTANT – Map: Carp Airport (CYRP) – Terminal Building 

HOW:  Famil Flights, in a Cessna 172 4-seater aircraft, will be occurring during three time windows throughout the day. Cadets will sign up for a 2 hours time window, and upon arrival and check-in with the 872 RCACS staff member, will be added to a specific flight time slot. Cadets are to arrive no less than 15 minutes prior to their selected time window and must check-in with the 872 RCACS staff upon arrival. Once a cadet has completed their flight they may immediately depart the Carp Airport, or they can remain until the end of their time window. All cadets must be picked up no later than the end of their scheduled time window.

DRESS: Cadets may be required to sit outside in the grass before and after their flight therefore they should wear appropriate civilian attire — flip-flops and sandals are not considered appropriate attire for this activity.

Additional items: Cadets are to bring their own filled water bottle, hat, and any snacks they may wish to have. Cadets may bring cellphones or cameras with them on their flight in order to document their experience should they wish to.

NOTE: Cancellation of this activity may occur depending on weather conditions up to the scheduled date, and the weather on the actual day. Cancellation information will be announced on the 872 RCACS FACEBOOK page and/or via MS Teams.

SIGN UP BY CLICKING HERE
(Sign up closes Friday 27 Oct @1200hrs)

GLIDING – RESCHEDULED TO SATURDAY 21 OCTOBER 2023

  • The gliding date, which was rescheduled from 7 October to Saturday 21 October, is still currently planned to go on. The current weather forecast shows another rainy day, so we expect it may be cancelled again, but cadets and staff should assume that it is a ‘go’ until we hear otherwise – which may be as late as 0630 on Saturday morning. Please check Teams and Facebook for updates before leaving for AY Jackson in the morning if you are on the list of attendees. If it is cancelled again, we hope that we will get another date scheduled in the Spring. We have one more date already planned, but we hope that we will still have the opportunity to have *two* gliding days this year. Unfortunately, since it is so weather-dependant and the schedule and planning is done by the Regional Cadet Support Unit, 872’s staff has no control over this.

STEWARDSHIP OR OUR SHARED SPACES

It was regrettably brought to the staff’s attention that some cadets have vandalized our training location, AY Jackson SS, on Wednesday, 18 October. This was a repeated issue last training year, and it is extremely disappointing to hear that this behaviour has begun again.

Cadets are reminded that they have signed and agreed to a Cadet Code of Conduct, including ‘Set a positive example by your conduct and be kind and considerate of your actions and behaviour on others’; ‘be respectful of the environment and your surroundings’; and ‘…report any wrongdoing to an adult staff member as soon as possible.’. Breaches of this code of conduct will be tracked and handled in an escalating manner:

  • Verbal warning
  • Cautionary Notice
  • Written Warning
  • Administrative actions up to and including removal from the cadet program. Any of the above disciplinary actions may be accompanied by a suspension of privileges.

In addition to the code of conduct, we are also bound to the lease agreement on AY Jackson. Our Squadron Sponsor Committee works hard to secure training locations for us and to raise funds to pay for them. Aside from the extreme disrespect shown by disregarding this effort by vandalizing the property, it places the whole squadron at risk: if our lease is terminated, we do not have a training location. As it is, we struggle to find adequate space to accommodate such a large squadron, so we cannot afford to risk losing such a precious commodity by allowing this misconduct to stand. You have agreed to behave in a way that aligns with the values of the CJCR and abide by the laws of Canada. You will be held to that standard.

We all share stewardship of our shared spaces. Never pass a fault. Make good decisions, and practice bystander intervention when warranted.

PICKING UP CADETS FROM ACTIVITIES

A reminder that parents and guardians must pick cadets up from activities on time, or make alternate arrangements. Staff members may not leave until all cadets are picked up, and cannot drive cadets home. As winter approaches, lateness becomes more of a concern as we are not allowed to stay inside the rented facilities past the end of the rental time, so cadets and staff must wait outside.

COMMUNICATIONS

Most new cadets will see credentials for their CADET365 accounts arrive in the email address provided on their registration forms starting this week. It may go to junk mail, so keep an eye out.

A reminder that these credentials may not be shared: they belong to the cadets to whom they are assigned. Parents may ask questions on the Facebook group or by emailing the staff or sponsor committee. Further, staff members may only contact cadets via telephone or on CADET365 (email or Teams), and adults who are not staff members should only contact cadets via the Commanding Officer.

Flight Commanders are working hard to ensure that their flights are kept informed, and tracking which cadets have not yet been granted CADET365 access and who therefore need to be contacted personally each week.

DESIGNATED PRAYER SPACE

For cadets practicing the Muslim faith, who wish to do their evening prayers, we have a designated the use of classroom 213 during ‘long break’ each week. Cadets may use that space without needing to seek approval, but are reminded to ensure it is left in the state it is found.

On other cadets exercises and activities, they are always welcome to excuse themselves to pray, but may wish to indicate to an officer the need for a designated space.

During religious festivals where fasting is practices. all cadets are welcome to bring food to break their fast, rather then needing to stay home to do so.

Published 19 Oct 2023 2250hrs