As we head into the March Break next week, there are a number of important items I want to share including an upcoming workshop for families, a number of relevant online resources, a public service announcement about measles, and a reminder about accident insurance.
Workshop for Parents/Caregivers on Managing Childhood Anxiety
Norway Council presents, “Building Resilience: A Collaborative Workshop for Parents/Caregivers on Managing Childhood Anxiety” on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 7:30 – 8:30 pm at Norway Jr. P.S.
Join us in welcoming Flourish Health Services for a workshop funded by the School Council Innovation Grant. Presenting speakers will be Marie Hooper, M.A., Ph.D. Candidate, and Dr. Kyla McDonald, C.Psych. (Supervised Practice). Participants will gain valuable insights into recognizing anxiety in their children at various stages of development and how that anxiety manifests in the school environment in areas like academic performance, social interactions, and schoolyard dynamics. The workshop will provide practical strategies and effective communication tools to help parents support their children in addressing and managing anxiety, resulting in a more positive outcome at home and in the classroom. We'll conclude with a Q&A period where our guest experts will happily address any questions you might have.
Childcare will be provided. Norway parents are welcome to invite a guest from outside the school community. We want to be sure this event has a great turnout! Note that childcare will only be for Norway families.
Ward 16 Meeting with Trustee Michelle Aarts
Michelle Aarts, the School Trustee representing Norway and Ward 16, is hosting a Virtual Ward Forum meeting this evening at 6:30 pm. The meeting will be represented with Ward 16 PIAC reps (Eden Hagos & Shelley Kulperger) in attendance and one of the representatives from SEAC who lives in our Ward, Diane Montgomery. Topics of discussion include …
- Mobile device policy (related discussion topic from Shelley on Federal Online Harm bill)
- TDSB budget (advocacy opportunity)
- Long-term planning for Ward 16 - school accommodation pressures, secondary programming, secondary alternative programs review, French program pathways
- SEAC LC4 representative vacancy
- Topic requests from registrations so far - special education supports (e.g. EAs) and regular classroom or intensive support models for special education
Please see the attached flyer for additional details and RSVP using this link.
Student Mental Health and Well Being Resources
The TDSB offers a comprehensive website full of valuable mental health and well being resources for students and their families. The MHWB website was developed as a way to communicate directly with students and families about how to access mental health toolkits, identity affirming resources, and information about a variety of wellness topics.
Black Mental Health Week
TDSB acknowledges Black Mental Health Week, which is from March 4 to March 10, 2024. This important acknowledgment began with Black Mental Health Day which was initially recognized by the City of Toronto, Taibu Community Health Center, CAFCAN, and Strides Toronto in 2020. In 2021, Black Mental Health Day was expanded to a full week. At TDSB we recognize the global impact Anti-Black racism continues to have on the mental health and wellbeing of individuals, students, and families of African descent. In this link, you will find numerous resources, information, and videos that support Black mental health and well-being.
Measles Awareness Campaign
Recently, Toronto Public Health announced an investigation of a confirmed case of measles linked to travel. This virus continues to spread in many parts of the world. If you are planning to leave the country over March Break, get the best protection for you and your loved ones by staying up-to-date with your routine vaccines, including the measles vaccine.
These vaccines are available from your primary health care provider or at a TPH community clinic for school-aged children, by appointment. Visit TPHbookings.ca for more information. If you are unsure of your child’s vaccination status, check their yellow card (Ontario Immunization Record), TPH’s Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) or by speaking with their primary health care provider. To learn more, visit toronto.ca/immunization or contact TPH at publichealth@toronto.ca, or 416-338-7600 (TTY: 416-392-0658), Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
TDSB Accident Insurance Reminder
The links below are to TDSB Student Accident Insurance plans. The TDSB does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on school premises or during school sponsored activities. However, the Board has partnered with low an insurance company to provide low cost insurance for those who wish to purchase these optional plans. The insurance program options range from $17 to $33 per year and you can learn more below …
Upcoming Dates and Important Events
- March 7 – Pizza Lunch
- March 11-15 – March Break
- April 16 – School Council Meeting
- April 8 – PA Day
- April 10 – International Day of Pink
- April 11 – Pizza Lunch
- April 16 and 17 – School Musical
- May 1 – Parent caregiver evening
- May 2 – Pizza Lunch
- May 13-15 – Island School Overnight Trip for Grade 6 Students
- May 21 – School Council Meeting
- May 28 – Panoramic School Photo
- June 5 – Norway Fun Fair
- June 6 – Pizza Lunch
- June 7 – PA Day
- June 17-21 – Junglesport in the Gymnasium
- June 25 – Grade 6 Graduation @ 1:00 pm
- June 27 – Reports go Home
- June 28 – Last Day of School