It was great to see students back in classes last week! Throughout the week, we
walked about the school and said hello to various classes and were pleased to see that students were respecting our new cellular phone and mobile device policy. It was exciting to see students engaged in learning and connecting with their peers!
A few questions arose last week about student use of earpods/headphones. Given that students can receive text messages and notifications to their earpods/headphones, students should not be using these during class time. If a student’s IEP/ILP indicates noise cancelling headphones, the student is asked to connect with their classroom teacher or our Special Education teacher, Ms. Hammond, in room 252 for support with acquiring headphones. Again, thank you to our parents and guardians for your support as we work together to create the best learning environments and ensure student engagement.
We would like to introduce our School Council Chair Paul Matos to our new and returning families. Our first School Council Meeting will take place on Thursday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m. All parents, guardians and caregivers are welcome to attend either in-person in the library or online by requesting a link. Please take a moment to read this welcome letter from Paul and consider getting involved this year as your voice matters. More information about our School Council can be found in the Messages from School Council section each week.
We are so excited about all the events happening over the next two weeks! Please take a few minutes to review the information below so that you are informed about upcoming sports, excursions, and more!
Here’s to a great second week! Go, Falcons!
Sincerely,
Yvette Duffy, Principal Maharukh Kootar, Vice Principal Jaime Yamashita, Vice Principal
In this Issue:
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Start of Year Forms 2024/2025 – Please Complete
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Student Parking – Limited Spaces Available – Applications Due by Thursday, September 12
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Prefect Retreat – Tuesday, September 10 & Wednesday, September 11
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Varsity All-Gender Cross Country Tryouts This Week! - September 10, 11 & 12
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Clubs Are Starting! Club Charter Applications – Opens September 12 & Closes September 19
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Grade 9 SAC Applications Open – Monday, September 16
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New Grades 10, 11 & 12 Students to Forest Hill Luncheon – Tuesday, September 17 – Library @ Lunch
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Varsity Male Volleyball Tryouts – Wednesday, September 18 @ 3:15 p.m. - Gym
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FHCI is Going to Europe in March 2025! Information Meeting – Wednesday, September 18 @ 6:30 pm
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Caring & Safe School Committee – Students & Caregivers Welcome - Thursday, September 19
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Grade 9 Leadership Day – Friday, September 20 – Eglinton Park
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Messages from Guidance
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Message from School Council Chair Paul Matos
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Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
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Worth Mentioning Again...From Last Week
The Next Two Weeks at a Glance
Keep apprised of what is happening by linking to our school year calendar which is live on our school website landing page.
Start of Year Forms 2024/2025 - Please Complete
At the beginning of each school year, parents and guardians are requested to complete the Start of Year form package for their children. It is very important that parents and guardians complete these forms as these provide important medical and emergency contact information, permission for students to participate in activities and events held by the school, along with permissions required for use of technology in the TDSB.
All required school forms were emailed by TDSB IT Services on Thursday, August 29 to the parent and/or guardian email address on file at our school. Parents will receive a unique link to each child’s Start of Year Forms. If you have not received these forms, please check your junk folder. If you need support with the forms, please link to the TDSB Start of Year Forms page for additional information. Reminder emails will be sent by IT Services until all forms have been received. Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your child.
Student Parking – Limited Spaces Available – Applications Due by Thursday, September 12
Student parking is limited and all vehicles parked in our school parking lots must have a FHCI Parking Pass. Prior to parking, student drivers must apply for a parking pass by filling out the Application for Student Parking Permit – Semester 1 by Thursday, September 12 at 3:30 pm.
Parking passes will be given out on a case-by-case basis which examine factors such as: full time student for the semester taking 3+ courses, distance lived from school according to school records, etc. If all factors are equal, a lottery system will be used. Parking permits will be distributed through the main office to students who are granted one. Parking Passes are non-transferable. Unauthorized and non-permitted vehicles may be ticketed and/or towed. All students who obtain a parking pass must park in the north lot off Mayfair Ave and are only granted the pass for Semester 1. Students are required to apply for parking passes each semester as conditions for students change throughout the year. Ms. Yamashita will connect with all students who apply for a Semester 1 Parking pass.
Prefect Retreat – Tuesday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 11
All 2024-2025 Prefects will attend out annual leadership retreat on Tuesday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 11 at Cedar Glen. All Prefects are excused from classes and will not be penalized academically for attending an excursion, but are required to communicate with their teachers and catch up on any missed work upon their return to school.
Varsity All-Gender Cross Country Tryouts This Week! - September 10, 11 & 12
Do you love running? Are you interested in being part of our Varsity All-Gender Cross Country team? We will host tryouts this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after school at 3:20 p.m. All individuals trying out must complete the tryout permission form. Listen up to the morning announcements for more information. Thank you to Ms. Monaghan who is coaching our Cross Country team!
Clubs Are Starting! Club Charter Applications – Opens September 12 & Closes September 19
Do you want to start a club? Are you the leader of a club that is running this school year? We hope that lots of clubs will run! It is the clubs that keep our school spirit and community alive. As mentioned in our Welcome Assembly last week keep in mind the following:
Once you have found a staff sponsor, please take a moment to complete this 2024/2025 FHCI Club Charter Application by the end of the school day on Thursday, September 19 to let us know about your club. Remember you can advertise your club at our Clubs Fair on Wednesday, September 25, 2024.
Grade 9 SAC Applications Open – Monday, September 16
On Monday, September 16, the grade 9 SAC Representatives applications will open. Students will have one week to submit their applications which will close on Monday, September 23 at the end of the school day. If you are in grade 9 and interested in getting involved, this is your chance! Listen up in the mornings as more information will be provided during our morning announcements!
New Grades 10, 11 & 12 Students to Forest Hill Luncheon – Tuesday, September 17 – Library @ Lunch
On Tuesday, September 17, we will host a luncheon for new grade 10, 11 & 12 students to Forest Hill. Students will meet at lunch in the library for pizza, to learn about our school, supports in place for academics, social/emotional and extra-curricular opportunities, and hopefully meet a friend. Looking forward to seeing all our new grade 10, 11 and 12 students on September 17!
Varsity Male Volleyball Tryouts – Wednesday, September 18 @ 3:15 p.m. - Gym
Our Varsity Male Volleyball team will host tryouts on Wednesday, September 18 at 3:15 p.m. in the gym! If you are interested in volleyball, please consider trying out! All individuals trying out must complete the tryout permission form. Listen up to the morning announcements for more information. Thank you to Ms. Ibe and Ms. Homatidis for stepping up to coach our team! Go, Falcons!
FHCI is Going to Europe in March 2025! Information Meeting – Wednesday, September 18 @ 6:30 pm
Did you know that Forest Hill is planning on taking students to Berlin, Amsterdam and France this March! On March Break 2025, ours students will be heading out on a once in a lifetime adventure to understand our past, experience some amazing living history and see some pretty cool sights. All students enrolled in history, French and Spanish courses are eligible. Come out to learn about our itinerary, the cost and more at the Information Meeting on Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 6:30 pm in the library. Get ready for an adventure, Falcons! Thank you to Mr. Billinghurst and Ms. Nibbs who are organizing this opportunity!
Caring & Safe School Committee – Students & Caregivers Welcome - Thursday, September 19 @ 11:45 am
Each school is mandated to have a Caring & Safe School Committee that is responsible for fostering a safe, inclusive, and accepting school climate that should include at least one student and must include at least one parent, a teacher, a non-teaching staff member, a community partner, and an administrator. In the TDSB this committee also includes the school’s positive space representative and school equity representative.
The Caring and Safe Schools Committee will:
Our first meeting will be held on Thursday, September 19 at 11:45 a.m. in the conference room. Parents and guardians are welcome to join virtually. If you are interested in joining this committee, please email Vice Principal Jaime Yamashita at jaime.yamashita@tdsb.on.ca.
Grade 9 Leadership Day – Friday, September 20 – Eglinton Park
On Friday September 20, all our Grade 9 students are expected to attend the Grade 9 Leadership Day at Eglinton Park. Grade 9 families will be sent an excursion form through Excursion Management Application (EMA) on Monday this week. The cost to run this day is $20 for students. This fee includes the facilities, a FHCI t-shirt, a hot tasty lunch of hamburger or veggie burger, hot crispy fries, a water or soda, and a cookie. Link to Grade 9 Leadership Day through our payment system School Cash Online. All grade 9s are welcome to attend and will not be excluded owing to a financial concern. If your child requires financial support to attend, please email our vice principals as follows:
Jaime Yamashita – Surnames that begin with A to K – jaime.yamashita@tdsb.on.ca
Maharukh Kootar – Surnames that begin with L to Z – maharukh.kootar@tdsb.on.ca
Please know that discretion and confidentiality will be respected.
Messages From Guidance
Student Timetables – All Semester 1 Requests for Changes Must be Submitted by Friday, September 13
If students wish to change their timetable, please use the FHCI Semester 1 2024/25 Timetable Change Request Form. All change requests must be submitted by Friday, September 13. Our Guidance department will be monitoring the form and will prioritize student needs. Please note that many of our classes are currently full. Students must follow their original timetable unless directed otherwise. This will allow our Guidance department to locate students when a meeting is required to discuss a change.
eLearning & Night School
eLearning Day School Registration is in full swing. Please link to the TDSB eLearning website for a list of available courses. Registration for semester 1 closes on September 20, 2024. Please note that in order to take an eLearning course, the course cannot conflict with any courses taken in-person on FHCI timetable. A student cannot add an eLearning course if you four courses this semester. Students who cannot get into a course not offered at FHCI are the ideal candidates for enrolling in an eLearning course. Our appointment booking system ‘Guidance Interview’ will be up and running in two weeks. If an urgent appointment is required, please send an email to your guidance counsellor to book an appointment.
Registration for Night School opened on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. Link to this information site to learn which courses are available.
Students Taking Courses Outside the TDSB
It is critical that any student taking a course outside the TDSB, i.e. private school, Catholic board, etc., inform their guidance counsellor about this as follows:
Our guidance counsellors need to document this important information as they check students’ overall credit accumulation, graduation requirements and possible duplicated courses. Thank you for your attention to this very important matter.
Message from School Council Chair – Paul Matos
Welcome to the 2024/2025 school year! We’re excited to kick off another fantastic year at Forest Hill Collegiate. Please take a moment to read this welcome letter from the School Council Chair.
Save the date for our Welcome Night & First Council Meeting: Thursday, September 26, 2024. Stay tuned next week for more details.
Consider Getting Involved in your School Council: If you’re interested in getting more involved, we encourage you to submit your self-nomination form to join the School Council.
School Council wants your voice: Please take a moment to share your input by completing our School Council questionnaire. Your participation makes a difference!
Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
Learn more about upcoming events and keep informed by linking to Trustee Laskin's Weekly Newsletter.
Worth Mentioning Again...From Last Week
Addressing Cellular Phones & Mobile Devices – Expectations This Year
As per the Ministry’s memorandum and TDSB policies, cellular phones and Smartwatches will not be permitted in classes this school year. Many studies are now showing that distractions caused by mobile devices are resulting in poorer outcomes for our students both academically and emotionally. We ask parents and guardians for their support as we shift this policy to increase student success and mental wellness. How can parents and guardians support our students and school?
If there is an emergency and a student needs to be reached, please call the main office at (416) 393-1860 and our office staff will communicate a message or locate the student to take an emergency phone call. Working together will help to improve outcomes for our students. If a student requires a mobile device to monitor health concerns, please contact a VP to ensure that the device is accessible to the student.
Code of Conduct
Administration will be hosting our Welcome Assemblies this week. During this assembly, the administration will outline school expectations for students. Students will be expected to review the Forest Hill Student Handbook 2024/2025 and abide by the rules and procedures outlined in this Handbook. This handbook is available on the TDSB Connects App and the school website.
Attendance & Safe Arrival Call Out
Attendance is recorded in each period daily. Attendance, punctuality and active participation will lead to success. Safe Arrival calls are automated calls that will be made during Period 1 for students who have not yet arrived at school. For absences and lates in Periods 2, 3 and 4, automated calls will be made in the evening. Please ensure that the Forest Hill school number is not blocked to allow us to communicate more effectively about your student. A separate email will be sent directly to the parent and/or guardian emails on file at the school providing directions as to how to report student absence and lateness.
TDSB Connects App – Download Now
All students are expected to download the TDSB Connects App via Google Play or the Apple App Store. This app will provide students with the daily school calendar, our daily announcements, the Student Handbook, and a fillable agenda that will allow them to organize their important dates and events. Once the app is downloaded, students can log in using their TDSB credentials, i.e. 9-Digit Student Number, and their TDSB network password.
Student Password Information & Logging into TDSB Network
New Students: Students new to TDSB will have their password set to the Shared Secret Password. This is a combination of the last 4 digits of your Student Number, followed by 2 digits for your day of birth, and 2 digits for your month of birth, followed by “@Tdsb” (case sensitive and 13 characters in total). The infographic provides the formula to the Shared Secret Password.
Returning Students: If a student has forgotten their password, they can attempt to reset it by following these instructions: Student Password Reset. Our teacher-librarian, Ms. Legrow, will be available in the library on Tuesday to help support students who are having log in issues.
The 2024-25 School Calendar is now available on the TDSB website. Please link to TDSB Secondary School Calendar 2024/2025 for important exam and holiday dates. Please note that we will be scheduling final Exams and culminating activities for the 2024/2025 school year in both January and June. A reminder that vacations are not considered a legitimate absence from instructional days or exam days. Every effort should be made to avoid scheduling family vacations during school time. In the event of a missed evaluation due to a family vacation, teachers are not required to provide an alternative form of evaluation or exam and a mark of zero may be assigned.
Extended Absences - We strongly recommend that vacations are not planned during school days. That being said, we do understand extenuating circumstances and other such constraints. If a student must be away for five days or more, they are to visit the main office and pick up an extended absence form. This form will need to be signed by a parent or guardian, a vice principal and all the students’ teachers. Students are responsible for making up missed assessments.
Land Acknowledgement: We, the students and staff of Forest Hill Collegiate Institute, acknowledge that we are hosted on the lands of the Mississaugas of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Wendat. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis, and the Inuit peoples.