Thank you to all our grade 11 students who participated in the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) on Wednesday. Given that the test was being run for the first time completely online and there were some technological glitches, we are pleased to announce that over 200 of our grade 11 students persevered and wrote the test.
Thank you as well to our Student Council, Mr. Billinghurst and Ms. Pawlowski who put together our Remembrance Day ceremony to honour our veterans and remind us of the need for peace.
Our School Council parent and guardian volunteers were busy selling McDonalds at lunch on Friday to raise funds to support our Wish List for 2021. Thank you so much to all the volunteers and our caretaking team who supported with set up!
Sincerely,
Yvette Duffy, Principal Joseph Ghassibe, Vice Principal Anita Love, Vice Principal
In this issue:
- Next Two Weeks at a Glance
- Upcoming Toronto Public Health Webinar – Monday, November 15 @ 11:00 a.m.
- Message from the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement
- Late Start – Wednesday, November 17
- Mid-Term Report Card Distribution – Thursday, November 18
- PA Day – Friday, November 19 – No School for Students
- Cross Country Club - Racing through Covid
- Messages from Guidance
- Messages from School Council - Chair Tracy Kowal
- Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
- Worth Mentioning Again
- New Curse Proposals – Due Monday, November 22
- Optinal Attendance at Forest Hill for Admission September 2022
- Sick Kids – PCR Saliva Test
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.
Upcoming Toronto Public Health Webinar – Monday, November 15 @ 11:00 a.m.
The Toronto Public Health is hosting a webinar for parents and guardians entitled Covid-19 Vaccines & Children with Dr. Vinita Dubey, Associate Medical Officer of Health. The webinar will focus on Covid-19 Vaccinations that are soon expected to be approved for children in Canada between the ages of 5 and 11 years old. Join the webinar on Monday, November 15 at 11:00 a.m. See this Covid-19 Vaccines & Children: A Webinar for Parents & Guardians for more information and the link to the session.
Message from the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement
The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement in collaboration with the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario, the Black Scientists’ Taskforce on Vaccine Equity and the Black Health Vaccine Initiative is hosting a webinar to share information with Black families, caregivers and staff about the COVID-19 infection, vaccine, Black children’s health and education. Participants are invited to submit their questions directly to the panel of health care professionals.
When: Tuesday, November 16, 2021 | 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
For registration and additional details, visit: https://bit.ly/cebsahealth
Late Start – Wednesday, November 17
Our school will have a late opening on Wednesday, November 17 to support our ongoing staff professional learning. Classes will begin on at 10:00 a.m. on this day.
Mid-Term Report Card Distribution – Thursday, November 18
Please note that Semester 1, Term 2 begins Monday, November 15. These dates are especially important for grade 10 Civics and Careers classes as new classes will begin for our grade 10 students.
Mid-Term Report Cards will be shared with all students and families electronically on Thursday, November 18.
PA Day – Friday, November 19 – No School for Students
Friday, November 19 is a Professional Activity Day across the Toronto District School Board. Schools will be closed to students. Our staff will spend the day engaging in learning about equity, wellness, and community building.
Cross Country Club - Racing through Covid
Once again last week, our Cross Country team participated in an event held at Stan Wadlow Park. Despite the absence of our usual spectators, the Falcons spirit was strong and our runners performed well! Congratulations to both our Junior and Senior runners, and thank you to Ms. Pereira for running with our students and supporting these events.
Messages from Guidance
Grade 12 – OUAC Pins Distributed
On Thursday, OUAC Pins were distributed in grade 12 classes. Any grade 12 who has not received a Pin is welcome to drop by Guidance to retrieve theirs.
Grade 12 – College Applications
Students applying to Ontario colleges do not require a PIN. Applications can be started on the Ontario Colleges Application Service (OCAS) at https://ontariocolleges.ca/en/.
Grade 12 – College Information Session – November 15
On Monday, November 15, representatives from six Ontario colleges will be available to talk to students about college programs. This panel discussion will take place virtually from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. All students in the Grade 12 College English class will be attending. Grade 12 students who are not registered in Grade 12 College English are also welcome to attend. If a grade 12 student wishes to attend, please e-mail jasmine.ng@tdsb.on.ca.
Grade 12 – Applying to Post-Secondary - Guidance Drop-In Support Sessions
There will be two drop-in sessions at lunch for students who want support with applications:
Session 1: Wednesday, November 17 @ 12:00 p.m.
via Zoom: https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/j/91007094144 Meeting ID: 910 0709 4144
Session 2: Wednesday, December 1 @ 11:45 a.m.
via Zoom https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/j/92829186985 Meeting ID: 928 2918 6985
If students want or require additional support, they are also encouraged to book an appointment with their guidance counsellor.
Grade 12 – Upload of Mark & Full Disclosure to OUAC/OCAS
The Ministry informed the Board last Thursday that owing to the Modified Semester Schedule, the Full Disclosure of Marks date has been shifted for all secondary schools to Wednesday, December 15. This will allow students an opportunity to complete approximately 75% of a course prior to deciding whether to continue in or drop a course.
Grade 12 – Post-Secondary Session Recordings Available for Viewing
On November 3, our Guidance Counsellors hosted another post-secondary information session to support our grade 12s. If you wish to view this session, the zoom recording and the slides are posted on FHCI Guidance Site – Post Secondary page.
Visit the FHCI Guidance Post-Secondary page for links to registration and to view upcoming events.
Thank you to Ms. Ng, Mr. Oosteroff, Ms. Robles Evans and all our grade 12 teachers who are hosting these important sessions to support our students.
Messages from School Council - Chair Tracy Kowal
School Council hosted our first McDonalds lunch on Friday which was a success! The funds raised will go back to the school. Thank you to McDonalds for supporting our school.
Wish List Campaign 2021
Our annual Wish List Campaign provides families the opportunity to enrich our children's classrooms with materials and equipment to enhance their education. Through provincial funding, the TDSB covers the day-to-day expenses of basic school operations. Through the Wish List Campaign, we provide the extras the school board doesn’t cover.
This year, we are raising funds to help with the installation of a new Calming Wellness Room for students. This room will be a safe space for students feeling stressed, anxious or in need of a quiet space and will be monitored by our Youth worker. We are reaching out for your support as we cannot do this without you. You may donate in increments of $5, but this donation method will not generate a tax receipt. To donate without receiving a tax receipt, link to 2021 Wish List Campaign. If you wish to receive a tax receipt for your donation, please link to TDSB Donation for FHCI.
Thank you on behalf of the FHCI School Council Wish List Committee. Questions can be addressed by Genevieve Korman at genkorman@hotmail.com.
Parent Involvement Advisory Committee
Also, please note that the Parent Involvement Advisory Committee (PIAC) will be hosting its annual conference for parents and caregivers on November 27 & 28. Registration is required and will open soon. Find out more by linking to the TDSB PIAC page.
Our School Council Chair, Tracy Kowal, can be reached at tracy.kowal@yahoo.ca.
Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
Learn more about upcoming events and keep informed by linking to Trustee Laskins Weekly Newsletter.
Worth Mentioning Again…
New Course Proposals – Due Monday, November 22
Our course review process to determine which courses will be offered at Forest Hill next year is getting underway. We are interested in hearing from your student about courses that they would like to see offered. For a complete list of courses offered in the Ontario Curriculum, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Education website.
Please note a Curriculum Review committee with representation from Administration, Guidance, Student Success, Special Education, and subject departments will review the applications and make programming decisions based on the following:
- rationale behind offering a new course
- needs and interests of the students and the school community
- how the course complements our existing program
- how the course will affect enrolment in other courses
- technology, equipment and associated budgetary cost required to run the course
- implications of the course for the future programming of the school
- uniqueness of the course
If your student has a course that they would like offered, please complete FHCI New Course Proposal - Student Submission 2021/2022 by Monday, November 22. Note: Students must be logged into the TDSB to access and complete the proposal.
Photo Retake Day – November 22
Our school’s Photo Retake Day will take place November 22nd. Further details will be emailed soon.
Optional Attendance at Forest Hill for Admission September 2022
Forest Hill Collegiate has limited Optional Attendance for new students who live outside our catchment area and wish to register at our school for September 2022. Even though the TDSB is in the process of revising the Optional Attendance Policy, this year the Optional Attendance process will follow the existing policy document. Please refer to the TDSB Optional Attendance page for links to the policy, application, and lottery details.
For consideration for Optional Attendance, all applications must be emailed to foresthill.ci@tdsb.on.ca or delivered directly to the school by Friday, January 28. Please note that our school office closes at 4:00 p.m.
Sick Kids – PCR Saliva Test
Our school is working with Sick Kids to allow for faster access to Covid-19 testing. If there is a positive Covid-19 case at school, students in the affected cohorts will be supplied with the PCR Saliva Test Kit to take home and return to the school. This process will support faster delivery of information to families and our school.
Download a copy of this newsletter: View From the Hill - Issue 12 - Week of November 17, 2021