With only three weeks before the Winter Break, there are lots of student-led initiatives taking place, including the sales of our Mistletoe Mysteries this week, the Daily Bread Food Drive, and our Celebration of Music. We encourage all students to embrace the spirit of the season by participating in these fun and worth seasonal events.
It is also the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings this week. Our grade 10s who are registered in semester 1 English, along with our previously eligible students, will be writing this mandatory test. All students who are not writing the OSSLT are expected to attend their regularly scheduled classes. The rest of school will continue as usual.
Forest Hill will also be welcoming students from across the TDSB on Wednesday for the annual English Language Learners Speech Competition! The best of luck to our students who will participate! And a special thank you to Ms. Halas who is supporting with the organization of this event!
Sincerely,
Yvette Duffy, Principal Maharukh Kootar, Vice Principal Nancy Martins, Vice Principal
In this issue:
- The Next Two Weeks at a Glance
- National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women – Tuesday, December 6
- Grad Photos – Time is Running Out – Ends this Wednesday, December 7
- Food Drive – Ends Friday, December 9
- Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test – Tuesday, December 6 & Wednesday, December 7
- Grade 8 Open House & Out-of-Area Admissions – New Procedures
- Celebration of Music Night – Thursday, December 15 – Save the Date!
- International France-Spain Trip – March Break 2023
- Coaching Certification for Hockey – Free for Black, Indigenous and Racialized Students
- Call Out for Students – Shape the EnVision Conference
- Messages from Special Education & Student Success – TDSB Virtual Community Fairs
- Messages from Guidance
- Messages from School Council Chair Tracy Kowal – Wish List 2022 & December Meeting
- Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
- Worth Mentioning Again…Vacation Planning; Tamil Poster Challenge
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.
National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women – Tuesday, December 6
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women is about remembering the 14 young women who lost their lives on December 6, 1989 at Polytechnique Montréal. It is also a time to take action and commit to stop gender-based violence which sadly continues in our society. Achieving a Canada free from gender-based violence requires everyone living in this country to educate themselves and their communities on gender-based violence, centre the voices of survivors in our actions and speak up against harmful behaviours.
On Tuesday, a commemorative display will be set up in the foyer and some of our students will lead an announcement with messaging about this important day.
Grad Photos – Time is Running Out! – Ends this Wednesday, December 7
Many emails were sent to all potential graduates, parents and guardians over the last few weeks indicating that students can sign up for Grad Photos until this Wednesday, December 7. Appointments must be made online: https://prestigeportraits.ca and a sitting fee of $35.00 is required. Read this digital flyer to learn more.
Food Drive: Ends Friday, December 9
Over the past twelve months in Toronto, there have been 1.99 million visits to food banks, and demand is projected to push that number to over two million for the 2022 calendar year. See Who’s Hungry 2022 Report for more information.
Forest Hill's Friends for Food Club is organizing a food drive for the Daily Break Food Bank. Please bring items to the front foyer or room G25 from Monday, November 27 to Friday, December 7. Not sure what to donate? Please see a list of most needed items here. No donation is too small! Thank you for your support in helping needy Toronto families. A special shout out to our Friends for Food Club and Ms. Kukar who are organizing this!
Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test – Tuesday, December 6 & Wednesday, December 7
All grade 10 students are required to write the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) as part of their graduation requirement. The Semester 1 OSSLT is scheduled for Tuesday, December 6, and Wednesday, December 7. Semester 1 grade 10 English students who are registered in ENG2D1 and previously eligible students are required to write on these dates. These students received a hardcopy OSSLT letter indicating the room in which they will be writing.
To access practice tests and more information, link to: EQAO – OSSLT Practice Test page. Please keep in mind that this test assesses grade 9 curriculum. Note: Semester 2 grade 10 English students will write in April. Thank you to our Literacy Committee and Ms. Martins who are working to support the delivery of this mandatory test.
NOTE: These two days will be regular school days and all students are expected to attend school. Students not writing the test will follow a regular school day schedule.
Grade 8 Open House & Out-of-Area Admissions – New Procedures
Forest Hill will host our Grade 8 Open house for students and families on Tuesday, December 13. Grade 8 students accompanied by their teachers from Forest Hill Junior Public & Senior School and Cedarvale Community School will join us during the afternoon of the 13th to learn about our school.
We will open our doors to parents, guardians and students from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Link to our flyer to learn more. All are welcome in the evening!
Beginnng this year, the TDSB has new procedures for Out-of-Area Admissions (formerly called Optional Attendance). Forest Hill Collegiate will have Limited status for 2023/2024. There will be a limited number of grade 9 seats available at Forest Hill and these will be open to all students from all priority groups. Electronic applications will be available on Monday, January 9 and will be submitted electronically to a central application centre. To learn more about the new application process, link to How do I apply for Out-of-Area Admission? Students interested in attending Forest Hill that are outside our catchment area are encouraged to speak to their grade 8 teacher or school administrator.
Celebration of Music Night – Thursday, December 15 – Save the Date!
Our Music Directorate, under the sponsorship of Ms. Simas, is organizing the Celebration of Music Night on Thursday, December 15. Please mark your calendars and consider joining us to celebrate our music students who will be showcasing their musical talents in the auditorium at 7:00 p.m. More details will be shared next week.
International France-Spain Trip – March Break 2023
Our Global Studies Program is excited to officially confirm our long-awaited International France-Spain trip during the March Break 2023! This opportunity was offered to our students registered in French and Spanish this year and close to 40 students signed up. Detailed information will be emailed shortly to all involved. Thank you to all our participants and families for supporting this amazing experiential language opportunity. A special shout out to Ms. Pawlowski, Ms. Nibbs and Mr. Billinghurst who have offered to supervise our students overseas! Merci! Gracias!
Coaching Certification for Hockey – Free for Black, Indigenous and Racialized Students
Are you interested in Coaching Hockey or even learning to play hockey? The MLSE Foundation is offering Coaching Certification for Hockey to Black, Indigenous and racialized students for free. If you are interested, link to MSLE Foundation Hockey Coach Education or MSLE Grants for Sport. The registration opened December 1 and closes January 16, 2023.
Call Out for Students – Shape the EnVision Conference
The EnVision Conference is an annual gathering of 2SLGBTQIAP+ students, allies and co-conspirators. The theme of this year's conference is 2SLGBTQI+ Indigenous, Black and Racialized Student Joy and Futurity. The conference will be held from Tuesday, February 28 to Wednesday, March 1.
Are you a Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, trans, or queer student interested in meeting other 2SLGBTQIAP+ students and staff to help plan this conference for students? If you identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized student or are an ally committed to working in solidarity to help shape the EnVision Conference, please complete this form by Wednesday, December 14. Participants may be able to receive community service hours for their involvement. For more information, contact Dani Harris, of the Urban Indigenous Education Centre at dani.harris@tdsb.on.ca or Arthur Burrows of TDSB GSA Network at arthur.burrows@tdsb.on.ca.
Messages from Special Education & Student Success – TDSB Virtual Community Fairs
TDSB social workers are hosting Virtual Community Fairs for Families/Caregivers of children, youth and adults with special needs, i.e. students integrated in regular classrooms, Intensive Support Programs (ISP), and Congregated Schools. The Fair will showcase Community Parenting Partners who provide social skills, life skills, and respite support, including Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Woodgreen Community Services, Extend-A-Family, Respite Services, and P4P Planning Network. Please refer to this flyer for details. Two sessions will be held as follows:
- Mnday December 5, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. to noon
- Mnday December 12, 2022 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting Link: Virtual Community Fair - Meeting ID: 983 6737 8226, Passcode: 969515.
Messages from Guidance
Semester 2 Night School Registration and Course Offerings
Check the TDSB Night School Credit Program website for updates as to which courses will be offered and where. Registration opened: December 1, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
Dual Credit Program – Lunch & Learn Session – Monday, December 5
Dual credit programs allow students, while they are still in secondary school, to take college or apprenticeship courses that count towards both their Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) and a postsecondary certificate, diploma, degree, or a Certificate of Apprenticeship.
Students can learn more about this program at our upcoming Lunch & Learn session! Dual Credits often target grade 12 students, but this session is open to all students to learn more about this opportunity and to plan ahead.
When: Monday, December 5 @ 11:45 a.m.
Where: Room 122
Pizza lunch and water will be provided. Please register by completing this Dual Credit Information Session form. Want to learn more in advance of this session? Visit TDSB Dual Credit page.
Seneca College Visit – Monday, December 5 @ Lunch
All students applying to colleges are recommended to attend this session. Unfortunately, we were not able to secure representatives from other colleges to visit our school. Note most information shared about the application process in this session will be similar for all Ontario colleges.
UofT Virtual Hubs for Black and Indigenous Students
University of Toronto has set up central hubs to support prospective Black and Indigenous students and their families to navigate the tri-campus network of UT. These hubs offer a glimpse into student life, scholarships, programs and community on campus. Link to Future Black Undergraduate Students or Future Indigenous Undergraduate Students to learn more.
Thank you for Ms. Ng for her support of our students!
Messages from School Council – Chair Tracy Kowal
Wish List 2022 – Raising Funds to Replace the Stage – Please Donate!
Our 2022 Wish List Campaign is underway! This annual fundraiser provides all 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 stage for the school auditorium. We are reaching out for your support as we cannot do this without you. No donation is too small! Find out how to donate by linking to this flyer: FHCI Wish List 2022.
School Council Meeting – Wednesday, December 14 @ 7:30 p.m.
Please join us in-person in the school library for our next School Council meeting on Wednesday, December 14 @7:30 p.m. Please send agenda items and RSVP to our Chair Tracy Kowal at tracy.kowal@yahoo.ca.
Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
Learn more about upcoming events and keep informed by linking to Trustee Laskin's Weekly Newsletter.
Worth Mentioning Again…
School Calendar & Vacation Planning 2022/2023 Reminder
As mentioned in our first two September newsletters, the 2022-23 School Calendar is available on the TDSB website. Please link to TDSB Secondary School Calendar 2022/2023 for important exam and holiday dates. Please note that we will be scheduling final Exams and culminating activities for the 2022-23 school year in both January and June. A reminder that vacations are not considered a legitimate absence from instructional 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.
Tamil Heritage Month - Poster Challenge: Invitation to ALL TDSB Students
Tamil Heritage Month is proudly recognized in January by the TDSB. This coincides with one of the most important festivals celebrated by Tamils in South Asia and all over the world - Thai Pongal, a harvest festival that offers prayers of thanks to the sun and nature for giving bountiful crops. The theme for this year is: Community. Belonging. Joy. All TDSB students are encouraged to participate in a Poster Challenge to support Tamil Heritage Month. The selected images will be shared across the system and posted to our TDSB websites. Deadline: Thursday, December 8, 2022 by 3:00 p.m.
To enter, please send posters to tdsbtamilheritagemonth@gmail.com in a .pdf or .jpeg format with the student’s name, grade, email and contact phone number. Full details with the contest guidelines are available on the attached document. For more information contact Tamil Heritage Month Volunteer Planning Committee Members: Abhi Arulanantham, abhi.arulanantham@tdsb.on.ca or Sharlene Mathivathanan, sharlene.mathivathanan@tdsb.on.ca.
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.