Congratulations to all our English Language Learners who competed last week in the TDSB English Language Learners Speech Competition! You all made Forest Hill proud. A special congrats to Bryce L. who placed first in the ESLA/B category and will now represent Forest Hill in the finals! The best of luck to Bryce! And a special thank you to Ms. Halas who helped organize this opportunity and Ms. Brown who will support Bryce over the coming weeks!
There is a lot happening at Forest Hill this week. On Tuesday, we will host our annual Grade 8 Open House for students and families. Grade 8s from Forest Hill Junior Public & Senior School and Cedarvale Community School will join us on Tuesday afternoon to learn more about our program, school, clubs, teams and more. Additionally on Tuesday evening beginning at 6:00 p.m., parents, guardians and students are invited to visit our school to learn about what we offer. Link to our flyer to learn more.
On Wednesday evening, our Jewish Student Union members are invited to a Chanukah Party at North Toronto Collegiate at 4:30 p.m. This is a chance for Jewish students to meet other Jewish students from across the TDSB, hear about other JSUs, voice their concerns, learn about available programming, and - of course - to enjoy latkes and sufganiyot! Thank you to Trustee Laskin who will be making the latkes by hand! Link to this flyer to learn more.
School Council will also hold its December meeting on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in the library. All parents and guardians are welcome. There will be information shared about next steps for Memorial Park and upgrades to our school, as well as revisions on Out of Area Admissions (formerly Optional Attendance). Link to the agenda for more information.
On Thursday evening, our Celebration of Music Night will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. Tickets will be on sale at the door – FHCI students and children under 12 are free, non-FHCI youth $5 and adults $10. Cash or cheques payable to Forest Hill Collegiate will be accepted. Don’t forget to bring pocket money as School Council will be selling popcorn, chocolate and drinks. A shout out to our Music Directorate and Ms. Simas for their leadership to showcase our musical talent!
There will be a few changes to our daily schedule this week:
- Tuesday, December 13 – Shortened Day – Students Dismissed at 12:15 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 14 – Late Start – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.
Sincerely,
Yvette Duffy, Principal Maharukh Kootar, Vice Principal Nancy Martins, Vice Principal
In this issue:
- The Next Two Weeks at a Glance
- Shortened Day – Tuesday, December 13 – Dismissal at 12:15 p.m.
- Chanukah Party – Wednesday, December 14 – North Toronto CI at 4:30 p.m.
- Late Start for Students – Wednesday, December 14 – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.
- Celebration of Music Junior Assembly – Thursday, December 15 – Period 1
- Food Drive – Extended This Week!
- Out-of-Area Admissions – Applications Open on Monday, January 9
- 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; Coaching Certification; EnVision
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.
Shortened Day – Tuesday, December 13 – Dismissal at 12:15 p.m.
On Tuesday, December 13, Forest Hill will have a shortened day, with students being dismissed at 12:15 p.m. and all FHCI students being dismissed. In the afternoon, our staff will host Grade 8 students from Cedarvale Community School and Forest Hill Junior & Senior Public School. Our shortened day schedule on Tuesday will be as follows:
Period 1: 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Period 2: 9:50 a.m. to 10:35 a.m.
Period 3: 10:40 a.m. to 11:25 a.m.
Period 4: 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Grade 8 Open House for Feeder Schools: 1:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Grade 8 Open House for the Public: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Thank you to our student groups who are supporting: Music Directorate, Prefects, Stage Crew and Student Council. And a shout out to Ms. Burnip, Mr Conley, Ms Homatidis, Ms McKinnon, Ms Neumann, Ms Ng, Ms Pawlowski, and Ms Simas for all their efforts to make this day a success!
Late Start for Students – Wednesday, December 14 – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.
The last Wednesday of each month our staff participates in our Staff Meeting. This results in a late start for students. Classes will begin at 9:55 a.m. on Wednesday, December 14. Link to our Daily & Late Start Schedule for more information.
Chanukah Party – Wednesday, December 14 – North Toronto CI at 4:30 p.m.
Our JSU and members are invited to a Chanukah Party at North Toronto Collegiate on Wednesday, December 14 at 4:30 p.m. to kick off Chanukah! Trustee Laskin will be making handmade latkes for everyone! This is a chance for Jewish students to meet, hear about other JSUs, voice their concerns, and learn about available programming. If you are a member of the FHCI JSU and you plan to attend, please RSVP using this form: Chanukah Party 2022. More information on this flyer.
Celebration of Music Junior Assembly – Thursday, December 15 – Period 1
Our Music program will host a live performance for our grade 9 and 10 students on Thursday, December 15 during period 1. We are very excited to see our music students perform before their big event on the same evening!
Food Drive: Extended This Week!
Forest Hill's Friends for Food Club is hoping to collect more food for the Daily Break Food Bank. Please bring items to the front foyer and deposit into the large giftwrapped box. 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!
Out-of-Area Admissions – Applications Open on Monday, January 9
Beginning 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.
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. This week’s session:
- 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 Open
Check the TDSB Night School Credit Program website for updates as to which courses will be offered and where. Registration opened: December 1, 2022. Remote and in-person options are both available. Visit the night school website for registration and course offerings.
e-Learning Day School Semester 2 - Update
Updates on e-learning website as of December 7: Semester 2, 2022/23 e-Learning Day School Registration will open tentatively on December 14 at 10:00 a.m.
If you are TDSB high school student interested in taking an online course as part of your timetable, the e-Learning Day School program may be for you. e-Learning courses are primarily asynchronous and run for a full semester. Teachers deliver synchronous lessons weekly for about an hour. Students are expected to log in regularly and to keep up-to-date with their assignments. e-Learning courses have been developed by the Ministry of Education and are delivered by TDSB teachers who are currently also teaching in TDSB high schools.
TDSB secondary students may take one e-Learning course per semester as part of their day school timetable. Students must be enrolled in and attending at least one other course in their day school to enroll in an e-Learning course. The course must be approved by the school guidance counsellor. Once the student has been enrolled in an e-Learning course, the course will be added to the student's current day school timetable. More information can be found here!
Graduates Seeking Scholarships: The Schulich Award
The Schulich Award requires school nomination. All applicants must email Mr. Oosterhoof by January 20th 2023 to be considered for nomination. More information and criteria can be found on our Scholarships page.
Did you want to experience a college course while still in high school?
You can learn more about this program called Dual Credits at our upcoming Lunch & Learn session! Dual Credits are mainly for grade 12s, but this session is open to all students to learn more and plan ahead. Join us on Wednesday, December 21 at lunch in room 122. The session will begin at 11:45 a.m. and pizza and water will be served. Please RSVP by completing this google form to register. Want to learn more? Visit TDSB Dual Credit site to learn more.
Thank you to Ms. Ng and Mr. Oosterhoff for their 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. Link to the agenda. RSVP to 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.
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.
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.