Thank you for your patience and understanding last Thursday as we shifted the Parent-Guardian-Teacher Interviews from in-person to phone calls owing an emergency water shut off by City of Toronto. If you feel you need to connect with any teacher for any reason, please reach our via email or phone. Link to our website for staff contact information.
Thank you to the hundreds of students who attended our Leadership Information meeting last week to learn about next year’s leadership opportunities. There are lots of opportunities and all are encouraged to get involved. Students interested in Leadership positions at Forest Hill for 2023/2024 should note these important dates this week:
- Monday, April 3 – Student Council Applications become available
- Tuesday, April 4 – Prefect Applications are available after the information meeting
There are many significant cultural celebrations this week. We’d like to wish all who are celebrating Chag Pesach Sameach and Happy Easter! Remember there is no school Friday, April 7 and Monday, April 10.
Sincerely,
Yvette Duffy, Principal Maharukh Kootar, Vice Principal Jaime Yamashita, Vice Principal
In this issue:
- The Next Two Weeks at a Glance
- April is Sikh Heritage Month at the TDSB
- Latin-America History Month at the TDSB: April 2023
- Hispanic Heritage Month at the TDSB - April 2023
- Student Council 2023/2024 Applications - Available Monday, April 3
- Waterloo Euclid Math Contest - Tuesday, April 5
- Prefects Information Meeting & Applications Available for 2023/2024 – Tuesday, April 4
- School Holidays – Friday, April 7 & Monday, April 10
- Ontario Secondary School Literary Test (OSSLT) – Semester 2 – Important Dates
- Latin-America History Month at the TDSB: Creative Art Showcase Contest
- Messages from Special Education
- Messages from Guidance
- Messages from School Council – Seeking Auction Items!
- Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
- Worth Mentioning Again…Call out to indigenous students; Prom
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.
April is Sikh Heritage Month at the TDSB
The TDSB was the first school board in Canada to recognize Sikh Heritage during the month of April in 2016. Sikh Canadians have lived in Ontario since the turn of the twentieth century. They have made significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of Ontario and their traditions and culture continue to be a vibrant part of every aspect of life of Canadians today.
This year our theme is Kes. Kes is one of five Kakaars, indicators that Sikh individuals must acknowledge as part of their faith. The five Kakaars are five sacred articles of faith prescribed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji: Kes; Kirpan; Karra; Kangha; and Kacchera.
The TDSB community members are invited to join our virtual Sikh Heritage Month launch to recognize the contributions of Sikh Canadians on April 12 at 9:30 a.m. by linking to the TDSB Sikh Heritage Month Webcast. As part of the celebration to mark Sikh Heritage Month we're proud to share a three-part Podcast series with staff, students and families:
Episode 1: SEVA: Selfless Service
Episode 2: Oneness: Equity and Justice for All
Episode 3: Chardi Kala: External Resilience, Optimism and Joy.
Lastly, during the month of April Sikh Canadians recognize Vaisakhi which celebrates the Sikh New Year across Ontario. On Sunday, April 30th Vaisakhi will be celebrated at Exhibition Place. This celebration is the third largest parade in Canada. All are welcome to join!
Latin-America History Month at the TDSB: April 2023
The month of April is recognized as Latin-America History Month at the TDSB. This year's theme: (Decolonizing) Latin-America History Month & Beyond – Honouring & Uplifting the real Hxstories and Multiplicities of Identities. Several activities are being planned for students, staff, and community members. We invite everyone to join us at the Latin-America History Month virtual launch on Thursday, April 13, 2:00 - 3:00 pm. Feel free to follow Latin-America History Month at the TDSB on twitter: @TDSBLAHM
Hispanic Heritage Month at the TDSB - April 2023
During April the TDSB recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month. Ontario is home to more than 400,000 first-, second- and third- generation Canadians of Hispanic origin. As early as 1914, Canadians who originated from 23 Hispanic countries began immigrating to the province and today the Hispanic community is one of the fastest growing in Ontario. Hispanic-Canadians represent a dynamic community that has made significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of the Province of Ontario. Stay tuned for more information on upcoming events.
Student Council 2023/2024 Applications - Available Monday, April 3
We are gearing up for September 2023! Are you interested in being part of our Student Council next year? Applications open on Monday!
Our Student Council is elected by the student body and composed of an executive that is made up of a President, Senior Vice President, Junior Vice President, Secretary/Social Media Representative, Treasurer, Social Representative, and Sports Representative.
Student Council elections are held each year. Students interested in presenting themselves as candidates may pick up a copy of the Student Council Constitution and Application from the Main Office. In order to be eligible to hold a Student Council Executive position, students must have full time status, i.e. 4 classes in grades 9 through 11 and 3 classes in grade 12 each semester.
Listen up this week to our morning announcements as important information will be provided. Keep these important dates in mind:
- April 3 - Applications are available
- April 11 - Applications close
- April 13 - Applicant Meeting
- April 24 through 27 - Campaigning
- April 27 - Elections Assembly
- April 28 – Voting in Period 1
Best of luck to all students who choose to run for a position. Thank you to Ms. Pawlowski for all she does to support our Student Council.
Waterloo Euclid Math Contest - Tuesday, April 4
Our Math Club members will be writing the 2.5 hours Waterloo Euclid Contest on Tuesday, April 4. Good luck to everyone writing! Thank you to Mr. Basheer and our math teachers for supporting our students!
Prefects Information Meeting & Applications Available for 2023/2024 – Tuesday, April 4
All current grade 10 and 11 students are invited to attend an information session held at lunch in the auditorium on Tuesday, April 4 to learn about the role, the expectations and the application process to become one of our 30 selected Prefects for 2023/2024.
Prefects applications for 2023/2024 are due on Friday, April 21 at 3:00 p.m. A complete application includes both a video and paper submission. Video submissions are to be uploaded to the Prefect Application Google Classroom and paper applications are to be submitted to the Prefects folder located in the main office. Late applications will not be accepted.
Thank you to Ms. Homatidis and Ms. McKinnon for all their support of the Prefects!
School Holidays – Friday, April 7 & Monday, April 10
As per the TDSB School Year Calendar 2022-2023, school will be closed on Friday, April 7 and Monday, April 10.
Ontario Secondary School Literary Test (OSSLT) – Semester 2 – Important Dates
All grade 10 students are required to write the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) as part of their graduation requirement. This year the test will be held in both semesters.
The Semester 2 OSSLT is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, and Wednesday, April 26. Semester 2 grade 10 English students who are registered in ENG2D1 are required to write the OSSLT on these dates. Previously eligible students will be expected write on these dates as well. Information will be communicated to all eligible students and their families via email in the coming weeks.
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. Thank you to our Literacy Committee and Ms. Yamashita who are working to support the delivery of this mandatory test.
Messages from Special Education
World Autism Awareness Day – Sunday, April 2
World Autism Day will occur on Sunday, April 2, 2023. This day is dedicated to raising public awareness by recognizing individuals around the world living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), we acknowledge this important day each year as we work to gain a better understanding of neurodiversity.
According to Autism Ontario, 1 to 2% of the Canadian population is on the spectrum, which means there are approximately 135,000 autistic people in Ontario. Autism diagnoses are prevalent in childhood. Approximately 1 in 66 Canadian children and youth (ages 5-17) are diagnosed with ASD.
Let’s help support TDSB students on the spectrum and increase awareness and understanding of autism by wearing blue on Monday, April 3. Find out more about World Autism Awareness Day and Autism Ontario www.autismontario.com.
Messages from Guidance
E-Learning Summer Registration – Opens April 4
e-Learning will be offering two eLearning opportunities to obtain full credit courses during the months of July and August. All information, including course offerings, is posted on the TDSB e-Learning page. Registration begins Tuesday, April 4.
Summer School Registration – Opens April 18
Continuing Education will be offering full credit courses in-person and remotely, as well as credit recovery remotely, during the month of July. Information can be found here. Registration begins Tuesday, April 18 at 10:00 a.m. Link to Summer School key dates to learn more.
Scholarship Information
Now is a great time for grade 12 students to look for scholarships. Here is information to support students in researching and applying for scholarships that interest them. There are scholarships aimed at specific groups or people in specific situations. If you fit such criteria, apply! There are scholarships that are specific to universities or colleges, others are specific to a certain pathway, but many can be used for university, college, or trades, equally. Many post-secondary institutions offer entrance scholarships based on your graduating marks. You do not apply for those as they are automatically provided. Here is some advice from your friendly guidance counsellors:
- Consider spending time to research. It can be financially worth it.
- Apply for a lot of different scholarships, large and small. The more you apply to, the better your chances of obtaining a scholarship is. There is no limit to the number of scholarships you can win, or a maximum amount of money you are allowed to receive.
- Apply for the small ones. Lots of people will pass over the smaller ones, which means there’s a smaller pool of competition for you!
- Most scholarships will want something from you, such as an essay. Use your life experiences or incorporate what makes you special. Talk about your volunteering experience! Don’t know what makes you special? Ask people who love you and you trust to share that with you! And as a bonus, you’ll feel great finding out what they have to say about you!
- You may be able to reuse or ‘upcycle’ some parts of one scholarship application for another.
- Be aware of scholarships that seem to want to ‘use’ you. If a company wants you to promote their product to be eligible to win a scholarship, consider avoiding these.
Here are three websites to get you started:
Note: the above are private companies and not monitored by the school or TDSB. Guidance does not have a comprehensive list of all scholarships available to students. We use the same websites and post-secondary resources as students.
myBlueprint & Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation - Bursaries Available
myBlueprint has partnered with Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation to give away $150,000 in bursaries! The Canadian Scholarship Trust supports students facing financial barriers to help them access post-secondary education by providing 25 bursaries valued at $6000 each. The bursaries are for current Grade 12 students whose parents did not attend post-secondary education. Students are encouraged to apply who demonstrate strong character: resiliency, community-mindedness, and commitment to excellence. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 14. Click here to learn more.
Thank you to Ms. Ng and Mr. Oosterhoff for their support of our students!
Messages from School Council – Seeking Auction Items!
Our School Council is raising funds for Forest Hill C.I. And we need your help! We are organizing a Silent Auction that will be held in May at two upcoming events, i.e. the Dance Fashion Show and Sounds of Spring Concert. Do you have new items that you would like to donate to the auction?
What kind of items you ask? Sports tickets, gift cards, gift baskets, home items, and more! To donate items please contact 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…
Callout for Indigenous Students – Are you interested in becoming a TDSB Student Trustee?
Are you in Grade 10 or 11 and self-identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis? Are they interested in student governance and want to represent First Nations, Inuit or Métis students in the largest school Board in Canada? If so, consider applying for Indigenous Student Trustee! Declarations of interest will be accepted until Friday, April 14, 2023.
The Indigenous Student Trustee has a number of responsibilities including but not limited to:
- Attend Board and Standing Committee meetings, along with Board functions
- Participate in discussions on TDSB matters
- Present student voice at public sessions of the Board and Standing Committee meetings
- Uphold and promote the Board's mission and values in the performance of duties
- Attend all TDSB Student Senate meetings
- Have a regular role on the Student Senate agenda to report and seek input
- Inform Toronto Indigenous Youth Council of policies which affect students
- Attend Urban Indigenous Community Advisory Committee meeting
If you are interested or have questions, please contact Isaiah Shafqat, the TDSB’s currently Indigenous Student Trustee at Isaiah.Shafqat@tdsb.on.ca.
Prom – Mark Your Calendar – Thursday, May 25
This year’s Prom will be held on Thursday, May 25 at Liberty Grand, located at Exhibition Place, 25 British Columbia Road. More information about ticket sales will be coming soon!
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.