Semester 2, Term 1 wraps up this week and Term 2 begins. The term change marks the halfway point for the semester and submission of marks for our upcoming report cards. Teachers will share marks with students this week on Thursday and Friday prior to the electronic distribution of official report cards on Tuesday, April 25. Report Cards will be emailed to parents or guardians using the email address on file at the school. Please check for an email on April 25 from Forest Hill CI with instructions as to how to retrieve and open report cards. Grade 12 students are reminded that the date to drop a course and not have it show up on the upcoming OUAC/OCAS transmission is this Friday, April 21. See Messages from Guidance section below for further details.
These next two weeks will be busy ones:
- Tuesday, April 18 – Yom HaShoah Assembly
- Wednesday, April 19 – Late Start for Students – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.
- Friday, April 21 – Prefect Applications due by 3:15 p.m.
- OSSLT Support Sessions – Tuesday to Friday this week
- OSSLT mandatory test – Tuesday, April 25 and Wednesday, April 26
- Student Council campaigning and Prom ticket sales begin on April 24
Also, our next School Council meeting will be held in-person on Tuesday, April 25. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend. Feel free to add agenda items by emailing Chair Tracy Kowal at tracy.kowal@yahoo.ca.
We would like to wish a Happy Easter to all our Orthodox Christian families today and an Eid Mubarak to our Muslim families who will be celebrating the end of Ramadan this week.
Sincerely,
Yvette Duffy, Principal Maharukh Kootar, Vice Principal Jaime Yamashita, Vice Principal
In this issue:
- The Next Two Weeks at a Glance
- Art Occurring – Edge Youth Art Show – Opens Tuesday, April 17
- Power of One Exhibit – Postponed to Later Date
- Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Memorial Day Assembly – Tuesday, April 18
- Ontario Secondary School Literary Test (OSSLT) – Extra Support Sessions Continue This Week
- Late Start for Students – Wednesday, April 19 – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.
- Prefects 2023/2024 – Applications Due Friday, April 21
- Prom Tickets – On Sale Monday, April 24 through Friday, April 28
- Student Council 2023/2024 Elections – Important Dates
- Report Cards – Distributed Electronically – Tuesday, April 25
- Coffee House – New Date – Thursday, April 27
- EQAO – Student Engagement Committee – Calling All Students!
- Messages from Special Education
- Messages from Guidance
- Messages from School Council
- Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates
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.
Art Occurring – Edge Youth Art Show – Opens Tuesday, April 17
Congratulations to our Forest Hill artists - Jane A, Faith D, Kayla E, Tod G, Elisa H, Nash L, Sarah L, and Xenia S – as they are all representing our school at the 26th annual EDGE: Youth Art Show. The exhibition runs from Tuesday, April 17 through Monday, May 1 at the Artscape Youngplace Hallway Galleries located at 180 Shaw Street. Admission is free and all are encouraged to attend to take a peek at the wonderful works of art created by our students! The gallery hours are 9 am to 5 pm daily. Thank you to Mr. Conley and Ms. Neumann for their support of our artists!
Power of One Exhibit – Postponed to a Later Date
Forest Hill had planned to host the Power of One exhibit from the Abraham Global Peace Initiative for Human Rights this week in the foyer; however, the organization informed the school on Thursday last week that they will not be able to set up the exhibit this week. We will work with the Abraham Global Peace Initiative to determine a new date for this thought-provoking exhibit and advise of this new date once it has been confirmed.
Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Memorial Day Assembly – Tuesday, April 18
Yom HaShoah, also known as Holocaust Memorial Day, literally means the “day of remembrance of the catastrophe and the heroism.” To commemorate this event, our school will host an assembly to remember on Tuesday, April 18 during period 1. Thank you to our Jewish Student Union, and the leadership of Mia B, along with grade 11 student William W., who are supporting with organizing this important assembly.
Ontario Secondary School Literary Test (OSSLT) – Extra Support Sessions Begin This Week!
The Semester 2 OSSLT is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25, and Wednesday, April 26. This test assesses grade 9 curriculum to ensure that students possess the literacy skills required for graduation. 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 to write on these dates as well.
All parents and guardians of students required to write this semester, along with the students themselves, were sent an email from VP Jaime Yamashita on Tuesday, April 4 with important information. This email outlines accommodations available, how to access resources in the FHCI OSSLT Google Classroom, along with the dates and times of our eight support sessions. These support sessions continue this week both at lunch and after school in room 252A.
Practice tests and more information: EQAO – OSSLT Practice Test. Thank you to Mr. Strasberg, our Literacy Committee and Ms. Yamashita for their support in the delivery of this mandatory test.
Late Start for Students – Wednesday, April 19 – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.
Each month our staff hosts our monthly professional learning session which results in a late start for students. Therefore, on Wednesday, April 19, classes will begin at 9:55 a.m. Link to our Daily & Late Start Schedule for more information.
Prefects 2023/2024 – Applications Due Friday, April 21
Prefects applications for 2023/2024 are due on Friday, April 21 at 3:00 p.m. All current grade 10 and 11 students are invited to apply to become one of our 30 selected Prefects for the next school year. 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!
Prom Tickets – On Sale Monday, April 24 through Friday, April 28
Our 2022/2023 Prom theme is Starry Night and the cost per ticket is $100. During the week of Monday, April 24 through Friday, April 28, the Prom Committee will have tables in the main foyer to assist students. Tickets will go on sale through School Cash Online that week and all students must complete the following by 12:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28 to ensure that they can attend:
- presentation of receipt for ticket purchase
- submission of required documentation
- selection of table seating choice
- pick up of physical tickets
All students and their guests must arrive at the venue by 7:30 p.m. on the day of the event as doors will close at that time. All grade 12s will have received a separate soft copy and hard copy letter outlining the above and the expectations of all students while in attendance at the event.
If purchasing a ticket will cause a student or family financial hardship, please reach by email or in-person to Ms. Halas or an administrator for support. Thank you to our Prom Committee led by Ellaha S., and our staff advisors – Ms. Halas and Mr. Oosterhoff – for all they are doing to ensure that we have the best Prom ever!
Student Council 2023/2024 Elections – Important Dates
Our Student Council 2023/2024 Election applications closed last week and all applicants were required to attend a mandatory meeting. Campaigning begins next week on Monday, April 24 and will continue until our Student Council Assemblies scheduled on Thursday, April 27. Voting will take place on Friday, April 28 during period 1.
Students are encouraged to review the elected positions and responsibilities: Student Council Constitution. Note: 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. Part-time students cannot hold positions on our Student Council. 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.
Report Cards – Distributed Electronically – Tuesday, April 25
As mentioned in the opening of this newsletter, report cards will be distributed electronically on Tuesday, April 25 to the email address on file at the school for parents and/or guardians. Please keep an eye out on April 25 for an email from Forest Hill CI with instructions as to how to retrieve and open report cards.
Teachers will share marks with their students this Thursday and Friday prior to the electronic distribution of official report cards. If there are concerns about marks, students are encouraged to discuss concerns with their subject teacher. If parents or guardians wish to connect with a classroom teacher, please refer to the Our Staff page on our school website for contact information.
Coffee House – New Date – Thursday, April 27
Coffee House has a new date – Thursday, April 27! Our Music Directorate is excited to host this open mic event to showcase the music talent of our students. The wide variety of music styles and instrumentation provides a venue for all students to express themselves artistically. It is a free! Join us to celebrate our students on Thursday, April 27 @ 3:30 p.m. in the library. Thank you to our Music Directorate, Ms. Simas and the Art department for making this happen for our students!
EQAO – Student Engagement Committee – Calling All Students!
Do you want to impact Ontario students’ educational experience? Are you a student in an Ontario school? Will you be in high school during the 2023–2024 school year? If yes, please consider submitting an application to be a member of Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) Student Engagement Committee!
The Student Engagement Committee provides feedback and advice to help EQAO better understand the experiences of students. For example, the 2022 -2023 committee members helped EQAO improve the online assessments. This committee is a key source of student voice. It provides an opportunity for interested students to have a positive impact on EQAO activities and Ontario’s education system. Link to this flyer to learn more about the committee and application process.
Messages from Special Education
TDSB Virtual Community Fair: Monday, April 17 or Monday, April 24
This is Part 2 in a two-part virtual series to support caregivers and students plan for graduation and life after high school. Guests include: Humber College, Corbrook, Montage, JVS Toronto, Community Living Toronto, and Meta Centre
When: Monday, April 17, 2023 from 9:30 am to 12:00pm OR Monday, April 24, 2023 from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Zoom Link: https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/j/98367378226?pwd=MW9yaDZTYnBoUTRmZEpGaXVmMVAxdz09
Meeting ID: 983 6737 8226
Passcode: 969515
For more information, email virtualfairinfo@tdsb.on.ca.
Messages from Guidance
Veterinary Medicine Bursary for Black Students Available - Info Session Monday, April 17
The Black Veterinary Association Pathway to Veterinary Medicine Bursary aims to educate Black students about the opportunities in animal health and assist them in achieving their goals. BVAC has partnered with VetStrategy and Animalytix, to sponsor three post-secondary and three middle/ secondary school bursaries for Black identifying students interested in entering veterinary medicine or veterinary technical programs. In total, $8,000 in bursaries are available for college/university students and $5,000 for middle/high school students. Information Session Details are:
Date: Monday, April 17
Time: 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Focus: Bursary overview, hints and tips for preparing a winning bursary application.
Bursary Application Closes: Friday, April 20
More information can be found on this flyer. Parents and guardians are invited to attend the information session. Students are encouraged to use their TDSB account to register and access the Zoom link. For additional information, please contact Kai Gordon at kai.gordon@tdsb.on.ca.
OUAC/OCAS Transmission for Grade 12 Students – April 24 & 25
The TDSB will automatically share grade 12 student marks with OUAC/OCAS on April 24 and 25 respectively. As mentioned above, if a grade 12 student does not want a mark to be transmitted, the student must drop the class on or before April 21. Students must speak with their guidance counsellor to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met before dropping a course. Appointments must be made on or before April 21 by linking to FHCI – Guidance Appointment Booking.
Potential Graduates – Important Information
In preparation for commencement in June, all potential graduates are reminded to complete the following steps:
- Complete “Not Returning” & Exit Survey on myBlueprint
- Submit community hours. Note: Ontario students cannot graduate without meeting the mandatory community services hours as stipulated by the Ontario Ministry of Education.
Note: All graduates must complete 18 compulsory and 12 elective credits to graduate. Students who may be short credits can still graduate if all such credits are earned by the end of August. Sign up for summer learning opportunities this week if credits are required to graduate.
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.
Marks Maintain Date – Semester 2 Course Drop Date – Tuesday, May 2
All grade 11 and 12 students are reminded of the Marks Maintain Date or Full Disclosure Date of Tuesday, May 2. If students do no wish for a course mark to appear on their transcript, the course must be dropped by May 2; however, if a grade 12 student does not want a mark to be shared with OUAC/OCAS the student must drop the course by Friday, April 21. A guidance appointment is necessary before a course will be dropped. This appointment will ensure that all graduation requirements will be met before permission to drop a course is granted.
UofT Transition Day For Students – Thursday, April 27
Each year, the Accessibility Services at University of Toronto hosts Transition Day to support incoming U of T students with disabilities to transition to university. Consider attending this year’s session to learn about academic accommodations and how they are implemented, the support services that are available to students, the assessment process and common transition challenges students face.
Date: Thursday, April 27, 2023
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Register Link: https://studentlife.utoronto.ca/program/transition-day/ (See “Program Registration” section at the bottom of the page)
Summer Coop Opportunities for Placement July 4 through August 11
The 2023 TDSB Summer Cooperative Education program is now accepting student expressions of interest for the summer program. Link to the TDSB Summer Coop Expression of Interest page to review program requirements and timelines. Applications close on Friday, May 5 at 4:00 p.m. Please note this important information:
- Pre-placement online classes are mandatory on Saturday, June 17 and Saturday, June 24
- Coop Placement Begins on Tuesday, July 4
- Coop Placement Ends on Friday, August 11, 2023
- Students will earn 2-credits
- Full participation of all components of the program is required and vacation time away during the program cannot be accommodated
Free Online Tutoring Services for TDSB Students
Link to this Tutoring Information sheet to learn about two free tutoring services available to all TDSB students: Paper and Brainfuse. Note: the these are free private tutoring services, which means that TDSB staff do not monitor these sites. During registration, use your child’s TDSB credentials (name, TDSB email address, etc.) to ensure that you are not charged for tutoring services. Once registered, a student can start tutoring immediately.
Thank you to Ms. Ng and Mr. Oosterhoff for their support of our students!
Messages from School Council
School Council Meeting – Tuesday, April 25 @ 7:30 p.m. – Join Us!
Our next School Council Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the school library. To add agenda items, connect with 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.
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.