Prom on Thursday evening was a smashing success!  Our grade 12s looked stunning in their dresses and dapper in their suits!  Under the leadership of Ellaha S, Ms. Halas and Mr. Oosterhoff, the Liberty Grand was beautifully decorated and offered an evening of fun, prizes and dancing! 

This week we will hosting our mini-speeches and voting for Forest Hill’s Valedictorian for Class of 2023 for our June 27 Commencement.  Our grade 12 classes will listen to the seven nominees on Monday during period 2 and vote on Tuesday during period 1. Best of luck to all nominees! 

Pride Month will begin this week on Thursday and Hillstock will take place on Friday! Hillstock is a Forest Hill tradition and celebration with a barbeque lunch, ice cream, snow cones, inflatables, face painting, music and more!  All students are expected to join this afternoon of free fun!  We will shorten each period on Friday to allow Hillstock to happen:

Culminating Activities will begin on Monday, June 5 and all students are encouraged to plan their time accordingly.  All students are also asked to review the Examination Schedule and record important dates in their calendars. 

Sincerely,

Yvette Duffy, Principal            Maharukh Kootar, Vice Principal           Jaime Yamashita, Vice Principal

In this issue: 

1. The Next Two Weeks at a Glance
2. Valedictorian: Mini-Speeches Monday, May 29 & Voting Tuesday, May 30
3. Late Start – Wednesday, May 31 – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.
4. National Indigenous History Month & National Indigenous Peoples Day
5. Pride Month Begins – Thursday, June 1
6. Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month at the TDSB
7. Hillstock is Back! – Friday, June 2
8. Culminating Activities Begin – Monday, June 5
9. Semester 2 Exam Schedule & Moratorium
10. Exams & Culminating Activities – Vacation Planning & Summer Employment Expectations
11. Future Students Welcome Reception – Tuesday, June 13 @ 4:30 p.m.
12. Messages from Guidance
13. Messages from School Council
14. 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.   

Valedictorian: Mini-Speeches Monday, May 29 & Voting Tuesday, May 30

Congratulations to our grade 12 students who were nominated for Valedictorian for the Class of 2022/2023.  The seven nominees will present a one-minute speech to grade 12 classes on Monday, May 29 during period 2.

On Tuesday, May 30, all grade 12 students will receive the Valedictorian ballot in their TDSB email and will be given time during period 1 to vote.  Students who have morning spare will be able to vote between 9:00 am and noon on May 30. The announcement of the valedictorian will be made at the end of the day. Best of luck to all the nominees!  

Late Start – Wednesday, May 31 – Classes Begin at 9:55 a.m.

Each month our staff hosts our monthly Staff Meeting which results in a late start for students.  Classes will begin at 9:55 a.m. on Wednesday, May 31. Link to our Daily & Late Start Schedule for more information. 

National Indigenous History Month & National Indigenous Peoples Day

National Indigenous History Month is a time to celebrate and learn from First Nations, Métis and Inuit people about the diverse cultures, histories, experiences, creations, perspectives, and achievements. The TDSB will kick off the month on June 13^th with Elder Blu Waters for TDSB students and staff. All month long, the Urban Indigenous Education Centre (UIEC) will be hosting several events and celebrations along with Two-Spirit & Indigiqueer Pride. Find out more by following the UIEC on Twitter. 

During the month of June, the TDSB recognizes National Indigenous Peoples Day on Wednesday, June 21. Many First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples celebrate the Summer Solstice on this day when the Sun travels along its northernmost most path and is the longest day of the year.  It is a time that reminds us to remain grounded, humble and appreciative.

Pride Month Begins – Thursday, June 1

During the month of June, the TDSB proudly celebrates Pride to raise awareness among all staff and students of the rich diversity and culture of the 2SLBGTQ+ community.  Our school will proudly fly the Pride flag on Wednesday and will be hosting many events this month.  More information will be provided in our next newsletter.  Thank you to our GSA for all they plan to do in June! 

Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month at the TDSB

Portuguese-Speaking Heritage Month is proudly recognized during the month of June at the TDSB.  This year the theme is Alegria/Joy. The contributions of the Portuguese-Speaking heritage to Canada are significant as they include the arts, sports, music, culinary arts, and many professional contributions to educational and medical service areas.  Canadians, along with all TDSB students, staff, and communities all enjoy the energetic and vibrant traditions that are shared through the customs of this heritage.  Over 1,400 TDSB students speak Portuguese as their mother tongue or as a primary language.  Internationally, there are 250 million Portuguese-speaking people worldwide, making it the fifth-most spoken language.

Hillstock is Back! – Friday, June 2

Hillstock is a Forest Hill tradition and celebration with a barbeque lunch, ice cream, snow cones, inflatables, face painting, music and more!  All students are expected to join this afternoon of free fun!  Our schedule on June 2 will be as follows:

Thank you to our Prefects, Ms. Homatidis and Ms. McKinnon for their leadership to put together this great event!  Thank you as well to our Music Directorate, SAC and all Falcons who are supporting in the background! Looking forward to June 2. 

Culminating Activities Begin – Monday, June 5

Students will begin working on the Culminating Activities next week.  Some activities will be completed in class while others will be taken home.  The value of the tasks ranges from 10% to 30% and some in place of examinations. Thus, all students are expected to be present for all in-class components of these activities and are reminded that a mark of zero will result for missed activities. Any concerns or questions should be directed to the classroom teacher or the appropriate Vice Principal. 

Semester 2 Exam Schedule & Moratorium

Please link to the Examination Schedule to review expectations and important dates.  All students are reminded that a missed exam will result in a mark of zero and thus attendance is mandatory.    

During the Moratorium period which begins on Monday, June 12 and runs until Friday, June 16 and all classes that have exams will not introduce new material/concepts, nor run tests or quizzes. Homework considered part of the systematic review and examination process, such as sample examination questions or take-home practice tests/quizzes, may be assigned. Note: For classes not running an examination, in-class culminating tasks may be completed during the moratorium.  No sports or excursions will take place during this period.  

Exams & Culminating Activities – Vacation Planning & Summer Employment Expectations

The 2022-23 School Calendar is available on the TDSB website which indicates that the last day of school is Friday, June 30. Vacations and summer employment are not considered legitimate reasons for absences from culminating activities and/or exams. Please avoid scheduling such during school time. Culminating activities and exams that are missed owing to vacation or summer employment will receive a mark of zero. The school cannot support requests for individual student accommodations during scheduled culminating activities and exams owing to vacation and/or summer employment.  FHCI Important dates can be found on live calendar on our school website.   

Future Students Welcome Reception – Tuesday, June 13 @ 4:30 p.m.

Forest Hill will be hosting a welcome reception for students new to our school on Tuesday, June 13 beginning at 4:30 p.m.  This evening will host our incoming grade 8s and students new to Forest Hill to learn more about our school and meet our administration, teachers, student leaders, School Council and more!

Thank you to our Prefects – and their staff sponsors Ms. Homatidis and Ms. McKinnon – who will provide tours of our school to our future students. And thank you to the student representatives of the following councils who will be on stage sharing their Forest Hill experiences:  Student Council, Athletic Council, Black Student Alliance, COPE Council, Jewish Student Union, Filipino Student Union, Music Directorate and Prefects!

Messages from Guidance

Graduation Requirements

Each Grade 12 student has been provided with their Ontario Student Status Sheet (formerly called the Credit Counselling Summary).  Students must review their graduation requirements. If there are concerns, students must book an appointment with their Guidance Counsellor. 

Community Service Hours – Grade 12 Volunteer Forms – Due Friday, June 9 @ 4 pm

Grade 12 students are reminded to submit any outstanding community service hours to the Guidance Department by Friday, June 9 at 4 pm to allow the Guidance department to process these hours in time for graduation. The Ministry of Education requires all students complete 40 hours of community service during their high school career.  Students cannot graduate without completing and submitting documentation confirming completion of these hours. Access the Volunteering page of the FHCI Guidance website to learn about volunteer opportunities and to download the Community Involvement Form.

Messages from School Council 

FHCI Staff Appreciation Lunch – Tuesday, May 29

Our School Council will be hosting our annual Staff Appreciation Lunch on Tuesday, May 29.  A selection of sandwiches, salads and desserts will be provided for FHCI staff to show our thanks for all they do.  Thank you to the group of parents and guardians who are putting this together! For questions, please email Chair Tracy Kowal at  tracy.kowal@yahoo.ca. 

School Council In-Person Meeting – Tuesday, June 13

Our last School Council Meeting will take place on Tuesday, June 13 at 7:30 p.m. All parents and guardians are welcome to join us in the Forest Hill library.  Add agenda items and rsvp by emailing Tracy Kowal at tracy.kowal@yahoo.ca.

Trustee Laskin’s Weekly Updates

Keep informed about happenings in the TDSB 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.