Dear MGCI Parents/Guardians/Caregivers/Students:
To everyone celebrating Easter this weekend, enjoy this time with your family and friends! To all our families and community - we wish you the best this weekend! The days are getting warmer and longer and we hope that you can enjoy some much earned rest and sunshine.
There are still quite a few weeks left in the school year and lots of opportunities to improve grades before we enter culminating activity season. Speak with your child’s teacher if you have any questions.
Gillian Evans, Principal
- Interested in driving a school bus?
Our school bus operators are continually looking for qualified applicants to ensure we can deliver students to school safely and on-time each and every day. The work involves about 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon and free training is provided. Enjoying working with kids is a prerequisite! Companies may offer service in a large conventional school bus, a mini school bus, or even minivans. We have several school bus operators located throughout the city. We have identified in the link where the school bus provider operates routes to help you better identify a carrier near you. https://www.torontoschoolbus.org/bus/driver-recruitment/
- Community Fair
Dear Flemingdon Park/Thorncliffe Park School Parents, Guardians and Families, We would like to invite you to our Community Fair - Local Safety Community Table for the Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park school communities. Please join us so that you can meet our local community partners and see what is available to support your child(ren)! We will also make available what supports can be provided during the summer months!
Here are the invited schools:
Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy
Thorncliffe Park Public School
Grenoble Public School
Gateway Public School
Valley Park Middle School
Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute
Monday, May 13, 2024 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Location: Valley Park Middle School
130 Overlea Blvd, Toronto, ON
In-Person and Light refreshments will be served
On Behalf of the Planning Committee:
Rachel Chernos Lin, TDSB Chair/Trustee Ward 11
Farzana Rajwani, Trustee Ward 14
Uton Robinson, Executive Superintendent Learning Centre 1
Ian Allison, Interim Superintendent Learning Network 5
Shirley Chan, Executive Superintendent Learning Centre 2
Cassandra Alviani-Alvarez, Superintendent Learning Network 10
Local School Principals and Vice Principals
- I’m pleased to share the upcoming event in collaboration with New Circles for their annual Glow Up for Prom event!
Prom and end-of-year celebrations are right around the corner and everyone is looking to get that special look! Glow Up for Prom is a "pop-up shop" style event that provides equity-deserving students the opportunity to pick out formal wear for proms, graduations, banquets, and other special events, free of charge! Please see below for more information and registration and share widely!
ABOUT THE EVENT
GLOW UP FOR PROM 2024
Thorncliffe Park Youth Wellness Hub
45 Overlea Blvd (located inside East York Town Centre, entrance #6)
East York, ON M4H 1C3
Appointments from:
Friday, May 10th from 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm OR
Saturday, May 11th from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
About the Event
- Registered participants will have up to 1 hour to find the perfect outfit and accessories for prom, graduation or another formal event.
- There will be personal shoppers to help you find the perfect fit!
- Stop by our shopping booths highlighting local vendors for your big day!
- Youth MUST register for an appointment time and are welcome to bring up to two (2) guests.
- Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration will close at 5:00 pm on May 9, 2024, or until spaces are filled.
- To register please go to: https://GlowUpProm24.eventbrite.ca
Eligibility
· Youth do not need to be in their graduating year but must be currently enrolled in middle school, high school, or college/university
· Must be in need of support
· Must reside in either The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) or New Circles service areas
Questions can forwarded to: Odita Myers - Girls Empowerment Lead
Phone: 416-424-2900 x 4506 (Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 5:00 pm) Email: omyers@tno-toronto.org
- Worth Repeating - Upcoming School Events for Students!
We have so many exciting school events planned for the next few weeks. Ask your child to keep an eye on the announcements, posters throughout the school, and social media.
- Junk Food Sales Day - May 8th
- BSA International Night - May 9th
- MGCI Shines Talent Show - May 16th
- Relay for Life - May 30th
- Prom - June 6th
- SAC BBQ - June 7th
- Worth Repeating - Human Trafficking Workshop for Parents/Caregivers
We invite you to a very special presentation presented by Victim Services Toronto on Tuesday May 7, 2024 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Marc Garneau C.I. in our school’s library. The presentation will focus on your role as a parent/guardian/caregiver and how you can prevent human trafficking. You will learn how youth are recruited, how to identify if your child is being trafficked, and how to support your child to prevent from being trafficked. We look forward to seeing you on May 7 at 6:30 p.m. in our school’s library.
- Worth Repeating - Relay for Life:
Registration for Relay for Life is now open! We are a non-profit organisation looking to bring awareness and support cancer survivors/patients. Each year, our school raises money for cancer research and end with a fun day to celebrate the progress we made. This year’s fundraising will conclude on May 30th with the annual Relay Day—a day filled with fun activities, food, and prizes! How can you get involved? Make a team with your friends, sign up with the link below, fundraise with your team, and best of all, have fun on RELAY DAY! Registration closes on April 28th. https://forms.gle/aMVXuFoS6qmB8rKH6
- Worth Repeating - e-Summer School Update
2024 e-Summer School Registration - Grade 10 - 12 Credit Courses
Registration for July and August e-Summer School courses will begin on Monday, April 22, 2024. A list of courses being offered can be found here. Students are asked to connect with their home school Guidance Counsellors to complete their registration.
Grade 8 Summer Reach Ahead Opportunity
Current Grade 8 students are eligible to register for the e-Summer Full Credit Summer Reach Ahead course, GLD2OE. Successful completion of this e-Summer course counts towards the Ministry of Education’s mandatory e-Learning credit requirement. Registration begins on Monday, April 22, 2024.
For information click https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/elearning/e-Summer-School
- Worth Repeating - Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute - Policy for Absences from Culminating Activities and Exams
Moratorium is a period of four days prior to the scheduled final exam days. During this time, students will be working on final culminating projects or reviewing for their exams with their teachers.
Final exams run from Wednesday, June 19th - Tuesday, June 25th, 2024. The exam schedule will be shared with students and the community in the coming weeks.
Please be reminded of our policy for absences during Culminating Assignments and Final Exams:
Absence from a Culminating Activity Evaluation: Culminating activities are completed toward the end of a course and are part of the student’s 30% final evaluation. Culminating activities and examinations carry the same importance and the same attendance requirement. Thus, attendance during culminating activities is mandatory. Some courses have culminating activities that take place over several days.
If a student misses a culminating activity, the student will receive a mark of “0”. In the event that a student is too ill to complete a culminating activity, the parent/guardian must provide medical documentation of the illness. The parent/guardian is asked to contact the school before the culminating activity due date. The parent/guardian will be given a ‘Missed Evaluation’ Form to be completed by a medical doctor and submitted within two days of the missed culminating activity. Family vacations are not considered excused absences and as such, students are expected to be in class for all culminating activities.
If satisfactory documentation of the illness is provided on the Missed Evaluation Form, the culminating activity may be rescheduled. Otherwise, the student will receive a mark of “0”. There are no exemptions.
Absence from a Final Examination: Exam dates and times for all courses are set out in the exam schedule which will be distributed to students and parents/guardians. We are not able to accommodate any changes to the Exam Schedule or requests to write an exam at a date/time other than the scheduled date/time shown.
Students are urged to check their exam schedule carefully. If a student misses an exam because of misreading the schedule, the student will receive a mark of “0”.
In the event that a student is too ill to write a final exam, the parent/guardian must provide documentation of the illness. The parent/guardian is asked to contact the school before the Exam is written. The parent/guardian will be given a ‘Missed Evaluation’ form to be completed by a medical doctor and submitted within two days of the missed exam.
Family vacations are not considered excused absences and as such, students are expected to be in attendance for all examinations.
If satisfactory documentation of the illness is provided on the missed evaluation form, an alternative evaluation may be scheduled. Students granted an alternative evaluation will receive a mark of “0” until they complete the alternative examination. There are no exemptions from writing an exam.
Late Arrivals During an Exam: Each student is given a copy of the Exam Schedule at least two weeks before the examination. Punctuality is expected. Students who arrive late will be admitted to the exam up to one hour after the exam begins, but will not receive extra time.
Plagiarism/Cheating: Any student found copying from someone and/or in possession of notes or materials not permitted in the Exam Room will be deemed cheating. Electronic devices are not permitted in the exam room unless permission has been granted from the Vice-Principal (ie. electronic translation devices).
Students using electronic devices during Exams to download or share information will be deemed to be cheating. Cheating is a serious offence and may lead to a mark of “0”.
- Worth Repeating - CMHA-Mental Health Promotion Training team are running free workshops during Mental Health Week
They are offering a series of free workshops to promote mental wellness in the community. These workshops aim to provide valuable insights, resources, and strategies for maintaining good mental health and supporting others who may be struggling.
This year, their theme for Mental Health Week is "Compassion Connects," emphasising the power of kindness and empathy in fostering mental well-being and building supportive communities.
The sessions:
1. Creating compassionate workplaces on Tuesday, May 7 at 11 am ET.
2. 5 ways to practise self care and show compassion to yourself on Wednesday, May 8 at 12 noon ET.
3. Creating compassionate workplaces on Thursday, May 9 at 11 am ET.
4. Understanding mental health on Friday, May 10 at 12 noon ET.
If you're interested in participating, you can register on their website – cmhato.org/mhw.
- Worth Repeating - Vaccinations
Measles is increasing and spreading in every region of the world. It can cause a fever, rash, runny nose, red eyes & more. It spreads through the air and close contact when a person infected with measles breathes, coughs, or sneezes. If you think you have the virus, stay home & contact your doctor. Learn more: http://toronto.ca/measles-fact-sheet.
Vaccines are available from your primary health care provider or at a TPH community clinic for school-aged children, by appointment. Visit TPHbookings.ca for more information.
All children attending school between ages 4 to 17 need to be immunized according to Ontario's Immunization Schedule. If you are unsure of your child’s vaccination status, check their yellow card (Ontario Immunization Record), TPH’s Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) or by speaking with their primary health care provider.
To learn more, visit toronto.ca/immunization or contact TPH at publichealth@toronto.ca, or 416-338-7600 (TTY: 416-392-0658), Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines and flu vaccines
We are still in the midst of respiratory illness season, and it is not too late to get vaccinated against both COVID-19 and the flu. Both of these vaccines continue to be available at your local pharmacy and doctor’s office. The updated COVID-19 vaccine better protects against the new Omicron XBB variant. You can get the updated COVID-19 vaccine if you are aged six months and older and it has been at least six months since their last COVID-19 dose or infection (whichever is longer). It is safe to get the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine at the same time or around the same time. Learn more about where to get the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine.
- School Council Update
We had our last school council meeting of the year last week. You can find the recording here. A huge thank you to all the council members who served this year and the parents/caregivers who attended meetings and supported school events. There is still one more event in the works to provide a staff appreciation event. More information to come!
Keep an eye on future newsletters as we plan for September/October and our first meeting and election.
Any questions, please reach out to Yogesh or Masood!
Land Acknowledgement: We, the students and staff of Marc Garneau 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.