Next Two Weeks at a Glance:

 

Dear MGCI Parents/Guardians/Caregivers/Students:

A big thank you to the Black Student Association, Lily and all the staff who helped out with the International Night last night. The performances and atmosphere were fabulous! If your child missed it, there are still lots of school events coming up including our talent show “MGCI Shines”, the Prom, Clubs and Athletic banquets and more! Information regarding school events is shared through posters, morning announcements, our announcements bulletin board and school social media. Don’t miss out on these amazing events!

Our guidance department has lots of ways to keep your child busy this summer including volunteer opportunities, job postings, summer school courses and more. Book an appointment, check out the guidance google classrooms or see the bulletin boards inside and outside the guidance office for more information.

Have a great weekend Garneau!

Gillian Evans, Principal

 

1. Happy Spring from the TDSB Community Services team!

We invite you to explore TDSB's free and low-cost services and programming for
immigrants, newcomers, job seekers, and adults operated by the Community Services Unit.

TDSB Community Services Open House
Wednesday, May 8, 2024 @ 3-6 PM
TDSB LINC – Overlea (14 Overlea Blvd.)

Speak with services and programs’ team members at exhibitor tables; View displays and demos by Studio500 Hairstylist program;Welcoming Communities; and LINC – Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada.

Take part in our panel discussions:

3:30 PM - 3:50 PM	Enhanced Language Training Live Interview
4:00 PM - 4:20 PM	Newcomer Services Q&A
4:30 PM - 4:50 PM	Essential Skills Upgrading Live Interview
5:00 PM - 5:20 PM	Employment Panel - Next-Steps Employment Centres & Scarborough Centre for Employment Accessibility

See the event schedule, details, and RSVP here.

2. GoGreen Youth Centre Summer Camp 2024

We want to remind you to register for Go Green Youth Centre's Summer Camp 2024 as soon as possible. Spaces are filling up fast, and we want you to experience an incredible summer of fun, learning, and adventure!

Flyers will be sent home with students next week. Also, sign up for our newsletter on our website to stay up-to-date with all the latest program updates and exciting opportunities!

We are looking forward to seeing you this summer!

3. OneChild Virtual Event “From Hurt to Healing”

You are invited to attend OneChild's Virtual Professional Development Event held on May 14, 2024 from 3.30pm-5.30pm EST, designed to explore how expert speakers from youth to survivor leaders, system leaders and curriculum consultants of school boards to front-line agencies, youth mentors to parents and other experts can work together to improve their support for children impacted by sexual exploitation.

Moderated by OneChild’s Youth Empowerment and Leadership Coordinators and Speakers, the event will include panelists such as OneChild’s Youth Advisory Squad (YAS), survivor leaders, youth mentors, representatives of school boards and front-line agencies, a parent of a child victim of sextortion and a social entrepreneur whose journey from adversity to global influence represents transformational leadership.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children affected by sexual exploitation. Your participation in this event holds immense significance as we collectively strive to shed light on this crucial issue during Victims and Survivors of Crime Week 2024.

Get ready to join a meaningful discussion and walk away with tangible actions you can put in place within your schools and organizations to create a safe and supportive learning environment for children impacted by sexual exploitation.

Deadline to register is May 13, 2024.

Registration Link for the FREE VIRTUAL EVENT "From Hurt to Healing: Supporting Children Impacted by Sexual Exploitation":

https://forms.office.com/r/nHSbp7mQre

Should you have any questions or require further information about the event, please do not hesitate to contact us at programs@onechild.ca or 905-886-2222.

www.onechild.ca

4. Worth Repeating - 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 mini vans. 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/

5. Worth Repeating - Community Fair

Dear Flemingdon Park/Thorncliffe Park School Parents, Guardians and Families,

We would like to invite you to our Community Fair - Local Safety CommunityTable 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 Network10

Local School Principals and Vice Principals

6. Worth Repeating - 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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”.

10. 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.