Dear Northern Families,
We are already into play-off season in athletics, hard to believe. The school is busy with clubs, arts, and athletics activities all the time. Great to see so much energy!
There have been a couple inquiries about chromebooks for the 1:1 Device program. For families who filled in the agreement by September 15th we received devices on Tuesday. They arrived assigned, but without names on them. So after several days of looking up students we began delivery this morning. Thanks to Juli Mori in the library for taking on this task. Juli and her team are also delivering a lesson on use/ access/ functionality of the devices when students pick them up. This process will continue next week.
The student calendar can be found here: 2024-25 School Calendar. Any additions made will be highlighted for a two week period throughout the year.
The student handbook can be found here: Student Handbook
Things to Know for Next Week:
Wednesday: Late Start @9:55am
Wednesday: Canada Math League #1 Competition
Thursday: Halloween!
Thursday-Friday: Diwali
Yearbook:
Hey Northern! The time has come to vote on this year’s yearbook cover. Your opinion matters so go check out our Instagram @northern.yearbook and fill out the form linked in our bio. Voting will be open until next Wednesday, October 30. Happy cover voting!
Link: https://forms.gle/Tw2C4YQnz3oY4P3T7
Northern Math Competitions
Congratulations to all our CLMC competitors! We’d like to give special recognition to John Liabotis and Matthew Wang for earning Bronze Awards. Well done!
A reminder for participants registered for the COMC: we will be writing next Wednesday, October 30th.
Registration is still open for our CNML competitions in November and December. For more details, please check our Google Classroom (code: x56enxz).
The NSS Spirit Wear Store is OPEN online!
You are invited to place your orders for NSS hoodies, t-shirts, sweatshirts and pants here:
https://northern-secondary-school-winter-sac-storefall24.itemorder.com/
Samples will be available to try on in the front lobby.
There are a wide range of items at many different price points!
Orders will be delivered to NSS for student pick up.
The last day to place orders is Monday, Nov 4th 2024.
Thank you for showing NSS school Spirit!!
If you have any questions about this, please email Kristen.Beach@tdsb.on.ca
Graduation Photos – Starting November 8th
Please continue to look for updates in the bulletin for booking details.
Take Our Kids to Work Day (TOKTWD)
A reminder for grade 9 families that TOKTWD permission forms have gone out to students in their home form classes. Please return signed permission forms to home form teachers by November 1. Take Our Kids to Work Day Parent/Guardian Consent Form
Take Our Kids to Work Day (TOKTWD) is taking place on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. TOKTWD is an experiential learning opportunity for Grade 9 students across Canada offering them the chance to see the world of work firsthand, explore a variety of careers and sectors, and look at what skills are important to thrive in the world of work.
Grade 9 students will have the opportunity to shadow a parent/guardian or another adult approved by their parent/guardian on November 6.
Northern Robotics Club
The Northern Robotics Team participated in the off-season STEMley Cup Championship/Overtime Sunday Robotics Competition last Sunday. The new robot, built and programmed by the team over the past five weeks, won the “Fan Favorite Award,” as voted by the 26 participating robotics teams. Despite encountering mechanical, electronic, and other challenges, we gained valuable insights that will help us prepare for the upcoming season. Photos and Video:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_CPsNXKyZnFoGk7U0Xp439mzSZqu1d97?usp=sharing
To support and donate to our Robotics Club, please visit our team website/NSS Foundation link and specify that your donation will be used to support the NSS Robotics Team in the fund area. https://knightowls.ca/donate
Thank you for your support on this valuable learning experience.
Exams and Culminating Activities:
Final exams run from January 22-27, 2025. The moratorium period begins on Thursday January 16th. There will be no excursions or athletic events during this period.
You can find information about the culminating activities and final exams for each course here (organized by grade) here: NSS Culminating and Final Exam Information Sem 1 2024-2025
You can find a detailed exam schedule here: NSS Exam Schedule - Semester 1 2024-25
The schedule follows this format:
Students will follow their Day 1 schedule as follows for exams:
Wednesday, January 22 - Period 1 Exam
Thursday, January 23 - Period 2 Exam
Friday, January 24 - Period 3 Exam
Monday, January 27 - Period 4 Exam
ALL exams will begin at 10:00 am. Exam duration will vary by subject/year. Looking ahead, students should make sure they eat a good breakfast as they will eat a “late” lunch on these days once exams are over (late relative to our usual 11:40 am lunchtime).
Please take some time to look through our Exam ReadiNSS site for information and resources. More information will be added as exams approach – including some in person exam preparation sessions provided by our student services and special education departments.
CULMINATING TASKS AND EXAMS
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. Thus, attendance during culminating activities/summative evaluations is mandatory. A culminating activity is the final evaluation in each course which is worth 30% of the final mark. “This evaluation will be based on evidence from one or a combination of the following: an examination, a performance, an essay and/or another method of evaluation suitable to the course content” (p.41-Growing Success). Students who miss culminating activities or summative evaluations will be given a mark of zero for the portion missed with no opportunity to make up the missed work unless there is an extenuating and documented circumstance, such as a medical situation, court date, funeral etc. It is absolutely crucial that students do not miss any time during the end of a semester. Under Ministry of Education and TDSB regulations, there can be no accommodations made for students who miss the 30% culminating activities and summative evaluations at the end of a semester for personal reasons such as vacation or work. Students and parents should be aware that scheduled vacations at this time can significantly impact student achievement. With the exception of a medical emergency, all summative tests and assignments that are missed as a result of these absences will be assigned a mark of zero.
Webinar Wednesdays
The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement is hosting its first session of the Webinar Wednesdays series for the 2024-2025 school year. We invite parents and caregivers of Black children to join in the conversation as we discuss the Cell Phone/Mobile Device Use in Schools Policy at the TDSB. Claudine Tyrell, Principal of Humberside Collegiate Institute, and member of TDSB’s cellphone guidelines working group, will be joining us alongside Graduation Coaches for Black Students and K-12 Learning Coaches.
In this session, participants will learn:
- What this new policy means for students
- Impact on learning and accommodations
- Tips for parents, caregivers and students
Date: October 30, 2024
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Registration link: https://bit.ly/3MY7Gka. Registration closes October 28, 2024
SEAC Town Hall on November 4, 2024, for Parents/Guardians/Caregivers of Students with Disabilities/Special Education Needs
TDSB SEAC is hosting a Town Hall. This is an opportunity for families who have a child with a disability/special education needs to share their experiences at school.
Date: November 4, 2024
Location: Virtual or In-person
TDSB Board Office, 5050 Yonge St., North York
Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
If possible, administrators are asked to share this flyer with families.
SEAC Town Hall - November 4 2024.pdf
Student Success Updates
Peer Tutoring- Peer tutoring is now available in all compulsory classes for all grades! To be matched with a tutor, please fill out this form.
Northern's Student Nutrition Program- Each week Student and Parent Volunteers prepare FREE lunch for students on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays starting September 24th. If you would like to receive FREE lunch every week please sign up here.
If you are a parent looking to volunteer, please email april.vibert@tdsb.on.ca
School Council:
1. We Need Your Help! Our Fall Annual Ask is now underway to collect funds for School Council. We are 66% of the way to our $ 10,000 goal! We support student clubs, teams, and student initiatives – as well as provide events for parents on mental health, educational needs, and more. Please give whatever you can – every gift makes a difference! Click here to login to School Cash Online to donate
2. Walking Buddies - Sunday, October 27th at 9:30 am. Join other Northern parents for some fresh air, exercise, and conversation about school, kids, and life! If you are interested in joining us, please send a message with “Walking buddies” in the subject line.
3. School Council meeting - Thursday, November 21st at 6:30 pm. School Council meets in the Northern Secondary School Library. We are looking forward to seeing you in person or on the screen - the meeting will be hybrid. If you would like to attend virtually, please email us at nss.school.council@gmail.com with the subject line "School Council Meeting Link."
4. Ask Adam The Principal's update is an important part of every school council meeting. If you have a question about something that is happening at Northern, please submit your question to nss.school.council@gmail.com with "Ask Adam" in the subject line.
Northern Secondary School Foundation
It was great to reconnect with Northern Alumni at the 25th Anniversary Reunion for the Class of 1999 and learn that what our Alum are doing!
- Sara Wilson, journalist and author of the term ‘Digital Campfire’ had an article published in the Harvard Business Review
- Thomas Wong, corporate executive and serial entrepreneur, founded Chatime that has become Canada’s leading Bubble Tea franchise
- Simon Poole, award winning BIPOC Composer known for creating dynamic scores for film and TV including Black Ice a documentary that focussed on anti-black racism in Hockey
- Ari Lantos, film producer, is ready to make an international splash with the launch a 10 part TV series the Rise of the Raven.
Check us out at nssf.ca or connect with us on instagram @northernssfoundation
Guidance Updates:
October’s Wellness Theme: Gratitude
- WellNSS Gratitude Quote of the Week: “Being thankful is not always experienced as a natural state of existence, we must work at it, akin to a type of strength training for the heart.”
– Larissa Gomez
This past Wednesday, period 2 classes explored ideas of how gratitude is directly linked to wellness.
- Deadline to Withdraw from a Course is November 5, 2024. You must book an appointment with your Guidance counsellor to see if you are eligible. Full Disclosure date is November 19. 2024.
- Post-Secondary Lunchtime Visit Calendar
Guidance has booked individual schools to give a lunch time presentation for our students. Please check out the Post-Secondary Lunch time visit calendar here.
- Guidance Counselors visited gr 12 home form classrooms to deliver our “You’re in Grade 12, Now What? Grad Requirements & Post-Secondary Info presentation”. Please find the slideshow here.
- 2024 – 2025 Scholarship Updates:
A general list of scholarships has been shared with Grade 11 & 12 students, and can be found here. This list includes major scholarship awards that require a nomination from Northern (highlighted in yellow). Now is a great time for Grade 12 students to take a look and plan out which awards they may want to apply for!
Seeking Scholarships has published their September Scholarship report, which contains information and tips about funding post-secondary, along with an updated list of scholarships and deadlines.
Northern students and parents can access this resource here: https://seekingscholarships.com/the-scholarship-report-2/ using the password scholar678.
This resource is copyrighted and our use is limited to Northern students and families - please do not share outside of the Northern community.
Keep an eye out for those early scholarship deadlines!
- Mental Wellness Resource Document
If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.
Have a great weekend!
Adam Marshall
Principal
Follow me @PrincipalNSS