Dear Northern Families,
While most of us rely on cellphones that make this adjustment for us, a reminder that Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 3, 2024, at 2:00 a.m. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep!
A reminder for grade 9 families that Take Our Kids to Work Day is November 6th. Absences will be put in for students with returned permission forms by the office. Grade 9s, enjoy your work experience!
Of note, Anne Fleming, one of our alumni has been nominated and shortlisted for a Giller Prize - the largest literary prize in Canada. Her novel is called Curiosities. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Toronto on November 18. Anne lives in Victoria BC. Pool Hopping, her first published work, was shortlisted for a Governor General’s Prize for Fiction.
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:
Monday-Friday: United Way Week
Tuesday: Semester 1, Term 1 Ends
Wednesday: Take Our Kids to Work Day- details below
Wednesday: Holocaust Assembly Schedule- see details below!
Thursday: Faculty Follies @ lunch in auditorium
Friday: National Indigenous Veteran’s Day
Next Week is United Way Week!
Monday, November 4 to Friday November 8, there will be daily lunchtime fundraising activities to support United Way Greater Toronto. Students are encouraged to come have some fun, enjoy some treats and watch some hilarious and exciting spectacles - all while donating some cash to a worthy cause. It's a school-wide effort! The United Way Association has been working hard, and homeform classes have planned and contributed a variety of fundraising ideas.
Highlights: Tuesday is bake sale day! **Hot chocolate will also be on sale BEFORE SCHOOL Tuesday.** (Front foyer)
Thursday is Faculty Follies - students can buy tickets to watch live and recorded performances by teachers in various departments. (Auditorium)
Friday is The Great Race - students can buy tickets to see Northern clubs and associations compete for the title! (Upstairs gym)
Holocaust Remembrance Assembly
On November 6, Holocaust Survivor Elly Gotz will be speaking to our grade 10 students in the auditorium during period 3. Other classes can join in via live stream.
Name of Guest Speaker: Elly Gotz
Title: Holocaust Survivor Elly Gotz: A Witness to History
Location: Northern Auditorium/ Broadcasted into classrooms
Topic: Holocaust Education Week. Elly's story focuses on: 1) teaching tolerance; 2)
understanding the conditions that bring about genocide.
Purpose of the Activity: To help to fulfill Ministry of Education, TDSB and school level
commitments to combat anti-Semitism and develop Holocaust education.
No handouts will be given. Please visit https://www.ellygotz.com/ for more information.
A special schedule will be in place:
P1: 9:00-10:20
P2: 10:25-11:40
L: 11:40-12:40
P3: 12:40 - 2:10 (extended period)
P4: 2:15-3:15 (short period)
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.
IEP Distribution
Printed IEP’s for students with Special Education needs are ready for pick up in the VP office starting November 5th and throughout the week. A reminder announcement will be made to call down students to pick up the IEP to be brought home for parent/caregiver review. Unfortunately, owing to technical issues in the transition to a new IEP management system, IEP’s will not be able to be emailed to parents en masse this year. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s IEP, please reach out to the appropriate Curriculum Leader/Assistant Curriculum Leader for support.
Academic Resource and LD – Amanda.Kearney@tdsb.on.ca
Gifted – John.Moyer@tdsb.on.ca (currently on leave – please reach out to alpha VP)
Deaf and Hard of Hearing – Heather.Kessler@tdsb.on.ca
Cross Country:
Congratulations to Northern's Cross Country team for their strong performance at City Championships last Thursday! Many Northern athletes ran a personal best time, and several students qualified for OFSAA Championships in Ottawa. Alex Lo, Grade 9, placed top 5 and qualified for OFSAA as an individual. Northern's Junior Girls team qualified with strong team results, led by a first-place overall finish by Rebecca Pribaz. Kieva Birmingham also qualified for OFSAA as an individual in the Senior Girl's division, placing 2nd overall. Good luck to all our OFSAA competitors racing next Monday in Ottawa!
Graduation Photos
Attention Graduates!! Graduation photos will take place starting Friday, November 8th. Please book an appointment online following the link and steps below:
https://booking.edgeimaging.ca/portal/book/NEH
Click “Classic Sitting”
Choose date and time of your liking, click “confirm and pay now”
Enter student, contact and billing information and “click confirm and pay”
**Props will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own to personalize your session- a small item that shows off your personality or interests!
**Please come prepared in a white collared shirt or blouse and tie.
**A black graduation gown, sash and graduation cap will be available
**Your confirmation email will confirm the location of your session will take place
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
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
Library News:
1) Upcoming Library Times:
- November 5th: DECA Competition - Closed for spares, Circulation Desk Open
- November 7th: Multiple Events - Drop in area closed/limit, Circulation Desk Open
- November 20th: OSSLT - All areas + Circulation Desk Closed 9:00-11:40am, 12:40-3:15pm
- November 25th, morning: OSSLT - All areas + Circulation Desk Closed 9:00-11:40am
2) Overdue Books and devices:
- Overdue notices have gone out to students this week. Please return your books and borrowed technology to the Library as soon as possible. If you have lost an item, please discuss this with a Teacher-Librarian.
3) Chromebook (1:1 Device) Distribution
- Grade 9 students will be receiving 1:1 Devices (Chromebooks) in homeform until November 5.
- Students who missed the pick-up with their homeform class will receive an email from the Teacher-Librarian, Juli Mori, indicating that they have a device to pick-up in the Library during drop-in times. Students are not to come during class time to pick up 1:1 Devices (Chromebooks)
- Chromebooks for Grade 10, 11 and 12 students have not yet arrived at the school. Students will be informed when they are ready for pick-up.
- Students who did not OPT IN to the 1:1 Device Program should send a request for an OPT IN form to: danielle.trotto@tdsb.on.ca
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
OSSLT
- The OSSLT will be taking place from November 18 to 22 and a modified schedule will be followed (to be shared in the future). All first-time eligible students in a semester 1 grade 10 English or ESLD/E class along with previously eligible/ unsuccessful students will be writing. Families of students who are scheduled to write will receive an email with the necessary details. If a student would like to know if they are writing, please have them come to the VP office.
School Council:
1. We Need Your Help! Our Fall Annual Ask is now underway to collect funds for School Council. We are 75% 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. Every gift makes a difference! Click here to login to School Cash Online. If you’d like to make a donation and receive a tax receipt, you can contribute through School Cash Online - TDSB Donation. Please note when tax receipts are issued there are significant restrictions on how funds can be spent which limits Council’s ability to respond to student clubs’ requests for support.
2. Events Survey- School council would love your input as we plan social and educational events for this school year. Please complete this survey.
3. Walking Buddies - Sunday, November 9th 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.
Guidance Updates:
- NSS November Wellness Theme: Fear VS Danger
On November 6th, period 2 classes will explore the idea of Fear Vs Danger.
Why explore this idea? Our bodies often mistake fear for danger. In a sutationa where there is fear (but little danger), we can ask ourselves whether it is OK to work through the feelings of fear by staying present with them. When we avoid things that we are afraid of, we make it harder to face the fear. This can create a negative cycle of anxiety. Leaning into your fear can be an important way to grow as a person.
- WellNSS Fear VS Danger Quote of the Week: "The fear of danger is never as great as the danger of fear." - Jack Keable (NSS student)
- 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