Dear Northern Families,

We had a productive PD Day at the school looking at our School Improvement Plan. We focussed on Curriculum alignment and Best Pedagogical practices today. We are excited to move forward with a number of initiatives through the year following this work.

A reminder about scents- the TDSB encourages all members of our community to be scent aware and reduce the use of fragrances and scented products. Please be mindful of others! Details HERE .

 

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: OSSLT week begins – details below

Tuesday: Caring and Safe Schools Meeting @4pm – details below

Wednesday: Late Start @9:55am

Thursday: School Council Meeting @6:30pm

 

OSSLT

• The OSSLT will be taking place next week and we will be following this modified schedule: OSSLT Schedule - Nov. 18 to 22.
• Previously eligible students are asked to be in the library by 9:55am on Wednesday.
• If a student would like to know if they are writing, please have them come to the VP office.

 

Spirit Wear: LAST DAY!!!

TODAY - Friday, Nov 15th, 2024 is THE LAST DAY to place your orders for the winter school merch store.

https://northern-secondary-school-winter-sac-storefall24.itemorder.com/

There are a wide range of items like NSS hoodies, T-shirts, sweatpants and more at many different price points!

Orders will be delivered to NSS for student pick up. Thank you for showing NSS school Spirit!

If you have any questions about this, please email Kristen.Beach@tdsb.on.ca

 

Caring & Safe Schools Committee

13031. next Caring & Safe Schools Committee meeting is on Tuesday, November 19^th at 4:00 pm in the Heritage Room (114). Membership includes students, caregivers, teaching staff, non-teaching staff and community partners. New members are always welcome!

 

Soccer:

Northern's senior boys soccer team concluded their season this week. After a 3-2-1 regular season, the senior boys team played their best game of the season in a decisive 2-0 quarter final win over NTCI. That win vaulted them into a semi final against OCI. In the semis, the senior boys rallied back from a 1-0 half time deficit to win 2-1 with a last minute strike to advance to the finals. EYCI proved to be too much on the day to take the championship.

Coach Lombardi is proud of his entire squad for their resilience, teamwork, and sportsmanship this season. We look forward to building off a successful season.

Go Red Knights!

 

Northern Alumni STEM Panel

Hey Northern!

We are so excited to announce the return of Northern’s STEM Alumni Panel for the 2024/2025 school year! This moderated panel discussion will take place in May 2025 and will feature various Northern alumni representing diverse fields within STEM.

Interested in joining the Planning Committee? We are currently accepting applications for executive leadership positions. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain leadership experience and become involved in organizing the event. If you are interested in leading one of the following teams, please complete this application form. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 19 at 11:59pm. If there are more applicants than expected, we may reach out to arrange interviews.

Available Executive Positions:

1. Head of Advertising and Outreach

2. Head of Panelist Communication and Outreach

3. Lead Liaison

4. Head of Logistics

Detailed descriptions of each role’s responsibilities can be found here.

Not applying for an executive role? Don’t worry! You can still apply to become a general member of the Planning Committee or volunteer with us on the event day. Stay tuned for more information regarding these opportunities in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions about the application process or the event itself, please feel free to reach out to ashley.dong@student.tdsb.on.ca.

We look forward to seeing your applications!

 

ASD Program:

Please see this LINK for information about the fall after school ASD program being offered by the board.

 

Library:

1) Upcoming Library Closures:

• ALL DAY: November 20th: OSSLT - 9:45-12:05pm, 1:00-3:10pm

2) Chromebook (aka 1:1 Device Program) for grade 9s

• If you are a student in grade 9, check your email to see if your Chromebook is waiting for you to be picked up in the Library.
• In grade 10/11/12? Haven't received an email? - We are expecting another batch of Chromebooks to arrive at Northern this week. We will email students individually, to let them know they can pick them up outside of class time.

 

Graduation Photos

Attention Graduates!! Graduation photos started today. 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

 

Buddies Toy Drive:

We are so excited to announce that the Buddies are running our annual holiday toy drive! This year, we are partnering with the Leaside Toy Drive, a volunteer based initiative that collects toys and funds to support children in elementary schools in the Flemingdon Park and Thorncliffe Park communities. This is a fantastic cause and we’d love your help to make it a success!

How you can help:

- Grade 9 students: Each homeform class should have a special drop-off bag or bin for collecting toy donations. The homeform class that brings in the most toys by December 6th will win a pizza party!

- Grade 10-12 students: A drop-off box will be available in the first floor foyer before school and at lunch, from November 11th, to November 15th. During and after that, donations can be left in the drop-off box in the guidance office until December 6th.

If you have any questions, or want to learn more about the cause, feel free to email buddies.nss01@gmail.com

Thank you for helping us bring joy to kids this holiday season!

 

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

 

Learn4Life Adult General Interest Program - Winter Registration Opens Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Registration for winter courses in the Learn4Life Adult General Interest Program opens on November 13 at 8:30 a.m. Available to adults 18 and older, the Learn4Life program offers a unique opportunity to pursue interests, expand knowledge, and engage in lifelong learning. The program features a wide range of courses and activities designed to cater to diverse interests and passions—from art and fitness to languages, sports and handiwork.

Some of the new courses this term include:

1. Making Your Home Smarter
2. Classics of Horror
3. Wood Carving Introduction
4. How to Minimize Cost of Living and Maximize your Purchasing Power
5. Strength for Life - Full Body Fitness
6. Portugal’s Iconic Pastel de Nata Workshop

Courses start January 11, 2025. Visit Learn4Life’s program page for more information.

 

Mental Health and Well Being Toolkit 2024/25 for Students, Staff, Parents, Caregivers, Guardians and School Communities

Professional Support Services (PSS) is excited to re-share the Mental Health and Well Being Toolkit 2024/25 created by the Mental Health Leads and PSS team members. Developed alongside School Mental Health Ontario and the Ministry of Education, the resources in the Toolkit are identity affirming to meet students’ diverse needs. This Toolkit covers a wide range—from daily mental health and wellness activities for K-12, contacts to culturally relevant and responsive community agencies, daily wellness activities for students with disabilities and grief and loss resources available in multiple languages. Valuable information and resources on topics like anti-sex trafficking and addiction are also available, including the Vaping and Cannabis Toolkit, developed in collaboration Toronto Public Health.

We hope everyone can find support that fits their needs. This Toolkit can be used during class and shared with students, staff, parents, caregivers and guardians.

 

School Council:

1. We Are $1,150 Away from Our Goal! Our Fall Annual Ask is now underway to collect funds for School Council. 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. 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."

3. 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.

4. Navigating the Intersection of Mental Health and Learning - Thursday, November 28th at 6 pm (virtual). This free webinar is offered by the Pine River Institute for Family Initiatives. Advance registration is required.

 

Northern Secondary School Foundation:

Our Alumni Continue to Lead the way .....we're very proud of the work of:

• Dr Sam Saibil NSS’ 96 Assistant Professor at U of T for his ground-breaking research as an oncologist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
• Sam Molyneux NSS’ 99 and Canada’s Top 40 under 40 who founded Meta to bring deep technology ventures to market. Meta was acquired by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and you know the rest.
• Professor Nazlee Zebardast NSS’03 Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School whose research uses retinal images to predict future heart and lung diseases.
• Dr. Josh Bongard NSS’ 93 Professor at the University of Vermont and Co-author of the popular science book “How the Body Shapes the Way we Think: A new view of Intelligence.”

Read more about Northern alumni at nssf.ca/stories Contact us at info@nssf.ca to learn more about the Northern Secondary School Foundation. Connect with us on insta @northernssfoundation.

 

Guidance Updates:

1. WellNSS Fear VS Danger Quote of the Week: “A bud blooms through its branching roots -- similarly, confronting fears will make you grow.” -Ivri Almog (NSS Student)
2. Full Disclosure date is November 19. 2024.
3. Semester 2 e-Learning Course Registration OPENS November 12, 2024 at 10:00a.m.

Check out semester 2 e-Learning Day School course offerings on the e-Learning Day School website Registration opens to students on November 12, 2024 at 10 a.m. through the e-REG system.

4. Post-Secondary Lunchtime Visit Calendar: here.
5. Humber College (Now "Humber Polytechnic") is hosting a Parent / Guardian Information Session focusing on their Dual Credit program and Pathway Information this coming weekend.

"This session will highlight opportunities, pathways, and resources in order to provide smooth transition to postsecondary education. We would like to invite parents', guardians, and students in high school. We intend to shift your mindset from anxiety and uncertainty about potential careers to optimism about a postsecondary future by providing information about the dual credit pathway. Humber Polytechnic has a number of foundations and pathway programs that are designed specifically for students who are uncertain about their future education and are having difficulty deciding on a future career path. Food will be provided to minimize barriers for attendance. Register here"

Note: This is not a TDSB event as it is being hosted by Humber so there will not be any TDSB staff on site. Students under 18 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

6. 2024 – 2025 Scholarship Updates:

Seeking Scholarships has released their November Scholarship Report which has upcoming scholarship dates listed for students applying to post-secondary programs. It also has some great tips this month for applying to scholarships and funding post-secondary education.

Northern students, teachers, and families can access from this link using the password, scholar678: https://seekingscholarships.com/the-scholarship-report-2/

Please note: This resource is copyrighted and only available to Northern families - please do not share outside of the Northern community.

Northern-specific scholarship information and deadlines (along with other common awards that students apply to can be found here): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-ZrEGhtrhY8rH4WW3NLC-p5QE-2hStUszLZTn34h8_o/edit

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!

7. IMPORTANT Volunteering Information:

PLEASE NOTE: Events and activities supporting a not-for-profit initiative/organization are approved. If you are unsure if your activities supports a not-for-profit program, please see your Guidance counsellor for approval of the volunteering initiative. For more information about the TDSB’s policy on Volunteering, click here. Students: for volunteering information and opportunities, please visit your Guidance Google classroom or www.volunteertoronto.ca. You can find the TDSB Community Involvement form here.

8. Online Graduation Requirement – Information and Opt-Out Form.

Looking for information about the Ontario Ministry Online Learning graduation requirement? Please click here. Overview Info: Students may withdraw/opt out of this new requirement and graduate with an OSSD if you have decided now to withdraw from the graduation requirement, please complete the TDSB Opt Out/Withdrawal Form and return it to your Guidance Counsellor.

9. Mental Wellness Resource Document

If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.

 

Have a great weekend!

Adam Marshall

Principal

Follow me @PrincipalNSS