Dear Northern Families,
December has finally arrived. It feels like the building has exhaled a bit this week as everyone can feel the upcoming holiday growing closer. Nearly there!
This time of year is always exciting with the United Way Fashion Show. Tickets still available at the door. Show starts at 7. Hope to see you there!
We had an amazing ESL/ELL Speech Competition at the school this week. Thanks to Ms. Boxer for facilitating the event- more details below!
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: Gifted Advisory Committee (GAC) meeting in Library @6:30pm
Tuesday: Canada National Math League #3
Wednesday: Late Start @9:55am
Student Activity Council (SAC) Updates:
SAC Candy Cane Grams
Student Council is running its very first candy gram distribution! From Monday December 9th through Monday December 16th, members of student council will be selling candy cane grams in the first floor foyer at lunch. The candy canes will cost $2 for one and $5 for three. Students can purchase as many as they’d like and send them to their friends (anonymously or with a name attached, whatever their preference is) with a short note to show their appreciation of them for the holidays!
SAC Merchandise Orders Update
We hope that all ordered items will arrive before the holidays! We will let students know when purchased items are here and where/when they can be picked up. Thank you for your patience.
Door Decorating Competition
Attention all class reps and homeform teachers, Northern's annual door decorating has arrived! The prompt for this year is "Do you want to build a snowman?" . Classes can begin to decorate their doors using an interpreted version of the theme on Monday December 9th. The SAC exec will be judging the doors on December 19th. Have fun decorating!
From the ESL Department:
This week Northern hosted the TDSB ESL Speech Competition Semi-Finals East. At this twelfth annual event, students from thirteen schools competed for the top three speeches in each ESL category.
To help make the event a success, our yearbook photographer, Likith Sunkara, captured each exciting moment of the day, while our student emcees, Lucas Yang, Niousha Khademi, Behrad Radmanesh, Theo Ribiero and Aryan Sharifiyan kept the audience entertained.
Our competitors made Northern proud and did an INCREDIBLE job. Congratulations go to the following students for their speeches: Henna Zare’s, "My Dream Job”, Fatima Haghgou’s, "Why is School Strange?" and Rodrigo Villar’s, "My Life in Red and White".
In a thrilling sweep, all three were awarded medals, and are heading to the competition Finals next week!
Way to go Henna, Fatima and Rodrigo!
Jewish Student Union:
Please take a look at this CHANUKAH POSTER for an exciting opportunity on December 12th. We hope to have a solid Northern contingent present!
FemNSS
Dear Northern students and families, on Tuesday December 17th FemNSS will be running a bake sale to raise money for the North York Women’s Shelter (NYWS). We will have cookies, cupcakes, brownies and more! Cash only.
NYWS is a local shelter self described as a “holistic and intersectional feminist approach to anti-violence and pushing back against gender based violence.” (Read more here: https://nyws.ca).
Currently, Canadian Women’s Shelters are in crisis due to underfunding. There aren’t enough beds to support the demand and approximately 699 women and 236 children are turned away from domestic violence shelters daily.
Please consider donating if you are able!
GAA Fundraiser:
This holiday season, the Girls Athletic Association (GAA) is holding a raffle for a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey SIGNED by all of your favourites including Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Nylander and EVERY OTHER PLAYER on the 24/25 roster!! Have a look HERE . The raffle will be open on December 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16 and 17 at lunch, and drawn on Wednesday, December 18.We take Apple Pay, cash and card, and the price will be $10 for 1 entry and $25 for 3. The money raised will go towards the GAA’s goal of making sports accessible to all girls at Northern. More specifically, in the Northern athletics program, a wide variety of away tournaments are offered for our teams. These tournaments are a great experience to grow as a player, and bond with your classmates, but they come at a price. The money funded will be set aside, and our goal is to partner with Student Success to support student-athletes who could benefit from these trips but may not feel comfortable directly asking their coaches for assistance. Good luck, and we hope to see you/your child enter.
Winterlude (MUSIC):
Northern's annual Winterlude concert is on Thursday December 12 at 7:00pm in the auditorium. Come hear some amazing music performed by our fantastic music classes and ensembles. Advance tickets are available through School Cash Online: $10 for adults, and $5 for students. Children 12 and under are free. Tickets will also be sold at lunch next week in the front foyer (cash only). Get your tickets early as prices go up if you buy them at the door ($12 for adults). You don't want to miss this event! Have a look at this POSTER
Buddies Toy Drive:
!!! WE NEED YOUR HELP !!!
The Buddies are running a holiday toy drive and we need your support Northern! This year, we are partnering with Leaside Toy Drive, a volunteer based initiative that collects toys and funds for organizations that support children with special needs as well as struggling families this holiday season. Leaside toy drive has a goal of 6000 toys and we need YOU to donate. 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 13th will win a pizza party!
- Grade 10-12 students: A drop-off box will be available in the first floor foyer at lunch until December 13th. Donations can also be left in the drop-off box in the guidance office anytime until December 13th.
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 spread joy to children in need this holiday season!
Northern Talent Show:
Calling all talents! For the first year ever, Northern is having its very own talent show!!
Applications are now open to be on the executive board for this new and exciting project. More info will be sent when auditions for performers will be held!
Google form for exec applications: https://forms.gle/V4TBeD6hGsrPU1v59
Queer Youth Justice Lab Call-Out 2025:
Are you a Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer, trans, queer student or a student who identifies as part of 2SLGBTQIAP+ communities? Are you interested in meeting other 2SLGBTQIAP+
students and staff to help co-plan the EnVision 2025 conference for students?
What is the EnVision Conference?
The EnVision Conference is an annual gathering of 2SLGBTQIAP+ students and allies, and it will take place in the Spring of 2025. The focus of this year's event is Queer Futurisms: Centering Trans Kids and Affirming the
Intersecting Identities of Indigenous, Black, Racialized and Marginalized
2SLGBTQ+ Communities.
We are looking for Black, Indigenous, and racialized TDSB students and their allies from Grades 6-12. Students must be committed to working in solidarity to
help shape this year’s EnVision Conference. We want your opinion about everything from food and music to workshop presenters and performers!
Please complete the form below to apply as part of the Queer Youth Justice Lab. Grades 9-12 participants may receive community service hours for their involvement. Please sign up by December 12, 2024.
Apply here: https://forms.gle/DHXM7szjdyVBiJCo8
YOUNG REPORTERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT - contest opportunity
Are you interested in environmental journalism? Do you enjoy writing, photography or videography? If so then the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) competition is for you! The YRE is an opportunity to showcase your creative skills all while spreading messages about climate change and other environmental issues. The winners of the contest have a chance to receive international recognition! All articles are due March 28, 2025!
All Northern students that submit to the YRE will be added to a Northern raffle to win a FREE NEMO water bottle and tote bag! If you do submit an article, please email blake.parkinson@student.tdsb.on.ca to be added to the raffle.
To learn more about the contest check out this link… https://ecoschools.ca/yre/students/. You can also check out the YRE handbook for tips and tricks… https://drive.google.com/file/d/10Ra3bRmuU-Dhj3mVTgOYZpYiPt94yw3P/view
If you have any questions please email blake.parkinson@student.tdsb.on.ca.
Library:
1) LOST and FOUND
This is a reminder to visit the Library’s Lost and Found bins to find your coats, hats, gloves, water bottles, lunch bags and binders. The last day to look in the Lost and Found will be December 17th, 2024.
2) New batches of Chromebooks (aka 1:1 Device Program) for all grades:
If you have ordered a Chromebook, check your school email to find out if it has arrived. We are sending out emails and inviting students to pick up their Chromebooks in the Library when they arrive.
Special Education:
Special Education and Inclusion is pleased to offer a number of learning sessions for staff and parents/guardians/caregivers for the month of December. Please see this flyer.
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.
Students who require computer exam accommodations received an email to their TDSB student email with a google form.
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.
School Council:
1. Thank a Teacher As the calendar year draws to a close, we encourage all Northern students and families to think about Northern staff who have made a difference to them this school year and consider sending a note of thanks. Who has really made an impact for you?
2. Feedback Please! Each year we develop a School Statement of Needs that would be used to guide the selection of a new principal, should that become necessary. Please review our draft at https://nsscouncil.com/school-council/# If we have left out anything, please send your suggestions to nss.school.council@gmail.com We will be accepting comments until December 13th.
3. Parent Presentation: The Gradual Release of Responsibility - Monday, December 9th at 6:30 pm in the Northern Library. The Gifted Advisory Committee invites all Northern parents to join us for a discussion of the transition to high school and postsecondary and the release of parenting responsibility that goes along with that. John Moyer, Gifted ACL will be on hand to share the school perspective. Please come with your questions or experiences. If you prefer to remain anonymous during the event, you are welcome to send your questions by email.
Northern Secondary School Foundation: Giving Tuesday Dec 3rd 2024
The Northern Secondary School Foundation is proud to enrich the academic and extracurricular programs at Northern. Please consider making a donation to support Northern's student clubs, teams or awards. All contributions go directly to enrich the experience of Northern Students-the Leaders of Tomorrow
There are many special ways you can donate to the Northern Foundation. Perhaps your company has a workplace giving program and will match your donation. Consider directing your United Way donation to the Northern Secondary School Foundation.
For more info go to nssf.ca/donate or email us at info@nssf.ca for more information.
Connect with us on insta @northernssfoundation.
Guidance Updates:
- December’s Wellness Theme is “Acts of Kindness”
- Acts of Kindness Quote of the Week: "The ripple effect kindness creates is greater than any wave." NSS Student Ellie Osmond
- Semester 2 Night School Registration:
Registration opens December 3rd, 2024 at 10:00 AM.
Registration closes on January 31st, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
Space is limited. Courses are only offered remotely in a synchronous (live) format on Google Meet or Microsoft Teams.
Registration and course offerings can be found here: Night School Website
Full Credit Night School/Remedial Night School:
Full credit courses run twice per week, on Mondays/Wednesdays or Tuesday/Thursdays from 6:00-9:00 PM.
Remedial math courses are also being offered for students who were unsuccessful in earning their math credit. Remedial classes are 1.5 hours, twice per week, and can be found under ‘full credit’ registration.
Credit Recovery:
Credit recovery courses are offered for students that have been unsuccessful in earning a credit within the last two (2) years. Credit recovery courses are delivered synchronously (live) online once per week from 6:00-9:00 PM.
Please reach out to your guidance counsellor have any questions or concerns.
- Semester 2 TDSB e-Learning Course Registration OPENED 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.
under 18 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- 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!
- 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.
- 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.
- Mental Wellness Resource Document
If you are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.
Have a great weekend!
Adam Marshall
Principal
Follow me @PrincipalNSS