Dear Northern Families,
This week marked the 5th anniversary of Ukranian Airlines Flight 752 being shot down. On January 7th 2020 Northern student Maya Zibaie passed away when the plane was shot down on its way back to Canada. Maya continues to be missed.
There are two weekends left before the start of exams! Getting organized, on top of culminating activities, and beginning the study process this weekend will pay dividends. Set yourself up for success with a schedule of study mapped out until the end of the semester.
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.
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:
Tuesday: Canadian Math League #4
Tuesday: SAC Spirit Day- Pajama Day!
Wednesday: Late Start @ 9:55am
Wednesday: All* 70% Term Work Returned to Students (*submitted on time)
Thursday: Moratorium Begins
Thursday: School Council Meeting @ 6:30pm
Attention Graduates!
We will be holding a second chance for graduation photos here at the school on February 10 and 11th! Please book your appointment by following the link below:
https://booking.edgeimaging.ca/portal/book/NEH
Please come prepared in a white collared shirt and tie. Graduation gown, hat, sash, and props will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own small props to personalize your session.
Come and celebrate this achievement!
Trustee Elections:
As you know, in November 2024, former Trustee Rachel Chernos Lin was elected to Toronto City Council, leaving the Trustee seat for TDSB Ward 11 (Don Valley West) vacant. In December, TDSB Trustees voted to hold a by-election to fill the vacant seat. Candidate nominations for the 2025 Ward 11 By-Election are open until January 17 and election day is March 3.
To support our promotion of this by-election, please share the following information with your communities through your regular communication channels at your convenience. Thanks in advance!
The 2025 TDSB Ward 11 By-Election
At the December 11, 2024, Board Meeting, TDSB Trustees voted to hold a by-election to fill the vacant Ward 11 seat.
Election day is Monday, March 3, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Advance voting takes place Saturday, February 22 and Sunday, February 23 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voters and potential candidates are encouraged to visit the TDSB 2025 Ward 11 By-Election webpage for more information.
TDSB Ward 11 By-Election Candidate Nominations
Candidate nominations are open until Friday, January 17, 2025, at 2 p.m.
To qualify, candidates must file a nomination paper with an original signature, be a resident of Toronto with proof of address, support public schools, be eligible to vote for the TDSB trustee, and pay a $100 filing fee.
The nomination form, campaign rules, and additional resources are available on the City of Toronto’s Information for Candidates webpage.
TDSB Ward 11 By-Election Voter Information
You can vote for the TDSB Ward 11 Trustee if you are a Canadian citizen, at least 18 years old, a public school supporter, and a resident in TDSB Ward 11.
More information about who can vote, acceptable identification, and voting options can be found on the City of Toronto’s Voter Information webpage.
Upcoming Library Closures:
EQAO Math:
Fri. Jan 17 - circulation desk open. Library open for quiet study.
Mon. Jan 20 & Tues. Jan 21 The Library will be closed during the EQAO Math assessments from 8:55-11:40am and 12:35-3:15pm
Accommodated Exams:
The Library will be closed:
Wed. Jan. 22 to Tues. Jan. 28 inclusive for accommodated Exams and Credit Rescue.
The Library will reopen on Wed. Jan 29th, 8:30-11:40am.
Quiet Study at Lunch- The Library will be open every day at lunch Jan. 13 to January 21st.
Student Success:
Credit Rescue - “Complete, Not Repeat” Credit rescue will be running January 28th from 9am-3:15pm for students who have a mark between 40-49%. Your child's teacher will inform you if they will be invited to this day. Please also look out for communication from April Vibert. You may receive multiple emails if your child is invited to recover more than one course. Thank you!
Canadian Computing Competition:
Calling all computer programmers!
Do you want to compete with other computer science enthusiasts and flex your ability to understand, design, and implement algorithms?
Well then register to compete in the Canadian Computing Competition!
Contest date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025
Join the google classroom with code: fvzkjjb
And please see Dr. Afsari to register and create an account. Room 231
Contest fee per participant: $10.00 to be paid through “School Cash Online” at a later date.
Exam and Course Culminating Fact sheet (from the Board):
Preparing for Exams and Culminating Assignments - At the end of the semester, secondary students are working on course culminating assignments and preparing for Semester 1 exams. For some tips and resources to help, check out the Exam and Course Culminating Fact Sheet.
TDSB Student Trustee Elections 2025-26
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) will soon be accepting applications for Student Trustee positions for the 2025-2026 school year.
Student Trustees represent the voice of approximately 240,000 students in the Toronto District School Board. They work closely together to empower and promote student voice and engagement across the district.
Key Dates
- January 15, 2025 – Student Trustee Information Session (Virtual @ 4pm)
- January 23, 2025 – Application Opens
- January 30, 2025 – Application Closes (7:00 pm Deadline)
- February 7, 2025 – One Minute Campaign Video Due (4:00 pm Deadline)
- February 17 to 25, 2025 – Campaigning Period
- February 26, 2025 – Voting Opens at 9:00 am
- February 27, 2025 – Voting Closes at 5:00 pm
More information about this will be available soon on our website.
Our Student Senate Elections will take place in late April/early May 2025.
Virtual Office Hours-Pathway To Care For Mental Health with the TDSB Mental Health and Well Being Parent Committee
Date: January 15th, 2025
Time: 7:00pm-8:00pm
Join us for an engaging presentation titled "What Is Mental Health?" designed specifically for parents, guardians, and caregivers. This session will provide a comprehensive overview of mental health, helping participants better understand its importance, recognize signs of mental well-being, and learn practical strategies to support children and youth. The presentation will be co-facilitated by members of the TDSB Mental Health and Well-Being Parent Committee, alongside TDSB Professional Support Staff and TDSB Mental Health Leads. Together, they will share valuable insights, resources, and tools to empower families in fostering positive mental health and resilience. A flyer for this event is attached and click here for future Virtual Office events.
Credit Summer School 2025 (Continuing Education and e-Summer)
Continuing Education Secondary Summer School (Remote/Synchronous & In-Person)
- Dates: July 2 - July 25, 2025
- Courses Offered: Remote Full Credit, Remote Adult, Remote Credit Recovery - Only Grade 9 and Grade 10 courses will be available through Continuing Education.
- Gr. 8 to 9 Reach Ahead: In-Person Reach Ahead opportunity only: TAS1O1 - Exploring Technologies.
- In-Person Sites: TBD. To ensure equitable access, the program will be available to all students across the city. However, the program's operation is subject to enrollment levels.
e-Summer July & August Summer School (Online)
- Dates: July Session: July 2- July 25, 2025. August Session: July 28 - August 22, 2025
- Courses Offered: Only Grade 11 and Grade 12 courses will be available.
- Gr. 8 to 9 Reach Ahead: Not offered for e-Summer.
Please share this information with your staff and school community to ensure families and students are aware of these opportunities. Further details regarding registration and course availability will be shared in the coming weeks and on our respective websites: www.creditprograms.ca and TDSB e-Summer Program.
Equity and Belonging Begins at Home with Dr. Andrew B. Campbell (Dr. ABC)
In this session, Dr. Andrew B. Campbell explores how caregivers and community members can disrupt discrimination to promote hope, foster healing and inspire joyful learning. Through stories and tangible strategies, participants will be guided to confront racism and disrupt discrimination to deepen understanding of social justice, diversity, and equity.
Date: January 15, 2025
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. (virtual)
Location: virtual (register to receive link)
Registration link: https://bit.ly/CEBSA-ABC
For more information contact, jeffrey.caton@tdsb.on.ca, Centrally Assigned Principal, or rukiya.mohamed@tdsb.on.ca, Program Coordinator, Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement
Black Student Summer Leadership Program
The Black Student Summer Leadership Program (BSSLP) offers Black high school students a transformative, paid opportunity to gain hands-on experience, develop professional skills, engage in Youth Participatory Action Research, and expand their networks in a variety of fields. Students are paired with mentors and organizations that match their passions, fostering growth in a supportive environment.
Program Features:
- Mentorship & Training: Receive guidance from experienced professionals and gain skills for future careers.
- Career pathways: Explore industries where Black individuals are underrepresented, including arts, communications, tech, public health, skilled trades, and more.
- Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR): Build critical thinking and advocacy skills while addressing issues affecting your community and school.
- Career Development: Grow professional networks and develop transferable skills to set you up for success.
The BSSLP empowers students to build the skills and confidence needed for future academic and career success while making a positive impact in their communities.
Key Details:
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity. Apply today and take the first step toward your future!
For more information contact, jeffrey.caton@tdsb.on.ca, Centrally Assigned Principal, or rukiya.mohamed@tdsb.on.ca , Program Coordinator, Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement
School Council:
1. Walking Buddies - Sunday, January 12th 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.
2. “What is Mental Health” - Wednesday, January 15th at 7 pm (virtual). Join TDSB support staff for a comprehensive overview of mental health, helping participants better understand its importance, recognize signs of mental well-being, and learn practical strategies to support children and youth. More information and link to join the Teams meeting are available here.
3. School Council meeting - Thursday, January 16th 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." The link will be sent by 5 pm the day of the meeting. Interested attendees are welcome to meet at the Granite Brewery after the meeting for an informal social opportunity.
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.
5. Understanding and Managing Teen Anxiety – A Virtual workshop for parents - January 16th at 7 pm. Leaside High School Council has extended an invitation to Northern Families for the second part of their series on Teen Mental Health - Understanding and Managing Teen Anxiety. This workshop is designed to help parents understand the factors that contribute to, sustain, and worsen anxiety, while equipping them with effective strategies to reduce it. Click here to register.
Guidance Updates:
- January’s Wellness Theme is “Standing Strong: Power Poses”
Standing Strong Quote of the Week: "Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again." – Nelson Mandela
- Planning on applying to an Ontario Post-Secondary School for September 2025?
Ontario University applications are DUE JANUARY 15, 2025! www.ouac.on.ca
Ontario College applications are DUE FEBRUARY 1, 2025. www.ontariocolleges.ca
- 2025-2026 Course Selection Save-the-Date: It ALMOST that time of year again, time to start thinking about course selection. Course selection for the 2025-2026 school year will begin in February 2025.
- myBlueprint OPENS: February 3, 2025
- myBlueprint CLOSES: February 26, 2025
- Course Selection Classroom Presentations: Feb 3-6th @ 9:15am
- Course Selection Department Fair: Friday, February 7, 2025 – EXTENDED LUNCH
- Evening Course Selection Presentation: Thursday, February 6, 2025 TBA
- Criteria for Requesting a Semester 2, 2025 Timetable Change:
- You are eligible to drop a course and will take a spare.
- You are missing a compulsory course or a graduation requirement (i.e. English, Math, Science, group 3 credit).
- You are in grade 11 or 12 and are changing post-secondary pathways. For example, you have three Science courses, but have decided not to pursue Science in post-secondary.
- You do not have a full timetable: Grade 9 & 10 = 8 courses; grade 11 = 7 courses; grade 12 = 6 courses.
- You failed a course in semester 1 and want to retake it in semester 2, if possible.
Please note: We will not be able to accommodate all timetable change requests. Thank you for your understanding. Please see your guidance counsellor with any questions.
- 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.
- 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