Dear Northern Families,
Another busy week at Northern! Thank You to our WellNSS team and Guidance department for putting on an amazing series of events for Teen Mental Health Week!
Wednesday Night saw an amazing STEM panel presentation by former Northern students. The information about post-secondary education and that workplace was fantastic. I highly encourage you to keep an eye out for this opportunity next year. Thanks to the Science Department for making the event happen!
Yesterday the Sounds of Spring Concert took place on the back field. A sizeable audience took in 17 fantastic performances along with a hotdog and drink. Another event to add to your calendar next year. Thank You to the Music Council and Department for a great show!
Congratulations to the incoming 2025-26 Student Council Members who were elected this week. A huge thank you to everyone who ran in the hotly contested elections! Next year’s council members are:
President- Blake P.
Vice President- Emily W.
Treasurer- Idan Y.
External Social Director- Katherine K.
Internal Social Director- Ezra B.
Grade 10 Senator- Maya P.
Grade 11 Senator- Lilith S.
Grade 12 Senator- Sophia Z.
We are looking forward to a wonderful year of supporting student clubs, associations, events and activities at Northern.
Remember: In the fall we elect a variety of Senator Positions, and we are still looking for a SAC Secretary!
The student calendar can be found here: 2024-2025 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: Grade 12 Prom, Valedictorian, and Graduation Assembly (period 2)
Tuesday: Asian Heritage Month Assembly (assembly schedule)
Tuesday: Caring and Safe Schools Meeting @4pm (details below)
Thursday: Grade 12 One Acts (details below)
Asian Heritage Month Assembly
May is Asian Heritage Month! We are very excited to announce that we will be having an Asian Heritage Month assembly for all grades on Tuesday, May 13 during period 1. An assembly day schedule will be followed.
One Acts Festival!
ADA3/4M1 One Acts Festival is on for one night only- Thursday May 15 at 6pm. For more details please check out this FLYER! Pay what you can. Located in Room 225.
French Public Speaking Contest / Le Concours d'art oratoire:
Congratulations to Jack G., Stephanie K., Axelle M-C., Jing Z. and Olena Z., who each qualified for and participated in the provincial finals of the French Public Speaking Contest / Le Concours d'art oratoire on Saturday, May 3rd at the Glendon Campus of York University. Some notable finishes include Axelle M-C., who placed 3rd overall in the province in the Francophone category, and Jing Z., who placed 2nd overall in the province in the Core French category. Félicitations!
OJEN Mock Trial Competition:
Congratulations to Northern Law Society's mock trial team, the "Ruby Guardians", for coming in 2nd place at the OJEN Mock Trial Competition on May 5th. The competition started with 32 teams from across Toronto our team competed in the semi-final and final matches which ended at 9:30 pm.
In the semi-final Mock Trial, our defense team provided an exceptional defense of the accused. The defense team created enough doubt in the opposing Crown's arguments that the judges had no choice but to find the accused "Not Guilty" which allowed us to advance to the finals.
At the final Mock Trial, our Crown team provided a fantastic argument which attempted to prove the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. Unfortunately, the judges did not agree and our intrepid team of lawyers and witnesses came in 2nd place.
Congratulations Olena Z., Lyla J., Rowan C., Rye C., Brandon L., Declan C., Blayze G., Maya P. and Axelle M.-C. for coming 2nd in all of Toronto.
Their hard work and dedication was evident throughout the year and we are all extremely proud of their achievements. Go Ruby Guardians!
Skills Ontario Competition:
Congratulations to Isaac Man on representing the Toronto District School Board at the Ontario Skills Competition – Mechanical CAD (Computer Aided Design), where he earned a bronze medal after an intense day of competition.
Computer-Aided Design is a cornerstone of the industrial and engineering sectors, enabling professionals to develop precise designs, specifications, and models for mechanical components and systems. In this competition, participants showcased their core CAD skills by applying them to a real-world project, demonstrating both technical expertise and creative problem-solving.”
CETA Robotics Competition:
Congratulations to Amelia Zdaniuk, Evelyn Toh, Lucas Thomas, and Henry Kehoe of Team “Northern Alpha”, as well as Emily Badian, Danica Henry, and Riley Sin of Team “Northern Beta”, for their achievements in this week's CETA Robotics Competition.
Both teams showed great skill and teamwork across multiple challenges:
- Northern Alpha secured 3rd place in Running the Fairway.
- Northern Alpha and Northern Beta placed 2nd and 3rd, respectively, in Collision Avoidance.
- Northern Alpha also stood out in the Creativity Contest, which was voted on by all event participants, winning for their Baby Shark project.
By the end of the competition, these teams proudly secured 3rd place overall for our school. Also thank you to William Hu for his coaching support this season.
To view photos from this season, please click here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uczBg-kHgV5UCZspnEobRPMdDcH8pFKt?usp=sharing
PROM: FINAL DAYS TO BUY YOUR TICKETS!
Tickets for the Grade 12 Prom are on sale through SCHOOL CASH ONLINE only until this Wednesday, May 14th at midnight!!!! Buy your ticket today for this magical night.
Pay online for you (and a guest!), fill in the Code of Conduct Form (and guest form!) and then pick up your tickets in room 111 every Tuesday and Thursday at LUNCH. Let us know who you want to sit with (10 to a table) and if you have any allergies/special needs.
- note: If you purchase only 1 ticket, School Cash online may say that your ticket purchase is ‘Overdue’. If you have a receipt for one ticket all is well. It simply means that you did not purchase a guest ticket, which optional.
Questions? Please email Kristen.Beach@tdsb.on.ca
Northern Mathematics
We are excited to share the May edition of the Parents/Caregivers & Community Newsletter. This edition offers helpful tips and tools to support math learning at home.
Additionally, we kindly ask all families to complete the Math Learning Resources Survey for TDSB Parents/Guardians.
BAA (Boys Athletic Association) for 2025-2026
Starting Monday May 12th, anyone interested in being a part of the BAA next year can pick up an application form out of the James Hutton Upper Gym. Deadline for return is Thursday May 22nd to Mr. Lombardi
Visitor Sign In
This is a reminder that all visitors to the school must sign in at the Vice Principal’s office when they arrive at the school. The Vice Principal’s office is located near the main entrance on Mount Pleasant.
Caring & Safe Schools Committee
- final Caring & Safe Schools Committee meeting is on Tuesday, May 13 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!
Asian Heritage Month Assembly – Tuesday May 13, Period 1
The Asian Heritage Assembly is taking place during period 1 on Tuesday, May 13 for all grade 9, 10 and 11 classes.
Schedule of the day:
Period 1: 9:00 – 11:00 (both assemblies during this period)
Period 2: 11:05-12:10
Lunch: 12:10 – 1:10
Period 3: 1:10 – 2:10
Period 4: 2:15-3:15
Vaping, Substance Use, Technology Dependence:
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has launched the Youth Vaping, Substance Use, and Technology Dependence (Youth-VAST) Program to provide comprehensive, personalized support for Ontario youth (ages 12 to 21) to manage their vaping and other nicotine use, substance use, and excessive technology use. This program offers assessments, group and individual programming, and connections to specialized resources, virtually or in person.
To complete the needs assessment, please click here or copy and paste the following link into any web browser: https://edc.camhx.ca/redcap/surveys/?s=JE3CM8CTCMRFYN4C. To learn more about the Youth Vaping, Substance Use, and Technology Dependence (Youth-VAST) Program, please visit our website at www.youthvast.ca.
We’re excited to announce the launch of a weekly virtual information session for parents and caregivers, starting Tuesday, April 22, 2025, please see the attached poster These one-hour sessions will be held every Tuesday from 12:00–1:00 p.m. and will provide an overview of the Youth-VAST program, along with practical tips for supporting youth with vaping/nicotine use, substance use, technology use, and concurrent mental health challenges. To register for an upcoming session, please email youth.vast@camh.ca.
Model UN Executive Applications:
The application deadline is Friday, May 24th at 11:59 PM, and interviews will begin the week of May 27th.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1mUIC1703RizymRccZpQp14gzsuzxd0F9TBuYGRv3v24/edit
Caring & Safe Schools Committee
- final Caring & Safe Schools Committee meeting is on Tuesday, May 13 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!
Social Media and Safety:
The link to register is also here Social Media and Safety: A Parents' Roadmap as well as details about the event here: Social Media May 14
Aligned with TDSB’s policies on responsible technology use, including social media and cellphone guidelines, this event aims to equip parents/caregivers/guardians with strategies to navigate their children's digital engagement. We encourage you to share this opportunity with your school communities, ensuring families have the tools to support safe and balanced technology use (see PPM 128 & TDSB resources on Addressing Inappropriate Social Media).
For an engaging Social Media Safety Night for Parents on May 14th, 2025, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM at Lambton Park Community School located at 50 Bernice Cres. Toronto,. Toronto Police Services (Child Exploitation Unit/Internet Child Exploitation) as well as TDSB partners will be presenting. TDSB Professional Support Services staff including community partners such as Youth Outreach Workers (YOW’s) will also be present.
This evening will include:
- Practical strategies for navigating social media risks
- Open discussion on online safety
- Take-home resources and giveaways
- Food and childcare
Library Learning Commons:
Return your Overdue Chromebooks, USB chargers and Library Books!
- It’s time to start hunting for those overdue items from the Northern Secondary School Library.
- Students who have overdue Library technology and/or books will be receiving an email notification this week with a list of what is overdue.
- If the Library door is closed, books--only--can be left in the DROP BOX outside.
All school tech and library books are due before the end of semester on June 12th, 2025.
Full LIBRARY CLOSURES* for AP EXAMS - May 12 to May 16th
- Monday May 12 - Morning and Lunch
- Tuesday May 13 - Morning and Lunch
- Wednesday May 14 - Morning and Lunch
- Friday, May 16 - Lunch and Afternoon
*During these time periods there will be no Library Services, including printing, Chromebook loans, or book circulation. Students can access Library services on days when there are no closures, and after school: 3:15-3:45pm on most AP Exam Days. Return books in the Book Drop outside the Library doors.
Do you read manga? Love comics? Need Volunteer Hours?
The Toronto Comic Arts Festival, a FREE event, will take place on June 7-8th on the TMU campus. Visit the TCAF Volunteer site if you’re interested in getting involved directly with the festival, and earning community hours for graduation. You can also talk to Juli (juli.mori@tdsb.on.ca) in the NSS Library to learn more about the event.
I See You, Mama: Black Mothers Reimagining Schools for Their Children
What does leadership look like when Black mothers are at the centre of improving Black children’s outcomes? How do Black mothers’ everyday acts of care, advocacy, and resistance shape their children’s schooling experience? Join us for an insightful webinar that centres Black mothers’ leadership and work. Together, we’ll explore how Black mothers’ dreams, stories, and community-building practices challenge exclusion and transform schooling for Black children. This session highlights the many ways Black mothers engage in self and community care, as they organize for their children’s education. Grounded in current Canadian research, this session affirms what we already know: Black mothers lead in powerful ways schools often fail to see or name.
Date: May 21, 2025
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Audience: TDSB Parents/Caregivers and Community Members
Registration: https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_cKerb6RDQHC2mxHlnvh0xQ
For more information, please contact Jeffrey Caton, Centrally Assigned Principal, Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement (jeffrey.caton@tdsb.on.ca) or Rukiya Mohamed, Program Coordinator - Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement (rukiya.mohamed@tdsb.on.ca).
Upcoming Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Engagement Session: Strategies and resources to support students with ADHD
Special Education and Inclusion will host a session to explore strategies and resources to support students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Date: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
Date: Thursday, May 29, 2025
Time: 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Principals are asked to share this flyer with your school communities.
Final Exams
It is never too early to start thinking about final exams!
Final exams run from June 18-23, 2025. The moratorium period begins on Thursday June 12. 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 2 2025.
You can find a detailed exam schedule here: NSS Exam Schedule - Semester 2 2024-25
The schedule follows this format:
Students will follow their Day 1 schedule as follows for exams:
Wednesday, June 18 - Period 1 Exam
Thursday, June 19 - Period 2 Exam
Friday, June 20 - Period 3 Exam
Monday, June 23 - 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.
Academic Resource Centre:
Exam Computer Accomodation Survey - Students with Assistive Technology/Computer on their IEP received the Exam Computer Accomodation survey yesterday. If your child has the accommodation encourage them to complete the form as soon as possible.
Note*
- Have a math or science exam? Check with your teacher because you probably do not need a computer.
- Please complete this form AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
- You can not make changes so if you have any questions - come to room 112 at lunch time
- If you have a language exam check with your teacher that you will use your own chromebook in the classroom
School Council:
1. On-going TDSB Budget development process. You can find detailed information on the TDSB Budget website. Trustee Laskin provides an extensive analysis of budget issues in her most recent newsletter. There are also a number of groups organizing around various budget issues. The campaign to Save TDSB pools led by Josh Matlow is still open. A campaign to encourage trustees to reject further cuts is also ongoing. The province has yet to disclose their funding formula for the next school year, so this process will continue to evolve. During delegations last week, Trustees heard from many folks including two Northern students who spoke eloquently about the need to maintain guidance staffing as their support of student mental health is invaluable. We encourage students and their families to continue to speak up about the issues that matter most to them.
2. School Council meeting - Thursday, May 22nd at 6:30 pm - virtual. We welcome all members of the school community to join us for the final meeting of the school year. This meeting will be virtual only to accommodate ongoing work on the school boiler system. To receive the meeting link, please send a request to 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.
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. Walking Buddies - Saturday, May 24th 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.
Help Wanted: The Student Nutrition Program is looking for three new Parent Volunteers for the 2025/2026 school year. This program offers free healthy lunches to registered students throughout the school year. The time commitment is 10:30-12:30 one or more days a week to prepare and serve food to students. A vulnerable sector police check is required, which is why the process starts well in advance of the next school year. If you are interested, please email april.vibert@tdsb.on.ca
External Free Resources for Families
TDSB ADHD Webinar - May 28th and 29th. TDSB Special Education and Inclusion will host two sessions to explore strategies and resources to support students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Daytime Option: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at 10:00 am - 11:30 am
https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Xw3yiS8TRz2VtXhnCztHgA#/registration
Evening Option: Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
https://tdsb-ca.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2Zwf6_o4TjO43vFGIbj0NQ#/registration
Youth ADHD Peer-facilitated Support Group: Age 16-24 - May 28 and June 25, 2025 at 8:00 pm. CADDAC is excited to offer virtual support groups led by CADDAC-trained peer facilitators. Each session will offer a brief educational component to help relate a chosen topic to ADHD (i.e.. Procrastination; sleep; advocacy; etc.) Based on the topic and information shared, participants are then invited to discuss how this relates to them, share strategies and to offer support to peers with similar lived experience. Our wonderful team of facilitators is there to provide a safe and inclusive space for you to listen, share, and feel validated. Registration is required.
Guidance Updates:
- May’s Wellness Theme is “How to Help: Bethere.org
Just talking about mental health isn’t enough. We need the knowledge, skills and confidence to step up and be there for one another. Please check out: Bethere.org!
Bethere.org has 5 Golden Rules:
Rule #2: Show You Care – How to build trust and support someone.
- The Toronto Police, 53 Division CPLC, is offering Student Leadership Bursary Awards. In 2024, TP presented 3 Students with $2500 each for their post secondary education. This year the awards have increased to $3000! Please ensure all applications are submitted by May 11th, 2025.
Check out the flyer here for more information
- Recently, the Guidance Department held a lunch presentation on How to Pay for Post-Secondary, here's the slide deck from that presentation. You will find the following topics within:
- OSAP: when to apply, how it works, what you need etc.
- Student Loans: how to bridge the gap if OSAP is not enough
- The difference between OSAP and Student Loans
Feel free to come to the Guidance Office if you have any questions!
- TDSB Summer School Options:
- Registration for 2025 e-Summer School Program will OPEN on Tuesday, April 15 at 10:00 AM for TDSB students.
- Registration for 2025 ConEd Summer programs will OPEN April 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
- Continuing Education (ConEd) and e-Summer are two separate departments.
e-Summer Information here
- Registration for 2025 e-Summer School Program will tentatively OPEN on Tuesday, April 15 at 10:00 AM for TDSB students.
- asynchronous online e-learning
- July and August courses available
- Grade 11 and 12 courses
- July e-Learning Key Dates: July e-Learning registration closes June 3, 2025
- August e-Summer Key Dates – Registration closes July 4, 2025.
ConEd Information here
- Registration for 2025 ConEd Summer programs will OPEN April 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
- Full Credit Course Registration will CLOSE June 17, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
- TDSB Credit Recovery will CLOSE June 27, 2025.
- ConEd Summer School classes will be held from July 2 to July 25, 2025 - Monday to Friday, from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
- These classes are available only in July.
- ConEd Remote Learning: All Grade 9 and 10 credit courses will be delivered through synchronous online learning.
- ConEd In-Person Learning: All Grade 9 to 12 credit courses, students will attend face-to-face classes with a teacher.
- Summer School In Person Sites/Locations
- Seeking Scholarships has released their April Scholarship Report which has upcoming scholarship dates listed for students applying to post-secondary programs in all areas, and there are tons of helpful resources around applying to OSAP as well.
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
- Summer Camp Opportunities:
TDSB International Student Global Leadership and Communication Camp 2025
Click on the link here for more info.
TDSB: Special Education and Inclusion Summer Program
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) will be offering summer school for students who are currently enrolled in a Developmental Disability (DD), Physical Disability (PD), and Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Intensive Support Program (ISP). These half-day programs will be held at various locations throughout the TDSB. The programs will support students to continue to develop their independence in the areas of functional literacy and numeracy skills, activities of daily living, and communication and social skills through a creative curriculum that can include technology, physical fitness, art, music and drama. Programs are offered in-person to students in Kindergarten to Grade 12, from July 2 to July 25, 2025.
DATES: Wednesday, July 2, to Friday, July 25, 2025
HOUR S: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
*Only students currently enrolled in these Intensive Support Programs (ISPs) are eligible for registration.
Applications must be submitted by Friday, April 25, 2025
- IMPORTANT Volunteering Information:
NSS Volunteer & Community Involvement Policy:
Guidance has been working with Admin to finalise the NSS Volunteer & Community Involvement Policy.
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