Dear Northern Families,
For those celebrating this weekend, Shanah Tova!
At the bottom of this email you will see an ongoing section called “historical” where you can find items that remain important beyond the first message. This will be an easy place to find information on attendance etc.
Next week we will hold our grade assemblies to review school expectations and opportunities. We will cover these items then, but a few important reminders. The TTC expects students to pay their fare each time they take transit. As a parent I know that gets expensive. There are many students who are using the TTC at lunch to head to Yonge and Eglinton for food. Save your money! Walk! It is great exercise and a prudent financial decision. We are also aware of growing concern from the TTC about fare evasion. Please do the right thing and represent yourself well for yourself, your family, and the school- Pay your Fare! The second item is around sidewalks. Please move to the right hand side of the sidewalk when you see anyone coming the other way. It is important we share space with our neighbours, and especially the elderly, people with strollers, kids in tow etc. Thank You to everyone for making these priorities for the year.
A shout out to retiree Barbara Ann Smith and her team of volunteers. The Northern Community Garden has already produced 213 pounds of produce for the North York food bank and still has a significant amount of harvesting to do this fall! Way to go.
While there will be a few more announcements over the next couple of weeks, I would like to welcome new members of the staff at Northern: teaching staff- Lauren Coles POR (department head) of Humanities and Family Studies, Kevin Lau POR of Business Studies, Tammy Le POR of Student Leadership, Leanne Neumann POR of Visual Arts, Loui Panagakos POR of Junior Student Success, Isabella Liscio, Billy Lykouras, Alexandra Miranda, and Bisman Kaur. In the pool lifeguard Madison Morrone. In the office Eugene San Jose. Safety monitor Michael Chapman, and to our support staff team Rupinder Kareer and Carolina Silva.
Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 24 from 6:00-8:00 to meet your Northern student’s teachers and see their classrooms at Curriculum Night.
- Pick up and Drop Off at Northern: This is a reminder that THERE IS NO PARKING FOR NON-STAFF MEMBERS at Northern. Parking Enforcement Officers will be ticketing vehicles that do not have valid NSS Parking Permits. Vehicles that are blocking access for emergency vehicles will be tagged and/or towed at the owners expense. Please avoid driving through the parking lot as it creates safety concerns for students/ staff who are entering and exiting the building. Thank You.
Start of Year Permission Forms were sent to first contacts from noreplyregistration@powerschool.com on August 27.
New to Northern and in grades 10-12? We look forward to welcoming you at our New Student Luncheon on Friday September 25th. We will be located in Room 105 (staff room) during the lunch hour.
The student calendar can be found here: 2026-2027 Northern Community Calendar. Any additions made will be highlighted for a two week period throughout the year.
The student handbook can be found here: Student Handbook
Football:
Anyone interested in still joining Jr or Sr Football, please come out to the back field after school on Monday to get permission forms - it is still not too late to join! Go Red Knights!
Math Contests at Northern
Registration for the Canadian Lynx Math Contest will be closing on Sunday September 13 at midnight!
Check out the Math Contest website for more information on this contest and all the others on offer at Northern using the link below.
https://sites.google.com/view/northernmathcontests/home
Girl’s Athletic Association:
The GAA will be holding a general members meeting on Tuesday Sept 15th at lunch in the north gym (room 139). Come find out about our association, our upcoming Camp Olympia retreat opportunity (Sept 30th-Oct 2),and participate in an exciting game of dodgeball! All are welcome!
Opening Assemblies:
Code of Conduct and School Expectations Review.
*regular day schedule, NO extended P1
Grades 9 and 10 together P1 Wednesday, Sept 16th
Grades 11 and 12 together P1 on Friday, Sept 18th
Students go to their regular Day 2 Block A class for attendance, and are called down to the Auditorium at 9 am. Student bags remain in the classroom. Cell phones must be put away during the assembly. Students are required to sit in their designated section with their teacher and actively listen. Attendance is important - we are sharing critical messages about our shared expectations for a healthy and productive year at Northern. If you have any questions about Northern rules, our Code of Conduct, or Progressive Discipline, please reach out to your alpha VP, thank you.
Grade 9 Welcome to Northern BBQ
Friday, Sept 18th on the Field. *regular school day schedule
All Grade 9 students are invited to come to the back field this Friday at lunch for our annual BBQ. Students will receive one free hotdog (beef or veggie), and a free bag of chips. Please bring your own water bottle. NSS Motto: FOR COMMUNITY WITH CARE. Thank you to SAC, BAA/BAA, Buddies and all staff for their collaboration and community spirit!
The Caring and Safe Schools Committee - Please join us!
Our first of four meetings this year will take place on TUESDAY September 22nd in the Heritage room from 4 to 5:30 pm. We are looking forward to seeing interested parents/caregivers and students! Our team is responsible for fostering a safe, inclusive, and accepting school climate at Northern, and we welcome students, parents, teachers, non-teaching staff members, and community partners to ensure a positive and peaceful school. We explore prevention strategies and peaceful problem solving and work with community partners to attract students into positive activities. Please join us! For more information contact VP Kristen.Beach@tdsb.on.ca
Special Education at the TDSB
Learn more about special education programs and services, including how parents can request a referral to an Identification, Placement, and Review Committee (IPRC) for their child, by reviewing the TDSB’s Special Education Plan. Additional information can also be found in the Guide to Special Education and Inclusion for Parents/Caregivers.
Special Education and Inclusion is pleased to offer a number of sessions for parents and caregivers in September. Please find additional information in this flyer. All parent engagement sessions for the 2026-2027school year can be found here.
Message from Special Education and Inclusion:
Welcome to the 2026/2027 school year! If you are new to the school, welcome, and if not, welcome back! Our goal is to make every student feel welcomed and supported, and to ensure that we meet all student needs. This year, our staff is:
September marks the beginning of the IEP Updating process, and an important part of that is parent consultation and feedback. This afternoon we have sent out the parent consultation form in a separate email where you can provide us with important information and feedback about your student's IEP and its implementation. If you have not received this form by the end of the weekend, please reach out to John Moyer.
Please note:
- If you have concerns or questions about implementing your student's already existing IEP, please contact the teacher in charge of your student's program. Not sure who to contact? Email john.moyer@tdsb.on.ca
- Parents and guardians of new grade 9 students, please make sure to check your email for the form, and it is good practice to talk with your student about their needs in a new school environment. The adjustment from grade 8 to grade 9 is always a big one, and checking in with your student's first few days will help them consider what supports they need and how they will look in secondary school
If your student does not have an IEP but you have questions or concerns about their learning needs, then please reach out to John Moyer.
Thank you, and we're looking forward to a fantastic year!
NSS Library Learning Commons:
- Located in the basement of the school: accessible from the main foyer only
- Check out books, graphic novels and manga from our circulation collection
- Get research assistance from a Teacher-Librarian
- Access technical support for your TDSB-issued Chromebook
- Library Hours: 8:30a.m. - 3:45p.m.
School Council News (for parents, by parents!):
Whether you are just starting or in your last year at Northern, newcomer or Northern alumna, social or academic - every parent has questions.
Northern School Council is pleased to host ongoing opportunities to ask these questions, share experiences, and get help: Grade 9 Coffee, Walking Buddies, Parent Social, School Council - find out more at nsscouncil.com.
Curriculum Night is set for Thursday Sept 24th. Please join us afterwards at the Granite Brewery a block away at 245 Eglinton Avenue East (access off of Mt. Pleasant) for drinks and apps. And email nss.school.council@gmail.com with the heading 'Granite Brewery' if possible to help us estimate numbers
NSS School Council
nsscouncil.com
Join our WhatsApp community
Northern Secondary School Foundation:
A warm welcome to all new and returning parents from the Northern Secondary School Foundation..
We are a registered charity formed in 1999 by alumni, parents and former staff to raise funds for scholarships and grants to support student clubs. teams and initiatives.
We are managed by a Board of Directors and are pleased to offer over 45 Scholarships annually at Commencement and the fall Awards Assembly and financial support to school teams and clubs.
To learn more about NSSF, please visit our website at nssf.ca or follow us on Instagram @northernssfoundation.
If you would to get involved in the work of the Foundation, email us at info@nssf.ca . We would love to hear from you!
Guidance:
- Thank you for your patience this last week while we worked to meet with as many students as possible to finalise incomplete timetables.
- The Guidance Appointment Booking system will open Monday, September 14, 2026.
Students can book an appointment here: http://bit.ly/nssguidance
We look forward to connecting with you!
- Please note: each Guidance Counsellor has a new alpha group of students.
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Jenny Sohn
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A, B
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Jenny.Sohn@tdsb.on.ca
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Deborah Poutissou
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C, D, E, F, G
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Deborah.Poutissou@tdsb.on.ca
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Jennifer MacPhee
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H, I, J, K, L & Y
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Jennifer.MacPhee@tdsb.on.ca
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Sean Magee-Saxton
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M, N, O, P, Q, R & Z
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Sean.Magee-Saxton@tdsb.on.ca
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Melanie Stassis
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S, T, U, V, W, X
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Melanie.Stassis@tdsb.on.ca
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- Last day for course changes that meet the Timetable Change criteria will be Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
- TDSB Semester 1 Day School eLearning IS OPEN!
- For more information: https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/elearning/e-Learning-Day-School
- Registration closes: Thursday, Sept 24, 2026 unless the course is full before.
- TDSB Con Ed. NIGHT SCHOOL and SATURDAY SCHOOL is OPEN!
- For more info and to register click here
- Registration closes: Friday, September 25, 2026 unless the course is full before.
- We encourage all students to ensure they have added themselves to their graded Guidance Google Classroom to stay up to date with all information shared throughout the year.
- Grade 9 Google Classroom code: pu7uilj4
- Grade 10 Google Classroom code: 3wvfe4kf
- Grade 11 Google Classroom code: bedkqks
- Grade 12 Google Classroom code: x6sh4ue
- Scholarships: Guidance will sharing lots of information about scholarships for students applying to post-secondary programs.
- We will be offering a scholarship workshop on Thursday, October 1st at lunch in Room 111 for students who want to learn more about opportunities to fund post-secondary school.
- Some major awards require students to apply for a nomination from Northern. Students can find a list of different commonly applied for awards and links to apply for school nominations here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ELN7YYaXVtQSYNHeL2n5t_yF8wTzO5WlVJUgyii1MM8/edit?tab=t.0
- We will also be sharing a resource from https://seekingscholarships.com/ in the coming weeks - stay tuned!
- The Ontario Universities' Fair is coming to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre South Building September 26-27 9:30-5pm daily.
- SAVE THE DATE: NSS Post-Secondary Fair:
- Booth-style Fair: Wednesday, October 14, 2026, 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Come and talk to all the Ontario Apprenticeship, College and University Reps!
- Check out our NSS Student Services Info Hub Site created to help answer questions about graduation requirements, course selection and so much more!
Have a Concern?
If you have general inquiries, please reach out to the appropriate Vice-Principal by alphabetical last name. Emails to the principal will generally be forwarded directly to the appropriate vice-principal by (alphabetical last name).
Vice Principals for your Reference:
- A to G: Ms. Karen Stelling 416-393-0284 ext. 20013 (karen.stelling@tdsb.on.ca)
Surnames H to O: Ms. Kristen Beach416-393-0284 ext. 20012 (kristen.beach@tdsb.on.ca)
Surnames P to Z: Ms. Joy Kim 416-393-0284 ext. 20011 (joy.kim@tdsb.on.ca)
Have a great long weekend,
Adam Marshall
Principal
HISTORICAL:
Reporting Student Absences:
Option 1:
Option 2:
- Call the automated attendance system: 1-833-250-2290
- Use your phone number linked to our Student Information System
Option 3:
- Call the main office line: 416-393-0270
Option 4*:
- Email the Office Assistant associated with your child’s last name:
- *Please note that option 4 may not prevent a call from the automated SafeArrivals phone system.
Setting Up a PIN for Reporting Student Absences
Setting up a PIN would ensure that your child’s absences are reported accurately. Families are strongly encouraged to set up a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by following these instructions. Download the SchoolMessenger App from the Google Play or Apple App Store or via the website: go.schoolmessenger.ca. When registering, be sure to use your email account linked to our Student Information System.
Important Academic Updates for 2026-27:
Assessment and Evaluation- The Ministry of Education has put new Assessment of Learning Guidelines (how marks are made up/ determined for each course) in place for high school students. Please visit this Growing Success Page for more details by grade and course type.
New Financial Literacy Test- If you go to the same link (Growing Success Page) and scroll down, you will also find important information about a new graduation requirement for students who entered Grade 9 in the 2025-26 school year and onwards. Students will complete this requirement as part of their compulsory Grade 10 Career Studies course. To meet the requirement, students will have to earn a mark of 70% or higher on the financial literacy modules. This mark will make up 5% of their final mark in Grade 10 Career Studies. The first test date will be 4 weeks after the course begins (a reminder that Careers classes last half a semester and are paired with Civics).
Mandatory Assessment and Evaluation Requirements for Grades 9 to 12- The Ministry of Education recently introduced mandatory assessment and evaluation requirements for secondary students. Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, most secondary courses will require written exams as a percentage of the final course mark. All written final exams from grades 9 to 12 will take place during the designated exam period, with the exception of the EQAO Grade 9 mathematics assessment. Please see Growing Success Page for details. This information will also be communicated for each class through the course outline.
Attendance and participation- To recognize the impact that student presence in class has on achievement, final student grades will reflect attendance and participation. Excused absences do not negatively affect a student’s mark. Excused absences are absences from school that are permitted under legislation or school policy, as outlined in Ontario’s enrolment register instructions. These may include illness or other unavoidable circumstances, such as inclement weather or approved absences such as cultural days and holy days.
2026-27 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test Changes- In 2026-27, all first-time eligible students will write the OSSLT in the fall, and those who are unsuccessful will write again in the spring. This message applies primarily to Grade 10 students.
Linked to the Assessment and Evaluation changes mentioned above, and important for school safety, please review the options for student absence reporting below:
Cellphones:
Educators will work with students to determine classroom practices and will ensure expectations are clearly understood.
Students in Grades 7 to 12 must have cell phones/mobile devices powered off or set to silent during instructional time.
Should a student not follow these directives, they will be asked to hand in their cell phone/mobile device. If a student does not hand in their personal mobile device when required, they must be sent to the Principal’s office, as per Ministry direction.
Please learn more about cell phones and mobile device use in Ministry of Education PPM128 and at www.tdsb.on.ca/mobiledeviceuse.
Thank you for your cooperation as we work together to create a successful learning environment at Northern.
Northern Secondary School Start of Year Forms – Important Information
In preparation for the beginning of the 2026-27 school year, the Toronto District School Board will soon email all families directly with a link to Start of Year forms for your student(s). Look for a message from noreplyregistration@powerschool.com on August 27 and complete the online forms for your student as soon as possible prior to the first day of school on September 8, 2026.
Start of Year Forms ensure that the school has up-to-date and accurate student information on file, as well as consent for school activities. It is very important that these forms are completed in a timely manner and will help ensure a smooth start to the school year. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Should you have any questions about the forms, please contact Heather.Jewell@tdsb.on.ca in our main office.
Student Password Information
Student accounts remained active over the summer and passwords did not expire.
Students in Grades 5-12 can also reset their own passwords directly through https://passwordreset.microsoftonline.com once registered for the Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR). Instructions to register for SSPR are available here.
Students new to the TDSB will have their password set to the Shared Secret Password. This is a combination of the last 4 digits of the student number, followed by 2 digits for the day of birth, and 2 digits for the month of birth, followed by “@Tdsb” (case sensitive and 13 characters in total).
IT Support for TDSB Students & Families
To support parents, caregivers, guardians, and students, please direct them to the School Community IT Support website. Services available included devices, such as Chromebooks, and login assistance with Brightspace, Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams and more. Go to the FAQ section to find details!