Good Afternoon Northern Families,
I am waiting on a few more details before I can share a schedule for book/ device/ instrument return. Otherwise there is a fair bit of content below, much of which is new. Have a great weekend.
Book/ equipment/ and Device return: Northern will be collecting items from students in grades 9-11 (returning next year) during the week of June 21-25th. More details will follow. The delay on details is to see if there are TPH guideline changes that can increase efficiency at our end. All items borrowed from the school/ board will be collected during this week. Thank You.
Last Days of school: the last day is scheduled for June the 23rd. June 24, 25, 28 are Credit Rescue days and only apply to students in a failing position. That leaves 8 regular days to put your foot on the gas to ensure credit accumulation without additional days. We will be reaching out to individuals who need to participate in Credit Rescue as we get closer to the end of the month.
Grad Hoodies: I received questions about second opportunities to order this week. Please see the graduation updates email sent to the graduating class for details.
Let’s Connect
Let’s Connect is a new mental health and well-being virtual series that allows us to come together to share ideas and resources. The Let’s Connect series will respond to questions and discuss wellness for parents, caregivers, guardians and students at various times throughout the school year. These conversations will be led by our TDSB Professional Support Services staff and Mental Health and Well-Being Leads.
Join our first session:
Transition to Summer
June 22, 2021
6:30 - 8 pm
The pandemic has been a long and challenging journey for all of us. With optimism, we are looking forward to welcoming the warmer weather and a less restrictive summer. Let’s connect about mental health and well-being and ways to support children this summer. This session will start with a presentation on the Importance Of Taking Care of Yourself as a Parent/Caregiver/Guardian and will be followed by an overview of the new TDSB Summer Well-Being Guide. The evening will finish with an opportunity to participate in break out rooms for smaller, more focused discussions.
Learn more at www.tdsb.on.ca/letsconnect.
Secondary Student Opportunity – McMaster University Design Like a Girl with iBioMed
The Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences (iBioMed) Program at McMaster University is hosting a 2 day free virtual event for female-identifying high school students interested in STEM taking place on Wednesday July 28th AND Thursday July 29th
During the event students will:
- Learn about basic coding, design thinking and sensors
- Get mentored by upper-year iBioMed students
- Work in teams to design solutions to real-world healthcare problems
- Learn presentation skills and present their team designs to a panel of faculty and student judges
- Develop their interpersonal AND technical skills
Students can learn more and register for this event here. Registrations due by June 19, 2021
NSS Fashion Show 2021/22:
NSS United Way Fashion Show 2021 – be on the Fashion Show Executive – anyone interested in the positions of Director, Producer, Head Choreographer, Head of Fundraising for next years Fashion Show – please email dalecallender@lumenus.ca by end of day Monday June 7th, 2021.
Duke of Edinburgh 2021/22:
Hi everyone we are pleased to announce that our 2021-2022 executive applications are out for the Duke of Edinburgh Club!! The form to apply is linked below as well as it can be found on our Instagram account @nssdukeofed.
For returning exec be sure to check the returning box on the form as you will not need to have an interview. We are so excited to read all of your submissions and good luck everyone!!
Grade 9 Science News!
Are you upset about how much plastic winds up in our oceans? Do you want to learn more and help make a change? Check out our website! Ocean Cleaning Environmental Advocates at Northern Secondary (O.C.E.A.N.S.) was created this year by the G1/G2 ninth grade science class in an effort to spread awareness and knowledge about the devastating effects plastics have on marine life and our lives. We want to provoke change and stop the destruction that our plastic waste inflicts upon our home planet.
Check out our art, blog & videos: https://22website.wixsite.com/plasticoceans
Want to join the conversation? If so, email: maria-elena.bernal@tdsb.on.ca
Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement
The Toronto District School Board is inviting you to participate in an online discussion beginning the week of June 14, 2021, from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm. The purpose of the focus group sessions is to engage self-identifying Black-African, Afro-Caribbean, or Black (ACB) families and Non-Black families raising Black students in a discussion on how the Centre can best serve them.
At The Centre, we are committed to deepening the school-family partnerships to increase their engagement in our schools. This includes strengthening the processes by which all parents and caregivers have opportunities to contribute to the direction of the Board and their local school’s improvement planning efforts.
We hope you can join the conversation!
Registration link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rreBcMb3DzLQ64kWrEQePd7-HtzQD6UG2u_0pr8ZKSo/edit?usp=sharing
Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement
On June 1st, the TDSB launched the Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement. The Centre is the first of its kind in public education. Individuals and communities across the province joined to celebrate this monumental achievement through both webinar and webcast platforms. The evening featured an engaging panel discussion about the Centre's mandate with distinguished academic leaders and community advocates, brilliant student contributions who continue to be involved with various opportunities offered by the Centre of Excellence, and an inspirational performance dedicated to the future of the Centre. For access to the recording of the virtual event, please click here.
The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement is dedicated to improving the experiences and outcomes for Black students. The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement aims to be responsive to the voices of Black communities who continue to advocate for systemic change within educational institutions and for dismantling anti-Black racism at the TDSB. To learn more follow @tdsb_cebsa on Twitter.
Gender Expression/ Gender-Identity:
A new website, www.gegi.ca, has been launched to help equip all Ontario students and teachers with the tools to advocate for the right to express and live their gender in their own way without experiencing discrimination, harassment or violence, and without being told they have to change.
Please check it out!
From the Academic Resource Centre:
*****Attention all graduating students with an IEP who are heading to college or university*******
It is important that you connect with the STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SERVICES at the institution you are attending if you are wanting ACCOMMODATIONS. You can google your institution and ¨accessibility services¨ to find the contact information.
The Transition Resource Guide and Professor Alf Lizzio’s Five Senses of Success are wonderful resources for students who are in the process of planning for the transition to post-secondary.
For any of your students who are going to York University in the fall, Student Accessibility Services will be running our summer transition program, Project ADVANCE again this summer during the month of August.
Students are required to register with Student Accessibility Services before registering for Project ADVANCE. Students can find information on how to register with us on our Register with Us page.
York University will also be offering a Student Accessibility Services Information Session on July 5th from 12-1pm. Students and parents are welcome to join.
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://yorku-phipa.zoom.us/j/94399251691?pwd=TEtrZzR2VURubzNGNTM2bm5ITCtvZz09
Meeting ID: 943 9925 1691
Passcode: 530524
Music Department:
Music Council Applications
Do you want to further connect with the Northern music community and take on a leadership role? Does organizing, planning and executing engaging events excite you? Then apply to be a part of Music Council 2021-22! Executive and general member positions are open. To apply, fill out the form bit.ly/mcouncil by Monday, June 14th at 11:59 pm. If you have any questions, reach out to Mr. Newman (paul.newman2@tdsb.on.ca) or @nssmusic on Instagram. Good luck!
Music Banquet
Northern's Music Banquet will take place on Thursday, June 17th at 5:00 pm with a social & baking hour starting at 4:00 pm! All Northern students, staff, parents, alumni and friends are invited! The evening will feature and students will have the opportunity to perform. Register at bit.ly/musicbanquet by Friday, June 4th at 11:59 pm! See you there!
Knight Track
Searching for some sweet vibes? NSS Music has you covered! Listen to Northern's multi-genre curated playlist, "Knight Tracks"! Playlists are out on Spotify (follow us at NSS Music) and Apple Music every Monday. Visit our Instagram bio (@nssmusic) for more information
New Student Group:
"Do you want to take a stand against gender based violence? No Means No NSS aims to create a safe space to educate and support Northern students. If you’re interested in a leadership role with No Means No NSS, apply to be an executive member of our team! Applications are due on Friday, June 18th, and can be found on our instagram page @no_means_no_nss in the bio. If you have any questions, feel free to contact melanie.stassis@tdsb.on.ca or paul.zalewski@tdsb.on.ca for more information.
NSS Garden Project Exec. Application
Want to be involved in a super fun club that looks great on resumes and applications? Interested in learning more about gardening and plants? Want to give back to the community? NSS Garden Project has got you covered! This club is dedicated to running our school's garden beds and donating all that we harvest to local food banks. We also run plant themed events throughout the year and provided at home plant kits for members to use during the pandemic! No gardening experience required. Feel free to contact samantha.herlich@student.tdsb.on.ca if you have any questions!
Here is the application: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeObRQ7-ssYSz5e2E6WR6f9HlwZbGLNp3g3ZR1WFshxztFgdQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
Guidance:
Credit Recovery Summer School: Register NOW!
Is an excellent opportunity for students who have taken a course in the past two years but have not earned the credit.
· Students can earn one or more credits that have been previously attempted but not earned.
· Registration closes June 29, 2021 at noon.
· https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Going-to-High-School/Night-School-and-Summer-School/Summer-School/Remote-Summer-Credit-Recovery-TDSB-Students-ONLY
Reach out to your Guidance Counsellor for more information.
August eLearning Summer School: online – FLEXIBLE school times
- Students can take one course in August (July registration is now closed).
- Mostly Gr. 11 and 12 courses.
- Students can access course 24/7 during the allotted course time period.
- Registration for August courses close: July 8, 2021 at 4:30pm, but don’t wait as classes are filling up!.
- https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/elearning/e-Summer-Online-Program
Guidance Google Classrooms: A plethora of info for summer opportunities
Students, keep reading those Guidance Google classroom posts! We are sharing lots of important info including summer opportunities for enrichment and fun!
School Council:
1) Grad Central - Grade 12 parents are invited to visit this page for FAQs on what Northern is planning for grads, as well as ideas and resources for planning your home celebration. New items and information will be added regularly over the coming weeks, so visit often! We encourage you to us send your own ideas for inclusion at nss.school.council@gmail.com.
2) A Word from WellNSS - click here to see the resources for our June focus: relationships. The webpage also has links to articles and videos on self-care, resilience, gratitude, hope, and coping, as well as lists of mental health supports available for parents and students.
COVID-19 Vaccine:
COVID-19 Vaccination continues to be an important way to protect ourselves, our family and our school community from COVID-19, including the variants. We encourage you to get vaccinated and consider vaccination for all those in your family who are eligible.
COVID-19 Vaccine for Children 12 years and older
- On May 5, 2021 Health Canada approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 12 to 15. Clinical studies showed that this vaccine was safe and effective for this age group. The Pfizer vaccine is now approved for all individuals 12 years of age and older.
- Most children with COVID-19 have mild symptoms or none at all. However, some children with COVID-19 can get very sick. Children can also spread COVID-19 to other people. Vaccinating children protects them from getting sick and reduces virus spread within their household and the community.
- While fewer children compared to adults have gotten sick from COVID-19, they have been impacted in many other ways. Most children who live in Ontario have had to attend school remotely, miss out on extra-curricular activities, and spend extended amounts of time away from their friends and peers. This has a big impact on children’s mental health. Vaccinating all who are eligible, including children, will help to reduce the number of cases of COVID-19 in our community and allow kids to get back to participating in group activities they enjoy. For more information and resources, please visit our website: COVID-19 Mental Health Resources.
Who is eligible for a COVID-19 Vaccine?
- Anyone who is 18 years of age or older is eligible for the vaccine now. To find out more information on how to get vaccinated, eligibility and how to book an appointment, please go to our COVID-19 How to get vaccinated webpage.
- The province has announce that children/youth 12-17 years of age will be eligible for vaccination before the end of May.
- Pop-up clinics for children/youth 12 and 17 years of age and their families in targeted hot spot communities in Toronto are beginning this week.
- There will be dedicated youth and family clinics throughout the weeks of June 14 and 21 for first dose appointments at City of Toronto clinics.
In order to be eligible children will have to have had their 12th birthday prior to or on the day of vaccination.
Where can I book my appointment?
- All adults can book their appointments for City-run clinics through the provincial booking system or by calling the Provincial booking system at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY 1-866-797-0007). There are no walk-in or standby appointments available at City-run clinics.
- Hospital and community healthcare partners also operate vaccine clinics, including pop-up clinics that target specific areas of the city. These clinics will be promoted locally.
- Selected pharmacies are also offering the COVID-19 vaccine.
Information on the COVID-19 Vaccine
- Please visit Toronto Public Health's COVID-19 Vaccine Resources website for more information on the vaccine, available in multiple languages. Additional vaccine information, can also be found here: COVID-19 Vaccines.
Mental Health Counselling Support at Northern Secondary;
- Community Services provides a registered psychotherapist , Dale Callender, on-site, full time at Northern, to work in partnership with the existing school support services. The service uses an early intervention model and supports students by allowing them easy and immediate access to mental health and counselling services provided through the In-School service. Dale Callender works in collaboration with TDSB staff in order to customize a program to enhance the mental health services and supports that are available to students on-site at the school. This program allows Northern priority access to Lumenus’ mental health service program, and offers students a seamless referral process to other community programs as dictated by their individual needs. Dale Callender is available currently via virtual sessions and/or phone calls to provide psychotherapy counselling support to students, parents/caregivers. If you would like to consult and /or set up a time to talk with Dale, you can contact him via his email at dalecallender@lumenus.ca
Have a great weekend!
Adam
Follow Me @PrincipalNSS