Good Evening Northern Families,

I just got to watch the finale of the Northern United Way Fashion Show. What an amazing event. Thank you to all our stage crew, performers, choreographers, fund-raisers, teachers, and of course Dale for making this happen. It is all to raise funds to help those in need in our own backyard. If you were unable to make it this year- - it is a great night with approximately 200 students involved in putting together the show! Keep an eye out next year for another opportunity to participate in/ watch the production.

Absolutely INCREDIBLE news: Lauren Altomare was announced as a 2022 Schulich Leader selection at the University of Toronto this week. This award comes with $100,000 of scholarship funding! We are so proud of all your accomplishments Lauren. Well Done. Never heard of this award? Through The Schulich Foundation, these prestigious entrance scholarships are awarded to 100 high school graduates enrolling in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) undergraduate program at 20 partner universities in Canada.

There are 4 full school days left in the year. There is still lots of learning to be done- please be present and engaged until the end- it has been a disruptive couple of years through COVID- take advantage of the opportunity to learn face-to-face and finish on a high note!

VACCINATION CLINIC: We will be hosting a TPH vaccination clinic next Thursday afternoon at Northern. This is for more than just COVID. Avoid potential disruption to school next year and be on top of your vaccinations- please see information and link to the booking site below.

National Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated on June 21. Have a look at the hyperlink for information about the day.

Credit Rescue takes place starting next Friday June 24 and runs to June 27^th. This is to support students in a failing/ at-risk position. You will be receiving an invitation to attend from your teacher if this applies to you. This is a fantastic opportunity to get direct support from your teacher to improve your achievement. Only students invited to attend need to be at school after June 23rd.

Daily Announcements: A reminder that you can find daily announcements by scanning the QR Code shared last week or visiting the school website HERE and scrolling down to NSS Air – Daily Announcements.

Next Week:

Last Day of Classes: June 23

Credit Rescue Days: June 24, 27, 28

Conversation Starters: (follow-up and a new starter)

Follow Up: So, what is the Conversation starter? When someone holds an opinion that is significantly different than yours how can you affect change? Do we hate people or ideas? We have put effort into talking about the need to speak up and intervene with hate/ injustice in these weekly conversation starters. What should intervention look like if activists were to show up again, or you were to come across them elsewhere in the city? How can we enlighten others to our point of view? What actions could we take that are counter-productive? (that do NOT change minds?). I hope everyone has a chance to talk over the events and regardless of what side of the issue you fall on reflect upon what is right and wrong in terms of our actions.

Some thoughts: We can affect change by presenting informed counter-arguments. By sharing/ educating others- particularly within our sphere of influence. We can take this a step farther and become activists. The key here is EDUCATION. It is an art to convince others of your point of view. Insults, violence, and personal attacks almost always simply entrench people in their views and serve to further polarize sides. I hope the response to the second question is a universal we hate ideas. If that is the case, you fight the ideas with your ideas…it is simple! Don’t like what a group has to say somewhere in our city? Counter-advocate, speak to them, share your point of view, or even IGNORE them. Never attack, name-call, cause damage to property etc- you do more harm than good by associating your opinion on the matter with less than cerebral actions. Remember “the pen is mightier than the sword”.

This Week’s Conversation Starter: June 21^st is National Indigenous People’s Day. Have you read the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Report? Take a few moments to do so. What can you do on June 21^st? What can you do every day to honour these calls to action? What can you do to celebrate/ participate in National Indigenous People’s Day?

 

Student Immunization Program Mobile School Clinic

Instructional Hour Clinic: https://www.tphbookings.ca/tph/mobileschoolclinic

Please read the information on this page before booking an appointment to be immunized with Meningococcal, Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines. Please note these are for mobile clinics offered at school sites.

Note:

• As these clinics are running during school instructional hours, please ensure you ONLY book an appointment at the school you attend as a student.
• Each person getting immunized needs their own appointment
• Students can receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as, or any time before or after, the School Immunization Program vaccines

Who can get immunized?	Vaccines offered:
Grade 7 to 12 Students	Meningococcal ACYW-135, Hepatitis B, HPV, and COVID-19 vaccines
Individuals born in 2002 and 2003	Meningococcal ACYW-135, Hepatitis B, and COVID-19 vaccines
Females born in 2002 or 2003	HPV vaccine, and COVID-19 vaccines

How to Prepare for your Appointment:

• Bring a copy of the student’s immunization records and health card (if available)
• Please bring your health card, and/or another form of identification
• Review Vaccine Fact Sheets: Hepatitis B, Human papillomavirus (HPV) and Meningococcal-quadrivalent
• Print and fill-in the Vaccine Consent Form for each student being immunized:
  • Students less than 14 years must be accompanied by ONE parent/legal guardian in order to sign the consent form
  • Students 14 years and older can sign their own consent form
• It is recommended that students eat a snack before their appointment and wear a short sleeve shirt
• As space is limited in the clinic, students under the age of 14 years should come to the clinic with just one parent/guardian

COVID-19 Safety Measures:

• Bring a mask. Everyone is required to wear a mask while attending the clinic, except for infants / toddlers under the age of two.

Everyone will be screened for COVID-19. Stay home if you have symptoms, or are feeling unwell, even if it is a mild cough or sore throat.

 

 

School Council:

1) Food for Thought - looking for ideas to help you and your student develop new skills and strengthen your relationship? Explore these free recordings of worldwide experts from two great video libraries! Topics include self-motivation, digital use, anxiety and wellbeing as well as insights and the latest research on ADHD, giftedness, dyslexia, and autism.

 

2) Thank-a-teacher - as we approach the end of our school year, we encourage parents to write a quick email to teachers, staff, coaches or administrators to recognize the efforts they've put forth to keep student success a priority amidst a year of many challenges. We all could use a little boost to help reach the finish line, and we appreciate their efforts to make this entire year as meaningful as possible!

 

A Reminder for Graduating Students:

Our graduation ceremony will take place on Wednesday, June 29^th at 1:00 p.m. Our ceremony usually lasts approximately 2.5 - 3 hours. The ceremony will be held at the University of Toronto’s Convocation Hall located at 31 King’s Circle College, Toronto.

If you have questions about the form, please email Chandra.Ramdhani@tdsb.on.ca

 

 

Grade 9 EQAO (math) Information:

EQAO Make-Up Day: Semester 2 grade 9 math students- if you were absent for your EQAO math assessment and would like the opportunity to write please go to the library on Friday June 24^th @9am.

 

N.S.S. Cooperative Education Partners Wanted

Cooperative Education at Northern is made possible each year through the continuing support of placement supervisors, local businesses and employers. Strong community partnerships are essential in providing our students with the rich, relevant work experiences a good placement can provide.

As a Cooperative Education Partner, you can play a valuable role in helping a Northern student develop skills, knowledge and work habits they will remember and refer to throughout their lives. As well, these partnerships are mutually beneficial as our students will bring new ideas, fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and additional support to your workplace.

We have a number of Northern students looking for Co-op placements in a variety of fields starting in mid-September, 2022/23. If you are interested in becoming a placement supervisor for one of our students or know of a local business opportunity, please email john.giles@tdsb.on.ca or linda.duffy@tdsb.on.ca to learn about how you can become a Northern Cooperative Education Partner.

Guidance Updates:

1. Graduating this June 2022? Volunteer hours DUE

 

If you are a graduating student and have not handed in your mandatory 20 volunteer hours (10 hours can be paid hours), you MUST hand in your signed volunteer forms to your Guidance counsellor as soon as possible. It is a graduation requirement to complete these 20 hours.

 

2. eLearning Summer School: Registration Closing Dates

August eLearning courses: Thursday, July 8, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.

 

3. Continuing Education Summer School: Registration Closing Dates

 

Remote Credit Recovery SS: Registration closes Friday, June 30, 2022 at 11:00 am.

The Toronto District School Board is offering current TDSB students the opportunity to recover one or two credits for the month of July 2022. Remote Summer Credit Recovery courses are open to current TDSB high school students who have taken the course in the past two years but have not earned the credit. All classes are remote. There are no in-person classes available. Regular attendance in the remote environment is a requirement.

Students may enrol in one course either in the AM or PM, or in two courses, one in the AM and one in the PM.

 

4. 2022-2023 e-Learning Semester 1 Course Registration is OPEN!

Registration for Semester 1 day school e-Learning courses opened at 10:00 AM on Thursday, June 16 and closes on September 23, 2022

 

The Semester 1 e-Learning Day School program includes Grade 11 and 12 courses in a variety of subject areas. The list of courses offered in Semester 1 is posted on the e-Learning website.

 

Please see your guidance counsellor with any questions.

 

5. Guidance Appointments: Friendly reminder to check your student email regularly.

Guidance will be connecting with SOME students over the next few weeks to finalise information for next year. Please be sure to connect with your counsellor if you cannot make a scheduled appointment. Thank you!

 

6. OUAC Reminder: Accepting offers of admission (or declining offers)
   1. June 1, 2022, is the earliest date Ontario universities may require a response to an offer of admission and a financial commitment of any kind (e.g., registration deposit, residence deposit).
   2. A.I.S.: Academic Information Systems: Starting June 3, 2022, Ontario high school students can search for possible openings at Ontario universities. To find out more visit: www.ouac.on.ca/ouac-101

 

7. Scholarships:

The Scholarship Report June Edition – Contains Tips for Graduating Students and Scholarship Opportunities

 

8. Attention Graduating Students:

Please fill out this form to sign up for the NSSF Alumni Newsletter.

It’s a great way to stay connected to Northern!

 

Guidance Counsellor assignments:
Melanie Stassis – A, S, U-Z – melanie.stassis@tdsb.on.ca
Leslie Usin-Rojas – B-E, T – leslie.usin-rojas@tdsb.on.ca
Jennifer MacPhee – F-H, K, L - Jennifer.macphee@tdsb.on.ca
Andrew Primmer – I, J, M-R – Andrew.primmer@tdsb.on.ca

 

Lumenus Community Services:
Lumenus 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 supports to enhance the mental health services that they may need and wish to access. 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.
If anyone 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