Good Evening Northern Families,
One week to go! Our Winterlude concert had to be cancelled last night after TDSB permits were shut down. The concert has been rescheduled to Monday December 19th at 7pm. Hope to see you there!
Please note that the late start on Wednesday has been cancelled. In it’s place an early dismissal at 2:15pm Friday is being put in place.
Please see Northern’s January tentative EXAM SCHEDULE. Rooms, times etc will be added at a later date- please see the schedule so you can start your study plan today.
E-Learning – The Ministry of Education has shared details on the new graduation requirement of two e-Learning credits as part of the 30 credits required to earn an Ontari Secondary School Diploma (OSSD). This applies to students who started Grade 9 on or after September 1, 2020-2021. Students, with the agreement of their parents/guardians, can opt-out/withdraw from the requirement and still graduate with an OSSD by submitting the opt-out/withdrawal form to the school. Contact the Guidance Department for more information on this process.
It is important that the e-Learning courses that may be listed on the course selection sheet at our school reflect the interests and needs of our students. Please complete this Google form (one response only) and submit it by Monday, December 19th, 2022, to let us know which courses you would like to see listed on the course selection sheet for 2023-2024 in an e-Learning format. Please note- students will need to be logged into their TDSB accounts to access the survey. E-Learning Course Preference Survey
Please see the new Psychology Newsletter . The focus is on neurodiversity and students with complex needs – understanding and supporting their mental health.
The 2022-23 Winter Well-Being Guide is out! This guide promotes mental and physical wellness during the winter months. Resources are culturally relevant and responsive with resources for students of all ages. It has been translated into the top 20 spoken TDSB languages which can be accessed with this link: Winter Well-Being Guide
SAC Store: Are you looking to buy some Northern merch and show some school spirit? If so, be sure to visit the SAC store, stocked with hoodies, sweatpants and more. The store is open until Thursday, December 22nd so make sure you get your orders in at www.bit.ly/sacstore before then!
A Gentle Reminder: We have had families reaching out to let us know they will be out of town for various amounts of time over the next several months. Please remember that family vacations are not considered a legitimate absence. Every effort should be made to avoid scheduling family vacations during school time. Holiday dates are published in the school calendar and on the TDSB website, http://www.tdsb.on.ca. In the event of a missed evaluation due to a family vacation, teachers are not required to provide an alternative form of evaluation. In the case of examinations, no make-up exam or alternative arrangements will be made.
Here are the “Three Things You Need to Know about Northern Next Week”:
- Monday: Winterlude Concert @7pm
- Monday-Friday: Spirit Week- more details below.
- Friday: Early Dismissal @2:15
Mental Health Webinar Series:
Attached please find a Promo Poster to advertise three upcoming webinars that are offered to the school community by the Pine River Institute's Centre for Family Initiatives.
When parents/caregivers/teachers click the registration link (at the bottom of the page), they can select which webinars they wish to attend.
From the ESL Department:
It's been an exhilarating couple of weeks in the ESL Department!
Last week, our students participated in the TDSB ESL Speech Competition Semi-Finals West at Forest Hill CI.
Our competitors made Northern proud and did an INCREDIBLE job, presenting their speeches with energy and passion.
Congratulations go to the following students for their speech presentations: Nadiia Boienko's, "Why My Parents Inspire Me", Valeriia Lizhdvoi's, "What is Happiness?" and Arman Gouya's, "How to Understand the Music You Hear". HUGE shout-out to Arman who won First Place (a Northern first!) at Monday's competition Finals at the Bickford Centre. Way to go!!!!!
To top off the week, an excited group of 30 PALs (student mentors to new English Language Learners) and ELLs braved the cold to go ice skating and sip hot cocoa under the stars at Nathan Phillips Square. What an awesome way to experience Canadian winter and Northern hospitality! Thank You to the School Council for generously sponsoring this event!
WINTER SPIRIT WEEK
Hey Northern! Get excited for our winter spirit week from December 19th to 23rd. Check out our daily themes and activities below.
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Date
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Theme
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Events
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Monday, December 19th 2022
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Beach Day
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Tuesday, December 20th 2022
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Twin Day
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Card Making with Operation Smile in the foyer.
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Wednesday, December 21st 2022
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Wacky Hair Day
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Hair Styling, Tinseling and design at lunch in the foyer.
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Thursday, December 22nd 2022
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Festive Sweater / Holiday Outfit Day
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Gingerbread House decorating at lunch in the foyer.
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Friday, December 23rd 2022
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PJ Day
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Hot Chocolate in the foyer before school.
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BAA/ GAA:
The GAA and BAA are having a holiday gathering in the north gym at lunch on Monday December 19th! We will have lots of stations with holiday activities set up! We will also be collecting food drive donations for the Food Bank of Canada, so please bring non-perishable items to the party for donation!
Mental Health Webinar Series:
Attached please find a promo poster to advertise three upcoming webinars that are offered to the school community by the Pine River Institute's Centre for Family Initiatives.
When parents/caregivers/teachers click the registration link (at the bottom of the page), they can select which webinars they wish to attend.
Library News:
From the Library Learning Commons: Wishing everyone a wonderful winter break! We want you to have the best break ever, and what’s better on a chilly winter day than curling up with a great read? The library staff and volunteers have been hard at work curating reading bundles for you to enjoy over the break. Each comes with a gift for you to keep. Visit our Instagram, ask our TLs for more info, or browse the displays for inspiration!
Remote Night School Credit Recovery – Semester 2:
TDSB Students ONLY The Toronto District School Board is offering current TDSB students the opportunity to recover one or two credits at night school. Remote Night School 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. Students may enroll in two credit recovery courses, one running on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. Visit our program page for more information and to register.
Key Dates
- Registration Opens – December 1, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
- Courses with low enrolment cancelled – February 3, 2023
Registration Closes - February 10, 2023 at 10:00 a.m
TUTORING!!!! Please remember that Monday- Thursday from 3:30-4:30pm we are offering tutoring opportunities in rooms 111, 119, and on certain evenings 120. Take advantage of the opportunity if you are struggling to get additional support from Northern Teachers!
School Council Update:
Thank-a-teacher: as we approach the holiday break, we encourage parents and caregivers 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 this year. We all could use a little boost in the shorter days of the year, and we appreciate their efforts to make this term as meaningful as possible!
Discover What's Possible: Check out this library of 23 recordings from worldwide experts on topics covering ADHD, digital use, giftedness, self-motivation, anxiety, and more! To access, email nss.school.council@gmail.com for log-in information.
Northern Secondary School Foundation:
Follow us on Instagram @northernssfoundation to learn more about how Northern alumni are changing the world of science, philanthropy, the arts and technology and working to make the world a better place.
Read about all our Northern scholarships and awards on our website at www.nssf.ca/scholarships
For more information about the Foundation, contact us at info@nssf.ca
Guidance Updates:
- SAVE THE DATE: Exam Prep Workshops: Tues, Jan 10th @ 3:20pm & Fri, Jan 13th at lunch in room 111.
Students: Guidance and Special Education are hosting exam prep workshops Tues, Jan 10th at 3:20pm in room 111 and Fri, Jan 13th at lunch in room 111.
Please mark your calendars!
- Semester 2 Remote and In-Person Full Credit Night School & Remote Credit Recovery Night School REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN and will close February 10, 2023 at 10am.
For more information on course listings and dates for TDSB Con Ed Night School click here.
- eLearning Day School Registration: OPEN - December 14th @ 10 am
For more information on eLearning Day School courses and registration dates, click here.
- Please note: NSS in-person Semester 2 Timetable changes are not being considered unless a student is eligible to drop a course (straight drop), needs to add a course for a post-secondary pre-requisite or if a student fails a course. Not all courses are available.
- PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION (PLAR) 2022/2023 Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
The 2022/2023 PLAR Challenge process will kick off with a Virtual PLAR Information Session for Families on January 18, 2023 from 7:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. PLAR Information Session Flyer PLAR Information Session Registration PLAR website
- Post- Secondary Updates:
- OUAC (Ontario Universities) applications are due January 12, 2023.
- OCAS (Ontario Colleges) applications are due February 1, 2023 for equal consideration.
- Check out our NSS Guide to Applying to Post-Secondary for info about post-secondary application dates, process and links.
- Please note: the TDSB Volunteer Policy States that an eligible volunteer activity constitutes:
- An event or activity designed to be of benefit to the community.
- A volunteer activity – not for pay or credit.
- An event or activity to support a not-for-profit initiative.
For more information please visit the TDSB Community Involvement policy.
- Students, looking for Volunteer or Youth Employment Opportunities? Check your Student Guidance Google classroom: Gr. 9 code: 4ixv2jl; Gr. 10 code: kmv6fcz; Gr. 11 code: twdxca6; Gr. 12 code: hfg74ws
- Looking for Scholarship Application Support?
Seeking Scholarships has published their November scholarship report, which contains information and tips about funding post-secondary, along with an updated list of scholarships and deadlines. Northern students and parents can access this resource here: https://seekingscholarships.com/the-scholarship-report-2/ using the password scholar1.
Please note: This resource is copyrighted and only available to Northern families - please do not share outside of the Northern community.
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 or drop by his office at Room 312A.
Have a great weekend,
Adam Marshall
Principal
Follow me @PrincipalNSS