Dear Northern Families,
I want to start this week by commending your children for their conduct today. We knew it would be a hard day emotionally for many. All of our students displayed maturity and care for each other at Northern today. Kudos to everyone for stepping up to make our Northern community shine.
School Council Elections are happening October 17th. Please see details below under “School Council”.
Parent/ Guardian- Teacher Interviews are next Thursday afternoon and evening. Please see details below.
Did you miss photo day? Not to worry- the photographer will be back October 16th to capture missing students/ photos.
Upcoming Week:
- Monday- Missed Photo make-up day. Call down from class.
- Tuesday – Scholarship Workshop: Tues. Oct 17 at lunch in room 111.
- Wednesday: 9:55am Late Start PLC
- Thursday: Parent/ Guardian-Teacher Interviews. Early close @12:15pm
- Friday: 9:55am Late Start
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Parent/ Guardian-Teacher Interviews:
We will be holding Parent/Guardian-Teacher Interviews at the school on Thursday, October 19th from 1:30 - 3:00 pm and 6:00 - 8:30 pm. This semester, you will be able to schedule your Parent-Teacher Interviews online. If you wish to schedule a meeting with any of your child's teachers, please follow the instructions printed further down the page.
You will be able to make appointments from October 16th at 7:00 am to October 18th at 11:00 pm.
Instructions
1. Prepare a list with the names of each teacher you would like to meet
2. Go to the NSS scheduling website at https://parentinterview.com/s/nss
3. Enter your child's 9-digit student number or Ontario Education Number and click "Sign In"
4. Fill in your contact information and click "Continue to Make Appointments"
5. Click on the name of a teacher with whom you wish to schedule an appointment
6. Click on an "Available" time at which you wish to meet with that teacher
7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until you have scheduled all the teachers you wish to see
8. Click on "My Schedule" (top left of the page)
9. Print out, email or copy down your schedule
Should you wish to cancel an appointment you have made, click on "Cancel" beside the meeting you wish to have removed from your schedule.
If you misplace your schedule, you may use your Confirmation # to retrieve your schedule from the website at any time.
If you experience any difficulty using the service, please email support@parentinterview.com
We look forward to speaking with you.
Photo Retakes:
We have our missed photo day coming up on Monday, October 16th.
We hope to see them at the camera next week- these photos are essential for student ID and yearbook pictures! We will be doing call downs from class by last name, alpha order. Listen to the PA for your turn to go to the AUDITORIUM for your photo.
To help make your photo day seamless, check out our photo day tips at edgeimaging.ca/photo-day-tips.
GET REMINDERS- Sign up for notifications at edgeimaging.ca/photo day to get real-time updates about your photo day and stay in the know with Edge.
CURE:
CURE is hosting a ribbon campaign next week (October 16th-20th) in honour of breast cancer awareness month. Donations of any size will be collected in the mornings, at all entrances, and at lunch in the front foyer, throughout the entire week. Bring a donation, and get a ribbon to raise awareness!
United Way:
The CN Tower Stair climb is back! Join Northern’s Team on October 21st at 9:00 am to climb the CN tower for change! United Way holds this fundraising event every year to raise money for the United Way charity. United Way is an umbrella organization that supports local communities, providing them with basic needs. Every dollar that is raised goes to the United Way. This is a great event for our school community to get together and have a fun time! Join our team from this link:
https://secure2.convio.net/uwgt/site/TR/CommunityEvents/General?team_id=7701&pg=team&fr_id=1440
Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference - October 21 & 22, 2023
Join us at our annual Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference on October 21 and 22, 2023. Parents, guardians, and caregivers are invited to participate in a weekend of learning, connection, and engagement and to learn strategies to support your child throughout the year.
Last year, we partnered with the TDSB’s Outdoor Education team and the City of Toronto to bring a unique experience to the conference. All of the in-person sessions are scheduled between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Transportation from central sites is available to all venues, leaving the location at 1:00 p.m. and returning at 3:30 p.m. More information will be provided as we approach the date.
- virtual conference includes a keynote address on Saturday, October 21, 2023, by Dr. Gholnescsar (Gholdy) Muhammad, an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture. On Sunday, October 22, 2023, Sarah Baldeo, an accomplished neuroscientist, technologist, corporate strategist, and a successful entrepreneur, will be our keynote.
Visit www.parentsaspartners.ca to register and for more information.
Music:
Do you like making music? Do you want to perform for your fellow students? Sign up to perform at our second ever Music Week! Events are running every lunch from October 30th to November 3rd with performances on November 2nd and 3rd. Sign up at bit.ly/musicweek23signup. Follow our Instagram @nssmusic for more info!
Drama:
Is your child interested in a fun filled and educational trip to Chicago this March Break?
Sign Up Deadline: Thursday, December 21st for first 2 payments installments - if we do not have 30 students at this time, your money will be refunded.
Why? To experience Chicago's Art, Architecture, Museums, Theatre, Parks and Zoos.
Where? We are planning to explore everything that Chicago has to offer: WILLIS TOWER | HISTORIC NAVY PIER | ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO | LINCOLN PARK ZOO | FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY| MILLENNIUM PARK | ARCHITECTURE RIVER CRUISE | JOHN G SHEDD AQUARIUM | ADLER PLANETARIUM & ASTRONOMY MUSEUM | MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY | and see some really great CHICAGO THEATRE (MUSICALS)! Click here for the itinerary!
When? Mar 11-Mar 15, 2024
Who? All Northern students are welcome. Priority is given to students enrolled in a Performing Arts course or participating in a Performing Arts extracurricular.
Cost? Price: $1,975 per student (Trip price based on 30 participating students). This includes hotel accommodation (4 students in a room), coach bus transportation, 4 breakfasts & 4 dinners, all trip experiences,entrance fees and tickets, Edutravel tour animator and all night security. Link here for more details!
How? Check the registration instructions attached here.
Please contact Flora Wellsman flora.wellsman@tdsb.on.ca for more information and/or join the Google Classroom using this LINK and code: phdus2m.
Drama Extracurriculars:
Drama Club is a drop in club that all students are welcome to join. The first meeting will be at lunch in Room 225 on Wednesday, October 11th.
Improv Team is a competitive team that is coached by Ms Stassis. Practices are mandatory and are scheduled for Monday after school and Friday lunch in the auditorium. If you child is interested in being on this team, they should speak with Ms. Stassis in guidance or at one of the team practices.
Student Success:
Peer Tutoring
Peer Tutoring is now available! We are able to offer tutoring support in all compulsory subjects for Grades 9 and 10. Students, please complete the Tutee Registration Form in order to be matched with a Peer Tutor this semester.
School Council Update:
1) School Council Elections 2023-24 - Tuesday, October 17 at 6:30 pm. Thank you to all the parents who put their names forward to run as voting members of School Council 2023-24. We will be wrapping up the elections process at this meeting and confirming the executive roles. For a link to the virtual meeting please send an email to: danielle.trotto@tdsb.on.ca with "school council meeting link" in the subject line. The link will be sent at 4pm the day of the meeting
2) We need your help! In lieu of ongoing fundraising, we request voluntary contributions once in the fall for all our initiatives to support students throughout the year (clubs, athletics, wellness, conferences, workshops, advocacy, subsidies and much more). Click HERE for more details and the link to make your contribution through School Cash Online by Friday November 10. Every gift makes a difference!
5) Games Night - Fri, October 13 That's tonight! - 6:30-9:30 pm -join other Northern parents for a night of good food and good fun. It's a great time to relax and make some new friends! Email nss.school.council@gmail.com for more details.
4) Walking Buddies - Saturday, Oct 14th That's Tomorrow! at 9:30-10:30 am - Work off the pizza you had a Games Night! join other Northern parents to walk and talk about parenting, school, and life. Meet at the Funeral Centre parking lot, east of the Mt Pleasant entrance to the Mt Pleasant Cemetery. For more details, email nss.school.council@gmail.com.
5) Accommodations and Learning Gaps - Wed Oct 25 at 7 pm - Join Dr Todd Cunningham in this live call to discuss common questions and ask your own to understand how to advocate for effective accommodations and close learning gaps! To request a link, email nss.school.council@gmail.com with "Accommodations" in the subject line.
Guidance Updates:
- Guidance Week-in-Review: Grade 12 home form visits have begun! “I’m in Grade 12, Now What?” Graduation Requirements check & Post-Secondary home form presentations happened this week. Check out the google side show here.
Looking Ahead:
- Scholarship Workshop – Tuesday, October 17, 2023 at lunch in room 111.
- One-on-one grade 12 post-secondary meetings begin with grade 12 students. Counsellors continue to meet with all students: grade 9 intro meetings, academic support, social/emotional support, etc.
- Ontario College Fair: Oct 18 & 19, 2023 @ Enercare Centre
- OUF: Ontario Universities Fair @ the Metro Convention Centre - October 22-23, 2023.
- Post Secondary Updates:
- NSS Post-Secondary Individual School Lunch Visits 2023/24
- NSS Post-Secondary Guide is here!
- Save the dates:
- NSS Post-Secondary Fair is Wednesday, November 8, 2023 - 6:00pm - 8:00pm @ Northern SS
- Ontario College Fair: Oct 18 & 19, 2023 @ Enercare Centre
- OUF: Ontario Universities Fair @ the Metro Convention Centre - October 22-23, 2023
- NSS Scholarship Information Chart 2023/2024 where Northern-specific scholarship information and deadlines can be found (along with other common awards).
- Seeking Scholarships has released their September Scholarship Report which has upcoming scholarship dates listed for students applying to post-secondary programs.
Northern students, teachers, and families can access from this link using the password, scholar58: 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.
****Stay tuned for upcoming workshops on applying to scholarships - coming soon!
- COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Every student who begins secondary school during or after the 1999–2000 school year must complete a minimum of 40 hours of community involvement activities as part of the requirements for an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
The purpose of the community involvement requirement is to encourage students to develop awareness and understanding of civic responsibility and of the role they can play and the contributions they can make in supporting and strengthening their communities. By being involved in their communities and serving others, students can develop transferable skills and explore different sectors and potential career opportunities as well as deepening their understanding of their role in society.
The TDSB Community Involvement Guide provides step-by-step instructions for students to plan their community involvement. Students can submit their community involvement hours using the TDSB Community Involvement Activity Notification and Completion form, which includes direction regarding eligible and ineligible activities.
Have a great weekend,
Adam Marshall
Principal
Follow me @PrincipalNSS