Dear Northern Families,
Last week I indicated that mark updates would be sent home today. The mark update will in fact be next Thursday March 7th. My apologies for any confusion with this. We are making sure you have academic feedback to inform your decision to attend Parent/ Guardian-Teacher Interviews on Thursday March 21st. Interviews will take place between 1:30-3:00pm and 6:00-8:30pm. More information will come out on booking next Friday.
The TDSB has plugged this resource often, but we are being asked as schools to continue to draw attention to it: MHWB website This if full of wellness resources for students and families.
Things to Know for Next Week:
Monday- Friday: Spirit Week! (details below)
Wednesday: Winter Athletic Assembly Period 1
Thursday: Informal Mark Update (New Date)
Friday: March Break begins @3:15pm.
Northern Spring Sports
With Spring around the corner there are many tryouts occurring next week for many spring sports including Rugby, All-Gender Volleyball & Ultimate Frisbee, Girls Soccer, Boys Baseball, Girls Softball, Track and Field and Tennis. For all tryout information and which teacher-coach to contact for each sport please visit the Student-Athlete Resource Site to stay up to date so you don't miss out!
Spirit Week Details:
Hello Northern! Next week is spirit week!! SAC is super excited to announce that the themes are:
Monday - Bring Anything BUT a Backpack day
Tuesday - Dress like a Canadian day (think patriotic colours- no particular costume required!)
Wednesday - Jersey day/sportswear/NSS wear
Thursday - Twin day
Friday - Beach day
Can't wait to see you get creative Northern!
Grad Quotes for Yearbook:
Hey Grads! Want to get your grad quotes in? Fill in the form below by Friday, March 15 at 11:59 pm. You can edit your response until then. Happy writing!
https://forms.gle/s83YycqyXB3MkEXGA
BlackNSS:
One Love Midtown Conference
March 6, 2024 All Day
At the Nia Centre for the Arts, 524 Oakwood Avenue.
This year’s conference titled It’s a Melanated Thing will feature 8 unique workshops led by students from LN5/6 schools.
10 Black identifying students can attend.
Please contact Ms. Irving or Mr. Edwards if you are interested in attending: sharon.irving@tdsb.on.ca
ryan.edwards2@tdsb.on.ca
or visit room 213 or room 130
Webinar Wednesdays:
The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement is hosting its second session of the 2023 - 2024 Webinar Wednesdays series. The aim of this virtual series is to provide space for Black parents and caregivers, and families raising Black children to support their children’s success, academic achievement and overall well-being as they transition from high school.
Through collaborations with various post-secondary institutions, the Webinar Wednesdays series shares information and resources on various topics, including, but not limited to graduation and post-secondary pathways.
- session, we focus on Pathways to Skilled Trades. Join us as we learn more about the various pathways and apprenticeship programs.
Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Registration link: bit.ly/42zc7sY
Northern Math Contest:
Registration is open the Canadian National Math League #6 contest.
If your student is interested in writing please have them join the Google Classroom using code kzwovat and register as soon as possible.
If your child has registered for the University of Waterloo - Euclid, Fryer (grade 9), Galois (grade 10), Hypatia (grade 11) math contests, the payment can be made through school cash online.
Student Accident Insurance Reminder (from the board):
The Toronto District School Board does not provide accident insurance coverage for student injuries that occur on school premises or during school sponsored activities
Parents/ guardians are responsible for deciding whether or not to purchase student accident insurance. The insurance program options range from $17 to $33 per year.
Letter: TDSB Student Accident Insurance Letter
Flyer: Student Accident Plan Flyer
Website: Student Accident Plan
Should further information about the above including the policy or purchasing details, please visit www.studyinsuredstudentaccident.com or call 1-833-560-0527 (toll-free) or 416-916-1588 (local).
Breaking Down Barriers to Mental Health in Black Communities with Trey Anthony :
The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement will be hosting a session during Black Mental Health Week 2024 with award-winning playwright, actor, and wellness expert Trey Anthony ‘Da Kink in My Hair’.
Honouring the theme for this year, ‘Growth and Reflection,’ we invite parents, caregivers, students (Gr. 7-12) and community members to join Trey as she delves into important topics such as the stigma surrounding mental health in Black communities. Drawing from her own personal journey, Trey will shed light on her experience with functional depression and mental health. She will also discuss the importance of seeking help and removing the shame and stigma often associated with mental health struggles.
Date: Thursday, March 7, 2024
Time: 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Synchronous virtual
Audience: Parents/ Caregivers, Community, Students (Gr. 7-12)
Register here or bit.ly/3ORt7om
Special Education- Parent Engagement Session:
Special Education and Inclusion is pleased to offer our second engagement session for parents/guardians/caregivers this year. We ask that you please share the flyers below with the families in your school.
Morning Session – March 5th Flyer
FLYER Parent Session March 5th AM Session.pptx - Google Slides
Evening Session – March 6th Flyer
FLYER Parent Session March 6th PM Session.pptx - Google Slides
Webinar Wednesdays:
The Centre of Excellence for Black Student Achievement is hosting its second session of the 2023 - 2024 Webinar Wednesdays series. The aim of this virtual series is to provide space for Black parents and caregivers, and families raising Black children to support their children’s success, academic achievement and overall well-being as they transition from high school.
Through collaborations with various post-secondary institutions, the Webinar Wednesdays series shares information and resources on various topics, including, but not limited to graduation and post-secondary pathways.
- session, we focus on Pathways to Skilled Trades. Join us as we learn more about the various pathways and apprenticeship programs.
Date: Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Time: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Virtual
Registration link: bit.ly/42zc7sY
School Council:
1. Games Night - Sunday, March 3rd - 6:30-8:30 pm. Join other Northern parents for a night of good food and good fun. It is a good time to relax and make some new friends! Email nss.school.council@gmail.com for more details.
2. Upcoming External Events. Please visit our website for a list of free upcoming events and parent resources. Events about self-harm and financial literacy are taking place this week. All members of the Northern community are welcome to share upcoming events that might be of interest to the parent community by sending an email to nss.school.council@gmail.com
3. Call For Volunteers. NSS Council wants to hear from you! All of our committees welcome your input and support.
Committees welcoming volunteers include the following:
- Academic Resource Committee
- Education Committee
- ELL Parent Engagement
- Fundraising Committee
- Gifted Advisory Committee
- Social Committee
- Website Committee
If you are interested in participating in any of these committees, please send and email to nss.school.council@gmail.com
Battle of the Bands:
Northern’s first ever Battle of the Bands will be after school on Wednesday March 27th! Sign ups for performers are due March 12. It’s free to watch for everyone! Check out our Instagram, @nssmusic, for all the details or sign up at bit.ly/NSSbattleofthebands24
Guidance Updates:
- Guidance Week-in-Review: Course Selection is complete! Thank you everyone!
- Guidance Week Ahead: Guidance will be meeting with students and starting to double check course selections.
- Scholarship Information:
- Seeking Scholarships has released their February Scholarship Report which has upcoming scholarship dates listed for students applying to post-secondary programs. It also has some great tips this month for writing scholarship essays
- Northern students, teachers, and families can access from this link using the password, scholar58:
- Please note: This resource is copyrighted and only available to Northern families - please do not share outside of the Northern community.
- NSS Scholarship Information Chart 2023/2024 where Northern-specific scholarship information and deadlines can be found (along with other common awards).
- The Study and Go Abroad and School Finder Fairs are coming together to offer you even more study options. Check out the Canadian pavilion for local and out-of-province universities and colleges. Explore the International pavilion to meet with institutions from around the world, including the UK, US, Australia, Switzerland, France, Belgium etc. Don’t forget to visit the Travel Zone for work abroad, internships, immersive language travel and volunteering.
When? Where?
Sunday, March 3, 2024
Fair Times: 1 pm – 5 pm
Free Seminars: 12 noon – 5 pm
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building
Constitution Halls 105/106
255 Front Street West, Toronto, On
For more information, visit www.studyandgoabroad.com/toronto.
- YORK UNIVERSITY: EXPLORE YU MARCH BREAK DAY CAMP
Program Date/Time: March 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS) at York University is happy to announce that they will be offering our Explore YU—March Break Day Camp for grades 9, 10, and 11 domestic and international students in the Greater Toronto Area on March 15th, 2024!
Explore YU: March Break is an opportunity for students to visit and explore the Keele campus, meet other high school students and current LA&PS students, and engage in recreational and intercultural activities! Participants will get a unique opportunity to experience university life, explore the campus and build lasting friendships.
Location: York University – Keele Campus (4700 Keele Street, Toronto)
Registration Link
Cost: FREE
Contact: lapsint@yorku.ca
- UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO: LEARN ABOUT ACTUARIAL SCIENCE
- Date: Online event, Tuesday, March 19th 2024, 5:00 - 6:30 pm
This often unknown or unappreciated field which combines math, statistics, data science, risk and communication, is a great career path and opens doors to the fields of financial services, insurance, consulting and more.
Join our department faculty and staff and current Actuarial Science students as they answer questions from the basics (what it is!) to the involved (what courses you will take and how to have success).
During this session we will review how you can turn your interest and aptitude for numbers into a career, and how the UofT program can contribute to your success. You will connect with faculty members, staff and students from University of Toronto’s actuarial science programs, and they will share their insights, experience, career perspectives, and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to welcoming you to this event!
Please register so we have a sense of who and how many will be in the room, the zoom
link will be shared with those attending.
Contact: megan.whitehead@utoronto.ca
- University of Toronto Outreach Opportunities:
Program Dates: July 2 - 26, 2024
The STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Design Program is an experiential learning program with an equity focus, as it is designed for grades 10-12 students identifying with groups that are underrepresented in health sciences (i.e. Black, Indigenous, Filipino, Latin American, racialized, and/or from any background experiencing socio-economic barriers)
Click here to APPLY
Program Dates: July 8 – August 2, 2024
Blueprint is an academic enrichment program designed for highly motivated Black students interested in science and engineering. Blueprint is open to students currently in Grades 10 and 11, and are interested in careers in STEM (Science, Technology Engineering and Math).
Click here to APPLY
- IMPORTANT Volunteering Information:
- PLEASE NOTE: Events and activities supporting a not-for-profit initiative are approved. If you are unsure if your activities supports a not-for-profit program, please see your Guidance counsellor for approval of the volunteering initiative.
- For more information about the TDSB’s policy on Volunteering, click here.
- Students: for volunteering information and opportunities, please visit your Guidance Google classroom or www.volunteertoronto.ca.
- You can find the TDSB Community Involvement form here.
- Post Secondary Updates:
- Online Graduation Requirement – Information and Opt-Out Form
- Looking for information about the new Ontario Ministry Online Learning graduation requirement? Please click here
- Overview Info:
- applies only to students who entered Grade 9 on or after September 1, 2020.
- Students may withdraw/opt out of this new requirement and graduate with an OSSD
- if you have decided now to withdraw from the graduation requirement, please complete the TDSB Opt Out/Withdrawal Form and return it to your Guidance Counsellor.