Norway Junior Public School

Family Update - June 2

Indigenous History Month

June is National Indigenous History Month, with National Indigenous Peoples Day June 21st. It's a time to celebrate and learn from First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples’ diverse cultures, histories, experiences, creations, perspectives, and achievements. You can read more about how TDSB is celebrating National Indigenous History Month here. 

Pride Month

June is Pride Month at the TDSB! It’s an opportunity to celebrate diversity and raise awareness among all staff and students about the rich culture and history of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. It’s also an opportunity to deepen learning, support students, staff, and families, and recognize the ongoing impact of homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia. As we mark Pride Month, we also reaffirm our commitment to foster safe and welcoming spaces every day of the year.

Pride Flag Raising at Norway

This week marks the beginning of Pride Month in Toronto and TDSB schools and administrative buildings raise the Pride flag in solidarity with the 2SLGBTQ+ community at Norway and throughout Toronto. Norway will have its flag raising ceremony during afternoon recess 2:00 pm on Wednesday, June 3. Norway families are welcome to join us for this event. 

School Crossing Guard Appreciation Week

School Crossing Guard Appreciation Week runs from June 1 to 4 (June 5 is a PA Day). We are fortunate to have 5 crossing guards supporting Norway students and keeping them safe. Students and families are encouraged to thank their local crossing guards with a card - a simple way to show appreciation for their important work. Learn more at: www.toronto.ca/schoolcrossingguard.

Volunteer Tea - June 17 (new date!) 

The staff at Norway know how fortunate we are to have such an active and connected school community. From helping out in the classroom, to accompanying classes on school trips, to speaking with students about an area of expertise, to volunteering at the Norway Fun Day, your involvement at the school is always welcomed and appreciated. To honour the many volunteers, we are hosting a Volunteer Tea on Wednesday, June 17, from 2:30-3:30 pm in the staff room. Please mark the date. We look forward to seeing many of you to celebrate a year of volunteering! 

Grade 6 Graduation

This year's Grade 6 Graduation ceremony will be held on Friday, June 19. Parents and Guardians are asked to come no earlier than 1:15 pm, with the ceremony starting at 1:30 pm. While there is plenty of seating, we ask that you limit guests to family members of Grade 6 Graduates. If you have heard about Norway's graduations, you know you are in for a treat! 

Upcoming Events and Important Dates

  • June 5 - PA Day for Assessment and Evaluation 
  • June 11 - Pizza Lunch #9
  • June 12 - Norway Fun Day from 3:30 pm in the school yard
  • June 17 - Volunteer Tea
  • June 19 - Grade 6 Graduation @ 1:30 pm
  • June 24 - Term Two Reports sent home
  • June 25 - Last Day of School

Family Update - May 29

It is a busy and exciting time of year for students and staff at Norway. Sports teams are ending their seasons, clubs are wrapping up in the coming weeks, Grade 3 and 6 students participated in EQAO assessments, many spring field trips are organized, and Grade 6 students are preparing for the grade 6 trip to Mono Outdoor Education Centre and thinking about Graduation on June 19 (more details coming soon to Grade 6 families). But the big event that everyone is looking forward to is Norway Fun Day, after school on June 12! As always, it takes a village to run a Fun Day, so please see the poster at end of this update and pitch in if you can! 

Balanced Day Presentation for Families

Thank you to all who came out last week to learn more about the Balanced Day model Norway will be using next school year. For your convenience, I have linked the presentation for everyone to view, here. As I receive more questions, I will update the embedded FAQ portion of the slides. 

Panoramic Photo Day - Monday, June 1 at 1:30 pm

This coming Monday, we will have our annual all school panoramic photo taken outside. This year, we are doing a rainbow themed photo. We are asking that, if possible, students and staff wear specific-coloured shirts as listed below. If you do not have the assigned colour for your child's class, please do not worry. Rainbows include all colours, so wee will make any colour work in the photo!

  • 101 and 102 Purple
  • 103 and 105 Blue
  • 205 and 206 Green
  • 207 and 209 Yellow
  • 210 and 204 Orange 
  • 202 and 203 Red
  • 201 Light Blue and Pink
Italian Heritage Month

Italian Heritage Month has been recognized each June at the Toronto District School Board since 2012, following the Italian Heritage Month Act passed in 2010. This year’s theme, Insieme in Piazza, reflects the importance of community, connection, and shared spaces within Italian culture. The concept of the piazza represents a place where people gather, build relationships, and celebrate together across generations. 

Portuguese‑Speaking Heritage Month

Portuguese‑Speaking Heritage Month is recognized each June at the Toronto District School Board, aligning with the Province of Ontario’s Celebration of Portuguese Heritage Act, passed in 2001. This year’s theme, Feel the Rhythm, Share the Culture, reflects the central role of music and celebration in Portuguese‑speaking cultures, where dance, performance, and song bring communities together. 

Norway Fun Day - Friday June 12 from 3:30-6:30 pm

Norway Fun Day is two weeks away! We are still in need of volunteers. Please see the linked poster for ways you can get involved and help out.

Family Update - May 4

Happy May! The weather may finally be taking a turn with 20 degree temperatures today and part of the rest of the week, and blooms are slowly revealing themselves, albeit later than usual this year. The following are some important updates including our Jump Rope for Heart event, as well as information about a change in Norway's timetable for the coming school year toward a Balanced Day model. 

Asian Heritage Month

The TDSB has proudly recognized the month of May as Asian Heritage Month since 2007, following official recognition by the Province of Ontario in 2005 and the Government of Canada in 2002. 
This year’s TDSB theme is Asian Heritage: Roots, Connections, Innovations. This theme underscores the deep roots that affirm identities, the strong connections shaped through collective cultural pride, and the future innovations that will continue to strengthen communities and create opportunities for Asian Canadians in Canada and around the world. 
The TDSB is the largest and one of the most diverse school boards in Canada. Nearly one-quarter of students were born outside of Canada, and collectively, more than 120 languages are spoken across the system. According to the 2023 Student Census, 46 percent of TDSB students self-identified as Asian.

Jewish Heritage Month

Jewish Heritage Month is recognized each May in Ontario following the passage of the Jewish Heritage Month Act in 2012, which acknowledges the important contributions Jewish Canadians have made to Ontario’s social, economic, political, and cultural fabric.
At the TDSB, Jewish Heritage Month provides an opportunity to recognize Jewish history, identity, and culture, and to support learning that promotes understanding, belonging, and respect. This work remains connected to the ongoing commitment to addressing antisemitism and all forms of hate.

** Balanced Day Model for 2026-2027 School Year at Norway **

As we prepare for the next school year, we are excited to share that Norway is a part of a new TDSB pilot project designed to support increased student achievement in literacy and numeracy through a balanced day timetable model. Research supports the benefits of uninterrupted instructional time, including dedicated 100-minute literacy and numeracy blocks. The new model also minimizes transition times from recess and back to class, as well as addresses noted gaps in supervision during outdoor times. Effective September 2026, Norway will implement a new timetable structure, for students in grades 1-6, to provide students with more consistent, focused learning opportunities and to support the best possible outcomes for all learners. Ongoing professional learning will be provided to staff to support the effective implementation and delivery of the new model. Our new timetable structure for the 2026-2027 school year will be as follows:

Norway Timetable 26-27639135164506355218


Information Night about Balanced Day Model 

Join us on Thursday, May 14 at 6:00 pm in the school library for a presentation to further explain the Balanced Day model and to answer any questions you may have about it. Childcare will be available. A slidedeck of the presentation will be shared with the school community after the event for those unable to make it to the Information Night. 

Jump Rope for Heart

For the next month, Norway is jumping rope for heart health! We are so excited to participate in Jump Rope for Heart—a fundraising program that empowers kids to build healthy habits and understand the importance of giving back. Together, we can make a difference in the fight to beat heart disease and stroke. If you would like to donate to this worthy cause, please do so at Norway's Jump for Heart page: 

Special Education and Inclusion Newsletter – May 2026 Edition

The May 2026 edition of the Special Education and Inclusion Newsletter for Parents/Guardians/Caregivers is now available on the Special Education and Inclusion site. This monthly newsletter includes important updates, tips, and resources to support students with disabilities and special education needs, and indeed all students.

Upcoming Events and Important Dates

  • May 7 - Dental Screening for JK/SK and Grade 2 students
  • May 14 - Information Night and Presentation on the Balanced Day model @ 6:00 pm
  • May 18 - Victoria Day - No School
  • May 19 - Lice Check
  • May 21 - Pizza Lunch #8
  • May 21 - Jump Rope for Heart Showcase Day
  • May 19-22 - EQAO assessment window for Grade 3 students 
  • May 26-29 - EQAO assessment window for Grade 6 students 
  • May 26 - Welcome to Kindergarten @ 5:00 pm
  • June 2 - Subway Lunch # 3
  • June 5 - PA Day for Assessment and Evaluation 
  • June 11 - Pizza Lunch #9
  • June 12 - Norway Fun Day from 4:00 pm in the school yard
  • June 16 - Volunteer Tea
  • June 19 - Grade 6 Graduation (afternoon - exact time TBD)
  • June 24 - Term Two Reports sent home
  • June 25 - Last Day of School

Previous Updates and Messages