There was a lot of excitement, and no shortage of nerves this week as we started another school year. Norway staff welcomed their students and together they have started to develop a strong sense of community within the classroom. Staff will continue to foster a positive and inclusive classroom and school community throughout the school year. I have been impressed with how welcoming and friendly the entire school community has been to me. There are a few others who are new to the Norway school community (including all of the JK students!), and I am sure that they have felt similarly welcomed. Thank you for this. It says a lot about Norway.
Parents, guardians, and caregivers play a crucial role in the lives of students at Norway. School Council is actively looking for volunteers and those interested in taking on broader roles in School Council. A number of events have been planned for the school year, including upcoming School Council meetings on Wednesday, September 20, and Wednesday, October 11. A more detailed message from School Council has been sent out as a separate message to Norway families.
I am excited to learn more about the students at Norway, and to support them in their learning journey as the year progresses. I look forward to meeting many of you over the coming weeks in the school yard, at School Council meetings, or at the upcoming Curriculum Night (date to be determined).
Joel Krentz
Principal
Norway Junior Public School
Staff Changes
There have been a few changes to the staff at Norway. Welcome back to Ms. Ramsay who is teaching a Kindergarten class, and to Ms. Becher who is teaching French and supporting Special Education at the school. We also have two new staff members – Ms. Hua who is teaching a Grade 1/2 class, and Mr. Feinstein who is teaching a grade 5/6 class. We also welcome Ms. Arthur who will be teaching Grade 1, and Ms. Damer who will be filling in as the Teacher Librarian, and Special Education Resource teacher. Finally we said goodbye to Dawn Williams, our evening caretaker, as she accepted an assignment closer to home. We wish Dawn all the best. Her position is currently being filled with temporary staff as the staffing process proceeds. You can see the entire Norway staff list here.
Morning Entry Update
In an effort to make morning entry at drop off time a bit smoother and less crowded, we will be changing the entry door of a few classes. The changes are as follows:
- Rooms and 210, 209 and 201 will enter through the Main Office Doors. Classes will line up at the corner of the school near Room 208. I will be there to help students and families with this change.
- Rooms 205, 206, 207, and 208 will enter (as they have been) through the right side of the Playground Doors.
- Rooms 202, 203, and 204 will enter (as they have been) through the left side of the Playground Doors.
- Kindergarten entry remains the same. Please refer to messages from your child’s Kindergarten teacher for details on drop-off.
On Monday morning, you will notice spray painted lines indicating classroom numbers on the pavement. These lines will help students and caregivers more easily locate where to line up in the morning.
School Website
The Norway School Website has been updated and will be a go to site for all kinds of information. Family Updates will be posted on the main page, events and important dates will be shared on the School Calendar page, and the timetable can be viewed on the Daily Timetable page. I invite you to check out the page here - https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/norway. I will be sure to share any additions to the site as they are added.
Dogs on School Property
An important reminder that dogs are not permitted on TDSB property, even if they are on a leash. Please tie your dog somewhere outside the school perimeter if you must bring your dog with you when you accompany your children to and from school. Exceptions to this policy include service dogs supporting students or caregivers. Families with a service dog should speak with the school administration.
There are a few off leash dog parks a short distance from Norway. The closest Dog Off-Leash Areas are Cassels Avenue Playground (link) at 69 Cassels Avenue, Wildwood Crescent Playground (link) at 110 Wildwood Crescent, and Norwood Park (link) at 16 Norwood Park Road.
A recent incident at a TDSB school, makes this message more timely. Our hope is that, with the support of all members of the community, we can continue to keep the Norway school yard a safe and welcoming space for all in the school community. Feel free to share this message with community members outside of the school community. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.
School Forms
There are a number of important forms at the beginning of each school year for parents and guardians to complete. Some of these forms will be done through Permission Click, and some are sent home in paper form. School Council will be sharing their own forms for communication purposes, and you will receive the occasional SchoolCashOnline notification. While it is sometimes difficult to keep track of these, it is important that they are completed and submitted in the timely manner. For your convenience, here is a helpful flyer to explain how SchoolCashOnline works.
Terry Fox Run/Walk
Norway is excited to participate in the Terry Fox Run again this year! Our school wide Terry Fox Run will be held on Friday, September 22nd. All students in K-6 will participate. Classes will meet in the gym at 10:20 am to kick off the event with a short assembly, and then head outside for a run/walk beginning at approximately 10:50am. Families are welcome to join us for the assembly and/or the outdoor run/walk.
Our fundraising goal this year is $3,255 and we are hoping to reach this goal by the end of September. However, our donation page will be left open until October 14th. If you would like to contribute to our fundraising efforts, please use the link below.
Norway Public School Donation Link:
https://schools.terryfox.ca/NorwayPSToronto
Thank you,
Mrs. Brace and Ms. Meyer
Pollinator Garden Volunteers
Thank you to our parent volunteers!
If you haven't already done so, please stop by our new raised garden beds and take a look at all of the new plant life growing! In the spring, we were able to add 104 native plants to our school garden. Each species was carefully chosen and arranged in the garden to allow for continuous bloom to provide food, resting, and nesting during all seasons for our native pollinators. A BIG thank you to our parent volunteers: Jing Howard, Cara Heath, Charryse Souza, Shelley Johnson, Angie Riches, and Jordan Erasmus. This passionate team of parents dedicated their time over the summer months to help water and maintain the garden beds. Thanks to their efforts, the garden continues to thrive!
Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference
The TDSB’s annual Parents and Caregivers as Partners Conference is taking place on October 21 and 22, 2023. This year’s conference is focussed on Joy in the Journey of Learning and will be a weekend full of presentations. Visit www.parentsaspartners.ca for more information.
TTC Greenwood Open House

TDSB Ward 16 School Trustee, Michelle Aarts
TDSB Ward 16 School Trustee, Michelle Aarts, puts together a highly informative newsletter each month or so throughout the school year. To receive Trustee Aarts’ newsletters, please sign up here.
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
- September 20 – School Council Meeting
- September 22 – Terry Fox Run/Walk
- September 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (observed at Norway on Friday, September 29)
- October 11 – School Council Meeting and Elections
- October 12 – Curriculum Night
- October 13 – Photo Day
- October 14 – Last Day for Terry Fox donations
Curriculum Night date to be determined (likely early October)