Administrator Update
Newsletter Updates
The Administrator Update and the Dates to Remember has been updated with new information.
Stay Connected with Northlea
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @NorthleaTDSB. You can also check out our website at www.northleaschool.ca. Special thanks to Frank Chang for his work on Northlea's website.
Welcome Back
The school has been buzzing with energy. The caretaking team has been working away all summer. We have a wonderful balance of staff who have been at Northlea and those who are new to Northlea. Although not at all surprised, I was so touched and impressed with how warmly our new staff members were welcomed and how much support has been extended. We thank our Northlea veterans for their mentorship, kindness and commitment. We also celebrate our 'new to Northlea' teachers for diving into their work here with enthusiasm, dedication and professionalism. We hope all of the staff efforts result in students feeling great about the first day.
Stay tuned for an update with our Curriculum Night date and please mark your calendars for our Welcome Back BBQ on Thursday, September 20th, 2018 at 5:00 pm.
We also have a special surprise at the interior entrance by Door 2 so we invite you come and see for yourselves and we will share pictures and summary of the project with you in an upcoming newsletter.
An official warm welcome to Michael Sanders. Michael joins us in the second VP role. He's been working away for the past few weeks and is excited to be part of #TeamNorthlea. The Superintendent and Trustee shared a notification of his promotion and placement in the letter is below:
We also want to say farewell and thank you to Steven Reed who has been a caretaker at Northlea for a number of years. Steven was the successful candidate for a new role at another school and we congratulate him on this promotion.
We welcome Daniel Bock, Ali Said and Zach Athanasios to our caretaking team along with Ken and Seymour.
Welcome to Kindi Summer Playdate
The 'Welcome to Kindi Summer Playdate' was amazing. It was a beautiful evening and there were dozens of families reconnecting and meeting one another for the first time. It was a perfect way for our early learners to begin the new school year. Thank you to Shannon Chaplin for coordinating the event.
First Day Procedure
On Tuesday, September 4th, staff will greet your children in the yard starting at 8:35 am. Staff will be holding signs with their names and room numbers. Please locate the teacher whose name was shared with you in the class placement email.
Please follow this link for the list of entry locations for each homeroom grouping:
Staff will take students into the building beginning at 8:50 am. We hope to begin as we intend to proceed. With that in mind, we ask that you please endeavor to say your goodbyes in the yard. We promise to take good care! We ask this of your for three reasons:
1. Safety: Our hallways are busy places and we want as much room as possible for the students. As well, our visitor policy asks of guests to use the buzzer and enter via Door 2 and then sign in at the Main Office. Following that, we ask that you wear a visitor's badge while visiting.
2. Independent Skills: We work to empower students so they have the organization skills, the confidence and maturity to navigate their days with developmentally appropriate opportunities for independence. Our staff members are skilled at supporting as needed based on each child's stage of readiness.
3. Academic: Our staff prepare learning experiences that begin upon entry. We want to dive into our instructional program as soon as students have transitioned into the building.
If you feel that your child has unique circumstances that require an adjusted approach, we encourage you to connect with your classroom teacher to discuss in more detail.
Reorganization
In September we track class sizes to ensure we uphold provincial and TDSB standards as they relate to averages and the primary cap. At times, our enrollment grows over the summer and may result in needing to reorganize class groupings and teaching assignments in the fall. Please keep this system norm in mind as we begin the year.
Visiting and Volunteering Routines
When you visit, we ask that you please go to Door 2 and get buzzed in by an office staff member. Once you enter the building, please proceed to the main office to sign in at the office. If you have made previous arrangements to work in a classroom, please borrow a visitor's badge before you make your way to the classroom. We ask that you please coordinate classroom visits ahead of time with the teacher.
All volunteers need to have police reference checks completed before you are able to volunteer at Northlea. Please refer to the "Police Reference Check Process" section for more informaiton.
Slow Down - Safe Routes to School
The TDSB has posted information on the website regarding school safety. We know many come distracted - excited - so it's up to all of us to be aware of school zone safety. Children travel to and from school many ways including walking, wheeling (e.g., bicycle, scooter or mobility device), taking public transit or a school bus; and/or, driving/taking a ride to school. Whatever option you and your family choose, please remember to be careful and share the road with other road users.
Walking to School - The TDSB encourages active transportation to and from school whenever possible. Walking to school can be safer than driving and have a positive impact on student’s mental wellness and academic success.
Cycling to School - Similar to walking, cycling is good for children’s health, the environment and our communities. According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO), bikes are considered vehicles. Therefore, cyclists must follow the same rules and laws as drivers do.
Driving to School - A child struck by a car travelling at 50 km/hr is eight times more likely to be killed than a child struck at 30 km/hr. Children 10 and under are most at risk for pedestrian related injuries. Therefore, if you are driving your child to or from school, it is important to be alert and slow down as children are smaller and harder to see. In addition, it might be difficult for children to determine the direction of sound and judging distance or speed.
DRIVING & PARKING
If you need to drive, we ask that you please park legally. We also wish to remind you that the Sutherland lot is reserved for staff and the Rumsey lot is closed between 8:30-9:00 am. The Rumsey lot is not used by Northlea Elementary and Middle School families at other times unless you are using the accessible spot.
KISS N' RIDE
We also encourage families who drive to take advantage of the Kiss N' RIde program on Sutherland Drive. The KNR program is made possible by the work of numerous committed volunteers. Your involvement is so helpful. If you are able to volunteer, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080F4DA9AF23ABF49-kissnride
September Package
During the first week of school, we will be sending home an information package full of very important forms. Please fill them out and return them by the requested date. We use the information you provide to update our central system.
Chill n' Chat
Next time you're in the school, you will notice a few new sofas and tables in the main hall. Our foyer is starting to take shape and we know our students will have lots of ideas about how to keep improving the space. The Grade 7 & 8 students loved hanging out and working in this space last year and we know they'll approve of the new and improved sofas. Our goal is to create a welcoming space. We received an anonymous donation of two new sofas. Thank you to our special decorator. Thank you also to Jennifer Ego for recommending Northlea to KEILHAUER's donation program. Through that referral, we were given new office furniture and a few items for our foyer.
MakerSpace . . . Or Not . . .
This year, we are excited to build on the fantastic Library programming that took place last year. Ms. Horton had our library hopping and we want to build on all of her great leadership in this space. Ms. Horton has passed the torch to Ms. Ivancic and she is excited to capitalize on the momentum.
This year, we will be adding a MakerSpace to the library. The term 'MakerSpace' is an open-ended and trendy buzzword that can conjure a lot of different understandings. During the year, you can expect to see activities such as coding, sewing, building, and more in the library. The experiences will be grounded in curriculum with an intentional pedagogical purpose. The MakerSpace will not replace the literacy rich experiences that our students love. Rather, they will both be prominent and compliment one another. Don't get too attached to the name "MakerSpace" because it may or may not stick. As the space evolves based on student inquiries and interests, we will get their feedback on their ideal name for the space. You might be interested in this article to read more about this approach. https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/school-library/ You may also be interested in this link which looks at the maker wave in education from another angle: makerspaces. http://www.spencerauthor.com/classroom-makerspace/
A very special 'thank you' is extended to one of our parents for her contribution to this space. This parent participated in a matching program with Cadillac Fairview. Her numerous volunteer hours were matched with money from Cadillac Fairview that she could give to an organization of her choosing. This parent has chosen to give the $3,000.00 donation to Northlea for us to purchase resources for the MakerSpace. This funding is so helpful. Thank you to Cadillac Fairview and our helpful Northlea Mom who has chosen to remain behind the scenes.
Future Design Institute
On Wednesday, August 29, 2018 Northlea was fortunate to host over 50 educators from across the province for the Future Skills Institute. We had a great turnout from our staff - 17 staff members! The staff began to develop curriculum-based units of study around authentic issues. From there we learned about how to support students so they take academic risks to create meaningful solutions using an iterative process. We were especially proud of our team because Ms. Fazl, Mme Resnick and Ms. Robson were invited to present. The presentations were excellent and they highlighted the journey last year and the learnings for our work this year.
First Lego League @ Northlea!
First Lego League (FLL) is coming to Northlea!! Does your child love Lego? Robotics? Science? Learning new things? New adventures? Then FLL is for them! FIRST LEGO League introduces students to real-world engineering challenges by building LEGO-based robots to complete tasks on a thematic playing surface.
Northlea will have its first ever FLL team from children in grades 6-8 starting in September 2018 and Northlea’s first robotics club starting in January 2019.
To learn more about FLL check out the link http://www.firstlegoleague.org/about-fll. After reviewing the website if you think your child would like to join Northlea’s team please keep an eye on the school website, we will be starting up shortly after school starts.
Communication
Effective communication is central to our home and school partnership. Below are the main sources of information you can expect to access.
1. The Google Calendar - The Google calendar is linked to the Northlea website. On this Google Calendar, we will endeavor to include information that is relevant to the whole school such as Photo Day and, at times, major events for a specific age group such as overnight trips. Please familiarize yourself with this calendar as we use it often.
2. School-Wide Newsletter - I will send a newsletter to the community twice a month. It will be mailed to you directly through your email address via our School Messenger program. These newsletters are also posted on the school website and we generally post them on our Twitter feed as well.
3. Twitter (@northleaTDSB) - We will use Twitter to highlight events and moments of interest. We'd love for you to share your summer pictures with the hashtag #NorthleaSummer2018 and then also share your 1st day pictures at the hashtag #NorthleaFirstDay2018.
4. Staff Communications - Staff members will share their individualized information sharing approaches with you at the start of the year.
5. The School Website - Our website- www.northleaschool.ca - will also contain updates. It contains information about both the school and the Home and School parent association. *On the bottom left hand corner of the website is a section that allows you to subscribe to the website. If you opt to sign up, you will receive updates to your email whenever the website is updated.
6. The Home and School Association Email List - Northlea's Home and School Association is a pivotal part of the Northlea school experience. We encourage all families to stay up to date and involved with H &SA. The #1 way to ensure you are informed is for you to consent to share your email and phone contact information. If you want to receive correspondences from the Home and School Association, please sign up at the start of the school year. Stay tuned for a future update with instructions for consenting.
In an effort to improve communication, there may be changes made. If so, we will notify you so you are up to date about how best to stay informed.
Allergies & Other Medical Conditions
If your child has a life-threatening allergy and/or medical condition, please be sure to return your forms as soon as possible with the updated information and notify the teacher. It is essential we are familiar with these needs and medical protocols.
We also ask that you contact the teachers right away to discuss your child's medical needs. If your child uses an epipen, please have them keep on on their person at all times and please bring a second epipen to the office for us to house at school. If you do not have an epipen due to a shortage, please contact the main office.
Supporting the health and well-being of students with food allergies is a community commitment. Please remember that nuts and nut-based products of any kind are not to be brought to school. We also stress the importance of hand washing as a measure for safety. If there is a child with a food-based allergy in your class, you can expect to receive a letter from the classroom teacher identifying the allergen and asking families to refrain from sending that allergen to school.
Bussing
Transportation staff have been in constant contact with our bus operators over the summer to ensure a smooth start-up in September. At this point in time, all operators are reporting sufficient drivers to cover all routes. Thanks to all families who have signed up on the transportation portal as it will allow for the team to communicate and keep you updated on service related issues. If you haven’t signed up yet, please visit https://busplannerweb.torontoschoolbus.org/Subscriptions/Login.aspx. The portal will continue to be your one stop shop for valuable information. If you have any issues signing up on the portal, please contact us at support@torontoschoolbus.org and staff will assist you with the registration of your account. For more information, please click here.
Cross Country
XC 2018 is right around the corner! Official training starts the second day of school (September 5th). We're looking forward to see all our returning runners and welcoming some new ones!
The package with everything you need to know and all the forms you need to sign can be found here:
The schedule is:
Grade 1's - Tuesday and Thursday 8-8:30 am (starts September 6th)**
Grade 2's - Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8-8:30 (starts September 5th)**
Grade 3-8's - Every day 7:45-8:30 am (starts September 5th)
*Please note, adult supervision is required for all Grade 1 and 2 runners.
We will be having a mandatory meeting on Friday September 7th at 8:00 in the North Gym. There will be no training that day. Forms are available online, please print them out and return them no later than Friday September 7th.
We are still looking for parent coaches and a parent co-ordinator for grade 1&2. If you are able to help, please contact alexisdecastro@outlook.com and/or meganoco@icloud.com.
Outdoor Play and Learning (OPAL)
In this newsletter, we included a separate page about our OPAL program. We encourage you to read through it if you have not already. We are very fortunate to be a part of this special collaboration with Earth Day Canada, TDSB Eco Schools and the OPAL program team.
In addition to having been selected as an OPAL school, we were also pleased to have been awarded a very generous grant - Over $25,000.00! - for our work with Generation Innovation and student-led design thinking. The grant enabled us to enhance both our resources and professional development as they related to accessible and inclusive play. We now have more adaptive play equipment, planters for planting pollinator gardens, a mud kitchen and more.
This year, we are moving to (almost) all-weather play. With the exception of extreme temperatures or dangerous conditions such as lightning, we will be going outside for recess. Please remember to send rain pants, a rain coat and rain boots.
If you have a moment, this CBC Metro Morning interview might be of interest . . . https://www.cbc.ca/listen/shows/metro-morning/segment/15585089
Gold Eco School
We are now a certified Gold level Eco-School. As part of our commitment to ecological literacy we ask that you send food in reusable containers. We also use a BOOMERANG program which means that everything that is not consumed at school (banana peels, apple cores, etc.) gets sent back home. Please keep this in mind when packing lunches.
Sensory Space
We are excited to update you that we are enhancing our sensory space this year. We have a dedicated classroom space that will be devoted to sensory experiences for students. Our special education team worked diligently to design the space and our equipment has arrived. The room will be set up shortly and ready for use. Over the course of the year, the activities will rotate. We hope this space provides our students with additional resources to thrive at Northlea.
2018-2019 Classroom & Office Staff
Below please find the list of office and classroom staff for the 2018-2019 school year.
Office Administrator - Judy Keith
Secretary 1.0 - Helen Saroglou
Secretary 0.5 - Nancy Meletschenko
Kindergarten JK with an ECE - Susan Lanktree (teacher) & Roxanne Caracciolo (ECE) - Room 116
Kindergarten JK without an ECE - Julie Roberts - Room 221
Kindergarten JK/SK with an ECE - Deborah Cranswick (teacher) & Natalie Stoykoff (ECE) - Room 114
French Immersion SK - Adrienne Duncan (teacher) & Jessica Tin Yan (ECE) - Room 224
French Immersion SK - Nathalie MacInnis (teacher) & Rose Patrick (ECE) Room 113
Bilingual Kindergarten Drama, Dance, Music and Physical Education - Elissa Wenger
Grade 1 English - Victoria Horton - Room 103
Grade 1/2 - English - Cassandra Calderone - Room 102
Grade 1/2 English - Amanda Santos - Room 101
Grade 2/3 English - Isaac Card - Room 219
Grade 3 English - Karen Andrew - Room 206
Grade 4 English - Mika Suokonautio - Room 205
Grade 5 English - Barbara Robson - Room 216
Grade 5/6 English - Bill Shizas - Portable 1
Grade 6 English - Allana Ossher - Room 227
Grade 7 English - Harshini Fazl - Room 214
Grade 7/8 English - Damien Benedict - Room 210
Grade 8 English - Janet Standing - Room 215
Grade 1 French Immersion - Jennifer Sepetdjian - Room 108
Grade 1 French Immersion - Donatien Gahungu - Room 107
Grade 1/2 French Immersion - Sarah Demirjian - Room 109
Grade 2 French Immersion - Guy Lariviere - Room 106
Grade 2 French Immersion - Farid Taileb - Room 105
Grade 2/3 French Immersion - Linette Zhang - Room 104
Grade 3 French Immersion - Marielle Cunan - Room 203
Grade 3/4 French Immersion - Lindsay Resnick - Room 204
Primary/Junior ISP for students with Developmental Disabilities- Rosario Galvez (Teacher) & Janette Lourie (Educational Assistant) - Room 208
Junior/Intermediate ISP for students with Developmental Disabilities - Sophia Poulimenakos (Teacher) & Salma Ahmed (Educational Assistant) - Room 207
Grade 4 French Immersion - Isaac Simms - Room 202
Grade 4/5 French Immersion - Carolyn Loares - Room 226
Grade 5 French Immersion - Samantha Kaziev - Room 213
Grade 5/6 French Immersion - Katarina Klipina - Portable 2
Grade 6 French Immersion - Kai Shapiro - Room 228
Grade 7 French Immersion - Rachel Fixman - Room 211
Grade 8 French Immersion - Susan Gardner - Room 212
Special Education Resource & MART - Mindy Gatt
Special Education Resource & MART - Marina Mason
Home School Program - Naomi Szamosi
Music - Alice Malach - Room 201
Music - Natalie Sommers - Room 117
Physical Education - John Ellis
Physical Education - Ashley Zaharia
Drama and Dance - Jennifer Capes - Room 223
Library, Drama, Dance and Music - Gemma Ivancic - Library
Yan Wang - Special Needs Assistant
Gina Fortsas - Special Needs Assistant
Julie Karapapas - Educational Assistant
Grade 6 Sheldon Trip
Our Sheldon Outdoor Centre Field Trips have been booked. Given our large student numbers, we will continue to divide the total number of students in half and host two trips to Sheldon.
TRIP 1 - Mr. Shizas and M. Shapiro - Monday, September 24th - Wednesday, September 26th, 2018.
TRIP 2 - Ms. Ossher and Mme Klipina - Wednesday, September 26th -Friday, September 28th, 2018.
If you have a child going into Grade 6, please put these dates on hold. The teachers will send home the permission packages right away. We ask that you return the forms as soon as possible.
Skate and Helmet Drive
Friends from a local school are looking for gently used skating gear. We would love to share many helmets and skates. For many in the school, they are learning to skate for the first time and these extra helmets and skates would also be available for their families to borrow over the weekends. Please bring skates and helmets that you can spare to the front foyer. Thank you.
School Cash Online
We use an online payment system for school related items such as field trips. You can register at: https://tdsb.schoolcashonline.com/ .
School Year Calendar 2018-2019
School Year Calendar 2018-2019
The official school year calendar for the Toronto District School Board runs from September 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, inclusive.
- First day of classes for all students is September 4, 2018
- The last day of class for elementary students is June 27, 2019
Trustee Update
Notice from Trustee Gershon
September 17, 2018: Important session on school space in our area
Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America and continues to grow. Transportation improvements and infill construction have resulted in concerns over space in our schools - particularly in our neighbourhood.
On September 17, 2018 I am hosting an information session led by Toronto District School Board Planners and Demographers to inform our community of the pressure points of school accommodation throughout our communities. This session will deal with areas such as Don Mills and Eglinton, Eglinton in the Leaside area, Yonge and Eglinton, Leslie and York Mills, and infill construction on and near Bayview, Don Mills, and Wynford/Concorde.
This meeting will be of interest to parents, community members and ratepayers. All are welcome. Details will follow but please pass this information on to anyone who may be interested. For more information please contact me at gerri.gershon@tdsb.on.ca.