Administrator Update
Northlea is Proud to be an OPAL School
Newsletter Updates
The Administrator Update and Dates to Remember sections have 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.
ETFO Job Action
ETFO job action continues. This means that the hold on athletics and all choir and band co-curriculars continues. We are still waiting to see if the Leaside Cup can be rescheduled. Additional job sanctions include staff handling money and forms as well as a hold on an all excursions. This pause will remain in place until we notify you of a change.
With regards to the Grade 7 & 8 Ski Trip - We have secured an alternate back-up date in the event that labour negotiations come to a resolution by February 18th. For now, we plan to hold on to the money people have submitted (unless they prefer a refund). The back-up ski trip date is set for Thursday, February 27th, 2020.
As you are aware, report cards will not be distributed. There will, however, be a full day available on on Friday, February 14th for parent-teacher interviews. Parents are always welcome to request an interview.
Chinese New Year - January 25, 2020 - Year of the Rat
Celebrations for Chinese New Year 2020 or the Spring Festival (Lunar New Year) began on Saturday, January 25th according to the traditional Chinese Calendar. 2020 is the year of the Rat. The Rat is a representation of diligence, kindness, and generosity. To all celebrating "Kung hei fat choy!"
Thank you to Joanna Degez and Leanne Sun for creating the beautiful display in our front foyer. It has generated so much interest and is a beautiful way to welcome visitors and engage our students in culturally relevant learning.
African Heritage Month
February is African Heritage Month at the Toronto District School Board and we’re proud to recognize the experiences, contributions and achievements of African Canadians. The theme for 2020 is "UBUNTU: I am because we are," which is derived from the Nguni Bantu term in Southern Africa.
The Black population has contributed to Canada’s heritage since the arrival of Mathieu Da Costa (a navigator and interpreter for Pierre Du Gua de Mons and Samuel de Champlain), whose presence in Canada dates back to the early 1600s. The Black population (2016 Census) accounts for 3.5% of Canada’s total population. Long-established Black immigrants were mostly from the Caribbean, but recent immigrants were predominantly from Africa. In the 2017 TDSB Student Census, 11% self-identified as Black.
At Northlea, we are working to infuse culturally relevant learning and eliminate anti-black racism all year long. Throughout the month of February, we are sharing learning through classroom experiences, vignettes on Knights TV and we will also be hosting numerous school-wide learning opportunities throughout February, March and April.
Chinese Heritage Month
During the month of February, we celebrate the energetic culture and traditions of the Chinese community with students, staff and community members of the Toronto District School Board and the City of Toronto.
The Chinese community is integral to the growth and success of the City of Toronto and Canada. Members of the Chinese community represent approximately 10 percent of the total GTA population and form its second largest visible minority group. Canadians remember and appreciate the Chinese workers who helped build the Canadian Pacific Railway that united our country.
Pizza Lunch
Friendly reminder that Pizza Lunch will take place this Thursday, January 30th, 2020.
Yearbook - Parent Volunteer Call-Out
We are looking for at least 2-3 dedicated parents to help with yearbook this year!! If interested please email yearbook@northleaschool.ca. Parent involvement in the yearbook has always been a pivotal part of the yearbook's success. The students love the yearbook and it has been a tradition at Northlea for the past 20+ years.
Dance-a-Thon
Save the date for our 2nd annual dance-a-thon on Thursday, February 13th, 2020. Classes have been signed up for a time slot and each class will have the opportuntiy to come down to the gym and join the party.
Fundraising forms have been distributed to every child. Students can return forms to the main office. One of the current job sanctions includes teachers not being able to handle forms and money. To support this event, we also encourage families to use the online fundraising platform: https://www.professorjamz.com/northlea
Hygiene During Flu Season
In addition to the annual flu season, we are also mindful of the coronavirus that has originated in China and has been receiving significant media attention over recent weeks. Toronto Public Health has drafted the attached letter for Torontonians. Please know that the TDSB is continuing to monitor the situation closely and are working with public health officials. The Toronto District School Board takes it lead from public health officials, which have not advised organizations, such as the TDSB, to take any additional precautions at this time.
The City of Toronto has prepared a webpage with up to date information: https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/diseases-medications-vaccines/coronavirus/
You can also refer to the Ontario webpage: https://www.ontario.ca/page/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov
It’s important to remember that this is also flu season in Toronto. We are advising staff and students to take the usual measures such as washing your hands frequently, covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze and staying home if you are ill.
We ask for your support with the following:
1. Please speak with your children and remind them to wash their hands thoroughouly with soap and water after going to the washroom and throughout the day. Please also let them know about the hand sanitizer in the classroom.
2. Please remind your children that they should report any concerns about the washrooms to their teacher or to the office right away so we can address issues promptly. While our caretaking team check and clean the washrooms numerous times a day, we are not always informed if supplies have run low before the next washroom check.
3. Please remind students to use the washrooms responsibly. At times, some students can get silly in the washroom and misuse resources. We need everybody's help to maintain the washrooms.
4. Please keep children home if they are ill. If children are sick at school, we will be calling and asking families to take their children home until they are feeling better.
One Book Event
Jan 27, 2020 – One Book Event – Launch of Hana’s Suitcase on International Holocaust Day
The TDSB is committed to creating a school system and workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. Ensuring we provide opportunities for students and staff to learn about Holocaust and genocide prevention education supports our continued efforts to combat Antisemitism and all forms of hate.
In recognition of TDSB’s participation in Liberation75 and thanks to the TDSB Jewish Heritage Committee, in partnership with Indigo and Second Story Press, all Grade 6 students (more than 17,000) throughout the TDSB received a copy of Hana’s Suitcase. This book is an excellent resource for introducing children to the Holocaust and is Canada’s most awarded children’s book including one from the United Nations and “the Ultimate Silver Birch Winner” in Ontario. It has been translated into more than 40 languages, produced as a stage play, and is the subject of a prize-winning radio documentary and feature-length documentary film. Tomorrow, January 27, 2020, International Holocaust Day from 10-11 we will be hosting a "One-Book Event" - this year marks the 75th anniversary of liberation from Auschwitz which is where Hana Brady died.
The live event will feature Heather Reisman - Founder and Chief Executive of Indigo Books and Music; and Lara Hana Brady - niece of Hana Brady, who is the keeper of family artifacts, including some that belonged to Hana. It will be live webcast for Grade 6 classes across the system.
Please click here Monday at 10 to join our Northlea grades 6, 7 and 8 classes in learning. “The core learning future generations must acquire, in addition to the facts of Holocaust history, will be to recognize the impulse to genocide, how and why it starts...and the known consequences of silence and indifference.” https://www.tdsb.on.ca/stream/livewebcastHS.html
Kindergarten Registration
We will start booking appointments on January 16th, 2020 and begin actual registrations on Feb 3rd, 2020.
Please call Northlea at 416-396-2395 to schedule an appointment starting on January 16th, 2020 for children who are eligible to start Junior Kindergarten in September 2020. Children who will be four by December 31, 2020, can start Junior Kindergarten in September 2020. We will commence with registrations on February 3rd, 2020.
In order to complete the registration you will require the following items: Birth Certificate, Health Card, Immunization Record, and a Property Tax Bill or Rental Agreement & one other piece of proof of residency (utility bill: Hydro, Enbridge, City of Toronto). NOTE: Property Tax Bill or Rental Agreement is Mandatory
The link below has detailed information about TDSB Kindergarten programming:
More detailed information about registration can be found here: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/EarlyYears/KindergartenMonth
Regardless of which process caregivers select, all registrations require a visit the local school to validate registration information.
Save the date for our Welcome to Kindergarten Orientation on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 from 9:10-10:10 am beginning in our school library.
Public Health has shared several informative documents about supporting readiness for Kindergarten:
Me to We Clothing Drive
Northlea’s Me to WE team did a fantastic job leading this year's winter clothing drive. Thank you to everyone who shared so generously. Clothes can still be dropped off until Monday, January 27th, 2020. The clothes will be donated to New Circles and Out of the Cold.
Optional Attendance
Students who reside within the City of Toronto have the right to attend a school which is designated to serve their residential address. The "Find Your School" section of the website identifies the designated schools for each residential address.
Students also have the opportunity to access schools outside of the school that is designated to serve their residential address by applying on optional attendance. Acceptance at these schools is subject to space availability and program suitability. The procedures, conditions and timelines relating to optional attendance are described in the Optional Attendance Policy and the Optional Attendance Operational Procedure
Each year in December, schools are classified as limited or closed to optional attendance based on the space they have available for the upcoming school year. A school classified as limited can accept students on optional attendance. A limited school is not obliged to accept all students who apply on optional attendance. Acceptance is conditional upon space being available in the appropriate grade and program. A school classified as closed cannot accept any students on optional attendance. Only students residing within the school's attendance area will be accepted. If a school is classified as limited, and you are interested in applying to that school, please contact the school's principal.
Please note that the optional attendance status is updated every December for admission in September of the coming school year. Many schools that are limited have their available spaces filled in the spring. Please confirm if a limited school has space available by calling the school directly.
Please Note the Following:
1. Priority of placement in the requested school will be based on a lottery if applications exceed the space available at the requested school.
2. If admitted, a student is expected to continue at the requested school until graduation.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR SCHOOL ADMISSION BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 2020
ELEMENTARY Form
Applications must be received by Friday, February 14 2020.
A lottery, if necessary, will be held to determine the successful applicants.
Parents/guardians will be informed of acceptance or non-acceptance no later than March 6, 2020.
Parents/guardians must inform the requested school of their acceptance of the offer by Friday, 20 March 2019.
SECONDARY Form
Applications must be received by Friday, January 31 2020.
A lottery, if necessary, will be held to determine the successful applicants.
Parents/guardians or students 18 years of age or older will be informed of acceptance or non-acceptance prior to Friday, February 14 2020.
Parents/guardians or students 18 years of age or older must confirm the offer of admission by completing a course selection sheet by Friday, 28 February 2020.
No student will be admitted into all secondary grade levels through optional attendance after Friday, 28 February 2020 unless the student does not have a timetable at another school.
Note: It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to deliver the application to the school or schools of choice.
Home and School Meetings
Below please find our list of Home and School meetings for this school year:
- Wednesday, February 19th @ 2:30 PM - RESCHEDULED** The meeting on February 6th - 2:30 PM @ Northlea in the School Library has been rescheduled to Wednesday, February 19, 2020. The meeting will run from 2:30 pm -3:20 pm.
- April 6th - 8:35 AM @ Northlea in the School Library
- May - Date TBD - 6:30 PM @ Northlea in the School Library
- Annual General Meeting - Time TBD - Post or pre volunteer breakfast perhaps.
Secondary Program Review and Optional Attendance
The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is undertaking a review of secondary schools to ensure all students have equitable access to programs and opportunities, as close to home as possible. As part of the Secondary Program Review, the TDSB is reviewing the Optional Attendance policy (P013), which allows students to apply to schools other than their designated school by home address.
A public consultation process for both the Secondary Review and P013 started in November 2019. Please visit the TDSB website for more information and opportunities to provide feedback: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/High-School/Secondary-Program-Review.
If you have any questions and/or comments, please email SecondaryReview@tdsb.on.ca
Trustee Corner
Please visit Trustee Chernos Lin's website for updates about Ward 11: https://www.tdsb.on.ca/ward11/
You can also find the latest newsletter in full here:
Community Coffee Meetings . . . A Message from Trustee Chernos-Lin
UPCOMING COFFEE MORNINGS
Mark your calendars! The following coffee mornings have been set:
- March 10, 2020, 9:15-11:15, Leaside Longo's
- April 14, 2020, 9:15-11:15, Leaside Longo's
- June 16, 2020, 9:15-11:15, Leaside Longo's
"Community Coffee" meetings are informal gatherings where parents and constituents are invited for a round table-style discussion of information sharing, best practices and interesting conversation related to education in our ward. We often have superintendents and sometimes even principals who drop by, so these are fun and engaging events. These meetings are usually held at Longo's Leaside (93 Laird Drive), unless stated otherwise. I hope you can join us at one of upcoming dates below!
JOINT WARD FORUM
Guest Speaker, TDSB Director, Dr. John Malloy
Thursday, February 6th, 2019 6:30 pm - 8:30pm @ North Toronto Collegiate
Please join me for my next ward forum coming up on February 6th from 6:30-8:30pm at North Toronto Collegiate. Trustee Shelley Laskin and I will be hosting a joint ward forum with special guest, TDSB Director of Education, Dr. John Malloy. Mr. Malloy will speak on a variety of current topics including the Secondary Review, French programming, and the Multi-Year Strategic Plan and there will be plenty of time for questions and answers with the Director and Trustees. Please see the flyer below, or click on this link, for more information on parking, child care and more. We hope you will be able to join us!
