Friday, Sept. 17, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This weekly Letter to Families is intended to help you learn how Near North District School Board (NNDSB) will support you in the return to school.

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The first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation takes place on Sept. 30.  Orange Shirt Day has become more than a one-day event and many teachers have already started gathering resources to start the important work of truth and reconciliation that will continue throughout the school year.

In following through on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, students will be learning about Indigenous perspectives and stewardship of land, treaties, the Indian Act, residential schools and Canada’s current relationship with Indigenous Peoples. Teachers and students are supported in this work by the board’s Indigenous education lead, and many local Indigenous Elders and knowledge keepers.

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The mental health team has been busy connecting with students we served last year and over the summer to help students transition back to school and hopefully have a great start to the new year.

If you have any concerns about your child, please reach out to our social work team who will connect the student to supports and services. It is as simple as emailing socialwork@nearnorthschools.ca and we will contact you to set up services for your child, whose well-being is our number one concern. We are here to help.

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Secondary Tutoring Services are available for all students Grades 9-12 across the Near North System. The tutoring is offered virtually Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with four half-hour sessions each day. This is a one-to-one service that provides support in all program areas to support student achievement.

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Parents and guardians are advised that those who have submitted new or updated transportation forms to Nipissing Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (NPSSTS) will experience a two-day delay from the time that the change is confirmed on the NPSSTS website to when the operator can accommodate the change.

This means that parents will see the change has been processed, but that the change won’t take effect for another two days. This delay is due to the time required to provide the change information to the bus operator and for the driver to make changes to the required seating plan. NPSSTS thanks all our families in advance for their patience and understanding.

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Near North District School Board is pleased to share that all students in Grades 1-3 classrooms now have access to DreamBox Learning.

DreamBox is a digital math program that combines a fun and engaging math learning environment with curriculum focused outcomes. DreamBox lessons are interactive experiences that promote active learning and independent critical thinking and respond to each student’s strategies and decisions in the moment. Because DreamBox dynamically adapts lessons and learning paths based on the needs of each learner, students always have just the right level of support when and where they need it. Students are encouraged to continue their learning with this resource at home.  To access DBL at home, students simply need to login to Clever (using their NNDSB username and password).

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Students in classrooms across the NNDSB are learning about developing positive mindsets and social emotional learning (SEL) skills related to mathematics.

Collaborative problem-solving tasks using tangible math tools and discussions about the “Power of Yet” are being explored to support students in developing the skill of perseverance to solve challenging math questions. Additionally, students are building math process skills such as problem-solving, communication, reflecting and reasoning through open and differentiated relevant and engaging math tasks.

Creating positive mathematics learning environments and mindsets are critical foundations to successful experiences throughout the school year.

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At Near North District School Board, we value and embrace students and employees with diverse backgrounds, identities, and personal experiences.

“Our schools should be places where students not only learn about diversity but also experience it. Students should see themselves and their classmates reflected in their studies. Students and families should expect their interactions with their school community to leave them feeling accepted for who they are. All students should believe in their potential and know that they will be supported along the way from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and beyond, no matter what pathway they choose.” (Equity Action Plan 2017).

Culturally responsive teaching recognizes that all students learn differently and that these differences may be connected to background, language, family structure and social or cultural identity. The board has produced a yearly equity calendar for staff that highlights special awareness days for each month of the year. New books are added to NNDSB libraries that support diversity and inclusion so students will see themselves, their culture and identity reflected in their library books, to enhance learning about cultural heritage, gender identity, anti-racism, differing abilities and human rights.

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A school should be a place that promotes responsibility, respect, civility, and academic excellence in a safe learning and teaching environment. A positive school climate exists when all members of the school community feel safe, included, and accepted, and actively promote positive behaviours and interactions.

Both NNDSB’s Code of Conduct and individual schools’ Codes of Conduct reflect standards of behavior that promote a safe, inclusive environment and are applicable to all students, staff, parents, volunteers, and community groups. Each stakeholder has a specific role to play in creating welcoming, respectful environments.

Please take the time to read your school’s Code of Conduct and discuss it with your child. Ask them to consider how they might model responsibility, respect, civility and academic excellence within their school community.

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NNDSB follows the direction of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the public health unit when devising COVID-19 plans.

Thank you,

Near North District School Board

Friday, Sept. 10, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The four local school boards in our region, Near North District School Board, Conseil scolaire public du Nord-Est de l’Ontario, Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board and Conseil scolaire catholique Franco-Nord, recognize the importance of extracurricular activities in supporting students’ mental health, well-being and academic development. We are therefore pleased to inform you that a protocol has been jointly developed with the support of the North Bay-Parry Sound District Health Unit and will be posted on the school board’s website early next week.

This protocol will detail the guidelines and public health measures that must be followed for extra-curricular activities, including sports, performances and competitions. We also wish to announce that school team practices may begin next week. Principals will share more details in the coming days.

It is important to note that all decisions made by school boards, principals and local public health officials are based on the health and safety of students, staff, supervisors, and service providers. As such, any risks will be assessed on an on-going basis and any components of the protocol may be subject to change or activities may be postponed or cancelled depending on the local public health circumstances.

We sincerely thank our school communities for their patience and support as we safely resume extracurricular activities for students.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Friday, Sept. 10, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The weekly Letters to Families that were issued prior to the start of school have been well-received, so Near North District School Board (NNDSB) is continuing to update families on a weekly basis, at least through September. We hope this helps students and families learn more about how we will support you in the return to school.

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The Launch Learning Tutoring program has been designed to support schools initiating small group tutoring activities that help students in Grades 1-10 return to classroom learning, with focused learning activities designed to develop social, literacy and/or numeracy skills.

Research shows that additional time and appropriate support can help students learn the skills they need to be successful. While the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students differently, there are key themes emerging which make up the foci of the Launch Learning Program, including:

• the re-engagement of students;
• the need to focus on student mental health and well-being; and
• supports for literacy and math learning.

The Launch Learning program is currently active at four NNDSB sites with tutoring activities occurring throughout the last week of August and during the month of September. Innovative tutoring programs will continue to be introduced at schools across NNDSB as we embrace learning recovery and renewal.

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Between Sept. 13 and 27, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit will be holding vaccination clinics at all NNDSB secondary schools for those students who choose to receive a vaccination. Individual schools will communicate specific dates for these clinics.

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Emergency Response Preparedness remains a priority for all NNDSB schools. Every school creates a fire safety plan annually, which is reviewed by the fire department within that school’s jurisdiction. Each year, schools participate in six planned fire drills (three in the autumn and three in the spring) along with two lockdown drills.

This ensures that all staff and every student know how to respond in a safe, orderly manner in the case of an emergency. Like last year, schools will practice these drills in a manner that ensures COVID-19 protocols, such as physical distancing and masking, are maintained in accordance with public health guidance.

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Several NNDSB schools are being used for advanced polling and on Sept. 20 as polling stations for the federal election. In its lease agreement with Elections Canada, NNDSB has followed all directions from both the public health unit and instructions for Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore.

Families can be assured that if their child’s school is being used, that the public will not be in proximity to staff or students, and that all COVID-19 protocols will be in place.

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Thank you to our students and families for taking the time each morning to complete their COVID-19 self-screening. This screening is an important tool to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our schools. Teachers will confirm with their students each day that this self-screening has been completed at home. The screening tool is available online here. A downloadable version is also available on the website for printing. If you require a paper copy of the screening tool, please reach out to your child’s school.

Our staff and students look forward to welcoming back sports and other extracurricular events this fall. We understand the importance of these activities for the mental and physical well-being of our students. We continue to work alongside our other local school boards and the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit to create a safe plan for inter-school activities. Many sports and activities will resume at our area schools in the coming weeks with protocols in place as outlined in our NNDSB Reopening Guidance for Schools Document.

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Many teachers are discussing land acknowledgements with their students, working towards developing more personal statements that reflect their understanding of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous

Peoples. Indigenous Education Lead Tracy Hendrick has created a Land Acknowledgement Guidebook to help support teachers taking on this important work.

NNDSB’s current land acknowledgement is “We acknowledge in a good way, the original people of the land here. We value the cultures, histories and relationships with the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island (North America).” 

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NNDSB follows the direction of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the public health unit when devising COVID-19 plans.

Thank you,

Near North District School Board

Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This is the fourth of four weekly communications being issued Thursdays with information/updates before school starts. We look forward to welcoming students back to class on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

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Near North District School Board (NNDSB) staff have been learning, too, in preparation for teaching and supporting your children this school year.

Three professional development (PD) days took place this week for JK to Grade 12 educators. Presentations supported continued learning regarding early reading, mathematics, Indigenous Education, core French, student re-engagement, mental health, resiliency, and equity and inclusion. Meaningful discussions led school-based conversations to ensure school teams are prepared to implement current COVID-19 safety measures while supporting student achievement and well-being.

Approximately 40 educators participated in a Literacy Summit provided by Voyager Sopris Learning to support the implementation of the recently purchased (ministry recommended) Acadience Reading assessment materials. This universal literacy screener aligns with the ministry’s Recovery and Renewal focus by supporting teachers in identifying the children at risk for reading difficulties and determining the skills to target for instructional support. With the information gathered from students’ performance on these assessments, we will be able to identify baseline data for individual classrooms, schools and across our system. We will then be able to use this to inform programming decisions and effective allocation of resources moving forward.

In preparation for the de-streamed Grade 9 math course, educators are exploring resources and pedagogy to support multi-level math classrooms and “unpack” data to better understand barriers to student success. During the Sept. 1 PD day a session was held framing this learning through the lens of cultural shifts in schools and across the system to identify and dismantle systemic discrimination and structural inequities. In June, Grade 8 students participated in a “transition” survey to gather information about their learning preferences, confidence, and mindset towards mathematics as they look towards Grade 9. This survey was developed by a committee of intermediate teachers, secondary teachers, administrators and the board-based K-12 math facilitator. Despite operating in a virtual format, we had more than 400 responses from our

Grade 8 cohort. Over the summer, math facilitator Melissa Peddie, and educators Jesse Gregoris and Ryan Marshall worked collaboratively to develop units based on the new Grade 9 math curriculum. This was shared with Grade 9 teachers during the Sept. 1 PD day. This is an exciting Octomester for us. We have two sections of the new de-streamed Grade 9 math course running at West Ferris and Chippewa during Octomester 1. This means that we will be among the first boards in the province to complete the course and among the first boards in the province to participate in the Grade 9 EQAO mathematics assessment.

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NNDSB issued a media release on Tuesday, Aug. 30, in which the board announced it would be resuming intramural and inter-school sports and clubs.

NNDSB schools will resume participation in OFSAA-organized championships and festivals this fall. We are in consultation with the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit and our co-terminus school boards to develop consistent health and safety protocols that are in alignment with Ministry of Education and public health guidance.

Please note practices and seasons may be off to a later start as boards confer and consult, and the board may cancel sports if so advised by public health. The pandemic is causing delays in decision-making that are frustrating to everyone. Because the safety and well-being of staff and students is an NNDSB priority, the timeframe of announcements reflects the careful consideration of our decisions.

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Between Sept. 13 and 27, the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit will be holding vaccination clinics at all NNDSB secondary schools for those students who would like to receive a vaccination. Individual schools will communicate specific dates for these clinics next week.

The health unit has asked us to share the following documents with Families:

COVID-19 vaccine available for youth

Youth messaging about COVID-19 vaccine

Child and Youth vaccine fact sheet

Please contact the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit if you have any questions about school vaccination clinics.

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NNDSB’s mental health team is ready and excited to support your child in the return to school. If you feel your child requires the support of the mental health team, please reach out to your principal, or email the mental health team at socialwork@nearnorthschools.ca.

To help you prepare your child for school please see this Tip Sheet for some great ideas. Remember, the most important part of getting ready for school is taking care of yourself so you can be the very best support for your child.

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Parents are reminded that all students in Grades 1 to 12 are required to wear properly fitted, non-medical or cloth masks indoors in school, including in hallways and during classes. Students in JK to Grade 12 are required to wear their masks on school transportation vehicles. More information about this and other COVID-19 protocols can be found here.

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The NNDSB Early Years team has been busy working on a new initiative to welcome our Kindergarten learners and their families into our board. A welcoming process grounded in NNDSB’s vision creates strong ties out of the gate between the home, school and teacher, engages parents in hands-on activities that promote a literacy-and numeracy-rich environment and one that is environmentally friendly.

Beginning students in Kindergarten will receive a Journey into Learning (JIL) bag and accompanying JIL Guide. NNDSB previously purchased Welcome to Kindergarten resource bags from the Learning Partnership. This year, the Early Years Team felt they wanted a bag more closely aligned with the visions and priorities of NNDSB, as outlined in the Multi-Year Strategic Plan.

The Early Years Team generously received support from the Trustee Initiative Fund to purchase 1,400 copies of the book This is What I’ve Been Told, written and illustrated by Julianna Armstrong, one of NNDSB’s teachers. The book has been placed in the JIL bags, and original content appears in the JIL Guide. The story provides readers with an introduction to the Anishnaabemowin language and culture. Kindergarten students will be introduced to Indigenous language and culture through interactions with this book. This is a significant commitment on the part of NNDSB; beginning the Journey into Learning with an intentional focus on Indigenous education clearly signals our values and visions to every stakeholder. The books, used at school and at home, will support the bridge that we are striving to strengthen between families and educators. This initiative supports many of the Calls to Action identified by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, specifically in the Education and Language and Culture sections, and mirrors NNDSB’s commitment to achieving equity for all.

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Every person entering a school is required to self-screen prior to their arrival by using the COVID-19 Schools and Childcare Screening tool.

A downloadable version of the tool can be found here. Upon request, schools will provide families with printed copies of the tool enabling them to perform daily screening of their children before arriving at school in absence of internet connectivity.

For the first two weeks of school, all teachers will confirm that students have self-screened during daily attendance.

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NNDSB follows the direction of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Health and the public health unit when devising COVID-19 plans.

Thank you,

Near North District School Board