November 5, 2018 – Last evening at the Inaugural Meeting of the Near North District School Board (NNDSB), Trustee Jay Aspin was acclaimed as Chair and Trustee John Cochrane was elected as Vice-Chair.  Both Trustees bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their new roles.

Mr. Aspin served as a Trustee for the NNDSB on two separate occasions for seven terms and Councilor on North Bay City Council for eight terms. Recently he served as the federal Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming region. His extensive experience has prompted leadership roles as the President of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM), President of the Northern Ontario School Trustees Association (NOSTA), Chair of the Near North District School Board and Chair of the Aerospace Caucus in the federal parliament of Canada.

Mr. Cochrane has volunteered in a variety of positions in the educational sector for many years. More recently, this summer marks the end of his twelve years as a governor on the Cambrian College Board of Governors, on which he fulfilled a variety of roles including governor, Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and a term as Chair of the Board.

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
(705) 472-8170, extension 5010
Mairghread.Knought@nearnorthschools.ca

The Parent Advisory Councils for the North Bay Secondary Schools, with the support of the Near North District School Board, have organized a School Board Trustee Candidate Meet and Greet. This event will occur on Thursday, October 18, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. in the West Ferris Secondary School Auditorium located at 60 Marshall Park Drive. The candidates will each have five minutes to address the audience as a whole to outline key issues and their reasons for running. Afterwards there will be an opportunity to speak with the candidates to ask questions of your own. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
Tel: 705-472-8170 ext. 5010
Email: Mairghread.Knought@nearnorthschools.ca

The students in the Grade 11 University Physics Class at West Ferris Intermediate Secondary School in North Bay, Ontario will be launching a weather balloon into Earth’s Stratosphere with a payload of camera-toting mini computers and radio tracking equipment. The launch procedure is weather dependent, and so the exact launch date has not been confirmed. However, it is anticipated that the launch will take place between October 9th and October 31st from the football field at West Ferris Secondary School. Once the launch date is finalized information confirmed the exact launch date and time be issued 72 to 48 hours prior to the event.

The purpose of the mission is to observe and record the journey to near space using in-flight radio transmissions of GPS location, data, video, and images. The balloon is expected to explode at an altitude of just over 30km, at which point a parachute will deploy and the payload will descend back to Earth. The flight is expected to take a total of about 3 hours. Data from the flight will provide experimental results and serve as an anchor activity providing authentic context to course materials.

The students of the Grade 11 University Physics class will track the balloon’s flight path in chase cars, with reception assistance provided by the North Bay Amateur Radio Club. The goal is to retrieve the payload post-flight, along with its cache of data, video and images. This activity is called High Altitude Ballooning (HAB).

For more information, please contact:

Kelly Shulman (VE3KLX)
West Ferris Intermediate Secondary School

P. 705-475-2333
E. kelly.shulman@nearnorthschools.ca

The Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) has released the results of the grades 3, 6 and 9 Assessments of Reading, Writing and Mathematics as well as the grade 10 Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) that were written by Ontario secondary students during the 2017-2018 school year.    

“As a board we understand the value of the information and insight provided by the EQAO results.  EQAO continues to provide us with useful data which we will explore in its entirety to help inform our planning and practices. This information is carefully analyzed to ensure that we continue to meet the programming and educational needs of our students, while recognizing the individual strengths and challenges of those same students.  I’m very proud of all of our students and teachers and applaud their hard work.” – Jackie Young, Director of Education  

Reading and Writing  

Grades 3 and 6:  While results vary by school, the overall trends showed grades 3 and 6 Reading and Writing achievement in many of our schools are at or approaching the provincial outcomes.  In comparison to the previous year’s results, reading scores demonstrated a slight increase in the number of students meeting or exceeding the Provincial Standard (Levels 3 or 4).  

• 67% of grade 3 students and 78% of grade 6 students continued to meet the provincial reading standard, representing a slight increase over last year. 
• 56% of grade 3 students and 72% of grade 6 students have met the expected level in writing.  This represents a decrease of 3% for grade 3 students while grade 6 students achieved a consistent result with 2016-17. 

Grade 10:  The grade 10 Literacy Test is a compulsory standardized test for all secondary school students in Ontario wishing to obtain an Ontario Secondary School Diploma.  The test is based on all of the reading and writing expectations in all subjects up to the end of grade 9.  

• Of first-time eligible writers of the grade 10 Literacy Test, the Board’s test results decreased by 7% from the previous year (74% to 67%).  Similarly, the province’s results slipped 2% from the previous year (81% to 79%). 

 In response to the decrease, Superintendent of Education, Craig Myles said, “We have developed and implemented a Literacy Strategic Plan in all of our secondary schools.  Further, we will examine and triangulate our data in order to determine where we can implement best practices to improve.”’ 

Mathematics 

Grades 3 and 6:   

Mathematics scores decreased during the 2017-2018 year for grade 3 and 6 students within the Near North District School Board and across Ontario.  

•  41% of grade 3 students met the standard in 2017-18 compared to 47% in 2016-17, indicating a 6% decrease. 
• 30% of grade 6 students met the standard in 2017-18 compared to 34% in 2016-17, representing a 4% decrease. 

 Improving mathematics results for both primary and junior divisions continues to be a focus.  The Ministry of Education is taking action to help students across the province gain the mathematical knowledge they need to achieve success.  The Near North District School Board has implemented daily focused mathematics instruction for students in grades 1-8 during protected blocks of time.  Protected time for mathematics will allow for a more sustained period of effective instruction and assessment every day. The Board is committed to implementing the strategies outlined in the Focusing on the Fundamentals of Math: Teacher Guide to improve mathematics learning for all students.   

Grade 9:   

• 38% of students who wrote the grade 9 applied test met the provincial standard in 2017-18 compared to 48% in 2016-17 and 39% in 2015-16. 
• 75% of students who wrote the grade 9 academic test met the provincial standard in 2017-18 compared to 75% in 2016-17 and 70% in 2015-16. 

 “We will continue with our efforts on math improvement, which includes the implementation of the province’s mathematics initiative, “Focusing on the Fundamentals of Math”, said Superintendent of Education Craig Myles.  

“As a district, we have placed a focus on number sense and numeration as a foundation for mathematical understanding across the strands and subject areas. The EQAO data will help to inform our board and school teams as we collectively engage in efforts to improve outcomes for every child.  We believe that effective programming responds to the diverse interests, learning preferences and readiness of learners.” said Acting Superintendent of Education Melanie Gray. 

 EQAO results are important, but they are just one among many assessment tools that both schools and boards use to measure and improve upon the quality of student programming and student success.   

 For more information, please contact: 

Grades 3 and 6 Results:

Melanie Gray, Acting Superintendent of Education 
(705) 472-8170; 1-800-278-4922, Ext. 7022
Melanie.Gray@nearnorthschools.ca

 Grades 9 and 10 Results: 

Craig Myles, Superintendent of Education 
(705) 472-8170; 1-800-278-4922, Ext. 5002
Craig.Myles@nearnorthschools.ca

 Learn More 

• Focusing on the Fundamentals of Math: A Teachers Guide 
• A Parent’s Guide to the Fundamentals of Math – Grades 1 to 8 
• The Ontario Curriculum Grades 1-8 
• Doing Math with Your Child, Kindergarten to Grade 6: A Parent Guide 

September 18, 2018 – Please note that the Near North District School Board has not made any further changes after the Board motion adopted in October 2013 to proceed with the construction of a JK-12 school on the existing Parry Sound High School site.    A business case to was submitted to the Ministry of Education under the school consolidation capital program.  In March 2015 the Ministry of Education approved the business case that was submitted for a JK-12 consolidation and funding eligibility was confirmed. The Board continues to work with affected stakeholders, community partners and various levels of government to ensure that the project proceeds in accordance with all legal and legislative requirements.

As with all projects of this nature it is imperative that the Board review all new developments and changes in circumstances as they arise.  If a review of any such information results in a change it would be confirmed by way of Board motion and shared with affected parties and stakeholders through the approved communication process.  The NNDSB is committed to moving forward with this project in a fiscally responsible manner that meets the needs of the students, parents and the community.

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
(705) 472-8170, extension 5010
Mairghread.Knought@nearnorthschools.ca

September 18, 2018 – Please note that at this time the Near North District School Board has not made any changes with respect to the previously approved Board motion to proceed with the construction of a new elementary school on the W. J. Fricker site.  An application to proceed with the construction of a new elementary school was submitted to the Ministry of Education in accordance with the required “Capital Construction Approval Process”.  The Ministry has approved the scope of the project based upon programming and space requirements submitted by staff.  The Board is currently preparing Request for Proposal documentation required in order to secure an architect to proceed with design and construction drawings.

As with all projects of this nature it is imperative that the board review all developments and changes in circumstances as they arise.  If a review of any such information results in a change it would be confirmed by way of Board motion and shared with affected parties and stakeholders through the approved communication process.  The NNDSB is committed to moving forward with this project in a fiscally responsible manner that meets the needs of the students, parents and the community.

For more information, please contact:

Mairghread Knought
Information/Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
(705) 472-8170, extension 5010
Mairghread.Knought@nearnorthschools.ca