Thursday, June 26, 2025

Dear Students, Parents and Caregivers,

As we wrap up this 2024-2025 school year, I want to take the time to express my gratitude to our students and their families for their efforts this year.

We hope that all children have enjoyed a rewarding, fulfilling and successful experience this past year within Near North District School Board (NNDSB) and that they have a safe and happy summer. Your support of your children is critical to their success, and the team at NNDSB is grateful for your involvement.

Congratulations to all students who have completed milestones this past year. Your dedication to your goals will help you in all endeavours, now and into the future. Congratulations to NNDSB students who are graduating and moving on to work, post-secondary school or wherever your plans take you. I am confident that your education at NNDSB has prepared you for the steps you are about to take. Albert Einstein said, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Your curiosity has brought you here. Remember to stay curious and keep learning. Curiosity drives success.

To all our students and their families, I wish you a wonderful summer break, full of relaxation and time spent doing things you love. Stay safe, stay healthy, and I look forward to welcoming students back to class on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

Sincerely,

Craig Myles,

Director of Education

Thursday, June 19, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Minister of Education Paul Calandra has provided a letter to students and families as the 2024-2025 school year comes to a close. The Minister’s end-of-year video message is available on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

The Honourable Edith Dumont, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, has also provided a letter of congratulations to the graduates of 2025 and a message via this video link.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Friday, June 6, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The monthly Letter to Families is intended to keep you apprised of news that affects all students and families of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) and is distributed on the first Friday of the month.

*

Monday, June 9 is a PA Day. Enjoy the long weekend, and we’ll see students back in class on Tuesday, June 10.

Here is a link to the PA day schedule for educators on Monday.

*

Keep math learning going all summer!

Find engaging summer math ideas, including hands-on practice, easy games, online links, and more on the NNDSB  “Mathematics for Families” webpage. These activities will keep kids engaged and excited about math while exploring some key math concepts and building math fluency in creative ways.

*

The first day of kindergarten is an exciting time, but it can also be a little nerve-wracking for students and families alike.

To help ease families into the transition, the Ministry of Education has prepared some new story and activity books. These are fun, engaging tools to help children get familiar with what to expect and build excitement for the big day.

Heartwarming stories that gently walk children through what to expect at school – making friends, meeting teachers and exploring their classroom. These books are available in PDF and ePub formats.

Additionally, the Ministry has created an interactive activity book, a playful resource filled with colouring, drawing and reflection activities that encourage young learners to talk about their feelings, routines and hopes for kindergarten. This activity book is available in PDF for easy printing. You can find these new resources on this webpage.

*

MLI Homestay is looking for friendly host families to welcome secondary school students from Europe and Asia. Share your culture, create lasting memories, and enjoy a global experience, right from home.

Host families are expected to provide three meals a day, a private bedroom (with a bed, desk, window and door) and a warm and inclusive home environment.

Hosts receive a stipend to help with costs. Families of all types are welcome! For more information, contact Kayla at 587-222-7172 or kknight@Mlihomestay.com.

*

This will be the last monthly letter to families for the 2024-2025 school year. NNDSB wishes you and your family a safe and happy summer, and we will welcome students back to class on Tuesday, Sept. 2 for the 2025-2026 school year.

*

The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, June 10 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom. The link and login information can be found at the top of the Board and committee meetings page.

*

In addition to staying informed via the board’s website, families can find NNDSB on Facebook and Instagram.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Friday, May 2, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The monthly Letter to Families is intended to keep you apprised of news that affects all students and families of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) and is distributed on the first Friday of the month.

*

Monday, May 5 marks the start of Education Week, which runs until May 9.

This week celebrates the contributions of students, parents and education workers, and is a great opportunity to celebrate all the initiatives taking place throughout NNDSB and to acknowledge accomplishments made this school year.

*

Between May 7 and June 11, Grade 3 and 6 students will take part in the provincial assessment of reading, writing and mathematics, primary division (Grades 1–3) or junior division (Grades 4–6). These assessments, developed by Ontario teachers and assessment experts, are administered to all Grade 3 and Grade 6 students in Ontario’s publicly funded school system by the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO).

Each assessment includes a language and mathematics component, along with a voluntary student questionnaire. During the assessment, students will complete four language sessions and four mathematics stages that each take approximately 30 minutes to complete. Each session or stage will be completed in one continuous sitting, and the sessions and stages may be administered throughout the administration dates. Students will have the opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions on the assessment and its platform through EQAO’s online sample test.

The EQAO assessment questions are directly based on the expectations set out in the Ontario curriculum for reading, writing and mathematics, which are what teachers teach in the classroom every day. Therefore, your child does not need to prepare in any special way. For more information, please reach out to your child’s teacher or go to the EQAO website.

*

This is a reminder of the five-part webinar series for parents and caregivers focused on substance abuse, addictive behaviours and youth mental health. The series is presented by School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO).

One webinar was held last month. The remaining sessions include:

• recognizing signs of substance use and addictive behaviours (English language session May 7 from 7 to 8 p.m., French language session May 13 from noon to 1 p.m.);
• how to talk about substance use at home (English language session May 14 from noon to 1 p.m., French language session May 21 from noon to 1 p.m.);
• current trends in student substance use in Ontario and what parents/caregivers need to know (May 22 from noon to 1 p.m., English language session with simultaneous French translation);
• technology overuse and problematic gaming (June 4 from noon to 1 p.m., English language session with simultaneous French translation).

Parents and caregivers can register here for the sessions.

*

The Ministry of Education has approved the NNDSB 2025-2026 school year calendar. Here is a link to download the calendar from the board’s website.

*

The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom. The link and login information can be found at the top of the Board and committee meetings page.

*

In addition to staying informed via the board’s website, families can find NNDSB on Facebook and Instagram.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Friday, Feb. 7, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The monthly Letter to Families is intended to keep you apprised of news that affects all students and families of Near North District School Board (NNDSB) and is distributed on the first Friday of the month.

*

We are excited to announce that kindergarten registration is now open at all of our schools for the upcoming academic year. Families can choose from our engaging English programming or our exceptional French Immersion programming, designed to provide young learners with a strong foundation for their educational journey.

Parents and guardians can register their child for kindergarten by calling their local school directly or by completing the online registration form available at this link.

Early registration ensures families have access to essential information about kindergarten readiness and programming options. NNDSB is committed to creating inclusive and supportive learning environments where every child can thrive.

We look forward to welcoming your child to one of our schools and beginning this exciting journey of learning together.

*

The NNDSB math team is hosting a math night for parents/caregivers of Grade 7-12 students. The event will include information about TVO Mathify (a free online tutoring support), an overview of secondary math courses and pathways, sharing of virtual resources and tools for students and information about the Grade 9 EQAO math assessment.

The event will be held over Microsoft Teams on Wednesday, Feb. 19 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Here is the registration link.

*

School Mental Health Ontario (SMHO) launched a new parent/caregiver learning hub called By Your Side, designed to meet the needs of Ontario’s families.

The resource was created by Ontario parents/caregivers and school mental health professionals and includes information and supports in many formats, including web content, PDFs and videos to make sure families can easily access information and strategies that promote mental health and well-being at home.

Key topics include understanding mental health, promoting mental health at home, supporting mental health at school, stress and anxiety management, substance use prevention, navigating digital technology use and reaching out for help.

*

Nominations are now open for the 2025 OTIP Teaching Awards. Presented by the Ontario Teachers Insurance Plan (OTIP) and the Ontario Teacher’s Federation (OTF), the awards recognize the excellence of teachers in publicly funded education.

There are three categories of awards: elementary teacher, secondary teacher and beginning teacher (in the first five years of teaching). Teachers may be nominated by professional colleagues, students, parents or the public.

The deadline for nominations is March 31, 2025.

*

Many NNDSB secondary schools are planning open houses for prospective students and their families.

Below is a list of upcoming open houses:

West Ferris Secondary School (WFSS) is advising students that specialized program applications are open until Feb. 14, 2025. In addition to its full slate of course offerings, WFSS has several specialized programs, including STEAM, Arts Nipissing, Near North Sports, Extended French and French Immersion.

These programs are available to students across North Bay, with busing available. Here are the programs with application information hyperlinked: STEAM; Arts Nipissing; Near North Sports; Extended French/French Immersion.

There will also be a Grade 7 information night being held Thursday, May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m.

F.J. McElligott will be hosting an information night/dinner event for Grade 6 and Grade 8 students and their parents on March 4, 2025, beginning at 6 p.m. (the snow date will be March 5). This information night will be an opportunity to see the school, hear about the programs offered at F.J. McElligott at both the intermediate and secondary levels, and enjoy a dinner that will be prepared by the Grade 6 and Grade 8 students earlier that day, as part of a transition day activity. Families are asked to call the school at 705-472-5720 to RSVP for the dinner.

Chippewa Secondary School (CSS) is planning its Grade 7 information night for May 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. More information will be available closer to the event.

*

A reminder that Monday, Feb. 17 is the Family Day statutory holiday. All schools and the board office will be closed. We hope you enjoy the long weekend, and we will welcome students back to school on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

*

The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom. The link and login information can be found at the top of the Board and committee meetings page.

*

In addition to staying informed via the board’s website, families can find NNDSB on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We wanted to share an important update about a cyber incident experienced by Near North District School Board (NNDSB) involving PowerSchool – the application used by NNDSB and many school boards across North America to store a range of student information and a limited amount of staff information.

On Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, PowerSchool notified the board and other school boards in Ontario and across North America that they had experienced a data breach between Dec. 22-28, 2024.

Our cybersecurity team promptly activated our response plan, taking immediate steps to ensure that our critical systems remain operational.

Working with PowerSchool, we are conducting a thorough investigation to understand the nature of the incident and what personal information may have been affected. At this point in time, we are still assessing the exact information that may have been accessed or exported from the application. PowerSchool has informed us that it has received confirmation that the data accessed by an unauthorized user has been deleted and that no copies of this data were posted online.

When we determine what personal information has been impacted, we will let you know as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have proactively notified the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner of this incident.

We know this news may be concerning, but please know that we are doing everything possible to learn more from PowerSchool about what occurred and will share that information with you.

Many of you will have questions as a result of this news, but given the ongoing investigation into what occurred, we do not yet have more information to share at this time.

We will continue to update the community as more information becomes available.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board