Friday, Jan. 5, 2024

Dear Parents and Guardians,

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

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A new year – a new look! NNDSB is excited to be launching a new homepage on the website, as well as some updated landing pages. It is the start of a process that will see streamlined content and easier navigation throughout the site.

Links will remain functional but the layout and buttons are updated. Please share this with students, who may be surprised by a new look when they login to their student accounts.

The updated website will launch on Wednesday, Jan. 10. There is also an online form for users to send feedback regarding the site. Users can submit feedback here.

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This fall, the Ministry of Education introduced a series of three modules per grade to support the existing mental health literacy expectations within the Grades 7 and 8 health and physical education curriculum. This series of three, 40-minute modules per grade will be delivered by educators to support mental health. The modules are not new learning – they offer ways to enhance the delivery of the existing curriculum and focus on mental health literacy.

This learning will help equip students with inclusive, culturally responsive, evidence-informed knowledge, skills and strategies to support their mental health and well-being. They align with and support the work we do in NNDSB to support student mental health.

The modules were informed by extensive consultation with parents/caregivers, students, cultural and community organizations.

There are important reasons to bring these modules into the classroom:

• students want to learn more about mental health at school;
• this learning helps students develop skills that support positive mental health;
• mental health learning supports learning in all other areas;
• this learning can encourage conversations and help students in need reach support;
• as caring adults in the lives of young people, we want students to be well!

Here is a link to an introductory video that provides more information.

As always, students will be made aware that there are many adults at school they can talk to, should they have additional questions about the learning, and opportunities for follow up support and will be provided. If you have questions about these modules or mental health supports, please reach out to your school principal or the mental health lead, Lana St-Louis lana.stlouis@nearnorthschools.ca or 705-472-7015 ext. 4524.

You are an important part of supporting your child’s learning about mental health and well-being.

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The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom. Here is the link to the meeting. The Meeting ID is 899 1167 8742; the Passcode is 859936 and the number for Dial in is 1-855-703-8985.

If attending in person, please confirm attendance by contacting Maureen Egan at 705-472-8170 ext. 5028 or maureen.egan@nearnorthschools.ca.

Information about the Board, committees and their meetings can be found here.

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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, Dec. 1, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

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

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Our NNDSB math team has developed a new webpage that will provide parents, guardians and caregivers with information and resources related to learning mathematics.

The page includes math curriculum links for Grades 1 to 8, information about the Grade 9 de-streamed math curriculum, as well as links for digital math tools such as DreamBox Learning.

Families can also use this page to connect to TVO Mathify, which offers free tutoring supports for Ontario students in Grades 4 to 12. We will continue to add content and links throughout the school year to support mathematics learning across our district.

You can find the NNDSB Mathematics for Families webpage here.

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The next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public and you are welcome to attend in person or join via Zoom. Here is the link to the meeting. The Meeting ID is 899 1167 8742; the Passcode is 859936 and the number for Dial in is 1-855-703-8985.

If attending in person, please confirm attendance by contacting Krista Messenger at 705-472-8170 ext. 5028 or krista.messenger@nearnorthschools.ca.

• Upcoming committee meetings are as follows:
• Finance Committee – Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. Join the meeting online with this link. The Meeting ID is 814 7862 2749, the passcode is 717652 and the number to dial in toll-free is 1-855-703-8985.
• Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) Committee – Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. Join the meeting online with this link. The Meeting ID is 852 4654 1236, the passcode is 454750, and the number to dial in toll-free is 1-855-703-8985.

Information about the Board, committees and their meetings can be found here.

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MLI Homestay is looking for short- and longer-term host families for international secondary school students from Europe and Asia who are in North Bay attending Chippewa and West Ferris Secondary Schools.

Hosts gain an unforgettable opportunity to learn about a new culture and have an international experience. The requirements are that families provide three meals a day, a private room with a door, a window, a bed and a desk, and include the student in your family home life.

Hosts are compensated to offset costs, tax-free. Students are enthusiastic to learn about life in Canada and be a part of life here. Please consider this opportunity! For more information, please contact Kayla at kknight@mlihomestay.com or 587-222-7172 or visit www.mlihomestay.com.

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Director of Education Craig Myles extends warm holiday wishes to all students, staff and their families.

The Director hopes students, staff and families take time to enjoy what is important to them over the break, and wishes all a safe and happy holiday.

The two-week winter break begins on Monday, Dec. 25 and students will return to school on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024.

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

Due to declining engagement, NNDSB will be keeping its Twitter account but it will be used for urgent or emergency situations only.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Friday, Nov. 3, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

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

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Schools in NNDSB will be acknowledging Indigenous Veterans’ Day (Nov. 8) and Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) next week.

Anyone interested in learning more about Francis Pegahmagabow, a soldier from Wasauksing First Nation in the First World War is invited to watch Sounding Thunder: The Stories of Francis Pegahmagabow. Grade 11 students from across the board attended this live performance last year.

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Beginning this September, all publicly funded school boards were required to adopt provincial student achievement priorities and metrics to help students improve EQAO scores in reading, writing and math. To further support students facing challenges with math, Ontario launched the math action achievement plan, a strategy to boost math competence in the classroom and improve board accountability. This includes:

• one math lead per school board with the focus of helping improve math outcomes for students. These leads will be responsible for curriculum implementation and standardized training and lead board-wide actions to meet targets;
• more than 300 math coaches province-wide, who will provide direct support in classrooms; 
• new math action teams working directly with school boards to identify and recommend targeted strategies to improve student achievement.

NNDSB has allocated school-based math facilitators in our priority schools to support the province’s math achievement action plan. System-wide, we are working to implement professional learning, assessment and instructional resources, and planning tools to support quality math learning in our schools.

Families are important partners in students’ learning, and we look forward to hosting math information events and sharing new tools and resources to our school communities throughout the 2023-24 school year.

Here are some key digital resources that can support a home/school connection in math:

DreamBox Learning – Grades 1-3: DBL is an adaptive tool that NNDSB has provided for primary students over the last several years. This engaging digital platform provides opportunities for gamified math learning based on each student’s unique needs. Students have access to interactive math tasks and tools that connect to resources they use at school. Students are encouraged to continue this learning at home through the Clever portal, found on the NNDSB Home Page.

Knowledgehook – Grades 4-10: This digital tool is new to NNDSB, and we are excited to see the benefits of its integration in our junior and intermediate math classes through “game shows” and “missions”. If your child has used this tool in their math classroom, they can continue to explore grade-appropriate practice questions at home by accessing Knowledgehook through Clever on the NNDSB Home Page. They will log in using the same username and password they use at school.

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The annual Bullying Awareness and Prevention week is happening Nov. 19-25, 2023. Students will engage in a variety of activities to support conflict resolution, building and maintaining healthy relationships, cyber safety and more.

Pink shirt day (Nov. 22) is dedicated to addressing bullying awareness and promoting initiatives to prevent it.

Each school will make its own plans for the week, so watch for details from your child’s school.

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The board’s mental health team engaged in two days of cultural mindfulness training to work towards the department’s multi-year strategic plan (MYSP) goal of providing culturally responsive mental health supports. The staff received training in the history of and continued impact of colonialism on Indigenous Peoples, and cultural traditions and practices.

A mental health and addiction MYSP priority is equitable and inclusive supports that help address the barriers that reinforce marginalization and oppression and ensure that mental health services are culturally response to the unique mental health and well-being needs of each student and family.

The training (attended by 28 staff and five Bachelor of Social Work practicum students) provided base knowledge of historical issues and how they continue to impact upon First Nations, Métis, and Inuit (FNMI) communities and individuals as well as cultural practices to support our work with students.

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On Friday, Sept. 20, approximately 85 French as a Second Language (FSL) teachers from NNDSB met for a professional development session featuring a keynote address by Katy Arnett, professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland and author of Accès au Succès. Her expertise in the field of FSL education is widely recognized; she delivered an inspiring speech that left a lasting mark on the attendees.

She shared her experiences and insights from her book, which has become a valuable resource for FSL educators seeking to help their students achieve success in language learning. This event, organized in conjunction with Nipissing University, was a remarkable opportunity for FSL teachers to enhance their skills, gain fresh insights, and connect with fellow educators in a collaborative setting.

It’s through events like this that we can collectively work to elevate the quality of French language education in NNDSB.

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A reminder about inclement weather days: alerts for delays and cancellations can be found on Nipissing Parry Sound Student Transportation Services’ website. Delays and cancellations will also be posted on NNDSB’s Facebook page as early as possible (usually by 6 or 6:15 a.m.), and local radio stations broadcast this information. Families are encouraged to create an account with NPSSTS so they can access information via the parent portal. NPSSTS has a tip sheet that can help families prepare for inclement weather days.

When buses are cancelled, schools usually remain open for students who can safely make it to school. We kindly remind you that transportation is cancelled for the whole day, so students who are dropped off in the morning must also be picked up at school at the regular dismissal time.

If buses to your school are either cancelled for the day and/or schools closed, instruction and related student activities should be provided for your child to complete at home. These activities may include online or offline activities that every child can access. We understand that because each school and community is unique, plans will vary across the board in response to local contexts. However, we endeavour to ensure that the learning continues for students, despite the weather outdoors. For more information visit this page of the website.

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The public is invited to all committee of the whole and Board meetings, which can be accessed via this link. The meeting ID is 899 1167 8742, the passcode is 859936 and the number to dial in is 1-855-703-8985.

The next meeting of the Board will be held Tuesday, Nov. 14. The committee of the whole meeting takes place at 5 p.m., the annual organizational meeting will take place at 6 p.m. and the business portion of the Board meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m

The audit committee will be meeting on Nov. 27 at 3 p.m. Here is the link to the meeting. The meeting ID is 836 2983 5030, the passcode is 672917 and the number to dial in is 1-855-703-8985.

For more information on board and committee meetings, visit this page of the website. Open the accordions of each section to find membership and meeting information.

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

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The multi-year strategic plan (MYSP) serves as a compass point which guides Near North District School Board (NNDSB) toward the achievement of the four strategic priorities, excellence in teaching and learning, excellence in communication, excellence in relationships and excellence in innovation.

NNDSB would like to invite all families to join us on Thursday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. for a 2023-2024 MYSP family information session.

This virtual information session will provide an overview of the board’s plans and the associated spending required to meet its goals in achieving excellence in its four key priorities during the 2023-2024 school year.

To join the meeting click this link, follow the onscreen instructions and enter the passcode 214568. For dial-in option call 1-855-703-8985.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Friday, Oct. 6, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

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

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A Board motion on Dec. 13, 2022 to rename and rebrand Chippewa was followed by the establishment of the Chippewa Renaming Committee to make a recommendation of a new name to the Board of Trustees. Knowing that changing the name was going to elicit strong emotions from the community, both for and against the change, the board felt it was necessary to undertake this work, given our mandate to create safe spaces that are inclusive and accepting to all pupils.

Similarly, all schools have a “legal duty to provide students with an education environment free from harassment and other forms of discrimination” because of grounds protected by the Code. Under these mandates, the name must be changed to protect all students.

The Chippewa Renaming Committee has grappled with various issues related to this renaming process and, as a result, has had to extend its original timelines for when a new proposed name would be brought forward to the Board of Trustees.

The committee has tackled a number of issues to date: understanding the connection and obligation to the Human Rights Code (HRC), ensuring the administrative guideline applicable to this process is up to date and supports the HRC, and ensuring that the committee’s terms of reference align with the appropriate administrative guideline.

Additionally, there has been a need for further consultation to increase understanding related to the context and complexities of this work. Committee meetings will resume once the administrative guideline update is approved and received by the Board of Trustees.

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It’s only the first week of October, but it’s never too early to remind NNDSB families about what happens during inclement weather.

Transportation services for NNDSB students is provided by Nipissing Parry Sound Student Transportation Services (NPSSTS). This is a third-party provider – NNDSB does not provide the transportation services to our schools.

If NPSSTS believes weather makes it is unsafe to transport students, bus cancellations will be announced. Sometimes the cancellations are for all areas and sometimes they are for “corridors”, or some areas of the board. NPSSTS’s home page has a search option to find out what corridor your student is in; you must know your student’s bus route number to use this search option.

Alerts for delays and cancellations can be found on NPSSTS’s website. Delays and cancellations will also be posted on NNDSB’s Facebook page as early as possible (usually by 6 or 6:15 a.m.), and local radio stations broadcast this information.

Families are encouraged to create an account with NPSSTS so they can access information via the parent portal.

When buses are cancelled, schools usually remain open for students who are able to walk to school, or who have alternate transportation. Transportation is cancelled for the whole day, so students who are dropped off in the morning must also be picked up at school at the regular dismissal time.

In some circumstances, NNDSB may decide to close a school. This decision could be due to the severity of the weather, loss of power or water. If schools are closed for the day, parents will be notified through ​their school, board, and local media communications. Our primary concern is always the safety of our students.

If buses to your school are ​either cancelled for the day​ and/or schools closed, instruction and related student activities will be provided for your child to complete at home. These activities may include online or offline activities that every child can access. We understand that because each school and community is unique, plans will vary across the board in response to local contexts. However, we plan to ensure that the learning continues for students, despite the weather outdoors.

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NNDSB is a member of the Education Collaborative Network of Ontario (ECNO) which finds and executes effective IT solutions for Ontario school boards. ECNO helps NNDSB promote cyber awareness through its K-12 awareness campaign during the month of October.

NNDSB students, families and staff are invited to learn more about cyber security with posters, games and videos. There is a different focus each week of October.

For more information about cyber awareness month, as well as resources, visit the ECNO website. There is also information posted in Edsby.

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YES Canada is seeking families within the NNDSB area to host international students. Host families provide a home away from home in a safe environment. They are expected to provide three meals a day and the opportunity for the student to become a family member.

Host families can learn about another country and culture while building relationships that span oceans and the world.

Families receive a monthly stipend to offset the cost of hosting. There are also local coordinators and the YES Canada team to provide guidance and on-going support to host families prior to and during the student’s stay.

Hosting opportunities are available now, as well as in November, February and April for two, three-, five-, 10- and 12-month terms. For more information contact homestay@youthedservices.ca or call 416-623-6220 ext. 410.

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

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023

To Near North District School Board families, staff, and community partners,

Sept. 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, which honours the children who did not return home from residential schools, the survivors of residential schools and their families.

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) is acknowledging the day tomorrow (Sept. 28) as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation falls on a Saturday, and Friday is a PA day. It is of utmost importance to NNDSB that staff and students have time together to honour truth and reconciliation.

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is held the same day as Orange Shirt Day, an Indigenous-led initiative that raises awareness of the impacts of residential schools. We encourage members of our school communities to wear orange on Sept. 28 (in school) and on Sept. 30.

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) understands the important role it has in truth and reconciliation. This is something we work towards every day. We continue to learn from Indigenous staff, students and community, and support all staff and students in their journey of learning more about residential schools and their lingering effects.

Upon the conclusion of its work, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its report and 94 Calls to Action. Several of those Calls to Action address education for reconciliation. NNDSB continues to respond to the 94 Calls to Action through offering language programs, providing safe spaces for Indigenous youth, programming, events and culturally responsive training and activities.

We hope you take time to reflect upon the solemnity of what truth and reconciliation means, and the impact it had, and continues to have, on our friends and neighbours.

Here are some ideas on how families can honour the day at home:

• visit the Indigenous Education Truth and Reconciliation resource page;
• read a book together that shares the truth about residential schools in Canada;
• learn about Phyllis Webstad and the origins of Orange Shirt Day;
• talk about what truth and reconciliation means;
• visit an Indigenous community near you;
• visit an Indigenous community website;
• attend a local event in your community.

Sincerely,

Erika Lougheed                                                                       Craig Myles

Chair of the Board                                                                    Director of Education

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Minister of Education Stephen Lecce has provided Near North District School Board (NNDSB) with this letter, and asked that it be sent to our school communities.

He has also recorded a back-to-school message in which students, families and staff are updated on what’s new for the 2023-2024 school year. Minister Lecce extends his gratitude and best wishes for students as the new school year begins.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board