Near North District School Board

Letter to families: Ontario’s Premier announces schools to remain closed to in-person learning

By

May 20, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Premier Ford announced this afternoon schools will remain closed to in-person learning at this time. Students and families will continue learning the same way they have since the return from Spring Break.

Please continue to monitor NNDSB’s website for updates and follow our Facebook and Twitter accounts. We will continue to share accurate and timely information, Ministry correspondence, and resources with you as they become available. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s school.

Additional resource material, including learning, mental health, and supports, can also be found on our website.

Stay well.

Sincerely,

Craig Myles

Director of Education

Trustees updated on Parry Sound JK-12 build

By

May 18, 2021

Trustees updated on Parry Sound JK-12 build

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) trustees were updated on plans that would anticipate the new Parry Sound JK-12 school opening in September 2023. The update for the Board came via a report from the Parry Sound Build Committee, whose May meeting featured a presentation by +VG Architects (the Ventin Group).

The committee meeting was attended by +VG’s Paul Sapounzi and Ed Bourdeau, who shared a review of project developments, including a timeline and project stages. The first phase includes a partial demolition this summer, ensuring students have a functional school to attend in September 2021 while construction begins on the new building.

Plans include the demolition of the north side of the current building (library area), while maintaining the cafeteria and shop areas. The two-storey school will feature two wings forming an L-shape: a childcare/elementary wing and a secondary wing. Main elements will be located on the first floor (cafeteria, lobby, gym, administration offices). The second floor will be academic wings, with seven additional elementary classrooms and private study areas. The rear wing will house technology areas, and science and technology wings are being overlaid to make the best use of ventilation systems.

The L-shape will allow construction around the existing building while placing the new build prominently on the site between the two main streets.

NNDSB Board Chair Jay Aspin said, “Our Board is very pleased to have received architectural plans from the Ventin Group for our Parry Sound K-12 school currently scheduled to open September 2023. Since elected, the construction of this school has been a top board priority and thus we are very gratified to keep our promise to the Parry Sound region.”

Bourdeau, +VG’s education specialist, told the committee the ideal time to tender is early January 2022, which requires that drawings should be submitted to the Ministry for approval in September 2021 in order to be approved and plans completed in December.

The Board approved a presentation to be made by Chair Aspin, Vice-Chair Cochrane and Director of Education Craig Myles to the Town of Parry Sound Council.

Construction is scheduled to begin in March of 2022, allowing a full 18 months to construct the building. It is anticipated that the move-in will occur over the summer of 2023 for a school opening in September 2023.

Board vice-chair John Cochrane, who is chair of the Parry Sound Build Committee, said, “The taxpayers, students and staff of the Parry Sound regional high school have waited far too long in an outmoded 72-year-old building. Our Board has been committed to rectify this situation. We thank our MPP Norm Miller and our local politicians for expediting our Board’s initiative.”

Sapounzi told the committee that in his experience, the projects that are taking a long time for ministry approval are the ones that come in above budget. He said that taking time to thoroughly prepare and meet all requirements will help expedite the process.

The school has been approved for six edu-pods (four for secondary and two for elementary). The pods are designed by +VG and are interlocking structures that maximize flexibility and reflect quality learning spaces. The cost is comparable to a pre-fab portable, but they can be built by local tradespeople.

Also at the May meeting, the committee approved Terms of Reference, and Board Vice-Chair John Cochrane will continue to chair the committee. Other members include Board Chair Jay Aspin (ex-officio), Trustee Nichole King, Trustee Rob Learn, Superintendent Gay Smylie and Capital Projects Manager Marianne Speirs.

Sub-committees have also been formed to support information-sharing and to keep the project moving in a timely manner.

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Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:
Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Students and community relationships blossom in FJ greenhouse experience

By

May 18, 2021

Learning can take place in all sorts of different places – a greenhouse is one of them.

For seven years, the budding greenhouse at Mattawa’s F.J. McElligott Secondary School has provided students with various horticultural and life skills.

“I really liked working in F.J.’s Greenhouse because we were outside and got to do hands-on work. I learned about soil, plants and how much everyone loves the greenhouse. I would like to do it again next year,” said Nic Guenette, a Grade 10 student.

The 1,300 square foot greenhouse was donated to the school in 2014 by local resident Laura Ross. Ross, along with her family utilized the greenhouse for decades before looking to pass it on.

Each year, students from various classes participate in the planting of plugs and seeds, nearly 28,000 of which were planted by students this year. In addition to planting, students also participate in daily deadheading, watering, basket creation and general maintenance of the plants, which are sold. Students learn about how plants are nurtured for maximum growth, the importance of soil properties, proper watering schedules, the value of sunlight to growth and about the business aspects of owning a greenhouse.

Sales from the greenhouse go towards helping F.J. students pay for class trips, school events and sports. Proceeds also help with beautifying the front of the school, maintaining and updating the greenhouse, and an annual scholarship for F.J. Grade 12 grads: FJ’s Blooming Greenhouse Scholarship.

Over the years, there have been numerous classes participate in the planting and maintenance of the plants. Some of these include Essential Science, Special Education, Learning Strategies, and Green Industries.

This year, there was a new addition – a Retail and Marketing class – which has been working on a logo and poster design to support sales.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, changes had to be made. A customer limit, mandatory mask wearing for all volunteers, staff and customers, frequent hand sanitizing, creation of a one-way loop for customers to maintain social distancing and plexiglass at the cash register.

During the opening weekend, which began on May 7, sales blossomed with nearly half of product sold.

“It was great to be back in the greenhouse after missing a year due to COVID and we were overwhelmed with the support we received from our customers on our opening weekend,” said teacher Martha Goodfellow. “Our students worked hard to ensure that all of our seedlings were planted before Spring Break which meant planting on average 4,500 per day. This was an amazing feat for students that were completely new to the process, and I was very proud of them.”

Fellow teacher, Judy Dupuis expressed her gratitude for the community support that has been shown over the years and especially this year.

“We had a great opening to the greenhouse and the support of the community has been amazing. The customers have been so pleased with the ability to shop local and support the school at the same time.”

While supplies last, the greenhouse will be open until June 1, 2021. For days and hours of operation, head to Facebook and look for FJs-Blooming-Greenhouse.

Letter to families: Information regarding Ontario Government announcement

By

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Today the provincial government made two announcements that affect Near North District School Board (NNDSB) students and staff.

The government has extended the stay-at-home order, so remote learning will continue until at least June 2.

It was also announced that children between the ages of 12 and 17 will be eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine beginning May 31.

You will find more information on both announcements in this link to the Province of Ontario newsroom.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

New communications team building confidence with initiatives

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Laptop, notebook, phone, and penIf you’re reading this right now, you’re experiencing the work of Near North District School Board’s (NNDSB) communications team. The team disseminates information from the Board of Trustees and Director of Education Craig Myles to a wide number of stakeholders.

The two-person team is supervised by Liana Blaskievich, Officer Corporate Affairs and works closely with senior administrators to provide timely and accurate communications. The team is a new addition to NNDSB, working as part of the Director’s office, and was formed in response to an extensive consultation that showed a deficit in communications. The team’s goals are to share NNDSB news and decisions with a variety of stakeholder groups.

The team is comprised of Communications Officer Deb Bartlett and Communications Coordinator Josh Casey. Both graduated from journalism programs; Casey also has a post-grad certificate in public relations and corporate communications, and Bartlett has a marketing diploma and just completed a communications degree. Together, they execute the plan that supports the board and while increasing communication to, and engagement with stakeholder groups.

Communications is a catch-all phrase that encompasses a variety of skills and activities that involve building relationships inside and outside the organization. The team is responsible for messaging and promotion of the NNDSB brand internally (within the board) and externally (outside the board); to increase awareness about the board and its activities; and to foster improved media relations. These goals are achieved in a number of ways – providing concise dissemination of Ministry of Education information, emails to staff, media releases, fresh web content, letters to families and updates to trustees as provided by senior administrators, Board Highlights and regular posts on a number of social media channels. The team also consults with the senior administrative team on issues relating to brand and perception.

Casey started with NNDSB in September 2020. He is responsible for covering news at the school level, updating board news on the website and managing social media. Bartlett joined the board in January 2021 and is responsible for board-level initiatives, creating and implementing the communications plan. She is the Freedom of Information (FOI) and Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act lead and has just agreed to take the lead for records management in a consultative role to board departments.

The team has already launched several initiatives to increase awareness and other ideas to be implemented that align with the board’s Multi-Year Strategic Plan (MYSP) which will come to the Board for approval in June and launch board-wide in September. Two of the four pillars of that plan – excellence in communications and excellence in relationships – are key focuses of the team. Its initiatives are strategically developed to fill communications gaps and when possible, are being measured to ensure they are meeting their objectives. Among the initiatives the team launched are increased frequency of media releases (media monitoring is taking place), enhanced social media activity (with tracking of analytics to measure engagement), this In the Works feature which highlights roles and positions in the board, and an initiative that will officially launch in September that amplifies the student voice in NNDSB communications.

Additionally, the Board Highlights document is shared with staff and stakeholders as well as media to share the news and decisions of the Board, and the Director’s monthly staff newsletter provides updates about Board and senior administrative decisions.

“Excellence in communications and excellence in relationships are key objectives for NNDSB. This means extensive work to repair and build long-standing partnerships and forge new relationships,” says Blaskievich.

“We strengthen our relationships by building trust in the organization. We do this by providing authentic, transparent, timely and accurate communications. We have come a long way in 2020-2021. This is the first time that NNDSB has benefited from a team of communicators that is focused upon sharing the best of NNDSB. I am proud of this team and how they have embraced NNDSB as their own, communicating to reveal our best work and highest intentions. We have more work to do, but I have the utmost faith in this team to make it happen,” she said.

Register now for summer secondary school credit courses

By

May 10, 2021

Register now for summer secondary school credit courses

Students have until June 18 to register for secondary school credit courses being offered at Near North District School Board’s (NNDSB) summer school.

Because they are being offered remotely, courses are accessible to students from all areas of NNDSB, as well as students from other boards and international students. There are a number of courses available from Grades 9-12 at the open, academic, applied, college and university levels, as well as new credit (110 hours) or upgrade/half credit courses (55 hours). Summer school will run from July 5 to 30 inclusively. Students are allowed to take one full credit course or coop placement, or may take two upgrade credits during summer school.

Principal of Secondary Summer School Jamey Byers says, “In unusual times, we are offering a variety of courses for students to upgrade or to take a new credit. Our offerings will allow students to continue to learn this summer and support their credit achievement efforts.”

There are also cooperative education placements being offered, with priority being given to students who require experiential learning components for their Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) certificates and students requiring the cooperative credit to graduate. Approved placements will be virtual, based on current recommendations of the health unit.

NNDSB is offering a Grade 8 Secondary School Reach Ahead Credit for current Grade 8 students who want to earn a secondary school credit prior to beginning secondary school. The course focuses on learning strategies to help students become more successful and independent learners.

All courses are subject to sufficient staffing and enrollment to run.

Each course will be delivered synchronously and asynchronously. All students will need access to a device and reliable internet throughout the day.

Attendance is mandatory, and students are expected to connect with their teachers each day of the course.

Students of NNDSB and other boards should speak to their guidance counsellors to register. International students should contact summer school secretary Terri Reidt at 705-472-5419 ext. 5991.

For more information, visit www.nearnorthschools.ca and select summer school under the programs tab.

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Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:
Deb Bartlett
Communications Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Letter to families: Looking ahead to next school year

By

Thursday, May 6, 2021

Dear Parents and Guardians,

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Education made an announcement that remote learning will be an option for the 2021-2022 school year.

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) staff are reviewing the announcement and its implications and finalizing how September’s return to school will be offered. Once the models have been determined, we will communicate with families, clearly outlining your choices for school in the fall.

The swing from in-person to remote is difficult for all of us, as we navigate the on-going challenges of education in times of a pandemic. It is our belief that the evidence suggests that for most students in-person is the best way to learn, when it is safe to do so. NNDSB schools have shown to be low risk for COVID transmission, and in-person learning has positive effects on children’s mental health including their need for socialization.

Families should give thought to how they would like their children to attend school, as you will be asked to choose an option in the coming weeks. Please be advised that in order to staff schools and provide consistency to students throughout our system, there may be limited flexibility to switch between remote and in-class learning throughout the year.

As always, NNDSB’s decisions are based on what is best for students.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Near North District School Board

Student Senate supports peers in pledge to be well

By

May 4, 2021

Student Senate supports peers in pledge to be well

Near North District School Board (NNDSB) is pleased to announce the launch of a Wellness Together Pledge as part of the Student Senate’s focus on mental health.

During the week of Mental Health Week, May 3-7, NNDSB intermediate and secondary school students will unite to Pledge to Be Well.

Designed to increase mental health awareness and promote ways of coping with stress, pledging students will receive a wellness kit. There are three kits to choose from: mind, body, and spirit. All three contain items to help students stay active and fit; items to keep their brains engaged and focused; and items to help build inner strength and balance.

This mental health initiative is designed to acknowledge students who have adapted to the changes to the educational model throughout the pandemic and provide them with tools and resources to manage their stress and anxiety.

On a daily basis, NNDSB’s mental health leadership team has been inspired by the resiliency and perseverance of its students and are happy to support their efforts.

The wellness kits will be safely distributed during the week of May 17. This campaign can be found on NNDSB’s mental health campaign’s Instagram @ThriveNNDSB.

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Information about Near North District School Board:

Near North District School Board is an English-language public school board serving the North Bay – Parry Sound – Nipissing area. The Board consists of approximately 10,000 students in 27 elementary schools, seven secondary/senior schools and various alternative learning centres. For more information, please visit nearnorthschools.ca and follow Near North District School Board on social media.

For more information, please contact:
Josh Casey
Information/Communication Coordinator
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5083
E. josh.casey@nearnorthschools.ca

Extended French program exclusive to NNDSB junior students

By

Friday, April 30, 2021

Extended French program exclusive to NNDSB junior students

A second choice for French as a Second Language – Extended French – is an option that is offered locally only by Near North District School Board (NNDSB) with a Grade 5 entry point.

Extended French provides more French language instruction than core French but is not fully immersive, with approximately 60 per cent of instruction in French. It is designed for students who do not speak French at home. The program begins for students in Grade 5 and continues throughout secondary school.

Research shows that second language learning enhances students in the reasoning, problem-solving and creative-thinking skills necessary for 21st century learners, as well as providing students with advantages in future career options as bilingual speakers.

Extended French is available in all areas of NNDSB. It is offered at Land of Lakes Public School, Parry Sound Public School, E.W. Norman Public School, Mattawa Public School and White Woods Public School. Students may continue Extended French at Almaguin Highlands Secondary School, F.J. McElligott Secondary School, West Ferris Secondary School, Northern Secondary School and Parry Sound High School.

Families interested in pursuing Extended French for their children are encouraged to visit this page, or call their nearest school that offers the program. Current NNDSB students need to register for the program, and students new to NNDSB must register with the board and select Extended French in the language program dropdown menu.

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For more information, please contact:
Deb Bartlett
Information/Communication Officer
Near North District School Board
P. (705) 472-8170, extension 5010
E. Deb.Bartlett@nearnorthschools.ca

Biindigen

Mii gwi Anishinabek wewena nkenmaaminak dependajig maa kiing.
"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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Near North District School Board
963 Airport Road, P.O. Box 3110, North Bay, ON P1B 8H1
[P] 705-472-8170   [TF] 1-800-278-4922   [F] 705-472-9927